The next moment, it seemed as if only one sound remained between heaven and earth: the mournful cry of the Dragon Vein, the thunderous collapse of the nation’s Destiny.

BOOM!

Before he could even react, six pillars of Profound Yellow Qi poured into his body simultaneously. The immense energy was like a raging sea, scouring his entire frame.

The moment it made contact, Xu Yunfan’s skin cracked inch by inch, only to be rapidly healed by the nourishing Profound Yellow Qi. His flesh and bones continuously restructured themselves, every inch of his muscle and sinew shimmering with a jade-like luster.

His heart pounded like a war drum, each beat resonating with the heavens and earth. Within a thirty-foot radius around him, gravel and dust began to float eerily, as if time itself had frozen.

In his vision, a massive flood of information about the Profound Yellow Qi strengthening his body began to scroll by.

Until the last message...

’You have successfully broken through the shackles of the Martial Arts Nine Realms and stepped into the Land Immortal Realm. Your body has been sublimated.’

’You have obtained Martial Arts Divine Techniques.’

’This world is flawed. Foundation Establishment has failed...’

Suddenly, a vertical line split open between his brows, and a golden light shot out as if a Celestial Eye had opened.

As far as his sight could reach, a thousand miles of mountains and rivers came into view. He saw the dormant Mo Family Mechanical Beasts beneath the Quicksand Eye of Mosenan Dao, the ancient inscriptions on the giant Bronze gate in the depths of Lingnan’s Ghostly Wail Abyss, and even the surging molten magma within the subterranean ore veins of the Western Regions’ Profound Nether Desert.

"The Land Immortal Realm..."

Xu Yunfan whispered, yet his voice was like a great bell, causing the crumbling ruins of the Martial Arts Arena to fall away.

At this moment, he seemed no longer a mere mortal Martial Artist.

His True Qi had completely solidified, turning into a liquid gold that coursed through his flesh and blood. With a simple gesture, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi moved at his command.

With a thought, a Golden Lotus materialized out of thin air beneath his feet. As its petals bloomed, the sound of Buddhist Chanting and Daoist hymns echoed around him.

He flicked his finger, and a wisp of True Qi transformed into a Floating Thread. In an instant, it pierced through a barren mountain ten miles away. The mountain silently disintegrated into dust, yet the wild grass at its base remained completely unharmed.

Even more wondrous, he could feel that his Divine Soul was now able to leave his body and roam freely.

His Divine Sense spread out like a net, covering a radius of ten miles. With a single thought, he could peer into the hearts of men; with a single thought, he could alter the weather.

He tried to channel the Power of Heaven and Earth. Instantly, wind and thunder gathered. Amidst the churning dark clouds, a bolt of purple lightning struck down, only to condense in his palm into a Thunder Bead, as docile as a pet.

"So this is what it’s like..."

Xu Yunfan’s eyes filled with joy.

The Land Immortal Realm had truly transcended the shackles of the Martial Dao.

He looked down at his own hands. His skin was as smooth and lustrous as jade, yet it contained the power to shatter mountains.

Just then, something unexpected happened!

In the distance, Dugu Jiu, who was watching the battle, felt his pupils contract. A hairline crack appeared on the Rusted Sword in his hand with a soft CRACK.

He murmured, "A sanctified body, True Qi that communicates with the divine... This is no longer a power that can be opposed by mortals. The Land Immortal Realm?!"

Xu Yunfan closed his eyes, sensing the brand-new power surging within him. He suddenly opened them, and the golden light in his pupils flared.

He lightly lifted his right foot and took a step.

RUMBLE!

The entire Martial Arts Arena instantly sank thirty feet, but his figure had already appeared ten thousand feet in the air, the sea of clouds beneath his feet automatically solidifying into a staircase.

He looked down upon the vast earth and let out a long cry. The sound wave was like a dragon’s roar, scattering the dark clouds for a hundred miles.

The moment the sunlight poured down, every Martial Artist inside and outside Jade Capital City couldn’t help but look up at the figure high in the sky, their expressions filled with shock.

’Can human strength truly reach such heights?!’

-----------------

「On the summit of Qingwei Mountain, a sea of clouds churned.」

The last wisp of Profound Yellow Qi from the Luotian Grand Sacrifice merged into the Taoist Sect’s Destiny. The sky suddenly split open, and a waterfall of golden light descended, enveloping the entire mountain peak.

What was originally just Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi stirred up from the Earth Vein, was now guided by the rituals of the Luotian Grand Sacrifice and condensed by the wisps of Profound Yellow Qi. It merged into Qingwei Mountain’s Earth Vein, transforming into a vibrant, surging Spirit Vein. Deep within the subterranean caves, sweet spring water gushed forth from once-dry springs.

Even the plants and trees that had withered from the forced extraction of the Taoist Sect’s Destiny now sprouted new branches and buds at a visible rate, bursting with new life.

Bi Yuan stood at the center of the sacrificial altar, his white hair moving without any wind. His cloudy eyes reflected the golden glow that filled the sky.

He slowly raised his hand, feeling the surging True Qi within his body. The Realm he had been stuck in for many years finally loosened, allowing him to take a step forward.

"Heaven has sent its sweet rain. My Merit is fulfilled..."

he murmured, his voice hoarse but filled with an unprecedented sense of relief.

Behind him, the Elders and disciples of the Taoist Sect all sat cross-legged, basking in this gift from heaven and earth.

Some broke through their bottlenecks, some had their injuries healed, and still others used this opportunity to comprehend deeper levels of Martial Arts.

The entire Qingwei Mountain seemed to have been injected with new life.

Bi Yuan gazed toward Jade Capital City, his sight piercing through ten thousand miles of clouds and mist, as if he could see that figure who trod upon a Golden Lotus, looking down on all living things.

"Seventy percent of the Profound Yellow Qi entered his body, while thirty percent came to my Taoist Sect..."

The corners of his mouth lifted into a complex smile. "This time, in the end, it is my Taoist Sect that has won."

’The National Divine Artifact will naturally change hands.’

’The Empress of Great Zhou is dead. The Profound Yellow has altered fate, and the nation’s Destiny has a new master.’

’From this day forward, there is only the Taoist Sect in this world!’

’Next, we must gather the world’s power to face the descent of the Celestial Demon and strangle it in its cradle.’

He slowly raised his hand and waved his sleeve. The runes on the altar lit up one by one, finally forming a pillar of light that shot into the heavens, solidifying the unseen machinations of fate.

As the Daoist Sect Leader, he was connected to countless threads of fate and could naturally perceive their subtle stirrings.

"A decree..."

Bi Yuan’s voice, like a great bell, echoed in every corner of Qingwei Mountain. "From this day forth, the Taoist Sect will open its gates to new disciples and widely spread our Daoist Techniques. All disciples of my Taoist Sect shall take it as their duty to aid the world and protect all living beings!"

"We shall obey the Sect Leader’s decree!" the disciples replied in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

-----------------

「In Jade Capital City」 Xu Yunfan slowly landed, standing with his hands behind his back. The Profound Yellow Qi had not yet dispersed, but coiled around the hem of his clothes like a roaming dragon, continuously being absorbed into his body to solidify his foundation.

Even the Dragon Scale Armor he wore became increasingly wondrous after being incidentally scoured by the Profound Yellow Qi several times.

He lifted his gaze to a shadowy corner, a golden light flowing in the depths of his eyes, seemingly able to pierce through illusion and reality.

"Elder Dugu seems to be at leisure."

His voice held a hint of playfulness but not a trace of exhaustion. To him, this battle had been as simple as crushing an ant with a flick of his finger; he hadn’t even had a chance to properly stretch his limbs. Moreover, he had now broken through the shackles of the Ninth Realm and ascended to an even higher level.

The difference in strength between his current and former self was like that of the clouds and the mud.

Celestial Sword Dugu Jiu slowly walked out from the darkness, the deep lines on his aged face trembling slightly.

He stared at the charred remains of the Spinal Sword on the ground, his throat working. He finally let out a long sigh. "I originally thought... we’d see at least ten miles of bloodshed."

But he never expected the fight to end so quickly. Even if the Empress’s vitality was depleted, as the ruler of Great Zhou, she naturally had numerous trump cards, and she even wielded a Bone Staff made from the remains of a Land Immortal.

Yet she couldn’t withstand three of Xu Yunfan’s sword strikes.

His gaunt fingers unconsciously stroked his Sword Scabbard. The sharp-edged aura that had once dominated the Mortal World now turned into a self-deprecating smile. "It seems even the privilege of watching was a gift from you."

"Elder, you exaggerate."

Xu Yunfan’s fingertips gently brushed against the lingering Pure Yang Residue Flame on his Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace. His smile deepened. "Those three Sword Techniques from just now were my last resort."

(That’s all for today. The follow-up is still being planned out. The Immortal arc is starting soon.)