Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1602: Chapter 864: Hunyuan Self-Transformation, One Qi Births Yin Yang

The hall was silent, and the five Vice Hall Masters were speechless, as if silently protesting.

Zhao Tianyi’s gaze coldly swept across the crowd, and he said in a deep voice, “Since you have no objections, let’s do it as I have decided. The task level will be set at Heavenly Tier Class A, and each golden statue can be exchanged for one medium-grade reward. There is no limit to the number, the more the better.”

Seeing the Hall Master acting independently, Zhao Yiyi couldn’t help but advise, “Hall Master, please reconsider!”

“My decision is made. There is no need to persuade me. This matter must be done well. If there are any consequences, I will bear them all. Go and do the task!”

The five Vice Hall Masters exchanged glances, realizing that the Hall Master was serious this time, and dared not dissent further, so they all accepted their orders to proceed.

Moments later, the five Vice Hall Masters left one after another.

Not long after, on the central task list of the Foreign Affairs Hall, the first line of the Heavenly Tier Task section suddenly featured a golden reward.

“…Reward for statues worshipped with incense for over a thousand years. The statue must be made of pure gold. Each golden statue can be exchanged for one medium-grade reward, with no limit on quantity, time, eligibility, or source. Note: The reward for the first hundred statues will be doubled…”

The appearance of this reward immediately caused a minor stir, with many cultivators quickly gathering below the central task list, pointing and discussing it.

The Foreign Affairs Hall hadn’t issued such a moderately difficult but extremely generous Heavenly Tier reward for a long time.

This message spread rapidly, and within a few days, it had reached most of the Ancestral Land.

For a time, many Zhao Family cultivators actively responded to the call, quickly teleporting to other Spirit Domains to start frantically sweeping through ancient temples, transporting statues back to the Foreign Affairs Hall to redeem the reward.

The vast majority of Zhao family cultivators were unaware of the hidden agenda behind this Heavenly Tier reward, but a small number of “insiders”

had already learned of its details through various means.

These “insiders” included not only the Returning to Void Realm elders like Zhao Changying but also many Immortal Ruins Guests.

In addition, they included a group of Zhao Family “Daoists.”

In fact, the Zhao Family Daoists have always paid very close attention to Zhao Sheng, some out of curiosity, some with caution and alertness, even deep hostility.

In the western region of the Divine Continent, on a floating spirit island, a cold-looking middle-aged man hurriedly entered a Dao Field.

At this moment, inside the Dao Field, starry light filled the room, countless stars sparkling, densely packed, faintly forming a resplendent miniature Star River.

A tall figure was faintly visible deep within the Star River, with stars appearing and disappearing with every gesture.

The cold-looking middle-aged man stood at the edge of the Star River, holding a Jade Talisman in both hands, and said respectfully, “Master, an urgent message came from the Foreign Affairs Hall. ‘That one’, who hasn’t emerged in thirty years from Hualong Island, has suddenly made a move. Please look at the specifics, Master.”

Oh?

A cold voice suddenly emanated from deep within the Star River.

The next moment, the starry light dissipated, and a young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes, exuding an extraordinary aura, suddenly appeared before the people.

Zhao Dingji took the Jade Talisman, Divine Thought probing into it for a glance, and a flash of brilliance suddenly appeared in his eyes.

“Xiao Lie, what do you think is the purpose behind our ‘First Daoist’ suddenly gathering golden statues?” Zhao Dingji crushed the Jade Talisman, asking casually.

The cold-looking middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, answering quietly, “Master, I am too dull to know what that person might be intending. Please forgive me, Master!”

“Haha, if you don’t know, shouldn’t you find out?! Notify Zhao Yiyi to keep a close watch. Report any news immediately.”

“Yes!” The cold-looking middle-aged man Zhao Lie nodded affirmatively, then bowed and exited the Dao Field.

Zhao Dingji stood at the center of the Dao Field, his eyes flashing with a thoughtful look.

A moment later, he revealed a hint of a smile, and then took out a Crystal Pearl, imputed a message, and crushed it on the spot.

Zhao Dingji was one of the Zhao Family Daoists, born with a Void Dao Body, and at just over six hundred years old, had long reached the Perfect God Transformation Realm.

Currently, he was at the peak of his cultivation, on the verge of breaking into the Returning to Void Realm.

However, this near difference sometimes seemed like worlds apart, as some Qi Fortune-deficient Divinity Transformation True Monarchs could never cross this threshold in their lifetime.

Even amongst all the Daoists, the young Zhao Dingji was among the top ranks, his status only below three Returning to Void Realm Daoists.

Yet, thirty years ago, the Daoist rankings underwent a shocking change, with the former top-ranked Daoist Zhao Luo Mo falling to second place, replaced by the newly promoted “Foreigner” Zhao Sheng in the Daoist sequence.

This event quickly stirred a huge storm within the Zhao Family’s upper echelons, and while most Returning to Void Realm elders and Daoists were enraged and bewildered, three Integration Ancestors simultaneously delivered official decrees in an extremely rare occurrence.

The content of the decrees was roughly the same: “From this day forth, promote Chonghe Daoist to the first Daoist in the Zhao Family… and bestow the Heaven Pillar Order as a reward!”

In comparison to the nominally significant First Daoist position, the Zhao Family upper echelons were further shocked by the three Ancestors actually bestowing the Heaven Pillar Order upon that individual.

It must be known that the Heaven Pillar Order is a personal token of the Ancestor, and anyone bearing the Order symbolizes the Ancestor’s presence.

In other words, if that person commands the entire family with the Heaven Pillar Order, everyone in the Zhao Family, regardless of position, must follow orders.

Anyone daring to defy the Order faces an unforgivable crime, and the consequences would be tragically unbearable.