In the capacity of my grandmaster? Wu Yuan was bewildered.
He vaguely sensed that this was different from what he had anticipated.
“In simple terms,” Immortal Sovereign Bei You began, his gaze fixed on Wu Yuan, “if you accept this opportunity, you will officially become a third-generation disciple of my Bei You lineage, bearing the responsibilities that come with it.”
“Rest assured,” Immortal Sovereign Bei You continued with a slight smile, “the Bei You lineage does not overlap with the Taiyuan Divine Court. While I am considered part of the core of the Eternal Sun Immortal World, I am merely an affiliate member of the divine court, not part of its inner circle.”
Wu Yuan was taken aback. “Grandmaster, you’re only an affiliate member?”
For a Sovereign-level being to be just an affiliate member? This designation clearly referred to status, not power.
“What, did you think the divine court headquarters could control us Sovereigns?” Bei You chuckled softly. “Each Sovereign is a pinnacle existence in the macrocosm, a figure of unparalleled brilliance who has risen above countless others.”
“Even the divine court can only seek to win us over,” Bei You explained. “I joined the divine court after becoming a Sovereign.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
“I’m actually one of the more agreeable ones,” Bei You continued. “Take Immortal Sovereign Qing Ling from the Greenridge Immortal World, for instance. He refuses to submit to any major faction, existing independently within the vast river of space and time. [1] He occupies the largest territory in the macrocosm, commanding numerous powerful subordinates. He implicitly sides with the Immortal Court, but does not submit to it. Even the Eldritch Court can do nothing about him.”
Wu Yuan listened intently, his mind reeling. Truly, Sovereigns were beings of immense power and influence.
Given that the Greenridge Macrocosm is named after Immortal Sovereign Qing Ling himself, he must be extraordinary. Wu Yuan thought to himself.
The vast heaven and earth held countless secrets. In the Greenridge Macrocosm alone, countless powerful beings had emerged over endless ages, locked in constant struggle, with innumerable entanglements.
The powerhouses and factions that had endured to this day were all exceptional in their own right.
“So, you needn’t worry about future complications with the divine court,” Bei You assured him. “The oath you swore in your youth is an ordinary one. Unless you receive significant benefits from the divine court, its binding power will be weak. You only need to give as much as you receive – that is karma.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly, understanding that everything balanced out. To receive was to owe.
At this moment, Wu Yuan couldn’t help but think of the black pagoda. He had gained so much on this journey. What would he have to give in return?
“Of course, by not becoming a core member of the divine court, you also won’t receive many benefits from it,” Bei You continued. “For example, you won’t be able to enjoy the numerous resources available to core disciples of the Divine Hall.”
“I understand,” Wu Yuan nodded.
Fewer benefits meant fewer responsibilities to shoulder. In the future, if the Taiyuan Divine Court called for aid, he could choose to ignore it.
“You’ve become a disciple of Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi, and you’ve made progress in both the Celestial Body and Longevity Daos,” Bei You observed. “Your primary goal must be to comprehend the Life Dao.”
“The Life Dao is extraordinary,” he continued. “The six special Greater Laws each have their unique aspects. Your Master Kua Chi, for instance, is known as the Undying Sovereign among the macrocosm’s Sovereigns. He’s incredibly difficult to deal with in direct combat, giving other Sovereigns severe headaches.”
The Undying Sovereign? Wu Yuan mused to himself. Was that Master Kua Chi’s alias?
“But undying doesn’t mean truly unable to die,” Bei You said casually. “No matter how difficult, he can still be killed.
After the Time Dao, the strongest Dao is the Space Dao.
My alias is Shadowless. Few other Sovereigns in the macrocosm can trace my whereabouts.
If I so choose, I can infiltrate any corner of the macrocosm, any pocket of spacetime, and kill anyone below Sovereign level that I wish to eliminate,” Bei You stated matter-of-factly. “I can access the most secure areas of the Cang Feng Eldritch World or the Voltari Temple.”
Wu Yuan listened, dumbfounded.
The Shadowless Sovereign? Truly heaven-defying.
A barely perceptible smile tugged at Bei You’s lips, clearly enjoying Wu Yuan’s expression.
What he said wasn’t wrong – he could indeed break into the core region of any major faction. However, whether he could safely escape afterward was another matter entirely.
“The fact that you could easily grasp the profundities of the Space Dao right after your soul evolved to a Yuan Soul, even if it’s an Apotheosis Yuan Soul, speaks volumes about your aptitude,” Bei You continued.
“If you’re willing, you have the potential to fully comprehend the Space Dao in the future. Eventually, you might even fully comprehend Spacetime… This path is far broader than the Life Dao you’ve been pursuing,” Bei You explained.
Wu Yuan only felt that Bei You’s ability to paint an enticing picture of the future was truly remarkable, far surpassing Master Kua Chi’s. [2]
“Of course,” Bei You added, “the best cultivation path is the one that suits you. If you didn’t have an aptitude for the Space Dao, I wouldn’t even bother meeting with you, let alone try to persuade you. Once you truly step through the threshold of the Space Dao, you’ll naturally understand its power.”
“The Law of Space is indeed extraordinary,” Wu Yuan admitted sincerely.
If nothing else, just witnessing how Astral Monarch Hou Qu and Astral Monarch Huo Cang could freely traverse the macrocosm through applying the principles of the Law of Space was enough to inspire envy.
“The opportunity I’m offering you will likely allow you to progress further along the Space Dao. And this chance is something that only I, the only Sovereign of Space in the entire macrocosm, can provide you.”
Wu Yuan listened with bated breath. An opportunity that only Immortal Sovereign Bei You could offer?
“If you don’t accept it, I’ll give you a gift and send you out of the Bei You Realm,” Bei You said with a smile. “The choice is yours.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Wu Yuan asked, “Grandmaster, if I choose to accept this opportunity, must I pursue the Space Dao?”
“No.” Bei You replied calmly. “If you had come a million years ago, you wouldn’t have had the option to defy me. However, what happened with your master has taught me much.”
“Master?” Wu Yuan was surprised.
“Many of my disciples, like your Senior Uncle Huo Cang, have achieved great things in the Space Dao. Yet to this day, my lineage has failed to produce a second Space Sovereign,” Bei You explained evenly.
“Your Master Dong Yang defied my wishes, but after tens of thousands of years, his chances of breaking through to become a Sovereign have greatly increased.
The path to becoming a Sovereign ultimately varies from person to person. The path is laid out before you, but you must choose for yourself.” Bei You smiled.
Bei You didn’t mention that this was an agreement between him and Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi. Neither of them would interfere with Wu Yuan’s future path.
“In that case, I willingly accept,” Wu Yuan replied without hesitation.
To master the Law of Life, one must first comprehend the Law of Space. And when it came to achievements in the Law of Space, who in the macrocosm could surpass Immortal Sovereign Bei You?
With his guidance, Wu Yuan was destined to progress faster and more steadily along the Space Dao.
Bei You gestured, and several streams of light flew out, interweaving to envelop Wu Yuan completely.
Rumble! Even with his powerful Yuan Soul, Wu Yuan felt his mind shudder. A thunderous explosion followed, and a complex tidal wave of information flooded his consciousness.
This vast sea of knowledge was so overwhelming that Wu Yuan couldn’t spare a thought for anything else.
Boom! Wu Yuan seemed to ‘see’ a sort of power concentrated at a singular point, spreading out in the darkness of the void. Then, that power exploded, instantly transforming into countless scenes.
The vast heaven and earth were thus created, and the fundamental powers of heaven and earth – Metal, Wood, Water, and others – were born from this.
“Spacetime is the primordial Dao essence; Space is the foundation for all existence; Time gives meaning to all things and all Daos. Without Spacetime, all is illusory… Qiankun, True Domain, Spatial Rift…” A flood of information converged.
Countless insights washed over Wu Yuan. It was as if Wu Yuan had personally witnessed the various profundities of the Law of Space, both hazy and clear, incredibly bizarre!
It felt like a long time passed before Wu Yuan regained his senses.
He now understood that this was Immortal Sovereign Bei You’s comprehensive guidance on the Law of Space.
It was incredibly detailed. One part dealt with the profundities of various Lesser Laws of the Space Dao, while another part provided an overview of the entire Space Dao.
However, Wu Yuan’s current understanding of the Space Dao was still superficial, so he could only memorize everything for now.
Seeing Wu Yuan open his eyes, Bei You spoke, “This inheritance can be considered a ‘Compendium of the Law of Space’.”
“While it may not compare to the so-called ‘True Spatial Domain Tome’ or ‘Law of Qiankun Tome’ in terms of guidance for specific Intermediate Laws, it is more comprehensive and provides a more solid foundation,” Bei You explained. “Additionally, I will prepare a portion of Fire Divine Gorge Brew for you.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster,” Wu Yuan said respectfully.
The True Spatial Domain Tome might be excellent, but it was far too rare. Even with an original copy, one could only receive its inheritance once every ten million years.
“For the next hundred years, you will cultivate in the Bei You Mountain Range,” Bei You instructed.
“Within a century, if you can comprehend any Intermediate Law of Space to the True Intent stage, I’ll take it that you’ve passed my test,” the Immortal Sovereign Bei You said coolly. “Come see me again when you’ve reached that stage.”
“You may go now. After bidding farewell to your master, proceed to the Immortal Belvedere. I’ve already made arrangements.”
Bid farewell to Master? Wu Yuan’s mind raced, recalling his master’s earlier words. He bowed respectfully, “Yes, Grandmaster.”
Though uncertain of the Immortal Belvedere’s location, Wu Yuan figured it wouldn’t be difficult to find. He could always ask his master for assistance too.
1. Qing Ling = Greenridge ☜
2. The Cake-painting Dao is strong in this novel. ☜