Majestic mountains and celestial trees towering into the clouds.
At this moment, Lu Qingyang was observing the fierce battle between Gu Fang and a giant ape beast. Given his current cultivation level, such a fight was hardly worth his attention.
Initially,
Lu Qingyang had firmly believed that any consummate third-grade cultivator, with the orthodox cultivation methods provided by the system, could rival the strength of an early fourth-grade beast.
However, upon witnessing other consummate third-grade cultivators battle beasts, he realized he had overestimated the cultivation techniques and underestimated the innate might of the beasts.
Beasts possessed inherently powerful physiques, a superior advantage that mortals lacked.
With a reverent gaze, Lu Qingyang had seen several consummate third-grade cultivators struggle against fourth-grade beasts, their strength slightly inferior.
To be precise,
Theoretically, a consummate third-grade cultivator's strength slightly surpassed that of a beast of the same level, but fighting across a major realm was nearly impossible.
In exact terms,
Their power was roughly equivalent to that of a mid-fourth-grade.
Therefore,
Gu Fang being able to face a mid-fourth-grade beast head-on and even have a chance to kill it was a matter worth pondering.
"Perhaps Gu Fang is exceptionally gifted, with boundless potential, like a prodigy of legend, allowing him to challenge fourth-grade beasts with his consummate third-grade cultivation.
Or maybe he consumed the Celestial Spirit Fruit, transforming his body and granting him extraordinary strength."
Of these two possibilities, Lu Qingyang leaned towards the former.
After all, among over twenty million mortals, some extraordinarily talented prodigies were bound to appear, which was not surprising.
Gu Fang's steady advancement to a mid-third-grade cultivator within a decade and a half after the catastrophe was proof enough.
...
[Name: Lu Qingyang]
[True Form: Celestial Tree]
[Lifespan: 16/]
[Cultivation Level: Early Fourth Grade (/)]
[Heavenly Court: Third Grade (/)]
[Abilities: Celestial Tree Spirit Root (Fourth Grade), Celestial Spirit Fruit (Fourth Grade), Celestial Whisper (Fourth Grade), Penetrating True Sight (Fourth Grade), Heavenly Court Domain (Fourth Grade), Command Wind and Rain (Fourth Grade)]
...
"It's close, just over forty thousand more cultivation points. Once Gu Fang kills this beast and offers it, I can break through to the mid-fourth grade!"
Lu Qingyang thought to himself.
Had he not used ten thousand cultivation points to condense a spirit fruit earlier, he would have broken through a month ago.
However,
In the absence of immediate crisis, a one-month delay in breakthrough was of little consequence.
Conversely,
The emergence of a devout follower was a long-term investment.
Since Gu Fang became a follower nearly three months ago, he had already contributed nearly one hundred thousand incense points to Lu Qingyang.
This clearly demonstrated
How abundant the incense offerings from followers could be.
Through his reverent gaze,
Lu Qingyang saw Gu Fang fiercely battling the fourth-grade beast, having cultivated the top-tier third-grade technique "Mountain Suppression Immortal Fist" to perfection. Each punch seemed to carry the true power of a mountain's suppression.
Even an early fourth-grade beast was firmly suppressed before him, unable to gain any advantage.
As time passed, Gu Fang's momentum soared, his battle spirit reaching its peak. The fourth-grade beast was thoroughly suppressed, left with no power to resist.
"Boom!"
With a full-powered punch, Gu Fang shattered the giant ape beast's head, killing it instantly.
The fourth-grade beast was slain.
Gu Fang immediately performed a sacrificial offering.
Lu Qingyang watched his data panel closely. Once Gu Fang completed the offering, Lu Qingyang's cultivation points indeed broke the two million mark.
Thus,
Lu Qingyang chose to break through without hesitation.
This breakthrough,
Unlike previous ones, did not cause much commotion. Instead, he used his power to shroud the entire Ten Thousand Mountains, creating layers of celestial mist that concealed the inner landscape from the outside world.
This was one of the advanced techniques of the Heavenly Court domain, offering excellent concealment despite lacking significant offensive or defensive capabilities.
Naturally,
Those within the Ten Thousand Mountains saw everything as usual, unaffected.
Only those looking in from outside found their view obstructed.
Lu Qingyang's aim was to create an aura of mystery, enhancing his enigmatic status and preventing mortals from witnessing each breakthrough.
Mystery,
Often commands awe.
At this moment,
The breakthrough began.
Lu Qingyang's six-thousand-meter celestial tree body grew visibly, reaching seven thousand meters in height.
Simultaneously, the range of the Heavenly Court domain expanded from one million meters to one and a half million meters.
Feeling the surging spiritual power within, Lu Qingyang knew his cultivation had significantly improved.
...
[Name: Lu Qingyang]
[True Form: Celestial Tree]
[Lifespan: 16/]
[Cultivation Level: Mid-Fourth Grade (/)]
[Heavenly Domain: Third Grade (/)]
[Abilities: Celestial Tree Spirit Root (Fourth Grade), Celestial Spirit Fruit (Fourth Grade), Celestial Whisper (Fourth Grade), Penetrating True Sight (Fourth Grade), Heavenly Court Domain (Fourth Grade), Command Wind and Rain (Fourth Grade)]
...
"The lifespan increased by ten thousand years, though it doesn't change much for me. However, breaking through from mid-fourth grade to late fourth grade will require double the cultivation points.
It seems I'll need at least a year or two to break through this bottleneck."
Lu Qingyang calculated in his mind.
This estimate assumed humanity's full counterattack against the beasts, accelerating the hunting and sacrificial process.
Otherwise,
Even doubling this time might not suffice to accumulate the required points for the late fourth grade.
However,
Lu Qingyang was in no immediate rush.
Some things cannot be hurried; it's better to maintain a calm mindset and face the future changes serenely.
Then,
Lu Qingyang once again merged his spirit with the world, listening to the sounds and emotions of Heaven and Earth.
This was not his first attempt.
Over the past few months, whenever his spirit recovered slightly, he would merge his consciousness with the world, seeking that familiar aura and emotional fluctuation.
Through repeated sensing,
The clues in Lu Qingyang's mind became clearer.
The current will of Heaven and Earth was clashing with another mysterious existence, possibly an equally powerful will or a formidable being comparable to it.
The confrontation between the two was so intricate that Lu Qingyang could not delve deeply.
From several perceptions, he gathered that the will of Heaven and Earth was gradually weakening, evidently unable to contend with the mysterious existence.
Defeat,
Was only a matter of time.
As Lu Qingyang's consciousness once again merged with Heaven and Earth, a sorrowful feeling, several times stronger than before, struck his heart, filling his vision with a blood-red hue.
The indescribable Dao essence pervaded the air, and Lu Qingyang felt the sorrow of the will of Heaven and Earth through this essence.
4o