Dragon Tiger Mountain, evening.
Lin Yuan, wearing a gray Taoist robe, stopped in front of a massive stone.
"Ten years, huh."
Sitting on the stone, Lin Yuan sank into a brief contemplation.
Over the past decade, Lin Yuan had come to understand this world quite deeply.
In this world, the cultivation system was divided into nine ranks, with Rank Nine being the lowest and Rank One the highest.
Above Rank One was the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, where the experts were said to be one with heaven and earth, sensing the essence of all things, able to shatter mountains and split rocks with a mere gesture.
Even in the Universal Human Alliance, such beings were regarded as Second-Tier combat strength.
From this, Lin Yuan realized that the level of this world surpassed that of the martial path world he first traversed.
"Seventy years of remaining stay."
Lin Yuan glanced at the illusory text below his line of sight.
[Name: Zhang Shanfeng (Lin Yuan)]
[Identity: Holder of the Gate of Myriad Realms]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-Defying Comprehension]
[Current Status: Consciousness Descended]
[Remaining Stay: Eighty Years]
Perhaps due to his increased strength and the different level of this world, Lin Yuan's stay had extended from twenty years to eighty years.
Lin Yuan was content with this, and under the circumstances of consciousness descent, the longer the stay, the better.
"Heavenly Phenomenon Realm."
Lin Yuan closed his eyes slightly, feeling the slowly circulating True Qi within.
In ten years, Lin Yuan had naturally been active.
Armed with his Heaven-Defying Comprehension, he reached the First Rank within three years, equivalent to the Free and Unfettered Realm of the martial path world.
Five years later, he naturally stepped into the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, becoming one of the top-tier experts of his time.
Of course, all this was done secretly, unknown to others on Dragon Tiger Mountain.
"Better to keep a low profile."
Lin Yuan let out a light breath, thinking to himself.
The Heavenly Master Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain was the ancestral court of the Taoist sects in the world, its foundation unfathomable.
At the very least, after his breakthrough to the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, Lin Yuan vaguely sensed that there were places on Dragon Tiger Mountain hiding presences beyond the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.
"Take it slow," he thought.
"With such a long stay this time, there's no rush."
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Yuan left the side of the stone.
Soon, he arrived at a Taoist Academy halfway up the mountain.
This academy was where the young Taoist disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain resided.
There were a total of eight such academies on Dragon Tiger Mountain.
The Heavenly Master Mansion didn't strictly supervise the young disciples, allowing them to do as they pleased after completing their daily lessons.
Shortly after returning, Lin Yuan saw many young disciples gathered together, all around his age.
"Daoist Pingyang?"
Lin Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly.
At the center of the group was an old Taoist in a tattered robe.
This old Taoist usually wandered around Dragon Tiger Mountain, enjoying the company of the young disciples, and the many Taoist leaders of the Heavenly Master Mansion paid him no mind.
Over time, everyone grew accustomed to him.
Lin Yuan paid attention to Daoist Pingyang because he was actually a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm expert.
While the Heavenly Master Mansion publicly acknowledged their leader, Daoist Cangqing, as a Heavenly Phenomenon expert, they actually had three such experts.
Daoist Pingyang, who appeared shabby, was one of them.
Lin Yuan guessed that Daoist Pingyang might be a kind of protector who only showed himself when the Heavenly Master Mansion was in trouble.
"Old Taoist, old Taoist, who is the strongest in the world?"
A young disciple nearby, with an innocent voice, asked Daoist Pingyang.
"The strongest in the world?"
Daoist Pingyang paused, then laughed and said, "Why, that would naturally be the Heavenly Masters of our mansion. Our mansion has a legacy of 6,800 years and has produced thirty-six Heavenly Masters, each a peerless prodigy who was unrivaled in the world. Even a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm expert must bow before a Heavenly Master."
His tone carried a sense of pride, and the other young disciples were visibly uplifted, being proud to belong to a mansion with incomparable Heavenly Masters.
"Who is the Heavenly Master of the mansion now?" another curious young disciple asked.
At this, all eyes turned to Daoist Pingyang.
"The current Heavenly Master..."
Daoist Pingyang hesitated before replying, "Our mansion has not produced a Heavenly Master this generation."
There was more he left unsaid.
Not only had this generation failed to produce a Heavenly Master, but none had been born for the past five hundred years out of the 6,800-year history, with thirty-six Heavenly Masters.
Usually, a new Heavenly Master emerged every two to three hundred years.
But now, it's been five hundred years since the last Heavenly Master passed away.
"Heavenly Master..."
Not far away, Lin Yuan's gaze remained calm.
From his understanding over the past decade, the true stature of the Heavenly Master in the mansion should be beyond the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.
Becoming a Heavenly Master required passing some kind of test, but the details were beyond Lin Yuan's knowledge.
It was the mansion's deepest secret, likely only known to those at the Heavenly Phenomenon level.
"How to surpass Heavenly Phenomenon..."
Lin Yuan frowned slightly, noticing that since breaking into the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm two years ago, his cultivation speed had significantly slowed.
At this rate, even with Heaven-Defying Comprehension, he would need at least fifty years to break through from the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.
This was odd to him.
If even he needed fifty years with his Heaven-Defying Comprehension, how long would it take others? Even if immensely talented, wouldn't they take at least two to three hundred years or more?
However, the Heavenly Masters throughout history never seemed older than a hundred years.
"Could there be a shortcut?"
Lin Yuan speculated quietly, glancing inconspicuously at a few directions where he sensed presences beyond the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.
"Is that you, Shanfeng?"
Daoist Pingyang glanced up at Lin Yuan, smiling, and said, "In another half a month, it'll be time for the mansion's Sword Tomb journey, held every twenty years. You should make sure to perform well when the time comes; it'll be very beneficial for you."
His words carried a deeper meaning.
"Sword Tomb journey?"
Lin Yuan felt a ripple of emotion within.
If someone else had said it, he might not have paid much mind.
But coming from Daoist Pingyang, a protector and a Heavenly Phenomenon expert of the mansion, it clearly held significant weight.
"Thank you, Daoist Pingyang, for the advice."
Though Lin Yuan didn't fully understand the implication of the Sword Tomb journey, he respectfully saluted Daoist Pingyang.
Over the past ten years, Daoist Pingyang had looked after him significantly, especially when he first arrived at Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Aside from Daoist Changqing, it was Daoist Pingyang who secretly washed his essence several times using heavenly True Qi, believing Lin Yuan too young to notice.
However, Lin Yuan, with his consciousness descent, was aware of all his post-birth experiences.
Another chapter has been completed and is being revised, estimated to take ten minutes.
(The chapter ends here)