Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1599: Chapter 861: You Give Me Peaches and Gourds, I Return Jade and Precious Stones

In the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land, the Tianqiong is clear, and a gentle breeze blows pleasantly.

Beneath a towering Ancient Peach Tree with its lush and vigorous canopy, a human figure suddenly materializes out of thin air.

Zhao Sheng landed on the ground and looked up at the tree canopy that blocked out the sun. He saw massive Flat Peaches as large as heads, their enticing fragrance wafting through the leaves, appearing and disappearing, most alluring.

“Haha, I came back at just the right time,” Zhao Sheng murmured to himself and suddenly waved his wide sleeve, scattering several rays of light.

The light sank into the ground, causing it to tremble, and suddenly a crystalline, jade-like stone table and two cloud-shaped stools rose forth from the earth.

Zhao Sheng approached the stone table, slowly sat upon one of the cloud stools, and then, with a gesture, several Flat Peaches descended from the sky, landing precisely in the center of the stone table.

In the next moment, Zhao Sheng brushed his right hand across the stone table, and a jade pot adorned with nine dragons and two dragon-patterned jade cups appeared instantly atop the table.

The jade pot exuded waves of wine aroma that filled the air, and in the blink of an eye, the fragrance spread for a hundred miles.

Not long after, a sudden crack appeared in the nearby void, from which emerged a handsome and sunny youth, none other than the Zhao Clan’s third ancestor, Zhao Dashan.

Zhao Dashan, upon seeing Zhao Sheng seated at the stone table, burst into hearty laughter, striding to the table and sitting upon the other cloud stool.

“Such wonderful aroma, such wonderful aroma!” Zhao Dashan grabbed the jade pot decorated with nine dragons, eagerly pouring a line of crimson into the jade cup.

Once the crimson, blood-like jade liquid filled the cup, Zhao Dashan immediately picked it up and drank it all in one go.

A single cup was not enough; he gulped down half the pot of Spiritual Wine in one breath before reluctantly setting the jade pot back down.

“Haha, this wine aroma is utterly intoxicating! It’s awakening the little wine paramour within me,” Zhao Dashan laughed heartily. “This wine is so distinct in character, could it perhaps be from the Taiching Spirit Realm?”

“The Third Ancestor’s guess is correct. This wine, also known as Soaring Dragon Drunk, has been treasured by the Heavenly Demon Sect of the Taiching Spirit Realm for nine millennia. I stumbled upon this immortal brew by chance, and knowing Third Ancestor’s fondness for good wine, I brought back all of the Soaring Dragon Drunk.

In total, there are ten jars of it. I’ve kept three for myself, and the rest are all for you, Third Ancestor.”

As he spoke, Zhao Sheng casually produced a Storage Bag and pushed it directly toward the Third Ancestor, Zhao Dashan.

“Good, good, Chonghe, you truly have a heart.”

Zhao Dashan exclaimed repeatedly in delight as he unceremoniously snatched the Storage Bag and tucked it into his bosom.

After a brief interlude, Zhao Sheng and the Third Ancestor drank together as he began recounting his journey to the Taiching Spirit Realm.

He started with the ambush set by the Heavenly Demon Sect, detailing his counterattack in desperation, and then his subjugation of all the Heavenly Demon Sect cultivators.

Later, he spoke of the multitude of books within the Heavenly Demon Sect, though none contained any records of the “Innate Divine Continent.”

For this reason, he traveled incognito to Carefree City, participated in the Taiqing Sect’s Outer Disciple selection, and successfully entered the Taiqing Sect.

During which, Zhao Sheng briefly outlined the customs and peculiarities of the Taiching Spirit Realm, the distribution of power among the “One Sect, Three Sects, and Nine Mountains and Seas,” and why he chose to infiltrate the Taiqing Sect.

When Zhao Dashan heard about the Taiqing Sect’s establishment of two ruling systems, the World God Conferring and the Ten Thousand Descendant Temple, within the Taiching Sky, he couldn’t help but express his admiration with a moved expression.

Zhao Sheng read the expression and already knew the other party was tempted. In the future, it was highly probable that Zhao Dashan would attempt a “Mountain and Sea God Conferring” in the Chongyue Cave Heaven.

To this, Zhao Sheng not only did not object but was also pleased to see Zhao Dashan do so.

Because the Taiqing Sect’s system was truly exquisite, capable of adapting to nearly any Inner Sect Unification Realm Expert’s “Inner Grotto Heaven.”

When he opened a Grotto Heaven in the future, he too would adopt this “God Conferring” system.

“…The external appointment as the temple master is for a hundred years. Upon the completion of the hundred-year term, I will return to the Nine Palaces Mountain to report back. By then, I will find a way to enter the Inner Sect and seek clues related to the Innate Divine Continent.”

For countless eras since the Taiqing Sect founded and established its lineage, the internal hierarchy has been strict, with a highly traditional and conservative atmosphere.

Servants, Outer Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, True Disciples, Returning to Void Elders, Integration Ancestors, Crossing Tribulation Supremes… each status from lowest to highest holds different levels of authority.

The higher the authority, the more the “Sea of Books” is open to them.

Zhao Sheng was certain that within the Taiqing Sect there must be extensive records about the Innate Divine Continent, but they were undoubtedly hidden deep within the “Sea of Books,” requiring extremely high authority to access.

After listening to Zhao Sheng’s account, Zhao Dashan immediately advised, “Chonghe, this matter cannot be rushed. Don’t be hasty in the slightest. After all, the family has already waited over two hundred thousand years. Waiting a few more thousand, even ten thousand years, is of no great concern.”

Zhao Sheng nodded and said, “Third Ancestor, good things often require overcoming hurdles, and I have long been prepared mentally. Moreover, patience is something I have in abundance.”

“By the way,”

at this point, he suddenly brought up another matter, “How is the situation on the Ancestor’s side?”

Zhao Dashan’s expression grew solemn, and he replied quietly, “The Ancestor is still preparing. After all, there is only one piece of Immortal Bone, and there is only one chance to refine it… Even though the Ancestor’s skill is at the level of divinity, caution is imperative.”

Zhao Sheng showed a subtle nod of understanding; he was acutely aware of how rare and precious that piece of True Immortal Finger Bone was!

It wouldn’t be too difficult for Zhao Xuanjing to acquire a True Immortal Skeleton, but the challenge lay in ensuring that this True Immortal Skeleton must originate from a True Immortal exclusively cultivating the Dao of Wind.

Hence, it was evident just how invaluable this piece of True Immortal Finger Bone truly was!

Zhao Dashan ceased to dwell on the subject, instead addressing another matter.

“Chonghe, the Ancestor has previously issued a decree elevating your status, position, and treatment to be on par with us three. Let me tell you about your future treatment, first…”

…

An hour later, the entire Dragon Transformation Blessed Land shook violently, with continuous roars echoing from the depths of the void.

Countless dazzling lights surged forth from the depths of the Jade Void Spirit Pond. Originally the size of a thigh, the “Spring Eye” gradually expanded under the intervention of some great power, and expanded further.

Zhao Dashan hovered high in the sky, a halo behind his head radiating blinding light that pierced through the space-time of the Blessed Land, gradually modifying the internal laws and Spirit Vein network.

At the same time, an unusual phenomenon suddenly appeared in the sky above the Ancestral Divine Land, as countless magnificent auroras emerged from thin air, like bands of light stretching across the entire Tianqiong, alarming countless cultivators of the Zhao Family.

“Something major has happened! Quickly notify the two ancestors…”

“…Could it be that a great enemy is attacking?”

“Daylight appears, covering a state! Such a large-scale celestial phenomenon hasn’t occurred in nearly ten thousand years, could it be…”

“Everyone, immediately enter the Dao Field and activate the Three Mountains and Six Yang Formation without error. If there is no issue, I will notify you to come out, but if…”

Just as the Aurora phenomenon appeared, an aged figure suddenly appeared over the Ancestor Hall.

Zhao Changying, with a worried expression, gazed toward the east of the Divine Continent, where the Central Divine Land’s Inner Sea was located.

“This is not good, the gravity fluctuations are so abnormal; could it be that the Divine… has awakened?” Zhao Changying murmured to himself, frowning even more deeply.

As one of the few in the clan who knew the secret, he was well aware of the terrifying power of the Divine: once it lost control, it would utterly overturn the Divine Continent, with unimaginable consequences.

Zhao Changying also knew that the ancestor had divided a part of himself to guard the Inner Sea year-round to suppress the Divine.

But he never dared to let his guard down, as the Divine Continent was the foundation of the Zhao Family. If it were destroyed, the Zhao Family would suffer great losses, with countless clan members perishing.

Almost at the same time, one Returning Void Cultivator after another flew out from various blessed lands across the Divine Continent.

Gazing at the aurora filling the sky, the cultivators all had unpleasant expressions, sending inquiries to other Returning Void Elders, hoping to understand the reason for the aurora phenomenon.

Meanwhile, drastic changes were gradually occurring within the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land.

Under Zhao Dashan’s control, this small blessed land expanded several times, with its spatial diameter exceeding a thousand miles, almost equivalent to a “Grotto Heaven.”

Additionally, the Jade Void Spirit Pond expanded to a hundred miles, and the “Spring Eye” had a diameter of nine zhang, constantly spewing out immense amounts of Mystic Crystal Origin Qi.

In just an hour, the concentration of nature’s spiritual energy within the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land increased by a tenth compared to before and continued to rise rapidly.

Massive amounts of Mystic Crystal Origin Qi decomposed into pure nature’s spiritual energy, with visible spirit clouds gathering above the Jade Void Spirit Pond and soon drizzling spirit rain.

Amidst the vast Mystic Crystal Origin Qi, clusters of ethereal radiance occasionally appeared, which were the Tao Spirit Mechanism from Divine Palace Heaven.

Upon seeing the appearance of the Tao Spirit Mechanism, Zhao Sheng was immediately moved. He never expected that Zhao Dashan had such profound comprehension of the concept of space-time, capable of piercing through the first and second Dark Sky and introducing the Tao Spirit Mechanism into the present world.

Zhao Dashan, with a serious expression, waved both hands repeatedly, manipulating countless gravity wave strings to solidify the Jade Void Spring Eye completely.

Zhao Sheng watched everything, his eyes gleaming continuously, his mind brimming with countless brilliant inspirations.

…

The aurora phenomenon continued in the sky above the Divine Continent for three days and nights.

On the morning of the fourth day, the aurora phenomenon abruptly vanished as it had previously appeared.

Seeing the phenomenon dissipate, the entire trillion Zhao Clan Members throughout the Divine Continent were overjoyed, and even the seven or eight Returning Void Elders breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Changying squinted his eyes into a line, secretly sensing that the “abnormally active” gravity fluctuations were gradually returning to calmness, finally sinking into silence.

Only then did his suspended heart finally settle down.

He glanced toward the east of the Divine Continent, inexplicably smiled to himself, and suddenly vanished without a trace.

…

At this time, deep within the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land, Zhao Sheng hovered above the Jade Void Spring Eye, holding a gray Sumeru Ring in his hand.

Zhao Dashan had left a quarter of an hour ago, leaving Zhao Sheng in a ‘dazed’ state for a quarter of an hour.

Suddenly, Zhao Sheng’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, his gaze becoming vibrant again.

Swoosh!

As the Sumeru Ring in his hand gleamed, hundreds of crystal-clear Principle Crystals fell from the sky, plunging into the Spring Eye, buoyed by strands of colored light, bobbing up and down as they continuously absorbed the surrounding Mystic Crystal Origin Qi.

“Chonghe, remember that the ancestor has decided to support your cultivation with the full power of the clan. From today, not only will our family’s Scripture Pavilion be completely open to you, but every decade, you will receive at least a hundred Principle Crystals. Additionally, if you have any requests, the family will make every effort to fulfill them… The ancestor holds high expectations for you, and hopes you will not let the elder… down!”

Although Zhao Dashan had long since departed, his heartfelt words still echoed in Zhao Sheng’s mind.

Even with Zhao Sheng’s deep determination, he couldn’t help but be deeply shaken by Zhao Xuanjing’s grand approach and boldness.

The wise once said: “When you throw me a wood peach, I will repay with a jade treasure.”

Although the scenario is not identical, the meaning is quite similar.

Zhao Sheng’s mind was filled with endless thoughts, his entire aura like a column of smoke rushing skyward, silently breaking through the Returning Void Second Barrier, with the Third Level of Returning Void as natural as water flowing.

Raising the platform, tea, and wine,