In the era of martial arts, what we call the change of power is nothing but the metamorphosis of martial forms.
Before the rise of the saints, humans lived in hardship, yet empires stood. They ruled over the pitiful people, some of them even colluding with monsters, regularly offering children as sacrifices for their own safety. They reveled in the adoration and worship of the human race, while sending the population into the jaws of the Demon King. Such occurrences were not unusual.
At that time, these so-called "Emperors" were all martial artists. Some from large countries were in the Fierce Realm, while those from smaller countries were in the Mortal Realm. Having one individual ruling over a country was commonplace.
To the people of that era who didn't understand martial arts, those who could produce the enormous strength of the Mortal Realm were already unconquerable, and those capable of flying in the Fierce Realm were like divine beings.