The birth of the River of Time and Space was an evolution born of Yang Kai's deeper comprehension of the power of the Great Dao. And for Zhan Tianhe and the others, observing the Dao at such close range was itself a stroke of fortune.
While Yang Kai had opened a door to an entirely new world for himself, he had also brought tremendous revelation to them, sparking numerous insights.
Whether they could manifest their own Great Dao power the way Yang Kai had, however, depended on each person's comprehension and their level of mastery over the Dao.
This was no easy feat. Yang Kai could accomplish it only because of years upon years of constant contemplation and refinement of his own Great Dao, the accumulation of countless ages culminating in today's achievement.
Regardless, the several Eighth-Order human cultivators present had witnessed an entirely different way of wielding the power of the Great Dao.
The manifested River of Time and Space was still somewhat immature, yet it coiled like a great dragon guarding Ouyang Lie's side. The endless Chaos Entities rushing in from all directions plunged into its waters and silently perished.
Zhan Tianhe and the others were completely freed from danger. With this River of Time and Space, Yang Kai could single-handedly protect Ouyang Lie without issue.
By the time Zhan Tianhe and the others came back to their senses, they suddenly realized that Lei Ying had vanished at some point, none of them knowing where it had gone…
Time continued to flow. Within the protective embrace of the River of Time and Space, the intense medicinal resonance of the Supreme-grade Open Heaven Pill continued to erupt. Ouyang Lie's own aura was surging wildly, long since reaching a critical threshold.
The pill's medicinal essence was dissolving the barrier of his Small Universe, breaking through his shackles. But because of the various problems plaguing Ouyang Lie's Small Universe, simply breaking the barrier would not be enough for a successful breakthrough this time. He had to find the perfect moment between shattering his Small Universe's barrier and balancing his own strength—or he might fail at the very last step.
This was something no outsider could assist with. He could rely only on himself.
Who knew how much time had passed when Yang Kai, who had been wholly focused on maintaining the River of Time and Space, suddenly felt a shift…
Ouyang Lie's aura, which had long since peaked, began to fluctuate. This undoubtedly meant he had reached the most critical moment. Whether he could successfully advance to the Ninth Order would come down to this final push.
As a veteran Eighth-Order cultivator who had fought the Black Ink Clan for countless years, Ouyang Lie had never lacked courage or determination.
Just as Yang Kai was still worrying about whether this breakthrough would proceed step by step, Ouyang Lie had already begun frantically driving his own aura, displaying the resolute resolve of a man determined to succeed or die trying.
Yang Kai was slightly moved…
The aura at the absolute peak of the Eighth Order fluctuated hundreds of times in a single instant, then violently shattered through its own limits. His aura erupted, his imposing presence skyrocketed, the power of his Great Dao flooding outward. Even the River of Time and Space that Yang Kai had stationed beside him trembled and grew somewhat unstable from the impact.
Sensing the commotion from within, Zhan Tianhe and the others—who had been tense and anxious all this while—erupted with joy across their faces.
They suddenly noticed that the Chaos Entities charging at them from all directions had drastically diminished in number at some point. Some of them appeared to have lost their target entirely, reverting to a bewildered, aimless state.
This could only mean that the Supreme-grade Open Heaven Pill had been completely refined by Ouyang Lie, its medicinal resonance no longer drawing them in.
The River of Time and Space still guarded Ouyang Lie. Zhan Tianhe and the others wished to peer inside to see what was happening, but dared not act rashly. They could only cast questioning glances toward Yang Kai.
Yang Kai gave a slight nod.
It was done!
The hearts that Zhan Tianhe and the others had been holding in their throats finally settled. Were it not for fear of disturbing Ouyang Lie, they would have been hard-pressed to restrain themselves from bursting into wild laughter.
The one who had broken through to the Ninth Order wasn't any of them, but to witness that the human race had gained yet another Ninth-Order powerhouse—and one born right here within this furnace world—their joy was impossible to contain.
Among the human experts who had entered the Open Heaven Furnace, there had not been a single Ninth Order. The Black Ink Clan, on the other hand, had no shortage of Pseudo King Lords. The balance of power within this furnace had originally favored the Black Ink Clan. Now, with one more Ninth Order on the human side, the situation here would shift dramatically.
After a brief period, the River of Time and Space gradually dissipated as Yang Kai withdrew his Great Dao power. A figure with hair the color of blazing flames strode out from within, his overwhelming aura radiating without the slightest restraint. Though he made no deliberate show of it, the pressure was enough to make Zhan Tianhe and the others feel slightly oppressed.
The Ninth Order!
Having shattered through his shackles and successfully advanced to the Ninth Order, Ouyang Lie looked far more radiant than before. His appearance had even grown noticeably younger, and between his glances, an imposing majesty emanated naturally.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to rein in his aura—it was simply that having just broken through to the Ninth Order, his realm was still far from stable, making it impossible to do so.
"Hahaha, hahahaha!" Ouyang Lie walked forward, unable to contain his hearty laughter. Yang Kai watched with a look somewhere between amusement and exasperation—this smug posturing gave off the air of some villainous character.
Still, he understood Ouyang Lie's feelings. Any Eighth-Order human who broke through to the Ninth Order would be this overjoyed.
In the past, when Ninth-Order Open Heaven cultivators had broken through, virtually no one had been present to witness it firsthand, so such scenes had never been seen.
"Never thought old me would see this day! Hahahaha!" Ouyang Lie placed both hands on his hips and continued laughing toward the heavens.
He had never imagined that he would live to see the day he advanced to the Ninth Order.
For countless years, he had fought endlessly against the Black Ink Clan's powerhouses. Dark injuries had accumulated, the state of his Small Universe had become an utter mess, and his peak Eighth-Order cultivation had been his absolute limit long ago. His strength had been unable to advance even a fraction for tens of thousands of years.
His only wish in this life had been to one day die on the battlefield, dragging a few Black Ink Clan powerhouses down with him before the end—a life lived without regrets.