Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1754 - 942: Passing the Heavenly Fire Tribulation with Ease, Obtaining the Great Brightness Root Mantra

Within the Inner Sea of the Divine Continent, upon a desolate island known as Stone Mountain. The autumn air was growing more pronounced, and the vegetation atop the peak seemed rather sparse. Suddenly, a spatial portal materialized from nothingness, and Zhao Sheng emerged from its shimmering depths.

After a brief survey of the mountaintop revealed no other souls present, he surmised he had arrived ahead of schedule. Zhao Sheng then ambled around the plateau one full circuit before finally settling cross-legged upon a large, verdant stone, commencing his meditation.

Approximately an hour passed before Ancestor Zhao Xuanjing made his appearance, precisely as scheduled. He retained the appearance of an ancient craftsman, his visage deeply etched by the passage of time and the wear of the elements.

Zhao Sheng gracefully dismounted the green stone, offered a respectful bow, and proclaimed, "Chonghe greets the Ancestor."

Zhao Xuanjing gestured dismissively, stating, "No need for such excessive ceremony."

With that, he abruptly inquired, "I posed a question to you previously, yet you offered no reply. Now that I am here, will you finally speak?"

"Ancestor, I implore you, refrain from haste. This particular matter is not something that can be spoken aloud; to do so would be to invite error. Let us await the arrival of the Second Ancestor, and only then shall I illuminate the confusion for you both," Zhao Sheng replied with a chuckle, still disinclined to reveal the subject at hand.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanjing felt a subtle tremor within his heart and ceased his pressing inquiries.

Before long, a streak of emerald light, a Qingyun, traversed the horizon. It hastened towards the mountaintop and then descended with deliberate slowness onto the ground below.

As the Qingyun dissipated, it revealed a young Daoist clad in an Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Robe, possessing a strikingly handsome visage.

A fleeting expression of surprise crossed Zhao Sheng's features. He promptly stepped forward, bowed, and greeted, "Chonghe greets the Second Ancestor."

This young Daoist was, in fact, a significant manifestation—a major avatar—of the Second Ancestor, Zhao Hongyun, who bore the Daoist title Long Guang.

The Dragon Light Taoist returned the salutation with clasped hands, though his expression remained stern and solemn, radiating an aura of unwavering seriousness.

After exchanging pleasantries with the Ancestor, the Dragon Light Taoist then posed his question: "Chonghe, for what reason did you summon us here?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xuanjing could not suppress a smile, his gaze immediately drawn to Zhao Sheng's countenance.

Zhao Sheng cleared his throat softly. Then, a faint luminescence emanated from the center of his brow, from which two orbs of divine light gently ascended.

The moment the divine lights departed his form, they drifted towards the two Ancestors, positioning themselves to their left and right.

The eyes of Zhao Xuanjing and his companion narrowed perceptibly, their expressions instantly turning somber.

They simultaneously drew the divine lights into the Purple Mansion located at their brow center. In the subsequent instant, both men shuddered, unexpectedly closing their eyes as if to conceal their profound inner astonishment.

After a considerable pause, Zhao Xuanjing was the first to reopen his eyes. His expression had become remarkably composed.

"Indeed, to speak of it would have been a misstep. Chonghe, you... forget it. This old man shall inquire no further," Zhao Xuanjing began with the intent to probe deeper, but midway through his sentence, he abruptly abandoned the idea.

Just at that moment, the Dragon Light Taoist also made a move. He unexpectedly produced a White Jade Turtle Shell, and then, a flame of nine colors ignited abruptly in his palm.

The mystical flame silently consumed the turtle shell, causing intricate and dense fissures to rapidly 'grow' across its surface.

Staring intently at the emerging cracks on the shell, the Dragon Light Taoist murmured to himself, as if performing a divination.

Observing this solemn display, Zhao Sheng and Zhao Xuanjing fell silent, their gazes fixed upon the cryptic turtle shell.

Thirty minutes later, the turtle shell suddenly disintegrated, subsequently being reduced to a heap of fine ash by the nine-colored divine fire.

The Dragon Light Taoist extinguished the divine fire in his palm and then regarded Zhao Sheng with an expression of complex, almost unsettling, intensity.

Zhao Sheng felt a disquietude under that penetrating gaze, suddenly questioning if he had inadvertently committed an error.

"The heavens evolve through fifty, yet one path remains elusive! This humble Daoist believed the tribulation was unavoidable. I never anticipated this 'variable' would manifest in Chonghe. With this development, I feel the 'Human Tribulation' has been weathered, and the likelihood of Ascension has increased by two-tenths. Marvelous, truly marvelous!" The Dragon Light Taoist exclaimed, clapping his hands in laughter. His entire demeanor shifted, becoming increasingly transcendental and vast, as if he were poised for immediate ascension.

"Alas, one must not grow careless or complacent! You believe the Human Tribulation has passed, yet you remain unaware that a new Human Tribulation is in the process of brewing. As the ancient sages once declared, misfortune hinges upon fortune, and fortune rests upon misfortune. Its ultimate nature is beyond knowing," Zhao Xuanjing cautioned, observing the other's reaction and offering repeated warnings.

Startled awake, the Dragon Light Taoist swiftly bowed and offered a salute, saying, "Ancestor's admonishment is absolutely correct. This humble Taoist was overcome with joy just moments ago and nearly jeopardized the main body's significant endeavor."

Zhao Sheng observed closely from the sidelines, a seed of doubt sprouting within him: was his prior action truly the right one?

If, by revealing potential future events, he inadvertently caused the Second Ancestor's ascension to fail, his transgression would be a monumental sin.

Zhao Xuanjing spoke with stern gravity, "Your cultivation advanced too rapidly in the early stages, leaving your Tao heart lacking in refinement. And it is not you alone who faltered; even this old man nearly lost his composure just then."

"Oh?" The Dragon Light Taoist's interest was piqued, and he felt an urge to inquire what the Ancestor had perceived. However, the words died on his lips.

Noticing that both Ancestors had become vigilant, Zhao Sheng secretly let out a breath of relief.

He deliberately chose not to mention the preceding incident and instead began sharing his recent cultivation insights with them.

The Dragon Light Taoist and the Old Stone Mason were both manifestations of the Great Venerable, each having attained an exceptionally profound understanding of the Taoist Laws. Consequently, their exchange became brilliantly illuminating, with gems of wisdom flowing forth like a cascade of pearls.

Time seemed to vanish, and two months slipped by in the blink of an eye.

On this particular day, the discussions among the three had concluded. After agreeing to reconvene at a later time, they each departed.

...

Upon returning to the Five Elements Cave Heaven, the main body swiftly assimilated all the experiences garnered by the avatar over the past three months.

Once the avatar withdrew, the main body, Zhao Sheng, felt all his mental impediments dissolve, and his Tao heart experienced an immediate, subtle advancement.

A flicker of joy coursed through Zhao Sheng, and a sudden surge of inspiration struck him. He instantly recognized that the opportune moment had arrived – if not now, then when would be the time to face the tribulation?

With a mere thought, he closed his eyes in silence, his consciousness traversing to a transcendent realm, subsequently establishing a connection with a specific "Star."

In the very next instant, the main body vanished entirely from within the Grotto Heaven, leaving no trace behind.