Chapter 340
Chapter 340
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [Unnumbered]
Chapter Title: Doubts on the True King's Path
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"Retracing the True King's road—does it necessarily lead to calamity?"
After Yang Bi left, Chen Shi fell into deep thought.
True Lord sealed off immortality, severing the two realms of tribulation transcendence and ascension. Was this coercion from Despair Slope, or did cultivating the traditional path to ascension inevitably trigger calamity?
If it was the former, just how powerful was Despair Slope to force the True King to such extremes? If the latter, what caused this calamity for those following the traditional realms? The True King's four capital relocations—were they truly tied to these calamities, or was there some hidden truth?
When Li Tianqing came to see him, Chen Shi shared the matter. Li Tianqing said, "Where is Despair Slope? Could we go scout it out?"
Chen Shi shook his head. "I don't know. My uncle Chen Wu went to Despair Slope, and there's been no word from him since. No telling if he's safe."
Li Tianqing said, "Could we monitor the Heavenly Listeners' movements and use them to track Despair Slope's location?"
Chen Shi shook his head. "No. The Heavenly Listeners are divided into Apostles, Deacons, Venerables, Venerable Kings, and Venerable Lords. We'd probably need to eavesdrop on a Venerable Lord to trace Despair Slope. But the Venerable Lords are far too powerful."
With their strength, they didn't even know where the Heavenly Listener Venerable Lords hid, let alone get close enough to monitor one.
Chen Shi pondered. "We could have Gathering Immortals Tower keep an eye on Uncle Chen Wu's movements..."
Seeing Li Tianqing's confusion, he smiled. "Uncle Chen Wu has no knack for business. His daily expenses all come from Gathering Immortals Tower. We just need to check the ledgers at the various branches to see if he's withdrawn any silver."
Li Tianqing's eyes lit up. "If he's taken silver, we can track his movements. The last place he withdrew from is likely near Despair Slope!"
Chen Shi nodded lightly with a smile. "If he emerges from Despair Slope, the moment he takes silver, we'll know his whereabouts! This calls for the accountants. Shao Jing should have news soon."
Shao Jing was the heavenly court's accountant, overseeing its ledgers. He'd uncover it quickly.
While awaiting word, Chen Shi sought Chen Tang's guidance on the methods for God Descent and Refining God realms.
"The God Descent Realm is simple." Chen Tang said. "It requires an altar. Offer the Seven Treasures, perform ablutions and burn incense, sacrifice to the earth. Your Divine Embryo will connect to the land, linking with the True God. The True God descends subtly, strengthening the Divine Embryo. Sometimes one descent isn't enough; multiple may be needed. The more descents, the more sacrificial items consumed."
Chen Shi asked, "Does God Descent only boost cultivation?"
"Not just cultivation—various insights too. In that moment of descent, you feel the True God's vastness, profoundest comprehension. Truths dawn unbidden, arts master themselves."
Chen Shi sought insights into God Descent. Chen Tang imparted his own without reservation.
These were primordial spirit insights, ethereal and vague. Some couldn't be put into words—only comprehended, not transmitted.
Chen Shi half-understood, then consulted Granny Sha.
"God Descent is the True God's subtle descent," Granny Sha said. "It grants immense opportunity: take the True God as your primordial spirit, sense heaven and earth. Consider the True God's power. With it as your primordial spirit, sensing the world—what insights would you gain?"
Chen Shi was moved. Taking a True God as primordial spirit to comprehend heaven and earth—this realm was truly wondrous, leaving him itching to try.
"I lack a true Divine Embryo, so I can't experience its marvels." He sighed inwardly.
Though he'd boasted to Yang Bi, crossing God Descent and Refining Void directly to Body Fusion? He had no full confidence.
When True Lord revised the cultivation system, adding God Descent and Refining Void—those realms surely held something extraordinary!
Chen Shi pressed, "How long do the insights last?"
Granny Sha sneered. "As long as you want? A mere instant suffices for a lifetime's pondering! God Descent lasts only a moment. Seize it to comprehend the earth—benefits last forever!"
Chen Shi asked, "More sacrifices to extend the time?"
Granny Sha hesitated. "Possible. But one sacrifice drains a cultivator's lifetime wealth."
Aside from clan scions, most cultivators were poor—God Descent demands the Seven Treasures.
Many scraped together all their lives, yet never assembled them.
Chen Shi consulted Qingyang next. As a demon cultivator from Taihua Azure Palace, Qingyang was erudite, sharing all his God Descent insights.
Then Hu Xiaoliang, the Heavenly Fox and fox clan chief, another demon cultivator with unique takes on God Descent.
Comparing them, Chen Shi found Chen Tang, Granny Sha, Heavenly Fox, and Qingyang each had distinct insights!
He visited Little Zhuda too. There, clerks like Sun Yisheng had reached Body Fusion. Seeking their counsel, Chen Shi learned each True God descent yielded unique insights!
Then came word: Yu Tiancheng was about to achieve God Descent. He'd tasked Shao Jing with gathering seven rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures for sacrifice!
Through Little Zhuda, Chen Shi reached Gaoshan County in Xijing, finding Yu Tiancheng.
God Descent was pivotal—a bridge between prior and later stages. Thus, his master Hanshan Loose Immortal arrived to personally set up the altar, avoiding mishaps.
Chen Shi eyed the altar. Front was the main shrine, below an incense burner with three cups of clear tea, three arm-thick incense sticks burning. Before the burner and tea sat the seven treasures in order.
Yu Tiancheng's seven: volcanic crystal amber, cold pool mystic iron, worry-bane grass, qilin bone, dragon scale, phoenix feather, and an unknown skull.
That skull radiated intense divinity, aura overwhelmingly potent—the most precious of the seven.
Before the treasures: baskets of copper coins and gold silver. Flanks hung treasured swords; center thrust five elemental command flags, fortune mirror suspended.
Yu Tiancheng sat beneath the fortune mirror, surrounded by sesame oil lamps blazing bright, enveloping him in pure yang qi.
This ensured the True God wouldn't be startled during descent.
Hanshan Loose Immortal hailed from the Xu Family among the Thirteen Great Clans, a Great Vehicle Realm existence. His setup guaranteed Yu Tiancheng maximal insight time!
Longer insights, greater gains.
Hanshan prized this disciple highly, deeming his talent supreme—fit to inherit fully, even surpass him. He took this God Descent rite gravely.
Chen Shi said, "Pavilion Master Yu, without a true Divine Embryo, I can't cultivate God Descent. During your descent, may I join you on the altar for insights?"
Hanshan Loose Immortal frowned slightly, about to object, but Yu Tiancheng laughed. "Why not? Talisman masters short on treasures often pool four or five to make seven, sharing the altar for collective descent. Join us."
Hanshan scowled deeply, coughed to speak—but Qianke Loose Immortal tugged his sleeve, whispering, "Don't speak. Forgot last time in Gongzhou, how his inner demon trounced you? Annoy him, he drops dead with a croak, new demon emerges and flattens us!"
Hanshan sneered. "Am I one to bully the kind and fear the fierce?"
Qianke said, "His dad Chen Tang—chest of thirty-seven talisman gods, unbeatable in Xijing."
Hanshan sneered on.
Qianke added, "His uncle Little Five swept the Thirteen Clans' ancestors; they cower like winter cicadas."
Hanshan kept sneering, but let Chen Shi mount the altar unhindered.
Seated beside Yu Tiancheng, Chen Shi heard, "Master will perform the rite, sacrifice the treasures. During descent, sense it yourself. I can't aid much."
Chen Shi thanked him, then to Hanshan: "Thanks, Daoist, for allowing this."
Hanshan swallowed fury. "I've suffered much from your grandpa; now my disciple suffers you. Don't shortchange my hapless pupil..."
Qianke poked him repeatedly; he fell silent.
Hanshan advanced. "I'll perform the rite, link heaven and earth. Tiancheng, sacrifice the treasures promptly—don't miss it, understood?"
Yu Tiancheng replied, "Disciple understands!"
Hanshan sighed inwardly. "My honest disciple, sharing his God Descent insights. He'll get half; the rest benefits Chen Yindu's grandson."
He manifested Void Great Realm aura, linking the earth—like a channel straight to the outer realms, connecting the True God.
Chen Shi and Yu Tiancheng perked up. The altar seemed afloat beyond West Niu Divine Continent, amid cosmic stars, before the True God.
Ahead, the True God loomed immense; their minds mere specks in its ocean.
Yu Tiancheng sacrificed the treasures. Altar's seven dissolved into surging essence, following Hanshan's aura skyward!
Outer heavens stirred; divine light descended, bathing the altar and duo.
Behind Yu Tiancheng's head, divine halo emerged; halo's Divine Embryo soared along the light outward.
Chen Shi felt vast majestic force descend the light into his mind—like divine whispers echoing. His divine pedestal stirred, but the pedestal's white-clothed fairy didn't rise.
Shiji Niangniang sat calmly atop, unmoved. Chen Shi's own primordial spirit reacted not.
In his second shrine hid a little girl—Lord Qingtian's Niangniang, captured to aid his cultivation, perched as deity.
The divine light bathed Chen Shi—yet summoned no Divine Embryo.
Hanshan sighed softly. "Freeloading off my disciple..."
Chen Shi tethered a wisp of mind to Yu Tiancheng's Divine Embryo. It rocketed in the light, merging with the outer True God!
In that merge, Yu Tiancheng became the outer True God! Endless timeless insights flooded his mind!
This was God Descent's wonder!
Outer True Gods grant Divine Embryos at Divine Embryo Realm; they aid as primordial spirits, hastening qi refinement.
At God Descent, the Embryo returns—the instant it merges, the cultivator briefly takes the outer True God as primordial spirit, comprehending heaven and earth for immense gain.
A fleeting moment, lifelong benefit!
Hanshan eyed the descending pillar; it thickened, rainbow glare dazzling dozens of li around.
The two Loose Immortals stirred. Qianke gravely said, "Hanshan, what Divine Embryo is your disciple's? This descent is too mighty!"
Hanshan said, "Second-grade. Even split with Chen Shi... No!"
The pillar swelled beyond second-grade limits!
God Descent was but an instant; Embryo merges then returns. Their treasures were fine, but it should've ended!
Yet the light intensified, True God insights deepening!
"Past first-grade?" Qianke murmured.
Hanshan shuddered. Altar's descent surpassed first-grade!
First-grade: Purple Jade or Wenchang—top-tier Embryos.
They ascend at descent, merge briefly for insights, then empowered Embryos descend.
Hanshan's own Purple Jade descent paled—utterly inferior!
No way Yu Tiancheng's Embryo warranted this.
Light visible even in Xijing, a hundred li off!
Observatory mobilized vast bronze mirrors here; experts flew from Xijing to Gaoshan.
The duo alarmed, sensing equals—Great Vehicle experts. They flared Void Great Realm, warding ill intent.
"No—Tiancheng's Embryo can't draw this scale!"
Hanshan, shocked, muttered, "Chen Shi's descent? Is the Primeval Dao Embryo truly that potent? Impossible... and his was seized!"
Qianke gazed skyward; descent ongoing.
"Residual Primeval Dao Embryo aura in his mind triggered this." Qianke said.
Hanshan: "Residual triggering tenfold a first-grade descent? Possible?"
Qianke found it unbelievable.
Then, skies: a ten-foot Divine Embryo descended the light, aura astounding! Duo gawked—this descent's Embryo dwarfed normals by multiples!
Hanshan elated, muttered, "My disciple lucked into Scholar Chen's boon..."
The Embryo shrank, entering the halo.
Yu Tiancheng's pedestal trembled, inching toward Chen Shi's head!
Hanshan's heart raced. Sensing Chen Shi's residual Primeval Dao aura, the Embryo neared him involuntarily, seeking to flee Yu Tiancheng!
Should Yu's Embryo with pedestal fly to Chen Shi, claiming him master—his honest disciple was done for!
At last, light faded; Yu Tiancheng's pedestal righted.
Hanshan exhaled, sweat-drenched like fished from water.
Yu Tiancheng opened eyes calmly, sat briefly, then: "Master, I think I'm breaking to Refining Void Realm!"
That instant gained him more than years—decades—of toil!