The Demon race did not tell Ao Shen of the world's shocking news as the latter was already deep in his Heaven Path Tribulation. They did not want to risk affecting his state of mind.
Similarly, someone else did not know this news–Jingwu Hua. She was healing her wounds in a secret location since she no longer trusted her Clan after they tried taking her father's bone from her.
Central Continent, in a small sect with Void Shattering Realm as the most powerful cultivator:
Mo Xingyun, who killed this sect's ancestor and impersonated her, watched the battle with the upper echelons. After seeing Di Tian and Wang Wei's strength, she was shocked but did not lose control because of one of the Heaven-Devouring Emperor's memories.
'There were rumors that someone was trying to go beyond the Nine Extremity Foundation. Could those two have succeeded?'
Her old eyes–created by disguising as an old woman–shone brilliantly before dimming.
'My situation is not ideal. So, why do I need to care about them?'
After escaping the clutch of the Heaven-Devouring Emperor, she did not dare return to the Mo Clan. After all, she knew the old geezers from her family knew about her Body Possession and did nothing. On the contrary, they encouraged it.
And if she returns to the family, there is a chance something similar will happen, or someone might try to kill her to prevent her revenge after becoming powerful.
With these facts in mind, Mo Xingyun chose to hide her identity while planning ahead and controlling the power the Heaven-Devouring Emperor left for her body.
'I must prove the Dao, and with my current strength, as long as I wash away my karma and wake up in the right generation, it should not be a problem,' analyzed Mo Xingyun. 'But I want more.'
Her eyes showed immense greed and desire, "I want the power they have." She gazed longingly at the formation screen before her before shaking her head.
'No, that may not be possible,' she thought. Even with her ancestor's memories, she did not know how these two achieved such a feat.
'Regardless, I can settle with Nine Extremity, and if I succeed, I can look into what they did.'
Mo Xingyun did not hesitate to abandon everything and prepare for reincarnation. As a devil cultivator, she values power and strength above everything else. So, after seeing a clear path, she has to walk it.
'If I want to walk that path, there are a few things I need to prepare for in this first life. The first of which is washing away my Karmic Sins.'
Mo Xingyun knew her greatest obstacle to succeeding in the Nine Extremity Foundation might be Heavenly Dao. She would suffer if the latter intervened in her reincarnation due to her status as a devil cultivator.
'The final winner will take some time during their transition. It would be best to finish everything before and reincarnate: I don't want to deal with any of them.'
Mo Xingyun knew she owed Wang Wei karma and could not go back on her debt. However, if she ran into reincarnation, she could delay when to repay it.
As for Di Tian? She feared the latter would clean up the Western Continent as his way to repay the karma he owes the Di Clan. So, no matter who won, it might not be good news for her.
After making a decision, she left and began to act.
Sword Casting Villa:
·ƈθm Jian Wushuang looked at the screen, unable to describe his emotions.
"Are you alright?" asked his master, Jian Yi.
He shook his head, "I feel like a failure."
"Huang'er…"
"You don't have to worry," said Jian Wushuang, his gaze still focused. "This may not be a bad thing."
"Oh?"
"Such legends appeared in my generation, while I did not even reach the endgame battle. So, I do feel like a failure."
He sighed as he remembered all his time in that catacomb-like state.
"However, it is not too late."
A sharp aura suddenly emanated from his body, like he was a peerless sword that had rusted for many years but was finally out of its sheath.
"I can't say anything for these two monsters, but I won't lose to anyone else in this generation."
"It's good that you have confidence."
"How are things proceeding?" asked Jian Wushuang, his voice containing a sense of urgency.
"We are still looking for something up to your standard. However, our school never had any profound body cultivation technique, let alone an Emperor Tier one."
The Sword Casting Villa was a sect of pure Swordsman for numerous years, making things like body refining techniques very rare. So, when Jian Wushuang wanted to create a technique for himself, he wanted another profound technique as the foundation.
Sadly, all the techniques he saw in the sect were not to his liking.
"You don't need to worry," said Jian Yi. "If we don't find anything, I will talk to the Body Dao Cave or the Demon God Sword Sect. Whatever price is needed to get a decent technique from them, we will pay it."
"That's good," nodded Jian Wushuang. "The new Sword Path is my only way to break the boundary between Mortal and Immortal and catch up to the people of my generation."
Jian Yi nodded with satisfaction after seeing his apprentice like this. After Wang Tian's Sword Path woke him from his coma, he fixed his Dao Heart and sublimated it.
'Life is truly wonderful. I spent my entire life feeling inferior to Wang Tian. But in the end, he is the one who saved my apprentice.'
Body Dao Cave:
After losing and being used as a pawn, Yin Gen left the battlefield, slightly dejected. But regardless, he quickly cheered himself up, looking forward to the future.
However, after seeing Wang Wei and Di Tian's display of strength, he did not say a word, worrying the upper echelons of the Body Dao Cave. After all, although Yin Gen lost, he was still an unparalleled genius who broke the boundary between Mortal and Immortal. He was only unlucky to be born in the same generation as these monsters.
So, the sect did not want his Dao Heart to collapse.
"Is it true the founder had the strength of an Eternal Emperor while still being a mortal?" asked Yin Gen.
"Well, technically, that's true," replied this generation Cave Master, a young man with black hair and red eyes.
"What do you mean, technically?"
"The founder walked the True Power Dao Realm. So, after absorbing the Heaven Will, his strength reached the same level as an Eternal Emperor, but his lifespan was only a few Yuan Epoch."
"So, he was a mortal?"
"He was a Pseudo Immortal."
"What does that mean?"
"He had the essence and strength of an Immortal but not the lifespan."
"How is it different from those two?"
"They only have the strength, but not the essence or life span."
"Why was the ancestor like that?"
"It's basically a test and a reward."
"Can you be more specific?"
"According to records left by the Ancestors, there should have been three gates in the True Power Dao Realm, but something happened to the first one. However, for pure body refiners like himself, who used the Heaven Will to increase their realm, they have to pass a test:
"Open the Gate of Power in the short lifespan granted to them."
"And what was the reward?"
"The Heaven Will will essentially bless them, making body refining easier, faster, and using fewer resources compared to people who double cultivate."
Yin Gen was quiet, lost in his thoughts.
"I know what you're thinking," continued the Cave Master. "You wish to know whether you can use body refining to reach the same height as these two?"
"Yes. What do you think?"
"It's impossible."
"Why not? When it comes to body refining talent and Willpower, I won't lose to any of them."
"True, but I said it's impossible because of resources," replied the Cave Master. "Without the blessing of the Heaven Will, body refining will be extremely difficult and slow.
"And for you to have such an achievement, you would need the resources of the entire Myriad Emperor World."
One sect cannot provide all those resources. And maybe the Body Dao Cave has enough to raise Yin Gen to such a level, but it cannot do such a thing as this would affect everybody–including the Ancestors.
"I understand, but I'm just a little unwilling," nodded Yin Gen.
"Your talent is one in a few generations," reassured the Cave Master. "Unfortunately, you have an entangled fate with the Dao Opening Sect and the Wang Clan. As long as you bypass or overcome this fate, you will soar."
"Entangled fate, huh?" muttered Yin Gen as he looked at his hands. He gripped them tightly as determination flashed in his eyes.
"Since I'm breathing, it means there is still hope. Wang Chang, I know you probably don't even remember who I am. But it doesn't matter.
"One day, I will reach the same height as you and stand before you. Then, we will have our rematch."
