Chapter 910 - 634: The Chess Game
Time slipped by in silence.
Chen Sheng traveled alone across the Vast Continent, passing through ancient domains, treading all the Ruins, little by little digesting the unique cultivation system of this dimension.
His qi changed with each passing day, growing ever thicker and more condensed, like a boundless sea taking in a hundred rivers.
In merely a few thousand years, he formally stepped into the Martial Arts Saint Realm; his Cultivation was comparable to an Immortal Dao Integration Dharma Master, and with every casual movement, the Heaven and Earth Laws resonated in response.
At the same time, he gained a clearer, more thorough understanding of this boundless dimension, and pondered silently in his heart:
"My previous estimation was not wrong!"
"The Ancestral Gods of the Vast Continent correspond to Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarchs, while Emperors are equivalent to Mahayana Loose Immortals."
His gaze turned toward the distant sky, tinged with a faint sigh:
"The Human Race claims seventeen Emperors—seventeen Mahayana Loose Immortals. It seems a decent heritage, yet among the Ten Thousand Races, they are still only a middling race."
"Look then at those peak bloodlines: the Heavenly Domain God Race ruling the vault of heaven, the Abyssal Demon Race entrenched in the Nine Netherworld—each easily commands hundreds of Emperors!"
"Beneath them, existences at the Ancestral God Level are as numerous as cattle, beyond counting."
"The heritage of this dimension is far deeper than that of the dimension where my true body resides."
"If not for the descent of the Celestial Brilliance Immortal Mountain, breaking open the Grand Thousand barrier and transmitting Subtle Techniques, the cultivation levels of both sides would be as far apart as clouds and mud—heaven and earth, utterly incomparable."
This long journey also allowed Chen Sheng to see clearly the fundamental reason why powerhouses emerged in endless streams within this world.
The Vast Continent gathered the core heritage of an entire great dimension; it did not lack Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures for High Tier cultivators.
Tier Seven, Tier Eight, even Tier Nine wondrous treasures!!
More crucially, this continent imposed not the slightest rule-based suppression upon High Tier Cultivators.
On the contrary, there were Celestial Dao Fruit Positions that incited the Ten Thousand Races to vie and slaughter, giving rise to unimaginably brutal contention and forging the pattern of "Ten Thousand Races Contending for Supremacy."
On that endlessly stretching battlefield of the Ten Thousand Races, slaughter among Ancestral God Level beings had long become a commonplace affair; Annihilation and fall were the norm.
On occasion, even supreme existences of Emperor Level could not avoid being slain on the spot, armor shattered and blades sunk in Sinking Sand.
By contrast, in the dimension where his true body resided, before the descent of the Celestial Brilliance Immortal Mountain, the various Grand Thousand Worlds were almost completely cut off from one another, each isolated.
Local resources were incomparably scarce!
Take the Spirit Realm for example: resources above Tier Seven Integration were mostly hidden in the depths of the Source Sea, so rare that they could only be obtained through barter.
Once one achieved the Realm of Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarch, one would be rejected by the Grand Thousand Rules, and for the most part could only shrink back within the Middle Thousand Worlds they had opened, silently evolving their Dao.
On top of that, each world possessed forbidden lands such as the Source Sea, which naturally suppressed the aura and combat power of High Tier Cultivators, causing the death rate of top-tier existences to be reduced to the extreme.
Chen Sheng’s gaze was deep as an ancient well:
"Let alone Daoist Monarchs, even those at the Dharma Master Level, so long as they act steadily and do not lightly court danger, can almost all enjoy the long flow of years in peace."
"In my previous life, for the sake of Jiao Qi’s fall, several Daoist Monarchs joined forces and plotted for years; only by coinciding with the opportunity of the Grand Thousand Worlds’ integration did they finally succeed..."
He lifted his eyes toward the distance, his heart laid bare:
"Abundant resources, a cruel environment, ferocious competition... it is precisely all of this that has created the vastly different heights of these two dimensions."
...
On this day, over the Holy City of Lingxiao, heaven and earth shone together.
The holy banners snapped in the wind, stirring the astral gales of the Ninth Heaven; billions of streams of radiance circled around the city, like a host of stars bowing down, their might spreading in all directions, causing even heaven and earth to tremble.
Saint Master Lingxiao personally emerged from the Holy Hall, a Purple Gold Daoist Robe cascading like a river of stars, his feet treading the cloud steps of Jiuxiao, coming personally to receive his guest, his etiquette carried out to the utmost.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, you have come from afar; I failed to welcome you from a distance. I hope you can be forgiving."
Behind him, two figures stood with hands lowered, postures upright, auras condensed; they were precisely the personal Daoist Children under the Saint Master, Breeze and Bright Moon.
The two had followed Saint Master Lingxiao for endless years, long accustomed to Great Powers from all sides coming to pay their respects; they were always reverent and cautious, yet had never seen their master treat anyone with such courtesy—personally leaving the Holy Hall and stepping down the stairs to welcome him.
Even other Holy Land masters had never enjoyed such treatment.
Their hearts jolted violently, waves surging in secret as they exchanged a glance.
"Our teacher is a half-step Ancestral God, who single-handedly established the Holy City of Lingxiao, rules a region, has stepped onto the absolute pinnacle of Saints, and whose Dharma principles reach the heavens. He is but one step away from the Ancestral God Realm."
"To make our master treat him in this manner, what kind of Identity does this Senior Xu possess?"
"Perhaps he is some hidden half-ancestor Great Power."
Their hearts were full of doubt, yet they did not dare speak further, only lowering their heads and standing quietly, their expressions growing even more respectful.
Chen Sheng cupped his hands lightly, demeanor composed, without the slightest arrogance; his tone was calm yet carried its own unyielding bearing:
"Fellow Daoist Lingxiao is being too polite. Since I was favored by your invitation and have come to keep our appointment, how can there be talk of ’failing to welcome’?"
Saint Master Lingxiao chuckled softly, stepping aside to lead the way and gesturing with a raised hand:
"Fellow Daoist Xu, please enter the hall and sit for a while. Immortal tea has already been prepared within; it will be a good chance to chat and discuss the Dao with you."
A thousand years ago, he had once sent out an incarnation to travel, and by chance met this Fellow Daoist Xu in a primordial Secret Realm.
At first glance, the other’s Cultivation was only at the Early-stage Saint Realm, not much different from that of an ordinary Holy Land master, with nothing particularly outstanding.
But after a session of discussing the Dao, he was shocked to discover that this seemingly ordinary man was actually unfathomably deep, beyond conjecture.
Once the conversation turned to the Great Dao principles of origin, Law, time and space, life and death, the other’s few simple words were like thunder exploding in the ears, striking directly at the core.
His transparent understanding of the supreme truths of heaven and earth even surpassed that of him, a half-step Ancestral God, causing Lingxiao to see his own shortcomings and gain greatly.
At that time, a ridiculous notion arose in his heart.
Could this person already be a Great Power who had attained the Dao as an Ancestral God, suppressing his Realm and Cultivation, incarnating into the world just to toy with me?
Later, he secretly sent people to investigate the man’s origins, and confirmed that he was indeed a heaven’s pride who had Ascended from the Lower Realm, not some Great Power amusing himself among mortals; in his heart, he valued him even more.
...
Before long, deep within the Holy Hall of Lingxiao, immortal qi surged and Dao Rhyme flowed.
The Circulation Stars had been refined into ever-burning lamps, hanging at the four corners of the hall; the cold starlight intertwined with dense immortal qi, transforming into wisps of clear air that rose in curling strands, lingering around the beams without dispersing.
Ancient Immortal tea on the table sent up drifting Dao fragrance; strands of it merged into the void, turning into fine, dense Dao Patterns of Law that circulated without end.
Saint Master Lingxiao and Chen Sheng sat facing one another; their Jade Cups clinked softly, the crisp sound echoing in the hall as the two drank slowly. Immortal tea slid down their throats, Dao Rhyme circulating throughout their bodies, leaving them entirely relaxed.
Setting down his Jade Cup, Chen Sheng did not circle around the subject and spoke directly:
"There is no need for courtesy, Fellow Daoist. Just speak frankly."
"You have always been steady by nature. If there were not some important matter, you would not have extended such a solemn invitation. In inviting me, Xu, here, what exactly is it you intend?"
Upon hearing this, Saint Master Lingxiao no longer tried to be euphemistic. His expression straightened slightly as he put down his Jade Cup and slowly stated his purpose:
"To be honest, I recently discovered an ancient Secret Mansion. After multiple verifications, I have confirmed that it was left behind in ancient times by an Ancestral God named Liu Xiang before his fall."
Chen Sheng’s brow lifted slightly; a faint trace of doubt flashed in his eyes as he asked calmly:
"Ancestral God Liu Xiang... I have indeed never heard of him."
"However, your Cultivation has already reached half-ancestor; you are only one step from Ancestral God. A mere Ancestral God inheritance—could it be that, with your abilities, you still cannot take it?"
Saint Master Lingxiao smiled wryly and shook his head lightly, his tone laced with a hint of helplessness:
"Fellow Daoist Xu, you are unaware—this Ancestral God Liu Xiang was no ordinary Ancestral God."
"It is said that his Cultivation back then was unfathomable, only a single step away from the supreme rank of Emperor; he was just one final push from ascending to the pinnacle of the Ten Thousand Races. The inheritance he left behind is naturally anything but ordinary."
"This Secret Mansion is unlike ordinary Ancestral God ruins; it cannot be seized by brute force of Cultivation alone. At least with my current half-ancestor Cultivation, I am not capable of breaking its Core Restriction without harming my very foundation."
He paused, looked at Chen Sheng, and continued:
"At the core of the Secret Mansion, there is a Celestial Derivation chessboard. It requires peerless comprehension to unravel the game and enter to obtain its opportunities."
"I have studied this board for many years, exhausting my efforts, yet have never been able to find an entry point. Each attempt has been drowned by the infinite changes within the game; a single misstep, and all prior effort is wasted."
"After thinking it over, among all those I have met, only you, Fellow Daoist, possess the sort of peerless comprehension that can pierce this game."