The seventh rank celestial pill acted as the final anchor. Its massive, enlightenment awakening power didn't just push him. It showed Lin Yi the way to spirit, increasing his understanding about spirit and adding the new realm's core attributes… granting him the ability to imbue forms with spirit and the extension of his longevity… at an unbelievable, flawless peak.
Manifestation Realm, Peak Stage (Half-Step Nirvana) Achieved!
Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes, the world had shifted again in his consciousness. The power was no longer just the ability to shape energy into forms (Form Creation) or imbue those forms with real attributes (Qi Creation); it was the Mastery of True Creation, the ability to imbue his condensed Yuan Power with spirit. His mind effortlessly absorbed the implications of his new strength.
'The Peak Manifestation Realm. The progress of strength and realm, also the mastery of the power of creation is simply addictive. Yuan Power forming objects with shape and also spirit. My lifespan is now extended to several hundred years, and my attacks are capable of splitting the earth and collapsing mountains,' Lin Yi assessed the sheer depth of the power making the vast cityscape outside the window seem utterly fragile.
He checked the culmination of his power: Half-Step Nirvana.
'Half-Step Nirvana. A single, full power move can destroy mountains and collapse areas of thousands of miles.' he concluded, his gaze sweeping over the horizon with the calm certainty of a true master. 'The Nirvana Tomb exploration will be the stage for my first public display of true, world-shaking power, and the perfect moment to secure destiny.'
He did not expect his strength to increase so fast, he who had arrived in Yan City was merely a yuan dan expert and in just a year, he passed the three major realms of creation and reached the peak of manifestation realm… just a step away from nirvana.
…
As he recalled the process of his breakthrough the Manifestation realm two month ago, Lin Yi stood up in order to witness the important event.
Today was the day Lin Dong, the rising star of Yan City, was scheduled to face Wei Tong, the formidable and arrogant scion of the Blood Cloth Sect, in a duel to the death.
Lin Yi, concealed beneath the camouflage spiritual technique… a technique he created himself that bypassed the need for any external treasure. He moved silently through the teeming streets toward the Dual Arena. His presence, even at his current Manifestation Peak Stage, was entirely erased from the senses of the crowd, making him nothing more than a passing ordinary young boy.
He paused on the rooftop of a massive structure overlooking the arena from a distance. Below, the dual fighting pits… designed for simultaneous, separate duels to maintain the city's tenuous peace… were packed. Today, however, only one pit mattered. The sheer volume of spiritual energy and anticipation rising from the crowd was almost palpable.
'The Dual Arena,' Lin Yi observed, his gray eyes scanning the scene. 'The perfect theater for a coming-of-age battle.'
He located several familiar figures in the VIP stands. Elder Mu, representing the Yi Pavilion, sat with an expression of calm authority, flanked by delegates from the now-respectful Liu and Song families. Near them, the Mayor's daughter, Zi Yue, was present along with Master Yan, her violet dress a striking contrast to the martial atmosphere. Her eyes, however, were not on the arena entrance, but subtly sweeping the surrounding rooftops… a telltale sign of her keen, political mind searching for the elusive Pavilion Master Yi.
'Let the main character have his spotlight. My role is to simply ensure the stage remains unbroken,' Lin Yi mused, his focus settling on the entrance gate.
The atmosphere intensified as two figures emerged.
One was Lin Dong, barely eighteen, clad in simple, functional martial robes. His composure was remarkable, betraying none of the internal tension that a death battle against a respected master should elicit. The other was Wei Tong, a man in his mid-twenties, his frame broad and solid, radiating the aggressive power of a master at the late Heavenly Yuan Realm. Wei Tong's face was a mask of cold fury, his eyes burning with intense hatred… the predictable result of Lin Dong's recent, successful provocations against the Blood Cloth Sect's interests.
Wei Tong did not bother with formalities. He pointed a shaking finger at Lin Dong. "Lin Dong! You miserable trash! Today, I will personally carve you into pieces and send your pathetic corpse back to your Lin family!"
Lin Dong merely glanced at him, a flicker of cold, almost pitying calm in his eyes. He ignored the roar, a calculated move that infuriated Wei Tong further.
"Arrogant to the end!" Wei Tong bellowed, no longer caring about appearances. The air around him suddenly thickened as he unleashed the full power of his Late Heavenly Yuan Realm cultivation base. A crimson Yuan Power, laced with a faint, cloying scent of blood… a trait of the Blood Cloth Sect's brutal techniques… surged from his body, forming a visible, oppressive aura.
Lin Dong's expression tightened slightly. He did not underestimate the power. 'He is holding nothing back. One misstep, and my life is forfeit,' he realized, his own Yuan Power beginning to circulate, his body adopting a guarded stance. Lin Dong had been slightly surprised that Wei Tong had managed to maintain his composure and delay the fight for this long. Now, the dam has broken.
The battle began in a terrifying blur. Wei Tong, driven by pure rage, lunged forward, his movement shattering the stone floor beneath his feet. His hands blurred into a series of crushing strikes, each one carrying the weight of a physical mountain.
"Thousand Splitting Fist!" Wei Tong roared, pouring the entirety of his cultivated energy into the technique.
A terrifying cascade of scarlet Yuan Power fists, numbering in the hundreds, rained down on Lin Dong's position. Each fist contained the full destructive force of a Late Heavenly Yuan master, creating a booming sound that echoed across the entire city.
The onlookers gasped, stunned by the sheer power. It was an attack meant to pulverize, leaving no chance for defense.
Lin Dong met the assault with his own rising power. He twisted, ducked, and countered, his movements driven by an uncanny instinct and the formidable defenses of his superior, yet less cultivated, Yuan Power. The Ancestral Stone Talisman pulsed subtly, absorbing the worst of the shockwaves.
'He is strong! Stronger than I anticipated,' Lin Dong admitted internally, pushing his body to the limit to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
...