Chapter 340 [That Which Should Not Exist]

The old lady, unruffled, smiled at Chen Yan and waved her hand, saying, "What do you think a Saint is?"

"What?"

"Venerable, Saint—what kind of existence do you think we are?"

Chen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Uh... the most powerful beings, comprehending the Heavenly Dao, understanding the rules of the Heavenly Dao, gods standing on the clouds, the spokespersons of the Heavenly Dao, immortal and indestructible..."

The old lady waved her hand impatiently, "Yes, everything you’ve said is correct—it’s how ants perceive us. What I am asking is, the real core question: what exactly is a Saint? How does one become a Saint?

By what means do we become Saints, and how do we comprehend the Heavenly Dao.

It can’t possibly be through some kind of examination, right?"

Chen Yan pondered, "Tribulation crossing? Celestial Tribulation and the like? Succeed in crossing the tribulation to enjoy the Great Dao, fail and crumble to ash?"

The old lady looked at Chen Yan, and a mysterious smile slowly appeared on her face, then, to Chen Yan’s surprise, she shook her head.

"Isn’t it like that?" Chen Yan asked with a frown.

"Of course not." The old lady shook her head, responding thus.

Chen Yan was stunned.

·

In the Domain Realm, there is a common understanding known to all cultivators regarding the entire system of cultivation.

This common understanding is that the practice of cultivation is nothing more than initiation—arduous training and accumulation—realm breakthrough and tribulation crossing—continuing arduous training and accumulation to the next stage—then another tribulation crossing.

Starting from the first tier, [Mortal Cultivator], the first barrier is "initiation," like a filtering threshold, removing those with poor talent and allowing only the gifted to pass through, entering the First Realm, Second Realm, Third Realm.

At this stage, one can draw Primordial Qi Entering the Body, nourishing the physical body, thereby extending the cultivator’s lifespan and physical form. Cultivating to the Third Realm, one can easily live for several hundred years.

If Heavenly and Earthly Treasures are used, or if something that strengthens the physical body is utilized during cultivation, the lifespan can be extended even further.

When the Third Realm reaches its peak, all aspects of a cultivator’s progress reach a critical point, triggering a Celestial Tribulation, headed towards the Celestial Human Realm.

"Triggering" a Celestial Tribulation is actually when a cultivator’s cultivation at the peak of the Third Realm has accumulated sufficiently, and their Divine Sense becomes potent enough to vaguely comprehend some of the Heavenly Dao.

This comprehension forms a subtle [resonance] with the Heavenly Dao, and when this resonance reaches a certain intensity, the Heavenly Dao will send down a Celestial Tribulation to test the cultivator.

After passing the test, one enters the Celestial Human Realm (Fourth Realm).

From then on, they embark on the tier of the "Extraordinary."

Then again it is cultivation and accumulation. Fifth Realm, finally reaching the Sixth Realm (Primordial Spirit Realm) Great Perfection, another "Celestial Tribulation" is experienced.

Still "triggering" a Celestial Tribulation.

This triggering is said to be the same pattern as when triggering a Celestial Tribulation during the last Realm Breakthrough.

The cultivator comprehends the Heavenly Dao, understands the rules of the Heavenly Dao, applies the rules of the Heavenly Dao, and after completing the entire "Extraordinary" tier, including the Celestial Human Realm, Golden Body Realm, and Primordial Spirit Realm, this comprehension and accumulation of the Heavenly Dao reaches a new stage, becomes complete, and when it reaches a certain critical point, it will again trigger a [resonance] with the Heavenly Dao.

This resonance will bring about another Celestial Tribulation.

Pass it, and one becomes a Venerable Saint.

But here arises the problem.

During the Realm-Breaking Celestial experience, though it is difficult to "trigger" the Celestial Tribulation, the Heavenly Dao eventually grants "resonance" to the outstanding among them.

However, at the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Perfection, theoretically one should again "trigger" a resonance with the Heavenly Dao, to summon a Celestial Tribulation.

But... at this point, for tens of thousands of years, the Heavenly Dao acts as an indifferent woman, allowing countless generations of countless groveling admirers to frantically comprehend and try to guess its preferences, to guess its moods, whether by pleading or waiting...

In short, no matter the comprehension, no matter the devotion, at this point, the Heavenly Dao remains unresponsive!

For tens of thousands of years, countless cultivators at the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Perfection have been stuck here.

It’s not that they can’t pass the Celestial Tribulation, it’s that, the Heavenly Dao simply doesn’t send down the Celestial Tribulation!

For tens of thousands of years, untold numbers of cultivators at the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Perfection have exhausted their lifespans in the long quest of comprehension and meditation, ultimately withering away in endless waiting.

Simply because, the Saint Position is limited!

The positions of Saints as determined by the Heavenly Dao total only forty-two!

Unless a vacancy appears, otherwise, there will be no resonating with the Heavenly Dao, no Celestial Tribulation will descend.

Yet, the Domain Realm holds a consensus: Celestial Tribulations do exist!

But the Heavenly Dao only sends down a Celestial Tribulation if there is a vacancy in the Saint Position.

·

"I don’t understand your meaning." Chen Yan frowned, "Isn’t it that the number of Saints determined by the Heavenly Dao cannot exceed..."

"No, I’m not asking you that, I’m asking, do you know how we, those who have already become Saints, initially became Saints?"

Chen Yan asked, "You all? So, old lady, when you became a Saint, did you survive one great Celestial Tribulation? What was that Celestial Tribulation like?"

The old lady still had that mysterious smile on her face, and she softly spoke a few words.

As these words fell into Chen Yan’s ears, instantly, it was as if some kind of celestial response was triggered! 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

With a thunderous roar, a bolt of lightning echoed from the sky!

This clap of thunder came suddenly, without warning! The sound resounded across the heavens and the earth!

Even this separately existing space of the "time flow speed" magical treasure could not shield against this trace of celestial might!