449 - Senior Sister Is on Top

As if sensing her frantic thoughts, Miaonu couldn't help but caution after speaking: "Don't act rashly. The cycles of this world are not true rebirths. Heaven's law, the demons, you, and your senior sister — the four of you are deeply entangled but actually exist outside the cycles of reincarnation. Haven't you noticed that with each cycle, the spiritual energy in this world becomes thinner? If you truly use your death to reverse time, everyone may return to the past, but your senior sister and the demon won't. Then, everything will start anew, and you will lose all your friends, ending up completely alone." Tang Muxi hadn't expected this person to be so perceptive. Seeing her lost in thought, Miaonu had guessed what she was contemplating. Taking a deep breath to calm her restless emotions, Tang Muxi nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry. I was being foolish. I won't entertain such thoughts again." Relieved, Miaonu wrapped her arms around Tang Muxi and held her close. "No need to apologize to me. Just remember that your life was protected by Jiang Yin's death, and it's no longer yours to consider. Whether or not you can save her, you must never harm yourself. Go now. If you haven't given up, then give it your all, just like your senior sister did until the very end." * Returning from Miaonu's palace, Tang Muxi calmed herself and began to seriously ponder the parting words of the Heaven's Law. Her physical body was destroyed, her soul dissipated, even a wisp of soul power from the core was a fantasy. In such a desperate situation, why did Heaven's Law still claim that her senior sister could be resurrected? Tang Muxi was deeply puzzled and trapped in a cycle of confusion until she recalled the phrase "even if it means sacrificing divine artifacts," which struck her like a revelation. Of the nine sacred artifacts, only two are not meant for combat: the Sheji Tu and the Jishi Lamp. The Jishi Lamp, an accompanying artifact of her own body, has effects similar to her blood, with the greatest potential for healing injuries. But that’s all it can do — while it can bring someone on the brink of death back from the gates of hell, it does not possess the divine power to resurrect the dead. The day her senior sister’s vitality was extinguished, Tang Muxi exhausted herself, infusing her heart’s blood into her sister's body and using the Jishi Lamp to heal her, but to no avail. This indicated that the "divine artifact" mentioned by Heaven's Law could never be the Jishi Lamp. Thus, only the Sheji Tu, which hides the blessings of heaven and earth, was left. A thought struck Tang Muxi, reminding her of a hidden power within the Sheji Tu. It could manifest things already destroyed and non-existent. A thousand years ago, she had personally destroyed the Lianshui Baotuo, yet Chaoe Yinsheng had summoned it back into existence using the essence and blood of a soul, and through it, he had summoned the demon back into the mortal world. Since that was possible… if she could gather enough power, might she also resurrect her senior sister? The idea was audacious, but once it emerged, it quickly took hold of Tang Muxi's heart. Her long-dormant blood reignited, filled with a vivid, fierce strength. Legends suggest the Sheji Tu can only condense lifeless objects. But who’s to say that isn’t a biased perspective? For millennia, no one has succeeded, but that doesn’t mean it’s truly impossible. All life under Heaven’s Law was created by it. If souls and life force can be created, why couldn’t she use the same method to resurrect her sister? Tang Muxi knew her theory was flawed and full of holes, but how could she relinquish a hope that had finally appeared? Without hesitation, she retrieved the Sheji Tu, infused it with a bit of her blood to empower it, and began to condense life. Creating life recklessly is a severe crime. Ordinary cultivators can only procreate but cannot use spiritual treasures to create life. But Tang Muxi was different; she was the main deity here. While not mastering the world like Heaven’s Law, she held enough power to rival the heavens. To avoid disrupting the world’s order, she didn’t make a fuss. Using the Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth to seal the space, she started with the simplest and most ordinary spirit butterfly, attempting to condense its soul and body using divine power. Her actions were extremely subtle, and with a divine artifact blocking any prying eyes, she thought she could evade the rule’s detection. But no sooner had she begun than a bolt of heavenly lightning descended from the sky. The thunderbolt was overwhelmingly powerful, rumbling down as if to execute divine retribution. Terrified to the core, Tang Muxi immediately summoned the Nine Fiends Sword to block the lightning. But just as the divine sword reached the sky, another profound divine force emerged, forcibly dissipating the thunderbolt and the thunderclouds. "Muxi, it seems you’ve grasped the true intent and found a way to break the deadlock. However, the law of this realm forbids creating life, even for you. If you insist, you’ll have to do it in the void. There, beyond heaven and earth, you can avoid the law’s punishment. But the path is arduous, and the power of the divine scrolls is limited. Success is uncertain. I can guide you no further. Be cautious." The familiar voice suddenly rang in her ears, startling Tang Muxi. Realizing that Heaven’s Law was aiding her again, her emotions were mixed. She put away the scroll and bowed deeply towards the distant sky. "Muxi will remember." With Heaven's Law’s guidance, Tang Muxi wasted no time. Using the power of the divine sword, she forcibly tore through space, breaking into the void, and then entered the realm beyond heaven and earth with many divine artifacts. The void was not under Heaven’s Law's jurisdiction, filled with chaotic forces, with rampant spatial turbulence constantly attacking. Tang Muxi had to divide a portion of her mind to control the divine artifacts to resist the turbulence. Distracted and lacking spiritual energy, the process of condensing the spirit butterfly was not simple. Bit by bit, she experimented, repeatedly trying. Even when her spiritual power was nearly exhausted, she had not succeeded. But she did not lose heart. Having found a method, she would not give up. With insufficient spiritual power, she drank from the cold pond, resting briefly when exhausted, taking short naps. Through her relentless efforts, she had yet to successfully condense the spirit butterfly but had first comprehended the great path, sensing a breakthrough opportunity in the void. The void lacked spiritual energy, making breakthroughs detrimental. She had to momentarily halt her attempt and return to the palace to advance her rank. Advancing to the Mahayana stage is a cultivator's last major enhancement. From then on, aside from minor advancements in the middle and late Mahayana stages, one’s power would hardly improve further. As the main deity, even though the consciousness of Heaven's Law had merged into the mortal realm and cycles of reincarnation, Tang Muxi remained the most cherished and revered god. During her breakthrough, golden light descended from the sky, and auspicious clouds and rain stretched across the three realms.