In the blink of an eye, a week has flown by.
Above the federal capital, a group of people including Ruan Tianhe, his disciples, Gao Shang, and Xirwei gathered. They had lived up to Fang Yuan's expectations, conquering the entire Western Continent in just seven days.
After all the top experts from various countries had fallen at Fang Yuan's hands, those remaining no longer posed any threat. The sweep across the Western Continent was much smoother than they had anticipated.
"This federation is the center of the heavenly and earthly anomalies. Looks like I was right—His Majesty is indeed cultivating..." Gao Shang gazed up at the sky, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
"Is that even a question?" Xirwei placed her hands on her hips, her eyes gleaming with admiration. "Who else but His Majesty could invoke such vast heavenly and earthly powers? The scale of this anomaly alone is enough to shake the entire Western Continent!"
Mo Tianxing stroked his beard, sighing, "Even though we've been following His Majesty for some time now, every time we witness the sight of His Majesty cultivating, we can't help but be shaken."
For seven whole days, the vast anomaly had overshadowed the Western Continent, astonishing everyone!
Ruan Tianhe, however, was speechless. Among this group, it seemed he was the only one overwhelmed and at a loss for words by the earth-shattering anomaly before them.
The soldiers under Fang Yuan's command maintained their usual composure, as if they had long since gotten used to such scenes. Yet here he was, a Grand Martial Saint, feeling like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world...
Just as he was feeling embarrassed, Ruan Tianhe suddenly noticed someone in the group who, like him, was staring wide-eyed in awe.
"Looks like I'm not the only one..." He breathed a sigh of relief and focused his gaze, only to realize it was his incompetent disciple.
Well, that was a letdown...
The group flew through the air and soon arrived above the Holy See, drawn by the mighty anomaly.
But before they could get closer, a booming shout rang out:
"How dare you! Who dares to intrude on the Federation's sacred grounds?!"
Several figures soared into the sky, and at the forefront was the Federation's emperor, followed by a few martial artists at the Seventh Realm!
This took Ruan Tianhe and the others by surprise. The Federation Emperor... how dare he act so arrogantly and block their way?!
Such audacity—did he have some backing?
Before they could ponder this, the Federation Emperor continued in a stern voice: "Do you not know that this is His Majesty of the Summer Kingdom's territory?!"
"If you dare proceed further, do not blame us for exterminating you in His Majesty's name!"
Ruan Tianhe and his group froze. "..."
Wait, aren't you the Federation Emperor? When did you become a subject of His Majesty?
And his attitude... it truly resembled that of a loyal minister, making it seem like he had been serving His Majesty for years!
For a moment, no one could figure out who exactly was Fang Yuan's subordinate here...
The Federation Emperor, it seemed, had a remarkable understanding of the situation...
"Ahem, actually, we too are His Majesty's subjects," Mo Tianxing said, bowing his hands.
"I see now. No wonder you all seem somewhat unfamiliar," the Federation Emperor said with a smile, his tone suddenly becoming much kinder. "But you've come at an inconvenient time. His Majesty is currently in closed-door cultivation and specifically instructed me to wait here. If you wish to meet with His Majesty, you may have to wait for a while."
"Alright," Gao Shang nodded. Ruan Tianhe opened his mouth but hesitated.
He actually wanted to mention that the time needed to cultivate the final Dao Body was much longer than before, and they might have to wait a long time.
But given Fang Yuan's monstrous capabilities, he decided not to bring it up... not wanting to get slapped in the face.
While he was lost in thought, the anomaly in the sky suddenly intensified!
The vast sea of clouds that had covered the Western Continent for seven days suddenly collapsed like a mountain. A tremendous pressure swept across the world, as though the entire sky was about to collapse.
"Not good!"
In the sky, the powerful warriors instinctively released their protective Qi, trying to resist the pressure. However, against such celestial power, even they were powerless.
Their figures swayed violently, falling from the sky like kites with broken strings.
On the ground, weaker martial artists were even more pitiful. They were pressed to the earth by the overwhelming pressure, unable to even raise their heads to look up. They could only crawl and tremble.
It was an absolute suppression from the very essence of life, as if ants were facing a dragon, unable to summon even a trace of resistance!
...
In the depths of the Holy Temple, Fang Yuan's energy surged violently, his jet-black hair flying wildly in the chaos of energy.
The "Virtue Sutra" in his mind suddenly shone brightly, revealing the final line of dazzling text:
"Yang-attribute Dao Body is now perfected, the Nine Extremes converge as one!"
"All nine heavenly attributes now belong to me. The heavenly chasm is broken through today!"
"Essence of life, reborn and transformed. Martial Dao level has been elevated. You have now become a Martial Saint!"
Fang Yuan slowly opened his eyes, and in his pitch-black pupils, it seemed as if a galaxy was suspended.
The surging power rushed through his body, as if with a single gesture, he could tear apart the sky.
At this moment, Fang Yuan distinctly felt that every drop of blood in his body contained the power to break mountains, and every breath resonated with the heavens and the earth!
"So this is the realm of the Martial Saint... truly marvelous," Fang Yuan's lips curled slightly, and he stepped out of the temple.
Outside the temple, tens of thousands of followers held their breath, feeling as though the black-clad figure before them was within arm's reach yet seemed to be separated by an entire world.
Fang Yuan flicked his wide sleeves, and the cosmic anomaly receded like a tide. The invisible pressure that weighed on everyone's hearts also dissipated.
Gao Shang and the others couldn't hide their excitement and kneeled, their voices booming like waves: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on achieving the Martial Saint Dao!"
Even Ruan Tianhe, also a Martial Saint, fell into a moment of silence.
A complex expression flashed in his eyes, and after a while, this seasoned warrior slowly bowed, kneeling before Fang Yuan.
Though they were both Martial Saints, Fang Yuan's speed of breaking through the final celestial chasm in just a week was simply unprecedented and mind-blowing.
Though Ruan Tianhe was reluctant to admit it, he had to concede that this young Martial Saint before him was far beyond what he could ever achieve.
"Rise..." Fang Yuan spoke.
Everyone stood up, and Ruan Tianhe slightly raised his head, his gaze full of complexity as he looked at Fang Yuan. "Now that His Majesty has become a Martial Saint, I suppose you have already felt the repelling force of this world against Martial Saints?"
His voice was deep, carrying the weight of experience. "The longer you stay, the stronger the force of rejection becomes. Eventually, when the pressure becomes unbearable, the thunder tribulation will come."
"At that time, you will need to resist both the celestial rejection and the impending tribulation. The risk of perishing will increase..."
At this point, Ruan Tianhe paused before solemnly advising, "In my opinion, Your Majesty should ascend as soon as possible."
When he achieved the Martial Saint position himself, he only lasted a few days before choosing to ascend.
However, once ascended, the forces of the upper realm would likely invade through the ascension path.
In Ruan Tianhe's eyes, achieving the Martial Saint position was not a wise move. He had shared all the pros and cons with Fang Yuan, but Fang Yuan appeared unconcerned.
Well, this young Martial Saint must have his own plans.