"Then think about the era long ago—there should have been no barrier between the heaven and earth, right?" Ethan asked again, his voice calm but laced with curiosity.

Onyx Orchid struggled to recall, her mind searching the depths of ancient memory. "It seems not."

"So the barrier between heaven and earth, which the Star Emperor called The Heaven and Earth Barrier must be man-made. Something even the Emperor couldn't break. What kind of people left such a thing behind?"

Ethan's brows knitted as he continued his probing. "Is there a higher realm beyond the Emperor realm?"

A pause lingered before Onyx Orchid responded vaguely, "Maybe."

The ambiguity in his voice betrayed his uncertainty, yet Ethan's intuition insisted there must truly be some realm above the Emperor.

He turned his gaze inward and inquired of the system, "Alicia, what realm lies beyond the Emperor realm?"

A moment passed in silence. Then the system replied:

[Searching, above the Emperor realm...]

[Retrieval failed, nothing found.]

[Warm reminder: As fishing spots are opened, the system will update iteratively, along with the information database.]

Ethan nodded to himself, understanding the implication even if the knowledge remained just out of reach.

There was indeed a realm above the Emperor.

The Nirvana realm was far from the summit.

A long breath escaped him. He had once believed reaching Nirvana would mark the pinnacle of strength.

Now he realized constraints yet remained.

Onyx Orchid suddenly reminded him, "Not only those in the Emperor realm are false-emperors, but even those in the Supreme, Nirvana and Mahayana realms may be called false or pseudo."

"Having undergone the Nirvana Tribulation, you should understand: Though the obstacles of heaven and earth weaken the Nirvana Tribulation's power, they also diminish the Great Dao contained within."

"Without the iron net woven by those colossal chains, the Nirvana Tribulation's power would be tenfold, and so too would the breath of the Great Dao within."

Ethan listened thoughtfully. "I understand."

"Is there a gap between the current realm and that of the past era?" he asked quietly.

"Very perceptive." Onyx Orchid answered.

"Not just differences, but a vast gulf in cultivation speed."

"In that prosperous age, the black chains had yet to appear, and the energy of heaven and earth was rich and omnipresent."

"It saturated the world. Sensing and absorbing it was effortless, accelerating cultivation several times faster than now."

Ethan nodded with growing resolve.

The colossal chain severed the key force of the Grand Dao and the energy of heaven and earth—crippling cultivators strength greatly.

Without this barrier, the Nirvana realm's power could have been dozens of times more potent.

He looked again at the map. "In Heavenly Lake, the barrier between heaven and earth is weak..."

His eyes lit with purpose.

According to the ancient stone tablet, the barrier between heaven and earth here was fragile.

Heavenly Lake wouldn't just help him practice the Nine Emperors Dao Body with greater ease.

It was an ideal spot for all cultivators to flourish.

Yet a seed of caution brewed—a suspicion that others may already have claimed this precious haven.

Still, such certainty was difficult to attain.

Pocketing the map, Ethan felt no urgency. Perhaps after the treasure appraisal conference, he could go and verify for himself.

Not solely for cultivation, but also for something more important.

Fishing—the rewards gleaned from fishing missions were vital to his growth.

"This Bram has indeed secured many valuable things," Ethan chuckled, gathering together his trophies.

He closed his eyes and sank into meditative calm.

Activating the Nine Emperors Dao Body cultivation method, he saw faint starlight descend from the heavens, washing gently through his form.

The light traveled into his dantian, merging with the embryonic Emperor Star condensing since before.

The cultivation method drew upon the sun and moon divine fetus to influence the power of the stars.

Though faint, the intricate power brushed him with potential.

True cultivation was never rushed; it demanded steady stride.

Ethan was patient in his progress, faithfully following his own understanding.

Three days later.

Only a single day remained before the treasure appraisal conference's commencement.

Blessed Cloud Town—a modest settlement eighty miles west of Noble Sun City—lay nestled in a deep ravine.

Few cultivators dwelled here; most were common folk.

The Good Fortune Inn buzzed with renewed life.

Two women entered the establishment, their beauty undeniable—truly the most charming in all the land.

One wore a luxurious robe, her delicate features nearly flawless.

Makeup exquisite, she carried herself with a maturity and nobility matched only by her ice-cold temperament.

Beside her walked a younger woman draped in blue robes, her stunning appearance coupled with a similarly cold aura.

This young lady was shadowed by a mature woman and a teenager.

A faint sadness marked her brows.

Her expression darkened; ill news weighed heavily upon her mind.

These three were none other than Iris and Seraphina.

The young man at their side was Grey—the Ice Spirit Tribe's young master.

The inn's waiter approached quickly, smile wide but careful.

He had served countless guests but few seemed so regal.

Their bearing and garb suggested noble blood or powerful cultivation.

Respect rolled off him as he inquired, "Madam, young master, young lady, will you be dining or staying with us?"

Grey and Iris said nothing.

Their gazes swept the room, settling on the window seat upon the second floor.

"Aunt Iris, let's sit there," Grey murmured.

"Very well," Iris responded.

The waiter maintained his composure—yet inside, anxiety crept.

He had seen enough to know well the caprice of such aristocrats and cultivators.

He smiled again. "Madam, sir, that seat is the finest in our inn, but it is already reserved."

"Would you consider choosing another seat?"

Iris and Grey ignored his words.

In a blink, they vanished, only to reappear at the coveted window table upstairs.

The waiter's eyes grew wide with shock as he watched them settle so brazenly.

His hand brushed involuntarily to his chest where fear tightened its grip.

He instinctively stepped back, trembling.

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Capsule - 1 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 3 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

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