After holding it for a long time, they could feel a faint but pure and long-sealed breath of history—distinct from the Sky Dome and not of the earth, as if echoes were coming from the depths of time…

"Child… your great fortune has arrived," said Elder Shui with a gentle smile, awakening Qi Xiu who was so engrossed in studying the Dragon Scales that he couldn't extricate himself. Taking him by the hand, they left the mysterious and vast world behind.

They returned to the world outside.

Qi Xiu had not yet had time to ask Elder Shui what great fortune had arrived when he saw a myriad of golden glows cascading down from above.

Under the boundless Sky Dome, golden clouds stretched out, not only covering the horizon but seeming to reach every corner between heaven and earth.

This gold was different from the gentleness of the sunrise. It was richer, more dazzling, and luxurious, faintly revealing an imposing aura of supreme majesty.

In the midst of this spectacular sight, one marvel after another unfolded.

First, on the distant horizon, the silhouette of a serpentine dragon appeared in motion.

Its body, with scales rippling at the edges, reflected dazzling golden patterns in the sunlight, as if harboring the mysterious power of the Dragon Vein from ancient legends.

Next, the figure of a phoenix fluttering gracefully appeared. Her thick and supremely beautiful feathers emanated a lively vitality and magnificent posture.

Each feather, soaked in the radiance of the sun, released a brilliance and auspicious significance with every movement.

Then, from the depths of the Sky Dome, soft images spread like ink diffusing in water: overlapping mountains, endlessly flowing rivers, and lotus ponds… as if nature's most tender and solemn panoramic scroll was slowly unfolding at this moment.

With the wind came the sound of bell chimes and drum beats, like light morning music, revealing solemnity and ancient elegance. It was also like the distant sound of the Milky Way's flowing waters, mysterious and far-flung…

Such a grand and glorious phenomenon almost illuminated half of Dianchuan Province.

Almost all of the cultivators in the province were drawn to this vast expanse of brilliance that obscured the sky and watched attentively.

Among them were not a few Dao Experts, and even Primordial Spirit Bosses…

"What's happening? Such a massive phenomenon, could it be that a Divine Artifact has been born?"

"Goodness gracious, such expansive golden clouds, such a spectacle! To witness it is to live a fulfilled life."

"The Demonic Evil Cultivators have invaded our province, and now, divine light descends from the sky. This is a sign of great fortune, great fortune indeed!"

"Rightly said! Heaven's blessing upon Great Xuan, Heaven's blessing upon Dianchuan!"

"Heaven's blessing upon Great Xuan! Heaven's blessing upon Dianchuan!"

"Heaven's blessing upon Great Xuan! Heaven's blessing upon Dianchuan!"

"Heaven's blessing upon Great Xuan! Heaven's blessing upon Dianchuan!"

Compared to the wild guesses of the ordinary cultivators, the Ancient Sect Nobility with profound backgrounds recognized the essence of this miraculous phenomenon more directly!

In the depths of the mountains, shrouded in clouds and mist, there was an ancient and quaint monastery.

It was perched on the pinnacle of peaks, like a utopia, its unique weather-worn beauty carved by endless years.

The sound of the morning and evening bells entered the ears, seeming to penetrate through the deepest restlessness and dust of the soul.

Looking up, the pagoda stood tall amongst the clouds, its silhouette faintly shifting in the mist. At certain serene moments, the ethereal images of countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas emerged, surrounded by an aura beyond the mundane world.

This place was none other than Dachan Temple, the foremost ancient monastery in Dianchuan Province!

In the darkest depths of the temple, within a humble meditation room of barely thirty-five feet, an old monk clad in a kasaya, his face gaunt and eyes deeply sunken, slowly awoke from deep meditation.

His eyes opened just a sliver, as though containing two rounds of great suns. The void instantly collapsed and trembled, as if it could not bear his gaze and was about to implode.

His eyes opened merely for an instant before closing again, yet a faint smile crept onto the old monk's withered face.

「At the same time.」

Within the bounds of Shenxiao Sect Gate, inside the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City, Dongfang Qing, who was carrying a wine jar and strolling leisurely around the vast Lei City, suddenly paused mid-step, as if sensing something, and turned to look in a certain direction.

He saw himself leap onto a Primordial Heavenly Thunder Cannon, larger than mountains, tilting his head and shielding his eyes, his pupils turning blue and white. Instantly before him appeared the vision of the golden clouds, a scene that enveloped the world.

"Oh?" he uttered a lengthy exclamation of surprise, followed by the Supreme Patriarch of Shenxiao Sect clicking his tongue in amazement.

"This heralds... a change of eras."

And following Dachan Temple and Shenxiao Sect, the Supreme Sect Leaders and Patriarchs of Dianchuan Province's ten great Ancient Sect Nobility—Star Mansion Sea Cliff, Lotus Covenant, Yellow Sand Inn, Iron Bone Sword Sect, the Wang Family, the Xu Family, the Li Family, and the Tan Family—all sensed the vast phenomenon sweeping through Dianchuan Province.

Aside from the Human Race on the Righteous Path and the Demonic Evil Cultivators on the other, the seven great Kings of Divine Sorrow Ridge and that mysterious monk, Xing'e, who presided over Divine Sorrow Ridge, all had a cold gleam in their eyes, their auras trembling.

For a moment, throughout the entire Dianchuan Province, the winds rose, and a myriad of phenomena surged violently, capturing the attention of both the Human Race and the Demonic Evil Cultivators. All converged within this vast and incomparable spectacle.

「...」

「At this time, at this place.」

Qi Xiu, looking baffled, raised his head to gaze at the ever-condensing, acre upon acre of clear yellow clouds in the sky, furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, and an answer formed in his heart.

Could it be because I quelled the great tide of Nu River and executed the Flood Dragon King, the mastermind behind it, and thereby triggered an accrual of Human Path Merit?

After considering it, Qi Xiu felt this was the most likely possibility.

The great tide disaster of Nu River spanned one-third of Dianchuan Province. Had it truly erupted as expected, at least a hundred million members of the Human Race would have perished. The consequences would have been so dire that they might have taken a hundred years to gradually mitigate.

Moreover, the Flood Dragon King was a tyrant of the utmost viciousness.

Ever since he claimed Nu River, he had committed countless evil deeds, provoking floods.

Over the years, at least tens of millions of civilians had died at the jaws of the Nu River Water Demons.

And the Shouting Evil Fruit that spread across Dianchuan Province, the realms of demons and evil – it all originated from his hands.

When adding up one thing after another, one deed after another, the accumulated merit had truly reached a staggering extent.

Thus, the Human Path Merits from the two events were directly combined, aligning with the Divine Marvel bonus of Qi Xiu's proficiency that rewards effort.

The force of the merit gathered formed this earth-shattering phenomenon!

WITH A ROAR!

It was as if a grand spectacle, a miracle, had descended between heaven and earth.

Countless golden radiance poured down from the Sky Dome, composed of the purest and most elevated Human Path Merit force.

This liquid gold-like radiance flowed like waterfalls from the Nine Heavens, ceaselessly surging toward two individuals.

Qi Xiu!

Elder Shui!

With a majestic and towering presence, each strand of light that fell contained the power of good deeds and righteous thoughts transformed.

Completely drowned in the Merit Golden Light, only a vague outline of Qi Xiu's figure could be seen.

And on the proficiency panel at this moment, the numbers behind the Human Path Merit were rocketing up at a nearly insane speed, soaring to the sky.

25%...

50%...

80%...

100%!

In almost the blink of an eye, the proficiency of Human Path Merit reached 100%.

And within the Merit Golden Light that had been brewing behind Qi Xiu's head, that object began to rapidly materialize.

It seemed it would soon come into existence!

After the Human Path Merit stepped into the Fourth Realm, the growth in proficiency showed no signs of wanting to stop.

Watching the Merit Golden Light falling from above, Elder Shui smiled genially and glanced at Qi Xiu, who was completely submerged in the golden light.

"You this youngster, fine, I shall give you another push."

With that, Elder Shui raised a hand and pointed. The portion of Merit Golden Light allotted to him immediately took a turn, also surging toward Qi Xiu.

The Flood Dragon King was slain by the combined efforts of Elder Shui and Qi Xiu.

But while it was a joint effort, in truth, Elder Shui was the one who truly took action.

Qi Xiu merely delivered a final blow when the Flood Dragon King was at the end of his strength.

Hence, most of the Human Path Merit for slaying the Flood Dragon King went to Elder Shui.

However, for some reason, more Merit Golden Light had no significance for the Water God of Dianchuan.

Rather than wasting this hard-earned force of merit, it was better to bestow it upon another.

With the addition of Elder Shui's force of merit, the Merit Golden Light around Qi Xiu became even more resplendent, almost so rich as to cast him into a Golden Man.

Eh? Influx without outflow? Does this youngster have such a method?

Observing Qi Xiu quietly as he absorbed the force of merit, Elder Shui suddenly let out a light exclamation, as if he had discovered something extraordinary.

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