In another place, Li Yi's siblings recalled the techniques he had used. Although they were shocked and joyful because of his strength, they felt depressed; their brother was advancing by leaps and bounds while they were barely improving. For now, only Zang Li had managed to progress in his cultivation base thanks to the school's techniques.
"Brother Li Yi's strength has grown too much. We must not be careless or let down the trust he has in us," Xuhan Mo said while they were all gathered in the hall.
"Of course, we just have to strive harder. Seeing his power confirms that we will have enough opportunities to improve," Shen Shinyu added, restoring their spirits.
After this, each one retired to their room to cultivate in peace.
Meanwhile, in a very distant city of magnificent buildings and great commerce, prosperity was evident. Powerful sects and schools covered areas of at least 50 li each.
In that instant, several powerful cultivators felt a chill. An overwhelming aura covered the city for a second, and a flash of light enveloped the area.
Stunned, they took some time to react. When the light dissipated, a multitude of cultivators flew over the city searching for the origin of that trace.
They saw it: a cut had pierced through part of the city, leaving a clear line dividing the terrain. Several rays of light arrived from the distance; they were the leaders of the great sects. They positioned themselves over the crowd and observed intently.
"It seems that somewhere a powerful being utilized a divine technique. Their attack pierced through the world from a vast distance," spoke Meng Cheng, leader of the Black Iron sect and a high-level Wise Realm cultivator.
A companion, astonished, quickly added:
"Although it is a powerful attack and looks like a divine technique, it could not have been the work of a legendary cultivator. A being of that level would not have just left this cut; they would have annihilated the entire city." The speaker was an elder of the same sect, in the low stage of the Wise Realm.
"Fellow Cheng is right. Focus your mental power on the area of the cut," said Su Yan, leader of the Misty Clouds sect.
Everyone concentrated and opened their eyes in shock. There was a slight crack in space where the sword's glow had passed. Although it was thin and already closing, it meant the technique had cut the laws of the world and broken reality.
No one could imagine the level of the technique nor who executed it. The trail came from an indefinite distance; if they followed it, they might find information about the combatants. Since the executor did not seem to be a supreme-level cultivator, perhaps they would have the opportunity to obtain that technique.
With the same thought, they returned to their sects to organize raiding parties and locate those responsible.
At the First Martial Arts School, Li Yi and Leng Lubai arrived at the main palace and sat on their thrones.
"What do you want to tell me, Fellow Leng? From your face, it seems to be something very important."
Leng Lubai nodded and looked at him fixedly.
"First, that sword cut could bring trouble. Due to its power, it's possible it extended to an enormous distance and affected distant towns or cities. If there are cities nearby, powerful cultivators will notice the level of the technique and calculate your cultivation. They will come to try and obtain it, and you will have to fight to the death or go with them, since you created the technique with pure sword intent and don't yet know how to capture it in a manual." His face showed clear concern.
Li Yi thought about it for a moment as he reflected.
"I don't think we should worry for now. As long as Emperor Realm cultivators don't appear immediately, there's no problem. I will start cultivating with the manual and soon I will reach the Warrior Realm," he replied.
"Even so, it is extremely dangerous. The next time you test a technique, get as far away from this town as possible. Practice in a place where you don't leave trails that lead them straight to us," Leng Lubai said, making it clear that Li Yi had been careless, although even he hadn't expected such an event.
Li Yi settled into his seat and asked:
"It doesn't seem like you invited me just to tell me this. What do you have in mind?"
Leng Lubai put on a serious face and said:
"There is something very important that will happen soon, in about three months. Countless cultivators will go; it is an opportunity that no one wants to miss."
"What kind of place is that? To attract so many people, it must have unrivaled resources," Li Yi said, truly amazed.
Leng Lubai didn't beat around the bush and explained:
"Near the City of the Fallen Moon, one of the most powerful in this area, every hundred years a bubble of space collides with our reality about 300 li away. The space becomes turbulent and fragile at that point. Then, some high-level Sage Realm cultivator can break the vacuum, creating a rift through which to enter."
"Are you telling me that another world like ours will collide?" Li Yi asked in astonishment.
"Not exactly," Leng Lubai quickly refuted. "Actually, that spatial bubble was once part of our world. According to ancient records, thousands of years ago there was a battle of gods in that area. Their destructive force caused a part of heaven and earth to collapse, launching it into the void. It is said that a powerful cultivator at the peak of the Saint Realm isolated that fragment with his own Dao laws to control it as his own world. He took his entire sect there, and they prospered for millennia."
He paused and continued:
"But one day they fought a powerful enemy who managed to enter. In a desperate battle, the leaders sacrificed everything to defeat them. Everyone died, but they left a restriction: only people with a maximum cultivation of Master Realm can enter."
Li Yi understood clearly. He remembered the novels he had read in his other world about "secret realms," where ancient powerful sects were destroyed, leaving behind great heritages and resources.