Chapter 756 - 597: Vicissitudes of Time
Chapter 756: Chapter 597: Vicissitudes of Time
After Qin Ming’s three spirit pets returned, the lively sounds of Wangyue Island resumed.
He summoned Mo Lingwei and Hua Tianxiong to continue helping him collect and refine the spiritual materials needed for the Crimson Spirit Pill.
Just shortly after Qin Ming broke through to Divinity Transformation.
Wangyue Island was once again shrouded in rolling black clouds, as it welcomed two consecutive Transformation Thunder Tribulations.
It was the Profound Water Crocodile and the Silver-winged Frost Bee, both advancing to the Tier Four Transforming Demon Saint Realm.
However, it seemed that both of them were somewhat special, as they did not transform after their breakthrough, only their body shapes changed.
The Silver-winged Frost Bee did not increase much in size; its originally silver pattern had turned into a gold and silver hue similar to the Life and Death Mysterious Vine.
The appearance of the Profound Water Crocodile also became more fierce, its body covered in dark gold scale armor, resembling an ancient giant crocodile.
At this point, all of Qin Ming’s spirit pets had advanced to the Tier Four Realm, with the Heaven-Devouring Rat having the highest cultivation.
Just releasing these five spirit pets could sweep across a Cultivation Realm.
Moreover, there was also a True Spirit Egg in incubation.
In this way, Qin Ming returned to his roots, living a life of cultivating spirit creatures and farming.
...
Time passed, and the seasons turned.
Thirty years quietly slipped by.
During this time, Qin Ming gathered all the materials needed to refine the Crimson Spirit Pill, and successfully refined it.
With the entry of "Divinity Transformation Power" refreshed in the Little Spirit Realm, he progressed another two-thirds towards mid-stage Divinity Transformation.
"With such rapid progress in cultivation, wouldn’t those old guys be envious and jealous if they knew?"
Qin Ming finished his cultivation, his body exuding a fresh aura of grass and wood, while several spirit pets lay beside him, frantically absorbing this plant essence qi for their cultivation.
It’s truly a case of one person’s rise to the Dao resulting in the ascension of chickens and dogs.
But on this day.
Qin Ming sensed a movement, his powerful divine thought perceiving the approach of the Cloud-Fishing Elder and several other Divinity Transformation Ancestors towards Wangyue Island.
He reached out to pat the Heaven-Devouring Rat and said, "Stop absorbing. We have distinguished guests coming, prepare the tea for them."
The Heaven-Devouring Rat woke up energetically and quickly said, "Oh, oh, alright!"
Not long after.
In the Cyan Wood Pavilion of the main peak.
Qin Ming had already welcomed several fellow cultivators inside and had served them Spirit Tea.
He had already surmised their purpose for coming, which was most likely related to gaining entry into the Primordial Extreme Mountain.
He immediately asked, "Are you all here for the Ascension Platform?"
It seemed that those old guys had prepared for decades and were now also looking for an opportunity to ascend to the Spirit Realm through the Ascension Platform.
"Exactly, alas! Time spares no one! We old guys have no choice but to walk this path." The Cloud-Fishing Elder took a sip of the Spirit Tea and lamented.
Qin Ming could sense the mood from their expressions at this moment.
After a small gathering on Wangyue Island for half a day.
Qin Ming led the old freaks to the Hidden Immortal Valley to find Qi Xiaoyu, then directly teleported to the interior of Primordial Extreme Mountain through a sub-array beneath the West Nether Cultivation Realm.
After opening the restriction of the stone gate of Luotian Hall, he smoothly arrived at the Ascension Platform once again.
Qi Xiaoyu carefully inspected it several times, confirming that there were no issues with the array.
Qin Ming also learned from the Cloud-Fishing Elder that besides Nanming Ancestor, the others were ready to ascend through the Ascension Platform today.
Nanming Ancestor planned to wait a few decades more, at least until the Lihuo Palace had nurtured a Nascent Soul-stage successor, before preparing for ascension.
This trip was also to observe the process and bid farewell to old friends.
As for the three Guiding Tokens, they were obtained by Fuyao Ancestor, Bingyi Ancestor, and the Cloud-Fishing Elder, one each.
The few of them ultimately reached this allocation through resource exchange, without harming their camaraderie.
After Qi Xiaoyu’s manipulations, several Transmission Stones were placed into the grooves.
The array on the Ascension Platform resonated with waves, the white jade spirit patterns lighting up completely, sketching out silver inscriptions in the void.
Merely standing nearby, one could feel waves of space power emanating from it.
Demon Venerable Bai Lin and Master Mu Qing were the first to step onto the Ascension Platform, then smilingly bid farewell to Qin Ming and the others.
"Hehehe! A fateful encounter, we’ll be the first to go. Fellow cultivators, if fate allows, we shall meet again in the Spirit Realm!"
As the words fell.
Buzz~
A massive white light beam, over ten zhang thick, descended from the celestial vault, illuminating the entire sky, penetrating through the barrier of Primordial Extreme Mountain, and reaching the heavens above!
The white jade platform also flashed with complex and mysterious spiritual light, instantly engulfing the two figures on the Ascension Platform.
Whoosh!
As the massive brilliance withdrew, the space returned to a dim state, the two figures on the Ascension Platform had been transmitted away.
"It succeeded!"
"Hahaha!!"
The Cloud-Fishing Elder and Bingyi Ancestor were overjoyed.
With the successful precedent of Demon Venerable Bai Lin and Master Mu Qing, the remaining old monsters were filled with confidence.
Soon after, as Qi Xiaoyu reloaded the Transmission Stones, the Cloud-Fishing Elder and Bingyi Ancestor also stepped up.
The Ascension Platform could only transmit two people at a time.
As the pillar of light reaching the heavens illuminated, the two figures disappeared from the spot.
Lastly, it was Master Fuyao.
One by one, the figures vanished from the Ascension Platform.
Qin Ming and Nanming Ancestor gazed into the sky, each lost in their own thoughts.
"After ten thousand years, cultivators from the Human Realm are ascending to the Spirit Realm again through the Ascension Platform. I hope that those old fellows can arrive safely," Nanming Ancestor sighed in lament.
Apart from Demon Venerable Bai Lin and Master Mu Qing, who are unburdened.
Bingyi Ancestor, Master Fuyao, and Cloud-Fishing Elder have all left a wisp of their Lifebound Soul Lamp in the Human Realm, and their life or death will be evident then.
If the Soul Lamp remains unextinguished, it means they’ve successfully arrived in the Spirit Realm.
Qin Ming also nodded, "Let’s hope so. Let’s go. If Fellow Daoist Nanming wants to use the Ascension Platform, you can find Qin anytime."
Afterward, the three of them exited Primordial Extreme Mountain.
Returning to the Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm.
However, after a small half-month, news came from within those sects.
It was reported that the Soul Lamps of Bingyi Ancestor and Master Fuyao had extinguished inside the sect, clearly indicating they encountered misfortune during the ascension...
Meanwhile, the Soul Lamp left by Cloud-Fishing Elder at Luoyun Creek continued to burn, and after so long without incident, it indicated that he had successfully ascended to the Spirit Realm.
As for Demon Venerable Bai Lin and Master Mu Qing, their fate remains unknown.
"Even with the Guiding Token in hand, there’s still a risk of ascension failure... Could it be due to this Ascension Platform being in disrepair over the years?"
This incident served as a stern warning to Qin Ming, deciding not to ascend until his cultivation was adequate.
Nanming Ancestor also sighed deeply upon hearing of the matter.
Evidently, he too had underestimated the peril of ascending to the Spirit Realm.
Another thirty years passed.
Altogether, a full cycle of sixty years had elapsed, and Lihuo Palace finally produced a new Nascent Soul True Monarch.
It was personally brought up by Nanming Ancestor, and thanks to Lihuo Palace’s enduring legacy, they managed to find a Celestial Spirit Root Cultivator among many disciples.
After hosting the Sect Leader Succession Ceremony and the Nascent Soul Ceremony at Lihuo Palace.
Nanming Ancestor also sought out Qin Ming.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qin Ming at last watched the other disappear atop the Ascension Platform.
At this point, all the Divinity Transformation Ancestors in the Human Realm had departed.
Each with their own fortunes and ordainments.
However.
Soon after Nanming Ancestor ascended, the Lifebound Soul Lamp he left within the sect lingered in a state of near-extinguishment.
Like a dying candle, ready to go out at any moment.
This situation persisted for an entire month, until Nanming Ancestor’s Lifebound Soul Lamp eventually extinguished...
Indicating that he too, encountered misfortune during ascension.
"Something’s not right! If the Ascension Platform is functioning properly, the ascension cultivators from the Human Realm shouldn’t have such high casualties." Qingyang the Old Demon of Blood Massacre analyzed with a frown.
Qin Ming posed a question, "Have such incidents ever occurred during ancient cultivator ascensions?"
"Most cultivators ascended successfully, though a few encountered misfortune mid-way, but those were in the minority," Qingyang the Old Demon explained.
Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn’t help but speculate, "Could there be an issue at the other end of the Ascension Platform...?"
"This... I don’t know either..." Qingyang the Old Demon stroked his beard.
With a slightly grim expression, Qin Ming returned to Wangyue Island and recounted the matter to Xiao Xun.
She too bore a heavy look, "In the heritage I received from Star Palace, there are records regarding the Spirit Realm Ascension Platform; I’ll check them when I return."
At this point, Qin Ming copied the runes from the three Guiding Tokens and handed them to her.
"One of the Guiding Tokens even has a ’Star’ character; could it be related to the Star Palace?"
Xiao Xun scrutinized it for a moment, then shook her head, "The Star Palace’s emblem isn’t like this; it’s likely from another faction."
Subsequently.
Qin Ming resumed his daily cultivation.
Qi Xiaoyu and Su Yuqing, his close friends, would occasionally visit Wangyue Island to play chess with him and discuss cultivation matters.
Qin Ming’s skills in Array Dao, after decades of dedicated study, had made rapid progress, advancing to the level of a Tier Four High-Grade Array Master.
However, due to the scarcity of Tier Five Spiritual Materials in the Human Realm, he hadn’t been able to advance to Tier Five.
Su Yuqing, some years prior, had also advanced to a Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator.
Given his Alchemy Dao proficiency, self-sufficiency wasn’t a problem.
Qin Ming had also given him the pill formula for Divinity Transformation Ointment; whether he could reach that level depended on his own fortune.
In this regard, Qin Ming couldn’t help much.
These two friends were mentors and peers to Qin Ming on his path to growth. Having achieved Divinity Transformation, he naturally wouldn’t forget them.
Yet on the path of the Great Dao, there are countless farewells and separations.
Qin Ming had grown accustomed to such things by now.
...
On this day.
He once again entered the Little Spirit Realm.
Tian Ling’er and Little Silver Fox were diligently tending to the Spirit Plants in the Spirit Medicine Garden.
The Heaven-Devouring Rat was busy pouring the Essence Blood of the Three-headed Giant Snake over a gray egg.
Currently, the Spirit Plants inside the Little Spirit Realm were thriving, nearly filling up the entire space.
Even the Spirit Lake at the center was populated with many aquatic Spirit Plants.
"At this rate of planting, the space in the Little Spirit Realm might not be enough!"
Qin Ming observed the flourishing High-Tier Spirit Plants, a small smile on his face.
Weaving through the plants, when he arrived before the Source Demon Jujube Tree, he was surprised to discover that this sinister demon plant was once again advancing!