Zong Shou pondered it over and over, and could only decide to slightly adapt the methods of the Buddhist and Demonic sects.

After implanting the Spirit Fetus Demonic Seed within her himself, he would then have Jingyin meditate upon his own End-Beginning Dharma Idol to achieve enlightenment and cultivation.

That was the primary advantage of cultivating the Dharma Idol first in Buddhism.

With the aid of the Buddhas and a tangible method to reference, it was far swifter than the Daoist method of gathering the True Form.

Given sufficient talent, even in this Age of Decline, it often required only five or six years for achievement.

Jingyin taking him as her Buddha allowed his End-Beginning Dharma Idol to be directly mirrored within Jingyin's soul-thought void.

Furthermore, the Demonic Sect’s Spirit Fetus Demonic Seed could also assist her comprehension. He was willing to spare no expense to elevate Jingyin's cultivation.

Jingyin’s aptitude was already quite exceptional; to possess precognitive power as a mortal was simply monstrous.

By Zong Shou’s estimation, after accelerating time with the Cosmic Scroll, Jingyin should be able to form her Dharma Idol within half a year.

In a year and a half, she could achieve his goal: delaying the Obstruction of Knowledge within the Azure Spirit Realm by several more years.

However, this method carried significant hidden dangers.

For one, her foundation would be somewhat unstable; furthermore, having implanted his Demonic Fetus and relying on his Dharma Idol for cultivation, Jingyin’s future cultivation could never surpass Zong Shou’s own realm.

If Zong Shou's life were to stop at the initial stage of the Immortal Realm, or if he perished at this juncture, Jingyin’s ultimate attainment for her entire life would only reach the peak of the Spirit Realm.

The situation was similar to Zhao Yanran's, except that because Jingyin genuinely revered him as a future Buddha, she possessed a slight advantage over the former.

Yet, Jingyin's progress at this moment far exceeded his expectations.

It had only been twenty-odd days, and she was only one step away from the Fifth Tier. Even with the acceleration from the Cosmic Scroll, it wasn't used constantly; calculated out, it amounted to less than half a year.

The scenario he had previously imagined—of a hollow Daoist foundation—had not materialized either.

Where could Zong Shou possibly save face in this situation? He recalled expending immense effort, coupled with the accumulation from his previous life, just to reach the Fifth Tier...

Naturally, to spur the girl on and prevent her from becoming complacent, Zong Shou would never utter such words.

He pondered internally: could this person truly be the reincarnation of some great expert?

If that were the case, it would certainly make things interesting.

Once he cultivated the Boundless End-Beginning Dharma Idol, if his memories awakened in the future, he wondered if she would regret everything deeply.

However, looking at Jingyin’s tearful, delicate, rain-drenched face at that moment, Zong Shou felt a slight pang of guilt, wondering if merely reprimanding and discouraging her might be counterproductive.

As he mulled this over, Lu Wubing’s voice sounded from outside the quiet chamber door.

“My Lord speaks lightly! To reach the Earth Realm in less than a month, and with a stable foundation at that! In all my life, I have never witnessed cultivation this swift. To my knowledge, even Your Lordship took a full year—”

Jingyin froze, first showing surprise, then dawning delight, before fixing Zong Shou with a questioning gaze.

Zong Shou could only shake his head helplessly, “How can that be compared? I possessed a Dual-Meridian physique back then.”

Not only the Dual Meridians, but he also carried a remnant soul. Yet, he knew Jingyin’s situation was even more perilous than his own.

Possessing the gift of prophecy, while a blessing for her, was also a curse.

If she didn't know how to control it, it became an immense burden on Jingyin's soul-thoughts and physical body.

Cultivating the Boundless End-Beginning method alongside him would cause further rejection from that divine power.

Strictly calculated, Jingyin’s cultivation was actually no easier than his.

He grunted, and Zong Shou said no more, turning his attention instead to Lu Wubing.

Lu Wubing had changed his attire, now wearing thick, black armor intricately patterned with various talismans. He even wore a mask over his face.

Considerable amounts of Black Profound Purple Essence Iron had been integrated into the armor and mask, obscuring almost all of Lu Wubing’s vital energy signatures.

Lu Wubing was now officially ‘dead’; naturally, he could not allow members of the Lu family to realize he was still alive.

Glancing over the man, a subtle expression flickered across Zong Shou’s face.

“It seems your cultivation has advanced significantly! Had you possessed this ability several months ago, I would likely have struggled to escape from Lu Wushuang’s grasp—”

If those two had coordinated, Zong Shou admitted he would have found maneuvering extremely difficult, even with the Star Dao Seed.

“My Lord possesses the Cosmic Scroll, placing him in an unbeatable position. No matter how strong this subordinate was then, it would have been difficult to change the final outcome.”

Lu Wubing shook his head dismissively, stepped into the room, and respectfully placed a booklet glowing with a faint blue light before Zong Shou.

“I must also thank Your Lordship for your generosity; this book has been immensely helpful to me! Many of my confusions have been resolved!”

Zong Shou smiled, lending the Cosmic Fate Scripture to Lu Wubing for inspection.

Partly to accommodate him, but also as a test.

Having achieved the Golden Core and condensed his True Form, he no longer feared this book being known to others.

He had also gained the preliminary ability to utilize the book’s divine powers—

His father, Zong Weiran, could not keep it hidden from everyone forever.

If his guess was correct, some sharp-eyed individuals should have already noticed something.

With a slight wave of his sleeve, Zong Shou recalled the Cosmic Scroll, and a moment later, he felt a sudden thought and asked, “You only viewed the first three pages?”

“Precisely. Three pages were sufficient! I am, after all, not truly cultivating the Law of Time and Fate.”

Lu Wubing nodded. “Besides, my lifespan is limited; I am truly unwilling to waste more of it on this book.”

Zong Shou nodded slightly; that was true. While the fourth page of the Cosmic Scroll offered some minor benefit to Lu Wubing, it provided no significant aid to his Dao foundation.

Turning that fourth page would cost at least two hundred years of lifespan—a price not worth paying.

But in the next moment, Zong Shou heard Lu Wubing speak again: “I do not know why Your Lordship has returned to the Cloud Realm, but I must offer one piece of advice. You should not linger here; it is best to depart soon. Delaying will invite complications—”

“Why is that?”

Zong Shou’s expression became one of surprise, his gaze fixed upon the scholarly youth before him.

Outside this Cloud Realm, he did not currently sense any immediate danger. Where would the complications arise from?

“Since Buddhism achieved nothing in the Azure Spirit Realm, they will inevitably turn their attention to the Cloud Realm. As for the Lu family, there is a fifty percent chance they will follow.”

Zong Shou raised an eyebrow. If it were only this, he had already anticipated it.

But then Lu Wubing continued, “The news I just received is that the Cosmic Creation Record has appeared. Not only has it drawn in all the sects of the Cloud Realm, but numerous surrounding powers have also dispatched their strongest experts to compete for it.”

“The Universe Scroll?”

Zong Shou finally showed a reaction. No wonder there was not a single God Realm expert in the Azure Heaven Sphere.

The powerful cultivators left behind by the other three sects and six gates had also rushed out almost entirely.

It was likely the situation among the Cloud Realm sects was similar now.

If the experts vying for the Universe Scroll were nearby, Zong Shou might inadvertently be swept into the vortex with one careless step.

This meant it truly was not a place to linger.

Zong Shou was certainly tempted by the Cosmic Creation Record. Time and space were inherently intertwined.

But he knew that any single contender participating in the contest could crush him with a mere gesture.

An ant, clutching a supreme treasure like the Cosmic Scroll, charging into a crowd—the outcome was easily imagined.

Unless Long Ying herself were present, greed could never be utterly extinguished—

Though he possessed the Cosmic Scroll and no longer feared it being known, the more chaotic the situation, the more detrimental it was to him—

His original plan was to wait here and see which elder from his sect would return soon.

But at this moment, even pausing for another instant posed a danger.

After a brief contemplation, Zong Shou made his decision. With a flash, he exited the Heavenly Pinnacle Immortal Abode.

Having reached the Immortal Steps, his Spatial Shifting Art had improved considerably. With several flashes, he arrived within the Azure Heaven Sphere.

He went directly to the Ancestral Master’s Shrine, his gaze fixed steadily upon the Profound Fate Golden Register.

Since none of the current paths were viable, he had no choice but to act himself.

Zong Shou hesitated for a moment, then abruptly extended his hand and forcefully tore off a page from the Profound Fate Golden Register.

A moment later, he reappeared, heavy and substantial, inside the Heavenly Pinnacle Immortal Abode, within the Aurora Salvation Boat.

Staring at the page of Profound Fate he held, Zong Shou felt a blankness in his heart.

“I wonder if the end result will be as I wish?”

He then sighed softly. Regardless of whether he could ultimately rescue his mother, and whether True Person Xuan Shuang was truly at the Ultimate Realm, as her nominal disciple, he absolutely could not miss this chance to resurrect his master.

It was a pity that he had to depart in such a hurry, less than four hours after returning to the Cloud Realm.

But before leaving, he absolutely needed to meet Yi Ren and the others.

Then, he thought of Leng Daiyu, the girl on Mount Sheng.

He had been too shocked earlier to notice, but upon careful reflection now, he realized she was covered in countless minute talismans and scars that had not fully faded.

Careful calculation made Zong Shou gasp in cold air.

Was this person being refined like a spiritual treasure?

No wonder that girl’s cultivation speed surpassed even his own, Zong Shou?

Who on earth committed such a cruel act...

Several days later, a golden flying boat raced across a sea of illusion.

It transformed into a cluster of golden light, piercing through the layers of violent spatial energy.

It seemed to be searching for something in this place, yet it searched long without success.

Meanwhile, inside the flying boat, Zong Shou was spacing out, grinning foolishly. Even the Aurora Salvation Boat was being controlled by Han Xi on his behalf.

He was still dwelling on the meeting with Yi Ren and Kong Yao a few days prior.

It was a genuine pity that he failed to persuade the two women to share his bed in a state of chaos and turmoil—a battle of epic proportions.

But when he held his infant son in his arms, Zong Shou felt immense satisfaction.

Soft and fleshy. He felt as if he might harm the child with even slight pressure.

Yi Ren had already given him a nickname: Little Dan.

As for his formal name, it would have to wait until he was three.

Zong Shou himself had some minor objections, but since the decision was made and he was absent at the time, he could only grudgingly accept it.

Speaking of which, when the two women realized that this Jingyin was not that Jingyin, they were also incredibly astonished.

Lost in these wandering thoughts, Zong Shou’s expression gradually grew somber.

In the next moment, a melodious, soft voice, like that of a young maiden, sounded within the boat.

“Is the place you seek here?”

Zong Shou turned at the sound and saw, ahead of the massive vessel, a woman standing there, slightly smaller than an adult.

She wore a white robe, and behind her floated six pairs of wings shimmering with silver light.