Transforming into a Rainbow

Compared to ordinary worlds, Huang Tian naturally wanted to visit worlds where extraordinary powers existed. In such worlds, the path of cultivation ahead would be clearer.

Even if that world's system did not follow the path of immortal cultivation, but instead magic, battle qi, Gu arts, and the like, it could still serve as a reference and greatly benefit him in forging his own path.

"Still, even if this world has no path of cultivation, it is worth a visit. After all, an entirely new world represents entirely new ideas for technological development and novel cultural philosophies..."

To observe the myriad things broadly and draw inferences from one instance to another had always been the best way to elevate one's understanding and strengthen oneself.

Moreover, he could clearly sense that the spacetime barrier connecting the new world was not solid. He could completely break through it with his consciousness and enter that realm.

Since that was the case, there was nothing to hesitate over.

He immediately attempted to split off a portion of his consciousness, but...

"Just as expected, it won't work."

Huang Tian frowned, realizing that he could not split off a second strand of consciousness. If he wished to travel to that world, he had to withdraw the consciousness he had left in the Late Han Dynasty World.

"No wonder, when I saw myself 'transcend tribulation and ascend' in the River of Time, I didn't choose to remain there forever."

He instantly understood, then hesitated no longer. His consciousness immediately returned to the Late Han Dynasty World.

"Summon Zhang Jiao."

Huang Tian's voice rang clearly from beyond the palace chamber. The maid standing guard outside answered, then immediately set off for Deyang Hall to summon Zhang Jiao.

At that time, Zhang Jiao was discussing state affairs with the others in Deyang Hall. Upon hearing the summons, he immediately set everything aside and hurried over. The others had no objection; instead, they felt envy rising within them—

The Holy Venerable had bestowed Dao arts upon ten people, yet Zhang Jiao alone was truly acknowledged as his personal disciple. The other nine were, at most, merely disciples in name.

Zhang Jiao felt not the slightest pride at their envy. Instead, his heart was somewhat heavy.

He recalled what his master had said upon descending into the world: "Once my work of breaking tribulations is complete, I shall ascend and depart."

Now the realm was unified, the flames of war no longer burned, everyone had fields and homes, and the Science Institute continued to improve technologies such as ironworking, soil enrichment, and weaving. Anyone with eyes could see that the mortal world was about to welcome a golden age—an unprecedented golden age!

All of this had been wrought by his master!

And with the golden age approaching, his master's work would naturally be complete. Then...

"Could Master be about to ascend and leave?"

As he hurried onward, the unease in Zhang Jiao's heart grew stronger and stronger.

At last, he arrived before a palace chamber. Drawing in a deep breath, he said, "Master, Zhang Jiao requests an audience."

The door swung open without wind. He took another deep breath, gathered his courage, and stepped into the room, his footsteps as heavy as if filled with lead.

"Master!"

He dropped to his knees and kowtowed.

For a time, there was no speech. After a long while, a faint sigh sounded from within the room.

Zhang Jiao's heart immediately fell into disarray. He knew his earlier premonition had been correct. His forehead pressed against the floor, and his voice choked slightly.

"The Dao Court has only just been established, the realm has only just been unified, and the common people have yet to prosper. Can you not remain a while longer, and leave only after seeing the splendor of the mortal world?"

"The time has come."

Huang Tian said no more. The more he said, the more it would wound the heart.

"Come closer. Raise your head."

Zhang Jiao moved forward on his knees until he reached Huang Tian. He raised his head, and his body suddenly stiffened. A slender finger touched the center of his brow, and surging knowledge flooded into his mind.

"Before ascending, I bestow upon you nine Golden Core methods, three hundred Dao Foundation methods, over a thousand qi-gathering methods, as well as introductory explanations of the four paths of pills, artifacts, talismans, and formations. I hope you cultivate diligently. One day, attain the immortal fruit, and we shall meet again in the Sovereign Yellow Primordial Realm..."

When Zhang Jiao awoke from his haze, only an utterly ethereal voice still echoed in his ears. He hurriedly looked up, only to see Huang Tian's figure seeming to scatter in the wind, transforming into a wisp of golden smoke that flew into the boundless void.

"Master!!"

Zhang Jiao's eyes reddened. He bowed to the ground. "This disciple sends Master off as you return to the immortal heavens!"

In the twelfth month of the second year of the Dao Court, heavy snow filled the sky. Holy Venerable Huang Tian's work was complete; he transformed into a rainbow and ascended, unheard from for a thousand years...

The strand of consciousness he had originally split off crossed endless void and returned to his physical body. A naturally complete feeling washed over him. Before Huang Tian could settle his mind, the spiritual qi within his body suddenly surged and boiled.

The next instant.

"Qi Refining, fourth level!"

Delight and astonishment mingled in his eyes. His delight naturally came from breaking through. Though it was merely a breakthrough in a minor realm, it was enough to bring joy. His astonishment, meanwhile, stemmed from the fact that the strand of consciousness had actually brought back a trace of spiritual essence!

Blue Star and the Late Han Dynasty World were separated by who knew how many universes and dimensions. Naturally, it was impossible to bring back his physical cultivation, but the spiritual essence cultivated in the Late Han Dynasty World could return with him. Although crossing worlds caused considerable loss, it was still enough.

"I was already effectively recultivating from the beginning on Blue Star, so my progress has been incredibly fast and I have almost no bottlenecks. Now that I have spiritual essence transmitted across worlds as well, my cultivation is practically like riding a rocket!"

After calming the joy in his heart, Huang Tian turned his gaze back to the new world.

"Since merely looking cannot tell me whether that place has extraordinary powers, I'll cross over directly..."

With a movement of his mind, a strand of consciousness rose from his body, slipped into the unseen void, and followed the golden sound thread toward the new world.

Crack~

With a crisp sound, his consciousness burst through the invisible spacetime barrier. Before his eyes, time and space interwove at a speed beyond thought, and a wave of dizziness struck him.

After a long while.

Huang Tian blinked. What he saw was the ancient ceiling canopy above a bed, while beside him knelt a young girl with twin-bun hair, weeping softly.

"I became that Fourth Young Master?" Understanding immediately dawned on him.

The next moment.

Boom—

A vast amount of information flooded Huang Tian's mind, but it was no burden to him. In only a moment, he had digested all of the original owner's memories.

This world was called the Five Directions World and had a history of over ten thousand years. Because its territory was exceedingly vast and its terrain complex, no great unified dynasty had emerged over those ten thousand years.

The five nations of the realm contended for supremacy. The place where he was located belonged to Kunyun Prefecture of Qin Province, one of the twenty-three provinces of Great Gan.

The current King of Gan possessed great talent and bold strategy. He had striven tirelessly and governed diligently during his thirty years on the throne, making the nation prosperous and its people strong. He had faintly brought Great Gan to the position of foremost among the five nations, and thus enjoyed immense prestige.

That was the lofty world of court and state.

Far from court in the martial world, however, sects such as the State Protector Temple, Cloud Sky Temple, Mystic Pivot Sect, Wind Cloud Dragon Tiger Pavilion, and Heavenly Sword Villa dominated their respective regions of Great Gan. There were also the five branches of the demonic path, their influence spread across every nation, feared and revered by all.

As for finer details, the original owner did not know much. After all, he had remained in the manor year-round and rarely went outside.

Beyond the general state of the realm, what remained were memories directly connected to the original owner.

Yet after Huang Tian finished reviewing those memories, even with his temperament, he could not help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Because... it was simply too melodramatic!

The original owner's mother had once been a maid in Huang Manor in the prefectural city. Huang Xunjiu, the master of Huang Manor, had taken a fancy to her while drunk and out of control. After one night of pleasure, she unexpectedly became pregnant.

Huang Xunjiu believed that a maid's pregnancy would damage his reputation and demanded that she abort the child, but the old madam, still alive at the time, stopped him.

Ten months later, the maid gave birth to "Huang Tian," the original owner. She had thought she could rise in status through her son, but only days later, the old madam fell ill and died. Huang Xunjiu consequently took out his resentment on mother and son. With the old madam no longer restraining her, the primary wife He Yunrou gradually reduced their allowances. Several years later, the maid died in melancholy.

"Huang Tian" was also moved to a secluded courtyard in the eastern wing. Over the years, at the urging of the primary wife He Yunrou, his monthly allowance, clothing, charcoal, rice, and grain had dwindled ever further. She even restricted him from practicing martial arts on the grounds that he was dull and foolish by nature, forcing him to focus on scholarly pursuits.

That alone would have been one thing, but of He Yunrou's four sons, apart from the youngest, who was only eight, every one of them was an oddity.

The eldest, Huang Qian, was twenty-five and had already entered the seventh rank of the martial path. Huang Xunjiu often praised him by saying, "My son has the makings of a grandmaster." He had always been arrogant and looked down on everyone.

The second son Huang Rui and third son Huang Jian bullied the weak and feared the strong. Seeing that the original owner yielded to them at every turn, they often tormented him, casually cursing him as a lowborn bastard birthed by a little maid. The original owner had actually endured it all, allowing them to beat and curse him. Over time, pent-up resentment had wrapped around his body, making him increasingly frail. The sight made Huang Tian shake his head again and again.

All in all, this was one utterly chaotic great household.

His father, Huang Xunjiu, remembered no old affection.

The primary wife, He Yunrou, possessed no gentleness.

His eldest brother, Huang Qian, possessed no modesty.

His second brother, Huang Rui, possessed no wisdom.

His third brother, Huang Jian, possessed no vigor.

"What a nest of talent..."

Huang Tian only felt a mouthful of complaints lodged in his chest, impossible to spit out, choking him there for a long while.