Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1342: 724: Sealing the Treasure, Mission Gun Sea

Zhao Sheng found himself momentarily speechless, choosing to offer another respectful bow while he waited in silence.

“The current world’s Dao rejects my presence. Even a mere projection is unable to linger in the Lower Realm for long, so we must be brief,” Taiyue Immortal Venerable remarked, paying no mind to Zhao Sheng’s formal salute.

Zhao Sheng was startled by these words, not daring to offer a hasty reply.

“… I caught sight of something peculiar within your Purple Mansion. Bring it forth so I may examine it more closely.” The Immortal Venerable’s request caused Zhao Sheng’s heart to race, as his mind immediately jumped to the Kui Niu Treasure.

Lord Wanxing had forged this artifact himself; its enigmatic and bizarre nature went far beyond what any simple description could capture.

As various thoughts flickered through his mind, a shimmer of silver light manifested upon his face, taking the form of the silver-white Kui Niu Mask.

Upon seeing the mask, the expression of Taiyue Immortal Venerable grew grave. His eyes suddenly radiated two pillars of white light that instantly fell upon the treasure.

After several moments, the radiance in the Immortal Venerable’s eyes subsided. He let out a sudden exclamation of astonishment: “Tsk tsk! The destiny of the world is truly beyond description! I expected to return with nothing, yet I find another unexpected surprise waiting here.”

His face then hardened into a solemn mask as he questioned in a heavy tone, “Tell me. Are you familiar with the Burial Immortal Ruins? How many of its marketplaces have you visited?”

Feeling a surge of anxiety, Zhao Sheng increased his level of caution and replied, “I would not dare to mislead the Immortal Venerable. This humble cultivator does indeed have access to the Burial Immortal Ruins. I am aware of three marketplaces: Gray Mountain, the Endless Tower, and the Desolate Wall Settlement.”

“Desolate Wall Settlement? It is just as I suspected!” Taiyue Immortal Venerable fell into a thoughtful silence before casting a piercing gaze at Zhao Sheng: “Young one, you are in grave trouble! Do you realize what is currently attached to your face? This object is far from simple. If my judgment is correct, this is a Demigod Device crafted personally by that Old Ghost Wan Xing.”

“You are suffering immensely because of it. Without proper restraint, your Primordial Spirit and consciousness will be consumed by it within a thousand years. When that time comes, your physical body will transform into an Immortal Descent Container, serving as a vessel for the countless thoughts of Ruined Immortals.”

Since Zhao Sheng had already braced himself for such news, his expression remained largely unchanged, appearing both composed and detached.

The Immortal Venerable was somewhat surprised by this reaction and asked immediately, “Have you… already realized the perils associated with this item?”

“It is true that this humble cultivator is aware of the treasure's danger, yet I am powerless against the schemes of an Immortal Monarch. I can only accept my fate calmly, striving to live each day to its fullest without regret,” Zhao Sheng answered, mixing truth with deception.

“Hmph, your Cultivation mind is quite impressive. Were it not for this predicament, your path toward immortality would be quite bright! However, to purge the corruption of this Demigod Device, you would need to survive the Ascension Tribulations at least three times and attain the power of the True Immortal Realm,” Taiyue Immortal Venerable noted with a faint smile.

“The True Immortal Realm…”

A look of bitterness washed over Zhao Sheng’s face at those words.

Returning to Void, Unification, Crossing Tribulation, True Immortal…

He had only reached the Returning to Void Realm, leaving him three massive stages away from becoming a True Immortal. To achieve such a level of Ascension, he couldn't even guess how many tens of thousands of years it might take.

He didn't even have a thousand years before his mind and soul would be warped and absorbed by the Kui Niu Treasure, turning him into a "fanatic" who would sacrifice himself willingly.

Zhao Sheng’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly performed a deep, respectful bow and said, “This humble cultivator had already accepted his end, but being graced by an Immortal's presence today has given me a glimmer of hope. I beg the Immortal Venerable to save my life. Should the Immortal Venerable have any future requirements, this humble cultivator will charge through fire and water without hesitation!”

Zhao Sheng’s plea was calculated. If the other party didn't have some hidden motive, he never would have dropped such hints. Having understood the implication, Zhao Sheng wasn't about to let this chance for salvation slip away.

“Do not fret. Although Old Ghost Wan Xing’s techniques are formidable, a solution exists. I can place a seal on the treasure for a thousand years. Provided you can achieve Ascension within that window, you will naturally break free from Old Ghost Wan Xing’s grasp,” Taiyue Immortal Venerable explained slowly with a light smile.

“How grueling the path to immortality is! A mere thousand years… this humble cultivator truly… truly…” Zhao Sheng deliberately let his expression crumble, speaking with feigned hesitation.

“A millennium is indeed quite brief. No matter! If I can seal it once, I can certainly provide a second or third seal…” Taiyue Immortal Venerable said, smiling.

What he neglected to mention was that the effectiveness of the seal would diminish with each subsequent application.

Furthermore, this was a strategy that only addressed the symptoms rather than curing the disease. If Zhao Sheng failed to reach the rank of Immortal, he would eventually become nothing more than a toy in the hands of Old Ghost Wan Xing.

These were secrets the Immortal Venerable chose to keep to himself, as he had no desire to provoke Old Ghost Wan Xing without a very good reason.

Before his passing, Old Wanxing was already a Golden Immortal. Even though he had become a “dead but not perished” Ruined Immortal, his strength was still a force to be reckoned with.

Despite the miserable state of Ruined Immortals—whose standing was far below True Immortals and only slightly better than Demoted Immortals—it made them dangerous.

Because of their desperation, most Ruined Immortals were reckless, willing to commit any atrocity to return to life.

Old Ghost Wan Xing’s creation of Immortal Descent Containers was actually mild compared to others; there were many "Ruined Immortals" far more depraved and bloodthirsty, particularly those dwelling within the Gun Sea…

“Benevolent Immortal Venerable, I beg of you to save this humble cultivator!” Zhao Sheng pleaded at the perfect moment.

Taiyue Immortal Venerable reflected for a short while before stating decisively, “I can provide my assistance this once. However, this business involves Old Ghost Wan Xing, and the web of cause and effect is vast. I must consider this carefully, unless…”

Hearing this, Zhao Sheng realized the Immortal wanted a favor in return. He immediately declared loudly, “If the Immortal Venerable has any tasks, this humble one will dive into fire or water to repay this immense kindness!”