The Eastern Region, vast in territory and steeped in history, is home to countless legends, numerous sects, and wandering cultivators.
Within the Mo Tian Sect,
Qinghai, dressed in a green robe, stood by the pool, holding some debris and feeding the goldfish in the pool.
"Sister-apprentice, how elegant of you," a white-robed woman appeared behind Qinghai.
If Ding Yan were here, he would easily recognize the woman as the new ascended Immortal of the Mo Tian Sect who had recently gone to the Lotus Valley to deliver the jade token.
"Just feeding the fish," Qinghai threw the remaining debris in his hand into the water and clapped his hands.
"These fish are lucky to receive your care," the woman walked to the water's edge and crouched down. Her slender hand reached into the water and gently stroked it.
The goldfish, which were originally competing for food, scattered as if they had been frightened.
Qinghai frowned, but said nothing.
"For these goldfish, the pond is their world. Standing outside the pond and feeding the goldfish, it's like the immortals rewarding us cultivators…" the woman seemed to imply something.
"Did the old man send you here?" Qinghai asked.
The woman straightened up and said, "The master asked me to ask you, how long until your tribulation."
"At most three years," Qinghai said.
In three years, Qinghai would face the first heavenly tribulation of an ascended Immortal. If he passes, he would become the first person in nearly a thousand years in the Eastern Region to ascend to an Immortal in less than a hundred years.
"How certain are you?" asked the white-robed woman.
"Six tiers. If you include the magic treasure, then I'm seventy certain," Qinghai replied calmly.
"Seventy..." The woman silently repeated the words, then said, "The master asked me to tell you that the next time the Gate of Heaven opens, there will be ten more years. You may as well prepare again and be sure that you will not fail before crossing the tribulation."
The Gate of Heaven!
The legendary ancient relic has played a very important role in the rise of the Mo Tian Sect.
"Cultivation is never without certainty, and when we enter the City of No Regret, it's not just us in the Eastern Region. The power of an Immortal in the first heavenly tribulation can deal with Eastern Region practitioners, but it's far from enough for the practitioners in the Northern, Western, Southern and Central regions..." As he spoke, a glimmer of light flashed in Qinghai's eyes.
The City of No Regret is located deep within the Gate of Heaven. It is said to be a treasure built by a great ancient being before their passing, containing numerous magic treasures and techniques. The Gate of Heaven is the only way in.
However, the ancient Gate of Heaven is not only present in the Eastern Region. In the Northern, Western, and Southern regions, and even in the Central region, there are also Gates of Heaven. Like corridors, these ancient Gates connect all major regions, allowing people from each region to enter. At the end of each Gate of Heaven lies the City of No Regret.
The City of No Regret, a city built in ethereal space, is surrounded by a large number of ancient immortal prohibitions, making it extremely dangerous.
Entering this city has a very clear rule: ascended Immortals who have been cultivating for more than a hundred years are not allowed to enter. It is precisely because of this rule that the major sects have tried their best to search for all kinds of talents, hoping to dominate the treasures in the City of No Regret and surpass the influence of the other sects.
"Is Brother intending to challenge the second heavenly tribulation?" the woman asked Qinghai.
"I'm not planning to challenge the second heavenly tribulation, but I still have some certainty in the mid-stage of the first heavenly tribulation," Qinghai said.
The woman smiled when she heard this. "Brother is indeed a genius who has traversed the Fifth Void of the Illusory Heavens. But there is something else I have to tell you on behalf of the master, something that he specifically instructed me to convey."
When Fu Qinghai became a scattered immortal, his soul had passed through the five layers of the Void Sky, and this was widely known within the Sky-Scraping Sect. The first time passing through the Void Sky was a kind of test. Every scattered immortal, at the moment of becoming one, would have a chance to have a divine journey through the Nine Heavens. This passage was unrelated to one's strength, but rather, it was an opportunity bestowed by the rules of heaven and earth to new scattered immortals, a chance to test their potential.
Afterwards, if one wanted to enter the Illusory Nine Heavens again, they would have to undergo the baptism of thunder tribulation. It was like a newcomer having the chance to visit a special area for the first time, but if they wanted to see it again, they would have to rely on their own strength.
Initially, the elder met by Ding Yan in the Eighth Layer of the Void Sky was a genuine scattered immortal who had undergone thunder tribulation twice. His entry to the Eighth Layer of the Void Sky was entirely based on his own strength, unlike Ding Yan who entered for the first time, entirely relying on the guidance of the rules of heaven and earth.
Fu Qinghai was indifferent to the praise, as he had heard such praise many times. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"Do you know of the Turtle Spirit Gate?" the woman in white asked.
"The sect we annihilated? Did that old man have something to tell you that is related to the Turtle Spirit Gate?" Fu Qinghai replied.
The news about the Turtle Spirit Gate was widely known among the Eastern Territory's cultivators with some status, and as the contemporary top disciple of the Sky-Scraping Sect, Fu Qinghai naturally had heard about the Turtle Spirit Gate.
"This time, a genius has also appeared from the Turtle Spirit Gate, named Fan Xu. According to the information our sect leader received, this Fan Xu has also become a scattered immortal, and his potential is as remarkable as yours, at the level of the Fifth Heaven," the woman said.
Although the entry to the Sky Gates was controlled by the Sky-Scraping Sect, for sects like the Turtle Spirit Gate, there were many ways to enter; leaving the Eastern Territory and entering from the Western or Northern Territories was also an option.
"Turtle Spirit Gate, Fan Xu..." Fu Qinghai murmured.
"Also, there is a new scattered immortal from the Lotus Valley called Ding Yan, and the current sect master of the Hua Shen Gate, Nangong Zheng. These two should also have potential not lower than that of the Third Layer of the Void Sky, and they could also be your enemies after you enter the City of No Regrets," the woman in white said.
"As for those with the potential of the Third Layer of the Void Sky, they pose no threat to me. As for that Fan Xu, I will take note of him," Fu Qinghai said coldly.
After speaking, Fu Qinghai swept his sleeves and left...
Dayan Mountain.
Near a stone platform, Ding Yan looked at the first three characters on the stone tablet. After some comprehension, a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes, and he attempted to integrate the seal he comprehended from the Ninth Layer of the Void Sky into a form of a low-grade Daoist art called Petrification Art, and then struck out with it.
"Petrify!" Ding Yan pointed with his finger.
A gray beam of light shot out and landed on a piece of purple bamboo.
Crack, crack...
The part of the bamboo touched by the beam quickly petrified. However, the power faded away after spreading to a range of about ten centimeters.
"To be able to produce such power with a low-grade Daoist art is quite good. Unfortunately, I can only comprehend the first few characters for now. As for this character..." Ding Yan's gaze fell on the character 'Dao,' feeling that it seemed extremely mysterious, yet at the same time, quite ordinary, and he couldn't discern any rules for utilizing the Daoist art.