Chapter 887: The Heavenly Treasure Lotus Seat

"If you're going to begin cultivating the 'Multiform Dragon Fang Array,' I can provide you with an excellent place for cultivation." As Li Luo was overwhelmed with excitement over obtaining the "Dragon Fang Spirit Marrow," Li Li Jingzhe, who had just sealed Li Li Lingjing inside the fire cage, spoke up.

With those words, he didn't wait for Li Luo's reply, stepped forward, and walked directly onto the lake's surface, each step carrying him toward the center.

"Oh?"

Li Luo's eyes lit up; if Li Li Jingzhe said so, it must be a cultivation site of immense benefit to him, so he hurried after him, his feet touching the water's surface and sending out concentric ripples until he stopped at the lake's heart.

Li Li Jingzhe swept his sleeve, and the lake water rose, forming a bubble that enveloped both him and Li Luo, then sank swiftly into the depths.

As the bubble descended deeper, Li Luo saw countless mysterious light lines densely woven throughout the lake's depths, forming a vast, intricate array that emitted faint but terrifying fluctuations.

Clearly, this hidden place was Li Li Jingzhe's usual cultivation spot.

The descent didn't last long—about two minutes later, Li Luo saw a glow ignite at the lakebed, a radiance of extraordinary wonder; merely gazing at it filled the heart with a sense of clarity.

As they drew nearer, Li Luo finally discerned the source of the light.

It was a dark-gold lotus seat.

The lotus seat was several zhang wide, with a meditation cushion at its center; the glow emanating from it prevented the lake water from seeping in.

Li Li Jingzhe flicked his finger, sending a thread of light to strike the lotus seat's barrier, which slowly split open a fissure; the two stepped through.

"This is where I cultivate. This lotus seat is called the 'Heavenly Treasure Lotus Seat,' an exceedingly rare cultivation treasure. I once fought to the death with several royal-level experts to seize it from an ancient ruin, barely managing to come out on top."

"After I obtained it, even the heads of the other four veins coveted it, for this artifact greatly aids even royal-level cultivators," Li Li Jingzhe said with a faint smile.

Li Luo was inwardly stunned; royal-level experts were already the pinnacle of this world, each a figure whose name shook the realm—and yet this lotus seat had drawn their fierce competition, meaning it was undoubtedly among the supreme celestial treasures.

"This artifact is endlessly wondrous, especially its lotus heart, where a precious stamen grows. When contemplating powerful phase arts, igniting one of these stamens allows one to enter an extraordinarily unique state of insight, which I call 'Dew of Enlightenment.'"

"In the 'Dew of Enlightenment' state, one's capacity for insight is greatly enhanced; countless cultivation obstacles and barriers dissolve effortlessly."

"If you were cultivating a mere marquis-level technique, I might not have brought you here—it would truly be a waste."

Li Li Jingzhe glanced at Li Luo, as if smiling, and said: "But for the 'Multiform Dragon Fang Array,' you're worthy."

Li Luo nearly drooled; no wonder even royal-level experts fought over this treasure—this lotus seat could aid in cultivating high-grade marquis-level techniques.

High-grade marquis-level techniques were notoriously difficult to master; even with full confidence in his own phase art talent, Li Luo had still encountered numerous obscure and baffling points while studying the 'Multiform Dragon Fang Array.' With the aid of the 'Heavenly Treasure Lotus Seat,' his chances of success would rise significantly.

"Sit down," Li Li Jingzhe pointed to the lotus heart.

Li Luo didn't hesitate, stepped forward, and sat cross-legged; instantly, a cool qi surged into his body, calming his heart into the stillness of a deep pool, erasing all distracting thoughts.

This state was deeply intoxicating to Li Luo; even in daily cultivation, he might encounter such crystal-clear clarity only once a month.

"By the way, Grandpa, about the matter I asked you for—any news?" But Li Luo didn't begin cultivation immediately; instead, he gave Li Li Jingzhe a pleading smile.

"Those so-called 'Minor Marquis Arts' you mentioned?" Li Li Jingzhe asked with interest.

Li Luo nodded. The so-called 'Minor Marquis Arts' were weakened, incomplete versions of true marquis arts, yet they still possessed some marquis-art capabilities, their power surpassing many high-grade Dragon General arts.

Many who lacked the qualification to cultivate true marquis arts would settle for these 'Minor Marquis Arts'—like Sun Sun Dasheng, whom Li Luo encountered in the Sacred Cup Tournament; his 'Demon Ape Ultimate Intent' was, strictly speaking, a 'Minor Marquis Art.'

"You want to leverage your multiple phases to cultivate these lower-difficulty Minor Marquis Arts, then combine them to enhance their power and expand your combat repertoire?" Li Li Jingzhe, as a royal-level expert with sharp insight, saw through Li Luo's plan at a glance.

"Grandpa, you're brilliant," Li Luo gave a thumbs-up.

It wasn't a particularly novel idea; when Li Luo was still a Phase Master, he often combined low-grade phase arts to achieve power rivaling high-grade ones. Now, he was simply replacing those old low-grade arts with 'Minor Marquis Arts.'

"You've got some ideas. Using your multiple phases to cultivate these 'Minor Marquis Arts'—if applied well, their power won't be weaker than some Spirit-Linked marquis arts, and from the perspective of phase force consumption, they're far more efficient than true marquis arts."

Li Li Jingzhe nodded slightly, acknowledging Li Luo's thinking: "You possess multiple phases, so your path must differ from those gifted with a single ninth-rank phase. They pursue refinement; you must pursue diversity."

True marquis arts—even the lowest Spirit-Linked ones—were still extremely difficult for Li Luo to master now, demanding immense time and effort; mastering even one or two was already a great feat. To learn more would be beyond his capacity, and even if he did, his phase force strength couldn't sustain full deployment of them all.

So using these so-called 'Minor Marquis Arts' as substitutes was indeed a sound idea.

Li Li Jingzhe thought for a moment, then swept his sleeve; a dozen beams of light shot out and hovered before him.

Each beam held a scroll of varying colors.

"Strictly speaking, 'Minor Marquis Arts' aren't true marquis arts, so helping you obtain them doesn't violate my principles," Li Li Jingzhe said with a faint smile.

"Take these Minor Marquis Arts and study them. I know you intend to use this opportunity to cultivate as many as possible—hey, you really know how to avoid waste."

Clearly, Li Luo had raised this request precisely to use the 'Dew of Enlightenment' state to cultivate these Minor Marquis Arts alongside the 'Multiform Dragon Fang Array,' thereby expanding his arsenal for the upcoming Dragon Chief contest.

Li Luo eagerly accepted the scrolls; his grandfather, as head of a vein, truly had grandeur—though these Minor Marquis Arts were worth less than true marquis arts, gathering so many at once was beyond ordinary reach.

"Thank you, Grandpa," Li Luo said, touched.

Though Li Li Jingzhe was extremely rigid in principle—some might even call him stubborn, and he was strict even with Li Jintao and Li Li Fengyi—he always tried his best to fulfill Li Luo's requests.

Take this 'Heavenly Treasure Lotus Seat'—within the entire Dragon Fang Vein, only Li Li Jingzhe and Li Luo had ever been granted access.

Li Li Jingzhe waved his hand, then flicked a thread of phase force into the lotus seat beneath his feet.

Immediately, light dots surged from the lotus seat like a tide, forming, after a moment, a stamen roughly one chi long.

The stamen appeared carved from jade, glowing with mysterious radiance, emitting a faint exotic fragrance.

Li Li Jingzhe exhaled a spark, which landed directly on the stamen, igniting it; wisps of blue smoke rose, within which golden threads flowed.

The smoke seemed alive, wrapping itself around the seated Li Luo.

In that instant, Li Luo felt his mind instantly clear, his thoughts accelerating, while the outside world appeared to slow.

Insights surged from his heart like boiling water bubbling over.

Clearly, this was the so-called 'Dew of Enlightenment' state.

"The stamen's burn will last half a month. Use this time to cultivate in quiet focus," Li Li Jingzhe said.

Li Luo took a deep breath of the fragrant air, his mind crystal-clear; he nodded to Li Li Jingzhe, then summoned a scroll into his hand, channeling phase force into it, flooding his mind with vast amounts of information.

He planned to first study some Minor Marquis Arts, and once accustomed to the 'Dew of Enlightenment' state, begin true cultivation of the 'Multiform Dragon Fang Array.'

Seeing Li Luo enter cultivation, Li Li Jingzhe ceased disturbing him, muttering to himself: "Kid, I grow one of these precious stamens every hundred years—I've got precious few left. Whatever you gain now depends entirely on your own destiny."

Using such a treasure on a Sha Body cultivator like Li Luo—if other royal-level experts knew, they'd call Li Li Jingzhe a wastrel. But Li Li Jingzhe didn't care.

He gazed at the boy before him; in the youth's handsome features, he faintly saw the shadow of Li Taixuan, softening his usually cold, stern eyes.

"Third brother... rest easy. You brought this child back to me—no matter what happens, no one will harm him."

"What happened back then... won't happen again."

Li Li Jingzhe murmured, finally giving way to a silent sigh, his figure gradually fading until it vanished completely.