Given the situation of the Deity, if one wants their strength to advance by leaps and bounds, then breaking through the current realm is the most direct and the most effective method. Moreover, as one progresses, each breakthrough in the original realm can significantly enhance their strength, and generally, apart from breakthroughs, there are few other methods through which a Deity can greatly increase their strength.
However, aside from breaking through one's current realm, if one can cultivate several rules, and those rules can combine their abilities with each other, then like Zhou Tian before, after combining the Time and Nature Power Rules, the power he could exert at that time far exceeded his original standard.
In fact, if not faced with an excessively powerful opponent before, when Zhou Tian combined his natural and time abilities, the efficacy of that combination alone would have been enough to drive away most of the enemies.
