In the grandeur of the Dragon Empire's capital city, millions of miles separated it from the humble Dragon Tail county. Yet, even here, amidst the bustling streets and towering spires, the awe-inspiring pressure of the phenomenon could still be felt. Only those who had far surpassed the Martial Saint Realm were able to barely discern its presence.
One by one, these transcendent beings ascended into the sky, their ethereal forms a mesmerizing sight to behold. Below, the people of the capital watched in awe and disbelief as the heavens seemed to welcome these celestial beings into their embrace.
"Who are these people? Are they courting death by flying in the capital?" exclaimed one bystander, his voice tinged with disbelief at the audacity of their actions.
"Don't you know? They are the saints from the prominent families of the capital and the Imperial Council," explained the shop owner, his tone solemn and reverent. "See that elderly figure at the lead, clad in black and adorned with gold embroidery? That's the Emperor's Trusted Advisor, rumored to be at the peak of the Martial Saint Realm. It is said that he is about to reach the Transcendent Being."
"What?! But why are these saints hovering in the air? Are there enemies attacking the city?" gasped the bystander, his shock palpable.
The shop owner offered a grim reply, his words tinged with resignation. "Who knows? Even if there are enemies attacking, what can we do? We can only be considered cannon fodder in the face of such beings."
...
"Huh? Is someone breaking through to the Transcendent Realm?" queried one of the city's Martial Saints, his keen senses attuned to the subtle fluctuations in the air.
"Hmph, I once witnessed the previous Emperor attempting to break through to the Transcendent Realm," remarked an elderly Martial Saint with a knowing air. "But even his breakthrough phenomenon paled in comparison to this."
The elderly saint, with his weathered features and droopy countenance, appeared frail at first glance. His thin figure seemed to waver slightly, as if struggling against the weight of his own years. Despite his seemingly feeble appearance, the saints present knew better than to underestimate him, for he was none other than the most formidable Royal Advisor of both past and present emperors.
The words were spoken with a hint of trepidation, as if acknowledging the magnitude of the event unfolding before them. "Do you not sense it? This phenomenon originates from a great distance, which is why the pressure we feel is faint, yet still palpable."
"So, Royal Advisor, you're suggesting that someone is transcending beyond the Transcendent Realm?" ventured another, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"I cannot say for certain. I have never beheld someone breaking through to that legendary realm," the old Martial Saint admitted, his tone tinged with a mixture of reverence and uncertainty.
A sudden voice resonated behind them, causing the bystanders to startle. "Hmm. It might be someone ascending to that realm. Though I've never witnessed such an event myself, I recall reading about the Realms above the Transcendent Realm in the imperial library. The phenomenon now closely resembles the spiritual fluctuation described in accounts of someone breaking through to that realm, its influence extending for millions of miles in all directions. So it's likely that Realm."
The Emperor floated gracefully in the sky above the Capital, his regal figure draped in robes of shimmering gold. Intricate dragons, embroidered with threads of silver and sapphire, adorned his imperial attire. The Emperor's piercing gaze, akin to a hawk's, surveyed the saints with keen discernment. His eyes, sharp and discerning, seemed to pierce through the very souls of those who dared to meet his gaze. Above them, his eyebrows arched gracefully, adding an aura of authority to his middle-aged visage.
"Huh?..... So it's you, sire," bowed the old man respectfully surprised to the middle-aged figure that had appeared behind them.
The elderly man was taken aback, realizing that he hadn't sensed the Emperor's presence until he spoke. Had the Emperor remained silent, they might have remained oblivious to his presence altogether.
Following suit, the other saints offered their greetings. "Greetings, sire!"
"Hmm, there is no need for formalities," replied the Emperor in his usual composed manner.
"We won't dare, sire," the saints replied in unison.
"Do you know where this fluctuation specifically originated?" the Emperor inquired, directing his question to His Royal Advisor.
"No, sir! But I estimate it originated somewhere in the dragon tail region," came the reply.
"Hmm. Investigate who broke through to that realm. Determine if they are friend or foe. If they are an ally, attempt to recruit them. But if they are not, eliminate them," the Emperor commanded with authority.
"But sire, we don't possess such capabilities," the elderly man voiced his concern, smile helplessly.
In response, the Emperor handed him a small orb, no larger than a golf ball. "Is this the Heaven Razing Orb?" the old man asked incredulously, the other saints equally astonished.
"Yes, this is the Heaven Razing Orb, capable of effortlessly dispatching someone in that legendary realm. If they are an enemy, use this to eliminate them," the Emperor confirmed.
"Now, assemble the strongest saint, one from each of the nine families and locate this individual," he ordered.
"Yes, sire," the Emperor's servant acknowledged.
"Hmm, disperse," commanded the Emperor.
With a collective bow, the saints paid their respects to the Emperor before slowly dispersing.
.....
At the same time, In the heart of the capital of the Feral Kingdom, within the confines of one of its grand castles, a pair of eyes slowly blinked open, their slitted pupils glinting with intelligence as they surveyed the room. Seated upon the throne, the Beast Emperor rumbled to himself in contemplation.
"Is someone breaking through to the Divine Realm?" His voice, deep and resonant, carried the weight of uncertainty.
"Ronin!" he commanded, the sound echoing through the chamber.
In an instant, a figure materialized at the Emperor's side. "I'm here, Emperor," Ronin responded promptly.
"Find out who broke through and caused this phenomenon. Determine whether it occurred within our empire or within the Human Empire," the Emperor instructed firmly.
Acknowledging the task at hand, Ronin affirmed, "Yes," before swiftly departing to carry out his master's bidding.
.....
In the buffer zone between the Dragon Empire and the Feral Kingdom, a murmur escaped the lips of a young man.
Below the towering canyon walls, nestled within the shadows of the caves, sat a figure with a pale complexion. Clad in ordinary attire, his slumbering eyes fluttered open.
"Hmm? Is this the phenomenon after someone broke through to the Divine Realm?" he muttered in confusion before looking in the direction of the Dragon Empire. Unlike the two emperors, he understood the process of someone breaking through to the Divine Realm, for he had experienced it himself.
"Some actually succeeded in breaking through in this barren world?" he continued, his disbelief evident in his tone.
"Hmm, let me see who is breaking through," he decided, focusing his gaze on the source of the fluctuation. His eyes began to glow with a golden hue, as if peering into the very fabric of the universe. If the Emperors of both empires were present, they would be astonished, for what the man was doing was akin to one of the abilities of the legendary Divine Realm.
These eyes, known as the Eyes of the Divine, could pierce through illusions and traverse vast distances as if the observer were physically present. No one could hide from such eyes below the Divine Realm. However, after a brief moment, the young man coughed up blood, his divine senses thwarted by the Heavenly Law.
"What?!" he exclaimed, a hint of fear and dread creeping into his voice.
"My divine sense couldn't even fully descend to that place before being destroyed by the Heavenly Law," he questioned, visibly shaken by the experience.
But the fear and dread turned into an excited expression.
"That person is clearly protected by the Heavenly Law. So he is likely the Heavenly Child of this World. This is perhaps the Heavens blessing me. If I devour this Heavenly Child, I may be able to heal my injuries, returning to my peak strength and possibly even surpassing it," he continued.
"Hmm, he is a newly advanced Divine, so he should be pretty weak right now because of the lightning tribulation. I'm at the mid Stage of the Ascension Realm, although I'm injured, I still have the strength of someone in the Late stages of the Divine. So I should be able to take him down. Even if I can't take him down, I can use that cursed item I found in the void sea. I won't believe some newly advanced Divine would be able to survive these," he thought to himself, confidence brimming despite his injuries.
"The fluctuation comes from the Dragon Empire, but I don't know where in the empire it is," he concluded before vanishing from sight, leaving no trace of his presence behind. As if he was never there to begin with.
Although the young man was knowledgeable, he would have never expected that the phenomenon he felt was merely the tip of an iceberg. If he were to be outside of this world and saw just half of the extent of the phenomenon caused by Lin Wei's breakthrough, he would probably not dare to enter this world or even look for the person who broke through.