Early spring.
The tall figure of Wang Yangzi strode forward, occasionally flickering, covering a distance of several miles as he hurried ahead.
Today was the long-awaited gathering organized by the Boundary Realm Holy Temple, where all the quasi-saints and above from various regions of the boundary were expected to participate.
As the name suggests, the Holy Temple is an organization open only to quasi-saints and higher-level cultivators.
Due to the scarcity of quasi-saints and above within the boundary, there were only a total of thirty-seven cultivators, with Wang Yangzi ranked twenty-first among them.
However, the ranking within the Holy Temple did not include the Twelve Forbidden Zone Masters. The Twelve Forbidden Zone Masters were the most elite beings in the boundary, the supreme grand saints who controlled and rarely appeared, and thus, they did not participate in the ranking.
Among the Holy Temple members, the majority were quasi-saints, with a total of twenty. Wang Yangzi's ranking was considered quite high, with fifteen saints and two grand saints above him.
When including the Twelve Forbidden Zone Masters, these were the top-tier forces in the boundary. Overall, it was considered decent, but there were no top-notch figures who could bear the weight of the world, such as the Great Emperor.
This was an unavoidable drawback within the boundary, as their potential had been restricted from the beginning.
That's why some cultivators with low talent in the boundary could escape to other realms or even ascend to the Great Heavenly Realms for further development.
Zhang DaoMing was an example of this, but only cultivators with low talent could escape to other realms for cultivation, and their ultimate realm couldn't be too high, otherwise, they would still be subject to the settlement of the realms.
When your cultivation realm is low, the amount of luck you steal from the realms is minimal, so the realms won't specifically come after you. But once your realm is high, it's like having a rat in your house, and it will definitely be killed.
On the other hand, Chen Xia was another exception. He was a person without luck, able to wander across the four seas. In other words, whichever realm he went to became his home, and the will of the realms would not reject him.
This was considered the only advantage of a person without luck.
As Wang Yangzi's figure turned, he was already approaching a tall tower. After walking a few dozen steps, he suddenly stopped and waited beneath the towering structure.
"Oh, Wang Dan Saint, it's been a long time," a greeting filled with laughter came as a bull-headed cultivator in a long robe slowly walked out and exchanged smiles with Wang Yangzi.
Wang Yangzi clasped his fists and smiled, "Bull Head Quasi-Saint, it has indeed been some time. I heard that you were in seclusion in recent years, seemingly attempting to break through to the realm of saints. I wonder if you succeeded. But with your abilities, even if you didn't succeed, you should be close."
The Bull Head Quasi-Saint shook his head, his face filled with sorrow. "Ah, becoming a saint is not so easily achieved. The levels between the various realms in the multiverse are strict. Every step upward is almost a transformation. So breaking through is far from easy."
"That's the truth," Wang Yangzi nodded in agreement.
"By the way, you went to the Great Death Realm a few years ago. How was it inside? I heard there was a major incident, and many cultivators died. The news was even suppressed," the Bull Head Quasi-Saint asked again.
Wang Yangzi shook his head. "In summary, we were tricked. Indeed, many powerful cultivators died, saints passed away, and grand saints fell. It was a terrifying scene."
"Tsk tsk, just hearing about it gives me chills. It truly was a great horror," the Bull Head Grand Saint admitted with a nod.
The news of the Great Death Realm may have been sealed off, but when so many cultivators didn't return, it was still noticeable. So, everyone knew that something had happened in the Great Death Realm, but they were unclear about the specifics.
However, it's really not Dao Ancestor's doing that the cultivators from the Boundary Realm haven't returned.
Chen Xia wiped out all the cultivators from the Boundary Realm three thousand years ago, long before Dao Ancestor appeared. When Dao Ancestor made his debut, there wasn't even a trace of the Boundary Realm cultivators left.
It's the fault of the Boundary Realm cultivators themselves for engaging in internal strife. It can only be said that they brought it upon themselves.
More and more cultivators were waiting beneath the tall tower, all of them renowned figures from the Boundary Realm. At this moment, they were all waiting and occasionally exchanging smiles.
"I heard that this gathering is to recruit fresh blood into the Holy Temple. I wonder who will become a quasi-saint."
"I heard that the Supreme Patriarch of the Vast Ocean Dragon Clan has a chance to become a quasi-saint. I wonder if he succeeded."
"I don't know. The Vast Ocean Dragon Clan keeps their information well hidden."
..."
The discussion continued but quickly stopped.
Only because a cultivator approached from the front, a cultivator who, besides the Twelve Forbidden Zone Masters, was one of the two great saints of the Boundary Realm.
Boiling Water Great Saint.
The saints and quasi-saints under him remained silent, waiting for Boiling Water Great Saint to speak.
"At this long-awaited gathering, let me first mention one thing: we are going to expand the lower limit of the Holy Temple. Even the pinnacle cultivators of the Sky-Reaching Realm who are about to break through to the quasi-saint level can now join the Holy Temple. If any of you have good candidates, you can recommend them to me."
Discussions immediately filled the air below, indicating that there were indeed many candidates.
The Great Saint nodded slightly and his gaze stopped on Wang Yangzi, but quickly moved on. He waved his hand, and the towering tall tower suddenly opened up, drawing in all the quasi-saints and saints, beginning the discussion of the major events this time.
The major event was to gather the power of the entire Boundary Realm and launch an attack on the neighboring Heavenly Rain Realm!
A quasi-saint voiced his doubts.
"The Heavenly Rain Realm has coexisted peacefully with us for several epochs. In terms of strength, they are not inferior to us. If we really launch an attack, won't both sides suffer losses and be taken advantage of by others in the end?"
Boiling Water Great Saint shook his head and said, "We all want peaceful coexistence, but time waits for no one. You all know the situation in the Boundary Realm. We are seen as a great formation by the Myriad Realms. Since birth, you have been limited in potential compared to other cultivators. It's destined that you cannot become quasi-emperors."
"Ask yourselves, are you willing?"
The cultivators below fell silent.
The quasi-saint who asked the question suddenly said, "But I am only a quasi-saint. I don't even know if I can become a saint in this lifetime..."
His words trailed off because he realized that Boiling Water Great Saint was already staring at him.
"You can do it. As long as you conquer the Heavenly Rain Realm, everyone here will have a broader future. By then, the Boundary Realm will also produce great emperors, and we will no longer be bound by others. We will be at the pinnacle!"
Some of the saints below were filled with enthusiasm by these words and couldn't help but shout, "Let's fight them!"
"Good, let's fight them!"
The words of agreement increased, and Boiling Water Great Saint nodded in satisfaction. He then added some more encouraging words before dispersing the gathering and finally saying,
"Wang Yangzi, stay behind. I have some words to ask you privately."
The other saints looked at Wang Yangzi with puzzled gazes but didn't say anything as they gradually left.
Boiling Water Great Saint's expression remained calm as he stood at the top of the tall tower. He began with a question.
"The situation in the realm is known to both of us. You have participated in the fierce battles of the Great Death Realm and witnessed the top cultivators of countless realms. So, I have only one question for you."
"If a Great Emperor were to appear in the realm, would it be possible to break free from the fate of being part of the great formation?"
Wang Yangzi remained silent for a long time, thinking about the scenes in the Great Death Realm, remembering how even the mighty Cangmang Great Emperor fell victim to the calculations of the Ancestral Dao. He shook his head slightly.
"If it were just an ordinary Great Emperor, then it would indeed be impossible."
"What do you mean by an ordinary Great Emperor?" Boiling Water Great Saint frowned and asked.
"One Great Emperor, two Great Emperors," Wang Yangzi replied.
Boiling Water Great Saint fell silent for a moment before speaking again, "Do you truly understand the weight behind the term 'Great Emperor'?"
"I do. It's just that there was a Great Emperor in the Great Death Realm who almost perished," Wang Yangzi replied.
Upon hearing this, Boiling Water Great Saint was speechless. After a long pause, he asked again, "Do you think the realm can break free from the control of others?"
"I don't know," Wang Yangzi replied, suddenly thinking of someone.
Chen Xia.
If Chen Xia became a Great Emperor, perhaps it would be possible for the realm to become independent and free from the control of others.
Boiling Water Great Saint sighed and then shook his head once more.
"Even if that's not possible, the attack on the Heavenly Rain Realm must continue. The Lords of the Forbidden Zones are already preparing, and it won't be long before the realm produces quasi-emperors, or even Great Emperors."
Wang Yangzi didn't respond. Since the decision had already been made above, there was nothing more he could say.
With few words exchanged, this matter was concluded.
Wang Yangzi left the sacred tower and departed with a heavy heart, his expression gloomy.
--------------
In the shattered Great Death Realm.
The small starry sky that Chen Xia was sitting on was becoming more and more fragmented. Now, it was only the size of a small house. Little Red, the flying sword, circled around him, occasionally dancing with joy. Overall, it was quite happy.
In the current Great Death Realm, no meteor showers could be seen because they had all turned into meteor lights. The only star left was the one Chen Xia was sitting on.
He propped up his head and furrowed his brow, suddenly looking back towards the void that was growing nearer to him. He shook his head slightly.
It wasn't that the void was getting closer, but rather that the Great Death Realm was dissipating faster and faster.
This was unavoidable. A world abandoned by the Heavenly Dao couldn't survive for long and would eventually be completely engulfed by the void.
Chen Xia sat alone, his heart calm. He had been sitting here for a thousand years, and his train of thought had shifted from how to leave to how to break through to become a Quasi-Saint.
He could break through to become a Quasi-Saint now, free from any shackles. As long as he wanted to, he could do it.
But the problem was how to achieve that breakthrough.
Should he comprehend one path to become a Quasi-Saint, or should he comprehend all four paths?
The Heavenly Dragon Path, the Thunder Path, the Sword Path, and the Time Path.
Chen Xia had dabbled in all four paths, and any one of them could firmly propel him into the realm of Quasi-Saints.
However, comprehending the paths was not simply a matter of adding up numbers.
It wasn't that if he could achieve Quasi-Sainthood in any one path, he could simultaneously comprehend all four paths to become a Quasi-Saint.
Comprehending all four paths to become a Quasi-Saint was like increasing the difficulty fourfold. With Chen Xia's current accumulation, it was definitely not enough. That's why he had spent these thousand years comprehending the path that was his weakest— the Thunder Path.
Thunder, a supremely fierce and yang attribute divine ability, focused on annihilation.
There is also Yin Thunder, but Yin Thunder also follows the path of grand opening and closing, pursuing formidable killing power.
Chen Xia had been pondering for the first six hundred years on how to unleash thunderous attacks and how to enhance his killing power. He did gain some understanding and comprehension of the Thunder Dao.
However, it was not enough. If he wanted to comprehend the four avenues and reach the level of a quasi-saint, Thunder Dao remained his weakness, and he had to deepen his comprehension to another level.
So, for the next four hundred years, Chen Xia no longer obsessed over thunderous attacks.
He began to ponder another aspect of the Thunder Dao.
Instant kills.
Throughout history, those struck by thunder usually died on the spot, and very few managed to survive.
Moreover, divine thunder rarely targeted a single person.
What Chen Xia sought was the ability to kill with a single thunderbolt, pursuing the pinnacle of killing power. "No need for a second thunderbolt, just one strike to instantly kill."
With such comprehension, he successfully transformed himself into half a thunderbolt, comprehending the Thunder Dao within this small world.
It must be mentioned that this small world was indeed the best place for Chen Xia to comprehend the great Dao. He could directly assimilate himself into the great Dao, experiencing it firsthand. This was an understanding that many other cultivators envied but could not achieve.
After transforming into thunder, Chen Xia had only one phrase for all his comprehension.
Strike, strike, strike, strike, strike!
Strike you dead, you bastard!
Birds, beasts, flowers, trees, rooftops, pillars—none remained unstruck. It was basically random, striking them dead and counting it as a success.
You know what? This actually conformed to the essence of the Thunder Dao. Chen Xia somehow felt a connection with the Thunder Dao and gained new insights.
Apart from being extremely firm and yang, the Thunder Dao also embraced equality and spontaneity. Strikes were made solely based on personal preferences.
This was Chen Xia's new understanding of the Thunder Dao, indeed an improvement, but still not enough.
It wasn't until two hundred years ago that Chen Xia had another impression about the Thunder Dao.
That impression was being high above.
The Thunder Dao replaced the Heavenly Dao in executing the divine ability to kill, striking down cultivators who dared to challenge the authority of the Heavenly Dao. Thus, from this perspective, the Thunder Dao resembled a cold and ruthless executioner, high above, killing cultivators.
Chen Xia understood this, but he couldn't comprehend it fully.
Because he wasn't a cold and ruthless cultivator. On the contrary, he was rather gentle and considerate, always thinking of others. So, for a while, he couldn't fully immerse himself in this perspective.
It wasn't until seventy years ago that he finally understood something.
Although the Thunder Dao was high above, he wasn't solely the Thunder Dao. He didn't need to completely immerse himself in it. He still had three other great avenues to comprehend and integrate.
So, he could strike a balance.
This would be another long process that required accumulating time.
Fortunately, Chen Xia never lacked time. The only concrete understanding he had of time was that his hair grew longer and trailed behind him.
During this period, there would be a moment of exploration in the Great Death Realm.
Some powerful cultivators from the major realms would forcefully use their divine abilities to observe the current state of the Great Death Realm, hoping to understand its current situation.
However, they couldn't see Chen Xia. Even the Great Death Realm they saw was partly real and partly illusory. It was a secret place abandoned by the Heavenly Dao, not to be explored.
Occasionally, a Great Emperor could catch a glimpse of Chen Xia sitting alone, and their hearts would tremble. They never expected that there would still be a cultivator who could sit so calmly in the Great Death Realm.
Who could this formidable being be?!
As the eavesdropping Great Emperor's mind trembled, unable to resist, they couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Chen Xia couldn't help but curse.
"Look, look, you damn eavesdropper! You enjoy spying on other people's private lives so much. Your own life must be quite miserable, huh? If you have the guts, come face me directly and watch!"
The Great Emperor furrowed his brow and quickly employed a precious divine ability to respond to Chen Xia.
"Friend, I apologize if I have offended you. I was merely taking a brief look at the Great Death Realm."
"Why are you staring at me with that obnoxious expression? If you mess with me, you'll regret it. Even the Ancestral Dao was pursued and beaten by me. Think about it!"
Chen Xia retorted angrily.
The main reason is that this obnoxious person is truly infuriating. It's bad enough that he's looking at you, but he's practically fixating his divine ability on Chen Xia.
What's the difference between that and having a camera shoved in your face?
The Great Emperor quickly apologized, not daring to argue with this mysterious individual.