Chapter 0419: Fateforce Rebound

The Spirit of Fateforce—for it to grow by even an inch—requires vast amounts of time, an accumulation of immense destiny, and the governance of lands where the people live in peace and prosperity. Externally, one must possess overwhelming military power to subdue others. Only through endless diligent governance, through turning the heavens and shepherding the people on behalf of the divine, can fateforce be gradually accumulated, thereby strengthening the Spirit of Fateforce.

But there is another way—conquest.

Continual conquest that brings other forces to heel.

Gathering all might into one's own body.

It could be said that the current explosive growth of the golden dragon-serpent was entirely due to the absorption of the refined essence of the fateforce spirits from nearby villages. Normally, unless under very special circumstances, such a rapid surge would be nearly impossible.

"I can feel it. The Spirit of Fateforce in the villages is still centered on me—but I can no longer ascend freely on my own. Now, it's as though I'm only the temporary master of this spirit. This role can be stripped away at any time. It feels like a position, a title. And this title was bestowed by Xuanhuang Castle, by Lord Yi himself."

Bai Yang clearly sensed the drastic change that had occurred between himself and the Spirit of Fateforce. Though he hadn't anticipated this, he had considered the possibility upon arriving.

He didn't find it hard to accept.

Still, his expression revealed some discomfort.

After all, he had once been in full control—now, he had gained a superior out of nowhere.

"I can directly elevate enough villages into townships—but they cannot rise to the rank of ancient cities. They must remain subordinate to Xuanhuang Castle."

Yi Tianxing instinctively received this message in his mind.

As long as he willed it, he could revoke Bai Yang's title as village chief at any time. He could even instantly elevate their positional status to that of a town, though doing so would still consume fateforce.

He now possessed overwhelming authority.

At the very least, no one could ascend without his permission. The path of fateforce had now fully returned to Yi Tianxing's control. Even if someone rebelled, they would need to once again gather the hearts and minds of the people and cultivate a new Spirit of Fateforce—and that process was easy to detect. Very few could succeed. Rebellion was no simple matter.

"Fellow cultivators, since you all have such trust in Xuanhuang Castle, then don't leave today. Tonight, I'll host a banquet at the Lord's Mansion—first to welcome you, and second, to get to know each other better. From now on, we are all one family. It's good to grow more familiar. I'll also introduce a few of my capable aides."

Yi Tianxing looked up at the massive golden dragon-serpent in the sky, a deep joy welling up in his heart.

Only now did he truly hold dominion over most of the surrounding lands.

Once the teleportation arrays were established, his influence could officially extend into these villages. For now, it was just nominal allegiance. But once they were attached to his infrastructure, there would be little room for deviation.

"Thank you, Lord Yi. We shall certainly attend,"said Bai Yang immediately.

This banquet was the perfect setting to form bonds. Just newly joined into Xuanhuang's system, how could he pass up such an opportunity?

"If you brought any family with you, feel free to bring them along as well,"Yi Tianxing added with a calm smile.

With those words, he vanished, reappearing directly in the core space.

"The Spirit of Fateforce is actually about to begin rebounding. But why didn't this happen when I ascended to a township before? Could it be that only at the level of a city does one qualify for such a rebound?"

Within the core space.

Before him, the vast Pool of Fateforce surged as if endless streams of fateforce were rushing in like tidal waves.

His earlier departure had been prompted by the golden dragon-serpent conveying that a fateforce rebound was imminent.

According to legend, those who command fateforce—or even hold a fateforce rank—might experience a "rebound" when their fateforce grows massive. This rebound could allow them to break through bottlenecks that were previously insurmountable, all in an instant.

Things that once took decades could now be achieved in moments.

The fateforce rebound was a mystical phenomenon—rare in the extreme—and only likely to occur during a breakthrough or elevation. Every person's experience of it could be completely different.

Roar!!

The golden dragon-serpent looked at Yi Tianxing with reverence in its eyes, issuing a mighty roar as if asking, "Are you ready?"

"Come then. A fateforce rebound, one in a million—I too want to know what kind of vision it will bring."

Taking a deep breath, Yi Tianxing spoke decisively.

From what was known, a fateforce rebound did not last long in real-world time—but what occurred within it was profoundly strange. The benefits gained would depend entirely on one's depth of insight and personal fortune.

Roar!!

With no hesitation, the golden dragon-serpent leapt from the Pool of Fateforce, lunging toward Yi Tianxing.

Compared to its vast size, Yi Tianxing looked like a fragile child—tiny as an ant.

But he did not flinch.

At the moment of contact, the dragon-serpent's body turned translucent, vanishing into Yi Tianxing's body. Blinding golden light burst forth.

Wrapped in this golden light, Yi Tianxing's eyes closed as he fell into a state of thoughtless stillness.

"This is... simulation? The fateforce rebound manifests as a simulation space, powered by fateforce. In this space, I can simulate at speeds thousands—no, tens of thousands—of times faster than normal! I could create an entire cultivation technique from scratch in moments! This space is close to the Dao itself. I feel my mind utterly calm, my thoughts moving with unimaginable speed. Any technique or martial art—I just think about it, and instantly I understand. Another thought, and I grasp its very essence. This is unbelievable."

Yi Tianxing felt an unprecedented clarity.

Every breath was filled with warps of martial essence and Daoist resonance. Concepts that normally took decades now unfolded at a mere thought—as if he had lived for centuries. Everything within him was illuminated.

A single thought—and within the simulation space, an identical figure of himself appeared, beginning to practice martial arts, circulate body-refinement techniques. As it moved, profound meanings of the techniques kept pouring into Yi Tianxing's mind—as if he was born understanding them.

He seemed to see a Vajra Dragon Elephant stride forth from the void, waves of suppressive power and infernal intent merging into the Prison Suppression Seal. The seal now radiated intense golden light. From a single star upon the ancient seal, it grew—two, then three stars shone in rapid succession.

"This simulation space is a tremendous opportunity. I must not waste it. What should I refine within it? Any training done here is as good as thousands of years of cultivation. This kind of insight is priceless."

Yet simulations consumed fateforce. It was unwise to use the space on trivial techniques.

"I already practice the Dragon Sovereign Heavenly Canon, a supreme scripture born from heaven and earth. If I follow it step by step, I can progress endlessly. It doesn't require me to switch to any other technique."

"But… I possess a rare artifact—the Scripture of Human Insight. This ancient tome allows one to perceive the power of humanity, and comprehend one's own cultivation path. The insights could yield supreme techniques—or simply ordinary ones."

"Observe the mysteries of the human body. Observe the evolution of humanity and the Dao. Observe nature's changes. Ultimately, from this, one can develop unique techniques and combat arts. I only get nine chances to do this. I wonder what will happen if I use the simulation space to comprehend it…"

He didn't want to miss this chance.

With a flash of light, he summoned the Scripture of Human Insight.

A drop of blood fell into the ancient book.

Swish!!

Instantly, the All-Being Panorama—a series of vivid, lifelike scenes—unfolded before his eyes. His consciousness was drawn into it.

He saw endless human figures—merchants, workers, farmers, officials, nobles—living in a bustling realm as if he had entered a real world.

Each moment pulsed with life.

Too real to resist.

"An emperor—ruling a realm like a painting, holding power in hand, his will becomes destiny."

"An imperial ruler—protecting the people within, crushing enemies without. A sage within, a king without. Sweeping all before him."

"Power makes one a king. Strength makes one an emperor. To be sovereign is to stand alone above the heavens, invincible beneath the sky."

One emperor after another appeared, each roaring out his own understanding of what it meant to rule.

Unknowingly, Yi Tianxing's spirit passed through millennia—becoming emperor after emperor, living through cycle after cycle.

"The path of the emperor lies in mastery. If I cannot master others, then I must master myself. I am my own sovereign. The Dragon Sovereign Canon is powerful, even a supreme scripture—but I am human. Why shouldn't I master this power completely, using humanity as my foundation and the true dragon as its expression, merging both into one—to fully command the power of the Dragon Sovereign Canon?"

An idea sparked in Yi Tianxing's heart.

Through countless incarnations in the All-Being Panorama, he had come to a profound realization about the Way of the Emperor.