Chapter 356 - 149: Celestial Longevity Fruit, 4 Seas and 5 Continents, Summoning Technique

In other words, once he embarked on this path, he might never again see the day he could return to the Dayu Immortal Dynasty.

The Confucian Daoist Venerable and the White Lotus Daoist listened silently, unable to help but feel a mix of envy and pity for the old man.

Once he left, let alone the trials and tribulations he might encounter on his journey, even if the path were clear, the chances of his return were likely nonexistent.

No wonder the price was a Celestial Longevity Fruit.

"Good heavens!"

Cui Yanliang clicked his tongue, astonished, a wave of relief washing over him.

He himself had walked for many days from the Desolate Province to reach the Da Yu Capital City, crossing several Great Provinces with Su Bai’s clandestine aid. That journey had already felt immensely long.

But compared to traveling to other continents—

and four of them at that—his own journey was nothing worth mentioning.

’A journey of decades, even centuries, fraught with all kinds of dangers... If it were me, in my current state, I truly might not be able to complete it!’

Huaisheng Daoist fell silent. Su Bai, in no rush, waited quietly.

"Sigh..."

After a long while, Huaisheng Daoist let out a sigh:

"I am not afraid of hardship and tribulations, but there is a question in my heart. I ask that Senior enlighten me!"

"You want to know why I chose you?"

Su Bai’s gaze was clear, as if it could pierce through to a person’s very heart.

"That’s right."

Huaisheng Daoist nodded.

His own cultivation was rather mediocre. Now that the Netherworld Venerable Master had vanished and he could no longer contact the Netherworld, he barely qualified as a Returning Void Realm True Master—and likely the weakest one at that.

Many True Masters who hadn’t even reached the Returning Void Realm were probably stronger than he was.

To pay the price of a Celestial Longevity Fruit for his services seemed far too extravagant.

With such a price, it wouldn’t be out of the question to hire a True Master at the Ninth Level of the Returning Void Realm instead.

Su Bai didn’t hide the reason.

"Naturally, it’s because of the Summoning Technique."

Tens of thousands of years ago, the Netherworld Venerable Master burst onto the scene. He swept away all manner of fiends and demons, pacified the chaos plaguing the world, established the Netherworld, created the order of the Yin Department, and accomplished countless great deeds.

Precisely because he accomplished so much, each a world-shaking event, the Daoist lineage he left behind in the mortal world remained somewhat obscure, not widely known.

And yet, the Summoning Technique he left behind was nothing to be underestimated.

"The Summoning Technique!?"

’Could it be a powerful Daoist Skill passed down from the Netherworld Venerable Master?’

’The Netherworld Venerable Master...’

’The legendary God Summoning Technique... It’s said to be able to call upon the Netherworld Venerable Master, Kuixing, numerous Monarchs, the Civil and Military Judges, and even the Black and White Two Venerables to descend upon the mortal realm.’

’And the one who holds the legacy of such a technique... is this old man?’

The Confucian Daoist Venerable, the White Lotus Daoist, Chen Qin’Yin, and the others were utterly stunned. Their faces paled, and they couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Even the face of the usually taciturn Iron Sword Young Venerable changed drastically, his expression a mixture of reverence and shock.

The Netherworld Venerable Master!

Any cultivator would feel a mixture of awe and reverence for this supreme existence—the one who ended the age of rampant Demon Fiends, suppressed the Seven Heroes and Three Li, carved out the Netherworld, and established the Yin Department Divine System.

Many in later generations venerated him as a Saint, and countless others saw him as the goal they strived to pursue.

’Just as I thought...’

Huaisheng Daoist’s eyes lit up.

He thought to himself.

’The turning point... it really does lie with me!’

"Although the Summoning Technique left behind by the Netherworld Venerable Master is a closely guarded secret, rumors about this Secret Technique have nevertheless surfaced."

"And this Cultivation Technique is the reason I have taken an interest in you..."

Su Bai spoke slowly, his voice candid.

"Senior, there is something you may not know. While the lineage of my Netherworld Daoist Temple hasn’t been completely severed, it is on the verge of extinction..."

Huaisheng Daoist had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Not minding in the slightest, he spoke up directly to explain his plight:

"Ever since the Netherworld Venerable Master vanished years ago and we lost contact with the Netherworld, it has become exceedingly difficult for our Netherworld Daoist Temple to summon the great figures of the Yin Department to the mortal realm."

"Even by relying on the last vestiges of Incense left by the Netherworld Venerable Master, our Netherworld Daoist Temple can barely protect itself. We can no longer compare to the other Major Sects."

Huaisheng Daoist’s expression was grim as he spoke, his heart a mix of anticipation and unease.

He had a vague inkling.

If even the white-robed youth before him had no solution, then the demise of the Netherworld Daoist Temple would be truly unavoidable.

"The crux of the God Summoning Technique passed down by the Netherworld Venerable Master lies in its two components: the ’summoning’ and the ’gods’ themselves..."

"The ’summoning’ part is the technique you have inherited, but the ’gods’ part is rooted in the Netherworld."

"So, as you gradually lost contact with the Netherworld, the Netherworld Daoist Temple naturally began to decline..."

Su Bai’s expression was placid. He didn’t need to view Huaisheng Daoist’s memories to deduce the story of the Netherworld Daoist Temple’s rise and fall.

’The Netherworld Venerable Master must have sensed something back then to have passed down the God Summoning Technique.’

’That must be why, after the chaos of antiquity ended, he and the other gods and ghosts of the Netherworld retreated into seclusion there, never to emerge again, leaving this legacy technique behind.’

’He did it to prevent any great upheaval or earth-shattering chaos from erupting in the mortal world.’

’Or perhaps... he was also guarding against that world beyond the sky.’

’Unfortunately, he never could have imagined that the Netherworld would one day lose its connection to the mortal realm.’

"With no gods to summon, what can be done..."

Huaisheng Daoist sighed deeply.

The ancients had a saying: to possess the art of slaying dragons, yet have no dragons to slay.

And now, he possessed the God Summoning Technique, but had no gods left to summon.

’Back in its glory days, the Netherworld Daoist Temple could suppress even the world’s many Feathered True Masters. Nothing like today.’

As the Temple Master of the Netherworld Daoist Temple, he couldn’t even defeat a single Returning Void Realm True Master.

"This matter, however, is simple..."

Su Bai chuckled lightly.

"If there are no gods to summon, then simply find a replacement."

A replacement!?

’Where in all the world are there other gods to summon?’

’Contact with the Netherworld was lost long ago...’

Huaisheng Daoist trailed off, a sudden jolt striking his heart.

He recalled what Su Bai had said before about Divine Enthronement.

’Could it be... that the white-robed youth before me wants to become this "god"?’

"The God Summoning Technique isn’t limited to summoning the gods of the Netherworld..."

"Summoning someone else is also an option."

"For example..."

At that moment, Su Bai’s aura became as majestic and unshakable as a Divine Mountain.

"Me!"

The Dayu Immortal Dynasty was located on the Central Continent. Because it had the most complete Yin Department system and a great number of powerful experts, it had remained the most peaceful place in the world for ages.

But the other four continents, according to the memories he’d gleaned from the convict, were likely crawling with Demon Ghosts and overrun by rampaging evil demons!

Worse, many powerful Great Demons had brazenly established their own Demon Countries, raising humans like livestock. It was as if the ancient era of rampant Demon Fiends was on the verge of returning.

The continents beyond the Central Continent were far, far more dangerous and terrifying than the Dayu Immortal Dynasty.

Let alone True Masters of the Nine Tribulations or Returning Void Realms—even a Feathered Transformation Realm True Master could perish with a single careless misstep!

This was yet another reason he wanted Huaisheng Daoist to travel to the other continents and build God-Sealing Platforms!

With his current cultivation, he naturally couldn’t traverse such immense distances to descend upon those lands himself.

But with the God Summoning Technique, things were different.

With the help of this special technique, he could descend upon those four continents.

And in doing so, he could suppress countless evils and gain even more Experience Points!

"You!?"

Huaisheng Daoist’s heart pounded violently in his chest. He focused his gaze intently.

He felt as though the seemingly slender frame of the white-robed youth before him contained an indescribably vast and mighty power.

Though he was merely sitting cross-legged, he seemed like a boundless, starry sky stretching out before them.

Limitless. Like an immortal, like a god!

As Huaisheng Daoist’s expression flickered with a storm of emotions,

Su Bai’s gaze remained tranquil as he slowly said:

"Instead of summoning a god, summon me!"