Chapter 137: The Lesser Transcendence Realm
The ancient kings of the Primordial Age were still under the impression that Caelum possessed only the strength of an immortal.
They believed that by projecting the kings of several forbidden lands into the lower realm, they could finally suppress him.
What they did not realize was that even if the ancient kings themselves descended in person, Caelum could erase them with a flick of his finger.
After all, he now possessed power capable of shattering the entire Infinite Realms.
Besides...
Did they really think Immortal Execution Grounds would remain idle while the Eternal Forbidden Lands made such a massive move?
The truly naive ones were the ancient kings.
Had their target been someone else, Immortal Execution Grounds might never have reacted.
But they were targeting the Worldbreaker Physique.
How could Immortal Execution Grounds simply stand by and watch?
Boom!
A vast and ancient projection descended from beyond the heavens.
Its overwhelming aura pressed down upon the world itself.
Within that projection, a single strand of Sword Intent swept downward.
Prosper’s scalp went numb.
"Immortal Execution Grounds?!"
How was this possible?
For countless ages, Immortal Execution Grounds had never projected itself into the myriad worlds.
So why now?
His pupils contracted.
Then he remembered Caelum’s earlier words.
The truth struck him instantly.
He had been played.
Using the formation in the Celestial Arc Realm, Immortal Execution Grounds had not only interrupted the projections of the other Eternal Forbidden Lands but had also projected itself into this world, turning the entire scheme against its creators.
Projecting a forbidden land into the myriad worlds had never been an easy task.
The suppression imposed upon the ancient kings by the forbidden lands was far stronger than most realized.
To deliberately project into a specific lower world required a formation below to establish a connection.
The only reason Eternal Vale had appeared in the Celestial Arc Realm at the beginning of this era was because its ancient kings had cast a wide net across countless worlds.
Finding the Worldbreaker Physique here had been pure luck.
To the Worldbreaker Physique, the other Eternal Forbidden Lands were places of danger.
Immortal Execution Grounds, however, was practically home.
It was here that the first Worldbreaker Physique had slaughtered the ancient kings.
Even now, the Primordial Age kings imprisoned within Immortal Execution Grounds remained firmly suppressed, unable to stir up any trouble.
Prosper’s expression twisted in fury.
"Worldbreaker Physique!"
"You knew everything I was doing from the very beginning!"
"You let me continue only so you could turn my own plan against me!"
Caelum did not answer.
He simply waited for Immortal Execution Grounds to descend fully.
Prosper was no longer worth his attention.
"AAAAAH!"
For centuries he had unknowingly danced to someone else’s tune.
Everything he had built had become another man’s advantage.
The realization drove him completely insane.
Roaring in rage, he charged at Caelum.
A gentle breeze passed by.
Yin and Yang Qi flowed within it.
In an instant, Prosper turned to ash.
Body and soul vanished.
The forbidden land technique was a joke before Caelum.
Even the kings of Eternal Vale together had been suppressed beneath his feet.
What threat could a borrowed technique possibly pose?
Buzz.
The projection of the forbidden land descended.
Caelum stepped into it.
Unlike Eternal Vale, the ominous aura within Immortal Execution Grounds was incredibly thin.
Everywhere he looked was stained crimson.
At the center stood an ancient platform.
Caelum stepped onto it.
"So this is Immortal Execution Grounds."
In the middle of the platform stood an ancient bronze sword.
Its name was Immortalslayer.
A world-defying weapon that had once stood half a step into Transcendence.
It was the blade that had severed the heads of the ancient kings during the Primordial Age.
The true Immortalslayer still remained in the Infinite Realms.
What stood here was merely a strand of its Sword Intent.
Caelum summoned Bladeleaf.
The small leaf hovered above Immortalslayer, slowly absorbing that strand of Sword Intent.
Meanwhile, Caelum circulated the Secret of Transcendence, continuously nourishing Bladeleaf with Primal Essence.
Days passed.
Then...
Clang!
Supreme Sword Intent erupted.
It swept across heaven and earth, extinguishing all laws and Great Daos in its path.
For a very long time, Bladeleaf’s power had exceeded even Caelum’s own.
It had always been his strongest trump card.
When Caelum’s strength had merely rivaled the Immortal Realm, Bladeleaf could already cut down the stars.
When he faced the Immortal Tribulation, Bladeleaf had already gained the power to slay immortals.
Even when Caelum acquired the power to kill Immortal Kings, Bladeleaf remained stronger still.
Its might had always been terrifying.
After centuries of nourishment, Bladeleaf had already surpassed the limits of the Infinite Realms.
If Caelum represented the ultimate expression of power...
Then Bladeleaf represented the ultimate expression of the sword.
Now, after absorbing the half-step Transcendence Sword Intent of Immortalslayer and being further nurtured by Primal Essence, Bladeleaf finally took the final step.
It became the first true Transcendent treasure in existence.
What was Transcendence?
To step beyond the River of Time.
To stand above heaven and earth.
Time could no longer erode it.
The Great Dao could no longer destroy it.
Undying.
Imperishable.
That was Transcendence.
Caelum extended his hand.
Bladeleaf returned to his palm.
The tiny leaf swayed gently in the wind, as if expressing its delight.
The power of Bladeleaf’s Transcendence flowed into him.
In that instant, Caelum stepped beyond the River of Time.
Above the endless river, he gazed down upon countless mortal worlds and their myriad stories.
He was already familiar with such sights.
Nothing here surprised him anymore.
Looking upward, however, he did not see the Sea of Transcendence.
Aurelius was probably sitting somewhere watching the show.
Caelum’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Transcendence exists beyond the River of Time, yet still remains within the Dao."
"This realm called Transcendence is not the ultimate realm."
"It is not the end of the path."
If one could not stand completely above all laws and all Great Daos, how could it truly be called Transcendence?
This realm merely allowed one to escape the River of Time.
A lesser Transcendence.
Only by transcending even the Great Dao itself could one achieve true freedom, true transcendence, and true liberation.
Suddenly, immortal radiance erupted.
The River of Time surged violently.
Two figures stepped out from a point countless ages in the future.
The moment they entered the Lesser Transcendence Realm, they broke free of the River of Time and forcefully traveled upstream.
One wore black robes.
The other was hidden within boundless immortal light, appearing vaguely feminine.
Their identities were impossible to discern.
Yet their killing intent was unmistakable.
Both came directly for Caelum.
Although Caelum had not personally entered the Lesser Transcendence Realm, he possessed the ultimate power and wielded Bladeleaf’s Transcendent might.
Even opponents of the same realm were no match for him.
"This is not the time for us to fight."
Caelum lightly brushed Bladeleaf.
Then he flicked a finger.
A magnificent sword light infused with Yin and Yang Qi burst forth.
One strike.
The two Lesser Transcendence experts were blasted back through time, hurled countless ages into the future.
For a moment, all the Great Daos roared.
The River of Time trembled.
The sword strike had been overwhelmingly powerful.
The two opponents could not resist it.
Yet Lesser Transcendence beings were immortal and indestructible.
The attack could not truly wound them.
Buzz.
A far greater presence emerged from the very end of the River of Time.
Caelum looked up.
His gaze met four terrifying figures.
They stood at the absolute end of time itself.
Suspended amidst the myriad Daos.
Their auras clearly surpassed the Lesser Transcendence Realm.
These were beings who had reached the true pinnacle of the path.
The two sides stared at one another from afar.
The River of Time shook violently.
At the end of the river, a single Bladeleaf projection manifested.
Its boundless Sword Intent stretched across eternity.
It stood between Caelum and the four terrifying figures.
Like an eternal barrier.
Like an eternal guardian.
It firmly blocked the four figures at the very end of the River of Time.
