Chapter 623: The Rugged Path

Inside the room.

The white-haired old man stared quietly at Chen Yan:

"The method I speak of, no one has ever done, no one has dared to attempt.

When one has just created their own universe, the physical body of the Creation Realm is not yet strong; to directly destroy one's own universe is, instead, even more perilous."

Chen Yan nodded quietly.

Perilous?

He did not worry about peril; he never cared about the endless crises on the path ahead.

He only worried that what he did was not enough, that he would be obstructed by all sorts of circumstances.

Just as if Xia Qi Ruo had lived one more day, she could have seen Chen Yan truly become a Divine General.

Just like Qi Fan and the others, knowing death was certain, yet insisting on sending their final letters to Chen Yan, telling Chen Yan that he had already prepared himself to die.

Just like...

Just now.

He had clearly been constantly strengthening himself, constantly breaking limits to seek the Dao.

Yet, one problem after another appeared just like that, abruptly.

A single sentence from someone else brings you a massive challenge.

Chen Yan did not like external pressure; he broke limits like this precisely because he feared encountering things he could not resolve.

He did not like external pressure; he harbored anger.

He wanted to shatter the so-called rules, the so-called barriers, the so-called endless hardships with his fists.

He wanted to stand tall between heaven and earth.

The old rules would become his servants, and the new rules would be created by his own hands.

He wanted to define the entire Martial Dao.

Establish ten thousand Daos, plant my heart.

The white-haired old man seemed to sense this trace of emotion in Chen Yan now; he shook his head slightly, his eyes suddenly becoming incomparably weathered.

He seemed to see the past, to see countless members of the human race dying inexplicably in madness and the unknown.

He saw himself struggling for a long time, yet still having to personally destroy his own descendants.

Was he ruthless?

If not forced by the great trend, how could it be so?

He sat cross-legged, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes trembling, and suddenly, rays of silver radiance bloomed from his physical body, as if from the origin of the stars, filled with endless wonder.

"Create, create one's own universe, create the universe of Martial Dao!"

He spoke suddenly, his voice magnificent, filled with Dao essence; his words flowed like a torrential river, and endless Dao essence was exhaled from his eyes and mouth.

He was preaching the Dao, recounting to Chen Yan his own understanding of the Martial Dao and the Creation Realm.

That Lord of Hard-Refining in the College Entrance Examination Secret Realm constantly watched Xue Qi reincarnate endlessly, suffering pain, struggling endlessly while facing despair time and time again.

And this Lord of Hard-Refining, however, had spent ten thousand years constantly constructing the Martial Dao, understanding the Martial Dao, and attempting to change the Martial Dao.

In essence, there was no difference between them; both wanted to seek that glimmer of dawn from within the abyss of endless darkness.

It was just that one was colder, while the other would reveal his deepest emotions.

These were both Lords of Hard-Refining.

Suddenly, Chen Yan was enveloped by the Dao essence overflowing with starlight, becoming increasingly miraculous, like a son of the gods.

He was receiving the powerful Dao essence of the Lord of Hard-Refining from ten thousand years.

He absorbed it very quickly, constantly deconstructing it in his mind, and then constantly recombining these Dao essences.

Within the Saint-Breaking Realm.

The heaven-topping golden light surged and churned.

The newly born 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruit was ripening rapidly.

Chen Yan suddenly discovered that the preaching techniques he was receiving at this moment connected perfectly with the physical techniques he had previously obtained upon ascending the Ancient Battle Platform.

The prerequisite for wanting to change the rules of a realm is to understand one's own physical body incomparably well.

These two points were not much different.

His own ascent of the thirty-three steps was, in fact, prepared for this very moment.

This could be considered the best news.

Because through ascending the steps and fighting the human shadows, Chen Yan already understood his own physical body incomparably well.

Now, receiving the preaching, it instead followed the natural order, causing his learning efficiency to constantly increase.

Almost in an instant.

A new 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruit was born.

Chen Yan swallowed these 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruits one by one.

Hum!

A light humming sound resonated across Chen Yan's body.

Rays of starlight swirled around Chen Yan, as if a galaxy were gathering, incomparably brilliant.

The old man preaching suddenly opened one eye slightly, somewhat surprised.

No.

He was very surprised.

Chen Yan's speed of comprehension was a bit too fast.

One must know that, due to time constraints, Chen Yan could stay with him for at most one and a half days.

Therefore, he was essentially pouring the Dao essence he had mastered directly into Chen Yan.

Except for some extremely obscure parts, which he said twice, most of the Dao essence was covered in one pass.

But at this moment, it was clear that Chen Yan had thoroughly mastered the Dao essence he had previously spoken of.

The old man pondered something, then swept a glance at Chen Yan:

"Do you dare to condense your first-level personal universe right now, and do you dare to destroy your first-level personal universe right now?"

He smiled, as if provoking Chen Yan.

After all, Chen Yan had just ascended to the Creation Realm and had not even fully mastered his own power.

To act directly according to his understanding was too dangerous.

Chen Yan nodded:

"To know without acting is merely not knowing; only when I have truly done it can I prove that I truly know."

The old man's expression tightened slightly, and he nodded.

He back then was exactly the same as Chen Yan is now.

Just as Chen Yan is about to do now, even he had never done it before.

Back then, he also led the human race, treading out new paths time and again within the endless dark thorns.

Before doing so, he never knew whether what he perceived was right or wrong.

It was action that told him what was truly demonic and what was the true essence of the human world.

And not the so-called perceptions told to him by others.

Because what others tell you might be their idle chatter, or it might be their fantasies.

If you had listened and then believed.

The human race would have perished long ago.

There was a trace of gratification in the old man's eyes.

Chen Yan was clearly a fellow traveler like him.

But clearly, Chen Yan did not completely agree with him.

Compared to him, the Master of Blood and Qi, whom he had killed with his own hands, was the Daoist friend Chen Yan recognized most.

The next moment, Chen Yan began to perceive himself still inside the forging room.

At the same time.

Outside the forging room of Reverse Fire Castle.

Qi Fan and the others arrived.

But the door was tightly shut.

"I was just driven out by Ke Qingxuan."

The woman named Lu Jingqiu looked at Qi Fan and said.

Qi Fan frowned; he had come here to discuss the subsequent battle plan with Chen Yan.

After all, the time in the Upper Ancient War Palace is synchronized with the outside world.

They had experienced one Upper Ancient War Palace session, and two and a half days had already passed in the outside world.

There were only two days left until the second-level domain battle between Chi Xue and Chen Yan.

However, Chen Yan had been in seclusion and had not come out.

"Did the Divine General call you into the Upper Ancient War Palace earlier?" Qi Fan asked.

"Yes." Lu Jingqiu nodded:

"The Divine General broke through to the Creation Realm, and at the same time was able to suppress Ke Qingxuan and me, then called me into the Upper Ancient War Palace, saying it was to observe my condition."

Lu Jingqiu's voice fell.

Qi Fan, Zhang Chao, and the others looked shocked.

A possibility that shocked them all to the extreme emerged in their minds.

They also knew that when they entered the Upper Ancient War Palace, they could sense their own physical bodies and then control their physical bodies to cultivate.

According to what Lu Jingqiu said, Chen Yan might have entered the Upper Ancient War Palace with his own consciousness while breaking through.

Ascending the steps while breaking through.

"Heavens..."

Lu Jingqiu also thought of this, her red lips parted, and for a moment she was shocked beyond measure.

Qi Fan, however, was reviewing his own situation of ascending the steps earlier.

He knew that Chen Yan possessed Ice Intent, so he naturally knew that Chen Yan cultivated five martial Daos.

Thinking about it this way, there were not many five-Dao martial artists who entered the Upper Ancient War Palace later than them.

Qi Fan and the others quickly locked onto one person.

There was one person who arrived very late but rushed to the eighteenth step.

It might just be Chen Yan.

"Amazing!"

Qi Fan's eyes erupted with bright light:

"Amazing!"

Ascending the steps while breaking through thirty-five times!

The hearts of Zhang Chao and the others were also surging with emotion.

Chen Yan was incredible; he was simply a myth.

Qi Fan looked at the people around him, and everyone nodded.

They were clear about their mission.

It was at this very moment.

The door opened, and closed again very quickly.

Ke Qingxuan appeared outside the door, her expression somewhat dazed.

"Ke Qingxuan, what is the situation now?" Qi Fan asked hurriedly.

Ke Qingxuan's expression was somewhat unnatural, as if she were desperately suppressing the joy and awe in her heart, and she shook her head, saying:

"Do not disturb him for now; as for the situation, he did not let me speak, so I will not say anything more."

Qi Fan was taken aback, although Ke Qingxuan had said nothing.

Yet he could tell from Ke Qingxuan's tone and demeanor that Chen Yan was likely doing something extraordinary again.

Immediately, he looked at Ke Qingxuan again, wanting her to reveal something more.

But Ke Qingxuan shook her head slightly.

Everyone sighed inwardly; Ke Qingxuan was a bit too loyal to Chen Yan.

Ke Qingxuan lowered her head, her heart beating violently.

If she were to tell Qi Fan and the others everything she had seen, Qi Fan and the others would likely be shocked enough to jump right up.

What exactly had she seen?

She first saw that Chen Yan could still display terrifying combat power while breaking through his realm.

Then, she saw that Chen Yan was actually a master of all six paths.

Then, she watched Chen Yan ascend the steps, using his own physical techniques to withstand six figures wielding the 【Heavenly Dipper Imperial Body】.

Then, Chen Yan reached the summit.

This was simply unimaginable.

Moreover, Chen Yan's consciousness seemed to still be in the Upper Ancient War Palace, but his physical body was clearly undergoing terrifying changes.

She wanted to tell them, she wanted to tell them so badly.

But this was Chen Yan's secret.

That Chen Yan was willing to let her accompany him was a sign of his trust in her; she felt deeply touched and could never leak it.

It was at this moment that Qi Fan looked at Ke Qingxuan and said:

"Since Chen Yan still needs to cultivate, let us hold a meeting first."

Qi Fan's expression was serious; he was naturally happy in his heart.

But what must be done, must be done.

No matter what, Chen Yan had to fight against the Second-Tier Domain, and had to fight against the Eighth-Tier Ancient God Beast.

This was undoubtedly a giant boulder pressing down on everyone's hearts.

Everyone knew the odds of winning were absolutely very low.

Therefore, their current focus was still on protecting Chen Yan.

Ke Qingxuan nodded and left with Qi Fan and the others.

A trace of bewilderment appeared between everyone's brows, but it quickly became firm again.

Rather than letting them fight a desperate battle to the death with Chi Xue at the Dark Devourer Mother Nest back then.

For them, this was already the best result.

Chen Yan's choice gave meaning to what they were doing.

Meaning!

Humanity has continued for a long time, and many people just want to find meaning for their own lives.

At the same time.

The changes within the physical body of Chen Yan's true self, who was sitting cross-legged in the forging room, were simply earth-shattering.

First, Chen Yan's Tempering Origin Space began to transform.

The vast Yunmeng City began to twist and tear, and everything began to disappear.

At the same time, where Chen Yan's true self was, starlight steamed, and strange powers vibrated from within Chen Yan's physical body.

Wrapped in countless rays of light, Chen Yan's figure became dreamlike, as if he were a god who could not be looked at directly.

His origin space was disappearing; all the space turned into dust, gradually vanishing, becoming endless pitch-black.

Chen Yan felt the sermon of the Master of Tempering and began to construct his own universe.

Within the origin space that had completely turned into endless pitch-black.

Chaos, like solidified ink, was boiled, and blinding light seeped out from the cracks.

There was light, breaking the endless eternal darkness.

Roar!

Nine hundred and ninety-nine True Dragon Dharma Images appeared and galloped.

This was Chen Yan's most fundamental tempering power.

Of course, there was also a strand of True Martial power that had already been fused by Chen Yan, which Chen Yan had not taken out.

That strand of True Martial power would be the beginning of Chen Yan's fusion of Qi-Blood and Tempering paths.

However, Chen Yan's focus at this moment was still on condensing the first layer of his own universe.

Under Chen Yan's control, the nine hundred and ninety-nine True Dragon Dharma Images flowed into the origin space that had turned into a universe, roaming the vast void, their dragon roars shaking the heavens.

Chen Yan's eyes were tightly closed, and the intent of the Dao laws overflowing from his body became more and more intense.

Roar, roar, roar, roar!

Within the universe of the Tempering path, the True Dragon Dharma Images hissed, blooming with the most brilliant radiance.

Streams of energy poured into this silent universe, then quietly transformed.

At this moment, a trace of reluctance actually appeared in the eyes of all the True Dragon manifestations.

Having accompanied Chen Yan for so long, they were to dissipate at this moment, turning into the powerful new strength of Chen Yan.

A warm luster flowed over their dragon bodies, and gradually, the luster became incomparably intense and incomparably blazing.

Chen Yan's brows furrowed; the process of the True Dragon manifestations shattering to transform into a galaxy was the first challenge encountered when creating his own universe.

Inside the Upper Ancient War Palace.

The white-haired old man narrowed his eyes, and streams of Dao essence poured out from his body, bringing an enlightening infusion to Chen Yan.

This was a great fortune belonging to the Masters of Martial Dao.

Chen Yan sensed the Dao essence, and the Saint-Breaking Realm was occupied by golden light.

This massive energy of technique was almost about to submerge the Saint-Breaking Tree; it was unimaginably vast.

In an instant.

One 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruit was born.

Then.

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

These five 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruits were born almost at the same time.

One can imagine just how precious the personal insights were that the Master of Hardened Refining had brought to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan swallowed these 【Technique】 Saint-Breaking Fruits one by one.

In a split second, both Chen Yan's consciousness avatar inside the Upper Ancient War Palace and Chen Yan's true self inside the forging room.

At this moment, were both brimming with precious light, enveloped by endless laws, and filled with endless wonder.

The Master of Hardened Refining watched in amazement, then laughed loudly:

"Correct, that is it. To want to pry into the rules and break the rules, only by struggling with all one's might like this can it be done.

As a Master of Martial Dao, one must make the heavens and earth feel awe, rather than feeling awe of the heavens and earth!"

A trace of deep gratification finally appeared in his eyes.

The speed at which Chen Yan accepted the Dao essence was something even he had not expected.

At the same time.

Outside the room.

The woman in the immortal dress arrived, and there were ripples of shock and doubt in her brows and eyes.

This room was still bound by pitch-black chains, yet strands of wondrous Dao law aura flowed out from the gaps.

"What is this? What are you teaching him?"

The woman in the immortal dress raised her eyebrows high, almost flying into her temples, and her forehead squeezed out several deep wrinkles due to shock.

Her heart was constantly trembling; just by sensing it slightly, she could perceive the extraordinary nature of these wisps of Dao laws.

Even she, a Master of Martial Dao, felt incomparably astonished.

The Master of Hardened Refining was actually willing to teach Chen Yan.

This was what shocked the woman in the immortal dress the most.

One must know who that was.

The Master of Hardened Refining.

In the ten thousand years of the world, perhaps there would never be such an existence again.

Such a person would actually lecture on the Dao to someone else.

Merely breaking through the shackles of this room to let Chen Yan enter it must have already cost this wisp of the Master of Hardened Refining's remnant soul a great deal.

The woman in the immortal dress had a cold look in her eyes:

"What you are teaching him is Dao essence concerning Martial Dao rules; are you not afraid of bursting him to death?

He is to fight a great enemy in a few days; with such massive Dao essence added, not only will he be unable to absorb it, but he will also be in even greater danger!"

Ten-colored immortal radiance gathered in the eyes of the woman in the immortal dress, and she continued to speak:

"Chen Yan, are you still not clear? He is harming you!"

She was extremely angry in her heart.

What she wanted to do was save Chen Yan.

She just did not expect that Lu Jianxia was actually willing to perish here.

But she did not intend to harm Chen Yan.

She believed that as long as Chen Yan listened to her lecture on the Dao, he could obtain a glimmer of survival in that battle against Chi Xue.

But her words received no response.

The woman in the immortal dress was even more angry.

She was ignored.

And it was at this moment.

Hum!

The sound of rules chiming rang out.

The woman in the immortal dress frowned; she did not continue to pry into what was happening inside the room.

Instead, she shifted her gaze and looked outside the Upper Ancient War Palace.

Chen Yan's true self, still inside the forging room of Counter-Fire Castle.

The next moment.

Her expression changed completely.