Chapter 4602: Spirit Endowment

What feeling had Stillness just given him? Gentleness. Why would it be gentle? It was clearly death. Death was gentle. Just like how the very beginning of life was birth, death was what all birth originated from. Without death, how could there be birth?

Yes, without death, how could there be birth?

This was the spirit of Stillness. Lu Yin looked up at the surface of the sea. He wanted to laugh, badly. At this moment, in the depths of the Nethersea, at the moment of despair when the entire Nethersea was being forced into him, he had actually used the Heavenbond Art to grant his Stillness a spirit.

It was only natural to use the Heavenbond Art to endow divine energy with a spirit. In Vestigium, doing so had not been difficult because the Heavenbond Art had originally been created for divine energy. However, Stillness and divine energy did not share the same nature.

Still, as long as something was a form of power, it would have its own unique nature. According to the Heavenbond Art, heaven was oneself. This allowed divine energy to treat the self as heaven, and heaven could then be entered and moved through. That was how Lu Yin had merged divine energy into his marrow.

The Heavenbond Art made oneself heaven, and it similarly allowed Stillness to treat the self as heaven. Then, Stillness could enter and travel through heaven, his body, to merge with the outer layer of his bones, the periosteum.

One was within, and one was without.

The Three Deaths Art was not able to absorb any more Stillness, but at this moment, the Heavenbond Art allowed Stillness to enter the periosteum of Lu Yin’s bones. Now, he could continue to absorb more Stillness.

When teaching Lu Yin the Heavenbond Art, Wang Wen had said that it would allow Chen to be no weaker than any Abyssal in terms of his reserves of Stillness. That would allow him to act freely in the Death Megaverse. However, this was not supposed to be how it was done. Instead, Lu Yin was supposed to use the Heavenbond Art to absorb divine energy and strengthen his bones with it, which would in turn allow him to absorb even more Stillness with the Three Deaths Art, expanding his limits.

Using the Heavenbond Art to endow Stillness with spirit was likely something that not even Wang Wen had anticipated.

Above the Nethersea, the eyes suddenly flared as they peered down at the seabed in utter disbelief. Is he absorbing more? How is that possible?

This human skeleton had actually started absorbing Stillness again. How was he doing it?

While staring at the seabed, Nethersea Suppression trembled. Such a thing had never happened before. This human skeleton had clearly already absorbed Stillness to his limit, so why was he suddenly capable of absorbing more Stillness?

He had already absorbed an absurd amount of energy. In fact, the amount should already be impossible, but despite that impossibility, he was suddenly able to absorb even more.

Had he broken through?

Down the seafloor, Lu Yin had no chance to worry about exposing the Heavenbond Art. There were times when comprehension appeared in a single instant. In that instant, he had comprehended how to use the Heavenbond Art with Stillness, and his body had begun absorbing Stillness as if by instinct. Throwing in the fact that Nethersea Suppression was trying to suppress him with Stillness, Lu Yin automatically absorbed even more, which created the current scene.

Given a choice, Lu Yin would absolutely not continue absorbing more Stillness. What he was doing was too exaggerated.

But he had no choice.

Stillness surged into him endlessly, attaching itself to his periosteum, which caused his skeleton clone to gradually turn black.

Stillness was not merely clinging to the surface of his bones, as this Stillness had been endowed with spirit, something that only the Heavenbond Art could accomplish. Although it was only merging with the periosteum on the surface of his bones, the amount of Stillness that could be contained there was absolutely no less than that what the Three Deaths Art could hold.

Nethersea Suppression watched on in disbelief.

Lu Yin suddenly came back to his senses and stopped absorbing. He could not continue. If he truly absorbed as much Stillness as possible, he would essentially double his reserves when solely relying on the Three Deaths Art. Forget Nethersea Suppression, but even the Death Megaverse’s legendary being might be drawn out.

After all, at that point, Lu Yin might have vaster reserves of Stillness than even Thousand Machinations. If he were an Immortal, such a thing could still be explained, but he was not.

Furthermore, if he was exposed to that legendary being, there was no way the Heavenbond Art could be kept hidden.

Lu Yin took a deep breath. The moment he stopped absorbing Stillness, the Nethersea also stopped pouring into him.

Nethersea Suppression had stopped.

Lu Yin slowly drifted upward, eventually reaching the surface of the sea. He looked up at the sky and vaguely made out a pair of eyes. They had no pupils and were filled with only darkness.

He bowed. “This junior, Chen of Thousand Machinations’ Abyss, greets Senior Nethersea Suppression.”

The Nethersea remained silent. The only disturbance was Lu Yin in a bowed position.

High above, within the dark-yellow mist, the pair of eyes were still staring at Lu Yin, trying to see through him.

Notably, Lu Yin felt as though invisible hands were exploring his bones. It was clear that Nethersea Suppression wanted to understand what had happened with the Stillness that had now filled his periosteum.

However, the manner in which the Heavenbond Art endowed energy with spirit was an application of the art that was unique to Lu Yin. It was not something that outsiders could see through, not unless Nethersea Suppression had also learned the Heavenbond Art.

Lu Yin was still uneasy. He had not expected to comprehend a new use of the Heavenbond Art in regards to Stillness while being drowned by the Nethersea. He had not intended to create such a commotion. He could only pray that Nethersea Suppression could not see through what had happened. Of course, there was also the divine energy inside his bones. If that was noticed, then not even Thousand Machinations would be able to save him in time. His only chance would be to have his true body take action.

After quite a while, Nethersea Suppression finally spoke. “Chen?”

“Yes.” Lu Yin continued to bow low.

“Why are you able to absorb so much Stillness?”

“Not only has this junior reached the limit of his potential with Thousand Machinations, but I have also broken through that limit.” This was the excuse that he had come up with, as it was the only explanation that made any sense.

Nethersea Suppression fell silent for a moment. “In reaching the limits of your potential, how many cycles of life and death did you experience?”

Lu Yin did not hesitate. “Twenty cycles.”

Nethersea Suppression was surprised. “Twenty?”

It had actually been thirty cycles, but Lu Yin would not share that. There was no need to consider whether this Abyssal already knew the truth or if there was a chance that it would eventually learn the truth from Thousand Machinations. All creatures instinctively hid their true strength.

It was completely normal for him to hide his true limit.

Even so, twenty cycles was already shocking to Nethersea Suppression. Withered Requiem had only completed eleven cycles, and even the Seven-Treasure Anura Old Sixth had completed fifteen cycles. Completing twenty surpassed most Abyssals, which meant that this Chen ranked among the top three most talented creatures who had attempted to reach the limits of their potential, so such shock was reasonable.

“Did Thousand Machinations teach you the Three Deaths Art?”

“This junior learned it on his own beneath Thousand Machinations’ Abyss.”

“What else did you learn?”

“As long as it is a technique from the Death Codex, this junior has learned nearly all of them.”

Nethersea Suppression stared at Lu Yin intently. “Which beings are allowed entry to the Nethersea?”

“Either an Abyssals or the native creatures of the Death Megaverse.”

“Thousand Machinations has broken the rules. That upsets me. You entered the Nethersea to cultivate and caused too great a disturbance. That upsets me. You altered Thousand Machinations’ words without permission. That upsets me.

“For all of those reasons, I inundated you with the Nethersea to teach you a lesson. However, you surpassed my expectations and managed to absorb even more Stillness.”

Lu Yin did not know what Nethersea Suppression was trying to say, but it was speaking very directly.

“Chen, I admire you.” Nethersea Suppression descended again.

Lu Yin was stunned and looked up. Admire? It admires me?

Nethersea Suppression’s voice thundered across the sky. “I admire all beings that can absorb Stillness! The more that they can absorb, the more that I admire them. Although your origin as a human skeleton is far too lowly, your talent makes up for your origins.”

Lu Yin fell silent. Lowly? It certainly has a way with words.

“With your talent, once you break into the Immortal realm, aside from the Death Overlord, myself, and Thousand Machinations, no one will be able to surpass your reserves of Stillness. You should break through to the Immortal realm,” Nethersea Suppression continued.

Lu Yin was inwardly startled. Although what Nethersea Suppression saw was not Lu Yin’s true limits of Stillness, it was still an extremely exaggerated amount, equal to what Thousand Machinations had previously seen Lu Yin absorb. But even with this and predicting what Lu Yin should be capable of after becoming an Immortal, Nethersea Suppression still believed that it would be impossible for Lu Yin to surpass Thousand Machinations. Were that bear’s reserves of Stillness truly so vast? Could it be because of the Three Deaths Art?

When Lu Yin had first learned the Three Deaths Art and emerged from beneath the Abyss, Thousand Machinations had told him that there was a Three Deaths Art that had become tangible and was essentially a mirebound artifact. The bear had repeatedly asked if Lu Yin wanted to try to seize that treasure. Was that the reason?

As for Nethersea Suppression, Lu Yin had never even considered comparing his capacity for Stillness with this Abyssal. Nethersea Suppression had been born from the Nethersea itself, and it could be considered half a creature of the Death Megaverse. It represented Stillness itself.

As for the Death Overlord, that was the Death Megaverse’s legendary being.

Obscura had no clearly defined master, but the Death Megaverse did.

Lu Yin did not know what level of strength this Death Overlord possessed. Before this, the being had only existed in legends, but Nethersea Suppression had just confirmed them as real.

Lu Yin maintained a respectful tone. “This junior also wishes to break through to the Immortal realm as soon as possible and slay powerful enemies for my Death Megaverse, but succeeding is not easy.”

“Immortal beings have the strength of Immortal beings, while an Aberrant has its own advantages. Even as you are, you can do much for the Death Megaverse,” Nethersea Suppression said.

Lu Yin immediately followed along and said, “May I ask Senior, if this junior never breaks through to the Immortal realm, will I never be able to become an Abyssal?”

Nethersea Suppression’s voice dropped low. “Did Thousand Machinations say that?”

Lu Yin did not answer, which could be interpreted as tacitly admitting it.

“That is not the case. As long as one is able to emerge victorious in the contest, they can become an Abyssal. However, because two Abyssals were lost this time, there will be no open contest. Instead, an internal decision will be made. With your ability, so long as you are able to render sufficient merit, you may be able to become an Abyssal.”

“How great of an accomplishment is needed? This junior hopes to kill a member of Obscura during the coming war with them.”

“If you can kill a member of Obscura, you will naturally earn enough merit, but you cannot do that.” Nethersea Suppression’s voice remained calm yet oppressive. It caused even the Nethersea to darken considerably. “Every member of Obscura is a difficult opponent. Or rather, every member of Obscura who was easy to deal with is already gone.

“You do not understand Obscura. Among the twelve members, there can be those who have just broken into the Immortal realm, while there can also be three-law supreme powerhouses. This may seem strange, but each level has tasks that correspond to their own level. If your luck is poor and you encounter a powerful member of Obscura, you will be finished.”

Lu Yin shrugged. “This junior understands. However, this junior has some information that may also be able to warrant sufficient merit.”

“What is that?”

“The location of the ruins of the Grand Clarity Civilization.”

Nethersea Suppression was surprised. “The ruins of the Grand Clarity Civilization? You know where they are?”

Lu Yin lifted his head to finally meet those eyes. “Near Thousand Machinations’ Abyss, there was a fishing civilization known as the Lepidarch Continent. That civilization once fought a war with Grand Clarity. It was there that this junior learned the location of the ruins of the Grand Clarity Civilization.

“Will this merit allow this junior to become an Abyssal candidate?”

The Death Megaverse was currently missing two Abyssals. Ji had reached the limit of his potential and should have arrived in the Nethersea to absorb Stillness before Lu Yin. That meant that there was still one position available.

Ruinfall might be dragged away by the River of Aeons’ main stream at any moment, and when that happened, there would be two Abyssals missing again.

One of Lu Yin’s purposes in coming to the Nethersea was to secure the position of Abyssal. Thousand Machinations would never allow him to become an Abyssal, but Lu Yin had to do so. For that, he would not hesitate to offend even Thousand Machinations.

Wang Wen had said that Chen was more important to Thousand Machinations than he imagined. If Thousand Machinations could not help Lu Yin become an Abyssal, then Nethersea Suppression just might.

He remembered very clearly that, each time the Abyssal Displacement happened and the seven Abysses communicated with each other, Nethersea Suppression had acted like the boss.