Chapter 2833: Chapter 2833
After leaving the Ice-Snow Empire, Ye Liuyun gathered Hei Shan and Liao Tianyang to discuss the matter of cultivation realms.
"What is the realm above the Sovereign called?" Ye Liuyun asked Liao Tianyang directly.
"The Unity Realm!" Liao Tianyang answered with certainty.
Suspecting the name might be self-invented, Ye Liuyun pressed further, "Is that your own term, or is it universally recognized among human martial practitioners?"
"It’s the widely accepted term," Liao Tianyang finally confirmed. He then continued, "During my travels across the cosmos, I’ve heard other names—like the Enlightenment Realm or the Harmony Realm—but ’Unity Realm’ is the most common. It wasn’t until I saw an inscription on an ancient stele that I confirmed its official designation."
"At least we have a unified name now," Ye Liuyun mused. "But why call it the Unity Realm? What does it feel like to reach that stage? And what kind of power should one focus on cultivating?"
Seizing the chance to consult someone knowledgeable, Ye Liuyun poured out all his doubts.
Liao Tianyang did his best to explain. "Terms like the Enlightenment Realm or the Harmony Realm are more straightforward and vivid. At this level, one comprehends the grand patterns of heaven and earth—far beyond mere elemental forces.
"In the Sovereign Realm, the focus is on amplifying one’s power. But the Unity Realm is about understanding the fundamental principles—the very laws that govern existence. It’s akin to grasping the Dao of cosmic operation.
"While the Sovereign Realm emphasizes strength, the Unity Realm shifts focus to the essence of martial cultivation itself. Progress here depends entirely on one’s enlightenment. Some may stagnate indefinitely, while others advance swiftly—it all hinges on comprehension.
"What one must perceive are the natural laws, the workings of the universe. But the path varies for each individual. Some find enlightenment in the movement of stars and galaxies, others in the crawling of ants.
"Creatures like demonic vines face fewer barriers in breaking through because they’re inherently part of nature. Beasts, too, comprehend these laws faster than humans—they instinctively respect natural order.
"Only humans stubbornly defy heaven’s will, constantly battling against the Dao. That’s why, upon reaching this realm, advancing even a single step becomes extraordinarily difficult for them."
Moreover, from what I’ve heard from other senior practitioners, reaching this realm requires the simultaneous elevation of one’s soul, physical body, bloodline, and all other forms of power before further breakthroughs can be made.
That’s why I believe this might be the origin of the name "Unity." In martial cultivation, regardless of which aspect you previously emphasized, once you reach this realm, all your powers merge into a single, cohesive whole. Every philosophy, every thought, must ultimately converge into one principle—the natural order.
Of course, this is just my personal understanding. I’ve consulted many seniors about this realm, and each has their own interpretation."
Liao Tianyang’s explanation was thorough, finally giving Ye Liuyun a clear grasp of what the Unity Realm truly meant and which aspects to focus on in his cultivation.
"How many tiers does this realm have?" Ye Liuyun asked Liao Tianyang.
Liao Tianyang replied, "According to the records I’ve seen on ancient stone tablets, all realms are divided into nine tiers. Even in places where they’re simplified into three, those are just condensed versions of the nine.
But the strongest I’ve personally encountered was only at the second tier of the Unity Realm. I’ve never seen anyone reach higher."
"Oh? How big is the gap between the second tier and your own strength?" Ye Liuyun pressed.
"We never fought, but I’ve felt his aura. Just his pressure alone immobilized me completely—I stood no chance against him. To me, the difference was like night and day.
Not to mention his speed or spatial power—when he left, he simply vanished. I couldn’t tell whether it was sheer speed or mastery over space, but I couldn’t sense a trace of how he disappeared!" Liao Tianyang admitted helplessly.
He then added, "One senior once told me that in the Unity Realm, each tier represents an entirely new level of enlightenment—a gap so vast that no amount of raw power can bridge it."
"Each tier a new heaven?" Ye Liuyun pondered the phrase, realizing it could apply even to the Sovereign Realm. But he suspected the disparity between tiers in the Unity Realm must be far more extreme.
In martial cultivation, the higher the realm, the greater the gap between tiers. Yet for a powerhouse to describe the difference as "heavenly" suggested an unimaginable chasm.
Ye Liuyun then turned to Black Mountain, curious about its experience.
"All I know is that when I throw a punch now, it barely consumes any of my true essence, yet it harnesses the momentum of heaven and earth to amplify its force. The power behind that single strike is easily a hundred times greater than before!"
The Black Mountain didn’t elaborate on what enlightenment it had attained, expressing the gap solely through sheer power.
"It’s like suddenly grasping how to channel that energy!" it added.
Liao Tianyang chimed in, "Not everyone experiences a clear sensation when breaking through to this realm. Some cross the threshold without even realizing it—they can’t articulate what they’ve comprehended, only that they’ve touched upon some underlying principle, brushed against the fringes of the Dao. Most insights come from power itself!"
"Exactly, that’s the feeling!" Black Mountain affirmed with a nod.
Ye Liuyun absorbed their words, piecing together a clearer understanding of the Unity Realm. At least now he wouldn’t be fumbling blindly when the time came.
But when it came to grasping the laws of nature—or the Heavenly Dao—he didn’t see anything particularly profound about it. Wasn’t it just... obvious? For now, it remained beyond his comprehension.
So he focused instead on harnessing the power of heaven and earth, reasoning that once he elevated it sufficiently, the essence of cosmic forces would naturally reveal itself.
From then on, his training took on a more structured approach. He balanced the refinement of his various abilities while prioritizing the cultivation of celestial and terrestrial energies, often letting his spirit roam freely to attune to the forces between sky and land.
With his formidable soul strength, he could safely release his divine sense within his spatial domain without fear of attack. Meanwhile, his doppelgänger dedicated itself to mastering spatial and temporal manipulation.
Both Liao Tianyang and Black Mountain far surpassed the Falcon in power. Now, the clone took turns summoning them, first observing their spatial techniques before attempting to replicate and refine them.
For physical and profound energy training, he sought out the Demon Vine as a sparring partner. Each bout ended the same way—with a single, devastating lash of its tendrils.
No matter how fiercely Ye Liuyun and his clone unleashed their full might, they couldn’t withstand the Vine’s strikes. On occasions when the Vine hesitated slightly in retracting its attack, Ye Liuyun had no choice but to heal his injuries with the Water of Life.
The brutal sessions honed his profound energy, amplified his celestial-terrestrial power, and tempered his physique—though to onlookers, the process seemed nothing short of excruciating!
