Global Awakening: I'm the Only One Ready

Chapter 257. Visualizing the Vastness of the Universe, Lu Yuan Enters the Sage Realm!

When that thought popped into Jiang Ningxian's mind, a jolt of alarm ran through her. If that was true, then it'd be extremely terrifying. She had already suspected that Lu Yuan had shattered multiple genetic shackles while he was in the Unfettered Realm.

Otherwise, his monstrous strength that allowed him to cross the gap between evolution stages could not be explained. Lu Yuan's strength was standard for the Rankers from the Outer Cosmos, and it was one of the reasons she decided to take him seriously from the very beginning.

Today, Jiang Ningxian realized that Lu Yuan's talent was probably more exceptional than she had imagined.

"The Great Age has finally arrived. Prodigies will clash, and powerhouses will compete for supremacy for that sliver of Providence. If he keeps growing, he'll become incredibly strong. Establishing the Celestial Court might actually become a reality for him at this rate," she murmured, gazing at Lu Yuan's residence. For reasons she could not quite explain, the idea filled her with joy.

Of course, she also knew that growing to prominence during the Great Age was no simple matter. Moreover, Lu Yuan remained in seclusion, while the world was becoming more and more chaotic.

What if she decided to lend him a hand?

Until now, Jiang Ningxian had been maintaining the role of an observer, cooperating with the officials of Huaxia by providing them with additional resources. That was it, nothing more, nothing less.

All of a sudden, however, she found herself wanting to step in personally to ease Lu Yuan's burdens. Of course, everything was still under control.

There's no need to rush, Jiang Ningxian thought. She decided to assess the situation first and then decide on a course of action afterward. With that in mind, she sought out Elder Ji on her own initiative and asked for the latest news.

According to what she had learned, the number of beings from the Outer Cosmos that had descended on Earth now exceeded one hundred thousand. This was a massive figure.

Unfortunately, Earth had grown a lot, thanks to the Global Awakening, allowing those beings to easily hide from the eyes of others. At the moment, they were consolidating their forces while launching probing attacks on the five supercities to know whether something had truly happened to Lu Yuan.

Things were proceeding according to plan.

However, the beings from the Outer Cosmos, perhaps out of excessive fear of Lu Yuan's name, or perhaps out of sheer caution, had done nothing beyond testing the waters.

Jiang Ningxian felt reassured upon hearing that. At the very least, they still had enough time. Lu Yuan had enough time to finish his seclusion and reach the Sage Realm.

The days passed one after another, and the situation outside changed daily as well. They heard about the arrival of some notable figure or Ranker, but none of them caused any significant disruption to human society.

Just like that, the two sides settled into a delicate balance. It was a fragile equilibrium, and no one knew when it would shatter.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged inside the training chamber of his residence, and he was shrouded by a divine light. He looked like a god as he radiated a formidable aura.

He had long recovered from his injuries, as they had never been that severe to begin with. He had taken a beating, and he had lost a chunk of blood essence, but recovering his lost blood essence wasn't that difficult.

At the moment, Lu Yuan was pushing toward the Sage Realm. With a heave of his chest, wisps of dragon-shaped vital qi would rush out of his nose and mouth. This was the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique in full display.

Thus far, Lu Yuan had opened a total of fifty-three grotto-heavens.

It sounded like a lot, but compared to the one hundred and eight thousand required for the full mastery of the technique, the gap remained absolutely massive.

In the end, it was all because he was still too weak. If he wanted to create more grotto-heavens, he had to become even stronger, as creating those would become progressively easier the stronger he was.

For now, Lu Yuan threw himself against the barrier between the Venerable King Realm and the Sage Realm. He did that again and again in an effort to reach the sixth stage of evolution.

He circulated the complete Dao De Jing and visualized the vastness of the universe, immersing himself in ceaseless contemplation and comprehension.

The Sage Realm was fundamentally different from every realm before it. The previous stages of evolution were about unlocking one's own latent potential.

The Sage Realm, however, meant placing oneself at the center of the universe and drawing upon its power. The chasm between the fifth stage of evolution and the sixth stage of evolution was truly immense.

Lu Yuan's battle in outer space had given him a fresh understanding of this principle. On top of that, he had long since fused with the Bodhi Tree, making his comprehension beyond question.

After a long while, true understanding finally dawned on him. Borrowing the power of the universe? Why would I do that when I can simply become the universe itself?

Upon being enlightened, Lu Yuan felt his strength climb at a staggering rate. The one hundred and eight genetic shackles he had shattered erupted with power all at once, flooding into every cell and particle of his being.

They merged with his organs and became one with his bones and blood.

A radiant, dazzling light engulfed him. The powerful aura he exuded cracked open the walls and the floor of the room. This was merely the traces of aura leaking out of him unconsciously; it wasn't even one percent of his total power.

Lu Yuan had come prepared. He used the Yongzhou Cauldron to suppress himself, sealing his aura inside it. Otherwise, the entire building would be reduced to ashes the moment he made that breakthrough.

Rumble!

As time passed, his power and aura intensified. Just as he had anticipated, his power and aura became even more powerful as time went on. In fact, he could even hear the incessant rumble of thunder coming from inside him.

Fortunately, he was being suppressed by none other than the Yongzhou Cauldron, one of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons. It was capable of containing humanity's Providence itself, so it could easily contain Lu Yuan's aura.

Had it been an ordinary Sage Artifact, it would have already exploded.

After all, Lu Yuan had shattered one hundred and eight genetic shackles. It resulted in a combined power that was absolutely terrifying, as it meant he had reached the absolute apex of the Unfettered Realm.

An unknown amount of time later, the churning power reached its peak. Under Lu Yuan's control, it compressed, and then every last drop of it returned to him. The process resembled a star undergoing a cataclysmic transformation. The massive energy inside it reached its absolute limits, and it would soon go through a metamorphosis.

Lu Yuan knew that the critical juncture was here, and he devoted every shred of his focus to maintaining control over that surging power. Moments later, Lu Yuan saw something in his mind—an ancient gate.

The gate to the Sage Realm.

All he had to do was push it open and step through it, and he would become a Sage.

He didn't hesitate. He walked toward it, step by step. With each step, his momentum surged, and by the time he stood before that gate, his aura reached a terrifying level.

He threw a single punch.

Boom!

However, the gate did not budge. The next punch came, then the next. Ten punches, a hundred punches, and a thousand punches. Lu Yuan punched it without rest, and each blow was heavier than the last.

He felt like a thousand years had passed, but at the same time, it was as though it had been no more than the blink of an eye.

Just then, Lu Yuan sent another punch.

Thump!

A sound echoed, and it sounded as though it had come from an eternity ago.

The gate to the Sage Realm collapsed. Immediately afterward, stars, galaxies, and celestial bodies unfurled before Lu Yuan's eyes, and they shone with incomparable radiance. He had shattered all of his limitations and began his ascent toward the universe, where boundless and immeasurable power awaited him.

Deep inside him, a power unlike anything he had ever known roared to life. At the same time, Lu Yuan's eyes snapped open, and a sharp divine light flickered in his eyes as if he had just seen through the essence of everything.

His aura was nothing like before. It had gone through a fundamental transformation, making it obvious to any third party that he had done it. Indeed, Lu Yuan had reached the Sage Realm!