That long river of time, unfurling like a scroll, appeared in the real world, vast and magnificent.
Jiang Yunqing and the others, who had previously witnessed the battle on the Fuli battlefield, narrowed their pupils with expressions of disbelief.
Due to the world-shattering collision between Lu Zhexuan and Mu Zhao's Dao Domains, they couldn't see what was happening on the battlefield. But now, the river of "Time" that spanned the sky forcefully cleaved through the two Upper Third Rank Dao Domains.
What's more, it carried a might that swept through, engulfed, and transcended all things.
Compared to it, even the awe-inspiring and soul-subjugating Tyrant's Path seemed pale and counterfeit, like a crude imitation.
Though the two were unrelated, the disparity in essence was so vast it was instantly evident.
Shen Yuliu gaped in disbelief.
"That's... another Dao Domain?!"
Tang Qiusheng guessed aloud:
"Could it be that Dao Child Shen has broken through and realized the Dao?!"
Shen Yuliu's eyes lit up:
"That's very possible!"
His heart surged with excitement, and he unconsciously straightened his back.
If Shen Xingzhu had truly achieved Dao Realization, then the Shen Clan might, within five hundred years, be on par with the great sects!
The title of Number One Clan in the World would belong to none other than the Shen Clan!
And as a member of the Shen Clan, he would bask in reflected glory.
Jiang Yunqing, however, remained calm:
"Shen Xingzhu's Dao is Compassion, it has no relation to Time. This Dao Domain can't be hers."
Just as he finished speaking, a figure was ejected from the vortex. Quick as lightning, Ming Yan flew up and caught the figure, the two of them tumbling back dozens of zhang before halting.
That figure was, naturally, Shen Xingzhu!
Shen Yuliu was stunned into silence, then quickly recovered and rushed over:
"Cousin, are you alright?"
But the "Shen Xingzhu" before him did not respond, she merely spat out a mouthful of blood and stared blankly into the distance, her eyes red at the corners, wholly unlike her usual cool and serene demeanor.
Though she had been flung out, she was still caught in the shockwaves of the clash between two Upper Third Rank cultivators. Her injuries were already severe.
Ming Yan seemed to understand something and sighed softly:
"So... it was a doomed entanglement of karma..."
Shen Yuliu remained oblivious. Thinking his cousin had been demoralized by the clash of titans, he tried to comfort her:
"It's alright. With your talent, advancing to Upper Third Rank is only a matter of time. Not being able to participate right now is normal..."
He then turned to scold the supposed culprit:
"I knew that Chen Ruogu was suspicious. I never imagined he had a blood feud with the Martial Saint. I bet that attack by Wenyao in the Ancient Battlefield of Meditation was orchestrated by him too!"
Clang!
Suddenly, Jiang Yunqing drew his sword and held it to Shen Yuliu's throat, speaking icily:
"Wenyao's despicable scheme to trap us all within the Ancient Battlefield and thereby realize his Only I Exist Dao, with the Martial Saint as his accomplice, is indisputable fact. You were a victim, yet now you speak to absolve the Martial Saint and shift blame, what is your true intent?"
Shen Yuliu froze, not daring to move, his face twisted with anger but ultimately forced into submission:
"I... I didn't mean it like that. It was a slip of the tongue."
"Besides, this Chen Ruogu's origins are unclear, and he's being hunted by the Martial Saint. It's only natural I suspect him..."
"I know his identity."
It was Ji Wangquan who suddenly spoke up.
Everyone turned to look, she was holding a transmission jade slip.
From its design, it was clearly something used only within the royal court of the Zhou Kingdom.
Ji Wangquan shook the jade slip:
"The scouts report that Chen Kuang, the one killed by the Martial Saint on the border of the Yang Kingdom, has reappeared within its borders, participating in Prince Zhen Nan's rebellion."
"He then broke through the encirclement of the Six Armies of Yang and vanished."
"For the Martial Saint to mobilize on such a scale, only this person could be the cause."
Of course, the contents of the jade slip contained far more than this, including the earth-shattering revelation that Chen Kuang is the Elixir of Immortality.
But Ji Wangquan wasn't foolish enough to say such a thing out loud.
Currently, only the Yang Kingdom royal family and a few within the Zhou Kingdom were privy to that truth.
Tang Qiusheng took a deep breath:
"Chen Kuang... Chen Ruogu... it's him!"
Ji Wangquan looked toward the center of the vortex, narrowing her eyes:
"Right now, aside from the two Upper Third Rank seniors in there... only Chen Ruogu remains."
Jiang Yunqing declared with certainty:
"That Dao Domain... is his!"
Shen Yuliu's eyes widened:
"He was only at the Tower Ascension Realm!"
Jiang Yunqing shook his head:
"When he emerged just now, he had already reached the peak of Moon-Embracing Realm."
Shen Yuliu's face twitched.
Since the collapse of the first layer of the battlefield, they had spent one full day in the lower layer.
He had thought himself fortunate to have gained some decent opportunities there, and his cultivation had improved accordingly.
But he never imagined someone could leap across an entire major realm in a single night!
This... how was this even possible?!
And even if he had reached the peak of Moon-Embracing Realm, how could he already possess a Dao Domain?!
This man... was already beyond the realm of common sense!
BOOM!!!!!!
Suddenly, another earth-shaking explosion burst from within the vortex.
The Tyrant's Path Dao Domain began to collapse. At the same time, a deathly sorrow filled the air, and even the world itself seemed to mourn, the plants withered and bowed, the heavens cried in silence.
Everyone felt a suffocating weight upon their hearts, an inexplicable gloom settling over them.
The gathered Grandmasters' expressions all changed, they were visibly shaken. One by one, they looked toward the depths of the vortex, falling into silence.
Tang Qiusheng placed a hand on his chest, clenched his fist tightly.
"What... what just happened?"
The aged Ling Yazi spoke in a trembling voice:
"Sincere Heart has fallen. Heaven and earth mourn."
The crowd was struck speechless.
Everyone knew that the Dao Lord of Earthly Spirit from the Mysterious Divine Path Sect had walked the path of Sincere Heart.
In other words, Lu Zhexuan... had perished.
Her Dao had crumbled, and the laws of the world grieved in response, causing that crushing sorrow to spread to all.
The always silent Xiu Zhu pressed his palms together and bowed his head:
"Amitabha..."
And in that moment, everyone understood why "Shen Xingzhu" had reacted as she did earlier.
Shen Yuliu was horrified:
"Even the Dao Lord of Earthly Spirit has fallen, does the Martial Saint intend to declare war on the Mysterious Divine Path Sect?!"
Ling Yazi said coldly:
"War has already been declared."
When the Martial Saint descended, Ling Yazi had been stunned at first, but he immediately notified the four Directional Dao Lords, those of the East, South, West, and North.
At this moment, within the Mysterious Divine Path Sect, eight chimes echoed across the skies. All disciples still in the Floating Glass Immortal Province were gathering before the Hall of Moral Virtue.
The four Directional Dao Lords stood before the hall, awaiting orders from Lin Qingya, the Heavenly Sage Dao Sovereign, who had not interfered in sect matters for many years.
But this time, a single word was uttered:
"War."
This time, the Martial Saint had gone completely mad. Even the Mysterious Divine Path Sect, a sect famed for mediation and pacifism, had been provoked to this degree.
A war between the Mysterious Divine Path Sect and the Martial Saint Pavilion would impact countless lives, far surpassing any war between nations.
That one word from Lin Qingya could determine the fate of tens of millions.
But now, war was unavoidable.
Not since their battle against the demonic forces of Bitian Mansion had the eight chimes of war rung out. That it had rung again now, was a declaration of unforgivable provocation.
"We implore the Sect Master to strike down the Martial Saint and bring justice to Qingpingzi's soul."
The four Directional Dao Lords pleaded for Lin Qingya to personally punish Mu Zhao.
But Lin Qingya merely replied, serenely:
"No need."
The voice came from nearby. The Dao Lords were startled, then turned to see a disheveled old Daoist lying atop a green deer, yawning.
Lin Qingya opened his eyes and said calmly:
"Heaven has decided his death. He cannot escape it."
The Martial Saint had come to kill Chen Kuang, but instead, he had slain the Dao Lord who stood in Chen Kuang's defense.
Tang Qiusheng looked up at the river of Time hanging in the sky and murmured:
"Then what is it... that Chen Kuang is trying to do now?"
"Could it be... he's trying to borrow the Dao of Time to reverse the situation?"
Ji Wangquan gazed deeply into the heart of the vortex and said coldly:
"He can't do it."
"The karmic weight is too heavy. He cannot bear it."
Indeed, the Great Dao of Time could manipulate time itself, but Chen Kuang's cultivation was far too low.
Though it was already unfathomable that he could possess a Dao Domain at the moment of breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm, reversing the life and death of a Profound Realm expert?
Such tremendous karma, only a Saint could bear the burden.
At this moment, Chen Kuang was at most a Grandmaster.
If he forced a reversal, the only outcome would be his own spontaneous death.
Let alone the fact that standing opposite him right now was the Martial Saint.
To Ji Wangquan, it was nothing short of tragic.
Tragic that a genius even more terrifying than Shen Xingzhu might fall here.
Even more tragic was that the Elixir of Immortality, which her royal father had schemed so long to obtain, had reappeared... only to face total obliteration at the hands of the Martial Saint.
The river of Time hanging in the heavens had also ceased its expansion, as if it had reached its limit.
It now stood locked in stalemate with Mu Zhao's Dao Domain.
Everything before Chen Kuang was frozen within that river of time: Lu Zhexuan, whom he held in his arms; Mu Zhao, whose fury had reached its peak.
This was a miracle utterly inconceivable for someone at the Moon-Embracing Realm.
Because Chen Kuang had not advanced to Grandmaster by establishing a Dao with his heart. He was still only at the Moon-Embracing Realm.
This miracle was not a product of cultivation rank, it was because what Chen Kuang had grasped was not merely a Dao Domain, but a true Great Dao.
In its very essence, it surpassed Dao Domains. Only thus could he briefly restrain Mu Zhao across realms.
Ji Wangquan was not wrong. Even if Chen Kuang used everything at his disposal, every trick, every passive ability, he still wouldn't be a match for Mu Zhao.
At best, he could survive a single serious blow from a Saint.
Across the long span of over ten thousand years in this world, how many Saints had there ever been? A handful.
If Chen Kuang, with the bone age of merely nineteen years, and the cultivation of a mere Moon-Embracing Realm, were to reverse-kill a Martial Saint...
it would be a blasphemy against the order of heaven and earth itself.
But...
What if he were a hundred years old? A thousand? Ten thousand?
Chen Kuang could not accelerate his cultivation, but at this moment, he could control his own time!
And his status panel refreshed according to the passage of days!
Previously, when inside the river of time, the Great Dao had sealed his temporal flow. That was why the status panel could not refresh.
Perhaps it was out of the Sheath's good will, to prevent someone it recognized from growing old and dying while searching for the other half of the Great Dao.
But to Chen Kuang, that kindness was unnecessary.
Because he was the Elixir of Immortality.
His lifespan was... infinite!
Chen Kuang curled the corner of his mouth into a twisted grin, madness flickering in his gaze toward the Martial Saint.
As long as he exhausted all permutations, he would eventually roll the passive he needed.
He willed it and the invisible dial of time turned.
BOOM-!!
In an instant, the River of Time within Chen Kuang began to surge and pour forth. The gears of time turned violently, like wild horses galloping through space!
Mu Zhao, momentarily restrained, sensed a deafening resonance from the Dao and instinctively felt a jolt of fear.
He knew Chen Kuang could not kill him.
But if Chen Kuang abandoned the idea of killing, and instead used the Dao of Time to alter Mu Zhao's lifespan, accelerating him to death...
...it was within the realm of possibility!
Though it would be drinking poison to quench thirst, Saints do not enter the cycle of reincarnation. Given time, Mu Zhao could still return.
But what Mu Zhao never expected was, the Dao of Time was indeed moving forward.
But the one being accelerated was not him, it was Chen Kuang himself!
Mu Zhao blinked, then let out a derisive laugh in his heart.
So, witnessing Lu Zhexuan's death, Chen Kuang had gone mad?
Even if he had consumed the Elixir of Immortality, he would not die from lifespan exhaustion. But so what?
Could increased lifespan make him stronger?
Moreover, driving a Dao Domain came at a cost. With Chen Kuang's current cultivation, he wouldn't be able to sustain it for long.
He wouldn't die of old age, but he would die from the backlash of forcing the Dao of Time!
And just as Mu Zhao predicted, Chen Kuang's Spiritual Energy was drained almost instantly.
And with the Tyrant's Path Dao Domain sealing a thousand li around them, no Spiritual Energy from the outside could replenish him.
When his Spiritual Energy was exhausted, the only power Chen Kuang had left was, his soul.
Before him, the long-dormant status panel began to refresh like a cascading waterfall:
...
One day.
[You have comprehended the Great Dao of Time. Passive obtained: "Time Flies Like an Arrow", For every day you live, time condenses into an invisible arrow that is launched with your next attack, reducing the enemy's corresponding time.]
The endless River of Time engulfed Chen Kuang, flinging him back 2,300 years.
He saw Lu Zhexuan standing at the gates of the Mysterious Divine Path Sect, where a disciple hurried out, respectfully calling the deer-riding old Daoist at her side "Grandmaster".
From that day on, she became the personal disciple of Lin Qingya.
Twenty days.
[You have faced the Martial Saint a second time. Passive obtained: "Second Bloom", The second time you perform an action, the result is doubled. Cannot stack.]
He watched the young Lu Zhexuan study diligently in the sect, devouring Daoist texts until dawn, almost without rest.
Afraid to show her true face. Reluctant to interact with others.
At night, alone, she would take off her wide-brimmed hat, dab rouge before the mirror, then blush and scrub it off, hiding under the blankets, unsure whose face she was longing for.
Six hundred days.
[You have exhausted your Spiritual Energy. Passive obtained: "Perpetual Motion Machine", You will never again run out of Spiritual Energy.]
He saw her on her training journey outside the sect. She grew used to the partings of life and death, wielding her sword to bring justice to an unfair world.
Her path led her with urgency back to that little courtyard, but it was empty. The wooden zither left behind. Silent.
Two thousand seven hundred forty-one days.
[You remained motionless for 2,741 days. Passive obtained: "Wooden Man", While you do not move, no one can initiate an attack against you.]
Chen Kuang swallowed the metallic taste in his throat. His barely sustained Spiritual Energy was far from enough to continue turning the Wheel of Time.
"Blood Premonition" screamed with warnings, as if shouting: Stop now, there's still time!
He paused, and chose to continue.
Crack.
Within his heart-lake, his soul shattered, his spiritual consciousness flooding outward.
In a trance, he saw that woman with eight hundred years of lifespan remaining, walking through wind and snow to that broken wooden zither, carving a new flute from bamboo.
Alone.
The raw, delicate notes of the flute echoed through the snowstorm.
[You have disappointed one who loved you deeply. Passive obtained: "Heart for Heart", When you fall in love with someone, that person will not die because of you.]
Chen Kuang could barely open his eyes anymore. But the status panel fixed in his vision would not disappear, even if he shut them.
So he saw it clearly.
He had advanced his own time by 500 years.
Five hundred years, one hundred eighty-two thousand five hundred days.
One hundred eighty-two thousand passive refreshes.
And finally, he got what he needed.
Chen Kuang smiled. But he no longer had the strength to lift the corners of his lips.
The River of Time hanging in the sky began to disperse. The shackles fell away.
Mu Zhao burst out laughing, clenching his fists:
"I thought you had some grand ability, but in the end, all you did was humiliate yourself!"
Chen Kuang held the woman in his arms, cold, though perhaps it was he himself who was cold, and whispered with weariness:
"Wake up. You've done what you set out to do."
"If you don't step in now, I really will die..."
Mu Zhao's second punch roared out, shattering the River of Time completely!
Countless fragments of light burst apart in the wind, shimmering like golden sparks. They swept past Chen Kuang, whose hair had turned snow-white from mental exhaustion.
"Hmph."
A soft hum.
BOOOOOOM-!!!
Mu Zhao's punch slammed into an invisible barrier, the heavens trembled!
His pupils shrank:
"Impossible?!"
He could sense it clearly:
A brand-new Dao Domain, vast and indomitable, had formed right before him!
His stunned gaze landed squarely on the woman now standing before Chen Kuang, her presence exuded a majestic power that challenged even Mu Zhao!
Through gritted teeth, Mu Zhao hissed:
"Dao... Shore?!"
Lu Zhexuan raised her sword, glanced back at Chen Kuang, and gave a smile of breathtaking beauty.
A foolish longing, if fulfilled...
...can become Sainthood on the Spot.