385: Life and Death Dao Rhyme! Nascent Soul Late Stage! Qing Mingzi
After burying his daughter Chen Yiran in the mortal town, Chen Dengming followed her last wishes and handed over the Anxin Hall pharmacy to several of her apprentices to manage, while continuing to stay in the town to treat and save lives.
After doing all this, Chen Dengming felt as if he had gained another special insight into his soul.
This feeling is indescribable and inexplicable.
If he had to describe it, it would be as if he had personally witnessed the entire process from birth to death of two lives closely related to him and connected by blood.
He had participated in many of these events, and he still remembered the scene of his angry return to the south to rescue the two Blood Refining Sons, the scene of riding the Black Cloud Leopard with his two children, and the scene of his son Chen Jing's wedding...
Everything seems like it happened just yesterday, yet it's all still vivid in my mind; now it has all become a spiritual cleansing.
These are the traces left in people's hearts after the passage of time, and also the insights into life and death.
"Life and death..."
In the Longevity Hall, Chen Dengming looked up at the starry sky and saw a shooting star streak across the distance. Suddenly, a strange feeling arose in his heart, as if it resonated with his own mind.
From its birth to its disappearance, a meteor is nothing short of life and death; the time it traverses is its entire lifespan; and the brilliant light it leaves behind, etched in people's memories in an instant, is its life's experience.
The short life of an ordinary person is like a shooting star—brief but not necessarily ordinary.
Those who cultivate immortality aspire to be like stars that never fall, not just fleeting moments of starlight, but to embrace the bright moon forever and ride the flying immortals to roam the heavens.
When he tried to grasp these insights carefully, he felt that they were somewhat elusive.
He was unaware that this was the essence of the Dao, something that only Your Majesty at the Spirit Transformation stage could possibly encounter.
Now, however, because of his high Spiritual Realm and the perfect harmony between emotion and scenery, he has grasped a trace of the Life and Death Dao Rhyme.
At this moment, although he could not grasp it due to the gap in their cultivation levels, a seed of Daoist essence had been planted deep within his mind, waiting for some opportunity in the future to influence it, at which point this seed would sprout and grow.
After handling his daughter's funeral arrangements, Chen Dengming entrusted the affairs of the sect to He Yingyu and the elders, while he continued his cultivation.
Sixty or seventy years have passed since he became the sect leader.
The time is now ripe, and the Longevity Sect has completed the handover of power from generation to generation.
Not to mention that the sect is protected by the three sects of Changqing, Changchun, and Changming, among which Qiu Feng is Nascent Soul True Lord, even within the sect, He Yingyu is already at the critical point of forming her Nascent Soul. Her Strength Realm are even a notch above Xing Huiguang's in the past. In the entire Longevity Sect, apart from the Nascent Soul Ancestor, there is no one who can match her.
According to the established rules of the Longevity Sect, the Dao Child always takes over after stepping down.
Once the Immortal Sect to the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm open, Chen Dengming plans to pass on his position to He Yingyu.
With He Yingyu and the Fourth Ancestor Xing Huiguang guarding the Mountain Gate, even in this peaceful era, there is absolutely no chance of anything going wrong.
Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.
In the New Realm beyond the realm, on the Devilish Cultivator Star ruled by the Devil Palace, a vast and empty platform was built, floating in the air near the vast starry sky under the influence of powerful array forces.
Above the platform, floating islands could be seen suspended in the air.
Each floating island contains a large array plate, which together form a grand array. The array's power extends downwards, holding the platform in place. From a distance, it resembles a giant morning glory floating in the sky.
At this moment, many cultivators gathered from all directions, arriving by spirit boat or riding Law Treasure. They were dressed in various colorful robes, some as graceful as cranes, some as bold as dragons, and some as mysterious as shadows. Clearly, they were all cultivators from different factions.
A few of them were loners, but they possessed extraordinary aura and unfathomable cultivation. Their appearance often caused a slight commotion among those around them, who looked on with fear.
Thousands of cultivators gathered here, and the spiritual power they emitted caused the air to stagnate. With each breath, they attracted the Spiritual Qi below, which gathered into a tide.
So many powerful cultivators from different factions gathered in the outer sky above this demonic star, the weakest of whom was at the Golden Core Early Stage realm.
Among the thousands of people, more than fifty were Nascent Soul True Lord.
Such a grand display, even surpassing the incursions of foreign powers into the four domains in the past, raises questions about its purpose.
Among these thousands of people, some powerful figures had arrived earlier and had been waiting for over a month, but none of them showed any impatience, as if the great event to come was worth their waiting.
And so, another half month passed.
Suddenly, at the center of the large array formed by the floating islands, strands of array power intertwined, forming a phantom image on the central array plate.
Within that illusory image, a Law Treasure resembling Star Chart flickered, projecting a vast and desolate land.
On that land, mountains rise and fall, forests stretch endlessly, the sky is high and the land is vast, making it appear open and distant. Wisps of clouds float among the mountains, like the breath of the earth sleeping soundly, or like surging waves.
Among the towering mountains, there were many ancient broken walls and ruins, shrouded in a gray mist, like ruins abandoned by immortals.
Many cultivators on the platform exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the vast, desolate land projected above their heads.
"That's the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm?"
"The Demon Lord summoned us here to wait; is the time for the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm to open approaching?"
"For us Outer Dao entering the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm, the stronger we are, the more restrictions we face, and the greater the danger. However, if we can plunder the Immortal Spiritual Energy and comprehend High Antiquity Immortal Method, it would be an unparalleled fortuitous opportunity!"
At the very least, we can gather some precious medicinal herbs Spiritual Material.
As they talked, some people even saw a celestial palace floating in the air deep in the clouds, and their eyes immediately became extremely eager and excited.
Beside the hall lay the remains of two enormous monsters, which had once looked ferocious but were now mummified. Only the scales on their bodies still shimmered with ancient runes and marks, suggesting that they may have once possessed extraordinary power.
At this moment, the projection gradually faded and disappeared, and a vast and majestic voice came from a demonic temple on the floating island.
"The Immortal Sect of the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm will officially open in three months. You have all come in response to my summons, and I will bring you all into the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm at that time."
These words immediately sparked cheers, especially from the Devil Palace and the Six Paths of the Demonic Sect cultivators on the platform below, whose expressions turned fanatical.
And from the vanished phantom, three lists and a large number of handwritten graphics reappeared.
These are all records of Spiritual Material, treasures, Immortal Method, and other valuable items that may exist within the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm. These are items that must be collected for the Devil Palace in order to be exchanged for entry into the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm. If there are any surplus items, they can be traded or exchanged for merit.
In addition, there was another list, arranged from top to bottom, which did not contain treasures or Spiritual Material, but rather the portraits and names of cultivators from other realms, listing more than thirty of them.
Any cultivator who enters the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm and encounters any one of the thirty-odd cultivators on the list, and kills them, will receive a large amount of merit, spiritual treasures, and precious lands bestowed by the Devil Palace.
The person at the top of the list, shimmering with azure light, revealed only a large face; it was none other than the Longevity Dao Lord Lu Xiucheng.
The second was a man with a square face, covered with short, neatly trimmed beards as sharp as iron needles, extending to his temples. Beneath his broad forehead, a pair of eyes brimming with awe-inspiring power. He was none other than Qu Shenzong, the first ancestor of the Heavenly Dao Qu Shenzong.
The third one was not Spirit Transmutation Dao Lord, but was listed ahead of several Spirit Transmutation Dao Lords. He was an ordinary-looking cultivator with white hair at his temples. He looked like a refined scholar in a Confucian robe, but he was known as the Fighting Longevity Lord and his name was Chen Dengming.
The fourth was the Venerable Lord Dongfang Huayuan, whose face was as sharp as a knife and whose whole body exuded an aura of dominance.
The many cultivators on the platform below were already very familiar with the powerful cultivators on this list, and knew that these cultivators might not all appear in the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm at that time.
But once these goals are achieved, they are all thanks to the efforts of the journey.
Those Spirit Transmutation Dao Lord were naturally ignored by everyone. Even some Nascent Soul Perfection cultivators who had reached the peak of their cultivation did not want to run into these Spirit Transmutation Dao Lords from outside the realm.
According to the plan, these Spirit Transmutation Dao Lords will naturally be dealt with by powerful figures such as the Demon Lord and the Spirit Transmutation Dao Lord from the Three Saints Palace who have not yet returned.
However, the Fighting Longevity Lord, who ranked third, became the target of many Nascent Soul True Lords.
"More than ten Nascent Soul True Lords from beyond our realm have already perished at the hands of this Fighting Longevity Lord. There are even rumors that he ruined the Demon Lord's plans. Therefore, if we can kill him, the gains will be immense."
"This person appears ordinary and harmless, but once in battle, he becomes wicked, rampant, and extremely domineering. He also has a nickname, 'Arrogant and Domineering Chen Baimao,' and is most skilled at defeating the strong with the weak. He is no easy opponent."
"Indeed, this person also possesses Immortal Celestial Lineage, posing a significant threat within the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm. Therefore, he is ranked third. If we can capture him alive..."
"No matter how powerful he is, he's just a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator at most. Don't boost others' morale while diminishing your own."
"Now, nearly fifty years have passed, and this Fighting Longevity Lord may have broken through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage."
At the moment when many Nascent Soul True Lords were exchanging Divine Sense.
Suddenly, in the distant, ethereal sky, two intense beams of light appeared, their Star Chart floating before them, hurtling towards them at an astonishing speed.
The next moment, they arrived above the platform, and two powerful spiritual forces immediately spread out.
The thousands of people on the platform fell silent instantly, many of them slightly changing color as they stared with extreme apprehension at the two figures above them, a man and a woman enveloped in an orange-yellow, flame-like halo.
The Phoenix True Fire —these two must be Dao Child of the Phoenix Cry True Palace.
The Dao Child of the Phoenix Cry Dao Domain are actually interested in the shattered righteous immortal path from High Antiquity times?
While many were shocked and apprehensive, a strange blue aura suddenly appeared in the distant deep sky.
The azure mist roared and swayed like waves, rolling and almost covering the sky, turning the originally dim starry sky into a deep blue, obscuring every star.
In an instant, the originally dim starry sky seemed to transform into a clear, azure sky, cloudless and as clear as jade.
This astonishing scene immediately reminded the surrounding cultivators of a legendary powerful figure, and they all calmed their minds and focused their attention.
Even the two Phoenix Cry Dao Child slightly concealed their arrogance.
We dare to challenge the sun and moon to change the sky.
This Divine Ability to change the world must belong to the great Qing Mingzi of the Qing Ming Sect, whom all cultivators in the world respectfully call the Old Man Qing Ming.
This powerful being, on par with the Demon Lord, has also arrived. Does this mean he's willing to risk entering the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm?
Amidst widespread alarm and suspicion, a series of ancient laughs echoed from the infinitely deep blue azure sky, seemingly Divine Sense reaching the demon palace on the floating island.
Within the Demon Palace, Devil Qi surged, and a malevolent, demonic light shone forth, as if the Demon Lord were responding.
The old man's laughter grew even louder.
A wisp of green mist, like a piece of new cloth slipping off the bed, transformed into a handsome young Daoist priest riding a green ox.
The handsome young Daoist priest was clearly very young, but an old-fashioned laugh came from his mouth.
The moment the blue pheasant's gaze swept over them, many cultivators, including the two Phoenix Cry Dao Child, felt their hearts tremble violently, as if a terrifying heavenly might had descended, creating a strong mental pressure.
Upon closer inspection, the young Daoist boy riding the ox appeared calm and composed, with clear yet shy eyes, as if the previous glance had been an illusion. He even nodded and greeted the two Phoenix Cry Daoist Dao Child in a friendly manner.
The two Phoenix Cry Dao Child, Huang Yun and Feng Qi, exchanged a glance, both seeing the solemnity and astonishment in each other's eyes.
This young Daoist priest might just be a substitute for Qing Mingzi, possessed by some means.
Qing Mingzi did not intend for his true self to enter the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm, but rather to substitute a body for Substitute Peach for Plum and enter the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm through another's body.
Even so, the fact that this young Daoist boy could be possessed by such Dao Integration Great Power- merging expert shows that he himself is quite remarkable, yet he appears to be a completely unfamiliar and unknown figure.
Longevity Dao Domain, inside the Longevity Peak cave abode.
A strange fragrance wafted in the air, and unusual phenomena occurred frequently. One could see the moon shining on the winding stream in front of the cave abode entrance, and people treading through the snow in the mountains in search of spring.
Within the cave abode, Spiritual Qi leaps like golden water, its crimson hue hidden in the sweet spring, and its dense clusters concealed within the courtyard.
In the courtyard, Chen Dengming's entire body shimmered with Treasure Light. Above his head, an infant, matching his appearance and figure, sat cross-legged, lifelike. With each breath, the surrounding Spiritual Qi, like golden water, gathered and swirled around him, absorbing into the infant's body and releasing rings of intense spiritual power and fluctuations.
Nascent Soul Late Stage!
After entering the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, he cultivated for nearly a hundred years and finally broke through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage.
This period of spiritual practice was indeed very long, taking up almost a third of his entire spiritual journey.
"My Husband has finally broken through!"
In the square Longevity Hall, He Yingyu, dressed in Dao Child robe, had a joyful expression on her pretty face.
"Yes, Junior Brother has finally broken through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage. He did manage to break through within the timeframe required by Master, which will greatly increase the success rate of our journey to the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm."
A fragrant breeze wafted by, Su Yan Yan's beautiful figure appeared beside He Yingyu, her pretty face serene and smiling.
"Third Martial Uncle!"
He Yingyu quickly bowed, but upon hearing Su Yan Yan's words, she hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Su Yan Yan glanced at the beautiful He Yingyu with a look of emotion, immediately seeing the worry hidden in her eyes. He smiled calmly and said, "Don't worry, both I and the First Ancestor will ensure his safe return from the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm."
He Yingyu's thoughts were seen through, and her jade-like face blushed slightly. She then said sincerely, "I only hope that you and the First Ancestor can all return safely together."
Su Yan Yan smiled slightly, then said somewhat apologetically, "Yingyu, since you became Dao Child, you have never enjoyed the resources of Heavenly Timing."
Especially after this, I'm afraid you won't be able to enjoy the resources of Heavenly Timing for the next few hundred years, and even if we fail in the Heavenly Immortal Realm."
No, that won't happen.
He Yingyu immediately interrupted the ominous words, then shook her head and said, "I'm not in a hurry. I still have a long lifespan. I can slowly break through to the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Realm, which will also help the sect share some of the responsibilities."
"Going to the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm is extremely dangerous. Use as much Heavenly Timing as you can to increase your strength!"
Su Yan Yan sighed, shifted her gaze to the Treasure Light radiating from the distant cave abode, and thought to herself, "Chen Dengming, how many years of good fortune have you accumulated to have so many people worrying about you? With Nephew Disciple He's concern, she must also safely escort Chen Dengming back."
However, within the Shattered Heavenly Immortal Realm, the conflict concerns the defense of the Daoist lineage and also involves the expulsion of a large number of Evil Cultivator and the annihilation of the invading enemies. The situation is complex and extremely dangerous.
Even though the First Ancestor had made ample preparations, the number of reinforcements mobilized within the Inner Domain was increasing day by day.
However, the opponent is coming on strong and powerful, so the outcome is still uncertain.
(Old Deng broke through, please vote with monthly tickets)