Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2496: 235: Grand Aspiration

Chapter 235: Grand Aspiration

With the divine power possessed by Tianshang Buddha Lord, the act of ascending is truly effortless. It is virtually impossible for him to face the Ascension tribulation twice. And yet, circumstances aligned in a fated way: he stood on the precipice of ascension, rumors were buzzing, and preparations were underway for him to bestow his Cultivation Base upon the successor Buddha Lord exactly on the day he ascended.

Without a moment of hesitation, Wang Ba confirmed his growing suspicions. Truly enough, he uncovered evidence within the memories of this True Spirit Fish; this Mahayana Cultivator had indeed obtained so-called 'inside information.' He had rushed to the location where Tianshang Buddha Lord was destined to ascend, intending to launch a surprise attack. Little did he realize that Tianshang Buddha Lord had been lying in wait for a long time, fully prepared to subdue this intruder.

Quite unexpectedly, this Mahayana Cultivator, realizing he was outmatched and trapped on all sides without any route for escape, chose a heroic death rather than submit as a mere puppet. Witnessing this memory, Wang Ba felt a complicated mixture of respect and melancholy. He could sense the intense reluctance radiating from the soul before its destruction—to have reached the final step, ready to ascend at any breath, only to be forced into self-destruction.

The indignation and absolute despair inherent in such a fate are easy to fathom. Yet, that is the cold reality of life; even the most exalted celestial or legendary Ancestor, upon falling, finds only a perished body, an extinguished path, and total oblivion. Reflecting on this, a heavy weight pressed upon Wang Ba's spirit. The trials of this Mahayana figure mirrored the current state of the Four Great Realms of Duanhai Cliff—differing in details, yet identical in their tragic essence.

He could easily visualize the tactical thoughts of Tianshang Buddha Lord as he devised these schemes, first luring enemies into a trap to eliminate Heavenly Monarch Chao, True Man Gai, and others. When they unexpectedly managed to escape, he had no choice but to use his own ascension as a lure to draw these Mahayana Cultivators into his web. “If this is the case, the Xiahou Demon has likely already been identified. Perhaps not him personally, but Tianshang Buddha Lord must be aware that agents from the Four Great Realms are embedded within the Supreme True Buddha forces.”

“Once this is confirmed, manipulating the Four Great Realms becomes a trivial matter,” Wang Ba mused silently. Once the forces of the Four Great Realms of Duanhai Cliff learned of the impending ascension, the moment of the event itself—when the Supreme True Buddha forces are at their most vulnerable—would force them to strike, even if they harbored intense doubts. This was an open gamble, a strategy that offered almost no solution.

Thinking of this, a rare sense of urgency gripped Wang Ba. He wasn't even certain how much time had elapsed since he arrived; if Heavenly Monarch Chao and his brethren truly infiltrated Tianshang Buddha Lord’s lair, they might not simply be heading into a trap, but a fatal dead end. “No, I have to find a way back immediately!” The resolve solidified instantly in his heart. He no longer cared about the rules governing the Sky Dome.

If the Four Great Realms of Duanhai Cliff were wiped out by the Supreme True Buddha, he might never be able to gather enough Mahayana Cultivators to assist in opening the gate to Duanhai Cliff. Should Duanhai Cliff remain sealed, given the overwhelming strength of Tianshang Buddha Lord, he would have no hope of rescuing the Little Cang World or bypassing the barrier of the Realm Sea of Chaos. “I must find a way to leave this place…”

Despite his firm decision, after roaming this territory for many days, no path of egress presented itself. The True Spirit of the Master of Quiet Cave had failed to manifest, deepening his restlessness. He could not wait with any semblance of calm, which in turn hindered his comprehension of the rules governing the Realm Sea’s Origin on the Sky Dome. Locked in this mental turmoil, he finally encountered Li Yuehua again.

Li Yuehua sat on the path near the Waterside Pavilion, observing the fish gliding through the water, and expressed a measure of surprise: “Are you looking for the master? But was it not claimed that he had already departed? I heard from a person named Cui that before the master left, he stated explicitly that he would be away for a considerable duration—at least a few hundred years…”

“A few hundred years…” Wang Ba felt his heart grow heavy. Back when he was still in the Realm Sea, he learned that Tianshang Buddha Lord was nearing his ascension. By his own estimations, time was running out for Heavenly Monarch Chao and the others. Unable to restrain himself, he asked: “Mistress, have you discovered any alternative method to leave this place?”

Li Yuehua shook her head in defeat: “Although I arrived before you, there are many mysteries here I fail to grasp. Everything I know, I have already shared. To depart, we have little choice but to await the master’s return…” Hearing this, disappointment washed over Wang Ba. His mind drifted back to the words Taiyuan had spoken beneath the Waterside Pavilion.

“Seven or eight hundred years… by the time he returns, I fear the Four Great Realms of Duanhai Cliff will have ceased to exist.” True Man Gai and his companions might be expendable, but among them was Heavenly Monarch Chao, who had treated him with kindness, alongside his own clone, Kong Zen. He nodded in silent frustration, opting not to bother Li Yuehua further, knowing her limited cultivation meant her knowledge was equally constrained.

However, Li Yuehua had brought some elixirs with her, all of which Wang Ba consumed, offering his gratitude once more. Once Li Yuehua departed, his gaze shifted slightly, resting upon the Waterside Pavilion inscribed with the characters “Yuan Zhai”.

In the quiet days that followed, while continuing to study the rules of the Sky Dome, he occasionally lingered in the vicinity of the Waterside Pavilion. After a prolonged period passed without seeing a single soul approach the Pavilion, a daring thought began to take root in his mind. A few days later, Li Yuehua returned, following her routine of delivering pills to Wang Ba. This time, however, Wang Ba intercepted her, asking with profound respect: “Mistress, I observe that the Waterside Pavilion sits unattended. Do you not fear that someone might attempt to sneak inside while it remains vacant?”