Previously on Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension...
Zhao Sheng glimpsed nine possible futures, ranging from his own demise to widespread devastation and even ascension. The visions left him contemplating the efficacy of his cultivation techniques and the path forward. Meanwhile, seven hundred years passed, during which the Heavenly Alliance rose to dominance under the True Monarch of Heavenly Destiny, and a new Dragon Emperor emerged, leading to widespread conflict.
For six long months, the Dragon Emperor's Sea Demon Army waged a campaign of destruction across the southeastern coast, like a biblical plague devastating numerous cultivation sects and families.
It was only after this half-year period that the Dragon Emperor finally conquered the Fubo Sect, the most formidable power in the Southeast Cultivation World, a feat that sent shockwaves throughout the entire Jingguang Continent. Myriad cultivators abandoned their posts in fear, making a desperate exodus from the eastern shores.
Yet, in an unexpected turn of events, the Dragon Emperor and his forces vanished without a trace following the Fubo Sect's subjugation.
Speculation ran rampant regarding the whereabouts of the Dragon Emperor's army. Some posited that the Dragon Emperor had retreated to the vast ocean, intending to return to the continent after a period of recuperation. Others whispered that this stealthy withdrawal might signal a more significant, clandestine plot brewing in the shadows.
Regardless of the theories, the Dragon Emperor remained conspicuously absent.
Consequently, in the ensuing months, various cultivation powers across the Jingguang Continent adopted a defensive posture, consolidating their forces and maintaining a state of heightened vigilance against any potential resurgence from the Dragon Emperor.
Barely half a month later, a colossal wave of sea beasts surged inland along the White Dragon River, initiating what appeared to be a large-scale invasion.
On this occasion, the Eight Sceneries Sect, the dominant Overlord-level force of the Jingguang Continent, responded with swiftness, deploying seven Daoist Soldier Corps upon the sea beasts' advance.
Under the command of several Nascent Soul Ancestors, these Daoist Soldier Corps launched a decisive ambush against the sea beasts' vanguard in Kui Ling Gorge, successfully repelling the horde and halting their advance below the treacherous pass.
While the attention of numerous cultivation factions was riveted to the fierce battle raging at Kui Ling Gorge, ominous dark clouds abruptly gathered above the Heavenly Alliance headquarters on Wensheng Mountain. Lightning split the sky, accompanied by peals of thunder, heralding the onset of a torrential downpour.
At this very moment, within a serene pavilion atop Wensheng Mountain, an elder of distinguished bearing observed the turbulent sky, his brow furrowed with concern.
"...The oppressive clouds loom, a harbinger of impending chaos; the storm is nigh, and the mountain is engulfed! Today, the celestial omens have shifted dramatically, a palpable aura of tribulation permeating the air. I pray my fears are unfounded... Alas." The old Taoist sighed deeply, then turned his gaze to a middle-aged scholar adorned in white robes and a jade crown, inquiring, "Mr. Zhou, has the alliance leader emerged from seclusion?"
The middle-aged scholar responded with solemnity, clasping his hands in a formal salute, "Reporting to the Vice Alliance Hierarch, the Master has not yet emerged."
The old Taoist, whose secular name was Xiang Xinwu, had previously held the esteemed position of Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect.
Daoist Xiang possessed a cultivation base of immense depth, his name having resonated throughout the Jingguang Continent for centuries as a cultivator of the Nascent Soul realm.
A century prior, Daoist Xiang had been persuaded by the Heavenly Alliance Hierarch, Zhang Xusheng, to assume the mantle of Vice Alliance Hierarch.
Daoist Xiang's visage grew more troubled as he continued to stare at the darkening heavens. He intended to offer a word of caution, but before his words could be uttered, a deep rumbling sound cut through the air.
Rumble~
Flashes of lightning, like serpentine strikes, danced wildly within the clouds, momentarily illuminating the darkening sky. With a resounding clap of thunder, the heavens unleashed a torrential downpour.
The raindrops plummeted earthward, transforming into a dense, white cascade within moments. Wensheng Mountain became enshrouded in a misty veil of water vapor, rendering its numerous structures indistinct and blurred.
The relentless rain poured down, forming a watery curtain that cascaded from the eaves of palaces, flowing freely and rapidly submerging the bluestone pathways before channeling into the shadowed ditches lining the roads.
Buzzing!
Amidst the hazy rain and fog that enveloped the mountain, layers of faint, white barriers gradually materialized around each pavilion, effectively repelling the rain. Numerous cultivators emerged into the open, gesturing towards the increasingly ferocious storm.
Witnessing the escalating tempest, Daoist Xiang experienced an inexplicable sense of dread. As his thoughts churned, he unconsciously began to trace characters with his fingers, performing a divination.
Mere breaths later, Daoist Xiang's expression shifted dramatically. He exclaimed instinctively, "The floodwaters overwhelm the Golden Mountain, Kan and Li are inversed... This is dire!"
Before he could finish speaking, Daoist Xiang moved with the speed of lightning. A beam of golden light shot from his sleeve, piercing through the downpour and vanishing towards the rear mountain.
Meanwhile, Daoist Xiang ascended into the heavens, his formidable Divine Thought engulfing the surroundings, booming out, "A supreme foe has arrived, all cultivators heed this decree, swiftly open--"
With a thunderous boom, a silver-white lightning bolt, as thick as a barrel, descended from the sky, striking Daoist Xiang directly.
Instantly, an immense, blinding ball of thunder materialized in the sky, its incandescent electrical light engulfing the Nascent Soul Cultivator.
Moo~
At that precise moment, a piercing and awe-inspiring Dragon's roar reverberated through Cloud Sky. Gigantic Sea Giant Beasts emerged from the vast expanse of clouds, ferociously descending upon Wensheng Mountain.
Dragon King Whales, Sea-Devouring Sharks, Cross-Sea Crabs, Heavenly Overlord Krakens... These tyrannical Demon Kings manifested in their true forms, each unleashing storms, directly assaulting critical locations on Wensheng Mountain, deploying their Demon King's Magical Domains, and initiating a brutal harvest of lives.
Caught completely off guard, the Heavenly Alliance cultivators faced immediate and devastating casualties amidst screams and shrieks of agony. Countless bodies and blood splattered through the air, quickly mingling with the rain to form rivers of gore, creating a scene of unimaginable horror.
Concerned for the sanctity of their mountain gate, the vast majority of the Nascent Soul Elders within the Heavenly Alliance had long since returned to defend it. This resulted in a critical shortage of personnel at Wensheng Mountain, significantly diminishing its overall defensive strength.
Following the Demon Kings' onslaught, the Heavenly Alliance headquarters found itself with a dire lack of Nascent Soul Ancestors to mount a resistance. This imbalance led to a one-sided conflict, with the Heavenly Alliance swiftly collapsing under the assault, incurring immense losses in both lives and injuries.
Mere moments later, Daoist Xiang burst forth from the thundering enclosure, his appearance disheveled and soot-stained.
It was then, to his utter shock and burning rage, that he realized the Heavenly Alliance headquarters had already been transformed into a brutal warzone.
Witnessing Outer Sea Demon Kings mercilessly slaughtering Heavenly Alliance cultivators one after another, Daoist Xiang's heart was filled with a mixture of astonishment and trepidation. However, he did not intervene to halt the carnage. Instead, his form flickered, and he swiftly alighted upon the grand plaza of the Wensheng Palace.
