Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1371: 738: Intimidation, Probing, and Preaching (Part 2)

Chapter 1371: Chapter 738: Intimidation, Probing, and Preaching (Part 2)

Zhao Sheng remained unruffled. He shifted his gaze toward Di Wuque and asked with a thin smile, “Would you be brave enough to repeat that final remark in the presence of my Ancestor Jing?”

The mere mention of Ancestor Jing caused an immediate hush to fall over the hall, the name itself seemingly carrying a heavy weight of intimidation.

Di Wuque’s face stiffened. Seething with suppressed rage, he quickly turned his eyes away, avoiding Zhao Sheng’s stare.

“Fellow Taoists, for the sake of my reputation, let us set aside these unpleasantries. This is the grand Kunxian Conference; we should be indulging in wine and joy, savoring the flavors of the Immortal Fruit!”

Master Huang Shi stepped in as a mediator. After his plea for peace, he hoisted his cup of Spiritual Wine and gave a jovial, foolish laugh, saying: “Come, let us all drink. May your path of the Dao be unobstructed and all your ambitions be realized!”

With a faint smirk, Zhao Sheng lifted his chalice and drained the Spiritual Wine in a single gulp.

Out of respect for the host, the other attendees followed suit. The Marquis of Wind, Jie Xing, along with the four others, raised their vessels and finished their wine.

Once the Spiritual Wine was consumed, Master Huang Shi’s eloquence took over, and he skillfully smoothed over the lingering tension and heavy atmosphere with a few well-placed words.

The hall soon returned to a state of harmony. Laughter and conversation filled the air once more, making the previous covert hostilities seem like a distant memory.

As the hours passed, more Demi Immortals of the Void arrived at the Five Elders Palace, and the various Lotus Platforms throughout the hall were slowly occupied.

By the time the gathering was complete, Zhao Sheng noted with internal amazement that twelve Demi Immortals of the Void were in attendance.

Furthermore, each possessed a profound level of Cultivation, with none being lower than the mid-stage of Returning to Void.

Initially, Master Huang Shi had invited Zhao Sheng to humble him, hoping to pressure the Zhao Family into a ceasefire so they could redistribute their territories and end the clan conflicts.

However, Master Huang Shi’s calculations had failed because Zhao Sheng’s prowess far exceeded what anyone had anticipated.

Even when facing the probing strike of the Marquis of Wind, Jie Xing—a late-stage Returning to Void expert—Zhao Sheng had held his ground effortlessly.

At that point, Master Huang Shi understood that his original strategy was useless; his opponent was a cunning, powerful dragon from across the river, not some reckless, unseasoned tiger.

Within this assembly of high-level Cultivators, the conversation eventually turned toward the intricacies of cultivation.

Following the tradition of previous Kunxian Conferences, every Demi Immortal of the Void was expected to "preach" to the assembly. This served both as a way to trade insights among peers and as a learning opportunity for the junior Divinity Transformation practitioners.

The duty of opening the lectures fell to the host, Master Huang Shi.

Without hesitation, Master Huang Shi began to teach the assembly about his "experience" regarding how the Five Elements Escape Skill could be transformed into one another.

Zhao Sheng and the other five Demi Immortals of the Void found the lecture quite valuable, while the younger Divinity Transformation disciples listened with rapt attention, completely enthralled.

Following Master Huang Shi, the Marquis of Wind, Jie Xing, took the floor. He focused on the elements of wind and thunder, though his bias toward wind was evident as he downplayed thunder. Nevertheless, his insights were genuine and provided Zhao Sheng with significant inspiration.

After the Marquis of Wind, the stage was taken by Di Wuque, Ying Luochong, and Master Jie Bude.

The first two discussed "standard topics" which, while helpful for the juniors, were merely basic concepts for those in the Returning Void stage.

In contrast, Master Jie Bude’s discourse on the “Eight Methods of Holding the Precepts and Guarding the Heart” provided Zhao Sheng with a profound moment of clarity.

“The Mind is the Buddha, and the Earth is a metaphor for the heart. Our internal essence is naturally limitless, spanning ten directions and encompassing the sand realms. All Dharma are Created by the Heart, and the Heart Contains…”

Whether by design or coincidence, Zhao Sheng found himself the final speaker of the session.

He was not intimidated by the prospect of preaching the Dao. Instead, he chose a highly unconventional path, ignoring Taoist Skills entirely to speak about Mortal Martial Arts in public.

Zhao Sheng began with the basics of stance and power accumulation, progressing through the refining of strength into marrow, the storage of Postnatal and Innate Energy, and how Martial Arts can reach the level of a God. He finally detailed the condensation of will required to shatter the Martial Saint barrier.

He explained that above the Martial Saint lies the Martial God. At the Initial Realm, one can regenerate limbs; at the Middle Realm, flesh and blood can be spawned; and at the Extreme Realm, one achieves Blood and Flesh Rebirth.

Even if only a head remains, a practitioner can use their immense will to rebuild their entire body.

Initially, the audience was dismissive, viewing martial arts as a minor path that could never lead to immortality.

However, as Zhao Sheng described the stages beyond Martial Saint, Master Huang Shi and the others began to pay close attention.

They were well aware that awakening the Original Spirit was a requirement for reaching the Returning to Void stage.

The "will" Zhao Sheng described for a Martial Saint seemed, upon reflection, strikingly similar to the Original Spirit.

The junior Divinity Transformation practitioners, including Zhao San Yue, were initially bored, but the more perceptive among them soon grasped the gravity of the lecture.

The room became silent as everyone focused intently, terrified of missing a single syllable.

When Zhao Sheng finished, Master Huang Shi opened his eyes and expressed his genuine respect: “Fellow Taoist Zhao, that was a magnificent lecture! I have gained much insight. I never imagined one could derive such an alternative method of awakening from Mortal Martial Arts. You are truly a peerless talent!”

“Master Huang, you flatter me. I am merely citing the wisdom of the ancestors. While Martial Arts may lack the depth of the Immortal Cultivation Method, it still possesses limitless potential.

If enough people dedicate themselves to its study over generations, I believe the Martial God Realm is only the beginning. There must be a much larger world beyond it.

I only spoke of martial arts today to point the way, nothing more!”

Ying Luochong remarked, “Even if martial arts is a minor path, it holds its own secrets. I shall certainly spend some time investigating it once I return home.”

“Brother Ying is correct. My clan oversees billions of mortals; it would take little effort to promote martial arts. It may yield a significant harvest in the future,” added a Returning Void Venerable with a square face and long ears.

This individual held great power within a "Small Immortal Faction," and his decisions would have a massive impact on his people.

While some saw the value in Mortal Martial Arts, others remained scornful, viewing mortals as mere insects. To them, even a Martial God was just a larger ant.

They believed a Returning Void expert wasn't even necessary to deal with such people; a Divinity Transformation practitioner could easily annihilate a "Martial God."

Zhao Sheng observed these varying reactions but remained indifferent. The elitist view of mortals as ants was a deeply ingrained trait among Cultivators, one that a single speech could not change.

“Shi Gong, the hour is late. I have been parched and famished for some time now. Is the… Kunyuan Immortal Fruit ready?”

“Haha! It seems the Marquis of Wind is losing his patience! Very well, I shall proceed!”

Master Huang Shi laughed and, with a flick of his finger, sent a beam of green light into the floor at the center of the hall.

A tiny, vibrant green sprout immediately broke through the ground.

The sapling grew at an incredible rate, widening and stretching upward as it put forth countless leaves and branches.

In a mere moment, a massive green tree dominated the hall, its canopy brushing the ceiling and its thick branches spreading wide.

Hanging beneath the lush foliage were translucent, fist-sized Five-Colored Spirit Fruits, gleaming like rounded, jade-like treasures.

“Haha! It seems the Marquis of Wind is losing his patience! Very well, I shall proceed!”

Master Huang Shi laughed and, with a flick of his finger, sent a beam of green light into the floor at the center of the hall.

A tiny, vibrant green sprout immediately broke through the ground.

The sapling grew at an incredible rate, widening and stretching upward as it put forth countless leaves and branches.

In a mere moment, a massive green tree dominated the hall, its canopy brushing the ceiling and its thick branches spreading wide.

Hanging beneath the lush foliage were translucent, fist-sized Five-Colored Spirit Fruits, gleaming like rounded treasures.