Back at my room,I managed to inscribe my own inscriptions to my Myriad Miles and mountains painting. And later made it flawless with my LoHP. It came in directly inside my soul realm.
Myriad miles painting can directly supply heavenly energy to my soul while staying inside my soul realm unlike my ring, so it would be nice to use unlike energy absorption, which attracts outside energy which is noticeable... I placed the painting infront of my soul form. Went inside it. It had a more heavenly energy density than my ring but by not much. I extracted 2 copies of deity roots and placed it inside and used my own ability to quickly transform some earth around the deity root so that it would form such a lake rapidly. I have also checked the size of the realm. It's vast but not vast enough as my inner world.
Long Yuyin arrived at my place in the evening, stepping into my room. I was immersed in painting scenes from my adventures with Luo Yan and Yu Taibai, moments from my memory that I wanted to preserve. It was a peaceful activity, one of the many I indulged in now that I had time. After all, being just shy away from dragon dao realm, with nearly a century before any significant threats arose in the Draconic Ruins Realm, left me with ample time to relax. I only cultivated within my ring world, where my soul form passively absorbed heavenly energy from the painting stored inside my soul realm. Judging by the rate of absorption, I could comfortably reach the second stage of the Dao of Dragon Realm within a year without putting in any active effort.
Earlier today, Long Yuyin had approached me in class, requesting to become my disciple. I answered with a playful tease, "You beat me to it, asking me to be your master. I thought the way you've been acting around me lately was because you were interested in me romantically.I also took some liking to you. I suppose it was just my imagination. Oh well, I guess it's fate. I'll have no such thoughts about you from now on. We'll proceed as martial arts master and student." I added a hint of disappointment to my tone, watching her reaction carefully.
She froze, her face turning crimson as she kept her head down. "I also like you... But I thought you had a relationship with that girl from the Heavenly Note Sect, and me just as a friend."
Of course, I knew this would happen. It was clear to me from our early interactions that Long Yuyin harbored feelings for me. It wasn't surprising; my appearance and demeanor were hard for anyone to resist for long. Aiya, it's too troublesome being so attractive. However, I had no intention of fostering a master-student romance, and I'd long discarded my monogamous beliefs from Earth. In this cultivation world, talent, strength, and lineage mattered far more than societal norms. Multiple marriages were not uncommon here, especially for those of high status, man and womon both. Yet, I wasn't one for harems—I found two partners sufficient; any more would be unnecessary trouble.
"She's my first love," I said, my voice soft but firm. "If that bothers you, then I'm sorry, but I won't replace her."
"...No, it's not that. You have high talent, and though your cultivation is impressive, you haven't shown much of it to others, so your popularity is still low. My family probably wouldn't mind as long as I like you... but they'd likely want me to be your first wife. In case you ever decide to take that path..."
"First wife?" I interrupted, laughing. "What is this, some kind of competition? In my world of interest, first or second place means nothing as they both will receive the same rewards. I've already told you that you're to my liking. Why bring marriage into the conversation? For now, you'll train under me, and we can take things slow. And don't call me master, it feels weird.
How about you come to the outside world to have a trip with me?"
She agreed and we attended our classes.
I had no interest in starting my own faction. I had enough power to do so, but the responsibilities that came with it didn't appeal to me. My friend Nie Li, however, would soon establish his faction, and I would hold a high enough rank there when the time came.
With that, the conversation ended. Long Yuyin left, her face flushed remembering my words as she avoided the judgmental stares of the passing disciples. But later, during the evening, she returned, now observing me quietly in my room. I didn't keep her waiting. "Let's go," I said, standing up, and we left together. After she placed her fate soul inside the Soul Hall, she joined me again.
"Why didn't you place yours?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I'll explain later," I replied with a smile, and we left the sect grounds.
'How can I place my soul near area reserved for heavenly fate realm now, the inscriptions won't support it, and if I go to heavenly axis place that's another trouble.'
After traveling about 100 kilometers, I could sense some people tailing us. Likely, Hu Yong's men. Without hesitation, I grabbed Long Yuyin and used the space-time rule to teleport us 500 kilometers away, to a valley I'd visited before. The valley contained a small cave inheritance from a dead Dao of Dragon Realm expert. I had already cleared it out and made a place of my own in my earlier visits, having found only a meager 1,000 spirit stones and some basic cultivation techniques, burning the remains of the deceased to honor their passage and to keep the place clean. Burning involves no extra work.
I had spent time here before, carving Dao intent into the cave walls, embedding my understanding of a small part of Natural Dao True Meaning into the surroundings.I also inscribed the quotes from my previous life, just for fun. I'd also inscribed concealing arrays and expanded the underground space, creating a large, hidden sanctuary. The carvings were deep and meaningful, their essence will resonate with anyone who could perceive the true meaning.
One of the verses, I etched into the walls is:
"This presence, undefined and vast,
Existing long before heaven and earth,
Silent and boundless, it endures alone,
Untouched by time, ever unshifting.
An endless source of perfect creation,
The origin of all that is,
The wellspring of existence itself.
Its name eludes me; I call it the Dao."
Long Yuyin stared in awe at the inscriptions, clearly amazed by the artistry and profound meaning behind them.
"So, don't you want to know how I could always find your flaws? Or how I guide you so effortlessly in cultivation, despite our similar ages?"
"Yes," she answered, her gaze still fixed on the carvings.
I sighed and decided to reveal a fragment of the truth. "This world is dangerous, not just because of the obvious threats of battle and faction warfare, but because of the unknown dangers lurking beneath the surface. The people here are so engrossed in their minor conflicts that they fail to see the real threats. If I tell you the truth, you must be willing to accept a soul connection and a soul seal with me, a bond that will allow me to shield myself from certain dangers."
"I trust you," she said, resolute. "Do it."
"Thank you for your understanding." I initiated the soul connection array, forming a link between our minds. Unlike the bond I'd formed with Xiao Ning'er, this one was more refined, allowing for deeper communication without the risk of mental fluctuations or soul fluctuations. Along with this, I used an upgraded soul seal technique from the God's Domain, enabling me to control and manipulate her memories if needed,and prevent her from saying it out even unintentionally.
"Yuyin, you can open your eyes now," I said softly. "We're connected. My soul avatar now resides in your soul realm, and we can communicate effortlessly through this bond, sharing vision and senses. No one will be able to detect or intercept our exchanges."
She opened her eyes, wonder filling them seeing myself inside her soul realm. "What's the highest cultivation realm you've heard of?" I asked.
"Peak Martial Ancestor Realm?" she responded, uncertain.
"Look at that carving," I pointed to one of the walls. "It speaks of the Dao's boundlessness. Cultivation, like the Dao, has no limit. Beyond the Martial Ancestor Realm lies the Deity Realm, then the Emperor Realm. Higher still are the Supreme Realm, World Lord, Void King, and beyond that, the Divine Lord, Divine King, Minor God, and so on. These realms are unreachable to most."
She stared at me with her mouth agape, clearly trying to process the overwhelming information. I could tell she hadn't expected the conversation to escalate this far. But I wasn't finished.
"Sometimes," I continued, "there are intrusions from the higher realms. Take, for example, something that happened one or two million years ago. An expert from the higher world descended here, gravely injured. Even in his weakened state, he annihilated numerous supremacies that came for his life, hoping to steal his treasures. No one knows for certain how he died, but his arrival created a ripple that changed the course of history. From the remnants of his belongings and comprehension, a figure we now know as the Sage Emperor rose."
Long Yuyin's eyes widened even more, as I continued the tale.
"The Sage Emperor climbed to the top through sheer resourcefulness and cunningness. He wasn't just powerful; he was a monster in the most literal sense. His ambition? To refine the entirety of the three world realms—heaven and earth included—and crown himself as its sole ruler. Even now, he's still in the process of making that happen."
"The human race and other great races tried to stop him. Many seniors came together in an all-out assault, a desperate effort to cut him down. Their sacrifice was immense—most perished, while the rest were left crippled for life. But they managed to fragment his demonic bones, scattering them across the realms, which weakened his power by almost ninety percent."
"Why haven't we been able to kill him yet?" she asked, trembling.
"Heaven and Earth themselves are aware of his existence, and they act to curb his strength. There are also the world's top experts who fight to keep him in check. But the moment the Sage Emperor perceives someone as a threat, no matter how small, he will eliminate them. No one is safe. He'll hunt them down, killing not only the individual but their entire family, friends, and allies. He won't just stop at death either. He'll destroy their souls, ensuring there's no chance of reincarnation."
Her face paled.
"Do you understand now?" I asked. "The situation we're in isn't about petty sect rivalries or territorial disputes. It's survival against an ancient force that holds this entire realm in its grip."
I saw her swallow hard, her voice shaking as she responded, "Is there really no way to stop him?"
"People have been trying for hundreds of thousands of years. There have been countless individuals who've dived into divination, confronting the flow of time and space itself in an effort to oppose him. The only ones who've ever come close are those who've mastered Heaven's Divination Technique. But even that offers no guarantees. The moment someone begins to reach the peak of that technique, the Sage Emperor senses it. And he sends his most loyal deity-level beasts to slaughter them before they even have a chance to challenge him."
I let the weight of those words settle in before continuing. "The geniuses of the past were all killed in their prime before they had the chance to reach their full potential and no one knows. Your master, Venerable Witch-Feather, along with the Ancestral Master Phaseless and Ancestral Master Profound Sky—they were all practitioners of Heaven's Divination Technique. But none of them survived long enough to reach its pinnacle. The Sage Emperor doesn't let anyone get close."
Her hand trembled as she grasped at the revelation about his master and Ying yueru. "So, it's hopeless?"
"The resistance has never won, not even once. And yet, the Sage Emperor himself has died countless times over. He continues to dominate, endlessly resurrecting. Some human factions have tried to surrender to him, thinking they could avoid their demise. But even they were met with death. The Sage Emperor has no need for more followers. His loyal spiritual beasts and demon servants are more than enough to maintain his hold on the realms."
Long Yuyin's breathing was shallow, and I could see the fear settling in her eyes. It was a lot to take in, but she needed to understand the true gravity of the world she lived in.
I nodded, feeling the heavy weight of my words settle in. "This world is his playground. And the day of reckoning is coming, whether we're ready for it or not. The truth is, Yuyin, none of us are truly safe. Our sects fight among themselves, blind to the real danger lurking in the shadows. The petty rivalries we engage in mean nothing in the grand scheme of things."
I wasn't finished.
"Now that you've had your history lesson, let's talk about me," I said, watching her closely. "I was born with heaven-defying comprehension. I could instinctively see the flaws in cultivation techniques and practices, identifying weaknesses others would never notice. So, from a young age, I began to perfect myself. Later, with the guidance of someone who was willing to share profound knowledge about this world, I was able to refine what he taught, even further. I mastered and improved those insights and used them to rise to where I am today. But no matter how far we go, the tides of the higher realms will eventually crash down upon us. Sooner or later, we'll be dragged into their wars."
She remained silent, absorbing the weight of my words. After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"...Then why can't you release your methods and techniques for everyone? If we all grew stronger together, wouldn't we stand a better chance when that day comes?"
I sighed, shaking my head slightly. "First of all, I'm not a saint, and certainly not that altruistic. Look around our sect. How many quiet wars are being fought behind the scenes? Factions scheming against each other for power, for control. Even if I shared everything I know, they'd just use it against one another."
Her brow furrowed, but I could tell she wasn't entirely convinced, so I continued. "And let's not forget our true enemy—the Demon Gods Sect. You've heard of them, right? But have you ever wondered who this so-called 'Demon God' actually is?"
Her eyes widened in realization. "The Sage Emperor…"
"Exactly," I confirmed, my voice grew strong "The Sage Emperor is the ruler of the Ancestral Demonic Saint Land. He's the puppeteer behind the Demon Gods Sect, pulling the strings from the shadows. His minions have already infiltrated our ranks, spreading corruption and sowing discord. Traitors exist within our very sects, weakening us from within so that when the time for the final battle comes, we'll be too fractured and weak to stand a chance. That's why we need power—not just for myself, but to begin the process of cleansing our forces. "
I released my peak Heavenly axis aura combined with the world rules circulating and forming a ring behind my head having 3000 sparks corresponding to every divine dao I have tried to master, letting its oppressive force fill the air. The shift in her expression told me she understood just how far I had come. Too many surprises in one day.
I already shielded my domain, but my surroundings began to twist and turn without being able to support the world pressure from my innerworld. I put everything back and concealed the showoff.
"I always wanted to do that. Haha."
Anyway with my understanding and the resources I've gathered through my knowledge, I was able to ascend from Earthen Fate to Heavenly axis in just one year ."
'What kind of heavenly axis aura is that? It's more like Martial ancestor realm power intensity !!' She thought, and I could read her mind.I continued. " And now, because you've chosen to be with me, I will help you achieve your potential as well."
Her eyes shone with a mix of happiness and determination, though the seriousness of the situation wasn't lost on her. The revelations had shaken her, but she was resolute in facing any difficulties in the face of achieving power.
"Now," I said, taking a step closer, my voice calm but firm, "take off your clothes."
Her face flushed, and she stammered, "W-what? Why?"