After a few rounds of wine and dishes, the atmosphere in the main hall never truly became lively. On the contrary, as time went by, an increasingly strange and oppressive air filled the room. Most of the guests paid little attention to the performances, dancing, or culinary delights before them. Instead, their eyes unconsciously shifted toward several figures seated on the highest floor.
Among them, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, an elder of the Body Sect stationed at the Spirit Hall, was the first to break the subtle silence, blinking and raising his wine glass in a toast toward the elder sitting at the main seat.
"Your Excellency, the spiritual power you exhibited today is truly astonishing. In my humble view, Your Excellency's cultivation of spirit power is not inferior to the legendary Ultimate Douluo."
"Without a doubt, the one with the greatest spiritual power on the Douluo Continent."
The Grand Elder maintained his calm composure, gently putting down his wine glass, smiling softly, and responded in a steady voice.
"Elder Yue, you're too kind. I have only walked a little farther along this path than others. I am not worthy of such a lofty title as a greatest."
Standing nearby, Glowing Feather Douluo, who was idly playing with a newly formed crystal arrow in his hand, turned his head with a look of curiosity on his young, handsome face.
"Your Excellency is being far too modest. From what I observed, Your Excellency's spiritual power is entirely different from the three domains we've always known: 'Form but no substance', 'both form and substance', and 'neither form nor substance.'
Could it be… that Your Excellency has surpassed the realm of 'neither form nor substance'?"
As both a subordinate of the Spirit Hall and a secret ally, Glowing Feather Douluo had some understanding of the Grand Elder's true strength.
As he spoke of the three traditional domains of spirit power, every spirit master present tuned in attentively. Cultivating spiritual power was notoriously hard and obscure, and few had ever made real breakthroughs; the related theory was even vaguer.
The Grand Elder surveyed everyone in the hall, a meaningful smile flickering in his eyes.
"Spiritual power is the essence of human potential, the extension of the soul and will. Each person has a different face and a different heart. The ways to stimulate and utilize it differ from person to person, and depending on the path they walk."
He added, his words tinged with slight disdain for old frameworks,
"The three domains—'Form but no substance', 'both form and substance', 'neither form nor substance'—have their advantages and may be useful for beginners.
However, using them to define the entirety of the path of spiritual power, or as the highest standard, is far too simplistic to truly describe higher mystical levels."
"Oh?" Guang Ling raised an eyebrow, now genuinely surprised. Was Yuan Hua really planning to deny the boundary categories painstakingly established over uncounted generations?
As he expected, in the next instant, the Grand Elder's voice grew slightly sharper, tinged with a hint of cold irony.
"'Form but no substance,' 'both form and substance,' 'neither form nor substance'…"
Repeating the three traditional domains in a low tone, the Grand Elder then shook his head.
"The path of spiritual power is as vast as a sea of stars. How could a few words suffice to encompass it all?"
Without finishing his words, he slowly raised his right hand. From the tip of his index finger, a faint milky-white ring glowed silently, then suddenly detached, floating about thirty centimeters before him, quivering briefly before silently exploding.
The points of exploded light didn't disappear. Instead, they transformed into three snake-like, visible milky-white streams of air drifting in the air.
The first thread of air was barely perceptible, drifting slowly to the smooth jade floor in front. The moment it made contact, it vanished without a sound or a trace.
The second gust, with distinct edges, struck the bronze edge of a pillar supporting the palace nearby, producing a soft "ding." At the point of impact, the hard bronze surface was "shattered," scattering countless tiny metal fragments.
The third stream was somewhere in-between the previous two, seemingly possessing a tangible form, yet also looking as if it could dissipate at any moment. It landed gently atop a complex pattern inlaid with rare mineral powders on the floor, causing the lines to emit a faintly lustrous glow.
"In terms of raw energy, these three spirit powers are at the beginner's level, insignificant." The Grand Elder's calm voice echoed.
"But in terms of level, there is a chasm between them."
"Spirit power first forms, then condenses, like the primal energy of heaven and earth, able to nourish the body of its own accord. The earliest perception, the first stream of energy just now, is a sign of entering this domain."
As he spoke, deeper spiritual energy welled up from between his brows, spreading instantly throughout every corner of the hall.
In that moment, all who touched this power felt a wondrous sensation: one could "know" the situation around them without seeing, as if their soul acquired new senses.
"This is the Spirit Connection Realm," the Grand Elder explained.
"As spiritual power awakens, it becomes spiritual in nature and can sense the external world. Instantly, you can grasp changes in the environment and the complexities of all things, understanding them clearly in your heart."
Before anyone could recover from this strange sensation, the Grand Elder's spiritual power underwent another qualitative change.
The once freely flowing energy suddenly contracted inwards, condensing an invisible, intangible "sea" before the Grand Elder.
"This is the Spirit Sea Realm," the Grand Elder declared, his tone imbued with majesty.
"Spiritual power accumulates slowly, growing from a stream to a river, then a sea, vast and boundless. With a single thought, the sea of spirit moves as you wish, with unparalleled force."
But the change did not stop there.
The light at the center of the Grand Elder's brow grew fierce, as a deep vortex appeared in the center of the sea of spiritual power. The vortex churned violently, swallowing surrounding spiritual "seawater," its core seemingly connected to an unfathomable abyss.
"This is the Spirit Abyss Realm," his voice suddenly rising.
"When spiritual power condenses to the extreme, it transforms into an abyss devouring all things. At a single thought, the spiritual abyss can distort reality and shatter the void."
After what seemed like an eternity, the Grand Elder suddenly opened his eyes, which now had lost their usual gentleness and seemed brimming with endless majesty.
Boom—
The spiritual pressure enveloping the hall reached its climax. The vortex of dreadful spiritual energy abruptly ceased spinning, expanding outward and transforming into the domain of reality.
Centered on the Grand Elder, a space tens of meters in radius seemed cut off from the real world, forming an independent domain.
Within it, time seemed to stretch and slow. The soul power that emanated naturally from the soul masters in the hall hung suspended like frozen fireflies, absolutely still. Even the flows of air and flicker of candles nearly halted.
The Grand Elder slowly rose from his seat, and with his motion, the invisible spiritual energy field around him quivered subtly.
"As for the ultimate achievement in the path of spirit," the Grand Elder's voice rang out majestic and profound, "I call it the Spirit Domain Realm."
"Spiritual power transmutes the formless into form, opening realms. One thought creates a boundary, and within it, all things arise and perish; time and space flow, laws and order… all determined by my heart."
Finishing his speech, the horrifying spiritual domain that had shrouded the hall gradually ebbed away, like a receding tide. The soul lights began to flow again, the air circulated, and sound rang clear—as if the terrifying spectacle that froze time and space had never happened and everything returned to normal.
The Grand Elder withdrew all his aura, returning to his humble appearance. He surveyed the hall, a faint smile on his lips.
"Therefore, the traditional three-domain concept is ultimately inferior, for those who have truly glimpsed the mysteries of spiritual power."
His voice remained clear in the ears of every soul master, still unable to recover from the shock.
"From this day forth, the path of spiritual power shall be founded upon the five realms I demonstrated today: the Spirit Origin Realm, Spirit Connection Realm, Spirit Sea Realm, Spirit Abyss Realm, and Spirit Domain Realm."
"..."
Utter silence.
The hall was so quiet it felt as if even a pin drop would echo, breaths were barely audible.
Regardless of cultivation or social standing, everyone stood rooted like clay or wooden statues, caught in the echo of the Grand Elder's words and the display of spiritual power that had step by step overturned everything they knew.
Was this… a redefinition of the cultivation system?
Today, this Wisdom Brain Douluo not only overpowered the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sword and Bone Douluo in strength, but also delivered a theoretical shock to the very foundation of soul master cultivation.
He was aiming to redefine the boundaries and standards for the spiritual cultivation of soul masters across the entire world.
Guang Ling gazed blankly at the Grand Elder, who had regained his composure, the crystal arrow in his hand quietly melting away.
After a while, he slowly let out an old, weary breath, a complex, bitter smile lingering on his lips.
He knew that from this day on, the name "Wisdom Brain Douluo Yuan Hua" would no longer be confined to labels like "Grand Elder of the Body Sect" or "the Continent's greatest spiritual soul master."
He would be recorded in the annals of spirit masters as the founder of a new spiritual power system—a groundbreaking contribution that would influence the cultivation path of countless soul masters for generations.
Yet, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's face remained pale, his brows tightly knit from the shock.
He recalled the feeling of being utterly overwhelmed by his opponent's spiritual might, unable to resist at all… it was an inexplicable experience, one defying even spiritual domain theory.
That power surpassed any spiritual prowess he could comprehend, radiating suppression from a higher dimension!
He forced down his fear, but instead, a near-obsessive thirst for understanding blazed in his eyes.
The cultivation of the Seven Kill Sword demanded the highest level of spiritual power, and he had devoted his whole life to seeking the perfect union of sword intent and spiritual force.
Hearing this unprecedented explanation of the realms of existence, it felt as though a brand-new door had opened before him.
Taking a deep breath, ignoring the atmosphere, he spoke, his voice low, a bit raspy with excitement:
"Your Excellency, these five realms you've just described are profound, and I am deeply impressed, but…," he gazed intently at the Grand Elder,
"the spiritual power you just demonstrated seems to go beyond the Spirit Domain. Your Excellency, may I ask: Is there a realm even higher, beyond these five?"
At this, many finally snapped out of their shock, lost in thought, curiosity aroused.
Yes, if one could easily suppress two peak Douluo, it felt as though merely reaching the Spirit Domain Realm wasn't enough.
The Grand Elder glanced briefly at Chen Xin, a faint trace of approval in his eyes.
This man possessed both a firm will and supreme cultivation in both swordsmanship and spiritual pursuit. Even under such a blow, the ability to instantly grasp the crucial point was rare indeed.
Unfortunately, each served their own master and were fated to remain on opposite sides.
He didn't directly answer Chen Xin, but spoke slowly:
"The Spirit Origin, Spirit Connection, Spirit Sea, Spirit Abyss, and Spirit Domain Realm—these five realms represent the uppermost limits reachable by a soul master of mundane talent, given opportunity and arduous cultivation.
They are enough to traverse the continent, to explore innumerable mysteries along the path of the soul master."
The Grand Elder's gaze seemed to pierce the main hall's dome and look into infinite nothingness, his voice now mysterious and profound.
"As for what lies beyond the Fifth Realm…"
Like a gentle spring breeze or the whisper of a god, an unspeakable spiritual might quietly descended, enveloping the whole venue.
This time, there was no pressure nor destruction, no domain encroaching.
Yet the very instant the spiritual power swept through, everyone present, even the top experts like Guang Ling, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong, felt an uncontrollable quivering awe from the depths of their souls.
It was a trembling arising from an absolute gap in the level of existence and cognition—a primal, instinctive reaction.
As the Grand Elder withdrew his gaze, the immense force vanished as though it never existed.
"I call this the Divine Origin Realm."
With that, he ignored the hall's reactions, gave a slight nod to Chen Yi and Chen Zhen, and got up to leave. The guests remained shell-shocked for a long time after.
Divine… Origin… Realm?
Could it be… does this relate to gods?
…