Break Through Oneself
"This island is where the ancestors of the human race once fought bloody battles, and countless supreme masters perished there. Once you enter, all you need to do is comprehend that unchanging supreme Dao. If you don't have this kind of enlightenment, then there's no need to continue your journey!"
"The Trial Grounds will open, and your path to enlightenment will begin. Whether a great Great Emperor who will amaze the ages will emerge remains to be seen!" the Grand Commander said.
As it sat down, the enormous Sky Wolf, its eyes flashing with a cold light, gazed at the first barrier on the Ancient Starry Road — the Saint Demise Island —as if it had sensed something.
"Roar..."
A tremendous roar resounded, a mental shockwave, wild and turbulent like the sea, emanating from the desolate mountains of the island, clearly indicating the presence of a peerless savage beast.
Many people's expressions changed on the spot, because this roar was very likely made by the sacred beast.
Before entering, the Grand Commander began to explain the situation of the Saint Demise Island to everyone.
The island is vast, divided into forty-nine areas, or fifty if the central area is included. The central area, in particular, is a forbidden zone on Saint Demise Island, a death trap; for countless people, it is a place of annihilation.
The forty-nine regions are separated by extremely mysterious barriers and restrictions; once a region is chosen, it is difficult to cross. However, crossing a boundary will result in being bound by shackles weighing millions of pounds.
Everyone listened attentively. These barriers and restrictions were set up to protect numerous cultivators. For many, the million-pound shackles would almost certainly mean certain death if they encountered a peerless genius.
Only a little over a hundred people entered the First Pass of the Human Race this time; in other words, there were only two or three people in each area. But everyone's eyes flickered, and they did not take any action, instead looking at Zhou Tong.
Everyone here knows that he is the strongest, and no one wants to be associated with him.
Zhou Tong was speechless, but he didn't think much of it and went straight into the entrance of the first area.
As soon as Zhou Tong entered, the other prodigies also took action. No one dared to choose the areas closest to number one, such as number two, three, four, and five, and instead entered the areas behind them.
Because they knew that with Zhou Tong's strength, he could easily kill them even with shackles weighing millions of pounds.
After entering the Saint Demise Island, Zhou Tong didn't think much about it and quietly began to comprehend the traces of the Great Dao here.
Although this island is rich in vital energy and undoubtedly harbors treasures, it opens periodically, allowing outside geniuses to enter. Even if it did contain any treasures, they would surely have been taken long ago.
For the next period of time, Zhou Tong stayed on the island, comprehending various Great Daos to hone his newly acquired Hegemon Fist. Then he crossed realms, and his figure could be seen from the first district to the forty-ninth district. He was shackled in a large number of chains, as if they were forged from blood-red divine iron, gleaming and extremely astonishing.
Especially when he arrived at District 49, the shackles on his body weighed a staggering 48 million jin.
Each region contains countless traces of the Great Dao, whether they are traces left by Great Sage, special terrains, or traces left by Divine Birds and ancient beasts.
Just like he had created the Heaven Slaying Dao before, Zhou Tong completely broke down the Dao and Dharma of the Hegemon Fist, leaving only a general framework, and then filled it with his own ideas.
Countless Dao principles were constantly merging in Zhou Tong's heart. He wanted to transform all of these into his own foundation, and use them to hone his Hegemon Fist.
In particular, the existence of the Divine Mark Purple Gold Profound Meaning meant that Zhou Tong didn't need to specifically search for any Great Dao. He could easily gain a bunch of Great Dao insights just by walking around, and they were clearer than what others painstakingly sought.
On the other hand, those who came to participate in the trial were too weak, and there were no opponents worth Zhou Tong's attention.
Although occasionally some cultivators would attempt to launch a sneak attack using their forbidden artifacts, the final outcome was always the same: all the attackers perished.
Finally, he turned his gaze to the forbidden area at the very center of Saint Demise Island, where sacred beasts roared and blood-red light soared into the sky.
This is a forbidden area that the Grand Commander specifically warned against, and it has always been the burial place of various powerful figures.
However, the danger here is basically useless to Zhou Tong, unless there is Saint King- level alien beast here, otherwise it will not pose any threat to Zhou Tong at all.
Zhou Tong proceeded without encountering any dangers until he got closer to this place, when he sensed a peculiar malevolent aura.
"Zheng!!"
The instant he stepped inside, an extremely terrifying sonic attack appeared—a Saint-level attack. Countless Dao Pattern and Order Divine Chains emerged, vibrating like harp strings, and attacked Zhou Tong.
A layer of purple divine light emanated from Zhou Tong's body, suppressing all Dao Pattern and order.
"The Dao Pattern of the saints... In fact, within the Saint Demise Island, only this place is suitable for those seeking enlightenment from saints, especially the core area." A hint of excitement finally appeared in Zhou Tong's eyes as he continued forward.
Soon, a flame carrying the power of Dao Transformation appeared, and Zhou Tong forcibly broke through to the Dao Transformation realm using his own blood and qi.
Then, the sword energy rang out, and the terrifying sword light clanged like ten thousand heavenly swords. However, all the Dao Pattern were cut off by Zhou Tong's casual sword.
Zhou Tong swept through the area, Annihilation twenty-seven different kinds of Dao Pattern and traps along the way, until he arrived at the deepest part of Saint Demise Island, where the blood energy pierced the sky like sword light and disappeared into the high sky.
Moreover, accompanied by the clanging of swords, a strong killing intent emanated, making one's soul tremble.
"Ten-Zhang Blood Pool, the burial place of the ancestors of mankind." Beside the blood lake, there is a stone tablet, half of which has rotted away under the erosion of time, and the Primordial Divine Script on it can be barely made out.
"It really is here!" Zhou Tong exclaimed excitedly.
When a cultivator enters this pool of blood, he can see another version of himself. What's most terrifying is that this version of himself seems real, with flesh and blood, and you can fight against him!
Fighting to the death with another version of yourself can test the limits of your true self, or take you a step further and break through your own limitations.
"This is an opportunity to break through my current limitations. Only by truly surpassing myself can I possibly go further!" Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Tong directly entered the crimson rift above the Blood Lake.
"Boom!!"
Not long after Zhou Tong entered, the crimson rift closed, and a most terrifying battle ensued.
No one knows you better than yourself. Such a battle is astonishing. Both of you know each other well and can seize upon the slightest flaws the other reveals to launch a frenzied attack.
The battle lasted for two whole days, and Zhou Tong had never experienced such a long and arduous battle.
Because his opponent was himself, who possessed the same physical body, the same secret techniques, and even copied his Immortal Qi and Hegemon Body Ancestral Form.
"Puff!"
Purple Blood splattered everywhere. In the blood-red crack, after two days and two nights of fierce battle, Dao Body exploded directly, while another Dao Body staggered backward. It was Zhou Tong.
The life-or-death battle finally came to an end, and he was utterly exhausted.
"Click!"
A blood-red crack opened, and Zhou Tong, his body shrouded in purple, flew out of the crack and landed beside the stone tablet.
"As expected of me, you're really strong!"
His entire body glowed, and with a single breath, he absorbed all the vital energy from tens of thousands of miles away into his body. The terrifying force of the absorption broke through the restrictions, nearly destroying the entire ancient land.
"Who is this person?"
Saint Demise Island, some soldiers changed color, and even the commander riding on the Sky Wolf was startled. He then shook his head, indicating that they didn't need to pay much attention.