Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 846 - 829: Ascension Pioneers
Feng Wuji and Master Withered Wood made some kind of deal, which Zhouyang was not concerned about, as long as Master Withered Wood didn't go back on his word.
At this time, after decades of cultivation, Xiao Ying had also mastered the Divine Technique of Life and Death Qi of Withering and Flourishing, and was about to undergo her first fusion attempt with the Heaven-Reaching Qiankun Wood.
"This attempt is merely to let Fellow Daoist Xiao adapt to the fusion state with the Heaven-Reaching Qiankun Wood. With me watching over her, nothing should go wrong."
Under the towering giant wood of over three thousand feet, Master Withered Wood, the host, led Zhouyang and others to stand at the roots and calmly explained the situation to the Zhou family.
Then at his indication, the prepared Xiao Ying nodded slightly to Zhouyang and Zhou Guangcheng before walking to the trunk to activate the Divine Technique of Life and Death Qi of Withering and Flourishing.
As the divine technique was activated, Zhouyang sensed that Xiao Ying's vitality quickly contracted. Her skin, which was originally radiant, dimmed and lost its vitality. It soon transformed into dry, wrinkled tree bark, as she seemed to become a mummy.
The towering giant wood seemed to sense something, and the trunk suddenly opened a large hole that emitted a suction force, drawing Xiao Ying inside and rapidly sealing the hole.
Witnessing this scene, Zhouyang and Zhou Guangcheng felt a twinge of concern in their hearts and looked towards Master Withered Wood with undisguised worry.
Zhouyang furrowed his brows and promptly asked, "Master Withered Wood, does this Heaven-Reaching Qiankun Wood already have its own consciousness?"
Upon hearing this, Master Withered Wood nodded slightly and replied, "Fellow Immortal Zhou sees correctly; the tree has indeed developed its own independent consciousness. However, its foundation is too deep. If the consciousness wants to transform into a Primordial Spirit to embark on the path of demon cultivation, it would require at least thousands of years of accumulation!"
After saying this, he seemed to understand the implication behind Zhouyang's question and shook his head with a smile, saying, "I understand Fellow Immortal Zhou's worries, but you needn't worry about this tree harming Fellow Daoist Xiao. It has followed me for thousands of years and often received my guidance, long regarding Human Race cultivators as friends. Moreover, with its profound foundation, it has no need to tread the ordinary path of Tree Demons that plunder others."
But Zhouyang did not lay down his concern because of those words. Instead, he said seriously:
"Though it might be inappropriate to say, I must remind Master Withered Wood not to be overly confident in this matter. On Donglai Immortal Island, there was once a Tier Six Top-grade Tree Demon King who also gained consciousness from being guided by Master Donglai, yet later, to achieve its path, it exterminated all demon races on the island and extracted their souls to refine Demon Artifacts!"
"If the Master Withered Wood remains in this realm, I believe it wouldn't dare to harbor any chaos. But once you are no longer here to subdue it, it may not remain so honest and compliant!" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
Master Withered Wood's expression immediately became a bit unpleasant.
He always regarded this Heaven-Reaching Qiankun Wood as a son, and Zhouyang's words were tantamount to saying his "son" could become a demon, which naturally displeased him.
He looked at Zhouyang with an unpleasant expression and said, "What does Fellow Immortal Zhou mean? Surely you won't suggest I extinguish the consciousness that took so much effort to nurture!"
"Master Withered Wood, you are overstating it. How could I, Zhou, not recognize that this Heaven-Reaching Qiankun Wood is the culmination of your life's work? How could I suggest you do such a thing!"
Zhouyang shook his head repeatedly and sincerely clasped his hands towards Master Withered Wood, saying, "I merely wish to ask Master Withered Wood to give it a warning, telling it how severe the consequences will be if it dares harm others in the future!"
"I understand this, I will take care of it."
Master Withered Wood's expression slightly softened, and he nodded lightly, indicating agreement.
For the next three months, Zhouyang and Zhou Guangcheng remained beneath the tree, awaiting the results of Xiao Ying's attempt.
Three months later, Zhouyang used a spell to wake Xiao Ying from her state of extinction.
After about fifteen minutes of casting, Xiao Ying emerged radiant from the trunk using the Wood Escape Technique.
"How did it go, Ying'Er? How do you feel?"
Looking at his radiant Dao companion, filled with vitality, Zhouyang asked with concern.
"I feel great. The three months have felt as if I had just entered. Moreover, Master Withered Wood didn't deceive me; in this state of extinction, even without actively cultivating the technique, the external Yimu Vitality aids in passively raising my cultivation and magical power!"
Xiao Ying said with a smile, clearly pleased with the outcome of her attempt.
She knew her aptitude could never compare to her Dao companion and her son, even with Zhouyang providing extensive cultivation resources, she had no chance to achieve Immortal Ascension.
But without achieving Immortal Ascension, she would have to succumb to her mortality thousands of years before Zhouyang, unable to fulfill her lifelong promise of companionship.
This realization became a lingering concern after Zhouyang's Immortal Ascension, although she never voiced it to others.
Now, with the Divine Technique of Life and Death Qi of Withering and Flourishing, she had the opportunity to live long like a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal, even as a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.
When using the Divine Technique to enter a state of extinction, her lifespan consumption would slow by a hundredfold, allowing her to emerge every few hundred years and live out the effects of an extended lifespan like one with thousands of years!
"Good, it's effective. Now I am relieved!"
Zhouyang heaved a sigh of relief, unable to contain his smile.
He certainly didn't wish to see his Dao companion of over two thousand years succumb to mortality long before him.
Now that Xiao Ying could greatly extend her lifespan through the Divine Technique, he felt assured in ascending to the Upper Realm.
Even though he couldn't find the treasure to enable Xiao Ying's Immortal Ascension in the Lower Realm, Zhouyang believed there existed such treasures in the Upper Realm.
Given time, he was sure he would find such a treasure, send it to the Lower Realm for his Dao companion, help her achieve Immortal Ascension, and then join him in the Upper Realm as twin birds!
With only two or three months remaining before Du Chongyang and the others executed their "illegal" ascension plan, Zhouyang, assured of his Dao companion Xiao Ying's mastery of the Divine Technique, followed Master Withered Wood to the ascension site to witness this millenary event!
The site of Du Chongyang and the others' "illegal" ascension was located in the buffer zone between Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, within the East Pole Grassland.
The East Pole Grassland was the place where Upper Realm True Immortals descended to the Spirit Realm during Ancient Times, and the Ascension Platform from Ancient Times was built there.
However, during the Immortal Demon War in Ancient Times, the area became the battlefield for True Immortals and True Demons, suffering severe damage and resulting in its current state, with sparse Spiritual Qi and few cultivators and Demon Beasts.
It was only after Zhouyang's Immortal Ascension that he learned from shared information among the Human Race True Immortals that the blue strange wind capable of sealing the magical power of cultivators below the Nascent Soul Stage on the East Pole Grassland was actually formed by the chaotic void currents from the spatial rift in the Chaos Void merging with the laws of this realm.
The spatial rift allowing the void currents in was said to be caused by a cross-realm strike by a Great Power from the Upper Realm in Ancient Times, which remains unrepaired to date.
Of course, although this spatial rift wasn't repaired, to prevent unknown cultivators from approaching and losing their lives, it was hidden by an array long ago, known only to Tier Seven beings.
At this time, Zhouyang and the others set off from the Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm, passed through the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, and headed to the "East Pole Grassland," arriving at the destination in just two and a half months.
When the three True Immortal humans arrived here, almost all Tier Seven beings from the "Spirit Realm" had already gathered here, along with some close juniors brought by Tier Seven beings to witness the event.
As a newly ascended True Immortal human, Zhouyang met several Tier Seven beings for the first time.
"Hehehe, Fellow Daoist Kumu, Fellow Daoist Feng, and Fellow Daoist Zhou, you three are finally here."
Du Chongyang, who arrived a while earlier, greeted the Three Immortals with a face full of smiles as he saw the three True Immortal humans arrive together.
Then, he let his gaze linger on Zhouyang for a moment before slightly smiling and saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou recently achieved Dao, so he may be unfamiliar with some alien fellow Daoists present here. Why not take this opportunity today to acquaint yourself with everyone?"
Upon hearing this, Zhouyang couldn't help but look at the various Tier Seven beings present.
Today, there were ten Tier Seven beings present, excluding himself and the other two human True Immortals; Zhouyang had already seen the East Sea Dragon Saint, the Sea-covering Spirit Ape, Thunder Feather True Spirit, and Granny Wan among the four alien Tier Seven beings.
The remaining two were a Tier Seven strongman of the Bingyi People, Elder Bingyi, who was meditating in the Endless Snowfield, and another Tier Seven True Spirit of the demon race, the Profound Ice Chilong, also known as Ice Profound Spirit Saint, who was in seclusion in the Extreme North Icefield.
Elder Bingyi, as his nickname suggests, looked very elderly and was a Bingyi Person. According to Zhouyang's intelligence, this guardian of the Bingyi Race had lived for nearly fifteen thousand years, making him only younger than the East Sea Dragon Saint and Granny Wan.
The Profound Ice Chilong was a female True Spirit, resembling an ice beauty sculpted from ice, exuding bone-chilling cold from inside out.
"Zhouyang of the human race, greetings to Fellow Daoist Bingyi, greetings to Fellow Daoist Bingxuan."
According to etiquette, Zhouyang, as the later ascended one, cupped his hands respectfully to introduce himself to the two alien Tier Seven beings.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou is too kind. You have achieved immortality at a young age; your future path is limitless!"
Elder Bingyi returned the courtesy to Zhouyang with a gentle smile, appearing very amicable and easy to interact with.
In contrast, the Ice Profound Spirit Saint was much colder. She merely nodded slightly at Zhouyang, considered as greeting, without uttering a single word.
This made Zhouyang somewhat displeased, but recalling the intelligence about her, he felt relieved.
It's said that the Ice Profound Spirit Saint has been secluded in the Extreme North Icefield for years, rarely speaking a word in a thousand years and seldom attending Tier Seven gatherings. Her current attitude is unsurprising.
However, while the Ice Profound Spirit Saint's attitude was just cold, the Sea-covering Spirit Saint from the East Sea Demon Race was openly hostile towards Zhouyang.
Upon Zhouyang's news of Immortal Ascension spreading throughout the Spirit Realm, the Sea-covering Spirit Saint naturally obtained the intelligence that Zhouyang is the current master of Donglai Immortal Island, realizing that it was him for whom Thunder Feather True Spirit fought against him.
Due to the past event, the Sea-covering Spirit Saint, seeing Zhouyang didn't greet him, understood that Zhouyang holds significant hostility towards him.
Under such circumstances, his attitude towards Zhouyang naturally couldn't improve.
Nonetheless, with all ten Tier Seven beings gathered here today, Zhouyang and the Sea-covering Spirit Saint, despite despising each other and eager to duel to resolve their differences, restrained themselves from acting out, merely exchanging cold glances.
"Rest assured, Cheng'Er, once I help you complete the "Profound Sun Treasure Manual," this rascal monkey will surely face my wrath; I will certainly avenge the past obstruction!"
Zhouyang gently transmitted his voice to soothe his son, whose heart was turbulent upon seeing the Sea-covering Spirit Ape, to prevent any reckless actions.
"Child understands, child understands everything!"
Zhou Guangcheng's voice was low, agreeing with Zhouyang, his gaze shifting away from this enemy.
At this point, after Du Chongyang greeted everyone and introduced them, he spoke again: "Now that Fellow Daoist Kumu is here, let us discuss this plan again. If anyone has good suggestions, please speak up; Du and others will be eternally grateful!"
Once he finished speaking, the East-Coming Dragon Saint quickly said: "Fellow Daoist Du's journey opens a path for others; he is benevolent to us. Although Old Dragon cannot accompany you, I have prepared a gift to aid Fellow Daoist and others."
He waved his hand, tossing three large blue dragon scales to Du Chongyang, Master Withered Wood, and Granny Wan.
"This, this is a Fellow Daoist Hai's lifeblood dragon scale!"
Du Chongyang held the dragon scale, his face full of surprise and joy, looking towards the East Sea Dragon Saint.
Meeting his gaze, the East Sea Dragon Saint slightly nodded, saying: "These three lifeblood dragon scales each contain one of Old Dragon's divine techniques and can briefly unleash the power of a Tier Seven Defensive Spiritual Artifact."
Du Chongyang and the other two exchanged glances and then made a deep bow to the East Sea Dragon Saint: "Fellow Daoist Hai's great kindness is deeply appreciated by us. Please accept our gratitude!"
Despite the many Tier Seven beings present, only the East Sea Dragon Saint could freely give such powerful treasures.
Even if Zhouyang and others could produce Secret Treasures sealed with their own divine techniques, they are not significant for Du Chongyang and others, as their strength is among the higher ranks of the ten Tier Seven beings.
After the ten Tier Seven beings deliberated Du Chongyang's plan for over ten days, feeling prepared, Du Chongyang and the others decided to depart formally.
Du Chongyang, with a solemn expression, cupped his hands to the crowd and said: "Fellow Daoists, Du and others are leaving. We hope someday in the future, we can meet again in the Upper Realm!"
He lastly cupped his hands deeply towards Zhouyang and Feng Wuji, the two human True Immortals, saying: "Also, Fellow Daoist Zhou and Fellow Daoist Feng, the future of the human race relies on the two of you for protection!"
"Fellow Daoist Du, take care; I, Zhou (Feng), will definitely fulfill the entrusted task!"
Zhouyang and Feng Wuji responded with solemn expressions, earnestly agreeing to the entrusted duty.
Then, the East Sea Dragon Saint and other alien Tier Seven beings, similarly solemn-faced, gave a courtesy to the three pioneers, saying: "Three Fellow Daoists, take care!"
"Hahaha, Du is leaving!"
Du Chongyang laughed heartily, his water-blue spiritual light flashed, quickly forming a protective shield around himself, Master Withered Wood, and Granny Wan, then all three soared into a massive spatial rift tens of zhang long and two to three zhang wide in the sky.
