Chapter Twenty-Three: Ten-Star Foundation Shakes the Nine Provinces!

When the level of the Dao technique reaches a certain height, the blue aura begins to change, and from its extreme, a trace of purple is born.

Anyone who perceives purple aura during enlightenment is invariably a prodigy, and the minimum requirement for the emergence of purple aura is at least an eight-star Dao technique.

Take Zhao Xiaobai, for example: he once produced a thread of purple within the blue, and though it was only a sliver, it propelled him to the heavens in one leap, making him the second eight-star Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Only Me Sect.

But now, as Wang Ran is in the midst of enlightenment, a vast expanse of purple aura has appeared above his head, flooding the skies!

Its momentum utterly dwarfs that of Zhao Xiaobai, rivaling the spectacle once seen when Ye Cang attained enlightenment.

The purple aura rolls across the heavens, surging between the clouds, and in the blink of an eye, it washes away the previous blue aura, leaving this place suffused only with purple—the sole purple under heaven and earth.

Everyone stood aghast, completely stunned.

“How can this be!!”

“Wang Ran is breaking through again, and the purple aura here covers the sky. This spectacle is not weaker than Senior Brother Ye’s Foundation Establishment!”

“No, it’s even stronger than Senior Brother Ye!”

“How did he do it? Is he truly the greatest prodigy among the outer disciples?”

“With such terrifying purple aura, how powerful must his Spirit Gate be?”

“I am but a two-star Foundation Establishment, and my Spirit Gate already exceeds five meters. His must be at least a nine-star, unimaginable in its form!”

All the disciples murmured in disbelief, and Ye Cang, too, was shaken to his core.

He once achieved a nine-star Foundation Establishment, his momentum echoing far and wide, but Wang Ran’s purple aura was even more intimidating!

“Impossible, this is impossible!” For the first time, Ye Cang’s face twisted with fury, losing its former warmth, and a jealousy unlike any he had ever felt surged within him: “I am the greatest prodigy of Only Me Sect. How can a mere Qi Condensation novice possess such fortune? I refuse to believe it!!”

He was born under heaven’s favor, with a sacred body destined for a thousand years, his fate unmatched—a natural king. He could not accept that an insignificant existence was now stronger and more dazzling than he.

Others had always envied him; now, for the first time, he envied another.

As anger contorted Ye Cang’s face, Zhao Xiaobai merely smiled.

“Brother Wang, you truly did not disappoint me.”

Besides Zhao Xiaobai, Yao Jianjia was also visibly shaken. Though her expression was calm, her slightly widened pupils betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

Feng Yazi was the first to shoot forward, with a wave of his hand enveloping Wang Ran’s platform in an invisible shield of spiritual power—he would personally guard Wang Ran’s enlightenment!

At this moment, the purple aura in the sky was reaching its zenith, rising and transforming into towering waves that enveloped the entire Only Me Sect.

None noticed, amid the endless sea of purple, a golden light flashed—then, in the next instant, it became a radiant arc, piercing through the clouds and ascending to the heavens, as if forging a link between the purple sea and the sky.

A secret, unknown even to the elders of Only Me Sect: when the blue aura becomes purple, it is not the ultimate limit. The purple aura can undergo a second transformation.

Golden aura!

This golden hue embodies the supreme intent!

It only appears when a ten-star Dao technique is born, and throughout the Nine Provinces, a millennium has passed without its emergence.

Now, the golden aura stood upright within the purple sea, rising swiftly, in a blink piercing the firmament; its height unfathomable.

Beneath the purple aura, those within Only Me Sect could not see this golden radiance, but within one hundred thousand, a million, ten million miles—beyond Yun Province and across the Nine Provinces—it was clearly visible.

In this world, all cultivators raised their heads in shock, sensing that from the direction of Only Me Sect, a supreme aura was rising!

In the next moment, the Nine Provinces trembled!

The region where Only Me Sect resides is called Yun Province, spanning vast lands, with seventy-two cultivation sects of all sizes.

Besides Yun Province, there are eight other great provinces, each teeming with powerful sects, forming the most magnificent scenery in the world of cultivation.

For example, the nearest province, Spirit Province, boasts one hundred and thirty sects, its overall strength surpassing Yun Province.

Among them, the Thousand Spirits Sect is the most renowned, acclaimed as the premier sect of Spirit Province.

At this moment, within the Thousand Spirits Sect.

In the secret realm of the sect, a rift in space gathers immense spiritual energy—far denser than the sea of spiritual energy at Only Me Sect.

Near the rift, at the heart of this spiritual energy, a girl in plain robes sits cross-legged in cultivation.

Her hair is disheveled, obscuring her cheeks; what little of her face is visible is pale and expressionless. Yet her eyes are exceptionally beautiful—though devoid of emotion, filled with lifelessness, as if unchanged for millennia.

Suddenly, sensing something, she looks towards Only Me Sect in Yun Province, her gaze seeming to penetrate the void of the secret realm. For the first time, a spark of vitality flickers in her eyes.

“Aura... familiar... is it... you?”

Perhaps it had been too long since she spoke; perhaps too long since she saw anyone else. Her voice, when she spoke, was halting and strained.

Yet within her calm tone was an irrepressible trace of anticipation and joy. She stared fixedly in the direction of Only Me Sect, unmoving...

Meanwhile.

Adjacent to Spirit Province is Sword Province.

Of all the Nine Provinces, Sword Province is steeped most deeply in killing intent; its people are mostly sword cultivators.

Within a certain cave, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly glowed in the darkness, and a white-haired man emerged. His whole body was snow-white, his eyes red, gazing at Yun Province’s sky.

“Golden radiance within purple, supreme heavenly Dao aura... To think someone has achieved a ten-star Foundation Establishment—who is it!!” The man’s eyes burned with intense battle spirit as he muttered, “No matter who you are, if you survive, you are surely a peerless genius. A thousand years hence, I will find you, cut down your prodigy soul, drink your prodigy blood, to prove my Dao!”

The white-haired man gave a chilling smile, turned back towards the cave, but after three steps, his figure abruptly halted. In the next moment, he closed his eyes fiercely, and his soul shot skyward, heading straight for Yun Province!

“No, I can’t wait. I must see who you are, right now!”

...

Besides Sword Province, there is Pill Province.

This province is devoted to the arts of alchemy, the wealthiest in the Nine Provinces, and its Pill Sect is famed throughout the world.

At this moment, an aged figure was traversing the sky in Pill Province, each stride spanning ten thousand miles.

Suddenly, he paused, looking toward Yun Province. Seeing the golden pillar standing tall against the heavens, his eyes gleamed.

“Supreme heavenly Dao aura—this is ten-star Foundation Establishment... It seems Yun Province has produced an extraordinary youngster. Very well, I shall go see for myself.” Stroking his beard, the old man spoke, and from his crown, his soul shot skyward toward the heavens.

...

Soul Province.

The most mysterious among the Nine Provinces, its cultivators practice the Dao of the dead, refining corpses and gathering essence, suffused with Yin energy day and night.

Soul Province contains a vast sea, strange and unique—feathers cannot float, birds cannot cross, and no life exists within.

At this moment, a whirlpool formed in the center of the sea, and a giant eye surfaced. Its size defied description, brimming with ferocity as it gazed toward Yun Province.

“Who has awakened me? Hmm... Supreme heavenly Dao aura? So such an aura has appeared—wonderful, wonderful. If I devour this one, I shall pierce the mysteries of heaven and fulfill... my plan to swallow the sky!”

The voice was thunderous, yet not a sound escaped, showing it was being deliberately suppressed. Yet a bolt of lightning struck the sky, and as it descended, the sea roiled. A trace of terror and hatred flickered in the giant eye before it slowly vanished beneath the surface.

...

Beyond these provinces, across nearly the entire Nine Provinces, countless reclusive elders were startled by the supreme heavenly Dao aura, sending their souls soaring toward Yun Province in amazement!

Qing Province, Medicine Province, Buddha Province... Ancient monsters abound among the Nine Provinces, all moved by the news.

...

Yun Province.

Above the endless firmament, invisible waves began to ripple.

Here lies the unique space where the Spirit Gate opens during enlightenment—a place the physical body cannot reach, accessible only to the soul.

Here, besides the soul of the one attaining enlightenment, there are souls of other powerful cultivators who have entered, though they can only observe from afar, unable to interfere.

For this is the world of the enlightened, and they are its sole master.

At this moment, before the vast, boundless Spirit Gate, Wang Ran stood beneath it, facing the wind, his figure as tiny as an ant in comparison.

“So this is my Spirit Gate...” Wang Ran murmured softly.

The next moment, his gaze sharpened, sweeping in all directions.

“It seems someone is watching me.”

Vaguely, Wang Ran sensed something unusual.

Yet the sky around him appeared unchanged; those powerful Nine Provinces cultivators had long concealed themselves.

Nevertheless, Wang Ran’s acute awareness left them astonished.

“As expected from a ten-star Foundation Establishment—this one is truly extraordinary!”

“The strength of his Spirit Gate is unprecedented; his innate Dao technique must be terrifying.”

“An interesting youth. But whether he can open this Spirit Gate remains to be seen.”

“The stronger the Dao technique, the stronger the Spirit Gate, and the harder it is to open. The Spirit Gate of a ten-star Foundation Establishment is no trivial matter.”

“Here, this is the world of the enlightened. The greater the heart, the greater the power. To open this gate, he must possess an ambition matching his Dao technique.”

These powerful cultivators, some familiar with one another, exchanged thoughts via divine sense.

They turned their attention to the youth quietly standing before the Spirit Gate.

He lowered his head, gently stroking the giant gate. After a long moment, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“I’ve heard that here, the strength of the heart determines the strength of the power. I imagine the old monsters of the Nine Provinces are here as well. Since that’s the case... let me show you the measure of my heart.”

In the next instant, Wang Ran leapt from the sea of clouds, his eyes sharp as an eagle, his figure swift as lightning, and with a single punch... he struck out!

“One punch forward, one punch back. I need only one punch! All present, watch closely and remember—my name is Wang Ran!”

His words echoed in all directions. In the next moment, the vast, boundless, strongest Spirit Gate in history shattered with a thunderous roar!

He did not push it open, but smashed it to pieces with brute force!

His actions, combined with his words and the faint pride on his face, formed a scene of immense impact.

Instantly, every powerful cultivator in this realm was shaken to their core!

Never before had anyone acted so boldly as Wang Ran.

Nor had anyone ever opened the Spirit Gate so decisively!

For his heart was no longer bound to this world; his goal was the myriad realms, to stand above all, to become the immortal among immortals!

At the moment the Spirit Gate shattered, a supreme heavenly Dao aura merged into his body, and in the next instant, golden light surged around him—his cultivation had entered... ten-star Foundation Establishment!

“Ye Cang achieved nine-star Foundation Establishment, forming the Sky Dao; Zhao Xiaobai, reborn as the Killing Star, proved the Dao of the Killing God; but I, Wang Ran... have attained the Dao of Eternal Life!”

At the peak of the sea of clouds, beneath the fragments of the Spirit Gate, countless powerful cultivators of the Nine Provinces stared in awe as Wang Ran’s robes billowed and he strode forward, his figure reverberating through the ages—a legend that would endure for ten thousand years.