Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1327: Chapter 717: Defying Fate and Courtesy Before Force

After Zhao Menghan came to a realization, he slowly lifted his head, stared straight ahead, and calmly shouted to Zhao Sheng, "Please forgive my boldness for asking the elder a question. Is whether I possess the Zhao Family bloodline really of significance? In my view, having the bloodline doesn’t matter at all. What matters is that I have always remembered my surname is Zhao and have never forgotten my mission and responsibility!"

These words, spoken with a resolute and sincere tone, naturally increased one’s goodwill upon hearing them.

Zhao Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn’t heard anything, and suddenly asked coldly, "This old man sees that your final days are near; you shouldn’t have many years left to live. Considering your merits for the Zhao Family, I am willing to grant you an opportunity to defy destiny. However, this opportunity is extremely perilous; failure means instant death with no salvation. Furthermore, even I am not greatly certain of success."

"I am absolutely willing, a hundred times over! Regardless of life or death in the end, I will absolutely not regret it!"

Upon hearing of a chance to defy destiny, Zhao Menghan was overjoyed, not caring about the dangers, agreeing immediately.

After all, he was already over fifteen hundred years old, with his time for sitting down being within the next twenty or thirty years.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng thoughtfully nodded, as if he accepted the other’s "choice".

"Follow me, I have some questions to ask you!"

With these words, Zhao Sheng stepped towards the bamboo tower.

Zhao Menghan stirred his thoughts and hurried to follow, quickly entering the bamboo tower.

Though the bamboo tower appeared simple outside, the interior was elegantly decorated, transcendent, with the ground made entirely of millennium Jade Bamboo, clearly forming a natural array for calming the mind, and meditative focusing. Hanging on the bamboo walls were detailed scrolls of mountains and rivers, each exceptionally intricate, depicting even the minutest stones and vegetation.

Zhao Sheng glanced over these terrain maps, slightly astonished, as each landscape naturally formed a magic array!

Natural formations are incredibly rare, and every one is a product of heaven and earth’s creation, beloved by Array Masters!

Never forget that Zhao Sheng is also an Array Dao Grandmaster, and thus finds these landscapes intriguing, though not obsessively, they pique his curiosity.

He was curious about how Zhao Menghan managed to collect so many natural array scrolls.

Of course, he was merely curious and would never forcibly take beloved possessions from others.

After looking over them, Zhao Sheng roughly guessed how Zhao Menghan managed to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, presumably owing to these array maps.

His guess was right, Zhao Menghan had formed a Golden Core, ventured out, and by coincidence stumbled into an Array Master’s Ling Palace, and luckily found thirteen array maps and the master’s insights in a coffin.

It can be said that Zhao Menghan’s current success is largely due to this opportunity.

Zhao Sheng withdrew his gaze and walked to a cushion, sitting cross-legged.

Zhao Menghan followed closely behind, promptly sitting in a lower position.

"I am Zhao, my given name is Xi. I come from the Taisu Spiritual Realm, with cultivation slightly above the Divinity Transformation. As for ranking and generations, they aren’t worth mentioning. I’ve returned this time originally just to retrieve Qiong Tian Ancestor’s treasures. But upon seeing your level of proficiency in Array Dao, I’ve had an impulse to give you a chance while also leaving a legacy for the Zhao Family."

Zhao Menghan, upon hearing this, was both surprised and delighted, now feeling he has an enormous backing. He wouldn’t take the elder’s modest words seriously—slightly above Divinity Transformation means strength above Returning to Void.

Isn’t this the greatest backing imaginable? What else could it be!

Zhao Menghan dared not delay and quickly asked, "May I ask Ancestor Xi, about the mentioned treasures of Qiong Tian Ancestor, does it refer to..."

Zhao Sheng nodded and said, "Just as you think, there are four treasures left by the Ancestor: Ten Thousand Fire Tripod, Chasing Sun Bow, Sumeru Ring, and Nine Nether Tower!"

"This... I dare not deceive Ancestor Xi, Ten Thousand Fire Tripod remains in the ancestral vein of the Tianzhu Realm. Chasing Sun Bow and Sumeru Ring, however, fell into the hands of the Supreme Sensing Sect, while Nine Nether Tower seems shrouded in mystery. After thinking it over carefully, it appears this treasure inexplicably vanished two thousand years ago."

"Hmph, incompetent!" Zhao Sheng’s eyes turned cold upon hearing Nine Nether Tower’s whereabouts were unknown, instantly unleashing an invisible pressure as heavy as a mountain upon Zhao Menghan.

"Please calm your anger, Ancestor Xi! We the descendants fail to uphold, losing the ancestral treasures and disappointing you!" Zhao Menghan felt his scalp tingle, immediately bowing and apologizing repeatedly.

Zhao Sheng restrained his outburst of Will Field, expression returned to calmness as he asked placidly, "Where’s the Scripture Storage Tower? I need to visit it."

"The Scripture Storage Tower is located in the Ghost Mo Forest at the rear mountain. I will immediately lead you there." Zhao Menghan, extremely astute, instantly guessed Ancestor Xi’s purpose, which was to peruse ancestral notes to trace the whereabouts of Nine Nether Tower.

"No need, you wait here. I’ll be back shortly."

Saying this, Zhao Sheng waved his right hand, and with a "whoosh", a radiant and shimmering giant Treasure Mountain appeared on the ground before him.

The Treasure Mountain’s summit reached the top floor of the bamboo tower, occupying a vast area, nearly filling most of the bamboo tower.

Zhao Sheng swept his gaze across, his brows slightly furrowing.

These items... the vast majority were looted from the Ghost God Sect. As they hadn’t been cleansed, many magic artifacts and treasures remained stained with blood, with a strong bloody smell quickly permeating the entire bamboo tower, an unpleasant scent.