Breakthrough to the True Immortal Realm, Drawing Another Entry

After the ceremony honoring him as the Fourth Human Ancestor ended, that vast racial fortune flowed into Yuan Ming's body in fine strands, like a warm tide.

He could clearly feel that his connection to the land beneath his feet and to the countless members of the Human Race had become even closer and clearer.

Yet just as he immersed himself in the mysterious sensation of being blessed by that fortune, an indescribable feeling of being watched—as though it came from the very origin of heaven and earth—descended without warning.

That gaze was not sharp, yet it was boundless, carrying a faint trace of scrutiny and curiosity. It pierced through the protective barrier Nuwa had personally laid down and silently fell upon him.

Yuan Ming's heart tightened, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

To spy upon the core of the Human Race's sacred ground so easily, without alerting anyone, left the watcher's identity almost beyond doubt.

"Was it Sage Nuwa... or the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who rested high above the Ninefold Clouds?"

His thoughts raced as he swiftly analyzed the situation.

The Dao Ancestor had merged with the Heavenly Dao and controlled the greater currents of the Primordial World. Everything beneath his gaze was a chessboard of heaven and earth. Why would he pay special attention to a "little fellow" who had only just entered the True Immortal Realm?

It made no sense.

Then only one answer remained—

The Holy Mother, Sage Nuwa, who had created humanity and whose fate was bound to the Human Race's fortune!

Only she would pay such close attention to changes within the Human Race, especially the birth of a new Human Ancestor.

With that thought, Yuan Ming did not hesitate in the slightest.

He immediately restrained every minute ripple produced by obtaining that fortune, and his expression became incomparably solemn and devout.

He turned toward the ancient and sacred Holy Mother Temple. Facing the stone statue of Sage Nuwa within, he respectfully performed three deep bows.

There were no words, but his actions themselves were the finest declaration: Disciple Yuan Ming was grateful for the Holy Mother's grace of creation, and would surely do everything in his power to protect the Human Race!

He did not know whether the Sage's act was mere concern or carried some deeper meaning.

But no matter what, before a Sage, maintaining absolute reverence and humility could never be wrong.

That strand of gaze lingered on him for a moment, as though confirming something. Then, just as it had come, it silently withdrew, as though it had never appeared.

The pressure abruptly vanished, yet waves churned within Yuan Ming's heart.

The Sage's gaze was like a basin of cold water, thoroughly waking him from the small complacency he had felt upon becoming a Human Ancestor.

The waters of the Primordial World ran far deeper than he had imagined.

Every move he made might already have fallen into the eyes of certain beings.

"Strength! When all is said and done, I still need sufficient strength!" His resolve grew firmer.

Becoming a Human Ancestor and enjoying fortune merely gave him a higher starting point and a layer of camouflage. If he himself was not strong enough, everything would be empty illusion.

Fortunately, he possessed [Great Dao Comprehension].

During the cultivation that followed, he did not become timid and constrained because of the Sage's attention. Instead, he devoted himself even more intently to cultivating the Heaven-Devouring Dao Scripture.

With [Great Dao Comprehension], bottlenecks in cultivation practically did not exist for him.

The cultivation path of the Heaven-Devouring Dao Scripture, which appeared tyrannical and perilous, felt as gentle as a stream in his perception.

He efficiently absorbed and refined heaven and earth spiritual energy, the essence of sun and moon, and even the faint Dao rhythms pervading the air through a vortex of magic power carrying a trace of Devouring nature.

His cultivation advanced at a speed that left the clansmen dumbstruck.

One day, as Yuan Ming cultivated, his divine soul suddenly became clear. The magic power within him surged like a rushing river, crashing through some invisible barrier.

The True Immortal Realm had been achieved!

The entire process unfolded as naturally as water flowing into a channel, without the slightest disturbance.

There were no flowers raining from heaven, nor was there any lightning tribulation descending upon him.

Just as he knew, below the Golden Immortal Realm, one might bear the name of immortal, but was not a "perfect immortal." The Heavenly Dao would not send down tribulations as a test.

The true threshold of the immortal path only began at the Golden Immortal Realm!

Just as he stabilized his True Immortal Realm cultivation—

"Ding! Detected that the host's cultivation has broken through to the True Immortal Realm. Reward: one opportunity to draw an Entry!"

Anticipation surged in Yuan Ming's heart as he began another draw.

The light screen flowed, and seven-colored radiance emerged once more. Though it did not possess the supreme majesty of a nine-colored Entry, it still exuded a vast aura that surpassed ordinary gold and purple Entries.

At last, the light froze, and a brilliant seven-colored Entry appeared:

[Eastern Lord's Heavenly Patrol] (Seven-colored)

Entry effect: Possesses the embryonic divine status and authority of the ancient Sun god, "Dongjun."

Can draw upon and command the essence of the great sun and Solar True Fire. Possesses extremely high affinity and control over the Great Daos of the sun, flames, light, and celestial hunting.

Note: This Entry has a potential conflict with the current authority of the Primordial World's Sun Star. Please use it with caution and avoid exposing it too early.

"Dongjun..." Yuan Ming turned the name over in his mind.

This differed from the origins of Di Jun and Taiyi, who ruled the Heavenly Court and were born as "spirits of the great sun."

[Eastern Lord's Heavenly Patrol] represented something more like the deification of the very concept of the "sun"—recognition on the level of laws and rules, rather than directly seizing control of the Sun Star.

Its potential was beyond question. If it could grow smoothly, perhaps he might one day truly grasp the sun's authority and become a genuine god of the great sun!

Yet enormous opportunity came hand in hand with ultimate danger.

The current Sun Star was the nest of Demon Emperor Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi, the core source of their power.

Any attempt to lay a hand on the sun's authority would inevitably be regarded by those two Demon Race emperors as a provocation that would not end until death!

Yuan Ming looked at the seven-colored Entry in his sea of consciousness, radiating scorching heat, brilliance, and majesty, his expression complicated.

"A good thing, but for now... it's a hot potato."

He drew a deep breath and deeply concealed the radiance of [Eastern Lord's Heavenly Patrol], like a dormant volcano.

"I still have to lie low!" He reaffirmed his core strategy.

The greater the strength he possessed, the more he needed to understand how to conceal it.

Before gaining enough strength to protect himself, or even to contend against others, he absolutely could not use the power of [Eastern Lord's Heavenly Patrol] lightly—especially beneath broad daylight!

He raised his head to the sky, his gaze seeming to pierce through the clouds and see that resplendent great sun hanging high above, firmly controlled by the Demon Race.

"One day..." he murmured inwardly.

Having entered the True Immortal Realm and carrying [Human Ancestor's Fortune], Yuan Ming could clearly sense the leap in the level of his life.

Yet a new sense of "emptiness" followed.

Like a strong man possessing immense strength yet knowing no techniques at all, he had cultivation but could not transform it into true combat power.

In this crisis-ridden Primordial World, having no powerful divine abilities or spells to protect oneself was no different from a child carrying gold through a bustling market.

"The Heaven-Devouring Dao Scripture is a foundational cultivation method, raising my cultivation realm. But arts to protect the Dao and methods of slaughter are equally indispensable."

He once again sank his consciousness into his sea of consciousness, where the Dao De Jing, seemingly plain and unadorned yet containing the ultimate principles of the Great Dao, appeared once more.