176: Half-step Golden Immortal

"A Domain Lord?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow slightly. "The Qinggu Heaven Domain has a 'Domain Lord' besides the Three Great Academies? Are you saying the Three Great Academies aren't the strongest, and this mysterious 'Domain Lord' is the actual power controlling the Qinggu Heaven Domain behind the scenes?"

Li Tiangang pondered, "This old man has only heard scattered rumors about this matter. The Domain Lords Mansion has always been mysterious and transcendent, rarely interfering in the affairs of the various continents."

"The Three Great Academies maintain order on the surface, but they seem quite wary of the Domain Lords Mansion."

"Old Ghost Han mentioning it this time is probably not just an empty threat."

Lin Chen fell silent for a moment, his gaze deep, unsure what he was thinking.

After a moment, he said lightly, "Hm, This Sect Master knows. You may withdraw first. I have my own plan for this matter."

"Yes."

The four said no more, bowed, and exited the main hall.

Tranquility returned to the hall.

Lin Chen sat alone, the sound of his fingertips tapping the armrest echoing in the vast hall.

"The Three Great Academies are just the face of power, and this Domain Lord is the controller behind the scenes?"

He muttered to himself, a curve of interest slowly forming at the corner of his mouth: "A Domain Lord... that sounds a bit more interesting than some Old Ancestor or National Lord. However..."

A sharp light flashed in his eyes, stemming from absolute confidence in his own strength and the System.

"So what if he's a Domain Lord? Once this mission is complete and the rewards are in hand, the strength of my Wending Sect will definitely shoot up another large notch."

"Besides..."

Lin Chen sneered, his tone carrying a hint of casual arrogance.

"No matter how strong the Domain Lord of this Qinggu Heaven Domain is, how strong can he truly be? Could he possibly be... an Origin Golden Immortal?"

"Even an Origin Golden Immortal must kneel and sing 'Conquer' before This Sect Master!"

Outside the main hall, the sky was bright.

After destroying the invading powerful enemies, the mountain gate of the Wending Sect appeared even more majestic and mysterious, standing quietly atop the Summit of Azure Clouds, as if waiting for the next storm to descend... Yuxian Continent, Tiansha Sect Ancestral Land.

The former Immortal Mountain Blessed Land was now reduced to broken walls and ruins, its treasure light dim.

Venerable Duobao hovered in mid-air, surrounded by the ruins of countless halls that he had thoroughly plundered, not even sparing the floor tiles.

The dozens of Storage Pouches on his person were all so swollen they looked ready to burst.

He also had a dozen newly acquired, bulging Mustard Seed Pouches hanging from his waist, and his face was split into a wide grin, his eyes nearly squeezed shut into slits.

"I'm rich, hehehe..."

He rubbed his hands together, looking at the mess below, his eyes devoid of pity and filled only with satisfaction.

"As expected of a long-established super force with years of Legacy, tsk tsk, This Immortal didn't make this trip in vain!"

"Thank you! Thank you for the assets you left behind!"

As he contentedly forcibly extracted the last Supreme-grade Immortal Crystal Vein and sealed it within a specialized spatial Magic Treasure, the System notification sounded promptly in Lin Chen's mind.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the Sect strongholds of the five major forces have been completely destroyed, and all main core members have been annihilated.]

[Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission: Annihilate the Five Major Forces!]

[Reward obtained: Half-step Golden Immortal Realm Permanent Promotion Card ×1]

[...Reward obtained: purple gold summoning card ×3]

[...Reward obtained: Doggy Cultivation Promotion Card ×2]

[Doggy Cultivation Promotion Card: Guarantees a promotion of one major Realm upon use, restricted to Doggy.]

[...Reward obtained: domain teleportation grand array ×1]

[domain teleportation grand array: Allows instantaneous arrival at any location where the Wending Sect's reputation has reached. Requires the consumption of Immortal Crystals; the greater the distance, the more living beings carried, and the stronger the entities, the greater the consumption. Locations beyond the reach of the Wending Sect's reputation cannot be reached.]

[...Reward obtained: azure vault immortal shield ×1]

[azure vault immortal shield: Refined by an Ancient Immortal Emperor using dozens of top-tier Immortal materials, such as Nine Heavens Profound Gold and Chaos Divine Iron, fused with his own Imperial Dao Law. Its defense is unparalleled and can withstand Immortal Emperor-level attacks.]

[...Reward obtained: A certain amount of Immortal Treasures, Immortal Crystals, Immortal Pills...]

...The dazzling array of rewards made Lin Chen giddy with joy.

His eyes lit up, especially upon seeing the [azure vault immortal shield] and the [domain teleportation grand array].

An Immortal Emperor-grade defensive supreme treasure was practically absolute defense in the Lower Heaven!

As for the Teleportation Array, it solved the problem of arduous long-distance travel, making it a strategic Magic Treasure.

But his gaze quickly fell on the first reward, and his brow furrowed slightly.

"Half-step Golden Immortal Realm?"

"What the heck is that?!"

"I recall this Realm isn't part of the Cultivation System, is it?"

[Host's understanding is correct. The universal Nine-Grade Immortal System in Lingxuan Heaven is:]

[The lower three grades are Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, and True Immortal.]

[The middle three grades are Golden Immortal, Taiyi Golden Immortal, and Grand Unity Golden Immortal.]

[The upper three grades are Immortal Emperor, Immortal Venerable, and Immortal Emperor.]

[The Lower Heaven (Twelve Heavenly Domains) is restricted by the Heavenly Dao's rules, prohibiting the existence of true Golden Immortals.]

[A Peak True Immortal wishing to Breakthrough to Golden Immortal must gradually transform their True Immortal Origin into the higher-level Golden Immortal Immortal Origin.]

[Before complete transformation, the stage is the 'Half-step Golden Immortal' Realm, subdivided into the First to Ninth Layers, representing the degree of Origin transformation.]

[Only when the True Immortal Origin is completely transformed into the Golden Immortal Immortal Origin can the Golden Immortal Heavenly Tribulation be triggered. After surviving it, one can Ascend to the Upper Heaven and achieve the true Golden Immortal Dao Fruit.]

[Due to Heavenly Dao restrictions, the highest existence permitted in the Lower Heaven is the Ninth Layer of Half-step Golden Immortal.]

[This Realm is not an independent Realm but a special transitional state from True Immortal to Golden Immortal.]

"Oh... so that's how it is."

Lin Chen suddenly understood and stroked his chin.

"So, the highest ceiling in the Lower Heaven is the Ninth Layer of Half-step Golden Immortal, and if I want to become a true Golden Immortal, I must go to the Upper Heaven."

"System, is this why you only gave the Half-step Golden Immortal Card and not a complete Golden Immortal Card, right?"

The System remained silent, indicating tacit agreement.

"Fine, Half-step Golden Immortal it is. The Ninth Layer of Half-step Golden Immortal is enough to dominate the Lower Heaven."

Lin Chen stopped dwelling on it.

"System, use the [Half-step Golden Immortal Realm Permanent Promotion Card]!"

[Usage successful! Infusing Origin power for Host, promoting Realm...]

Buzz—!

Above the Wending Sect, the originally clear sky suddenly underwent dramatic changes!

Endless auspicious clouds gathered from all directions. Within the cloud layers, golden Laws seemed to flow and weave, manifesting illusory images of the stars of the heavens and the myriad worlds of the Great Desolation!

A boundless, unmatched coercion rippled out like waves, enveloping the entire Wending Sect and continuously spreading outwards.

Inside the Wending Sect, all Disciples and Elders, regardless of their Cultivation level, felt their Souls tremble at this moment, instinctively wanting to kneel and prostrate themselves before the source of that coercion.

The Spirit Beasts and Immortal birds in the mountains lay prone on the ground, emitting compliant whimpers.

There was no thunder, no Heavenly Tribulation, only the manifestation of boundless Laws resonating with heaven and earth.

Li Tiangang, who was Cultivating, was the first to be startled awake. He abruptly rushed out of his meditation room, looked towards the main hall, and felt the terrifying aura, vast as a sea of stars and profound as Chaos. His pupils contracted to pinpricks, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

"Th-th-this... is the Sect Master's aura?!"

His voice was dry, filled with disbelief:

"This coercion... far surpasses a True Immortal! It is definitely above the True Immortal Realm! Just what level of Cultivation is the Sect Master at?"