A Will Eternal

Countless crystalline swords began to rise up into the air from the crystallized abyss that was the Heavenspan Sea, creating a screaming whistle that filled the world.

The swords cast dazzling light in all directions, to such blinding effect that Daoist Heavenspan’s face fell from the shock of it all.

Although he was very familiar with how the divine abilities of the Live Forever Codex worked, this was his first time seeing one of Bai Xiaochun’s personalized Daoist magics.

Furthermore, Daoist Heavenspan was very well aware that the power of the Daoist magics of the Live Forever Codex surpassed any other ordinary techniques by far. In addition, the specific way that such divine abilities were created had to do with the Dao and will of the individual cultivator.

Each cultivator had a different Dao and a different will, and thus, the Daoist magics they could create would all be different. Therefore, it didn’t matter how deeply Daoist Heavenspan had researched the Live Forever Codex, there was no way he could be familiar with Bai Xiaochun’s Daoist magics before they were revealed!

“What will Bai Xiaochun’s Daoist magics accomplish in the end?!” Daoist Heavenspan didn’t dare to look down on Bai Xiaochun in this moment. Looking around at the endless cloud of crystalline swords, he prepared to flee.

However, the swords were too fast, and before he could do anything, they were upon him.

Looking slightly nervous, he performed a double-handed incantation gesture, causing the lightning from the Palace of Lightning to shrink down. Instead of using that lightning to attack Bai Xiaochun, he threw it up as a shield against the crystalline swords.

Rumbling sounds filled all heaven and earth as the millions upon billions upon trillions of crystalline swords smashed into the lightning shield. The Dao Gate: Palace of Lightning was immediately weakened and began to shrink down, and yet, managed to stand against the assault of swords.

The crystalline swords slammed against the shield and then toppled down, falling one on top of the other to create a huge pile underneath Daoist Heavenspan!

The pile of swords grew higher and higher until finally, the lightning shield shattered. By the time it was all over, the masses of swords had created something like a small mountain beneath Daoist Heavenspan’s feet.

“So, that’s your Daoist magic, Bai Xiaochun?!” Although Daoist Heavenspan was panting a bit as he stood there on the mountainous pile of swords, his eyes shone with piercing light.

Bai Xiaochun looked back at him coldly, then extended his right hand, pointed out with his finger, and said, “Heavenly Canopy Lampshade!”

As soon as the words left Bai Xiaochun’s mouth, the sky began to tremble and grow murky. Then, the sky seemed to break up into numerous layers, almost like cloth!

In the blink of an eye, the lowermost of the layers began to drop down and cover Daoist Heavenspan!

The heavenly canopy was difficult to see clearly at first, and was identifiable mostly by how it twisted and distorted the air around it. In response, the Celestial’s expression flickered, and he quickly performed an incantation gesture to unleash the Daogate: Palace of Wind. As he did, a black wind sprang out of nowhere to block the descending heavenly canopy.

However, even as the Celestial’s Daoist magic was unleashed, a second heavenly canopy began to fall, and then a third. Soon, the sky itself was starting to seem thin! Before long, the eighth canopy had dropped down toward the Heavenspan Sea, and seemed just on the verge of sealing Daoist Heavenspan!

Daoist Heavenspan now stood on a pile of crystal, surrounded by a black wind, struggling to escape. Meanwhile, the eight heavenly canopies dropped down, spreading over him just like a lampshade!

Despite being a manifestation of the fallen sky, the lampshade wasn’t blue, but rather light gray. By this point, enough of the sky had peeled away from above that it was possible to see the black void beyond!

Daoist Heavenspan panted heavily, his heart filled with unease and a sensation of crisis. Bellowing, he sent the black wind to batter this way and that, and yet, it did no good.

Even as Daoist Heavenspan’s shock intensified, Bai Xiaochun’s eyes turned even icier. Performing an incantation gesture with his left hand, he waved his finger and spoke in a voice that echoed like thunder.

“Boundless Longevity, Endless Life!” As the four words left his mouth, the aura of the Live Forever Codex erupted out into the world, filling the air with… innumerable longevity characters! [1]

Although the characters were very small, they all pulsed with the aura of the Live Forever Codex. Furthermore, there were literally too many to count! In fact, there were far, far more than the crystalline swords from before!

A moment later, rumbling sounds could be heard as the longevity characters shot toward the heavenly canopy lampshade that covered Daoist Heavenspan, and merged into it!

As they fused with the lampshade, the characters emanated a shocking aura which strengthened the lampshade and made its sealing powers vastly more incredible than before!

Inside, Daoist Heavenspan was starting to get very nervous. All of a sudden, he had the premonition that if he didn’t get out of this heavenly canopy lampshade… he would be in profound danger!

“I have to get out of here. Now!!” He tried to move, but no matter what he did, he was incapable of freeing himself. Overwhelmed by a sensation of danger, he howled and performed an incantation gesture to unleash the Daogate: Palace of Fire.

Instantly, Daoist Heavenspan was surrounded by majestic heavenly fire that sent indescribable heat out in all directions, setting the heavenly canopy ablaze!

It was in that moment that the killing intent in Bai Xiaochun’s eyes blazed. Ignoring the blazing heavenly canopies, he reached out to point at the sealed Celestial.

“Thou Art The Candle!!”

His voice crashed like deafening thunder, and slammed directly into Daoist Heavenspan’s body!

Daoist Heavenspan let out a miserable shriek. His eyes were crimson, and his hair in complete disarray as… without any warning whatsoever… a layer of wax appeared all over him!!

It was sinister and white, and in the blink of an eye, it covered him completely. With every moment that passed, it grew thicker and thicker, as did the Celestial’s unease. Unleashing the power of his cultivation base to try to protect himself, he shouted, “Daogate: Palace of Marshes!”

The Palace of Marshes didn’t summon water, but rather, a swamp!!

As Daoist Heavenspan opened his mouth to utter the words, white wax spilled into it! However, the area surrounding him still turned into a marshy swamp, filled with decay and rot. It was the type of thing that could melt anything within its bounds, and apparently, he hoped that it would neutralize the wax and cause the seal of the heavenly canopy to melt away!

Rumbling sounds filled heaven and earth as the power of the rotting swamp combined with the effects of the previous Daogates, causing the heavenly canopies to begin to break apart. However… with the bolstering of the longevity characters, the lampshade held!

No matter what techniques Daoist Heavenspan used, no matter how strong his Daogates were, as of this moment, he simply couldn’t fight Bai Xiaochun’s Live Forever Daoist magic!

Despite being counteracted to a degree by the rotting swamp, the wax continued to build up around Daoist Heavenspan. Soon, he was completely white, and looked like… he was made of wax!!

“Dammit. DAMMIT!!” he shouted, his expression twisting ferociously. Drawing on what appeared to be an even more powerful magic than before, he blasted away at the white wax, which began to crumble and crack. At the same time, the heavenly canopy lampshade also seemed to be on the verge of shattering….

However, that was when Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them… fire blazed to the heavens!!

“Live Forever Lamp, Integrate!”

The Celestial’s body was the waxy candle, and Bai Xiaochun’s eyes… were the spark!!

This was none other than the personalized divine ability that Bai Xiaochun had created after mastering the Live Forever Codex. It was… the Live Forever Lamp!

1. The character for longevity looks like this: 寿