Chapter 315-316 (Patreon)

315. Dao of Integration

"Divine Ability, Shadow Split Saber!"

Lin Fei noticed this particular Divine Ability. By itself, the ability wasn't powerful. It was merely a Lesser Divine Ability, and its potency seemed rather average.

Moreover, being a saber-oriented Divine Ability meant that its applicability would be limited. After all, not everyone prefers to use a saber, and not everyone identifies as a saber user.

Hence, saber-oriented and sword-oriented Divine Abilities have their limitations. That's why, despite the terrifying potency of the Dual-World Saber, few chose to cultivate it. Being saber-focused by nature restricts its widespread usage.

However, what truly caught Lin Fei's attention was the fact that this Divine Ability was self-created by the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect.

"Self-created Divine Ability..."

A glint of intrigue flashed in Lin Fei's eyes. In essence, once one achieves the realm of Martial Sovereign, they theoretically possess the ability to create their Divine Abilities.

But creating a new Divine Ability is challenging. Very few Martial Sovereigns have the capability to invent a Divine Ability. To do so requires either unparalleled talent and understanding, where one can have a momentary stroke of genius and create a Divine Ability, or extensive exposure to numerous Divine Abilities.

By delving deeply into these Divine Abilities, one might glean inspiration and create their own. However, both conditions are unreachable for 99% of Martial Sovereigns.

Continuing his exploration, Lin Fei made another astonishing discovery. Apart from the Shadow Split Saber Divine Ability, the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect had created many other Divine Abilities, such as the Aurora Saber, Falling Leaf Saber, and Sky Cleaver Saber, to name a few.

Even though all these were Lesser Divine Abilities, the fact that someone had created so many by himself was miraculous. It defied conventional wisdom.

Creating a Divine Ability isn't an easy feat. Even if focusing solely on saber-related ones reduced the complexity, creating a Divine Ability remains a monumental challenge.

The sect master must have possessed some unique methods or, perhaps, grasped some essential keys to creating Divine Abilities.

Lin Fei continued searching and, as expected, found the cultivation notes of the Saber Sovereign Sect's founder, detailing his specific cultivation steps.

In the notes, Lin Fei found detailed content about creating Divine Abilities, and there was a substantial amount of it. Evidently, the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect saw this as crucial.

According to the founder's notes, the reason he could create so many Divine Abilities stemmed from his mastery of saber techniques. Starting with one saber technique as the foundation, he eventually developed it into a Divine Ability. These Divine Abilities all bore the traces of the saber technique. In fact, the saber technique was the core!

Still, the process was by no means easy. It can only be said that the Saber Sovereign Sect's founder had reached the pinnacle of saber techniques to the point where he could create his own Divine Abilities, even if they were only Lesser Divine Abilities, which most people couldn't achieve.

This gave Lin Fei an idea. If a Martial Sovereign can create a Divine Ability, and he too is a Martial Sovereign, couldn't he also create one?

Finding a top-tier Great Divine Ability isn't easy after all. Even the founder's precious collection did not possess one. This showed how challenging acquiring a top-tier Great Divine Ability truly was. If he couldn't find one, it would hinder Lin Fei's cultivation progress. If finding a top-tier Great Divine Ability was that hard, why not create one himself?

However, the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect created his Divine Abilities based on saber techniques. Lin Fei's Martial Dao differed from the founder's. If Lin Fei were to create a Divine Ability, he would have to leverage his strengths. So, what was he best at? What was the essence of his Martial Dao?

Closing his eyes, Lin Fei's mind began to calm. Gradually, past scenes surfaced in his mind. Back when Lin Fei understood saber intent, evolved saber momentum, and developed saber domain, what had he relied upon?

Integration!

Lin Fei had fused many saber techniques and martial arts together. His martial path was one of inclusivity and versatility. He integrated various martial arts, and when combined in sufficient quantity, a qualitative change would inevitably occur. This was the philosophy of Lin Fei's martial arts.

"Can I integrate various Divine Abilities to create an even more powerful one?"

A spark ignited in Lin Fei's eyes. Wasn't this the path he had always taken? Integrating! Combine Lesser Divine Abilities, aiming to evolve them into a Great Divine Ability or even a top-tier Great Divine Ability.

But would it work? What if it failed? The consequences of failure would be severe. The risk was too great, and Lin Fei couldn't gamble recklessly.

"Instead of cultivating Divine Ability, what if I integrate them first?"

A thought crossed Lin Fei's mind.

He immediately picked up two Divine Abilities. Given Lin Fei's current strength, even the Lesser Divine Abilities would "actively" wish to become Lin Fei's Divine Ability. Indeed, as Lin Fei held the scrolls of these two Lesser Divine Abilities, voices echoed in his mind.

"Divine Ability Shadow Split Saber wishes to become the host's Divine Ability."

"Divine Ability Sky Cleaver Saber wishes to become the host's Divine Ability."

Both of these Lesser Divine Abilities wanted to be with Lin Fei.

Lin Fei said in a deep voice, "Only the pinnacle Great Divine Ability can accompany me. If you wish to be my Divine Ability, then merge with each other. If you can integrate into a top Great Divine Ability, then you can stay with me. In the future, when the Martial Dao Bloodline is born, you can also integrate into that bloodline. With an unbroken bloodline, you will never perish."

After Lin Fei finished speaking, he waited in silence, leaving the choice to the two Divine Abilities. However, he was uncertain whether this would work.

After what felt like a long time, there seemed to be two glows emerging from the scrolls. These two glows, which seemed illusory and only visible to Lin Fei, represented the two Divine Abilities. The glows began to approach each other and finally met.

"Boom!"

The Divine Abilities were merging!

However, a voice soon echoed in Lin Fei's mind.

"The merger of the two Divine Abilities failed. Their philosophies conflict and cannot integrate."

Lin Fei's eyes widened, "Their philosophies conflict?"

This was the first time he had heard of such a thing. But upon reflection, each Divine Ability was based on a particular philosophy or direction. If their directions diverged too much, not only would they not merge, but they could even be antagonistic towards each other.

Yet, Lin Fei was not discouraged. Instead, he was elated. This only meant that these two specific Divine Abilities couldn't integrate, not that Divine Abilities couldn't integrate in general.

He said to the scrolls, "Go and find Divine Abilities that align with your philosophies and integrate with them. The stronger the integration, the better. Only a top Great Divine Ability is worthy of being mine!"

Lin Fei allowed these two Divine Abilities to act on their own and find others that resonated with them. He was uncertain about the results, but if a new, powerful Divine Ability emerged at the end, he could then make his choice. For now, all he needed to do was wait patiently.

316. Deterrent

One, two, three, four, five...

One after another, the Divine Abilities began to merge. However, it wasn't easy for these Abilities to have compatible philosophies. The fusion of Divine Abilities didn't necessarily mean that the more you merge, the stronger it gets.

In many cases, the fusion of many Divine Abilities only slightly increased their power. After all, when Divine Abilities merge, it's the strongest trait of the ability that gets enhanced.

Often, merging just one or two Divine Abilities doesn't have much effect, only when a large number of them are combined does the power of the Divine Ability significantly increase.

Lin Fei used two types of Divine Abilities as a foundation to merge with others of compatible philosophies. However, the results of these mergers varied greatly.

One of the Divine Abilities had merged with thirteen others. While it hadn't reached the level of a Great Divine Ability, it was already very powerful. The other, in the same amount of time, had only merged with five and had only slightly increased in power.

Time passed, and about an hour later, two entirely new Divine Abilities were born. In front of Lin Fei, two glows appeared, each representing a Divine Ability. Concurrently, voices echoed in Lin Fei's mind.

"Divine Ability Heaven-ending Saber wishes to join and become the host's Divine Ability."

"Divine Ability Shadow-Speed Saber wishes to join and become the host's Divine Ability."

The glow of the Heaven-ending Saber represented the merger of fifteen Divine Abilities, yet it was still a Lesser Divine Ability – albeit seemingly at its peak. As for the Shadow-Speed Saber, it had merged with eight Divine Abilities, also a Lesser Divine Ability but not at its peak.

The two Divine Abilities represented two different directions. The Heaven-ending Saber was all about brute force, incredibly dominating, while the Shadow-Speed Saber focused on speed and agility, making it very elusive.

Lin Fei wasn't entirely satisfied with either of them. Neither had reached the level of a Great Divine Ability, so how could he be content?

"However, Heaven-ending Saber does seem to have the potential to become a Great Divine Ability. Perhaps by merging with one or two more Divine Abilities, it can evolve into a Great Divine Ability," he mused. "As for the Shadow-Speed Saber, it might also achieve Great Divine Ability status, but it would require many more Divine Abilities."

Lin Fei shook his head. He hadn't cultivated the Heaven-ending Saber yet unless it could evolve into a top-tier Great Divine Ability. But relying solely on the Saber Sovereign Sect's Divine Abilities certainly wouldn't suffice.

"Where can I find a large number of saber-related Divine Abilities?" Lin Fei murmured to himself.

The Heaven-ending Saber indeed had potential. But the fact that even after merging with fifteen Divine Abilities it still hadn't evolved into a Great Divine Ability showed how challenging achieving that status was. Even the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect, with all his created Divine Abilities, only had Lesser Divine Abilities. He hadn't managed to create even a single Great Divine Ability.

"The Divine Abilities of the Xiao family are surely plentiful. And who proclaimed that the saber path's divine skills cannot merge with others? As long as the philosophies are aligned, fusion is possible!"

Lin Fei's eyes sparkled with realization. He had someone fetch paper and ink and meticulously scribed the Heaven-ending Saber, which amalgamated fifteen unique divine abilities.

Silently, Lin Fei then secured the Heaven-ending Saber's manual close. The leader of the Saber Sovereign Sect held his tongue, not daring to object. Yet he hesitantly began, "Sovereign, the threat of the Wind-Thunder Sect..."

Lin Fei, of course, understood the leader's concerns.

"I shall personally visit the Wind-Thunder Sect. Henceforth, they shall pose no threat to the Saber Sovereign Sect. However, should the Saber Sovereign Sect not produce a Martial Sovereign in the future, I cannot guarantee it won't be threatened by other forces."

Lin Fei's intent was clear. He would only intervene once. After that, the Saber Sovereign Sect would be on its own.

"Rest assured, Sovereign. We dare not bother you in the future!"

The leader of the Saber Sovereign Sect understood. It is better to rely on oneself than on others. This time, Lin Fei had assisted them through a crisis. But in the future, the sect must stand on its own two feet.

With a swift motion, Lin Fei departed without another word. Exiting the Saber Sovereign Sect, he soon found himself at the Wind-Thunder Sect. This sect was a mystical force where not far from the Saber Sovereign Sect. Once, a saber saint with perfect saber intent emerged from the Saber Sovereign Sect, naturally, they occupied the most prime location.

The Wind-Thunder Sect's domain was significantly inferior in comparison. Thus, their aspirations to seize the Saber Sovereign Sect's domain. The current generation of Wind-Thunder Sect lacked a Golden Core True Person. Nevertheless, their potential was significant. There were many at the pinnacle of the Foundation Establishment stage, and it was only a matter of time before a Golden Core True Person would emerge.

Swiftly, Lin Fei hovered above the entrance of the Wind-Thunder Sect. If he were to reveal his identity medallion, he could certainly deter the Wind-Thunder Sect. However, how long this deterrence would last remained uncertain. A more profound intimidation was necessary for the Wind-Thunder Sect, only then could he honor the assistance the founder of the Saber Sovereign Sect granted him.

With a thunderous rumble, a vast Life Wheel materialized behind Lin Fei. Three radiant layers gleamed atop it. A formidable pressure instantly enveloped the entire Wind-Thunder Sect.

"That... Is that a Martial Sovereign?"

"What a terrifying Martial Sovereign. Why has he come to our Wind-Thunder Sect?"

"When did our Wind-Thunder Sect offend such a formidable Martial Sovereign?"

Many disciples of the Wind-Thunder Sect looked up into the void, their hearts trembling in awe. That massive Life Wheel exerted overwhelming pressure on their very existence.

In response, several top Foundation Establishment True Persons from the Wind-Thunder Sect emerged. Gazing at Lin Fei hovering above, they stuttered with respect, "Greetings, Sovereign. May we ask why you have come to our Wind-Thunder Sect? Our sect is now under the Xiao family."

Clearly, the Wind-Thunder Sect was invoking the name of the Xiao family as a shield, trying to put pressure on Lin Fei.

"Xiao family..."

Without a word, Lin Fei tossed out the Xiao family's token. He then unleashed his Gravity Domain, and a crushing force settled upon the entire sect.

"Thud."

All the disciples of the Wind-Thunder Sect immediately fell to their knees under the might of the Gravity Domain. This gravitational force was so immense that it felt like they could be crushed to dust at any time!

Even the top Foundation Establishment True Persons were no exception. They couldn't even stand. And this was only Lin Fei using one percent of the true power of his Gravity Domain.

Recognizing the token, the Wind-Thunder Sect's True Persons realized Lin Fei's identity. He was the Martial Sovereign of the Xiao family!

"Sovereign, since you are the Martial Sovereign of the Xiao family, why are you making things difficult for our Wind-Thunder Sect?" A Wind-Thunder Sect elder managed to speak, resisting the intense gravitational pull.

Lin Fei didn't answer. Instead, he directed his gaze towards a towering peak of the Wind-Thunder Sect. With a mere push of his Gravity Domain, the mountain crumbled.

"Boom!"

It was as if an unseen, overwhelming force wiped out the mountain's very existence. Such raw power left everyone in the Wind-Thunder Sect trembling in terror.

"If the Wind-Thunder Sect pressures the Saber Sovereign Sect again, it will share the fate of this mountain!"

Without waiting for a response, Lin Fei retracted his Gravity Domain and transformed into a beam of light, disappearing into the horizon. He believed the Wind-Thunder Sect would know their place.

"When did the Saber Sovereign Sect gain the favor of such a fearsome Martial Sovereign?"

"No matter. With such a terrifying Martial Sovereign protecting them, even if our Wind-Thunder Sect produces a Golden Core True Person, we should not provoke the Saber Sovereign Sect."

For a time, everyone in the Wind-Thunder Sect felt a lingering fear. The mountain that had been effortlessly erased was a testament to the fact that the Sovereign could just as easily annihilate their entire sect if he so wished.

This was the true meaning of deterrence.