The process of refining the origin of the Floating Continent had proceeded remarkably smoothly in the early stages. Yang Kai had been on the verge of completing the task—all he needed to do was channel the power of the origin into himself, and it would be done. Yet in that final step, he had failed spectacularly.
Yang Kai's face darkened as he replayed what had just happened, his brow furrowing deeply. "Could it be that two sources of origin cannot coexist within a single body?"
In that brief instant, he had clearly felt the origin of the Dark Star erupt from within him, like a bird defending its nest, and forcibly repel the origin of the Floating Continent back.
That was what had caused the backlash that injured him.
"The power of origin is bound to the laws of heaven and earth. A single world follows a single grand law—even a single Cultivation Star can possess only one set of heavenly laws, let alone a human body…"
"I've already refined the origin of the Dark Star and become closely linked to its laws. It would be nearly impossible for me to accommodate another set of laws, another source of origin…"
"That's it—it must be so!"
His thoughts raced, and in short order he arrived at the root of the problem. Though it was merely his own speculation, he was fairly confident that he was on the right track.
The very reason he had been unable to refine the origin of the Profound Continent this time was precisely because he had already refined the Dark Star.
It seemed, then, that no one in the Star Field had ever become the master of two stars—not because those Void King realm powerhouses lacked the strength, but because it was simply impossible.
Once he grasped this point, Yang Kai's entire demeanor deflated considerably.
The situation was like a man who felt desperately hungry yet had no room left in his stomach. It was thoroughly exasperating.
Was he really going to let this heaven-sent opportunity slip away?
Setting aside the fact that the Profound Continent's star origin had only recently come into being and was therefore extremely easy to refine, his own spiritual soul imprint was already branded upon it. He had perfectly met all the prerequisite conditions for refinement. Such an opportunity could be called a once-in-ten-thousand-year occurrence. Giving up the origin of the Floating Continent that lay right before him was something Yang Kai simply could not accept.
Yet his body could no longer accommodate a second source of origin, and there was nothing he could do about that.
Yang Kai sat where he was, healing his injuries while racking his brain for a solution that would let him have his cake and eat it too.
He thought for a long time but could find no good answer, so frustrated that he scratched his ears and cheeks in agitation…
Suddenly, as though something had occurred to him, his anxious, irritable gaze gradually cleared and brightened. He stared into space for a moment in contemplation, then could not help but burst into hearty laughter.
"How stupid, truly stupid—how did I not think of this?" Yang Kai slapped his own head, looking half-mad.
The next instant, he waved his hand, and the Stone Puppet and the Fire Bird appeared before him simultaneously.
"What are Master's orders?" Liuyan asked the moment she materialized, just as she always did.
"You two, take a look at what's in front of me. Whoever can devour it, it's yours. If both of you can devour it, then split it evenly!" Yang Kai pointed at the star origin before him and spoke in a calm tone.
The Stone Puppet and the Fire Bird had always been his most powerful assets. Both of them now possessed the formidable combat strength to challenge a Void King realm cultivator single-handedly. If they could devour the star origin, it would undoubtedly fuel even further growth.
Since he himself could not refine it, he might as well let his two greatest helpers try. If they succeeded, it would be an enormous boon for him.
Upon hearing this, Liuyan turned to look at the origin. The next moment, a look of deep wariness surfaced in her beautiful eyes, and she exclaimed in alarm, "Master, I don't recognize what this thing is, but I don't think I have the ability to devour it. There's a profound artistic conception within it that surpasses my own. If I attempted to devour it rashly, I would surely be destroyed."
"That is the power of law," Yang Kai nodded, offering a brief explanation.
Liuyan was a weapon spirit, so her experience and knowledge were limited. She could not recognize the star origin, but she possessed her own instincts—like a wild beast, she could sense which things posed a danger to her and which did not.
The origin before her gave Liuyan an intensely dangerous feeling.
The power of law was vast and unfathomable. How could Liuyan dare attempt to devour it so brazenly?
It was not just Liuyan. Even the always dim-witted Xiaoxiao now sat staring with its small eyes fixed unblinkingly on the cluster of origin before them, yet made no move whatsoever.
If this had been the past, and Yang Kai had given it permission to devour something, it would have long since lunged forward in eager haste, swallowing the whole thing down in one gulp. After all, with its innate supernatural ability, it had nothing to fear from indigestion.
The fact that it now held back meant it had also sensed the threat the star origin posed.
The last time it had managed to devour the origin on that mineral star, that was only because the mineral star had already perished and its origin had dissipated, leaving behind only a wisp that posed no danger. That was why it had succeeded. But this time, the Floating Continent's origin was complete. Though it had only recently come into being, it was far beyond something Xiaoxiao could lay its hands on.
Seeing them like this, Yang Kai immediately understood that neither of them was capable of the task. "In that case, you two can go back."
He waved his hand and put Xiaoxiao and Liuyan away once more.
A gleaming, golden Stone Puppet appeared before Yang Kai in their place.
The Stone Puppet's Dharma Body!
Since Xiaoxiao and Liuyan could do nothing with the origin, Yang Kai was not anxious—because he still had the Dharma Body. The reason he had summoned Xiaoxiao and Liuyan first was that he wanted to give the two of them a chance to gain some benefit and accelerate their growth.
Since they were unable, it was time for the Dharma Body to step up.
His own body could not accommodate two sources of origin—but there would be no problem using a different body, would there?
Moreover, a thread of his divided consciousness was attached to the Dharma Body, making it essentially another version of himself. Surely it would be able to achieve a perfect fit with the imprint within the origin.