Chapter 257: I Am the Heavenly Dao

Amidst the many discussions and debates, the most brilliant and blinding radiance shook the heavens and the earth.

All other sounds were suppressed, and only the thick thunderous roar between heaven and earth resonated throughout the universe.

"A Great Saint!"

Someone spoke these words aloud, and others wanted to pilot their Extreme Dao Imperial Weapons to rush into the firmament to catch a glimpse of this Heavenly Tribulation, a sight rarely seen in all of eternity.

Although they had frequently witnessed such scenes recently, for most people, such a spectacle remained world-attracting and shocking.

If there were an opportunity to watch such a powerful figure undergo tribulation, it would provide them with immense insights for themselves, allowing their subsequent cultivation to proceed more smoothly.

At the same time, many were incomparably excited and thrilled.

"The world is truly reviving, and my Ziwei is truly going to recover the glory of the most ancient times, King Over the World just like in the era of the Taiyang Shenghuang."

"That is inevitable; in such a short time, three Great Saints and one Quasi-Emperor have already appeared. Perhaps in the future, an invincible king who can truly King Over the World will emerge from our side."

The figures heading into the starry sky were all Church Leader-level figures of this era, all Great Powers of the Immortal Second Realm, and they had traveled a great distance within the Immortal Second Realm.

In this era, they could be considered top-tier powerhouses, though of course, they were still separated by a distance of one hundred and eight thousand miles from the Great Saints and Quasi-Emperors.

Yet, every single one of them was filled with incomparable excitement and thrill as they flew toward the outer starry sky.

They had waited too long; for far too long a period of time, no truly supreme powerhouses had appeared, and even the existence of a Saint was merely a Legend.

As a result, the sudden, successive appearance of multiple Great Saint-level figures who were invincible in the world made them doubt themselves.

When the first one appeared, they even suspected that it was an unprecedented figure proving their Dao in the world.

Later, after scouring the ancient classics within their sects, they discovered that it was not a supreme figure proving their Dao, as many conditions did not match.

It was merely a figure achieving the Great Saint realm, but that kind of terrifying fluctuation could already sweep across the entire star field, and the entire starry sky could feel that kind of terrifying and peculiar pressure.

But even if it were only a Great Saint, it could still make countless people excited, as this represented that someone in such an era had traveled a very long distance.

This represented that the path ahead was truly passable, and it was not as they had imagined—that once they reached the Church Leader level, they no longer had the ability to climb higher.

Someone had moved forward repeatedly even in a situation where the world had not yet revived.

They had even broken through to the Great Saint Realm in such an era; someone had specifically observed that the figure who broke through to the Great Saint Realm did not have aging blood and Qi, but was in their most vigorous era, counting as a young figure within the Great Saint Realm.

This indicated that the future was promising, and everyone had hope.

Since it was not their first time climbing, this time many figures were very familiar with the process, using weapons like Transmitted Saint Weapons to clear the way, actively creating a platform in the high sky, and then watching from within the star.

This was not because they did not want to watch from a closer area, but because of the experience from the previous few times.

Ziwei Ancient Star had once given birth to multiple Ancient Great Emperors, and the entire Ziwei Ancient Star was under special protection.

Therefore, watching a powerful figure undergo tribulation from within the star would receive a layer of protection, but if one were greedy and wanted to rush into the starry sky to watch from a closer distance...

Pfft!

A figure who was not very knowledgeable rushed out of the star at this moment, and then, silently and soundlessly, a terrifying pressure covering the heavens and earth descended, and a tiny electric arc flashed between heaven and earth.

The Transmitted Saint Weapon, along with that Church Leader-level figure, turned into ashes.

Someone who was also watching from inside the star sneered: "Where did this ignorant person come from?"

"How can there still be such a foolish person?"

On the other side, someone carefully identified the person and recognized their identity and background.

"It is the old Church Leader of the Fire Cloud Sect. He has been in seclusion for over twenty years; I suppose he only recently broke through, and he was unaware of the situation outside, so he just rushed directly toward the outer heavens..."

After identifying them, a group of people sneered, but at the same time, some felt a sense of dread in their hearts.

"Is the power of this Heavenly Tribulation not ridiculously strong? Just a tiny electric arc caused a Transmitted Saint Weapon to crack and turn to ashes. Is this really a Great Saint tribulation?"

"Judging from the observed situation and the records in ancient books, it should be."

"But from what has been observed, much of the attack and lethality has exceeded the scope of imagination. Perhaps only the Heavenly Tribulation undergone by an Ancient Great Emperor in their youth could compare to this time..."

Some were exclaiming in wonder, and a group of Church Leader-level figures nodded, believing that this might truly be the case.

In recent years, they had successively observed two Saint King-level existences undergoing tribulation to become Great Saints, and they had also observed a figure powerful to the point of terror undergoing tribulation in the starry sky to become a Quasi-Emperor.

Therefore, much of the information, conditions, and information recorded in ancient books had been partially changed by them.

"The ancient books are too conservative, and many parts are not described in enough detail. Clearly, the tribulations encountered in the world today are even more powerful and terrifying, and the strength of the younger generation of Great Saints is also terrifyingly peerless, far exceeding the records in the ancient books."

"Indeed. Originally, I thought the conclusions drawn by my fellow Daoists were false, just some special cases. Now, this is already the third person to undergo the Great Saint tribulation, and every person undergoing tribulation is more special and formidable than recorded in the ancient books."

"I suppose the ancestors who left behind the ancient books did not fully witness a Great Saint-level figure undergoing tribulation, and some parts might have been hearsay, describing the power of the Heavenly Tribulation as lower than it was..."

Several Church Leader-level figures, even including the Supreme Elders within their sects, nodded one after another at this moment.

They used special instruments and methods to record the scene of the tribulation in the starry sky as a classic.

Previously, they had believed the records in the ancient classics were more accurate, but now, hearing is believing, and seeing is reality.

Of course, they had to change the inaccurate information recorded by the previous generation and the older generation.

Of course, the group of people present never thought that it was not their older ancestors who recorded it incorrectly, but that the figures undergoing tribulation here recently were not ordinary people.

Whether it was the Old Madman and Wei Yi of the Tianxuan Three Heroes, the old Great Saint of the Cai Family, or Zhang Xuan, they were all the most tyrannical and special powerful figures standing between heaven and earth.

It could only be said that the people undergoing the tribulation were relatively special, thus causing the others to have incorrect impressions.

And among this group of people, Yin Tiande, who was in the Eight Views Palace, was the most taciturn.

He looked up at the firmament coldly, his heart filled with endless pressure and unwillingness.

As the Son of Luck of this era, as the peerless figure who had fought across all of Ziwei and was invincible, the first in the world.

He had already severed his Dao in this period; he was a truly invincible figure and had even stepped into the God Forbidden.

He was a truly invincible heaven's pride, hailed as the invincible figure most likely to walk toward the realm of proving the Dao in this era.

Yet, at this moment, as he looked up at the firmament, he still felt heartfelt unwillingness.

"Too... too young!"

Among the figures also watching this tribulation in the starry sky, there were old Church Leader figures exclaiming.

With their strength, they could not see the true scene of the tribulation above their heads.

The only thing they could see clearly and feel was that vast blood and Qi that seemed as if it were going to submerge the entire star; that blood and Qi was incomparably young and active.

The Qi and blood suppressed the entire firmament, more vigorous and majestic than any time they had felt before.

That feeling simply made everyone in their hearts feel a sense of inferiority; it was too powerful and terrifying.

"How could one be young to such a degree? Which cultivator is this exactly?"

"Logically speaking, to cultivate to this step, it would take hundreds or thousands of years at the very least. Who is he? Searching through the experiences of this period, it seems one cannot find a figure from a corresponding era."

An old figure whispered in confusion, then was quickly suppressed by the incomparably vast thunder light in the starry sky; everything became calm because of it, with only the rumbling of thunder.

And beneath the starry sky, Zhang Xuan stood calmly, quietly confronting the boundless lightning tribulation.

Within the lightning tribulation, one terrifying and peerless great figure after another emerged.

Wushi, Ruthless Great Emperor, Undying Emperor, Emperor Sovereign...

Every single figure was a supreme existence that shook the ages, but Zhang Xuan was not panicked facing such figures; there was even joy on his face.

Above his Sendai, in the region carrying his primordial spirit, the primordial spirit was golden throughout, unlike others which were only condensed from mental intent.

His primordial spirit was like a truly human-shaped existence, even his height and weight were the same as Zhang Xuan's; at this moment, he walked out to confront the figures above the firmament.

A moment later, he contended with the most terrifying figure above the firmament, and between them, incomparably dazzling lightning intersected, shaking the heavens and the earth.

The primordial spirit was golden throughout, faintly appearing as if the physical body and the primordial spirit were combined together, incomparably solid, flowing with an immortal aura.

In the midst of the great battle, his entire body transformed into chaos.

Not only did he clash with the most powerful figures since the dawn of time, he even branded their own imprints, stealing their Dao Fruit.

No, this cannot be called stealing; it is more like imitation and learning, and it can even be called a form of replication.

Since the dawn of time, no one would do such a thing, because the Great Dao of an Ancient Great Emperor could only ever have one person, and there have never been two Great Emperors with the same Great Dao.

It has been like this since the dawn of time, with no exceptions.

Therefore, there have always been sayings like "those who learn from me live, those who resemble me die."

The most talented people of the younger generation who want to walk a path different from the masses have only one direction, and that is to learn the excellent points of these most powerful Great Emperors from the dawn of time.

Then, by shedding their old selves from within it and extending their own Dao, only then can they prove the Dao and become an Emperor, reigning as a sovereign for all time.

The path Zhang Xuan walks is different from theirs.

The path of the Yishi Zhi Zun World; the rules between heaven and earth were originally the same, and even interconnected.

Later figures who want to prove the Dao and become the Other Shore indeed cannot walk the same path as previous Other Shore figures.

But when the original Other Shore figure falls, this path can indeed continue to be walked.

Because someone has succeeded before; when they die, later figures can occupy this ecological niche, and it will be even smoother.

The cultivation philosophies of the two worlds are the same in many directions, and have different points in many places; what Zhang Xuan has to do now is to learn and absorb the good aspects and discard the bad aspects.

For Zhang Xuan, he has no way to directly imitate or copy the paths of the Ruthless Great Emperor, Wushi Dadi, the Undying Emperor, and the Emperor Sovereign.

And then leap up to occupy their heaven and earth Great Dao to become a similar Other Shore figure in this heaven and earth.

Because these figures have not truly died; they are still active between heaven and earth, and their Dao Fruit are likewise alive, so there is no way to occupy them.

But the paths of other figures who have already died are already vacant, and Zhang Xuan can directly follow their paths upward.

When finally proving the Dao to become the Other Shore, one can choose not just one path, but multiple paths to achieve it simultaneously, becoming the most formidable and special existence.

This is the path Zhang Xuan wants to walk; other figures learn the scriptures of different Great Emperors and then transcend based on the original foundation of the Great Dao—that is one path.

Zhang Xuan, however, occupies all the ecological niches, merges them into one, and creates the most powerful figure since the dawn of time, simultaneously possessing multiple Dao Fruit.

Of course, reaching Zhang Xuan's level and determining his future direction, he is not proving the Dao to become an Emperor, but becoming a certain kind of Other Shore figure in the Zhetian Universe.

"For me, the limit of heaven and earth, the ceiling of heaven and earth, is my ceiling; in the Zhetian Universe, I can even rival a Red Dust Immortal, or even be a cut above a Red Dust Immortal.

"After all, when I walk to that path, in terms of combat power and inherent strength, I am not inferior to such figures, and plus the entire heaven and earth is my backing; in terms of combat power, I am indeed second to none.

"Of course, this method actually also has some problems."

Standing beneath the starry sky, the imprints on Zhang Xuan's primordial spirit became more and more numerous and complex, looking both like the Zhun-Ti Dao Body and the Tathagata Golden Body.

But it also had certain differences from both, being very complex and special; the final aspect was similar to the Existence Machine of Taishang Laojun, or rather the Heavenly Venerable of Morality, but it also fused other parts, looking more like a three-in-one Pangu.

Beneath Zhang Xuan's primordial spirit, a Twenty-Four Petal Green Lotus condensed.

The surroundings faintly turned into a piece of chaos, very special and different from the rest.

"Reaching this step, the real problem is that heaven and earth will become an existence that restricts me, just like in the Yishi Zhi Zun World.

"Whether it is the Heavenly Venerable of Lingbao, the Heavenly Venerable of Morality, the Heavenly Venerable of Yuanshi, or the Dao Ancestor and Tathagata, they all wanted to transcend from between heaven and earth to become that unique Dao Fruit.

"That heaven and earth had no secrets for them; it was their game, and they had already occupied the highest authority between heaven and earth; the past, the future, and everything else were all predetermined for them.

"They wanted to transcend out to find a world that was more superior, to find a more special realm.

"And if I become the only Other Shore figure in the Zhetian Universe and become the Lord of the World, I will also be subject to such restrictions.

"I will become an existence similar to the Heavenly Dao in the Shenmu World; of course, my existence is more special and formidable than the Heavenly Dao.

"My control over heaven and earth will be more harmonious and perfect than the Heavenly Dao of the Shenmu World.

"After all, an Other Shore figure controls heaven and earth far more skillfully than the Heavenly Dao; the past, the future, and everything between heaven and earth are all controlled by oneself."

(End of this chapter)