"Indeed, there is no better time to employ the Immortal Dao cultivation techniques."
Every single one of Lu Sheng's millions of pores was enveloped by the surging cosmic energy. Silver-hued radiance coalesced into a liquid stream of light, which his martial body devoured voraciously. At this moment, the number of Extreme Yang Immortal Cells within his body had surpassed three hundred and thirty million. And he, at last, sensed that feeling of having reached the very limit.
"Heaven's Dao: take from the surplus to supplement the deficiency! Man's Dao: take from the deficiency to serve the surplus."
The general principles of the *Mystic Spirit Treasure Record*, which he had obtained from Qian Yushu long ago, flowed through Sheng's mind like a stream. Within his Dantian, the Immortal Dao Golden Core that held the essence of his martial arts spun wildly.
The cosmic currents in the depths of the void were stirred, drawing hundreds or even thousands of times more cosmic energy toward him. Ever since he began competing with that other individual—who was also ascending to level 13—for the drifting cosmic energy in this galaxy, his cultivation and strength had been steadily increasing.
With his hundreds of millions of Extreme Yang Immortal Cells, coupled with the driving force of no fewer than ten types of Law Powers, he had ultimately managed only to barely match his opponent. His opponent's abilities truly left Lu Sheng somewhat astonished.
At that moment, Sheng also realized something. The cosmic energy contained within the "Celestial Serpent's heart" might not be sufficient to fully support both of these "monsters" ascending to level 13 simultaneously. The energy required for their ascension was simply too immense.
"The Hunting Bow truly lives up to its reputation as the heart of the Celestial Serpent galaxy. We've barely arrived, and already we've encountered such a formidable rival," Sheng couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
However, admiration aside, there was absolutely no way he would yield the path to his opponent. Breaking through to a new Realm [see notes] was always a matter of seizing the moment—the first surge of energy, the second waning, and the third fading entirely.
He certainly didn't want to repeat the experience he'd had when breaking through to the Sixth Realm of Fist Arts and comprehending the Extreme Yang Law.
He had struggled to unleash a single punch, holding it back time and again. That feeling was truly agonizing. So at this moment, he couldn't be bothered to hide his Immortal Dao cultivation techniques. Break through first, and worry about the rest later.
What Immortal Dao cultivation excels at most is the manipulation of the natural cosmic energy of heaven and earth. In this regard, martial arts are far inferior. As soon as Lu Sheng unleashed his technique, it indeed sealed the victory, completely overwhelming his opponent.
Now, over eighty percent of the cosmic energy in the "Heart of the Heavenly Serpent" region had been seized by Lu Sheng. He used it to complete the remaining stages of level 12 and push toward level 13. It was more than enough!
"Three hundred and forty million! Three hundred and fifty million! Three hundred and fifty-five million!"
The Extreme Yang Immortal Cells within Lu Sheng's body were surging at a staggering, jaw-dropping speed. When they reached three hundred and sixty-six million seven hundred and ninety thousand… Finally, Sheng's level 12 Extreme Yang Dao had reached its true limit.
And upon Lu Sheng's martial body, the embryonic form of the Law Body—shaped by the rampant growth of the Laws—was finally and completely structured, with only the very last fragment remaining.
"Now!"
Lu Sheng snapped his eyes open. A pure white halo suddenly appeared atop his forehead. It resembled a crown.
"Level 13! Break through!"
"Boom!"
In an instant, endless white light erupted from every pore of Lu Sheng's body. The radiance of the Extreme Yang engulfed the entire heavens and earth!
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"Stop."
Amidst the drifting starry sky, a majestic and luxurious spaceship came to a silent halt. The hatch at the bow of the ship opened, and a tall, imposing figure stepped out. It was a middle-aged man with an icy expression; a purple pentagram shone brightly between his eyebrows, giving him an air of high status and extraordinary presence.
He was none other than Elder Shadostar of the Star Spirit Flower Clan, stationed at the Hunting Bow. Behind him followed Zi Yanxin, her face etched with bitterness and shame. The two stood at the bow of the spaceship, gazing upon the vast and awe-inspiring vortex of energy—so immense that it nearly overshadowed the brilliance of the Heart of the Celestial Serpent.
They stood there in silence for a moment. Elder Shadostar, with his hands clasped behind his back, finally spoke: "Do you see it? This is the might of a Sovereign-level being. Even just breaking through to level 13 is enough to shake the starry skies and make the universe tremble." Elder Shadostar turned his head, narrowed his eyes, and glared coldly at Zi Yanxin before him, sneering, "Do you still think that so-called 'super genius' you've recruited is so precious now? Is this what the clan needs?"
Yanxin gazed at the extraordinary sight before her, sensing the awe and wonder in the voices of the countless onlookers throughout the starry sky, just like her own. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, not a single word came out. She lowered her head and spoke with a bitter tone: "I, Zi Yanxin, know I was wrong. But…"
She raised her head again, her expression filled with reluctance, and looked at Elder Shadostar, saying, "Thirty Third-tier Star Cores—isn't that a bit too meager to recruit a Sovereign-level genius, the future ruler of the Celestial Serpent galaxy?"
"Hah…" Elder Shadostar scoffed derisively, berating her without mercy: "What a foolish woman. Never mind Thirty third-tier Star Cores—even three hundred, three thousand, or thirty thousand would be far from enough. Can a genius with a Sovereign-level bloodline really be won over?"
The Elder's voice suddenly turned icy as he shouted: "This is merely a gesture of goodwill. A gesture made before the other party has fully matured. As long as they retain an impression of the three words 'Star Spirit Flower,' that is sufficient! Do you know how rare this opportunity is?"
"Dilius decided on a whim to attempt to break through to level 13; his preparations were inadequate, forcing him to rely on external resources. Do you know the price I paid to obtain this information? Do you know how many people, even if they possessed three hundred Third-tier Star Cores, lack the connections to deliver those resources to him?"
"This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so painstakingly secured... And because of your one foolish, self-righteous decision, it's all been ruined! Ruined!"... Elder Xingying's face was twisted with rage. "After this, the Elders' Council will never again grant you any opportunity to manage or make decisions regarding clan affairs!"
Yangxin was torn apart by his scathing rebuke; she hung her head in silence. The image of Sheng involuntarily floated into her mind. A bitter sorrow welled up within her, wave after wave, like the surging sea. This gamble she had been so certain to win—she never imagined it would end in such a crushing defeat.
"Dilius, a Sovereign-level…"
Zi Yanxin couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. Who could have imagined that a Sovereign-level prodigy would actually appear in this Celestial Throne selection? Even against a Monarch-level Blood holder, she was confident she could outmaneuver them using Lu Sheng's talent and potential analysis report. But a Sovereign-level opponent… There was simply no comparison.
Anything associated with the Sovereign-level held an overwhelming advantage.
-
At that moment, from the center of the energy tidal vortex ahead, a beam of white light suddenly shot forth—piercing the heavens and the earth, piercing through the starry sky. Accompanying the appearance of this white light, a powerful level 13 aura gradually radiated outward.
The vast energy tidal vortex also ceased its rotation, showing signs of gradually contracting toward the center. The eyes of the countless onlookers in the arena instantly lit up. Their faces were filled with intense anticipation and excitement. At this moment, even a fool would know that the being at the center of the vortex had successfully completed his level 13 breakthrough.
Dilius! The legendary possessor of a Sovereign-level Blood—a natural-born ruler who appears in a galaxy only once every hundred thousand years. He was finally about to fully reveal his form. And they, too, would have the chance to catch a glimpse of his majestic presence and features. This was the true reason they had waited here for so long.
"Dilius is about to emerge."
Elder Shadostar's face also betrayed a mix of excitement and anticipation. He swiftly ordered the spaceship to move closer. Yanxin's curiosity was also piqued.
No one would want to miss the chance to see the true face of a legendary genius with their own eyes. For everyone, if they could use this opportunity to establish some connection with him, that would be even better. The Elder clearly had the same idea in mind. When the ship approached a certain distance from the vortex's center, he specifically had it halt, composed himself, and then led Yanxin out to show his respect.
Finally. Under the eager gazes of countless onlookers. The massive vortex of cosmic energy gradually dissipated, and the white light at its center slowly faded. The entity at the very, very center was fully revealed.
Just as she caught a clear view of the entity's full form, Yanxin, who had been following closely behind Elder Xingying, froze for a moment. As if she had seen something quite unexpected, her face betrayed a look of utter surprise.
"What is this…"
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Translation notes by dhoo
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new Realm
Levels 11 and 12 belong to the 5th Realm, aka the Realm of the Rules
Level 13 and 14 belong to the 6th Realm, aka the Realm of the Laws
In this chapter, Sheng and Dilius and attempting to break through to level 13 and enter the Realm of Laws.
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Celestial Throne selection
The Celestial Throne academy entrance/aptitude test.