From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

The night was deep and quiet, and all was still.

The shock and uproar brought by Xuanyuan Po during the day has subsided.

Most of the outer disciples were immersed in their dreams, conserving their energy for the upcoming Heavenly Dao Academy assessment.

However, Yao Mengkang, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed and guiding his spiritual energy to nourish his meridians, suddenly opened his eyes.

An indescribable, boundless sadness welled up in my heart.

It rose from the depths of his heart without warning, instantly overwhelming all his thoughts like a tidal wave.

This sadness does not originate from within oneself, but rather is more like an external, imposed resonance.

It carries a desolation and sorrow that originates from the very source of heaven and earth, which cannot be dispelled or resisted.

He frowned; the feeling was too strange.

He put on his clothes, got out of bed, pushed open the door, and walked into the courtyard.

He froze as soon as he stepped into the courtyard.

The night sky was devoid of stars and moon, only a somber, dark red expanse.

The rain was falling gently from the sky, but the rainwater was actually scarlet!

Like warm blood, it carried an extremely faint yet undeniably real fishy smell, staining the stone steps and vegetation in the courtyard with a poignant and beautiful hue.

"Blood rain?"

Yao Mengkang's heart trembled violently, and a word that was common in novels from his previous life instantly popped into his mind.

"Could this be the legendary fall of a sage, a tragedy that grieves the heavens and earth?"

It was as if to confirm his conjecture.

Around the courtyard, the sounds of doors opening and gasps of surprise and uncertainty echoed one after another.

Zhou Tiancan rubbed his sleepy eyes and came out, saying in a muffled voice:

"What's wrong? Why do I feel so upset? It's like my heart is choked up..."

Mu Qingqing followed closely behind, her face slightly pale.

Feeling the pervasive sorrow, he whispered.

"It's not just us... it seems like the whole world is in sorrow."

Wang Le, Huo Ling'er, Xu Zijian, Shi Hao and others also came out one after another.

Even Li Han, who was always elusive, appeared silently in the shadows under the eaves.

Everyone's face carried a look of bewilderment and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

This sudden change in the natural world was beyond their comprehension.

"Senior Brother Yao, this is..." Zhou Tiancan looked at Yao Mengkang, hoping to get an answer from this senior brother who was always knowledgeable.

Yao Mengkang shook his head with a solemn expression. Although he had a guess, he couldn't be sure.

He glanced at the crowd and said in a deep voice:

"This matter is strange and far from ordinary. Let's go consult the two vice deans!"

Just as they were preparing to set off.

A powerful aura approached from afar and landed in front of their courtyard in an instant.

It was Vice Dean Shangguan Hong.

His expression was more solemn than ever before, even carrying a hint of undisguised horror.

Accompanying him was a young man dressed in a blue robe with a pale face.

It was Qin Feng, the youngest elder in the academy.

"You felt it all?"

Shangguan Hong looked at the many disciples, including Yao Mengkang, who had gathered together.

His voice was low and hoarse, clearly indicating that he had been greatly affected.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Shangguan Hong looked up at the blood-soaked rain and exhaled a long breath.

It was as if they wanted to expel all the fear and sorrow in their hearts at once.

He spoke slowly, his voice carrying an unprecedented solemnity.

"This is... a sign of a saint's fall!"

"A saint has fallen?" Zhou Tiancan's eyes widened.

"Not bad," Shangguan Hong continued, his tone heavy.

"The Eighth Realm Sainthood is the highest existence that we cultivators aspire to!"

"Its life level has already aligned with some of the laws of heaven and earth, making it truly as long-lived as the heavens!"

"If such a powerful being were to perish, it would be the time when his body and his Dao dissipated."

"The Great Dao will cause the laws of heaven and earth to weep, unleashing this bizarre phenomenon of 'heaven and earth grieving'—a rain of blood!"

He looked around at everyone, his eyes still filled with disbelief.

"I have cultivated for a hundred years, and have only seen related records in ancient books; I have never witnessed it with my own eyes!"

"The appearance of such strange phenomena in the world means... that something enormous has likely happened in the outside world!"

Elder Qin Feng stepped forward, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the crowd.

"This matter is of utmost importance. You must not panic, and absolutely no one is allowed to go out to investigate on their own!"

"Hold fast to your true nature, and do not let the sorrow of heaven and earth affect your foundation of cultivation!"

"I will be on watch tonight. Vice Dean Shangguan will immediately head to the royal city to communicate with various factions and gather specific information!"

Shangguan Hong nodded and gave his final instructions.

"Go back and get some rest, conserve your energy for tomorrow's assessment!"

"The tall ones will bear the brunt of the storms outside!"

After saying that, he exchanged a glance with Qin Feng, and with a flash, he transformed into a streak of light and sped off towards the royal city.

Meanwhile, in the Great Xia Royal City, at the temporary enrollment site of the Heavenly Dao Academy.

Two gaunt old men, their hair and beards white and their auras as deep as the sea, stood in the center of the courtyard.

Looking up at the blood-soaked rain, his face lost its usual gentleness and composure.

Instead, there was an extremely complex sense of solemnity and tension.

"The Holy One has not appeared for so many years," one of the old men in a brown robe murmured to himself.

Another elderly man in a green robe, with a deep gaze, slowly said...

"Elder Li, have you noticed?"

"The overall level of the young talents who have registered this year far exceeds that of previous years."

"That kid from Qinglu Academy named Xuanyuan Po, he already has such an aura upon entering the Spirit Sea realm." "His Spirit Sea is probably ten thousand feet deep, forged from an extremely strong foundation. And those few youngsters in the Meridian Opening Realm, their foundations are also exceptionally solid."

The brown-robed elder, addressed as Elder Li, nodded, his tone carrying a hint of something enigmatic.

"The mainland has been dormant for a long time, but now geniuses are emerging in droves, and prodigies are appearing one after another."

"Today, another saint sheds blood, causing heaven and earth to grieve."

"All signs indicate that...a great era is about to unfold!"

The two fell silent, both able to sense the heaviness and anticipation in each other's hearts.

A great era means unpredictable dangers and turmoil! But it also means opportunities and growth.

Soon after, Shangguan Hong and representatives of other major forces in the royal city arrived at the Heavenly Dao Academy's residence.

Their faces all wore the same look of surprise and solemnity.

After a brief exchange with the two elders at the Throne Realm, the news was confirmed—a Saint-level expert had indeed fallen!

From the subtle hints given by the two elders, Shangguan Hong and the others learned more about the secrets of the Saint Realm.

Those who attain sainthood in the Eight Realms accumulate sacred power and, theoretically, enjoy a lifespan nearly equal to that of the heavens.

But achieving sainthood also comes at a price.

It will gradually be eroded and assimilated by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth that it aligns with.

Over time, humanity is gradually lost, and they become more and more like the embodiment of rules.

The more holy power is used, the faster this process will be.

This also means that the saints almost never take action.

Just as the various forces in the Great Xia capital were shaken by the fall of the saint.

In a shattered land, extremely far away, seemingly existing in another dimension.

The Lord of the Underworld, Li Hanshan, stood tall and straight as a spear.

His gray robe was stained with some dust, and his face showed a slight sign of fatigue.

But those deep eyes remained calm and undisturbed.

It was as if I had just done something insignificant.

Not far in front of him, the earth collapsed and space distorted.

A bald old man, dressed in tattered clothes and withered in appearance, lay quietly in the deep pit.

The terrifying and powerful aura of a saint surrounding him was rapidly dissipating, and he had completely lost all vitality.

That was the source that permeated the entire continent, causing heaven and earth to grieve and blood to rain down.

It originated from this place.