Controlling the Opportunity to Become an Immortal, Going All Out for an Immortal Ascension Token
Controlling the Opportunity to Become an Immortal, Going All Out for an Immortal Ascension Token
Outside the Imperial Palace stretched a vast plaza, shrouded in mist, boundless and endless.
All around were densely packed figures, yet all maintained solemn silence. The numerous ministers waited respectfully in place, awaiting the Divine Lord’s appearance to conduct this Ceremony of Immortal Ascension.
As the name implied, this grand ceremony was held specifically for Sealing Immortals. From practically every corner of All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, living beings and Cultivators had rushed over, determined to witness this magnificent feat with their own eyes.
Many were also curious, wanting to know whether this so-called Immortal Ascension List was truly as miraculous as Gu Changge claimed—whether it could make one an Immortal on the spot, whether it could allow Cultivators above the Sacred Emperor Realm to ascend from mortality to Immortality.
At the very front of the Star Palace, the ministers stood in the foremost positions.
The forces behind them were the most ancient and terrifying, with several Hidden Experts presiding over them. Beyond that, they possessed Immortal Grade Artifacts that still existed in the world. Even in the current Beyond, they remained undisputed overlords.
Within the Divine Empire, they likewise enjoyed exalted status, with vast fiefdoms and sky-reaching authority.
Of course, among those positioned nearer the front were the Godly Illusion Clan, the Hidden An Clan, and the Primal Celestial Temple.
The current patriarch of the Godly Illusion Clan had been enfeoffed as the Marquis of Taixu and was highly valued. Beyond that, one of the Godly Illusion Clan’s Hidden Experts, the Gifted Lady Jin Yang, was said to be extremely close with one of the Divine Consorts.
This had led to the Godly Illusion Clan’s current lofty status within the Divine Empire. Even the other Immortal Forces and supreme Dao Traditions treated them with great courtesy.
As for the Primal Celestial Temple—what the world called the Primal Temple—it could be said to be the force most trusted by the Divine Lord, bearing the title of the State Religion, because the Primal Celestial Temple’s leader was none other than the Divine Lord Gu Changge’s maternal grandfather.
As for the Longevity Gu Family, within the Divine Empire they were the undisputed Imperial Family.
At the very front of the Imperial Palace, the Palace Lord of the Immortal Ascension Palace appeared—a tall figure wearing a bronze mask, clad in long cyan robes, his features indiscernible. His exposed eyes were profound and icy cold, seemingly devoid of any mortal emotion.
His cultivation was extremely terrifying; even ordinary Hidden Experts would feel a chill of dread before him.
This person was none other than Yan Luo, the former Fourth Palace Lord of the Nether, who had also been granted a name by Gu Changge.
His cultivation had long ago reached the realm of the Remnant Immortals.
Aside from Gu Changge, few existences in the Beyond could easily defeat him.
Behind the Immortal Ascension Palace Lord followed numerous white-bearded eunuchs, beings of various races, all with unfathomably deep cultivation. They filed out in unison, standing respectfully within the Imperial Palace.
Besides the Immortal Ascension Palace, the Asura Palace, the Heavenly Secrets Palace, the four halls of Blade, Spear, Sword, and Halberd... many forces belonging to the Imperial Family appeared. Whether leaders or stewards, all stood respectfully within the Imperial Palace.
This Ceremony of Immortal Ascension was incomparably grand—a momentous event for All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds.
Even several Divine Consorts and the Empress would appear.
Upon the vast plaza, all the ministers were shaken by this scene, seeing most directly the tip of the iceberg of the Divine Empire’s foundations.
“His Majesty arrives—”
At that moment, accompanied by the tolling of a grand bell, the entire universe trembled. Countless Cultivators and living beings heard the magnificent sound of the world resounding.
In every corner of All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, sacrificial chants rang out.
A tall, slender figure, seemingly enveloped in brilliant Immortal radiance, appeared outside the Imperial Palace. Even his hair strands flowed with five-colored Immortal light. Judging by his features, he was incomparably young, handsome as jade, his eyes calm and profound, as if able to see through all the secrets of the heavens across the ages, perceiving past, future, and present.
His Dharma Body manifested within the Divine Empire, towering as if propping up heaven and earth itself; even the stars around him seemed as insignificant as dust.
Even beyond the Divine Empire, the beings of those boundless universes felt the resonance, shaken and awed, prostrating themselves reverently in the direction of the Divine Empire.
Behind Gu Changge, the Empress Yue Mingkong, the Divine Consorts Xi Yin and Jiang Chuchu all followed, appearing together with him outside the Imperial Palace.
“We pay respects to the Divine Lord.”
“May the Divine Empire be immortal, enduring for all eternity.”
Grand, reverent voices resounded in unison across the plaza.
All the ministers and living beings knelt down toward the front, not daring to reveal the slightest impropriety in their expressions.
This was a sight sufficient to shake All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds. The space between heaven and earth was filled with boundless sacrificial sounds. Strands upon strands of silver Power of Faith converged above the Divine Empire, like a bottomless ocean, finally pouring into that brilliant great sun.
Crystalline rain of light scattered down, golden lotuses bloomed, and the sounds of the Dao resounded between heaven and earth. Practically all Cultivators and living beings felt their souls become translucent, their spiritual platforms ethereal and clear, their spirits growing ever more devout.
At this moment, the Divine Empire’s Kingdom’s Fortuity surged skyward. Even at the edge of the firmament, sun and moon shone together, the heavens dimmed, and then the River of Time was reflected forth, its surging waters rolling out great waves.
From one end of the River of Time to the other, the powerful beings of past and future all felt the resonance, filled with shock.
“Everyone, please rise.”
Gu Changge nodded lightly, his gaze calm and rippleless, gesturing for everyone on the plaza to rise.
Only then did he turn his gaze toward that Immortal Ascension Altar.
This Ceremony of Immortal Ascension, in his view, was the best opportunity to display the Opportunity to Become an Immortal to the entire Beyond, so it had to be grand.
As the crowd of ministers rose, Gu Changge waved his hand lightly, and boundless light bloomed between heaven and earth. A Golden List emerged, the two ancient and resplendent characters “Sealing Immortals” shining upon all heavens, incomparably dazzling.
Upon it was Power of Faith concentrated to the extreme; even its edges were suffused with the aura of Flying Immortals.
At this moment, even Hidden Experts felt longing arise in their hearts, sensing that this Immortal Ascension List absolutely contained the opportunity to become an Immortal.
The Tree of Epoch and the Epoch Dao Fruit were both controlled in Gu Changge’s hands. By refining these two objects, he could naturally control the Opportunity to Become an Immortal with ease.
Even when the world’s environment fully recovered to the level of the Immortal Epoch, ordinary people would likely still lack the qualifications to touch that path to Immortality. After all, becoming an Immortal was an absolutely momentous affair—how could Gu Changge fail to sense it?
Could he possibly watch with his own eyes as a True Immortal rose up to threaten him?
The birth of this Immortal Ascension List had, in truth, long since sealed all of this. After Gu Changge unified the heavens, this would be the sole opportunity to become an Immortal—to be conferred by the Divine Empire, to enjoy the Divine Empire’s incense and faith, but also to be bound by the Divine Empire and Gu Changge, one’s very life held in his grasp.
At this moment, all the ministers and subjects of the Divine Empire gazed at that Golden List at the very top, boundless and endless, standing above the clouds, as if it could span half a universe.
“The ceremony begins.”
Following a great shout from a eunuch of True Daoist strength, the ministers ranked at the very front of the Imperial Palace all trembled, then stepped forward without hesitation.
They gazed reverently at Gu Changge, all declaring without the slightest hesitation, “We are willing to follow the Divine Lord for generations, submitting to the Divine Empire. This heart may be witnessed by heaven and earth, heard by all living beings.”
As their words fell, there seemed to be a response from the unseen depths.
Upon the Heavenly Dao Steles on the Imperial Palace plaza, hazy golden light began to sprinkle down, shining upon and enveloping them.
“The Longevity Ji Family offers the Immortal Grade Artifact, the Nine Heavens Vast Seas Armour, and one flag of the Four Directions Cloud Realm Flag, seeking one Immortal Ascension Token.”
A mighty, tall middle-aged man stepped forward—none other than the patriarch of the Longevity Ji Family.
He spoke respectfully. Behind him, an ancient small world emerged, and dense Immortal Dao light appeared, enveloping the two treasures. Their radiance shone brilliantly, then transformed into two streaks of flowing light that plunged directly into the Immortal Ascension Altar.
Hong long long!!
The Heavenly Dao Steles trembled, emitting a momentum that shook heaven and earth together. Mysterious radiance and rules flowed across them, as if weighing the value of these two treasures—whether they were worthy of obtaining one Immortal Ascension Token.
All the ministers watched this scene in shock. The Nine Heavens Vast Seas Armour was a foundational treasure of the Longevity Ji Family; once worn, even beings of the Immortal Dao would find it difficult to break through.
And the Four Directions Cloud Realm Flag was an Innate Treasure renowned throughout the Beyond. It was said to have been nurtured in ancient times by the energy of the four directions of the Cloud Realm. There were four flags in total; when waved, wondrous phenomena billowed, heaven and earth turned to chaos. They could defend against enemies and suppress and seal them, their mysteries inexhaustible.
If all four flags were gathered, they could form the Four Directions Grand Array, capable of slaying even Immortals.
For the sake of a single Immortal Ascension Token, the Longevity Ji Family could truly be said to have gone all out. This caused the expressions of many patriarchs of Longevity Families to shift slightly.