Chapter 501: 500. Great Fortune, A First-Rank Opportunity! (Part 2)

Chapter 501: 500. Great Fortune, A First-Rank Opportunity! (Part 2)

The Third Immortal Technique: Three Talents Divine Tribulation.

All beings with form and substance, without special transformative abilities, will be immobilized by Gao Tian Sui.

The Venerable's body suddenly freezes.

Even within his own Sea of Suffering, he can no longer move freely.

Gao Tian Sui's Primordial Indestructible Dharmic Body once again appears before the Venerable.

The Venerable's usually unmoved expression finally disappears.

Suddenly, as if an invisible mask had been removed, his expression contorted and twisted madly, his facial features shifting, and boundless dark qi gushed out from within.

His heart suddenly stopped beating.

Gao Tian Sui's expression finally revealed a hint of surprise.

His Primordial Indestructible Dharmic Body trembled in place, its movements momentarily halting.

In this moment of pause, he felt as if all the karma and cause and effect of his past lives were extinguished, and everything in this life returned to nothingness.

Most importantly, for a fleeting moment, Gao Tian Sui felt as if he was facing the tribulation he encountered when climbing from the Second Level of Daoist Enlightenment to the Third Level, and it was now arriving involuntarily.

It was as if he was compelled by an irresistible force, like a moth drawn to the flame.

The third Body of Gold Technique, the Extinction Merit, was a formidable Buddhist method even the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva praised.

However, using this technique came with an enormous risk, even to the point of mutual destruction with the enemy.

Therefore, even the Sea of Suffering Venerable, known for his ferociousness, would not use this technique lightly.

Before this day, in his entire life, he had only used it once.

That time, he directly ended the life of a formidable opponent who was also at the third level of the Immortal Realm.

The price was almost his life, and if not for the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva's intervention, he would have perished with the enemy. It took him a thousand years to slowly recover his combat strength, but the damage was so severe that his future progress became uncertain.

But now, facing such a formidable enemy as Gao Tian Sui, the Sea of Suffering Venerable had no choice but to risk his life.

All the past entanglements seemed to be severed.

Not only did Gao Tian Sui pause in place, but the Primordial Essence Dao Body, which had never been breached before, finally revealed a path in front of the Sea of Suffering Venerable.

Gao Tian Sui's Primordial Indestructible Dharmic Body trembled in place and suddenly split into two.

One of them crumbled and disintegrated.

The other, however, seemed unaffected and resumed its actions.

The Sea of Suffering Venerable, who was severely injured and almost died on the spot, saw this and had no thoughts of taking advantage of the situation. He quickly fled from the Primordial Essence Dao Body and escaped into the distance.

Even when he was in perfect condition, he couldn't outrun Gao Tian Sui, let alone now when he was injured.

Gao Tian Sui took a step forward and caught up to the Sea of Suffering Venerable.

Wang Dianchen and Quan Yuanqi, who had just arrived at Saha, occupying Saha's royal palace, saw this and prepared to intercept the severely injured Sea of Suffering Venerable.

But just at that moment, as the Sea of Suffering Venerable fled away from Gao Tian Sui and Saha, crossing the vast river, the river below suddenly transformed.

The human river seemed to turn into a celestial river in the sky.

Amidst the dazzling light, they collectively illuminated a single point.

Above the celestial river, the sound of a zither playing echoed.

In the melody, there seemed to be someone singing and chanting:

"Govern with virtue, like the North Star, residing in its place, all stars will revolve around it."

Within the celestial river, countless stars shone brightly, and countless starlight transformed into streams of light, soaring into the sky.

In response, as the sun set and dusk fell, the dark and real starry sky above also lit up with countless stars. Streams of starlight descended.

This interweaving of light from above and below trapped the Sea of Suffering Venerable within, like a cage.

Then, the real starry river above and the transformed celestial river below, with the gathering of stars, suddenly erupted with the light of the North Star, piercing through the sky and striking the Sea of Suffering Venerable directly.

The attack was so powerful that even when the Sea of Suffering Venerable was in perfect condition, it would be difficult to withstand. Now, severely injured and on the verge of death, he couldn't bear another strike. With a single blow, he perished.

His already distorted body shattered, turning into thick black mist, like flowing ink, rolling in all directions. But in the blink of an eye, it was swept away by the cleansing light of the North Star.

Gao Tian Sui, who had been chasing closely behind, saw this and his expression turned colder.

Wang Dianchen and Quan Yuanqi, who had rushed out, looked at each other: "Is it Zheng Baiyu?"

Gao Tian Sui: "He has also reached the third level of the Immortal Realm."

Wang Dianchen and Quan Yuanqi stared at the awe-inspiring ritual array.

This was not Zheng Baiyu himself, but a ritual array he had set up.

"The Time Abyss should have fallen into Saha, but now it has changed. It must be the work of Zheng Jushi," Gao Tian Sui said, "This time, he has outmaneuvered us, but we also have some gains."

As he spoke, the middle-aged Daoist spread out his palm, and in the center of his palm, a mysterious object appeared, like a cosmic star chart, condensed and gathered from the universe, enigmatic and profound.

"The other half... should be in Guizang. I hope it's not too late," Gao Tian Sui immediately determined the secondary landing point of the Time Abyss after its change by connecting this half of the cosmic chart with the other side.

He instructed Wang Dianchen and Quan Yuanqi: "Stay in Pure Sky and Saha, as the human realm is undergoing intense turmoil."

Wang Dianchen and Quan Yuanqi both agreed: "Yes, Celestial Lord."

If it were other members of the Talisman and Register Sect, they might still be worried about their opponent breaking through the Mystic Barrier from within.

But Gao Tian Sui was different.

Although the Primordial Essence Dao Body was breached by the Extinction Merit of the Sea of Suffering Venerable, before it could be retrieved into Gao Tian Sui's body, the gap was already filled and healed by the white light dust, returning to its original state without harming Gao Tian Sui.

Standing in the human realm, although there was a bit of light dust scattering around him, it was far less than that of other Immortal Realm cultivators. At this moment, he took a step forward and vanished, passing through the void gate connecting the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms to the Ming Dynasty, and then heading towards Guizang."

................................................

On the other side of the human realm, upstream of the great river, at the Three Rivers Mouth in Yuzhou.

Earlier, at sunset, just as the Time Abyss was about to touch down on its original landing point in Saha, a ritual array at the Three Rivers Mouth suddenly changed.

Yu Yin Martial Saint, who was guarding the ritual array, felt her spirit lift.

She only needed to guard the ritual array and didn't have to operate anything else.

As the Time Abyss left the Great Rectifier and touched Saha, the ritual array above it transformed, and space-time seemed to change along with it.

Then, points of light gathered, like ripples on the water, seemingly born out of thin air.

These lights were as bright as the moon, cold and serene. In the dusk, it was as if the moon of the Yin had already risen into the sky.

The moonlight fell like water, and the ritual array received it.

Then, under the influence of the ritual array, the pure moonlight turned from white to transparent, becoming even softer and more fluid like ripples. As it rippled, the various changes caused by the ritual array on the great river were altered once again.

The originally balanced Heavenly and Earthly Essence of Yin and Yang in the human realm began to shift.

Lei Jun stood quietly in mid-air.

When it came to hiding, he was far more skilled than Yu Yin.

When Immortal Realm experts stepped into the human realm, their immortal essence and power dissipated, making it difficult to conceal their supernatural abilities.

But at this moment, Lei Jun, wearing the Supreme Eight Scenery Treasure Cloak and with the Celestial Master Seal hanging at his waist, became invisible, unnoticed by others.

As he witnessed the moonlight transforming further, he nodded slightly.

No wonder it was necessary to wait until sunset, but this treasure required corresponding sacrificial rituals and ceremonies, as well as the right time and place, to undergo further sublimation and transformation.

Although he hadn't obtained the item yet, Lei Jun was certain that this was the First Rank Opportunity mentioned in the Uppermost Auspicious Sign.

Furthermore, it was closely related to him.

This treasure from the Shadow Abyss was exactly what Lei Jun needed.

With this treasure, all conditions would be met, and he could begin to elevate his Two Poles Immortal Body, transforming it into a Taiji Dao Body.

Lei Jun raised his hand, and the scattered, dissipating radiance of the Immortal Realm experts reappeared.

The Supreme Eight Scenery Treasure Cloak merely concealed the dissipation of the Immortal Essence, but for Lei Jun, the current situation perfectly matched the description of the Uppermost Auspicious Sign, with no risks involved.

Although Yuan Jing was a Martial Saint from the Ninth Heaven, Lei Jun easily dealt with her.

After finishing off Yuan Jing, Lei Jun collected the moonlight that resembled flowing water.

Although no one was presiding over the ritual ceremony, it was still in operation, possessing a unique mystical quality.

Therefore, it took Lei Jun some time to extract the moonlight from the ceremony.

He was blessed with a keen mind, and the relevant names naturally appeared in his mind:

【Hope Wave】

Compared to others, Lei Jun's current journey in the human realm caused his Immortal Essence and power to dissipate faster than Tang Xiaotang, but slower than most other Immortal Realm experts. As a result, he wasn't anxious at this moment, and everything he witnessed confirmed the description of the destiny draw.

Compared to himself, he was more concerned about the situation in Saha and Guizang.

Although he hadn't witnessed the great battle outside of Saha personally, Lei Jun could understand the general situation on that side by analyzing the arrangements in Saha and the ritual ceremony before him.

It was hard to say who Zheng Baiyu's arrangements in Saha were intended to trap.

But now it seemed that the threefold Great Empty Temple's Body of Gold Venerable from the Demon World had fallen into that pit.

If it were just this one pitfall set by Zheng Baiyu, it probably wouldn't be fatal, but that side indeed turned out to be a chain of pitfalls.

Gao Tian Sui was right there.

If Lei Jun stepped into that pit, it was uncertain whether two pits would become three, or if the Sea of Suffering Venerable would also become a pit digger instead of a pitfall stepper.

Zheng Baiyu's arrangements in Saha didn't involve his personal presence.

As for the Middle Auspicious Sign's mention of Guizang, it was likely that he had gone there himself... Lei Jun thought.

...

At sunset in Guizang, it was originally peaceful.

But suddenly, the void began to tremble.

In the sky above, a gigantic fissure tore open, resembling a wound in the heavens.

The rift seemed alive, twisting incessantly, and in the blink of an eye, it rapidly expanded.

Within the expanding rift, time and space were in disarray.

The Time Abyss, which was supposed to fall into Saha, descended into Guizang at this moment.

Affected by such a disturbance in the void, even if the gate sealing Guizang from the human realm had been closed before, it would now be shaken open again.

Among those in Guizang were not only the locals and numerous Great Tang cultivators but also the Ling Mountain Shaman Sect disciples who had come to rest and recuperate.

At this moment, great shamans like Zhao Qianran, Qiao Yang, and Lei Lei were all astonished by the sight before them. Then, they saw the Ling Mountain Shaman King Huangfu Qi, who had been in secluded cultivation, emerge with a solemn expression, looking up at the Time Abyss in the sky.

Her gaze suddenly froze.

Vaguely, a figure suddenly appeared, directly reaching the vicinity of the Time Abyss.

Although Huangfu Qi's injuries hadn't fully recovered, her eyesight was extraordinary, yet at this moment, she couldn't make out the specific appearance of that figure.

But soon, another figure rushed into Guizang and headed towards the Time Abyss.

The newcomers were a demon and two people, two of them were at the second level of the Immortal Realm, and one was at the first level.

The demon was the Celestial Peng, the master of the Ruins of the Nine Depths, who rarely ventured out.

The two people were very familiar to those in Guizang: one was the Great Tang Empress Zhang Wantong, and the other was the True Lord Tang Xiaotang from the Daoist Sect.

The figure who arrived before them was an extremely tall middle-aged man with robust vitality, so intense that it was difficult to describe him as a blazing sun.

Within his body, a vast and mighty power seemed to be brewing, ready to burst forth, like the opening of the primordial universe.

At the same time, the tall man's eyes were clear, and his demeanor was gentle and refined, exuding literary grace and talent that filled the entire Guizang, especially stirring the hearts of the scholars who had stayed behind.

Empress Zhang Wantong fixed her gaze on him, not speaking at first.

Tang Xiaotang asked Zhang Wantong, "I recall you saying that North Star Scholar Zheng Baiyu is a Second Level Scholar Sage in the Immortal Realm, having achieved two of the Three Perfections. Is he now turning to cultivate martial arts?"

Before Zhang Wantong could respond, Tang Xiaotang negated her own thoughts, "No, that means he's... proficient in both literary and martial arts?"

Zhang Wantong spoke, "After careful planning and managing the Shadow Abyss, he successfully preserved his innate wisdom through reincarnation, established an extraordinary martial arts foundation, and combined it with the profound insights of Confucianism.

Throughout history, there have been predecessors with similar innovative ideas, but only now has North Star Scholar Zheng Baiyu achieved success."

Zheng Baiyu waved towards the Time Abyss and smiled, "Heaven's Might, it's been a long time. Thinking back to those days, you, Gao, and Zhuang, the two Daoists, and the Shaman King Wang Dianchen, although we've gone through a lot, four of us are still alive, which is truly a joy."

As he spoke, the Time Abyss seemed to be affected, and a mysterious radiance was drawn from its depths, passing through layers of time and space to reach the other side of the Abyss Valley, gradually condensing into a crystal-like existence.

"It's a pity that our paths remain different, and the only fellow traveler, Zhuang the Heavenly Lord, is no longer here," Zhang Wantong said, and a white light enveloped her.

She couldn't manifest the Confucian Divine Archery or the Daoist Artifact Refinement techniques in a short time.

At this moment, she was supporting a Daoist Talisman Immortal, who turned out to be the 16th Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Zhuang Zheng.

With his support, although she couldn't display her full strength, a Taiji Diagram of purple and blue intertwined immediately appeared above Zhang Wantong's head.

The most orthodox Dragon-Tiger Combined Attack, composed of Nine Heavens Thunder and Nine Depths True Flame, erupted with even greater power than when others used it, and a brilliant light swept across the sky of Guizang, pointing towards Zheng Baiyu.

The Dark Emperor Zheng Baiyu stood unmoving, one hand extended towards the Time Abyss, while the other clenched into a fist, calmly blocking the intense light.

Although the radiance was fierce, Zheng Baiyu's physical body remained unharmed.

"Your new learning is admirable," he said, "When you ascend to the third level of the Immortal Realm, I believe this history will become even more extraordinary."

To absorb the crystal from the Time Abyss, Zheng Baiyu stood still, forgoing the most advantageous martial immortal's body-shifting technique. Even so, the toughness of his physical body was astonishing, as if an ancient giant god had descended to the mortal realm, with an indestructible body that couldn't be harmed by human strength.

In just one round of confrontation, Zhang Wantong realized that the opponent's strength surpassed that of the Sea of Suffering Venerable.

During the End of Han Dynasty Cataclysm, Zheng Baiyu, a Second-Rank Celestial, was dazzling, but he still fell short of the Third-Rank Celestial Gao Tian Sui, Zhuang Zheng, and He Yingliangyan.

However, while the others were stuck or even regressing, he took a step ahead and quietly accumulated his power in the Shadow Abyss, advancing to the Third-Rank Celestial realm.

But it seemed that he had planned for more.

Besides cultivation, he had been patiently preparing, all for this moment.

Perhaps, in his mind, the opponents were not limited to Gao Tian Sui and others in this world.

The Celestial Peng stood by, his gaze fixed on the Time Abyss.

Due to the previous visits by the Sea of Suffering Venerable and others, the Time Abyss still emitted intense Demonic Qi and Malevolent Aura from time to time.

"My lord, I do not jest. I will not break my word to anyone," Zheng Baiyu said as he punched to disperse another round of Zhang Wantong's attack.

The Celestial Peng spread its wings and let out a long cry, then joined the battle, attacking Tang Xiaotang.

It was because of Zheng Baiyu's warning that it had come directly to the Guizang side.

The Time Abyss was indeed here.

However, to pass through here and reach the other world across the Abyss Valley, there was still a long way to go.

There were no free lunches in the world, and the Celestial Peng had to take a stand.

Amidst the chaos, the crystal by Zheng Baiyu's side continued to condense.

But his true feelings were not as calm and peaceful as his expression:

The crystal's condensation speed was slower than expected.

Judging by the time Zhang Wantong and the others arrived, they hadn't gone to Saha but had come directly to Guizang.

In other words, from the moment they left the Great Rectifier, they had calculated that the Time Abyss's final destination would be Guizang, not Saha.

However, at the moment they left the Great Rectifier, the sacrificial ritual had not yet reached its ultimate and complete effect.

The Time Abyss had indeed almost fallen into Saha, but it had only briefly touched it before passing by.

If not for this, even Gao Tian Sui would not have misjudged.

Zheng Baiyu had calculated the difficulty and precision perfectly, and it was no wonder he had prepared for so long.

If it weren't for the reopening of Pure Sky and its connection with the Great Rectifier, which caused the Time Abyss to constantly change until it met the current requirements for crystal condensation, why would the Shadow Abyss have waited for Pure Sky's reappearance?

But the precious time gained through this operation was wasted due to Zhang Wantong and Tang Xiaotang's unexpected early arrival.

The crystal's condensation speed was slower than expected, which meant...

"Zheng, you've got some skills," said a middle-aged Daoist wearing a nine-colored ritual robe, appearing in the Guizang realm.

Zheng Baiyu looked at Gao Tian Sui, who had come from Saha, and shook his head slightly.

"Gao Tian, it's good to see you well. Unfortunately, this is not the time for conversation. We can only chat in the future. For now, I have only one thing to say: we can each take what we need, and what I seek is different from yours."

Gao Tian Sui glanced at the crystal that Zheng Baiyu was condensing.

At the same time, within the Time Abyss, another glow shone.

It was like the universe and starlight had condensed, but it was torn into two halves, with only one part remaining.

It was indeed the other half of the universe diagram.

Gao Tian Sui stepped forward upon seeing this.

However, he did not fully trust Zheng Baiyu.

This time, as he manifested the innate Indestructible Dharmic Body, Gao Tian Sui simultaneously manifested two bodies, one of which remained vigilant towards Zheng Baiyu.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end