Failure

Taiyi Immortal Sect. Supreme Elder Yuhuang, who had been closely following any news of Yaoguang, received word the very moment Yaoguang stepped out of the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation. "Two Void Shattering demon cultivators, five Void Refining demon cultivators..." He murmured under his breath. Only after quite a while did he finally exhale a long breath. "Wiped out completely." Against so many demonic experts, even Yuhuang himself had never amassed such a glorious record of triumphs in all the time since achieving the Void Shattering realm. Although he had clashed with Void Shattering cultivators on more than one occasion and had even defeated alien Void Shattering experts, an actual kill on his record... He had not a single one. At most, he had slain some Void Refining or Void Piercing cultivators. "Truly..." The Taiyi Immortal Sect's supreme elder wanted to offer some commentary or praise, but found himself unable to utter a single word. After a long silence, he finally looked up and called outside, "Bailing." "Master." Soon, a streak of spiritual light sliced through the air and entered the courtyard. It was a woman who had cultivated to the Void Piercing realm. "Have you heard about the matter in the Heavenly Dao Sect's Southern Domain?" "Yes," the woman named Bailing replied. "The Heavenly Dao Sect is our Taiyi Immortal Sect's neighbor, and the Southern Domain isn't far from my homeland. In fact, part of our Taiyi Immortal Sect's territory borders the Shadow Moon Sect, so I frequently keep an eye on their movements." A flicker of wonder showed in her eyes. "This deputy sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect is truly an extraordinary prodigy. Not only did he achieve the Void Refining realm within a century, he even lured the Shadow Moon Sect deep into enemy territory with an isolated force, then used the might of a formation to trap and slay two Void Shattering and five Void Refining cultivators. His sheer courage and audacity are truly astonishing." "Used the might of a formation." Supreme Elder Yuhuang looked at his disciple. "Do you truly believe Yaoguang relied entirely on the power of the formation to kill the Shadow Moon Sect's two Void Shattering and five Void Refining cultivators?" Hearing her master's words, Bailing froze for a moment. "Could it be..." "I have personally experienced the power of the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation. Trapping a single Void Shattering cultivator is its absolute limit. Slaying one within it is virtually impossible—especially Void Shattering cultivators adept in the Daos of the Void and Darkness. Unless..." The Taiyi Immortal Sect supreme elder paused briefly. "Unless the formation's controller possessed the strength to slay Void Shattering cultivators himself." At those words, Bailing's heart shook violently. "Possessed the ability to slay Void Shattering cultivators himself...? Th-that can't be possible, can it?" Supreme Elder Yuhuang did not explain further. Instead, he waved his hand. "Go prepare a gift for me... and have it delivered to the Southern Domain." Bailing's eyes went wide. Her master?! A Void Shattering supreme elder was going to send a gift to Yaoguang—a mere Void Refining cultivator, the Master of the Southern Domain in the Heavenly Dao Sect? This... What was this?! An apology?! At the very least, it amounted to lowering his head and extending an olive branch, didn't it? A Void Shattering expert currying favor with a Void Refining cultivator? And a Void Refining cultivator who wasn't even part of the Taiyi Immortal Sect, someone who couldn't bring them any direct benefits? Just as Supreme Elder Yuhuang was about to say something more, a sudden surge of energy erupted not far from his peak. Immediately afterward, a massive vortex began to form rapidly. It seemed as though some terrifying substance were twisting space itself, swallowing and absorbing the ambient energy. "Hmm?" Supreme Elder Yuhuang immediately directed his gaze toward that direction. "It's Junior Brother Jiang's mountain peak!" Bailing looked over as well, and from these peculiar energy fluctuations, she quickly realized what was happening. "Junior Brother Jiang is attempting a breakthrough to the Void Piercing realm!" Saying this, she showed some surprise. "Didn't Junior Brother Jiang say he would wait until he mastered that secret technique before attempting the Void Piercing realm? It's only been a few years; that secret technique shouldn't be completed yet, right? Why did he make the push ahead of schedule?" Supreme Elder Yuhuang remained silent. As for why he had rushed to break through to the Void Piercing realm, Yuhuang understood full well. Not just him—after pondering for a moment, Bailing also pieced it together. Every true disciple had their own information channels. News of the Shadow Moon Sect mobilizing en masse to invade the Southern Domain had broken a month ago. Over this past month and more, it had long become common knowledge, and everyone had been monitoring the precise developments of this great battle. Junior Brother Jiang Tianzun, who harbored bad blood with that Master of the Southern Domain, was naturally no exception. With Yaoguang stepping out of the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation, signaling that the battle had concluded with him slaying two Void Shattering demon cultivators and five Void Refining demon cultivators of the Shadow Moon Sect, the immortal sects had been shaken to their core. Junior Brother Jiang, provoked by this news and unwilling to fall behind, had decisively resolved to push for the Void Piercing realm early. It was only natural. Only... A hint of worry crept into Bailing's eyes. Taking in the sight, Supreme Elder Yuhuang deliberated for a moment before stepping through the void and arriving at the peak where Jiang Tianzun resided. By now, many people had already gathered around this mountain peak. However, they were essentially members of Supreme Elder Yuhuang's faction. Besides his disciples and followers like Mo Shan, Void Piercing Battle Immortals of the Cangwu lineage—such as Xie Xiong, Gelin, and Li An—had also arrived on the scene. Seeing Supreme Elder Yuhuang appear, everyone bowed respectfully in unison. "Supreme Elder." After paying respects, Xie Xiong hastily pleaded, "Please, Supreme Elder Yuhuang, assist Tianzun by standing guard over his breakthrough." Hearing this, Supreme Elder Yuhuang did not refuse. Regardless of any dissatisfaction he harbored toward Jiang Tianzun, when a disciple attempted a breakthrough to the Void Piercing realm, it was only fitting for a master to help protect the process. Right then, he guided with a wave of his hand. The spatial distortion around the mountain peak where Jiang Tianzun sat was quickly smoothed over, and the energy surges unleashed by the Golden Core's collapse slowed down significantly, granting the one making the breakthrough much more time. Jiang Tianzun seized the opportunity as well, unleashing the power of his Dharma Idol to its utmost limit, as if burning himself to forge open a grotto-heaven. This process fully demonstrated his thoroughly tempered mental willpower. "Su Yaoguang, a cultivator who crawled out of a backward little world, could open a grotto-heaven! Why should I, Jiang Tianzun, fear the hurdle of opening a grotto-heaven? Break for me!" Beneath this intense, unyielding will, the power of his Dharma Idol fully completed the opening of a grotto-heaven world, establishing the foundation for a grotto-heaven's existence. And just as the grotto-heaven opened within the mental world took form, his Deep Blue Golden Core collapsed to its absolute limit. This stage was equally fraught with perilous danger. The power of a collapsing star was no different from a supernova explosion. This force detonating from within all at once exceeded the total threshold that any Deep Blue Golden Core cultivator could endure. Yet thanks to the extra breathing room Supreme Elder Yuhuang bought him, he forcibly maintained his Golden Core in the state of a primal cavern, completing this transformative step as well. And then... He directed the fusion of the primal cavern and the grotto-heaven. This was the pivotal step in refining emptiness into truth, transmuting the illusory into reality. Once the primal cavern became the foundation for the grotto-heaven's existence and allowed the grotto-heaven forged in the mental realm to truly manifest in reality, the two would harmonize and fulfill each other, propelling him straight into the true Void Piercing realm. "Good! Good! Good! He's finally reached this step!" "It's about to succeed! He's right on the verge of success!" Witnessing this scene, Xie Xiong, Gelin, Li An, and the other Void Piercing Battle Immortals of the Cangwu lineage were filled with tension and anticipation. Although the Cangwu lineage now had an alternative path of retreat, that path was clearly not aligned with them. Neither their ideologies nor their interests aligned. The other faction's existence could at best ensure that the Cangwu lineage was not entirely wiped out. As for merging together? It would already be a blessing if they didn't compete and fight over the legitimacy of the Cangwu lineage. Under these circumstances, they still pinned their hopes on Jiang Tianzun. Especially since they had already invested so many resources into Jiang Tianzun beforehand, leaving them unable to afford failure. And right now, after a century of nurturing, Jiang Tianzun had finally reached the moment of bearing fruit. The moment he successfully achieved the Void Piercing realm, he would immediately become the junior sect master of the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Only then would the Cangwu lineage truly have a solid backing in the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Furthermore, Yaoguang had managed to achieve Void Refining within a millennium of attaining the Void Piercing realm; Jiang Tianzun might well be able to do the same. When that time came, Jiang Tianzun could preside over a domain of his own, and the Cangwu lineage's future development might not fall short of... Well... He probably couldn't catch up to Sect Master Yaoguang. But at the very least, their accomplishments wouldn't be too shabby either, and when they met Wan Liugui, Li Hanqiu, and the others in the future, they wouldn't be suppressed to the point of not even having the standing to speak. Carrying this expectation, the Void Piercing Battle Immortals and Battle Immortals of the Cangwu lineage stared unblinkingly at the mountain peak where Jiang Tianzun was attempting his breakthrough, terrified of missing the historic moment that would allow their Cangwu lineage to hold their heads high. Yet just as Jiang Tianzun reached that final step—fusing the grotto-heaven and the primal cavern—both of them began to tremble faintly at the same time. Whether the grotto-heaven or the primal cavern, they proved utterly incapable of harmonizing into one. At this sight, the others merely felt that something was amiss. But in the distance, True Monarch Taiyuan, the sect master of the Taiyi Immortal Sect—who had been covertly observing this Deep Blue Golden Core disciple's breakthrough to the Void Piercing realm because of Yaoguang, the Master of the Southern Domain—secretly sighed, "What a pity." Hearing his master's words, the young man beside him asked in confusion, "You mean..." "Jiang Tianzun's breakthrough... was ultimately too reckless. Or rather, he was in too much of a rush. The primal cavern side is somewhat manageable; his foundation in the Golden Core isn't poor, and with Yuhuang personally stepping in to protect him, there isn't much problem there. But his mental willpower... or rather, his comprehension of the realm, still lacks refinement..." True Monarch Taiyuan remarked, "If he had been allowed to polish himself for another few decades or a century, he would have had a very decent chance of achieving the Void Piercing realm. Furthermore, even in another hundred years, Jiang Tianzun would still be under three hundred years old, perfectly capable of becoming our Taiyi Immortal Sect's junior sect master. But... he chose to make his attempt at this very moment..." Saying this, he shook his head. His disciple, on the other hand, seemed to grasp the situation. "Attempting the breakthrough at this time... is it because of Sect Master Yaoguang of the Heavenly Dao Sect?" True Monarch Taiyuan nodded slightly. "Evidently so. That Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, while merely in the Void Refining realm, repeatedly slew demon cultivators, shining with boundless brilliance in the Southern Domain and making a name that shakes the world. Meanwhile, Jiang Tianzun—ranked ninth on the Void Piercing Candidate Rankings, who once boldly declared a bounty on Yaoguang—remains a mere Deep Blue Golden Core to this day. Such a stark disparity and psychological blow affected him far too deeply." With that, he continued, "Every person must bear the consequences of their own actions... As the saying goes, every cause brings its effect. Back then, his targeting of Yaoguang was the cause; today, rushing his attempt to open a grotto-heaven because of Yaoguang and bordering on failure is the effect. The Dao of Karma is invisible and untraceable, yet ubiquitous everywhere. It is truly profound beyond measure." His disciple looked toward Jiang Tianzun, feeling a quiet pang of pity as well. "For a person, the most important thing is to know oneself, to learn to make peace with oneself, and to acknowledge one's own shortcomings. But Jiang Tianzun clearly cannot do that. And so..." True Monarch Taiyuan looked at the figure inside the mountain peak who was already descending into panic. "He has failed."