193: Threshold for Reaching the Stars
In Chaos, time is not counted.
Liu Qingtian hid within a relatively stable vortex of Chaos, like a dormant Vicious Beast, fully digesting the gains from this trip to the Origin Spring.
That mass of Chaos Origin, obtained from the powerful gray shadow and later fused with the essence of the Origin Spring, along with the improvements brought by his own enlightenment, transformed into vast resources, steadily pushing his cultivation toward the Peak of the Star Shattering Realm.
The embryonic form of the "Myriad Manifestations Returning to Ruin Dao," under continuous operation and refinement, became increasingly clear and stable.
Over seventy percent of the originally complex power within his body had now been preliminarily integrated, transforming into a unique Demonic Essence that was deep, heavy, and carried the Concept of Void-returning devouring and the birth and destruction of myriad phenomena.
The quality of this Demonic Essence was extremely high, and the resonance of the Law triggered during its circulation far exceeded anything from before.
He did not know how much time had passed; perhaps it was just a fleeting moment in the outside world, or perhaps decades had already gone by.
On this day, the Black Hole core within Liu Qingtian, which had long since reached a state of saturation, suddenly emitted a roar from the level of his Soul that only he could hear!
Rumble!
The core suddenly contracted, then expanded and rotated in an even more violent manner!
Its gravitational field instantly strengthened several times over, crazily tearing and devouring the Chaos airflow where he was hiding, refining it into the purest energy to replenish himself.
The aura around his body climbed steadily, rapidly breaking through an invisible barrier and reaching a brand-new height!
Star Shattering Realm, Peak!
Liu Qingtian opened his eyes, the divine light within them restrained; only deep within his pupils did the scene of the birth and destruction of myriad phenomena and the ending of Void-returning flash and vanish.
He gently clenched his fist, feeling the brand-new power within his body that surged like a galaxy and was condensed like the Black Hole Origin; a powerful sense that "every gesture can shatter stars" welled up within him.
"Finally... the Peak." He whispered to himself, though his tone held not much joy, but rather an unprecedented solemnity.
Because the next major Realm was a crucial watershed on the path of cultivation—the Star Plucking Realm!
As the name suggests, those who step into this Realm have a Physical Body strong enough to pluck stars with their bare hands; ordinary celestial bodies in their palms are truly like toys in the hands of a Mortal, like an ant in their hand, which can be manipulated and played with at will, and they can even crush all the stars in the world just by moving a finger!
But the increase in combat power is not the true key to the Star Plucking Realm.
Its core lies in "comprehending the Dao"!
At the moment of breaking through to the Star Plucking Realm, the Foundation and combat power level accumulated by the Cultivator themselves will directly determine how much of the Dao they can "comprehend" and "bear"!
This will be the life-and-death barrier that completely widens the gap in combat power between Cultivators and even determines the upper limit of their future Dao path!
Within Liu Qingtian's demonic Soul, many secrets regarding the Star Plucking Realm flashed by; some of this information came from plundered memories, some from the occasional pointers of the Palace-Attired Woman, and even more were the rules of heaven and earth naturally realized once one's cultivation reached a certain level.
"Those who break through with Stellar Level combat power can at most comprehend and bear one-tenth of the Dao! Their achievements in this life will stop before the Realm of World Opening, with no possibility of ever opening up a true Great World."
Liu Qingtian felt cold in his heart.
These are the most common Cultivators in the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, accounting for over 99.99%, the cornerstone in the vast sea of cultivation, and also... ants.
"Those who break through with Stellar Level combat power can comprehend and bear thirty percent of the Dao! Throughout their lives, they will be unable to glimpse the mysteries of the Realm of Universe Cleaving (Immortal King Realm)."
Such people are already one-in-ten-thousand Geniuses, worthy of being called local overlords, accounting for that 0.01%.
"And those who break through with Stellar Remnant Level combat power can comprehend and bear seventy percent of the Dao! But their limit is the Samsara Realm (Quasi-Immortal Emperor Realm)! They can never transcend further."
Such existences, looking across the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, number only within the triple digits each year, and every one of them is a person of stunning talent and monstrous Luck.
"As for breaking through with Black Hole Level combat power..."
Liu Qingtian's breathing became slightly rapid; this was the level he was at now, and also the starting point that countless Prodigies dreamed of, "one can comprehend and bear ninety percent, or even... the highest ten percent of the Dao! One will definitely enter the Quasi-Immortal Emperor Realm! If one can bear ten percent of the Dao, one is the strongest beneath the Immortal Emperor, and has their own title!"
However, even if one bears ten percent of the Dao, a Black Hole Level breaker still cannot guarantee they can break through to that final, transcendent—Immortal Emperor Realm!
That is a Realm that even someone like the Palace-Attired Woman, at the Peak of the Immortal King Realm, can only look up to.
Thinking of this, the figure of Luo Jiuxuan involuntarily emerged in Liu Qingtian's mind.
That monster, with a Stellar Remnant Level Realm, possessed terrifying strength that could crush ordinary Black Hole Level beings!
"Luo Jiuxuan... if he breaks through to the Star Plucking Realm..." A thought that made even Liu Qingtian feel somewhat suffocated arose, "He will definitely be able to comprehend and bear... ten percent of the Dao! In the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, throughout history, he is the only one who can achieve this with such a Realm Foundation, yet surely touch Perfection!"
What kind of Foundation is this?
What kind of potential?
No wonder he dared to declare that he would break fate and charge toward that supreme Immortal Emperor Realm!
Pressure!
Huge pressure, like a galaxy hanging upside down and the Universe overturning, pressed heavily on Liu Qingtian's heart!
The Thousand Moves Pact, seemingly a chance at survival, was actually a cruel runway carved out for him by Luo Jiuxuan.
He must break through to the Star Plucking Realm with Black Hole Level combat power, and, he must strive as much as possible to charge toward that highest ten percent Dao bearing!
Otherwise, he wouldn't even have the qualifications to be the other party's opponent; the next time they met would be when the pact ended and he met his demise!
"Black Hole Level... ten percent..." Flames burned within Liu Qingtian's Demonic Pupils; that was an unyielding fighting spirit, a determination to live through death, "I, Liu Qingtian, have melted down ten thousand Laws, survived countless near-death experiences, and only then attained this Black Hole Level Foundation today; how could I be content to lag behind others?!"
He had ambition; he not only wanted to bear ten percent of the Dao, but also to use the "impermanence" of this place and the Chaos Origin in this Chaos Secret Realm to deduce his "Myriad Manifestations Returning to Ruin Dao" to a higher level, laying an unprecedentedly solid Foundation!
He closed his eyes again, no longer in a hurry to seek an immediate Breakthrough.
Instead, he sank his mind completely into the sorting and deepening of the "Myriad Manifestations Returning to Ruin Dao."
He wanted to completely integrate the thirty percent of complex power within his body that had not yet been fully fused into the Void-returning system.
He wanted to understand Chaos more deeply, to understand the Laws behind that "impermanence," and to understand the mysteries of the higher Realm contained within that Chaos remain.
He wanted to adjust his state to the most perfect Peak, and then, charge toward that Star Plucking Realm that bears ten percent of the Dao!
The Chaos airflow continued to flow disorderly, and time and space remained chaotic and uncertain.
But in the center of this Chaos, Liu Qingtian's heart was unprecedentedly calm and firm.
He knew that the next time he opened his eyes, it would be the moment he launched his charge toward the Star Plucking Realm, toward that Dao comprehension that would determine his fate!
Success or failure, it all depends on this one move!