Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: The Character "Dao" Shakes the Eons!

Dead silence reigns beside the Small Martial Dao Stele. Some people feel their courage failing as they witness a terrifying shadow emerge, erupting with overwhelming blood qi that shatters the sky. Wu Yuze's group, standing closest, trembles violently. They seem to face a divine furnace, their bodies oppressed to the point of bursting as they stagger backward. "Good heavens, what kind of physical body is this? I feel like I'm facing a heavenly god," the noble lady quivers, seeing a golden celestial being descending to shatter heaven and earth. Daoling forms a fist seal, channeling surging blood qi into his fist. The entire fist seems capable of destroying all, radiating dazzling golden light and terrifying fluctuations as he raises it to strike the Small Martial Dao Stele! With a thunderous boom, heaven and earth explode. Blood qi roars through the clouds, soaring upward, sending chills through all who witness it. From the eruption to the punch, it all happens in the blink of an eye. The surrounding crowd remains沉浸 (immersed) in the divine might just displayed, only jolted awake by the deafening crash. Using his finger strength like an iron hook and silver brush, Daoling inscribes a single character: "道" (Dao). The Small Martial Dao Stele bursts with ten-thousand-zhang divine light, tearing through heaven and earth, shaking the苍穹 (firmament), and unleashing horrific fluctuations that make the entire Qingzhou City tremble, alarming countless powerhouses. "Gods, what kind of powerhouse has descended upon Qingzhou? The sky itself is shaking, and the aura is too terrifying!" an old man gasps in horror. "No, this isn't a powerhouse descending. I sense a familiar aura that appeared years ago," a venerable elder whispers, his voice resounding through the void. "Seven years ago! It's the same aura from the Small Martial Dao Stele seven years ago. I understand—Martial Emperor must have returned to break his own record again!" "Legend has it he obtained a mysterious treasure seven years ago. Could there be a second one?" Numerous venerable figures communicate through the void, swiftly approaching. Terrifying fluctuations blanket the area around the stele, and shadows flicker in the void. When they see the stele, they nearly die of shock. The character "Dao" suppresses countless eons and overshadows endless prodigies, actually ranking **first**! "How is this possible?!" an old powerhouse roars, jolting many from their daze. "What? How can this be?!" Wu Yuze stumbles and falls, his gaze fixed on the character that has overtaken Martial Emperor. "Good heavens! Someone has surpassed Martial Emperor! Who inscribed that character just now? His potential in the Body Forging Realm is terrifying!" Gasps of astonishment erupt. No one can believe it. The Small Martial Dao Stele tests one's potential, and this person's potential actually ranks first—a feat of unparalleled resolve. "He's actually first?" The noble lady trembles, her face filled with disbelief. The person had been right in front of her, but she only saw a back, missing the opportunity to meet him. Wu Yuze is terrified. He had driven away the one who inscribed the character, never expecting such an otherworldly being. A new myth is written, sending shivers through all. The news spreads like wildfire through void arrays, shocking the world: who exactly inscribed this character? Some people look over and see a golden shadow shrouded in mist, its aura earth-shattering. The pressure makes many hearts quiver, their bodies on the verge of exploding. "So可怕 (terrible)! I dare not even look at him in the Body Forging Realm—my body feels like it will shatter," a youth turns pale and retreats hurriedly. "It's just a character 'Dao,' and the inscriber didn't leave a name. Did he carve this to pursue the ultimate Dao?" an old man murmurs, lost in thought. "This person has great ambition—he didn't even leave a name." Some admire him, for inscribing such a character would draw万众瞩目 (universal attention) and invitations from major forces, yet the inscriber simply carved "Dao." Daoling never expected that carving his surname would lead venerable elders to such wild speculation. Soon, the entire Mysterious Domain is shaken. Seven years ago, Martial Emperor dominated the first realm, causing tremors across the domain. Now, another has claimed first place, leaving everyone astounded. "Could a great era be approaching? Two天之骄子 (heavenly favorites) have emerged in succession. I suspect many prodigies will follow in this dormant age." "Indeed, even creatures from the Ancient Divine Mountain have appeared, no weaker than Martial Emperor." "Not necessarily. Martial Emperor is too terrifying. He inscribed his name at age ten and has long led the Mysterious Domain's天骄 (geniuses), reaching an extremely deep realm by now." "True. The one who inscribed 'Dao'—I can't sense any martial arts aura from him. He's likely at a low realm. Each major realm is incredibly difficult to breakthrough. Even if he's first in the Body Forging Realm, he may not dominate the next. Moreover, cultivating so terrifyingly in the first realm will make future breakthroughs even harder." "Yes, the Martial Palace passed down word years ago that Martial Emperor has awakened seven Creation Orifices. His future path is注定 (destined) to be one of滔天 (overwhelming) divine power, shining through the ages!" Many jump to Martial Emperor's defense, spreading news that he has awakened seven Creation Orifices—an otherworldly and terrifying feat. Qingzhou City becomes overwhelmingly lively. Void arrays continuously teleport大批 (large numbers of) powerhouses, and the area around the Small Martial Dao Stele is packed, resembling a grand martial arts gathering with attendees of immense status. "This person inscribed 'Dao,' but even we can't claim to have grasped the Dao. His gesture is rather bold," an old crone arrives, her face stern. The old crone is furious. She doesn't know who inscribed the character, but surpassing Martial Emperor is a blatant insult. Their clan named him "Martial Emperor" to dominate the Mysterious Domain, yet now he's been surpassed—even if only in one realm, it's a stain on Martial Emperor's reputation. "Your Martial Palace inscribed 'Martial Emperor'—what霸气 (dominance)! Is there really a Great Emperor in this world?" a middle-aged beauty stands and smiles. Her robes flutter, revealing a graceful figure. Once a saintess of a clan, time has left traces on her face, causing regret in the hearts of old men who once fought for her. "I think each has their merits. At their age, didn't we all strive for an invincible path?" an elder mediates. "I wonder which faction or powerhouse taught this disciple, to have such potential." "In our era, there were so many prodigies, but now most are dust. Dominating a single realm means little; it's about future growth." A Martial Palace powerhouse speaks coldly, implying that Martial Emperor's path is unstoppable. "Right. Martial Emperor awakened seven Creation Orifices just last year," the old crone sneers, shooting a glance at the middle-aged beauty. Zi Baiqiu smiles faintly but sighs inwardly. Awakening even one Creation Orifice is immensely difficult, let alone seven. No one dares deny Martial Emperor's talent. "Could the one who inscribed 'Dao' be from the Dao Clan?" a middle-aged man asks, his eyes wary. "Unlikely. The Dao Clan has fallen. They were terrifying in ancient times, but now..." Someone shakes their head, while others cast subtle glances at the Martial Palace powerhouses. Over a decade ago, the Dao Clan clashed with the Martial Palace—a secret known to major forces, though few know the cause. Only that the Dao Clan now seals their mountain and never emerges. "Over a decade ago, Dao Xiaotian destroyed a Martial Saint Land of the Martial Palace," Zi Baiqiu adds, causing shock. Many had heard of Dao Xiaotian, a Earth Master who seemed destined for greatness but vanished. The old crone's face darkens. She participated in that war, where her sister was killed by Dao Xiaotian. How could she forget? Though the Dao Clan paid a heavy price, the child involved vanished. Could it be him? "What do you think?" the old crone asks the Martial Palace powerhouses, her expression changing. "Hard to say. The child's origin was completely destroyed—he can't achieve anything," a balding elder says coldly. "Don't forget, Dao Xiaotian was an Earth Master. He might have found something to heal his origin. Martial Emperor's talent is terrifying, but maybe only a Primordial Saint Body could achieve this!" the old crone growls, her eyes blood-red and murderous. "Unlikely. The clan elder broke Dao Xiaotian's legs. Even if he could run, he couldn't roam the Abyss Ancient Mines. Besides, he's no longer with the Dao Clan, and our powerhouses haven't found him. He probably hid somewhere. It's a pity about the Earth Book—who knows what he obtained." "Dao Xiaotian is no threat. The woman Ling Yan is probably dying, and the Dao Clan is sealed. They can't cause trouble. This has nothing to do with that child." After much debate, the group nods in agreement, and the old crone relaxes slightly.