Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1599: 861: You Give Me Peaches and Gourds, I Return Jade and Precious Stones

Within the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land, the Tianqiong sky stretches clear, as a mild breeze sweeps by refreshingly.

Under a grand Ancient Peach Tree with its thick, flourishing branches, a silhouette abruptly emerges from empty space.

Zhao Sheng touched down on the earth and gazed upward at the foliage shading the sunlight. He spotted enormous Flat Peaches, each the size of a skull, their tempting scent drifting amid the leaves, flickering enticingly and drawing the eye irresistibly.

“Haha, I've returned at the perfect moment,” Zhao Sheng muttered softly to himself before flicking his broad sleeve abruptly, releasing multiple beams of radiance.

The beams plunged into the soil, making it quake, and abruptly, a translucent jade-like stone table along with two cloud-formed chairs emerged from below.

Zhao Sheng walked to the stone table, eased onto one cloud stool leisurely, and with a wave, several Flat Peaches dropped from above, settling right in the table's middle.

Right then, Zhao Sheng swept his right palm over the stone table, instantly summoning a nine-dragon jade pot and two cups etched with dragon patterns onto its surface.

Aroma from the jade pot billowed out in waves, saturating the surroundings, and in moments, the scent permeated a hundred miles wide.

Soon enough, a rift tore open in the close void, from which stepped a bright, cheerful young man—the Zhao Clan’s third ancestor, Zhao Dashan.

Spotting Zhao Sheng at the stone table, Zhao Dashan erupted in booming laughter, marching over to claim the remaining cloud stool.

“What a divine fragrance, what a divine fragrance!” Zhao Dashan seized the nine-dragon jade pot, pouring a stream of scarlet liquid into the jade cup with relish.

As the cup brimmed with the blood-red jade fluid, Zhao Dashan lifted it swiftly and drained it in a single gulp.

One cup barely sufficed; he downed half the pot of Spiritual Wine nonstop before finally placing the jade pot aside with regret.

“Haha, this wine's scent is downright mesmerizing! It's rousing the wine lover deep inside me,” Zhao Dashan guffawed. “This brew has such a unique flair—might it hail from the Taiching Spirit Realm?”

“Third Ancestor guessed right. Known as Soaring Dragon Drunk, this wine has been cherished by the Taiching Spirit Realm's Heavenly Demon Sect for nine thousand years. I found this celestial drink by luck, and since I know Third Ancestor's love for fine wine, I fetched every bit of the Soaring Dragon Drunk.

There are ten jars in all. I've saved three for myself, leaving the other seven entirely for you, Third Ancestor.”

With those words, Zhao Sheng effortlessly pulled out a Storage Bag and slid it straight to Third Ancestor Zhao Dashan.

“Excellent, excellent, Chonghe, you've got real heart.”

Zhao Dashan cheered joyfully over and over, grabbing the Storage Bag without ceremony and stashing it away in his robes.

After a short pause, Zhao Sheng and the Third Ancestor shared drinks as he detailed his adventures in the Taiching Spirit Realm.

He began with the Heavenly Demon Sect's ambush, describing his fierce retaliation in dire straits, followed by his conquest over every Heavenly Demon Sect cultivator.

Next, he mentioned the vast collection of texts in the Heavenly Demon Sect, none of which held mentions of the “Innate Divine Continent.”

Because of that, he journeyed undercover to Carefree City, joined the Taiqing Sect’s Outer Disciple trials, and gained entry into the Taiqing Sect.

In passing, Zhao Sheng sketched the Taiching Spirit Realm's traditions and oddities, the power layout of the “One Sect, Three Sects, and Nine Mountains and Seas,” and his reasons for slipping into the Taiqing Sect.

Hearing of the Taiqing Sect's setup of dual governance—the World God Conferring and the Ten Thousand Descendant Temple—in the Taiching Sky, Zhao Dashan showed clear admiration, his face touched.

Zhao Sheng caught the look and knew the man was intrigued. Soon enough, Zhao Dashan might well pursue a “Mountain and Sea God Conferring” in the Chongyue Cave Heaven.

Far from opposing it, Zhao Sheng welcomed Zhao Dashan taking that step.

For the Taiqing Sect’s framework proved remarkably clever, fitting almost any Inner Sect Unification Realm Expert’s “Inner Grotto Heaven.”

When he eventually forged his own Grotto Heaven, Zhao Sheng planned to borrow this “God Conferring” method too.

“…The outer post as temple master lasts a century. Once the hundred years end, I'll head back to Nine Palaces Mountain to debrief. Then, I'll seek ways into the Inner Sect for leads on the Innate Divine Continent.”

For ages since its founding, the Taiqing Sect maintained rigid internal ranks amid a staunchly traditional, guarded vibe.

Servants, Outer Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, True Disciples, Returning to Void Elders, Integration Ancestors, Crossing Tribulation Supremes… authority climbed with each tier from bottom to top.

Higher access meant broader reaches of the “Sea of Books.”

Zhao Sheng felt sure the Taiqing Sect housed plentiful notes on the Innate Divine Continent, though buried deep in the “Sea of Books” behind top-tier clearance.

After Zhao Sheng finished his tale, Zhao Dashan urged right away, “Chonghe, no need to rush this. Stay utterly patient. The clan has endured over two hundred thousand years already—a few thousand or even ten thousand more won't matter much.”

Zhao Sheng nodded, replying, “Third Ancestor, true treasures demand trials, and I'm fully ready for that. Besides, I've got patience to spare.”

“By the way,”

here he shifted topics abruptly, “What's the latest with the Ancestor?”

Zhao Dashan turned grave and whispered back, “The Ancestor keeps preparing. With just one Immortal Bone piece, there's only one shot at refining it… Even with the Ancestor's divine mastery, utmost care is essential.”

Zhao Sheng gave a faint nod of comprehension; he grasped full well the rarity of that True Immortal Finger Bone!

Zhao Xuanjing could snag a True Immortal Skeleton without much fuss, but the key hurdle was sourcing one from a True Immortal who solely pursued the Dao of Wind.

Thus, that True Immortal Finger Bone's worth shone immeasurably!

Zhao Dashan dropped the topic, turning to something else.

“Chonghe, the Ancestor decreed before to match your rank, role, and perks with ours three. Let me explain your upcoming benefits first…”

…

One hour passed, and the whole Dragon Transformation Blessed Land quaked fiercely, roars booming nonstop from void depths.

Blinding rays burst from Jade Void Spirit Pond's core. The thigh-sized “Spring Eye” swelled steadily under mighty force, growing even larger.

Zhao Dashan floated high overhead, a radiant halo at his back slicing through the Blessed Land's space-time, reshaping inner laws and Spirit Vein flows bit by bit.

Simultaneously, bizarre lights flared over the Ancestral Divine Land's sky, with endless splendid auroras weaving across the full Tianqiong like glowing ribbons, startling myriad Zhao Family cultivators.

“Big trouble's brewing! Alert the two ancestors at once…”

“…Is a mighty foe invading?”

“Daylight blankets a whole state! No such vast celestial sign in almost ten thousand years—could it mean…”

“All hands, enter the Dao Field now and trigger the Three Mountains and Six Yang Formation precisely. I'll call you out if it's safe, but if not…”

The moment the aurora lit up, an elderly form materialized above the Ancestor Hall.

Zhao Changying, face etched with concern, stared east toward the Central Divine Land’s Inner Sea.

“This bodes ill—the gravity ripples are wildly off; has the Divine… stirred?” Zhao Changying muttered, his frown deepening.

As one privy to the clan's hidden truths, he knew the Divine's dread might: unchecked, it could ravage the Divine Continent catastrophically.

Zhao Changying recalled the ancestor splitting off a portion to watch the Inner Sea eternally, holding the Divine in check.

Yet he stayed ever vigilant, for the Divine Continent anchored the Zhao Family—its ruin would doom the clan, slaying countless kin.

Nearly together, Returning Void Cultivators soared from blessed lands across the Divine Continent.

They scowled at the sky-spanning aurora, querying fellow Returning Void Elders for explanations behind the spectacle.

Meanwhile, huge shifts unfolded inside the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land.

Guided by Zhao Dashan, the modest realm ballooned several-fold, its space spanning over a thousand miles—nigh a full “Grotto Heaven.”

Moreover, Jade Void Spirit Pond stretched a hundred miles wide, its “Spring Eye” nine zhang across, gushing vast Mystic Crystal Origin Qi endlessly.

In that single hour, spiritual energy density in the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land rose a tenth higher than prior and kept surging.

Enormous Mystic Crystal Origin Qi broke down into pristine spiritual energy, spirit clouds visibly massing over Jade Void Spirit Pond before raining spirit dew.

Within the surging Mystic Crystal Origin Qi, wisps of otherworldly glow flickered now and then—manifestations of Tao Spirit Mechanism from Divine Palace Heaven.

Seeing the Tao Spirit Mechanism emerge, Zhao Sheng felt stirred. He hadn't foreseen Zhao Dashan's such deep grasp of space-time, breaching the first and second Dark Sky to draw the Tao Spirit Mechanism here.

With stern focus, Zhao Dashan gestured both hands wildly, weaving gravity wave threads to lock the Jade Void Spring Eye solid.

Zhao Sheng observed it all, eyes sparkling nonstop, his thoughts alight with myriad flashes of genius.

…

The aurora display lingered over the Divine Continent for three days and nights straight.

On the fourth morning, it winked out as suddenly as it began.

As the lights faded, joy swept the trillion Zhao Clan members across the Divine Continent, even the seven or eight Returning Void Elders exhaling in relief.

Zhao Changying narrowed his eyes to slits, probing the “overactive” gravity waves easing back to normal, at last going still.

Only then did his tense heart ease fully.

He peered east across the Divine Continent, gave a faint private smile, and vanished tracelessly.

…

Now, deep in the Dragon Transformation Blessed Land, Zhao Sheng floated over the Jade Void Spring Eye, clutching a gray Sumeru Ring.

Zhao Dashan had departed a quarter-hour prior, leaving Zhao Sheng stunned for that same span.

Abruptly, sharp glint flared in Zhao Sheng’s eyes, his stare reigniting with vigor.

Swoosh!

The Sumeru Ring shone as hundreds of pristine Principle Crystals rained down, sinking into the Spring Eye, buoyed by colorful strands, rising and falling while devouring nearby Mystic Crystal Origin Qi.

“Chonghe, keep in mind the ancestor pledges the clan's full backing for your cultivation. Starting now, the family Scripture Pavilion stands wide open to you, plus a hundred Principle Crystals at minimum every decade. Any needs you voice, we'll strive to meet… The ancestor sets great store by you and hopes you won't disappoint the elders!”

Though Zhao Dashan was long gone, his earnest counsel lingered in Zhao Sheng’s ears.

Even Zhao Sheng’s iron will quaked at Zhao Xuanjing’s lavish resolve and daring.

The sages noted: “You Give Me Peaches and Gourds, I Return Jade and Precious Stones.”

The cases differ slightly, yet the spirit aligns closely.

Zhao Sheng’s thoughts swirled endlessly, his aura surging like smoke to the heavens, shattering the Returning Void Second Barrier soundlessly, Third Level of Returning Void flowing as smoothly as rivers.

Raising the platform, tea, and wine,