If it weren't for stepping into the Nascent Soul realm now, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon would have suspected that it might have gone mad. In this boundless dark space, devoid of any color, it had flown for three years in a monotonous fashion.
The only comfort it found was that while on the journey, Zhang Fan continuously provided it with cultivation resources. After three years, its physical strength was now comparable to that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert.
However, possessing great power without a place to unleash it still made it feel somewhat stifled. Fortunately, Zhang Fan had told it that the journey would only take a little over three years, so the Blood Demon Flood Dragon continued to endure with patience.
As time passed, the Blood Demon Flood Flood Dragon noticed something was amiss. It had been flying for over four years, yet it still hadn't reached the Zi Xiao Star Domain. It inquired of Zhang Fan, and the answer left it even more dejected.
"The journey of a little over three years I mentioned was an estimate based on my speed. Your speed is too slow; I reckon it will take about five years."
Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon could only sigh in resignation. With a year left, it had to persevere. After all, it had endured four years, so one more year wouldn't make much difference.
...
As a high-level star domain, the Zi Xiao Star Domain was indeed vast, far beyond what border regions like the Wu Shan Star Domain could compare to. The shortest diameter of the entire domain exceeded tens of billions of light-years, with countless stars and various hidden realms and treacherous lands scattered throughout.
Gazing from the distant starry sky, one could see a magnificent star river flowing past the Zi Xiao Star Domain. Zhang Fan knew this must be a branch flowing from the Central Star River mentioned by the Great Luo Artifact Spirit. It was precisely for this branch that the great war between the Zi Xiao Star Domain and the Nine Abyss Star Domain had erupted tens of thousands of years ago.
To vie for control of this branch of the Central Star River, both sides committed an immense number of cultivators to a large-scale war. Countless Nascent Soul cultivators perished, and tens of thousands of Soul Transformation True Immortals fell. The losses on both sides were extremely heavy.
Before Zhang Fan refined Zi Yue True Immortal, he had also performed a soul search. From his memories, he learned that approximately a hundred thousand years ago, the high-level powers of both sides intervened, bringing the large-scale conflict to an end.
Both sides agreed that within the Central Star River branch, which had an average width of about three light-years, the eastern river region adjacent to the Zi Xiao Star Domain, extending one light-year, would be under the jurisdiction of the Zi Xiao Star Domain. The western river region, adjacent to the Nine Abyss Star Domain, also extending one light-year, would be under the jurisdiction of the Nine Abyss Star Domain. The area in between would be a common river, and cultivators above the Soul Transformation realm were forbidden from entering the common river.
This agreement effectively halted large-scale warfare, but it also marked the beginning of contention over the common river region. For the sake of resources, cultivators in the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realms from both sides frequently formed groups and engaged in fierce battles within the common river.
Zhang Fan's objective was clear. Upon arriving at the Zi Xiao Star Domain, he flew directly towards the Central Star River branch.
Over these more than five years, the strength of Zhang Fan, Nan Zun, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, Lin Haotian, Wu Chen Sword Immortal, and Tian Hua True Monarch had all grown to varying degrees. However, Liu Mu remained stuck at 980,000 Dao of sword rules and had not yet broken through to Half-step Soul Transformation.
Despite this, his state of mind had undergone significant changes during this period. Although the cultivation of his sword rules was extremely slow, he no longer felt anxious. Seeing that Lin Haotian and others, whose cultivation was once far inferior to his, had all entered Half-step Soul Transformation, he remained naturally composed.
With different goals, there was no need for comparison.
The Central Star River was broadly divided into two sections. The upper reaches served as the battlefield for Soul Transformation cultivators, where rarer treasures emerged, and the conflicts were more intense.
The lower reaches, on the other hand, were the battlefield for Nascent Soul cultivators. Being weaker, they could only scavenge for the remaining treasures from the upper reaches.
Along the edges of the Central Star River were war bases established by the Zi Xiao Star Domain. After Zhang Fan explained all the information he had gathered, they gained a general understanding of the situation.
"The stronger one is, the closer their war base can be to the upper reaches of the star river. Take that war base, for example. Although it's a gathering place for Nascent Soul cultivators, its location is already close to the war bases of Soul Transformation cultivators," Zhang Fan said as his group flew slowly through the void, admiring the entire war base from afar.
"From now on, you will have to rely on yourselves," Zhang Fan told Lin Haotian, Wu Chen Sword Immortal, and Tian Hua True Monarch. "Every cultivator who can enter the Soul Transformation realm has gone through countless battles. Merely cultivating in seclusion is not enough. Only in the face of life and death can you break through your limits and comprehend what you could never grasp otherwise."
"The same applies to you," Zhang Fan's gaze shifted to Liu Mu. "To perfect your sword rules, it is very difficult to achieve solely through self-comprehension or my explanations."
"You need to fight, to walk the line between life and death, to observe other cultivators, to learn their Dao. If seeking enlightenment from yourself proves insufficient, then seek it from others. As long as you broaden your horizons and continuously address your own shortcomings, I believe that with your talent, you will one day surely comprehend perfect sword rules."
"This star battlefield is very suitable for you. There are countless Nascent Soul cultivators here, and the Dao they cultivate is all-encompassing. Some of them are even Daos you've never heard of, which will broaden your horizons."
"The path I can accompany you on ends here. The road ahead requires you to forge it yourselves."
After speaking, Zhang Fan rode the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, accompanied by Nan Zun, and flew towards the upper reaches of the star river.
Lin Haotian, Wu Chen Sword Immortal, and Tian Hua True Monarch all bowed solemnly in the direction of Zhang Fan's departure.
Watching his master's departing figure, Lin Haotian felt a complex mix of emotions. From the moment he entered the cultivation world, he had always been by his master's side, which, despite his strong and resilient nature, had fostered a sense of reliance in his heart.
However, he quickly composed himself, for he understood his master's words. To become a powerful being standing tall in the myriad star domains, one could only rely on oneself.
Perhaps relying on resources or the guidance of powerful individuals could help one break through to the Soul Transformation realm, but what about the path beyond that?
Liu Mu's clear eyes were filled with determination. Since he had witnessed the perfection of sword rules, a seed had been planted in his heart. Therefore, he was filled with anticipation for this star battlefield.
"Let's go, and let's see what the level of cultivators in this high-level star domain truly is," Liu Mu declared, his fighting spirit soaring, and he led the way towards the war base.
The Blood Demon Flood Dragon cultivated the path of bloodline evolution, which was different from Lin Haotian and the others. Therefore, during its five years of travel, with Zhang Fan's support, its strength had been constantly growing.
By now, its physical strength had reached the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, and its combat power was no less than Nan Zun's.
...