Chapter 942: The Seven Realms of Divine Xuan
Yun Che's desire to see Mo Li was incredibly intense, but in contrast, his knowledge of the God Realm was nearly nonexistent. Long ago, after learning of the God Realm's existence, he had vaguely sketched its outline in his mind, always assuming it was a unified world like Lan Ji Star, only several dozen or even a hundred times larger.
But after hearing Mu Bingyun's description, he realized it wasn't a matter of being a few times larger—whether in terms of its sheer vastness or the level of profound force, the difference was like that between the vast ocean and a speck of dust.
In his state of "near ignorance," he had promised Xiao Yaohou and the others that he would return within five years.
On Lan Ji Star, five years wasn't long, but for a parting, it was still a considerable stretch of time.
Yet in the God Realm, which was terrifyingly vast and unimaginably high in level, five years might be nothing more than a fleeting moment. Let alone seeing Mo Li or accomplishing anything—he probably couldn't even leave Yin Xue Realm on his own power.
And the method Mu Bingyun proposed was, to him, undoubtedly a bright light appearing amidst deep confusion.
"Alright..." Yun Che nodded deeply without much thought, his heart and eyes filled with profound gratitude. Mu Bingyun genuinely wanted to help him. Although her words were few and light, in order to assist him, she had taken the initiative to ask for help from the Great Realm King of Yin Xue Realm... Yun Che had never been to the God Realm, but he could imagine that a figure like a Great Realm King was a supreme existence even in the star realms of the God Realm. Yet for the sake of a small person from a "lower realm," she was willing to seek the Great Realm King's aid.
"Fairy Mu, regardless of the outcome, I will remember this kindness." Yun Che said earnestly.
Mu Bingyun shook her head, however. "You saved my life, so helping you is only natural. This is also the only method I can think of. But don't get your hopes up too high... I had previously considered many reasons why you insisted on going to the God Realm, but I never expected it to be something so astonishing. I don't want to pour cold water on you, but this matter... not to mention you, an outsider from a lower realm, even the Great Realm King of our Yin Xue Realm feels..."
She seemed to find it cruel to say more and didn't continue.
Moreover, Yun Che was not from the God Realm, and mere words from her could never truly make him understand what kind of existence the Tiansha Xingshen of the Xing Shen Realm was in the God Realm.
"I know." Yun Che didn't become gloomy again because of her words. "But at least let me try. Otherwise, I will never be at peace in this life."
"With your talent and cultivation, although it's impossible for you to enter the Ice Phoenix Palace or Cold Snow Hall, you are enough to enter the Falling Snow Palace. However, compared to your status on this continent, you will have to endure some grievances there." Mu Bingyun said. "But I believe that with your talent, your progress in Yin Xue Realm will be extraordinary. Entering the Ice Phoenix Palace is only a matter of time."
"Ice Phoenix Palace... Cold Snow Hall... Falling Snow Palace..." Yun Che murmured. "Do these represent three different levels within your Bing Huang God Sect?"
"You could say that." Mu Bingyun said softly. "The Bing Huang God Sect is the core sect of Yin Xue Realm, and its chief sect master is the Great Realm King. But the Bing Huang God Sect is far from easy for ordinary profound practitioners to join. To enter Cold Snow Hall is to become a formal disciple of the Bing Huang God Sect. Once one's profound force steps into the Divine Path and reaches the Divine Origin Realm, they can enter Cold Snow Hall. Cold Snow Hall has a total of one hundred and eight halls, each with twenty thousand disciples. Above Cold Snow Hall are the thirty-six Ice Phoenix Palaces. Each palace has an elder as its palace master. To enter the Ice Phoenix Palace, one's profound force must reach the Divine Soul Realm, or if they possess exceptional talent and reach the Divine Origin Realm before the age of twenty, they can enter the Ice Phoenix Palace, becoming an elite disciple of the Bing Huang God Sect. Above the Ice Phoenix Palace is the Ice Phoenix Temple, a place for nurturing core disciples."
"As for Falling Snow Palace, it is for half-formal disciples whose profound force has reached the Sovereign Xuan Realm but have not yet stepped into the Divine Path. Although the disciples of Falling Snow Palace can enjoy corresponding resources, they only spend half their time training; the other half is spent on labor... or rather, entering Falling Snow Palace means being half disciple, half servant."
Mu Bingyun's voice was calm, but carried a hint of apology and helplessness. Because with Yun Che's level of profound force, Falling Snow Palace was the only place he could enter. In Yin Xue Realm, this was only natural, but for a continental overlord from a lower realm like Yun Che, it was undoubtedly an immense drop that was extremely hard to accept.
Yun Che was indeed stunned. Although he knew the God Realm was extremely powerful... the Sovereign Xuan Realm, which symbolized the pinnacle of existence in this world, in Yin Xue Realm... didn't even qualify to be a formal disciple of the Bing Huang God Sect!?
It only qualified one to be a half-formal disciple and... a servant!!
This huge disparity, like heaven and earth, made Yun Che feel an indescribable discomfort in his heart, but he quickly asked, "Divine Origin Realm... Divine Soul Realm? What kind of realms are those?"
"Oh?" Mu Bingyun showed slight surprise. "So it seems you don't know the realms above Sovereign Xuan?"
Yun Che nodded. "In our world, Sovereign Xuan is the peak. Although there are legends about the Divine Xuan Realm, it seems no one has ever reached it. As for the Divine Origin Realm and Divine Soul Realm you mentioned, this is the first time I've heard of them."
"I see." Mu Bingyun nodded slightly. "Given the elements and laws of this world, escaping the mortal and entering the Divine is indeed as difficult as ascending to heaven. Many lower realms are like this. After all, under the restrictions of elements and laws, the barrier between mortal and divine cannot be crossed by effort, comprehension, or talent alone."
"Initial Xuan Realm, Xuan Entry Realm, True Xuan Realm, Spirit Xuan Realm, Earth Xuan Realm, Heavenly Xuan Realm, King Xuan Realm, Overlord Xuan Realm, Sovereign Xuan Realm—these are the nine profound realms you are familiar with, known as the 'Nine Mortal Body Realms.' Although they are nine different realms, they can also be seen as one major realm. Stepping out of this major realm leads to an entirely different major realm—that is, the 'Divine Xuan Realm' you are aware of."
Yun Che listened attentively. Mo Li had also said something similar to him before. She said that the Divine Xuan Realm was a divine path realm beyond his cognition. The difference between Sovereign Xuan and Divine Xuan was far greater than he imagined. If the Initial Xuan Realm to Sovereign Xuan Realm were considered one major realm, then the Divine Xuan Realm was another major realm—the difference between them being like heaven and earth.
"The Divine Xuan Realm is the name of a major realm. Profound practitioners who step into this realm have formally transcended mortals and entered the Divine Path. Compared to the 'Nine Mortal Body Realms,' the Divine Xuan Realm is divided into seven major realms, known as the [Seven Realms of Divine Xuan]."
"Seven Realms... of Divine Xuan..." Yun Che unconsciously murmured. This was another name he was hearing for the first time.
"Aside from the particularly special third realm, the Seven Realms of Divine Xuan are like the Nine Mortal Body Realms, each divided into ten minor levels."
"The first realm is the Divine Origin Realm, where vital energy transforms into divine energy. This realm is the first step into the Divine Path. After entering the Divine Origin Realm, your life's vital energy will undergo a qualitative change. The first divine profound energy will reforge your body, freeing you from the mortal womb, granting you a longer lifespan, more tenacious vitality, and an indestructible physique."
"The second realm is the Divine Soul Realm, where the soul transforms into divine soul. This realm is the metamorphosis of a profound practitioner's soul. Upon achieving the Divine Soul Realm, the soul transcends the ordinary, granting stronger will and spiritual power, and a far superior understanding of profound arts and laws."
"The third realm is relatively special, called the Divine Tribulation Realm. This realm only involves growth in profound energy, without other transformations. But this 'Tribulation' character is the nightmare of countless profound practitioners."
"Divine Tribulation? What does that mean? Is it dangerous to break through to this realm?" Yun Che asked doubtfully.
"Mortals cultivating the divine must face heavenly punishment." Mu Bingyun closed her eyes. "Once a cultivator reaches the ninth level of the Divine Tribulation Realm and forcibly tries to break through to the next realm, they will immediately trigger heavenly punishment—the Divine Tribulation Thunder!"
Yun Che: "...!?"
"The Divine Tribulation Thunder is terrifyingly powerful. If one can withstand it without dying, they can successfully break through. If they cannot, the result is either complete crippling or death. Moreover, different profound practitioners face different Divine Tribulation Thunders. The lower the talent, the weaker the Divine Tribulation Thunder they endure, with only a single thunder tribulation. More than nine out of ten cultivators attempting to break through the Divine Tribulation Realm only face a single thunder tribulation. Yet even so, nearly sixty percent of them die under the thunder."
"The higher the talent, the stronger the thunder tribulation they face! Those who are profound cultivation geniuses often have to endure two thunder tribulations, while super geniuses may have to endure three. Beyond that, it is extremely rare. Those who attract four thunder tribulations are unprecedented geniuses who appear only once in nearly a hundred years across the entire God Domain."
Speaking of this, Mu Bingyun sighed. "This corresponds to the saying 'Heaven envies talent.' The stronger one's talent, the more immeasurable their future cultivation in the Divine Path, and the more they suffer heaven's punishment. After all, humans are humans, gods are gods. For mortals to forcibly cultivate the divine is itself an act of defying heaven."
"Four thunder tribulations... meaning enduring four Divine Tribulation Thunders?" Yun Che asked in surprise.
"No," Mu Bingyun shook her head. "It means four layers. And each layer of thunder tribulation is different."
"The first thunder tribulation is a single tribulation lightning; the second thunder tribulation is two tribulation lightnings; the third thunder tribulation requires enduring four tribulation lightnings simultaneously; and by the fourth thunder tribulation, one must endure eight tribulation lightnings simultaneously! That makes a total of twenty tribulation lightnings. Moreover, the intervals between these four thunder tribulations are extremely short. There is almost no chance to rest, let alone catch one's breath."
"So... that's how it is!?" Yun Che's heart shook violently.
Mu Bingyun had just said that a single thunder tribulation alone caused sixty percent of cultivators to die when breaking through. It was easy to imagine how terrifyingly powerful a single tribulation lightning was.
And four thunder tribulations... that was a total of twenty tribulation lightnings! The last layer required enduring eight at once.
Enduring eight at once was a completely different concept from enduring one at a time eight times.
"Then... in the God Realm, are there people who have managed to endure four thunder tribulations?" Yun Che asked.
"Of course there are." Mu Bingyun answered without hesitation. "In the vast God Domain, with forty thousand star realms and countless billions of profound practitioners, extraordinary talents are born from time to time. In the history of the God Domain, there have been many who successfully endured three or even four thunder tribulations. They ultimately achieved great success, becoming the venerable sovereign of a region or the king of a realm."
"My older sister, now the Great Realm King of Yin Xue Realm, once endured four thunder tribulations back then."
"..." Yun Che's mouth unconsciously fell open. No wonder... No wonder the realm king of a middle-level star realm possessed strength not inferior to that of an upper-level realm king.
"And in the history of the God Realm, there was once a person who attracted six thunder tribulations."
"Six... six?" Yun Che exclaimed.
Each additional thunder tribulation doubled the number of tribulation lightnings. The fourth layer was eight, the fifth layer was sixteen, and the sixth layer... was a full thirty-two tribulation calamities.
Just how heaven-defying did this person's talent have to be to attract such a thunder tribulation!
"That person was born in an upper-level star realm. On the day he faced the Divine Tribulation Thunder, it shook the entire God Realm... However, he could not withstand it and ultimately perished. But when the fifth thunder tribulation ended, although he was barely breathing, he was still alive. That alone was enough to be recorded in the annals of the God Realm. But unfortunately... thirty-two tribulation lightnings at once, with the body and profound force of the Divine Tribulation Realm, not to mention he was already at death's door—even if he had been completely unharmed, there was no possibility of surviving."
Yun Che: "..."
Mu Bingyun let out a low sigh. "Over the years, countless geniuses have been turned to ashes under the Divine Tribulation Thunder. Hence, the Divine Tribulation Realm has another name: the 'Divine Fall Realm.'"
Meaning the realm of the fall of cultivators.
"To break through the Divine Tribulation Realm, one must face the Divine Tribulation Thunder. And the fear of death is a human instinct. Therefore, many cultivators choose to remain permanently at the peak of the Divine Tribulation Realm. This includes many profound cultivation geniuses... After all, the greater the genius, the more likely they are to perish under the Divine Tribulation Thunder."
"Thus, after the Divine Tribulation Realm, the number of cultivators decreases sharply."
"However, there are exceptions, namely the various King Realms." Mu Bingyun added. "The reason King Realms are powerful is because most of them have special inheritance methods that are so powerful they can be called heaven-defying. As long as there is 'compatibility,' one can instantly possess divine power that ordinary cultivators would never dare to dream of in a lifetime, while also directly bypassing the thunder tribulation. But these exceptions are limited to these King Realms, and even within them, the number of people who can accept such special inheritance is extremely small. Outside the King Realms, any cultivator trying to break through the Divine Tribulation Realm cannot avoid the Divine Tribulation Thunder."
Yun Che: "..." (Mo Li...)
"After successfully enduring the Divine Tribulation Thunder and breaking through the Divine Tribulation Realm, one enters the fourth realm of Divine Xuan—the Divine Spirit Realm! This realm is the metamorphosis of spiritual perception. After achieving the Divine Spirit Realm, the world one perceives becomes entirely different. The perception of aura, elements, and laws all undergo earth-shattering changes. Many profound arts that were impossible to comprehend or cultivate can often be easily broken through at this realm."
"After completing the transformation of vital energy into divine energy, soul into divine soul, and spiritual perception into divine spirit, one has completely left the mortal realm. After the Divine Spirit Realm comes a realm that is at the upper level even within the entire God Realm—the Divine King Realm! Achieving Divine King allows one to establish a sect and become a founding master. In most lower-level star realms, one can even become a realm king!"
"Above the Divine King Realm is the Divine Sovereign Realm. Achieving Divine Sovereign makes one a sovereign-like existence among the many cultivators of the God Realm, capable of roaming the starry sky and looking down upon the world. Even in middle-level star realms, one can become a realm king."
"Above the Divine Sovereign Realm is the Divine Lord Realm! Divine Lord means the overlord of the Divine Path—the highest level in the God Realm and the highest plane currently in the entire Chaos Space. It is the closest state to a True God that humans can achieve. At the Divine Lord Realm, one is almost omnipotent in the world. And every Divine Lord is a terrifying existence that must never be provoked."
Looking at Yun Che, who was dumbstruck, Mu Bingyun said with a complex gaze, "The Tiansha Xingshen you wish to see is at such a supreme realm. The twelve Star Gods of Xing Shen Realm are all Divine Lords. Any one of them is a figure that even the Great Realm Kings of upper-level star realms dare not provoke."
"Saying this might help you understand more clearly just how difficult it is to meet her."
Yun Che closed his eyes and murmured, "Divine Origin Realm, Divine Soul Realm, Divine Tribulation Realm, Divine Spirit Realm, Divine King Realm, Divine Sovereign Realm, Divine Lord Realm... The Seven Realms of Divine Xuan."
"Is there anything above the Divine Lord Realm? Could there be even higher realms?" Yun Che asked casually.
Yun Che was truly just asking out of instinctive curiosity, without expecting an answer, because Mu Bingyun had clearly stated that the Divine Lord Realm was already the highest level in the God Realm and the ultimate realm humans could achieve.
But Mu Bingyun in his line of sight did not shake her head immediately. Instead, she hesitated for a long time and, after two attempts to speak, finally shook her head and said, "Even if there is, it is merely an illusory legend. You don't need to know things that are fundamentally unnecessary to know."
"Master! May I come in?"
From outside the Condensed Snow Hall, the respectful voice of Mu Xiaolan suddenly called out.