Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Tingyou: I Am to Attain No Heaven?

Celestial Wu City. The Government Office of the All Heaven Department.

Though it was called a Government Office, it was actually an Immortal Mountain stretching for a thousand miles. After Lü Yang entered, he quickly found the Cave Mansion that had been assigned to him.

’The priority right now is to digest the Wu Fire Cultivation.’

In this regard, the Government Office offered a significant advantage. As a place of such importance, it was under the watchful eye of the Immortal Dao Law and even had a special mode to assist in comprehension.

This was also one of the ways the Dao Court distributed its stipends.

The Dao Court’s stipends generally came in three categories, distributed once every hundred years. One could choose any category: Spiritual Materials, Dharma Gates, or Enlightenment.

The first two were self-explanatory, but the last option, Enlightenment, was quite subtle. It involved having the Immortal Dao Law directly bless a Cultivator, allowing them to enter an unprecedented state of "Shocking Enlightenment." In this state, one’s efficiency in comprehending Cultivation Techniques and Refining Spiritual Treasures or Qi Pills would increase tenfold.

And as a newly appointed official, Lü Yang was entitled to receive one stipend immediately.

After choosing to receive "Enlightenment" and decisively activating it, Lü Yang immediately realized what a ridiculously powerful ability it was.

It wasn’t as if he had never tried to comprehend Wu Fire before.

However, in his previous attempts, he had always found it obscure and difficult. Perhaps he could have eventually understood it by grinding away over a long time, but that would have required decades of hard work.

But now, it was different.

Under the blessing of the Immortal Dao Law, the once-obscure knowledge became as if lubricated, flowing smoothly and allowing him to penetrate its depths with ease.

Now, there was practically no barrier to understanding. Questions were answered the moment they arose, and difficulties were surmounted with a single thought. The entire process was completely free of bottlenecks.

’Is this the Progenitor’s usual state?’

’No wonder he’s so powerful!’

Time becomes meaningless during cultivation. Just as Lü Yang was freely swimming in an ocean of knowledge, his smooth train of thought suddenly slammed into a wall of bronze and iron.

’Ugh... what’s going on?’

Lü Yang let out a muffled grunt and opened his eyes. The sensation was like being suddenly interrupted right at the point of release, and then being told you couldn’t finish.

The frustration was agonizing.

Lü Yang blinked. When he tried to revisit the knowledge of Wu Fire that had just been flowing into his mind like a torrent, he found it had once again become obscure and incomprehensible.

’How did I get so stupid?’

Lü Yang’s eyes glazed over. Having personally experienced what "world-shocking wisdom" felt like, he was now finding it hard to accept the fact that he was an idiot.

’The Immortal Dao Law...’

Lü Yang glanced at the great golden net above him and couldn’t help but swallow.

’This treasure and I are bound by fate!’

At the pace he was just going, he would only need at most three more blessings from the Immortal Dao Law to completely digest the Wu Fire Cultivation and begin his breakthrough!

’But the damn Dao Court stipends are only distributed once every hundred years! If I want to get the blessing of the Immortal Dao Law again, I either have to wait a century or perform some meritorious service... So that’s the catch! In the end, it’s all designed to make the Dao Court Cultivators get into a rat race. The stipend is just bait!’

’So, how can I earn some merit?’

Lü Yang sank into a brief moment of deep thought. Gradually, his eyes began to light up.

’...Master Chong Guang!’

’According to the original course of history, to seek the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, Chong Guang will secretly reincarnate and infiltrate the Qing Country, then convert that Dao Court Marvel into his own resource.’

’What if I stop him?’

’I could set up an ambush in the Qing Country ahead of time. The moment Master Chong Guang reincarnates, I’ll snatch him up, Refine him on the spot, and resolve the Qing Country’s crisis.’

’Wouldn’t that count as a great meritorious service?’

’After all, not only would that take care of the Stain Sect’s—SPIT! SPIT!—I mean, the Jiangbei Demon Sect’s Interim Sect Leader, it would also protect the Marvel that the Daoist Court Emperor established in the North.’

’An absolutely colossal achievement!’

’As for Master Chong Guang... he’ll just have to suffer a bit. I’ll make it up to him in the next life. I didn’t even hold a grudge when he sabotaged my Fortune for his own pursuit of Gold back in the ninth life!’

At this thought, Lü Yang began to rub his hands together in glee. If he could really pull this off, he could ask for way more than a single blessing from the Immortal Dao Law—even eight or ten wouldn’t be out of the question! The only problem was that if something happened to Master Chong Guang, there would be no one to attain No Heaven...

’...Not necessarily.’

With that thought, Lü Yang focused his Heart Spirit and entered the Myriad-Soul Banner. He reached out and knocked gently, waking Progenitor Tingyou from his secluded cultivation.

"Another Cultivation Technique for me to help you comprehend?"

As soon as Progenitor Tingyou opened his eyes, he expertly held out his hand.

Lü Yang: "..."

The next second, Lü Yang’s expression turned indignant. "Progenitor, how can you think of me like that? Am I the sort of villain who only knows how to bother you?"

"I’ve come this time to bring you good news!"

"Oh? Do tell."

Progenitor Tingyou was unconcerned. In his previous life, he had brutally slaughtered even True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde. With his great vengeance exacted, his heart was long devoid of joy or sorrow...

"In this life, I plan to help you achieve the state of Seeking Gold!"

At these words, Progenitor Tingyou, who had been completely nonchalant, suddenly sat bolt upright.

"...Explain. In detail!"

Lü Yang smiled at the reaction. "I had you comprehend No Heaven before, Progenitor," he said. "Now, the opportunity is here... I want you to be the one to attain it!" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Attaining No Heaven was no easy feat. The very first step, the Essence of All Flowers, required a bloody battle against one hundred and eight Celestial Maidens—a threshold that countless cultivators could never cross. Besides Chong Guang, who had succeeded in the past, Lü Yang couldn’t think of anyone else who could do it except Progenitor Tingyou, who had already comprehended No Heaven.

This was actually a good thing for Progenitor Tingyou.

"In this life, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde is still alive and won’t be dying anytime soon. Progenitor, although you are at Foundation Establishment Perfection, it will be very difficult for you to attempt Seeking Gold."

Lü Yang said in a low voice, "Therefore, it’s better to pursue the attainment of No Heaven!"

"Hmm... That does make sense."

Progenitor Tingyou fell into contemplation at his words. He naturally accepted Lü Yang’s mention of "this life," not sensing anything strange about it.

Soon, however, a worried expression crossed his face.

"But... if I go to attain No Heaven, I will have to enter seclusion with All the True Monarchs of the world. Without me by your side, won’t you be in danger?"

Lü Yang was stunned.

He had been busy calculating how Progenitor Tingyou should go about attaining No Heaven, when he should do it, and what benefits he himself could reap once it was accomplished.

But now, his train of thought had completely stalled.

A second later, a sincere smile returned to his face. "It’s no matter. Progenitor, your quest to attain No Heaven is more important. This is also to prepare for the future."

In a sorry place like this, it’s hard for a lone person to accomplish anything significant.

To achieve anything, you had to make many friends and few enemies. The value of an absolutely reliable Perfected Lord as an ally was self-evident.

Besides, Lü Yang hadn’t forgotten that there was another No Heaven inside his Myriad-Soul Banner!

’Although it’s only a Fruit Position Prototype, I still have Ang Xiao, don’t I? I once said I would devour him for a hundred lifetimes, and I certainly have no intention of letting him go in this one.’

’I’ll just have to make Summon suffer a bit, get the power of the Fruit of Long-Flow Water from Ang Xiao one more time, and nurture the No Heaven prototype in my Myriad-Soul Banner to Perfection. With the Progenitor also attaining No Heaven and Refining a Grotto Heaven in this life, I’ll start my next life with a Perfected Lord as my Protector!’

Just then, a voice suddenly called out from outside his Cave Mansion.

"Lord Du Huan?"

Lü Yang answered and walked out of his Cave Mansion, only to see Eunuch An, the very person who had led him into the palace. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist An, what matter brings you here?"

"It’s hardly an order."

Eunuch An waved his hand, his face breaking into a wide smile. "This one has come to relay a decree... Lord Du Huan, His Majesty has given you a monumental task this time."

’A monumental task?’

Seeing Lü Yang’s confused expression, Eunuch An quickly explained, "It’s like this... the All Heaven Department recently captured someone cultivating the Fruit of Rampart Earth!"

...Huh?

"Although the person is only at the Qi Refining stage—not even Foundation Establishment, strictly speaking—their Cultivation Technique absolutely points to the Fruit of Rampart Earth. His Majesty has already personally given the order."

"He wants you, Lord Du Huan, to find a way to interrogate them and extract the contents of their Cultivation Technique. Their technique is quite special; it’s bound by karmic links and cannot be obtained through Soul Searching. His Majesty also doesn’t wish to alert the Pure Land, so we can only resort to interrogation. If you can get it out of them, my lord, it will be another massive achievement!"

Lü Yang: "..."

’The person you’re talking about... it couldn’t possibly be Senior Brother Zhao Xuhe, could it?’