I and countless versions of myself simultaneously travel through time.

Luoyun Sect, Council Hall.

Song Yu sat in the side hall, holding a cup of spiritual tea in her hands. The tea was emerald green and steamed, but she had no heart to drink it. She just mechanically blew on the foam, her gaze wandering between the clouds outside the window. Ye Yan pinched her chubby face, making it grow a little bigger and even cuter.

The invasion of the demonic path has lasted for nearly a century, and the situation in Tiannan is no longer as peaceful as it once was. Furthermore, the knowledgeable fellow Daoist Han whom Ye Yan had met is now studying abroad.

After the last great war between the seven factions, the righteous path, the demonic path, and the Heavenly Alliance stood in a three-way balance of power, seemingly at peace, but in reality, turbulent undercurrents were brewing.

No one knows when the next great war will break out, let alone whether the Luoyun Sect can stand firm in that storm.

She was worried not only about the sect, but also about her Daoist partner, Ye Yan, who had been in seclusion for several days.

Ye Yan just turned 100 years old this year, which is considered young in the cultivation world.

Ye Yan's breakthrough to the Core Formation stage at the age of 100 has impressed everyone. Those who went into dungeons with him either suffered a complete wipeout or he went in alone. Some even thought he was deliberately cunning, even more so than the Demonic Path. After some people went into dungeons with him, they realized that it was all by chance that Ye Yan broke through to the Core Formation stage.

A 100-year-old Core Formation cultivator is something to be proud of in any sect in Tiannan, but Song Yu knew in her heart how difficult Ye Yan's journey had been.

He possesses all five spiritual roots, a notorious waste of spiritual roots in the cultivation world. He is proficient in all five elements but mediocre in all others.

If a cultivator with a single spiritual root cultivates for one year, it would take him at least five years of arduous training to catch up.

Foundation Building and Core Formation—each step was like climbing a mountain of knives. Others relied on talent, but he could only rely on his life to fight.

How bad are the five spiritual roots in the human realm?

So bad that any sect would shake their head at the sight of someone with five spiritual roots, they wouldn't even bother with a test.

The five elements of spiritual energy are mutually restraining, making the absorption of spiritual energy as slow as a tortoise's pace, and breaking through the bottleneck is dozens of times more difficult than with a single spiritual root. In the tens of thousands of years of history of Tiannan, those with five spiritual roots who have been able to form a core can be counted on one hand.

None of them were able to form an infant.

But Ye Yan actually did it.

Song Yu recalled the time when she met Ye Yan. They were both just Qi Refining cultivators, haggling over a few spirit stones in the market.

Back then, Ye Yan was taciturn and of mediocre talent; no one had high hopes for him, yet he proved himself the most promising.

It was through sheer tenacity and never giving up that he climbed step by step from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, and then from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation.

In recent months, Ye Yan's cultivation level has been rising like a rocket, reaching the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth levels of the Core Formation stage.

Each time we met, his breathing was much stronger than the last.

Song Yu even doubted whether he was seeing things. How could anyone cultivate like this?

You're driving without me?

Even more outrageous, a few days ago Ye Yan sent her a telepathic message saying that he wanted to try to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Nascent Soul.

Song Yu initially thought he was joking.

Five spiritual roots forming an infant?

This is something that has never happened in the southern part of the country in tens of thousands of years.

But Ye Yan's tone didn't sound like he was joking, so she had no choice but to believe him.

Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, the world suddenly changed.

The spiritual energy above Luoyun Sect suddenly became violent, surging wildly like boiling water.

Five-colored spiritual light descended from the sky: red, cyan, blue, gold, and brown. The five elements of spiritual light intertwined and enveloped the entire Luoyun Sect in a dazzling light curtain.

The light grew brighter and brighter, as if something was being born from it.

Song Yu suddenly stood up, and the teacup in his hand crashed to the ground, splashing tea everywhere.

"This is... a Nascent Soul celestial phenomenon?"

Her voice was trembling.

No way?

No way!

Is Ye Yan really about to form his Nascent Soul?

Five spiritual roots forming an infant?

Before Song Yu could think any further, he flashed out of the main hall and flew on his sword toward Ye Yan's secluded cave.

Her mind was a complete mess the whole way.

The formation of the Core with five spiritual roots is already outrageous enough, but the formation of the Nascent Soul?

If this succeeds, tens of thousands of years of history in Tiannan will be rewritten. She and Ye Yan have known each other since the Qi Refining stage. Back then, Ye Yan's cultivation speed was frustratingly slow, and each breakthrough took several times longer than others. She got to where she is today because of her talent and good fortune; while Ye Yan got to where he is today because of fate.

But can he really succeed?

Halfway there, Song Yu saw spiritual lights flying in from all directions. The leaders of the other peaks of the Luoyun Sect also noticed the commotion and rushed over.

Cheng Tiankun, Lü Luo, and several other peak masters at the Core Formation stage all landed on a cliff outside Ye Yan's cave and watched from afar.

No one dared to approach.

The Nascent Soul Celestial Phenomenon is no joke. Its power over heaven and earth is such that if a Core Formation cultivator is caught in it, at best their cultivation will regress, and at worst they will die on the spot.

They could only stand at a distance, watching the five-colored spiritual light grow brighter and brighter, and the spiritual energy within a hundred miles seemed to be drawn by an invisible hand, surging madly toward Luoyun Sect.

The concentration of spiritual energy in the air rose sharply, and every breath felt like swallowing a pill.

Cheng Tiankun squinted at the soaring beam of light, his expression grave: "Who is breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage? The commotion is so great!"

Lu Luo flew back from the front and landed next to Cheng Tiankun, his expression extremely interesting: "Uncle Cheng, it is Junior Nephew Ye Yan."

"Ye Yan?" Cheng Tiankun frowned. "That kid with five spiritual roots?"

"Exactly." Lu Luo took a deep breath, his voice trembling. "Just a few days ago, Junior Nephew Ye was at the sixth level of Core Formation, and in one day he broke through three levels to reach the ninth level. And today... he directly attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Moreover, judging from the momentum of the celestial phenomena, he might not only reach the early Nascent Soul stage, but could even advance all the way to the late Nascent Soul stage!"

Upon hearing this, all the peak masters present changed their expressions.

"From level six to level nine in a single day? What kind of cultivation speed is that?"

"Late Nascent Soul stage? That's impossible! He's only a hundred years old!"

"Reaching the Nascent Soul stage with five spiritual roots is already a miracle, and you're already thinking about the later stages? Junior Brother Lü, are you mistaken?"

Lu Luo smiled wryly: "I also hope I'm mistaken. But look at this celestial phenomenon for yourselves. Five-colored spiritual light, all five elements present—this is a celestial phenomenon unique to cultivators with five spiritual roots. Moreover, the area affected by the celestial phenomenon is constantly expanding, and even I can feel the spiritual energy within my body leaking out."

Only then did everyone notice that the spiritual energy within a radius of hundreds of miles was converging towards Luoyun Sect, and even the spiritual energy within the bodies of these Core Formation cultivators was showing signs of being drawn away.

Those low-level cultivators in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stages fared even worse. Some found that the spiritual energy in their storage bags had been drained, while others even found that the spiritual light on their magic artifacts had dimmed.

"This...this isn't Nascent Soul Formation, this is a breakthrough to Deity Transformation!" a peak master exclaimed.

Lu Luo turned to Song Yu and asked urgently, "Junior Nephew Song, Junior Nephew Ye, what exactly happened? Did he have some kind of extraordinary encounter? You're the closest to him, so tell me!"

Song Yu looked left and right, opened his mouth, and finally shook his head: "I...I don't know either. Before he went into seclusion, he only said he wanted to try it out. I thought he was joking..."

"Try it? Try it and you'll find out I'm in the late Nascent Soul stage?" Lu Luo almost fainted.

Cheng Tiankun stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "Quiet down. Ye Yan is extraordinary. Who among you has ever seen someone with five spiritual roots form a core? Who has ever seen someone who is proficient in alchemy, formations, weapon crafting, spiritual sense, talismans, and so on? He is the only person in Tiannan who cultivates in all aspects. It's not entirely unreasonable that he can do what others cannot, especially since this kid is incredibly lucky."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment and fell silent.

Cheng Tiankun is right, Ye Yan is an anomaly in the Luoyun Sect. While others specialize in one path, he cultivates all five simultaneously; while others rely on their spiritual roots for sustenance, he survives by fighting tooth and nail.

It's not surprising that such a person would do something earth-shattering.

Inside a sealed room.

Ye Yan sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array, his body surrounded by five-colored spiritual light, his aura surging like a tide.

His nascent soul had already taken shape, spinning rapidly in his dantian, radiating a warm golden light.

But he could sense that his potential had not yet been fully realized.

The posture of Taoist ancestors.

Alas, I am actually an incarnation of the Dao Ancestor?

It's hard to defy the will of Heaven!

Those four words are not just for show.

Ye Yan closed his eyes and guided the spiritual energy within his body to continue circulating. At this moment, his five spiritual roots seemed to undergo a qualitative change; they were no longer a burden but rather an advantage.

The five elements generate each other in an endless cycle, and the circulation of spiritual energy becomes faster and smoother. The five spiritual roots are transforming into a completely new form.

It is not a celestial spiritual root, but an existence that transcends the celestial spiritual root.

An infinitely enhanced spiritual root.

You can forcefully insert spiritual roots to strengthen them.

Ye Yan took out the pills he had prepared beforehand from his storage ring: Spirit Stabilizing Pill, Marrow Cleansing Pill, and various rare spiritual herbs he had scavenged from other dungeon worlds, and stuffed them all into his mouth.

The Spirit Gathering Array operated at full power, frantically drawing spiritual energy from hundreds of miles around into his body.

His cultivation level began to soar, progressing from the early Nascent Soul stage to the middle Nascent Soul stage and then to the late Nascent Soul stage.

Breakthroughs are as easy as drinking water.

The celestial phenomena are still expanding.

The meaning of the word "aptitude" here goes far beyond the superficial definition of "spiritual root aptitude".

The "talent" here refers to the foundation of innate ability, encompassing keen and insightful spiritual awareness, such as the ability to perceive the slightest details and sense the flow of spiritual energy in the world. It also includes the comprehension and ingenuity of array formations, enabling one to understand the ultimate principles of the world and set up exquisite layouts. Furthermore, it includes the resilience and strength of the physical body, which can withstand immense spiritual power and temper the muscles, bones, and blood vessels, etc.

This is the true material for ascending to heaven in this world, which cannot be compared with a single spiritual root. It is the supreme foundation for reaching the peak.

The experts from the Ancient Sword Sect, the Hundred Crafts Academy, the Pure Void Sect, and other major sects in Tiannan were all alarmed and turned their attention to the Falling Cloud Sect.

Who is making the breakthrough?

Why is this celestial phenomenon so terrifying?

not enough.

Ye Yan gritted his teeth and swallowed all the pills he had accumulated throughout his life, their medicinal power surging through his meridians like a torrent.

I'm not stockpiling anymore.

Go all in and that's it.

He felt that his potential was still being unleashed, and that he could continue to break through and reach the Divine Transformation stage!

He could sense that the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage was right in front of him; just one more step forward and he would be able to step into that legendary realm.

But he hesitated.

Once someone forcibly breaks through to the Nascent Soul realm, Yunmeng Mountain, where the Luoyun Sect is located, will inevitably face annihilation. The spiritual veins stretching for hundreds of miles across the entire mountain range will be instantly drained, the once swirling spiritual energy around the mountaintop will turn into deathly silence, the spiritual springs will dry up, the spiritual trees will wither, and even the spiritual birds that have lived there for thousands of years will cry out and fall to the dust.

All cultivators within a thousand miles, regardless of their cultivation level, will completely lose the foundation for absorbing spiritual energy. The immortal path that countless people have painstakingly cultivated for decades will be cut short the moment he breaks through.

What's even more suffocating is that the Heavenly Dao in the human realm is incomplete, so Nascent Soul cultivators are unable to trigger the Ascension Tribulation and can only become "smugglers" who are not tolerated by Heaven and Earth.

They huddled in a corner where spiritual energy was scarce, watching helplessly as their lifespans slipped away like sand through an hourglass, each breath feeling like a race against death.

Fighting will exhaust the remaining spiritual power and lead to death; using one's natal magic weapon will accelerate the collapse of one's soul; even maintaining a conscious mind requires all one's strength. Living itself has long become a torment filled with anxiety; every step is on the edge of despair, and there is no hope of escaping fate. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator who sneaks through a spatial node will die.

Ye Yan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and unwavering.

The human realm is merely a temporary stopover, not his final destination.

What he wants to shatter is the shackles that stretch across heaven and earth; what he wants to reach is the vast and spiritual realm.

He wanted to ascend to the supreme celestial realm, where all immortals paid homage.

Once this resolve is made, even if there are countless difficulties, I will not regret it even if I die nine times.

He stopped his cultivation at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage and stopped trying to break through to the Divine Transformation stage.

His divine sense, however, was unrestricted and continued to surge, progressing through the stages of Nascent Soul, mid-Nascent Soul, and late-Nascent Soul.

His divine sense was like an invisible net, covering the entire Luoyun Sect and still extending outwards.

"People still have to rely on themselves."

Half a day later, Ye Yan stabilized his cultivation.

The door to the secret room suddenly swung open.

Ye Yan took a step forward, tearing through space and appearing beside Lü Luo.

His aura was contained, and his peak Nascent Soul cultivation did not leak out in the slightest, making him look like an ordinary Core Formation cultivator.

The moment Lu Luo saw him, a cold sweat broke out on his back. He had only ever felt that feeling of being targeted by a natural enemy when he was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Junior Brother Lü, Senior Uncle Cheng," Ye Yan said calmly, standing with his hands behind his back. "It's time for our Luoyun Sect to unify Tiannan. Then, we'll ascend to the Spirit Realm. To make Luoyun Sect even greater, the Human Realm is just a small prison."

Before Lü Luo, Cheng Tiankun, and Song Yu could react, Ye Yan had already turned around and started setting up a spirit-gathering array in the Luoyun Sect.

Ye Yan then set up multiple layers of formations around the Luoyun Sect. He reinforced the sect's protective formation several times over, with spiritual light flowing around it and killing intent hidden within.

The defensive capabilities of the entire Luoyun Sect are now significantly stronger than before.

Cheng Tiankun stroked his beard and laughed loudly, his laughter shaking the mountain cliffs: "Good! Good! The pinnacle of the Luoyun Sect has arrived! Senior Brother Ye... truly is a genius among geniuses."

That night, the Luoyun Sect was brightly lit, with hundreds of spiritual lamps floating in mid-air, illuminating the entire mountain as if it were daytime.

In the square in front of the sect's main hall, thousands of disciples stood in neat rows, from inner disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage to outer disciples in the Qi Refining stage, all eagerly awaiting their arrival.

They had already heard the news from earlier that day: Uncle-Master Ye Yan had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, and not just any Nascent Soul, but the peak of the Nascent Soul stage!

The formation of the Nascent Soul from the Five Elemental Roots is an unprecedented event in the Southern Heaven for tens of thousands of years, and it happened in their Luoyun Sect!

The moment Ye Yan stepped onto the platform, the entire audience fell silent.

Under the moonlight, Ye Yan, dressed in a green robe, stood with his hands behind his back, his face calm as still water, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of people below the stage.

His aura was almost unusually restrained, yet the unfathomable sense of oppression caused every disciple whose gaze swept over him to involuntarily lower their heads.

"From this day forward, Ye Yan shall be the Supreme Elder of my Luoyun Sect, ranking above the Sect Leader!" Cheng Tiankun's voice, amplified by spiritual power, resounded throughout the entire area, causing the mountain mist to churn.

"Congratulations, Elder!"

"Congratulations, Elder!"

Thousands of disciples bowed in unison, their voices rising like a tidal wave, one wave higher than the next.

The inner disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage shouted the loudest, their eyes filled with fanaticism. This was a Supreme Elder at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage!

There are only a handful in the entire southern region!

Not to mention that Ye Yan is only a little over a hundred years old, and is at the height of his career.

With him around, is there any need to worry about the future of the Luoyun Sect?

Some of the Qi Refining stage disciples shouted until their voices became hoarse and their eyes turned red.

Most of them were mediocre people, and their choice to join the Luoyun Sect was out of necessity. They never thought that one day they would witness the birth of a Nascent Soul Ancestor.

Ye Yan's story has long been known among the disciples. Born with five spiritual roots, he climbed up step by step from the Qi Refining stage, becoming proficient in alchemy, formation, weapon crafting, and spiritual sense. He relied on his tenacity to get to where he is today.

This is more convincing than any inspirational story for those disciples who are of average talent and not highly regarded.

Ye Yan raised his hand, and the tidal wave of congratulations abruptly stopped.

"Get up, all of you." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "In the path of cultivation, talent is predetermined, but the path is one you must walk yourself. I won't waste words; cultivate more and slack off less. The future of the Luoyun Sect is in each and every one of your hands."

Simple and direct, without lengthy explanations, yet it made many disciples clench their fists.

Starting from the second day, Luoyun Sect completely changed.

Ye Yan set up layers upon layers of formations throughout the sect, expanding the sect's protective formation to cover an area of ​​over a hundred miles. The flowing spiritual light concealed hidden killing intent, making even Core Formation cultivators think twice before coming.

Each disciple received a specially made token, which allowed them to freely enter and exit various parts of the sect. Disciples of different ranks had different privileges.

Those cultivation secret realms that were previously listed as forbidden areas can now be entered by ordinary disciples as long as they have enough points.

The Alchemy Hall has undergone tremendous changes.

Ye Yan distributed a large number of pills into the hall, ranging from the Qi Refining Pill for the Qi Cultivation stage to the Spirit Condensation Pill for the Foundation Establishment stage, and even high-grade pills that can only be digested by the Core Formation stage.

Boxes of pills were carried into the hall, stacked neatly more than ten layers high, shimmering with spiritual light and exuding a fragrant aroma, making the steward in charge of the alchemy hall stare wide-eyed.

"This...this is too much, isn't it?" The butler's voice trembled.

The disciples were both surprised and delighted.

Previously, it would take several months to save up enough spirit stones to buy a single pill, but now the sect distributes them directly, with a fixed quota every month.

Some disciples' hands trembled when they received the pills for the first time. This was not just a pill, it was their life!

We must never forget your kindness!

"Eat, eat it all, there's more after you finish." Ye Yan said this as he passed by the alchemy hall, his tone as calm as if he were saying, "Eat more food."

Thus began the unprecedented "drug-taking" life of the Luoyun Sect disciples.

Take a Qi-Nourishing Pill first thing in the morning, a Spirit-Condensing Pill before cultivation, and a Soul-Nourishing Pill before bed.

Some disciples were so full that the spiritual energy in their dantian was surging so much that they couldn't sit still and had to go to the martial arts arena to practice a few sets of fist techniques to burn off the energy.

"No, no, I really can't eat anymore... Elder Ye, I'm so afraid of eating! I dare not eat for even a moment longer!!" A Qi Refining disciple clutched his stomach, looking at the newly distributed medicine bottle in front of him with a pained expression.

"You have to eat it even if you can't! The Supreme Elder said this is all for your own good! This pill is quite large, just bear with it." The senior brother next to him snatched the pill bottle, poured out one pill, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The disciple, with pills in his mouth, was almost in tears. He never imagined that he would one day be able to eat pills until he was stuffed. His breakthrough was so fast that his cultivation had not yet stabilized. The brothers from the neighboring Yellow Maple Valley were extremely envious.

If I had known the sect was distributing gold bars, I wouldn't have become a spy!

After the news spread, even cultivators from other sects were extremely envious.

The disciples of Luoyun Sect now cultivate with pills as food and spirit stones as water. You can't find another family like this in the entire Tiannan. Afterwards, Ye Yan invited people from the Heavenly Dao Alliance to come over.

When Ye Yan's invitation arrived, the four major sects of the Heavenly Dao Alliance were holding a meeting at the Ancient Sword Sect.

The leaders of the Ancient Sword Sect, Luanming Sect, Baiqiao Academy, and Shuiying Sect gathered together to discuss the recent unusual activities of the Luoyun Sect.

The Nascent Soul stage couple, Long Han and Bingfeng, from the Luanming Sect, sat at the head of the table with their brows furrowed.

They had heard about Ye Yan's breakthrough, but when intelligence indicated that Ye Yan was suspected of stepping into the Nascent Soul stage, the two looked at each other and saw disbelief in each other's eyes.

"Nascent Soul? Impossible. Where would a Nascent Soul cultivator come from in the human realm? None of those old monsters are showing up. This is fake." Long Han shook his head.

"But the celestial phenomena that day..." Bingfeng hesitated.

Before the words were finished, the void tore apart.

Ye Yan walked out with his hands behind his back, followed by Lü Luo and Cheng Tiankun.

The three of them stepped onto the celebratory platform that Luoyun Sect had prepared in advance, their presence radiant and imposing.

Long Hanbingfeng suddenly stood up. This was still the Ancient Sword Sect, how did he end up in the Falling Cloud Sect in the blink of an eye?

Are you here to do my job?

It's a distance of thousands of miles.

"I think everyone here knows," Ye Yan said, surveying the room. His voice wasn't loud, but it was so imposing that everyone felt breathless. "I think no one has any objections to Luo Yun Sect being number one, right? Please give me some face. Of course, I broke through my cultivation level too quickly, so I want to be number one in Tiannan. What do you all think?"

No one dared to answer.

Ye Yan stood in the hall, his tone calm yet carrying an unyielding firmness: "Tiannan is in such chaos that a Heavenly Court is needed to govern it and restore peace to everyone. Those demonic scum are nothing but lowly trash; what are they anyway?"

His gaze swept over the leaders of the four major sects, finally settling on Long Han. He tilted his head slightly and let out a soft hum: "Hmm?"

That soft hum, carrying the imposing aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, struck Long Han's heart like a heavy stone.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Long Han's forehead. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could utter a single word, he was silenced by Ye Yan's icy gaze. The rest of his words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Fellow Daoist Long, do you have a problem with that?" Ye Yan raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with sarcasm. "The other three families haven't said a word, and you're the only one making a fuss? Long, even the mark of an emperor depends on strength. Do you, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, have any right to speak?"

Long Han's lips trembled violently, and his face turned bright red, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Below the Nascent Soul stage, all are ants; even those who have entered the Nascent Soul stage are still ants.

Those who have cultivated immortality know that the cultivation world is divided into three realms: ant, senior, and fellow Daoist.

The ice wind beside him quietly tugged at his sleeve and gently shook its head, signaling him to stop arguing.

The leader of the Ancient Sword Sect was the first to step forward, clasping his hands in a fist salute and bowing deeply, his voice booming: "The Ancient Sword Sect is willing to follow the Falling Cloud Sect in establishing the Heavenly Court!" The leader of the Hundred Crafts Academy immediately followed suit: "The Hundred Crafts Academy has no objection; we second that!"

The sect leader of the Water Shadow Sect hesitated for a long time before finally lowering his head and whispering, "The Water Shadow Sect... also seconds this proposal."

Ye Yan nodded in satisfaction, put his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky outside the hall, and a fierce look appeared in his eyes: "It's time to change the sky in Tiannan. The big shot who can cover the sky hasn't arrived yet, so I'll be this old demon Ye and cleave this chaotic world into a new one."

The year is Jiazi!

A Heavenly Court shall be established!