Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1582: Chapter 854: The Frequencies of All Things and the Three Tribulations of Ascension

Zhao Sheng gazed into the distance, his Divine Thought quietly spreading out, enveloping the entire sea in an instant.

After confirming the location of the abnormal fluctuation once again, he suddenly transformed into a tunneling light and sped toward a certain stone island thousands of miles away.

In the span of one breath, a small island suddenly appeared in sight, its shore lined with strange rocks and peculiar reefs scattered unevenly.

The island was lush and green, with a thousand-foot Stone Peak standing tall in its depths. In the southwest of the island lay a small town surrounded by nearly a thousand acres of farmland, where many old farmers were working in the fields.

A few miles east of the town, a wharf had been built, but it was eerily quiet and sparsely populated, with seven or eight sea ships docked at its side.

At the foot of the Stone Peak in the island’s depths, a winding path was barely visible in the grass, stretching all the way up to the peak.

As a breeze rustled through the grass, a figure quietly appeared in the middle of the mountain path.

Zhao Sheng looked around, then proceeded to walk up the path.

The closer he got to the summit, the more the surrounding gravity fluctuated intensely.

Halfway up the mountain, the gravity of the land surged, the ground covered with thistles and weeds growing close to the earth.

As he went further up, the vegetation became more sparse, until there was none at all, and only protruding rocks of various sizes dotted the mountainside.

As Zhao Sheng stepped into this desolate realm, the sounds of birds and beasts abruptly vanished, as if an invisible barrier had blocked out the sounds.

He walked onward step by step, passing through the island covered in broken stones, and from afar saw a thin, withered old man crouched beneath a Giant Stone, hammering away with a clink and clank.

This person seemed to be an Old Stone Mason, thin and emaciated in form, yet with a naturally robust and massive skeleton, suggesting he was once a mighty Great Han in his youth.

Battered by long years, this person’s hair and teeth had fallen out, and his entire body’s muscles had turned into a layer of dark, old skin tightly clinging to the surface of his Bone.

Only those large knuckles and callused hands remained as stable and powerful as they were in his youth, the carving knife falling with an indescribable dexterity and harmony.

The bright white carving knife moved across the surface of the Giant Stone as if imbued with some sort of spiritual nature, stone chips flying like snow, each cut deftly shaving off excess stone without damaging a shred of the stone’s veins.

Under his carving, the Giant Stone gradually shed its rough exterior, revealing a kind of breathtaking Divine Intent.

At this sight, Zhao Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, instinctively holding his breath, crossing several hundred yards in a single step to arrive behind the Old Stone Mason.

Seemingly aware of someone behind him, the Old Stone Mason suddenly halted his carving knife, then rose and turned his head, looking over at him.

Zhao Sheng froze, instinctively wanting to avert his gaze, not because of the Old Stone Mason’s aged face, but due to his eyes, clear yet seemingly profound and mysterious.

Confronted by these eyes that pierced through the affairs of the world, he entirely overlooked the Old Stone Mason’s elderly visage, merely feeling his Spirit dazed, instinctively averting the stare.

Hmm?!

The next instant, Zhao Sheng jolted back to his senses, immediately suppressing the impulse to turn away.

The Old Stone Mason scrutinized him for a few moments, then suddenly spoke: "Big youngster, why have you come to this desolate mountain wilderness? While the daylight is still bright, you should quickly head down the mountain."

Zhao Sheng slightly bowed, his expression solemn as he clasped his hands in salute: "May I ask the venerable elder’s name? What is this mountain called?"

"Ahem, this old man is advanced in years and my memory’s not what it used to be. You can just call me Old Zhao. As for this mountain, it’s colloquially known as Stone Mountain. Just a barren peak."

"Uh, I happen to share the same surname as you, my true name being Zhao Sheng, styled Chonghe. I’ve come here today to unravel some kind of mystery."

Cough cough!

The Old Stone Mason bent over and coughed twice, slowly saying: "This Stone Mountain often rolls down Giant Stones, sometimes becoming quite dangerous. You’d better get down the mountain quickly!"

Zhao Sheng’s eyes flickered, his demeanor concerned as he asked: "The venerable elder seems to be ill? I know a little about medicine, perhaps I could take your pulse."

"No need. This old man is simply suffering from a slight chill, which will pass in a few days." The Old Stone Mason waved his hand, declining his kindness.

"Big youngster, take care of yourself! This old man will continue working."

As he spoke, the Old Stone Mason gripped the carving knife, turning back and crouching down once more, slicing off excess stone with each stroke.

The Giant Stone visibly smoothed out, gradually transforming into a standing rectangle, at first glance resembling a heavy tombstone.

Zhao Sheng quietly observed the Old Stone Mason’s every move while sensing the surrounding gravity changes.

As time slowly passed, the Sun gradually sank behind the mountain, the surrounding area enveloped in silence, broken only by the crisp sound of chiseling.

At this moment, Zhao Sheng found himself entering a strange realm, his Spirit and Will sketching an indescribable, enigmatic trajectory with each rise and fall of the carving knife.

These "trajectories" seemed embedded into this heaven and earth, perfectly aligning with every strand of gravity’s ripple.

As dusk fell, the Old Stone Mason suddenly halted and stood up, putting the carving knife away in his clothes, then shuffled and began his descent down the mountain.

At this time, he seemed to have forgotten there was still someone behind him.

When the man disappeared at the end of the mountain path, Zhao Sheng finally awoke as if Just Waking Up from a Dream, his Spirit returning to normal.

Seeing no one around, his heart shivered, his Divine Thought sweeping out to instantly cover the entire island.

Yet the Old Stone Mason seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving Zhao Sheng unable to find him anywhere on the island.

"Indeed... it is you—Zhao Xuanjing!" Zhao Sheng thought with clarity, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.