Chapter 308: Five Hundred Years

[Ten years later, you were 160 years old.]

[You finally refined the Myriad Demon Mountain.]

[You carefully sensed the minor world within the Myriad Demon Mountain.]

['Mediocre.']

[You shook your head inwardly. The minor world within the Myriad Demon Mountain was indeed very weak. It was far inferior to the Purgatory Demon Sovereign's physical world, only slightly stronger than an ordinary inner world prototype.]

['That makes sense. It is just a weapon in the end, not a true living being.']

[You immediately began observing the operational essence of the minor world within the Myriad Demon Mountain.]

[Several months later, you almost completely comprehended the operational essence of the inner world within the Myriad Demon Mountain.]

['My Sword Dao world... just what should it look like...']

[You frowned in bitter thought. The Sword Dao you created required the construction of an inner world prototype at the Deity Transformation Late Stage. Only by doing so would it be relatively easy to advance to the Void Return Stage in the future.]

[You pondered for several months before taking out another Heaven and Earth Origin Stone to comprehend.]

[You currently had three Heaven and Earth Origin Stones left, and you used them very carefully. The operational laws of heaven and earth within them were far more profound than those of the minor world inside the Myriad Demon Mountain.]

[After all, the Heaven and Earth Origin Stones left behind by the reincarnated immortals of the Dharma and Body Lineages were indeed intended to help the juniors of their own lineages step into the Void Return Stage. The expositions on the laws of heaven and earth within them pointed directly to the essence.]

['The operation of this world...']

[Your divine sense plunged into a world filled with mountains and rivers. There was nothing here but suns—three of them, in fact—making it blisteringly hot. Yet, even in such an environment, the world's operation remained orderly and stable, and it had even birthed many tribes of living beings.]

['Living beings?']

[You earnestly sensed and comprehended it. Previously, you had seen a world filled with endless flames that could also birth living beings, but those were purely a tribe of fire spirits, with no other races present. This world, however, was somewhat different.]

[In the two hundredth year, you were 200 years old.]

[You successfully cultivated to the Deity Transformation Middle Stage Peak, but you had not yet perfected your Sword Dao for the Deity Transformation Late Stage, nor had you constructed a satisfactory Sword Dao inner world prototype.]

['If I don't insist on constructing a Sword Dao inner world prototype, I can step into the Deity Transformation Late Stage at any time...']

[You sat cross-legged, thinking silently to yourself. Constructing a Sword Dao inner world prototype was the standard you set for yourself and your Sword Dao.]

[In reality, even without this standard, you could still step into the Deity Transformation Late Stage. The other two late-stage Heavenly Monarchs in the Human Realm had not opened up an inner world prototype either.]

[However, if you stepped into the late stage using ordinary standards, the boost to your combat strength would not be that significant. Even with the help of talents like "Surpassing Oneself by Half a Move" and "Demonic Cultivator World", you still wouldn't be a match for a demon sovereign. You wouldn't even be able to do anything to them, rendering it meaningless.]

[You faintly sensed that constructing a Sword Dao inner world prototype at the Deity Transformation Late Stage was extremely important to you.]

[In the two hundred and fiftieth year, you were 250 years old.]

["Master."]

[The spirit You had finished absorbing all the nether qi. By now, he had cultivated to the Fourth-Order Late Stage.]

["When do you plan to break through?"]

[You carefully observed the spirit for a moment, discovering that this Earth Vein Spirit had an incredibly deep foundation. His physical body and soul had both reached their absolute limits, and he could even be considered to have half-stepped beyond the limits of the Nascent Soul Stage.]

["Master, I plan to travel for a while first, to look at the faces of all living beings," he said respectfully.]

["Travel?"]

[You looked at him and nodded. "That makes sense. Go on, then."]

[Before he departed, you bestowed upon him three strands of sword qi. These would ensure that he wouldn't die at the hands of a Heavenly Monarch.]

[As for Nascent Soul Stage cultivators below the Heavenly Monarch level? With his foundation, he was not much weaker than a legendary Grand Cultivator. As long as he didn't actively court death, he wouldn't die.]

[Watching him leave the Soul Capital, you continued to immerse yourself in cultivation.]

[In the three hundredth year, you were 300 years old.]

[The fourth two-realm passage was torn open in the Eastern Wilderness Domain.]

[Heavenly Monarch Juezhen rushed over immediately and blanketed the vicinity of the two-realm passage with a Quasi-Tier 6 killing move.]

[The power of a Quasi-Tier 6 killing move was terrifying. Even a Tier 5 Consummation demon monarch would be reluctant to take it head-on. Enveloped by the Quasi-Tier 6 killing array, the fourth two-realm passage was successfully defended.]

[You gazed distantly toward the Eastern Wilderness Domain before glancing at the spatial rift above the Soul Capital.]

[Although this spatial rift was extremely quiet at the moment, as if there were no demons on the other side, you faintly sensed a prying gaze.]

[If you took action in any other domain of the Human Realm, a massive number of demons, and even demon monarchs, would descend from this spatial rift.]

['Trying to tie me down?']

[You paid it no mind and continued attempting to construct your Sword Dao inner world.]

[In the three hundred and fiftieth year, you were 350 years old.]

['The Human Realm...']

[You ended your secluded cultivation and attempted to sense the essence of the Human Realm's heaven and earth.]

[Over the past century or two, profound changes had faintly appeared in the Human Realm's heaven and earth, similar to its self-preservation instinct when facing the threat of the Demon Abyss Realm during the near-ancient era.]

[It was much the same now. The Human Realm's heaven and earth instinctively began to save itself. The number of Heavenly Monarchs it could support had increased from the original thirty-two to forty.]

[In addition, many children of destiny with immense providence had been born over these past few centuries. Under the stirrings of these great children of destiny, numerous secret worlds and Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands that had been hidden from the world for hundreds of thousands, or even millions of years, emerged one after another.]

[These so-called secret worlds and Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands were not located in the present physical space, but deep within overlapping spatial layers. Even Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs would find it nearly impossible to discover them hidden deep within those spatial layers without a specific direction and location guide.]

['Hmm?']

[Just as you were planning to continue your secluded cultivation, another spatial fluctuation sent out ripples.]

[Rumble!]

[The massive phantom of a Flying Boat tore across the sky. At this moment, every Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch in the Human Realm looked toward the Flying Boat's phantom.]

["Is that... the World-Crossing Immortal Ark? The last time the World-Crossing Immortal Ark appeared was over six hundred thousand years ago. That treasure was later obtained by a late-stage Heavenly Monarch, and its whereabouts have been unknown ever since."]

["To think this object has actually appeared again."]

[The eyes of the Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs burned with fervent desire. Compared to other eras, under the threat of the Demon Abyss Realm's invasion, a treasure like the World-Crossing Immortal Ark—which held the hope of leaving the Human Realm and ascending to the Upper Realm—was no different from the Human Realm's last hope.]

[If the Human Realm were ever truly breached by the Demon Abyss Realm, many cultivators would still have a chance of surviving by relying on the World-Crossing Immortal Ark.]

[Buzz—]

[Waves of mana fluctuations suddenly erupted from the secret world where the World-Crossing Immortal Ark was located. Evidently, the ones who opened this secret world were a group of Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, and they were currently fighting over the numerous treasures within, including the World-Crossing Immortal Ark.]

[The Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs exchanged glances with one another but did not immediately intervene. After all, the World-Crossing Immortal Ark hadn't fallen into the hands of any Nascent Soul Stage cultivator yet. They could afford to observe a while longer.]

[The Nascent Soul Stage cultivators participating in the struggle came from various factions. If a junior from their own lineage seized the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, it would save them the trouble of being the first to strike.]

[At the same time, the Heavenly Monarchs had already set out, closing in on that secret world.]

[Suddenly.]

[An unprecedented sword light slashed out from within that secret world, nearly cleaving it in two. The Late Nascent Soul Stage Grand Cultivators fighting for it frantically retreated.]

[A figure with a dark and gloomy aura snatched the World-Crossing Immortal Ark.]

["This sword light?"]

["Is it the Sword Lord? Did a junior of the Sword Lord participate as well?"]

[The numerous Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs who were observing, itching for action, or had even already arrived, instantly calmed down.]

[Under normal circumstances, no matter which Nascent Soul Stage junior seized the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, they wouldn't be able to leave that secret world smoothly. Heavenly Monarchs would definitely intervene personally to stop them, even if it were a Nascent Soul Stage true monarch from the Dharma and Body Lineages.]

[The Dharma and Body Lineages were indeed very strong, boasting Deity Transformation Late Stage Heavenly Monarchs holding down the fort. However, those two Deity Transformation Late Stage Heavenly Monarchs were currently pinned down by countless demonic creatures and could not tear themselves away.]

[Only your existence made all the Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarchs in the Human Realm afraid to make a move.]

[There were currently four two-realm passages in the Human Realm. At three of these passages, a massive number of demonic creatures and even demon monarchs descended at every moment to battle the Human Realm's Heavenly Monarchs. Only the passage you guarded remained completely empty day in and day out, without a single demonic creature or demon monarch entering at all.]

[What did this mean?]

[Every Heavenly Monarch in the Human Realm shuddered with fear.]

[After he seized the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, his instincts as an Earth Vein Spirit detected terrifying divine senses sweeping back and forth across his body. Yet, seeing that they made no move, he immediately fled madly toward the Soul Capital.]

[Along the way, he sensed several suffocating gazes faintly originating from the Western Desert and the Northern Plains. In the end, for some unknown reason, they withdrew their prying eyes, making his scalp go numb.]

[As an Earth Vein Spirit who had yet to step into Rank 5, facing a Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch was still no different from being an ant.]

[Furthermore, those last two prying gazes originating from the Western Desert and the Northern Plains carried a far greater sense of oppression than the divine senses of the other Heavenly Monarchs. They were suspected to be those two Deity Transformation Late Stage Heavenly Monarchs.]

[His legs nearly gave out, almost causing him to fall from the sky.]

["Master, Master."]

[He entered the Soul Capital in a panic. Only when he finally arrived before you did he heave a heavy sigh of relief.]

["You have quite good fortune."]

[You looked at him with interest. Dozens of Late Nascent Soul Stage Grand Cultivators from various factions had gathered in that secret world, including quite a few from the Dharma and Body Lineages. Every single late-stage Grand Cultivator could be called a child of destiny who had never lacked opportunities since childhood. Yet, in the end, the most precious World-Crossing Immortal Ark had fallen into his hands.]

[Of course, you also knew that his greatest providence was you.]

[If not for you, he wouldn't have been able to slash out that sword light. The strike that nearly cleaved the secret world in half came from one of the three strands of sword qi you had bestowed upon him.]

[Moreover, even if he possessed heaven-defying providence and had luckily obtained the World-Crossing Immortal Ark without relying on your sword light, it would have still been impossible for him to leave that secret world alive.]

[Before he obtained the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, several Heavenly Monarchs had already arrived. If it weren't for that sword light—if it weren't for you—those Heavenly Monarchs would have inevitably struck him directly.]

[Deity Transformation experts personally intervening? It sounded disgraceful, but when it involved a treasure as precious as the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, so what if it was?]

["Master, this is for you."]

[He immediately handed over a Storage Pendant.]

[At this moment, he also realized why he had been able to survive under those suffocating gazes. It was entirely because of your deterrence.]

[With a slight shift of your thoughts, the Storage Pendant appeared before you. You then appraised it using your talent, "Foreseeing Good and Bad Fortune".]

[Only after confirming there were no issues did you extend your divine sense and refine the Storage Pendant.]

['The World-Crossing Immortal Ark...']

[You saw an immortal ark within the Storage Pendant that was fully a hundred miles in size. 'Many parts are damaged?']

[You observed it for a moment and shook your head slightly.]

[From the looks of it, this World-Crossing Immortal Ark was severely damaged. Let alone taking cultivators away from the Human Realm, whether it could even operate was a problem.]

['Hmm?']

['The mustard-seed world inside seems to have the essence of an inner world...']

[Your divine sense pierced through the interior of the immortal ark, and your spirit faintly jolted.]

["Use these resources for yourself."]

[You returned the pendant to him, keeping only the World-Crossing Immortal Ark.]

["Thank you, Master."]

[He felt incredibly excited. He didn't have the slightest interest in the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, and besides, a treasure like that would be of no use to him even if he kept it.]

[Aside from the World-Crossing Immortal Ark, the numerous other resources were actually of much greater help to him.]

[In the four hundredth year, you were 400 years old.]

[The spirit You smoothly passed the Three Trials of Deity Transformation and stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage.]

[After stepping into the Deity Transformation Stage, he immediately and respectfully paid you a visit.]

[He asked what he should do next.]

[You sent him away, having him head to the other three two-realm passages to exert some effort in blocking the Demon Abyss race.]

[In the four hundred and fiftieth year, you were 450 years old.]

[The fifth two-realm passage was torn open in the Deep Sea Territory.]

[Cultivators were scarce in the Deep Sea Territory. It took the numerous Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs a full several hundred breaths of time to arrive.]

[Fortunately, there were no important locations in the Deep Sea Territory. Even if it suffered the ravages of the demon race, the impact wouldn't be very large.]

[Ultimately, only after the numerous Heavenly Monarchs joined forces and paid a heavy price in foundational resources did they barely manage to force the countless demonic creatures and demon monarchs of the Demon Abyss Realm back.]

[In the five hundredth year, you were 500 years old.]

[You finally comprehended the first kind of Sword Dao inner world prototype.]

[In the Soul Capital, you sat cross-legged. Strands of sword qi intertwined before you, faintly forming a stable inner world prototype.]

['No, this inner world prototype is too heavy. It doesn't align with my Sword Dao.']

[You closed your eyes and pondered for several months, then decisively dispersed this Sword Dao inner world prototype and continued comprehending other Sword Dao inner world prototypes.]

[For any cultivator with aspirations for the Void Return Stage, the inner world prototype was of utmost importance. It determined the direction they would take after stepping into the Void Return Stage in the future.]

[In the six hundredth year, you were 600 years old.]

[Over these past hundred years, you successively comprehended thirty-three types of Sword Dao inner world prototypes. In the end, however, you abandoned all of them because they failed to meet your requirements.]

[Whoosh—]

[You raised your right hand. Between your five fingers, strands of sword qi crisscrossed and intertwined as Sword Dao worlds continuously underwent birth and destruction.]

['Just a little bit more.']

[You withdrew your right hand.]

['Eh?']

[Suddenly, your expression shifted slightly as you looked outside.]