42: The path to sainthood, a single strike from the 'Destiny Star'!

“Peak Saint Rank! Mind Law!?”

Devil King Soul Devourer knew he had fallen into a trap!

“You kept this Small World reserved just for today?”

“You want to use my Origin to advance to Saint Rank!”

Ninth Rank Peak is the limit of Transcendent Ninth Rank.

If you want to continue getting stronger, you can only condense Laws.

Most Martial Artists who reach Ninth Rank are stuck at this step.

But to truly advance to Saint Rank,

there are only two paths!

The first path:

Find an ownerless Small World.

Let your Laws and Primal Energy slowly transform the Small World.

Once the Small World is completely transformed, it can be contained within the Martial Artist's body.

When the Small World inside the body can freely enter and exit and be placed into a Giant World, then the Martial Artist will automatically advance to Saint Rank!

This path is also known as the Lord of the World.

If the Martial Artist dies, the Small World will also collapse and be destroyed.

This path takes a relatively long time; the fastest requires several months to complete the advancement.

The benefit is that this path is relatively stable and basically guaranteed not to fail!

Moreover, because the Small World is completely transformed by one's own Primal Energy and Laws,

it can continuously absorb special energy from the Chaos Void and convert it into Primal Energy!

It's equivalent to having a portable Primal Energy Spring!

This is very beneficial to Martial Artists who follow the Spellcasting School.

In the future, as long as they slowly nurture the Small World, they can continuously grow stronger until the Peak Saint Rank!

The second path.

It is called the Path of Ascension!

The method of advancement is very simple!

Just obtain the Origin of a recently deceased Saint Rank existence and forcibly integrate it into your body.

If you don't have a Saint Position, go plunder someone else's Saint Position!

As long as you withstand the initial erosion and the backlash from the chaotic, rampaging Laws, you can advance to Saint Rank in just a few days!

Those with a strong Foundation will find it easier.

Martial Artists who advance using this method are fundamentally not very different from those who walk the Path of the World.

The difficulty of Cultivating to Peak Saint Rank on your own is similar to nurturing a world.

However, the Path of Ascension is quite dangerous; failure might result in life-threatening risk!

There are also those who walk both paths simultaneously, but they are extremely rare and the danger is even greater.

Devil King Soul Devourer understood completely!

The alleged refusal of the Old Family Head of the Yun Family's advancement was not because the Yun Family was different from those Council Member Families and hadn't allied with Xia Country.

Instead, someone else who needed a Small World for advancement made a deal with the Yunxiao Prefecture Officials!

His Origin would be used by the Old Family Head of the Yun Family to advance to Saint Rank.

He was foolish to think that the Yun Family was truly at odds with Xia Country, especially since the internet was full of discussions about it back then!

So, the trap was laid starting from that time?

Looking at the completely isolated Small World, Soul Devourer showed a fierce expression:

“Since I can't get out, I'll kill you first!”

“Let's see who takes the other's Origin!”

Old Li quietly watched Devil King Soul Devourer, his pupils losing focus, and his gaze suddenly becoming vacant.

His entire being seemed to have turned into an emotionless puppet.

A cold, mechanical voice, like the Heavenly Dao high above delivering a sanction, came out of Old Li's mouth:

“My next attack will reach the level of 'Destiny Star'!”

Mind Law:

Within a certain range.

If you believe you are strong enough, you will be strong enough!

“Wait! I surrender!”

Devil King Soul Devourer seemed to sense something and cried out in despair.

Old Li slowly raised his right hand, using his palm as a blade.

He swung it down towards Devil King Soul Devourer.

There were no special effects of tearing stars, nor was there a cool flash of light cutting out, just the simple motion of swinging a blade.

Devil King Soul Devourer's body immediately stiffened.

He felt that his future had been severed!

All his destiny converged into a single line—death!

Only 'Destiny Star' can counter 'Destiny Star'!

It was as if someone swung a blade from an infinitely high dimension.

Devil King Soul Devourer felt his body, Soul, and Status were struck down, turning into Origin.

Devil King Soul Devourer died without struggling at all, passing away peacefully.

“Hoo!” “Hoo!”

Old Li withdrew from his previous state, sweating profusely and panting heavily.

Feeling the depletion of Primal Energy inside his body and the stinging pain of excessive mental spirit exhaustion.

Old Li gave a weak smile:

“I'm exhausted. I have to come out and act at my age.”

“Once Little Yun successfully advances, I'll have him take my turn rotating shifts in the Otherworld!”

Xing Yaoran appeared, bringing Xing Yingyu with him.

“Thank you, Prefecture Guardian Envoy Li! Grand Duke Soul Devourer's stealth ability is too strong; we couldn't have lured him out without some tricks.”

Old Li waved his hand: “Just make sure the promised resources aren't short.”

After speaking, he grabbed the Saint Rank Origin and left the Small World.

The Xing Family Head casually waved his hand, and starlight flickered.

All the Otherworld Beasts who had managed to survive died.

“You did well these past few months, successfully deceiving the Demon Clan into taking the bait.”

“But don't run around recklessly after advancing to Saint Rank. You haven't been to the Sorcery Academy for so long that the Principal complained to me.”

Xing Yingyu looked at this Small World, which now belonged to him, and said excitedly:

“Mainly, the Family had planned everything out early on; I just pretended to be 'Frost Poison' for a while.”

“But this way, I've advanced to Saint Rank one step ahead of that crazy woman, Xia Wanjun!”

Xing Yingyu's mouth curled up as he thought about the sensation he would cause upon returning to the Shenzhou Martial Arts School after advancing to Saint Rank:

“The youngest Saint-rank Martial Artist in Xia Country—that title belongs to me!”

...Yunxiao City, Yun Family

“So, all this was just to lure out that heavily injured Duke of Demons?”

Jiang Hao asked, his mouth twitching.

That Duke of Demons didn't seem to have a very high IQ.

But with this move, the Yun Family managed to latch onto the Xing Family's thigh!

A few years ago, spreading the rhythm that the Yun Family was going to break ties with Xia Country really tricked a lot of people!

The Demon Clan's last Saint Rank expert is gone.

The 'Sacred Beast Society', which was under strict investigation, wanted to reclaim their territory, but their high-level members were almost completely wiped out.

Even some Family Heads with ulterior motives were fished out in this wave.

The Gao Family is completely finished!

Jiang Hao silently lit an incense stick for the Gao Family Head, whom he had never met.

He was tricked to death!

“What else? Grandpa really wanted to advance to Saint Rank, and since he isn't from the Spellcasting School, the Small World wouldn't provide him much of a boost.”

“And the Xing Family also guaranteed to assist Grandpa in walking the Path of Ascension, increasing his chances of success, and ensuring that failure wouldn't result in death.”

“Of course, Grandpa and Old Li agreed!”

Jiang Hao still felt something was wrong:

“But the Small World belongs to our Yunxiao Prefecture, right! If it's Refined, what will happen to Battlefield No. 1?”

Yun Qianqian gave Jiang Hao an unexpected look, not expecting Jiang Hao, who was destined to become a Great Figure in the future, to care about this.

“Don't worry, the Xing Family has already promised to double the supply of low-rank Martial Dao Resources for all Martial Schools and high school Martial Dao classes in Yunxiao Prefecture in the future!”

“Including many mid-to-low rank Martial Skills, which students will be allowed to learn for free.”

“All expenses will be paid by the Xing Family.”

“Old Li mainly agreed to the Xing Family's plan because of this, as Grand Duke Soul Devourer's Origin could still be used for advancement.”

“Furthermore, Battlefield No. 1 just has fewer Otherworld Beasts, not none. We just need to arrange the time and number of openings properly.”

It seems the Xing Family gained a young Saint Rank expert this time, and Yunxiao Prefecture officially has a Saint Rank expert.

A win-win situation!

But speaking of which, is it appropriate for me, a Third Rank noob, to know so many inside secrets?

Jiang Hao hesitated to speak, but still didn't dare to ask.

Yun Qianqian took a sip of milk tea, looked at Yun Yichen, who looked utterly hopeless on the side, and suddenly realized:

“Oh dear! Chenchen, your biggest rival for the Prefecture Martial Exam Champion is Jiang Hao. Why don't you compete now to see the difference?”

“Sister Qianqian! My little body isn't even enough for Brother Jiang to punch once!”

Yun Yichen naturally called his Paternal Aunt 'Sister'.

Jiang Hao looked at Yun Yichen with disdain.

Coward!

Yun Yichen looked at this suddenly rising Prodigy and didn't feel uncomfortable about it.

After all, the so-called Prefecture Martial Exam Champion attracts too much attention!

This did not align with his usual steady and low-key personality.

It would be best if someone took his place!

He certainly didn't want to be targeted by those Seven Heroes of Xia Country.

As for Jiang Hao's disdainful look?

Joke's on him, I'm not that idiot sister who calls our Paternal Aunt 'Auntie' when she clearly cares about her age.

“Cough cough!”

Jiang Hao cleared his throat and looked at Yun Qianqian:

“Sister Qianqian, can we keep the matter of me 'repelling' the Thunderstorm Bear a secret?”

Yun Qianqian blinked, looked at Jiang Hao's 'shy' smile, and nodded:

“Don't worry! I will report it to Old Ye as appropriate.”