Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1482 - 801: Two Great Avatars (Part 2)

Previously on Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension...

In the sulfurous volcanic valleys southeast of the continent, a thick-browed clan member questions the jade-faced youth about rumors of relocating to the harsh Grotto Heaven, only to learn that the youth's entire direct line plans to move there, valuing its long-term potential over current scarcities. Deep within the Five Thunders Cave Heaven, Zhao Sheng completes a decade-long cultivation effort after reaching the Unification Realm, splitting his Three-headed and Six-armed Giant Spirit Dharma Aspect into two formidable avatars: the lively Zhao Ximing bearing the Sun and Moon Divine Ape bloodline, and the composed Zhao Xi Hou with the Ancient Thunder Roar Lion bloodline. The avatars salute their main body and set forth on assigned missions, with Zhao Ximing streaking toward the Ascension Tower and Zhao Xi Hou descending to the earth, where his presence begins awakening mountains, rivers, and nascent Spirit Veins across the land.

Perched atop the clouds, Zhao Sheng gazed down at the world below, observing how the incarnation of the Thunder Roar Lion was carefully arranging the Earth Veins and Spirit Veins. A faint nod of approval crossed his face.

Right then, he pointed a finger forward, slicing lightly through the emptiness in front of him, and a dark rift stretching over a meter formed in an instant.

Entering the rift, Zhao Sheng vanished in a flash and reappeared beyond the Grotto Heaven. Everywhere he looked, the void stretched out in deep darkness and utter quiet.

With a single thought, his Divine Thought spread outward in every direction, enveloping a vast region of tens of thousands of miles within moments.

At that instant, a smile tugged at Zhao Sheng's lips; his body flickered, and he instantly teleported to a spot 27,000 miles distant, descending onto a massive skeleton the size of a mountain.

Seconds later, the light wheel of the Grotto Heaven emerged and ballooned outward by countless folds, becoming an "entrance" spanning tens of thousands of meters across, its borders shining with vibrant five-colored hues.

Just then, the entrance unleashed a tremendous pulling force, gradually drawing in the colossal beast's skeleton, drawing it piece by piece into the Grotto Heaven.

Bang!

The enormous beast's skeleton plummeted from above, slamming into the ground with a thunderous impact that carved out a crater thousands of meters wide.

A burst of radiance appeared, and Zhao Xi Hou, bearing the face of a broad-nosed lion, materialized high above the crater, pushing his palms downward.

At once, the nearby soil and stones tumbled into the depression, swiftly burying it completely.

Next, the earth rippled and smoothed over, erasing every sign that anything had happened there before.

Far underground, meanwhile, an unseen power broke down the giant beast's skeleton at high speed, while strands of Tao Spirit Mechanism pulled from the broken bones merged rapidly into the Grotto Heaven.

At the same time, those bones shifted into all sorts of premium jade materials, which sank deep into the Spirit Vein and would turn into countless Top-grade Spirit Stones after a millennium.

...

Zhao Sheng pushed his Divine Thought to its limits, sweeping tirelessly across the entire Divine Palace Heaven.

Armed with the All Sky Star Map, he avoided setting off the Star Battle Formation and instead pinpointed relic after relic from ancient times with ease.

Regrettably, the vast majority of these sites had already been explored by many Great Ability cultivators, leaving them stripped of any valuable treasures.

Still, such relics weren't completely without purpose; forsaken island remnants could serve to expand the Grotto Heaven's terrain, and certain void lakes might fill in its oceans.

For seven or eight years, Zhao Sheng labored away, hauling more than a dozen relics into the Grotto Heaven and at last bringing the Five Thunders Cave Heaven up to a level he found acceptable.

Now, the landmass inside the Grotto Heaven spanned seven or eight thousand miles, with the surrounding seas covering over sixteen thousand miles. All told, the Grotto Heaven's expanse neared twenty-four thousand miles.

Unlike other Fellow Daoists fresh to the Unification Realm, Zhao Sheng's groundwork ran far deeper. The Five Thunders Cave Heaven he had nurtured dwarfed those of his peers by at least double in size. For most, even reaching ten thousand miles at the start proved a challenge.

...

Years raced by, and four decades slipped past like a dream.

On a particular day, within some corner of the Divine Palace Heaven, a silhouette materialized from nowhere.

Zhao Sheng pulled out the All Sky Star Map, his gaze darting over the sparkling "light points" of stars until it settled on a brilliant blue one.

His Divine Thought reached out to it, causing the blue glow to swell enormously and unveil a limitless lake shimmering in azure tones. This lake drifted through the endless void's depths, dotted with ancient pavilions and structures along its shores.

Immortal Qi Lake!

This name rang familiar only among those at the Unification Realm, and it was exactly the destination Zhao Sheng had in mind.

The Immortal Qi Lake boasted a one-of-a-kind setting; it served as a shared hub for Unification Realm Great Power cultivators to share insights and, naturally, conduct trades.

Stowing the All Sky Star Map, Zhao Sheng invoked Space-Time Teleportation once more, fading from sight.

Following two swift jumps through space, he found himself high over an endless body of water.

He had made it to the Immortal Qi Lake!

In that instant, a tear ripped through the void, and an elder in crane robes with flowing white hair stepped forth.

This figure had an odd look about him, featuring a vertical eye on his forehead with an iris as green as fine jade.

The elder in crane robes eyed Zhao Sheng, taking in the broad-nosed lion features, the waving golden mane, and the fierce, untamed presence radiating from him.

Down through the ages, cultivators who reached Unification mostly lingered within their Grotto Heavens, while any venturing abroad did so as incarnations.

Zhao Sheng fit that pattern, employing the incarnation of the Ancient Thunder Roar Lion at present.

The elder in crane robes burst into a hearty laugh. "Haha, this Taoist friend seems new to me. Is Immortal Qi Lake a first for you?"

Zhao Sheng inclined his head, producing the Guest Minister Jade Token from Taiyi Spirit Palace with ease, and grinned. "That's right. I've heard tales of Immortal Qi Lake's fame for ages, but this marks my initial trip here."

The elder's gaze swept over the Guest Minister Jade Token, and his grin widened at once. "Ah, so Taoist friend holds the rank of Guest Minister Elder in Taiyi Spirit Palace! Forgive my oversight. I'm called Geng Chen—might I have your name?"

Zhao Sheng clasped his hands in greeting. "I'm merely a roaming soul from Wolong Mountain. Feel free to address me as Tianqiong Wanderer."

The elder in crane robes chuckled. "Tianqiong Taoist it is, then. The Hundred Immortals Conference kicks off soon. Let's hurry along."

With those words, he rent another gap in space, revealing a grand and opulent chamber beyond.

The elder in crane robes entered first, and Zhao Sheng's eyes gleamed as he trailed right behind.

Inside, Zhao Sheng surveyed his surroundings; the floors, walls, and roof alike were crafted from Top-grade Spirit Stones, their faces alive with shifting glows and carved full of elaborate Tao True Texts.

All across the chamber stood Magic Platforms beaming with dazzling brilliance, appearing close to one another.

In truth, the spaces separating these Magic Platforms had been folded over and over by some Great Ability through immense Great Divine Power.

Stretched out fully, those intervals would span thousands and thousands of miles.

"Tianqiong Taoist, take any seat that suits you. I must step away for a bit," the elder in crane robes said courteously before departing in haste.

Zhao Sheng paid it no heed, casting his eyes about once more until he picked out an unoccupied Magic Platform and settled onto it with poise.

By this point, fellow Unification Realm Great Powers had spotted him as the newcomer, directing all sorts of looks in his direction.

A few amiable Great Powers promptly sent over a Divine Thought to inquire about who he was.

In the outside world, one’s identity is self-bestowed!

True identities naturally can’t be revealed, but false identities need not be concealed.

Zhao Sheng swiftly exchanged thoughts with these Unification Fellow Daoists, stating he hailed from Taisu Spiritual Realm and now acted as a Guest Minister Elder in Taiyi Spirit Realm.

Backed by the Guest Minister Jade Token, the other Great Powers saw no cause to question his background.

...

"Tianqiong Taoist, do you really possess the fabled Weak Water? I'd like to barter for some. State your terms!" A gentle-eyed old monk sent a sudden transmission.

Zhao Sheng raised his gaze, giving a slight nod. "What offerings does Master Gu Xiang bring for the trade?"

As he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers, sending a droplet of water flying across dozens of meters to land in the old monk's palm.

The old monk Gu Xiang caught the droplet, and his eyes burst with radiant Divine Light as he transmitted back at once. "I offer Ten Directions Cave Heaven Jade, a handful of Principle Crystals, plus a collection of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Name what Tianqiong Taoist seeks—I'll provide it. I crave Weak Water, and the more, the better."

Zhao Sheng's gaze sharpened with interest, and he replied firmly via transmission. "Pocket World Jade and Principle Crystals alone interest me—the greater the quantity, the finer. One share of Weak Water swaps for an equal measure of Pocket World Jade, plus a hundred Principle Crystals!"

For Unification Realm Great Powers, Pocket World Jade and Principle Crystals served as reliable currency, given their boundless demand for such Treasures.

The old monk Gu Xiang accepted the deal without a hint of haggling.