The Dawn of a New Realm

Xiao Chen felt as if he had gained an indestructible body. Every gesture surged with overwhelming power, as though it could shatter any obstacle. His body became lighter and swifter, moving with thought itself, fast as lightning, leaving afterimages in the ice cave.

Yet he sighed. His cultivation had reached the peak of Mortal-Shedding Fifth Heaven, but he seemed caught at a bottleneck, unable to cross that final threshold. The most significant gain this time was the vast improvement in his physical strength and agility.

He understood deeply that true breakthroughs required his own diligent cultivation; everything else could only serve as an aid.

Xiao Chen stepped out of the ice cave and stood atop the snowy peak, facing the morning sun. He absorbed the stillness of the frozen world, and in that moment, his heart became extraordinarily tranquil. Thousands of rays of dawn painted the snow in flowing hues of auspicious light. Suddenly, a profound realization washed over him like an awakening.

The sun rose, the sun set—the cycle of yin and yang moved in endless recurrence. Morning radiance was vibrant and full of life; noon blazed at its zenith; dusk faded in decline—this was a cycle. Yet dusk was not the final end. After darkness, the sun would rise again, beginning a new turn.

Xiao Chen was flooded with insight: life, zenith, and decay were eternal cycles governing all things.

Lately, his heartstrings had been pulled taut. He had driven himself to break through continuously, creating immense pressure. But that pressure had ceased to be a driving force—like the shift from zenith to decline, it had become resistance. He had trapped himself within his own mind.

Heaven and earth, yin and yang, followed an endless rhythm. There was no eternal zenith. He had imprisoned himself, and that was why he stood at the peak of Mortal-Shedding Fifth Heaven yet could not advance. He needed to fully let go, to let the dusk pass and welcome a new vitality, rather than resist in the darkness.

In that instant, Xiao Chen felt as though he had achieved a great awakening. He completely relaxed, opened his mind, let his thoughts wander through the vast cosmos, travel across the five seas and four mountains, soar before the nine heavenly palaces—casting aside every thought of cultivation.

He let complexity become simple, let the mists scatter, let the tower of wisdom shine forth. In that moment, he became utterly ethereal, standing alone on the snowy peak to greet the morning glow, merging into heaven and earth.

The essence of heaven and earth poured into him from above and streamed out from below. Boundless spiritual energy intermingled with his relaxed body. His mind and body entered a wondrous state. Then, with a violent tremor, his body emitted thunderous roars and burst into a dazzling radiance.

Even while his spirit roamed the cosmos, Xiao Chen clearly sensed the change within himself. He had broken through in such a state!

After bitter cultivation without progress, a gentle turn of the head shattered the barrier and elevated him into a new realm.

He had successfully entered Mortal-Shedding Sixth Heaven!

The light gradually receded from his body.

Xiao Chen's heart remained calm, as still as an ancient well, still immersed in that ethereal state, yet he had already gained understanding. The morning sun was brilliant, the noon sun fierce, the setting sun somber. Life, zenith, and decline were not limited to natural change and cultivation—this cycle applied to all things. Life was like a dream, full of joys and sorrows; who could walk the entire path without stumbling? Oceans turned to mulberry fields, ages changed—who could stop them?

A single moment of enlightenment surpassed years of bitter cultivation. This transformation was of immense significance to Xiao Chen. It was a clarity of the heart, a new understanding of the path of cultivation.

The many alliances had gathered around the snowy mountains, more than four hundred people having arrived. Most came to watch, but not a few sought the dragon eggs.

They pressed deep into the mountains and finally found trace of Xiao Chen. Looking up at him atop the snowy peak, many faces showed astonishment. In the morning glow, a faint radiance flowed around Xiao Chen, making him appear sacred and serene, like a god about to ascend into the void!

Some could not contain themselves. Spotting Xiao Chen, they shouted directly: 'Xiao Chen, where are the dragon eggs you stole?'

'The dragon eggs on Dragon Island belong to everyone!'

Such crude pretexts made even many onlookers feel embarrassed for them, but the dozens in front had no such awareness. Many began to run, charging toward the snowy peak.

Yan Qingcheng, Kailuo, Wang Tong, and the others had not yet acted, but these people could not wait, afraid the eggs would fall into others' hands. Dozens of cultivators shouted and soon reached the mountainside.

Behind them, the hundreds of onlookers felt that these covetous men were too shameless, murmuring among themselves: 'How can people be so shameless!' 'The decline of humanity!' 'This is nothing; even worse things may come later!' 'Xiao Chen may be strong, but he cannot oppose so many!'

The shouts from below roused Xiao Chen from his ethereal state. Once he understood what was happening, he felt anger. But he had just broken into Mortal-Shedding Sixth Heaven—what did he have to fear? Let them come!

Suddenly, Xiao Chen's body burst forth with five dazzling beams of light, as if seeking to merge with the eastern sun. Several enormous dragon shadows surged from his divinely transformed acupoints, formed entirely from blinding sacred light. The silver Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon, the dark-green Serpent-Elephant Dragon, the jade-like Sword Dragon, the golden Lion King Dragon—their colossal specters coiled and danced around Xiao Chen, emitting earth-shaking dragon roars!

Massive, light-formed primeval dragons!

Everyone below was stunned, hardly believing their eyes. Xiao Chen himself was startled, uncertain why such an anomaly had occurred.

The three skeletons rushed out of the ice cave, snapping their jaws in astonishment. Keke was also full of curiosity, blinking its bright eyes as it circled Xiao Chen.

The dragon roars pierced the clouds. The immense light-shadows soared through the sky, making Xiao Chen appear like a god or a demon.

'Boom...' A thunderous roar erupted from the snowy mountains. A massive avalanche had begun on the peak where Xiao Chen stood! It sounded like ten thousand horses galloping, like a raging sea roaring, as white snow torrents cascaded down the mountain.

The peak itself remained unharmed. The dragon shadows circled Xiao Chen, and blazing light jumped around him. He looked down coldly at everything below.

It was a catastrophe, entirely caused by the dragon roars. In that moment, Xiao Chen was nearly demonic.

The cultivators behind pushed their speed to the limit, fleeing to the opposite peak, watching the rolling white waves below in horror. The dozens who had coveted the dragon eggs and rushed up the mountainside—even those among them who could fly, spellmasters and spiritists—had no time to escape. All were buried beneath the deep snow.

The avalanche was too sudden. They were on the mountainside when the snow came crashing down around them; they had no chance to react.

The white, surging snow nearly filled the valley below.

Everyone was dumbfounded. This was utterly terrifying! Xiao Chen alone had caused dozens of cultivators to be entombed in a sea of snow.