The Nirvana Realm

The north wind howled, the cold was bone-piercing, and snowflakes as large as goose feathers danced wildly across the sky. The world was a vast expanse of white, silent and devoid of any sign of life. The ancient village had been isolated for months, the surrounding villagers too terrified to approach.

In the distance, the crackle of firecrackers rang out in an unbroken chain. It was the last night of the year, New Year's Eve. In this bitter cold, myriad homes were lit with bright lamps, celebrating the greatest festival of the mortal world.

On the Yellow Clay Altar in the ancient village, Xiao Chen had awakened, but he did not move. He quietly sensed the changes within himself. A powerful force flowed slowly through his body, as vast as a great river, as majestic as a boundless ocean. He felt he possessed inexhaustible strength.

Yes, at this moment, Xiao Chen felt his cultivation had reached its peak since he had emerged into this world. He had the absolute confidence to stand against experts of the Deathless Longevity realm.

The Nirvana realm was a mysterious and dangerous state. At its height, one's power could reach the Deathless Longevity domain; at its nadir, it could even fall below the Spirit-Treasury realm. The fluctuations were extreme.

Once one entered this great realm, the cultivator's path became perilous. With each of the Nine Heavens of Nirvana, one had to endure a death tribulation, often facing the calamity of total annihilation of body and spirit. Unless one was protected by a spiritual treasure or a Half-Ancestor-level powerhouse, any cultivator who reached this realm would face a narrow chance of survival.

Entering the Nirvana domain was like trying to leap over the Dragon's Gate. True success was achieved by only one or two out of ten; the majority would be extinguished.

Shaking off the thick snow that had accumulated on him, Xiao Chen stepped down from the Yellow Clay Altar. His steps were steady and powerful. Having lain motionless for months, exposed to wind and rain, his clothes had tattered and fallen away, revealing his bronze, treasure-like body. It shimmered with crystalline light in the wind and snow. His gray-white hair had turned thick and black, glossy and mirror-bright, whipping wildly in the biting gale.

Now, Xiao Chen was filled with immense life force. He felt as if he could punch through a mountain ridge with a single blow. For the first time, he stood at the peak of his power. Yet he also understood that eight more death tribulations awaited him. Only by surviving them all could he achieve the true fruit. Each death tribulation would bring a transformation of his physique. For some, the transformation would completely overturn their previous understanding of their potential. If each metamorphosis was a breakthrough, then after nine transformations, a person would be utterly reborn.

Many who achieved greatness later in life began their glorious years in the Nirvana realm. Some child prodigies who failed to undergo a startling transformation in the Nirvana realm might sink into obscurity.

The Nirvana realm was a great metamorphosis that truly excavated one's dormant potential. As its name implied, it was a great wave that washed away the sand, a place where the truly outstanding would be tempered through a hundred refinements and reborn from the fire.

In the distance, massive fireworks bloomed in the sky, like countless stars shining simultaneously, brilliant and splendid. Though the wind was bitingly cold, this New Year's Eve radiated an air of joy and peace.

Fetching a set of clothes from his divinely transformed acupoint space, Xiao Chen put them on, tucked away the Yellow Clay Altar, and strode out of the village. His eyes blazed with divine light as he swept his gaze across the surroundings.

The old locust grove not far away was laden with snow. Some withered branches creaked, as if they might snap at any moment.

Dozens of figures soundlessly emerged from the shadows, and more watched covertly from cover.

'You really are persistent. After guarding this place for months, you refuse to leave even on New Year's Eve. Does it mean anything?' Xiao Chen's face was calm, betraying no emotion. He spoke to the figures who appeared. 'Even the Half-Ancestors have realized they can't change anything. What use is it for you to stay here?'

He did not know what the Half-Ancestors feared, but he knew they had left in haste because they understood they could not reverse the great trend.

His feet crunched through the snow, leaving two clear lines of footprints like an ordinary man. Without fear, he moved forward. Having just gained immense power, he wanted to test it.

Ahead, figures in black cloaks slowly closed in. Three walked at the front.

A powerful knight of the Sun Religion cast aside his black cloak, revealing his robust frame. Golden hair fluttered in the wind like dazzling sunlight. His face was resolute, and he carried a golden battle spear.

On the other side, a cultivator in five-colored immortal armor hovered in midair, his feet not touching the ground. A purple saber floated before him, glowing with points of light and exuding a murderous aura directed at Xiao Chen.

When the central figure removed his cloak and bamboo hat, revealing his true face, Xiao Chen was startled. It was Hai Fanyun, the family head of the Hai family who had once driven him into a corner—and the father of Hai Yuntian and Hai Yunxue.

The Hai family, bound to the Tiger family on the same war chariot, together with knights of the Sun Religion and cultivators from the Xiuzhen world—clearly, these powerful forces had joined together.

'Hai Fanyun, why aren't you enjoying the Tiger family's blessings your daughter earned for you? Instead, you come to this icy, snowy waste. Aren't you afraid your old bones will end up buried in the wilderness?'

Hai Fanyun was a true expert, having successfully broken into the Deathless Longevity realm. He looked at Xiao Chen with considerable emotion and said, 'The vicissitudes of life are unimaginable. I truly underestimated you back then.'

Xiao Chen smiled but said nothing.

'I was merely passing through on patrol. I didn't expect you to emerge today. Without the protection of the ancient village, I think we can settle things now.' Though Hai Fanyun's words were calm, his killing intent was undisguised.

The cultivator controlling the purple saber spoke with cold disdain. 'Outside the ancient village, you are nothing! Protected by Xuan and Huang primordial qi, your arrogance is suicidal.' He also revealed his origin: he was the younger brother of Fang Tianqi, who had been enfeoffed as a king at Mount Tai.

'I come from the Sun Religion…' The golden knight advanced, spear in hand.

'Enough. No need for more talk. In my eyes, you are all dead men. The names of dead men are meaningless.'

Xiao Chen's words enraged the Sun Knight and Fang Tianqi's brother; Hai Fanyun merely laughed coldly twice.

As his words fell, Xiao Chen attacked. He moved like a blur, instantly appearing before the Sun Knight. His palm blade slashed down diagonally. The Sun Knight held his spear in both hands and thrust upward, trying to impale those jade-like palms.

Crack!

Xiao Chen's palm blade shifted unpredictably, striking the spear and pressing down hard. A shattering sound rang out as the golden spear split and burst apart.

Terror seized the Sun Knight's heart. He moved like lightning, throwing his head back and bending backward, his spine skimming the snow like a snake, retreating swiftly. But Xiao Chen was faster. He took a single step and closed the distance, then stamped down with tremendous force. The ground shook under the powerful energy, and waves of snow surged.

Feeling the threat of death, the Sun Knight erupted with hundreds of golden beams. He sank into the earth and vanished.

Xiao Chen's expression was cold. He pressed his Supreme Hand against the ground. There was no massive energy explosion, no terrible sound, no blinding light. The onlookers only felt the earth tremble violently once, and then a surge of blood spurted up from the surface.

Without even checking, Xiao Chen turned and advanced on the brother of the King of Mount Tai.

Several cultivators in cloaks rushed over, tore open the frozen soil, and discovered that the Sun Knight, who had taken refuge underground, had been reduced to a pile of meat paste.

Xiao Chen's strength was terrifying. Having broken into the Nirvana realm and standing at his peak, he was now equivalent to a Deathless Longevity expert.

Fang Tianqi's brother whirled his purple saber like lightning, but in an instant it shattered into pieces. A crystal-clear palm had crushed it and was now advancing inexorably.

The young cultivator's heart was as high as the heavens. He wanted to follow in his brother Fang Tianqi's footsteps and shake the world. But facing a powerhouse comparable to the Deathless Longevity realm, his life withered like a fading flower. His end had come.

The glistening palm seemed to possess a sinister, terrifying magic. It broke all defenses, smashed the immortal battle armor, snapped the arms raised to block, pierced through the chest, pulverized the fleeing nascent soul, and rent the entire physical body apart, scattering blood in its wake.

'My brother… will not let you go…' These were the final spirit fluctuations of the young cultivator.

'If he comes, I'll kill him too,' Xiao Chen replied calmly, his dominance absolute. The listeners felt their scalps go numb. They faced a man of absolute confidence and terror.

Even Hai Fanyun changed color. Though he was in the Deathless Longevity realm, he chose to retreat. He shouted at those behind him, 'Kill him!' Dozens of demonic shadows refined by the Tiger family surged forward like ghosts, while Hai Fanyun himself shot into the sky. Old and cunning, he wanted to take no risks. He had only been passing by on patrol this New Year's Eve. Seeing Xiao Chen emerge from the village, he had indeed wanted to kill him. But as a family patriarch, he was slippery enough to have hollows in his eyelashes. He never fought a battle without certainty. Seeing Xiao Chen's displayed strength, he would rather miss the chance than put himself in danger.

Xiao Chen laughed loudly. Using his inconceivable movement technique, he left afterimages in his wake, breaking through the encirclement in a few flickering flashes.

Fearing a Half-Ancestor might suddenly appear, he brought out the Yellow Clay Altar and stood upon it as he chased into the sky. He could not drive the altar to unleash terrible power, but this altar was sinister in nature; it seemed to cause even Half-Ancestors deep wariness. It could protect him.

Hai Fanyun, guided by experience, sensed things were not good today and refused to fight. He pushed his Lotus movement technique to its limit. Petal after petal bloomed, and his figure flickered like unsteady starlight. His body tore through the sky with a speed that would astonish even Deathless Longevity experts.

If Xiao Chen had not mastered the Eight Aspect Worlds at their ultimate speed, he would not even have been able to track Hai Fanyun's flight path.

Hai Fanyun now had only one thought: to reach a provincial capital a hundred li away, where the Tiger family had a stronghold. Aside from the White Tiger Saint Emperor's secluded residence, this was the Tiger family's second most important site.

But Xiao Chen was impossibly fast. He caught up in an instant.

'Hai Fanyun, today I will kill you!' Xiao Chen's figure flickered, blocking his path. His voice was colder and more biting than the wind and snow, and it carried an overwhelming confidence.

Hai Fanyun let out a long roar that carried for dozens of li. At the same time, he struck first.

A giant black lotus bloomed in the sky, the size of a house. With each petal that opened, a destructive dark beam shot toward Xiao Chen. Nine petals opened, sending nine beams sweeping toward him, forcing him back over a hundred zhang.

Hai Fanyun's expression was grave. He stood at the center of the giant black lotus like a demon god, his dominant aura exploding outward. He had already roared his challenge; now he could only fight with complete focus, waiting for powerful reinforcements.

'Great Sun Lotus, petal after petal!' Hai Fanyun shouted. Countless black petals danced in the air, replacing the falling snow. Each crystalline black petal was like a deadly shower of dark meteors, tearing the sky apart as they all struck at Xiao Chen.

'Even if you bloom into a Great Sun Chrysanthemum, you will still die!' Xiao Chen showed no fear. He soared like a divine crane dancing in the nine heavens, like a Golden-Winged Roc rising on the wind. His hands traced mysterious afterimages, stirring up gale-force winds that twisted and shattered the crystalline petals.

The Supreme Hand struck out, crushing all tangible forms. Xiao Chen rose against the heavens, charging toward Hai Fanyun.

Bam!

A single palm blow split the house-sized black lotus into pieces. Hai Fanyun, who had been standing on it, was knocked flying. He roared and summoned his greatest power, reforming the giant black lotus. Its nine beams merged into one, sweeping toward Xiao Chen. He knew he could not afford to weaken now; if he could hold out until reinforcements arrived, he would be safe.

Having ascended into the Nirvana realm, Xiao Chen was now equivalent to a Deathless Longevity expert, his strength at its peak. He was overwhelmingly dominant, and his unparalleled combat instincts allowed him to suppress Hai Fanyun.

He suddenly executed the Reverse Dragon Seven Steps, catching Hai Fanyun off guard. The sky cracked as Xiao Chen approached like a demon god. With the second step, he landed on the giant black lotus, shattering it into pieces. With the third step, he raised his Supreme Hand, ready to kill.

The Reverse Dragon Seven Steps paired with the Supreme Hand was a sure-kill combination. In Xiao Chen's current state, he had pushed the power of 'martial arts' to its limit. Two more steps and Hai Fanyun would surely die.

But at that moment, shouts rang out from the sky. Powerful energy fluctuations surged toward them. The Tiger family's strong cultivators had arrived. The peerlessly beautiful Hai Yunxue called out urgently, 'Elders, join forces and kill him! Father, do not panic; we are here to save you!'

These were the true experts of the Tiger family, a group of elders all attacking at once. If Xiao Chen did not dodge but chose to complete the Reverse Dragon Seven Steps to kill Hai Fanyun, he himself would be severely wounded.

Xiao Chen's earth-shaking fourth step landed off to the side instead of advancing. Hai Fanyun breathed a long sigh of relief, and not far away, Hai Yunxue smiled and coldly commanded, 'Surround and kill him!'

'Surround and kill me? Wrong!' Xiao Chen was ice-cold. 'Today is our first battle of reckoning. Watch me take your father's life!'

Xiao Chen's expression was solemn. He stood on the Yellow Clay Altar, his tongue unleashing a thunderclap, his soul resonating with it. A single syllable—'Om!'—sounded, enough to shake mountains and rivers.

Hai Fanyun, who had thought he had escaped, felt his expression freeze. The aura of death inundated him, drowning him. Devastation came from within and without. His soul began to crack.

'Aaah…' Hai Fanyun screamed in terror, but the sound was cut short.

His soul had been shattered, and only then did his body begin to collapse, like ice and snow melting away. Everyone was stunned.

Xiao Chen took the opportunity to dart forward and take Hai Fanyun's head—the only part that had not yet shattered. 'I said I would kill you, and I did. No one could stop me.'

His dominance was absolute. Xiao Chen had slain Hai Fanyun before everyone's eyes. He swept his gaze over the crowd and hurled the grim head forward. 'Farewell!'

Having done the deed, he brushed off his clothes and departed—truly overbearing and terrifying. Xiao Chen shot into the sky.

Hai Yunxue could hardly believe her eyes. It had all been too sudden, too shocking. Xiao Chen had decapitated Hai Fanyun before them, like a nightmare. Her grief and fury reached their peak, and a piercing scream tore through the clouds.

'Kill him! Kill him!'

A host of experts pursued him relentlessly. But Xiao Chen, wielding the Eight Aspect Worlds divine ability, took a few steps through the air and returned to outside the ancient village. The people gathered before the village surged toward him when they saw he had not entered, surrounding him to kill. Xiao Chen struck again with the 'Om' syllable, a grand sound that filled heaven and earth, like a great bell tolling. It lasted for a full quarter-hour, and all hundred people who had gathered outside the village near the old locust grove were annihilated! Those hidden deep in the grove who were below the Nirvana realm were also wiped out to the last.

The 'Om' syllable represented the power of life and death. It was terrifyingly strong. The survivors trembled in fear.

Xiao Chen walked into the village, sat cross-legged on the Yellow Clay Altar, faced the distance, and declared, 'I sit here on this altar in the ancient village, cultivating the profound art. Let all who wish to kill me come. Help me reach the ultimate peak.'

In a single night, the news shook the world. The strong were to gather at the ancient village. Young cultivators who had been enfeoffed as kings or had reached the apex hastened from all directions. It was hard to say who would be the whetstone for whom.