Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1534 - 830: The Great Grandmaster Emerges

Sumeru Stone, You Tan Golden Core, Mirage Dragon Cloud Crystal, Cave Heaven Marrow Jade... More than twenty varieties of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, amounting to over a hundred in total.

A sparkle of Divine Light burst from Zhao Sheng’s eyes, and as he flicked his expansive sleeve, a brilliant wave of light covered every treasure, pulling them all straight into his sleeve.

Meanwhile, Ku Rong Ancestor gave a gentle smile, and abruptly, numerous green vines sprouted from the earth, wrapping around the dozen or so treasures that had been pulled out before, swiftly hauling them beneath the surface.

The deal wrapped up without a hitch, leaving both Zhao Sheng and Ku Rong Ancestor thoroughly pleased.

Rather than going their separate ways, the pair eagerly dove into talks about profound concepts, sharing their knowledge and tales from cultivation paths.

With Zhao Sheng’s vast experience and strong base, he could easily outshine Ku Rong Ancestor, but he chose to hold back his true skills, now and then showing hints of “deep enigma” and subtly highlighting flaws in the other’s cultivation approach.

This made Ku Rong Ancestor grow more and more admiring, feeling hugely enlightened and like he was shattering mental barriers to progress further in his Daoist pursuits.

That was exactly the case!

As soon as Ku Rong Ancestor truly grasped Zhao Sheng’s guidance, his Daoist practice was bound to surge ahead later on, perhaps even offering him a faint chance at breaking through.

Their discussion stretched on for an entire day and night before Zhao Sheng abruptly ceased his smile and words, snapping Ku Rong Ancestor out of his deep absorption; the latter hastily offered a bow of deep thanks.

After that, Ku Rong Ancestor came to revere this “Fellow Daoist” greatly, always striving to fulfill whatever Zhao Sheng might ask.

At the same time, Ku Rong Ancestor kept issuing heartfelt invites for Zhao Sheng to become part of the Wanyou Trading Company.

To achieve this, even Yixin Ancestor, the head of the Wanyou Trading Company, showed up in person to enlist this Divinity Transformation Grandmaster skilled in a Hundred Arts.

That was when Zhao Sheng discovered the Wanyou Trading Company had an even deeper foundation than he’d thought, since its leader, Yixin Ancestor, wasn’t just a blood descendant of the Red Cloud Venerable but also cultivated to the Late-stage Returning to Void, truly ranking among the top ten in the Red Cloud Spirit Domain.

Of course, those events come later, so we’ll skip them for now.

…

Situated in the busiest and most vibrant spot in Jiuxuan City, the Bitter Rong Immortal Root Tree stands as the central hub of the Wanyou Trading Company, turning it into a prime spot for collecting all sorts of intelligence.

On the Fourth Layer, where All Immortal Monarchs gather, it’s the area with the sharpest ears for news, drawing in loads of Wind Carriers who earn their keep by trading info—yet they never slack on their own cultivation.

Less than half a day after Zhao Sheng had taken up residence in the Heavenly Number Six Cave Mansion, details about him started circulating wildly.

Even with scant real facts to go on, it still pulled in plenty of Wind Carriers because Ku Rong Ancestor had pulled a little trick, quietly leaking that Zhao Sheng was a Master of Hundred Arts and one of the Three Great Masters in Pill, Artifact, and Talisman.

That’s precisely why the Wind Carriers swarmed so fast.

Though Zhao Sheng stayed inside the cave mansion, he was fully tuned in to the stir outside.

So, he quickly caught wind of the behind-the-scenes ploy and right away knew it was Ku Rong Ancestor’s “scheme”—nothing too brilliant, but it worked all the same.

Zhao Sheng, for his part, was happy enough to “sit steady on the fishing deck and let the fish come biting on their own.”

Right before the major catch hooked itself, Ku Rong Ancestor arrived with companions to pay a call.

At that, Zhao Sheng promptly unsealed the cave mansion to host the honored visitors.

Inside the living room of the cave mansion, the three Divinity Transformation Cultivators settled into their spots, and Ku Rong Ancestor stepped forward to present: “Here, let this old man make the introductions, Taoist Zhao. This is Taoist Jin Xun, famous for shaking Jiuxuan City with his singular Miraculous Flame Boiling Sea Divine Power.”

With that, Zhao Sheng gave a small nod and clasped his hands smilingly, “I’m Zhao Sheng, pleased to meet Taoist Jin Xun!”

Golden Xun Taoist, a Late-stage Divinity Transformation Great True Monarch, had a rigid and honorable demeanor but a hot-tempered nature, with a wide face and ears, no hair, and skin resembling forged gold—he seemed to follow the Body Refinement path too.

“I’m Jin Xun; Fellow Daoists have teasingly dubbed me Fire Dragon Taoist. If it suits you, Taoist Zhao, feel free to call me Fire Dragon Taoist.”

Jin Xun showed a hint of superiority, his words carrying an elder’s tone as if he saw himself above the rest.

Zhao Sheng didn’t bat an eye, replying with a warm smile, “Fire Dragon Taoist, I go by Shaoling. Moving forward, let’s drop the formalities and just use Shaoling for me.”

Upon hearing this, Fire Dragon Taoist’s eyes sharpened, firing out two streaks of flame from his gaze.

In a flash, a fierce, burning surge of mighty Divine Thought rushed at Zhao Sheng, heating up the living room until it burned like midsummer.

Against this abrupt challenge, Zhao Sheng stayed completely calm; a faint split formed at his brow’s center, and a rainbow-like Divine Light abruptly shimmered.

The rainbow Divine Light gleamed for a moment, instantly dissolving the overwhelming hot Divine Thought.

Now, Fire Dragon Taoist stared intently at the unmoving Zhao Sheng, shocked deep down.

Both at the “Divinity Transformation” level, he couldn’t figure out how the man had countered his probe with such ease.

Just because it baffled him, the shock deepened, and he couldn’t help feeling a measure of reverence and fear.

Ku Rong Ancestor, having seen it all, kept a grin on his face while stirring with emotion inside.

The straightforward Fire Dragon Taoist at once voiced his regret: “Taoist Shaoling, your depths are impressive! I was rude just now, so please forgive me.”

Zhao Sheng chuckled, “It’s fine! Fire Dragon Taoist, you’ve perfected the Fire Element Samadhi—your skill is truly uncommon. Down the line, I’ll have to consult you frequently on the Fire Path.”

“Far from it! Brother Shaoling, you’re a Fire Path expert too. I’ll be asking for your insights as well, Taoist. If you find time later, do come to my Golden Flame Lake; I’ll receive you with open arms.”