Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1490 - 805: The Phoenix Pursues, Return to the Desolate Wall Settlement (2)

As a Guest Elder, Zhao Sheng had no choice but to offer his respects to the new Palace Master. Skipping that would come off as terribly impolite, and worse, it might look like he was slighting the Taiyi Spirit Palace itself, inviting heavy fallout.

After all, those "suspicions" remained nothing more than guesses. Should he let fear grip him so tightly that he hid away at home and skipped the inauguration rite altogether?

Should news of that spread, his hard-earned reputation for a lifetime would shatter completely, turning him into a laughingstock among his fellow daoists—a joke that echoed forever!

He had to attend, no question about it!

With that thought, Zhao Sheng's determination hardened in a flash.

...

Blossoms unfurl in glory, each gleaming on its own!

Meanwhile, across a full century, the Phoenix roamed the Four Holy Continents yet failed to track down the Kui Niu's location.

Out of options, she resolved at last to pick a barren, empty stretch of land in the Central region of the Four Holy Continents and start her gradual setup.

After three months, the whole area fused into a single vast jade slab, its surface sleek like a mirror, etched all over with thick clusters of ancient runes—some old and vague, others wildly detailed and twisted, a few downright eerie, akin to spectral charm drawings.

On that pitch-black evening, with the moon dipped low and stars thinly scattered, the darkness hung thick and endless.

The Phoenix, clad in her feathered gown, positioned herself shoeless at the heart of the Grand Formation, then burst into motion, her robes whirling, flinging out tiny sparks of flame.

Bit by bit, the myriad ancient runes lit up, peeling away from the soil one by one, lifting toward the heavens, casting a gentle glow that mimicked a starry canopy overhead.

A primeval, expansive incantation laced with arcane beats started to resound, the ground humming along in subtle harmony:

"...鎃讙矞㸨坣䉅蔘鸻攩梕祝阿..."

No soul could tell its length, but abruptly the hushed night dome split apart, dropping a ribbon of shimmering glow.

That shimmering glow drifted like a vision, easing into the crown of the Phoenix's head.

In a heartbeat, the Phoenix underwent a shift, her gaze turning utterly detached, her presence faint and dreamlike, as though she belonged to another realm entirely.

She—or maybe the Deity now—clasped hands at her back, ascending smoothly into the air, surveying the lands below.

The horde of star-like runes shivered as one, like they'd found their guide, rushing straight at the "Phoenix," draping over her feathered attire in stacked layers of solid bindings, sealing every wisp of energy inside.

At the same time, certain wildly elaborate runes soared upward, weaving into an unseen, ethereal shield that wrapped the entire plain.

This stretch of land blinked out of sight from the world for now, hidden away until a True Immortal might drop in.

Next, the Deity hovered still in the air, gazing over the realm, as if biding time for whatever came next...

...

Two full Jiazhi cycles (120 years) passed like a mere flick of the fingers.

That very day, the heavens cleared spotless, endless miles free of clouds. Zhao Sheng at last emerged from the Five Thunders Cave Heaven, materializing high above the Wolong Mountain Range.

The instant he showed, a mighty Divine Sense blasted out, blanketing a vast swath tens of thousands of miles wide.

After probing back and forth more than ten times with no odd signs, he let out a long breath of ease.

"Good thing—did I just imagine it before?" Zhao Sheng's features softened a touch, lost in quiet thought.

Right as he geared up to warp away, the emptiness ahead tore open, and out stepped a red-robed woman, feet bare and face veiled, right from the rift.

Spotting her, Zhao Sheng's look twisted in shock, and on reflex he triggered Space-Time Teleportation, blinking out of existence.

But the very next instant, he tumbled hard from the void, his expression grim with hopelessness.

Without warning, the surrounding space-time stood locked by some unfathomable power; his escape attempt slammed into an unyielding barrier.

"Phoenix?!" Zhao Sheng stared into those unflinching eyes, his spirits plummeting, and ventured the question.

Boom!

His sentence barely landed when thunder crashed like doom from the skies, swarms of black clouds erupted, racing to cloak the firmament, twisting the once-bright day into midnight gloom.

A colossal, almighty, terrifying pressure rolled from the cloud depths, stirring the world for a fleeting moment, like the Heavens sensed a forbidden being and readied their furious bolts.

Hm!

The Phoenix shot a glare at the Tribulation Clouds, her stare sharpening, but with a faint icy huff that barely registered, her cool demeanor melted away, her eyes sparking back to vibrant life.

Zhao Sheng caught that odd shift sharp as a blade, his pulse quickening, and he fired off Space-Time Teleportation anew.

Swish!

His form blurred, vanishing into nothing.

The Phoenix, freshly snapped back to herself, watched the slippery "prey" bolt once more, a spark of fury igniting in her gaze.

A flicker of fire bloomed and faded, and she was already on his trail.

...

Divine Palace Heaven

Zhao Sheng poured everything into it, warping a hundred Constant Years distant, landing in a stretch of pitch-black emptiness.

Yet scarcely had he paused when the Phoenix materialized close by, her face blank as she fixed on him, sending over a thread of Divine Sense right away.

"You can’t escape my grasp—"

Shaken, Zhao Sheng bolted without pause.

Another hundred Constant Years crossed, he popped up again, but the Phoenix trailed tight, denying him any break.

Zhao Sheng hit a wall, his heart dropping low.

Whew~

He drew in a slow breath, lightning crackling around him, his face hardening to steel. He lifted his right arm, the Five Thunder Ring quaking faintly, stirring from its sleep, leaking subtle rays of five-hued thunder.

No way out? Then time for battle!

A glint of astonishment crossed the Phoenix's eyes at the sight of the Five Thunder Ring, clearly spotting its rare power.

"Kui Niu, so you're banking on this leftover Immortal Treasure. If it were whole, even I'd back off. But it's cracked now, its might slashed deep. Why fear a broken Immortal Treasure? More than that, do you really crave your end?" The Phoenix's stare blazed, as a massive firebird phantom rose behind her, radiating a noble, towering, world-devouring force of ruin.

Hearing that, Zhao Sheng stirred deep down, the Five Thunder Ring's shine fading, and he answered gravely: "Phoenix, we've got no grudge or bad blood—why keep coming after me? And now you've chased me all the way to the Taiyi Spirit Realm?"

The Phoenix sneered: "Kui Niu, still acting clueless! You've got two paths: first, give up and return with me to the Desolate Wall Settlement for our lord's judgment. Second, I'll drag you there. Pick one?"

As she spoke, the flame giant bird flung its wings wide, endless fire surged from nowhere, blanketing billions of miles of space-time.

Those words hit Zhao Sheng like lightning—he saw she aimed not to slay but to haul him back to the Desolate Wall Settlement.

That realization sparked quiet joy in him, and he bowed his hands at once: "I will go with you."

Truth be told, even gripping the Five Thunder Ring, he couldn't stand against a Tribulation Crossing Venerable.

After all, beyond the Unification Realm, a Cultivator's power wasn't just about Mana, Divine Sense, Will, Divine Abilities, or their sharpness, but the "scale" of their Grotto Heaven.

A Grotto Heaven mirrors a Cultivator's grasp of the Daoist Laws; usually, the bigger its "scale," the richer and more layered the laws within, boosting the core strength naturally!

Picture an Integration Realm Grotto Heaven as a world like a planet, while a Tribulation Crossing Venerable's "Grotto Heaven" loomed like a blazing star, dwarfing it beyond compare.

The Phoenix showed no shock at Kui Niu's yielding—after all, the gap between Tribulation Crossing and Integration Realm was vast as skies and dirt; only an idiot would bet their neck on it.

The Phoenix dipped her head: "Fine! Our lord's waited long enough. Time to head back."

With those words, she flicked a flowing sleeve, her Phoenix Dharma Image blazing bright, twisting into a deep gray-white whirlpool.

Right then, the Phoenix's look chilled, locking eyes on Zhao Sheng.

Zhao Sheng quivered inside but moved without hesitation, stepping into the gray-white whirlpool.

The Phoenix watched him dive in, her eyes gleaming, before her shape dissolved into the swirl.

After a wild spin of skies and lands.

Zhao Sheng found himself smack in a broad avenue, intricate Array Patterns etched thick into the pavement, lined with weathered, timeless stores, their fronts empty and forlorn.

Ahead, the folks milling about looked odd and quirky, but each carried deep secrets, radiating sharp killing intent.