The Imperial Capital of Great Gan.
A man stood whose intent burned like the scorching sun, his eyes blazing like fire. The air around him rippled in continuous waves beneath the tremors of his emotions.
"Yin Fenghai has grown stronger once again..."
The paper slip in his hand was reduced to flying ash by a burst of flame. Admiration showed in his eyes. "And Huang Tian—to think our Martial Restraint Guard could produce such an exceptional seed. Able to contend with a Celestial Being at Rank Two. When he steps into the Celestial Being Realm... I truly look forward to it."
***
In the State of Lan, at the Demonic Cult's holy altar.
A man draped in a large purple cloak murmured, "After merely two months of secluded cultivation, Gan has already produced a talent of such peerless brilliance? Even the Xiahou brothers were slain by him..."
***
In the State of Mi, inside a Buddhist monastery.
An old monk sat cross-legged, as steady as a bell, his face resembling a full moon and his body emitting a lustrous, white-jade radiance. Before the hundreds of monks gathered in front of him, he softly chanted, "Amitabha."
***
In the State of Yu, inside a small teahouse.
Several tea patrons looked at the storyteller seated behind the desk and teased, "Old Taoist, why aren't you cultivating instead of turning to storytelling?"
The old Taoist had grizzled hair tied with a wooden hairpin, a face etched with wrinkles, and a gray Taoist robe washed pale. He smiled amiably. "A man has to earn a bite to eat. Storytelling isn't a bad trade either."
"Then what are you going to talk about? You aren't going to preach Taoist scriptures to us, are you? We don't care to hear that sort of thing."
The old Taoist chuckled cheerfully. "I won't preach scriptures. Even if the true scriptures are spoken, those without an ear to hear would hardly grasp the true meaning. Today, this old Taoist will tell you all about the fresh novelties that recently transpired in the State of Gan..."
***
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Over the course of this month, Kunyun settled into almost total tranquility. The vast majority of martial artists who had flocked here in pursuit of the Void Realm divine armament departed entirely, leaving only a small handful in the commandery city, eager to catch a glimpse of that legendary Qin Province Commander who had fought a Celestial Being at Rank Two.
Unfortunately for them.
Ever since obtaining the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler, Huang Tian entered the mental world manifested by the ruler spirit's divine intent every day to clash with it. When exhausted, he would emerge to rest and recuperate his spirit, and then enter once more, continuously tempering his divine intent and drawing comprehension of Water-element maneuvers from that vast, boundless sea.
A whole month slipped by, yet he never took a single step out of Qinghui Garden, stirring the curiosity of countless outsiders.
On the third floor of a tavern in the commandery city, Xie Zheng and Long Zhang, who had hurried over from Funing County, sat facing each other.
Ordering two jugs of wine and a few small dishes, the two men sipped their wine while listening to the conversations of the Jianghu martial artists at the surrounding tables.
"Do you suppose Commander Huang Tian gained some profound enlightenment from the divine armament, and that's why he hasn't shown his face?"
"Who knows? As for Void Realm divine armaments, no one has ever touched one, and we've never seen one either."
"Heh, compared to the divine armament, I'm far more interested in Huang Tian himself. Since ancient times, there seems never to have been a precedent of a Rank Three martial artist comprehending divine intent. Of course, none of us know about the five ancient Void Realm experts, but in the recorded histories since their era, there shouldn't be any mention of such a feat."
"That is indeed true. A talent and comprehension of such astonishing caliber is unprecedented since time immemorial. I heard that even Yin Fenghai acknowledged inferiority."
"No need to say 'heard'—it's the plain truth. On the day they fought for the divine armament, Yin Fenghai stated with his own mouth that neither he nor Wan Shenyang possessed aptitude or comprehension surpassing Huang Tian's."
"Speaking of which, Huang Tian can already battle a Celestial Being right now. If he breaks through to Rank One, what then? And if he steps into the Celestial Being Realm, will he sweep across the realm and repeat Yin Fenghai's legend?"
"Hard to say. Rumor has it that Yin Fenghai is merely a single step away from the Void Realm, and his strength far exceeds that of any other Celestial Being expert in the world. As for Huang Tian, even if he breaks through to Celestial Being, he would likely still struggle to match him. He'd probably have to polish himself in the Celestial Being Realm for years or even a decade or two before the two could stand as equals."
Listening to the remarks of these Jianghu figures, Xie Zheng downed a cup of wine and clicked his tongue in wonder. "Back when I met Brother Huang in Funing, I truly never imagined this day would come. His speed of advancement is simply far, far too fast!
"Some prodigies make rapid breakthroughs through the lower three ranks, only to stall upon reaching the middle three ranks. Stronger talents might smoothly achieve Rank Three Grandmaster, but run out of steam afterward.
"Brother Huang is the only one who can advance by leaps and bounds even in the upper three ranks, and confront Celestial Beings while remaining at Rank Two..."
Long Zhang shook his head. "Having exceptional comprehension is wonderful indeed. Cultivating bears almost no bottlenecks, and one can even comprehend divine intent ahead of time. Ah, I truly envy Brother Huang's comprehension!"
Xie Zheng let out a hearty laugh. "Brother Long, everyone envies it. Yet such a gift is ordained by Heaven; human effort can hardly alter it."
"By the way, Brother Xie, do you suppose Brother Huang intends to become an armament master?"
"Well, haven't the words Yin Fenghai spoke that day long since spread? Unless one abandons one's own path and wholesale accepts the path of that ancient Void Realm expert, becoming an armament master is utterly impossible.
"And even if one does give it up, whether the divine armament would acknowledge him as master remains uncertain. Furthermore, the way I see it, what kind of extraordinary genius is Brother Huang? How could he ever admit his own path is a dead end?
"To top-tier experts like him and Yin Fenghai, the Void Realm may be weighty, but one's own path is far more precious!"
Upon hearing this, Long Zhang fell silent for a moment before sighing. "If it were me, I couldn't resist the temptation of the Void Realm in the slightest. My state of mind is still far too lacking."
Xie Zheng offered consoling words. "If you couldn't resist it, Brother Long, could I? That is the Void Realm! Throughout all of history, only five Void Realm experts have ever existed under Heaven. Whoever becomes the first Void Realm expert in this current generation will undeniably be the number one person in the world!"
For martial artists, did an entire lifetime not simply come down to chasing renown and living a glorious, magnificent life?
Who wouldn't want to become first under Heaven and taste the heights where it was lonesome and cold?
"Besides, though you and I possess some talent, achieving the Celestial Being Realm in this lifetime would already be a stroke of immense fortune. The Void Realm is far, far too distant for us.
"To put it bluntly, our paths aren't even worth mentioning compared to those of Yin Fenghai and Brother Huang. If I had the chance to attain the Void Realm, I would certainly abandon my own path to follow another's."
The two exchanged a look, sighing with deep emotion.
Both hailed from prestigious sects and renowned clans, and had always possessed their share of pride and conceit. Yet pride depended on whom one was facing. Confronting ordinary martial artists, they naturally had the right to look down from above. But when facing once-in-a-millennium or once-in-ten-thousand-years geniuses, that sliver of pride vanished completely, leaving them with an even deeper sense of frustration than common folk.
Drinking two more cups of wine, both felt somewhat tipsy. Truly, wine did not intoxicate men; men intoxicated themselves.
"Brother Wu, the Celestial Being Ranking has been updated!"
Suddenly, a burly man in tight-fitting martial attire dashed up the wooden stairs to the third floor, waving a scroll in his hand as he rushed over to a table and spoke to a blue-robed young man.
"The Celestial Being Ranking?!"
Every patron on the third floor turned in astonishment. Xie Zheng and Long Zhang were no exception; their spirits jolted, and their drunkenness dissipated significantly.
The blue-robed youth addressed as Brother Wu said in surprise, "Are you sure? The Celestial Being Ranking hasn't shifted in over a decade!"
The burly man spread open the scroll. "See for yourself!"
Brother Wu looked down and took a quick scan, immediately drawing in a sharp breath. "No wonder! No wonder!"
"No wonder what?" A patron could not contain his curiosity, standing up and cupping his hands toward Brother Wu. "Could you two brothers share how the Celestial Being Ranking has changed?"
"Yes, indeed! We can't buy a copy of the ranking anytime soon. Please do tell us!" another person chimed in.
Brother Wu politely returned the courtesy. "Then allow me to explain it to everyone. In truth, even without me saying it, you could all probably guess who has newly entered the ranking."
At these words, everyone pondered for a few breaths before someone tentatively ventured, "Could it be... Huang Tian?"
"Precisely!"
Brother Wu nodded. "It is indeed Huang Tian!"
A chorus of sharp intakes of breath immediately erupted across the third floor.
"He is only at Rank Two, yet he's already made the Celestial Being Ranking..."
"Incredible, yet entirely within reason."
"Brother, which rank did he take?"
"Don't rush, I shall read it through for you all." Brother Wu picked up the ranking scroll and unhurriedly recited the contents regarding Huang Tian.
"Celestial Being Ranking, Twenty-Ninth: Huang Tian."
"Native of Kunyun Commandery, Qin Province, fourth son of Huang Xunjiu, master of the commandery city's Huang family..."
"...Broke through three ranks within a month to enter Rank Seven directly, reached Rank Four in three months, and achieved Rank Two in little more than two months."
"Forged divine intent while at Rank Three; newly stepped into Rank Two, he engaged in battle against a strand of Yin Fenghai's divine intent and emerged entirely unscathed."
"Appraisal: The individual with the highest natural talent and comprehension in ten thousand years since the five great Void Realm experts. Celestial Beings are unworthy of mention."
*Celestial Beings are unworthy of mention!*
The weight of this appraisal was so crushing that it nearly left everyone breathless.
For the countless tens of millions of martial artists across the world, almost every person's ultimate dream was to achieve the Celestial Being Realm—no, to merely become a Grandmaster!
Yet to Huang Tian, Celestial Beings were unworthy of mention!
Everyone held their breath. Only after a good while did someone manage to speak.
"To comprehend divine intent at Rank Three... Celestial Beings truly aren't much to him."
"Do you think it's possible for him to become this era's first Void Realm expert?"
"Doubtful. The Void Realm is far too ethereal. Figures like Yin Fenghai and Wan Shenyang haven't been able to penetrate it despite decades of searching. Though his comprehension is higher, it remains tremendously difficult."
"On the contrary, the various armament masters, relying on their divine armaments, are more likely to break through to the Void Realm."
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Xie Zheng sighed with feeling. "Brother Huang was actually placed at twenty-ninth on the Celestial Being Ranking? Truly astounding."
The Celestial Being Ranking recorded thirty names, but that did not mean there were only thirty Celestial Being experts in the world. According to estimates, the five nations held a total of forty-one Celestial Beings; counting Huang Tian, who possessed Celestial Being combat power, there were forty-two.
The reason it recorded only thirty was that it had been compiled this way for several millennia. If there were fewer Celestial Beings, all were listed; if there were more, the weakest were kicked off.
For Huang Tian to rank twenty-ninth among the forty-two contemporary experts was indeed astonishing. After all, he was merely at Rank Two.
Long Zhang nodded. Just as he was about to speak, his expression shifted drastically, and he whipped his head toward the window. Xie Zheng also sprang to his feet, staring toward the eastern horizon in shock and suspicion. "Over there... isn't that where Qinghui Garden is located?"
Several hundred zhang above Qinghui Garden, an illusory stream abruptly materialized, water murmuring and tinkling crisply.
In the next second, as though countless streams of water were converging, the stream began to swell, growing ever more magnificent and vast. Waves surged, pushing one another in layer upon layer.
At times it resembled tens of thousands of roaring water dragons; at times it resembled a water wall eclipsing a corner of the sky, surging forward grandly, transforming into vast rivers, and merging into a tempestuous ocean!
A sea suspended in the heavens!
Within that ocean, billows rolled and churned, forming a colossal vortex. The dark, abyssal eye of the vortex whirled madly, exuding a terrifying suction as if it would swallow even light itself!
"What... what is that thing?!"
In the front courtyard of Qinghui Garden, Wei Shen looked up at the celestial phenomenon, utterly dumbfounded.
Truth be told, his past month had been remarkably relaxed. Although Huang Tian had taken the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler, it had also implicitly shielded him.
No one dared cause trouble for him anymore, nor did anyone come to kill him and seize the treasure. Every night he slept soundly, no longer plagued by bizarre nightmares.
Each day he simply ate, drank, and cultivated step by step. Even though without the divine armament his cultivation speed had slowed to a snail's pace—making it difficult to accept at first—as time went on, it gave him a grounded, steadfast feeling.
He had thought these carefree days would continue for quite some time, but upon seeing the phenomenon hanging overhead, an intense premonition surged in his heart: *The moment that decides my life and death is about to arrive!*
*Rumble, crash—*
Countless billions of waves churned, crashing against one another and producing a rolling roar that reverberated through the vast sky. The seawater turned increasingly profound, faintly exuding an aura that swallowed and brought an end to all things...
"Water-element, Guixu Heaven—accomplished!"
Inside the room of the main courtyard, a satisfied smile curved on Huang Tian's lips.
A month of seclusion—or more accurately, a month of "trading blows" with the ruler spirit of the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler in the mental world—had finally birthed Guixu Heaven. The harvest was substantial.
*Let me go in and take another look.*
With this thought, his divine intent spread outward, touching the dark iron-black heavy ruler beside him.
*Whoosh—*
A familiar sense of dizziness washed over him, and once again, he found himself hovering with hands behind his back high in the heavens.
*Boom!!*
Without any idle words or hesitation, the ruler spirit immediately raised a monstrous tsunami, crashing down to drown him.
Huang Tian chuckled softly. "Why aren't you even going through the motions?"
After smiling, he raised a hand and beckoned. This time, what manifested in the sky was not the elixir furnace of days past that incinerated all creation, but a vast, boundless ocean of abyssal blue.
Above his head was a sea suspended in the heavens.
Beneath his feet were roaring, surging billows.
Before the two could even collide, the roaring waves rushing beneath him came to an abrupt standstill.
In the void, a faint sound tinged with both astonishment and pleasant surprise rang out.
The next instant, an iron-black heavy ruler shimmering with spiritual brilliance materialized before Huang Tian.
"Mas... ter— Master—"
Huang Tian raised a brow. He extended his hand, and the heavy ruler flew directly into his grasp, a surging torrent of information pouring into his mind.
*If I am willing to become the armament master, I can inherit all the cultivation experience of the divine armament's creator—that Void Realm expert. At the same time, with the ruler spirit's guidance, I can effortlessly attain the pinnacle of Celestial Being, and after cultivating for a few more years, I might find the spiritual opportunity to step into the Void Realm?*
*The premise is that I must disperse all previously condensed divine intent, and exclusively walk the single path of Water henceforth, never to change it?*
After a moment's thought, Huang Tian asked out of curiosity, "Is it unacceptable if I don't disperse the other divine intent?"
"N-No."
*What a rigid ruler spirit.*
Huang Tian was somewhat speechless. If the goal was to find a successor, naturally the higher the talent, the better. Yet this ruler spirit was stubborn, or rather exceedingly rigid, insisting that the armament master follow the predecessor's path without straying a single step.
*No, it's probably not rigidity. Rather, only by following in exact footsteps does the ruler spirit have the greatest certainty of guiding the armament master to the Void Realm.*
*If I condense the Five Elements cyclical divine intent, the ruler spirit won't be able to instruct or guide me at all, and stepping into the Void Realm would rely entirely on myself. No wonder it refuses. Its mission is to nurture a new Void Realm expert, so it cannot tolerate the slightest deviation.*
Having realized this, Huang Tian shook his head, losing most of his interest in the divine armament. With a casual toss, he flung the ruler spirit far away, leaving it whimpering and whining pathetically in midair...
Chapter 137