The Taste of Primordial Dao Marks

Without the concept of speed, unbound by time and space, the tiny "Spring-Autumn Cocoon" had already enveloped Chen Yi the moment it left Hu Fangyuan’s fingertips, forcibly defining him!

This strike, fueled by the burning of a Dao Mark of Origin... would shatter Chen Yi’s invincible golden body, which had previously rendered him untargetable!

Chen Yi’s pupils contracted sharply—first in shock, then in fervor. In the end, he didn’t even resist. Instead, he spread his arms wide, as if eager to savor the richness of this technique...

Hiss—this was it, this was exactly it!

The flavor was impeccable. At last, he felt that familiar yet alien sense of lethal threat once more!

Back then, Ling Xiao had forcibly borrowed a Dao Mark of Origin from Wuji, combining it with two of his own to form the Heaven-Earth Wuji Qiankun Seal to imprison him!

Back then, he hadn’t known any better. After just a tiny taste of Wuji’s Dao Mark, before he could even discern its flavor, he’d been utterly repulsed by its foulness. It took him ages to recover, leaving him with a lingering case of Wuji-style mysophobia—everything seemed dirty, requiring repeated cleansing before he dared touch it...

But now, with some experience under his belt, and Hu Fangyuan generously offering up a Dao Mark of Origin, he couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste. He had to savor it thoroughly, to discern whether it was salty or bland!

"Bzzzt!!!"

Thanks to Chen Yi’s lack of resistance, the Spring-Autumn Cocoon swallowed him seamlessly.

Chen Yi felt as though he had entered a space of absolute stillness.

Not the slowed time of a divine technique like "Domain of Stagnation," but true, complete "stasis"!

Time lost all meaning here, and space seemed compressed into an absolute "point."

Chen Yi’s movements, strength, thoughts—well, his thoughts remained normal. The connection between his avatar and true self remained smooth, without delay. But everything else was forcibly frozen in this moment!

It was as if he had been encased in eternal amber, his spear-wielding avatar now a lifelike specimen.

Of course, if that were all, this technique wouldn’t deserve to be called Hu Fangyuan’s forbidden art, unleashed at the cost of burning a Dao Mark of Origin!

So, the true horror began.

The moment the Spring-Autumn Cocoon froze Chen Yi, countless timelines formed within it, each negating the others, reflecting infinite versions of Chen Yi to interfere with himself. No matter how fiercely he struggled, he would be instantly reverted to the moment before his outburst—while still enduring the backlash of his own power!

Using Chen Yi against Chen Yi, a paradox loop: the stronger his attacks, the more devastating the recoil. If he didn’t attack, he would remain forever sealed within this eternal prison of the Spring-Autumn Cocoon!

"Well then, Chen Yi? What will you do now?!"

"I know you can hear me. This technique has no time limit—it lasts until you admit defeat ten times!"

Hu Fangyuan’s voice drifted in, brimming with absolute confidence.

Chen Yi ignored him, instead carefully analyzing this eternal prison, focusing on savoring its source of power—the Dao Mark of Origin!

Mmm~

Not bad!

Truly rich!

Unlike his first taste of Wuji’s Dao Mark, this time, he peeled off the outer layers, dissected the core, purified the essence, and—though he still didn’t dare consume it—he studied it thoroughly through a layer of protective measures, analyzing every detail...

From his understanding, the Dao Mark of Origin... was essentially a "rule embryo" from before the creation of heaven and earth, akin to the source code underlying all laws of existence, the origin of everything!

This made sense. After all, whether it was the Dao Ancestor or the Primal Sovereign, they were all at the "Dao Origin Realm." And what was the Dao Origin Realm? According to Elder Cui Changsheng, it represented either the beginning or the end of the Dao itself!

Thus, the condensation of a Dao Mark of Origin couldn’t rely on external guidance. It only manifested when one touched the "limits of their own Dao."

For example, a Great Luo who devoted himself to the Sword Dao, upon comprehending all sword-related truths in existence, might glimpse a trace of "neither sword nor Dao"—the essence of "why a sword is a sword." Only by reaching this stage could one qualify to condense a Dao Mark of Origin!

Moreover, the Dao Mark of Origin would shift according to the observer’s cognitive limits, making it unique.

Take sword cultivators, for instance. Xu Jinghong, who pursued the pinnacle of offensive power, might see "a light capable of annihilating all" upon reaching that realm.

Zhou Zheng, who favored overwhelming, earth-shattering strikes, might perceive "an indomitable barrier."

And Ye Wuchen, who just liked swinging a sword for style? He’d probably see "a blank canvas of flashy nonsense."

But none of that mattered. What mattered was that Chen Yi felt he had finally grasped how to condense a Dao Mark of Origin!

The process... didn’t seem like cultivation at all, but rather a comprehension transcending the Great Dao’s laws. The Great Luo Realm was merely the threshold; only by stepping beyond it could one glimpse the truth!

Yet, at its core, the Dao Mark of Origin... had no level restrictions. It depended solely on the cultivator’s interpretation!

In other words, it was about redefinition. No lofty realm was required—just the ability to "deconstruct" existing laws, reverse-engineer their origins, and then rewrite them into a self-consistent, flawless, and stable form. That was the embryonic stage of a Dao Mark of Origin!

This revelation was monumental for Chen Yi!

Back then, Elder Cui Changsheng’s wisp of divine sense had only briefly mentioned the Dao Origin Realm. As a half-step Dao Ancestor, his understanding of Dao Marks of Origin wasn’t deep enough to explain the orthodox methods of cultivation.

Chen Yi had to figure it out himself!

And now, with one of the Divine Realm’s supreme Primal Sovereigns, the God of Boundless Love, personally striking with a burning Dao Mark of Origin, unleashing the purest Dao essence—how could he waste such a rare learning opportunity?

Immediately, he began reverse-engineering the "Spring-Autumn Cocoon," hoping to mimic its structure and condense his own Dao Mark of Origin!

"Initial glimpse, deconstruction, restructuring..."

"Profound comprehension, definition, primal logic..."

"Profound comprehension... profound comprehension..."

"Damn it! This is hard!"

Chen Yi cursed under his breath. It wasn’t as simple as he’d imagined.

While the condensation of a Dao Mark of Origin had no level restrictions, there was an invisible barrier: the Great Luo Realm!

Those who walked the orthodox path, step by step, reaching the Great Luo through traditional cultivation, naturally possessed an unparalleled understanding of the Great Dao’s laws. With exceptional talent and insight, they could condense a Dao Mark of Origin, ascending to the half-step Dao Ancestor Realm!

But for an unorthodox cultivator like Chen Yi... he lacked this foundation.

Without the sediment of orthodox cultivation, how could he pluck the most radiant fruit of the Great Dao in one leap?

What difference was there between this and taking the wrong path yet still expecting to reach the destination?!

What a pipe dream!

............

OS: Trapped in ominous misfortune, drifting through the days in a daze, just muddling along.