The Everlasting Law was actually one level higher than the Immortal Phoenix Physique. It wouldn’t make someone everlasting, just extremely difficult to defeat.[ref] With this new context, changing Myriad-tribulation Immortal Law into Everlasting Law. The word for tribulation can also means ages, so in this context, it refers to time[ref/]

Feiyun knew the power of the Immortal Phoenix Physique better than anyone. He had only created 206 phoenix bones in his previous life and it was enough for him to reach peak ninth-level Heaven’s Emergence. This allowed him to be unbeatable with immense destructive power.

Nonetheless, the Everlasting Law was still better. 

The old man had rotted heavily. Only the red liquid was keeping him together.

“The world has countless dao. All can reach immortality. However, there are plenty of legends about immortals yet no one has seen one, why is that?” The old man spoke but the words didn’t seem to come from his mouth. They seemed to be coming from the immemorial age instead.

To which Feiyun responded: “A man’s lifespan is only one hundred years. Cultivation can prolong lifespan for hundreds, thousands, and exceptional ones can live up for several tens of thousand years. This is going against the will of the heaven and tribulations will come. Only the capable and talented ones can break the shackles and become true masters.”

“Reaching Heaven’s Mandate requires passing an Earth Tribulation, Nirvana requires a Death Tribulation, Heaven’s Emergence requires the Heaven Tribulation, Saint realm requires the Life Tribulation, becoming an immortal requires the Boundless Tribulation.”

“Each is dangerous in their own way. The Earth Tribulation buries the body, the Death Tribulation buries the soul, the Heaven Tribulation buries the mind, the Life Tribulation buries the heart, the Boundless Tribulation buries the dao. Few have become saints in history, let alone an immortal.”

“The realm of immortality is only a vague concept. Most cultivate to fulfill personal desires and greed, in order to surpass others and become someone important.”

The old man patiently listened to Feiyun before replying: “Correct. The strongest force in this world is the power of the tribulations and the strongest of these tribulations is the Boundless Tribulation. Once obtaining this power, one can break the dao, the reincarnation cycle, and the logic of the world, let alone the Everlasting Law.”

Feiyun understood the old man’s point. It was to use the body to derive the heaven and earth and possess the power of the tribulations.

People have thought of this before. Some tried for a lifetime to no avail. Most who chose this path eventually failed and died. It was easier said than done.

This old man couldn’t accept the defeat and turned into an obsession. After many years, he had come up with a new merit law?

The old man was intelligent enough to read Feiyun’s mind. He said: “I didn’t come up with a merit law, it is a divine ability! Failing to cultivate it won’t lead to death either. You can give up if it’s too difficult.”

“Merit laws” and “divine abilities” were fundamentally different, similar to how a “mantra” is different from a “technique”. One was internal while the other was external.

The Immortal Phoenix Physique and Golden Silkworm Scripture were both merit laws.

As for Phoenix Incineration, Phoenix Wings, Phoenix Sinflame, Boundless Buddhist Art, Golden Silkworm Egg, Dragon King’s Saber Art - these were divine abilities.

Top merit laws could create divine abilities. A few basic divine abilities could also let the body cultivate spirit energy.

For example, the saber and fist techniques in the army could give mortals the ability to have a spirit root than an immortal foundation and finally, a god base.

If this man had come up with something capable of controlling the tribulations, it would be worth a shot. After all, failing didn’t have too much of a negative effect, only time wasted.

“You’ve studied the Grand Change Art?” The old man’s voice had a tinge of disappointment. He shook his head and said: “The will of the heaven indeed, determined from ages ago. A half-human and the Grand Change Art…”

“You know this art, Senior?” Feiyun asked.

The Grand Change Art was one of the eight sections in the Grave Palace Treasure Seeking Record.

It was vast and contained numerous arts. Feiyun had only gained a minor understanding of it, or in other words, he nearly finished the Minor Change Art section.

He finished thirty numbers, only three were left. The reason why the last three were so hard was that they weren’t written down in the record.

“I am the creator of the Grand Change Art. It is listed as one of the eight great arts in the immemorial era.” The old man shockingly revealed.

Feiyun was astonished and felt respect for the old man. Was he a human saint?

There have been plenty of powerful cultivators but only a few of them could come up with the best merit laws and divine abilities.

It required immense knowledge, wisdom, comprehension, timing, and inspiration. Feiyun in his previous life couldn’t do something like this. It made him more confident about this tribulation ability.

The old man ignored Feiyun’s astonishment and continued on: “I watched a dragon-horse playing in the river with a turtle on its back. The spots on the shell looked like an independent world. It absorbed worldly energy and the patterns on the shell kept on changing, akin to the changes of all living things. I did this for three thousand years before creating the Grand Change Art.”

Feiyun was put to shame. A true master was indeed different. If he were to see a pretentious turtle riding a dragon-horse, he would drag that turtle down for a beating. 

“Not bad, you have learned thirty-seven numbers of the Minor Change Art.” The old man said.

“Senior, there is no section regarding the last three, how do I learn it?” Feiyun asked.

“They do not exist because the heavenly dao has flaws. The flaws are why we can cultivate. If the heavenly dao was perfect, no one could break the fate dictated by the heaven. Nothing is perfect in this world, imperfection allows for improvement. Perfection breeds stagnation. Thirty-seven out of forty is quite close to perfection already.”

“What if I want to be even closer to perfection?” Feiyun seemed to be understanding something.

“After creating the Minor Change Art, I thought that it was infinitely close to perfection. However, once my cultivation improved, I found that improvements were possible.”

“And then that’s the origin of the Grand Change Art?” Feiyun asked.

The old man nodded: “The number becomes fifty instead while I have figured out forty-nine. It is one step closer to perfection and the heaven and earth.”

Though this was far from reaching the perfect heavenly dao, it was quite exceptional already. Cultivators could only strive to reach perfection even though it was rather impossible.

The Minor Change Art was ninety percent complete while the Grand Change Art was at ninety-eight percent. The difference was only a number but the fundamental change was incalculable.

“It’s time for you to start the Grand Change Art since you have finished the Minor Change Art. It is the basis of the divine art that I’m about to teach you, the method of how to control the power of the tribulations. Use the Grand Change Art to become the heaven and earth to create a tribulation power.” The old man said.

“How do I even start? Where is this new heaven and earth?” Feiyun asked.

“The Minor Change Art is in your soul and knowledge. They’re not enough to contain the power of the tribulation so you must derive the Grand Change Art with your entire body. Your body will be the new heaven and earth.”

Feiyun became enlightened and immediately got into the meditative pose. He started changing the Minor Change Art into the Grand Change Art.

The old man simply stood still and watched him.