Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1711 - 922: Refining the Thunder Tribulation Crystal, Serendipity at the Lakebed (Part 2)

At the critical juncture, a barrier of thick, unyielding cyan light manifested unexpectedly, forcefully repelling the incoming wave of crimson thunder.

Zhao Dianli was seated in a cross-legged posture at the very heart of the formation, enveloped by roiling fluctuations of mana. The Longevity Seal, suspended triumphantly above his head, emanated a spectacular display of spirit light.

More than just an artifact of great antiquity, the Longevity Seal served as the vital core for this Fourth-rank perpetual formation. So long as this Longevity Seal remained intact, Zhao Dianli was assured of absolute safety from any harm.

Within the confines of the Five Elements Cave Heaven, the formidable intensity of the Divinity Transformation Thunder Tribulation was diminished by a staggering eighty percent.

Even though each successive tier of the Divinity Transformation Thunder Tribulation presented an escalating level of ferocity and power, Zhao Dianli, shielded by ancient treasures and the robust Fourth-rank formation, successfully weathered the third stage of tribulation thunder. In doing so, he smoothly ascended, becoming a Divinity Transformation True Monarch.

As Zhao Dianli joyfully initiated his mysterious technique, striving to acclimate to the profound dual transformation of his physical body and nascent spirit, he remained entirely oblivious to the anomaly unfolding above the tribulation clouds.

The ominous tribulation clouds swiftly began to dissipate, and the residual thunderous power that permeated the void also experienced a dramatic weakening.

Precisely at this moment, a solitary figure materialized from thin air deep within the tribulation clouds. Instantly, an ethereal fluctuation of the Dao spread outwards.

In the briefest fraction of a second, the remaining tribulation clouds and the waning thunderous power were violently compressed into a singular, dense mass.

Zhao Sheng extended his hand, and a crimson crystal, roughly the size of a human head, hurtled towards him, landing precisely within his grasp in an instant.

This particular crimson crystal was none other than the exceedingly rare Thunder Tribulation Crystal Stone, an item possessing a value a hundred times greater than standard Principle Crystals.

Since the very establishment of the Five Elements Cave Heaven, countless individuals—thousands—had undergone tribulations and achieved breakthroughs. Many formed their Golden Cores, and hundreds reached the Nascent Soul stage. Yet, the number of those who successfully advanced to become Divinity Transformation True Monarchs was less than twenty.

It is a widely acknowledged fact that only from the Divinity Transformation Thunder Tribulation onwards does the possibility arise to forge Thunder Tribulation Crystal Stones, and even then, the probability of success is lamentably low.

In comparison to his peers within the Unification Realm, Zhao Sheng’s success rate in acquiring these crystals was astonishingly high. This was primarily attributed to his rigorous cultivation of the Five Elements Path and his exceptionally potent personal strength.

After securing the Thunder Tribulation Crystal Stone, Zhao Sheng inclined his head slightly. His gaze lingered on Zhao Dianli for a brief moment, a silent resolution forming within him to orchestrate a few strategic "chance encounters" for him in the times to come.

Possessing such exceptional innate talent and inherent qualities, how could he possibly not cultivate several potent Wood Element Divine Powers!

With that thought conceived, Zhao Sheng's form began to gradually fade, soon vanishing completely without leaving any trace.

...

The harshness of winter had long since passed, and the gentle arrival of spring heralded the reawakening of all life.

The Southwest Mountains, situated within the territory of Yu State, were already a spectacle of lush greenery, brimming with vibrant, lively energy.

On this particular day, a magnificent avian creature, resplendent and white as snow, pierced through the cloudy sky, gracefully descending towards the mountainous expanse below.

This majestic bird boasted wings that spanned an impressive seven to eight zhang, and upon its broad, powerful back, a graceful young maiden was perched.

The young lady was attired in a robe of goose-yellow, with a sphere of pure white treasure, about the size of a goose egg, hovering protectively above her head, encasing her within a shimmering light shield.

In a mere seven or eight breaths, the imposing bird transported the young maiden over the undulating peaks, arriving above a vast, expansive plain.

Hundreds of li were traversed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, the elegant young woman let out an exclamation and then gently patted the bird’s back, her voice carrying clearly as she instructed, "Da Bai, descend quickly now! Towards our destination, that lake below."“This… so many Thousand-year-old Green Spirit Grasses! And those… could it be the legendary Kanli True Water?” Zhao Zhuojun’s eyes widened with excitement as she gazed upon the plentiful spirit grasses. What further thrilled her were the droplets of Kanli True Water interspersed among the spirit grasses. Kanli True Water, known as “Yang Fire in Water,” is one of the legendary ten true waters, typically forming where sea abysses and fire converge. Its presence attracts countless masters in artifact refining and alchemy, as Kanli True Water can significantly boost the quality of magical treasures and spirit pills. Following her initial astonishment, Zhao Zhuojun became perplexed. This location was neither a confluence of water and fire nor a ten-thousand-feet sea abyss. It was merely an ordinary lake, albeit one with slightly denser spiritual energy, and seemingly incapable of nurturing Kanli True Water. Yet, at this lake's bottom, not only did numerous Thousand-year-old Green Spirit Grasses thrive, but there was also a considerable amount of Kanli True Water—an incredibly bizarre phenomenon. The scene unfolded beyond her comprehension. The more Zhao Zhuojun pondered, the more peculiar it seemed. Just then, a flash of inspiration struck as she recalled an ancient encounter her ancestor experienced in his youth. In his younger days, her ancestor had discovered several ancient scrolls and two ancient treasures at the bottom of an unnamed valley. This fortunate find propelled his rise, eventually leading him to become a high-cultivation Divinity Transformation True Monarch. “Could it be… my ‘mythical encounter’ has arrived?” Zhao Zhuojun, a mix of surprise and joy flooding her, hastily retrieved a sky-blue silk bag from her chest and cast it forward. After traveling several zhang, the sky-blue silk bag dramatically expanded to about four or five zhang in size. Then, the bag’s opening widened, unleashing an immense suction force, drawing the nearby scattered droplets of Kanli True Water into the silk bag. Simultaneously, the Sumeru Bag maneuvered, continuously absorbing the Kanli True Water. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhuojun, refraining from immediately collecting the Thousand-year-old Green Spirit Grass, extended her Divine Sense to meticulously survey the lake bottom. As time elapsed, the Kanli True Water was fully gathered. Zhao Zhuojun had by then examined most of the lake bottom, eventually identifying an anomaly. At the lake’s center lay an abyssal spring; the surrounding spiritual energy was exceptionally dense, occasionally mingling with a drop of Kanli True Water within the spring's flow. “It’s… here!” Zhao Zhuojun’s eyes blazed with brilliance as she promptly summoned the Three Yang Treasure Pearl and flung it into the spring eye. The treasure bead pierced through, instantly descending over a hundred zhang below the surface, making contact with something. Zhao Zhuojun’s gaze sharpened as she guided the Three Yang Treasure Pearl to retrieve the object. Moments later, the Three Yang Treasure Pearl re-emerged from the spring eye, accompanied by a golden bead roughly the size of a dragon’s eye. Zhao Zhuojun clasped the golden bead, her Divine Sense swiftly penetrating its interior. Hmm? Zhao Zhuojun was profoundly surprised, finding no discernible anomalies within the golden bead—it appeared to be an ordinary golden bead. No, it isn’t! She quickly detected surging spiritual energy, which rapidly formed a vortex around the golden bead, with the bead in her grasp at its core. Witnessing this display, Zhao Zhuojun suddenly recognized her immense fortune; this bead was undeniably extraordinary, very likely a legendary ancient treasure. With this realization, Zhao Zhuojun swiftly stowed the golden bead into her Sumeru Ring, then proceeded to the spirit grass clusters to commence harvesting the Thousand-year-old Green Spirit Grass one by one. Zhao Zhuojun’s mythical encounter had officially begun! In the future, this golden bead would bring her even greater, astonishing revelations. ... The vast Five Elements Cave Heaven holds numerous individuals like Zhao Zhuojun who have chanced upon Dao Golden Pearls. Among those with profound cultivation, such as Zhao Yu Yan, who has attained the Primordial Spirit stage, he has already perceived the Tao True Text concealed within these golden beads. Furthermore, he acquired a unique cultivation technique known as the Earth Veins Gathering Spirit Formula. These Dao Golden Pearls are dispersed across the five continents: Yu, Qing, Yun, You, and Yue, with the Yu State possessing the largest concentration. However, the Hongzhou and Mingzhou continents are primarily inhabited by demon clans and are almost entirely devoid of Dao Golden Pearls. All these circumstances were meticulously arranged by Zhao Sheng, with the underlying reasons needing no further elaboration.Having planted the seeds, all that remained was for him to wait patiently, and in time, a bountiful harvest would surely follow. Zhao Sheng, in truth, held no concern regarding the ownership of the Dao Golden Pearls. His entire focus was consumed by deciphering the True Text and closely observing the workings of the Cave Heaven Laws. Even with two avatars making repeated journeys back to the Cave Heaven, he could only allocate a mere two wisps of his spirit to assimilate the 'memories' conveyed by their returns.