Returning to the familiar room, I saw Xiao Ning'er cultivating nearby. A strange feeling washed over me, distant yet familiar, before fading quickly. The sensation of overwhelming power surged within me next, and I realized that the weak laws of this world could barely contain the law field around me, I had gained from a higher realm. In a world with incomplete rules, the shift felt like stepping from a mountain into a valley—everything weaker, more fragile.
It's similar to what I experiences back at apotheosis world. Even a roadside weed in Gods domain could seem like an unbreakable treasure in small universe.
The intensity subsided as I gained control. It only took about ten seconds to adapt, though I could now feel her thoughts, her mind softly reciting her cultivation technique. Was this another change due to my evolution? I could sense her, read her, and yet in God's Domain, this ability hadn't manifested so vividly. Perhaps the weaker laws of this world, or difference in life forms allowed me to access more, the restrictions weren't as tight.
I moved closer, and she opened her eyes. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around me, and I returned the embrace, leaning in to kiss her softly. There was a hunger between us, a need to feel connected again after 150 years. I guided her toward the bed, and though she seemed momentarily surprised, she quickly began undressing, her actions slow and deliberate as if savoring the moment. The loneliness of centuries spent apart weighed on me, and for hours, we found solace in each other's presence.
Afterward, she lay beside me, tracing her fingers over my skin. "You feel different," she murmured. "...Divine, almost. Like when I first met Yu Yan, but so much more intense. It's strange… it makes me feel like I should be… respectful, even now after having sex."
I chuckled lightly, though I could sense the truth in her words. 'That would probably because I've ascended to True God. It's affected my presence more than I thought.'.I activated the concealment of energy fluctuations.
She raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. " Only been a few hours for me. I already missed you. But for you... how long has it been?"
Her curiosity was genuine, I hesitated for a moment before answering. "One hundred fifty years."
She bolted upright. "One hundred fifty years?!"
"Yes," I nodded. "That realms cultivation rules are more difficult. I had to cultivate, to increase my power. If I could have taken you there, I would have. But the differences in life forms and the rules of that universe meant that even Yu Yan, who stayed within my world, couldn't leave it."
Her expression softened after the initial shock passed, and then she grinned mischievously. "So, I just gave my first time to a 150-year-old... and here I was thinking I was the older one. So, how strong are you now? Can you take down the Sage Emperor?"
I laughed softly at her words, finding comfort in her lightheartedness. "Not at all. The requirements for cultivation in that world are beyond what you can imagine. But I did gain much... my life span is infinite, knowledge about higher rules, refined cultivation techniques... and more. Though, the Sage Emperor is still beyond me for now but Zhu Long?" I smirked. "I could crush him with a breath."
We shared a smile before cleaning up and dressing again. As we prepared to leave, I released Yu Yan and Xiao Huo from the ring. Yu Yan floated to my shoulders, clearly relieved. "Three months in the ring. I'm glad to be out. Where exactly did you go?"
"A distant place," I replied vaguely. "How's your cultivation?"
"I've reached 4th rank in Heavenly Fate," she said proudly, glancing at Xiao Huo who was busy darting around. "Xiao Huo is at 3rd rank."
I nodded, pleased. "You're progressing well."
After a while, I brought Shen Xiu out. Her face lit up as she beheld Glory City once more, but her joy quickly shifted to sadness when I told her what had happened to the Sacred Family. Tears welled up in her eyes, but I'd already commanded her not to cry. Still, the sorrow was palpable. I tasked her with preparing some meals, and she left without a word.
That night, after eating, I slept peacefully. In the quiet of the night, I felt Shen Xiu slip into bed beside me. She must have felt I was her only anchor now, her last sense of purpose. I didn't stop her, though her presence was heavy with unspoken need.
The following morning, I began cultivating once again. My absorption ability activated, drawing in all forms of energy—light, heat, sound, spiritual aura, law energy. Everything around me was consumed like a black hole. I quickly restrained the power, knowing the city would be alerted if I let it run unchecked. When I looked at the room, frost coated the bed and the floor. I suppressed the rest of the absorption for the day, careful not to cause too much of a disturbance.
Time passed, and my routine grew steady. I trained, cultivated, and met with Xiao Ning'er regularly. She asked about the other girl she had seen visit my home. When I introduced Shen Xiu as my maid, Ning'er didn't recognize her at all, as I did transform her face a little.
Weeks later, the people of Tian Yuan Plateau arrived. The city welcomed them, their weak cultivation raising no suspicions. As the city's defenses increased, the 10,000 demon spirit array spread throughout the core of the city and more popping out near noble families places and will cover the city as a whole. Nobility classifications shifted, with three Legend ranks or a Demi-God rank required to be a major family, while two Legend ranks would suffice for nobility. My family had become nobility now, and Glory City was on its way to greater strength.
One evening, as I enjoyed the sunset, I sensed the Demon Lord flying over Glory City. I waited. He was concealed but watching the City Lord's mansion intently. Ye Mo noticed him first, and the confrontation escalated quickly. Soon, Nie Li, Lu Piao, Duan Jian, and Ye Ziyun joined the fray. The Demon Lord had broken into the Heavenly Fate Realm but only at 1 star.
Facing over 20 Legend ranks and 3 Demi-Gods, he stood his ground with unwavering confidence. His supreme body and extraordinary combat skills allowed him to endure their relentless assaults. However, it was clear that his energy was waning, and without external support, he wouldn't be able to withstand another barrage. Realizing this, he quickly shifted tactics—vanishing from sight and reappearing behind Ye Ziyun, the City Lord's daughter. Seizing her as a hostage, he coldly demanded a rare demon spirit from Ye Mo, who, seeing his daughter in danger, immediately complied.
Yet, I noticed a dangerous shift in his demeanor. His intentions grew darker, and it seemed he was contemplating something far worse. I read his mind. Understanding the gravity of the situation, I acted. From the beginning, he had been within the confines of my domain. Manipulating time, I slowed everything down. With a single thought, I freed Ye Ziyun from his grasp and teleported her safely to Xiao Ning'er's side. In the blink of an eye, it was over. I sent a sharp mental message to him:
"If you'd followed through with that, no one could have protected you, even your master. Leave now."
I launched him over 500 meters away with a surge of force. Stunned, he quickly recovered and fled, knowing his life was hanging by a thread, if he tried to do any more stunt. As he disappeared into the distance, Lu Piao broke the silence with a casual comment, "I thought he would not stick to his deal,and yet ...what a honest guy! ." His remark earned a few sideways glances, though in truth, everyone had shared similar thoughts. A few experts went off to pursue the attacker, but only Nie Li remained deep in contemplation.
Unlike the others, Nie Li had sensed something unusual. He detected a subtle yet precise control of energy around them. There had been no disturbance in spatial laws when Ye Ziyun was moved. Xiao Ning'er, meanwhile, hurried to comfort a shaken Ye Ziyun, and the City Lord, along with his guards, returned after their fruitless search. I, too, quietly retreated, observing everything from a distance.
My influence extends in layers. Within 500 meters, I can reshape reality itself in divine continent. Beyond that range, my control over laws diminishes gradually, though I can still manipulate space and time at a lesser scale. After 10 kilometers, direct control becomes impossible, but my divine sense extends across vast distances—encompassing planets, stars, and even entire planetary systems. Back in the smaller universe, I could sense over 10,000 realms simultaneously, surpassing what even the Martial Ancestor could perceive.
In the aftermath, the city was on high alert. The City Lord ordered the construction of emergency escape routes leading to underground shelters. Ye Ziyun, driven by her close encounter with danger, devoted herself to intense cultivation and advanced to Legend rank 4. The others, recognizing their weaknesses, followed suit, pushing themselves to improve after witnessing the Demon Lord's supreme power. Two months passed swiftly, and soon, we were preparing to enter the Nether Realm.
Lu Piao insisted that I open a portal for our journey. Indulging him, I used space laws to transport the group, arriving at the experts' domain earlier than expected. There was no direct confrontation with the Demon Lord, and eventually, three of us were chosen for the Divine Feather Sect's Tian Ling Institute.
----------- Divine Feather Sect ---------------
Xiao Yu leads us to Tian Ling institute newcommer spirit root testing center.
We reached the said place.Among us,there was an individual treating the entire experience like a competition for dominance. Hua Ling, another troublemaker, sought to cause trouble for Xiao Yu by mocking him and bribing the examiner ...
Every candidate was tested for the spirit root test. As for me, I've regrown my qi veins, spirit roots, and more countless times, adjusting my body to suit my needs for cultivation, gender shifts, and dantian modifications. My current spiritual roots, however, is probably existing outside heaven's laws. They are so foreign, they challenge the very framework of this world. I need to find a solution for this anomaly.
While I was deep in thought, Nie Li began debating talent versus spiritual roots with Hua Ling. Meanwhile, Lu Piao shocked the audience by revealing a grade 5 Heaven Spiritual Root. When Nie Li stepped up, he displayed a grade 8 root, once again leaving the crowd in awe. Watching them, I was also called, so I follow suit.
When it was my turn, the crystal responded immediately. Deep purple branches emerged within the crystal, symbolizing my Heaven-grade roots. I pulled back when I reached seven branches, but the response from the crystal lagged before showing unlike I imagined it to be revealing—a 2 more minor branch appeared.
The silence was absolute.
"Ninth-grade Heaven Spiritual Root," the instructor announced, still processing the revelation. The audience remained speechless, too shocked to react. In a single day, three individuals from the same group had displayed grade 5, 8, and 9 heaven roots. It was unprecedented.
For a moment, I felt a flush of heat rise to my cheeks, but I quickly composed myself, masking it with a poker face. After all, I had seen Nie Li attempt the same with his own aloof look. The benefits of an evolutionary body were undeniable.
'I should have pulled back earlier,' I mused. 'Now, I'm not sure whether they'll assign me to the Eastern or Western Institute. Whichever it is, I'm sure to attract attention from young masters and their families. After 150 years of solitude, it seems I've forgotten the basics of survival in the cultivation world.'
....
I was sent to the western district, and Xiao Yu, noticing my relaxed demeanor, casually mentioned that the Eastern Institute only allows entry after a period of testing at the western institutes. This, of course, made sense. Later, I learned that even within the prestigious Tian Ling Institutes, only five Heaven-grade academies existed beyond the central district. It became clear that I needed to conceal my divine sense; if any of these powerful cultivators detected me, it could become a problem.
The residence assigned was picturesque. A serene landscape surrounded it—a small gazebo rested near a tranquil bridge that arched over a sparkling stream, fed by a cascading waterfall. The setting would have been entirely peaceful, if not for Lu Piao and Nie Li constantly darting around or Xiao Yu's growing entourage of girlfriends and the ever-watchful jealous young master lurking nearby.
Within the privacy of my residence, I released Yu Yan after spreading my domain around and carving certain rules over to the already present arrays. She had ascended to become a 4 Heavenly Fate expert. Her aura pulsed gently in the space, a far cry from the small flame she once was. That night, I sensed Xiao Yu's breakthrough to the 3rd level of Heavenly Fate, not far from here, in Nie Li's chambers. It was no surprise—Nie Li's motivational words to Hua Ling earlier had surely inspired her to push her limits.
The institute itself was massive. Our arrival was less than smooth, though. After wandering in the wrong direction for what felt like hours, thanks to Lu Piao holding the map upside down, we strayed far off course. Fortunately, Nie Li recognized a few landmarks, and soon we found ourselves at the gates. Classes began soon after. They went as expected, apart from an irksome invitation from a young master of the Jin Clan—Offended Person #1. As we settled into the rhythm of our studies, I couldn't help but notice Long Yuyin, whose appearance resembled Zendaya from my previous life, if she'd dyed her hair pink. Her complexion was paler, though, and her chin smoother, a striking combination.
In class, we were taught to condense a spiritual flame. For me, it was almost instinctual. Already at the Heavenly Star level with a deep understanding of Dao—the true essence of nature—I held back the full force of my flame on the first attempt. Nie Li also succeeded, of course, but not without playfully showing off and laughing, much to the irritation of our classmates—Offended Persons #2.
Later, Long Yuyin approached us, radiating her typical haughty demeanor of 'Dost thou not know, thou art but dust beneath my feet?', commented that she was impressed that Nie Li and I had formed our spiritual flames so effortlessly. She disappeared just as quickly as she came, leaving an air of superiority behind her. Soon after, Gu Bei arrived, and he quickly became a companion of ours.
A few days later, we accepted a mission from the training hall: to treat Gu Lan. Upon reaching her, we found her seated in a wheelchair, reciting poems about the fleeting nature of life. In typical Nie Li fashion, he diagnosed her condition with a single glance, prescribing a solution as easily as breathing. Grateful for his help, Gu Bei and Gu Lan showered us with thanks. Before parting, Nie Li offered me and Lu Piao 100 spiritual stones as we currently don't have one. I only took 50—after all, we'd merely accompanied him.
Back at my room, I settled in to cultivate, using the stones to fuel my technique, Boundless Divine Transformations of Energy, Body, and Spirit. Within minutes, the energy in the spirit stones was absorbed, leaving them drained. I locked the room and activated an inscription to isolate the space and alert me to any intrusions, then entered my ring world.
Inside, I faced off against a horde of dragon dao beasts, clearing a vast territory and pushing back their dominion. It was an exhausting task, as I battled nearly 100 of them. When I finally finished, I sat to cultivate in the richly concentrated Heavenly Dao energy. After two days of intense cultivation, I broke through to the 7th Heavenly Star Realm. I had already been at the peak of 6 stars upon my return, but the breakthrough was still significant.
I consumed a phaseless fruit, using its immense energy to refine my qi, spirit, and body. With the help of coupling creation energy, I controlled the rampant energy within, balancing it perfectly. Over the course of two days, I felt my cultivation surge, and my inner world expanded. I had adjusted the time flow inside to twice that of the outside world to prevent the centuries from passing in a mere blink and to preserve the consumption of inner yuan. Balancing faith and population was critical, as faith continued to nourish my divine spark. Having achieved stability, I immersed myself deeper into my inner world, letting the cycle continue.
...
I divided my inner world into various isolated continents, each designed with a purpose. One was home to monstrous beasts, another to demi-humans, and a third to human cultivators. Fourth to a wasteland devoid of heavenly dao influence so I could experiment with normal people as could generate more faith. Among the normal humans inhabiting my world, whispers of stars and planets had begun to spread. They were starting to question the cosmos, discovering basic scientific truths, such as the realization that the Earth is round and that their sun was formed from the Divine Dao of Fire. The world is ridiculously big, so their adventure to oceans wouldn't work.
However, their sun is not what we know in the real world—it is smaller than their planet, which rotates around it. Their planet, on the other hand, is massive, akin to the size of an entire planetary system. As my inner world evolves, it will soon ascend into a Saint's Inner Universe, complete with realm walls and governed by the laws I dictate. I, as the creator of this world, have absolute control.
When rebellions against my religion threaten to rise, I use my powers to suppress them. I assign misfortune to the dissenters, allowing their darkest fears to manifest within the regions I've designated as forbidden grounds. The few who dare enter seldom return, and those who survive spread tales of terror that only increase the populace's faith in me. They know that I hold their fate in my hands, and their belief in my power grows ever stronger.
When I am physically present in their world, I activate my Emperor Profound Soul Divine Ability, my first divine power, which radiates the sheer strength of my soul. Without even realizing it, people fall to their knees in my presence, overwhelmed by the force of my aura. This has happened countless times over millennia, and they have come to expect great changes whenever this divine phenomenon occurs. By combining the laws of my universe and the Divine Daos, I can manipulate reality within my world however I see fit.
But despite my immense power, a nagging thought lingers in the back of my mind: what would happen if I were to die in the outside world? What would become of my true cultivation? I mean will fate soul be able to restore this cultivation? This uncertainty makes me hesitant to take risks or leave my safe confines unless I reach a certain power—a Top rank True God or Dragon Dao.
Meanwhile, back in my room outside, Shen Xiu and Yu Yan were meditating. Shen Xiu was still at the Earthen Fate Realm, quietly focusing her energy. Xiao Huo, my spiritual pet, flitted about playfully. Now at the size of a normal bird and with a cultivation of 4 Heavenly Fate Realm, he had grown substantially. I entered his soul field to mark him as my spiritual beast, and the process was successful. In the future, when he gains more sentience, I may conduct a spiritual beast blood sacrifice, allowing me to incorporate his bloodline into my own cultivation.
Afterward, I stored everyone inside my ring and left. The four of us, including Xiao Yu, set off for the Sacred Soul Celestial Testing Ground. As we ascended the steps, I initially felt no change, but by the sixth step, I sensed my soul resonating with the Heavenly Way. I recited the true meaning of the Natural Dao under my breath, and the energy around me surged, drawn to me. I continued climbing until I caught sight of Ying Yueru.
She was stunningly beautiful, with long black hair and piercing purple eyes, eyes that mirrored my own. Our gazes met for just a moment before she descended to meet Nie Li. Her presence reminded me of my strength—I could save her if I chose to. I am void of destiny and fate, capable of bending the rules that bind others. I often forget how powerful I truly am, how few can challenge me. Only Deity-ranked or Emperor-ranked experts could hope to pose a threat. Even then, with my inner world safely hidden, I could always be reborn. If necessary, I could hide my inner world in Nie Li's Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, or perhaps refine it into a spatial artifact of my own design.
As Nie Li interacted with Ying Yueru, others on the testing ground took offense—Offended Persons #3—at her attention toward him, ignoring the lesser figures around her.
I reached the 123rd step without difficulty, feeling that I could go much further if I wanted. My Heavenly Star cultivation allowed me to harmonize with the Heavenly Law itself, but I decided to stop when I saw Xiao Yu resting some steps below. I sat down to cultivate. The energy here was denser than inside my ring, so I took the opportunity to absorb and refine it, allowing my cultivation to rise steadily.
After some time, I opened my eyes and sensed someone near me. It was Long Yuyin. I glanced down to see Nie Li, who was cultivating several steps below, seemingly unnoticed by her.
"One hundred and twenty-three steps. Quite impressive for someone of your status," she sneered, her voice laced with contempt. "But given your lowly background, I suspect this is as far as you'll ever climb."
Her arrogance didn't offend me. Unlike Nie Li, I harbored no ill will toward her. If we were to truly compare qualifications, who could stand as a judge over me? I had my own path, my own convictions. I understood her superiority complex—it was born from her privileged upbringing. As I remained silent, Nie Li stood up, clearly ready to lash out in retaliation. But for me, there was no need. I had no doubt in my strength or my purpose, and no words could sway me from that belief.
<< Cue the boss entrance music>>
"Perhaps you're right, Long Yuyin," I replied calmly, while standing up. "You've had everything handed to you on a silver platter. But we've fought our way to this point, overcoming countless hardships. What have you accomplished?"
Her eyes narrowed. "You dare to question me? Your heavenly root has gone to your head."
"No, it hasn't," I replied, my voice firm.
I released my aura of a breaking through to heavenly 2 fate realm. That's stunned many as it was not even a week since sect admission started.
" I know my limits. I will try to improve. I'm simply stating the obvious. You're nothing without your clan. If your clan can turn anyone into a genius as you said before, then what makes you so special?"
Enraged, Long Yuyin threatened, "I'll wipe out your entire clan!"
"Sure thing, clan again. Go ahead,it's in tiny realm and show of your supremacy." I replied, unfazed.
" I will now show you my limits, keep up with me if you can..If you loose, please refrain from this mockery anymore and do us a favour. " With each step, I became one with heavenly way and my presence has gone after 3 steps. I could only be seen but not felt by aura fluctuations.
Then I went up further. 135..,140...,150 steps up. I am in top 5. "Now, I will be here until the end of the day. You can prove yourself"
...