Chapter 293

Chapter 293: There Is a Path Beyond Perfection

Like Yaoruoxian, Zhang Yang remained unaffected by others’ words.

He focused solely on reorganizing his Slaughter Thunder Saint Power.

If he had once embodied slaughter, ferocity, and dominance, he now approached peace, tranquility, and even a subtle warmth.

The surrounding killing thunder no longer crackled with violent energy.

Yet, everyone watching felt even more apprehensive.

For the calm killing thunder resembled a still sea, without waves, it allowed small boats to drift peacefully.

But once it erupted, it would consume the heavens and the earth.

This made it even more terrifying.

Zhang Yang, however, remained unaware of this perception. As he reorganized his Slaughter Thunder Saint Power, he made an astonishing discovery, it was not yet perfect. There were still flaws.

More accurately, there was still a path ahead.

"How is this possible?!"

"Perfection is perfection. How can there still be a path beyond it?"

"This isn’t the Great Boundless realm, nor is it Bing Yuyan’s Great Boundless Perfect Stage. That stems from her own path, while mine corresponds to the realm itself."

"Sages in the Ascending to Heaven realm are divided into four stages. Early, mid, fully developed, and perfection."

"Similarly, saintly martial arts techniques progress through four stages; initial insight, small development, full development, and perfection. The names differ, but in essence, they are completely symmetrical. Both emphasize the foundation, understanding, and mysteries of the saintly path. The difference lies in scope, not in level."

"If the Slaughter Thunder Saint Power has a level beyond perfection, what would it be called? Great Perfection? If that’s the case, does that mean the saintly path has a higher stage as well?"

A name suddenly surfaced in his mind, Zhan Tianque.

The number one sage of the present era, truly undefeated in battle.

People claimed he had the potential to attain immortality. But he himself had once said, "The heavens and earth are flawed, and it is because of this flaw that I cannot achieve the Dao."

Thus, he had changed his name to Tianque, "Flawed Heavens."

The heavens have flaws, which prevent me from attaining immortality!

Then, what was this flaw?

Was it Great Perfection?

And not Nine Extremes True Essence?

If so, then did it mean that all those so-called undefeated sages of today had only reached perfection, never stepping beyond it?

Zhang Yang’s breath quickened.

If he could create a level beyond perfection—Great Perfection for Slaughter Thunder Saint Power, wouldn’t that mean the sages of the Vast Forest could also cultivate to this higher level?

Then, they could truly dominate the vast world.

If Chi Zhenyi reached Great Perfection, he could easily surpass all other sages, even forcing God King Taiyi and Zhan Tianque to step aside.

And if his Slaughter Thunder Saint Power reached Great Perfection, his combat strength would undergo an unfathomable transformation.

However, it seemed that in his current Ascending to Heaven realm, he would be unable to fully exert such power.

He needed to advance his realm as soon as possible.

Excitement surged within him.

He had stumbled upon a great secret of the vast world.

And in a hazy moment, another realization struck him, this might be connected to Eternal Night.

Eternal Night. A world without immortals.

Eternal Night suppresses sages, preventing them from achieving immortality.

Eternal Night creates flaws in the world, obstructing sages from attaining Great Perfection.

If enough time passed, would people even forget that sages once had a higher level beyond perfection?

This isn’t impossible, it’s highly likely.

If Forbidden Lands could be erased, then martial arts realms could certainly undergo silent alterations as well.

Eternal Night is the greatest enemy of the vast world.

"Ha…"

He exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.

He radiated a vibrant energy, as if he had just shattered some invisible inner chains.

His eyes gleamed brightly as he noticed Moon-Returning Dragon had yet to take back the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood.

In fact, he even extended his hand, revealing the wood’s hidden mysteries of the Realm of Thunder.

This was the true essence of the Realm of Thunder.

This gesture was an undeniable display of goodwill.

"Thank you," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

Moon-Returning Dragon replied, "No need for such formality. Fate brought us together. If this helped you gain insight, then it is also a form of destiny."

Zhang Yang chuckled. "Indeed, it is fate."

His gaze sharpened. "Brother Yue, you’re from the Cold Moon Dynasty, aren’t you?"

Before Moon-Returning Dragon could respond, a valiant woman standing behind him spoke up.

"This is our prince from the Cold Moon Dynasty."

Zhang Yang chuckled. "Indeed, this is no ordinary destiny."

He took out the bloodline inheritance pearl.

The moment he revealed it, the Moon-Returning Dragon’s bloodline trembled uncontrollably, and faint blood energy swirled around him.

In contrast, the cold moon within Zhang Yang’s bloodline inheritance pearl spun on its own, revealing its mysteries.

"What is this?" the Moon-Returning Dragon asked excitedly.

Zhang Yang explained, "I fell into the Abyss of the Buried Immortals, where I found a cave that saved my life. This treasure was left behind by someone named Saint Yue Shou. It is his bloodline inheritance pearl. I promised his remains that if I ever encountered someone from the Cold Moon Dynasty, I would return it as a token of gratitude for saving me."

He casually tossed it to him.

This act enraged Jin Zhihong, delighted the Moon-Returning Dragon, and surprised Yaoruoxian.

"Brat! You are bold beyond reason!" Jin Zhihong shouted angrily. "By doing this, you have made yourself an enemy of my Taixu Dynasty!"

Zhang Yang glanced at him but ignored him entirely. He continued, "Saint Yue Shou also left behind a Communication Stone, containing his final words. He specifically stated that he was framed by people from the Taixu Dynasty. Although he dragged the traitor into the Abyss of the Buried Immortals with him, that person perished. However, he believed that the Cold Moon Dynasty had been deeply infiltrated by the Taixu Dynasty."

A flash of killing intent flickered in Jin Zhihong’s eyes.

At the same time, Yuan Chimuyu, Nie Bahuang, Qing Xie, and the hundred Butian Guards radiated intense hostility.

They had never expected that, in a mere instant, Zhang Yang would grant their target such an enormous opportunity.

A bloodline inheritance pearl, and not just any pearl, one belonging to a saint.

Saint Yue Shou was not an ordinary saint. He was a legendary figure in the Cold Moon Dynasty, having terrorized the Western Desert for a thousand years. His inheritance, combined with the Moon-Returning Dragon’s extraordinary talent, could bring about an astonishing transformation.

As the Moon-Returning Dragon caught the bloodline inheritance pearl, excitement filled his eyes. "Thank you, brother. This Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood shall serve as my gift in return."

He gently pushed the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood forward, surprisingly tossing it toward Zhang Yang.

The Moon-Returning Dragon added, "Please accept it. Though our ancestors unknowingly left behind this treasure, they saved your life. In return, you have revealed the true cause of their demise, warned me of internal traitors, and gifted me this bloodline inheritance pearl. This is an immense favor, so please take it."

Zhang Yang gave him a thumbs-up.

This prince was a true man!

In the chaotic and ruthless world of martial arts, such people were rare.

Of course, Zhang Yang’s willingness to return something he could have easily kept hidden was just as uncommon.

To outsiders, they both seemed like oddities.

Without hesitation, Zhang Yang accepted the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood, knowing it would be of great use to him.

He needed to further explore the coexistence of destruction and rebirth within the Realm of Thunder to lay the foundation for achieving Great Perfection on the path of a saint.

This task was far more difficult than transitioning from soul power martial arts techniques to holy power martial arts techniques.

After all, the rules of Eternal Night’s martial arts were already set in stone.

If his guess was correct, and this was connected to Eternal Night, then he was actively defying its will. The difficulty of such an undertaking was unimaginable.

"Liu Yuewu, Zhan Feiyu, Du Ziteng! Protect me!"

The Moon-Returning Dragon decisively began absorbing the bloodline inheritance pearl.

The Abyss of the Buried Immortals was deep, and the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals moved slowly. He had a chance to absorb enough of the inheritance before the ship reached the bottom, allowing him to complete his transformation.

The three warriors behind him immediately took their positions, forming a triangular defensive formation.

The Moon-Returning Dragon activated his bloodline, immersing himself in the inheritance of Saint Yue Shou.

Jin Zhihong was furious but could do nothing to stop him. Instead, he turned his rage toward Zhang Yang, ready to unleash his fury.

Yet, Zhang Yang ignored him completely.

His attention was entirely focused on the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood.

Once again, he entered a state of enlightenment.

His Slaughter Thunder separated and transformed, now containing deeper mysteries of the path of a saint. It grew richer and more profound as it merged into the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood.

In that moment, his Slaughter Thunder evolved.

It was no longer just Slaughter Thunder—it had become Slaughter Sacred Thunder.

As the Slaughter Sacred Thunder merged with the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood, it ignited the power of thunder within, allowing Zhang Yang to deeply perceive the mysteries of rebirth hidden within the tender sprout.

His Slaughter Thunder Saint Power was further perfected.

And this only reinforced his conviction. There was indeed a path beyond perfection on the path of a saint.