Chapter 1963: Living Tomb of All Beings

This method of finding companions was indeed rather extravagant, but Xu Yang possessed the resources and conditions to do so. For him, time was far more valuable than any other resource. He saw no reason not to reunite with his companions as quickly as possible, even if it meant a significant outlay.

In just ten years, Xu Yang successfully gathered all his old comrades, including Long Kun and Xiaohua, and former allies with whom he had fought in various regions and eras. He then established a new organization called the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate.

Over ten thousand companions, each a top-tier expert in the current continental era, had followed Xu Yang in his conquests.

These more than ten thousand companions were all granted the unified title of Saints of the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate. Additionally, cultivators who joined this powerful organization, attracted by Xu Yang's influence and charisma to help save the main continent, were collectively known as Emissaries. The total number of Emissaries gathered from across the main continent already surpassed one million.

However, everyone had to confront the reality that the enemies loyal to the dark forces, who threatened the entire main continent's civilization, commanded over ten million dark force disciples and puppets.

While a million strong sounded like a formidable number, it appeared rather meager when compared to the far more terrifying forces of the enemy.

What sustained all the powerful members of the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate and drove them forward was an unwavering faith and the profound mission to protect the main continent's civilization.

Once the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate's structure was established, Xu Yang entrusted its enforcement powers to individuals like Xiaohua and Long Kun, implementing a highly strict and precise hierarchical division within the sect.

In essence, Xu Yang served as the spiritual leader and a hands-off manager for the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate. His influence alone brought together all the ambitious individuals.

As the supreme leader of the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate, Xu Yang had an even more critical task: to revisit every corner of the main continent. He needed to prepare himself for the final confrontation.

Throughout this period, wherever Xu Yang's powerful soul led him to new areas across the continent, he was met with the support and reverence of all surrounding life forms.

This process also allowed Xu Yang to fully experience the mysterious and unfathomable life force between nature and all living beings. Each new place he visited provided him with an unending supply of various forms of vital energy, subtly transforming his body and gradually perfecting every detail.

Furthermore, with the Golden Tai Chi Totem as the source of his endless life essence, Xu Yang awakened a new energy system for physical evolution during this time. He was able to transform the forces of nature and all living beings, which he previously could not absorb, into perfect attributes that enhanced his own being.

A hundred years passed in the blink of an eye, and Xu Yang's physical body had been strengthened to the absolute limit attainable by humankind. However, compared to his immortal soul, which had truly merged with the Great Dao, this level of physical strength was not yet considered invincible. To achieve a physical body that perfectly coexisted with the Great Dao of the world, he first had to defeat his final opponent and acquire the Ancient Bell.

Nevertheless, in these hundred years, Xu Yang had pushed himself to his absolute limit. He understood that even if he dedicated another thousand or ten thousand years, his physical body would not improve even slightly. This was the perfect foundation he had built for the final battle.

During these hundred years, while strengthening his physical body and comprehending all life forces in the world, Xu Yang also ceaselessly searched for crucial materials to refine his other major divine artifacts and divine swords.

During this time, he also successfully forged all his other sword souls. Xu Yang now possessed nine major divine artifacts of his own.

However, he had never attempted to summon all nine major divine artifacts simultaneously. For one, there were very few opponents in the world capable of warranting Xu Yang unleashing all nine swords.

Yet, Xu Yang was well aware that the real reason he had never attempted to summon all nine major divine artifacts at once was that he simply did not possess the necessary ability.

Major divine artifacts, especially those newly forged and already possessing such a high level of innate perfection, were incredibly demanding. Even wielding one required formidable control from its host, let alone attempting to control nine major divine artifacts simultaneously.

Aside from the terrifying physical strain Xu Yang would endure in such a state, even if his current body could withstand it, he lacked sufficient cultivation techniques to match the demand.

Xu Yang understood that his Tai Chi Dao cultivation method had not yet reached its ultimate breakthrough. Specifically, his Eternal Sword Dao had reached its current limit and could not accommodate his need to wield nine swords simultaneously.

Consequently, Xu Yang knew that his sole task for the remaining hundred years was to develop a truly unprecedented and supremely powerful cultivation method.

This new method would allow him to push the power of his nine major divine artifacts and divine swords to their absolute limits. It was also Xu Yang's ultimate trump card against the final enemy.

After extensively traversing the main continent, leaving his footprints everywhere, Xu Yang finally returned to the place where, hundreds of thousands of years ago, he had reached the 9,999th level of his Qi Cultivation realm during his seclusion. This was the genesis of his personal cultivation legend.

Now, Xu Yang chose to dedicate his most crucial and precious hundred years to this origin point, a form of unconventional completion. Returning to the dust-covered cave, Xu Yang finally allowed a faint, relieved smile to cross his face once more.

Everything he had experienced there in the past flashed vividly before his eyes, filling Xu Yang with emotion.

"Excellent. Like leaves returning to their roots, all paths ultimately converge. This was once the starting point of my creations, and now, it will undoubtedly be the peak where I achieve my ultimate potential. I hope that when I emerge from this place again, I will be able to touch the true pinnacle."

Driven by this mindset, Xu Yang re-entered the cave, dedicating his most crucial and precious hundred years once again to this most familiar place.

A century later, the blood-red sky suddenly erupted with endless thunder. A monstrous face abruptly appeared; its specific features remained indistinct, but this massive crimson visage brought an unimaginable oppressive force upon all living beings.

"Hahaha, my era shall finally arrive. You insignificant ants will ultimately face your destined judgment. All disciples of the Pure Heaven Sacred Gate, you will pay a heavy price for your previous resistance."

As the giant crimson face in the sky finished speaking, it suddenly propelled its crimson visage towards the peak of the clouds, engulfing the Ancient Bell that perpetually shimmered with golden light.

It was like a dark cloud obscuring a bright moon. Although this individual's power could not possibly shake the might of the supreme artifact, the Great Dao of the Heavens, he was able to completely nullify its protective influence over the entire main continent with his own strength.