When the Dao Rises, Demons Wane, and a World Is Protected

Set aside how powers like Zhongyuan laid their plans, and how great sects such as the Yellow Heaven Sect and the Divine Firmament Sect placed their pieces.

Even White Deer Grotto had plans of its own.

Mysterious Capital Palace was not only the foremost sect of the Mystic Gate under heaven, but also a sect standing at the very pinnacle of this world.

Even the East Sea Sword Palace fell a shade short of such a colossus. The Buddhist School of the Western Kingdom could only shut its doors and hold fast, while the Northern and Southern Devil Sects and the Demon Race of the four seas had no choice but to lower their banners and still their drums.

Yet for all that power, Su Che felt the Mystic Gate's foremost sect had far too little presence.

"Once a cultivator passes beyond Reverted Elixir and enters Void Step, two things change. First, they can fly beyond the Ninefold Heavenly Firmament and reach the Outer Void to gather Purest Profound Essence and replenish their Innate Origin Energy. Second, their understanding of the laws of heaven and earth deepens. They may even make some of those laws entirely their own."

The Yin-Yang Dharma King seemed to be talking about something else entirely. "Once they have gathered enough Purest Profound Essence and deduced and mastered enough laws, they can summon a heavenly tribulation and ascend to the Longevity Realm. So anyone determined to attain the Longevity Realm must travel to the Outer Void to gather Purest Profound Essence. There is no way around it."

"Purest Profound Essence can only be gathered and refined in the Outer Void. But out there are untold numbers of Dharma-Ending Lords and their Demon Retainers. In sheer numbers, the Dharma-Ending Lords beyond this world alone outnumber all its