The first layer of the World Realm, the Chaos Realm, requires accumulation to break through to the second layer, the World-Opening Realm; only with sufficient accumulation can one truly open heaven and earth. The things required for accumulation generally fall into three categories. The first is a massive amount of Primordial Chaos Qi; one must amass a great deal of this before attempting to cleave the cosmos. The second requirement is an abundance of rare Heaven and Earth Treasures. When placed within the chaos, upon the successful act of creation, these treasures will transform into the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers within one's personal dimension. The third necessity is the Clear-Turbid Stone. This stone is also a rare artifact of heaven and earth, serving a singular purpose: to cleave the firmament, shatter the turbidity, and forge Yin and Yang. Only then, after the world is formed, can the clear ascend to become the heavens and the turbid sink to become the earth. The establishment Lu Yuan currently burst into, known as the Jianfeng Shop, primarily housed consigned items from over a dozen Grand Elders of the Jianfeng faction. It contained vast stores of Primordial Chaos Qi and several rare Heaven and Earth Treasures. Lu Yuan, naturally, was not polite; he swept his hand out, forming a massive Dharma Power palm, to seize the Chaos Qi.

The managers and servers within the Jianfeng Shop watched this sudden change with astonishment. For a moment, they simply failed to react to what was happening. It should be noted that the Commercial Citadel was vastly different from other areas under the Jianmen sect. The Citadel was a vital stronghold, protected by countless restrictive formations. The unrest stirred up by the Jianfeng faction had only just begun, and the Commercial Citadel had not yet received any news. Seeing Lu Yuan so wildly sweeping up the Grand Elders' consigned goods, they were first frozen in shock.

The manager of the Jianfeng Shop roared in fury, "These are consigned items placed here by the Grand Elders! How audacious of you to dare snatch these precious possessions!" Before he could finish speaking, he was swept away by Lu Yuan's surging Dharma Power. Lu Yuan raided over ten shops in succession, feeling an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. This act of seizing an enemy's resources to boost one's own strength was truly exhilarating in a way nothing else compared. Among these dozen or so Jianfeng faction shops, there were a considerable amount of Primordial Chaos Qi and some rare Heaven and Earth Treasures. With this replenishment, Lu Yuan noted that the Chaos Qi within his personal dimension was nearly sufficient. He was still lacking in the second requirement—the rare Heaven and Earth Treasures—and hadn't seen a single Clear-Turbid Stone for the third. If he hadn't found them, he resolved to loot some more; it would be foolishness indeed not to take advantage of the current situation. With over a dozen Grand Elders chasing him from behind, Lu Yuan wasted no time on pleasantries. Once he had secured the resources he needed, he fled swiftly.

He truly came and went like the wind. After Lu Yuan vanished, the managers of those dozen shops remained stunned and unresponsive. "Who was that person? How dare he rob the Grand Elders' consigned items?" "Indeed." "Wait, isn't that Lu Yuan?" "If it's Lu Yuan, it's still unacceptable! Even if he were a Grand Elder, daring to steal another Grand Elder's consigned goods requires compensation and punishment." "We must immediately report this incident to the entire Citadel, let the whole city know of Lu Yuan's heinous actions!" The report was sent out instantly, audible throughout the entire Commercial Citadel. As soon as the announcement was broadcast, over a dozen Grand Elders, including Xuanyuan Qiang and Xu Xingfeng, arrived. The managers were startled again; the reaction speed was too fast. They immediately tried to surround them to ask questions, but to their surprise, the dozen Grand Elders didn't even pause. With a sudden swirl, a tempest of wind swept past, knocking them away once more. What in the world was happening today? What had transpired? The staff of the Jianfeng shops were completely baffled.

"Attention, attention! A bold rogue has come to the Commercial Citadel to rob!" The bulletin issued by the Jianfeng Shop was spreading across the city, instantly causing widespread alarm. The Commercial Citadel was usually peaceful; for someone to dare commit robbery here truly felt like the heavens were shifting. Of course, the calmest parties were the dozen or so shops belonging to the Jianxu faction. These dozen-plus establishments were the high-end venues within the entire Commercial Citadel. Furthermore, they had two great backers: Jianxu Ancestor and the Son of the Sword. "No matter how audacious that rogue is, he absolutely wouldn't dare touch our premises. Unless he is courting death! Who told him to cross us when we are backed by Jianxu Ancestor and the Son of the Sword?" The managers of these dozen shops were entirely composed. "Anyone who dares rob us, the Son of the Sword and Jianxu Ancestor will exterminate them." "Is that so? I'd like to see what the Son of the Sword can do to me." A clear, resonant voice echoed, and simultaneously, a massive Dharma Power palm surged towards these dozen Jianxu shops. A substantial amount of Primordial Chaos Qi and rare Heaven and Earth Treasures were drawn into the giant palm, and a figure cloaked in azure robes landed within the shop. So many resources here! Wait, the resources here are about the same as the Jianfeng shops, mostly. But the resources in the Son of the Sword’s establishment are exceptionally abundant. The items he consigned are more valuable than those of Jianfeng Ancestor or Jianxu Ancestor—truly worthy of the Son of the Sword. And look, there is even a Clear-Turbid Stone! This is an extremely crucial component for breaking through to the second layer of the World Realm. Infinite joy flashed through Lu Yuan's mind. He truly hadn't expected this; having the Clear-Turbid Stone was a massive boon. If it weren't for the Son of the Sword, his path to the second layer of the World Realm would have been exceedingly difficult. The Son of the Sword had acquired quite a few Clear-Turbid Stones back in the day, but they were useless to him after reaching the World Realm Second Layer, so he simply consigned them here. Lu Yuan had reaped an enormous benefit from this misfortune; if the Son of the Sword ever learned of this, he would likely spit blood from sheer rage. Now, all three necessary components for advancing to the World Realm Second Layer were in hand. He could begin the breakthrough to the World Realm Second Layer immediately.

Lu Yuan knew time was short. He immediately began the process without delay. First, he channeled the Primordial Chaos Qi and the various Heaven and Earth Treasures into the chaos within his personal dimension. Following that, he introduced the Clear-Turbid Stone, igniting it with his Dharma Power. Instantly, the Clear-Turbid Stone began to burn away slowly, and as it did, the existing chaos gradually transformed into clear and turbid qi—the essence of Yin and Yang. The original Chaos Qi began to separate into one lighter and one heavier component, one fainter and one denser, shaping itself into Yin and Yang. The Chaos Qi, which had been perfectly balanced, now featured these distinctions of clear/turbid and light/heavy. This imbalance caused the nascent energies to contend against each other, generating countless undercurrents within the chaos that intensified rapidly. Finally, a thunderous explosion erupted. The Chaos Qi had finally been resolved! This was the first great explosion of creation within his personal dimension. Lu Yuan vaguely felt that this was how the beginning of an epoch started, though the creation explosion in his personal dimension was far, far smaller than the initial cosmic genesis. In that grand explosion, everything below the Civilization Realm was utterly pulverized, incapable of surviving. As Lu Yuan was assaulting the World Realm Second Layer, the World-Opening Realm, Xuanyuan Qiang and Lou Xingfeng, along with the other ten Grand Elders, had all arrived. Their speed was remarkable; the twelve Grand Elders surrounded Lu Yuan like streaks of lightning. "Lu Yuan is attempting to break through to the World Realm Second Layer, the World-Opening Realm! Do not let him succeed!" Xuanyuan Qiang shouted. "This is his most vulnerable moment. Strike him while he is sick!" said Ling Qiu, a Grand Elder already in the World Realm Second Layer, his words laced with hatred—he held a grudge against Taishi Kong, and naturally, harbored animosity toward Lu Yuan as well. "Kill!" "If we kill him, we shall earn immense merit," stated another Grand Elder from the World Realm Second Layer. To them, Lu Yuan at this moment was like a massive treasure trove; slaying him meant achieving the greatest possible meritorious service. The twelve Grand Elders moved in unison, twelve immortal swords, each radiating terrifying, esoteric auras, piercing toward Lu Yuan. Among these twelve, Xu Xingfeng’s attack was the swiftest and most elusive, impossible to block; Xuanyuan Qiang’s assault was the fiercest and most ruthless, imbued with the deepest hatred; the swordplay of Ling Qiu, a World Realm Second Layer expert, was the most twisted and absolute; and the swordsmanship of the other World Realm Grand Elders varied—some dangerous, some venomous, some deceptively cunning. Each of the twelve immortal swords carried an immeasurable power of extinction. Each sword technique, whether profound and inscrutable or swift and annihilating. Facing the twelve immortal swords, Lu Yuan seemed to have no chance of survival, destined to be destroyed right there. Just as Lu Yuan was about to be felled by these twelve swords, a massive wave of energy erupted from his entire body—a colossal air current. How powerful was this wave? It directly forced all twelve Grand Elders backward, and five of the World Realm First Layer Grand Elders were sent flying even farther. This was undoubtedly the great explosion of creation. Seven of the Grand Elders present had experienced such an event before; the other five, though inexperienced, knew of the World-Opening Great Explosion. However, this particular creation explosion was unusually terrifying. The great explosions resulting from attempts to reach the World Realm Second Layer were classified into several tiers. The first tier produced an air current strong enough to blow away anyone in the first five layers of the Chaos-Void Realm. This was quite ordinary; the explosion from most cultivators breaking through was around this level. The second tier produced an air current that could sweep away those in the latter five layers of the Chaos-Void Realm. This was a remarkable level, achieved only by a few exceptional individuals. The third tier’s air current could send World Realm First Layer cultivators reeling. This was considered excellent, a tier rarely reached even by geniuses among geniuses. The fourth tier could repel those at the World Realm Second or Third Layer. This level was achievable only by the most elite, peerless geniuses of the Central Dynasty; a typical example being the Seven Sons of Destiny, who reached this level, while others lagged slightly behind. Among these four tiers, reaching the third was already considered truly outstanding.