Gaze and you will become stronger: starting from Doupo

"Could he really be an ancient immortal..." The ancient woman with double pupils stared blankly at Jiang Han's retreating figure, her expression somewhat numb, muttering to herself. Her double pupils shimmered with a strange light, trying to see through the secrets within Jiang Han, but she could not discern even the slightest detail.

"Awooo—" Above the Stone Kingdom's palace, the Nine Nether Hound's soul was still struggling, constantly letting out unwilling roars at Jiang Han. The sound echoed in the void, sending chills down one's spine.

Jiang Han glanced at the Nine Nether Hound indifferently, then his gaze fell on the mysterious bone tower: "Let it serve as your nourishment."

"Such a highly nourishing substance, you...you're sure you want to give it to me?" The mysterious bone tower revolved around Jiang Han, even making a swallowing sound, its tone full of uncertain probing. It seemed unable to believe that Jiang Han would give it such a powerful being as nourishment.

"What? You don't want it?" Jiang Han smiled, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, of course! I will remember your great kindness, fellow Daoist, and will repay you when I have the chance!" Having confirmed it once more, the mysterious bone tower flew up above the Nine Nether Hound in a flash. Then, a gigantic maw filled with sharp teeth seemed to emerge from beneath the tower, its open mouth appearing as if capable of swallowing the heavens and earth. It began to devour the Nine Nether Hound's soul.

Ah—the Nine Nether Beast let out a painful scream, its cry filled with intense killing intent. But at this moment, it was extremely weak and had no power to resist. It could only watch helplessly as it was devoured bit by bit by the mysterious bone tower, unwillingly becoming nourishment for the other side.

"How ruthless!" Upon seeing this scene, the Black Gold Sparrow above the Medicine Capital couldn't help but mutter, its body trembling slightly, as if recalling the painful memory of being chased and devoured by the mysterious bone tower, and that feeling of fear surged into its heart again.

After successfully devouring the Nine Nether Hound, the mysterious bone tower emitted a hazy glow, its light gentle yet containing immense power. Then, it slowly floated down onto Little Dot's head, hovering quietly as if it had eaten and drunk its fill and fallen into a deep sleep.

"You little brats, how long do you plan to stay after coming down from the Upper Realm?" Suddenly, a voice filled with supreme majesty rang out from Jiang Han's mouth, its sound like a resounding bell, echoing in every corner of the Eight Realms. This voice seemed to contain the laws of heaven and earth, causing all who heard it to involuntarily feel awe.

The next moment, all the giants in the Eight Domains, including the five overlords above the Medicine Capital, seemed to be inexplicably drawn by an irresistible force, instantly being dragged away from their original positions and disappearing. They only felt a dizzying sensation before their eyes, and when they opened them again, they were already standing in front of Jiang Han. Looking at Jiang Han's unfathomable figure, everyone felt both uneasy and curious, wondering what arrangements this newly ascended invincible being would make next.

Above the Stone Kingdom's palace, thick, inky clouds churned under an invisible pressure. Jiang Han stood atop the high platform in the plaza, his black Daoist robe fluttering in the wind. He slowly raised his right hand, his knuckles shimmering with a starlight-like brilliance, as if he held the power of the entire universe in his grasp. This hand had once slain countless demons who dared to covet the lower realms, and had also lifted the hopes of cultivators from the Eight Regions from the brink of despair.

With a flick of his finger towards the void, space distorted like a shattered mirror. In an instant, the void within a hundred-foot radius of him began to tremble violently, the air emitting a sharp buzzing sound. Then, a rippled cage, a hundred feet in diameter, slowly emerged. Pale blue runes flowed across the cage's surface, emanating a mysterious and powerful aura, as if formed from ancient laws existing since the beginning of time. As the runes flickered, the sound of space tearing echoed continuously from the cage's edges, sending chills down one's spine.

Below, in the plaza, thousands of cultivators held their breath, gazing upwards. They wore various attire; some were disciples of sects, their robes embroidered with totems representing their respective lineages; others were cultivators from ancient kingdoms, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Among the crowd, the Stone Emperor wore a golden dragon robe, the Human Emperor was dressed in snow-white robes, and the nine-headed lion had transformed into human form, its nine heads swaying slightly, its eyes filled with vigilance and curiosity.

"These...these are the giants from the Upper Realm?!" A white-haired old man in the crowd trembled, his wrinkled face filled with fear and shock. In the past, the arrival of the giants from the Upper Realm was like a nightmare; wherever they went, life was ravaged, and countless sects and ancient kingdoms were destroyed under their pressure.

"The culprits behind the past calamities in the desolate region!" Another young cultivator gripped his sword tightly, his eyes burning with fury. Those painful memories were still deeply etched in the hearts of every cultivator from the Eight Domains.

"These giants seem to have only come to the lower realm to seek opportunities. Those giants who were reaping our benefits have already been killed by our seniors," a pretty female cultivator said softly, her tone tinged with relief.

The Stone Emperor, the Human Emperor, and the other Venerable Ones exchanged glances, their astonishment undisguised. They had fought against the giants of the Upper Realm before and knew their strength well. Yet now, seeing these giants trapped in cages like lambs to the slaughter, the shock in their hearts was unimaginable.

Jiang Han walked slowly to the cage, his gaze sharp as he swept over the people inside. His eyes were calm as still water, yet they seemed to contain endless vicissitudes and majesty. "In your eyes, the Eight Regions of the Lower Realm are a land of sin and blood, and the people of the Lower Realm are all sinners?" His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone, shaking their souls like a resounding bell.

Inside the cage, the Chaos True Man, clad in a grey robe with white hair cascading to his waist, frowned deeply. The Black Gold Sparrow's feathers shimmered with a metallic sheen, its eyes filled with resentment and confusion. They exchanged glances with the other giants, their eyes brimming with bewilderment. In their minds, the lower realm was an abandoned prison, and its inhabitants were inherently inferior—a concept deeply ingrained in them since birth.

"How much do you juniors know about what happened back then? How much do you know the truth of the matter?" Jiang Han narrowed his eyes slightly, as if lost in memories. "Given that you did not harm the cultivators of the Eight Domains, I will let you go. From now on, you are forbidden from setting foot in the Eight Domains again, or you will be killed without mercy!" His words were resolute and unquestionable, and an invisible pressure emanated from him, causing the giants in the cage to tremble involuntarily.

Chaos Master stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior, I hope you will enlighten me on what exactly happened back then?" His tone was respectful, but he could not hide the doubt in his heart.

Jiang Han stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky at a 45-degree angle. There, the clouds still churned, as if foreshadowing an impending storm. "I will soon be heading to the Upper Realm. You will all know then. Whether it's the Eight Domains of the Lower Realm or the Three Thousand Provinces, we are all one, sharing a common enemy." His voice was deep and resonant, like a call from ancient times. With that, he flicked his sleeve, and a dazzling light flashed. The Rippling Cage accelerated instantly, carrying the group of giants towards the portal in the sky. The portal shone brightly, like a new sun, exuding a mysterious aura. In a few breaths, the giants of the Upper Realm vanished into the portal, leaving only an empty sky.

Below, countless cultivators from the Eight Domains were stunned, and the entire plaza fell into a deathly silence. After a long while, someone was the first to react, shouting, "Those...those giants have all been sent back by Ancestor Hongjun!"

"The great calamity has vanished! Moreover, with Ancestor Hongjun in charge, these giants will probably never dare to descend from the Upper Realm again!" A cheer erupted from the crowd, growing louder and louder, like a surging wave that swept across the entire palace square.

"So, we won't have to go through such a calamity again! As we cultivate for more years, we'll also have the chance to glimpse the realms above the Venerable level!" The cultivators hugged each other excitedly, their eyes shining with hope.

"Savior! Ancestor Hongjun is the savior of our Eight Domains!" The shouts rose and fell, echoing through the sky and reaching the heavens.

Inside the palace, the Stone Emperor, the Human Emperor, and the other Venerables exchanged glances before simultaneously kneeling before Jiang Han. Their eyes were filled with sincerity and gratitude. "Senior, thank you for saving our lives!"

Jiang Han stepped forward slowly, raised his hand, and gently lifted the group of Venerables. "You all have a long road ahead of you." His words carried a hint of expectation, as if he could see the future rise of the cultivators from the Eight Domains.

After a slight hesitation, Shi Huang finally mustered up the courage to ask, "Senior, what realm lies above the Venerable?" His eyes were filled with longing; the pursuit of a higher realm was the eternal dream in the heart of every cultivator.

Jiang Hanpiao sat on an ancient chair crafted from thousand-year-old wood, exuding a faint fragrance. His gaze swept over the assembled Venerables, and he slowly spoke, “You have now entered the Venerable Realm, making you top cultivators in these Eight Domains. Reaching this realm means you have transcended the mortal world and have the potential to become gods. The next realm is the initial ignition of divine fire, transcending mortals and planting a Dao seed within your body—the Divine Fire Realm.” His voice was unhurried, each word seemingly containing profound truths of the Dao.

"After the Divine Fire Realm comes the True One Realm, where the divine fire is fully ignited, and death only occurs when the divine fire is extinguished. Next is the Heavenly God Realm, where limbs regenerate, and a single drop of blood can collapse mountains. Then comes the Void Dao Realm, where one merges with the Dao and can comprehend the profound principles of heaven and earth. The weakest of those upper-realm giants you saw earlier is at this level." Jiang Han picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and the fragrance of the tea spread in his mouth, making his thoughts clearer.

"Next is the Realm of Self-Severance, also known as the Realm of Enlightenment. It involves severing one's own body to comprehend one's own Dao and Dharma. Most of the giants in the Upper Realm remain at this level. As for the next level, it is the Realm of Escape from Oneness. The Immortal Venerable and the few people who were vying for the first spiritual root above the Medicine Capital that you saw earlier are at this level. They are the overlords among the giants. Finally, there is the Supreme Realm, standing at the pinnacle of humanity. The mere release of its aura can intimidate all living beings, and one can easily live for millions of years."

The Venerables listened intently, and Venerables such as the Stone Emperor and the Fire Emperor exclaimed, "It turns out we haven't even finished half of the path of cultivation!" Their eyes held both anticipation for the future and a sense of urgency about their own insufficient strength.

The nine-headed lion asked, "Senior, shouldn't the Supreme Being be the end of cultivation? Also, are you the peak Supreme Being?" Its eyes held a hint of curiosity and awe.

Jiang Han smiled mysteriously and said, "The Supreme Realm is merely the pinnacle of the Human Realm. Above that lies the Immortal Realm, which is even more distant from yourselves. As for my own realm, you will have the opportunity to find out." His words carried a hint of unfathomable mystery, making the assembled Venerables even more curious about his true strength.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The universe was vast and chaotic, and the eight lower realms gradually returned to peace. Within the various sects, disciples gathered, passionately discussing Jiang Han's heroic deeds; in blessed lands, elders analyzed the changing situation; in the taverns of the streets, cultivators raised their cups and chatted, all revolving around this great battle. Some forces and ancient kingdoms even erected new stone statues of Jiang Han, sculpted with remarkable realism. The statues depicted Jiang Han clad in Daoist robes, his gaze resolute, as if ready to protect the eight realms at any moment.

At this moment, the Martial King's Mansion was quiet and peaceful. Jiang Han lay on an exquisite sandalwood chair, its surface carved with intricate patterns and exuding a faint sandalwood fragrance. He gazed at the prestige value panel before him, visible only to him, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. As time passed, his prestige value steadily increased, signifying his rising status among the cultivators of the Eight Domains.

Before him, a massive medicine cauldron radiated a dazzling light. Its surface was covered with ancient runes, which flickered as if a mysterious power flowed within them. The little boy sat cross-legged inside, his eyes closed, his expression focused. The cauldron's liquid shimmered, with precious herbs floating around it. Black dog-leaf vines writhed, seemingly alive; radiant star grass emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire cauldron; golden ginseng exuded a rich, invigorating fragrance; and fiery spirit flowers leaped in the liquid, their flames sometimes large, sometimes small, like playful sprites.

These spiritual plants are all rare treasures, enough to leave even the giants of the upper realm speechless. This is because many of these plants are coveted even by themselves, each containing powerful medicinal properties that greatly aid a cultivator's progress.

Inside the medicine cauldron, besides various precious medicines, there were also some minerals and medicinal insects. A red centipede as long as an arm swam in the liquid, its venomous stingers gleaming with an eerie light; a silver pangolin the size of a palm had incredibly hard scales, carving ripples in the liquid; and a golden scorpion waved its pincers, as if guarding something.

Of course, the most precious item was a divine insect, entirely silver-white with a Qilin pattern on its surface, possessing astonishing medicinal properties. This was the king of the Black Scale Insect Clan that Jiang Han had captured for Little Dot. (End of Chapter)