Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1542 - 834: Laying Low in the Lower Realm, Preparing for Crossing Tribulation After a Century

Daze Realm, Songshan Square.

Inside the depths of the cave mansion, a towering form suddenly materialized in the expansive and refined hidden room.

Huangfu Yuli had only just come back to the Lower Realm, hardly getting a chance to rest before a huge surge of heaven and earth's spiritual energy burst forth from his arms and torso.

He promptly assumed a cross-legged position, shut his eyes, and concentrated fully on managing the wild spiritual energy inside him, rapidly converting it into Foundation Establishment Spiritual Power.

Within mere moments, a rush of liquid spiritual power cascaded like a downpour, clearly widening and growing the dantian spiritual power whirlpool, boosting his cultivation base at breakneck speed.

As Huangfu Yuli immersed himself completely in processing the incoming spiritual energy, a lithe silhouette silently emerged at his back.

A faint glow appeared on Zhao Sheng’s forehead, and a Five-Colored Dao Lotus manifested behind him, translucent as jade, with its petals quivering non-stop, on the verge of fully opening.

His divine sense swept through his body like surging waves, drawing the vast heaven and earth's spiritual energy into the core sea of energy, where it was purified in a flash.

The obstacle to the Nascent Soul Ninth Layer resembled a fragile membrane that shattered easily, letting Zhao Sheng smoothly attain the Nascent Soul Ninth Layer without effort.

Huangfu Yuli stayed oblivious to the events unfolding behind him, continuing to focus on refining the spiritual energy with his eyes closed.

Zhao Sheng scanned the secret chamber, sending his divine sense outward like gentle ripples in every direction, as the magical domain's illusion behind him gradually dissolved.

Instantly, every detail within eight hundred miles entered his awareness.

After an hour, Zhao Sheng gradually pulled back his divine sense, now familiar with the area's customs and ways.

He was located in a cultivation marketplace called Songshan Square, which wasn't very big overall, featuring just three streets and two workshops, supported by a single second-order high-grade spirit vein beneath.

Songshan Square was founded and is now managed by the Qinglu Qing Clan.

The Qinglu Qing Clan holds considerable might, boasting a Golden Core Realm Ancestor in charge, along with seventeen Foundation Establishment Elders, and numerous Qi Refinement Clan Members, establishing it as the dominant power across a thousand miles.

Notably, Huangfu Yuli appears to have joined the Qinglu Qing Clan, since during a patrol by guards near the cave mansion, one casually noted it as the Guest Elder’s residence and advised against any disturbance.

Zhao Sheng had earlier gleaned from Huangfu Yuli that his master, the Old Man Nanhua, counted among the rare top experts in the Daze Realm, achieving late-stage Nascent Soul level before vanishing.

It seems Huangfu Yuli is laying low in the spiritually thin Songshan Square, likely to mask his true identity.

After a quick thought, Zhao Sheng grasped his motive—simply to evade formidable foes.

The swift ascent of Old Man Nanhua is an uncommon sight in the Daze Realm over thousands of years, and such rapid progress naturally breeds adversaries.

It's easy to see that only fellow realm cultivators at Nascent Soul level could pose as enemies to Old Man Nanhua!

Furthermore, as the old saying goes, "All under heaven scramble for profit, all hustle for benefit!"

Old Man Nanhua’s cultivation progressed far too fast, and to sharp observers, it was clear he possessed "a great secret."

During his life, his power was unmatched, with no equals in the realm, so obviously, nobody dared eye his mysteries.

Yet... several years back, he abruptly vanished under enigmatic conditions, and with passing time, his disciple Huangfu Yuli drew the attention of various Nascent Soul Ancestors, all eager to reveal Old Man Nanhua’s "secret."

As Old Man Nanhua’s sole successor, Huangfu Yuli turned into a prime target for those "enemies" intent on vengeance, lacking his master’s shield, forcing him to conceal his identity and flee to distant lands.

...

Half a month flew by in an instant.

Huangfu Yuli gradually opened his eyes, beams of electric light sparking deep in his gaze. Joy filled his expression as he rose swiftly, a barrage of popping sounds resounding from his frame.

Suddenly, a laugh rang out from behind: "Haha, you finally woke up?"

Huangfu Yuli jolted, his hairs rising in alarm, a cold shiver running down his back.

He spun around at once, while whipping his hands to unleash over a dozen streams of radiant light.

Zhao Sheng flicked his sleeve in response, halting the streams of radiant light mid-flight, reverting them to slender, sheer tiny swords resembling cicada wings.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sheer tiny swords dropped to the floor successively, producing a chain of sharp clinks, snapping Huangfu Yuli out of his stupor.

Huangfu Yuli, as though rousing from a trance, hastened to bow deeply and stated, "This junior didn’t realize Senior Zhao was present. I acted impulsively from fright earlier. Please pardon me, senior."

Zhao Sheng regarded him with a grin and replied softly, "No issue at all, for ignorance isn’t a sin!"

Hearing this, Huangfu Yuli relaxed, displaying his straightforward smile once more: "Um... why did you... why?"

"Haha, you little rascal!" Zhao Sheng laughed and jested, "I’ve got business in this lower realm. As for the details, curious are you, kid?"

"No, no, this junior spoke out of turn. I don’t want to know, really not." Huangfu Yuli answered, drenched in sweat, frantically shaking his hands to clarify.

He was acutely aware that excess knowledge hastens death.

Huangfu Yuli grasped this truth well, which explained his seclusion in such an out-of-the-way spot like Songshan Square.

"Wise choice!" Zhao Sheng quipped, then turned solemn: "I have to depart, but I wished to bid you farewell first. Oh, right!"

With those words, Zhao Sheng drew a jade talisman from his sleeve and tossed it lightly his way.

"Hold onto this talisman. Should calamity strike you later, simply shatter it, and it’ll guarantee your safety!"

At this, Huangfu Yuli gripped the jade talisman firmly, bowing gratefully with profound thanks spilling from his lips.

Zhao Sheng dismissed it with a casual wave and declared, "Our paths will cross by fate, so it shall be. Farewell for now!"