Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1623: 873: Great Saint's Secret Plot, Entering Forgotten Heaven Again (Part 2)
Previously on Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension...
Suddenly, Fengfengzi emerged from the golden radiance.
Ghostly flames ignited in its hollow eyes, and it cackled wildly, “Heh heh, little mouse, I finally caught you!”
Right as Fengfengzi prepared to tear the little mouse in front of it apart with ease, a faint smile crept onto Zhao Sheng’s face inexplicably.
In that moment, he sent a thread of Divine Thought toward Fengfengzi, “No, it’s you who have been… caught!”
Hmm?!
Fengfengzi’s frenzied laughter froze solid, its eyes bursting with fierce light, displaying utter disbelief.
As if to ask, how could you react that fast?!
Brush!
A plain Broken Pen shot out from Zhao Sheng’s forehead, its tip stained with blood.
The Broken Pen sliced through the void, materializing impossibly above Fengfengzi’s head.
Time halted at once, leaving only this simple Broken Pen to scribble furiously.
Instantly, a blood-red “Fix” inscribed itself on Fengfengzi’s forehead.
In the blink of an eye, Fengfengzi’s thoughts, senses, head, and body locked into the prior moment.
Zhao Sheng’s face paled to deathly white as he drew the Broken Pen back into his Purple Mansion Soul Sea, stepping away slowly while yanking free the golden hand.
With the golden hand pulled out, the chest wound that had been stabbed through mended flawlessly in a flash.
Only then did Zhao Sheng’s suspended heart finally relax.
He breathed out deeply, the sound thundering like an explosion across the spiritual realm.
Moments later, rosiness returned to Zhao Sheng’s cheeks.
He reached out with his hand, calling down a sphere of blue light from the heavens.
The blue light plummeted nearby, shifting right away into a majestic ancient bronze bell.
Within the bell, erratic red flashes danced sporadically, mingled with clear clanging rings.
Whoosh!
The last Western Golden Light Mirror sped over from the distance, landing promptly in Zhao Sheng’s palm.
Then, he turned his attention to Fengfengzi.
Zhao Sheng dashed forward, clamped his hands on Fengfengzi’s head, and twisted it off with brute force.
The head snapped free from the golden body instantly.
Crunch, crunch…
Deprived of its head, the impeccable golden form cracked open everywhere.
Three breaths passed, and the golden body shattered entirely, dissolving into massive sheets of golden glow.
From deep inside the golden light, four treasure mirrors soared out one by one, entering Zhao Sheng’s body to be nurtured within his Sea of Magical Power.
Next, Zhao Sheng sealed the Qinghuang Bell and Fengfengzi’s head inside the Golden Light Mirror for safekeeping; that encompassed the Soul Hook confined in the bell.
He dedicated half a day to scouring the spiritual realm clean, harvesting rich prizes.
The Wuxiang Demon Sect’s hoards from endless years became his conquest.
Naturally, Zhao Sheng’s standards were lofty—only about seven or eight treasures such as the Bone Heaven Demon Umbrella piqued his interest; the rest held no appeal.
One day later, Zhao Sheng reemerged atop the barren mountain in the spiritual realm’s core.
After a clash that ravaged nearly the whole spiritual realm, the peak below endured unshaken, appearing untouched.
Zhao Sheng rolled his tongue, ejecting the Nine Nether Tower.
The Nine Nether Tower rocketed upward, unleashing ten thousand zhang of dazzling light.
In no time, it swelled billions of fold, unleashing infinite pulling force out of thin air.
Rumble…
The mountain quaked below, rising bit by bit.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths…
Countless boulders crashed to the ground as the mountain peeled away layer upon layer of stone covering, exposing its real appearance.
With a bang, the mountain morphed into a globe of golden light and plunged into the Nine Nether Tower.
The very next instant, an unforeseen shift happened!
The Nine Nether Tower wrenched free from Zhao Sheng’s grasp, ready to rip open the void and escape.
Zhao Sheng’s expression flickered, grasping the threat.
Without hesitation, he reflexively invoked the Life and Death Pen.
The Broken Pen popped into existence above the Nine Nether Tower in the void, cutting off its flight.
Seal!
Seal!
Seal!
Three “Seal” marks dropped consecutively, dimming the Nine Nether Tower’s shine and making it tumble from the sky.
Pale-faced, Zhao Sheng seized the Nine Nether Tower and examined it thoroughly.
His Divine Thought delved gradually into the tower, revealing at its uppermost floor a compacted swirl of golden light.
Buried in the swirl’s depths, a vague outline formed of a sharp-eared, crinkled-faced monkey.
A single glance let Zhao Sheng identify it as a younger likeness of the long-ago Golden Crane Great Saint.
“Great Saint! Great Saint! If not for the Broken Pen, you’d have tricked me completely!”
By this point, Zhao Sheng comprehended the full picture.
Back then, the Golden Crane Great Saint’s three mighty aspirations served as mere cover.
Its true aim was for him to carry the Great Saint’s hair into the Golden Wind Cave.
The moment Shuangling’s Remnant Soul touched the hair, they would blend as one.
Thus achieving the Golden Crane Great Saint’s “rebirth.”
Even Immortals manage “Blood Rebirth,” much less a Daluo Golden Immortal powerhouse.
Upon second thought, the Golden Crane Great Saint’s plot proved brilliantly cunning.
Zhao Sheng lingered there, his face shifting through emotions as he scrutinized the Nine Nether Tower over and over.
Temporarily, indecision seized him.
No, that’s wrong!
After pondering briefly, a spark of insight lit up Zhao Sheng’s mind, uncovering the inconsistency.
“No, no! My earlier assumption was off… The presence lingering in Forgotten Heaven is the real Golden Crane Great Saint. This rebirth seeker is another Golden Crane Great Saint. They look connected yet stand wholly apart.”
Zhao Sheng’s epiphany exploded, birthing a plan to shatter the deadlock.
In the instant that followed, he streaked as light into the Nine Nether Tower.
Reaching the tower’s apex, Zhao Sheng stared at the floating golden swirl in midair, his heart thumping wildly.
He inhaled deeply, circling the golden light a dozen times before venturing close and lightly pressing his right hand against the churning glow.
Suddenly, the Nine Nether Tower erupted in golden brilliance that shot into the void and faded without trace.
…
This was a primordial, endless world.
The sky stretched beyond reach, stars crowded brilliantly into sparkling rivers.
The ground lay broad and sturdy, dominated by mountains thrusting toward the firmament.
A boundless sea cradled eons of ancient transformations.
Upon a pure white beach, Zhao Sheng slowly parted his eyes.
The scene dazed him for a second.
Three zhang distant rose a huge stone vaguely ape-shaped, shining with luster.
Atop it perched an aged ape.
The old ape bore pointed ears and a furrowed face like Thunder God, merely five feet in stature with a gaunt frame, fur lackluster and tangled.
Still, a splendid Eight Treasure Purple Bristle Crown adorned its head, trailed by a glossy dark golden braid draping to its chest, terminating in some mysterious thing…
Zhao Sheng gaped wide, failing to identify the end; merely a fuzzy white glow, blurred and indistinct.
This spectacle felt hauntingly familiar!
Twenty thousand years hence, Zhao Sheng confronted the Golden Crane Great Saint once more.
The Golden Crane Great Saint bolted upright, its keen eyes pinning Zhao Sheng, snapping, “Boy, what are you excited about? Hold on, you have seen me before! But why have I never seen you?”
At these words, Zhao Sheng quivered, hurrying to bow in reverence, declaring politely, “Junior Zhao Sheng pays respects to Great Saint! In past years, my ancestors made a pact with Great Saint, and I am here today to fulfill that promise.”
Twenty thousand years later, Zhao Sheng once again beheld the Golden Crane Great Saint.
The Golden Crane Great Saint suddenly sat upright, its piercing gaze locked on Zhao Sheng, abruptly questioning, “Boy, what are you excited about? Hold on, you have seen me before! But why have I never seen you?”
On hearing this, Zhao Sheng felt a tremor, promptly bowing and saluting, respectfully saying, “Junior Zhao Sheng pays respects to Great Saint! Years ago, my ancestors…