X-Dragon Era

During the long wait, martial artists from nearby areas arrived one after another. After probing for opportunities, they entered the illusionary realm. Xin Yun had considered stopping them, but there were simply too many. The sheer number made it impossible to stop everyone. Besides… the area surrounding Mount Buzhou was rich in spiritual energy and teeming with masters. No matter how powerful Xin Yun was, stopping everyone was out of the question, and ultimately, it served no purpose.

Xin Yun understood that regardless of whether the Four Great Sword Souls succeeded or not, the result would soon manifest. Success or failure, others would have no impact on the outcome. If greatness could be attained, it would be achieved regardless of interference; if failure was predestined, even halting everyone wouldn't change it.

It's worth mentioning that those who could pass would do so on their first try. Failing the first attempt forfeited any further chances to enter. For instance, if Xin Yun were to re-enter, he would directly return to the cave he had reached earlier—there would be no surprises.

As time ticked by moment by moment, Xin Yun suddenly felt his body tremble violently. His eyes shot up in alarm as he gazed ahead with a peculiar expression. At the same time… the final four colors of the pillar of light connecting the heavens and earth dimmed one by one and faded away.

Upon witnessing this scene, Yi Luo Xiang and the others clenched their fists tightly. Though difficult to believe, the reality was clear before their eyes. Even though others had entered the realm, given the timeline, even if every single person achieved instant success, the Nine-Colored Divine Dragon still required time to form. It was simply too late. Moreover… was there truly anyone in this world capable of instantly defeating the Nine-Colored Divine Dragon?

After a brief pause in waiting, four streaks of light flashed in succession. Soon after… the Four Great Sword Souls appeared before everyone one by one. No words were necessary. As soon as the crowd sensed their presence, they were struck with astonishment. These four entities… had all ascended to the Dragon King level of mastery!

Gazing at the upright figures of the Four Great Sword Souls, Xin Yun couldn't help but burst into laughter. Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind—each now wielded the fundamental energies of the universe. If they existed in the Western perspective, they would be deified as the Earth God, Water God, Fire God, and Wind God. Although these titles might lack the allure of Light and Darkness, the truth is, these are undeniably the forces that constitute the essence of the world!

Fire generates light, earth creates darkness, and water is the source of all life. This world is fundamentally composed of these four primal energies. In ancient times… after Pangu split the heavens and parted the chaos, it was the stabilization of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind that forged the world. Should they plunge into disorder once more, this world would revert to primordial chaos!

As Xin Yun laughed heartily toward the sky, Po Kong and Ming Xuan simultaneously let out sighs. Although they had also reached the Dragon King level, compared to Xin Yun, they were left far behind—so far it was nearly unimaginable. When Xin Yun and his Four Great Sword Soul incarnations fused into one, he would become an unstoppable force. In this world, nothing would stand in his way. Those who tried to block him would be obliterated.

After laughing aloud, Xin Yun swept his hand decisively, signaling everyone to immediately return to seclusion for cultivation. While substantial gains had been made this time, those gains necessitated proper absorption and orderly consolidation. These matters couldn't afford any delay.

Returning to the Heavenly River Abyss, Xin Yun carefully examined the transformations within his body. First… Xin Yun had mastered the laws of Thunderbolt and grasped the essence of the Dao. What he now needed to do was comprehend the true nature of the Thunderbolt Path and, following its trajectory, reach out to the boundaries of the Great Dao!

As days flowed like water, the Sky-opening Axe became 90% restored. Yet Xin Yun paid it no heed, while everyone continued their secluded cultivation, delving into the mysteries of the Great Dao.

Years and centuries passed by in an instant—over a thousand years vanished in the blink of an eye. For the outside world, this length of time would surely be considered significant and ancient. Yet for those immersed in the Great Dao, it felt no different than the flutter of a moment.

Once someone touches the Dao, the laws of time can no longer bind them. Through relentless exploration, Xin Yun finally grasped his current status. If his judgment was correct, his power now resided within the realm referred to by the Daoist Sect as the "Quasi-Saint Realm," merely a step away from reaching the status of Saint. However, it was precisely this single step that proved insurmountable!

To become a Saint, one must possess the foundation of the Great Dao. Presently… although Xin Yun held the key and had become master of Thunderbolt, a crucial factor still eluded him—the foundation, a universal mechanism to summon and channel boundless power.

The greatest distinction between Quasi-Saints and Saints is not in energy magnitude nor their understanding and mastery of the Dao, but in the establishment of a foundation! A structural framework to fully unleash their power—like a turret ready to channel immense force.

Though both Quasi-Saints and Saints have touched upon the Dao—with Fire Series as an example—a Saint can harness the Dao to instantaneously gather all Fire Series energy throughout heaven and earth for an attack of inconceivable magnitude, capable of shattering the skies and annihilating worlds. Therefore… during battles between Saints, the fighting typically occurs in confined dimensions, lest they inadvertently destroy the world itself.

Because Saints can summon all elemental energy present throughout the cosmos at any given moment—and since energy is inherently indestructible—this renders their mana effectively infinite and their power immeasurably vast.

Though Quasi-Saints can also summon elemental energy through the Dao, they lack a "turret," a supportive framework. Thus, the amount of energy they can channel is finite, making it impossible for them to mobilize all energy across heaven and earth in a single moment like the Saints.