Purple Abode Province, Eastern Radiant Pure Yang

Yuan Ming remained for several days at the sacred land on the Shore of the East Sea, discussing the Dao with old friends such as Suiren and observing the current state of the Human Race.

He keenly noticed that Suiren, the first ancestor of the Human Race, had likewise remained at the perfected True Immortal Realm, just like him.

It was not because they had grown lax.

On the path of immortality, every step led to another heaven.

Beyond True Immortals lay Golden Immortals.

The "gold" of a Golden Immortal was not the gold of metal, but signified immortality, perfection, and flawlessness.

The Golden Immortal Realm meant tempering one's mana, divine soul, and Dao Fruit to flawless perfection, initially touching upon laws and gaining an endless lifespan.

It was a milestone in the immortal path. How could it be so easily comprehended?

Yet Yuan Ming was different from others.

He possessed the supreme Entry [Great Fortune], and heaven's will guided him in the unseen.

A powerful premonition arose in his heart: his opportunity to break through was not in the Central Plains, where Human Race Fortune gathered, nor in the Primordial World's interior. It lay precisely within the vast and boundless East Sea!

That premonition made his heart tremble.

The East Sea was the Dragon Clan's stronghold, once the overlords of the Primordial World!

Even though the Dragon Clan had declined after the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation and retreated to the Four Seas, their foundations remained far too deep for a mere True Immortal like him to provoke lightly.

Who knew how many ancient Dragon Clan monsters lay dormant within those bottomless ocean trenches?

This journey's fortune and misfortune were impossible to predict.

But those who pursued the Dao should follow heaven's designs and advance bravely.

After making all the necessary arrangements, Yuan Ming hesitated no longer. He bade everyone farewell and, alone, transformed into a dazzling rainbow streak as he resolutely flew toward the depths of the surging East Sea.

Even he did not know what this so-called "opportunity to break through" truly was. Some heavenly treasure? A life-and-death battle? Or perhaps a special chance to comprehend the Dao?

He only knew to follow the guidance in his heart and head east.

The rainbow streak swept across the endless sea. Below lay dark blue waters so profound they made one's heart quail, while enormous shadows occasionally darted beneath the surface, exuding suffocating pressure.

Yuan Ming carefully concealed his aura, doing his best to avoid clashing with Dragon Clan forces.

After flying over the vast ocean for an unknown length of time, he suddenly felt something stir within him. As though drawn by an invisible thread, he deviated from his original course and flew toward a seemingly empty stretch of sea.

Just as he approached that area, the scene before him changed abruptly!

It was as though he had passed through an invisible barrier. A fragmented expanse of land, floating in the void, suddenly appeared above the previously empty sea.

Mountains had collapsed, palaces had become ruins, and spiritual veins had been severed. Everywhere lingered the desolate aura left behind by a terrifying great battle, as well as residual traces of Dao intent belonging to supreme great cultivators that had yet to fully dissipate after countless ages.

This shattered land was immense. One could vaguely discern the outline of its former splendor, but what remained more strongly was the bleak sorrow of heroes at the end of their road.

Yuan Ming landed at the edge of the ruins, shattered jade bricks beneath his feet.

With a sweep of his gaze, he spotted a massive stone stele embedded at an angle among the rubble. Though broken, the three ancient divine characters upon it still emitted faint purple qi:

Purple Abode Province!

Just as Yuan Ming felt somewhat puzzled by the name, the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd he carried suddenly trembled on its own. An extremely weak, nearly transparent red remnant soul drifted out. It was Redcloud Ancestor.

Redcloud's remnant soul stared at this shattered Grotto-Heaven paradise, his tone filled with incredulous amazement. "Little friend, your fortune is truly immense! You actually found Purple Abode Province, which vanished long ago into the turbulent currents of space and time!!"

Yuan Ming's heart shook. This was actually Purple Abode Province, the Dao field of the lord of the Immortal Court!!

Redcloud's remnant soul spoke with endless sighs and emotion, as if unveiling a dust-covered epic:

"Purple Abode Province was once the Grotto-Heaven Dao field of Dongwang Gong, the leader of the male immortals. It was also the core of the Immortal Court he established!"

"After the Dao Ancestor Hongjun first preached the Dao at Violet Firmament Palace, he personally appointed Dongwang Gong as the leader of all male immortals, granting him authority over the order of the immortal path. Dongwang Gong then established the Immortal Court here, intending to rule over the immortals of the Primordial World."

"Unfortunately..." Red Cloud sighed, and his voice turned heavy.

"Though he possessed the Dao Ancestor's decree, his own strength was insufficient to convince the masses. The Immortal Court seemed glorious, but it was strong on the outside and weak within. Later, the two Demon Emperors, Di Jun and Taiyi, established the Demon Celestial Court on the Sun Star, their momentum swallowing mountains and rivers. Dongwang Gong and his Immortal Court became the greatest obstacle to their display of power and unification of the Primordial World."

"Thus, on that day, Eastern Emperor Taiyi descended upon Purple Abode Province alone, wielding the innate supreme treasure, the Chaos Bell..."

A trace of barely perceptible fear entered Red Cloud's voice. "That battle shook heaven and earth! Taiyi swept through the Immortal Court with supreme divine abilities and the Chaos Bell, personally killing Dongwang Gong and utterly destroying the Immortal Court's vast foundation!"

"This Purple Abode Province Grotto-Heaven was also shattered by the Chaos Bell's supreme might, vanishing from the world without a trace. Who would have thought... that after countless ages, you would find it through the unseen pull of fortune!"

Yuan Ming's mind swayed as he listened. In his thoughts, he seemed to see that peerless figure standing alone against ten thousand immortals, the bell's chimes resounding throughout the universe.

He could not help drawing in a cold breath and blurted out, "Good heavens! Eastern Emperor Taiyi... was he really that fierce?!"

One man and one bell had flattened an orthodox force personally sanctioned by the Dao Ancestor. What tyranny, what invincibility!

Red Cloud's remnant soul rippled, filled with complicated emotions, before finally becoming a long sigh:

"The number one beneath the Sage Realm... that title was no empty boast."

His tone became incomparably grave, even carrying a bone-deep chill.

"The day they surrounded and killed me, if Taiyi had not been present to use the Chaos Bell to suppress space and time, cutting off every possibility of my escape... I, Red Cloud, might not have perished!"

At those words, Yuan Ming was completely stunned.

Not only had he glimpsed an ancient history long erased, but he had also truly felt just how terrifying that Eastern Emperor, whom he had never met, was.

The moment he stepped into the legendary Purple Abode Province, Yuan Ming felt every pore of his body open. A stream of Innate Qi, far purer and gentler than that outside, continuously poured into him, nourishing his limbs, bones, and primordial spirit.

Although this place had been shattered in the great battle of old and its spiritual qi was far weaker than before, as the former Dao field of the leader of male immortals, its foundations remained astonishingly deep.

Between the broken mountains and rivers, the remnants of palace foundations and fractured jade pillars still silently spoke of their past glory.

"This place truly deserves to be Dongwang Gong's Dao field. Even reduced to this state, it remains a rare Grotto-Heaven paradise." Yuan Ming silently praised it as his divine sense spread out to carefully examine the ruins.

At that moment, the system notification sounded in his mind once more, carrying a distinct rhythm:

[Ding! An ownerless five-colored Entry has been detected: [Eastern Radiant Pure Yang]. Pick it up?]

Yuan Ming's heart stirred. His gaze swept across the ruins permeated with Pure Yang Dao intent, and he immediately understood.

Dongwang Gong had been transformed from Innate Eastern Radiant Pure Yang Profound Qi. His fundamental Dao laws had long fused with this land and heaven.

After his death, that most refined portion of his Pure Yang origin had dispersed. Over the long years, it had gathered anew into this Entry.

"Pick it up!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yuan Ming made his choice.

In an instant, an aura both warm and vast, supremely yang and supremely firm, descended from the void and silently merged into his body and primordial spirit.

The instant the Entry entered his body, Yuan Ming felt his spiritual platform become utterly clear. It was as though a miniature morning sun had risen within his sea of consciousness, scattering endless light and heat.

The immense mana he had accumulated through cultivating the Heaven-Devouring Dao Scripture and Formless Scripture seemed to find an outlet. Guided by that Pure Yang origin, it began to surge and circulate of its own accord, launching an assault upon some invisible barrier.

"So that was it!"

Brilliant light burst from Yuan Ming's eyes as understanding dawned upon him.

The breakthrough opportunity he had been searching for had been here all along!

The [Eastern Radiant Pure Yang] Entry not only greatly enhanced his affinity for and control over the Pure Yang Dao, but also acted like a key, beginning to pry open the gate to a higher realm.

Though his combat strength had previously been formidable, and he could even battle Golden Immortals through [Eastern Lord's Heavenly Patrol], his cultivation realm had always remained stuck at the peak of the True Immortal Realm. He had forever been one final step away from the immortal and indestructible Golden Immortal Dao Fruit.

Now, this Entry originating from Dongwang Gong's essence perfectly made up for his final shortcoming.

That supremely refined and pure Pure Yang Dao intent was the greatest aid for tempering mana and condensing an immortal Dao foundation!

"This place is rich in spiritual qi, and its remaining formations conceal the secrets of heaven. It is the perfect place to undergo tribulation!"

Yuan Ming made his decision at once and delayed no longer.

He needed to immediately adjust his condition and raise his essence, qi, and spirit to their utmost peak in preparation for the heavenly test of attaining the Golden Immortal Dao—the Heavenly Tribulation!

Once he passed the Heavenly Tribulation, he would shed his mortal body, forge an immortal golden body, condense an indestructible primordial spirit, and truly step across the threshold of eternal life, becoming an existence on the same level as Ancestor Azure Ox and Ancestor Ghost Lion!

Then, the Human Race's foundation in the Central Plains would become truly secure.

He swiftly found a relatively intact stone platform in the core region of Purple Abode Province and sat down cross-legged.

The Heaven-Devouring Dao Scripture began to circulate, greedily drawing in the surrounding dense Innate Qi like a whale swallowing the sea. The Formless Scripture activated, causing his Physical Bitter Sea to churn and his Life Spring to gush forth. Beneath the radiance of [Eastern Radiant Pure Yang], that illusory "Divine Bridge" also seemed to become somewhat more solid.

He needed to completely fuse the Dao intent of [Eastern Radiant Pure Yang] with himself, allowing his mana, body, and primordial spirit to all carry a trace of immortal Pure Yang characteristics.

The preparations had begun. Once the time arrived, he could trigger the Heavenly Tribulation and, atop the ruins of Purple Abode Province, charge toward the great Dao of the Golden Immortal!