Chapter 142: Primordial Spirit Opens the Grotto-Heaven, Zhou Tian Star Array (Part Two)

Luozu did not expect the thirty-second transformation to undergo such a drastic change.

According to his deductions, the thirty-second transformation was supposed to reinforce the structure of his immortal body, enabling it to withstand a greater flow of immortal qi and perceive more laws of nature. Beyond that, his overall physical prowess would also be enhanced accordingly.

However, backed by the blessing of more than three thousand six hundred Great Daos, a brand-new transformation was triggered within his immortal body and primordial spirit. A pearl of ethereal brilliance blossomed, rapidly expanding to draw in over three thousand six hundred Great Daos. These blended into a primal, chaotic state, thereby giving birth to a miniature mustard-seed universe.

Having already mastered the divine power of the universe within a pot, Luozu truly did not expect to forge another independent grotto-heaven within his primordial spirit, entirely distinct from the pot's interior.

Although this grotto-heaven arrived abruptly, Luozu quickly accepted this windfall. Following its birth, a specific technique derived from his previous mastery of the universe-in-a-pot divine power could now be revitalized to the utmost degree, allowing him to directly harness all the power within this new grotto-heaven.

It was as if this grotto-heaven belonged entirely to him. In contrast, the realm opened by the universe-in-a-pot still shared boundaries with the Primordial World, where Luozu was merely like a general contractor building a house. Although subsequent financial shortfalls of the Primordial World and Luozu's own bitter toil had transferred a portion of the shares into his hands, it remained an intrinsic part of the Primordial World.

Conversely, the grotto-heaven forged within Luozu's primordial spirit belonged exclusively to himself. Although it comprised only three thousand six hundred and seventy-five Great Daos, and was not entirely complete—lacking fundamental definitions such as time and space—the framework was established, and it genuinely existed in the abstract form of thoughts and ideas.

Its sole connection to the Primordial World was Luozu himself.

Luozu's mind sank into the grotto-heaven, observing the Dao marks that looked like the scribbles and ink-splatters of a toddler. He could not help but feel a twinge of sheepishness. Comparing the crudeness of his three thousand six hundred and seventy-five Great Daos to those of the Primordial World, he truly felt like crying his heart out.

Of course, the Primordial World had existed for an immeasurable age. Although Pangu had cleaved heaven and earth apart, everything within it was naturally consummate.

Furthermore, this was a comparative judgment. Since the Primordial World existed prior to his cultivation, it instilled an inherent perception that the Daos of the Primordial World were the absolute standard, which was not necessarily true.

It was just that the Primordial World had operated for so long that one could hardly call its principles flawed. Moreover, since Luozu lived within this realm and perceived the natural laws of the Primordial World, his comprehensions naturally aligned with its Great Daos. Yet, a person's perceptions and attainments are invariably bound to their thoughts and concepts, causing his formulated Daos to deviate somewhat from those of the Primordial World. Previously, without the manifestation of an internal grotto-heaven, he had not realized the extent of the deviation, but seeing it now, the disparity was utterly absurd.

Even so, the Great Daos he comprehended had still been acknowledged by the Primordial World, and he had indeed successfully ascended to the rank of a True Immortal...

Did this imply that the fundamental essence of the world was merely a slapdash operation?

Recalling his focus, he sat upon a precipice and gazed up at the vast firmament.

What exactly was this Primordial World?

After staring at the heavens for a while longer, he concluded that his eyes were fine, and the natural laws he perceived were likewise unproblematic.

Everything appeared entirely normal. The peculiar manifestation of his Great Daos within his primordial spirit grotto-heaven must be an issue of his own making, much like the old adage: the eyes say they understand, the brain says it understands, but the hands insist they are numb.

Nevertheless, this unexpected variable added a massive margin of strength to his original estimates.

He now possessed significantly more confidence when engaging in magical combat with Heavenly Immortals.

Meanwhile, the evolution of the thirty-second transformation of the Eight-Nine Mysterious Arts was still ongoing, which would subsequently propel Luozu's cultivation and attainments to even greater heights.

Luozu's divine sense swept rapidly across the entire Xiyun Marsh. Yet, beneath the starry night, there was no sign of the demon-race Heavenly Immortal. Luozu began to wonder if the creature possessed the natural hibernation habits of a toad.

Regardless, Luozu could not afford to sit passively and wait for death. He directly seized the aura of Huang Liulang—which he had collected right before the latter's soul was scattered—and cast it into the Yellow Sand Precious Pearl, which had been refined to a three-tenths level of Dharma restriction. Driving the pearl with his thoughts, he instantly streaked across Xiyun Marsh.

Such a blatant display failed to flush out the toad Heavenly Immortal, but it immediately startled the Wu people and Wu priests stationed to guard Xiyun Marsh.

"How audacious! Where did this reckless fiend come from!"

"Get down here!"

"Don't even think about escaping!"

"Where do you think you're going?!"

A succession of shouts rang out closely behind, aimed squarely at capturing the Yellow Sand Precious Pearl cast by Luozu.

Luozu had naturally anticipated such a scenario. The divine powers of the Wu tribe rained down one after another, and one Wu priest even directly manifested his Dharma body, transforming into a five-thousand-li-tall giant with a hundred arms. He reached out with a massive hand, attempting to snatch the clouds and intercept the precious pearl.

"Just in time to test my skills," Luozu thought, a surge of excitement rising within him as he desired to measure his own capabilities against these Wu warriors.

Especially the three Wu priests; they were the key figures.

Moreover, since Luozu was currently utilizing the Yellow Sand Precious Pearl rather than exposing his physical body to direct contact, he did not need to fear suffering heavy injuries.

Urged by Luozu's mind and immortal qi, the precious pearl burst forth with boundless radiance, transforming on the spot into three hundred and sixty-five starlights.

"The Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation? No, a lesser version!" The Wu priest, being more knowledgeable, instantly recognized this demon-race array.

The hundred-armed giant's reaching hand arrived, unleashing a boundless torrent of force from his palm that churned the void surrounding the Yellow Sand Precious Pearl. The spiritual energy boiled and surged, threatening to shatter Luozu's lesser Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation on the spot.

This lesser Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation had also been learned from Huang Liulang, and Luozu had yet to thoroughly master it. He merely understood some of the essential joints, meaning his deployment of the array was currently nothing more than castles in the air—mostly illusions and a mere facade.

Thus, there was a genuine possibility that it could be punctured with a single poke. However, during his recent refinement of the Yellow Sand Precious Pearl, Luozu had stored a substantial amount of immortal qi within it—precisely three thousand six hundred strands, which represented the absolute limit of the pearl.

At Luozu's command, three hundred and sixty-five strands of immortal qi billowed outward, instantly reinforcing the power of the lesser Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation to a degree sufficient to withstand the onslaught of these Wu priests and warriors.

Swish!

The hundred massive hands swept outward by the giant were brushed by the starlight and instantly reduced to dust, scattering across the myriad-li lake. The lingering might continued downward, piercing through the giant's body and dismantling the five-thousand-li-tall frame—which towered higher than mountain ranges—inch by inch. In the blink of an eye, it disintegrated into mere sand scattered across the marsh.

Meanwhile, the divine powers of the other Wu tribesmen arrived in a murderous wave.

There were raging gales, toxic miasmas, colorful mists, and rolling sheets of water vapor spanning ten thousand li.

Seeing this battle array, Luozu felt a slight trace of tension in his heart.

Ah, the joint pursuit of three Wu priests supplemented by more than a dozen Wu warriors—no wonder that toad Heavenly Immortal dared not show his face. If he dared to stick his neck out here, he would undoubtedly be beaten to death. That fellow's situation was far more wretched than Huang Liulang's.

Helpless for now, Luozu gritted his teeth, determined to see through the trouble he had stirred up.

This would make the act appear genuine, ensuring that the toad Heavenly Immortal would definitely be fished out.