"What about the Central Mainland, the place where my mother comes from?" Li Yun asked with clear curiosity. Now that he knew his parents were still alive, he wanted to understand everything, especially his mother’s origins.
Li Zhen nodded slowly. "Your father himself was not very familiar with the Central Mainland. He never told me much about it. All I know is that it is the most prosperous land for the Martial Dao on the Martial Dragon Continent. In the eyes of countless martial artists, it is a sacred land of cultivation. Many people dream of setting foot there even once in their lives, yet most never manage to do so. Some lack the courage to try, while others perish on the journey."
"Why is that?" Li Yun asked at once, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Whether or not he could reach the Central Mainland would determine if he could ever find his mother, Xuan Ying, and his father.
"Because between the Four Great Martial Domains and the Central Mainland lies an enormous ocean," Li Zhen replied. "Its area alone accounts for nearly one third of the entire Martial Dragon Continent."
He continued gravely. "That ocean is called the Endless Sea, a name that speaks for itself. It is boundless and unfathomable. Not only is it vast beyond imagination, but it is also unimaginably dangerous. Even experts of the Heavenly Core Realm, and sometimes even those of the Spirit Manifestation Realm, find it extremely difficult to cross it safely."
After saying this, Li Zhen looked deeply at Li Yun, worry evident in his eyes. He understood better than anyone how perilous the path ahead would be. Now that Li Yun knew the truth about his parents, it was impossible for him not to pursue them, no matter the cost.
"So crossing the Endless Sea is that dangerous," Li Yun said quietly, his brows tightly furrowed. "Then how am I supposed to pass through it?"
Li Zhen fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Li Yun, if you are truly determined to go to the Central Mainland and find your parents, then I will tell you the method. Throughout history, this is the path most martial artists have taken when they wished to reach the Central Mainland."
"What method?" Li Yun asked immediately, unable to hide his urgency. Even knowing the dangers ahead, his resolve did not waver in the slightest.
Li Zhen’s voice turned firm and deliberate as he spoke each word. "You must participate in the Grand Martial Assembly."
"The Grand Martial Assembly? What exactly is that?" Li Yun asked, blinking in surprise as curiosity filled his expression.
Li Zhen nodded and began to explain patiently in a calm and steady voice. "In the distant Eastern Martial Domain, any force that stands at the very peak is revered by martial artists as a Holy Land. Across the entire Eastern Martial Domain, there are only four such Holy Lands in existence. They are the Astral Ascension Gate, the Myriad Dao Sacred Hall, the Sun God Palace, and the Origin Martial Sect."
He continued, his tone growing more solemn. "Every twenty five years, these Four Great Holy Lands jointly hold a grand tournament known as the Grand Martial Assembly. As long as a participant performs outstandingly in this assembly, they will gain the attention of the Four Great Holy Lands and receive guidance into one of these sects for higher level cultivation."
"The Eastern Martial Domain is the foremost among the Four Great Martial Domains," Li Zhen said. "Whether it is the density of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi or the abundance of cultivation resources, it surpasses the other three domains by an overwhelming margin. As for the Four Great Holy Lands, they are the strongest powers within the Eastern Martial Domain and control nearly seventy percent of all cultivation resources there. This is no exaggeration."
He paused briefly before continuing. "Because of this, martial artists from all Four Great Martial Domains dream of entering the Four Great Holy Lands of the Eastern Martial Domain to cultivate. If one succeeds, it is an opportunity of immense fortune, no different from a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate."
Li Zhen’s expression hardened slightly. "However, participation in the Grand Martial Assembly is not open to everyone. First, one must be under the age of forty and possess cultivation of at least the ninth level of the Xiantian Realm. This is only the most basic requirement. The most crucial condition is obtaining a letter of recommendation."
He went on, "Across the entire Southern Martial Domain, only the four peak powers possess such letters. They are Ice God Valley, Boundless Martial Palace, Burning Heaven Sect, and Martial Ascension Gate. These letters of recommendation are issued by the Four Great Holy Lands themselves and are granted only to the most outstanding disciples of these peak forces."
After hearing Li Zhen’s explanation, Li Yun finally gained a clear understanding of how terrifyingly powerful the Four Great Holy Lands truly were.
In his mind, he could almost see four invincible existences standing high above the nine heavens, gazing down upon all living beings while dominating every direction.
A sharp light shone in his eyes as a strong yearning rose within his heart. One day, when he reached the Eastern Martial Domain, he would personally step into those Holy Lands and witness their might for himself.
Li Yun took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before speaking again, confusion clear in his eyes. "Grandfather, you still have not explained what my journey to the Central Mainland has to do with the Grand Martial Assembly. Please tell me already and stop keeping me in suspense."
"Do not be so impatient," Li Zhen said with a faint smile as he continued at an unhurried pace.
"It is said that the Four Great Holy Lands standing at the peak of the Eastern Martial Domain were founded upon legacies that originated from the Central Mainland itself. Because of this, they maintain deep and lasting connections with the Central Mainland. I have heard that from time to time, they select their most outstanding disciples and subject them to strict trials. Those who pass are then sent to the Central Mainland through a teleportation array, to that supreme Martial Dao holy land that countless martial artists across the Martial Dragon Continent dream of reaching."
Li Zhen looked at Li Yun and spoke seriously. "This is why, if you wish to go to the Central Mainland, you must first become a disciple of one of those Four Great Holy Lands, and not just any disciple, but an exceptional one. Only then will you have a chance to cross the Endless Sea and reach the Central Mainland. However, martial artists from a small and remote place like our Southern Martial Domain have only one path to enter the Four Great Holy Lands, and that path is the Grand Martial Assembly."
He paused briefly before asking, "Now do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand," Li Yun replied at once, nodding firmly. A bitter smile appeared on his face as the weight of the reality settled in. He had not expected that simply wanting to reach the Central Mainland would require such a long and arduous path.
To achieve that goal, he would first need to join one of the four peak powers of the Southern Martial Domain and rise to become its most outstanding disciple. Only then could he obtain a letter of recommendation to participate in the Grand Martial Assembly.
After passing that assembly, he would need to enter one of the Four Great Holy Lands of the Eastern Martial Domain and use it as a stepping stone toward the Central Mainland.
Although these steps sounded straightforward when laid out, accomplishing them was unimaginably difficult for a minor martial artist like Li Yun, who came from a remote and underdeveloped place such as the Southern Martial Domain.
Setting everything else aside, simply joining one of the four peak sects of the Southern Martial Domain and rising to become its most outstanding disciple was already an enormous challenge.
The Southern Martial Domain might be considered backward, but that comparison only existed when measured against the other three martial domains. It was still one of the Four Great Martial Domains, and it was by no means weak.
For sects like the Martial Ascension Gate and the other peak powers to stand at the summit of the Southern Martial Domain, they inevitably possessed a large number of gifted experts within their ranks.
Competing against such geniuses for the position of the most outstanding disciple would be anything but easy.
Even so, succeeding in that competition would only mark the beginning of his path to the Central Mainland. After that, he would still have to take part in the Grand Martial Assembly.
Across the Four Great Martial Domains, who would not dream of entering the Four Great Holy Lands to cultivate? When the Grand Martial Assembly began, young martial artists from nearly the entire continent, excluding the Central Mainland itself, would inevitably gather to compete.
With participants coming from every corner of the Four Great Martial Domains, the number of prodigies and geniuses that would emerge was beyond estimation. To stand out among them, to rise above the talents of an entire continent, was a challenge of terrifying magnitude.
Li Yun had always been confident in himself, yet even he could not claim absolute certainty when facing such a trial.
Still, his resolve did not waver. "No matter how difficult it is, I will go to the Central Mainland," Li Yun vowed silently, clenching his fists within his sleeves.
This was no longer a matter of pursuing the peak of martial arts alone. His parents were in the Central Mainland, and for that reason alone, he would reach it no matter the cost.

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