Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1543 - 834: Laying Low in the Lower Realm, A Century’s Preparation for Crossing Tribulation (Part 2)

Right after those words were spoken, his silhouette blurred, and he abruptly disappeared without any trace left behind.

Huangfu Yuli fixed his gaze on the spot where the elder had vanished, his eyes abruptly filling with a tangled mix of emotions.

…

Twenty-three thousand miles to the west of Songshan Square lay a vast flat expanse that ought to have been lush and productive.

Yet this plain stood barren, its soil tough and fissured, blanketed in thick layers of white saline-alkali deposits, with only scattered patches of weeds dotting the vicinity.

And right in the heart of the plain sat a massive depression, at its lowest point a lake shimmered with greenish waves, its waters showing an eerie blue-black hue, as if holding unfathomable depths.

Suddenly at that instant, a streak of flowing light streaked across the heavens, reaching above the lake in a flash and unveiling Zhao Sheng’s form.

Zhao Sheng first peered down at the lake beneath him, then lifted his eyes to scan the firmament.

In his sight, two “suns” dominated the sky, one in the east and one in the west.

The eastern “sun” resembled a massive wheel, brilliant and commanding attention, radiating boundless radiance and warmth.

The western “Great Sun,” however, was merely the size of a fist, far fainter in comparison to its counterpart.

These two “suns” were the root causes tormenting all life in the Daze Realm, rendering the lands sterile for eons untold.

In just half a month, the western “Great Sun” would swell to match the eastern “sun” in size, at which point the fierce rays would bake the ground, and the Earth Core Springs across the realm would burst forth as scheduled, unleashing colossal waves that would submerge the lowland areas.

The depression below served as one such outbreak site, the lake linked straight to the planet’s core, its bottomless nature beyond measurement.

Zhao Sheng pulled back his stare, and in the next moment, a ray of brilliant luminescence erupted from his body.

This glow plummeted like a shooting star, diving into the lake and manifesting an old, pale gray stone mirror.

The stone mirror gradually descended deeper, its face undulating gently while casting a soft yellowish glow.

At that very instant, Zhao Sheng morphed into a beam of piercing light, hurtling through hundreds of feet in mere moments before submerging into the mirror, rapidly emerging in a bizarre location.

This space measured roughly a hundred feet across, encircled by towering crystalline formation pillars, with the floor resembling polished jade inscribed with elaborate array markings, and eight Principle Crystals set into the formation nodes in accordance with the Eight Trigrams and Five Elements.

At the core of the Grand Array towered heaps of earth-aligned Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures like Five-Colored Stone, Pocket World Jade, Society Earth, Heavy Mountain Rock, Star Core, and more.

Zhao Sheng positioned himself within the Grand Array, easing down into a cross-legged position.

Dozens of Top-grade Spirit Stones then launched forward like bolts of lightning, exploding with a crack shortly after, unleashing a vast surge of pure natural spiritual energy that the array’s might contained within this confined area.

Before long, vibrant spiritual clouds formed overhead, and shortly thereafter, a soft spiritual drizzle commenced sprinkling across the array.

Zhao Sheng activated the Mysterious Skill, transforming his Core Energy Sea into an insatiable void that voraciously absorbed the abundant spiritual energy filling the surroundings.

Threads of mana streamed in like gentle rivulets, steadily gathering into the profound depths of the Qi Sea.

As moments ticked by unhurriedly, Zhao Sheng’s cultivation edged ever closer to the peak of Nascent Soul.

Time raced onward, years blurred past in an instant, and a full century slipped away unnoticed!

A century on, news of the Qinglu Qing Clan’s Golden Core Ancestor’s accidental passing leaked out, causing the clan’s dominance to crumble swiftly, while tensions in Songshan Square mounted with each passing day.

Though the workshop continued its usual operations, guards on patrol showed up far more often than previously, and the Qing Family’s Foundation Establishment Elders overseeing the place made frequent appearances, each time swiftly quelling numerous conflicts inside the workshop.

On the surface, Songshan Square maintained an air of calm, yet beneath lurked swirling currents of intrigue.

On this particular day, a pair of enigmatic cultivators stepped into a courtyard located northwest of the workshop.

Soon after, a protective barrier sprang up around the courtyard, briefly severing its connection to the outside world.

Deep in the hidden chamber below the courtyard, three robed mysterious cultivators convened.

“Third, you’ve called us so urgently to this forsaken spot. What exactly is going on?” A ruddy-faced elder with wild red hair demanded sharply of the unremarkable middle-aged Taoist.

The middle-aged Taoist cast a look at his two elder brothers and replied steadily, “No rush, senior brother. I’ve got a prime chance right here. But it’s too big for me to handle solo, so I’ve brought you both in to share this major windfall.”

“What sort of prime chance? Are we meant to topple the Qinglu Qing Clan with just our trio? The Qing Clan’s wealth is tempting, sure, but hardly a windfall! Third, your habit of exaggeration is no surprise—small wonder Master holds you in low regard!”

The one speaking was a scholarly figure in a square cap with a pallid complexion, called Lin Yue. His cultivation stood at Golden Core Middle Stage, excelling in talismans and beast control, earning him the moniker “Double Extreme Scholar.”

Of the three, the oldest, Cang Yanzi, held the greatest power, his cultivation at Golden Core Ninth Layer, almost a supreme expert shy of Nascent Soul.

The middle-aged Taoist, dubbed Xuan Guang, had studied under Ancestor Tao Kan for four full cycles, condensed his Golden Core merely fifty years back, and lately broken through to Golden Core Second Realm.

Xuan Guang Taoist shook his head with a enigmatic grin, “Second senior brother, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not referring to the Qinglu Qing Clan, but to an individual. Someone Master often brings up, the one he’s fixated on.”

“Third, quit dancing around it! Out with it straight!” The Double Extreme Scholar, who seemed refined and kindly on the surface, possessed a hot-blooded temper deep down, and detested nothing more than vague talkers.

Seeing the turn of events, the eldest Cang Yanzi chimed in, “Third, just who is this person you mean?”

Xuan Guang Taoist, who deeply feared his big brother, caught the icy edge in the voice and grew nervous, hastening to answer, “I’ll keep nothing from you senior brothers. Half a month prior, close to Qinglu Mountain, I spotted signs of Huangfu Yuli. This man is lurking in—”

Before he wrapped up, Cang Yanzi cut in with haste, “Hold on! The Huangfu Yuli you’re mentioning—is he that lone disciple of the South Willow Old Monster?”

Xuan Guang Taoist’s face flickered with a hint of dread, and he replied with residual unease, “Yes, that’s him! During my secret infiltration of Qinglu Mountain, I stumbled upon his presence by accident. We clashed for a single exchange, and he left me horribly injured. Had it not been for Master’s bestowed protective armor, his strike would have ended me.”

The Double Extreme Scholar creased his brow, questioning doubtfully, “Huangfu Yuli has stayed in hiding for more than a century. How could you confirm his location there...”

Halfway through his words, a spark of realization lit his eyes, and he trailed off into silence.

Xuan Guang Taoist picked up smoothly, “I wouldn’t have bothered dragging you two from so far without at least eighty percent assurance.”

Cang Yanzi drew in a sharp breath, reining in the excitement stirring within, and declared gravely, “Third, if this really is Huangfu Yuli, you’ll take the lion’s share of the credit. When we seize him, I’ll make sure to inform Master of your role.”

“Eldest brother, I’ve already dispatched word to Master. But he hasn’t replied yet. To avoid any mishaps, I called on you both senior brothers.”

Cang Yanzi, upon hearing this, regarded Xuan Guang Taoist with a blank stare, offering no further comment.

The Double Extreme Scholar, though, let out a laugh, “Brilliant, brilliant! Master must be tied up with other affairs, unable to intervene. Perfect chance for us three brothers to team up and snag Huangfu Yuli without hassle!”

“Second senior brother, don’t take it lightly! He wounded me badly in just one clash. His cultivation runs deep, probably no weaker than Late-stage Golden Core.

More than a hundred years back, he was merely at Foundation Establishment. In just one century, his power has surged ahead, rivaling the old South Willow Old Monster.

Should he slip away this time, he might rise as another ‘South Willow Old Monster’ in a few centuries. You can imagine our fate then.”

“Hmph, I’m eager to witness what miraculous abilities this fellow possesses. No time to waste; Third, take us there so we can confront this successor of the South Willow Old Monster,” Cang Yanzi shot back, his gaze aflame with intensity as he shot to his feet and marched toward the doorway.

Xuan Guang Taoist and the Double Extreme Scholar rose swiftly and trailed after him.

In short order, a Cloud Boat soared up from Songshan Square, speeding off toward Qinglu Mountain hundreds of miles distant.

…

Boom, boom!

A multitude of inky-black tribulation clouds materialized from nowhere, rapidly blanketing the skies over a thousand-mile span. The vault of heaven grew somber and overcast, radiating an oppressive, fearsome presence beyond words.

Abruptly, myriad lightning strikes rent the gloom, bathing the land below in piercing illumination. Profound lakes mirrored glittering ripples, as surging currents swiftly swelled from their surfaces.

In that instant, a gray-white stone mirror surfaced from the depths, its face aglow, and a silhouette stepped forth from it.

As Zhao Sheng emerged, the tribulation clouds overhead roiled fiercely, thunder dragons and lightning serpents slithering through them, their thunderous growls shaking the heavens and earth alike.