Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1450 - 785: The Gathering of Monsters, The Nine-Headed Dragon Appears

A vast and boundless Skeleton Land unfolds here, beneath a shadowy, quiet sky. A massive eye observes the entirety below, claiming nearly all of the Heavenly Vault while releasing an unspeakable aura of horrifying oppression.

Shortly afterward, dust erupted at the Skeleton Land's periphery, the earth quivered lightly, and a pair of colossal dark figures dashed in from afar, whipping up thick plumes of bone powder as they advanced.

Zhao Sheng and the inky-black colossal bear sped forward neck and neck toward some distant point, encountering along the path heaps of bones stacked like peaks, with enormous skeletal frames rivaling entire mountain chains appearing more frequently.

Throughout their travel, new skeletons often plummeted from above, including not just diverse animal remains but also numerous odd hybrid forms blending human and beast traits.

After a while, Zhao Sheng observed with some astonishment that the Skeleton Land was tilting downward steadily, suggesting a huge depression stretched out before them.

Roughly an hour passed, and Zhao Sheng had covered more than two thousand miles, now encircled by bone structures towering like mountains, their surfaces shining like polished jade and glowing with a subtle crimson hue.

Everywhere he looked, a reddish glow bathed the terrain, and the skeletons loomed as imposing ranges of peaks, radiating an intensely spooky and fearsome vibe.

"We’ve arrived!"

In the next instant, the inky-black colossal bear let out a sudden bellow and halted next to a gigantic skeleton that resembled a dragon but wasn't quite one.

At that sight, Zhao Sheng pushed off the ground hard, his huge frame launching like a bolt, coming to rest on the skull of a Dragon Whale several hundred feet off.

The Dragon Whale's skull measured over two thousand feet across, and perching on it felt like occupying the heart of a spacious square.

Zhao Sheng lifted a hand to shade his eyes, peering far ahead. Before them stretched a vertical beam of blood-red light, murky and turbulent, veiling whatever perils lurked further in.

From the core of that gloom, he detected a profound dread, triggering a primal alarm as though confronting a deadly foe.

Zhao Sheng pulled back his stare, shifting toward the inky-black colossal bear that lounged against a nearby skeleton, and inquired warily, "Old Bear, since we'll pass through the Reincarnation Gate together soon, can you finally reveal the fearsome foe awaiting us?"

"Truth be told, little brother, even Old Bear here has no clue what sort of beast the adversary might turn out to be. During the first gate passage, a Peacock Ming King stood in the path. On the second attempt, it turned into a Golden Winged Roc King. For this third round, heaven knows—it could be yet another Holy Beast Corpse Spirit. Only it holds the answer."

While saying this, the colossal bear abruptly scratched at its back and gestured upward with a paw.

Zhao Sheng froze for a beat, resisting the impulse to glance skyward. That eerie eye overhead wielded an uncanny might; fixating on it too often might erode one's sanity.

Right then, the colossal bear let out a sigh and murmured, "Ah well, time to wait! Phoenix, Vermilion Bird, Six Teeth, Lady Zhang... Curious how many old comrades we'll encounter once more?"

Hearing those words, Zhao Sheng felt a stir in his chest, quietly committing the names to memory.

Following about seven or eight hours of waiting, a scarlet gleam flared on the distant skyline, and immediately after, a cluster of blazing red Fire Cloud surged forth, hurtling in their direction.

A brief while later, as the Fire Cloud drew near, a tremendous, hill-sized carcass tumbled out from its midst with a twist.

A thunderous crash echoed as the carcass slammed into the ground, sending up billows of skeletal debris.

Looking more closely, Zhao Sheng recognized it as the remains of a Six-toothed White Elephant, its bulk rivaling mountains and its six radiant ivory tusks stretching over a hundred feet, each casting a frosty, piercing gleam.

"It's... the Phoenix has shown up, haha!" The colossal bear bounded into the air abruptly, tilting its head to the Fire Cloud and booming with laughter.

The laugh hadn't faded when the Fire Cloud shrank suddenly, then a Phoenix Bird—clad in golden-red feathers topped with a regal Phoenix Crown, exuding refined poise—descended leisurely.

This Phoenix Bird, measuring merely three meters, seemed fragile and petite, but the overwhelming presence it exuded was endlessly deep and inscrutable.

Hmm?!

Spotting the Phoenix, Zhao Sheng's heart jolted, an unexplainable unease washing over him.

At that moment, the Phoenix Bird appeared to sense something, its fiery golden eyes sweeping over, brimming with curiosity and examination.

It scrutinized Zhao Sheng intently several times, the uncertainty in its gaze dissolving, giving way to wild delight and thrill.

Witnessing this, Zhao Sheng's spirits dropped, instantly grasping a hint of the situation.

"Who might you be? Why do you strike me as so familiar?" The Phoenix fixed its stare on Zhao Sheng, questioning abruptly, its tone melodic and crisp, laced with an unyielding authority.

Zhao Sheng's gaze wavered briefly before he answered steadily, "I'm just an insignificant figure. Mr. Phoenix, you've got the wrong person."

The Phoenix ruffled its plumage, declaring resolutely, "My keen vision never fails. You... are without doubt the Divine Beast Envoy; don't try to fool me."

With those words, the Phoenix's crown blazed crimson, a silver mask flashing momentarily within the glow, etched with an intricate, primordial Phoenix design.

In a flash, Zhao Sheng's hairs bristled, then settled once more.

"Oh, I've never heard of any Divine Beast Envoy; you must have me confused with someone else," Zhao Sheng refuted bluntly, his face a blank slate.

"Haha, whether you confess or not, I'm bringing you before the Immortal Venerable for verdict," the Phoenix Bird announced, beating its wings to unleash red radiance into the Tianqiong, igniting half the heavens in blazing scarlet.

Zhao Sheng retreated a pace, his frame swelling swiftly, unleashing a fearsome pressure.

"Hold on!" The colossal bear, seeing the unfolding tension, rushed to intervene.