Once again, several top-tier materials were seized by Joe Di and tossed into the Cosmic Flame. In less than half a stick of incense, these materials began to change shape under the flame's heat.
However, unlike before, this time Joe Di did not infuse any artifact incantations, nor did he engrave formation restrictions, not even the most basic artifact shape simulation.
Only after the materials had thoroughly melted did Joe Di begin to weave various foundational laws of artifactcraft within them. As countless laws were drawn out by Joe Di, these laws formed one rule after another of the Path of Artifactcraft...
This was Joe Di’s first attempt at forging artifacts through the Grand Way. He had pioneered a new path of arraycraft in the mortal world; today, within a span of original essence, he sought to construct his own Path of Artifactcraft—this was the fortune he had been searching for.
When he has created all the Grand Ways that belong to him, that will be the day he ascends to the pinnacle of fortune.
One foundational law after another was constructed by Joe Di, each merging with the materials melting within the Cosmic Flame.
As the various Heaven-Earth rules of the refining materials in the Cosmic Flame were perfected, a faint aura of Temporal Law began to circulate within the flame.
Several days passed, and suddenly a crisp ringing erupted from the Cosmic Flame. A six-foot longbow shot out from the flame, floating before Joe Di.
Atop this longbow lay a dark gray arrow.
With a gesture, the longbow landed in Joe Di's hand.
As the subtle sensation of time passing washed over him, Joe Di felt as though, with the release of this Time Arrow, the very flow of time itself might reverse.
Though Joe Di knew this was but an illusion, his heart still surged with excitement.
Joe Di understood that this longbow still bore the marks of traditional artifact forging. Yet he was certain that with his next bow, he would fully create a forging method unique to himself, no longer bound by conventional ways. From this day forth, the treasures he refined would transcend ordinary artifact formulas and array restrictions, leaving behind all traces of mundane form.
Standing atop the Lethe Bridge, Joe Di gripped the longbow and closed his eyes in deep contemplation.
When he finally devised a forging method truly his own, his understanding of the Dao would rise once more. Only then would it be the perfect moment to craft the true Fate's Loom.
Three days passed in a flash, and Joe Di carefully reviewed the techniques he had used to forge artifacts with the laws of the Way.
Once certain everything was in order, Joe Di resolved to forge the true Fate's Loom. He drew out the Edge of the Cosmos and the Trinity Bowstring, while four pieces of Moment's Edge floated before him.
Gazing at the materials he had painstakingly gathered, Joe Di did not begin forging right away. By now, he had already dispelled the Genesis Opening Incantation barrier outside the Lethe Bridge.
Even in the Moment's Edge, half a year spent forging artifacts would allow him to survive here for a while, even without the Lethe Bridge. Now that he had the bridge, he no longer needed to rely on the Genesis Opening Incantation as he had when he first arrived.
Joe Di was certain that if he forged the Fate's Loom here and succeeded, it would become a supreme weapon of unparalleled might.
Di Jiu was still unsatisfied. Having now adapted to the flow of time outside the Inch Origin, and with the help of the Lethe Bridge, perhaps he could survive for a period within the Time Void.
If he could refine the Fate's Loom Longbow and Long Arrow within the Time Void, what kind of power would they possess?
If he hadn't thought about it, it would have been fine. But once this idea surfaced, it could no longer be suppressed.
Since everything must be crafted from the finest materials, the components for Fate's Loom were also chosen with utmost care. Why not forge Fate's Loom in the finest place as well?
Di Jiu resolved to forge Fate's Loom within the Time Void. If he truly succeeded, this would likely become the most powerful artifact of temporal law in the vast cosmos.
Though he had spent over half a year in the Inch Origin and adapted to its time flow, Di Jiu decided to prepare thoroughly. If things became unbearable, he would retreat immediately. He was not so reckless as to trade his life for a single artifact.
First, he needed to refine Vitality Pills—this was essential. He would transform the Vitality Fruit into Vitality Pills. Next, he had to communicate with Jianmu; forging Fate's Loom within the Time Void could cost him his life at any moment. Without Jianmu's support, it was impossible.
Third, he had to craft a teleportation array disk. If his life was ever in danger, then...
At this thought, Di Jiu frowned. He knew that inside the Time Void, if his life was truly at risk, he would have no chance to teleport away. No matter how many array disks he made, they would be useless.
Since he couldn't use the array disk, he could only rely on Law Escape. As he considered Law Escape, Di Jiu realized all his techniques drew upon spatial laws, cosmic laws, or even his own constructed laws. He had never tried escaping using only the laws of time. If he could master Law Escape through time, would his technique reach new heights...
At this realization, Di Jiu immediately sensed the flow of temporal laws around him. With a thought, he appeared a hundred li away from the Lethe Bridge.
It was just like the passage of time itself—so subtle that even he could not perceive it.
Di Jiu reached out, and the Lethe Bridge once again appeared beneath his feet.
Indeed, temporal laws could be integrated into Law Escape, and the speed was even greater than with other laws. In theory, as long as time could reach a place, he could arrive instantly. Of course, this was only in theory. In practice, it depended directly on his cultivation; if his strength was lacking, even the best escape technique was limited.
Di Jiu spent half a month refining Vitality Pills before controlling the Lethe Bridge to search for the Time Void.
In the Inch Origin, the Time Void meant death. In fact, the Inch Origin itself signified death, though some powerful cultivators could enter—it was not a place only Di Jiu could access. But the Time Void was different; no one could survive within it. Even Di Jiu had nearly perished there before while searching for a sliver of time.
The Time Void was not only perilous, it was also exceedingly difficult to locate. Di Jiu had entered it once before, barely escaping with his life, and only had a vague impression of it. Even so, he spent two to three months searching without success.
The longer Di Jiu remained in the Inch Origin, the more he adapted to its environment—thanks to his cultivation of the Grand Dao of Laws. Anywhere there were laws, he could construct his own Grand Dao. Even in places devoid of laws, he could forge his own cosmic laws. If not for his search for the Time Void, Di Jiu might have stowed away the Lethe Bridge altogether.
One day, as Di Jiu was searching for the Time Void within the Inch Origin, the surrounding time seemed to vanish completely. In that instant, he was plunged into a void where nothing existed, and even his life was on the verge of being erased by the emptiness.
Di Jiu had entered the Time Void once before, so he knew immediately where he was. It was only because he stood atop the Lethe Bridge; otherwise, he might not even have sensed it before being obliterated by the void. The reason it was called the Time Void was that, once inside, until one's demise, all was blank—utterly devoid of perception.
Without hesitation, Di Jiu brandished the Genesis Opening Pen, instantly casting the Genesis Opening Incantation a hundred times over.
One word shatters ten thousand paths, boundaries cleave Yin and Yang!
Countless temporal domains formed before Di Jiu, blocking all the fleeting time of the Time Void from reaching him.
At the same time, Di Jiu constructed layers of temporal Dao rhythm laws, forming walls of time before him. Even with ample preparation and multiple layers of incantation domains, his vitality still rapidly diminished. He remained trapped in a void where nothing existed, feeling as though he would soon be erased by the emptiness.
Jianmu's aura of vitality continuously nourished Di Jiu, and every so often, a Vitality Pill would land in his mouth.
At this moment, Di Jiu sent the Edge of the Cosmos, Trinity Bowstring, and four units of Inch Time into his Dao Fire. To forge a perfect Fate's Loom Longbow, it could not be done in stages—it had to be completed in one seamless effort.