Chapter 1315: Cracks In The Stone Bead

The Three Thousand Dao Realm.

Each of Fang Chen's Dao avatars condensed before him.

Fang Chen had two main goals in entering the Three Thousand Dao Realm this time: Fang Tianzun would refine the Great Yin Divine Lightning and the Primordial Origin Qi, while Fang Xuanyang would consume the third medicine of the Four Stage Profound Yang Body.

This would not be done in a short period of time, so the others could use the time to cultivate as well. The top-grade spirit stones Fang Chen had exchanged from Xu Guangyuan earlier were enough to sustain them for a long while.

In no time, ten incarnations had already condensed. But when the eleventh incarnation, Fang Renjian, began his condensation, creaking sounds echoed through the vast void of the Three Thousand Dao Realm, as if straining under immense pressure. Faint sounds of shattering drifted through.

"This place cannot withstand the aura of a Loose Immortal?" Fang Chen muttered in surprise.

He could not be sure whether the Three Thousand Dao Realm could not bear the aura of a Loose Immortal in general, or specifically Fang Renjian's aura.

Seeing such abnormalities, Fang Chen did not force the condensation.

Fang Tianzun began refining the Great Yin Divine Lightning, while Fang Xuanyang prepared and consumed the medicine, condensing the third layer of the Four Stage Profound Yang Body.

A hundred years later, Fang Bahuang and the others broke through to the Dao Union Realm one after another.

The breakthrough of each avatar fed back into Fang Chen, elevating his own cultivation.

Like a river flowing into the sea, his cultivation rose from the early Dao Union Realm to the mid-stage of the Dao Union Realm.

Where cultivation usually grew harder the further one advanced, Fang Chen was the opposite. His foundation had been built up to an unimaginable level. At such a height, further advancement was inevitable, calculated, and under his control.

Another hundred years passed.

Fang Tianzun successfully refined the Great Yin Divine Lightning, his cultivation soaring to the Ascension Realm.

The feedback from it alone pushed Fang Chen's cultivation directly into the late stage of the Dao Union Realm.

From merging with the Forgotten River and stepping into early Dao Union to now late Dao Union, his spiritual power had increased beyond measure. Even ignoring all his trump cards, he was now a hundred times as strong as he was at the peak of the Fusion Realm.

Ever since Fang Bahuang and the others entered the Dao Union Realm, even without bottlenecks or heavenly tribulations, their cultivation speed had flagged somewhat.

Top-grade spirit stones had lost most of their value to them. They were only about ten percent as effective as before.

Even after a hundred years, they were still consolidating their cultivation at the start of the Dao Union Realm.

Nevertheless, the improvement in their cultivation brought their power even closer to their true essence. For ordinary cultivators, advancing one minor realm might increase their combat strength anywhere between one to ten times. But for Fang Bahuang and the others, every increase far exceeded that.

In other words, each of Fang Chen's avatars was a monstrous existence. They could take on ten people at once, and even slaying foes across realms wasn't anything difficult—especially Fang Wushi and Fang Yanguang, whose powers stemmed from eye techniques.

Their growth far surpassed Fang Bahuang's group.

Fang Wushi was like a living ancient array. Wherever she stood became a formation, with herself as its core.

The formation changed at her will.

Fang Yanguang, on the other hand, had fused with the world's spiritual energy. He was spirit, and spirit was him. It mirrored Fang Chen's relationship with the Forgotten River.

All the world's spiritual energy seemed to have become the foundation for Fang Yanguang's Dao Union.

In this respect, even Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang could not compare. Only Fang Renjian faintly surpassed them both.

Among the others, only Fang Bahuang came close. He looked like a middle-aged swordsman. His cultivation carried no strange visions, just the steady, reliable steps of a careful cultivator. He was like an elder brother one could depend on.

Yet the sword in his hand, beneath its ordinary appearance, contained the purest breath of destruction.

Over the years, Fang Chen himself had not cultivated. What he did was observe each avatar's cultivation process.

For him, this too was cultivation. The deeper his understanding of the essence of his strength, the stronger the force he could unleash. Every bit of comprehension meant another increment in combat strength. It was no longer tied to his realm advancement.

***

Years flowed on.

Time itself no longer weighed on Fang Chen. In the Forgotten River, he had endured far more than mere centuries.

Unknowingly, Fang Tianzun had reached the final step of refining Primordial Origin Qi, and Fang Xuanyang's third body had been forged.

He used to be ten feet tall before, but now he stood at a terrifying one hundred feet. Fang Tianzun and the others—even Fang Chen himself—looked utterly insignificant beside him.

Their auras were nearly at the peak of the Ascension Realm. Once finished, both would easily become First Rate Sect Leaders.

Their improvements over the years—combined with Fang Bahuang and the others reaching the mid-stage of the Dao Union Realm—propelled Fang Chen's cultivation from late stage of the Dao Union Realm to the grand completion stage.

Now, his cultivation could rise no higher. Only by passing through the nine tribulations of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations could he step into the Tribulation Realm.

Suddenly, the void rumbled. Cracking sounds like breaking glass resounded, and fissures spread visibly in all directions.

A grave light flashed in Fang Chen's eyes. "This place truly cannot support Loose Immortals."

The ten-year cycle had not yet ended. He could not leave early.

Would he have to watch helplessly as the Dao Realm was torn apart by two avatars about to step into the Loose Immortal realm?

As the thought rose, the scene shifted. In a blink, he was back on the spot he had used to enter the Nanqing Constellation.

Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang were still advancing.

Fang Bahuang and the others still sat cross-legged around them.

The physical body that the old flood dragon left behind during his passage through the Underworld lay nearby, protected by layers of restrictions.

Du Yunxu, whom Fang Chen had left to guard this place, walked over with a confused expression.

"Lord, what is happening...?"

"It's fine. The two of them are ascending to become first-transformation Loose Immortals," Fang Chen answered casually.

Then a thought stirred. When Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang ascended, would they truly count as Loose Immortals?

Their very existence was extraordinary. Perhaps the term 'Loose Immortal' did not fit them.

"Go inform the old flood dragon. Let him return. Ascending as a Loose Immortal in the Mortal Realm will inevitably stir commotion and attract unwanted attention," Fang Chen said.

Du Yunxu nodded and vanished into thick white mist.

With a thought, Fang Chen summoned a youth to his side.

"If anyone approaches with ill intent, turn them back to mortals," Fang Chen instructed.

Fang Renjian nodded lightly.

Fang Chen brushed a hand across his brow. The stone bead fused with him appeared in his palm.

Now, it was covered in cracks, clearly the result of Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang's ascension earlier.

It was the strain that had forced the bead to eject them.

"The Three Thousand Dao Realm can only sustain cultivators up to Loose Immortals. Beyond that, it can no longer be used..." Fang Chen mused.

It seemed time to find its next inheritor. But the prerequisite to wield it was to gain recognition from all three divine beasts, the Azure Lightning God Beast, Twilight Solar God Beast, and Yin Lunar God Beast.