Time flows like water, flowers bloom and wither, tides rise and fall. Since Wang Dong established his domain in Penglai, half a million years have unknowingly passed.
One day, as usual, Wang Dong was immersed in comprehending the sword dao. Behind him, swords formed of spiritual energy cut through the air in every direction. The green flood dragon, on the other hand, leisurely shifted its body, half-closing its eyes, and continued to sleep.
Suddenly, a loud "bang" reverberated across the sky, as though it had come from the very heavens themselves. Be it the bloodthirsty beasts, the meditating deities, or the flying immortal creatures, all heard this sound. No matter where one was, it felt as though the sound was ringing deep within their soul, impossible to block out.
After the sound, celestial music resounded throughout the world, and a shower of spiritual flowers descended from the heavens. Purple qi stretched across billions of miles, and the stars shimmered brightly... Various strange phenomena unfolded, marking a day that would be etched in the memories of all beings in the wilderness.
Amidst these phenomena, it seemed as though invisible threads of the rules connected all beings to the heavens and the earth. The creatures of the wilderness felt an inexplicable sense of existence, as if the world had become more intimate.
The primordial deities, however, understood that the Dao of Heaven had finally been perfected and revealed. They were elated. Many of them, blessed with immense talent, had been stuck at the Golden Immortal realm for countless years, unsure whether the path they were on was correct, or if any path at all lay before them. They were lost.
Even the primordial deities who had reincarnated from the souls of Chaos had found it difficult to reach the Great Luo level, for their souls were deeply fragmented, and their original states had been shaped by the rhythms of the Dao. After reincarnation, they could not grasp the Great Luo realm's insights, leading to much frustration.
But now that the Dao of Heaven had manifested, they could finally comprehend it while seeking their own paths, as the two could mutually reflect and guide each other.
Thus, almost all of the top-tier powerhouses in the wilderness began secluding themselves. The world fell into an eerie silence.
"The Dao of Heaven has finally manifested," Wang Dong murmured. "But what does that have to do with me?" With that, he continued to focus on comprehending the sword dao.
The green flood dragon, having heard the strange sound, was curious about what had happened, but since its master remained in deep meditation, it did not dare to interrupt. In its heart, the master was invincible; no matter what occurred, it was certain its master could handle it. Thus, it returned to its peaceful slumber.
Another 400,000 years passed. One day, in the east of the wilderness, above the Holy Court of the Fire Worship Sect, a vast pressure suddenly descended. A flow of destiny swept across, with countless blurry figures appearing and disappearing within it.
A fire pillar rose from the forbidden grounds of the Holy Court, its boundless heat seemingly capable of incinerating the world. The entire Fire Worship Sect felt the terrifying temperature, which lasted for two hours before coalescing into a fiery Dao Fruit. In contrast to the fire pillar's destructive power, this Dao Fruit exuded a gentle aura, and mysterious symbols flashed across it, a truly wondrous sight.
"Haha, haha! I have finally attained the Great Luo Dao Fruit!" The voice of Patriarch Luyang echoed throughout the entire sect. "Brothers, a month from now, we will hold a grand feast in the Holy Court. Everyone, come and drink to your heart's content!"
"Congratulations, Patriarch, for attaining the Dao!" "Congratulations, Patriarch, for attaining the Dao!"... The Fire Worship Sect erupted in cheers. Every word of praise was sincere because the more powerful the Patriarch became, the stronger the sect would be, and the safer they would feel.
The Golden Immortals were even happier, hoping one day to receive Patriarch Luyang's guidance and ascend to the profound realms themselves.
The news of Patriarch Luyang attaining the Great Luo Golden Immortal position spread throughout the wilderness like wildfire, shaking the entire world. For a time, the Fire Worship Sect became the focus of all attention in the wilderness.
Many Golden Immortals flocked to the Fire Worship Sect, hoping to gain insights from Patriarch Luyang. In a short span of time, the sect's influence grew immensely, and its power became unmatched.
The news of Luyang's attainment of the Great Luo position brought mixed feelings: joy at seeing someone reach the Great Luo realm, but also a sense of urgency. If they didn't act quickly, they might fall behind.
As a result, many of the top-tier Golden Immortal experts ignored their sects and immersed themselves in cultivation, hoping to break through and attain the Dao as soon as possible.
Over the next few hundred years, other prominent figures, such as the Ancestors of Qiankun, Yin-Yang, and Cangqiong, as well as the Heavenly Devourer and Beast King, all achieved the Great Luo Golden Immortal position. The era of the Golden Immortal had passed, and the age of the Great Luo had begun.
As more and more individuals attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal position, the world of the wilderness, already turbulent, became even more chaotic. After reaching the Great Luo level, many realized the importance of the trends of the world: the greater the influence of a faction, the stronger its resources, and the easier it was for them to produce more Great Luo Golden Immortals.
This period of a few hundred years saw the rise of many Great Luo Golden Immortals within the major factions, providing undeniable proof of this.
The wilderness, in this strange atmosphere, continued to evolve. Another 500,000 years passed, during which Wang Dong had finally fully integrated with the Qinglian body. His transformation into a half-step Golden Immortal was complete, though his sword dao had hit a bottleneck.
One day, a tremendous pressure descended upon Penglai Island, far greater than that felt when Luyang and the others attained their Great Luo Golden Immortal positions. The entire island, spanning 3,000 kilometers, trembled under this pressure. All beings on the island, except for Wang Dong, were forced to lower their heads, while the surrounding waters sank several feet due to the overwhelming force.
Wang Dong sat cross-legged on the island, looking toward the peak of Penglai Island, a flicker of worry crossing his mind. Through the faint connection with his true self, he sensed that his true form was undergoing a dangerous metamorphosis.
After clarifying the relationship between soul, consciousness, and willpower, and after tens of thousands of years of calculations, Wang Dong's true self had concluded that the perfect path to immortality lay in fusing willpower with the body. As a result, he had decided to transform his entire soul and consciousness into pure willpower.
After over 100,000 years of transformation, today was the final step. Though his true self had carefully calculated, ensuring a success rate of over 90%, Wang Dong couldn't help but feel anxious. If this process failed, it could lead to the collapse of his entire soul.
Suddenly, the entire brain domain space of his true self began to crumble as if the world were collapsing. Fragments of space shattered like dominoes, one after another, faster and faster, until the entire space collapsed in an instant. In the center of this collapse, a black vortex appeared, and all the fragments were drawn into it.
Once all the space fragments had entered the vortex, a brilliant light emerged from its center. Gradually, the light gathered, and a crystalline relic of willpower materialized — this was the willpower relic of Wang Dong's true self.
The invisible pressure on Penglai Island gradually dissipated, and all beings on the island finally breathed a sigh of relief. The sensation had been too terrifying.
Wang Dong, sensing the success of his true self in crystallizing the willpower relic, was filled with joy. Now, he too would need to forge his own willpower relic. This would not only allow him to synchronize with his true self but would also refine his sword dao, making his practice more focused and powerful. With his true self's experience, the process would be far easier.
With the success of his true self's willpower relic, and his own sword dao reaching a bottleneck, Wang Dong decided to venture out into the wilderness and continue honing his sword skills.