The Modern Martial Immortal

”Void-Piercing Realm?”

The moment Yaoguang stepped out of that distorted void, where space seemed to have folded into two layers, every Void-Piercing Realm elder present wore a look of disbelief.

The true disciples, including those in the top ten such as Yan Huang, Ling Xi, Liang Lin, and Zhang Qin, were even more horrified.

Even lineage leaders like Yuan Miaoyi and Xiang Zhenlong looked utterly shocked.

He reached the Void-Piercing Realm on the spot?! Just like that?! How did he advance to the Void-Piercing Realm so easily?!

For an ordinary Azure Golden Core cultivator to reach the Void-Piercing Realm, whether it was erupting with the full power of their Dharma Form to split the heavens and earth, or making their Golden Core collapse into a Primordial Void to develop a world, every part of the process was incomparably dangerous.

If one detonated the power of the Dharma Form to open the heavens through a true spirit, the slightest mistake would cause their psychic thoughts to be annihilated, leaving them as a living corpse, an empty husk without a soul.

The process of making the Golden Core collapse into a black hole to develop a world was even more perilous. Without sufficient comprehension of void power, the moment the Golden Core collapsed would basically mean the cultivator’s death.

And the fusion between the two processes was even more difficult.

It required perfect alignment between psychic thought and the power of the Golden Core.

They had to be mutually compatible and mutually reinforcing. The slightest flaw would cause the realm breakthrough to fail.

Those with slightly better luck could still turn into battle immortals and maintain their Primordial Void.

As for the unlucky ones... The power of the collapsed Golden Core would lose control and devour everything. They would die on the spot, reduced to ashes.

Yaoguang had casually completed his breakthrough into the Void-Piercing Realm in just a few breaths of time. That ease, that natural and effortless flow, simply overturned everyone’s understanding of the Void-Piercing Realm.

”How is this possible!? That’s the Void-Piercing Realm!”

”Achieving the Void-Piercing Realm was actually this easy?! How is that possible?! How exactly did he do it? How could he possibly break through so effortlessly!?”

Countless people could not accept the situation before their eyes. Even some genuine Void-Piercing Realm cultivators were growing somewhat frantic.

It had been too easy! Too simple!

When that ease and simplicity were compared to the painstaking preparations, the extreme caution, and the life-threatening experience they had gone through when breaking through to the Void-Piercing Realm, the difference was like heaven and earth.

The disparity was so enormous that they could not help feeling jealous, almost driven mad by it!

However, Yaoguang clearly did not care about their attitude.

Taking advantage of the Golden Book Venerable still being present, he directly gave a fist-and-palm salute and said, ”Having advanced to the Void-Piercing Realm as a true disciple, I should become the young sect master.”

”Correct. Those are indeed the rules.” The Golden Book Venerable nodded slightly.

As soon as these words came out, the true disciples who had found it unbelievable and inconceivable could not help widening their eyes.

No matter how unwilling they were to accept the truth, with the Golden Book Venerable personally confirming it for Yaoguang, his status as a Void-Piercing Realm cultivator could no longer be doubted in the slightest.

The Golden Book Venerable ignored everyone else’s thoughts and did not care whether others believed Yaoguang had truly reached the Void-Piercing Realm. With a wave of his hand, golden light once again appeared before him.

He directly adjusted the true disciple roster, removing Yaoguang’s name and imprint from it.

Immediately, the true disciple rankings, which had just been filled to eighty-eight positions, had an empty spot once again.

Seeing this, the true disciple who had originally been ranked last and removed from the list became wildly overjoyed.

Unfortunately, the Golden Book Venerable did not even look at him. He simply left that position vacant, flipped to the next page, and registered Yaoguang’s name and imprint there.

The smile that had not yet had time to spread across that true disciple’s face froze.

”The young sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect shall be given a volume of the Great Dao Golden Book and possess the right to observe the sect’s operations, resource distribution, and personnel deployment.” As he spoke, a golden booklet had already appeared in the Golden Book Venerable’s hand, and it immediately flew toward Yaoguang.

Yaoguang reached out, received the booklet, and refined it into his grotto-heaven.

Observing the sect’s operations, resource distribution, and personnel deployment.

What did this mean? It meant the authority to supervise the sect!

Although he would only be able to supervise things, holding no actual authority, because he controlled a divided volume of the Great Dao Golden Book, if anyone violated the sect’s fundamental rules—those recorded in the Great Dao Golden Book—he would have the right to directly report it to the Great Dao Golden Book and request its judgment.

That was a level of power not to be underestimated...

The expressions of the Heavenly Dao Sect’s sect master, Zong Wenxian; the heavenly lineage leader, Xiang Zhenlong; the immortal lineage leader, Yuan Miaoyi; and the others changed at once.

There was no system of rules in this world that could be perfect in every way. When the higher-ups of the sect handled affairs, they would always add a little of their own...

Their reason was that it was necessary to respond to changes brought about by external factors. Sometimes, that meant overstepping their own authority in certain areas.

Ordinarily, if a lineage leader were to overstep his authority, or if the deputy sect masters crossed the line slightly, everyone would simply distribute some profit to the young sect masters and turn a blind eye. Everyone benefited, and everyone was satisfied.

It was all for the sake of becoming immortals. There was nothing shameful about it.

But now, Yaoguang had appeared, and he seemed to be a tough nut to crack... That made things troublesome.

”Sect Master...” Yuan Miaoyi carefully asked for instructions. ”Although the Golden Book Venerable knows many things, he also understands that governing such a large sect is not easy for us. As long as no one insists on pursuing the matter, Golden Book Venerable will not investigate deeply. After all, we govern the sect by solving problems using human thought processes. And the way we view problems is different from an artifact spirit...”

”Let’s observe him first,” Zong Wenxian said. ”First, let’s see his attitude. But no matter what, now that there is another young sect master, the profits that should be yielded must still be yielded by your lineages.”

”That is only natural.” Although Yuan Miaoyi, Xiang Zhenlong, and the others felt somewhat pained, they still agreed.

Yielding benefits would have been fine if it were one of their own. The meat would still be in the pot.

But Yaoguang was an outsider, completely unaffiliated with any of their lineages. This was practically cutting flesh from their bodies.

However, the young sect master had the authority to report matters directly to the Great Dao Golden Book. If they did not yield benefits and caused conflict, their existing circle would be reshuffled, and their losses would be even greater.

After they reached a slight consensus, several Void-Piercing Realm elders, acting under the instructions of the lineage leaders, quickly smiled and offered congratulations. ”Congratulations, True Disciple Yaoguang, on becoming the young sect master of our sect. With a young talent like Young Sect Master Yaoguang joining us, our sect will surely become like a tiger with wings and climb to even greater heights.”

Another elder laughed as he addressed Yaoguang. ”Who dares say that our sect’s younger generation has no one worthy? Young Sect Master Yaoguang’s arrival is the best way to slap them in the face. Young Sect Master Yaoguang, you must visit our Heavenly Palace Peak often in the future.”

”Our sect has gained another Void-Piercing Realm cultivator. This is a grand occasion for our sect. I hereby announce that for the next year, all sect missions from the immortal lineage’s External Affairs Peak will have their contribution rewards increased by thirty percent. Every member of the sect shall celebrate together and congratulate True Disciple Yaoguang on ascending to the Void-Piercing Realm.”

One Void-Piercing Realm elder after another spoke up, immediately offering their congratulations to Yaoguang.

As these Void-Piercing Realm elders stated their stance, the true disciples also recovered from all the recent twists and turns.

Although Yaoguang’s act of reaching the Void-Piercing Realm on the spot seemed unreal no matter how one looked at it, the facts were right before their eyes. Yaoguang had already advanced directly from true disciple to young sect master. They had no choice but to believe it.

At once, Ling Xi, Zhang Qin, and the others whose attitudes had been the mildest followed suit and called out, ”Congratulations, True Disciple Yaoguang, on ascending to the Void-Piercing Realm. From this day forth, may you roam freely between the heavens and earth and enjoy boundless longevity.”

Once the true disciples expressed their stance, they naturally prompted the other inner sect disciples to begin shouting as well.

”Congratulations, True Disciple Yaoguang, on ascending to the Void-Piercing Realm. May you enjoy boundless longevity!”

For a while, thousands upon thousands of inner sect disciples in the field shouted one after another, their voices unceasing.

Whether they were jealous of Yaoguang, still found everything unbelievable, or were disciples who felt they could have replaced him, at this moment all of them had no choice but to squeeze out smiles—whether genuine or false—and offer their congratulations.

All that could be heard throughout the area around the Heavenly Dao Sword Platform was cheering, and that noise seemed almost ready to spread through half of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Yan Huang, who had once again returned to the seat of the number-one true disciple, listened to the shouts around him and the congratulations from one Void-Piercing Realm elder after another, maintaining a neutral expression.

But when he sensed the faint disappointment in the gaze that his master, Zong Wenxian, the current sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, cast toward him, his heart sank.

Looking at the figure on the Heavenly Dao Sword Platform, who now carried countless honors, an unprecedented desire surged in this true disciple’s heart.

The Void-Piercing Realm! I, Yan Huang, will absolutely take that step as well! I will reach the Void-Piercing Realm! I will become a young sect master and truly join the Heavenly Dao Sect’s hierarchy of power. That day isn’t that far away! Fifty years! Perhaps even thirty years! I will definitely accomplish it!

At that time... I will certainly seek out Yaoguang and fight him again, proving to the world who the true eldest senior brother of the Heavenly Dao Sect is, and who is the strongest cultivator in the Heavenly Dao Sect’s younger generation.

”Our sect has gained another young sect master with limitless potential. This is the sect’s good fortune,” the voice of Zong Wenxian, the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, echoed through the void.

A true disciple who could advance to the Void-Piercing Realm before the age of three hundred could become a young sect master. If a young sect master advanced to the Void-Refining Realm within a thousand years, he would become a deputy sect master.

Once a true disciple passed the age of three hundred, he would automatically step down and become a sect officer. Even if he reached the Void-Piercing Realm in the future, he could only serve as an elder.

From this, one could see how difficult it was to become a young sect master.

And after becoming a young sect master, the benefits one enjoyed were numerous.

As the sect master spoke, the chatter in the field died down.

Everyone’s gaze fell on Zong Wenxian, while some people secretly sized up Yaoguang.

They knew that what came next was the true highlight for this young sect master.

”Every young sect master is a pillar of the sect and a future powerhouse. Our sect will naturally do everything in our power to help him grow.” Zong Wenxian’s psychic thought echoed through the sky. ”In my name as the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, I grant Young Sect Master Yaoguang one mountain peak containing a level 12 array art, along with its corresponding personnel. I grant him the position of hall master in the battle lineage, commanding one hall of elites. I grant him the Adamant Mountain Range as his direct territory, with the right to enjoy fifty percent of its profits. I grant him jurisdiction over the Third District of Heavenly Dao Southern City, as well as one hundred and eight shops within that district.”

As soon as he said this, countless people in the immortal, heavenly, battle, and Dao lineages felt their hearts ache.

”I hope Young Sect Master Yaoguang can reach the Void-Refining Realm soon, shoulder the responsibility of developing the sect, and contribute to the daily growth and strength of our sect.”

”Thank you, Sect Master.” Yaoguang gave a fist-and-palm salute and accepted these benefits with a smile.