Chapter 21: Return (End of this volume, please subscribe)
Eighth Layer of Heaven.
A host of Supreme Immortal Kings fell silent.
"Martial Ancestor...has Martial Ancestor ascended to the Ninth Layer of Heaven?" After a long while, Supreme Immortal King's voice trembled slightly.
As Supreme Immortal Kings, even those born during the epochs of three thousand Dao provinces, who ruled over the universe, had long since ceased to feel shock. Continue your saga on empire
But in the last few hundred years, due to Martial Ancestor's emergence, they, the Supreme Immortal Kings, had their understanding refreshed time and again.
Now, he had even ascended to the Ninth Layer of Heaven, achieving the ultimate goal that all Immortal Kings had aspired to throughout the epochs.
"He must have ascended," the Open Heaven Immortal King took a deep breath, "beyond the tenth layer, lies the Ninth Layer of Heaven. Martial Ancestor is now in the Ninth Layer of Heaven."
The many Immortal Kings at the scene exchanged glances, their thoughts numerous and complex.
Though ascending to the Ninth Layer of Heaven had nothing to do with them, they all bore witness to Martial Ancestor's ascent, feeling an inexplicable sense of involvement.
"Who knows what lies in the Ninth Layer of Heaven. Is it like the previous eight layers, filled with wonders and anomalies?"
"It's unclear, but it is said that there are 'Tianren' in the Ninth Layer of Heaven. I wonder if Martial Ancestor has encountered them?"
"We have witnessed a grand event in the history of the Spirit Realm, making this life worthwhile..."
...
The Supreme Immortal Kings conversed in detail, previously segregated into factions of Prehistoric Era Kings and Three Thousand Dao Provinces Era Kings based on the epochs they hailed from.
But now, all Supreme Immortal Kings, forsaking their factional divides, faced the significant event of Martial Ancestor ascending to the Ninth Layer of Heaven, aware that there was no difference among Spirit Realm beings in its presence.
"Ninth Layer of Heaven...there probably will be no one else who can ascend to the Ninth Layer of Heaven after this..." the Chaotic Celestial King looked towards the entrance of the Ninth Layer of Heaven and sighed softly.
The other Supreme Immortal Kings, hearing this, felt an immediate connection.
Ascending to the Ninth Layer of Heaven was the goal of all powerhouses in the Spirit Realm, and in the distant past, during ancient epochs unknown to all present Immortal Kings, perhaps some powerhouse had ascended to the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
Such as the Dragon Ancestor, whose place in the Seventh Layer of the brand of life, mysteriously disappeared, possibly entering the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
And the Phoenix Ancestor, among others.
The older the era, the fewer the life brands etched in the fabric of the Spirit Realm, leading to relatively weaker strength for the ten strongest life forms within the Ninth Layer of Heaven entryway.
The difficulty of passing through was accordingly lower.
Of course, this was all speculation by the Chaotic Celestial King.
He did not know whether the vanished Dragon Ancestor or Phoenix Ancestor actually ascended to the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
But there was at least this possibility, this hope.
But now.
The Chaotic Celestial King was certain.
Those who come after would definitely not have the possibility, definitely not have the hope, of ascending to the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
With the presence of Martial Ancestor, with Martial Ancestor's brand of life placed at the tenth layer...the Chaotic Celestial King truly could not fathom, just how cruel a blow it would be for the future eras' Supreme Immortal Kings who aimed for the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
Martial Ancestor's strength, in comparison to the last nine of the strongest life forms in the first nine layers of the Spirit Realm, was an absolute chasm.
Even if the strength of those nine lives were combined and increased tenfold or a hundredfold, they would probably last but a punch, or a few punches at most, in front of Martial Ancestor.
Imagine a supremely talented Supreme Immortal King of future generations, who has mastered all higher and ordinary Powers of Creation, unbeatable through tens of epochal ages,
then confidently attempting to venture through the Ninth Layer of Heaven.
After grueling battles, vanquishing layer after layer of opponents, they finally reach the tenth layer, only to be slain by the slap of Martial Ancestor's life brand...how utterly despairing that would be.
From the First Layer to the Ninth Layer, the difficulty of overcoming adversaries increased gradually, labeled as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
And then, upon reaching the tenth layer, the difficulty of victory suddenly spikes to ten thousand...
Therefore, in the eyes of the Chaotic Celestial King and other Supreme Immortal Kings, the feat of ascending to the Ninth Layer of Heaven would probably be characterized as 'no followers to come.'
For countless epochal ages afterward, the strongest of many eras in the Spirit Realm would have to live under the shadow of Martial Ancestor's terror.
...
Ninth Layer of Heaven.
Lin Yuan stood alone on the peak, deep in thought.
"This Ninth Layer of Heaven holds no life; could I possibly be the so-called 'Tianren'?" Lin Yuan's expression was somewhat odd.
The legendary 'Tianren' of the Nine Heavens is said to oversee the Spirit Realm, immortal through countless ages, and these are things Lin Yuan seemed capable of achieving if he wished.
Though there was a limit to the time he could remain, with the current strength of Lin Yuan's physical body, he indeed could achieve immortality through countless ages.
One must know that Lin Yuan's physique was not just the pinnacle of the Eighth Stage of Martial Arts, but, with the enhancement and increased from the Mysterious Gourd, his physique had also been strengthened by thirteen times.
"However, the mysterious aura here is indeed much denser, which is beneficial for comprehending the Power of Creation," Lin Yuan concluded after a thorough observation.
The Ninth Layer of Heaven lacked the numerous wonders and anomalies of the previous eight layers, offering only an unbounded rolling sea of clouds, along with the mysterious aura pervading the void.
This mysterious aura existed in the Eighth Layer as well, but compared to the Ninth, it was too thin. Based on Lin Yuan's 'tests', the mysterious aura allowed a clearer perception of the nature of various Powers of Creation.
"Primordial Stone..." Lin Yuan glanced at the peak beneath his feet, which was similar to the treasure stone he had obtained from the Chaotic Celestial King.
The stone contained an aura that transcended the higher Powers of Creation—the Primal Force.
Lin Yuan called this kind of stone 'Primordial Stone.'
"That is..."
Lin Yuan looked up, gazing in the direction above the Nine Heavens.