This was the wondrous nature of the Longevity Root. Normally, such roots only worked the first time one consumed them. Every Longevity Root had its limit. Even with the same type of root, there was a cap on the total lifespan it could extend. Once a certain threshold was reached, it could no longer increase lifespan.
Yi Tianxing's False Life Wheel reaching the blue tier was clearly thanks to the Immortal Longevity Peach King he had consumed back on the battlefield of gods and demons—it had granted him an additional ten thousand years of life. That ten thousand years was now fully integrated into his own lifespan.
In other words, he now possessed a total of twenty thousand years of lifespan.
That was one or even two times more than the average cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage. It was a tremendous advantage—one beyond calculation. Lifespan, in some respects, was the foundation of one's cultivation.
However, for now, it didn't serve much immediate purpose.
Its real function was this: once his True Life Wheel was on the verge of collapse, the False Life Wheel would fuse with it, instantly restoring it. This process was called living a second life.
"My true self, your advancement this time went smoothly thanks to my presence. You've now entered the Nascent Soul realm, and the Heavenly Emperor Dragon Scripture you cultivate is a supreme scripture, ruling over all laws, asserting your supremacy. As long as you proceed step by step, you'll wield the true power of the Nascent Soul realm. The Nascent Soul is your Dao Fruit—you must now establish your Dao and define your ultimate path. When Dao and God unite, you will be unstoppable."
This came from Yi Tianxie, speaking from the shadow.
"Mhm. My Dao has always been clear—the Supreme Emperor's Dao."
Yi Tianxing responded without hesitation, his expression unwavering.
The Emperor's Dao—the path of sovereigns. Among the myriad great Daos, he sought to reign supreme, commanding all others. That was the Supreme Emperor's Dao, the Dao of the Heavenly Emperor. Ever since he chose the path of the imperial dynasty, he had been unwavering in his goal.
Establishing one's Dao—this was the essence of the Nascent Soul realm.
This was why cultivators in this realm were so formidable, even believed to be immortal as long as the Nascent Soul endured—because they had condensed their Dao Fruit and established their true path.
For example, some cultivated the Dao of Painting, and their Dao Fruit would reflect that. Such a Dao would give birth to a divine innate ability like the Brush of Creation, which allowed the painter to make anything they drew come to life. Drawing a tiger could create a real one capable of fighting on command.
Others followed the Dao of Novels. Their Dao Fruit would grant them Heavenly Projection, enabling them to manifest characters from their books into reality. They could even bring treasures from fiction into existence. This was a fearsome divine ability—top-tier novelists could become terrifyingly powerful.
Some cultivated the Dao of Music, awakening divine techniques like Heavenly Melody or Demonic Echo. Each Dao held unimaginable might.
Once chosen, however, one's Dao could rarely be changed. It was a path to be walked with absolute resolve.
Yi Tianxing had chosen his path clearly—the Supreme Emperor's Dao. A Dao of command, of absolute sovereignty. At its peak, it could manifest law through speech, declare truth with golden words, and govern all laws with but a single phrase.
"Heh, the Nascent Soul stage brings with it the Three Calamities. You'd better start preparing ways to overcome them."
Yi Tianxie laughed from the shadows.
"Even if the calamities come, that's a matter for the future."
Yi Tianxing replied calmly.
These Three Calamities were well-known.
They had even been clearly described in Journey to the West, when the Bodhi Patriarch taught Sun Wukong the path to longevity and warned him of what would come.
"The path to longevity defies the natural order. It steals the creation of heaven and earth and invades the mysteries of the sun and moon. Once the elixir is complete, spirits and deities will not tolerate it." In this context, "elixir" referred to one's Dao Fruit, the Nascent Soul itself.
The Bodhi Patriarch had said:
"Form your Nascent Soul, and though you gain youth and longevity, after five hundred years, a lightning calamity will descend. You must have clarity of mind to evade it. Survive it, and you will live as long as heaven itself; fail, and you will die. After another five hundred years, a fire calamity will burn you. This isn't heavenly or earthly fire but Yin Fire, which rises from the springs beneath your feet and burns through to your brain, turning your organs to ash and your limbs to dust, rendering a thousand years of effort meaningless. After another five hundred years, a wind calamity will strike. This isn't any ordinary wind but the Crow Wind, which enters through your crown, flows through your organs, pierces the dantian, and passes through the nine apertures, causing your flesh and bones to disintegrate. Only by surviving all three can you achieve true longevity."
These were the Three Calamities.
Of course, it was not true immortality yet—but a step along the path.
With a lifespan in the tens of thousands of years, it could already be considered a form of longevity.
The terror of the Three Calamities could only be imagined.
They marked the three major stages of the Nascent Soul realm.
A breakthrough into this stage caused no thunder tribulation, no celestial phenomena. It occurred quietly, unnoticed by the world. At this moment, not even a single soul in the Great Yi Dynasty was aware that Yi Tianxing had made such a breakthrough.
"This might as well become a hidden trump card."
Yi Tianxing had no intention of announcing the news. Concealing it could be an invaluable card in his imperial arsenal. A ruler should always have cards up his sleeve—without them, his reign could be ended at any time.
Unknowingly, over ten more days passed.
In these days, following the failure of the coalition forces to conquer the Floating Ice Mountains, a deep tension—and even fear—swept across the land. As the deadline given by the Ice Queen drew near, this fear grew stronger. No one knew what the future would hold or what disasters might descend.
And yet, on this day, the Great Yi Dynasty erupted in joyous celebration.
Countless citizens looked toward the region of Xuanhuang City with hopeful eyes.
They left their homes and gathered in open spaces.
The news of Great Yi's ascension had not been kept secret. On the contrary, this promotion required the support of the people, and so, upon hearing the announcement, nearly everyone felt a surge of pride and a sense of sacred duty.
In Xuanhuang City, the heart of Great Yi, the atmosphere was grand.
All officials were dressed in formal robes. The Great Yi Dynasty's color was yellow, representing the Earth and the balance between Heaven and Earth.
From atop the palace's treasure tree, a Heavenly Staircase descended from the sky, stretching all the way to the square below. Clad in his Chaos War Dragon Robes, Yi Tianxing descended step by step. Each step seemed slow, yet he reached the bottom quickly, standing solemnly on the central plaza.
Lifting his eyes to the heavens...
Amid the sea of fate clouds, one could see divine treasures of fate floating, radiating power—Heaven-Sacrificing Altar, Imperial Edict, Divine List of Deification, Hall of Ten Thousand Immortals—all of them suspended in the sea of destiny. Compared to before, their aura had grown immensely.
"Heaven-Sacrificing Altar!!"
Yi Tianxing uttered the words.
Shua!!
As soon as the words fell, the Heaven-Sacrificing Altar in the sea of fate clouds descended, landing directly in Xuanhuang City, at the central square.
This altar had clearly changed. More runes were engraved into its surface, exuding a heavier, mysterious pressure.
It was nine zhang tall, with two levels.
The first level was square; the second level, circular. A staircase with eighty-one steps led upward, symbolizing the truth of returning to unity.
The altar was square below and round above, symbolizing Heaven and Earth. The first level stood on the ground and was connected to the Earth—this was the Earth Altar. The circular second level represented the heavens—this was the Heaven Altar. The Heaven-Sacrificing Altar was meant to announce one's intent to Heaven and Earth.
Upon landing, the altar rooted into the land, connecting to the Earth's will. The Heaven Altar connected upward—but there was no echo from the heavens.
"The altar connects to the Earth, but there is no response from Heaven."
As the ruler of a Destiny Dynasty, Yi Tianxing could feel this clearly.
There was no divine response from Heaven—clearly because the Heavenly Dao was busy suppressing other world's wills and couldn't spare attention. Even if it could sense the Heaven-Sacrificing Altar, it could not reply.
Normally, without the Heavenly Dao's response, the ritual would fail. Promotion would be impossible without Heaven's approval—no acknowledgment, no recognition.
But to Yi Tianxing, this was exactly what he wanted.
"Present the… offerings!!"
Dressed in ceremonial robes, Cai Yong ascended the altar and took his place at the side, shouting the command.
He would serve as the master of ceremonies, overseeing the ritual.
One by one, eunuchs reverently carried up trays and knelt before the altar.
A mysterious force rose from the altar, lifting the offerings into the air and placing them atop.
There were three offerings, each a rare and inexplicable item Great Yi had collected over the years:
A solid stone shaped exactly like a gourd.
A long-dead root of unknown origin.
A horn, a single, eerie horn of uncertain nature.
"Invite the King to ascend the altar!!"
Cai Yong declared.
With the offerings in place, Yi Tianxing ascended without hesitation. This time, the Heavenly Staircase offered no resistance.
Step by step, he climbed to the top.
"Sacrifice to the Great Dao!!"
Cai Yong's voice rang out once more.
In that moment, Xuanhuang City fell silent. Every eye turned to the altar. Even the air seemed sacred.