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*****
"Destruction..."
Rather than calling it pure destruction, it was more akin to a force of absolute devastation. Within the thunderous power of the Ancestor of Sub-Dragons, Su Wen sensed an indescribable potency of ruin. Following this realization, a moment of enlightenment washed over him.
"The so-called attribute of Destruction is actually a derivative property. When devastation is pushed to its absolute limit, it becomes the power to destroy all things. The Ancestor of Sub-Dragons fused this devastation with lightning, elevating it to the level of Destruction. That is the true origin of this attribute!"
There were perhaps other paths to reaching the state of Destruction. For instance, the God of Destruction currently residing in the Divine Realm might represent the polar opposite of Life. In that case, it would be the ultimate pinnacle of Death that birthed his specific brand of Destruction.
While this theoretical understanding was a profound realization, it did not provide Su Wen with an immediate, concrete boost in combat strength. However, it served as a vital compass, providing a clear direction for his future insights.
The true catalyst for advancing his strength lay in these insights—the comprehension and eventual construction of an 'Artistic Conception.' By mimicking the inherent concepts of Heaven, Earth, and Nature, or by evolving his own deductions upon existing frameworks, he could derive a unique intent. Only then could he truly say he was using enlightenment to drive the progression of his power.
At this stage, he had merely grasped the path toward that enlightenment.
"However, my pursuit of Destruction isn't particularly high at the moment. I don't need to chase after other forms of ruin; the extreme devastation found within this Ancestor of Sub-Dragons' lightning is temporarily sufficient for my needs."
Destruction was a concept, much like Creation. Anything related to the act of bringing forth life or form could eventually derive the attribute of Creation—or what might be termed the Power of Genesis. Destruction operated on the same principle. True Destruction was the 'Great Destruction' that returned all of existence to nothingness. True Creation was the 'Great Creation' that birthed an entire universe from the void.
Theoretically, these two absolute concepts were impossible to fully realize. Without destroying everything, how could one truly create everything? Without creating everything, what would there be to destroy?
Su Wen chose not to delve too deeply into the philosophical depths of this paradox. It was a loop; to achieve genuine Great Creation or Great Destruction was not something a simple insight could accomplish. It would likely require the annihilation of the entire universe, and he was clearly not the type of person to pursue such a cataclysmic end.
"If I can gather various characteristics through insight and theoretically deduce the concepts of Great Creation and Destruction, that should be enough. True world-ending ambition is not my goal."
Su Wen had already begun to touch upon the fringes of the Destruction attribute. By meditating on the lightning of the Ancestor of Sub-Dragons today, he had planted a seed. In the future, he only needed to simulate and visualize it continuously, absorbing the inherent Artistic Conception into his own Soul Power to ensure steady progress.
"Now, it is time to consider Creation."
As for the Power of Creation...
To Su Wen's current knowledge, the easiest way to encounter the Power of Creation involved another plane located somewhere in the vast universe, similar to the Douluo Plane—the Heavenly Jewel Change Plane. On that world, the fusion of the four Saint Attributes offered the hope of achieving the so-called Power of Creation.
Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Evil God Bead, which Su Wen had long since thoroughly refined, began to surface. Within his Phantom Spirit Eyes, a bead emitting a grey current separated itself, surrounded by spiraling grey lightning and silver mists.
"In the original story, did the Evil God Bead reach the Heavenly Jewel Change Plane because it was coincidentally swept up by a spatial storm, or did it possess anchored coordinates to that world itself?"
Su Wen had studied the Evil God Bead for a long time. Despite his deep research into spatial power, he was unable to perceive any information regarding the Heavenly Jewel Change Plane through the bead. Or perhaps, this kind of inter-planar spatial perception was simply beyond his current level. No matter how strong his mastery of spatial power was, he still lacked many of the essential capabilities inherent to a God.
"Sigh, I'll have to wait. Perhaps once I reach the rank of Titled Douluo, I will be able to sense the Boundless Mainland."
To promote to a Titled Douluo, Su Wen would inevitably need to condense a second Soul Core. With two Soul Cores acting as fixed points, a Soul Master would naturally begin to involve themselves with spatial power. This was the path for a normal Soul Master.
For someone like Su Wen, who possessed the spatial attribute and had mastered spatial power ahead of time, the condensation of twin Soul Cores would allow his comprehension and control over space to skyrocket.
"If a Titled Douluo isn't enough, then I'll aim for Limit Douluo!"
If dual Soul Cores were effective for mastering space, then a trinity of Soul Cores would surely be even better. If all else failed, he would find a way to visit that plane after achieving Godhood. He could see if he could replicate the conditions experienced by Zhou Weiqing to fuse the Power of Creation. Even if he didn't master it himself, merely gaining the insight would be more than enough.
Just as he was doing now, Su Wen was perceiving the Destruction Lightning rather than attempting to seize the lightning in its entirety. To him, the insight was the most precious treasure.
By first recording the insight through his Visualization Method and then slowly integrating it into his Soul Power, he transformed external concepts into his own innate abilities. Such power was truly his to keep.
Even when entering mysterious domains like the Life and Death Arena—which involved the divine manipulation of time reversal—his Visualization Method remained unfazed. Even if his spiritual power was reverted to that of a six-year-old upon entering, the world within his visualization remained unchanged. It was his experience, his realization, and the embodiment of his will.
Unless Su Wen's memories were erased out of thin air or his soul was ground into nothingness, the world of his visualization remained his own strength, immune to any external influence.
Su Wen continued to meditate on the Destruction Lightning, sitting in silent, motionless contemplation.
Meanwhile, Xu Tianyou remained in a state of internal conflict. Su Wen's previous words had struck a chord within him, though they hadn't yet completely overturned his stance on prioritizing the enhancement of his Martial Soul to rapidly raise his Soul Power level. However, Su Wen's advice had forced him to reconsider the trade-offs involved in that evolution.
"What suits me best is Dragon's Might and the Path of the Sovereign. Conversely, the lightning and destruction within it are not particularly compatible with me."
Xu Tianyou glanced at the meditating Su Wen and let out a silent sigh. To be honest, he envied Su Wen deeply.
"It's too much... He is actually practicing in so many different directions at once..."
In the midst of Su Wen's meditation, the Heavenly Book naturally manifested above his head. The book slowly unfurled, revealing various internal spaces within its pages. Inside, one could see the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind, as well as Lightning and Destruction...
"How does he dare to choose so many paths?"
Was it due to greed? No, that didn't seem right. Based on Su Wen's earlier reminders, Xu Tianyou could sense that Su Wen was a person with an incredibly transparent understanding of cultivation theory—especially regarding the fundamental nature of one's cultivation direction.
"Or rather... are all these just surface appearances? Among these many paths he displays, is there perhaps a common thread? Could it be that he practices all of these simply to lay the groundwork for a single, singular path of his own?"
(End of Chapter)