An invisible pressure radiated from Shi Yi, as though the slightest movement of his hands or feet could summon the power of heaven and earth.
His eyes opened, the sun and moon seeming to revolve within their mysterious depths. He slowly rose, feeling the surging power inside him, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint, satisfied smile.
The Venerable Realm was the pinnacle that mortal cultivators could reach. It meant he had transcended the ordinary and possessed the potential to become a god.
The Venerable Realm marked a crucial step along a cultivator's path. True godhood was now only one step away.
Shi Yi's attainment of this realm showed how extraordinary his talent, perseverance, and opportunities were. He could hope to advance further, break through the limits of mortality, and enter the domain of gods.
"The Venerable Realm. I've finally reached it..." Shi Yi murmured, a hint of emotion and anticipation in his voice.
He knew this was merely a new starting point on his cultivation journey. The road ahead was still long, and he would surely travel farther.
Shi Yi rose and left the Yin-Yang Pool, a cold glint flashing through his eyes. He looked into the distance, where faint rolls of thunder came from the direction of Heavenly Thunder Valley, as though calling to him.
His experience in Heavenly Thunder Valley still left him shaken. The Wind-Thunder Leopard clan's supreme elder, a Divine Fire Realm cultivator, had been overwhelmingly powerful. Without his wits and a little luck, he would long since have met his end in the Yellow Springs.
"The Wind-Thunder Leopard clan..." Shi Yi murmured, a cold smile curling his lips. Their pursuit had left him utterly battered and cornered, even driving him into a hopeless situation at one point. That helplessness and humiliation remained fresh in his memory.
Shi Yi had never considered himself a saint who repaid enmity with kindness. His creed was simple: repay every grudge and return every kindness. The Wind-Thunder Leopard clan had pursued him relentlessly, and he certainly would not let that debt slide. Besides, he had once vowed to wipe out their clan. Now it was time to make good on that promise.
"If you still intend to take revenge, I think you should leave it for later. There is something more important for you to do now." The Double Pupils Woman's cool voice echoed through the empty palace.
Her eyes were as deep as the stars, faintly revealing a mysterious light, as though she could see through everything.
Then she turned and walked deeper into the palace with light steps. Her figure was as weightless as the wind, each step seeming to tread upon empty space, giving her an unreal air.
Although Shi Yi had his doubts, he quickly followed her.
One behind the other, they passed through a long corridor and around several ancient halls before finally arriving before a cliff in an open expanse.
The cliff towered into the clouds, yet only half remained. It looked as though some mighty force had cleaved it apart, while the other half had long since vanished without a trace.
The cliff's surface was plain and ancient, without any ornate decoration, and even looked somewhat rough. Yet that very simplicity lent it a sense of weight and weathered age.
Beside the cliff stood a stone stele, engraved with three bold, powerful characters: "Dao Comprehension Cliff." The ancient lettering seemed to contain some profound truth of the Great Dao, inspiring reverence.
"This is the place." The Double Pupils Woman stopped, gazing at the incomplete cliff. Her voice remained cool, but now held a faint trace of nostalgia and emotion. "This was once where that friend of mine comprehended the Dao. Some of his insights remain upon it. They will be of great benefit to you as you are now."
Shi Yi's heart jolted at her words. He looked up at the cliff. Although its surface appeared unremarkable, he could sense a faint Dao resonance circulating through the air, as though calling to him.
He knew this cliff was anything but ordinary. It held an opportunity of unfathomable depth.
"Dao Comprehension Cliff..." Shi Yi murmured, a burning light flashing through his eyes.
He knew the Double Pupils Woman had not brought him here without a purpose. The insights on this cliff might be exactly what he needed most at present.
"Go. Quiet your mind and contemplate. Perhaps you can find your own Dao within it." The Double Pupils Woman spoke again, her voice carrying a faint note of expectation.
Shi Yi nodded, drew a deep breath, and walked toward the cliff. His steps were firm and steady, his heart filled with a hunger for strength and anticipation for the future.
As Shi Yi approached Dao Comprehension Cliff, he suddenly found himself within a strange field. It not only suppressed his magical power but also severely restricted his physical strength, making every step forward extraordinarily difficult.
Although he had been quite confident in the strength of his body, he now felt pressure unlike anything he had ever experienced.
This field targets not only magical power but the body as well, Shi Yi thought. I thought my body was strong enough, yet here, every single step is this difficult. How powerful must that senior's body have been? Truly worthy of a descendant of Qilin, one of the Ten Fiends. I wonder how powerful the bodies of the true Ten Fiends must be.
Just as he hesitated over whether to retreat, the Double Pupils Woman's voice sounded beside his ear again. "This is the Five Elements Domain, a field formed from the five elements. It is an important trial. Only by passing it can you have a chance to enter Dao Comprehension Cliff."
Shi Yi's heart jolted at those words. He understood that this was not merely a test of his magical power and body, but also of his will and resolve.
He took a deep breath and steeled himself to keep going. Although every step felt as though he carried a thousand-pound burden on his back, he knew that only by passing this trial could he truly reach the mysteries of Dao Comprehension Cliff.
Standing within the Five Elements Domain, Shi Yi felt as though an immense star from the Ancient Era pinned his body down. Every step was extraordinarily difficult.
His legs felt as though they had been filled with lead. Lifting either foot demanded every ounce of strength in his body.
Sweat had long since soaked his clothes. Beads of it kept dripping from his forehead, splashing against the ground.
As he ventured deeper, the suppressive force within the Five Elements Domain grew stronger, as though intent on crushing his body completely.
The Five Elements Domain was a special field woven from the most fundamental elemental powers between heaven and earth: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
Within this field, the five elemental powers cycled through one another, generating and restraining each other to create an extraordinarily powerful suppressive force.
Anyone who entered would suffer the full suppression of the five elemental powers, as though bound by the might of heaven and earth, scarcely able to move.
Crack-
"-"
Just as Shi Yi mustered all his strength to take another step, a faint sound of splintering bone came from inside his body.
Although the sound was faint, it jolted Shi Yi's heart. His body had just been tempered in the Yin-Yang Pool and had already become extraordinarily formidable. Even if he clashed head-
on with a Divine Fire Realm expert, he would not be at any disadvantage.
Yet within this Five Elements Domain, his bones had actually begun to fracture under the pressure.
No. If I keep forcing my way through like this, my body may collapse completely, Shi Yi thought. He knew full well that brute strength alone could not overcome this Five Elements Domain.
The five elemental powers cycled endlessly, containing the most profound laws and principles between heaven and earth. Forcing his way through would only place him in greater danger.
Since this field is formed from the cycling and transformation of the five elements, I must comprehend them and understand the Dao and principles within. Only then can I find a way through this field and enter Dao Comprehension Cliff. Shi Yi made his decision.
He stopped forcing himself forward and instead sat cross-legged, quieting his mind to comprehend the five elemental powers. His Double Pupils slowly opened, a profound light flickering within them, as though he could see through the workings of every law in the world.
His Double Pupils were an innate divine ability, capable of discerning changes in the laws of heaven and earth and helping him grasp their ultimate truths more quickly.
At the same time, Shi Yi activated the Primordial Chaos Heaven-Refining Grand Formation within his body. This was a formation he had condensed, which could bring him closer to the laws of heaven and earth and hasten his comprehension of them.
With these two sources of aid, Shi Yi's comprehension of the five elemental laws accelerated to a terrifying pace.
The five elemental powers circulated around him: the sharpness of metal, the vitality of wood, the suppleness of water, the blazing intensity of fire, and the weight of earth. The five powers intertwined, forming a wondrous painting.
Shi Yi immersed his mind completely within it, sensing the changes and cycles of the five elemental powers. His consciousness seemed to merge with this stretch of heaven and earth. The five elemental powers were no longer shackles suppressing him, but a bridge through which he could comprehend the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and Shi Yi's comprehension deepened. Gradually, he understood the mysteries of the Five Elements Domain. The five elemental powers were not merely a means of suppression, but a trial.
Only cultivators who truly understood the Dao of the five elements could walk freely within this field, or even draw upon its elemental powers to strengthen themselves.
"So that's how it is..." Shi Yi slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of understanding flashing within them. He stood, and the pressure on him seemed to have eased considerably.
Although the power of the Five Elements Domain remained formidable, Shi Yi no longer struggled with every step as he had before. His stride became steady, each step carrying a mysterious rhythm, as though resonating with the five elemental powers.
The five elements cycle, generating and restraining one another. Only by following their Dao can I break free of these bonds, Shi Yi silently recited as he continued forward.
His figure looked exceptionally resolute within the Five Elements Domain, like an unshakable mountain. No matter how the five elemental powers bore down on him, they could not halt his advance.
As he ventured deeper, the suppressive force within the Five Elements Domain remained powerful, but Shi Yi had already found a way to counter it.
Tempered by the five elemental powers, his body grew tougher, while the fractures in his bones gradually healed under their nourishment. His aura grew increasingly steady, as though he had become one with this stretch of heaven and earth.
At last, Shi Yi emerged from the Five Elements Domain, and the view before him suddenly opened up. A towering cliff face appeared ahead, covered in ancient runes that radiated a mysterious aura.
This was the destination of his journey-Dao Comprehension Cliff.