The large crowd had gathered at the base of the Divine Source Monastery, looking all about at the land that was forbidden to enter except for today. Each had purchased a medallion of admittance from the Divine Source Monastery, which allowed them to proceed unhindered into their lands. While the medallion was far less expensive than the Seals needed to enter the Divine Realm, the amount of people that had purchased the medallion was staggering, as was the sum of spirit crystals the monastery received.
The crowd contained humans, as well as those from the Monster Race, Beast Race, Faerie Race, and even a few Barbarians, whose hulking figures stood out as they dwarfed those all around them. While such a gathering was normally fuel for a battle to break out, none present dared to create havoc. Not on the Divine Source Monastery grounds.
The different groups had mostly formed factions apart from one another, keeping to their own as best they could. Within each group numbering in the millions, there were further subdivisions, as clans, sects, and other powers formed their own groups.
Regal caravans and ships dotted the landscape sporadically, each containing Kings, Monarchs, Clan and Sect Leaders, and the young geniuses that had been brought with to spectate or even enter the realm. The insignias of the various powers were proudly displayed on the ships, caravans, and flags, proudly flaunting their status and power. These esteemed groups were lined with powerful guards, who kept a watchful eye on all nearby.
Between the cold glances each group threw at each other, they gazed at the monastery, the walls to either side, the divine wall behind it, and the men in yellow robes in the distance.
A row of Divine Source Monastery cultivators stood at the top of a large and wide stone staircase leading up to the monastery itself. The row had a dozen cultivators, all who had their cultivations withdrawn as much as possible, almost appearing like mortal men.
However, those of the more powerful cultivators in the crowd were able to glimpse into the mens cultivation level. Each one was in the World Expansion Realm, and they were not ordinary World Expansion experts.
At the very center of the row of men was a particularly normal looking man, as if he were someone's grandfather. He had a bald head, long white beard that was neatly trimmed, and a rather frail looking body.
However, when those powerful cultivators looked at this man, they were shocked to find that they couldn't see through his cultivation level. There was only one explanation for this.
The man had stepped at least partway into the Holy Manifestation Realm, perhaps even fully into the realm. The powerful cultivators in the crowd all sucked in a deep breath as they realized this. They had never seen someone with such a high cultivation level, and the Peak of the World Expansion realm was generally considered to be the peak power of the world.
As one approached the Peak of the World Expansion realm, the amount and profundity of Qi became insufficient to proceed forward. The thinner the Qi in the air, the less profound it was as well, and the less insights one could gleam into the Daos from absorbing that Qi. While one could use spirit crystals to make up for the lack of Qi to advance, the absence of the Heavenly Dao's made it next to impossible to ascend further.
As such, getting to the World Expansion realm was possible for talented cultivators, even at a youngish age, but ascending beyond it was nearly impossible for all who entered that realm. One's cultivation speed would greatly slow down once entering the World Expansion realm, regardless of talent.
However, the man before them had seemingly managed to accomplish that feat. The powerful cultivators all wondered how such a thing was possible, and even had the idea to approach the man to ask questions. But when they thought about the history of the Divine Source Monastery, and its bluntness towards outsiders, they put the thought aside.
There were powerful men and women,
"No wonder the Divine Source Monastery has been untouched this entire time, despite guarding such a secret," one powerful cultivator whispered to his nearby friend, who nodded his head in agreement.
"If someone as powerful as him guards the Divine Wall, one can only imagine what lies within," the other replied.
"Who knows. We're too old to enter, so learning the truth of what's within won't be up to us," the man replied.
Similar discussions amongst other powerful cultivators drifted out, with some bystanders catching the words in passing. Soon, the news of the elderly man's cultivation spread through the crowd like wildfire, further adding to the excited frenzy the crowd felt. They all gazed at the man in awe, who was no doubt one of the most powerful cultivators in the world, perhaps even the strongest.
As the crowd discussed the men of the Divine Source Monastery, the men looked down on the crowd, their expressions neutral, as if worldly matters could not ever affect them.
"Was permitting such a large, unruly crowd to enter our land truly necessary," one of the twelve men asked calmly. He too had a bald head and large, trimmed beard, but his age was much younger. Of the twelve, he was the youngest by far, appearing to be in his late twenties.
The age of a cultivator was misleading based on their appearance, but the faster one cultivated in their youth, the younger they would appear through the rest of their life. A talented World Expansion cultivator of ten thousand years of age could appear to be in his twenties, while a middling Heavenly Tribulation cultivator less than a thousand years of age could appear to be so old as to be near his death.
With the man appearing in his twenties despite being in the World Expansion realm, his talent was unquestionable.
"You should mind your words when speaking to the Grand Abbot," one of the other men replied calmly, his face expressionless.
"It's quite alright, Prior Hishen" the man in the middle replied, who was revealed to be the Grand Abbot of the Divine Source Monastery. "Shin is still only thirty-five years old, so such forwardness is to be expected."
"You pamper him too much," Prior Hishen replied.
The Grand Abbot only smiled in reply, and shifted his gaze to Shin, who stood at the right end of the row of men.
"Shin, you were taught the Divine Lessons, as well as their purpose. You should know the reason for us allowing this crowd to gather," the Grand Abbot said.
"I know the teachings, but I still do not understand," Shin replied questioningly. "Allowing these…unkempt people to tarnish the beauty of our Monastery is quite agitating. And allowing them to witness the progress within will only draw attention to the one we seek, should one appear this time. Isn't our purpose to raise, not destroy?"
As the men heard this, several of them shook their heads lightly, as if disapproving his words. Part of their teachings were to remove themselves from their emotions, although Shin had yet to accomplish this due to his young age.
"Our life's purpose is not something easily accomplished," the Grand Abbot explained calmly. "A diamond cannot form without pressure, nor can the one we seek rise without pressure of their own. A comfortable life leads to laziness, slothfulness, and weakness. A life full of tribulations leads to resolve, determination, and commitment.
Only by walking through a thousand fields of death can one hope to glimpse the light of the Divine Source. If a million fall for one to rise, that is the unfortunate yet necessary sacrifice of our mission."
