Chapter 332: New Realm, Rapid Breakthrough Have I Become Zhaotianzun?

Huffing and puffing.

On the hillside, a burly man leaned on a tiger-head broadsword, gasping for breath. He was exhausted, utterly exhausted. Liao Rulong felt he was about to collapse from fatigue; even his Bright Moon Armor had become a burden. He desperately wanted to take off his armor and sit down, but instinct compelled him to raise his broadsword and slash to the left.

Whoosh! A green arrow suddenly emerged from the ground on his left, heading straight for a gap in his armor beneath his armpit. Clang! A vibration ran through the broadsword, and Liao Rulong's body trembled slightly. He had, after all, parried the earth-burrowing arrow. However, instead of being deflected as expected, the arrow made a dull thud. Poof! Green mist enveloped Liao Rulong. With each breath, he inhaled the poisonous fog, along with five insects.

"Damn it, it's not just an ordinary earth-burrowing arrow; it's a Worm Shaman's arrow," Liao Rulong cursed. He immediately reached for the antidote in his pocket, but his opponent gave him no chance. Ordinary earth-burrowing arrows suddenly appeared from underground, preventing him from making any other moves. Liao Rulong's swings grew slower and slower. He could no longer block all the arrows and had to rely on his armor's defense. The armor couldn't completely mitigate the tremors, but these external injuries weren't fatal; the main concern was the inhaled poison gas and insects.

A slicing sound echoed, and both Liao Rulong and a thin man in animal skins with a worm pouch at his waist, located three kilometers away, were simultaneously wounded. The arrows stopped. Liao Rulong stared at the depression to the southwest, where Li Muwan had impaled the Worm Shaman, then expertly sliced off his head with a sword stroke from his shoulder.

"Hahahaha, Wan'er, excellent work! Damn it, I finally hooked you, you cursed bug, hahahaha." Liao Rulong laughed heartily as he collapsed. Before his body hit the ground, an even more colossal bald man suddenly appeared in front of Liao Rulong, extending his arms to catch him.

"Dunlie, quickly, get a military doctor!" Liao Rulong's voice was loud, but his breath was clearly shallow. Cao Qianyue, holding Liao Rulong, swiftly flew backward. Moments later, a dragon-headed warship approached swiftly. A military doctor jumped down, and Cao Qianyue immediately removed Liao Rulong's armor. As soon as the armor was off, one hundred and eight golden needles were plunged into Liao Rulong's bare body.

Sizzling! Liao Rulong's skin began to turn green, and veins bulged. The needles popped in and out sequentially, as if waging a war within Liao Rulong's body, steadily pushing back the toxins and venomous insects until they were confined to his right thigh and left arm.

"Yuan Yang, how is he?" Cao Qianyue asked. This was Yuan Yang, the Divine Might Army's military doctor, rumored to be a comrade of the Marquis from the same period at the Ten-Sun Grotto-Heaven.

"It's not a big problem," Yuan Yang said. Golden light emanated from his fingertips as silver needles circled and pierced his left shoulder and right thigh, locking down the spread of the poison. "Just cut off his left arm and right leg, and he'll be fine with some further treatment back at base."

"You call that 'not a big problem'?" Cao Qianyue's eyes widened.

"He was a third-rank Worm Shaman who also cultivated earth-element magic and martial archery. To be able to hit Vice General Liao with an earth-burrowing venomous arrow from three kilometers away, he's a genius among geniuses."

"What does that mean?"

"It means this person was extremely formidable, and I can only save him by amputating his limbs," Yuan Yang replied. "I'm a military doctor; my specialty is battlefield triage. To save someone completely intact and ensure a full recovery, you'll need to find Old Pharmacist Huang." Pausing, Yuan Yang pulled out a small, sharp knife. "Hold him steady, don't move."

"Oh, oh." Cao Qianyue quickly held Liao Rulong down. With a swift slice, without seeming to exert much effort, Yuan Yang circled Liao Rulong's thigh and shoulder with the sharp knife, and with a 'thud', his leg and arm fell to the ground. Sizzle~ The blood dripping from the wounds corroded the hard rock, and the severed limbs instantly festered and turned black.

"Cao!" Liao Rulong's face flushed.

"What's wrong?" Cao Qianyue quickly leaned closer. "Captain, tell me, I'm here."

"He's swearing, not calling you," Yuan Yang waved him off, then bound Liao Rulong's wounds with white medical gauze.

"Oh," Cao Qianyue placed Liao Rulong on a hovering stretcher, which then carried him to the medical bay at the bottom of the dragon-headed warship to rest.

"What happened, Yuan Yang? What got Old Liao into this state?" Soon, an airship flew in from a distance. Wang Ji, with four weapon compartments on his back and slots all over his arms and legs, jumped down. "Didn't you say you were fishing? Fishing with one arm and one leg?"

"Why are you asking me?" Yuan Yang was placing the golden needles into a special cleaning bottle. "I'm just a military doctor."

"Brother Cao," Wang Ji then turned to Cao Qianyue.

"Captain Liao said that many masters have appeared along the Canglan River recently, and some people were spying on the Divine Might Army's exercise grounds, so he led us in pursuit."

"The result?"

"A third-rank Worm Shaman," Li Muwan returned, carrying a corpse, and dropped it on the ground. "Engineer Wang, this is very wrong."

"It is far too wrong!" Wang Ji said gravely. "We must inform 'Prince Xin' immediately." Prince Xin Liu Yong was one of the ruling princes of the military world. He inherited a ceremonial position from his father and was also an old acquaintance from the Ten-Sun Grotto-Heaven era.

Swish! Just then, a team of golden streaks of light rushed over from a distance. The leader, holding a golden spear, was entirely encased in dragon-patterned battle armor.

"Alert!"

"Don't attack, that's the Jinwu Guard." Wang Ji looked up.

The golden streaks of light quickly landed before Wang Ji. The aura of the leading general was at the mid-Heavenly Fortune realm. Meanwhile, Wang Ji, Cao Qianyue, and Li Muwan were, at most, at the late third-rank.

"I am Yang Wanli, the Seventh Jinwu General of the Jinwu Guard." His faceplate opened, revealing a resolute, bearded face. He was the grandson of the current Duke Yang. "Where is Liao Rulong, the Divine Might Army's Vice General?"

"Reporting to Lord Yang, General Liao was injured while pursuing the Worm Shaman. I am Wang Ji, the Right General of the Divine Might Army." With Liao Rulong injured, Wang Ji was now in charge.

"The Four Great Barbarian King Courts have dispatched heavy forces, intending to assault the Canglan River defense line," Yang Wanli said. "The Divine Might Army is to immediately enter combat readiness and follow the Jinwu Guard's command."

"What? Lord, what exactly has happened?" Wang Ji couldn't help but be shocked. The Jinwu Guard had been deployed, and they were even conscripting third-rank powerhouses like them?

"We'll discuss it back at base," Yang Wanli whispered. "I've had dealings with Duke Zhao; you will not be treated unfairly if you follow my orders."

"Yes."

The Witch Moon Goddess of the Southern Barbarian Sacred Mountain had issued an "all-out" command. The Four Great King Courts had truly poured out all their forces, contacting powerhouses from the Ten Great Divine Sects and Thirty-Six Top Sects, aiming to snatch spoils from the jaws of danger in Xiji Province. Their determination was immense, as there was no other option; the Witch Moon Goddess's command was supreme. Thus, the Southern Barbarians immediately dispatched heavy troops to launch a surprise attack on military cities along the Canglan River.

Right from the start, high-ranking individuals were sent to spearhead the attack, opening a battlefield on the Canglan River to divert Great Zhou's attention. Less than 170 years of peace had passed, and large numbers of high-ranking powerhouses had once again appeared at Canglan River. At that time, Emperor Jing had, through sixty years of purges and military reductions, left Pinghai Province with far fewer troops and powerhouses than before. Ji Che had just ascended the throne and hadn't had time to implement many changes, making this the perfect moment to strike!

Meanwhile, on the Western Continent, at the Weishan Glacier, probing battles had also erupted.

"Who is defending the Weishan Glacier line?" The Feathered Race Prince Yu Feiyang, clad in golden battle armor with wings on his back and a holy sword in hand, appearing like an angel, gazed ahead.

"Your Highness, it is Tang Lan from the Void Tomb Grotto-Heaven in Xiji Province. He is the commander of the Void Tomb Army."

"The Void Tomb Army has only five hundred men in western Weishan, but there are also thirty thousand garrison troops of the Northern Slaughter Kingdom collaborating in the defense, led by Prince 'Yi,' the eldest son of the Northern Slaughter King."

"Tang Lan? Never heard of him," Yu Feiyang said indifferently. "What is his strength?"

"According to intelligence, the Void Tomb Grotto-Heaven ranks 221st among Great Zhou's Grotto-Heavens. Its defender, Tang Lan, should be in the late Life Palace realm, without mastering ultimate-level martial arts or comprehending a domain."

"The Void Tomb Grotto-Heaven doesn't produce many powerhouses, but Tang Lan is skilled in legion battle formations. The Void Tomb Army's grand mechanical formations are also quite renowned in Xiji Province. In the last grand military world exercise, the Void Tomb Army's Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation, Void Illusion Formation, and Black Tortoise Guardian Formation even received praise from Emperor Jing."

Listening to his subordinate's introduction, Yu Feiyang nodded. "It's clear that Great Zhou is focusing solely on defense this time. What Yan Lie and Zi Ling'er encountered were also defensive positions." Yu Feiyang understood Great Zhou very well; he knew all about the Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation, Void Illusion Formation, and Black Tortoise Guardian Formation, all three being defensive magic formations. Clearly, in Xiji Province, Great Zhou's main strategy was defense, aiming to stall for time. They, on the other hand, wanted to launch a quick offensive. Only by inflicting sufficient casualties on Great Zhou could they sit at the negotiating table and gain qualifications to explore the ruins. Even the spots for the Ancient Dragon Court back then were decided through a combination of fighting and negotiation.

"The Royal Court has issued a death order: we must achieve merit in the first battle!"

"Let's start with the Void Tomb Army!"

"Pass on the order: send out nine Golden Divine Generals to break the formation!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

...

At the Weishan Defense Line, each ice mountain had been carved into unique shapes, and countless intricate mechanical components were arranged on every one of them. Tang Lan, commander of the Void Tomb Army, was inspecting the formations.

"Report!" Suddenly, a personal guard jumped onto the airship from a distance. Tang Lan's expression tightened, as this was one of his forward outposts. Only the secret outpost had replied, which meant the enemy was very close and extremely powerful.

"Speak!"

"Prince Yu Feiyang of the Golden Feather Royal Court is approaching, leading his elite 'Golden Divine Army'."

"Golden Divine Army?" Tang Lan's face changed. He hadn't heard of Yu Feiyang, but the Golden Divine Army was infamous. His Void Tomb Army ranked only in the 200s in Great Zhou, yet the Golden Divine Army was among the top ten elites of the Golden Feather Royal Court. "Quickly activate all grand formations!" Tang Lan roared, clutching a thousand-mile communication token.

Hum, hum, hum. The ice mountains lit up one by one, and streaks of iridescent light shone from their peaks. The formation, stretching for three hundred li, instantly merged into a single entity.

"My luck is terrible; I actually ran into such an elite force." Tang Lan flew into the marching hall, looking at the dense red dots on the map, which represented the enemy's numbers. "My Void Tomb Army definitely can't withstand the Golden Divine Army. But defensively, I still have hope of holding out." Although the enemy's combat power was stronger, the attacking side would have to pay a greater price. Tang Lan immediately reported the situation to King Rahu, but King Rahu did not reply with new orders, meaning he had to hold his ground here according to the original command.

A deep rumble sounded. On Yu Feiyang's path forward, a gigantic spectral image of a Black Tortoise appeared. The Black Tortoise roared towards the sky, followed by rumbling sounds. Yuan Qi surged like a torrent, being absorbed into the Black Tortoise.

"Hmph." Yu Feiyang detested these "turtle formations" the most. As soon as enemies approached, the Black Tortoise Grand Formation swiftly drained all the Yuan Qi within a thousand li radius. The attacking army couldn't interfere because this was a defensive measure already set up by the defenders. Unable to absorb Heavenly and Earthly Yuan Qi, the attacking army would have to rely solely on the supplies they carried. And on the Western Icy Continent, it was difficult to cultivate any supplies. In terms of provisions, it was a test for both sides.

"Golden Divine Generals, move out!" Yu Feiyang pointed a finger. Click, clack, crunch, clack, clack! Around the Divine Feather warship he rode, eighty-one other warships suddenly changed shape, interlocked, and then formed nine golden giants, each three thousand meters tall. The golden giants had hollows in their shoulders and lower torsos. At the center of these hollows, vortex-like magic formations seemed to be driving them, quickly forming a swirling void emitting a faint glow.

"They're here!" Tang Lan watched nervously. The Golden Feather Royal Court's mechanical formations were in many aspects no weaker than Great Zhou's, and it was the only one among the Four Great King Courts capable of crafting treasure-grade divine weapons. On the Southern Barbarian battlefield, the Golden Feather series of battle armor required the most military merit to exchange for and was the most valuable war trophy for Great Zhou. Great Zhou's generals all considered obtaining a Golden Feather Divine Armor a great honor.

"They are called Golden Divine Generals, but one of them has a green exterior, its core forged from a fragment of a minor world's rules." Yu Feiyang also possessed great confidence; his Golden Feather Royal Court could rival Great Zhou's craftsmanship in manufacturing war machines! "To wear down this 'turtle formation,' the key lies with the Wood Divine General." The mechanists under Yu Feiyang were also highly skilled. Eight mechanical giants protected the central green Wood Divine General.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom! As the nine mechanical giants stepped into the Black Tortoise Grand Formation, sparks flew from their exteriors due to friction. Because it was a forced breach, the barrier's immense rebound force repelled the intruders. The eight mechanical giants, rubbing against the barrier, completely turned into flaming giants. The mechanists inside experienced an accelerated consumption of Yuan Qi. Only the wood-element mechanical giant remained unharmed; the flames didn't touch it at all.

"Charge through!" Yu Feiyang's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and a powerful aura emanated from him. With the transition of Great Zhou's emperors, civil and military officials were also changing. This was Yu Feiyang's first time participating in a large-scale, high-level war. This was his debut, and victory was the only option!

"Hold the line!" Tang Lan also stared intently. The Void Tomb Army's mechanists within the ice mountains were all exerting their utmost, controlling the grand formation. Simultaneously, teams of formation masters were repairing the formation foundations and enhancing their power. War was a battle of attrition. In such large-scale offensive and defensive battles, the first comparison was the capabilities of the mechanists. If he couldn't break the formation, even if Yu Feiyang had manifested a Rule Domain, he wouldn't be able to harm Tang Lan, who was much weaker in personal strength, because Tang Lan was inside the formation. It was extremely difficult for individual power to break such a grand formation. Even someone as strong as Dieus, who was a true Rule Realm expert and a transcendent first-rank existence, couldn't escape under the suppression of numerous mechanical formations and ultimately died with regret.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The eight mechanical giants finally escorted the central green Wood Divine Mechanical Giant into the Black Tortoise Grand Formation's barrier. "Root! Quickly, root!" Inside the head of the Wood Divine Mechanical Giant, a bald old man roared, while tens of thousands of mechanists within the giant moved at that moment. Click, click, click, click! From both sides of the Wood Divine Mechanical Giant's feet, a dense green light erupted: the Sun Heavenly Mulberry Domain! However, its Rule Domain did not spread out but was extremely condensed, forming a spinning top. The Wood Divine Mechanical Giant began to sink, half of its body quickly submerging into the ground.

"It's done!" Yu Feiyang revealed a hint of a smile. As long as the Wood Divine Mechanical Giant entered the Black Tortoise Grand Formation, it would be enough to disrupt the entire formation's operation. It was like sticking an iron rod into a rapidly spinning wheel.

Bang! The first ice mountain within the Black Tortoise Grand Formation suddenly exploded! Thirty Void Tomb Army mechanists inside the ice mountain instantly exploded along with it, without even uttering a single scream.

"Retreat to the Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation!" Tang Lan had no time to mourn his subordinates and immediately ordered the remaining mechanists to retreat through the underground glacier passages to the smaller Nine-Bend Heavenly River Grand Formation.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! Initially, it took half an hour for one ice mountain to explode, but as the first ten ice mountains burst, the rate of collapse accelerated. Finally, the Black Tortoise Grand Formation, which enveloped the entire military defense base, was completely breached after eight hours. The Void Tomb Army lost over 170 mechanists. Yu Feiyang's nine mechanical giants, however, only showed some surface wear. After all, the Black Tortoise Grand Formation only had defensive capabilities, no offensive effects.

"Advance!" Yu Feiyang pressed his advantage, immediately ordering the nine Golden Divine Generals to enter the Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation. He also had masters of formation arts under his command. The Nine-Bend Heavenly River Formation lost its effectiveness within an hour.

"Your Highness, the nine Golden Divine Generals have suppressed the Heavenly River Sea Eye. We have three hours of combat time," his strategist reported. "After three hours, the nine Golden Divine Generals will be in danger."

"That's enough!" Yu Feiyang sneered. "The remaining Void Illusion Formation is nothing to worry about. The Imperial Guards can resist its illusions with their Golden Feather Divine Armor." "Once the commander is slain, his mechanists will naturally flee, and the formation will be broken."

An hour later, the Void Tomb Army commander Tang Lan's first line of defense at Weishan Glacier, spanning from City 45 to City 58, was completely breached. All garrison troops of the Void Tomb Army stationed here perished, with no survivors. Yu Feiyang killed Tang Lan with just one move, and Prince 'Yi,' the eldest son of the Northern Slaughter Kingdom, was jointly slain by Yu Feiyang's four personal guards. Thirty thousand Northern Slaughter Kingdom soldiers scattered and fled. As these soldiers scattered, Yu Feiyang's name spread among the fleeing troops.

...

Yu Feiyang gained merit in his first battle, and Prince Zilin of the Purple Dragon Royal Court and Tuoba Hong of the Sacred Spirit Royal Court also reported successive victories. On the tenth day of the third month of Yuanshou Year Three, Prince Zilin, commanding fifty thousand ferocious 'Feizhi' beasts, consecutively breached two outer defense lines established by Great Zhou. The Feizhi, which thrived in cold places and could devour barrier energy, were a hybrid beast-soldier species never before unleashed by the Purple Dragon Royal Court. Under the command of the Witch Moon Goddess, Prince Zilin deployed his ace troops, painstakingly cultivated for years, against Great Zhou's outer defenses, quickly achieving results: the commander of Xiji Province's Red Water Grotto-Heaven died in battle, and the vice-general of the Heavenly Pearl Grotto-Heaven also fell.

A day later, Tuoba Hong, a peak Life Palace Realm powerhouse, launched an attack from the northwest, carrying the divine artifact 'Eighteen Evil Hunt Altars'. Eighteen evil gods tore open an underworld passage in Xiji Province, directly encircling the forces of the two vassal states, Sakke and Ander, that stood in their way. The kings of these two vassal states had comprehended fifth and sixth-tier Rule Domains respectively, but they still found it difficult to resist Tuoba Hong's Evil God Ghost Domain. A total of over 3,700 high-grade cultivators and nearly a million mid-grade cultivators from both nations were all refined into souls by Tuoba Hong and absorbed into the Eighteen Evil Hunt Altars, becoming part of this enhanced 'Soul Banner'.

The three great royal courts chose their directions for surprise attacks, taking advantage of Great Zhou's unstable footing, and all achieved good results. However, Yan Lie of the Yan Guang Royal Court failed in his offensive. The people of the Yan Guang Royal Court lived in scorching desert regions, and the Baboke Worms could not be brought to the Western Continent. They were heat-resistant but not cold-tolerant; even their cultivation methods and comprehended Rule Domains were related to the Three Suns. March on the Western Continent was the coldest time, and even the Grand Minister of Agriculture would find it difficult to alter such extremely cold weather.

Yan Lie, who had comprehended a sixth-tier Rule Domain, launched an attack from the south with his five thousand high-grade cultivators, only to coincidentally encounter the Great Zhou generals, the 'Dragon Abyss Prefect' and Ling Tianchen, who were dispatched to provide support. On March 25th, Yan Lie, along with his divine artifact 'Water Realm Peak,' was swallowed whole by Ling Tianchen. Nearly half of his five thousand high-grade warriors were killed or wounded. Although most were third-rank, this was enough to sober up the fanatical Royal Court. Yan Lie's death and the major defeat of the Yan Guang Royal Court forced the aggressive Southern Barbarian forces to temporarily halt their advance and await the arrival of allied forces.

Beneath the Mohist Palace, at the Glacier Ruins, Zhao Xing re-entered the barrier. Because he had informed the imperial court, over a hundred people had now arrived in the ancient city to receive inheritances. "Quite a few people under four hundred years old have mastered top-tier rules and ultimate laws, fitting the inheritance requirements," Zhao Xing mused. Great Zhou had casually dispatched over a hundred people, and clearly, more were on their way. One should know that many Great Zhou powerhouses were fighting outside; at least Lu Ying, Wei Hong, King Rahu, and Old Liu had not entered.

Since Qing Yuzi was a Minister of Agriculture and Puta was a mechanist, many mechanists and Ministers of Agriculture came. As for Fairy Su, it was said she pursued the path of the soul, but simply stating "path of the soul" didn't limit professions. Anyone who had cultivated the Soul Evolution Art and met the requirements could come and try. It was expected that many talented powerhouses would emerge here soon. The minimum threshold for inheritance was third-rank. As long as one possessed one of the three: a top-tier Dao Body, mastery of a top-tier Rule Domain, or an Ultimate Law, and was under 400 years old, they could qualify; not all three were required. When Zhao Xing first entered the third-rank, he condensed top-tier Dao Bodies and Martial Bodies using top-tier True Intent. Theoretically, other third-rank cultivators could also do this.

"However, third-rank cultivators are really just here to join the fun," Zhao Xing flew to the front of the temple. "From my perspective, the first trial will be very difficult." "To break through the sermon's law wall purely by power, one would need at least an ultimate-level law, and a very high comprehension of the Dao." Of course, this also involved Puta the mechanist and Fairy Su's soul trials, so it wouldn't necessarily just be about the power of the law. Zhao Xing had only heard about the trials left by Qing Yuzi. Assuming others saw Fairy Su's or Puta's Law Body of Establishing Dao at the end of the mural corridor instead of Qing Yuzi's, perhaps the requirements would be different.

"Zhao Xing."

"Dean." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in greeting. The person addressing him was Wang Tianzhi, the current leader of the Heavenly Timing Faction and Dean of Xuantian Academy. Ling Tianchen had not contended for the position of Grand Dean, wishing to focus on perfecting the Marquis Transformation Art. From Zhao Xing's perspective, Ling Tianchen and Wang Tianzhi were fairly evenly matched; it depended on the environment. In extreme conditions, Ling Tianchen would have a greater chance of winning because he could resist the environment with his divine beast body when employing the Marquis Transformation Art, whereas Wang Tianzhi would have to expend extra Yuan Qi and endure more environmental pressure. In non-extreme conditions, Wang Tianzhi, with his dual domains, would have a greater chance.

Now, both Wang Tianzhi and Ling Tianchen had come down. After all, Zhao Xing had already stated that entering the Purple Light Divine Temple was safe so far, and there was no danger even if one failed the trials.

"Has the Dean already entered?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Not yet." Wang Tianzhi pointed to the entrance. "I just arrived myself and am listening to the experiences of different people." The rules summarized so far indicated that if one was teleported out within a short time on their first attempt, they would forget everything about the place. Afterwards, even if brought back with a Purple Light Divine Token, they wouldn't be able to see the three most important murals. There was only one chance, which Wang Tianzhi valued greatly.

"Dean, I'll go in first." Zhao Xing's time limit and the trial had already been determined: it was the one left by Qing Yuzi.

"Be careful in everything," Wang Tianzhi cautioned. "No one can say what those 'guests from beyond the heavens' are truly thinking, so always be cautious."

"I understand," Zhao Xing nodded. He then swiftly entered the temple.

Passing through the mural corridor and successfully reaching the stone tablets, Zhao Xing found himself alone. "It seems the spaces for comprehension are independent and don't interfere with each other." Over a hundred powerhouses had entered; by rights, people should be visible near these stone tablets, but there was no one now.

"The patterns recorded on the three stone tablets are 'Soul Evolution Art,' 'Purple Moon Origin,' and 'Void Wind'." "The 'Soul Evolution Art' can be used by all professions. 'Purple Moon Origin' should be about Dao comprehension, and 'Void Wind' is about the deconstruction of laws." "It seems Qing Yuzi also cultivated these three."

Zhao Xing first glanced at the Soul Evolution Tablet. For a long while, he felt nothing. "I've already fused with the Sky-Opening Soul Artifact, but it's useless for comprehending the path of the soul—at least for my innate talent, it can't offer more help," Zhao Xing thought. The Sky-Opening Soul Artifact primarily enhanced comprehension of common paths like Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang. The path of the soul and the path of life were not within the Sky-Opening Soul Artifact's scope.

Zhao Xing only had five years to pass the first trial. Since the path of the soul offered almost no inspiration, he stopped looking at the Soul Evolution Tablet. Instead, he looked at the two patterns: 'Purple Moon Origin' and 'Void Wind'.

Hum. The moment he looked at the Purple Moon Origin Tablet, Zhao Xing felt a sensation. He seemed to appear under an boundless starry sky. In the sky, there was an immensely vast purple planet, and countless people were kneeling and worshiping this moon. "It seems this is the Yin Star of Qing Yuzi's homeland, but why is it purple?" "Could it be projected onto the Realm Star, causing a change?" Numerous thoughts flashed through Zhao Xing's mind. At night in the Xuanhuang Realm, one could also see the moon, meaning there was a Yin Star around the Xuanhuang Realm. However, it was quite blurry, not even as large as a millstone, only fist-sized. Due to the barrier of the Xuanhuang Realm or its inherent distance from the Yin Star, its projection on the Xuanhuang Continent appeared blurry and faint. The same applied to the Sun Star; in the Xuanhuang Realm, the Sun Star was unstable everywhere except the Nineteen Central Provinces. "However, looking at the Yin Star from Qingyu Star, it's so clear, and the Yin power comprehended is so strong." "Such strong Yin power implies that Yang power is also clear." "Truly exceptional cultivation conditions."

"Yin and Yang generate the Five Elements, and my comprehension of Five Element rules is rapidly increasing." Zhao Xing was immersed in this wonderful sensation, though there were still some unique aspects: the Yin power was stronger than the Yang power. This meant that people on Qingyu Realm Star naturally found it easier to comprehend the Yin Five Element fundamental rules. Correspondingly, various Yin-attribute spells, martial arts, formations, and so on would be more developed.

"Well, it seems 'Void Wind' is also a Yin Wind art." Zhao Xing's first destructive wind art he cultivated back then was Yin Wind. Later, he rarely used wind arts, and hadn't even seriously cultivated top-tier wind arts, yet now he encountered an inheritance that was a Yin Wind art. From the Purple Moon Origin Tablet, jumping to the Void Wind Tablet, Zhao Xing seemed to suddenly arrive in a dark universe. A violent wind blew from the depths of the universe, as if his soul was about to freeze, and his thoughts became stagnant. When his thoughts completely stagnated, he disengaged from the comprehension.

"It seems my Dao level is still too low. In terms of wind element, I haven't even comprehended a domain. Trying to comprehend a secret art like 'Void Wind' is utterly pointless." "I'll focus on 'Purple Moon Origin' first, elevate my Dao comprehension, then come back to comprehending the laws. That would be starting from a high vantage point, making it much easier and resulting in more powerful secret arts."

Completely ignoring the Soul Evolution Tablet and the Void Tablet, Zhao Xing focused intently on comprehending 'Purple Moon Origin'. With the Sky-Opening Soul Artifact, his comprehension speed became extremely fast. In just three days, he comprehended the first tier of the Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain. "The water-element True Intent within the Myriad Law Dao Body I condensed back then was the Three Luminaries Divine Water." "I chose the Three Luminaries Divine Water True Intent to condense my Dao Body, firstly, because of its detoxification properties." "The Three Luminaries Divine Water can neutralize all poisons, whether they are natural toxins, or strange poisons brought by evil arts and magical artifacts, the Three Luminaries Divine Water can dissolve them."

"Secondly, recovery: whether it's broken bones and torn flesh from external injuries, or damaged meridians and internal organ trauma from internal injuries, the Three Luminaries Divine Water can swiftly restore them. Cultivators wounded in battle can regain combat effectiveness in a short time if treated with the Three Luminaries Divine Water." "The Minister of Agriculture's role in various versions has always been supportive, and the Three Luminaries Divine Water is indispensable. Mastering the Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain allows one to completely replace a physician when in a team. The secret arts comprehended through the Three Luminaries Divine Water True Intent are mostly healing spells."

"Furthermore, the Three Luminaries Divine Water is also the strongest True Intent for agriculture." "The Three Luminaries Divine Water contains potent vitality and energy, capable of nourishing all things in the world. For rare plants like spirit herbs and spirit trees, it can promote their growth, making them stronger; for weaker beings, it can enhance their vitality and cultivation. Places imbued with the Three Luminaries Divine Water often become treasure lands filled with abundant spiritual energy and thriving life."

"Lastly, there's its protective power." "The Three Luminaries Divine Water can form a special protective barrier, warding off various attacks. Whether it's damage from magical artifacts or attacks from divine abilities and spells, the Three Luminaries Divine Water can effectively block them." "It is particularly effective against curse-type and calamity-type spell damage, providing an effective defense against cunning adversaries."

Cultivating the ultimate rain art 'Sky Eclipse' was undoubtedly a Yin-attribute rain art. Yet, he chose the gentle yet resilient Three Luminaries Divine Water for his True Intent. His consideration in combat had only one principle: "Better I scheme against others than be schemed against by them!"

Zhao Xing was very satisfied, having comprehended the first tier of the Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain in just three days. He then continued to delve deeper into the water-element True Intent insights he captured from 'Purple Moon Origin'. A month later, his Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain reached the third tier.

"This is still a bit slow," Zhao Xing opened his eyes. "I must have lost my head. Since I'm in a period of rapid advancement, why not use my split souls for comprehension?" "Qing Yuzi forbade clones from entering independently, but he never said split souls couldn't be used for comprehension once inside."

"Prime Soul out! Split!" Zhao Xing split into seven, forming a circle around the 'Purple Moon Origin' tablet. "Excellent, the Sky-Opening Soul Artifact's effect persists after splitting the soul." "And no rule taboos were triggered." Six split souls and one main body began comprehending the fundamental rules in different directions separately.

...

Two months passed, and Zhao Xing gained new insights. "Metal: Solar Geng Metal Domain, third-tier." "Fire: Li Fire Domain, third-tier; Greater Heat Domain, third-tier, and the Greater Heat Domain is actually a rule variant of True Sun Fire. In the fire element, I have two domains." "Wood: Cangwu Domain, third-tier." "Earth: Spirit Mountain Domain, third-tier." "Water: Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain, fourth-tier." "Wind: Heavenly Wind Domain, third-tier." "Lightning: Chaos Thunder Domain, third-tier."

Zhao Xing recalled his split souls and meticulously sorted through the insights in his mind. Among these, the Heavenly Wind Domain and Chaos Thunder Domain were comprehended from the Purple Moon Origin, while the other Five Elements were directions of True Intent he had been comprehending since he first condensed his Dao Body. "In two months, all Five Element, Wind, and Lightning Domains reached third-tier, with the Three Luminaries Divine Water Domain even reaching fourth-tier." "And once the Five Element Domains were complete, the inner Five Element Heaven and Earth also underwent a qualitative change, and my Ego Domain correspondingly reached the third tier."

"The 'Rule Leap' technique has become even stronger. Suppressing my domain is possible, but preventing me from leaping is only possible if they also have a domain formed from a top-tier True Intent, and it must encompass all Five Elements." "With only a single domain, it would likely require a top-tier sixth-tier domain, or an advanced seventh-tier domain." Essentially, only the Myriad Law Dao Body had the requirement for all Five Elements to be complete. This meant that Liu Tianning could suppress Zhao Xing's Rule Leap with just one rank higher, while everyone else would need several tiers above.

"Three months have passed; I wonder what's happening outside." His comprehension speed had slowed somewhat, so Zhao Xing took the opportunity to send a split soul to the temple entrance to check the situation. "Hmm? There are already over five hundred people in the Three Gods Plaza?" "Over five hundred are just resting in the plaza, exchanging insights, and there should be some still comprehending inside the temple." Comprehension didn't necessarily mean staying in front of the stone tablets inside the temple all the time. Many, feeling their comprehension slow down, chose to come out and spar or discuss Dao with friends; this was also a method. A glance revealed that the number of people had significantly increased.

"Three months have passed. Have other forces entered?" Zhao Xing's split soul drifted out. He didn't recognize all of Great Zhou's powerhouses; at least many from the Daoist Academy faction were unknown to him. After all, he hadn't been the Junior Minister of Agriculture for long; he had only truly entered the circle of powerhouses a mere two or three years ago. And in terms of attire, it was hard to distinguish between the Daoist Academy faction and 'outsider devils,' as everyone wore Daoist robes.

"Chen Ju and the others aren't here either," Zhao Xing scanned the area, surprisingly finding no familiar faces. He could only ask someone wearing Xuantian Academy attire. "Which branch of Xuantian Academy are you from, sir? You look quite unfamiliar."

A man in a white Daoist robe with cloud patterns, who had been sitting on the steps, head bowed, studying the Palm Thunder technique, looked up. Upon seeing Zhao Xing, he bared his teeth and smiled. "You don't recognize me, but I recognize you." "Known as the Saint Son of the Three Factions, some even say you're an Ancestor-level figure. Daoist Chen'an, Xuantian Saint Son, Venerable Zhao.... Your names are well-known in the Divine Sect as well."

Hearing the other party speak like this, Zhao Xing immediately understood that this was not someone from Xuantian Academy, but from the Xuantian Divine Sect. "I actually have such titles in the Xuantian Divine Sect?" "Xuantian Saint Son, Daoist Chen'an, Venerable Zhao?" Zhao Xing's expression turned odd. "I've become a Heavenly Venerate?"

"May I ask what your identity is within the Divine Sect, and how did you get in?"

"My moniker is Fog Walker," the man in the white cloud-patterned Daoist robe bowed. "Venerable Zhao, that's a strange question. How did I get in? Of course, I walked in." "Don't tell me you don't know yet? Great Zhou has fallen!"

Hearing this, Zhao Xing was startled. His main body sensed the time within his inner heaven and earth, confirming that he had only comprehended the Dao for three months, not three thousand years. He immediately realized he had been played by this fellow.

"Hmph!" Zhao Xing turned and walked away.

"Hey, Venerable Zhao, please wait, it was just a joke," the Fog Walker called out, trying to stop him. Zhao Xing ignored him, walking directly outside to look for people from Great Zhou. "Even people from the Xuantian Divine Sect have entered. In just two months, I wonder what happened. Could it be that Great Zhou abandoned its defenses so quickly? That shouldn't be..." Zhao Xing glanced around and noticed that there were quite a few people from non-Great Zhou factions in the plaza.

"What exactly happened?"