Chapter 627 - 409: Extraordinary to Saint
Breaking through the Saint Realm is not about comprehending the Dao of the world, but about forging your own Dao. By integrating your Dao into the heavens and earth, your Dao becomes one with them.
The second step in breaking through the Saint Realm is for your Dao to gain the recognition of heaven and earth. In other words, the Dao you forge must withstand the impact of the myriad pre-existing Daos in the universe, allowing your Dao to exist eternally.
If the Dao you forge cannot withstand this impact, and if your Dao collapses and is destroyed, at best, you will suffer backlash and injure your Dao, at worst, you will perish on the spot. Most Martial Kings attempting to break through the Saint Realm fall at this step.
"Zheng zheng..."
As the Dao of Wei Fan was forged, his Dao entered the heavens and earth, and a deafening sound erupted. Huge chains of order appeared as the Great Dao began to vibrate, impacting and compressing his Dao, attempting to shatter his body and Primordial Spirit.
Wei Fan’s heart tightened: "I’ve entered the second step!"
The second step is the final step, and it is the most difficult and crucial. Only by enduring this step can he truly become a Saint.
The Great Dao simultaneously impacted his body and Primordial Spirit. The impact he bore was several times that of an ordinary person attempting to break through the Saint Realm, pressure beyond imagination.
His Dao arduously extended from within him, seeking to merge with the heavens and earth to form a Dao of its own, becoming part of the Heaven and Earth Dao. However, the Yin-Yang Dao, Sword Dao, Blade Dao, Fist Dao, and other Daos that existed long before, exerted invisible mighty power, aiming to crush his newly forged Dao.
In an instant, some branches of his Dao began to collapse, his body cracked, and the Dao Marks almost dissipated.
"Holy Blood Fruit!"
Without hesitation, Wei Fan grabbed the Holy Blood Fruit he had prepared in advance and swallowed it in one gulp, rapidly refining it.
"Boom!"
Under the influence of the Holy Blood Fruit’s medicinal power, his Dao carved out a space among the many Daos, shaking numerous Daos. The shattered branches not only regrew, but they also became thicker and more resilient.
One by one, the Great Daos emerged within the Martial Arts Celestial Eye, revealing their weak points, his Dao grew along these weak points, penetrating to absorb nutrients.
The imprint of the Nine-Nine True Skill emitted an even more dazzling light, the heavenly sound reverberated, as if clearing a path for his Dao, suppressing many Daos.
The Primordial Spirit shone brightly with golden light, the Will Power surged, momentarily shaking many Daos, continuously thundering.
The second step is a test, but it is also a tempering, to see if you can endure it.
"Such a powerful Dao, who exactly is breaking through, even my Saint Dao was shaken!"
In the Demon Hunter Sub-Hall of Celestial Star City, Zhou Shen suddenly opened his eyes, sending out a captivating divine light.
His Saint Dao suddenly began to shake, booming in concert with the Heaven and Earth Dao. This phenomenon indicated to him that someone nearby was attempting to break through to the Saint Realm, causing his Saint Dao to be shaken.
"Could it be that kid Wei Fan? How can he be so bold, attempting to break through to the Saint Realm without waiting for the Wilderness Dao Collapse to end?"
Of those in Beiding Continent capable of causing such terrifying tremors in the Heaven and Earth Dao during a breakthrough, he could only think of the demon Wei Fan. The rest of the Martial Kings, not to mention shaking many Daos to the point of roaring, would have difficulty succeeding in breaking through.
"That kid is outrageously bold, undertaking an important breakthrough like this without seeking me for protection. Should anyone obstruct him, not even ten lives would suffice to save him."
The main concern was that there was now a Martial Saint from Fire Cloud Cave blocking Wei Fan in Celestial Star City. If he could sense the tremors in the Dao, the opponent could sense it as well.
At this thought, Zhou Shen couldn’t sit still any longer.
With a single step, he was out of Celestial Star City, rushing towards the direction of the Dao tremors, curious to know who was causing such a disturbance, regardless of whether it was Wei Fan or not.
If it was Wei Fan, he must go to protect him.
"Brother Zhou is leaving in such a hurry, could the one breaking through be Wei Fan?"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, and without turning his head, Zhou Shen knew it was Tian Chunqiu, the Martial Saint from Fire Cloud Cave.
As he suspected, it was not only Zhou Shen who thought it might be Wei Fan attempting to break through to the Saint Realm, but Tian Chunqiu also guessed so, as the commotion was indeed shocking, and nearby Martial Saints could perceive it.
"What kind of thing are you, daring to address me as a brother? Even if your father were here, he would have to call me Grandpa."
Zhou Shen’s face darkened. He had no friendship with Tian Chunqiu; Zhou Shen had become a Saint for only three hundred years, not even a fraction of Tian Chunqiu’s age, lacking the qualification to call him Brother Zhou.
Of course, in the Five Great Domains, age is not usually considered, and relationships are based on cultivation level; as long as cultivation is at the same level, addressing each other as brothers is not wrong. The main issue was Zhou Shen’s dislike for Tian Chunqiu.
Having come all the way from Nanhe Continent to Beiding Continent to kill the most outstanding genius of the Demon Hunter Organization, he was already furious, but due to the rules of the Demon Hunter Organization, he had no excuse to act.
Tian Chunqiu addressing him as Brother Zhou was just the pretext he needed.
"Boom!"
He immediately turned and struck with his palm, unleashing a torrent of power like a tidal wave, shattering the void in an instant.
"You..."
Tian Chunqiu was shocked, quickly raising his hands to block, using Holy Power to protect himself.
"Bang!"
The next moment, he was hit like by a thunderstrike, spewing blood from his mouth as he flew backwards, his hair in disarray.
The Demon Hunter Sub-Hall Vice Hall Master is not a position just anyone can hold. Tian Chunqiu, who had only been a Saint for three hundred years, couldn’t even withstand a single move from Zhou Shen.
"Is the Demon Hunter Organization going to interfere in Jianghu grievances?"
Tian Chunqiu shouted in horror, fearing Zhou Shen might kill him. He knew it was not his addressing Zhou Shen as Brother Zhou that was mistaken, but that Zhou Shen was using this excuse to stand up for Wei Fan.
"Scram!"
Zhou Shen rushed over, kicking Tian Chunqiu from the sky, "If you dare act so disrespectfully to me again, I will kill you."
Tian Chunqiu dared not say another word. He turned and fled. If it weren’t for the presence of stronger Martial Saints in the Fire Cloud Cave, Zhou Shen probably would have killed him outright.
"Hmph, if I didn’t intend to leave you for that kid, I would’ve killed you directly!"
Zhou Shen flicked off the nonexistent dust on his hand and continued on his way.
The one attempting to break through to the Saint Realm was probably Wei Fan. Once successful, Martial Saints like Tian Chunqiu would only serve as a whetstone for Wei Fan; there was no need to kill Tian Chunqiu.
If he failed, given the commotion from Wei Fan’s attempt to reach the Saint Realm, survival was unlikely. Killing Tian Chunqiu would instead give the Demon Hunter Organization something to talk about.
Now with Tian Chunqiu scared off, Wei Fan could proceed with his breakthrough in peace.
Soon, Zhou Shen arrived at the place where Wei Fan was in seclusion.
"An array has been set up, but he doesn’t realize how alarming his breakthrough actions are; the array can’t conceal it at all."
He descended on a mountainside and personally guarded Wei Fan.
...
Inside the cave, Wei Fan’s Dao had become as thick as a tree trunk, spreading out hundreds of meters, reaching into the void, entangling with various Great Daos. His once small Primordial Spirit had now transformed to over ten feet tall.
His physical form bore once fuzzy patterns that had become clear, also connecting with various Great Daos in the void, continuously absorbing the Power of the Great Path to refine his body.
By now, his Sacred Body was truly forged, his Dao had fully formed, no longer suppressed by the pre-existing Daos of heaven and earth. His Power, Origin, Life Force, and Will Power continually surged.
Time passed unknowingly, and everything calmed down. Although all aspects were still enhancing, they were not as intense as at the start.
"It’s done!"
He knew he had achieved sainthood, and from then on, he transcended the ordinary, overlooking all beings.
His physical shell exuded a fragrance akin to spirit medicine aged tens of thousands of years. With a thought, electricity sparked in the void, auspicious colors emerged.
[One million years’ Power, both your physical body and Primordial Spirit have broken through to the Saint Realm]
[Ordinary Power: 3.97 million years]
[Martial Saint’s Power: None]
Diverging from his initial expectation of needing three million years’ Power, he successfully broke through with just one million years’ Power, certainly thanks to the contribution of the Holy Blood Fruit.
Without the assistance of Holy Blood Fruit, achieving simultaneous sainthood for both Primordial Spirit and body would not have been so straightforward. Even if successful, it wouldn’t have been with just one million years’ Power.
The True Essence of a Martial King Powerhouse had metamorphosed into Dao Power, autonomously flowing within him, his body emitting spectacular light, with an alluring aroma.
Holy radiance dispersed, causing spirituality in the cave to surge, Essence Qi rushed.
This was nothing more than an ordinary cave, yet it became his place of ascension; if he were to establish a sect here, in thousands or tens of thousands of years, it would evolve into a Martial Arts Holy Land.
"Why has it stopped, could it be that the breakthrough failed?"
On the mountaintop, Zhou Shen felt a twinge of unease, sensing something ominous.
Since a breakthrough to the Saint Realm usually requires days and nights, yet the quivering of the Great Dao ceased after just a few hours.
"Haha... failure! No need for me to act; he will die without a burial ground!"
The vanished Tian Chunqiu reappeared in the air, laughing uncontrollably, "Arrogant fool, he should know that even Xuanyuan Peak took a few years to settle before attempting the Saint Realm after reaching Martial King Ninth Layer. Does he think he’s more formidable than Xuanyuan Peak?"
Zhou Shen’s blatant attempt at his life left him unable to dare disturb Wei Fan’s breakthrough, yet he never expected he’d fail.
Zhou Shen’s face darkened, the possibility of Wei Fan’s breakthrough failure was ninety percent, it was unbelievable to break through to the Saint Realm in just hours.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, Essence Qi surged across heaven and earth, a brilliant light erupted from the mountains, where plants grew wildly, auspicious light overflowed.
A golden light paved path stretched from the mountain, a figure with hands clasped behind their back ascended step by step to the sky.
"Wei Fan? How is it possible, how could you become a saint so swiftly..."
Tian Chunqiu was taken aback, eyes wide, his face full of shock.
Wei Fan radiated divine light, with Saint Level fluctuations constantly emanating, like a Divine Mansion walking the earth.
Zheng zheng...
Thick Chains of Order manifested, Great Dao reverberated, weaving with his body.
This spectacle was not one of surviving a failed breakthrough, but of having completed a transformation of Power, transcending to Saint, with all Great Daos of heaven and earth acknowledging his Dao’s existence, forming a connection.
"Good boy, he’s defying the heavens!"
Zhou Shen couldn’t help but inhale sharply, deeply shocked, it wasn’t a failure, but a success.
The age and speed of his breakthrough to the Saint Realm surpassed the records left by Xuanyuan Peak.