Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1693 - 908: Gravitational Tides Rise, Meteorite Swarm Suddenly Appears

Time swiftly passes, transforming black hair into strands of white; the rain ceases, the clouds part, and suddenly, the world is remade.

Decades have elapsed, and the Heavenly Will Square remains a desolate marketplace. Pedestrians hasten by, yet no one spares a glance for this venerable treasure shop, tucked away amidst the throng.

On this particular day, Gu Hong, the esteemed Palace Master of the Four Seas Palace, once again graces the Heavenly Will Square with her presence.

"Sister Zhen’er, do you not find it lonely, guarding this Heavenly Will Square for such an extended period?" Gu Hong gazes at the alluring Zhao Zhongzhen, her kind words laced with a persistent plea.

Zhao Zhongzhen remains unfazed by the enticement, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Sister Hong, you tease. I committed a past transgression, and it is already a immense blessing to be entrusted with guarding this shop now; I dare not harbor further desires."

Gu Hong’s gaze darts, and she abruptly lowers her voice. "Why not endeavor to persuade Manager Mu? I am aware that Manager Mu is held in high esteem by your employer. Should he be swayed, perhaps he could influence your employer’s decision."

Zhao Zhongzhen’s eyes shift subtly, her attention keenly focused on the Divinity Transformation female cultivator before her, refraining from continuing the discussion.

Witnessing this, Gu Hong cannot help but feel a pang of defeat.

Over the course of more than twenty years, her attempts had been numerous, yet each one had concluded in failure.

With the apocalypse looming, the Human Clan desperately requires formidable powerhouses to confront the impending cataclysm.

Within the Heavenly Will Square, there exist three "experts" whose profound depths even she cannot fathom, a fact that leaves Gu Hong both astonished and deeply intrigued.

Observing Zhao’s continued reluctance, Gu Hong swiftly pivots to another strategy, probing, "I wish to meet with the workshop’s owner. I implore you to convey my request, Sister Zhen’er."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhongzhen first casts a furtive glance at Mu Zha behind the counter, then gently shakes her head. "I dare not disturb the ancestor," she murmurs softly. "Sister Gu, rather than asking me, you might as well approach Manager Mu directly."

As she speaks, Zhao Zhongzhen harbors a silent smirk; how could she possibly be ignorant of the other’s true intentions?

At this precise moment, several gazes, whether by design or by chance, fall upon the duo.

Even though Gu Hong had modulated her voice, how could her words escape the keen senses of those present?

Furthermore, her actions seemed deliberate; otherwise, she would have resorted to Divine Thought transmission.

Zhao Hualin observes from a distance, his expression devoid of emotion.

Zhao Changyong and Zhao Yue Ru feign preoccupation, meticulously arranging treasures on the shelves, their ears acutely attuned to the ongoing exchange.

Behind the counter, Mu Zha sits cross-legged upon a chair, his head bowed low, appearing to be in a deep slumber.

Gu Hong surveys the conduct of each individual, her smile gradually fading.

After a moment of deliberation, she decisively strides towards the counter.

Reaching the counter in mere steps, she tentatively calls out, "Manager Mu, please awaken. I have a matter of inquiry."

Mu Zha stirs as if "startled" and fixes his gaze upon the irritating woman before him. With evident impatience, he exclaims, "Pesky spirit, what is it you desire now?"

Gu Hong feels a profound sense of injustice. In her nearly two millennia of existence, no one had ever dared to address her as a "troublesome spirit" directly to her face.

For the sake of the greater cause, Gu Hong stifles her inner displeasure and states with utmost sincerity, "Manager Mu, I wish for an audience with the workshop’s owner. I hope you will convey my request."

"The old man is not present. Return another time!" Mu Zha waves his hand dismissively, unequivocally denying her plea.

Gu Hong desires to utter further words of entreaty, but upon meeting Mu Zha’s impassive gaze, she inexplicably finds herself silenced.

Only upon exiting the Heavenly Will Square does Gu Hong’s mind clear, only to be seized by terror as she realizes she is now outside.

She whirls around abruptly, observing that the doors of the Heavenly Will Square are firmly shut, having explicitly barred her entry.

Gu Hong is consumed by unwillingness, yet the courage to knock upon the door has utterly deserted her.

After pacing back and forth before the entrance for a considerable duration, the sole other Divinity Transformation female cultivator in this domain finally departs in profound disappointment, dissolving into a streak of light.

...

Half a day later, a sleek, obsidian-black super-floating fortress, extending ten thousand feet in length, hovers at an altitude of eighty thousand miles above the Fuping Continent.

Gu Hong navigates swiftly through the internal passage, arriving within a vast and empty hall.

At this juncture, seven or eight Divinity Transformation True Monarchs are already awaiting within the hall.

Upon perceiving Gu Hong’s solitary return, everyone promptly rises to greet her.

Once Gu Hong has assumed her seat, an elder, characterized by a bald head, bare feet, and a weather-beaten visage, clad in a raincoat, inquires with evident concern, "Senior Gu, did it prove successful?"

The aged man garbed in a raincoat bore the appearance of a seasoned fisherman, his life seemingly etched by the sea. Yet, his true standing was the Lord of Ten Thousand Islands, presiding over an immense dominion of over nine thousand spirit islands within the South Sea. Within the grand tapestry of the Cultivation World, he was revered as the 'South Sea Old Immortal,' a formidable being whose might hovered around the Divinity Transformation Third Level. His unique Dragon Fishing Divine Power allowed him to stand peerless in the world.

Gu Hong, her head subtly shaking, articulated in a deep tone, "The proprietor of the Heavenly Will Square has adamantly refused to meet with me. Despite three consecutive attempts, all have ended in failure, much to the disappointment of all my fellow Daoists."

Upon hearing this, a burly man, who carried a pair of formidable bronze double maces, let out a disdainful snort. "Hmph, I've trod the Sea Treasure Road countless times, yet I've never laid eyes upon this so-called Heavenly Will Square. Palace Master Gu, does this Heavenly Will Square truly exist? Or is it merely a fabrication of your own making?"

Gu Hong's eyebrows instantly shot upwards at this remark, her voice laced with icy displeasure as she questioned, "Yao Chong, are you daring to doubt my words?"

This burly man, Yao Chong, had only achieved Divinity Transformation less than a century prior. His cultivation base was the most nascent among the gathered practitioners, and as such, he dared not provoke Gu Hong, the Palace Master of the Four Seas Palace, who stood at the mid-stage of Divinity Transformation.

Yao Chong immediately clasped his hands together, offering a flurry of apologies.

Gu Hong's expression softened slightly, and a measure of the heavy burden on her heart seemed to lift.

At this precise moment, Lu Haichao, the exalted Sect Leader of the World Crossing Sect, interjected with an expression of profound surprise. "Decades ago, I experienced a most peculiar event. That day..."

In the presence of the other Divinity Transformation True Monarchs, Lu Haichao proceeded to recount his bizarre experience in meticulous detail.

"Back then, when I eventually regained consciousness, I was utterly astonished to find the tea still pleasantly warm. However, every soul had vanished. Who could have possibly visited and departed so swiftly? My mind was a complete void, utterly incapable of recalling any details."

Gu Hong listened with rapt attention, and without a moment's hesitation, exclaimed, "It must undoubtedly be the Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop!"

Lu Haichao inclined his head, a wry smile gracing his lips. "I surmised the same. The Heavenly Intent Workshop is situated within Gaoya City. Coincidentally, I was in seclusion within the city during that period. Apart from this enigmatic Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop, there simply could not be any other individual possessing such formidable skills."

Among the assembled Divinity Transformation True Monarchs, Nongri Divine Monarch, the most senior, spoke with a contemplative air. "If that is the case, it is highly probable that this individual originates not from our own realm. Might they hail from the Upper Realm?"

Gu Hong nodded subtly, her voice ringing out with conviction. "Senior Nongri's deduction is exceptionally sound. I have personally witnessed numerous artifacts within the Heavenly Intent Workshop that clearly do not belong to this realm. This strongly suggests that this person indeed hails from the Outerworld."

The moment these words were uttered, a strikingly handsome Divinity Transformation True Monarch, known for his gentle demeanor, suddenly brought his palm down as if struck by a sudden realization. "Precisely so. The return of the Mount-bearing Dragon Turtle is imminent, and the Sea God is poised to awaken from his ageless slumber. Witnessing the apocalyptic catastrophe resurfacing after millennia, it stands to reason that an outsider would suddenly descend upon the Red Sea Realm."

The doomsday catastrophe, far from being merely a destructive cataclysm that endangers all life, also represents a monumental opportunity that emerges only once every ten thousand years.

It is a recurring pattern that, almost invariably, whenever such a catastrophe looms, cultivators from alien realms occasionally make their descent into this very realm.

These potent beings not only engage in mutually beneficial exchanges with the repatriating Star Sky Human Clan but also seize the opportune moment to board the legendary Divine Ship, the Mount-bearing Dragon Turtle, renowned for its capability to 'traverse star domains.'

Nongri Divine Monarch, his brow furrowed in confusion, posed a probing question. "According to the accounts of Nidao You, the Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop should not be evading us. After all, we are practitioners of the Divinity Transformation Realm. Surely this individual comprehends the substantial benefits of cooperation?"

"Unless, of course, the cultivation level of this Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop far surpasses our current estimations, potentially reaching the level of a Demi Immortal in the Returning to Void Realm."

Lu Haichao, Gu Hong, the South Sea Old Immortal, and the others present voiced their unanimous concurrence.

They were all in complete agreement, viewing the Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop as a high-ranking Demi Immortal from the Upper Realm, naturally inspiring a profound sense of awe within them.

However, their collective assessment still fell significantly short of grasping the true, unfathomable power possessed by the Heavenly Intent Workshop.

Indeed, there was absolutely no necessity for Zhao Sheng and Mu Zha to even lift a finger; Zhao Hualin alone possessed the capability to effortlessly annihilate every single Divinity Transformation True Monarch present.

While Gu Hong and the others were diligently engaged in discussions concerning stratagems to entice the Master of the Heavenly Intent Workshop, they remained blissfully unaware that the very master they sought had already departed from the confines of the Red Sea Realm.

...

Rumble, rumble...

The surface of the Sun presents itself as an immense, boundless, flowing Sea of Fire, far beyond mortal comprehension.

It burns and erupts ceaselessly, with innumerable tongues of flame rocketing millions of miles skyward from its surface, unleashing dazzling light and infernos equivalent to trillions of stars.

Vortices resembling flares erupt across the Great Sun's surface, flickering with bursts of light and darkness, akin to the celestial body breathing.

This is a nexus of destruction and rebirth, ancient beyond the galaxy, weightier than time itself, embodying the ultimate, tangible evolution of the Fire Dao.

At this moment, within the solar prominence layer, tens of thousands of miles from the Great Sun's surface, a colossal bronze mirror, ten thousand miles in diameter with an incredibly smooth exterior, was suspended.

The mirror's reverse side resembled undulating mountain ranges, from which, surprisingly, a majestic, towering Ancient Bronze Tree grew, encircled by these peaks.

This Ancient Tree radiated a brilliant Divine Light, its profound Law Fluctuations rippling through the surrounding void.

Zhao Sheng sat cross-legged atop the tree's crown, remaining unmoving for an extended period.

While appearing as still as a statue, his consciousness had already merged with the Kong Sang Treasure Mirror, utilizing its power to amplify his Divine Thought tenfold, allowing it to encompass the billion-mile Sea of Fire below.

Suddenly, the mirror's surface flared intensely, followed by streams of Flowing Light ascending from the Fire Sea beneath.

Within these Light streams were numerous 'Mu Zha' entities.

The Flowing Light surged upward, rapidly traversing tens of thousands of miles of void before swiftly entering the mirror's surface, disappearing from view.

A moment later, Mu Zha reappeared from the highest bronze branches, bearing a substantial collection of treasures.

"Master, behold! I have discovered an abundance of more treasures. Observe... this enormous piece is pure Sun Gold Essence... and this cluster of Golden Crow Divine Fire has already begun its transformation into Eternal Divine Flame, exceedingly rare... Furthermore, look at this Star Core, which encapsulates nine distinct Destruction Law Fluctuations..."

Mu Zha fluttered gleefully towards Zhao Sheng, showcasing the gathered treasures with exaggerated gestures.

Zhao Sheng opened his eyes, his gaze drifting over the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures birthed from the Great Sun's depths, causing subtle undulations in his previously tranquil Heart Lake.

His attention abruptly settled upon a piece of enigmatic black carapace.

This carapace measured seven to eight zhang across, with an average thickness exceeding three feet, its edges irregular, clearly a fragment broken off from a larger shell.

Remarkably, this carapace possessed an inherent high-capacity force field, requiring no external support and remaining self-suspended in the air.

The absence of life, and the unknown number of years since its former owner's demise, made this inherent stability even more astonishing.

Even now, this carapace maintained an exceedingly stable high-capacity force field, a testament to its owner having been an exceptionally formidable being during life.

Zhao Sheng's heart stirred. He drew the carapace closer, effortlessly penetrating its high-capacity force field, his Divine Thought seeping into the carapace like flowing mercury.

Upon a thorough examination, he was astounded to find its interior densely packed with countless complex patterns, strikingly reminiscent of Tao True Texts.

It was perhaps possible that these intricate, interwoven patterns were merely a variant form of certain Tao True Texts!

Zhao Sheng closed his eyes, his thoughts surging like rising tides, an uncountable number of Tao True Texts appearing one after another within his mind.

Several breaths later, he suddenly reopened his eyes, a hint of astonishment visible in his gaze.

Through careful comparison, he identified seven Tao True Texts that shared over ninety-nine percent similarity with the patterns found inside the carapace.

Among these seven Tao True Texts, three were associated with the Earth Dao, two leaned towards the Fire Dao, one pertained to the Water Element, and the final one was an exceptionally rare True Text of Power.

Gazing at the black carapace hovering in mid-air, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Zhao Sheng, leading him to contemplate the possible identity of its former owner.