The white-haired elder widened his eyes, scrutinizing intently. Though not a true living being, his experience following the Ancestor had granted him extraordinary insight. He estimated that the scene before him likely signified the attainment of the ‘Creation Realm.’
“From the Realm of the World Deity, straight to the Creation Realm?” The white-haired elder found it hard to believe. “This young one who entered this time—his comprehension is actually this profound?”
Under normal circumstances, breakthroughs would proceed from the Realm of the World Deity to the ‘Heaven and Earth Realm,’ mastering the complete laws of heaven and earth. Only after prolonged cultivation could one break free from the ‘prison of heaven and earth,’ forging their own path and transcending the laws of heaven and earth.
Yet this Fourth Heaven World Deity, without fully grasping the complete laws, had directly carved out a path beyond the rules of heaven and earth! The difficulty of this was immense—beyond measure.
Even in an entire cosmic epoch, those capable of such a feat could be counted on one hand!
Before Dongbo Xueying… in their current cosmic epoch, only the Longshan Pavilion Master had achieved this, illustrating just how rare it was. Of course, this didn’t mean that figures like the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, the Spacetime Island Master, the Primordial Origin Master, or Pang Yi were any less gifted in comprehension than the Longshan Pavilion Master. It simply meant they had taken the more conventional path—first transcending, then forging their own way.
Had Dongbo Xueying not come to the Primordial Land, had he not witnessed the ‘illusory world’ left behind by the Ancestor defending the three thatched huts, gaining profound insights, he might have also first transcended, accumulating experience over time before eventually forging his own path and becoming a Venerable.
But in cultivation, there are no “what ifs.”
Once enlightenment is attained, life ascends to a new level—there is no turning back.
“Is this how the Venerables feel?” Dongbo Xueying smiled.
It was exquisite.
His body seemed both illusory and real. If an enemy were to attack him, they wouldn’t even be able to touch him! His body was as if it existed in a dream.
This was the realm.
Take that strongest World Deity at the peak—his power and speed surpassed even the White Monarch’s ferocity. Yet if he were to face Dongbo Xueying now, even standing right before him, he wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on Dongbo Xueying.
Once a breakthrough in realm occurs, the gap between individuals becomes vast beyond measure.
“The path I’ve comprehended… is it the Path of the Illusory World?” Dongbo Xueying mused silently.
The Path of the Illusory World.
Transcending the laws of heaven and earth! A vast illusory world, one that could even encompass entire real worlds. Dongbo Xueying could attack his foes, but they could not strike him within his illusory domain.
“My master is hailed as the greatest assassin across the Divine Realm and the Abyss not just because of his formidable combat prowess, but primarily due to his mastery of the Shadow Path—the art of silent infiltration,” Dongbo Xueying reflected. “The path I’ve forged now shares a similar effect.”
“Yet this Path of the Illusory World offers almost no offensive power,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head inwardly.
The Path of the Illusory World constructs an ‘illusory world.’
This illusory world exists independently of the real world, making it miraculous in nature. But it offers no enhancement to offensive might.
Gains come with losses.
Take the Longshan Pavilion Master’s ‘Path of Annihilating Thunder’—his body could transform into lightning, granting him unparalleled speed, terrifying offensive power, and decent physical defense. Yet it was merely ‘decent,’ lacking in survival capabilities! In fact, his survivability was even inferior to the weakest ‘Sage Ye,’ which was why the Longshan Pavilion Master had to pledge allegiance to a Paramount.
The same went for Fiendlord Huocheng—his survival abilities were lacking.
Those who stood truly independent, unaffiliated with any Paramount, even daring to provoke them—figures like Qing Jun, the Nirvana Emperor, the Water Demon King, and the White Monarch—all possessed extraordinary survival techniques, making them nearly impossible for a Paramount to kill.
“In terms of survival-oriented ‘Paths,’ my master and I are likely among the very best,” Dongbo Xueying smiled faintly. Though the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, aside from the Shadow Path, also wielded the Path of Annihilation and the Path of the Bloodblade—making him terrifyingly powerful.
“But I’ve only just forged my path—it’s still immature.” Thanks to the detailed intelligence on the cosmos’s many powerhouses provided by his master, Dongbo Xueying could assess himself accurately. Forging the ‘Path of the Illusory World’ left him quite satisfied… If Venerables were given the choice, most would opt for such an extreme survival-oriented path.
Survival first—offensive methods could always be supplemented later.
“Whoosh.”
Dongbo Xueying stood still.
Around him, an expanse of illusion expanded outward in all directions. Influenced by the illusory world, the ‘illusory world’ he had forged himself extended only a hundred meters before being suppressed by the illusory world left behind by the Ancestor.
“This is the world I’ve forged—my own power.” Dongbo Xueying stood firm as his illusory world encroached upon the surroundings.
“It feels truly wondrous.”
Dongbo Xueying smiled.
“Why did my master warn me not to chase power too eagerly, fearing I might forge my path prematurely?” Dongbo Xueying frowned slightly. “The only issue with forging a path early is the challenge of transcending.”
“Young one, have you reached the Creation Realm?” The white-haired elder, noticing Dongbo Xueying’s frown, spoke up.
Dongbo Xueying snapped out of his thoughts and replied, “My apologies for keeping you waiting so long, Elder.”
“Hahaha, my lifespan is infinite—waiting longer means nothing,” the white-haired elder laughed. “But I asked you a question—have you reached the Creation Realm?”
“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
“To leap straight from the Realm of the World Deity to the Creation Realm…” The white-haired elder praised. “By the way, how long have you been cultivating?”
“Over a million years, counting time acceleration—several million, I suppose,” Dongbo Xueying answered.
The white-haired elder was visibly surprised. “To reach the Creation Realm in such a short time… Impressive. Truly remarkable.”
Dongbo Xueying chuckled, then sighed. “I am pleased, but there’s one concern—forging my path now makes transcending far more difficult.”
“Become a Paramount, and you’ll transcend,” the white-haired elder said.
“Becoming a Paramount is too difficult!” Dongbo Xueying worried.
“Difficult? You reached the Creation Realm in a mere million years—do you lack confidence in becoming a Paramount?” The white-haired elder retorted. “By forging your path, your True Divinity Heart is stronger than even a True God’s! You can live until the end of this cosmic epoch. Do you truly believe you won’t become a Paramount by then?”
Dongbo Xueying understood this well.
The True Divinity Heart, infused with the laws of the cosmos, grows stronger the more profound the ‘Path’ one comprehends.
This was why the Longshan Pavilion Master could live to this day and continue surviving. Many weaker World Deities mistakenly believed his longevity and power stemmed from some miraculous technique. In hindsight, it was laughable—most World Deities simply clung too desperately to the hope of extending their lifespans.
“How much longer until this cosmic epoch ends?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“Plenty of time. We’re only a fraction of the way through,” the white-haired elder replied. “Though the length of a cosmic epoch is never fixed. If this cosmos suffers severe damage, it could end sooner.”
“Understood.” As a Material World Lord, Dongbo Xueying grasped this principle.
Just as mortals have varying lifespans, so too do mortal worlds endure for different lengths of time.
A cosmic epoch is no different—well-maintained and undamaged, it can last far longer.
“You’ve only cultivated for a million years and already reached the Creation Realm. What are you afraid of? You have all the time in the world,” the white-haired elder said. “As long as you become a Paramount before the epoch ends, you’ll transcend.”
“And if I don’t become a Paramount?” Dongbo Xueying pressed.
“Once the cosmic epoch ends, the River of Time will annihilate all life still trapped within it. If you remain, you’ll perish with it,” the white-haired elder stated.
“Those who transcend… won’t be destroyed?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“Enough.” The white-haired elder’s expression darkened abruptly, his mood turning somber. “No more questions.”
Dongbo Xueying was taken aback.
Since arriving at the Primordial Land, the white-haired elder had been amiable. Yet the moment Dongbo Xueying inquired about the fate of those who transcended at the epoch’s end, the elder grew visibly upset.
This stirred many thoughts in Dongbo Xueying’s mind.
Still, this conversation had eased his worries somewhat.
Indeed.
If he could forge his path in just a million years, how could he possibly fail to become a Paramount before the epoch’s end? If he did, he’d have no one to blame but himself.
“Let’s go.” The white-haired elder resumed walking forward.
Dongbo Xueying hurried to follow.
This time, they moved swiftly, traversing the distance at great speed. Sensing the elder’s foul mood, Dongbo Xueying refrained from further studying the ‘illusory world.’ He could always return to contemplate it after retrieving the treasures from the thatched hut.
“We’re here.” The white-haired elder halted.
Dongbo Xueying and the elder stood before a thatched hut.
“Have you decided?” the white-haired elder asked. “Whether it’s cultivation techniques from other universes, secret arts, weapons, or anything else you can imagine—you may choose only one.”
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