Zhou Tong acquired the rewards for the final trial, then quickly left the shrine.
"Now that you have acquired the [Solitary World God] and the [Nine Elements Annihilation] techniques, you will be different from the other living beings of the Three Realms." Seeing Zhou Tong walk out, the silver-haired man spoke out.
"Do you know where Vastheaven Palace is?" Zhou Tong asked.
The man shook his head. "I don't know where Vastheaven Palace is either. However, since you've already passed the trial, I'll send you off now. "
As he spoke, he led Zhou Tong to a jade-green lake at the center of the island.
"Once you pass through this place, you'll be able to leave this place. Remember, don't forget your lifeblood oath." The silver-haired man pointed at the little lake.
Zhou Tong stared at the little lake, finding it rather hard to calm himself down. He knew that Undermoon Lake held the greatest fortune of all; the legacy of World God Northrest.
Both the [Solitary World God] and the [Nine Elements Annihilation] were merely 'rewards' for sending a message to Vastheaven Palace. World God Northrest had intentionally left behind a legacy here, and the treasures contained within it were no trifling matter. Upon acquiring it, one's foundation would instantly skyrocket.
However, one had to master the [Five Treasures] sword-art in order to acquire this legacy.
Zhou Tong had already mastered the [Five Treasures] sword-art in the earlier trials, but there was one problem that Zhou Tong wasn't able to confirm. World God Northrest had become a World God through the Dao of the Sword. Would he allow someone who didn't walk the Dao of the Sword to enter his legacy?
"Whether or not I'll be chosen will depend on my luck!" Zhou Tong didn't think too much about it. He immediately jumped into the lake.
Upon entering the lake, spacetime instantly began to ripple, causing the surrounding area to become blurry. Moments later, the surrounding area quickly solidified, allowing Zhou Tong to clearly see the scenery around him.
He was surrounded by boundless emptiness, while in front of him was an endless flight of stairs that led up to an unknown height.
"Did I … succeed?!" Zhou Tong felt a hint of joy in his heart.
"I'll be able to enter this place after mastering the [Five Treasures] sword-art?" Zhou Tong understood the conditions to enter this place. To be precise, there was only one condition, and that was to master the Five Treasures Swordsmanship.
The [Five Treasures] sword-art was a sword-art which World God Northrest had painstakingly created. Anyone who mastered this sword-art and came to Undermoon Lake would become World God Northrest's successor. As for the rest, whether or not he would walk the path of the sword in the future was another matter.
"That makes sense. World God Northrest needs a successor, not a clone of himself." Zhou Tong mused to himself.
The so-called successor was someone who inherited his own abilities. However, a successor did not mean that everything was exactly the same as the ancestor. It did not mean that the successor had to follow the path of the sword just because the ancestor walked the path of the sword.
"It's time to go up and take a look." Zhou Tong stepped on the stairs and walked up.
Not long after, a stone stele appeared on the road. It emanated a dense sword intent. The sword intent was so powerful that it was even more terrifying than the Three Realms' Five Treasures Sword Art.
Zhou Tong sat cross-legged in front of the stone tablet and meditated. He was comprehending these sword techniques and verifying them into his Sword Dao and Saber Dao. Three months later, he rose to his feet and continued on his way.
There were many more stone steles in front of him, each of which contained a unique sword art. Every single sword art had a different style. Some were good at piercing, some were good at defense, some were good at using emotions to enter the Dao, some were filled with a deep sense of longing, some were filled with a resolute sword-intent that was willing to sacrifice one's life …
Zhou Tong sat in the lotus position in front of each of the stone steles for three months.
These three months were spent meditating on the sword-arts, infusing the essence of the sword-arts into his Sword Dao, and also using the Sword Dao Seal to verify his Saber Dao.
As he continued to advance, Zhou Tong's Sword Dao and Saber Dao both continued to advance. He could vaguely sense that he was beginning to gain some vague insights into the fifth level of the Dao of the Sword and Dao of the Saber.
This path had been intentionally set down by World God Northrest for the sake of guiding his successor to reach the fifth level of swordforce. It was perfectly normal for Zhou Tong to be improving at this rate as he progressed.
The endless staircase in the void slowly grew larger and larger.
Zhou Tong continued to stare at it, meditating on it. He spent a total of twenty-five years on this path before finally seeing the end.
Along the way, he saw a total of ninety-eight stone steles with sword-arts inscribed on them. These ninety-eight profound sword-arts allowed Zhou Tong to gain a deeper understanding of the Dao of the Sword in this world.
From the Dao of the Sword to the Dao of the Saber, then to the Dao of Fire.
The more Zhou Tong meditated, the more he gained new insights into the fifth level of 'Divinity'.
To reach the fifth level, the most important thing was to gain insights into the true quintessence. Swordforce required one to gain insights into the quintessence of the sword. Saberforce required one to gain insights into the quintessence of the saber. Fireforce required one to gain insights into the quintessence of fire. Through these quintessences, one would be able to raise one's power to the 'Divinity' level.
'Whether it is the quintessence of the saber, the quintessence of the sword, or the quintessence of fire, they are actually the most fundamental things in the entire universe. They are a part of the Ultimate Dao!' Zhou Tong understood.
Any cultivator's divine power or immortal power was actually limited. However, there was only one thing that was infinite. It was the 'Force X' that corresponded to the various Daos. Previously, when Zhou Tong had been fighting non-stop in the Ice Canyon for a hundred years, he had relied on his Swordforce, Saberforce, and Fireforce.
This was because these powers were quintessence powers. As long as the universe did not dry up, then the cultivators who grasped these quintessence powers would have an endless supply of 'Force X' that would never dry up.
'As expected, the Dao of cultivation in this world is to transform oneself and wholeheartedly pursue the Great Dao that this world originally possessed!' Zhou Tong once again confirmed the Dao of cultivation in this world in his heart.
Although he had known about the Dao of cultivation in this world for a long time, the so-called 'knowledge' he had before was basically just 'hearsay'. But now, after walking down this path, he truly felt this situation. He truly felt the supreme Dao of the origin of this world.
Zhou Tong once again reviewed the ninety-eight sets of sword techniques on this path. Countless sword techniques constantly changed in his heart. One set of sword techniques after another constantly evolved. A mysterious and profound concept surged into his heart.
After a long time, he finally walked out of this state of enlightenment.
'Whether it is the fifth level of Swordforce or the fifth level of Saberforce, there is no need to pursue them. I can sense that the fifth level should be something that belongs to the Ultimate Dao. I should be the first to reach the fifth level in the Force of Fire. Otherwise, the path of cultivation that I had previously set for myself will have to change. 'Zhou Tong felt a hint of understanding emerge in his heart.
'It is time to go take a look at the things that World God Northrest left behind.'
After emerging from his state of enlightenment, Zhou Tong looked towards the end of the endless staircase. There was a jade-green temple there that emanated a dense aura of might. The ultimate treasure that World God Northrest had left behind was there.
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