In the Nascent Soul Realm, a Heavenly Calamity descends once every five hundred years.
But in truth, this "five hundred years" doesn't refer to the passage of time—it refers to the cultivation of Dao Power. Once one's Dao cultivation reaches five hundred years, the Three Calamities will descend. If one cannot withstand them, it results in complete annihilation of body and soul. Many cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm, even after cultivating for seven or eight hundred years, may never face the Three Calamities. On the other hand, some peerless geniuses may encounter them after just one or two hundred years—or even less.
This is the difference in comprehension and innate talent.
Condensing hundreds of Dao Crystals at once is equivalent to gaining hundreds of years of cultivation in an instant.
With Great Yi's promotion, it was Yi Tianxing who undoubtedly reaped the greatest benefit. He saved himself countless years of arduous cultivation. Though already possessing the Primal Chaos Purple Qi, which allowed him to comprehend Dao Rhythms and Laws far faster than any ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, such an acceleration in Dao cultivation was still a reason for joy.
As his Dao cultivation deepened, so too did his insight into the Laws of Dao. His understanding of his personal Great Dao became increasingly profound.
"Four hundred and fifty years of Dao cultivation—only fifty more to reach the five-hundred-year threshold. Once that's reached, the Three Calamities will descend. But surviving each of them allows the Nascent Soul to evolve, to become even more powerful. This is a process of life's evolution."
Yi Tianxing contemplated silently.
Most Nascent Soul cultivators view the Three Calamities with fear. After all, they're terrifying—fail to overcome them, and death is certain. Many die on the spot during the tribulation, their bodies vanishing without a trace. Thus, many cultivators delay the calamities as long as possible, buying time to prepare.
Some even deliberately suppress their cultivation, never advancing further, unwilling to cross that perilous threshold.
But that is the path of the cowardly. Those with true ambition do not choose to live passively. Even if they could live ten thousand years, in the end, they will die all the same.
There is no escape. No place to hide.
He drew a deep breath, opened his eyes, and looked to the void. The intangible Heavenly Dao had already dissipated with the promotion of Great Yi. The Dao is omnipresent—it would never linger long for any single event.
Yet, the imperial dynasty had ascended.
"From this day forth, Heaven shall acknowledge it: Great Yi is now an Imperial Dynasty!!"
Yi Tianxing's voice thundered across the heavens.
These words naturally transmitted into the minds of every citizen within the territory of Great Yi. It felt like the decree of the supreme heavens itself.
"Great Yi Imperial Dynasty! Long live His Majesty! May he live ten thousand years!"
Around the Heaven-Worshipping Altar, ministers like Huang Chengyan and Cai Yong were overwhelmed with emotion. They knelt and paid homage with great ceremony.
This moment demanded the highest form of reverence.
"Great Yi Imperial Dynasty! Long live His Majesty!"
All across Great Yi—whether on the battlefield or within any Immortal City—millions of soldiers and civilians alike shouted in unison with unshakable faith. They would fight for Great Yi. They would fight for Yi Tianxing.
"Great Yi Imperial Dynasty! Long live His Majesty!"
"Great Yi Imperial Dynasty! Long live His Majesty!"...
In this moment, within the entire territory of Great Yi, people knelt and bowed toward Yi Tianxing's location. One could feel their trembling excitement in every cry—citizens proud to be part of Great Yi.
In fact, this proclamation didn't just echo through Great Yi's domain.
Through a mysterious, irresistible force, Yi Tianxing's declaration resounded across the entire Eternal World:
"From this day forth, Heaven shall acknowledge it: Great Yi is now an Imperial Dynasty!!"
Atop the Beast King's Court, a mighty roar rang out.
Crack!!
Behemoth King crushed his wine cup upon hearing the declaration, his expression ferocious and stunned.
"Why... Why can Yi Tianxing ascend his Dynasty during a Heavenly Calamity? Great Yi has reached this level already? The human race... truly unfathomable."
His expression darkened.
He had always seen Great Yi as his future archrival. If one power were to unify this world, it would undoubtedly come to face Great Yi. And having personally met Yi Tianxing, he knew how terrifying the man's strength truly was.
What was worse—Great Yi's growth was simply too fast, to the point of becoming unbearable.
At Righteous Manor, Lord Emptiness and many sect disciples looked to the sky with solemn expressions as the proclamation rang out.
"The Great Yi Imperial Dynasty—likely the first Imperial Dynasty in the Eternal World to ever rise from a fate dynasty. And to rise amidst a Heavenly Calamity... it's both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The world itself will record this in history. For now, no one can match this feat."
Their minds buzzed. Plans to establish ties with Great Yi must now be executed immediately. They had to latch on to this rising juggernaut.
Far away, within another domain...
Kaifeng City now stood proud and transformed. Its aura radiated regal majesty. It had become a royal capital.
Above it, auspicious clouds gathered, and flood dragons coiled through the clouds.
Zhao Kuangyin had already established his own Dynasty—the Great Song Dynasty.
His population was modest, with only ten to twenty million citizens. But scholars were numerous—most were Confucian cultivators who wielded Righteous Qi to kill enemies with words alone. Their strength wasn't weak.
However, in the face of the Heavenly Calamity, Great Song had fallen into hardship.
Despite Confucian disciples cultivating emergency crops, beasts and monsters roamed freely. Flooding had become a scourge. Resources were scarce. People starved daily. The Calamity of Torrential Rain had descended.
Heavy rainstorms repeatedly battered the lands, submerging houses. Were it not for cultivators' efforts, the death toll would be catastrophic.
Amid his worries, Zhao Kuangyin heard a resounding proclamation:
"From this day forth, Heaven shall acknowledge it: Great Yi is now an Imperial Dynasty!!"
Crash!!
His teacup shattered on the ground as he stood, staring skyward with a complex expression.
"Great Yi... Emperor Yi Tianxing. The difference between my Song Dynasty and Great Yi is so vast..."
He murmured gravely.
While his Song Dynasty struggled to survive the flood, Great Yi had risen to imperial status—a brilliant bloom in a garden of chaos.
Though all were human dynasties, how many sovereigns could willingly kneel to another?
None would concede easily.
In the Great Chu Dynasty, within Overlord City, Xiang Yu's expression remained unreadable as he too heard the decree.
He had also founded a Dynasty, though still far beneath Great Yi.
"Yi Tianxing... You're quite impressive. But when we meet again, my Great Chu Dynasty will not be inferior to your Great Yi. This is only the beginning. Who stands at the peak—we shall see in the future."
His voice was deep, as if speaking across the void.
In a desolate realm...
A girl in white walked alone across a cracked, arid wasteland. She wore a bronze mask that changed expressions—joy, sorrow, rage, laughter—all emotions danced across its surface.
The land was bone-dry, as if all water had been scorched from existence.
Even breathing felt like exhaling flames. The heat was unbearable even for a cultivator.
Suddenly, the girl trembled. She looked up.
"It's Brother..."
She whispered.
In that instant, a vast stream of fate energy descended upon her, purifying her body, refining her bones, and transforming her completely.
Her aptitude grew exponentially, her strength surged.
"No matter where you are, Brother... Nannan will find you."
Determination lit her eyes. This was the deepest conviction and goal in her heart.
Meanwhile, in countless regions of the Eternal World, non-human races were all struck with shock and frustration.
No one had expected Great Yi to ascend during a Heavenly Calamity—a feat that bordered on the impossible. What made it worse was that Yi Tianxing's name was already known throughout the Eternal World, thanks to the God-Demon Battlefield.
"Great Yi Imperial Dynasty... ascending in defiance of my threat? From Kingdom to Imperial... is this a declaration of war?"
On a floating iceberg, the Ice Queen looked toward Xuanhuang City with cold, deep eyes.
This timing—mere moments after her ultimatum—clearly signaled defiance.
It was nothing short of a battle challenge.