Chapter 297: Weighing the Human Realm

[Central Continent, Ancestral Vein, Ethereal Peak.]

[In the ancient era, dharma cultivation in the Human Realm had only a single source.]

[That was Ethereal Peak.]

[The so-called "Three Laws" were nothing more than three branches that had split off from Ethereal Peak.]

[Coiling clouds and mist wreathed the summit of Ethereal Peak, the very picture of an immortal sanctuary.]

["Oh?"]

[A white-haired old man in billowing wide sleeves looked toward the Southern Sea Territory in mild surprise. "A new Heavenly Monarch... has already been born? So soon?"]

[The Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch who had recently passed away in meditation hailed from Ethereal Peak. The white-haired old man had been in the middle of calculating when the fallen Heavenly Monarch's lingering influence in the world would fade to its lowest point, so that his sect's own Late Stage Grand Cultivators could attempt their breakthrough to Deity Transformation during that window.]

[Yet before he could even finish his calculations, a new Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch had already been born?]

[The white-haired old man in billowing sleeves knew that shortly after his sect's Heavenly Monarch passed away in meditation, faint fluctuations of someone attempting a breakthrough to Deity Transformation had drifted over from the Southern Sea, though he had paid them little mind.]

[Nor was he the only one—none of the other Heavenly Monarchs in the Human Realm had taken it seriously either. Attempting a breakthrough to Deity Transformation immediately, before the traces left behind by the previous Heavenly Monarch had even dissipated? Wasn't that courting death?]

[Yet less than half a day later, the white-haired old man sensed that the world of the Human Realm had once again reached its full complement of Heavenly Monarchs, accompanied by the celestial phenomena of a successful breakthrough rippling out from the Southern Sea Territory.]

[Breaking through from Nascent Soul to Deity Transformation in less than half a day?]

[His expression turning solemn, the white-haired old man in billowing sleeves fixed his gaze on the Southern Sea Territory.]

[At the same time, he began to calculate. He was not only a Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch, but also one of the very few Divination Heavenly Masters in the world today. Yet after calculating for a short while, he found the heavenly secrets veiled in mist, making it impossible to press any further.]

['Does this person possess an innate heavenly secret wondrous item, have a special constitution, or bear immense karma... for the calculation to prove so difficult?']

[The white-haired old man did not rashly burn his own lifespan to force the Divination.]

[Even at the level of a Divination Heavenly Master, no one dared claim complete mastery over the Dao of Heavenly Secrets. The present era was the most resplendent golden age of the Human Realm, and he was by no means the only Divination Heavenly Master alive.]

["The Southern Sea Territory has always been the turf of those heterodox paths. Aside from sea beasts, powerful cultivators rarely emerge there, and a Heavenly Monarch is rarer still..." Just then, another voice sounded. A chubby, round-faced man had appeared silently beside the white-haired old man, speaking in a low voice.]

["Shall I make a trip over?" the chubby, round-faced man asked, looking at the white-haired elder. As a fellow Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch, he was quite curious about this newly ascended Heavenly Monarch in the Southern Sea Territory who had stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage in less than half a day.]

["Their aura has been completely withdrawn. It seems they do not wish for us to visit. There is no need," the white-haired old man said after a moment of contemplation.]

[At the exact instant the celestial phenomena of the breakthrough appeared over the Southern Sea Territory, the aura of that newly ascended Heavenly Monarch had vanished without a trace.]

[This meant the new Heavenly Monarch was most likely consolidating their realm and had no desire to come into contact with the other Heavenly Monarchs of the Human Realm before their cultivation was fully stabilized.]

[That much was understandable. A Heavenly Monarch who had just stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage was at their weakest, having yet to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the power of the Deity Transformation Stage or perfectly master the realm of a Heavenly Monarch.]

["True enough," the chubby, round-faced man said with a nod. Even Ethereal Peak had no wish to casually offend a newly ascended Heavenly Monarch—especially one so exceedingly strange, who had not only braved the lingering traces of the previous fallen Heavenly Monarch to step into the Deity Transformation Stage, but had done so in such a remarkably brief span of time.]

["Wait a few decades before paying a visit," the white-haired old man said, well aware that this newly ascended Heavenly Monarch was far from ordinary.]

["Understood," the chubby, round-faced man replied.]

[Meanwhile.]

[Across the Human Realm, Late Nascent Soul Stage Grand Cultivators were brimming with ambition, planning to wait a few decades for the most opportune moment to attempt a breakthrough to Deity Transformation. If they were lucky enough to succeed, they would truly stand at the pinnacle of the Human Realm; if they failed, it was nothing more than death, and everyone had to die sooner or later anyway.]

[Before long, however, word spread from the various Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarchs that a new Heavenly Monarch had already been born.]

[Every Late Stage Grand Cultivator preparing to risk it all was left dumbfounded. What did they mean a new Heavenly Monarch had already been born? The previous Heavenly Monarch's body was probably still warm, and someone had already succeeded in breaking through?]

[How was that possible?]

[Throughout the entire ancient era, even in those few irreproducible instances where a Grand Cultivator successfully broke through to Deity Transformation shortly after the previous Heavenly Monarch passed away in meditation, it had still taken at least several months to half a year. When breaking through from Nascent Soul to Deity Transformation, merely the first hurdle—transforming the Nascent Soul into a Primordial Spirit—consumed a vast amount of time. No qualitative metamorphosis could ever be achieved in a single step.]

['Just who is it?' Many Late Nascent Soul Stage Grand Cultivators wondered curiously, eager to know who the lucky soul was. Most of these Late Stage Grand Cultivators still had several hundred years of lifespan left; even if they missed this chance to strive for the Deity Transformation Stage, they still had a shot at outlasting the next Heavenly Monarch to pass away in meditation.]

[In the ancient era, there were thirty-two Heavenly Monarchs in total, each possessing a lifespan of over two thousand years. On average, one Heavenly Monarch passed away in meditation every few centuries.]

[Grand Cultivators with plenty of lifespan to spare could afford to wait.]

[Myriad Sword Mountain.]

[True Monarch Tianshuang and the other Sword Cultivator true monarchs felt their hearts race.]

[No matter how many doubts swirled in their minds—such as how even the descent of an Outer Domain Heavenly Demon had failed to stop you from surviving the Annihilation Tribulation, or how the Five Elements Thunder Tribulation, the third hurdle of Deity Transformation, could be severed in a single sword strike and ended ahead of time—was that even a heavenly tribulation anymore?]

[Right now, every last doubt and question was completely drowned out by an unprecedented wave of elation.]

[You had stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage? Becoming the very first Sword Cultivator Heavenly Monarch of the Sword Dao Lineage in the Human Realm?]

[Across the long ages of the ancient era—whether for a million years or ten million—what generations of Sword Cultivator predecessors had striven for had finally been realized in you.]

['The Sword Lord...' True Monarch Tianshuang's heart surged with emotion. What countless generations of Sword Cultivator predecessors had never lived to see had finally arrived in their own lifetime. What immense fortune was this? To stand here and witness the birth of the very first Heavenly Monarch of the Sword Dao was something countless Sword Cultivators could only ever dream of.]

["Should we go pay our respects to the Sword Lord now..." a Sword Cultivator true monarch beside him could not help asking. His spirits were soaring just as high, eager to look upon you in reverence—the very first Sword Cultivator true monarch in the Human Realm.]

["The Sword Lord has only just broken through—what respects are you talking about?" True Monarch Tianshuang shot the speaker a glare. "Stabilizing his realm comes first for the Sword Lord right now. No one is to disturb him."]

["Right, right, of course." The Sword Dao true monarch who had spoken snapped out of his daze. Overwhelmed by joy a moment ago, he had lost his head; now that he had come to his senses, he realized his request would have disturbed the Sword Lord.]

[To these Sword Dao true monarchs now, nothing concerning the Sword Lord was to be disrupted or interfered with by anyone.]

["We will wait right here." True Monarch Tianshuang rose to his feet, gazing toward the distant mountain peak as he and the other Sword Dao true monarchs respectfully awaited the Sword Lord's emergence from seclusion.]

[At the summit of Myriad Sword Mountain.]

[A look of lingering satisfaction crossed your face.]

['The taste of an Outer Domain Heavenly Demon... is truly not bad...' Even though you had experienced it once before, absorbing the origin of a heavenly demon a second time still brought a palpable elevation to your soul.]

['In future simulations, I must get my hands on that Heavenly Demon Stone. That way, when I break through to the Void Return Stage, I can bait another Outer Domain Heavenly Demon onto the hook...' you thought to yourself.]

[An Outer Domain Heavenly Demon drawn in by a breakthrough from Deity Transformation to Void Return would inevitably be far stronger than Heavenly Demon Tuoqing just now. The benefit of a heavenly demon origin at that level would be immeasurable to you.]

['I think I understand what this heavenly demon meant by its final words in the sixth simulation...' You rubbed your chin, turning the thought over in your mind. Just as you had recognized Heavenly Demon Tuoqing this time, back in the sixth simulation, that same Heavenly Demon Tuoqing must have recognized you as well.]

[After all, your talent could not be replicated, and the combat strength you displayed completely crushed an Outer Domain Heavenly Demon that believed it had perfectly mirrored you. Across the boundless Void, you were likely the only living being so utterly unique.]

[Gathering your thoughts, you began to examine yourself.]

[Having stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage, every aspect of your being had reached a brand-new level—especially the sword intent you had nurtured within yourself, which was now unstoppable and unshakable.]

['Too strong,' you marveled inwardly. You had a distinct feeling that even though you had only just entered the Deity Transformation Stage, you already far surpassed the version of yourself from the seventh simulation. Even a Deity Transformation Late Stage Heavenly Monarch would likely be hard-pressed to block a single full-strength strike from your sword.]

[And a Deity Transformation Late Stage Heavenly Monarch here did not mean demonic cultivators or demonic creatures. If you were facing those, even a Tier 5 Consummation demon monarch would die on the spot if it did not flee the instant it laid eyes on you.]

['To be this terrifying at merely the Deity Transformation Early Stage—what happens when I reach the Deity Transformation Middle Stage, or the Deity Transformation Late Stage?' You were secretly startled by the thought. The further your Sword Dao system progressed, the more terrifying it became, wielding a lethality unprecedented across all ages.]

[With a slight stir of your thoughts, the Stone Sword instantly appeared before you.]

[You had casually refined this Stone Sword using the resources inside the storage bag that Elder Yang of Artifact Forging Valley had handed to you at the very end.]

[The material of the Stone Sword itself was nothing special; it had only grown so dreadfully terrifying after being nourished by your own sword intent and sword Qi for several decades.]

['Keep nourishing it.']

[You gazed at the Stone Sword as formless sword intent began to permeate the blade itself.]

[At your current level, you could easily switch to a sword made of far superior materials, yet there was no need.]

[No material, however fine, could compare to your supreme sword intent. You had already nurtured this Stone Sword for so many years; switching to a new blade and starting over would only waste time.]

[Within a few dozen breaths, the slightly "bulky" Stone Sword rapidly grew slender under the nourishment of your sword intent, shedding its old form and transforming into a spirit sword far better suited and attuned to you.]

['A seven-chi longsword? This should be the embryonic form of the Heavenly Sword, right?' you thought to yourself as you looked at the revitalized Stone Sword.]

[After being nourished for mere dozens of breaths, the Stone Sword had undergone an astonishing transformation, its blade now much slimmer and roughly seven chi in length.]

['Very good.']

[You drew the Heavenly Sword into your dantian. After so many years of nourishment, the fundamental nature of the blade had transformed, allowing it to withstand the boundless, peerless sword Qi surging within your dantian.]

[Resting inside your dantian, the Heavenly Sword remained fused with you at every moment, its might rising with every passing breath.]

['What's more... after stepping into the Deity Transformation Stage, cultivation hasn't gotten much harder... At my current pace, it'll only take a few decades to reach the Early Peak,' you mused. Compared to the tortoise-paced cultivation of the previous two simulations, this run was downright absurd.]

[Of course, that was not solely due to your number-one Sword Dao talent in this simulation; it was also because the world of the Human Realm was still at its peak, its world-rank not yet diminished, making cultivation in the Deity Transformation Stage relatively easy. In the ancient era, Deity Transformation Middle Stage and even Late Stage Heavenly Monarchs truly existed.]

['Hmm... My realm has already stabilized. There's no need to consolidate it...' you noted inwardly. Both your foundation and your accumulation were rock-solid; after stepping into the Deity Transformation Stage, you had no need to spend decades stabilizing your realm like other Heavenly Monarchs just to familiarize yourself with the power of this level.]

[The very instant you stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage, you had already gained perfect, seamless mastery over all your abilities and strength.]

['I've already seen all the sword intent on Myriad Sword Mountain. It holds no further use for me,' you thought, glancing around.]

['Time to head to the Central Continent.']

[Rising slowly to your feet, you began walking down the mountain.]

[Your subsequent cultivation would require a vast amount of resources—something neither the Southern Sea Territory nor the Sword Dao Lineage could provide for you anymore.]

[Besides, there were still a few karmic debts you needed to settle.]

[As you followed the mountain path down from the summit to the mountainside, you caught sight of True Monarch Tianshuang and the other Sword Cultivator true monarchs.]

[You had intentionally come this way to meet them before leaving; otherwise, with your current abilities, a single thought could have shifted you a hundred million li away.]

["Sword Lord." Seeing you emerge, True Monarch Tianshuang and the other Sword Cultivator true monarchs gave a sudden start before hurriedly bowing in deep reverence.]

[True Monarch Tianshuang cautiously observed you, noticing that not the slightest trace of an aura leaked from your body, making you look no different from an ordinary mortal.]

[His awe only deepened. This meant you had already achieved perfect mastery over all the power of a Heavenly Monarch—and how long had it even been since you stepped into the Deity Transformation Stage?]

[Yet when he recalled all the unfathomable feats you had accomplished before, True Monarch Tianshuang felt it made complete sense.]

[No matter how unthinkable something might be, when placed upon the Sword Lord, it was simply the norm.]

["I am leaving for a while," you said, sweeping your gaze across the gathered Sword Cultivator true monarchs. "I left a strand of sword intent at the summit. You may try to comprehend it. That strand of sword intent will also serve to shelter Myriad Sword Mountain along the way."]

[Your tone was calm as you offered a rare explanation.]

[Even if it was merely a strand of sword intent casually left behind, if an ordinary Sword Cultivator true monarch managed to glean something from it, their own sword intent would undergo a metamorphosis, giving them a real hope of stepping into the Deity Transformation Stage.]

["Understood," the Sword Cultivator true monarchs answered at once.]

["Sword Lord..." True Monarch Tianshuang asked cautiously, "Where are you headed, and for what purpose? Our Sword Dao Lineage has built up some connections over the years—perhaps we could save the Sword Lord a bit of trouble."]

[Although the Sword Dao was only one of the three thousand heterodox paths, after centuries of True Monarch Tianshuang's careful planning, it had become a force to be reckoned with among the heterodox factions, and quite a few powers and experts owed favors to the Sword Dao Lineage.]

[Several decades ago, it was by calling in a favor from a Tier 4 Mid-Grade Divination Grandmaster that True Monarch Tianshuang had locked onto True Monarch Chiyun, the culprit who had struck at Artifact Forging Valley.]

[Beyond that Divination Grandmaster, True Monarch Tianshuang had many other arrangements and contingencies in place.]

["No need." Hearing the good intentions behind True Monarch Tianshuang's words, you couldn't help smiling faintly.]

[At the same time, you turned your gaze once more toward the Central Continent Territory, your expression unhurried.]

[Having arrived in this unprecedentedly resplendent ancient era, you intended to use your sixty years of the Sword Dao to weigh the million-year foundation of the Human Realm.]