The sky tore open like a wound in the fabric of reality. Shao Xian stepped through without hesitation, his form vanishing into the rift. Behind him, his loyal followers followed, one by one, stepping into the unknown.
The transition was not smooth. A violent force clashed against them as they moved between realms. Space distorted, folding in on itself. Even Luo Qing and Bai Ren, who were among the strongest cultivators in the lower world, felt their bodies being pressed down by an unimaginable weight.
Shao Xian, however, remained unaffected. His golden eyes gleamed as he pushed forward, tearing through the restrictive force with nothing but sheer will.
Then, suddenly, they emerged.
The air was thick with power, far denser than anything found in the lower world. The land stretched infinitely before them—floating islands, towering mountains bathed in divine light, and vast rivers of molten energy coursing through the sky.
They had arrived in the Higher Realm.
Bai Ren gasped, taking in the sheer scale of this new world. "This place…"
Luo Qing clenched his fists, feeling the raw power saturating the air. "No wonder those from the higher realms look down upon the lower worlds. The difference is overwhelming."
Shao Xian was silent. His gaze swept across the horizon. He had been here before. Not in this exact location, but in the Higher Realm itself. In his past life, he had stood at the peak of this very world, ruling over countless sects and empires.
But that was before his betrayal. Before he was cast down.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
This time, things would be different.
Suddenly, a powerful presence descended upon them.
A group of cultivators appeared, clad in silver robes adorned with intricate runes. Their leader, a tall man with piercing red eyes, floated in midair, his expression one of disdain.
"Outsiders." The man's voice was cold, filled with arrogance. "You dare intrude upon the Higher Realm without permission?"
Bai Ren and the others instinctively prepared for battle, their auras surging.
But Shao Xian raised a hand, silencing them.
He met the man's gaze, unshaken. "Permission?"
The red-eyed cultivator narrowed his eyes. "Only those chosen by the great sects are allowed to ascend. You are mere rats from the lower world."
Shao Xian chuckled. It was a low, dangerous sound.
The man's expression darkened. "What's so funny?"
Without warning, Shao Xian moved.
Faster than anyone could react, he appeared directly in front of the man. His hand shot out, gripping his opponent's throat with such force that space cracked around them.
The red-eyed man's arrogance vanished, replaced by sheer terror. He struggled, but it was futile. Shao Xian's grip was unyielding.
The other cultivators gasped, their faces turning pale. They had sensed Shao Xian's strength before, but they had vastly underestimated him.
Shao Xian's voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable authority. "You mistake me for someone who needs permission."
With a slight movement of his fingers, he crushed the man's throat.
A sickening crack echoed through the air.
The red-eyed cultivator's lifeless body fell from the sky.
His subordinates were frozen in fear. One of them, a woman with long silver hair, took a trembling step back. "Y-you… you killed Elder Fang…"
Shao Xian's gaze fell upon her. "Was he important?"
The woman did not answer. She turned and fled, her movements frantic.
But before she could get far, a wave of invisible force crashed into her. Her body was torn apart in an instant, reduced to nothing but dust.
The remaining cultivators fell to their knees, their arrogance shattered.
"Spare us!" one of them begged. "We—we did not know your greatness! Please!"
Shao Xian gazed down at them, his expression unreadable.
Then, he spoke. "Tell me everything about this realm."
The cultivator, desperate to live, began to speak rapidly. "T-this is the Eastern Domain of the Higher Realm. It is ruled by the Celestial Dragon Sect, one of the Nine Supreme Sects. They control the flow of ascension and eliminate any outsiders who do not submit to their authority."
Shao Xian absorbed the information. "Where is the Celestial Dragon Sect located?"
The man hesitated. "My Lord… their power is immense. They—"
His hesitation was a mistake.
A burst of energy exploded from Shao Xian's palm, disintegrating the man where he knelt.
The remaining survivors quickly spoke up. "T-the Celestial Dragon Sect's main territory is in the Celestial Peaks, far to the north!"
Shao Xian nodded, satisfied.
Without another word, he turned and began walking.
His followers hurried after him, leaving behind nothing but corpses and fear in their wake.
The path of domination had begun.