Chapter 145: His Own Path and His Own Destiny
The once-abandoned hall, long forgotten by time, had now become a temporary place to stay for Aldrian and his group. Despite a few cracks here and there, the structure still stood strong. Aldrian continued to inspect the symbol on the wall—the very symbol that had led him to this secret realm. The realm itself was vast, but from his observations, it seemed to serve only as a resting place for the sword, with little else of interest.
If that was the case, then this secret realm might be artificial, likely created by a high-level cultivator with mastery over space laws. Based on Aldrian’s understanding, this was a cultivator’s domain, one formed by a space element cultivator.
Starting from the Duke stage, cultivators can create their own domain, shaping the surrounding environment to suit their preferences and can giving them an advantage in battle. A Duke stage cultivator who cannot create a domain is not considered to have reached their full potential, as their power remains incomplete.
The first challenge many Dukes face in creating a domain is deciding what kind of domain they want to build and what properties they want to incorporate. Since a Duke can possess multiple elemental affinities, they must choose whether to create a domain based on their strongest laws or develop multiple domains.
The second challenge is the immense resources required. Creating a strong domain demands not only a high level of comprehension but also vast amounts of energy. To achieve this, cultivators need resources that align with their preferred element, which can quickly deplete their wealth.
For all these reasons, not every Duke can wield a domain. Throughout his journey, Aldrian had encountered many opponents above the Duke stage, and some of them had domains.
Now, why does Aldrian suspect that this secret realm is the domain of a cultivator? A secret realm can form naturally due to spatial disturbances—similar to natural phenomena—or it can be created artificially. In the case of an artificially created secret realm, only cultivators who have comprehended space laws can achieve this. For these cultivators, the secret realm essentially becomes their domain, which is a unique trait of those with an affinity for space elements.
However, not all space element cultivators can create a secret realm. To do so, they must possess an exceptionally high level of comprehension and an immense amount of energy. Throughout the history of the Barisan continent, legendary cultivators have been known to create secret realms imbued with their own desired properties.
For example, a space element cultivator from the past created a secret realm in the Vindas Empire, but this realm was the realm of fire, containing profound insights into fire laws. This was because the cultivator’s secondary affinity was fire, and he wished to build his own sanctuary using both elements.