The One Who Breaks Limits

A heavy thud echoed as Shen Yuan landed on solid ground, his presence alone causing the earth to tremble slightly. Dust and debris spiraled into the air, settling slowly, as if even nature itself hesitated in his presence.

Silence.

The other cultivators—Jin Dong, his lackeys, and dozens of others—stood motionless. They had expected his return, but what they hadn't anticipated was the divine acknowledgment that followed him.

In the outside world, beyond the secret realm, thousands of cultivators watching through projection artifacts or divine sense held their breath. For a long moment, there were no whispers, no gasps, no hushed discussions—nothing but the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Because on that very ocean, carved by a power that no one fully understood, were two words:

"Shen Yuan."

Not just written on water, but woven into the very essence of the sea itself, as if the world had etched his name in history.

And then, the silence was broken.

Whoooom!

Shen Yuan's energy surged, his aura expanding like a storm. Ethereal halos appeared above him, glowing with brilliance—not nine, but ten.

The world stilled once more.

"Impossible…" someone whispered hoarsely.

"Tenth Halo…" A young disciple choked out, his voice barely above a whisper.

Someone dropped their weapon. Another fell to their knees.

It was legendary, a realm that should not exist. The Ninth Halo marked the pinnacle of the Heaven Path Realm, the absolute limit before Nirvana. But those who formed the Tenth Halo were said to redefine the heavens themselves, their foundation far beyond veteran Nirvana cultivators. Their power beyond what their cultivation base should possess.

And this one was even more unusual. Unlike the golden brilliance of a perfected foundation, his was dark gold, shifting, twisting, writhing, serpents biting their own tails in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth, an unmistakable mark of draconic power.

Atop the distant cliffs in the outside world, where secret clan elders and hidden experts watched, one ancient cultivator clenched his staff.

"Ten halos… the sign of a monstrous talent." His voice trembled. "Has another calamity been born?"

Even the two sect masters observing the scene didn't look surprised, but there was a flicker of intrigue in their eyes.

Shen Yuan slowly turned, his crimson gaze locking onto Jin Dong. A faint, knowing smirk played on his lips as he walked forward, the crowd instinctively parting before him.

Placing a casual arm around Jin Dong's shoulder, he leaned in slightly. And just rubbed his shoulder with a mock smile before turning back.

A blade of crimson qi suddenly sliced through the air, aiming straight for Shen Yuan's back.

Jin Dong.

His face was twisted in desperation, veins bulging on his forehead. His aura burned like an overdrawn candle, pushing beyond his limits. This was his last stand.

"I REFUSE!" he roared, his entire being igniting with the reckless ferocity of a cornered beast.

Shen Yuan didn't move.

Crack.

The moment Jin Dong's attack came within a foot of him, an invisible force shattered the technique mid-air. The fragments of qi disintegrated into nothingness.

Jin Dong staggered back, gasping for breath, his body trembling.

He had nothing left.

Yet Shen Yuan just turned to him, eyes gleaming with amusement.

"You refuse?" he echoed softly.

Jin Dong shuddered. He knew that tone—it was the voice of a man who was toying with his prey.

"Weren't you just hunting me earlier?" Shen Yuan stepped closer, his aura pressing down like a mountain. "How about we continue that game?"

Jin Dong's knees buckled, his bravado cracking like glass.

"...No." He forced out the word. "I admit defeat."

"Haha… N-No need," he stammered, forcing out a nervous laugh. "I was just messing around before. All a misunderstanding! We're all friends here, right?"

The words burned his throat like acid, but there was no choice.

Shen Yuan studied him, his gaze unreadable.

For a moment, he considered killing him outright. Ending his pathetic existence.

But then—he stopped.

Not out of mercy. Not out of hesitation.

Instead, he felt nothing.

Jin Dong's death here would mean nothing.

He was already broken. Already humiliated. Killing him now would not be a lesson—it would be a waste.

True power was not just about killing enemies. It was about deciding who was worth killing.

A slow smirk spread across Shen Yuan's lips.

"Good," he murmured. "Then crawl away."

Jin Dong collapsed, gasping as if he had been granted a second life.

But he knew the truth.

He hadn't been spared.

He had simply been deemed too insignificant to kill.

Then a deep, rumbling groan shook the air. The secret realm was beginning to unravel.

The two sect masters immediately raised their hands, chanting in unison. A crackling portal of swirling energy began to take shape, leading back to the mortal world.

"Everyone, hurry!" Wu Daozhen shouted. "The realm is falling apart!"

The very sky above began to fracture like shattered glass, pieces of space breaking apart as the secret realm started to collapse.

Shen Yuan stole one last glance at the disappearing world, then stepped into the portal.

The next moment—

Splash!

He and the others burst out from the ocean, soaring through the sky like fish breaking the surface. They landed atop the cliffs, waves crashing below as the last remnants of the realm faded into nothingness.

And still—all eyes were on him.

The two sect masters descended, landing before Shen Yuan as they saw him return.

Xue Linghun, folded his arms. "Shen Yuan," he began. "As the conqueror of the Divine Treasures, you have the right to choose your teacher."

Wu Daozhen, nodded. "Choose wisely."

Shen Yuan smiled.

Then, with no hesitation, he cupped his hands to both of them.

"I choose both."

Silence.

Even Xiang Xiaoli, who had been watching in awe, leaned in close and whispered, "Brother Shen… don't get too greedy."

The crowd exploded into shocked murmurs.

"Two masters? Is he insane?!"

"He dares to demand that?!"

"Does he think he's above the sect?!"

Xue Linghun's expression darkened. "Are you not satisfied with one?"

Wu Daozhen's gaze narrowed. "Do you even know your place? And you can only have one path."

Shen Yuan, completely unfazed, shrugged.

"I know exactly what I'm asking for."

He stepped forward, his eyes locking onto both of theirs.

"I care about power. Not the righteous path. Not the demonic path. Just power."

His smirk widened.

"And let's be honest—I am your treasure, am I not?"

The sect masters froze.

"If you kill me, the divine treasures will be lost." He tilted his head. "If you mistreat me, I can take my talents elsewhere."

He spread his arms in amusement, voice sharp.

"So tell me, esteemed masters—what will you do?"

The crowd was stunned.

A mere Heaven Path cultivator had just cornered two sect masters in a battle of wits.

The two sect masters exchanged glances. They could see too much truth in his words to ignore it.

After a long silence—

"…Very well," Xue Linghun relented.

"We accept," Wu Daozhen admitted.

With a teasing smile Shen Yuan cackled and smirked, "See, it wasn't that hard, you just had to fracture your ancient pride fossil. He-he-he."

Ignoring his annoying face, the both masters would ask Shen Yuan to choose one more disciple, this was another reward for winning the secret realm. He could choose anyone, he felt like.

The cultivators held their breath—who would he pick?

After a long moment, he pointed at Xiang Xiaoli.

The crowd erupted again.

"Her?!"

"There were stronger candidates!"

"This is favoritism!"

Yet the sect masters merely nodded.

Unlike the others—they understood.

Shen Yuan was not choosing the strongest.

He was choosing a reliable ally.