Rin Haruto's return to the Great Zen Temple didn't cause much of a stir.
Aside from the abbot and a few department heads, no other monks were aware of it.
On the third floor of the Scripture Depository, Rin Haruto sat cross-legged.
"Eight years left."
Rin Haruto glanced at the illusory light screen below his line of sight,
knowing that his time in this world was running out.
"Probably enough."
Rin Haruto nodded slightly.
He already had a concrete direction and ideas for comprehending the path beyond the Mythical Realm.
With his heaven-defying comprehension efficiency, eight years would be more than enough.
"The path of martial arts..."
Rin Haruto's eyes were deep.
The martial arts path in this world is based on the human body, combined with spirit, constantly evolving.
Although the improvement is slow, it has no obvious weaknesses.
At least, its potential is much greater than the 'gene warrior' evolution path of the cosmic human civilization.
Gene warriors are a purely physical evolution path.
Once they encounter evolvers like 'supernatural warlocks' or 'mind masters',
without prior preparation, they are basically swept aside.
The gene warrior evolution path was probably created by the high-ranking members of human civilization
specifically for their descendants.
It relies entirely on gene potions; as long as one can purchase gene potions of sufficient grade, one can continue to improve.
"I wonder what kind of evolution path martial arts counts as, and what the Goddess of Wisdom's evaluation of it is."
Rin Haruto thought to himself.
The Cosmic Human Alliance encourages citizens to develop new evolution paths,
and the Goddess of Wisdom even offers huge contributions as rewards to attract more human citizens to this field.
The value of an evolution path depends on two aspects:
first, its universality,
and second, its potential.
Universality is easy to understand:
if this evolution path only allows one person to cultivate, then it will have no value to the human civilization as a whole.
As for potential, it refers to the theoretical upper limit of this evolution path.
Having been in this world for over ten years, Rin Haruto has been using his heaven-defying comprehension to deduce martial arts, open up the Mythical Realm beyond the Grandmaster level, and even transcend the mythical level...
All this was to maximize the upper limit of the martial arts evolution path,
in order to receive a higher evaluation from the Goddess of Wisdom and obtain sufficient rewards.
Rin Haruto was well aware of his priorities; this world was merely a temporary stop for him.
Once the twenty-year residency period was up, he would still have to return to the Cosmic Human Alliance.
"Continue comprehending."
Rin Haruto pondered for a moment, closed his eyes, and once again entered a state of enlightenment.
This trip to the capital of Dali was immensely helpful to Rin Haruto.
The myriad martial arts collected by the Martial Hall, and the various wondrous cultivation methods mastered by the world's martial artists.
Under the catalysis of his heaven-defying comprehension, countless flashes of inspiration continuously erupted in Rin Haruto's mind, steadily advancing towards the realm beyond the Mythical Realm.
Time flowed by.
Eight years passed in a flash.
As time went on, the true identity of the mysterious monk who had broken through the Dali Imperial Palace finally came to light.
It was Huizhen, the Buddhist Son of the Great Zen Temple.
When Rin Haruto was outside the imperial palace, his words, "This humble monk Huizhen," were heard by many.
Furthermore, the Great Zen Temple had long distributed portraits of the Buddhist Son to temples across the land, and Rin Haruto had also appeared at several martial arts tournaments held in the capital of Dali.
Comparing the two, it wasn't difficult to deduce.
The direct consequence of the mysterious monk's identity being exposed
was that the Great Zen Temple became lively, with a large number of martial artists coming to Mount Shaoshi every day, drawn by his reputation.
That mysterious monk only stayed in the capital of Dali for one year, and then disappeared without a trace, leading many to speculate that the mysterious monk had likely returned to the Great Zen Temple.
Many martial artists came to the Great Zen Temple, wanting to meet Rin Haruto.
After all, Rin Haruto was publicly recognized as a Grandmaster, and was even called the "First Grandmaster of All Ages" by those few Grandmasters.
In literature, there is no first; in martial arts, there is no second.
To be acknowledged by all Grandmasters, with no one able to voice any doubt, there is only one possibility:
that the Buddhist Son Huizhen was truly unbelievably strong.
He had subdued all the Grandmasters.
This is what attracted a large number of martial artists.
Even if they couldn't meet him, a glimpse from afar would be excellent; what if they were lucky enough to be noticed by that nameless monk?
Wouldn't such an opportunity be even greater than a carp leaping over the dragon gate?
As for the possibility of having to shave their heads and become a monk after being favored by that Buddhist Son...
As long as one could enter the Grandmaster realm, let alone becoming a monk, even if it meant cutting off all desires, there would be plenty of people willing to do it.
On the narrow mountain path of Mount Shaoshi, a burly man carrying a heavy sword walked slowly.
Behind the burly man followed a young man in his twenties.
"Master, Master."
"Are you here to challenge that Buddhist Son again?"
The young man walked and asked curiously.
The burly man carrying the heavy sword was none other than the Sword Saint of the Southern Sea.
If there were a Grandmaster nearby, they would notice that the Sword Saint of the Southern Sea had a profound aura; looking directly into his eyes, one could feel a sharp mental energy like a keen sword.
Grandmaster.
This Sword Saint of the Southern Sea had indeed taken that step and become a Grandmaster.
In other eras of the past, the birth of any Grandmaster was an extremely sensational event.
Congratulations would pour in from all directions.
Countless people would bow down.
These were just the basics.
However, the Sword Saint of the Southern Sea found it rather dull.
Ever since his spar with Rin Haruto eight years ago, the Sword Saint of the Southern Sea understood that there were always people stronger than himself, and heights beyond what he knew.
What if he was a Grandmaster?
Facing that Buddhist Son, even a Grandmaster would die.
"I just came to take a look."
The Sword Saint of the Southern Sea shook his head.
"Also, don't compare your master to that Buddhist Son."
"That Buddhist Son, eight years ago, was no longer a Grandmaster."
The Sword Saint of the Southern Sea took a deep breath and said in a low voice.
Suddenly.
The Sword Saint of the Southern Sea's expression drastically changed.
He abruptly looked up towards the summit of Mount Shaoshi, in the direction of the Great Zen Temple.
Buzz!!!
A terrifying aura began to vibrate, instantly sweeping across the entire Mount Shaoshi.
And it spread outwards in all directions at an extremely terrifying speed.
"What was that?"
The Sword Saint of the Southern Sea's face turned pale.
In his perception, an aura like a vast ocean rose from the depths of the Great Zen Temple, illuminating the world like a blazing sun.
"Finally... it's finally done..."
On the third floor of the Scripture Depository, Rin Haruto slowly opened his eyes, got up, and walked out of the Scripture Depository.
After nearly ten years of effort, he had finally stepped into the realm beyond the Mythical Realm.
Outside the Scripture Depository.
The long-browed old monk, the abbot, and the various department heads had long been waiting.
Rin Haruto's breakthrough caused too much commotion; even the Sword Saint of the Southern Sea, who was halfway up the mountain, noticed it, let alone the many monks inside the Great Zen Temple.
"Buddhist Son..."
"Greetings, Buddhist Son."
Seeing Rin Haruto walk out of the Scripture Depository, the long-browed old monk and the others immediately bowed.
"En."
Rin Haruto nodded, in a good mood.
"Buddhist Son's strength should have surpassed that of a Grandmaster, right?"
Abbot Hayashi hesitated for a moment, asking tentatively.
He had actually had this guess for a long time, but had never been entirely sure, after all, Grandmasters had been the ceiling for martial artists since ancient times, and it was incredibly difficult to surpass a Grandmaster.
However, just now, feeling the commotion when Rin Haruto broke through,
even if Abbot Hayashi was stupid, he would have realized something.
That vast and mighty aura, even ten or a hundred Grandmasters combined, would be far inferior.
As for why Abbot Hayashi was so clear, it was because the long-browed old monk had also successfully advanced to the Grandmaster realm a year ago.
"More or less."
Rin Haruto's eyes were calm, and he said lightly.
"Really surpassed the Grandmaster realm?"
Even though they had anticipated it, Abbot Hayashi and the other three still felt a monstrous wave surge in their hearts.
The Saint Monk, who was already a Grandmaster, had even more complex thoughts; he had personally watched Rin Haruto progress step by step, and even guided him as a master more than ten years ago.
"Then, what is it like beyond the Grandmaster realm?"
Abbot Hayashi asked with a trembling voice.
Upon hearing this, the others immediately stared at Rin Haruto with fervent eyes.
Although they couldn't reach Rin Haruto's height, and even the hope of becoming a Grandmaster was slim, at least they could listen, which was already better than those Grandmasters who dominated an era throughout history.
"Beyond the Grandmaster realm is called the Mythical Realm, where internal energy sublimates into 'Origin Energy'...."
Rin Haruto patiently introduced the many profound mysteries of the 'Mythical Realm'.
After speaking, Rin Haruto paused for a moment, then continued, "I haven't thought of a name for the realm above the Mythical Realm yet, but with the fusion of vital energy and spirit, one can perceive the qi of heaven and earth..."
"Huh?"
"Beyond the Mythical Realm?"
Abbot Hayashi and the others were greatly shaken, unable to react for a long time.
They had just been immersed in the many incredible aspects of the Mythical Realm, mentally imagining the various characteristics of this realm, and then Rin Haruto spoke of a realm beyond the Mythical Realm?
Could it be that this young Buddhist Son before them was no longer in the Mythical Realm? Otherwise, how would he know the profound mysteries beyond the Mythical Realm?
Next, Rin Haruto, with rare patience, explained a few more words before dismissing Abbot Hayashi and the others.
It wasn't that Rin Haruto didn't want to say more.
Rather, if the realm was not reached, no matter how much was said, it would be useless.
On the contrary, it would affect one's own cultivation.
"It should have reached its limit."
Rin Haruto pondered for a while; at this point, he could already faintly feel a sense of pressure from the heavens and earth.
His current level had reached the pinnacle of this world; going further... with his heaven-defying comprehension, it wasn't impossible, but Rin Haruto's remaining time was far from enough.
"That's about it."
Inside the Scripture Depository, Rin Haruto looked at the dozens of books piled in front of him.
They recorded the specific details of the process from the Post-Natal Realm to the Mythical Realm, and even beyond the mythical level.
Of course, the higher one went in martial arts, the more abstruse and difficult it became for ordinary people to understand.
This was also the reason Rin Haruto was unwilling to go into detail with Abbot Hayashi and the others.
However, in the unlikely event that a disciple of astonishing talent, even one ten-thousandth of Rin Haruto's, appeared in the Great Zen Temple in later generations, these books could point them in the right direction.
But the thought of that day likely being hundreds or thousands of years away.
After stepping into the realm beyond the Mythical Realm, Rin Haruto stopped cultivating and instead began to travel and enjoy the scenery.
Even so, he felt the pressure from heaven and earth growing stronger, like a beached whale, extremely uncomfortable.
Several months later.
Rin Haruto suddenly opened his eyes.
Because...
The Gate of Ten Thousand Worlds deep in his mind suddenly burst forth with brilliant light.
The first instance has ended~
The pace is a bit fast, how do you all feel about it?