Could any martial artist advancing to the Void Returning Realm ever produce such a magnificent spectacle?
The answer was obviously no!
Ye Xiyun, a peak expert of the third level of the Void Returning Realm, had every right to speak on this matter. She had witnessed countless individuals take this step and become Void Returning cultivators. Back when Ge Qi had undergone the process, she had even stood guard beside him personally. But none of them—not a single one—could compare to the sight unfolding before her now.
This could already be classified as a celestial phenomenon!
Ye Xiyun's expression turned to one of shock. Involuntarily, she recalled an entry she had once read in an ancient text long ago: if a martial artist's strength was sufficiently formidable, then upon advancing through a major realm, they could trigger celestial anomalies.
Of course, such martial artists were exceedingly rare throughout the vast river of history. In any span of several thousand or even ten thousand years, not even one might appear.
Could the Sect Master possess that kind of potential?
Honestly speaking, Ye Xiyun had not shared much of a relationship with Yang Kai, nor were they particularly acquainted. Her decision to remain at Lingxiao Sect and hold the title of Grand Elder had been entirely because of Yang Yan. Aside from Yang Yan, she had never so much as given anyone else a proper glance.
With her discerning eye, she could naturally tell that Yang Kai was far more formidable than an ordinary Sacred King Realm cultivator—the cream of the crop, so to speak. Even so, it had never made any particular impression on her.
But now, she found herself reassessing the man. If her conjecture was correct, then this Sect Master's future prospects were beyond anyone's ability to fathom!
At the thought, a peculiar light flickered in Ye Xiyun's beautiful eyes, and an unexpected sense of anticipation stirred within her.
High in the sky, the enormous funnel of spiritual energy contained within it fluctuations of power vast enough to rend heaven and earth. As the spiritual energy of the Five Elements continued to pour in from all directions, the funnel itself became a dazzling kaleidoscope of color. It hung inverted above the Palace of Heavenly Unity, spinning ceaselessly—a sight that was nothing short of terrifying.
Even from three li away, the crowd could feel the crushing pressure descending from the heavens like the collapse of mountains and the splitting of the earth, to say nothing of Yang Kai, who stood directly beneath the funnel's maw. No one knew just how much pressure he was withstanding at this very moment.
Outside the Palace of Heavenly Unity, brilliant flashes of light erupted one after another—the defensive formations of the palace reacting to the immense strain placed upon them.
"Grand Elder, how is the Sect Master's condition?" Chang Qi and the others were consumed with anxiety, yet they dared not extend their Divine Sense toward the palace to probe. They had no choice but to turn to Ye Xiyun for answers.
"It appears to be proceeding smoothly. The laws of heaven and earth have already been triggered," Ye Xiyun replied flatly.
Chang Qi and the others brightened upon hearing this. The triggering of heaven's laws meant that Yang Kai's breakthrough was within reach.
"However, whether he ultimately succeeds will depend on whether he can endure the body-baptism of heaven and earth's energy."
The crowd's expressions shifted, and they all fell into silence, their faces etched with worry.
The body-baptism of heaven and earth's energy was an unavoidable trial that every martial artist had to face when advancing through a major realm. During this process, the martial artist endured unimaginable hardship and agony. It was also the ultimate standard by which to evaluate and measure a cultivator's overall quality. Upon success, one's strength would surge dramatically, allowing them to break through the bottleneck and shatter the shackles that held them back, reaching the next realm.
If one failed…
At best, one would suffer grievous injuries. At worst, one's body would explode and their soul would perish!
After all, this was the body-baptism of heaven and earth's energy—failure could never end well.
Every year, countless martial artists perished at this very juncture. For that reason, the breakthrough to a major realm was both a fortuitous opportunity and a dire challenge for any cultivator. The law of survival of the fittest was displayed with absolute clarity in such moments.
When did any ordinary martial artist ever produce such mind-shaking celestial phenomena upon advancing to a major realm? Yang Kai had achieved it. That was certainly a cause for astonishment and celebration. But having reached this point, there was only one option: success. Failure was not permitted.
Judging by the sheer concentration of heaven and earth's energy gathered at this very moment, should Yang Kai fail, there would be only one outcome—complete annihilation of body and soul!
The power contained within that prismatic funnel of spiritual energy was simply too vast. No Sacred King Realm cultivator could possibly withstand it.
And just as everyone was drowning in their worry, the colossal spiritual funnel in the sky suddenly underwent a transformation. As though some force within the Palace of Heavenly Unity had drawn it in, the funnel began to spin with violent rapidity. In the midst of that rotation, the oceanic expanse of heaven and earth's energy surged downward along the direction the funnel pointed, crashing toward the palace below.
There was no pause. There was no hesitation. It was as if all of it had been building for an eternity, all for this single, cataclysmic release!
The layered formations of the Palace of Heavenly Unity crumpled like paper before such inconceivable power—they shattered in an instant. The prismatic spiritual energy that had made even Ye Xiyun's face blanch poured directly into the palace and vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
The enormous funnel of spiritual energy shrank at a rate visible to the naked eye. In just a few breaths, its volume had already decreased by a full margin.
"Sect Master!" Chang Qi and the others cried out in alarm, their faces draining of color.
Heaven and earth's energy was pouring down like this? They could scarcely believe their own eyes! All of them had advanced to the Void Returning Realm. All of them had experienced this stage.