The Beginning of the Martial Sect
"Big brother..."
Hong Ling's breath grew weaker and weaker. The light in her eyes was like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
"Go away... I was... never meant to exist..."
She tried to push Dongfang Yueming away, but her little hand didn't even have the strength to lift it.
"Shut up!"
With red eyes, Dongfang Yueming held her tightly, his voice hoarse and frantic, "I promised to protect you! Even if the sky falls and the earth collapses, I will hold you up!"
"But..."
Hong Ling's body has begun to turn into specks of light, which is the dissipation of the world's origin.
Is there no hope for saving him?
No! I don't believe it!
Countless possibilities flashed through Dongfang Yueming's mind.
[She suffered the backlash because she was connected to this world.]
[As long as... as long as she can be freed from the shackles of this world!]
[A world of its own!]
"Boom--!"
A thunderclap exploded in his Sea of Consciousness!
The human body is also the universe!
If one cultivates the physical body to its ultimate level, one can create one's own gravitational field, magnetic field, and even... one's own galaxy within the body!
Then they will no longer be bound by the external world!
Then one can... be self-sufficient and immortal!
This is the fifth realm of Martial Dao — the Planetary Realm!
[Ding! You have mastered the fifth realm of Martial Dao — the Planetary Realm!]
[Ding! You have comprehended the cultivation technique "Indestructible Star Body" (0/100000, not yet at the Entry)!]
"Point Allocation! Max it out!"
Dongfang Yueming roared in his heart!
[Ding! 100,000 points consumed, Level 1 completed!]
[Ding! Consumed... Perfection!]
"Buzz--!"
An unprecedented and terrifying gravitational force erupted from the center of Dongfang Yueming!
Within a radius of a hundred miles, all the rubble, trees, and even fragments of shattered Xukong were spinning wildly around him under this gravitational pull!
At that moment, his body seemed to transform into a true star!
Each cell is like a tiny star, radiating endless light and heat!
The laws of heaven and earth that originally bound him crumbled inch by inch under the impact of this stellar power!
"Ling'er!"
Dongfang Yueming shouted and placed his hands on Hong Ling's forehead. The power of the stellar origin belonging to the "Planetary Realm" surged into her body like the Milky Way pouring down!
"Hold on...!"
Under the infusion of this power, Hong Ling's body, which was on the verge of collapse, miraculously... stabilized!
Those points of light that were originally dissipating were forcibly gathered together and reintegrated into her flesh and blood!
Not only that!
Dongfang Yueming further used that terrifying gravitational field to forcibly devour and refine the chaotic laws that had escaped from the collapse of the world, and then... fed them back to Hong Ling!
"Since this world is about to collapse, then you... should swallow it!"
"Based on this, forge... Indestructible Star Soul!"
"Boom--!"
The whole world is wailing and trembling!
But in the heart of those ruins, a new star is rising!
Hong Ling slowly opened her eyes.
Those silver eyes were no longer cold, but filled with... endless longing and rebirth.
She felt the unfamiliar yet incredibly warm and powerful force within her, and tears streamed down her face again.
"Big brother..."
"I... don't have to die?"
"Fool."
Dongfang Yueming gently wiped away her tears and held her tightly in his arms.
"With me here, even the King of Hell wouldn't dare take you!"
However, although Hong Ling was rescued, the crisis was not over.
"Snap--!"
The cracks in the sky grew wider and wider, and a chaotic storm began to pour in!
This world... is destined to be destroyed!
"Boom--!!!"
The sky has fallen.
The ground collapsed.
This already dilapidated [Archaic Ancient Remnant Realm] finally met its utter destruction after losing the last bit of divine will to support it!
An endless storm of chaos, like a cataclysmic flood, devoured everything!
"Big brother! What... should we do?"
Hong Ling clung tightly to Dongfang Yueming, her small face filled with fear.
Dongfang Yueming looked at the devastating scene, but his expression remained surprisingly calm.
Is there... no way out?
[No!]
[I still have... my last card to play!]
He slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.
There, a vast and terrifying power that should not belong to the present existed, but due to the completion of [Dao-Grade Innate] and [Dao-Grade Foundation Establishment], it generated... a subtle connection!
That is... the power of Mahayana from the future!
"Lend me... for a moment!"
In his heart, he roared silently!
"Buzz--!"
In an instant!
An indescribable, supreme aura, powerful enough to suppress all realms, suddenly awakened within him!
Although it was only a brief moment, although it was only a tiny, insignificant trace!
But that is also... Mahayana!
"Certainly!"
He pointed it out!
The entire collapsing world, under the touch of that one finger, eerily... froze!
Then, he reached out and grabbed!
He grasped all the primordial power of this world that was about to dissipate and forcibly melted it with supreme magic power!
"Condense!"
A huge, jet-black stone tablet, exuding an ancient and weathered aura, appeared out of thin air!
Inscribed on it are the true essence of Martial Dao that he comprehended throughout his life!
[Martial Dao Stele]!
"Ling'er, let's go!"
Holding the Martial Dao Stele in one hand and Hong Ling in the other, he swayed and tore through the river of time!
Within the endless Xukong and turbulent currents.
Like a flickering candle in the wind, Dongfang Yueming protected Hong Ling as they struggled forward through the raging storm of time and space.
His body was disintegrating, and his soul was burning!
That's the price of forcibly borrowing the power of the future!
But he can't stop!
He wanted to find a... home for the girl in his arms!
Finally!
I don't know how much time passed.
A familiar yet unfamiliar continent appeared in his perception.
That is... the Immortal-Abandoned Continent, which is still in a period of spiritual decline!
"Arrive!"
With his last ounce of strength, he brought Hong Ling to the summit of that sacred mountain.
He placed the [Martial Dao Stele] heavily on the mountaintop.
"Ling'er..."
His body had begun to become transparent; it was the power of spacetime correction calling him back.
"From today onwards, this... will be your home."
"You must establish the [Martial Sect] here."
"Let's pass on our Martial Dao..."
"Besides..."
He reached out, wanting to touch that little face, already streaked with tears, one last time, but his fingers slipped through her cheek.
"Remember..."
There's no need to pursue Dao-Grade.
"Heaven has its way, and man has his way."
"Big brother..." Hong Ling cried her heart out, trying to grab him, but she could only grasp at nothingness. "Where are you going? Don't leave Ling'er behind!"
Dongfang Yueming looked at her, his eyes filled with reluctance and tenderness.
I won't abandon you.
"I just... have to go back."
"Let's go back to that future... where we first met."
"Wait for me..."
"Wait for me to come back..."
"I swear... this time, I will never... keep you waiting too long again!"
As the last word fell.
His figure vanished completely into the world.
Only that small figure remained, standing alone atop the sacred mountain, facing the empty Xukong, weeping... heartbroken.
"Buzz--!"
A sudden dizziness ensued.
When Dongfang Yueming opened his eyes again.
The familiar thatched cottage, the familiar sea of clouds.
besides...
The little girl in the pink dress sitting on the rooftop, holding a candied hawthorn and staring blankly at herself...
Two lines of clear tears silently slid down her large, dark eyes.
"Little brother..."
Her voice was trembling uncontrollably.
"You... finally... remembered?"
Dongfang Yueming looked at her.
The confusion in his eyes completely vanished.
Instead, there was endless... tenderness and... guilt.
He slowly stepped forward, reached out his hand, and this time, he truly touched that warm little face.
"Um."
"I remember now."
"Sorry to keep you waiting..."
"... My Ling'er."