Chapter 707: Risking One’s Life
Because Ling Lin was a swordsman.
From ancient times to the present, thirty-five Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators had emerged on Chenping Continent, and Ling Lin had a very high probability of becoming Chenping Continent's thirty-sixth Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator.
He would also be the fourth swordsman to ascend to immortality.
As for the first three Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators in Chenping Continent's history, they were respectively the fifth-generation Ascended Steward of Heavenly Summit Mountain, Realman Cangyue; the second-generation Ascended Steward of Wind Ravine Valley, Realman Bai Shang; and Chenping Continent's foremost Sword Immortal, the Falling Star Realman Su Hongzhen.
These three cultivators who had achieved the Immortal Ascension Realm through the path of the sword had all left rather profound marks on Chenping Continent.
This included Realman Bai Shang, who, like a meteor streaking across the sky, had an extremely brief active period, because he forcibly activated dao rhyme and suffered backlash from the laws of heaven and earth, almost amounting to "sudden death."
Aside from those two newly ascended Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators, and Ling Lin, who was about to break through to the Immortal Ascension Realm and could almost be said to be just one step away, within this hundred-year period, the most inspiring development was Qin Qingyu's cultivation progress.
It could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.
The cultivation path after the Immortal Ascension Realm could only be explored by the cultivator themselves, with no predecessors' experience to draw upon.
Because every cultivator's immortal path was completely different.
Even so, Qin Qingyu's cultivation progress was still advancing triumphantly, and almost every few years, this Realman Yuexu of Star Heaven Sect would achieve a certain breakthrough.
Although the distance between Qin Qingyu and the Returning to Void Realm still seemed quite far at present.
But if she could take that step before the "Final Battle" arrived, then although it might not truly play much of a role when facing the Mystic Maiden Statue and the "that existence" behind it, it would undoubtedly inject a strong shot of encouragement into the cultivators of Chenping Continent today.
Above Du Cang Mountain, the edges of that massive "wound" that had been torn open were still continuously writhing.
Or rather, it was devouring Chenping Continent's sky.
......
Du Cang Hall.
Between the twelve coiling-dragon jade pillars and the white jade throne at the far end of the hall, eight chairs made of an extremely rare and precious material, dark as profound black, had been placed.
Upon each chair sat an Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator.
Du Cang Mountain had already been completely shrouded by "Eternal Night." Although Eternal Night absolutely could not obstruct the vision and spiritual sense of Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators, the current Du Cang Hall was still illuminated by over a hundred thousand faintly glowing "Heavenly Vast Stones."
Before "Eternal Night" had completely shrouded the land within a radius of several hundred thousand li centered on Du Cang Mountain, a single Heavenly Vast Stone could already sell for several dozen high-grade spirit stones on Chenping Continent's cultivation world black market.
And after "Eternal Night" began to shroud Chenping Continent's land, the price of Heavenly Vast Stones also began to rise steadily. Now, on Chenping Continent's cultivation world black market, the price of a single Heavenly Vast Stone could reach more than ten times that of the past.
"Now, what is the situation?"
Chen Yan, seated upright on the white jade throne, slowly opened his mouth and asked.
"Currently, the various cultivation sects of Chenping Continent are all doing their utmost to hoard more cultivation resources within their sects, in order to face the gradually approaching crisis."
The youth seated at the very front, wearing moon-white daoist robes, spoke calmly.
The Eighth-Generation Ascended Steward of Heavenly Summit Mountain, Realman Lingxuan, Gu Jing.
For Du Cang Mountain today, Gu Jing's importance could be said to be second only to Realman Du Cang, Chen Yan himself.
His past experience governing the cultivation holy land of Chenping Continent, Heavenly Summit Mountain, allowed Gu Jing's ability to devise strategies from behind the scenes to rank among the nine Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators of Chenping Continent today. If he was called second, no one would dare claim first.
As far as Chen Yan knew, the only person whose sect management ability could surpass Gu Jing's was perhaps his "old friend" who had passed away over two hundred years ago, True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang.
In fact, back when Kong Yang was still alive, Gu Jing and Kong Yang had been on quite good terms, and Gu Jing had even proactively offered strategies, attempting to extend Kong Yang's life.
This was probably because there was an inherent similarity between the two of them.
"What is the specific situation?"
Chen Yan continued to ask.
"Among those sects, for the cultivation sects where the highest-cultivation cultivator is a Qi Sea Realm cultivator, the resources they have currently hoarded are roughly enough to maintain ten years of normal operation after 'Eternal Night' completely engulfs all of Chenping Continent."
Gu Jing replied.
"Third-rate cultivation sects with a Passable God Realm cultivator presiding over them can all roughly maintain fifty years of normal sect operation; second-rate sects can maintain two hundred years; first-rate sects can maintain five hundred years; top-tier sects can maintain about a thousand years..."
As he spoke, Gu Jing suddenly paused for a moment:
"As for the five great sects where the Ascended Stewards present here belong, how long the cultivation resources they have hoarded can sustain normal operation, that is something Gu does not know."
"What use is there in hoarding more cultivation resources?"
Just then, True Person Xuzhou of Lingxiao Temple, wearing gold-and-red interspersed daoist robes, spoke in a somewhat heavy tone.
And seated beside True Person Xuzhou was another Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator of Lingxiao Temple, Realman Xihe, who wore a crimson daoist robe, because Realman Xihe specialized in flame methods.
True Person Xuzhou was different, cultivating both fire and thunder.
"'Eternal Night' will not slowly and completely devour the entire sky of Chenping Continent. Its very essence of existence is collapsing the laws of heaven and earth of this domain heavens... When the pitch-black rifts expand to a sufficiently large extent, Chenping Continent's laws of heaven and earth will completely collapse, and this domain heavens will also completely transform into nothingness."
True Person Xuzhou continued.
Hearing this, Gu Jing did not cast his gaze toward that Ascended Steward of Lingxiao Temple beside him, but merely spoke indifferently:
"Do what one can and leave the rest to fate."
Chen Yan, seated upright on the white jade throne, showed no reaction.
This was merely a meeting held among the Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators of Chenping Continent in Du Cang Hall.
Since a hundred years ago, the nerves of these Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators had been constantly taut, ready at all times to face the arrival of the "enemies from beyond the heavens."
Even for Immortal Ascension Realm great powers, under this century-long torment of highly concentrated mental focus, it was inevitable that they would feel utterly exhausted.
The meeting did not last very long.
After the meeting concluded, the various Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators departed one after another, except for Lingxiao Temple's True Person Xuzhou, Lou Ye, who remained seated in his chair.
And before Realman Xihe beside him left Du Cang Hall, these two Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators who both hailed from Lingxiao Temple exchanged a glance, as if engaging in some kind of farewell.
All of this was also taken in by Chen Yan.
"True Person Lou, what matter is it?"
Chen Yan cast his gaze upon Lou Ye and asked.
"True Person Chen, guarding in place while awaiting change may not be a wise strategy."
True Person Xuzhou said.
"So, what does True Person Lou mean?"
Chen Yan's gaze descended.
"Lou is willing to risk his life, to venture deep into the heavenly rift and investigate thoroughly."
This Ascended Steward of Lingxiao Temple spoke in a voice that was not loud, yet rang like the clash of metal and stone, carrying an unquestionable resolve.