"Is your esteemed father the Hall Master Micro-Image of Danming Hall? Over a hundred years ago, I had a fateful encounter with him on a flying ship."
Chen Xihua smiled and nodded:
"Indeed, after my last trip to the Grotto Heaven, I went out on a hundred-year journey. A few years ago, I was fortunate to receive some opportunities, and in the Western Wilderness, I crossed the tribulation and formed my Nascent Soul. Only today was I able to return to the sect."
He didn't explain the details of the opportunities much—the path to a cultivator's breakthrough is full of secrets, and mentioning too much about it would seem deliberate.
Upon hearing this, True Monarch Qian Yuan's face instantly broke into a bright smile, and his aura softened, the previous gravity disappearing entirely. He stepped forward two steps, his tone full of delight:
"Haha! So, it's Fellow Daoist Xuan Zhao!"
"Our Daoist Sect has welcomed its eighth Nascent Soul True Monarch today, a cause for grand celebration! Fellow Daoist, return with me to the sect, and I will immediately have Immortal Brew prepared to welcome and cleanse you from the journey!"
He didn't question why Chen Xihua didn't cross the tribulation at the sect; every cultivator has their choices, and forcing questions could harm the harmony. Moreover, Chen Xihua's breakthrough to Nascent Soul was a major celebratory event for the Daoist Sect.
For him personally, it was even more so, as another Nascent Soul True Monarch can help share the burdens of his duties!
"Fellow Daoist Qian Yuan, you are too kind."
Chen Xihua nodded slightly. Having been away for a century and now returning to the sect, he naturally felt a deeper sense of belonging, being acknowledged by a fellow Nascent Soul True Monarch.
The two exchanged a smile and simultaneously leapt into the air.
True Monarch Qian Yuan surrounded himself with a faint glow of Primordial Magnetic Spiritual Qi, transforming into a dark-colored Escape Light, stable yet swift, exuding immense steadiness.
Chen Xihua condensed the Sword Mist around him into a blue Sword Light. The Sword Light was fast, yet not showy, following like a meteor.
Er komt 's morgens een stukje worm uit je. Probeer hetOpen
The two Escape Lights, one dark and one blue, flew steadily through the sky, not hurried, more like old friends on a leisurely journey towards the Three Elements Dao Sect.
"Fellow Daoist Xuan Zhao, you are not yet three hundred years old, are you?"
During the flight, True Monarch Qian Yuan asked with admiration in his voice, breaking through to Nascent Soul in less than three hundred years is indeed rare, even in the entire Cultivation Realm.
Chen Xihua nodded in agreement: "From the moment I embarked on the path of cultivation, it has been two hundred and seventy-four years."
"Two hundred and seventy-four years..."
True Monarch Qian Yuan sighed:
"Truly a prodigy of extraordinary talent! Speaking of which, your esteemed father, Hall Master Micro-Image, recently advanced to a Quasi-Tier Four Alchemist, with Nascent Soul within his sights. You father and son indeed make a remarkable story in our Daoist Sect!"
...
An hour later, the melodious bell of Primordial Magnetic Peak Main Hall echoed among the peaks of the Three Elements Dao Sect.
The bell tolled thrice, resonating across the Vein Residences, complemented by jade scroll messages. Inner Sect Golden Core Cultivators hastily set aside their tasks, turning into Escape Lights, converging towards the Main Hall.
Within the Main Hall, the white jade-paved floor reflected the glow of glazed lamps from the ceiling.
Emblems of the Daoist Sect's various veins were carved into the jade pillars on either side—the flame pattern of the Dan Vein, the sword qi pattern of the Sword Vein, and the array pattern of the Array Vein interweaving to create a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Chen Sheng, wearing the specially crafted Red Gold Robe of the Dan Vein, sat at the head of the Dan Vein's seat. The robe, embroidered with intricate pill patterns, signified his identity as a Quasi-Tier Four Alchemist.
At that moment, he was surrounded by leading figures of other veins—Master De Yan of the Array Vein, Master Yun Xu of the Artifact Vein, Master Shi Qun of the Sword Vein, all at Golden Core Perfection, their expressions filled with complex smiles, their gazes on Chen Sheng carrying undisguised envy.
Master De Yan spoke first, toying with an Array Disc in his hand, with a tone of some emotion:
"Fellow Daoist Micro-Image truly has great fortune. To achieve Nascent Soul before the age of three hundred, such talent is rare indeed in the history of the Daoist Sect!"
Master Yun Xu nodded repeatedly, eyes full of admiration:
"Not just in our Daoist Sect, but in the entire Cultivation Realm of Yue Country, a Nascent Soul True Monarch under three hundred years of age is a rarity indeed!"
"Daoist not only being a Quasi-Tier Four Alchemist himself, with Nascent Soul in sight, now also has a Nascent Soul offspring, such fortune truly invites envy!"
Everyone present was well-informed; the news of Chen Xihua's return with True Monarch Qian Yuan had spread across the sects, following the diffusion of the Nascent Soul aura.
The unfamiliar yet powerful Nascent Soul pressure, along with the sudden assembly at the Main Hall, when linked together, revealed the truth to them.
Master Shi Qun of Sword Qi Hall sipped his tea lightly, exclaiming:
"Truly the tiger father begets no dog son! Fellow Daoist Micro-Image has always been low-key, but to hide such a prodigiously talented descendant!"
The surrounding voices of agreement rose and fell, some envying Chen Sheng's "dual fortunes", some marveling at the rise of the Chen Clan, while others secretly calculated how to build a good relationship with the Dan Vein in the future.
Chen Sheng stood up smiling, cupping his hands towards the others:
"Fellow Daoists are too kind, Xihua has achieved what he did today mostly through his own efforts; I, as his father, merely offered some guidance."
Though his words were humble, his eyes couldn't hide the gratification.
When Chen Xihua reached the Daoist Sect, he informed him of his breakthrough to Nascent Soul via Communication Talisman. This unexpected joy had taken him quite a while to accept calmly!
After all, he had already benefited greatly from Xihua—Myriad Phenomena Sources Returning to Spirit Skill, Myriad Spirits Stone Milk, Primordial Thunder Crystal...and this occasion was no exception!
As everyone chatted and laughed, the void at the center of the Main Hall suddenly rippled. Dark and blue lights intertwined, spreading like ripples in water, the surrounding void seemingly turning into a water curtain, slowly flowing.
Next, two figures slowly emerged in the light—
True Monarch Qian Yuan was surrounded by a faint ink-colored Primordial Magnetic Spiritual Light, his feet stepping on invisible array points, his figure seemed to walk out of a painting, exuding the unique steadiness and ethereality of a Grandmaster of Array Dao.
When landing, a circle of ink-colored array patterns faintly lit up on the floor of the main hall, instantly disappearing into the ground as if they had never appeared.
Chen Xihua beside him was completely different, dressed in a green Sword Robe, stepping out of the void without any extra movement, yet carrying an imposing edge that looked down upon the world.
Even though most of his aura had been restrained, it still made the Golden Core cultivators in the hall feel a sense of trepidation!
Two deep and ethereal Nascent Soul auras swept through the entire main hall like invisible tides, and the previously noisy discussions in the hall abruptly came to a halt!
All the Golden Core cultivators instinctively held their breath, looking with awe towards the center of the hall, even the giants among the veins restrained their smiles, their expressions becoming solemn.
True Monarch Qian Yuan stepped forward, standing on the high platform of the main hall, laughed heartily, and his voice spread through the hall like thunder:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you've all heard—today, our Daoist Sect adds another Nascent Soul True Monarch, with the Dao name Xuan Zhao!"
He gestured to Chen Xihua beside him, his tone full of pride:
"This is Xuan Zhao True Monarch!"
As his voice fell, the hall was utterly silent.
Although they had heard of it, seeing this "Xuan generation" cultivator standing on the high platform as a Nascent Soul, a huge wave of shock still surged in everyone's hearts.
An old late-stage Golden Core cultivator murmured to himself: "Xuan generation... not even three hundred years old... so fast!"
Zelfs de oudste nagelschimmel verdwijnt binnen 3 dagen (recept)Open
This was the sentiment of almost everyone—three hundred years, for a Golden Core cultivator, might just be the age of reaching late-stage; yet Chen Xihua had stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm that countless cultivators dreamed of!
Chen Sheng sat in his seat, looking at his son on the high platform, his eyes full of gratification.
He could clearly feel the condensed Sword Intent around Chen Xihua, an edge that had been honed through countless trials, now finally blooming with dazzling light.
Below the stage, Master Profound Sword of the Sword Vein looked at Chen Xihua, his face full of sighs.
He remembered more than a hundred years ago, when the two had dueled with swords in Daoist Sect's Small Realm, at that time both were at the Foundation Establishment Cultivation, evenly matched, he even held the upper hand, but only because his killer move was incomplete did it end in a draw.
He had secretly determined afterward that he would completely surpass Chen Xihua in Sword Dao someday.
But now, he was still stuck in mid-stage Golden Core, struggling to find an opportunity to break through, while Chen Xihua had already become a high-standing Nascent Soul True Monarch, the gap between them like an impassable chasm.
"It truly feels like a lifetime ago..."
Master Profound Sword sighed softly, his heart filled with envy, some loss, and mostly a sense of urgency for his own cultivation.
The moods of other cultivators were varied—some young Golden Core cultivators were full of admiration, viewing Chen Xihua as a model for their cultivation.
Other members of the Xuan generation were inevitably anxious, those Golden Core cultivators whose lifespan was nearing its limit were even more anxious, worried they might never break through to Nascent Soul.
Some elders within the veins began to plan how to establish a good relationship with this newly ascended Nascent Soul True Monarch, to secure more opportunities for their disciples.
Various complex emotions intertwined in the hall, yet all transformed into awe for Chen Xihua and envy for Chen Sheng.
As the atmosphere in the hall gradually calmed, True Monarch Qian Yuan walked to Chen Xihua's side, using telepathy, and with some apology said:
"Fellow Daoist Xuan Zhao, I sincerely apologize, the other True Monarchs of Daoist Sect are all traveling outside, seeking opportunities."
"I have informed them of your breakthrough via Communication Talisman, and when they return, I will host a grand celebration for you, letting the entire Daoist Sect celebrate you!"
Chen Xihua nodded slightly, also replying through telepathy, in a calm tone: "Fellow Daoist Qian Yuan, no need to be so formal, regarding the celebration, there is no urgency."