Chapter 1312
Old Friends Gone to Dust, Cultivation of the Great Dao is Difficult
Gu Xuan's voice trembled slightly with grief.
Ye Yang's pupils suddenly contracted, and an ominous premonition surged into his heart.
Without the slightest hesitation, he transformed into a bolt of lightning and instantly rushed towards Li Bayuan's secluded cave!
The stone gate to the cave had long been shattered by the violent spiritual energy.
Ye Yang rushed in, and the scene before him made his eyes widen in horror.
In the center of the cave, the once burly and vigorous man was now slumped on the ground like a withered tree.
His hair turned gray and yellow at a visible speed, eventually becoming completely white.
His once strong facial muscles rapidly atrophied, his skin was covered with deep wrinkles, his eyes were sunken, and his vitality... was slipping away at an alarming rate!
The breakthrough failed, the foundation of the Dao was destroyed, and the Dharma backfired!
This backlash not only destroyed all his cultivation, but also frantically devoured his lifespan and life essence!
"Junior Brother Li!"
Ye Yang rushed forward and helped Li Bayuan up.
Upon touching it, all I felt was coldness and witheredness, as if I were holding a corpse that had been dried up for many years.
Li Bayuan struggled to open his cloudy eyes and saw that the person who came was Ye Yang.
His chapped lips moved slightly, revealing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Ye... Dao Ancestor... Senior Brother Ye, you're back..."
His voice was hoarse, aged, and filled with death.
"Don't speak!"
Ye Yang flicked his finger, sending away a wisp of life essence.
The life energy obtained from the Azure Dragon Dao Fruit surged into Li Bayuan's body like a tidal wave.
A miracle seemed to have occurred.
Li Bayuan's pale hair began to regain a luster, and his dry skin seemed to regain some elasticity.
A glimmer of light appeared in his cloudy eyes.
However, Ye Yang's expression grew increasingly grim.
He could clearly feel that these surging life energies were like being poured into a bottomless black hole.
Upon entering, they were completely swallowed and annihilated by an invisible force!
Li Bayuan's body was like a piece of porcelain that had been completely shattered; no matter how precious the glue, it could not be glued back together.
His dantian has shattered, the fire of his soul is about to be extinguished, and the source of his life force has been cut off.
Even though he possessed the vitality and energy of the Azure Dragon Dao Fruit, he could not reverse this collapse at the level of laws!
"Senior brother...don't...don't waste it..."
Li Bayuan stretched out his withered, claw-like hand and tremblingly pushed Ye Yang's hand away.
He was panting, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes gradually faded.
"I...I was too hasty...I always thought...I could catch up with you, Senior Brother...I could...I could do more for the sect..."
"I never thought... it would all end up being nothing... Heh..."
"Senior brother...Flying Heaven Sect...I...I'm entrusting it to...you..."
After uttering his last words haltingly, Li Bayuan's hand fell limply to the side, his head lolled to the side, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes vanished completely.
The expression on his face froze on a bitter smile of regret and relief.
Li Bayuan, the Heavenly Gang True Man, a core member of the Flying Heaven Sect, has fallen!
"Junior brother..."
Ye Yang held Li Bayuan's rapidly cooling and stiffening body, and his whole body froze.
The Azure Dragon Dao Fruit in his hand, which still radiated endless vitality, now seemed incredibly ironic.
He can cleave mountains in two with a single sword strike, snatch life from the hands of a Thunder Tribulation Realm expert, and awe the entire land with his sheer power.
But now, he could only watch helplessly as his junior brother passed away in his arms.
Gu Xuan and several elders also rushed over. Upon seeing this scene, they were all moved to tears and filled with grief.
The entire cave was deathly silent, save for the suppressed sobs.
Ye Yang slowly and carefully laid Li Bayuan's body flat on the ground, straightened his disheveled clothes, and closed his unwilling eyes.
He stood up, walked out of the cave, and looked up at the horizon.
As the sun sets, the afterglow turns blood-red, staining the entire sky with a desolate hue.
He recalled many years ago.
The scene of that honest-looking young man carrying a giant hammer taller than himself, shouting that he wanted to spar with him.
He recalled the scene during the sect competition, when Li Bayuan fought against all the heroes and won the honor of "Seven Flying Sons," and the way he laughed heartily.
He recalled every time the sect faced a crisis,
This man was always the first to carry the giant hammer and stand at the forefront.
Each scene seems like it happened just yesterday.
But he is gone.
Spiritual practice knows no time.
The path of spiritual practice is often brutal.
A cultivator's life is a constant struggle against heaven, earth, and humankind.
On this long and lonely road.
Although I am constantly becoming stronger and my lifespan is constantly increasing.
But the old friends around you may disappear forever after any seclusion, any breakthrough, or any unintentional parting.
The path to immortality is a one-way street, paved with the corpses of one's companions.
Ye Yang slowly closed his eyes.
Li Bayuan's passing was not the only one who died due to lifespan limitations after he embarked on the path of cultivation.
However, he felt an indescribable powerlessness and heartache upon the passing of Li Bayuan.
"Junior Brother Li, may you rest in peace."
He murmured softly, his voice carried away by the wind in the blood-red setting sun.
The crimson afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the main peak of Feitianmen.
Ye Yang stood outside the cave entrance, feeling no warmth from his return, only a bone-chilling cold.
He raised his hand and waved, and a powerful and deep voice immediately resounded throughout every mountain peak of the Flying Heaven Sect.
"All Flying Heaven Sect disciples, proceed to the main peak plaza immediately."
His voice was completely calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
All the disciples felt a chill run down their spines, vaguely sensing that something was amiss.
In the short time it takes to burn half an incense stick, the main peak plaza was already packed with Flying Heaven Sect disciples.
Ye Yang gazed at the thousands of disciples below the stage and slowly spoke. "Today, Elder Li Bayuan of my Flying Heaven Sect has passed away!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the square fell into a deathly silence.
Only the howling winds of the mountains swept through, stirring up clouds of dust.
Many disciples looked astonished, but many more had already learned of the news through various channels.
So it's not surprising.
The atmosphere in the room tensed up immediately, and there was a few seconds of silence.
"Elder Li was honest, upright, loyal and courageous throughout his life, dedicating all his heart and soul to the Flying Heaven Sect."
"He once said that he would stand in front of the Flying Heaven Sect disciples for the rest of his life and do his part for the sect. He did it, he gave it his all, and he did it."
The disciples below the stage already had tears in their eyes.
Many of Li Bayuan's former disciples couldn't help but sob quietly.
"Junior Brother Li was an upright man throughout his life, and he was willing to die for the sect."
Ye Yang raised his hand and pointed to the setting sun on the horizon.
"Fellow disciples, follow me to see Junior Brother Li off on his final journey!"
The words fell.
Thousands of disciples bowed in unison, their voices rising like a tide: "Respectfully bidding farewell to Elder Li!"
Ye Yang nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes as he saw the high level of cohesion among the Flying Heaven Sect disciples.
Several elders, including Gu Xuan, personally used a secret method to cremate Li Bayuan's body.
A wisp of smoke rose up, condensing in mid-air before dissipating and eventually transforming into starlight, merging into the world of the Flying Gate.
It was as if he had never left, but had simply changed his ways to continue guarding the mountain gate he so deeply loved.
The memorial service lasted a full day.
As night fell, the disciples slowly dispersed.
Afterwards, Ye Yang returned to his secluded cave.
Seven days later.
Deep within the Flying Gate, in a secluded cave dwelling.
Ye Yang sat cross-legged, with a jade slip exuding an ancient aura floating in front of him.
It was the Azure Dragon Dao Scripture obtained from the Infinite River of Boundaries.
He probed into it with his divine sense and has been carefully studying it for seven days and seven nights.
"Just as I suspected."
Ye Yang opened his eyes, a flash of understanding crossing his gaze.
"This manual contains the pure power of the Azure Dragon bloodline, and all its techniques are derived from the bodies of scaled and armored demon beasts."
"If one cultivates in human form, not only will one be unable to unleash its power, but one will also suffer from qi deviation due to incompatibility with bloodlines."
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly an idea struck him.
"It would be fitting to bestow these upon the Purple Lightning Dragon and the Three-Headed Sky-Piercing Python that the Ancient Elder transformed into."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Yang flicked his finger.
Two beams of light shot into the sky, transforming into two streams of light that vanished into the horizon in an instant.
In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Then came the sound of thunder from the horizon.
Immediately afterwards, two purple dragons, each tens of meters long, broke through the clouds and arrived!
Their bodies were covered in purple scales, each scale crackling with tiny bolts of lightning. Their horns were sharp and prominent, their whiskers fluttered, and their eyes were full of spirit.
These are the two Purple Lightning Dragons that the Flying Heaven Sect subdued back then!
"Roar!"
Two thunderous dragon roars echoed above the Flying Gate, tearing two gaps in the clouds.
Two purple lightning dragons hovered above the cave, each scale crackling with terrifying power.
However, when facing Ye Yang, he restrained most of his fierceness, leaving only cautious reverence.
"We pay our respects to the Dao Ancestor! We wonder if the Ancestor has summoned us two dragons for any purpose?"
Ye Yang raised his hand, and a flash of spiritual light appeared at his fingertips. The Azure Dragon Dao Scripture, which exuded an ancient aura, slowly floated up.
Dao Dian was surrounded by a faint blue spiritual light, with the faint sound of a dragon's roar echoing from it, subtly resonating with the lightning power on the two purple lightning dragons.
"I have summoned you two dragons today not to give you any orders, but to bestow upon you something."
As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and the Azure Dragon Dao Scripture transformed into a streak of azure light, slowly drifting towards the two purple lightning dragons.
Zi Lei and Zi Dian shuddered simultaneously, their enormous dragon eyes widening in disbelief and astonishment.
Immediately, astonishment was replaced by overwhelming ecstasy!
They could clearly sense that the bloodline power contained in the Daoist scriptures, although slightly different from their own Thunder Dragon bloodline, belonged to the same dragon race and shared the same aura.
The profound mysteries of the techniques contained within them caused their souls to tremble. They felt immensely benefited from even a slight perception, as if they had found the key to breaking through their current bottleneck.
"This...this is..."
The larger purple lightning dragon's voice trembled upon seeing this.
"Dao Ancestor, this... could this be the legendary Dragon Clan Dao Scripture? We two dragons can sense that the power of our bloodline within it perfectly matches our origins!"
"It is profound and complex. I have only scratched the surface, yet I feel my cultivation is already stirring. If I could devote myself to its study, I would surely break through my current limitations and reach a higher level!"
Tailor-made not only makes up for their bloodline deficiencies, but also guides them toward a broader path of cultivation. This kindness is as heavy as Mount Tai to them.
Ye Yang nodded.
This is the Azure Dragon Dao Scripture, containing the pure power of the Azure Dragon bloodline. Its techniques are all derived from the bodies of scaled beasts, making them difficult for humans to cultivate, but perfectly suited for you two dragons.”
"Today I bestow it upon you, hoping that you will devote yourselves to studying it, cultivate diligently, and not waste this opportunity."
"Thank you, Dao Ancestor! Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for bestowing this opportunity upon me!"
The two purple lightning dragons shouted in unison, their voices filled with gratitude and reverence.
Immediately, they all bowed down, their massive dragon heads slamming heavily onto the ground in front of the cave, in a respectful posture.
Ye Yang waved his hand as he looked at their respectful yet excited expressions.
"Rise. The Daoist scriptures have been given to you. Go back and study them. There is no need for further formalities."
"Remember, on the path of cultivation, one must guard against pride and impatience, and not become complacent just because one has obtained an opportunity."
"We will remember the teachings of the Dao Ancestor!"
The two purple lightning dragons responded in unison, bowed again, and then carefully rolled up the Azure Dragon Dao Scripture, slowly rising and letting out a light dragon roar. (End of this chapter)