This was not Huang Tian's first time merging with Heaven. Back in the Earth Immortal Realm, he had joined himself to the Heavenly Dao. But that Heavenly Dao had possessed a trace of consciousness and could guide the course of events. This time, it had none at all.
With Yuanji governing his many Dao Ranks, he had swiftly taken Heaven's place. But merging with the Dao was not his goal. He had descended into this dimension to harvest its Dao Source.
After taking Heaven's place, he had guided the spread of new paths and methods throughout the world. Five years later, nearly every path had practitioners, and the New Dao had gathered ever greater momentum.
In the process, he had vaguely sensed something forming swiftly in the unseen: a hazy, mysterious thing like a fruit.
"The Dao Source is nearly formed. Only one final step remains."
Huang Tian understood. He swept his gaze across the mortal world, taking in every scene at once.
He saw considerable chaos—or rather, "vitality"—across Jin Kingdom, especially in the Earth-Bearing Sect's former territory. Five years earlier, Heavenly Thunder had slain the sect's four Violet Palace True Persons and many Foundation Establishment cultivators. The sect had fallen apart, leaving several commanderies without anyone to control them.
Other sects had not rushed in with cultivators and armies. Nearly every Violet Palace sect had lost a True Person to Heavenly Thunder, and all were busy securing their own territories. Who had the leisure to look beyond their borders?
A few Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans spared by Heavenly Thunder had eagerly moved into the Earth-Bearing Sect's territory and claimed some of its finest Spirit Lands. A handful of Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivators had also seized the opportunity, choosing unclaimed Spirit Lands for their cultivation abodes.
But two or three