Chapter 790: Finally Entered
The gate of the Great Dao was like a massive tear in the fabric of space, with paths inside that led to other dimensions.
Of course, it definitely wasn't the "anime dimension"—the 2D world.
As far as Wang Sheng knew, the Immortal Saint Realm existed one level above the universe. Moreover, it did not match what he knew as the fourth or fifth dimension. It followed a completely different system.
To be more precise, it felt somewhere around three point six seven[1]...
Ahem. He was not an expert; this was only a rough sense of it.
Beneath every visible phenomenon were patterns woven from both simplicity and complexity.
The Immortal Saint Realm seemed like a form of heaven and earth born of the earliest evolution of the Great Dao. The endless space, on the other hand, emerged after the Great Dao became more refined and complete, like a more mature template.
The endless space and the Immortal Saint Realm had three major differences.
First, the level of power in the endless space was lower. Living beings could not directly touch or comprehend the Great Dao. They could only approach it indirectly by cultivating their own Dao.
Second, the endless space was more stable. Both matter and energy existed in more fixed and developed forms.
Third, the efficiency of matter and Dao laws had increased, allowing more living beings to exist.
This was likely the principle recorded within the Great Dao, where the true spirit and the Great Dao nurtured each other. Simply put, while the forces of nature shaped the people, they also influenced nature in return.
Different realms brought different perspectives. What Wang Sheng saw here was no longer the same as before.
There was little practical use in studying these things. At most, they gave him occasional inspiration during cultivation.
Standing in space before the Eastern gate of the Great Dao, Wang Sheng once again felt how small he was.
A massive rift stretched across entire star systems, extending out of nothingness. It cut through countless Dao laws of the endless space, yet it also seemed to be their origin.
From the outside, it looked like a boundless abyss that could swallow countless celestial bodies whole.
Yet those who had entered the Immortal Saint Realm knew that this place was also a wondrous land with breathtaking scenery. It was even common for powerful Daoist couples to enter the gate of the Great Dao and leave with an image as a keepsake.
Wang Sheng put away the Shadowless Shuttle and Spiritless, then flew forward with Ling Sheng toward the gate.
He also limited his aura to the Golden Immortal Realm, disguising himself as a cold and ruthless Golden Immortal Realm swordsman who trained in the Great Dao of Slaughter. He exuded a murderous aura, and his gaze sharpened.
Ling Sheng did not have to do anything; she just had to remain as she was. The faint trace of death aura she carried was enough to make others keep their distance.
The sword on Wang Sheng's back was Yuan Tu—or at least half of it. It was a top-grade treasure for killing, a weapon centered on the Dao of Slaughter.
Yuan Tu was still incomplete. A portion remained inside the Sword-Forging Tower.
Even so, the killing intent it released was enough for him to stand firm in the Immortal Saint Realm as a second-rate expert.
Wang Sheng's true strength was on par with a pseudo–powerful being. His realm had not fully turned into combat strength, but he still had enough to protect himself in the Immortal Saint Realm.
Once he found a place to settle and made contact with his allies in secret, he would move forward step by step.
He flew ahead, while Ling Sheng followed behind. The two turned into streaks of blood-red light and rushed into the gate of the Great Dao.
Finally, he had reached this place.
During the last great event, when the sacred spirit fell, he had only been able to see it from afar. What he saw then had been an abyss that seemed to swallow everything.
Now, as he slowly approached, he found that he did not particularly want to go forward. Still, he felt as if something was waiting for him ahead.
There was no special method required to enter the gate of the Great Dao. According to Xiaomiao, one only had to approach and enter from any direction. All paths would eventually converge into a single route.
Wang Sheng brought Ling Sheng into the range of the abyss. As a trace of understanding rose within him, he stopped and reached forward with his hand.
A faint ripple spread out before him.
A true dimensional barrier?
Wang Sheng laughed quietly, then stepped forward. The dark abyss in front of him vanished at once, replaced by a world filled with colorful clouds and drifting mist.
His six senses could no longer distinguish anything. Space itself felt unclear.
Looking around, he noticed that everything in every direction was covered in seven-colored mist that was clearly more than just what met the eye.
Wang Sheng gathered a strand of the mist and gently crushed it between his fingers, carefully examining it.
A wisp from the Sea of Chaos could evolve into an entire star system.
The mist here had a similar essence.
Dao laws intertwined, and the Great Dao was condensed within it. It felt as if one could glimpse a beautiful celestial body through the mist.
Wang Sheng closed his eyes and focused, but he did not let himself fall into deep comprehension. His Great Dao of Creation was still unstable. At his level, he could easily stay in such a state for hundreds or thousands of years.
"Master," Ling Sheng called softly from beside him.
Wang Sheng nodded, and the two continued forward at high speed. A faint pulling force acted on them, guiding their direction.
As it turned out, countless wondrous sights were actually hidden in the seven-colored mist.
Fragments of the Immortal Saint Realm had shattered and formed vast worlds filled with strange yet pleasing landscapes, on which all kinds of unusual lifeforms lived and moved. Sky rivers also appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as suddenly. Within them, divine fish and spirit birds chased each other.
At times, enormous primordial beasts seemed to pass before his eyes, but they were actually far beyond reach, leaving only a fleeting glimpse.
In this place, the interference of the Great Dao upon living beings seemed even weaker than in the endless space.
Wang Sheng also sensed many high-level cultivators. Their auras were hidden within the ever-shifting seven-colored clouds, each of them establishing their own secluded cave abodes.
This area was still outside the Immortal Saint Realm. It was the only path that qi refiners from the endless space could take when making their pilgrimage there.
As Wang Sheng traveled onward, quite a few breathtaking sights caught his attention. He found himself lingering more than once, already thinking that when he had the chance, he should bring his senior sister here to see it.
Still, Wang Sheng recalled Xiaomiao explaining something before.
Only half of what one saw in the Great Dao's domain was real. The other half was no more than lingering afterimages.
The Dao laws were chaotic, and the rules interfered with one another.
Even so, Wang Sheng enjoyed the scenery. Meanwhile, Ling Sheng remained fully alert behind him, never once dropping her guard.
Within the clouds, they occasionally passed shadowy figures and vice versa. None of these nearby cultivators could be taken lightly.
Fortunately, nothing happened along the way.
The Great Dao's domain was not only beautiful; it was also a well-known battleground within the Immortal Saint Realm.
Once one reached the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm, fighting carelessly within the Immortal Saint Realm could easily disturb other experts.
If they happened to disturb someone weaker, it was not a big issue. The other party would usually swallow the grievance and move elsewhere to cultivate.
However, if a stray strand of sword energy struck an ancient Primordial Being who had been cultivating in some mountain for countless years, things would turn disastrous. One glare from such a being, and even a Grand Dao Golden Immortal could be eliminated instantly.
Hence, unless it was a clash between mighty figures, most cultivators would simply shout, "Come with me beyond heaven and fight!"
"Beyond heaven" referred to this very place—the Great Dao's domain.
It had another peculiar trait. If one flew outward from the Immortal Saint Realm far enough, no matter the direction, east, west, south, or north, they would eventually enter these seven-colored clouds and reach the endless space.
However, trying to enter the Immortal Saint Realm from outside was a different matter. No matter where one came from within the abyss, they would be funneled onto a single path.
There were four such paths, known as the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird gates. It was said that the four great mystic beasts guarding the Immortal Saint Realm and the endless space were stationed there, blocking the passage.
As Wang Sheng approached the Azure Dragon Gate, the surrounding Dao laws gradually settled into order. At the same time, the path ahead began to grow crowded.
People appeared both in the sky and on the ground, each one exuding a powerful aura.
Only a few dared wander into the Immortal Saint Realm without at least gaining late-stage Heavenly Immortal Realm strength.
By the time Wang Sheng caught sight of the enormous Heavenly Gate in the distance, a long line had already formed ahead. Experts from all across the Eastern Sky Region stood upon drifting clouds, which linked together into a continuous path.
This kind of spectacle... Well, Wang Sheng had actually seen something similar before at a Qiluo Celestial Realm branch that Hostess Su ran.
Just lining up had taken him more than a dozen hours—about seven to eight shichen[2].
Calling it hours sounded too much like Earth. Out here, using shichen felt more proper.
A large army was stationed in front of the Azure Dragon Gate. They had effectively sealed off this section of the Great Dao's domain, collecting tolls from those entering the Immortal Saint Realm.
Of course, they could only charge those entering. Cultivators leaving the Immortal Saint Realm would simply avoid the place altogether.
Every one of the celestial soldiers was a late-stage True Immortal except for two Golden Immortals with steady, restrained auras. An even stronger expert also lurked somewhere in the shadows.
As expected, guarding the gates of the Immortal Saint Realm required immense strength.
They likely belonged to a faction based near the Great Dao's domain.
Moreover, they were quite particular in how they handled people. If a Heavenly Immortal with a weak aura approached, they would simply say, "You there, halt. Hand it over."
The person would then have to take out a large number of Spirit Stones or valuable materials. It was outright extortion.
However, those offered a different treatment to those like Wang Sheng, who brimmed with killing intent, had a cold expression, exuded an aura so fierce that even the two Golden Immortals felt uneasy, and was accompanied by a beautiful yet equally terrifying young woman.
When Wang Sheng approached, an elderly Heavenly Immortal took the initiative to step forward. He cupped his hands in greeting and forced a smile.
"Senior, this is a general map of the Immortal Saint Realm and an introduction from our Ease-Heart Sect. Please accept it. Ehehe."
Wang Sheng nodded calmly. He very much wanted the map, but he kept up a distant, aloof demeanor.
He softly replied, "Mm."
Afterward, he walked forward with Ling Sheng toward the massive stone gate ahead, which was tens of thousands of zhang tall. The moment they walked through, they flickered and vanished within the gate.
So this is the Immortal Saint Realm?
After seeing everything along the way, Wang Sheng could not help but feel a trace of disappointment.
He had expected more wonders, yet what lay before him was simply an immense landmass and vast oceans, stretching so far they seemed boundless.
It was a true heaven above and earth below.
Looking more carefully, though, there were still countless beautiful sights.
The four seas were dotted with celestial islands, and grand arrays could be seen everywhere.
The sky stretched high and clear, its clouds thin and pale, while every mountain seemed rich with spiritual blessings.
Ling Sheng commented, "Master, according to Commander Miao's information, there is an entrance to the Nether Realm nearby."
Wang Sheng thought for a moment. He then said, "We will avoid that entrance and head somewhere farther away."
Since they had reached a dangerous place, it was better to be a bit more cautious.
1. I swear to God. ☜
2. An ancient Chinese unit for time. One shichen is equivalent to two hours. ☜
