Of the three thousand Great Daos, any peerless genius—no matter which path they cultivate—must walk from the Plastic Essence Realm, breakthrough to the Creation Realm and the Star Realm, perceive the heavens and earth, perfect themselves, and finally step into the Dao Saint Realm. Upon becoming a Saint of the Dao, the experiences of their entire life will converge into a Dao Principle that transcends all other laws.
These Dao Principles vary in grade. Those who spend more time in secluded meditation than in the crucible of battle often realize Dao Principles of a peaceful nature, ill-suited for life-and-death struggle. Conversely, practitioners of martial and sword paths who realize the Dao Principle of the Martial or the Dao Principle of the Sword can render themselves unstoppable, capable of shattering all the laws of the world. Such is the wonder and profundity of top-tier Dao Principles.
Ximen Shang had realized a Dao Principle of the Sword, which was why he had become one of the most formidable experts in the history of the Sword Realm. However, a cultivator in the Dao Saint Realm controls their Dao Principle much like a mortal manipulating lightning or fire; one must approach it with reverence and extreme caution, for it must never be abused. If a Dao Saint were to suffer a drop in cultivation, the iron law of the Great Dao dictates that they would lose the ability to wield the power of their Dao Principle.
Chapter 3877