Chen Jiuyang once again ascended the Dao Rhyme Platform, causing an uproar among the contemporary prodigies participating in the trial.
"What!!!"
"How can this monstrous prodigy from Chongming Sea ascend the Dao Rhyme Platform for the second time?!"
"...This shouldn't be possible. Everyone only gets one chance. How did he obtain a second opportunity to use the Dao Rhyme Platform?"
"How did he do it?"
"He... it seems he merely touched the illusion of Emperor Suigu. Could there be a secret to Emperor Suigu's illusion that we don't know?"
"Let's go and try. If we can get another chance at the Dao Rhyme Platform, we can temper and improve our divine abilities and combat power..."
Thus, a group of contemporary prodigies rushed to touch Emperor Suigu again. However, Emperor Suigu remained completely unresponsive.
...
After sitting on the Dao Rhyme Platform, Chen Jiuyang once again fell into enlightenment.
Using the unity of all phenomena as a guide, could he forge his own martial dao furnace?
One day...
Two days...
Three days...
Half a month later.
The Dao Rhyme on Chen Jiuyang's body suddenly dissipated, causing him to slowly open his eyes.
Chen Jiuyang frowned slightly, "Even being able to ascend the Dao Rhyme Platform for the second time, the power within was not enough to push me to comprehend the forging of the martial dao furnace..."
"I was clearly halfway there..."
Using the unity of all phenomena as the guide for the martial dao furnace, the direction was correct, and all insights were correct.
But this path was only halfway complete when the power of the Dao Rhyme Platform disappeared, forcing Chen Jiuyang out prematurely. Being interrupted halfway left him extremely frustrated.
"To fuse all origins, laws, and essence into the unity of all phenomena, without distinction of past, present, or future, without distinction of spring, summer, autumn, or winter..."
"Without the augmentation of the Dao Rhyme Platform's power, I could still enter enlightenment in my current state and fuse the unity of all phenomena... but the progress would likely consume several hundred years of my lifespan, and I still wouldn't be able to complete it."
Chen Jiuyang frowned, his eyes filled with determination, "Although this path is difficult, once it is mastered and the furnace is forged, I can directly attempt to break through to the Emperor Realm..."
"This time, the gains from the Human King's Path have reached their limit."
For ordinary people, completing the Human King's Path normally would not only allow them to forge a furnace but also to attempt to break through to the Emperor Realm.
However, Chen Jiuyang's foundation was too profound. After completing the Human King's Path, he even gained an extra opportunity at the Dao Rhyme Platform, yet he was only halfway through forging his furnace.
Truly a monstrous talent.
"It's time to return to Earth..."
As Chen Jiuyang stepped off the Dao Rhyme Platform, he saw the gate of the Holy City behind the platform.
Before leaving, he glanced at the unending battle still occurring in the Holy City, imprinting this real scene that happened a long time ago into his mind.
...
Outside the twelfth city of the Human King's Path.
Patriarch 'Sleepless' sat in a tea house in the market.
Uncharacteristically, he did not go to a brothel to celebrate.
In the past six months, the prodigies emerging from the twelfth city had all been discussing one person to varying degrees.
That person was the monstrous prodigy Chen Jiuyang from Chongming Sea, who possessed five great origin laws and was unable to forge a martial dao furnace, thus his cultivation would be forever stuck at the Half-Step Emperor Realm, with no hope of reaching the Great Emperor's ancient path.
This made Patriarch 'Sleepless' restless.
Chen Jiuyang held the Human King's Sword, and he was a peerless prodigy rarely seen in their Holy Sect for ten thousand years. If he could not forge a furnace and step into the Emperor Realm, the struggle for the Holy Path would halt here, and the awakened patriarchs would have to slumber again. It was unknown when their Chongming Sea Holy Land could be revived.
But these were all rumors. Patriarch 'Sleepless' wanted to witness it firsthand. If it were true as others claimed, he would definitely bring Qianyang to Chongming Sea as soon as possible to see if the patriarchs could help Chen Jiuyang solve the problem of forging his furnace.
"Whoosh!"
The last city of the Human King's Path slowly opened.
Chen Jiuyang, clad in the Nine Dragon Robe of Chongming Sea, slowly emerged from the city. Countless gazes fell upon him, with countless people scrutinizing him.
"Heh heh."
"As expected."
"Even the Human King's Path could not enable him to forge a furnace. The monstrous prodigy of Chongming Sea has taken the wrong path and is ruined."
Patriarch 'Sleepless' flashed forward, appearing before Chen Jiuyang, his voice carrying a hint of emotional fluctuation, "What happened? Where did the forging of the furnace go wrong?"
Chen Jiuyang's expression was calm and indifferent, "Let's return to the Holy Sect first. This place is not suitable for lingering."
"Alright." Patriarch 'Sleepless' immediately tore open a spatial rift and took Chen Jiuyang back to Earth.
...
Deep within the secret realm of the True Demon Sect.
Chen Jiuyang said, "My martial dao furnace was halfway forged when the Dao Rhyme Platform stopped. I will now go to the Immortal Falling Cliff to find that person to complete my martial dao furnace. If all goes well, I will forge the furnace on the spot and attempt to break through to the Emperor Realm."
"Immortal Falling Cliff..." Patriarch 'Sleepless''s expression suddenly changed, and he looked at Chen Jiuyang with a solemn gaze, "Qianyang... are you related to that person at Immortal Falling Cliff?"
Patriarch 'Sleepless', at his level, was very clear about what existed within the Immortal Falling Cliff.
Chen Jiuyang slowly nodded, "Several years ago, I awakened Patriarch 'Qing Jue', and she told me to go to Immortal Falling Cliff. Now it seems it was truly destined."
"My opportunity to step into the Emperor Realm lies in Immortal Falling Cliff."
"'Qing Jue' Patriarch..." Patriarch 'Sleepless' showed a look of longing, "To think it is this patriarch who has already attained the Dao and ascended to the Immortal Realm."
"In that case, I am relieved. I will send you to Immortal Falling Cliff now."
"No, before going to Immortal Falling Cliff, I need to visit the forbidden area of the Crippled Elder Village," Chen Jiuyang said. "There is a question I need answered."
"Hmm?" Patriarch 'Sleepless''s expression faltered. Did this young sect leader prodigy have karmic connections with the beings in the Crippled Elder Village?
The forbidden area of the Crippled Elder Village was a place that even 'patriarchs' of their level could not enter rashly.
"Alright." Patriarch 'Sleepless' asked no further questions.
Once again, he tore open a spatial rift and sent Chen Jiuyang to the opposite bank of the river outside the forbidden area of the Crippled Elder Village.
Patriarch 'Sleepless' said, "I will wait for the Sect Master here."
Chen Jiuyang nodded, transforming into a streak of light, he leaped across the river and landed in the vast, silent forest. Then, an indescribable, terrifying aura surged into his heart. He turned his head to see the boundless darkness that devoured all things encroaching upon him again.
This forbidden area of the Crippled Elder Village was truly bizarre. It was daytime outside, yet this dark night was also arriving?
Chen Jiuyang, carrying a sinister Buddha statue emitting a faint glow, struggled towards the Crippled Elder Village.
The Human King's Sword at his waist surged with purple-gold energy, enveloping him.
Within the Crippled Elder Village, the armless old sword emperor and others, who had already extinguished their candles and were asleep, suddenly awoke.
"Why has that little fellow come again..." The armless old sword emperor got up, lit a candle, and then the entire village rose and gathered on the open ground at the village entrance.
Surrounding them were giant, sinister statues emitting a faint light that protected the village, as if they were about to be extinguished, yet they resisted the erosion of darkness.
Chen Jiuyang, struggling to carry the sinister Buddha statue, arrived at the village entrance, sweat on his face. He glanced at the many disabled beings before him and said with a smile:
"This is truly the first time we are meeting in the true sense, seniors of the Human King's Path!"
Every disabled person in this village was a successor of the Human King's Path from different eras!
Just like Chen Jiuyang!