Sainted Realm

In a secluded wasteland a black haired, tall and lean figure with blue eyes and black clothing can be see standing as if waiting for something. This figure is none other then Wang Li.

It has been 4 months since he returned to the Cultivation World. He had decided to take a break and for the next 4 months just spent time with Qin Xiao Luo, Bai Hua Fairy, Ning Yue Xi and his foster parents.

He also already heard from Bai Hua Fairy that minor skirmishes between humans and demons have started indicating the last few years of peace.

After 4 months of rest he finally decided to breakthrough. The Sainted realm tribulation wasn't that long. The hardest part about the Sainted realm tribulation was from the strength of its lightning. A line of glowing text appeared in his vision.

[The Sainted tribulation is about to begin]

Glancing over it, Wang Li began to concentrate. With a single thought, the Earth sword and Fenlie Qin sword appeared from the void of space on his left and right.

"We're about to begin"

Wang Li muttered.

'Once I advance to Sainted realm, my strength will increase exponentially.'

{ You're about to breakthrough? }

The Earth sword's heavy voice echoed.

"That's right, and I have to do it a bit quickly this time" Wang Li answered.

{ When have you ever been slow? } the Earth sword answered.

Wang Li's increase in cultivation is indeed nothing short of fast despite the fact he took 'long' breaks in between.

Wang Li intended to face the tribulation with all his powers. Wang Li took his swords in both hands. The spirit energy inside his Dantian was already at its peak. He triggered the spirit energy inside his body and began to breakthrough.

Immediately, a layer of formation reacted to the change in his body and formed a miraculous connection. This was the link between man and heaven of the Cultivation world. Bits and pieces of lightning began to appear from the black clouds in the sky. Before they managed to gather, the lightning was already destroyed by Wang Li's sword.

But the lightning was like water in a flood, gathering and forming powerful streaks of lightning. The streaks of lightning came at him from all sides.

"Go!"

Wang Li yelled out.

The Earth sword flew about, dancing through space. Being hit by the Earth sword, the lightning was quickly scattered. The remaining sparks of lightning fluttered down like a shower of light. Holding the Fenlie Qin sword in hand, Wang Li dashed straight into the gathering lightning.

Layers upon layers of sword phantom bloomed, accurately striking every streak of lightning that formed, dancing elegantly in the air. Wang Li was using his full power. None of the gathered lightning managed to survive even one of his attacks.

1 strike, 10 strikes, 100000 strikes.

He was very seriously going against the lightning tribulation, not giving it a single chance to gather and build up strength.

{ It's been a long time since I saw you this serious } the Earth sword commented.

"I don't want to risk it."

Saying so, Wang Li was still swinging his sword. All the lightning in the sky was being struck down. The lightning glittered like stars in the sky. Millions of stars, whirling around in the space vortex. Standing at the eye of the storm, Wang Li raised his sword. Sword phantoms erupted to strike at the stars.

Stars fell like rain. Such a treatment seemingly angered the stars. Each star grew to become a large monster of lightning, filling the inside of the tribulation formation with blue light. Wang Li tried slashing one of them

—–boom!

The lightning scattered into countless lightning snakes coming at him. Without much time to prepare, Wang Li turned into a blinding white crescent moon, slashing forward. As the white crescent moon slashed through all the lightning snakes, he reappeared at the other side of the formation.

There were too many of them, and each was stronger than any lightning he ever saw before. After being destroyed, the streaks of lightning could even scatter into lightning snakes that attacked a second time.

Countless cultivators fall under this barrage of attacks. This was the Sainted realm tribulation. In the entire cultivation world, only the three Saints managed to pass it.

Over a hundred streaks of lightning came at him at the same time. As if sentient, they were circling around Wang Li, looking for an opening. But Wang Li didn't wait for them to attack and took the initiative himself.

"Go!"

A sword phantom flashed and disappeared. The Fenlie Qin sword attack caused all the streaks of lightning to explode. The very next moment, countless lightning snakes fell down on him like a tsunami.

Looking at the tsunami of lightning, the Earth sword suddenly commented: { Didn't you forget something? }

"What?"

{ You forgot your equipment }

Wang Li face-palmed himself. Wang Li almost never uses his armor since it isn't needed alot.

A second later, a full plate for black armor was donned on his body. This armor was a combination of technology and spirit blacksmithing. Receiving the tsunami of lightning, Gu Qing Shan slashed them away. His movements were quick and efficient, not wasting a single breath or showing any hesitation.

For a short while, his sword phantoms were practically weaved together. Wang Li decided to just entered the lightning formation directly and used Secret Art, Drawn Shadow.

One time.

Three times.

Ten times.

Twenty times!!

He activated it a total of twenty times. The sword phantoms erupted, slashing through all the gathering lightning in this area of the space vortex. The lightning then split into electric snakes that went after Wang Li in a frenzy. Wang Li was using his full power with all his Secret Arts.

The sword phantoms flowed like a torrent or a wave crashing down on itself. Two strikes of Sword Hurricane interweaved, forming a giant tsunami that swallowed the lightning whole. Sword Hurricane is the use of a sword at full speed with a touch of wind laws to attack like a tsunami of swords.

The tsunami was screaming as it crashed down. This was the decisive strike. Following this exchange, less and less lightning appeared in from the sky to attack. The pressure Wang Li felt was slowly decreasing, until no more lightning appeared.

Wang Li waited for a bit more.

A few Tianma and other monsters showed up only to be killed in one strike. A line of glowing text showed up on the Omniverse Chat Guild.

[Sainted realm tribulation, completed]

Wang Li's spirit energy began to rise. This was an exponential increase unlike anything ever before. He was now a Sainted realm cultivator the peak of the cultivation world until the other realms are merged. Closing his eyes, Wang Li silently felt the change inside his body. His spirit energy doubled and his lifespan increased to 1800 years.

His thoughts became clearer than ever before, as if his previous mind was always clouded. He began to mysteriously sense a few things about the world, particularly a faint feeling of what consequences his actions would result in. This was his power increasing enough for him to feel close to reaching a Law or Mystery and due to already having the ability to manipulate a few laws, his sensitivity to it was higher then others.

As time passed, the mystical feeling also started to go away.

"Sainted realm…"

Wang Li sighed.

Finally, I've reached a height that I wanted to since I found out about cultivation. But this is merely the beginning.

[Detected Guild Leader has reached Sainted Realm]

[Fourth Ability of Thaumaturgy: Shadow Monarch is activating]

[Monarch's Domain: Create a spherical domain around you to increase the strength, speed and durability of the Shadow Soldiers by 100%]

[Thaumaturgy: Shadow Monarch has been completely activated]

[Gained the Title recognized by the Will of the World and Samsara, Title: Shadow Monarch]

'Hell yeah. I am finally a fully fledged Shadow Monarch.'

Wang Li checked if the title does anything only to realize the title grants the thaumaturgy Shadow Monarch. Wang Li ignored it and decided to go back to the Bai Hua Sect and inform the white goose about his successful breakthrough. Now all he needs to do is properly cultivate his skills and understanding of swordsmanship while completely understanding the Void Engine at least theoretically until the start of the canon.