Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1576: 851: The Great Saint's Grand Wish, First Meeting with Tianyunzi (3)

Furthermore, the Hierarch of the Supreme Sect became aware of the situation. He went to the lengths of dispatching an avatar to personally recruit Zhao Hongyun into the fold, awarding him the title of one of the ten protectors—a role of immense prestige and authority.

Curiously, after combing through the records of the Secret Pavilion, Zhao Sheng discovered that since Zhao Hongyun’s advancement to the Unification stage, he rarely appeared in public, and the documentation regarding him remained incredibly sparse.

Had it not been for his attendance at the Ancestor’s millennial birthday celebration eight thousand years ago, Zhao Sheng might have assumed Zhao Hongyun had already cleared the Nine-nine Tribulation and quietly ascended to the Taiching Spirit Realm.

Returning to the subject at hand!

It was via Zhao Hongyun’s own revelations that the Zhao Family became aware of the Golden Crane Great Saint and the existence of a hidden cave mansion left by the Great Saint on the Innate Divine Continent of the Taiching Spirit Realm.

Zhao Hongyun had already achieved the first two great wishes; by fulfilling the final one set forth by the Golden Crane Great Saint, the Zhao Family stood to inherit the Great Saint’s ultimate legacy.

This was a singular, heaven-sent opportunity of unparalleled magnitude!

Every high-ranking member of the Zhao Family privy to this secret was struck with excitement, each harborng the ambition to accomplish this final feat.

Alas, the Taiching Spirit Realm remained so vastly distant that, even now, none within the Zhao Family had managed to reach its borders.

One can only imagine the surge of emotion Zhao Dashan felt when Zhao Sheng claimed to have a method to travel to the Taiching Spirit Realm!

Following repeated confirmations, a jubilant Zhao Dashan hurriedly whisked Zhao Sheng away from the Chongyue Cave Heaven.

Shortly thereafter, every Zhao Family “Immortal Ruins Guest” stationed across the major Spirit Domains of the Four Holy Continents received a formal decree issued by the Three Ancestors.

The Three Ancestors directed them to return to the Ancestral Land with the utmost urgency.

Not daring to delay, the “Immortal Ruins Guests” departed for the Teleportation Hall the very day the decree reached them, utilizing the Teleportation Array to ferry themselves back to the Ancestral Divine Land.

As time ticked by, over a hundred of the Zhao Family’s “Immortal Ruins Guests” gathered back at the Ancestral Divine Land, awaiting the arrival of the Three Ancestors.

The Three Ancestor, Zhao Dashan, did not leave them waiting, meeting with them in secret shortly thereafter to deliver a succinct mission.

“… Make haste to the Burial Immortal Ruins and identify which Immortal Ruins Guest hails from the Taiching Spirit Realm. Once the objective is pinpointed, return to the Ancestral Land and report it definitively!”

Upon receiving the order, the gathered group dispersed, and Zhao Dashan departed with haste.

…

Autumn replaced the fading summer, and the air grew significantly colder with each passing day.

On the ninth day of the ninth month—a rare, auspicious date—Zhao Sheng finally stood face-to-face with the legendary Child of Destiny, “Tianyunzi,” also known as Zhao Hongyun.

Zhao Hongyun’s true physical form was nowhere to be seen; only an avatar had arrived.

Within the Ancestor Hall, Zhao Sheng peered at the figure before him with a measure of surprise, naturally overcome by a peculiar, uneasy sensation.

The man before him sat with his chest exposed, barefoot, clad in ragged garments. His figure was stout and clumsy—plain to the point of being entirely unremarkable—hardly reflecting the profile of a child favored by the Heavenly Dao with such profound Qi Fortune.

Conversely, his brow seemed cloaked in gloom, his eyes flickered with a distinct greenish hue, and his demeanor appeared dull and vacuous.

From every angle, he looked like a man dogged by ill-fortune, destined for a short-lived existence.

Zhao Sheng felt particularly unsettled by the man’s features, which were strangely bifurcated: the left side appearing as dark as ink, while the right remained as pale as snow—a true Yin Yang visage.

The longer Zhao Sheng observed, the more he felt the man was tethered to impending catastrophe, with signs of mortality unmistakably present.

Zhao Hongyun permitted this thorough inspection before smiling and speaking, “What? Do you also perceive that my days are numbered?”

Startled by this remark, Zhao Sheng quickly collected himself and offered a respectful, formal bow, “Junior Zhao Sheng pays his respects to the Second Ancestor!”

Zhao Hongyun waved a hand to signal him to rise before turning toward Zhao Dashan with a quiet chuckle, “This child possesses exceptionally profound Qi Fortune, perhaps even surpassing my own in my younger days. With him, our work is as good as finished; you and I may finally take our leave.”

Taken aback, Zhao Dashan countered quickly, “While this child indeed possesses an ‘Immortal Form,’ he cannot compare to you, Second Ancestor, who are truly blessed by the Heavens. You are far too generous with your praise!”

Zhao Hongyun shook his head dismissively. “Not so, not so! You are well aware that there is always a higher peak to scale and a greater talent somewhere in the vastness.”