Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1663 - 878: Departure

Great Cultivator Shen Ze took his seat on the stone mat, no need to absorb the data it projected, since that knowledge had been handed down through generations in his sect.

With expert precision, he directed his consciousness toward the stone mat, channeling a Secret Technique to extend his awareness into the Heavenly Mechanism Garden.

"What’s going on?" Within his senses, not a single Heavenly Mechanism Treasure made an appearance.

He found it hard to believe. History showed the Divine Palace occasionally produced scant Heavenly Mechanism Treasures, even down to just one in rare cases.

Yet zero Heavenly Mechanism Treasures had never happened before. The plentiful resources beyond proved the Divine Palace functioned perfectly, so why, after hundreds of years recovering, did the Heavenly Mechanism Garden yield nothing?

In the standard Cultivation World setting, forging a Heavenly Mechanism Treasure might demand millions of years, yet the Heavenly Mechanism Garden stood as a proven special realm across eras.

Great Cultivator Shen Ze pulled back his mind, rising from the stone mat to circle it several times, scrutinizing closely yet spotting no issues.

Truthfully, nothing looked wrong; he merely checked the stone mat against his sect's ancient records.

At last, he resumed his position on the stone mat, refusing to accept defeat, pouring his mind into it once more and reactivating the Secret Technique.

"Pfft!" Blood burst from his mouth in a spray.

This stemmed from his mind's chaos, battered by fury and worry, leading to inner wounds.

Master Ji Chuan and Great Cultivator Liao Yi waited tensely, realizing Great Cultivator Shen Ze lingered far longer than typical.

This sparked their suspicions; had they not known each Great Cultivator got just one shot at claiming a Heavenly Mechanism Treasure in the Heavenly Mechanism Garden, they might have thought he aimed to hog it all.

As these thoughts swirled, Great Cultivator Shen Ze emerged.

Yet now, he appeared utterly drained of vigor and spirit, his already worn robe splattered with fresh bloodstains.

"Shen, what happened?" Master Ji Chuan blurted in shock.

He recalled the Heavenly Mechanism Garden posed no threats, so how had Great Cultivator Shen Ze ended up this battered after so brief a stay?

"No need to argue, the Heavenly Mechanism Garden produced no Heavenly Mechanism Treasure this round!" Great Cultivator Shen Ze answered with bitter resignation.

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Both Great Cultivators dropped their bickering, voicing their denial together.

They recognized Great Cultivator Shen Ze rarely lied.

Besides, a Heavenly Mechanism Treasure from the Heavenly Mechanism Garden carried an unmistakable aura, impossible to hide right away.

Great Cultivator Shen Ze bore no such aura, confirming his empty return.

The pair ceased quarreling, pulling out their jade tokens to unlock the doors and step into the Heavenly Mechanism Garden.

Great Cultivator Shen Ze slumped to the ground, his psyche deeply shaken; this venture cost both him and his sect dearly for Divine Palace access.

Yet the gains were mere Great Cultivator-grade items, most surrendered back to the sect to cover their aid in gaining entry.

"No, someone got there first!" he burst out suddenly.

The Heavenly Mechanism Garden couldn't possibly be barren; some Great Cultivator must have snatched the Heavenly Mechanism Treasure ahead, stealing his destined chance.

Likely, it birthed only one this time, claimed by an earlier intruder, masking its presence from him.

And the prime suspect for that prior entry was the enigmatic Li Shiming.

Prior to entering, they had clashed with the Demonic Path's three Great Cultivators, securing the Heavenly Mechanism Garden slot while those foes picked the Divine Beast Garden.

Not that the Heavenly Mechanism Garden outranked the Divine Beast Garden inherently; it laid the cornerstone for a Grotto Heaven, but a matching Divine Beast promised steadier expansion.

Half-step Great Powers abounded, yet few matured fully, and a fitting Divine Beast boosted odds of breaking through to true Great Power.

For Peak Great Cultivators though, sans Heavenly Mechanism Treasure, no first step existed, making all else futile.

The Demonic Path trio veered elsewhere, and despite their head start, the Golden Winged Dapeng's interference made rerouting risky with that beast still lurking.

The lone wildcard remained Li Shiming, who advanced three ’two-hours’ before them.

"Li Shiming, we shall be sworn enemies!" Great Cultivator Shen Ze whispered fiercely, piecing together the truth.

In the Cultivation World, snatching such chances bred deadly grudges, doubly so when it blocked a Great Cultivator's path to Great Power, forging eternal foes.

Master Ji Chuan and Great Cultivator Liao Yi reached the stone mat amid their debate, itching to claim it first, yet upon arrival, they faltered.

Fear of dashed dreams gripped them; the first Great Cultivator to sit would shatter hopes soonest.