Within the hallowed halls of the Taiyi Dao Palace, Lu Feng returned in utter disarray. He personally sought an audience with the Palace Master.

"Palace Master," he began, his voice weighed with regret, "I have failed in our mission to the Immortal Mansion. Not only have I faced defeat, but the accompanying two dozen elite disciples have all perished. Worse yet, even the five Golden Core level Great Mountain Seals have fallen into the hands of the Ancient Origin Sect."

Meeting the gaze of the Palace Master, Lu Feng held nothing back, laying bare every event that transpired within the oceanic depths of the Immortal Mansion.

With a swift movement, the Palace Master's eyes opened, the cold glint of murderous intent dancing within them.

"Elder Lu, for the grave losses suffered under your leadership, you shall be punished."

Lu Feng trembled, but he recognized the weight of his failure. Those two dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators were among the most promising disciples of Taiyi Dao Palace. Their untimely deaths held the potential loss of future Golden Core True Persons. The blow to the Palace was indeed monumental. Such a loss necessitated accountability. Thus, even as a revered Golden Core cultivator, Lu Feng was not exempt from the penalty.

Gritting his teeth, Lu Feng declared, "Palace Master, I will accept any punishment the sect deems fit."

"Yet," he continued with a fire in his eyes, "the Ancient Origin Sect disregards our Taiyi Dao Palace so blatantly. We must not show leniency. Moreover, that martial saint from the Ancient Origin Sect, Lin Fei, although merely at the saint level, already rivals Golden Core cultivators in power. Should he ascend to become a Martial Sovereign, who can fathom the extent of his might? Lin Fei is undoubtedly a looming threat to our Taiyi Dao Palace. He must be eliminated."

The Palace Master regarded Lu Feng inscrutably. "Elder Lu Feng, be on your way."

Without further words, Lu Feng departed to accept his punishment.

Lost in thought, the Palace Master stared into the void. He saw through Lu Feng's ulterior motives. Yet, the unyielding stance of the Ancient Origin Sect, coupled with the pressure from other powerful factions, rendered Taiyi Dao Palace somewhat powerless.

The emergence of Lin Fei was indeed a cause for concern.

"Over the years," he mused, "our Taiyi Dao Palace has enjoyed peace for too long. Many have forgotten the true might that we wield. Perhaps it's time to remind the world..."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he pondered the path forward.

...

In places like the Red Hades Mansion and the Profound Light Cave Heaven, many Foundation Establishment cultivators too made their return to their respective sects.

As the Foundation Establishment cultivators returned to their sects, word about the events in the Immortal Mansion beneath the sea spread like wildfire. Among the many tales, one stood out as the most sensational.

Elder Lin Fei of the Ancient Origin Sect, despite being at the Martial Saint stage, had not only faced off against Taiyi Dao Palace's Elder Lu Feng but also vanquished over two dozen top Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The news was met with disbelief from both the Taiyi Dao Palace and the Ancient Origin Sect.

Many in the Taiyi Dao Palace could not fathom its truth. However, the undeniable fact was that over twenty of their elite Foundation Establishment cultivators had vanished. And, astoundingly, rumors emerged that Elder Lu Feng faced punishment, imprisoned within the Fiery Dungeon to endure a decade of torment.

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This was a severe penalty, especially given that Lu Feng was a Golden Core cultivator. Gradually, many within the Taiyi Dao Palace began to believe the astonishing reports.

When the news reached the Ancient Origin Sect, it left everyone stunned. The information had come from outside, while within the sect, there hadn't been a whisper about it. Had it been any other individual, some might have expressed skepticism. But the rumor was about Lin Fei, who as a Martial Saint with the Three Flowers Gathering stage, could challenge a Golden Core cultivator. This made it difficult for the Ancient Origin Sect members to dismiss.

Lin Fei's reputation within the Ancient Origin Sect was already legendary. His previous battles, especially the one where he bested five elders, had sent shockwaves through the sect. Now, to hear that he could match a Golden Core cultivator seemed fantastical, yet not entirely implausible.

Many within the Ancient Origin Sect turned their eyes towards Lin Fei's cave dwelling. However, no one dared to disturb him, for Lin Fei had entered seclusion.

"System," Lin Fei whispered, summoning his system interface to check his martial progress.

Host: Lin Fei

Martial Realm: Three Flowers Gathering

Saber Momentum: Perfection (Progress: 0%)

Lin Fei's system interface appeared quite simple. The martial techniques he had perfected had vanished from the display. Of course, while they were gone from the panel, his skills remained intact.

The only thing that hadn't disappeared was the saber momentum. Even though it had reached perfection, there was still a progress indicator, albeit at 0%. In a way, this hinted that beyond the perfection of saber momentum, there lay another realm.

Through his conversations with Wind Sovereign, Lin Fei had come to understand the realm that lay beyond saber momentum, called the "Domain" or more precisely, "Saber Domain." According to Wind Sovereign, once the saber momentum evolves into a Saber Domain, it would transform from an abstract force to a tangible power, possessing incredible abilities.

However, the specifics of the Saber Domain's capabilities remained shrouded in mystery even to Wind Sovereign. Throughout the history of the Ancient Origin Sect, no martial artist had ever evolved their skill to such a level. Thus, the concept of the Saber Domain was more of a legendary realm within the sect's lore.

For Lin Fei, the Domain seemed distant, without any clear path toward it. In contrast, the next stage, the Martial Sovereign, felt tantalizingly close.

Lin Fei was now at the Three Flowers Gathering stage. According to Wind Sovereign, the only barrier left was to break the shackles of the Life Wheel, manifesting it and thus gaining mastery over his destiny. But this task was easier said than done. It was extremely challenging.

Lin Fei had sought guidance from Wind Sovereign on breaking these shackles. However, Wind Sovereign had merely shaken his head, stating that the method to do so varied for each Martial Sovereign. The key was to sense the shackles of the Life Wheel and then muster all one's strength to shatter them. For a martial artist, this process was akin to defying fate itself.

It bore similarity to a Foundation Establishment cultivator facing the heavenly tribulation. If they succeeded in crossing it, they would evolve into a Golden Core cultivator. But failing meant obliteration. Similarly, breaking the Life Wheel's shackles was a gamble. There was only one attempt allowed. Failure meant the three flowers of a Martial Saint would shatter, leading to physical disintegration, reversal of the true essence, and eventual death.

Hence, it was a path where success led to ascension, and failure meant certain death.

Wind Sovereign hadn't provided an extensive guide. And even if he had, it wouldn't have been of much use. The only thing he emphasized was that Lin Fei shouldn't hold back or prepare excessively, as it would be futile. Reaching the Three Flowers Gathering stage meant that Lin Fei had peaked in his cultivation; no amount of extra preparation would make a difference. Whether he could break through the shackles of the Life Wheel was essentially predetermined at the moment of reaching the Three Flowers Gathering.

Now, all Lin Fei needed was to adjust his mindset and sense the Life Wheel. After spending days in seclusion, he decided to face his destiny.

"Let's begin," Lin Fei murmured, closing his eyes. The Three Flowers atop his head vibrated subtly, and with the addition of the saber momentum, Lin Fei began to attune to every part of his being.

Gradually, he seemed to disconnect from the external world, drawn deep into himself. There was a place within him, calling out, and he was drawn to it. And then he saw it.

Deep within his being, there was a massive wheel emanating faint rays of light – the Life Wheel. The glow was subtle, flickering inconsistently. On its surface, dark streams flowed, looking much like chains that held the wheel in place— the shackles of the Life Wheel.

Seeing his Life Wheel and its bindings brought a wave of realization over Lin Fei. To break these shackles, he had to combine the energies of his Three Flowers, merging spirit, energy, and qi into one. It was an all-or-nothing move, a desperate gamble against fate itself.