"A powerhouse at the sixth level of the Spirit Realm has fallen just like that." Wang Changqing's face changed slightly as he looked at the message in his hand.
"Pei Xuanjing, such a terrifying presence!" There was an indelible look of horror on Yang Yongxiu's face. Despair filled his eyes. "Is a seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouse this powerful? I heard he merely used an incarnation to suppress and kill a sixth-level Spirit Realm powerhouse."
Sometimes the closer one gets to the other, the more terrifying they seem.
Before, Yang Yongxiu only knew that Pei Xuanjing was very powerful. However, with his increasing strength and deeper understanding of Spirit Realm cultivators, he began to understand the true terror of Pei Xuanjing.
Reaching the nine realms of Spirit is like ascending to heaven with every step. Only when one steps into the Spirit Realm do they understand how difficult it is to advance further and how each increase in realm represents a substantial increase in strength.
For Yang Yongxiu, who is currently only at the second level of the Spirit Realm, a fifth-order, fourth-level Spirit Realm powerhouse is already an extremely formidable existence that he can hardly oppose. Meanwhile, a sixth-level Spirit Realm powerhouse is unimaginably powerful.
Yet such an insurmountable powerhouse in Yang Yongxiu's eyes was suppressed and killed by an incarnation of Pei Xuanjing. How terrifying this is!
"It isn't as simple as that," Wang Changqing said solemnly. "While seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouses are indeed terrifying, they shouldn't be able to suppress a sixth-level Spirit Realm powerhouse with just an incarnation. The fact that Pei Xuanjing can do this indicates that his strength far surpasses that of an ordinary seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouse."
The Hell Demon Sect is a top-tier force in the Sky Wasteland. Being a sixth-level Spirit Realm powerhouse of the Hell Demon Sect, Wang Changqing himself had experienced seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouses. However, none of the seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouses within his sect could match Pei Xuanjing.
Indeed, Pei Xuanjing alone possessed the technique of external incarnation, and this skill made him an entity that many powerful beings could only look up to.
It is known that most seventh-level Spirit Realm powerhouses have the ability to separate incarnations, but few ever do. This is because the power of their incarnations is often less than a thousandth of their original body's. Their incarnations are hardly useful except in special circumstances.
Yet Pei Xuanjing's incarnation was able to easily suppress a sixth-level Spirit Realm great cultivator despite being so far away and having arrived so rapidly, demonstrating the terrifying nature of his capabilities.
Yang Yongxiu remained silent, his understanding of the terror of Pei Xuanjing intensifying.
…
"Having not seen each other in nearly a decade, I initially thought I had made significant strides, but comparing myself to Brother Pei, not only has the gap not been closed, but it seems to have widened several times." Zhao Baiyang was also shocked upon hearing the news.
After consolidating all the martial studies of the Mire Sect and the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, his skills have become more complete. After several years of seclusion, his strength has also seen rapid growth.
Nevertheless, he admitted that if he were to face off against a sixth-level Spirit Realm great cultivator, he could, at best, barely escape with his life, and there was absolutely no chance for him to suppress his opponent.
However, Pei Xuanjing was currently able to suppress a sixth-level Spirit Realm cultivator with just an incarnation from millions of miles away. How terrifying is his power!
This is enough to show that although he himself has progressed rapidly in the past decade, Pei Xuanjing's cultivation progress is even faster, and his strength is growing even more rapidly.
"It seems that I need to work harder. Being in the same era as such a powerhouse is both a blessing and a curse," Zhao Baiyang sighed.
The restoration of Heaven and Earth would reach its peak in thirty years. It was also then that the old forces from the Sky Wasteland could return. This news had long since widely spread, reaching the ears of everyone.
Thirty years, half a 60-year cycle, might seem long to ordinary people or some martial artists. But for these cultivators who have entered the Spirit Realm, it is merely a flick of the fingers.
Zhao Baiyang knew that in thirty years, an unimaginable future world would emerge. His own league of outside forces would then face massive waves. Whether they could carve out a place for themselves in this grand age depended on this moment.
Because even though he had not had extensive contact with these old powers yet, from what he knew about them, he recognized that these forces were definitely not kindly. Despite their attitudes, it all boiled down to strength in the end. Without sufficient strength, one wouldn't even have the right to speak in front of these forces.
Moreover, Zhao Baiyang, seeing Pei Xuanjing as a Taoist friend and being shocked by his strength, wasn't discouraged at all. Instead, he felt his determination reignite, aspiring to reach the pinnacle and stand on the same level as Pei Xuanjing once again.
The same was true for others who were of the same caliber as Pei Xuanjing, such as Zhao Baiyang of the Outsider Alliance, Taoist Qingxu of the True Martial Sect, Old Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Prince of Xiang Zhu Yousong of the Great Ming Royal Family, several elders of the Clan Alliance, several notable monks in the Buddhism School, Zi Tianxiong of the Heavenly King's Pavilion, Tie Qianshan of the Tie Sect…
All these noteworthy figures in the world, who were once on par with Pei Xuanjing, naturally wouldn't be content to be overshadowed by his brilliance. They were also all shocked by this action of Pei Xuanjing, dropping their current affairs to go into seclusion again, hoping to seize the final opportunity in the next thirty years to make strenuous efforts to increase their cultivation, to secure enough say in the coming grand age.
Even Xue Wuheng, the Demon Cult master who had been persistently hunting down Wang Changqing and Yang Yongxiu, reduced his attention on the two of them and focused more on his cultivation.
After all, compared to hunting the two of them, Xue Wuheng was very clear that his own strength is the most reliable thing in this world. If he could hunt the two of them down now, there will be nothing to those defeated and insignificant ones once his strength reached a higher level.
For Xue Wuheng, his real enemies were not these people, but the demonic forces that would descend in thirty years. If he didn't have enough strength to resist them, killing these people now would be pointless. The final result awaiting him when those people descend in the future would still be death.
It can be said that the impact of Pei Xuanjing's action this time was enormous. Firstly, he killed a sixth-level Spirit Realm great cultivator of the Demonic Cult. Such a domineering and decisive action served as an effective deterrent, teaching those returning from the Sky Wasteland how they should behave.
But whether they hold discontent and resentment in their hearts or not, they don't have the qualifications to defy Pei Xuanjing's rules in the face of the currently invincible Pei Xuanjing—at least not for now. Therefore, they can only silently lay low for now.
The powerhouses from all over the Daming World had no choice but to lay low under Pei Xuanjing's overpowering prowess.
In fact, the world was peaceful for a while as almost all powerhouses at the Spirit Realm were seizing the time to cultivate; nobody stirred up waves anymore.
"Finally, the world has calmed down …" Bai Xiaosheng looked at the item in his hand, a coldness playing around his lips.
Indeed, in this world, what people fear most is the strong. Only by showing enough strength can one make the world obey.
"But, you used your personal strength to suppress the world and protect these ordinary people and martial artists, giving them a chance to breathe. What will you do if the day comes when you can no longer suppress the world?" Bai Xiaosheng gazed into the distance, a few threads of worry surfacing in his deep eyes.
The thunderous suppression of Pei Xuanjing this time had indeed shaken all the cultivators in the world—they dared not look down upon Pei Xuanjing's rules any longer and started to restrain themselves, not daring to make a move against ordinary people and martial artists.
But the truth was that they did not truly accept these rules—they merely feared Pei Xuanjing's strength and authority. They did not have sufficient power to resist Pei Xuanjing, and had no choice but to obey. This was a submission to strength, but not a willing submission.
So what about the future? What about when the ancient powers of the Sky Wasteland return, countless cultivators at the seventh, eighth, and even ninth levels of the Spirit Realm appear? Will Pei Xuanjing be able to continue suppressing these people and enforcing his rules?
"That, I'm afraid, won't be easy," Wu Shijiu's voice sounded from behind Bai Xiaosheng.
Wu Shijiu, also known as the mysterious Mr. Wu.
He had also heard about Pei Xuanjing's idea, but he couldn't describe his feelings towards it.
When he first heard about Pei Xuanjing's idea, even someone as experienced as him was greatly shocked.
With Wu Shijiu's experience, he had met countless powerful individuals throughout his life. They had various personalities—arrogant, domineering, ruthless, depraved, righteous, rigid…but he had never met someone like Pei Xuanjing before.
He still remembered their first encounter. Based on his understanding of Pei Xuanjing's past experiences and his own judgments from their conversation, he regarded Pei Xuanjing as a decisive and ambitious hero. That is why he was willing to cooperate and invest in him.
But upon hearing this idea now, Wu Shijiu realized that his understanding of Pei Xuanjing was somewhat lacking. At this moment, Pei Xuanjing was demonstrating the attitude of an idealist. He was more like the reformers of the Spring and Autumn period, persisting in his ideals against all odds.
However, the more it was so, the clearer it became to Wu Shijiu how difficult the path Pei Xuanjing had chosen was. Therefore, he was not very optimistic about it.
"Do you think so too?" Bai Xiaosheng turned around.
Wu Shijiu nodded and said, "This is a path full of thorns, and difficulties lie ahead. But if Grandmaster Pei manages to walk through it, then perhaps he can truly stand shoulder to shoulder with those great sages of ancient times."
Although he was not very optimistic about Pei Xuanjing's approach, Wu Shijiu clearly understood that he had no right to ridicule the man; if he truly managed to walk this path, he would undoubtedly be among those who were revered as the great sages of the ancient world.
The title of "great sage" was not a reference to their status, but a respectful term for their moral character. Such people must be kind and virtuous individuals who care for all.
Bai Xiaosheng remained silent without getting entangled in this topic. After all, this was Pei Xuanjing's choice. No one could stop him.
"It seems that your cultivation has recovered quite quickly these past few days!" Bai Xiaosheng changed the subject and looked at Wu Shijiu.
Wu Shijiu still wore his usual attire, but if one looked closely, they would see that his temperament had changed quite a bit since their first meeting. There was a mysterious air about him, making him seem to merge with everything around him seamlessly.
After their previous exchange, he naturally knew about Mr. Wu's origins. The latter was a powerful figure from the Sky Wasteland, and while his exact level of power was not clear, he was at least at the sixth level. It was just unknown what price he had paid to return ahead of time.
"Hehe." Wu Shijiu laughed without uttering a word.
Indeed, after countless infusions of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, along with the Qi Luck of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and the nourishment of the Divine Position, his power had recovered quickly, and he now had the strength of about the seventh level of the Spirit Realm.
However, as Xue Renfang had previously told Pei Xuanjing, the strongest level of power that the world could currently accommodate was the sixth level of the Spirit Realm. Wu Shijiu might not have such fighting power if he hadn't stayed in the Daming World for decades.
Even now, having recovered to such a state, Wu Shijiu dared not relax his vigilance because Pei Xuanjing's pressure on him was indeed significant.
Between strong individuals, there was always a sense of vigilance unless they were close friends or family.
Although he and Pei Xuanjing were in a sort of alliance, the solidity of their partnership could not be confirmed by either party.
Pei Xuanjing's rapid pace of advancing his cultivation level had shocked him, so did the strength shown by Pei Xuanjing's avatar, which made Wu Shijiu wary and maintain a certain level of vigilance.
In his opinion, his current goals and plans did not conflict with Pei Xuanjing's too much, so he did not want to cause any misunderstanding due to unnecessary actions or behavior under these circumstances.
"Hehe." Bai Xiaosheng saw Wu Shijiu's expression and figured he was admitting it, so he didn't question further.
Wu Shijiu laughed and said, "I still have some matters to discuss with his Majesty. I'll take my leave first."
Lately, he had been frequently meeting with Zhu Houji, the ruler of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. It seemed the two were planning something together, and he often visited the emperor.
Bai Xiaosheng did not inquire about his affairs but simply said, "I hope we will not become enemies in the future."
He was aware that there had to be significant scheming behind this continuous stay in Tiandu, or else he wouldn't have paid such a price.
As long as the other's plans and goals did not jeopardize his own, he was not too concerned about Wu Shijiu's intentions.
Urging him with this statement was actually for warning him.
"We won't." Wu Shijiu replied with a smile.
He didn't mind the warning in Bai Xiaosheng's words, nor did he have the arrogance typical of powerful individuals. He wasn't angry at Bai Xiaosheng's attitude.
"I hope so." Bai Xiaosheng nodded slightly.
Wu Shijiu also nodded with a smile, then walked past Bai Xiaosheng, left the palace, and headed deeper into the Imperial City.
In the palace, Bai Xiaosheng watched Wu Shijiu's retreating figure, his face calm but his eyes thoughtful, as if he was pondering something.
In the subsequent days, the whole world fell into a state of thorough tranquility. Every powerhouse was focusing on their cultivation, even those who returned from the Sky Wasteland didn't cause any massive upheaval.
This was because everyone knew that the revival of heaven and earth would reach its peak in thirty years. During these remaining thirty years, the world will undergo drastic changes and the highest principles of the universe will be most clearly manifested.
For cultivators in the Spirit Realm, it was the most favourable time for cultivation due to the abundant spirit mechanisms between heaven and earth. Special moments like this were ideal for cultivation purposes.
Pei Xuanjing, of the Taoist Academy, was also satisfied with this situation. He knew that his strategy of making an example of one person to educate others had worked and that these people had settled down. They would not dare to challenge him without adequate power.
Of course, he was also very well aware that these people weren't content with their losses. They were just forced to suppress their ambitions by circumstances, waiting for the right moment and for the return of more powerhouses.
"I've secured thirty years of peace. Everything after that will depend on the situation when those people return in thirty years." Pei Xuanjing pondered in his heart.
He was well aware that everyone was waiting – be it the powerhouses of the Great Ming World or those who returned from the Sky Wasteland, supporters or opposers of his rules. They were all watching, waiting for the final judgment in thirty years.
In thirty years, if Pei Xuanjing had the capability or the power to enforce his rules upon those returning from the Sky Wasteland, these rules will become universally acknowledged.
However, if Pei Xuanjing couldn't compete with these people, he could potentially become a common target for attack, the focus of everyone's attention.
"Let's wait and see!" A hint of coldness surfaced on Pei Xuanjing's face.
Thirty years was a long enough period for him. If used wisely, he could not only promote the Taoist Academy completely but also enhance his Sanbao Jade Ruyi and personal abilities using countless powers of incense faith.
He would also accumulate enough Taoyun value for at least one life simulation during this period. In such circumstances, Pei Xuanjing anticipated great gains.
Even if he made no progress in these thirty years, relying merely on his present strength, he would have adequate power to protect himself even if he couldn't enforce his rules.
After all, when he stepped into the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm and condensed his Golden Core to the sixth level, Pei Xuanjing's abilities had already put him at the pinnacle of the world. With his current power, he was confident in holding his own in the Spirit Realm Eightfold. Hence, when he showed his true abilities, he would undoubtedly have a significant say, regardless of the arrival of these forces.
Despite this, Pei Xuanjing was not at all negligent. There were countless powerhouses in the Sky Wasteland, and no one knew how many millennial old monsters or bizarre divine powers were there which could pose significant threats to him.
In the following days, Pei Xuanjing lived a tranquil and peaceful life again. He focused his attention on selecting people for the various branches of the Taoist Academy.
After several preachings, based on the insights gained from these people regarding the preachings, Pei Xuanjing had chosen suitable instructor candidates.
This time, Pei Xuanjing paid attention to their abilities and as long they were not engaged in unethical deeds, he would select them fairly, disregarding their background, origin, level of support from other forces or any hidden intent, accepting all unconditionally.
"Won't there be any problems by accommodating all these people?" Qingyang Zi asked, looking at the candidate list in his hand, his brows furrowing slightly.
Unlike Pei Xuanjing, who rose rapidly and focused entirely on cultivation, having little contact with the various forces of the world, Qingyang Zi, as a former tutor to Emperor Wuzong and elder of the True Martial Sect, had many interactions with the forces of the world, and was very familiar with skilled people in these forces.
During this period, while Pei Xuanjing was preaching, he almost completely identified all those who were here for the selection and knew that many of them were surreptitious agents of various forces.
Hence, when he saw these names, he frowned in doubt, wondering if letting these people into the Taoist Academy was a good decision.
"No worries, let them do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans and doesn't violate the rules of the Taoist Academy. As long as it's within a reasonable limit, let them act according to their thoughts," Pei Xuanjing replied, indifferent.
He didn't concern himself with the intentions and motives of these people because he only needed to hold onto the core things of the Taoist Academy.
The future core of the Taoist Academy would be the countless cultivation skills that Pei Xuanjing had accumulated, as well as some cultivation insights and cognitions.
Once his statue was erected in the branches of the Taoist Academy, anyone wanting to exchange for cultivation skills would have to go through Pei Xuanjing. Holding onto this rule would ensure that these things wouldn't be stolen.
Furthermore, the role of statues within the Taoist Academy was not limited to this. It also functioned as a surveillance and reporting device. If any students or instructors felt they had been treated unfairly, they could feed back to the spirit consciousness left by Pei Xuanjing through the statue for him to handle.
"In that case, it is indeed the best option," Qingyang Zi said, satisfied after hearing Pei Xuanjing's words.
The Great Ming Divine Dynasty is vast, encompassing countless Taozhou territories, prefectures, and counties. Even for a Spirit Realm cultivator like Qingyang Zi, managing such a vast number of Taoist branches can be tiring. However, if he ignored it completely, based on his understanding of these people, they would most definitely make trouble for testing purposes.
Now that Pei Xuanjing had said his split spirit consciousness could keep an eye on each Taoist branch, although not all the time, it at least served as a warning to those people so they wouldn't dare to act recklessly.
After all, the fact that Pei Xuanjing's avatar could descend at will had already spread out. Nobody would ignore this fact.
Yet, even though Pei Xuanjing had made precautions in place, Qingyang Zi wouldn't leave everything to fate.
He had already decided that when assigning these people, he might make some adjustments in the candidate list.
For example, he would put people from the Demonic Cult and Buddhism School, those from royal families, and outsiders together.