The woman's fanatic tone of excitement caused Yan Zaizen to frown. In truth, the concept of creating an avatar and establishing another dao was theorized even in the Anima Syndicate, but it was deemed irrelevant or impossible.
Due to the records, it was hard to tell.
Anyhow, it explained the concept of creating two differing daos and merging them post-establishment to create an improved dao. For example, the Dao of Sovereign's Ascension's foundations originated from multiple lower and middle-tier daos. Unfortunately, the records state that each attempt was a failure, regardless of the outcome.
Regardless of whether it's a clone of one's soul or two different people attempting to interconnect their daos, all failed unquestionably.
As for how Yan Zaizen was capable of achieving this feat, there were two core reasons: Firstly, he sobered up and regained his sense of self. Secondly, and most importantly, he was a Non-Entity.
The second reason was the most crucial.
Why?
Because a Non-Entity wasn't born with a soul. His soul was artificially constructed or created through some unique, unfathomable means. Considering he already experienced two or three lives, completely uncertain, he had already achieved creating multiple daos.
An ordinary soul, even when placed in another body, given another life, and led a similar life experiences with similar circumstances such as him, they would never be able to create a replica of their dao. It was, to put it bluntly, impossible because similar was never 'exact,' and 'exact' was never 'real.'
"Even though it took me thirty-seven billion years, I succeeded." Her words caused Yan Zaizen to halt his thoughts. Thirty-seven billion years?
Holy…
Yan Zaizen knew that Heavenly Monarch's could live for tens of millions of years, such as Xiha, but what was the concept of tens of billions of years? That was like comparing a human who could only live one year to one who could live one hundred!
That very concept of the time caused Yan Zaizen's heart to lurch in shock.
"So that's why...you're long since dead." Yan Zaizen looked at the shadowy female figure with a little bit of pity.
"Correct, I have likely died." The woman spoke, but her voice was casual, and her previous excitement had yet to fade, making it seemed as if her death was irrelevant.
Furrowing in response, Yan Zaizen reached his hand outwards and felt the space around him, but soon shook his head. This woman wasn't real, and she was no more than a message left behind. They could not converse; therefore, he could not ask her why. Why the need to clone himself, why create an actual world, and why destroy it.
"However, my belief never died," the message continued, "to create the same dao from different souls isn't hard, and often done, but to replicate the same dao from the same soul...that was deemed impossible. I do not believe in the impossible, only a problem without a solution."
"My name's Yri, a disciple of the Indomitable Dao Palace, wielder of the Dao of Absolute Obsession. As the one who completed my Dao Trial within this Heavenly Space, I bestow you the title and prestige of a disciple of the Indomitable Dao Palace."
Yan Zaizen's eyes grew sharp, "I, Yan Zaizen, refuse." His words were ice-cold, imperious, and unyielding. Even if he took her inheritance, he, Yan Zaizen, Sovereign of his fate, would never accept an invitation from someone so eccentric and cruel. Despite his words, this was a message, and thus the woman only continued without caring of his refusal.
"What is the dao? What is the heart? What is the soul? Why is the dao, the heart, and the soul synonymous?" The woman's gaze turned profound, and even Yan Zaizen felt drawn by her questions. These were questions that he had asked before. For example, why was the Dao within the soul? Why is the Dao a reflection of one's ethereal heart that contains their sense of self?
"The Dao, The Origin, The Essence. The three paths of the omniverse, but they all start from one root! The SOUL!" Her words were like thunder, even in the darkness of this world, it was as if thunder and lightning were rumbling about all around.
Yan Zaizen's eyes blazed fiercely with light. If the Dao was the manifestation of individuality and belief, then Origin was the manifestation of self and existence, and Essence was the manifestation of function and the building blocks of all things! In other words, Essence was laws!
As a cultivator of the Herculean art and law, essentially the law of physicality and someone who comprehended Samsara, a portion of existential life and spirituality, and possessor of the black hole...the devourer of all things, he had an incredible understanding of these concepts.
However, the woman's words seemed to clear up a dust cloud of confusion. The Dao, Origin, and Essence all interact with the soul!
"However...it was deemed impossible for a soul to become any of those things. The Dao exists within the soul, the Origin hides within the soul, and the Essence must exist within the soul! Yet, the soul has never, never has it ever!!" Her words became so intense that the sheer degree of fanaticism within her tone was evident and nearly delirious.
Yan Zaizen's eyes widened further, his heart racing in anticipation and the sheer emotions ravaged his mind. When he thought of what she was going to say next, he felt it was impossible, but after considering her intent of creating two daos, two lives, its possible!
Is it possible?!
Should it be possible?!?!
She finished her words, her eyes as wide as a maniac in climax, "Exist within them!"
"My...memories…" Yan Zaizen visible shook. He had memories that were his but wasn't his, and his soul was special and miraculous, being independent but connected to other 'existences.' Could it be...his soul was created by others hiding or merging their 'souls' into his existence?
He didn't know if it was true, but if so, it made perfect sense how the black hole came to be. It was hidden within his soul, his existence, and as it continued to display its strength by necessity, such as Ezekiel's invasion and intent, it molded his soul into 'it.' The figure with the crown, the black hole, and even the woman…
Was their souls inside his very origin?
However, the more he thought about it, the more ludicrous it sounded.
"So, I created a Divine Art! The art is called the Dao Heart, Grand Soul! The merging of one's entire soul into one's dao! Dao Become Soul, Soul Become Grand!" At the end, she was nearly laughing maniacally even in this message.
"It's not just an art, no, but a path! A soul cultivation path! To cultivate the soul, to cultivate the dao!"
In this world, the Dao Path is the only path without cultivation realms. There were only two levels, and no way to change or strengthen after establishment. There was the Mortal Dao and the Grand Dao. A Mortal Dao is created with the help of the heavens and self, it can be lower, middle, or upper-tier but upon creation, cannot be increased in strength or changed.
The Dao was set upon the first step, forever existing.
A Grand Dao was the merging of one's True Origin with the Mortal Dao, but even now, Yan Zaizen barely had any idea how this was done. He only knew that his False Grand Dao formed due to obtaining a trace of his True Origin thanks to Xiha's item. However, if the Mortal Dao was the true Dao, then a Grand Dao merged Dao and Origin. If so, it's possible that there was a third form of Dao, one fused with Origin and Essence.
"A Divine Art that cultivates the soul to cultivate the Dao...this woman is either incredibly mad or unimaginably brilliant, maybe even both!" The concept wasn't as simple as creating a new path, but far, far more profound.
"Here. I hope that you cultivate this art with the tools you have. To achieve and travel a path never traveled before, to cultivate the dao! I, Yri, have long created my own path beneath the heavens, but I have always wished to defy the heavens, and to forge my own path above it!" The ambition in her words was infectious, as even Yan Zaizen started to pant heavily in response, his eyes red in madness. She waved her hand sending a beam of light into Yan Zaizen's soul.
He didn't reject. The beam of light contained the entirety of the Divine Art: Dao Heart, Grand Soul!
The initial requirement of it was already extremely insane! To commit suicide and merge one's soul into one's dao! Unlike Absolute Dao Merge, this was permanent!