Bloodblade Divine Emperor, Qing Jun, Yuanchu Master, Pang Yi, and others gazed at the dazzling figure radiating light in the starry sky, their hearts filled with countless emotions. With their power, they had long heard of this legend—’the Dharma Robe adorning the body, boundless radiance, all living beings able to witness that luminous figure’—yet it remained just that, a legend. None had ever seen it.
Until today.
Each of them had cultivated for countless years, yet all remained stuck at the second level of the Heart Realm, unable to cross into the third.
To achieve the first level of the Heart Realm, ‘Heart Like Glass,’ one must be ‘free of confusion, worry, and fear, with a serene and empty mind, moving forward unwaveringly, thoughts unified.’ This is the most basic requirement for any meaningful attainment in the profound mysteries of the Dao.
When the will is as sharp as a blade, cleaving through all obstacles, no one on the path of cultivation can sway it! Reaching this second level grants the potential to become a supreme powerhouse. Even some who follow paths with lesser demands on the heart, such as the Devouring Path, might remain at this second level—some even among the Chaos Realm overlords.
The third level of the Heart Realm: ‘My Heart as the Heart of Heaven.’
Upon comprehending this step…
For various reasons, figures like the Demon Ancestor, who revered strength above all and even constructed the Abyss of Darkness, where countless demons slaughtered one another… even beings like him reached the third level of the Heart Realm.
Or the Voidwalker ‘Gu Qi,’ who refused to be bound, roaming freely and unrestrained—he too attained the third level.
And Dongbo Xueying, who sought to shoulder the heavens themselves, sheltering all living beings, also broke through.
“This feeling…” Dongbo Xueying observed the Dharma Robe manifesting on his body and the light radiating from him. With a thought, he withdrew the radiance entirely, and the robe vanished into thin air.
Turning his gaze inward, he examined his soul.
Now, his soul shone brilliantly, illuminating his entire sea of consciousness. Cloaked in a layer of the Dharma Robe, the power of his soul had vastly increased, and even the ‘will’ it contained had grown incomparably stronger.
To be precise.
Before this, Dongbo Xueying’s realm had already been high—a Unity Realm expert, with profound mastery in three Daos, including the Void Path, and reaching the 40th level of the Voidwalker lineage. His soul’s strength was among the absolute pinnacle of the Unity Realm. Yet, because his Heart Realm had not broken through, the will his soul could unleash was not sufficiently condensed, and its power fell short.
Now, with the transformation of his Heart Realm, though his comprehension of the Dao and the Voidwalker lineage had not deepened, his soul had shifted from a ‘loose’ state to a ‘condensed’ one. His will had solidified, its power surging. Even his mental strength had greatly amplified.
The efficiency of his thoughts and deductions of profound mysteries skyrocketed, as if he were constantly consuming cultivation-enhancing treasures.
“Jingqiu.” Dongbo Xueying looked down, meeting the gaze of his wife, Yu Jingqiu, who was looking up at him.
With a single step—
Whoosh.
He descended beside her. By then, Dongbo Yu and Dongbo Qingyao had already rushed over. “Father! Father! Did you just reach the legendary third level of the Heart Realm?”
“Brother Dongbo!”
“Xueying!”
Within the Divine Emperor’s residence, figures like Chi Qiu Bai, Huo Chen the Venerable, and the Crimson Fire Patriarch arrived, unable to conceal their shock. Even Bloodblade Divine Emperor himself was deeply astonished. The Divine Emperor spoke directly, “Xueying, how did you break through in the Heart Realm? Are there any secrets?” At his words, the others fell silent, not daring to interrupt.
Bloodblade Divine Emperor was genuinely puzzled—he himself had yet to achieve such a breakthrough.
“How did I break through?” Dongbo Xueying paused. “It was primarily a shift in my perception. I saw the weak perish under the whims of the strong, even entire populations slaughtered because of a powerful being’s wrath. No matter how mighty these figures are, they too once began as the weak. If the strong only seek to preserve themselves or slaughter indiscriminately, coupled with the existence of devouring cultivators, what hope do the weak have to survive?”
“…”
Dongbo Xueying explained his thoughts in detail to his master.
Bloodblade Divine Emperor frowned as he listened. He understood the words, yet they stirred nothing within him. In his view, the heavens would collapse on the tallest first. In the past, as the strongest in the universe, when the Mother Goddess Sect invaded, he fought to prevent the universe’s transformation and his people’s annihilation—because retreat was not an option.
But to shelter the weak? Bloodblade Divine Emperor questioned himself. He was merely an ordinary Void God. Above him were the Unity Realm, the Chaos Realm, and even the legendary Ultimate Beings.
If the heavens fell, it wouldn’t be his burden to bear.
Occasionally, he might feel pity, but if cultivation progress required the deaths of countless weak lives, he wouldn’t hesitate. So long as his people survived, what did it matter if some perished?
“Ah…” Seeing his master’s reaction, Dongbo Xueying said, “Master, I’ve read many texts in the Taixu Temple. The elevation of the Heart Realm requires personal enlightenment. No amount of words from others will help.”
“Mm.” Bloodblade Divine Emperor nodded.
He too believed there were many paths to elevating the Heart Realm. If even the Demon Ancestor could reach the third level, surely he had hope as well.
“Xueying, don’t throw your life away for the weak. It’s exhausting, and you might perish for it,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor advised. “A cultivator must be cautious, avoiding danger whenever possible.”
Dongbo Xueying smiled and nodded. “Master, I understand. Those with greater strength bear greater burdens. Those with less bear less. To blindly throw one’s life away is to fail even in protecting oneself, let alone others.”
…
Breakthroughs of the heart cannot be taught.
Telling someone to be ‘free of confusion, worry, and fear, with a serene and empty mind, moving forward unwaveringly, thoughts unified’—does that mean they can easily reach the first level of the Heart Realm, ‘Heart Like Glass’?
Ultimately, one must experience life, be moved deeply, and undergo a fundamental shift in their perception of the world.
If it contradicts one’s innate nature, it is useless. For if it contradicts, the mind cannot maintain ‘unified thoughts’—not even reaching the first level of cultivation. The heart will instinctively reject it.
Thus, words are meaningless.
The texts in the Taixu Temple contain no descriptions, leaving cultivators to find enlightenment on their own.
…
A day later, after receiving many fellow cultivators, Dongbo Xueying finally stepped into the ‘Chaos Void’ beyond the universe. Over the past day, many visitors had come seeking guidance. At first, Dongbo Xueying offered explanations, but he soon realized it was futile. Too many words might even sow confusion, risking the collapse of their Heart Realms—a disaster.
So he stopped, simply stating, ‘Enlightenment must come from within.’
“Now…”
Standing in the boundless Chaos Void, the white-robed Dongbo Xueying murmured, “It’s time to test how much my strength has truly improved.”
Since his Heart Realm breakthrough, he hadn’t had the chance to practice his techniques. The universe’s internal environment was fragile, suited for mortals and lesser cultivators. The stronger one was, the greater the impact on the universe. At the Void God level, one’s presence could harm the universe, hastening the end of its epoch.
Dongbo Xueying’s current strength had reached the threshold of the Chaos Realm. Even if he carefully contained his power, practicing combat techniques would inevitably damage the universe.
“Multi-Layered Dark World.”
With a thought, he activated this self-created, simplified secret art.
Whoosh—
In the distance, a layered Dark World materialized, its membranes numbering six hundred layers! As this construct descended from the illusory into reality, it voraciously devoured the surrounding energy, churning the Chaos Void into turbulent waves. Then, with a thunderous explosion, all six hundred layers collapsed simultaneously, their combined power shocking even Dongbo Xueying. “This rivals the might of the Black Gourd’s fireballs!” Strictly speaking, the enhancement of his mental strength had elevated his combat power to the threshold of the sixth level of the Star Tower.
Previously, he could only manifest one hundred and twenty layers.
Now, with his Heart Realm breakthrough and the surge in mental strength, he could unleash six hundred—exactly fivefold. No more, no less. A curious coincidence.
“And now… Heaven’s Wrath Blade.”
Dongbo Xueying focused, carefully preparing. Long ago, during his seclusion in the Taixu Temple, his prodigious talent in the Void Path had allowed him to fully comprehend the mysteries of the Dark World’s second form, ‘Heaven’s Wrath Blade.’ Yet, until now, he had never been able to execute it. After studying the countless texts of Emperor Jiuyun, he had tentatively concluded the issue lay with his Heart Realm.
Though he was seventy to eighty percent certain, only testing would confirm it.
“Manifest.” With a thought, he attempted the technique.
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