Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1438: 778: Forming a Benevolent Connection

“This… what exactly is this?”

Zhao Sheng's heart filled with growing astonishment as he drew nearer to the stone pavilion in front. In his sight, the structure was swiftly expanding and looked even more timeless.

Once inside the pavilion, the eight-sided stone edifice had transformed into something as vast and age-old as a splendid palace. Every part—the stone table, the columns, the balustrades, the floor tiles—radiated an ineffable essence of the Dao.

Right then, the Daoist exuding an immortal air loomed as large as a towering peak, but to Zhao Sheng's senses, the man possessed no spiritual power and came across as utterly commonplace, like any ordinary person.

No, that couldn't be accurate!

It wasn't that the surroundings had "grown larger"; instead, he himself had imperceptibly shrunk down.

Dawning on this truth, terror gripped Zhao Sheng, causing him to halt abruptly. A fierce burst of thunderous glow suddenly wrapped around him, igniting into real, scorching fire.

Noticing this, the elderly Daoist spoke in a soothing tone, “Young friend, there's no need to fear. Had I harbored any ill will, I could have ended your life the instant you entered the Divine Palace Heaven. Why would I delay until now, just to lure you here for a conversation?”

These words first stunned Zhao Sheng, then let him exhale quietly in relief, easing his guard considerably.

He saw that despite the enigmatic and profound nature of the figure across from him, there was truly no hint of hostility.

Deciding to cast aside his worries, Zhao Sheng strode forward confidently to the stone table and eased himself into a seat.

Yet it was only now that he noticed the oddity; the oppressive weight that had blanketed everything before was gone without a trace.

Surprise flickered secretly through Zhao Sheng as he eyed the old Daoist seated opposite, probing with a question, “This junior is Zhao Xi. Might I inquire after senior's honorable name? What brings senior to summon me into this pavilion?”

“I bear the surname Wu, and my given name is Hua. I've come today solely to await your arrival, young friend, with no other motive than to forge a positive affinity with you.”

Startled anew by this, Zhao Sheng pressed quickly, “My visit to the Divine Palace Heaven was a spur-of-the-moment choice. How did senior foresee it?”

With a warm smile, the elder Daoist Wu Hua replied, “Perhaps you're unaware, young friend. From the very second you ascended from the lower realm into Divine Palace Heaven, the Celestial Star Battle Formation had already locked onto your position. I was guarding the closest node of the array at that time. Observing your bold carelessness, I decided to greet you personally—to build that good connection and offer you some advice.

Without it, had you barreled ahead blindly and stumbled into the Celestial Star Battle Formation by mistake, wouldn't your life have been squandered for nothing?”

A chill of realization washed over Zhao Sheng at these words. He ought to have known better; after all, the Divine Palace Heaven wasn't some "wild frontier without rules."

At minimum, across the expanse of the Taiyi Spirit Realm's time and space—from the Dark Sky up to the Longevity Heaven—innumerable restrictions, arrays, shields, and safeguards existed, both overt and concealed. Beyond warding off assaults from the Void Realm outsiders, they also curbed any chaos stirred by the realm's own mighty experts.

Looking back on his earlier rash behavior, Zhao Sheng brimmed with dread and couldn't help but inwardly count his blessings.

“My deepest thanks for the caution, senior! This junior is profoundly appreciative.” Grasping the seriousness, Zhao Sheng rose swiftly and offered a profound bow to the old Daoist.

“Take a seat at once! It's merely a trifle, young friend; no need to fuss.” Wu Hua, the old Daoist, motioned for Zhao Sheng to resume his place while adding, “Over the last few centuries, unrest has plagued this Divine Palace Heaven, with Alien Demons slipping close time and again, always scheming to breach into the lower realm. I've slain plenty, yet they keep coming without cease; now and then, one slips away. It vexes me greatly.”

Light dawned for Zhao Sheng, who mused, “Ah, so the hidden conflict between the two races rages on without pause, and the front lines have extended all the way to Divine Palace Heaven. A clash with an Alien Demon foe might erupt at any moment.”

This realization prompted Zhao Sheng to humbly request guidance from the old Daoist.

In a benevolent manner, the old Daoist Wu Hua shared detailed warnings about navigating Divine Palace Heaven and recounted a host of "incidents."

Among them were tales of Alien Demons masquerading as Human Clan Cultivators to waylay prominent Human Clan experts, along with accounts of various Human Clan powerhouses venturing into the "Cave Heaven Ruins."

Through these insights, Zhao Sheng's grasp of Divine Palace Heaven sharpened immensely, heading off a slew of potential hazards beforehand.

What they called forging a good bond amounted to the elder passing down practical knowledge and hard-won wisdom to the newcomer.

Naturally, Zhao Sheng welcomed it with open arms.

After about half a day, once he'd covered all he wished, the old Daoist Wu Hua indicated the stone table and remarked, “Behold, the All Sky Star Map, crafted especially for you, young friend. Claim it freely; no point in refusing.”

Glancing down at this, Zhao Sheng's eyes widened in awe. The once-barren surface of the table now displayed a enigmatic scroll.

Dominating the scroll's heart, myriad stars dotted the vast, shadowy void in diverse zones, shifting gradually along some arcane rhythm.

Stellar paths wove together without end, slowly weaving into a staggeringly intricate three-dimensional chart of celestial movements, every bit as elaborate as the Tao True Text.

Moreover, along those paths clustered endless "luminous specks," some glowing brightly, others faintly, in a rainbow of hues, strewn everywhere.

As Zhao Sheng directed his Divine Thought toward one, a particular "luminous speck" ballooned vastly in scale; a shimmering, vital "lake" materialized in his mind, rendered with stunning realism down to the finest particulars.

Shifting his Divine Thought to another "luminous speck," it morphed into a tiny landscape spanning hundreds of miles, littered with dilapidated structures and shattered remnants—a further enigmatic site.

Overwhelmed by the revelation, Zhao Sheng let his Divine Thought roam across countless such specks in an instant, unveiling bizarre and marvelous vistas that deepened his wonder.

At last, in the scroll's lower left corner, a pristine white luminous speck pulsed repeatedly, standing out starkly amid the gloom.

One look told him this marked his own location.

Though puzzled by the old Daoist's reason for bestowing this artwork, Zhao Sheng recognized its priceless worth.

He yearned to turn it down, yet the refusal stuck in his throat.

Truth be told, the artwork held too much significance for his path.

After much inner debate, Zhao Sheng raised his gaze to the old Daoist, noted the quiet smile, and an idea struck him.

“Given such generosity from senior, how could this junior possibly decline? I gratefully accept this artwork and vow to return the favor someday.” A faint smile crossed Zhao Sheng's face as he reached out to secure the scroll, then cupped his hands in thanks toward the old Daoist.

“Spare the ceremony, young friend. Long ago, upon my own entry to Divine Palace Heaven, I benefited from a similar connection with a predecessor. Today, I'm simply following that example—nothing extraordinary.” Dismissing it with a wave, the old Daoist spoke casually.

With that, he produced yet another scroll from within his sleeve and offered it to Zhao Sheng, explaining, “This one I sketched across millennia, yet it sat unused. Now seems fitting to pass it to you. It harbors further secrets, which you can uncover upon descending to the lower realm.”

Without a second thought, Zhao Sheng took hold of the scroll and voiced his thanks once more.