Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1636 - 88: Gangsha Star Order and the Elders Gather at the Ancestor Hall
Previously on Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension...
Right then, Qi Ye swiftly rose to his feet and rushed to the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord’s side, bowing as he whispered a few words.
The Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord gave a faint nod before turning to gaze at Zhao Sheng.
Qi Ye waved his hands in excitement, yelling, "Senior Nameless, hurry over!"
That yell instantly drew all eyes toward Zhao Sheng.
Zhao Sheng gave a light tap on the ground, his figure soaring elegantly, covering more than ten yards in a blink and landing right across from the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord.
A gleam sparked in the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord’s eyes, prompting him to view Zhao Sheng with greater respect.
"I am Zhao Wuming; I greet the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord!" Zhao Sheng clasped his hands, standing tall without arrogance or servility.
The term "Star Lord" made a flicker of astonishment cross the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord’s features.
For in this era, nearly 200,000 years on, scarce few recalled that the Gangsha Star Lord had once borne the title of "Star Lord."
From that single phrase alone, the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord realized the man before him possessed a remarkable heritage, forcing him to discard his remaining disdain.
"Little Qi mentioned you seek to exchange for a Gangsha Star Token?" The Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord eyed Zhao Sheng carefully, inquiring with deep thought.
"Correct!" Zhao Sheng affirmed with a nod, abruptly pulling a crystal-clear, palm-sized Jade Purifying Bottle from his robes.
"Here’s the treasure I’ve brought; please inspect it, Star Lord."
With those words, Zhao Sheng extended the Jade Purifying Bottle.
The Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord accepted the Jade Purifying Bottle, erasing the seal at its mouth via his divine sense, as a thread of starlight emerged from his fingers and slithered into the vessel like a living serpent.
In the instant that followed, surprise lit up the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord’s expression: "Ninety-nine varieties of Heavenly Gang Pure Spirit Qi? Truly rare, exceedingly rare!"
Zhao Sheng offered a silent smile; backed by the Zhao Family of the Ten Lands that ruled over ten domains, gathering Qi from Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends posed no challenge!
The Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord promptly stowed the Jade Purifying Bottle, joyfully unfastening an odd-shaped star pendant from his belt and passing it to Zhao Sheng.
Zhao Sheng grasped the star pendant, sensing its icy chill and the majestic, otherworldly pulse of laws radiating from it.
Starlight flared, reshaping the peculiar pendant into a pristine bone token, bearing "Gangsha" etched on the front and a cosmic expanse of primordial stars on the reverse.
Suddenly, nearby Immortal Ruins Guests who had been strolling about froze in shock, crying out: "Ah, that’s... the Gangsha Star Token!"
Once more, that outcry thrust Zhao Sheng into the spotlight of every gaze.
The Gangsha Star Token symbolized the Gangsha Immortal Monarch, cherished for its scarcity and immense value. Its bearer qualified for the Star Lord trials, where the ultimate winner could seize the Star Lord throne.
The Gangsha Star Lord stands eternal and indestructible, lifespan matching the heavens, virtually an Immortal in essence.
These Immortal Ruins Guests, mere mortal cultivators from lower worlds, how could they ignore the temptation of becoming a Star Lord, ready to spare no cost?
Witnessing another soul claim a Gangsha Star Token straight from the Star Lord’s grasp, the onlooking Immortal Ruins Guests burned with jealousy and bitterness, yearning to slay him on the spot and seize the token.
Truth be told, Zhao Sheng held no desire for the "Gangsha Star Lord" role; he prized the Gangsha Star Token’s hidden utilities.
Beyond mere status, the Gangsha Star Token wielded wondrous powers like divination, pinpointing positions, and warding against disappearance.
In his eyes, the Gangsha Star Lord and Divine Beast Envoy were alike—mere toys and "God Descent Containers" for a pair of Fallen Immortals.
Securing ninety-nine kinds of Heavenly Gang Pure Spirit Qi, the Heavenly Mechanism Star Lord itched to rush back to the Star Palace and refine them.
Lingering held no appeal; he muttered a few casual remarks before dissolving into starlight and departing in haste.
Observing this, Zhao Sheng promptly "logged off" right there, denying anyone further opportunity.
...
Time races like a galloping steed through a narrow gap, vanishing without trace.
Fifty years sped past, and resonant, crystalline bell tolls echoed once more across the Divine Continent’s firmament.
Years later, the Ancestor Hall swung open its doors again, as Returning to Void Realm elders streamed in one after another, assembling within the ancestral main hall.
With time marching on, seventy-eight Zhao Family Returning to Void Realm elders successively reached the Ancestor Hall.
As noon drew near, Zhao Sheng abruptly materialized in the plaza before the Ancestor Hall, then strode straight into the main hall.
His entry into the main hall drew the eyes of dozens of earlier-arrived Returning to Void Realm elders, who showed a range of expressions—indifferent, surprised, curious, indifferent, delighted, friendly, and more.
Zhao Sheng swept a composed gaze over the crowd, swiftly identifying numerous familiar faces.
Zhao Changying, Zhao Xuan Yu, Zhao Tianyi, Zhao Chongjing, Zhao Xuan Ye... all of them had arrived!
Spotting Zhao Sheng, Zhao Changying waved first and shouted, "Chonghe, over here!"
Zhao Sheng grinned and flickered instantly to Zhao Changying’s side.
The Peak Master of Hundred Refinement Peak, Zhao Xuan Yu, stood nearby at that moment. With their strong bond, they naturally clustered close.
Zhao Xuan Yu scanned Zhao Sheng from top to bottom, astonishment etched on his face.
"Brother Changying, Brother Xuan Yu, long time no see!"
Zhao Sheng hailed them one by one, then dove into friendly chatter.
Next, Zhao Tianyi, Zhao Chongjing, Zhao Xuan Ye, and others moved toward Zhao Sheng.
These three acted like the heart of a raging typhoon, pulling every gaze toward them without pause.
In particular, Returning Void Elders who had merely heard tales of the First Daoist but never laid eyes on him brimmed with intense curiosity about his "legendary" ascent.
Whatever agendas lurked in their hearts, everyone strived to get on good terms with Zhao Sheng.
Soon enough, the entire group encircled Zhao Sheng, but he stayed perfectly relaxed, bantering and laughing freely with them.
Across the vast hall, Zhao Dingji sidled up quietly to a youth in simple robes, of plain features and modest air, and scoffed, "Hmph, Brother Luo Mo, look at that guy’s ’phony’ act, it’s really annoying."
Zhao Dingji counted among the lesser Daoists, having broken into Returning to Void Realm under a century ago, his power outmatched solely by the three premier Returning to Void Daoists.
Prior to Zhao Sheng’s "acknowledgment of ancestors and return to the clan," the whole clan hailed Zhao Luo Mo as its top Daoist.
Zhao Luo Mo boasted prodigious talent and perception, grasping the Refining God Technique at age one, forming a natural foundation building by three, hitting Golden Core Great Success at just twenty, and even gaining favor from an Ancient Spiritual Treasure.
At slightly over a hundred years, he shattered three realms in one explosive day, vaulting directly into Returning to Void Realm.
Right after his birth, various Returning Void Elders declared him a Demoted Immortal reincarnated, bound for Daytime Ascension and set to glorify the Zhao Family across millennia.
Though an ancestor later debunked those tales in person, plenty of elders clung to the belief that Zhao Luo Mo held innate genius, marking him as at least a "born saint" from clan records, one emerging every thousand years—even absent Demoted Immortal rebirth.
To this day, scant few in the Zhao clan fathom the full scope of Zhao Luo Mo’s cultivation level.
Numerous Returning Void Elders guess that Zhao Luo Mo has hit Returning to Void Great Perfection and stands ready to forge a Grotto Heaven, endure Crossing Tribulation, and achieve Integration anytime.
Zhao Luo Mo shot him a look and replied coolly, "Dingji, remember to be prudent! This is not your Xing Dou Palace."
Zhao Dingji grumbled softly despite himself, "But... Brother Luo Mo, you obviously deserve to be the first Daoist. That guy somehow won over the three ancestors and took your place. I feel it’s so unfair for you!"
Zhao Luo Mo ignored the bait entirely, just offering a faint smile. "The title of the first Daoist is merely nominal. Yielding it makes no difference! We cultivators should prioritize Ascension; everything else is transient like passing clouds."
Zhao Dingji went rigid, poised to say more.
Yet right then, Second Ancestor Zhao Hongyun and Third Ancestor Zhao Dashan suddenly manifested atop the grand hall.
The sight of the two ancestors prompted the cluster of Returning Void Elders to bow hastily in homage.
"No need for such formalities!" Second Ancestor Zhao Hongyun declared with a kind smile, gazing fondly over the assembly.
With those words, Zhao Hongyun went on calmly, "Do you know why I gathered you today?"
"We do not know!" the elders answered respectfully together.
A fleeting thought crossed Zhao Sheng's mind as he eyed the flushed Zhao Hongyun: "This fellow could be close to breaking through!"
Zhao Hongyun turned to Third Ancestor Zhao Dashan before declaring, "Zhao Mingzhe's lifespan draws to a close, and in no more than ten years, he'll pass away. We've called you here today to choose the successor for Lord of the Eternal Night Grotto Heaven."
In total, the Ten Lands Zhao Clan controls six Grotto Heavens. Besides the ancestor and the third ancestor, the Eternal Night and Wu Lei Grotto Heavens stand among them.
Some 130,000 years back, the Eternal Night Grotto Heaven came into being as a gift from Ancestor Wu Guang—Zhao Xuanjing's old comrade—right before his own passing.
Over these 130,000 years, nine lineages have succeeded in the Eternal Night Grotto Heaven, and Zhao Mingzhe now serves as its ninth Lord.
In the vast All Heavens and Universes, Returning to Void Realm cultivators who take over prior Grotto Heavens gain power rivaling the Unification Realm, yet their lives remain unchanged in length.
Furthermore, inheriting a Grotto Heaven cuts off any further path in cultivation; no Heavenly Tribulation can be called, blocking ascent to the Unification Realm.
With Zhao Mingzhe's end approaching fast, the Eternal Night Grotto Heaven will soon lack a master, prompting the two ancestors to rally the Returning Void Elders in the Ancestor Hall.
Though they had foreseen this moment, the second ancestor's announcement shook the Dao hearts of most Returning Void Elders, their expressions revealing thrill and anticipation.
Zhao Hongyun paused, allowing the shocking revelation to sink in, then casually proclaimed, "Per the ancestor's ancient rules, the Grotto Heaven Lord post demands full consensus. So, stick to tradition... one vote per person, time to vote!"
Voting?!
Settling a matter this crucial by vote!
Credit where due, Zhao Xuanjing sure knew how to innovate with this "straightforward and equitable" approach.
No sooner had his words landed than Zhao Dashan flicked his sleeve, unleashing seventy-eight golden rays toward the assembly.
All the elders lifted hands to seize the golden beams, which faded into sheets of golden silk.
With a resounding thud, Zhao Dashan set down a bronze incense burner and boomed, "Who's first?"
Hearing this, the group exchanged glances, but no one moved ahead.
Noticing the hesitation, Zhao Hongyun clapped Zhao Dashan's shoulder with a grin: "Third Brother, hold on! Let's grant the young ones an hour to deliberate before they submit and tally their choices."
With that, Zhao Hongyun whisked Zhao Dashan away, disappearing in an instant.
The second ancestor's departure ignited the hall's ambiance into fervent buzz.
Soon enough, Divine Thoughts wove through the space like a thick web.
Each Returning Void Elder eyeing the Grotto Heaven Lord seat hustled to rally fellow elders' backing and snag their votes.
Not all were drawn in, though. Besides Zhao Sheng, Zhao Luo Mo, and kin, early Returning to Void Realm juniors like Zhao Dingji plus some fading senior elders stepped back on purpose, biding for the best offer.
All told, roughly twenty Returning Void Elders joined the fray for "Grotto Heaven Lord."
Throughout, Zhao Sheng faced a barrage of overtures—not just pleas from longtime allies like Zhao Tianyi and Zhao Changying, but lavish vows from fresh acquaintances too.
Their "pledges" left Zhao Sheng unmoved, yet he avoided slighting them rashly. Swiftly, he picked his candidate.
The hour zipped past, bringing Zhao Hongyun and Zhao Dashan back to the Ancestor Hall.
Zhao Hongyun wasted no words, straight-up declaring, "Time's nearly gone! Vote away."
His voice barely faded when twin golden streaks zipped lightning-fast into the bronze burner.
Zhao Sheng's gaze sharpened; he gave a nod to distant Zhao Luo Mo.
Next, more than fifty additional golden gleams soared forth, dropping one by one into the tripod.
Even now, eighteen Returning Void Elders in the hall held back their votes.
Zhao Hongyun's brow creased faintly as his eyes settled on those eighteen, silently activating the Observing Fortune Technique.
