Time flowed on.
The appearance of An Jing, the Naturalist of this age, at the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court to attend the Banquet of Zhaolin Truth-Seeking became major news that spread across the Ten Continents. From the Heavenly Sects above to the mortal sects founded by Divine Treasuries below, everyone with knowledge of the matter followed it with intense interest.
After all, every Naturalist brought tremendous changes to Huaixu. The Tianji Sect's various Tianji creations—airships, flying wings, even bicycles and new farming implements—had greatly transformed people's way of life.
The Heavenly Mother Palace's newly created Medicinal Pills and Talismans had likewise greatly altered the logic behind martial artists' cultivation and duels. Advances in medicine could be felt even by ordinary people; as long as they saved enough silver, injuries to their organs and bones could be healed.
But this time, what people discussed with greatest relish was An Jing's strength.
More than a year ago, An Jing had used the power of the Taibai Battle Armor to defeat the combined Array Formation of Taiming Sect True Persons. Now, upon appearing again at the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court, he had displayed the power to crush and instantly kill a high-level Divine Treasury dragon guard with a single strike of pure physical force alone.
Many believed this incomprehensible rate of progress to be the work of the [Ascension Path]. Some believed An Jing had completely fused the Taibai Battle Armor into his body, becoming one with the artifact and naturally gaining the strength to move mountains.
Others believed this was an ultimate technique An Jing had comprehended, allowing him to overcome a dragon guard's thousand-weight force with a single measure of strength.
But regardless of the method he used, An Jing's power was beyond doubt. And the participation of one bearing Heavenly