Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1423 - 764: I’m Back

"Taoist Qi, with your visit to me today, I suppose you bring some favorable tidings for this old fellow?" Zhao Sheng sensed that positive developments were on the horizon the moment this demon approached him, so he jested joyfully.

Qi Wu Yan touched the side of his nose, replying with reverence and a hint of jealousy, "Your insight is truly heavenly, Elder. Just recently, I begged the clan's ancestral elder, and at last convinced him to bend the rules, letting me deliver two precious items to you. These two items could well avert a disaster for you!"

Hmm?

At these words, Zhao Sheng felt both astonishment and joy. He promptly extended his will field to shield the area from prying eyes, then fixed a keen stare on the other man.

Seeing this, Qi Wu Yan parted his lips a bit and exhaled two fine artifacts: a petite, clear green horn about three inches across, and an egg-shaped white scale.

Both the horn and the scale bore countless odd markings on their exteriors, seeming as though they had sprouted there organically.

"Elder, these two artifacts come from our forefathers' legacies. The horn is called ’Sky-Breaking’ and stems from the third-generation ancestor, holding the complete mana from six prior generations of ancestors at their demise. It possesses the power to shatter any spatial divides or obstructions, capable of effortlessly piercing even Grotto Heaven barriers.

And this ’Inch River Star Talisman’ holds even greater worth. Crafted by the second-generation ancestor, its sole purpose is escape. When triggered, it enables instant transport to a location several Constant Years distant. Not even the mightiest experts in the Integration Realm could follow your trail..."

Pride shone in Qi Wu Yan’s features as he uttered those last lines.

"Splendid! These two artifacts are precisely what I’ve longed for," Zhao Sheng struck his palms together and chuckled, then promptly inquired, "State your terms, for I must acquire them!"

Qi Wu Yan’s eyes glanced across the "mountain-like stack" of artifacts scattered on the floor, but his expression stayed neutral; he turned his focus straight to Zhao Sheng, declaring with deep honesty, "I wouldn’t dare mislead you, Elder. I face a serious predicament here and seek your help. To show my good faith, these two artifacts can be your compensation. Should we handle this affair without hitches, I’ll be profoundly thankful, and my whole clan will view you as our savior."

With that said, Qi Wu Yan handed over the artifacts to Zhao Sheng of his own accord, waiting quietly for an answer.

Hearing this, a weight settled in Zhao Sheng’s chest, realizing the "serious predicament" referred to a massive trouble; else, he wouldn’t part so readily with two "invaluable" supreme treasures.

However...

"I agree!"

Zhao Sheng’s thoughts whirled through myriad ideas, and as he declared it, his will field fluctuated abruptly, watching the two artifacts dart upward and slip into his sleeves in a flash.

"Very well, now reveal the details of this serious predicament."

At this sight, delight flooded Qi Wu Yan, who at once sent over the full account of the trouble’s beginnings.

Shortly after, doubt clouded Zhao Sheng’s face, his eyes now and then shifting to the White Tower beyond, lost in private musings.

Truly, it was a "life-or-death" crisis!

In truth, Qi Wu Yan aimed to venture into that towering White structure reaching the skies but dreaded the dangers ahead, thus desiring to gather some "allies" for the path.

The stronger the cultivation of those allies, the preferable, and Zhao Sheng had caught his attention right at this perfect juncture.

Though Qi Wu Yan’s account left some gaps, Zhao Sheng pieced together from his words that an ancestor had perished inside the tower, and a vital treasure tied to the Pi Xi Clan was at stake too.

This journey to the tower involved not just recovering the ancestor’s remains but also securing those "treasures," be they deep inheritances or other valuables.

Regardless, it carried utmost significance for the Pi Xi Clan.

"Elder, the White Tower’s entrance unlocks once every ten Ruins Years, staying ajar for seven days each time. After that, it seals shut once more. The next opening lies eight months and seven days from now, leaving us ample preparation time." Qi Wu Yan added carefully, watching Zhao Sheng’s reactions.

"Hmm." Zhao Sheng gave a faint nod, signaling tentative approval, before swiftly directing his attention to the two artifacts.

After all, bonding with artifacts demands time, and he had already devoted many days inside the Endless Tower, where the space-time rejection had intensified far beyond the start.

One might say his remaining time in this realm was scarce.

Sensing the circumstances, Qi Wu Yan pressed his hands to his chest in respect and withdrew without a sound.

Following that, Zhao Sheng gathered up every artifact on the ground, settled into a cross-legged position holding the horn in one hand and the talisman in the other, and commenced the open-air refining process.

In a flash, surges of immensely potent will waves burst forth, driving nearby creatures to scatter in terror and swiftly emptying a vast zone around him.

...

In the twinkling of an eye, a few years slipped by.

On that particular day, amid a misty demon-shrouded nook of the cave heaven, a silhouette materialized from nowhere high above—it was Zhao Sheng, back in the Lower Realm.

With a quick scan of his surroundings, Zhao Sheng didn’t delay, pouring his ocean-like mana into the Jade Horn he gripped.

At the same moment, the Inch River Star Talisman glowed intensely, wrapping his form completely.

"Sky-Breaking Horn, activate!"

With a powerful cry, the Delicate Jade Horn rocketed upward, morphing right away into a colossal Pi Xi creature towering over a hundred feet.

Letting out a thunderous bellow, the creature plunged into the emptiness ahead, its bulk mostly vanishing into the rift, forming a vibrant void tunnel spanning hundreds of feet.

Thrilled, Zhao Sheng triggered the Inch River Star Talisman’s utmost might, transforming into a streak of pure light that plunged into the enormous void rift and vanished utterly.

The instant the pure light breached the Grotto Heaven barrier, a barrage of world-shaking bellows thundered from the cave heaven’s depths.

"Ah... You’ve actually fled. Curse you, curse you!! I vow that wherever you run in times to come, I’ll hunt you down myself, seize you alive, and turn you into the basest demon thrall to suffer endless torment for ten thousand years... Ah, you vile and sly Human Clan scum!"

As the booming rages and oaths resounded across the cave heaven, the vast blood-flesh land below, spanning tens of thousands of miles, cracked apart and collapsed, while billions of Demon Puppets dissolved into mist...

But it amounted to mere futile fury. The true Zhao Sheng had already shifted across tens of Constant Years, leaving no sign behind.

...

In the current Void Sea, the endless void lay in utter blackness.

A ray of pure light abruptly rent the gloom, materializing from the boundless Void Realm into existence.

Moments later, the light dimmed, unveiling Zhao Sheng’s form.

The very next instant, as his grand Divine Thought swept regally over hundreds of thousands of miles of nearby void, Zhao Sheng’s faintly worried mind settled at once.

The void around him was shadowy and vacant, no different from typical outer space.

This spot might lie in a barren stretch of the cosmos, devoid of any stellar glow. Even Zhao Sheng couldn’t pinpoint his location precisely.

Yet he soon shook off the disorientation, waving his hand to summon an old compass. Infusing it with a thread of mana, the needle whirled frantically.

A breath afterward, it steadied, locking onto one direction.

Tracking the needle’s aim, Zhao Sheng raised his eyes, his vision keen and piercing, as though cutting through the dense shadows to behold the majestic star system embroiled in conflict.

For an instant, his mind churned like rolling waves, whispering to himself:

"I’ve returned!"