Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit

Deep in the void.

A streak of radiance resembling drifting clouds unfurled, appearing as a rainbow ribbon from afar and resembling a Milky Way up close, swaying within the emptiness.

Illusory yet ephemeral.

Chen Jichuan and his party came to a halt before the iridescent cloud when the Golden Line Divine Lady spoke up, "This is the place!"

"Hmm?"

"This location—"

"Is it this iridescent cloud?"

"Such masterful craftsmanship, I can't see through it?"

"It seems so indistinct, no different from a regular cloud."

"If even its external appearance defies discernment, how could one gain access, let alone delve deeper into it?"

...

Among the group, Qiao Zhouzhao, Sima Hanchuang, and a handful of newly ascended Upper Immortals from the Eight Extremes Holy Hall over the past two millennia gazed upon the iridescent cloud ahead, each with an expression of shock.

They examined it meticulously, failing to detect anything peculiar, let alone discern that it concealed a Heavenly Venerate Mansion.

Their eyes widened, caught somewhere between awe and delight.

The Golden Line Divine Lady certainly wouldn't jest on such a matter.

Though incomprehensible to them, it wasn't borne out of the Golden Line Divine Lady's mischief—it was simply a matter of cultivation disparity.

In truth.

Among the nineteen Upper Immortals present, including seasoned elders like Tian Sha, Wulou, and Chi Shou, none of them could fully decipher the mysteries underlying the cloud.

Only Wan Ming Immortal and Eight-Armed Immortal carried glimmers in their eyes.

"What magnificent craftsmanship!"

"An array of a billion formations condensed into a single iridescent cloud, enfolding a mansion at its depths. Unless one's cultivation reaches the Four-Pattern Realm, they can never perceive its intricacies and would dismiss it as ordinary scenery, fleeting and insubstantial."

Chen Jichuan's eyes sparkled brightly as he discerned the myriad formations layered within the cloud. Though his cultivation wasn't sufficient, he still managed to uncover certain clues.

The Eight Extremes Holy Hall boasted numerous Upper Immortals; however, among the nineteen gathered today, only the Eight-Armed Immortal, Wan Ming Immortal, and the Golden Line Divine Lady had reached the Fourth-order Second Realm.

The rest, including Chen Jichuan himself, were all stuck in the Inner Realm, with the highest barely achieving Three-Pattern cultivation.

"The Immortal Dao is arduous."

"After reaching the fourth order, progress becomes nearly impassable."

Chen Jichuan stared at the iridescent cloud, sighing inwardly.

For two millennia, he had persistently cultivated, ascending gradually step by step, yet he still lingered at the Three-Pattern level. Though the Fourth-order Second Realm External Realm seemed within grasp, the final breakthrough eluded him time and again.

Ascending through the Fourth-order marked insurmountable gaps between each realm—a painstaking ordeal Chen Jichuan had personally experienced.

Crossing from One-Pattern to Two-Pattern to Three-Pattern was arduous enough.

Stepping from Inner Realm to External Realm represented an even greater qualitative leap, compounding the difficulty. Old Upper Immortals such as Tian Sha, Wulou, and Chi Shou also grappled with stagnation: the former two remained stuck at Three-Pattern, while Chi Shou was still at the Second-Pattern level.

"The Immortal Dao is challenging—harder than ascending to the heavens!"

Chen Jichuan shook his head and refocused.

Turning his attention toward the iridescent cloud, his exceptional expertise in formation coupled with the assistance of the Insight Skill allowed him to penetrate much of the cloud's constructs. Although certain portions resisted instant decipherment, they would become clear with time and effort.

"Fourth-order Fourth Realm Heavenly Venerates enjoy a lifespan of ninety-six thousand years—with long epochs to refine their skills, methods surpassing standard immortals."

Chen Jichuan's mind grew steady.

Judging from the intricate formations layering this iridescent cloud, it became evident that the Heavenly Venerate who left the mansion boasted formation mastery leagues ahead of his own.

Over the past two millennia, Chen Jichuan hadn't invested heavily in formation techniques, his focus narrowly missing the threshold for the fourth order. Yet, the cloud harbored numerous formations forged at the fourth-order level.

...

"The overlapping formations within the cloud make forceful breach nearly impossible."

After surveying the iridescent cloud, the Golden Line Divine Lady stated, "However, we need not destroy its layers. By forming a designated array formation and pushing through the outer periphery, we just need to reach the inner layers and enter the cluster of Glazed Immortal Light at its core—where the mansion likely resides."

The Golden Line Divine Lady had clearly conducted ample experiments before inviting Chen Jichuan and the others here. While she had failed to access the mansion, she had gleaned enough insight to propose a potential approach.

"That method might work."

Chen Jichuan mused internally.

However, to him, this was simply a 'cumbersome approach.'

With the Insight Skill at his disposal, breaking through the formations proved arduous, yet navigating their weak points was effortless.

Without exposing his advantage, he turned to the Golden Line Divine Lady and the others, saying, "I have modest proficiency in Formation Dao; I can guide everyone when the time comes."

"Haha!"

"We'll count on you, Junior Brother!"

The Golden Line Divine Lady laughed heartily.

"Of all of us here, Junior Brother Qii's mastery in formations is undoubtedly unmatched."

Eight-Armed Immortal and Wan Ming Immortal joined in the laughter.

Chen Jichuan's reputation for formations—especially his accomplishments in establishing sects on Mishen Island in the Star Constellation Sea—was no secret among them. Without him, navigating the cloud formations would be an almost insurmountable hurdle.

After finalizing their plan, the group no longer lingered. Nineteen people merged into the 'Nine Curves Dragon and Snake Formation,' twisting and coiling like serpentine dragons, and plunged into the iridescent cloud, vanishing from sight.

...

Viewed from afar, the formations comprising the iridescent cloud sparkled like flowing light—a Milky Way glimmering vividly.

Yet, entering it firsthand offered an entirely different experience, akin to stepping into a boundless world: transforming intermittently from barbaric wilderness to unfathomable oceans. Within the formations, one felt like an ordinary mortal lost without direction, as the path vanished in every direction. Dangers arose unpredictably—natural disasters striking without warning.

Progress was arduous.

Left to the Golden Line Divine Lady and others' trial-and-error methods, they'd likely need decades to reach the cloud's core.

Fortunately, Chen Jichuan was present.

His Insight Skill carved a straight path, advancing the group directly toward the mansion concealed within the depths. With effortless ease, Chen Jichuan even managed to scour their surroundings while leading, granting glimpses of unexpected phenomena.

"There are others here as well!"

Chen Jichuan directed his gaze toward a distant section ahead, faintly spotting ten or so flickering silhouettes—still too far for clarity. Yet, it was obvious they were Upper Immortals like themselves.

Just like Chen Jichuan's party, they too struggled against the formations barring their way. Bereft of Chen Jichuan's guidance, their progress was agonizingly slow.

"At this speed, we'll surely reach the destination first."

Chen Jichuan observed them momentarily before escalating his party's pace.

They pressed ahead.

Approximately ten days later, even Golden Line Divine Lady and the others could finally behold the faint glimmer of Glazed Immortal Light shimmering nearby.

Clearly.

They had arrived at their destination.

...

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tower?"

"Is it really this treasure?!"

"This is the apex Immortal Treasure of Tuota Venerable, renowned throughout Chongming Realm!"

Standing before the Glazed Immortal Light, its true form emerged—a brilliant treasure tower of nine tiers, crystalline and translucent, radiating an aura of awe-inspiring Immortal Light.

The Eight-Armed Immortal and others instantly recognized the tower, their eyes alight with excitement.

Not just them.

Even Chen Jichuan's face betrayed traces of surprise and delight.

Though he'd speculated this site might be the remnant mansion of a Heavenly Venerate from the Nine Heavens, Heavenly Venerates were a diverse lot, varying in influence and resources.

Tuota Venerable stood out as one of the elite—a name echoed prominently across Chongming Realm.

Particularly his prized possession—the 'Nine Treasures Glazed Tower,' said to be crafted through life-bound cultivation—a true Immortal Treasure refined through the absorption of untold immortal energies.

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tower!"

Chen Jichuan's pulse raced as his gaze locked onto the tower—

[Magical Treasure: Nine Treasures Glazed Tower]

[Level: Fourth-order]

[Description: An apex creation of Chongming Realm's 'Tuota Venerable,' assembled from countless Exotic Treasures gathered across the Four Directions Heaven and Ten Realms. Centered on his 'Glazed Body,' refined with Nine Layers Immortal Light. Upon achieving Veneration, Tuota further imbued the tower with gathered immortal energy, elevating it into an unparalleled 'Immortal Treasure.' Comprising nine tiers named Lim, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Qian, Xing, each tier harbors divine mysteries. Before Tuota Venerable passed, he fused his 'Glazed Body' and 'Nine Layers Immortal Light' into the tower, amplifying its might.]

...

"What a treasure!"

Chen Jichuan's Insight revealed the depths of the tower, heightening his desire.

He owned one Immortal Treasure—the 'Purple Mansion Immortal Gourd,' inherited from Mojia Venerable. Yet, its utility mostly lay in cultivation, fostering spiritual insects against opponents, offering minimal boost to his combat prowess or progress.

But the 'Nine Treasures Glazed Tower' was different.

Superior in quality, each tier held unique applications—ideal for refining cultivation or battling adversaries.

"This is precisely what I need—a treasure capable of both offense and defense. With this tower, none below Heavenly Venerate could challenge me in the future!"

Chen Jichuan's yearning surged.

He considered wielding his newly mastered seventh-layer 'Daluo Heavenly Sleeve' to attempt claiming the artifact outright. However, his eyes scanned the radiant streams and encircling formations veiling the tower, and he restrained himself.

"No, that won't work!"

"Tuota Venerable foresaw intrusions and fortified the tower with layers of formidable formations. Once triggered, countless arrays will erupt simultaneously. While the tower would endure Void Storms, my cultivation remains incomplete—I wouldn't survive the backlash."

"Unless I can seize the treasure instantly—"

Chen Jichuan scrutinized the tower from top to bottom, eventually shaking his head. "Treasures of this caliber demand sustained effort for acquisition, likely requiring six or seven Tier Skills to succeed—insufficient time for action."

After weighing his options, he dismissed the idea of forceful reclamation.

If Tuota Venerable left this tower behind, it was clearly intended for heirs or successors. Following the prescribed path, Chen Jichuan believed he still held substantial prospects of claiming the treasure. At worst, he could intercept whoever managed to obtain it later.

Such methods proved far safer.

Better than triggering its defense mechanisms and losing the artifact to spatial turbulence.

Resolving this internally.

Chen Jichuan was the first to settle his thoughts. Casting a glance around, he turned toward the Golden Line Divine Lady and the others, announcing loudly, "Let's head inside!"

The Nine Treasures Glazed Tower stood with its entrance open, obviously prepared to challenge them.

"Huh?"

"Enter?"

Clinging to their fantasies of acquiring such a remarkable treasure, everyone's thoughts had momentarily diverged. Hearing Chen Jichuan's words, they noticed the entrance leading into the tower's first level—a portal suffused with light, concealing details of its interior.

Eight-Armed Immortal and Wan Ming Immortal exchanged glances before looking toward the Golden Line Divine Lady and Chen Jichuan. The four swiftly aligned—

"Let's go!"

"Head inside!"

The nineteen members didn't hesitate, stepping boldly into the tower.

...