The current Senadina was akin to a ghost. She was an illusion brought up by the Cocoon's power and Leylah's Dao of Time. In a sense, she was similar to the Previous Era Flamechasers contained within Seele's Bubble World; or the data lifeforms stored within the Elysian Realm.
To solve this problem, immortal cultivation was employed. Welt Yang's sleepless nights allowed Mobius and Vill-V to interact with spiritual qi as well as the elusive spiritual consciousness.
Senadina's problem stemmed from her current state. The Cocoon's power was limited, and so was the Dao of Time granted to her. The moment it becomes unstable, she disappears. Coming closer to Leylah would trigger her heart demon's strongest counterattack, which does exactly that.
Shi Tian easily resolved this problem by propping her existence with the Dao of All Creation. Senadina's life was tied to Shi Tian now; not to Leylah. At the very least, he has enough means to keep himself alive. In turn, Senadina has a higher chance of living.
"We mustn't waste more time. Heart demons grow stronger as time passes by."
"Mhm…"
Setting aside her shock, Senadina guided him towards Leylah's destination. They arrived at the bottom of the stone staircase,
His mind didn't remain idle. In his eyes, countless thoughts passed. Faint gray mist appeared on his right eye, pushing forth with the divination of Mars' future. Half of his mental capacity was left to react to whatever surprises there would be.
'It already knows we are here.'
The moment his divination from earlier was interrupted, it signified the Sea of Data's acknowledgement of Shi Tian's presence. This didn't stop him from divining its origins.
Crack-!
Shatter-!
Every divination ended in interruption. Each time, he obtained crucial information. He pieced these bits together to deduce the specific origins of this Sea of Data—of the horrors made by its mutation.
Unfortunately for it, Shi Tian possessed a dual high-grade Tao Body and an ultimate-grade spirit root. He kept up with its pace of consumption. Worse, it exposed more things about it with every interrupted divination.
The Sea of Data was ultimately foreign to immortal cultivation. Everything it knew came from Leylah's memories of cultivation. She learned the Side Art of Alchemy out of all. It was the 'profession' that offered the greatest possibility of resurrecting the dead.
She didn't know any techniques to counter divination arts at all!
It was left to tank hits with no way of fighting back. The art of divination involved grasping heaven's secrets. Beside immortal cultivation, status could be used to shield it.
But who was Shi Tian?
He is the First Cultivator, the Dao Ancestor, and the strongest Void Refinement Realm Star Lord within the solar system!
With eighth-level Tao Heart and Formlessness in Blade Mantra, his divination couldn't be stopped at all. The Sea of Data couldn't deal much damage to him in this state. Any potential attacks from its high status was cushioned by his Tao Heart and Path Authority. He would have long exited his divination state before the Sea of Data's sheer power caught him.
He is as elusive as the clouds and as annoying as a critter in summer's midday.
'I should have expected it earlier.'
Shi Tian thought of the truth he had discovered, his expression turning serious. Senadina happened to catch this. Her heart constricted. She was worried about Leylah's current state.
She suppressed her worries as she continued leading him on.
The two had traversed a clean path and arrived in front of a meadow. It was a beautiful and surreal sight. Sunflowers rose up to Shi Tian's chest. The grassy and fragrant scent was carried by the occasional breezes that flew by. The heat brought by the rays of sunlight felt warm to the skin.
Just as Senadina was about to proceed, Shi Tian grasped her wrist.
"There's danger ahead."
Her eyes scanned the tranquil sunflowers. Senadina was familiar with them; she planted almost everything within this meadow. One habit of hers that never left her was planting flowers. It ran parallel to their beliefs that Permanence meant living on others' will.
Flowers' life consisted of blooming and wilting. Most times, they regain vitality after wilting. It was only at their final moments that they failed to do so, turning into biological remains. Still, its seeds could be replanted. It will grow another flower, carrying the same actions as its predecessor. This cycle will ensue for the years to come.
"Let me come first. You can't handle it at all."
Brutal truth came out of Shi Tian's mouth. Senadina did not say anything else, giving him a meek nod.
'Did she think I wouldn't notice? Or is there a catch?'
His mind was in constant guard, detecting anything that held an ounce of malicious intent. Shi Tian was ready to bring out his World Destroying Millstone and crush it to bits. The lack of events occurring signified there was nothing as such.
Looking at the vibrant field of sunflowers, a spark of flame emerged out of the void. It was pale blue in color, with hints of bright gold in its edges. Countless strings appeared in Shi Tian's sight, representing faint causality coming from the plants. Their true form emerged in his eyes—a single string leading towards the blue skies.
'I am lucky to have comprehended this move…'
Venerated Dao is the culmination of one's understanding of their Dao. Comprehending one means they have arrived at the threshold of the Dao Integration Realm. Shi Tian comprehended the Small Universe with his insights of Amphoreus. The World-Destroying Millstone, on the other hand, came from the desperate conditions placed upon him inside the Zixiao Palace. One was made to create; the other to destroy. These two abilities sat at the extreme ends, yet they came from the same source.
Shi Tian noticed how he was still lacking in the analysis department. The Small Universe propelled the Dao of Five Elements and Yin-Yang up-front; the World-Destroying Millstone using the Dao of Extremity and Yin-Yang. The Dao of Void served its purpose as the backdrop of both Venerated Daos. The only Dao that hasn't taken the 'main spot' out of the Daos under All Creation was Miracles, the fifth addition granted to him by Elysia.
Thus, he began comprehending its Venerated Dao during his dual cultivation session with Kiana. She possessed the strongest karmic connection with Shi Tian. Yin-Yang draws upon mutual attraction while Miracles mirrored Causality in nature, stemming from worldly connections.
Combining the two resulted in Shi Tian's third Venerated Dao—
'Grasping Spontaneity.'