After teleporting from the forest where he had undergone his transformation, Shen Yuan and his companions returned to the sect. While the others made their way to the elite disciple hot springs, excited to finally relax, Shen Yuan had a different destination—the Sect Master's Hall.
Inside the grand hall, two figures sat in contemplation. Wu Daozhen, the primary sect master, exuded an air of unshakable wisdom, while Xue Linghun, the secondary sect master, carried a sharp and calculating presence. As Shen Yuan stepped in, they both looked up.
Shen Yuan cupped his hands in greeting. "Sect Masters."
Xue Linghun's piercing gaze lingered on him. "You have finally stepped into the Nirvana Realm," he remarked. His tone was neutral, but his eyes held an undeniable weight.
Wu Daozhen, the elder of the two, stroked his beard and studied Shen Yuan carefully before speaking. "Release your full aura. I want to see the extent of your transformation."
For a moment, Shen Yuan hesitated. He had only just stabilized his newfound power—unleashing it freely could cause unintended destruction. But seeing the anticipation in the sect master's eyes, he reluctantly nodded.
With a single breath, he let go.
The hall was instantly transformed into a frozen wasteland. The temperature plummeted so drastically that the very walls crackled with frost, and within mere moments, the once pristine floor was covered in jagged ice. Even the two sect masters could feel it if they weren't Mid-stage Elysian Realm cultivators, they would have frozen as well if they were Nirvana or lower.
Outside, his aura spread like a wave of calamity.
Far from the hall, deep in the sect's elite hot springs, Tang Jiyan, Xiang Xiaoli, Guo Bohai, Shi Meixiu, and Dong Chen were all mid-conversation when an unnatural cold overtook them. The once-steaming waters froze solid in an instant, trapping some disciples mid-motion as they yelped in shock.
"What the hell?!" Guo Bohai cursed, shivering violently.
Dong Chen tried to circulate his qi to resist the cold, but it was futile. "What kind of aura is this?! This is far beyond the Nirvana Realm's ninth layer!"
Even Tang Jiyan, known for his composure, looked unsettled. "It's Shen Yuan, isn't it?" His tone was laced with disbelief.
Xiang Xiaoli sighed, rubbing her arms for warmth. "Of course, it is. Who else could be this unreasonable and monstrous just at the first layer of Nirvana realm?"
As Shen Yuan's aura continued to expand, its reach extended far beyond the sect.
Thousands of kilometres away, inside the heavily guarded palace of Fengyue, a group of powerful figures sat in council. The royal prince, his expression dark, listened as various ministers and elders debated strategies. Among them sat Elder Tian Xu, his hands clasped tightly as if in silent prayer.
Suddenly, an overwhelming, suffocating aura swept through the capital. The chamber fell into silence. Every powerful cultivator present felt it—a presence so vast and oppressive that it momentarily froze their thoughts.
The prince stood abruptly, his fists clenched. "This aura… is that Shen Yuan?"
Minister Zhao, the main royal advisor, looked visibly shaken. "This—this shouldn't be possible. A mere Nirvana Realm cultivator… how can his presence stretch across entire nations?"
Elder Tian Xu remained silent, but his twitching fingers betrayed his inner turmoil. He still had suspicions about Shen Yuan being alive. But now? All suspicions have been answered, Shen Yuan is back.
A long silence stretched before Elder Tian Xu finally spoke. His voice was grim.
"This boy… he's no longer a simple threat. He is a Death Star—an omen of destruction. If we do not act now, there may be no stopping him in the future."
His words sent a chill through the room, colder than the aura they had just felt.
Back in the sect, Shen Yuan finally retracted his aura. In an instant, warmth returned, and the frost that had consumed the hall began to melt.
Wu Daozhen and Xue Linghun exchanged glances.
Xue Linghun was the first to break the silence. "You didn't just break through," he said, his voice steady but heavy. "Your power has already surpassed most peak Nirvana Realm cultivators. If you had faced an ordinary Nirvana expert now, they would have been crushed in mere moments."
Wu Daozhen nodded. "Your potential has exceeded our expectations. Take the next few days to adjust to your new power and prepare for the Sacred Sect Ranking Competition."
Shen Yuan cupped his hands. "Understood."
With that, he turned and left the hall, heading to the hot springs where the others were waiting.
Even he understood that he is now stronger than even some peak Nirvana realm cultivators, but of course still weaker than Elysian realm cultivators.
By the time Shen Yuan arrived, he found a rather amusing sight—his companions, all wrapped in extra layers of robes, shivering as they sat around what had once been the steaming hot springs. Now, the entire place was a frozen wasteland.
Xiang Xiaoli glared at him. "You. You did this, didn't you?"
Shen Yuan faked a look of guilt. "My apologies," he said, though his smirk ruined any sincerity. With a flick of his fingers, the frost shattered, and the hot springs rapidly returned to their original, comfortable state.
The others sighed in relief and began slipping back into the warm waters. Shen Yuan, with another effortless motion, changed into his bathrobes before stepping in as well.
As he sank into the water, Tang Jiyan clapped him on the shoulder. "You should enjoy your achievement, Shen Yuan. Come on, relax. Let's celebrate a little before the competition and let's drink all day."
Guo Bohai nodded. "He's right. After all, it's not every day that someone breaks through and nearly freezes half the sect in the process."
Xiang Xiaoli smirked. "And here I thought you'd become a heartless monster. Turns out you're still the same smug bastard as before." She leaned back against the edge of the springs. "That's reassuring… in its own annoying way."
Shen Yuan chuckled, his eyes flickering with amusement. For once, he allowed himself to enjoy the moment. He had spent so long in pursuit of strength, in battles and bloodshed, that even he had to admit—it had been a while since he had any true peace.
And though he would never say it aloud… he didn't entirely mind the company.
Back in the royal palace in Fengyue, the meeting had reached its conclusion.
The decision was unanimous.
Shen Yuan had to die.
Elder Tian Xu's voice carried the final decree. "We must act before he reaches the Elysian realm."
The prince's expression darkened. "Then we shall make our final move on this competition."
As the meeting ended, all those present understood one thing.
Shen Yuan was no longer just a rogue cultivator.
He was a calamity waiting to happen.
And they would either kill him now… or be the ones buried by his soon coming revenge.