Chapter 918: The Dao Fusion Begins, The Battle Worsens
Editor: Henyee Translations

After briefly parting from his companions, Jiang Chengxuan left the Eastern Sky Domain.

The spark of enlightenment within him continued to transform, and he was unwilling to extinguish it, knowing doing so would significantly impact his cultivation path.

Choosing to defend the Eastern Sky Domain without entering seclusion would drastically reduce his combat effectiveness.

Extinguishing this chance for breakthrough could hinder his path of cultivation, possibly trapping him at the Dao Inception realm for hundreds of years—a consequence neither he nor the Haoran Sect and the human race wished to see.

Considering the urgency of the battle situation, Jiang Chengxuan knew that his breakthrough into the Dao Fusion realm needed to be both stable and swift.

Once he had moved a sufficient distance from the Eastern Sky Domain to ensure the battle would not affect him, he found a secluded mountain cave as his place for breakthrough.

The location, with its flowing streams, waterfalls, and peculiar rocks, was ideal for a cultivator of the Five Elements like himself.

Without hesitation, Jiang Chengxuan laid out a series of arrays around the cave’s perimeter.

The outermost layer was designed for alerts and to confuse potential enemies, the middle layer gathered spiritual qi and secured the location’s Feng Shui, and inside the cave were arrays to assist with the breakthrough.

These arrays, while not particularly unique, were efficiently set up by Jiang Chengxuan in less than half a day.

Entering the temporary cave abode, Jiang Chengxuan sat down cross-legged within the array, slowly expanding his spiritual sense to connect with the surrounding environment.

He nurtured the spark of enlightenment within him, extending his awareness to encompass all living beings around him.

Slowly, the powers of the Five Elements arose from all things, taking the form of five divine lights that enveloped the world.

The nascent form of the Five Elements’ Dao became more refined.

This was the Dao Inception realm that Jiang Chengxuan had reached.

The rules of the Dao appeared in five colors: red, blue, yellow, brown, and green, representing the supreme laws that encompass all things and carry the operation of the world.

Yet, for Jiang Chengxuan, these were still external aids rather than part of his essence.

The Dao Inception Realm signified the Five Elements’ Dao’s acknowledgment of him, allowing him to manipulate the rules of the Five Elements.

However, the Dao Fusion realm required the cultivator to merge with the Dao comprehended, becoming one with it.

Fully immersed in the state of breakthrough, Jiang Chengxuan pushed his strength to the peak of the Dao Inception realm.

He sensed a barrier between himself and the Five Elements’ Dao. He knew that this was the bottleneck.

Thus, he released the spark of enlightenment, gradually dissolving the invisible bottleneck.

As the essence of the Five Elements’ Dao flowed from the broken bottleneck, Jiang Chengxuan immediately felt an unparalleled closeness.

The Dao began to slowly merge with him, centering on him as the core, as the world’s phenomena evolved around him: erupting earth fire, sky-reaching water torrents, accumulating metals and stones, burgeoning forests, and rising lands…

Within this, life began to come into being, and mystical powers grew.

Jiang Chengxuan officially stepped into the threshold of Dao Fusion, with everything falling into place naturally.

However, fully integrating the vast Dao of the Five Elements would require time and gradual fusion…

At this moment,

In the Eastern Sky Domain.

Unknowingly, seven days had passed since Jiang Chengxuan departed for his Dao Fusion breakthrough.

During this period, the demon beast army launched several probing attacks, but nothing substantial occurred until today, when alarming news reached the temporary camp of the Haoran Sect.

“The Qian family and Feitian Gate are calling for help. The enemy has deployed a Dao Mastery demon beast saint skilled in breaking arrays!”

Xue Ping’s expression turned grave upon hearing this.

It was clear that the demon beasts were executing a strategic move, with Saint Jade Arcanum likely attempting to divide and conquer by drawing him away from critical areas.

In this way, even if he was at the peak of Dao Mastery Realm, he would be led by the nose by the enemy.

However, even though he knew, he was helpless.

Understanding the enemy’s tactics but left with little choice, Xue Ping informed Leng Yuehua and promptly set out to provide assistance elsewhere.

Just half an hour after Xue Ping’s departure, Saint Rosy CLoud and her forces launched another assault on the barrier, reigniting the conflict.

In Jiang Chengxuan’s absence, Leng Yuehua took charge of the protective array, managing to hold the line but just barely.

Fortunately, Shen Ruyan had returned with Jiang Chengxuan this time, allowing the Eastern Sky Domain to have another main combat force.

Across the barrier, the brutal clash between the human and demon beast races resumed.

The ongoing battle resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, with demon corpses strewn across the battlefield, gruesomely mutilated by various spells.

As Shen Ruyan controlled the lightning to attack, she arrived in front of Saint Pingnan who was attacking the barrier.

The three demon beast saints were relentless, causing substantial damage to the barrier.

With a cold flash in her eyes, Shen Ruyan unleashed the Five Lightning Immortal Slayer, targeting the mountain core being used to undermine the barrier.

A fierce burst of lightning erupted in the sky, the terrifying power of the thunder making even the demon beast saints shudder.

“My mountain core! Damn it!”

Saint Titan Peak hastily retrieved his mountain core only to find it chipped by the Five Lightning Immortal Slayer.

Despite being just a small chip, it represented a massive loss, equivalent to the essence of numerous mountains.

Shen Ruyan’s strike significantly weakened Saint TItan Peak.

“This time, a woman came. Do you really think this is all we got?”

Saint Inferno roared, unleashing a sea of flames that seemed capable of scorching the heavens, transforming the sky into a blazing inferno.

Faced with Dao Integration level power, Shen Ruyan did not dare to underestimate her opponent.

Holding the Five Lightning Immortal Slayer in one hand and forming seals with the other, she summoned the Five Elements Divine Thunder.

Heavenly lightning illuminated the world, colliding with the equally formidable divine fire.

Rumble!

The aftermath of the colossal clash swiftly swept across a thousand miles, forcing cultivators below the Dao Integration to the fringes.

“Minotaur Force Strike!”

At this juncture, Saint Pingnan could no longer remain silent.

His innate divine power burst forth, with a shadow of an ox demon beast, taller than the heavens, violently charging towards Shen Ruyan.

“Falling Thunder Seal!”

Shen Ruyan shouted, conjuring a massive celestial seal that plummeted like a mountain peak, fiercely suppressing the formidable force of the minotaur demon beast.

With her Dao Inception strength, Shen Ruyan managed to hold her own against the three demon beast saints, significantly slowing down the enemy’s pace in breaching the barrier.

Such battles unfolded across every corner of the Eastern Sky Domain.

The relentless and brutal conflict ensnared the domain entirely in the throes of war.

Time swiftly passed, and several years went by.

During this time, Jiang Chengxuan was secluded in his cultivation, striving for a breakthrough to the Dao Fusion realm.

Meanwhile, the situation across the nine domains grew increasingly dire.