Today, the bright blue sky had no clouds. The plum blossom valley wasn't as lonely. And the Cosmic Dao fluttered happily in the air.
Today, a being at the very pinnacle was striving to go beyond the final known realm and many immortals stood at the base to watch him.
At the highest peak by the valley, in serene black robes, Shenxi sat cross-legged in a meditative position.
The chiseled jawline, sword-like brows, and calm demeanor would make any jade beauty want to topple a kingdom for him.
Among the immortals below, many maidens secretly sighed. This immortal was unfairly handsome, as if carved straight by the Dao itself.
The highest peak was quite poetic as it described the situation of these maidens. The immortal did not mingle with someone from the opposite sex and was unattainable. He was notorious for cultivating like a maniac and never giving a care for anything else.
While most found the man out of their league, there was a certain red-haired maiden watching Shenxi from a palace faraway.
Her room was adorned with multiple paintings of the said immortal, but currently she was looking through the window, right at Shenxi meditating on the highest peak by the plum blossom valley.
She was leaning on the windowsill, her chin resting on her palm as she watched him with interest.
Similar incidents happened everywhere. Some even watched the man from worlds apart.
Everyone who could witness history being made were watching the spectacle with great interest, dropping every other work at hand.
The world was at a standstill, and the immortals at the base of the mountain took careful breaths, as if worried they would disturb the man at the top.
Many thought he was about to start his breakthrough, but in reality, Shenxi was halfway there.
Half a step into the unknown realm was already a feat none but him had achieved.
Eventually, Shenxi opened his eyes.
The bright day instantly turned into night as the vast starry sky manifested above him, and then into his vision.
Threads. A lot of threads glowing with different colored lights tangled themselves around the twinkling stars.
These threads stretched to infinity and some even seemed like they were yet to manifest while some appeared worn and dim, appearing used and of the past.
They were tangled around the stars in a chaotic mess, untangling which seemed near impossible.
However, it only took a thought from Shenxi.
As the untangling unfolded, the Cosmic Dao manifested around him in reality in sparks.
Watching from the palace's windowsill, the red-haired maiden had her pupils turn an ancient crimson as she fell in a trance.
Sigils of the Cosmic Dao spiraled in her pupils. Her figure turned illusory and right before it faded out of existence, she blinked and snapped into existence, knitting her brows in annoyance.
'It happened again. He still can't go past his bottleneck and neither can I due to him. It seems I need to do what I must…'
The red-haired immortal made hand seals while chanting something softly.
Right above Shenxi's head, a huge red circle full of inscriptions of the Cosmic Dao formed.
Shenxi was in the middle of his breakthrough, still trying to overcome his breakthrough.
He could see the stars and the untangled threads but was at a loss on what to do next.
At this moment, he suddenly felt a disturbance. Something was trying to wake him up and disturb his breakthrough.
There was no one in the Upper Realm who could threaten Shenxi. Even if the powerhouses banded together, Shenxi could survive. He was at such a level.
Now, someone was bold enough to disturb his ascension?
Although it looked like that, Shenxi did not feel any threat from the disturbance. He just knew that if he got out of his trance now, his breakthrough would not happen today.
It wasn't Shenxi's first attempt to break through and he had been stuck in this stage for a while. Feeling there was no harm, he opened his eyes, only to find the entire world painted red.
A flash of lightning struck from the circle above.
Shenxi's vision turned blank. His thoughts stopped. It was for a split second before a drop of water woke him up.
A stench of rusted metal filled his nose, following which he heard fastened footsteps.
Opening his eyes, Shenxi found himself standing in a dark alley.
There was a turn in front of him where the street lamp was still working. In its light, Shenxi saw a few shadows. The figure seemed of men.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three heads burst apart and a man dashed through them, making his way towards Shenxi.
…
In the Plum Blossom Valley, chaos ensued as everyone saw lightning strike the handsome immortal!
Everyone knew the immortal would survive but once the sky turned clear again, he was nowhere to be seen, making people panic!
The red-haired maiden responsible for making the entire Upper Realm turn disorderly made a few more hand seals and disappeared from her palace.
All the paintings and pillows vanished from her room, and an open letter remained, possessing two lines:
"Out for business."
"Will return with husband."