Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1361: 733: Nascent Souls Gather, Nine Nether Tower Illusion Realm? (Part 2)

Two elderly figures descended from the dragon’s head, landing side by side before the assembled crowd. On the left stood Zhao Zhongping, a Divinity Transformation True Monarch distinguished by his golden Daoist robes and flowing white hair; he was known as the longest-living expert of his realm. Beside him was Zhao Xuanji, another Divinity Transformation True Monarch of the Zhao Family, whose presence felt even more formidable, radiating a sharp and frigid killing intent.

The restless murmurs of the Nascent Soul Elders vanished instantly upon the arrival of these two Divinity Transformation Ancestors.

“...We offer our respects to the two Divinity Transformation Ancestors,” the group of Zhao Family Nascent Souls shouted as they bowed in perfect unison.

Zhao Zhongping’s indifferent eyes swept over the gathering. With a casual flick of his wrist, he withdrew the Golden Flood Dragon into his spirit beast bag. He then addressed them: “The Ancestor has shown great benevolence, granting us a specific opportunity! This is an exceptional blessing for the Zhao Family, and even more so for you of the younger generations. We have gathered you today to identify the ‘talents capable of carrying great burdens.’ Whether our clan can foster more Divinity Transformation cultivators, or even... Returning Void Venerables, depends entirely on your performance today! Do you possess the necessary confidence?”

His voice was so resonant and deep that Zhao Xiandu felt it like a thunderclap near his ears, causing his heart to race.

“We do!”

The hundred Nascent Soul Elders standing on the plaza responded with a roar that seemed to vibrate through the Nine Heavens.

“Excellent! Your resolve pleases me! Standing behind me is the Nine Nether Tower, which contains nine distinct layers of illusions. For every level you successfully navigate, I shall personally grant you a reward. The further you ascend, the more magnificent the prize. Do not doubt our commitment; the rewards for this trial are incredibly vast, far exceeding your wildest dreams!” Zhao Zhongping nodded, continuing his speech.

The Zhao Family Nascent Souls were filled with excitement but remained silent, focusing intently on his words until the plaza was entirely still.

After a short silence, Zhao Zhongping spoke again: “The sequence for entering the tower will be determined by seniority rather than cultivation level. The ‘Yan’ lineage will lead, followed by the ‘Qinghua’ generations in order. A new generation will enter every hour. Let us dispense with the small talk—where are the members of the ‘Yan’ lineage? Step forward!”

Immediately, three streaks of light emerged from the crowd and landed before the Ancestors, revealing three old men with heavily wrinkled skin and an air of fading vitality.

“Yan Guo, Yan Zhuo, Yan Mi! Your lifespans are nearly exhausted; consider this your final chance and value it. I hope that when you emerge, you will use whatever time remains to fight with everything you have. Is that understood?”

“We... will remember your teachings, Ancestors! We will not fail you!” The three men replied with grit in their voices, bowing low in respect.

At that moment, the heavy tower doors creaked open, exposing a dark, mysterious interior that felt like an abyss of the unknown.

Zhao Xuanji, who had been silent until now, noted the opening and commanded: “The time has come. You three, enter!”

“Yes!”

After one last salute and a shared look, the eldest, Zhao Yan Guo, led the way into the tower, followed closely by Zhao Yan Zhuo and Zhao Yan Mi.

The remaining Nascent Souls watched as the darkness swallowed the three elders, and a sense of apprehension began to take root in their hearts.

An hour passed quickly, yet none of the Yan lineage elders reappeared.

The fact that they had not returned, leaving their status unknown, caused the Nascent Souls to grow anxious, leading to hushed and worried discussions.

“Qingjiang, Qing Su... Qing Guang, come forward! It is your turn,” Zhao Xuanji said, ignoring the chatter of the juniors.

Five members of the Qing lineage stepped out and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, entered the tower one by one.

Another hour went by, and still, none of the five Qing lineage members returned from the tower.

While this increased the restlessness of the group, many felt a secret sense of relief, assuming the lack of immediate exit meant the trial was not inherently lethal.

As time marched on and the sun began its descent in the west, it was finally time for the ‘Xian’ lineage to step up.

Zhao Xiandu suppressed his inner thrill, maintaining a composed expression as he stepped out, being the third in line among his peers.

The ‘Xian’ lineage consisted of eight members, ranging from early to late-stage Nascent Soul. Zhao Xiandu was currently at the peak of the Sixth Layer of the Nascent Soul stage, requiring only a small spark of inspiration to reach the Seventh Layer and join the ranks of the Zhao Family’s fifteen Great Cultivators.

Zhao Xiangang entered first, followed by Zhao Xianling.

Then, it was Zhao Xiandu’s turn!

“May your Cultivation endure; I wish the Third Master success in reaching the summit and a glorious path upon your return.”

Hearing that voice, Zhao Xiandu’s eyes flashed. His body shifted into a streak of Thunder Light as he vanished into the tower entrance.

...

Following a brief bout of vertigo, he opened his eyes to see a massive, endless prairie stretching out before him.

Lush green grass acted as a living carpet, swaying under a soft, distant breeze that carried a clean, fresh scent.

High above, white clouds drifted across a bright blue sky. The world looked so vivid and real that it was difficult to believe it was merely an Illusion Realm.

Zhao Xiandu was stunned by the density of the Spiritual Energy here; it was unlike anything he had ever encountered.

Spending a century cultivating in this place would be worth thousands of years in the outside world—the potential gains were staggering!

However, he reminded himself that this was a trial within an Illusion Realm, and he had to focus on the task at hand.

With that thought, Zhao Xiandu released his Divine Thought, spreading it across the landscape until it covered a radius of nearly a hundred miles.

A moment later, his brow furrowed as he realized he had hit a snag.

Despite his high level of attainment, he could find no "flaw" or crack in the illusion. The prairie felt as though it truly existed.

“How can this be? This is only the first level! It shouldn't be this difficult!” Zhao Xiandu whispered, looking troubled.

After a moment of silent meditation, he snapped his eyes open and turned into a bolt of Thunder Light, racing toward the east.

He had sensed a pack of demon wolves lurking in the grass in that direction.

Since he couldn't find a flaw, he decided to provoke the environment and see how it reacted!

The prairie seemed infinite, but with his speed, he covered a hundred miles in no time.

The scenery remained identical as he flew, with no other life in sight. Upon arriving at his destination, Zhao Xiandu stopped and slammed a palm toward the ground.

Bang!

A Sky Blue Thunderball struck the earth, erupting into a massive web of green lightning that scorched the grass for miles.

Instantly, huge shadows of green wolves leaped from the cover, riding on demonic winds as they lunged at him.

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed, filling the air with the smell of ozone and burnt meat.

Seven or eight charred carcasses of giant wolves fell from the sky. Each was several zhang long, featuring a single horn and sharp, protruding teeth.

The moment they hit the ground, the corpses dissolved into smoke, leaving behind small, green Crystal Stones about the size of a thumb.

Zhao Xiandu’s eyes widened. He beckoned with his hand, pulling the green Crystal Stones into his palm.

As the stones touched his skin, his expression shifted to one of pure shock.

“Is this... could it be... a Wood Element Law Crystal?!” he stammered, his voice trembling with disbelief.