CHAPTER 949: NINE PETALS OF DIVINE PATH LOTUS

Palace Master Howard of the Absolute Sword Palace folded his arms, his expression thoughtful. "If he truly manages to bloom nine petals on the first awakening... then his Divine Path Lotus will reach a state that even some Legend Rank experts could only dream of. It would mean his comprehension, physique, and energy foundation are in perfect harmony."

The tiger-masked leader of the Obsidian Order tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but weighted with meaning. "Nine petals is not merely a number—it signifies the limit of the first awakening. Anyone who touches that limit has the potential to open the ’True Bloom’ in the second awakening, where each petal gains its own law resonance. That path... is rare enough that perhaps one in a million geniuses have even the chance to walk it."

President William’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Even so, I want to see it. A nine-petal bloom in the first awakening... That would mark him as one of the supreme geniuses in the history of the Middle Domain."

The tiger-masked man gave a quiet chuckle. "History? No... he has already stepped into that domain not too long ago."

Normally, when someone stepped into the Master Rank, the Divine Path Lotus phenomenon would manifest—a grand and unmistakable sign that one had truly entered the realm of experts in the Middle Domain.

It was more than just a spectacle; it was a mark that the expert had crossed an invisible threshold, their very existence acknowledged by the laws of the world.

The first appearance of the Divine Path Lotus was always the most crucial, for it was directly tied to the potential of a person’s talent and future achievements.

Over the course of thousands of years, countless geniuses had stood beneath its glow, and so the people of the Middle Domain had come to understand its significance well. The number of petals that bloomed upon the Divine Path Lotus dictated how the world would see you.

Five petals meant an average talent—someone who could stand among experts but would rarely shake the world.

Six petals placed one among the ranks of geniuses, the kind whose names would echo for decades.

Seven petals was a mark reserved only for super geniuses, beings whose talent could be compared to the Heaven Grade, destined to command both respect and fear.

Eight petals signified not just talent, but great fate—those chosen by destiny itself. And the ninth petal... that was something far rarer, the mark of a once-in-a-generation prodigy whose very existence could alter the course of history.

For most experts, five petals were all they could hope for during their first Divine Path Lotus phenomenon, with a fortunate few reaching six.

The peak geniuses of the Middle Domain—those hailed as the brightest stars—were known to bloom seven petals, though records existed of rare individuals who had pushed it to eight.

In recent times, only one man had achieved that feat—Lucien, whose first Divine Path Lotus had opened eight radiant petals, solidifying his place as the greatest genius of the era.

Just as everyone’s hearts began to settle after witnessing the chaos of the four Wraiths of the World, their gazes were inevitably drawn upward once more—to the phenomenon that still hung high above Max.

The Divine Path Lotus floated there in all its brilliance, each petal glimmering with a mystical radiance, its light washing over the battlefield like ripples in a golden sea.

Six petals already shone proudly, their curves flawless, their veins traced with threads of divine light, while the seventh was only half-open, trembling faintly as though gathering strength for its final flourish.

The air grew still, heavy with a pressure that came not from killing intent but from the sheer significance of what they were witnessing. Then—slowly, gracefully—the seventh petal unfurled, revealing its full beauty, and in that moment, a soft but awe-inspiring hum echoed through the heavens. Gasps broke out across the field.

"Seven... seven petals..." one expert muttered, his voice shaking.

"That’s Heaven Grade talent... a true super genius!" another exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

"This alone places him among the strongest of his generation," someone else added, almost reverently.

The golden brilliance from the Divine Path Lotus bathed the entire battlefield, and as the seventh petal unfurled, the leaders of the major forces exchanged glances—each carrying their own thoughts.

President William’s voice broke the silence first, deep and deliberate. "Seven petals... so it wasn’t a coincidence. This boy’s foundation is terrifying."

Palace Master Howard of the Absolute Sword Palace narrowed his eyes, his tone edged with both awe and caution. "He’s already a star grade talent... that alone will make the world turn its eyes toward him."

The tiger-masked leader of the Obsidian Order let out a low hum. "Hmph... Heaven Grade? No, he is a Star Grade genius for sure.."

But then the glow intensified, the petals trembling again, and as the eighth petal began to push outward, the leaders’ expressions shifted in unison—some to disbelief, some to grim understanding.

The tiger-masked leader’s voice turned sharper. "Eight...? In recent history, only Lucien managed that in his first awakening. This boy... could match Lucien?"

Palace Master Howard’s brows drew tight. "If he blooms eight, he has great fate meaning..." He didn’t say those words but glanced coldly at Thunder Lord and Tower Lord as a warning.

The Bright Buddha Palace’s leader closed his eyes briefly, murmuring, "Eight petals... in the same generation as Lucien. This era will be anything but peaceful."

Emperor Hermes, however, didn’t speak again—he simply smiled faintly, though deep within his gaze was a storm that no one could read.

"No... impossible..." a expert whispered, clutching his robes.

"He’s... he’s going for eight?!" someone cried, their voice cracking.

"In recent history, only Lucien ever bloomed eight in his first Divine Path Lotus! And now... another one?"

All eyes were locked on the lotus as the eighth petal pushed outward, bathed in an ethereal light that seemed to pierce straight through the soul. Slowly but surely, it unfolded in full glory, its golden sheen brighter than the rest, radiating a presence so pure and overwhelming that for a moment, everyone forgot to breathe. Murmurs turned into roars of disbelief.

"He... did it... eight petals... in his first awakening..."

"This is beyond monstrous... two people in one era?!"

"Lucien has a rival now... maybe even more than a rival..."

Up above, the Divine Path Lotus gleamed with eight open petals, each one radiating divine brilliance, while Max stood beneath it, his expression calm yet his very presence pressing down on the hearts of all who looked his way.

In that instant, every expert present understood—they were witnessing the birth of someone who could stand at the very peak of the Middle Domain, someone destined to shake the entire world.

Both the Thunder Lord of the Thunder Monarch Hall and the Tower Lord of the Void Soul Tower stood stiff, their gazes locked on the Divine Path Lotus above Max’s head. The eighth petal’s slow, inevitable bloom felt like a dagger twisting in their chests.

The more Max shone, the heavier the pressure inside them became—like each petal was stripping away their sense of control over the future. The sight of the eighth petal fully unfurling hit them like a thunderclap. Their expressions twisted, eyes narrowing sharply, jaws clenching as they exchanged a brief, grim look.

They didn’t need to say it aloud—they both understood the weight behind the ancient phrase: "Eight petals signifies great fate." And great fate... meant that no matter how they schemed, this boy was destined to become a towering existence in the Middle Domain, one they could neither ignore nor easily erase.

For the first time, the two ruthless lords felt an unease gnawing at the edges of their pride, a silent acknowledgment that the longer Max lived, the more dangerous he would become—not just to their ambitions, but to the very balance of power they enjoyed.