Under the eyes of the three, and as many of the Immortal Sect's Celestials watched and learned, the Supreme tribulation thunder came crashing down.
Within the lightning, a Celestial was transcending his limits, condensing the ultimate authority of a branch of the stellar rules, transforming the essence of his life as he advanced toward another realm.
At the same time, the Heavenly Big Dipper Scripture, passed down through the Immortal Sect for hundreds of thousands of years, was undergoing its own transformation. After the efforts of countless generations of Immortal Sect Citizens, another scripture, another branch of the path, was finally being pushed to the limits of the endless stars, representing the highest level of immortal-path science and technology in a specialized field.
Boundless, destructive lightning poured down amid a sky full of starlight.
"Ah..."
Yuan sighed soundlessly.
The sigh arose only in his heart. He showed nothing, making no display of how farsighted he had been merely to invite resentment.
Jiang Ding watched as well, regretting the fate of a fellow citizen.
Beyond that, his emotions barely stirred.
Citizens were equals.
That meant that, aside from what the law required, both were living beings of equal standing. Neither was inherently obliged to look after the other. No one had a natural duty to help someone else. That was respect, and it was reality.
Too many citizens had been born, generation after generation. The Great Sun Sword Heir could not help them all.
His feelings were for the Immortal Sect as a whole, and for the citizens with whom he had formed bonds over the years.
The next moment, the rumble of thunder stopped abruptly.
Within the lightning, the nearly complete ultimate authority of the stellar rules branch froze slightly, then collapsed entirely. The Supreme heavenly tribulation summoned by a