Chapter 1 Huhu!

The surging air currents scattered the bloody scent that permeated the mountains.

Throughout the hundreds of thousands of miles of the Da Shi Mountains, both humans and beasts breathed a sigh of relief as the terrifying aura, like the Milky Way falling from the sky, finally dissipated.

"Hoo!"

Ao Wushou transformed into human form, with red hair, golden armor, and a pale face. With a single gust of foul breath, a dragon's roar echoed through hundreds of miles of sky.

As that breath was exhaled, shocking cracks appeared from head to toe.

Seriously injured!

An unprecedentedly severe injury!

Ao Wushou was no longer angry. His blood energy had plummeted to the bottom, and the cracks on his body seemed to reveal his tendons, bones, and internal organs.

He looked like a poorly assembled porcelain doll, as if he could shatter at any moment.

"Amitabha."

Da Tuoluo clasped his hands together. Dense lines, like blood vessels, covered his entire body, a sign of his Buddha body being broken.

The sudden tribulation of the Dongtian (personal world), caused unprecedentedly terrible injuries to both the man and the dragon.

They were only one step away from having their Dongtians destroyed.

"This Eastern Continent..."

Ao Wushou slowly inhaled the abundant dan qi (elixir energy) and spiritual energy of the Da Shi Sacred Ground. After a long while, he spoke slowly, word by word:

"Is not a benign place."

"Indeed, it is not a benign place."

Da Tuoluo nodded in agreement.

Encountering such a bizarre event upon arriving in Eastern Continent left him with lingering fears. Even now, he didn't know why his Dongtian tribulation had come one after another.

And whether it would descend again...

They exchanged a glance, both harboring intentions to retreat. Not only had their expedition been unsuccessful, but they had also suffered such injuries. If they didn't recover before the next Dongtian tribulation descended,

They feared they would perish in the Dongtian tribulation, or at the very least, their cultivation realm would fall, and their efforts would be greatly damaged.

"Cough cough."

A light cough came from afar. A young man in silver armor walked slowly, his face also pale, and his aura hadn't stabilized.

Obviously, he had also suffered serious injuries.

"It's good that the two fellow Daoists are unharmed, otherwise my Da Shi Sacred Ground would truly be ashamed to face the Bu Tian Pavilion."

The young man had handsome features, but his tone was that of an old man.

Ao Wushou and Da Tuoluo dared not neglect the newcomer and forced a polite greeting: "This is our own tribulation; it has nothing to do with the Da Shi Sacred Ground. Elder Ji doesn't need to be so concerned."

This man was Ji Feiyu, the Supreme Elder of the Da Shi Sacred Ground.

He was the martial uncle of the current Da Shi Sacred Master, Yang Xuanji, a big figure in the Da Shi Sacred Ground, second only to one person, and an old antique who had lived for nearly three thousand years.

His status in the Da Shi Sacred Ground was even higher than the two in the Bu Tian Pavilion.

"This tribulation came strangely. Does Elder Ji know the reason?"

After exchanging greetings, Da Tuoluo spoke first, his heart filled with great doubts.

"It came suddenly, without any warning. All that is known is that this tribulation has swept across Eastern Continent, and all cultivators above the Dongtian realm have been affected."

Ji Feiyu's expression was also not good. His cultivation was profound, and the tribulations he experienced were even more terrifying.

This tribulation had nearly depleted most of his tribulation-avoiding treasures, damaged his Dongtian, harmed his cultivation, and injured his body.

"There's such a thing?"

Ao Wushou's eyes flashed, but he knew that Ji Feiyu wouldn't lie. In fact, the tribulation aura above the Da Shi Sacred Ground earlier was not just one or two.

"The tribulation comes from the heavens. A continent-wide tribulation descending upon Eastern Continent, is this a sign that 'Heaven and Earth' are about to change?"

Da Tuoluo's mind was shaken, and he guessed at something.

The impending great change in Heaven and Earth was not only known to the Sacred Grounds of Eastern Continent. The top powers of the Nine Provinces and ten thousand races all had similar guesses and perceptions.

But no one knew when that day would come.

"The reasons are unknown, but the Extinction Path seems to have been destroyed by heavenly might. There may be some clues within. I have dispatched disciples down the mountain to investigate, perhaps there will be a conclusion."

Ji Feiyu's eyes flashed imperceptibly.

The Sacred Grounds had been monitoring the world for over a million years. Any information seen by anyone in the entire Eastern Continent would be known to them immediately.

If the destruction of the Extinction Path by heavenly might hadn't occurred almost simultaneously with the Dongtian tribulation, the reason for the Extinction Path's demise would have already been investigated thoroughly.

But at this time, almost all the Dongtian cultivators in the entire Da Shi Sacred Ground were injured, so they had to dispatch disciples.

"The Extinction Path was destroyed by heavenly might?!"

Ao Wushou and Da Tuoluo exchanged a glance, and they both saw the shock in each other's eyes.

The destruction of a large power like the Extinction Path shocked them, but what shocked them even more was that the Extinction Path could actually be destroyed by heavenly might!

That was Heaven!

Heaven was supreme and invisible. Only the King-level great power who had achieved the Tongtian (Reaching Heaven) realm was qualified to trigger heavenly tribulation.

In today's world, there were only a few Marquis-level experts in the Nine Provinces. The Extinction Path didn't even have a Marquis-level expert. What qualifications did it have to be destroyed by 'Heaven'?

The two were shocked, and their expressions changed.

If the great changes in Heaven and Earth really happened in Eastern Continent, they knew very well what that meant.

Ji Feiyu coughed lightly twice but didn't explain further. He simply cupped his fists and said,

"The two of you are seriously injured. Why not stay in my sect and recuperate for a while?"

"In that case, thank you, Elder Ji."

Da Tuoluo cupped his fists in thanks, and Ao Wushou also nodded.

Not to mention that they were seriously injured and couldn't travel through the domain gate, even if they were uninjured, they wouldn't miss this major event related to 'Heaven' and affecting the entire Eastern Continent.

If Heaven and Earth really changed, Eastern Continent would likely be the first place to experience 'spiritual energy revival' and 'great changes in Heaven and Earth'.

And if that were the case, Eastern Continent would become a place of contention for all races.

At that time, whether the three Sacred Grounds would open the domain gate again was unknown.

After settling the man and the dragon properly,

Ji Feiyu took a deep breath, suppressed his injuries, and came to the depths of the heavenly palace, shrouded in clouds and mist, before a magnificent ancient palace.

He bowed slightly: "Sacred Master, the domain gate has been closed."

The palace was as high as the sky, and each pillar was dozens of zhang (Chinese unit of length) tall. A gentle and calm voice came from the depths of the misty spiritual energy:

"Recall all disciples outside, and do not allow them to go out without permission. Heaven and Earth are changing, and Eastern Continent may bear the brunt..."

The voice was calm and carried a sense of ancient desolation, but it didn't seem to have suffered any damage in the Dongtian tribulation.

"This matter has already been ordered."

Ji Feiyu nodded, gazing into the depths of the clouds: "But should the many disciples sent to the Tian Ding Kingdom earlier also be recalled?"

"Tian Ding Imperial Capital is no more, recall them, then recall them."

There was a slight fluctuation of emotion in the voice from the palace, but it was only fleeting and then disappeared.

"The Tian Ding Kingdom has been making quite a few moves. The successor of the Tian Ding Emperor is taking actions to spread dharma to the common people. Words are used by people, but once it spreads, ordinary people without the perseverance of mind will inevitably be poisoned endlessly, causing harm for tens of thousands of years."

Ji Feiyu frowned: "Sect Leader, please reconsider."

"The great changes in Heaven and Earth may be coming in the near future, and Eastern Continent is very likely to attract the covetous eyes of various races. If he wants to stand out, then let him go."

The spiritual mist rolled in the palace, and a figure could be seen sitting cross-legged, its aura profound and sublime:

"Even the Li Tian Sacred Master doesn't care, why should we forcefully stand out? The timing is not right; we must not be someone else's pawn."

"The Li Tian Sacred Master has entered closed-door cultivation, suspected of breaking through that threshold, and has sealed off the mountain for many years. I'm afraid he won't pay much attention anymore."

Ji Feiyu shook his head, still feeling that it couldn't be left unchecked.

Dharma is used by people, but not everyone is worthy of using it. Spreading dharma to the world is just a beautiful lie, and the ultimate result will inevitably be great chaos.

Because cultivation ultimately requires resources, but resources are not infinite.

"When great fortune flourishes, there will always be a pioneer. All struggles are futile. The Tian Ding Emperor is like this, the Tian Shou Emperor is like this, and the Yuan Yang Daoist will be no exception.

Great fortune is like a tide, who knows how many tide riders there will be, there is no need to care too much. When the tide recedes, the true colors will be revealed!"

The aura in the palace solidified until it disappeared:

"You are seriously injured, step back."

Ji Feiyu's heart trembled, and then he no longer refuted, bowed, and retreated.

......

The blue water was as boundless as could be, until the end, it seemed to merge with the sky.

The eastern end of the Eastern Continent is the East Sea.

The edge of the East Sea is Li Tian (Leaving Heaven).

A mountain leaves heaven, separating the sky and the sea.

This mountain is majestic and grand, like a pillar of heaven, stretching for tens of thousands of miles, with thousands upon thousands of dangerous peaks clustered around it, like stars worshiping the sun.

This mountain is precisely where the Li Tian Sacred Ground's sect is located.

Paths winding around the mountain cling to the mountain body like dragons, from the foot of the mountain to the top. There are countless cave dwellings, palaces, and countless cave dwellings spreading to the end.

That is where the mountain gate of the Li Tian Sacred Ground is located.

And in the many cave dwellings on this 'Heavenly Road' live all the disciples of the Li Tian Sacred Ground.

Those who can make it from the foot of the mountain to the top are the true disciples of Li Tian!

Huhu~

The peak of Mount Li Tian was snow-white, and the cold wind of autumn seemed to freeze everything in the world. There was no warmth here; all that drifted was the cold wind.

On a protruding stone slab on the mountain peak, a handsome young man in a black dragon-patterned robe sat cross-legged, overlooking the winding Heavenly Dragon Road below the sea of clouds.

Behind him, two old men standing in the wind respectfully said:

"The destruction of the Bu Tian Pavilion was indeed done by the national master of the Tian Ding Kingdom, but the destruction of the Extinction Path was not mainly caused by him..."

The two old men were both wearing wide robes and tall hats, but at this time, they were both looking serious.

"The changes in Heaven and Earth have been talked about for so many years, but are they finally coming?"

The young man rested his chin on his hand, his clear eyes containing vitality and childlike sincerity.

"No one knows the reason, but the tribulation was sent down by Heaven. Such a tribulation that covers a continent and affects all cultivators must be a sign of heavenly changes..."

A slightly dark-skinned old man answered loudly.

"You say..."

The young man turned his eyes: "Could it be that someone has 'defied Heaven' and done something that caused 'Heaven' to fluctuate?"

"Absolutely impossible."

The two old men answered in unison, waving their hands repeatedly: "The Extinction Path doesn't have such abilities. Even if our three Sacred Grounds join forces and use all our resources, we may not be able to make 'Heaven' change."

"If you say there isn't, then there isn't, I guess."

The young man didn't argue with the two and waved his hand: "Step back, don't hold on, treat your injuries if you have them, what's the point of showing off?"

"Uh."

The faces of the two old men changed from blue to white and finally slumped down like deflated balls.

Large amounts of bloody air sprayed from the two men, and the cold wind blew them away, turning them into millions of crystal-clear red ice beads.

No one can ignore the Dongtian tribulation, at least the two of them can't.

Immediately, the two old men covered their faces and retreated.

"More than a thousand years ago, there was one person who, within a few years, fought his way from the foot of the mountain to the peak, not only becoming a true disciple but also winning the title of the number one true disciple of his generation..."

The young man muttered to himself, his eyes seemingly reflecting the majestic city beyond the endless sea of clouds:

"Senior brother, are you really dead..."

......

The impact of this sudden Dongtian tribulation exceeded everyone's imagination at this time.

Almost overnight, many casual cultivators and cultivators from small sects were surprised to find that the disciples of the Nine Great Sects, along with the Three Great Sacred Grounds, had disappeared.

An atmosphere of impending storm instantly swept across the entire Eastern Continent, causing countless large and small sects, and even casual cultivators, to tremble with fear for a long time.

They almost thought that the 'Demon Gate' had been broken and the war between the two continents had restarted.

Casual cultivators had the most blocked information, but they weren't stupid. Something must be abnormal about the suddenness of the event, and they were all being careful.

Eastern Continent unknowingly fell into an extremely long period of peace.

The Dongtian cultivators of the Tian Ding Kingdom also suffered no small injuries, and several of them even fell from their cultivation realms on the spot, and their Dongtians were severely damaged.

But the ordinary cultivators of the Tian Ding Kingdom who were promoting the new laws were not only unaffected but even accelerated because there were fewer constraints from the various sects.

The world was clear and peaceful, but it seemed to be the calm before the storm.

Huhu~

A gentle breeze blew, and old trees dropped dead leaves.

Under the old tree, the former Fourth Prince, now the Tian Shou Emperor, was playing chess with An Qisheng.

His tribulation injury had not yet healed, but after hearing that An Qisheng had returned to the city, he had already come as quickly as possible.

Not far away, the Fourteenth Princess was playing the zither with her fingers, and the music was moving. In the corner of the courtyard, Zhu Dahai, who had grown a bit larger, squatted there, teasing the chicks with his radish-thick fingers.

Peaceful as water.

The Tian Shou Emperor pinched a chess piece, took a deep breath, and sighed from the bottom of his heart:

"What rare peace and quiet."

Being an emperor was not a good job.

Although for him, even the most complex government affairs could be decided in a single thought, his enemies were even more numerous.

The large and small sects inside and outside the Tian Ding Kingdom, the Ten Great Sects, the Three Great Sacred Grounds, there were too many various messy things.

At this time, with all parties calling a truce, he was naturally in a rare state of peace.

Even though his injuries were still not light, his mood was extremely good.

An Qisheng smiled and didn't speak, just dropped a piece.

"Alas, I lost again."

The Tian Shou Emperor abandoned his piece and admitted defeat, but he didn't care at all, just stretched his waist, cupped his hands, and bid farewell: "Seeing you, sir, my heart is at peace, and I can safely go to heal my injuries."

In the Tian Ding Kingdom, it seemed that Mister Yuan Yang hadn't done anything, but as long as he returned, he would feel at peace in his heart.

"Go then."

An Qisheng just nodded.

"By the way, sir, the spiritual materials you wanted will be delivered in a few days."

After speaking, the Tian Shou Emperor bid farewell and left.

His injuries were also not light, and forcing himself would do more harm than good.

An Qisheng naturally had no objections. After seeing the two off, he leisurely began to sort out his gains.

The collections of four sect leader-level great powers, some spiritual materials and resources from two Ten Great Sect-level sects, and two market cities.

These were resources that even kings and marquises of the ancient times would covet.

If some heavenly treasures were added, they would be qualified to forge a Marquis-level spiritual treasure.

However, An Qisheng didn't look at these spiritual materials much. Although he had the idea of forging a divine weapon to be the vessel of the Sword of Kingship, he was not in a hurry.

His gains were not limited to this.

As he closed his eyes slightly, what surged in his heart was the comprehension, techniques, and secret divine powers related to other realms.

The Wan Yang world now had the saying of nine realms and ten steps.

However, he had only cultivated the True Form, Spiritual Appearance, and Dongtian realms. Although he had insights into the remaining six realms, he had not cultivated them.

These nine realms and ten steps were the true essence of cultivation in the Wan Yang world, the crystallization of wisdom of all the heroes and talents in the past thirty million years. Every step had to be taken carefully.

Only in this way could he transform them into his own.

"True Form, Spiritual Appearance, Transforming Spirit, Heavenly Astral, Myriad Dharma, Dongtian, Shattering the Void, Returning to One, Reaching Heaven... Returning to One to become a Marquis, Reaching Heaven to become a King, then what realm is the Supreme?"

An Qisheng's thoughts wandered, and thousands of thoughts seemed like thousands of people deducing and thinking.

However, lacking knowledge of the Supreme, even if his divine will was strong and his deduction was extraordinary compared to ordinary cultivators, he still couldn't deduce the mysteries within.

But he was very clear that there was a huge gap between becoming a King and becoming a Supreme.

As a result, countless kings, marquises, heroes, and talents of ancient and modern times were defeated before the threshold.

There were many corpses before the gate of the Supreme, but most people couldn't even see the gate. For many cultivators, dying before the gate was already their lifelong pursuit.

But in any case, the Supreme must be related to the nine realms.

As long as one cultivated step by step without making any mistakes, one day they would touch that gap and see that gate.

And at this time, among the nine realms, other than the Returning to One and Reaching Heaven realms,

He had extremely profound insights into the remaining seven realms, and it was time to explore other realms.

"Transforming Spirit, Heavenly Astral, Myriad Dharma... Shattering the Void!"

An Qisheng muttered to himself in his heart:

"Let me see if that threshold that has troubled the Tian Ding Emperor for thousands of years is really so difficult to break through..."

Since the twenty-four Dongtians were formed, An Qisheng had already sensed where that threshold was.

However, the great changes in Heaven and Earth were not that Heaven and Earth were prohibiting cultivators from cultivating, but that Heaven and Earth were no longer so suitable for cultivation.

This unsuitability for cultivation lay in the spiritual energy, in the void, in the Dongtian tribulation, and also in the aura of the previous Dao attainers that permeated Heaven and Earth, seemingly imperceptible but actually always present.

With the superposition of many restrictions, it was like a large stone was pressing on one's body during cultivation, making it naturally difficult to advance.

But An Qisheng didn't care about these.

Because no matter how great the shackles and how many the restrictions, the cultivation environment of this Wan Yang world was still thousands, or even billions of times better than that of Xuan Xing!

One could achieve longevity in a land without magic, so what was the so-called great changes in Heaven and Earth?

Buzz~

The sea of mind rippled, and boundless essences rolled within it, supporting the mirror that was becoming increasingly bright.

Within it, light and shadows flowed, seemingly reflecting the flaws of all techniques and divine powers.

......

In the following days, An Qisheng became leisurely again.

This tribulation that affected the entire Eastern Continent and the successive destructions of the Bu Tian Pavilion and the Extinction Path had made many sects and even the Sacred Grounds wary.

They were waiting for the great changes in Heaven and Earth, preparing to meet the future variables, so naturally, they would not, and there was no need to provoke An Qisheng at this time.

Even the Ling Tian Sect and the Myriad Dharma Tower, whose sect leaders had been suppressed.

And An Qisheng was naturally too lazy to pay attention to other sects, and was immersed in cultivation.

He rose with the sun and rested with the sunset every day, comprehending the changes in Heaven and Earth. He also lingered in the mortal world. The nine districts of Tianjiao City, and even the entire Tian Ding Kingdom and the surrounding major dynasties, all had his footprints.

When he was quiet, he would guide Zhu Dahai and the Golden-Winged Roc to cultivate, or find two people to play chess, or else he would tease dogs, cultivate spiritual plants, and discuss Dao with the prisoners in the Dongtian.

Cultivation was not just about fighting and killing; only in peace could one see the true essence of cultivation.

His heart was as still as water, and he cultivated slowly and steadily. Time also passed day by day.

The 'great changes in Heaven and Earth' that countless cultivators were waiting for had not yet arrived, but the sun and moon had already risen and set in the sky more than ten thousand times.

It seemed to be just a careless moment,

Thirty years had passed.