Chapter 905: Zhang Yu’s Third-Generation Law Edict, Myriad Phenomena (10/10)
Zhang Yu briefly flipped through the Myriad Daos Law Establishment Heavenly Book (Sect-Guarding Edition) before him and immediately understood… this was the key to the third-generation Law Edict, its core technology.
“The so-called third-generation Law Edict is built upon the foundation of the second-generation Law Edict, further deepening the relationship between the Law Edict and the Thought Tide.”
As Zhang Yu studied the Third-Generation Law Edict Technology, he summarized in his heart, “Under the influence of the third-generation Law Edict, within the Law Edict’s True Domain… every time intelligent lifeforms comply with the Law Edict, they will increasingly identify with the rules within it.”
“This is no longer just using the Thought Tide to amplify the Law Edict, but rather the other way around… it can use the Law Edict to influence and guide the Thought Tide.”
Zhang Yu’s heart trembled. “The first-generation Law Edict manages heaven and earth, interfering with all kinds of natural phenomena.”
“The second-generation Law Edict manages people, regulating human behavior through surveillance and punishment.”
“And the third-generation Law Edict… through repeated compliance, makes people identify with the rules within the Law Edict. This is managing people’s thoughts.”
Although Zhang Yu referred to “people” in his heart, the scope of this word was very broad, encompassing the various intelligent lifeforms of Kunxu.
Listening to Zhang Yu’s summary, Immortal Slayer said solemnly, “The second-generation Law Edict was merely omnipresent surveillance. Through highly efficient punishment, it defined the boundaries and tendencies of human behavior.”
“But this third-generation Law Edict… is already trying to change people’s thoughts, making them actively identify with the rules. Ultimately… without the need for punishment, it can make people naturally obey the rules.”
Desolate Ox sighed, “This is a transformation from the rule of law to the rule of virtue. Through thought management, it changes people’s concepts, making them genuinely identify with the rules in society from the bottom of their hearts. Reaching the final stage… punishment will become dispensable, because no one will violate the rules anymore.”
“When that time comes, I’m afraid the law enforcement costs of the Ten Great Sects will be greatly reduced. In addition to this, it will also allow the Law Edict to expand at a faster speed, giving it a higher success rate of becoming a Dao Lineage in the future…”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, “First-generation, second-generation, third-generation… from managing people to managing thoughts, Kunxu’s Law Edict technology has advanced too quickly. This should have been something only a Dao Lineage could achieve, right?”
Immortal Slayer said in disgust, “Originally, only a Dao Lineage like the Aspiration for the Immortal Dao could influence people’s thoughts. If the third-generation Law Edict can do it now, Kunxu’s rules will become even more stringent, and its rule will become increasingly tight and impossible to break.”
Zhang Yu knew in his heart that the so-called Dao Lineage was like a law of nature.
Once it became a Dao Lineage, the rules contained within it were like heavenly principles, existing objectively in the world.
Even if the founder no longer existed, this Dao Lineage would still be like a law of nature, deeply engraved in this world.
A Law Edict was different; it was more like a domain centered around a cultivator, and its range needed to be gradually expanded. It could also disappear due to reasons such as the cultivator’s own fall or actively shutting it down.
Besides this, the biggest difference between a Law Edict and a Dao Lineage was that all along… a law could be defied, one simply had to accept the punishment.
However, a Dao Lineage was like an objective rule, much like the existence of gravity or light. You could resist it, endure it, or use various technological means to mitigate its influence, but you could not pretend it did not exist, so there was no concept of “defying” it.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “But if Law Edicts can gradually change thoughts, for the majority of living beings within the Law Edict True Domain, they will consider obeying the rules… as a matter of course, and rebellious behavior will gradually cease to exist.”
Immortal Slayer sighed, “In the past, to achieve this kind of thing, whether it was a sect or a company, it was often done through propaganda, public opinion, and guidance. Now, simply establishing a third-generation Law Edict can achieve an even better effect, imperceptibly changing the Thought Tide.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly. He knew that for a long time, sects, companies, and universities had all been using various public opinion offensives, launching advertisements, paid trolls, and various mouthpieces to change the thoughts and cognition of the masses, thereby increasing industrial profits and reducing governance costs.
Fu Ji smiled and said, “Not only that, but as a third-generation Law Edict continues to operate like this, the living beings within the domain will increasingly identify with it. If there is a Law Edict in the opposite direction later on, I’m afraid it will face enormous resistance and be difficult to expand.”
Zhang Yu understood Fu Ji’s meaning. To give an example… if someone were to establish a third-generation Law Edict of ‘shitting while standing’, once the Thought Tide of all living beings accepted and recognized it, they would all believe that ‘shitting while standing’ is the established convention, the advanced way, and the right way.
“In the future, if someone else wants to establish a third-generation Law Edict of ‘shitting while lying down,’ it will inevitably meet with the resistance, dissatisfaction, and disapproval of all living beings, and the difficulty of promoting the Law Edict will greatly increase.”
Fu Ji became excited. “So third-generation Law Edicts should be established as early as possible. The earlier it starts influencing the Thought Tide, the higher the acceptance of all living beings, and the deeper the moat the Law Edict will have, making it less easily impacted by later Law Edicts!”
“Great, great! No wonder the quota for the first establishment of third-generation Law Edicts is so important. This first law establishment batch holds the greatest advantage!”
“Zhang Yu! This is a great opportunity for us, you must grasp it!”
While Fu Ji was excited, the Sect Examination Clone beside her also nodded repeatedly. “In this way, the Thought Tide of all living beings will be strictly managed, and Grandpa Immortal Emperor will be able to govern Kunxu for generations to come. This is truly a blessing for all living beings.”
While Zhang Yu was concentrating on his studies, not far away, Lie Jinghong… the representative sent by the Dharma Realm Dao Lineage, had already mastered the Sect-Guarding technology.
Lie Jinghong’s Law Edict Potential Evaluation suddenly jumped, instantly increasing to grade 9.
At this moment, there was a flicker above Di Xuan’s head on the other side, and his Law Edict Potential Evaluation also began to increase, reaching grade 10.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Have they all entered the top 10 grades?”
After experiencing this period of training, Zhang Yu gained a deeper understanding of the grade distinctions within the Law Edict Potential Evaluation.
He knew that only by entering the top 36 would there be a possibility of upgrading to a Dao Lineage in the future. And after reaching the top 10, the gap between each grade became increasingly larger.
“According to the statistics…” Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Historically, Law Edicts rated in the top 5 in the potential evaluation have an extremely high probability of upgrading into a Dao Lineage in the future.”
“As for the top 3 Law Edicts, since the establishment of the Law Edict Potential Evaluation system, there have been no more than 10 in all of history.”
Of course, Zhang Yu knew that the vast majority of those lofty Immortal Emperors and Immortal Venerables… were not included in this. They were existences that could not be defined by this evaluation system.
After all, many of them… were likely born before this evaluation system was even established. They hadn’t even followed the current mainstream Law Edict system or immortal aura system, but had instead created their Dao Lineages using other technological routes.
In the time that followed, more trainees mastered Strategic-tier or Sect-Guarding-tier Immortal Qi technology, advancing to the technical level of third-generation Law Edicts, which ushered in a wave of growth in their potential evaluation grades.
Bu Yingshu, for instance, had raised her Potential Evaluation to grade 13 in one breath.
Looking at the progress of the many students, Zhang Yu secretly sighed: “As expected of veteran Void Refinement experts, heavenly chosen carefully selected by the various factions. They’ve prepared for this day for who knows how many years.”
Zhang Yu understood in his heart that just the 100% Immortalization Degree of these students made the performance of their Great Void Primordial Spirits astonishing. In terms of the Primordial Spirit’s interference and amplification of immortal aura… they far exceeded someone like him who had just broken through to Void Refinement.
Of course, there were also some students who failed to master the tenth cultivation art that day, and Zhang Yu was one of them.
After all, his Feather Book Specialization for today had already been used, assisting him in mastering the ninth cultivation art of the Myriad Phenomena set.
“This tenth one can only be cultivated tomorrow.”
Although he temporarily couldn’t master the Sect-Guarding martial art before him, it didn’t affect Zhang Yu’s continued study of the various Immortal Qi Technologies related to the third-generation Law Edicts in the course.
And just as Zhang Yu was studying, the Desolate Ox in his mind suddenly said, “If the third-generation Law Edicts can change thoughts and make sentient beings agree from the bottom of their hearts, does that mean… they can be used to disintegrate the second-generation Law Edicts? At least, can they disintegrate the Thought Tide amplification of the second-generation Law Edicts?”
“Shut up, you!” Fu Ji hastily said. “Even if you know about this kind of thing, you can’t just mess around with it! Messing around will affect making money and affect our salary ability.”
The Sect Examination Clone shouted, “Audacious, what nonsense are you spouting?! Sect laws are the manifestation of the Immortal Emperor’s will, how can they be subverted?”
Listening to the series of arguments in his mind, Zhang Yu said nothing, though a flicker of emotion seemed to surface in his eyes.
Just before the class ended, a notification appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Looking at the contents of the notification, Zhang Yu took a deep breath. “In seven days, as soon as the training ends… the law establishment will officially begin immediately?”
“That is really fast.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “No wonder they didn’t recommend a cultivator like me, who just broke through to Void Refinement, to participate. This training didn’t consider my situation at all; it’s entirely prepared for veteran Void Refinements. After half a month of training, the law establishment begins right away.”
At the same time, the notification also announced the general process of the law establishment.
As Zhang Yu read, he summarized it in his mind, “Every student will first establish laws in an independent, closed testing environment to complete a preliminary assessment.”
“Is the testing environment completely closed off, forming a miniature society simulated by Material Humans?”
“And then it connects each student’s testing environment to complete a comprehensive assessment in an environment where all the Law Edicts are mixed together?”
In Zhang Yu’s view, putting it in terms he understood, that was…
“Isn’t this just PvE first, and then PvP?”
“First, test the Law Edicts in a single-player environment, where the judges will give their respective sharp critiques and scores.”
Zhang Yu summarized in his heart, “Then, in a multiplayer environment, let all the Law Edicts influence each other, and under various mutual buffs, hindrances, augmentations, and uplifting effects, we’ll finally see whose is more awesome.”
“With only seven days left, I need to work harder too.”
Thinking of this, Zhang Yu sent a mass message to Bu Yingshu, Lie Jinghong, and Di Xuan.
Zhang Yu: “Dao Monarch, in the next seven days, I will do my best to help you investigate Tai Yuebai’s information.”
Zhang Yu: “I hope my final Law Edict will still be able to uplift you.”
Looking at the messages he had sent out, Zhang Yu secretly thought to himself, Sorry, Big Brother Tai. In order to change Kunxu, you’ll just have to suffer a bit first.
Looking at the message sent by Zhang Yu, Bu Yingshu felt a little comforted in her heart, which then sparked an even stronger fighting spirit.
“Tai Yuebai!” Bu Yingshu roared in her heart, “I will completely trample your Law Edict under my feet!”
After a few days of bitter cultivation, Bu Yingshu suddenly saw a familiar figure walking over. It was none other than Zhang Yu, whom she had not seen for several days.
Before Bu Yingshu could speak, she heard Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) say, “Dao Monarch Bu, do you know? In the past, when I was supporting you, I was never truly happy.”
Bu Yingshu’s body trembled as she said, “What did you say?”
Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) said indifferently, “It was only after the law establishment training began that I realized… a supporting talent like me is only fit to be possessed by a true powerhouse.”
Bu Yingshu said, “Little Yu, I helped you…”
“Eh.” Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) waved his hand and said, “Accepting help doesn’t mean I agree.”
Bu Yingshu said, “But didn’t you promise me…”
Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) wagged his finger and said, “Promising in the past doesn’t mean I still promise now. Even if I promise now, it doesn’t mean I can’t revoke the promise in the future.”
“Just like the current Tai Yuebai.”
He looked at Bu Yingshu and continued, “Although Tai Yuebai is quite capable, I’ve now realized that he ultimately isn’t the strongest one. And I, Zhang Yu… only want to elevate the absolute strongest.”
“Is it Lie Jinghong? Or Di Xuan? Or perhaps… you, Bu Yingshu?”
“Dao Monarch Bu, if your evaluation rank can surpass theirs before the formal Law Establishment begins, I can consider coming back to support you.”
“Otherwise… we’d better not meet again in the future.”
With that, Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) turned and left, leaving behind an indignant and aggrieved Bu Yingshu.
“Zhang! Yu!”
Hearing Bu Yingshu’s furious roar, Tai Yuebai quickly retreated, thinking to himself, “I’m sorry, Zhang Yu, but this is all to change Kunxu. You’ll just have to bear the infamy for now.”
At the same time, messages flashed before Bu Yingshu’s eyes. It was Zhang Yu again, sending her messages about how strong Tai Yuebai was.
“This guy Zhang Yu… does he think that just because he’s clinging to someone else’s thigh, he can look down on me like this?”
“And Tai Yuebai! I will trample both of you under my feet!”
The second to last day of the law establishment training.
Di Xuan looked at Zhang Yu in front of him, just as he was about to discuss the details of establishing the Law Edict with him.
But before he could speak, the Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) in front of him suddenly said, “Initially, I only wanted to work with you because of your status as the representative of the Innate Dao Lineage.”
“But now that the training is about to end, your evaluation rank is still only in second place…”
Di Xuan blanked for a moment and explained, “I still have a few Bionics that haven’t been successfully refined…”
Zhang Yu (Tai Yuebai) shook his head. “You don’t need to say anymore. I’ve heard this excuse too many times. I don’t have that much time to continue keeping you company while you grow.”
The next moment, he turned and left, leaving only his retreating figure behind: “Di Xuan, I have already decided to support Lie Jinghong. Don’t contact me again.”
Di Xuan watched Zhang Yu’s retreating figure, a trace of anger welling up in his heart. “A Lower Beast is ultimately a Lower Beast!”
“Does he think he can throw his weight around just because he has a little bit of utility now?”
“Wait until the official law establishment begins, and you will understand that a stepping stone is nothing more than a stepping stone. Even if a few more people step on it, it will ultimately remain just a stepping stone.”
With a cold snort, he had already contacted Cang Juehuan of the Artifact Spirit Faction: “The plan has changed. There is no need to consider Zhang Yu anymore.”
The last day of the law establishment training.
Inside the cultivation room, Zhang Yu was trying to construct a third-generation Law Edict within his Great Void Primordial Spirit.
By now, he had already pushed the Myriad Daos Law Establishment Heavenly Book (Sect-Guarding Edition) to level 60. The various technologies regarding the third-generation Law Edict had also become thoroughly familiar to him through the learning and cultivation of his 64-Fold Thought and Great Void Primordial Spirit.
Currently, his Law Edict Potential Evaluation had already reached grade 18.
“What a pity. My accumulation in terms of the Immortalization Degree is still too far behind those veteran Void Refinement experts. Just from mastering this many technologies… grade 18 is already my limit.”
“However.”
The next moment, as Zhang Yu’s gaze swept toward the Feather Book, the Dao Seed Register before his eyes underwent a burst of transformation. After equipping [Myriad Phenomena], he felt his technical abilities regarding Law Edicts skyrocket repeatedly.
The first layer of Myriad Phenomena enhanced the efficacy of related cultivation arts, the second layer of Myriad Phenomena pushed his immortal aura affinity to the limit of his current cultivation realm, and the third layer of Myriad Phenomena…
Ultimate - Myriad Phenomena (10/10): Myriad Phenomena, all immortal aura sealed.
After this period of testing, Zhang Yu had already figured out the ultimate effect of Myriad Phenomena.
“Within the domain of my Law Edict, I can seal away, or rather erase, the artificial embedding effects within the immortal aura. Simply put, any Immortal Dao Technology built upon the immortal aura — as long as it is within my Law Edict domain, I can erase it… for example, other people’s Law Edicts.”
“But there is a prerequisite: I must personally know the principles behind them.”
Zhang Yu understood that although Immortal Qi Technology had unified aspects, when it came down to how each individual interfered with the immortal aura, how they used the immortal aura to interfere with the Material World, and how they established the rule contents of a Law Edict… the technical principles used to achieve them all varied from person to person.
And Zhang Yu could only achieve the seal if he understood the other party’s technical principles.
“Besides that, there is the duration of the seal. Those with a higher cultivation realm than mine… I can’t seal them. For those with a lower cultivation realm, I can seal them for a very long time, and for those in the same cultivation realm as me, I can only seal them for a short period of time.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “In other words, this is an ability where, as my technical foundation grows deeper and deeper, I will be able to seal more and more Immortal Qi Technologies, and even Law Edicts.”
At this moment, with the complete activation of Myriad Phenomena, Zhang Yu could feel his Law Edict potential skyrocketing.
“If I were to assess it now, I could probably enter the top 10?”
Zhang Yu wasn’t sure exactly how strong he was right now; after all, the gap between each of the top 10 grades was massive, and without trying it personally, it would be difficult for him to predict the result.
And obtaining Myriad Phenomena in its entirety also made the resolve in Zhang Yu’s heart even firmer.
He inspected his own condition. In the half month since breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm, relying on the foundation he had accumulated beforehand, along with the efforts of the 64 clones and the Void-Refined Primordial Spirit, the enhancements from abilities like [Great Void Dao Body] and [Myriad Laws Immortal Clan], as well as Tai Yuebai’s repeated payments, Zhang Yu was advancing by leaps and bounds.
In particular, the Great Void Dao Body, through Bu Yingshu’s diligent cultivation, had been pushed all the way to the (15/14) stage, unlocking the effect of the Infinite Chain Formation Diagram. In addition to its original effects, the Great Void Dao Body received a 40% boost in effectiveness.
At this moment, Zhang Yu’s dao heart was at level 53 (3.01%), while his magic power and physical strength… after repeated acquisitions and cultivating the Kunpeng Swallowing Heaven Manual, had reached eight million units and 58.01 points, respectively.
And if he used the Overlimit Development of the Kunpeng Swallowing Heaven Manual, Zhang Yu could temporarily push both his magic power and physical strength to the state of Peak Void Refinement.
In addition, his various commonly used cultivation arts had also reached level 60, and his artifact refinement techniques in the Supreme Clarity Realm had achieved a Void Refinement-level breakthrough, allowing him to manifest a large batch of Void Refinement tier magical artifacts at any time through [Empress Wa Creations].
“Besides the improvement of these hard strengths, which allows my Immortal Dao Technology to barely catch up with veteran Void Refinement cultivators…”
Zhang Yu’s gaze turned toward the Blank Law Scroll in his Spirit Realm vision, which only he could see.
“The Blank Law Scroll makes it so there are no restrictions on the content and direction of my law establishment. I don’t have to worry about failing the approval process after the rules are published.”
Zhang Yu knew that one absolutely could not establish whatever Law Edict they wanted; one had to consider the interests of all parties within the sect and pass an approval process during testing.
The Blank Law Scroll, however, made him fearless of approvals.
“[Myriad Phenomena]… allows me to completely catch up to and even surpass the heavenly chosen of the various sects in third-generation Law Edict technology. It also gives me a fulcrum to disintegrate Law Edicts.”
“Coupled with the inherent particularity of this third-generation law establishment…”
Listening to the constant calculations in Zhang Yu’s mind, Fu Ji couldn’t help but ask, “Zhang Yu, what exactly are you trying to do?”
Zhang Yu said in a deep voice, “I want to control all the Law Edicts in the world.”
Pondering his current preparations, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “But it’s still missing a little something. With my current preparations… the success rate isn’t high enough yet.”
Fu Ji was slightly startled, then roared, “Are you crazy? If people find out, they’ll all attack you together! The higher-ups won’t let you pass this!”
Zhang Yu did not speak; instead, he looked at the draw rewards he had obtained through [Myriad Laws Immortal Clan].
Among them, through the three Sect-Guarding techniques he had mastered, he had gained three chances for mutation.
At the same time, on the other side, Tai Yuebai arrived behind Lie Jinghong and slowly said, “Dao Monarch Lie, don’t look back, it’s me… Zhang Yu.”
Tai Yuebai looked at the ultra-high-risk Dao Seed on Lie Jinghong’s body and smiled.