Previously on Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension...
After twelve years in the Taiyi Spirit Realm, Zhao Sheng's avatars visited numerous Immortal Ruins markets, encountering diverse races like the Giants, Sea Spirits, and Ancient Witches. He followed a Red-eyed Spirit Clan member to the Red Sea Realm, a vast ocean planet. There, he joined a group traveling on a colossal Mount-bearing Dragon Turtle, led by the Xuanyu Sea Clan's Third Princess, Guerhai Mingzhu, to learn about the realm.
An overwhelmingly oppressive aura, belonging to a colossal existence, saturated the atmosphere, to the point where it nearly suffocated any observers. The cultivators of the Spirit Clan, however, seemed entirely unfazed by this, accustomed as they were to such phenomena. They paid no mind to the colossal, crimson sun slowly ascending and continued with their respective duties.
Zhao Sheng emerged from the palace, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the unimaginably vast "sun." Ancient texts spoke of the Great Sun as seemingly eternal, yet even it was destined to meet its end one day. The heavens themselves delineate cycles of "formation, persistence, decay, and emptiness," and the Great Sun, just like Lesser Suns, Suns, Old Suns, and Final Suns, undergoes these stages from its genesis to its eventual demise.
Once, the theory known as the "Golden Crow Eternal Sun Theory" posited: "The Old Sun dims, its radiance akin to blood!" In the present moment, witnessing the blood-red Great Sun adorning the sky, Zhao Sheng at last grasped the true essence of that statement.
At this juncture, his comprehension of the Fire Dao experienced yet another profound deepening.
...
In what felt like an instant, half a month elapsed. The Humpbacked Mountain Turtle had traversed a vast expanse of ocean, covering close to a million miles. It now hovered just over thirty thousand miles away from the Fuping Continent.
Sensing their destination was within immediate reach, Zhao Sheng discreetly placed an imprint within the Guerhai Mingzhu before quietly taking his leave.
...
Situated in the southwestern region of the Fuping Continent lay a sprawling metropolis known as Gaoya City, perched beside the sea. This city was erected upon a precipice of a sea cliff, standing a thousand feet high. Its formidable walls rivaled mountains in thickness, and the external fortifications bore the marks and scars of countless brutal conflicts, stained with layers of mottled, dried blood.
Beneath the towering cliff, the rocky terrain was densely littered with bones, remnants of both the Human and Spirit Clans, but predominantly, the skeletal remains of various formidable sea beasts. Amidst these bone piles, shattered weapons and fragments of discarded magical artifacts lay strewn about in such abundance that no one paid them any heed.
As midday approached, the sun's hue transitioned from its earlier crimson to a brilliant white, casting a stark illumination upon the city's thoroughfares.
At this moment, Zhao Sheng, his appearance altered through disguise to that of an ordinary young cultivator, ambled along an avenue paved with Water Cloud Stone. While proceeding, he casually surveyed the array of shops and the multitude of pedestrians populating either side of the street.
Concurrently, his Divine Thought unfurled like an encroaching tide, silently encompassing the immense city, which stretched for nearly a hundred miles in expanse.
After a brief interval, Zhao Sheng's eyebrows subtly arched, a flicker of an unreadable emotion crossing his eyes.
In the subsequent moment, he dissolved into the throng of people, vanishing without leaving the slightest trace.
Thump, thump, thump...
Accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps, a young man of unremarkable appearance soon entered from the exterior.
The hall within was remarkably capacious, almost entirely devoid of furnishings save for a single Coral Jade Table, approximately three feet in length, positioned at the far end. Upon this table rested an incense burner, from which carbonyl red smoke drifted in ethereal wisps.
Through the swirling incense, Zhao Sheng perceived a black-robed elder, his hair snow-white yet his visage possessing a striking handsomeness. He was seated cross-legged upon a bamboo mat behind the Jade Table. His eyes seemed simultaneously open and closed, and behind him, a colossal Mystic Turtle, tens of feet in height, materialized. The turtle’s head bore a resemblance to a Dragon Serpent, its broad lower jaw accentuated by two long, flowing dragon whiskers.
Based on the Dharma Image of this Dragon Turtle, it was undeniable that this individual was a Divinity Transformation True Monarch, likely situated at the Fifth or Sixth Layer of the Divinity Transformation Realm. During his observations over the preceding days, Zhao Sheng had concluded that this entity's might placed him among the elite within the Red Sea Realm; indeed, there were scarcely any cultivators at the Divinity Transformation Realm spirit level even within the Sea Spirit Clan itself.
The instant Zhao Sheng crossed the threshold, the black-robed elder's eyes snapped open, fixing him with an intense gaze. Simultaneously, a flurry of mana fluctuations erupted from the surrounding walls, and multiple layers of shimmering, multi-hued barriers spontaneously materialized, effectively sealing the entire chamber.
"Esteemed Daoist friend, is it not contrary to the unwritten laws of the cultivation world to intrude upon my Dao Field without prior announcement?"
Zhao Sheng clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "This humble one is new to your esteemed domain and remains ignorant of the local conventions governing the cultivation world. I implore your forgiveness, esteemed Daoist friend."
For a being possessing his status as an Integration Realm Great Power to exhibit such profound humility was truly a sight to behold.
The black-robed elder's expression softened slightly, and he promptly rose and returned the respectful salute. Despite his outwardly stern demeanor, a current of unease ran through him, stemming from his inability to discern the visitor's cultivation level throughout their entire encounter. Had the other party not chosen to reveal themselves, he would not have detected their presence at all. The less one understood about an opponent's origins, the more formidable they invariably appeared!
Before uttering another word, the black-robed elder exercised extreme caution.
"This elder is Lu Haichao, the current Supreme Elder of the World Crossing Sect. May I know the esteemed name of the fellow Daoist?"
"My surname is Zhao, but I will not reveal my full name. I have been traversing this realm recently and am quite intrigued by its history and hidden secrets. Thus, I dared to intrude, hoping to glean some information from Daoist Lu."
Zhao Sheng spoke with deference, yet an inherent aura of dominance emanated from him.
Lu Haichao, inwardly startled, promptly produced a complete set of table and chairs, not neglecting to offer Zhao Sheng a seat.
Zhao Sheng stepped forward and confidently took a seat on the Coral Jade Chair, quietly observing his counterpart as he poured tea.
After attending to his tasks, Lu Haichao’s mind gradually settled, and he began to arrange his thoughts.
"To be candid, we here in the Red Sea Realm extend a warm welcome to external cultivators wishing to reside. Our cultivation world has consistently upheld the tenet of 'embracing diversity for greater potential through unity.'
Should fellow Daoist be contemplating establishing a residence here, there is no need to fear ostracization from the cultivators of this realm. However, one principle must be kept in mind: whether friend or foe, their intentions can differ!
Furthermore, as cultivators, we must abstain from interfering in mortal affairs, disrupting the natural order of mortals, or engaging in wanton slaughter of mortals. Given our realm’s modest population, senseless killing only serves to deplete one’s Qi Fortune."
"I appreciate your explanation. However, what I truly wish to know is the true nature of the Sea God that the Sea Spirit Clan venerates?" Zhao Sheng asked directly:
