In an instant, a vast and primordial golden light of merit descended, pouring into Gu Chuan's ancient serpent body. His body absorbed it frantically, yet most of the light of merit remained stored deep within his sea of consciousness. This boundless golden radiance condensed into a miniature sun, constantly emitting a divine glow.
As he basked in the overwhelming power of merit, Gu Chuan sensed that he could ascend to the Saint Realm at any moment. However, he had yet to complete his cultivation, so he firmly suppressed the urge to break through.
"With such an immense accumulation of merit, reaching the Saint Realm is all but guaranteed."
Even though Gu Chuan had perfected his laws, the leap to Sainthood required an unfathomable amount of divine power—something that would typically take hundreds of millions of epochs to amass.
Yet, with these primordial rays of merit, such arduous accumulation was unnecessary. A single strand of this chaotic, golden essence was equivalent to tens of epochs of cultivation. The sheer energy contained within the vast accumulation of merit was so overwhelming that it would terrify even the greatest of beings.
At that moment, he noticed something unusual.
"Chaos City also possesses the Light of Merit?"
Gu Chuan's eyes gleamed as he observed his refined Chaos City. The entire city was enveloped in golden brilliance, radiating an awe-inspiring sacred glow.
Under his Divine Sense, Chaos City seemed to have awakened, as though it had become a living entity. It inhaled deeply, greedily absorbing the descending rays of merit, undergoing a transformation beyond imagination.
The first change lay in the city's very materials. Chaos City had been forged from countless rare ores harvested from the Chaos Void, already making it an indestructible treasure.
However, after devouring the Light of Merit, while its materials remained unchanged, their density had increased by over a thousandfold. This drastic enhancement rendered the entire city unimaginably resilient.
Previously, a full-force strike from a Quasi-Saint demon god might have left cracks in its walls. But now, no matter how much power they unleashed, Chaos City remained unscathed. Even if a Quasi-Saint went all out, it was nearly impossible to damage it.
Secondly, golden merit runes densely covered the walls, ground, and structures of Chaos City. These divine symbols were engraved upon its surface, forming powerful restrictions in all directions.
If any supernatural attack were to strike Chaos City, these formations would instantly absorb and dissolve it, rendering the city impervious to all forms of magic. It had seemingly reached a state where no technique or law could harm it.
With the protection of these meritorious runes, not only were Quasi-Saints powerless against Chaos City, but even demon gods who had ascended to the Saint Realm would struggle to inflict damage upon it.
Deep within the golden inscriptions, unique chaotic runes surfaced, subtly forming a mysterious pattern.
"Is that... the Buddhist swastika?"
Gu Chuan's gaze sharpened. The symbol before him bore a striking resemblance to the sacred swastika of Buddhism, a mark representing infinity and the boundless nature of the universe. It contained immeasurable, unfathomable power.
However, this symbol was not an invention of Buddhism. It was a primordial chaos rune that had existed since the dawn of creation. The Buddhist Saints merely discovered and adopted it, making it known to the world.
"How fascinating. Could this be the true secret behind Buddhist cultivation? Performing good deeds to accumulate virtue, amassing merit?"
At that moment, Gu Chuan glimpsed the profound truth behind Buddhist cultivation. Every action in Buddhism revolved around accumulating merit. The great Buddhist Saints had long comprehended the power of merit runes and mastered the art of wielding their divine energy.
This was why Buddhism thrived in later generations. By gathering immense amounts of merit, they earned the recognition of the world's Source, resonated with the Chaos Source, and obtained unparalleled fortune. With such divine acknowledgment, their path was smooth, and their influence immeasurable.
Many people despised Buddhism, criticizing its rigid rules and its tendency to convert others forcefully. However, such disdain stemmed from the perspective of outsiders. Those within Buddhism saw it as natural and just.
It was akin to how many envied the wealthy, yet they themselves did not reject wealth. The root of such emotions was often envy and jealousy, concealed beneath the surface of their thoughts.
But amidst these revelations, what shocked Gu Chuan the most was the fundamental transformation of Chaos City. A consciousness was forming within it.
"A spirit... has been born within Chaos City?"
Astonished, Gu Chuan sensed a golden sphere manifesting deep within the city. It radiated a soft, golden light, akin to the sun, and exuded unique soul fluctuations.
Simultaneously, he felt an intimate soul connection between himself and Chaos City. This link allowed him to perceive its emotions and thoughts at all times.
"Could it be that the birth of this spirit is what drew down the Light of Merit?"
Suddenly, enlightenment dawned upon Gu Chuan.
By all accounts, Chaos City was the first powerful treasure ever forged by a Demon God in the Chaos World. And now, it had produced a sentient spirit—an event akin to the birth of life itself.
Thus, the Source of Chaos had bestowed it with a ray of merit, allowing the newly formed spirit to be nurtured and flourish.
At that moment, a gentle voice resonated in his mind.
"Master... Master..."
It was a weak yet affectionate call. The newly born Chaos City Tool Spirit transmitted its thoughts directly into the depths of Gu Chuan's sea of consciousness, filled with reliance and warmth.
In truth, Chaos City had been created by Gu Chuan. As such, it naturally inherited a portion of his knowledge and soul energy, making their connection all the more profound.
"You have just been born. Speaking too much will exhaust you. Rest now," Gu Chuan said, transmitting his Divine Sense to the young Tool Spirit.
At this moment, the Chaos City Tool Spirit was like a newborn child—blessed with immense power but lacking awareness of the world. It still needed time to mature and develop.
Hearing his words, the Tool Spirit obediently nodded. Even the simple act of speaking had drained much of its energy. Exhausted, it quickly fell into a deep slumber.
Gu Chuan observed as wisps of the Light of Merit continued to pour into the golden sphere, nurturing the Tool Spirit. It was growing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"How fascinating..."
Gu Chuan narrowed his eyes, seeing the boundless potential of Chaos City's evolution. If all went well, its future achievements might rival those of the legendary Chaos Orb, Chaos Green Lotus, and other supreme treasures.
Though it was an artifact forged after the dawn of creation, its growth potential was limitless.