Free Web NovelChapter 113: Primordial Flow
This world was known as the Celestial Arc Realm, one among countless minor worlds.
Though people often spoke of "countless worlds" as if it were merely a figure of speech, the truth was that their number was beyond calculation, like grains of sand in an endless river.
Among the memories Caelum had brought back from the Sea of Transcendence were many secrets concerning the Celestial Arc Realm.
Unlike most minor worlds, this realm held exceptional significance even within the Infinite Realms. Hidden within it were mysteries vast enough to shake entire ages.
As those memories resurfaced, a strange look flickered through Caelum’s eyes.
"The whole matter of Immortal Ascension is far more problematic than I thought."
The issue was not what happened after Ascension itself.
The so called Immortal Realm of the minor worlds was simply the Infinite Realms.
The Infinite Realms held no hostility toward those who Ascended from lesser worlds. In fact, even by the standards of the Infinite Realms, Ascended Immortals from minor worlds were considered formidable figures.
Immortals had little interest in enslaving other Immortals.
The real problem was something else.
This era was known as the Age of Imperial Calamity.
The calamity had already begun.
Anyone who Ascended into the Infinite Realms now could easily be swept into the disaster.
Faced with a catastrophe capable of engulfing the entire Infinite Realms, even Immortals could be reduced to ash.
Ironically, the minor worlds were safer.
The calamity began with the Immortals.
Since few, if any, true Immortals existed in the lesser worlds, they were largely spared from its reach.
In other words, Ascending in this era was anything but good fortune.
With enough bad luck, someone could Ascend straight into the heart of the calamity and vanish without a trace.
As a result, Caelum reached a decision.
"Unless I can erase an entire great world with a wave of my hand, I won’t Ascend."
Even without becoming an Immortal, he could still stand above them.
After organizing his thoughts, Caelum resumed cultivating the Divine Firmament Codex alongside the Secret of Transcendence.
From that day onward, he never again entered the Sea of Transcendence.
[Cultivation Increased]
[Realm: Awakened Layer 79]
Back when he had reached Initiate Layer 360, his strength had already rivaled peak Soulbound cultivators.
Now that he had entered the Awakened Realm, his power had naturally risen even further.
Awakened Layer 79.
Initiate Realm.
Awakened Realm.
Ascendant Realm.
Soulbound Realm.
Above Soulbound stood Transcendent.
Above Transcendent stood Voidwalker.
At his current level, Caelum’s raw combat power was roughly equivalent to an early Voidwalker cultivator.
The only difference was that he lacked the supernatural abilities associated with those higher realms.
Ascendants could fly on streams of spiritual light.
Soulbound cultivators could reconstruct their bodies.
Transcendents could project their consciousness beyond the flesh.
Caelum possessed none of those abilities.
After all, he was still only in the Awakened Realm.
Fortunately, he could already absorb World Essence directly and sustain himself without food, freeing him from the distractions of ordinary needs.
On Voidcrest Peak.
Suddenly, the surrounding World Essence became unstable.
A sharp featured young man was forced out of meditation.
Sweat covered his forehead.
His aura was turbulent and chaotic.
The Grand Elder appeared before him without warning.
"Disciple, why not confront the obsession in your heart? If this continues, your inner demon will only grow stronger."
"I refuse to accept it!"
Wyatt’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared.
"Whether it’s talent or comprehension, I’ve always stood among the best in Skyspire Order! I spent years believing the position of Heir Apparent would one day be mine. Why did things turn out like this?!"
He had entered Skyspire Order as a child.
From the moment he began cultivating, his talent had astonished everyone.
His comprehension surpassed his peers.
From Initiate Realm all the way to Voidwalker Realm, he had never met an equal within his own level.
He had always believed he was destined to become the next bearer of Skyspire Order’s legacy.
That one day, Master Heavensreach would personally pass the title of Heir Apparent to him.
Instead, reality had struck him hard.
Caelum had entered the sect only recently, yet had immediately received everything Wyatt had spent years pursuing.
The title.
The inheritance.
The future of the sect itself.
The Grand Elder knew better than to tell Wyatt that the Sect Master had his reasons.
Those words would only worsen the wound.
"In that case," the Grand Elder said calmly, "go and meet the Heir Apparent."
"Master!"
Wyatt fought to suppress the darkness in his heart.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Through clenched teeth, he said, "I’m afraid I may lose control and attack him. Please stay nearby and ensure the Heir Apparent’s safety."
"Very well."
The Grand Elder understood his disciple well.
Wyatt was not naturally jealous.
This was simply an obsession that had taken root over many years.
If he could not resolve it, it would ultimately destroy him.
Boom!
The previously clear sky darkened without warning.
Storm clouds gathered overhead.
Lightning flashed through the heavens.
A suffocating pressure spread across the surrounding region.
Nearby disciples around Skyreach Monastery looked upward in confusion.
"Thunder?"
"Where did that come from?"
Then someone noticed something was terribly wrong.
His expression changed instantly.
"That’s a tribulation!"
"A heavenly tribulation?"
"Who’s triggering it?"
Everyone looked toward Skyreach Monastery.
Their shock only deepened.
"The Heir Apparent?!"
[Cultivation Increased]
[Realm: Awakened Layer 360]
Caelum had originally intended to break straight into the Ascendant Realm.
With the power of Awakened Layer 360, the barrier separating the two realms might as well not exist.
What he had not expected was that advancing into the Ascendant Realm would actually trigger a heavenly tribulation.
"Well, that’s unexpected."
Under normal circumstances, cultivators only faced heavenly tribulations when entering the Immortal Realm.
He was merely advancing from Awakened to Ascendant.
The reason was obvious.
It had to be the Secret of Transcendence.
Caelum found the situation more interesting than concerning.
Since it was his first tribulation, curiosity outweighed caution.
Drawing upon World Essence, he rose into the air.
Cold light flashed.
His blade left its sheath.
Awakened Layer 360.
At this point, his combat strength was comparable to a mid stage Worldbinder. freewebnøvel.coɱ
As cultivation advanced, the gap between realms grew larger and larger.
Unlike Initiate Layer 360, which had allowed him to leap across countless major realms, Awakened Layer 360 did not provide quite such a ridiculous increase.
[Awakened Realm Perfected]
[Achievement Unlocked: Primordial Flow]
When he had perfected the Initiate Realm, he forged a flawless body without weakness.
Now, upon perfecting the Awakened Realm, he had awakened Primordial Flow.
The two complemented each other perfectly.
As long as World Essence existed, his Primordial Flow would never cease.
As long as the flow endured, any injury he suffered would rapidly heal.
An invisible pressure spread across the heavens.
The cultivators of Skyspire Order could hardly believe what they were sensing.
The Heir Apparent was only in the Awakened Realm.
How could he possess such a terrifying presence?
Boom!
The tribulation clouds fully formed.
Violent lightning surged within them.
The aura of destruction was so overwhelming that many disciples felt chills run down their spines.
Then it struck.
A bolt of heavenly lightning tore through the sky and descended toward Caelum.
He showed no fear.
Facing the incoming strike, he swung his blade.
A dazzling arc of light erupted forth, even more terrifying than the lightning itself.
An invisible blade force surged upward with unstoppable momentum.
The descending tribulation lightning shattered instantly.
The attack continued without slowing.
The entire tribulation cloud was cut apart and annihilated.
One strike.
The heavenly tribulation was erased.
In an instant, the sky cleared.
The dark clouds vanished completely.
Every disciple watching stood frozen in disbelief.
Their minds went blank.
A heavenly tribulation had just been destroyed with a single slash.
Such an absurd scene had unfolded right before their eyes.
Only then did they truly realize something.
Their Heir Apparent’s strength was unfathomable.
