CHAPTER 228: INVOKE, GREAT DAO RETURNS TO ME

Lu Chen stepped forward and exchanged a glance with Wind Dragon.

"Is it finished?" Wind Dragon asked.

"It's finished!" Lu Chen replied.

He then took Nantian Wan'er's hand and stood beside Jun Laoye.

That small exchange between Lu Chen and Wind Dragon just now spoke volumes about their tacit understanding. Wind Dragon returned to settle atop Lu Chen's head, accelerating the wind blades as they pursued Nantian Yijian.

As Wind Dragon adjusted his position on his head, Lu Chen asked, "How's Little Jian doing? His cultivation seems the same, but his combat skills feel far stronger than before."

Perched atop Lu Chen, Wind Dragon sensed the surge in Nantian Yijian's aura and nodded. "This is just the beginning. I'd say only about ten percent of his potential has been unlocked. Now I understand why the Lord of Rituals' lifebound enchanted artifact chose that brat as its master."

Taking advantage of a brief moment while Jun Laoye was distracted, Lu Chen performed a hand seal, drawing all of Wind Dragon's sealed skeletal remnants into his small world. "Wasn't that sword guqin something he found in the secret realm? Why does it feel so unusual to you? Is there more to it?"

Wind Dragon scoffed. "Do you really think the God of Slaughter's lifebound enchanted artifact is something anyone can casually wield?

"To be honest, not me, not Lord Seventh, and not even Lord Green Emperor could draw any of the flying swords without the Lord of Rituals' permission."

Overhearing the conversation, Jun Laoye lifted his gaze to the Thirty-Six Cosmic Sword Guqin behind Nantian Yijian. "Is the sword guqin this powerful? I thought it was just an ordinary artifact."

"Powerful? It's more than that," Wind Dragon said proudly. "It's almost on par with Little Lu's Twin Fish Medallion and your Heavenly Dao Spear. A few days ago, that Nantian brat stepped into the Core Breakthrough Realm by chance and forcibly drew out the thirty-six flying swords in the palm of the lightning giant. The moment they merged above his head... it felt as though the Lord of Rituals himself was right above me."

"The Lord of Rituals... could it be..." Jun Laoye roared in shock. "Heavens! The God of Slaughter... the Imperial Lord of Rituals' lifebound enchanted weapon?"

Noticing only himself in shock, he asked, "Wait! None of you seems surprised. Have you all known about this?"

He turned around, only to find Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er nodding calmly. He froze. "So Little Jian also knows... That means I'm the only one left in the dark?"

Scanning the group, Jun Laoye muttered with a hint of dejection, "Ah... what kind of monsters am I surrounded by? I used to worry that revealing my background might put all of you in danger because of how powerful it is. I never expected each of you to be even stronger."

Watching Jun Laoye's flustered expression, Wind Dragon said with a soft chuckle, "Little Jun, you'll get used to it eventually. There's still a lot you don't know. Besides, aren't you a monster yourself? If anyone should be adjusting to this, it's me. Hahaha..."

Wind Dragon's laughter was tinged with both self-mockery and excitement.

Jun Laoye scratched his head and laughed sheepishly. "You're right. Putting everything else aside... just walking among monsters makes me a monster too."

Wind Dragon chuckled lightly before turning his attention back to Nantian Yijian. "That experience didn't raise his cultivation much, but it greatly sharpened his combat awareness. Right now, he doesn't know how to fully draw out its potential. Once he integrates these instincts, he'll be as strong as Little Lu."

Lu Chen stood nearby, smiling as he watched Nantian Yijian weave through the storm of wind blades. "Is that so... I've always felt Little Jian wasn't ordinary. Seems I guessed right after all."

Thousands of wind blades darted around Nantian Yijian. Each time he was knocked down, he rose again, lasting a little longer with each attempt. The combat instincts buried deep in his memory slowly surfaced, refining his battle experience while gradually restoring his fighting style while he was at the Core Breakthrough Realm.

Lu Chen shaped his hands into a makeshift megaphone and shouted at Nantian Yijian, "Little Jian, focus and feel the attacks around you. You're already a strong cultivator. Learn to sense the flow of spirit qi."

He repeated his guidance while summoning his three avatars to hide nearby, staying alert for any approaching cultivators or monsters.

Hearing his voice, Nantian Yijian finally noticed Lu Chen's presence. Surrounded by relentless wind blades, he leapt back several dozen steps and shouted frantically, "Boss! Help me, please! If this keeps up, I'll be worn out to death even if I don't get killed by the attacks!"

"You still have the energy to cry for help, huh? Seems like it's time to strengthen the wind blades."

Wind Dragon rose into the air, releasing his spirit qi to form a vacuum barrier around the clearing. Dense wind energy swirled within, quickly coalescing into countless small wind blades.

Lu Chen watched the blades form, a hint of worry in his voice. "Wind Dragon, isn't this a bit excessive? Little Jian is only at the Qi Regulation Realm, and we still need to head back afterward."

Wind Dragon looked down at Lu Chen and grinned mischievously. "Don't worry. These wind blades are just for show. I only want to scare the kid a little and see how much potential he can unleash when he's in danger."

"Eh, Lord Wind Dragon, so you have a playful side too?" Jun Laoye asked, eyeing the growing storm of wind blades with puzzlement. "I always thought the mighty Wind Dragon would be serious all the time, like the Ancestor."

"Normally, Wind Dragon is quite pleasant to be around," Lu Chen murmured, eyes on the swirling barrier. "Little Jun, let's wait and see. Let's first find out how much potential Little Jian really has."

The wind energy within the barrier stirred faster. Tens of thousands of blades pressed against the barrier, adjusting in perfect sync with Nantian Yijian's movements.

Seeing the dense, nearly blinding forest of blades, Nantian Yijian looked at Lu Chen with a pitiful expression. "Boss, please plead for me! At this rate, I'm really going to die!"

Lu Chen studied Nantian Yijian's expression and the overwhelming storm of wind blades, his worry deepening. He knew most of it was an act, but with so many blades swirling around, even restrained, they could still shred his skin or cause serious injury if they struck all at once.

Just as Lu Chen was about to comfort him, Wind Dragon's voice boomed from above. "Brat, no need to shout. Even if you scream until your throat bursts, no one can save you today. Calm your mind and sense the flow of spirit qi around you. That might save your life."

Nantian Yijian, surrounded by layers of swirling wind blades, ran frantically, barely registering Wind Dragon's words. Occasionally, he caught the dragon's mouth opening and closing and assumed another threat, making him run even faster.

Seeing him ignore the advice, Wind Dragon recited the Heart Observation Mantra he taught Nantian Yijian. "Heart Observation Mantra, Great Dao Insight."

The mantra entered Nantian Yijian's mind. His Divine Psyche Incarnation lifted its head, responding to the rhythmic motion of the golden orb within his consciousness.

The golden orb pulsed like a second heart, radiating layers of light that stimulated his Divine Psyche Incarnation to grow rapidly.

Clutching his head, Nantian Yijian roared, "Those golden lights... my memories! Something is awakening... huh? The spirit qi here has slowed..."

"The Heart Observation Mantra... yes! It's stimulating my Divine Psyche Incarnation!"

He looked toward Wind Dragon, bowed deeply, then pressed his hands to the ground, silently reciting the Heart Observation Mantra. Pale yellow light surged from his pores, drifting into the surrounding air.

One... two... and three breaths went by.

Enveloped in the glow, Nantian Yijian slowly rose to his feet. Just as everyone held their breath, his eyes snapped open, and a beam of golden light shot into the sky.

He blinked and spoke to Wind Dragon with commanding authority. "So you're Wind Dragon? Come then. Release your elemental power on me and show me the true strength of a cultivator."

Lu Chen, Red Fox, and Wind Dragon were all equally stunned. They blurted out in unison.

"Huh? What's happening?"

Nantian Yijian's demeanour had changed entirely. He had never shown such seriousness, never spoken in a commanding tone, nor addressed Wind Dragon without the honorific "Lord."

"Come on, Wind Dragon. Are you afraid?"

Nantian Yijin snorted at Wind Dragon again. "Invoke!"

He placed his hands near his abdomen, where his Heavenly Pool lay, and formed intricate hand seals. Pale yellow light erupted from him, tearing a hole in the barrier.

"Invoke, Link of All Sages!"[1]

"Invoke, Great Dao Returns to Me!"[2]

Immense Wish Power surged into the sky, just as it had days ago. Once again, Nantian Yijian became the bridge between his Wish Power and the cultivators. This time, however, the source of his power came from over two hundred disciples of the Serene Void Academy.

1. In the raw, the technique name stands for "Hundred Schools of Thought," which calls upon the collective wisdom, insight, and spiritual power of the ancient sages and philosophers. It represents connecting one's consciousness to the enlightenment of countless wise masters throughout history, harmonizing one's mind with their knowledge and Dao comprehension.[/ref[

"Invoke, Empowerment of Myriad Arts!"[ref]This power channels the boundless essence of all techniques and laws between Heaven and Earth. It represents the fusion of countless arts, each harmonized under his command. To be empowered by myriad arts means to momentarily transcend the boundaries of a single discipline, allowing every technique he wields to resonate with divine harmony and reach its peak potential. ☜

2. This is the most profound of the three. The Great Dao is the ultimate truth or cosmic principle, the source of all existence and cultivation paths. When one declares "Great Dao Returns to Me," it symbolizes ultimate unity with the Dao, the culmination of enlightenment or divine recognition. ☜