Chapter 1019: Comprehending
Editor: Henyee Translations

Life and death exist universally, their rules unshakeable and unsurpassable barriers.

To understand the rules of life and death, one must not only comprehend the rules of life and death separately but also integrate them. Coexistence of life and death allows one to grasp the true essence of these rules.

This task is undoubtedly more challenging than understanding other grand paths, possibly several times more so.

However, mastering the rules of life and death means simultaneously mastering two great paths. The immense power this confers can significantly enhance one’s strength.

For Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan, entering the domain of life and death is not only a tremendous opportunity but also a great challenge.

After ensuring all obstacles were cleared and the area was safe, Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan did not hesitate to start comprehending the rules of life and death.

Sitting face to face, spaced a few yards apart in the void, they began circulating their internal energies to bring their primordial spirit, Dharmic power, and essence to their peak, entering a state of deep contemplation.

Both had recently achieved breakthroughs in their realms. Jiang Chengxuan, having been illuminated by immortal spiritual light, reached the peak of Dao Mastery. Shen Ruyan, through the Fruit of Thunder, ascended to the same realm.

This recent advancement helped them maintain a familiar state of comprehension. Soon, they detached from other perceptions and entered a peak state of spiritual awareness.

The omnipresent rules of life and death in this domain quickly became perceptible to them. Their first task was to suppress their own rules as much as possible, to allow these new “guests,” the rules of life and death, to be accepted and then integrated.

Jiang Chengxuan’s Five Elements and Samsara rules manifested, controlled within just a few yards around him.

He began by contemplating the rule of death.

The essence of death slowly entered his world of Five Elements and Samsara, immediately lending it an aura of quietude.

Previously, the closest he had come to the rule of death was the evil technique of the Sacred Skeleton Sect, filled with a lifeless aura.

However, those were inferior to the actual rule of death and had never tainted Jiang Chengxuan’s world of Five Elements and Samsara.

Now, deliberately induced by Jiang Chengxuan, the rule of death began to spread through his world of Five Elements and Samsara.

The vibrant energies of the Five Elements and the power of Samsara quieted down momentarily.

The eruptive volcanoes dimmed, the surging seas became still as dead seas, forests ceased growth, creatures hid, metals became dusty, and the earth turned ashen.

Under the influence of the rule of death, his entire realm appeared on the brink of apocalypse.

Yet, all of this was under Jiang Chengxuan’s control. The rules of the Five Elements and Samsara, although suppressed, did not cease their activities but quieted down.

There was a balance to maintain among these three rules, a critical threshold that Jiang Chengxuan carefully managed to prevent any imbalance.

Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous.

Compared to Shen Ruyan, He possessed two great paths, causing him to face a more challenging task in maintaining this balance.

However, his natural talent and comprehension, combined with a higher realm and better control over his rules, facilitated smooth progress. The similarities between his rule of Samsara and the rule of death also aided this process.

On the other side, Shen Ruyan had entered the phase of embracing the great paths, choosing first to comprehend the rule of life.

Contrary to expectations, the rule of life was not gentle or easy to comprehend. In fact, the risks involved in understanding the rule of life was no less significant than that of the rule of death.

The rule of life brought an expansive force, and excessive expansion could lead to loss of control.

Whether it was the force of life or death, any uncontrolled development of either could lead to dangerous outcomes.

Shen Ruyan’s surroundings were marked by her Five Elements Divine Thunder, with thunders of different colors flickering in and out of existence around her.

As the rule of life merged, the manifestation of the Five Elements Divine Thunder became increasingly volatile and restless.

Although Shen Ruyan was actively suppressing the Divine Thunder, the power from the rule of life continued to provoke the Divine Thunder.

Under these circumstances, her surrounding Divine Thunder began to expand uncontrollably and intermittently clashed with the rule of life.

This was undoubtedly not a favorable situation. She needed to balance the two forces to ensure neither side lost control, a scenario Shen Ruyan did not wish to see.

With a slight frown, Shen Ruyan summoned the seed of the Primordial Divine Thunder she had acquired upon advancing to the Dao Mastery, using it to suppress the power of the Five Elements Divine Thunder.

Under the influence of the Primordial Divine Thunder, the Five Elements Divine Thunder became much more subdued, and the impact of the rule of life on it gradually lessened.

Finally, when the Five Elements Divine Thunder’s force and the rule of life achieved balance, Shen Ruyan began the process of comprehending and integrating the rule of life.

Both Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan seized this opportunity to delve deeply into the rules of life and death that pervaded the area.

As their comprehension deepened, their presences, seated in meditation within the void, began to exude an aura that was increasingly mystical and profound.

Although understanding the rules of life and death might not significantly elevate their realms, it would undoubtedly enhance their aura and strength, making them extraordinarily formidable.

Around Jiang Chengxuan, a faint black aura began to envelop him, and a subtle outline of blackness appeared within his world of the Five Elements and Samsara, adding a stark and ruthless quality to his presence.

Shen Ruyan, meanwhile, was encircled by a gentle white halo, infusing the destructive aura of her Five Elements Divine Thunder with vibrant, life-giving energy, creating a mysterious effect.

The two of them, sitting face to face in the void, resembled two celestial bodies—one black and one white—exuding a bizarre yet harmonious grandeur.