Chapter 486: Announcement

"Too fast!" Every Dao Lord was alarmed.

The Central Heaven Dao Lord and the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord, who had been involved in this matter almost from beginning to end, were especially shocked.

After a quick calculation, they realized that only a hundred years had passed between when the mysterious Dao Lord behind Yaoguang began attempting to refine a top-tier Dao Artifact and when the Penglai Dao Lord was seen wielding one!

A top-tier Dao Artifact in just a hundred years?! Such proficiency in artifact refinement...

"Could that artifact paragon really be this accomplished?" The Taiwei Dao Lord felt a chill in his heart.

"I had been paying attention to this matter before, but I never took it particularly seriously. For one thing, that mysterious artifact paragon might not have been able to refine a top-tier Dao Artifact without being a Dao Lord. For another, even if he really could refine one, how long would it take? There was little point in paying too much attention to it! Yet not only has this mysterious artifact paragon actually refined a top-tier Dao Artifact, but he has also managed to do so in less than a hundred years..."

As the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord spoke, he could not help but gasp. "That's too fast! This efficiency is just astonishing! If he devotes himself to refining top-tier Dao Artifacts, doesn’t that mean he could refine at least seven or eight more top-tier void Dao Artifacts over the next few hundred years? That would increase the strength of seven or eight void Dao Lords by another ten or twenty percent!"

As soon as he said this, the other Dao Lords realized the benefits this artifact paragon could bring.

For a moment, the Dao Lords exchanged glances. Eventually, their gazes settled on the Central Heaven Dao Lord.

"Perhaps... we should invite Dao Lord Yaoguang over for a chat?"

"Indeed. We can ask Dao Lord Yaoguang directly and find out more about that mysterious artifact paragon."

"Isn’t Dao Lord Yaoguang planning vengeance against those who struck at him during his Dao Integration? However, the Divine Light Venerable is already on guard. Even with Yaoguang’s power as a top?tier Dao Lord, he cannot break into the divine races' heartland to kill Light. Even if the Penglai Dao Lord helped by keeping the other Dao Lords occupied, it would make no difference. But if the artifact paragon behind him really can forge a top?tier Dao Artifact within a hundred years, and is willing to lend his aid... then the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects could band together and wage war upon the Ten Divine Races."

The Dao Lords voiced their opinions one by one.

The Central Heaven Dao Lord, however, seemed not to hear them. He remained silent and deep in thought.

After a while, he suddenly said, "Regarding that mysterious artifact paragon, do any of you know why he initially announced that he intended to refine a top-tier Dao Artifact?"

"The reason he first attempted to refine a top-tier Dao Artifact..."

The Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord knew the matter quite well. "He wanted to test his own limits! To enter the Dao through a heterodox path and sheer skill, he was planning to turn the impossible into reality, achieve an elevated state of mind by successfully refining a top-tier Dao Artifact, and thereby achieve Dao Integration..."

He suddenly stopped. He was not the only one. The other Dao Lords realized what he meant, and their eyes widened involuntarily.

"T-This can’t be, right?"

"Absolutely not! How could someone this monstrously talented exist in this world? Being this gifted in cultivation would already be extraordinary enough. How could he possess such accomplishments in artifact refinement as well?"

"And that’s not all. From what I know, he is also quite accomplished in array arts."

The Dao Lords instinctively tried to refute that possibility.

The Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord, however, said solemnly, "In fact, I had Taiyuan conduct a detailed investigation into Yaoguang. He displayed unparalleled cultivation talent back in his homeland. In a world with no proper Golden Core cultivators, a place limited to battle immortals, he reached the Heavenly Fire Realm in just a few decades. Moreover, he had another reputation in that world: Unrivaled in Array and Artifacts. He excelled in array arts and was also skilled at refining spirit treasures. The Jiuzhou warship, currently popular among our human race, was also originally designed and developed by him."

"Unrivaled in Arrays and Artifacts?!"

"His artifact refinement talent is already astonishing enough. How did array arts get added to the list as well?"

The Taiwei Dao Lord and the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord found the situation increasingly bewildering.

The Central Heaven Dao Lord seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly said, "His mastery of array arts is real. The Twelve-Fiend-God Heaven-Sealing Array protecting the Heavenly Dao Sect was already quite powerful, but compared with truly top-tier arrays, it was still somewhat lacking. Yet after Dao Lord Yaoguang took charge of the Heavenly Dao Sect and became its sect master, he spent only a few decades completely restructuring the Twelve-Fiend-God Heaven-Sealing Array, giving it the power of a true top-tier array or, as he put it, a level 15 array!"

"I know about that as well. When the Abyssal Ruins Dao Lord attacked Yaoguang, he and the Golden Book Venerable managed to withstand the Dao Lord’s attacks precisely because of the optimized Twelve-Fiend-God Heaven-Sealing Array. They ultimately held out until the Penglai Dao Lord arrived to reinforce them."

The Taiqing Dao Lord nodded slightly. "Judging from that, the array really did reach the top-tier—in other words, the standard of a level 15 array."

"This..."

"If he can deploy a level 15 array, then refining a top-tier Dao Artifact doesn’t seem impossible either..."

"Unrivaled in Arrays and Artifacts. Is that actually true?!"

The Taiwei Dao Lord and the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord were utterly stunned. Their emotions fluctuated, and even bewilderment showed.

The difference between reality and their understanding was simply too great, creating an overwhelming sense of disparity.

After a long while, the Taiqing Dao Lord finally sighed. "Back when the Origin Dao Lord was beaten into seclusion by the Penglai Dao Lord, I told him that he should never use ordinary standards to judge those truly peerless geniuses. Each of us has managed to become a Dao Lord, standing at the pinnacle of the North Sea Star, and even at the pinnacle of the universe; our comprehension and talent are beyond question. Yet compared with the brilliance of those truly peerless figures, we are still a step behind! The Penglai Dao Lord is one such person... and so is Yaoguang."

The Central Heaven Dao Lord said nothing, but he couldn't help recalling the Primordial Chaos Dao Venerable, the founding ancestor of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

The Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord, the Taiwei Dao Lord, and the others likewise couldn't help but think of the greatest figures in their respective sects’ histories.

The Emperor One Dao Venerable. The Creation Dao Venerable.

In their respective eras, weren't they also dazzling enough to illuminate an entire age? Single?handedly, they suppressed the other Dao Lords so effectively that those rivals could barely catch their breath and had no choice but to flee deep into the starry sky to evade their overwhelming might.

"In any case, Central Heaven, make the trip and invite Dao Lord Yaoguang over. Now that he has become a Dao Lord, he naturally deserves a place in the Heaven-Reaching Mirror."

The Central Heaven Dao Lord nodded slightly. "I am already on the way."

"Skill approaching the Dao, elevated state of mind... Perhaps only this can explain how he was able to achieve Dao Integration that quickly," the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord murmured.

"Compared with achieving Dao Integration immediately after a moment of mental transcendence, I still lean toward the idea that he is an immortal reincarnate."

The Azure Crow Dao Lord gave a wry smile. "Otherwise, the difference between people is simply too great."

The Taiqing Dao Lord smiled. When the gap between one person and another became so vast that words could no longer explain it, people often resorted to all kinds of inconceivable explanations to fill in the blanks.

The ancient records preserved in the Three-Qing Temple reported that, back then, people also thought the Creation Dao Venerable was an immortal reincarnate.

The Primordial Chaos Dao Venerable of the Heavenly Dao Sect had probably experienced the same thing.

But that was little more than self-deception. Was it really that easy for an immortal to reincarnate? If it were, legends about them would have spread throughout the universe long ago.

And even if it really were easy, why reincarnate on the North Sea Star? Could the North Sea Star possibly contain some hidden treasure worth tempting immortal after immortal to reincarnate here and make their way to this place?

During the various Dao contests, Dao Lords from other star regions had appeared as well. Those regions also had Gates of the Immortal Realm.

Moreover, because top-tier hegemonic factions surrounded those gates, their development was even better than that of the North Sea Star.

Not only did top-tier Dao Lords emerge one after another, but even Invincible Dao Lords reputed to be able to fight ten opponents at once could be found there.

If an immortal really wanted to reincarnate, they would have chosen a cultivation environment like that, one more prosperous than the North Sea Star.

The Dao Lords exchanged a few more words before the Central Heaven Dao Lord suddenly said, "I have already told Dao Lord Yaoguang how to enter the Heaven-Reaching Mirror. He’s here."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure appeared. It was Yaoguang.

As Yaoguang appeared and sensed his surroundings, he was slightly surprised...

He found the world strangely familiar. Void Psychic World technology?

"Daoist Yaoguang."

"Hahaha, Daoist Yaoguang is here."

"In just a few short months, Daoist Yaoguang has slain yet another Great Fiendish Dao Lord from the Six Great Fiendish Dao Sects. Truly impressive. Few can match you."

The Dao Lords greeted Yaoguang with smiles one after another.

Yaoguang withdrew his attention from the space created by the Heaven-Reaching Mirror.

His gaze swept across everyone present, and he smiled slightly. "The Central Heaven Dao Lord already told me on the way here why you invited me over."

He then glanced at the Central Heaven Dao Lord. "Actually, I had planned to tell you about this after I dealt with the matters at hand. I didn’t expect you to figure it out first."

The Central Heaven Dao Lord was slightly taken aback. He quickly realized that this must be the good news Yaoguang had mentioned earlier...

The others also reacted immediately, and their hearts shook violently.

"You mean..."

"Exactly what you think," Yaoguang admitted without hesitation.

Now that he had become a Dao Lord and possessed combat strength considered top-tier even among Dao Lords, he no longer needed to keep it hidden.

He stated frankly, "The mysterious artifact paragon everyone has been talking about, the one who was going to help Penglai Dao Lord refine a top-tier Dao Artifact, is me."

Although they had already prepared themselves mentally, the Dao Lords present still couldn't help but gasp when Yaoguang personally confirmed it.

"Is it really you?!"

"You can actually refine a top-tier Dao Artifact?! In other words, you really are the level 15 refiner you mentioned?"

"Unrivaled in Arrays and Artifacts! Not only is your cultivation talent astonishing, but your talent in array arts and artifact refinement is equally incredible..."

Several Dao Lords completely lost their composure.

"Back when my strength was still weak, revealing that I possessed the ability to refine top-tier Dao Artifacts would definitely have attracted attacks from others. That was why I had no choice but to conceal my identity." Yaoguang offered a brief explanation.

He didn't mention that his alchemy was not far behind his attainments in artifact refinement and array arts; artifact refinement and array setups had already taken up too much of his time.

As for pills, they were extremely effective at lower cultivation realms, but as his strength increased, they had become of little help to him. For someone at the Dao Integration Realm like him, they offered little benefit.

There was no point in saying more.

"Now that I have sufficient strength, there is no harm in revealing my artifact refinement abilities. Besides..."

Yaoguang smiled as he looked at the Dao Lords present. "If any of you have top-tier Dao Artifacts you want refined, you can commission me to do it. Of course, you will have to provide the materials."