Starting from the Aspect Condensation Realm, every threshold between realms required one to endure a different lightning tribulation. These tribulations tested one's comprehension of will, laws, and origin. If one's comprehension was insufficient, the lightning tribulation would strike until their soul scattered and they were reduced to ashes.
Every breakthrough was a transformation between life and death.
Because Ning Xuanyuan had the Chaos Origin within him, it was far easier for him to comprehend the power of laws and origin than it was for others. That was why he had been able to break straight through to the Soul Sea Realm upon awakening.
For anyone else, no matter how exceptional their talent, who had not been stuck at the threshold of the Soul Sea Realm for years before breaking through the barrier?
Some people with slightly poorer aptitude were even stuck below the Soul Sea Realm for their entire lives, unable to break through.
Yet this Soul Jade actually contained the power of will?
"By absorbing Soul Jade, we can gain the power of will it contains and deepen our own comprehension, allowing us to break through smoothly. Now you should understand why we fight on the Myriad Heavens Battlefield, right?"
"For any martial artist, comprehending will and laws and understanding origin is extremely difficult. But with Soul Jade, the process becomes much easier."
At this point, Ye Xuankong suddenly gave Ning Xuanyuan a long, searching look. "I heard from Father Emperor that you broke straight through from the Flesh Realm to the Soul Sea Realm in a single day."
Ning Xuanyuan nodded.
"Will, rules, laws, the Great Dao, origin. Starting from the Aspect Condensation Realm, only after comprehending these to a certain level can one break through the barrier between realms and advance smoothly."
"But you skipped that stage and broke through to the Soul Sea Realm in a single step. Do you know that, throughout the vast Eight Domains, from ancient times to the present, you are the first person ever to do so?"
Ning Xuanyuan pursed his lips without speaking. With the Chaos Origin, he could easily comprehend and master all kinds of origin power! In fact, he could even plunder them directly, without needing to comprehend them at all!
For others, breaking through required all sorts of comprehension, but for him, it was merely a matter of accumulating spiritual power. As long as he had enough spiritual power within him, he could break through smoothly, with no shackles or bottlenecks to speak of.
Otherwise, how could he have driven back the Soul Tribulation with a single shout?
"Qin Lang and the other four were able to reach such a realm at roughly your age. Their talent cannot be denied, but without Soul Jade, they would never have gotten this far," Ye Xuankong said.
Over the years, he had fought on the Myriad Heavens Battlefield and supplied the Asura Domain with vast quantities of Soul Jade. It was precisely because of such abundant resources that heaven's chosen had emerged one after another in the Asura Domain, giving rise to the so-called five young kings.
In fact, the same was true not only of the Asura Domain, but of the other ancient domains as well. Which of those peerless monsters said to have suppressed an entire era had not relied on Soul Jade to shine with unparalleled brilliance?
"Brother, does the Soul Jade inside those Voids on the Myriad Heavens Battlefield all contain the power of will?" Ning Xuanyuan suddenly remembered something and asked.
Ye Xuankong shook his head. "Voids whose Soul Jade contains will are only the lowest, Bronze Rank. The higher a Void's rank, the more powerful the force contained in its Soul Jade. The Soul Jade inside a Purple-Gold Void, the highest rank, contains the power of origin."
Ning Xuanyuan's eyes immediately lit up. "Then does that mean we can obtain the power of origin just by killing a Purple-Gold Void?"
Ye Xuankong looked at Ning Xuanyuan, clearly seeing through his thoughts. He said slowly, "In theory, yes. But Voids of that level are not only rare, they're also more powerful than you imagine. Look at me. After spending so long on the Myriad Heavens Battlefield, I only just broke through to the Saint Realm a few days ago."
"Uh..." Ning Xuanyuan scratched his head awkwardly. It was true. If Voids of that level were easy to kill, there would not be only a handful of Human Emperors in the Ancient Eight Domains. Nor would Ye Xuankong have remained at the peak of the Heaven and Earth Realm for so long, unable to break through.
He was the supreme commander of the Night Watch Army; every resource passed through his hands. One could imagine just how outrageously precious Soul Jade of that level was...
Ye Xuankong rose and walked toward the carriage door. "All right, that's enough for now. You can learn about the rest after you enter the Myriad Heavens Battlefield."
Ning Xuanyuan nodded. Just then, the carriage suddenly swayed slightly and came to a stop.
"Your Highnesses, we've reached the entrance to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield." A Night Watch Army soldier's voice came from outside.
Ning Xuanyuan hurriedly stood and got out of the carriage with Ye Xuankong.
By now, the major powers of the Ancient Eight Domains had each established their own passage to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield. The Asura Domain's passage lay about a thousand li from the imperial city.
The entrance to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield was a massive gateway. A spacious bridge stood before that heavenly gate, and Ning Xuanyuan and Ye Xuankong walked toward it under the soldiers' escort.
An utterly terrifying pressure spread through the air from within the heavenly gate of the Myriad Heavens Battlefield. Wave after wave of dreadful radiance enveloped the space, while armored soldiers stood guard on both sides of the bridge.
Powerful spiritual power fluctuations emanated from these soldiers. A formidable force enveloped everyone, resisting the pressure spreading from the Myriad Heavens Battlefield.
Ning Xuanyuan and his companions continued forward, but when they reached the bridge, Ye Xuankong suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" Ning Xuanyuan asked in confusion.
"You'll have to walk the rest of the way yourself. This is a test everyone entering the Myriad Heavens Battlefield for the first time must undergo," Ye Xuankong said, smiling at Ning Xuanyuan.
"Hm?" Ning Xuanyuan looked at Ye Xuankong suspiciously. He could not shake the feeling that there was something ill-intentioned about his smile. "Really?"
"Of course." Ye Xuankong nodded. "Those are the rules."
Ning Xuanyuan still felt that something was wrong, but he could not put his finger on it, so he had no choice but to do as he was told.
"Boom!"
After Ning Xuanyuan had taken a few steps forward, an incredibly tyrannical force of will abruptly bore down on his sea of consciousness. At that moment, it was as though a domineering, towering figure had appeared in his mind, resembling a heavenly god and bearing an incomparably supreme pressure.
"Damn!"
Ning Xuanyuan's expression changed at once, and his eyes closed. The godlike figure trampled his will, crushing everything, as though it meant to utterly destroy his mental will.
What level of willpower is this?! Ning Xuanyuan was shaken. Once the gap between realms grew large enough, a single strand of will truly was enough to kill someone.