The morning mist on Divine Dawn Peak had yet to dissipate.
Within the rotation duty main hall of Primordial Magnetic Main Peak, Chen Sheng sat cross-legged in the void. The hundred-year rotation tenure was nearing its end.
In these hundred years, while balancing his spiritual cultivation, he managed the Daoist sect affairs with impeccable order, and now, the time for transition of responsibilities had finally arrived.
Suddenly, Chen Sheng opened his eyes, a faint purple spiritual light flickering within them. He did not stand up, yet his aura gradually melded with the surrounding void, disappearing silently on the main hall seat like a droplet merging into the sea.
The next second, a slight ripple appeared in the void outside Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain!
Chen Sheng's figure slowly materialized, still clad in that purple Daoist robe, surrounded by a void aura deeper than a hundred years ago. Standing at the foot of the Divine Mountain, he seemed to integrate with the entire heaven and earth.
At this moment, the void beside him suddenly rippled with faint white waves, like silk fluttering in the wind.
The waves gradually condensed, and a figure of a youth in white stepped out—the youth, with a face like jade, had lively eyes, and was surrounded by a void aura similar to Chen Sheng's but more ethereal.
It was True Monarch Cloud Talisman, who had been traveling for hundreds of years and was about to succeed in the rotation duty!
As soon as Cloud Talisman appeared, he gave Chen Sheng a hearty smile, forming a standard sect ritual gesture with his hands before his chest, and greeted respectfully with clasped hands:
"Cloud Talisman greets Three Extremes True Monarch!"
His voice was clear, with a hint of deliberate teasing, clearly aware of Chen Sheng's famous title of "Three Extremes True Monarch."
Hearing this, Chen Sheng immediately chuckled, raising a hand in feigned assistance: "Fellow Daoist Cloud Talisman, please do not tease me!"
Cloud Talisman straightened up, laughing heartily:
Krijg op elke leeftijd een erectie met deze oude truc! Tweemaal daags innemenOpen
"Your comment is too modest; your renown for reaching Tier Four in the paths of 'Dan, Array, and Artifact' has long spread throughout the Eastern Domain!"
"I often heard during my travels that many Nascent Souls are inquiring about news of the 'Three Extremes True Monarch,' hoping to purchase the elixir pills and magical treasures you refined!"
His tone was full of admiration, but his eyes held not a trace of jealousy. Having such an outstanding peer was a great boon for the entire Three Elements Dao Sect.
Chen Sheng shook his head with a smile, but his gaze had already swept over Cloud Talisman, clearly sensing that the latter's mana fluctuations remained at the peak of Nascent Soul Early-stage, yet the surrounding void aura was exceptionally profound.
Faintly nearing the mid-stage threshold of True Monarch Han Lou, indicating a sign of having reached the mid-stage threshold in the void insight.
Chen Sheng clasped his hands with a sincere congratulatory tone:
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, it seems your journey in the Great Wilderness was quite fruitful, and your void insight likely touched the mid-stage threshold, right?"
Cloud Talisman's eyes flashed with surprise, clearly not expecting the other to see through at a glance, then softly chuckled:
"There's no hiding from your eyes, Fellow Daoist. During this time observing the wonders of the void in the Great Wilderness, my insight into the power of the void indeed deepened, barely reaching the mid-stage threshold."
"Please, Fellow Daoist!"
Cloud Talisman made a "please" gesture, and the white void spiritual light around him rippled. Chen Sheng slightly nodded, and both their figures flickered, disappearing into the void like birds.
The next second, the two figures slowly emerged within the central hall of Primordial Magnetic Main Hall, landing precisely on the white jade floor before the main seat.
Chen Sheng first walked to the table beside the main seat, raising a hand to retrieve a stack of faintly purple jade scrolls from his storage ring. The jade scrolls were engraved with the sect's exclusive runes, exuding a faint spiritual power, documenting the core affairs of the sect he managed during his hundred-year tenure.
Chen Sheng handed the jade scrolls to Cloud Talisman, patiently explaining:
"In these hundred years, the Daoist sect remained stable, and I haven't made drastic reforms. I only supplemented some articles starting from the paths of Dan, Array, and Artifact—for instance, the spiritual material requisition in the Dan Vein, where I've added specific rules to prevent wastage."
"For the Array Vein's Mountain Protection Array, I arranged monthly inspections of the array patterns to ensure infallibility, and for the Artifact Vein's magical treasure refinement, I've set 'quality control standards,' requiring each magical treasure to undergo three checks before being delivered to the cultivators..."
He paused, pointing at one of the jade scrolls to supplement:
"This jade scroll records the income and resource distribution of each vein, you can focus on it."
"I've meticulously adjusted the output of the Spirit Vein Mines based on 'cultivation needs' and 'contribution,' allowing resources to be more reasonably allocated to the cultivators in need."
Cloud Talisman ran his divine sense over the jade scrolls, admiration gradually appearing in his eyes.
He originally thought that Chen Sheng, having made a name as Three Extremes True Monarch, might focus more on his own cultivation, yet unexpectedly, Chen Sheng had managed each matter with meticulous attention.
The supplemented articles, though few, accurately addressed the past operational shortcomings of the three veins, significantly enhancing the sect's overall efficiency.
"Fellow Daoist's work is indeed thorough!" Cloud Talisman closed the jade scroll, clasping his hands towards Chen Sheng, "With the foundation you've laid, the upcoming hundred-year rotation will be much easier for me."
Chen Sheng chuckled:
"It's all within our duties. The Daoist sect is the foundation for both of us, and only with a firm foundation can we pursue higher realms in the Great Wilderness with peace of mind."
The two chatted leisurely in the main hall for a while longer. Chen Sheng informed Cloud Talisman of some hidden affairs of the sect—such as secret collaborations with other influences and management permissions for unopen scriptures in the Scripture Pavilion.
After all matters were settled, True Monarch Cloud Talisman shared some of his travel experiences with Chen Sheng:
"Speaking of which, I have been traveling for more than three hundred years this time. Besides the Great Wilderness Core Region, I visited Yuan Country, Wu Country, and even went to the edge of the Eastern Domain, to the 'Shattered Star Gorge', where I encountered quite a few new things."
Chen Sheng, hearing this, showed a trace of interest in his eyes and gestured with his hand:
"Fellow Daoist, please tell me more. Ever since reaching Nascent Soul, I haven't left the Daoist Sect, and I'm eager to hear about the outside world."
True Monarch Cloud Talisman didn't decline. As he walked, he slowly told his story:
"Let me start with the Great Wilderness. That place truly mixes danger and opportunity! At the 'Black Wind Abyss' in the Great Wilderness, I once came across a 'Void Crystal'. Unfortunately, guarding the crystal was a Tier Four Late-stage Void Demon Lion. I barely escaped after much effort."
Hearing this, Chen Sheng nodded lightly. Having studied the classics, he naturally knew what a Void Crystal was—it's a crystal formed from condensed Void Energy. Once refined, one's control over Void Power increases significantly.
True Monarch Cloud Talisman continued speaking:
"The Great Wilderness also has many Void wonders, like the Meteor Sea I visited this time. It's said that during ancient times, stars fell there, a truly awe-inspiring sight!"
He paused, his tone filled with admiration:
"Besides the Great Wilderness, the surrounding nations also have their own characteristics. The Wu Country has a Cyan Wood Sect that practices Wood Element Cultivation Techniques; the entire sect is built on a millennia-old evergreen tree..."
"The Yuan Country has a Celestial Wolf Tribe, skilled in 'Beast Soul Fusion'. The warriors of the tribe can sign contracts with demon beasts, borrowing their power in battle..."
Chen Sheng listened quietly, nodding occasionally. The Daoist Sect's heritage spans millennia, and the Scripture Pavilion's records are quite detailed about the Four Domains and various countries. Though he never steps out, he knows the general layout of the Cultivation Realm.
The Cultivation Realm is divided into Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Domains. Yue Country, along with neighboring countries like Wu Country and Yuan Country, belong to the Eastern Domain.
The intersection of the Four Domains is the vast "Great Wilderness". It's not only an ancient relic site but also the treasure trove of the whole Cultivation Realm.
"Fellow Daoist, did you know that deep within the Great Wilderness lie the remnants of an ancient ascension passage?"
True Monarch Cloud Talisman suddenly lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of mystery:
"At the 'Heaven-Reaching Cliff' in the Great Wilderness, I saw the ruins, with ancient runes carved into the stone walls. It's said that during ancient times, cultivators ascended to the Upper Realm via this passage. Only later did the passage collapse, leaving behind these ruins."
"Even so, the Void fluctuations around the ruins are several times denser than elsewhere. Nascent Soul cultivators from the Four Domains often sit there in meditation. I once saw a Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from the Western Domain, who had been comprehending by the cliff for hundreds of years."
True Monarch Cloud Talisman's tone grew heavier:
"Besides, the north of the Great Wilderness is even more dangerous. It's the stronghold of demon beasts. There, Golden Feather Demon Venerable has established the 'Demon Court', gathering powerful demon beasts from the Four Domains."
"It's said there are over a hundred Tier Four Demon Emperors within the Demon Court, along with several Great Demon Emperors at the Late-stage Nascent Soul. Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators dare not approach the north of the Great Wilderness, creating what's essentially a void area stretching for millions of miles."
Chen Sheng nodded lightly. This information matched the records in the Scripture Pavilion, but True Monarch Cloud Talisman's personal experiences imbued these cold words with more vividness.
True Monarch Cloud Talisman picked up the spirit tea on the table, taking a sip, with a hint of regret in his voice:
"Speaking of which, there's something quite regrettable. In a few decades, it will be the three-thousandth birthday of the Celestial Venerable Wuji in the Western Domain. I had wanted to visit the Western Domain to witness the demeanor of the Celestial Venerable of Divinity Transformation, but now that I am to take up duties, it seems unlikely I will go."
"Celestial Venerable of Divinity Transformation?"
Chen Sheng's interest was piqued, his cup pausing slightly. The number of Celestial Venerables of Divinity Transformation has always been a mystery in the Cultivation Realm, and the records in the Scripture Pavilion are often vague.
It is known that the most famous are three—Wuji in the Western Domain, Qingyun in the Northern Domain, and Golden Feather in the Great Wilderness.
These three not only possess immense personal power but also manage forces that span across regions, being giants known throughout the Cultivation Realm.
"Indeed," True Monarch Cloud Talisman set down his teacup, his tone full of reverence:
"The lifespan of a Celestial Venerable of Divinity Transformation is usually around two thousand five hundred years. With special opportunities, one might live longer. That Celestial Venerable Wuji can live to three thousand years is extremely rare."
"For his grand birthday, it's likely the Nascent Soul influences from the Four Domains will send someone to celebrate. Perhaps other reclusive Divinity Transformation cultivators will appear."
Chen Sheng was now at the early stage of Nascent Soul. Although the Divinity Transformation Realm was still distant, he knew the difficulty of this progression.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator to break through to Divinity Transformation, there's a need for deep Mana, ultimate control over Void Power, and understanding of the Primordial Spirit Transformation and Heaven and Earth Dao Principle.
Wuji Celestial Venerable's birthday is not just an opportunity for many Nascent Soul cultivators to admire the strong, but also a chance to seek opportunity and make connections with fellow Daoists.
"Fellow Daoist, what are your plans next? Will you return to Divine Dawn Peak for closed-door cultivation, or travel to the Great Wilderness?" True Monarch Cloud Talisman asked, his eyes full of curiosity.
Chen Sheng looked toward the sea of clouds outside the hall, a trace of yearning in his eyes:
"For over a hundred years post-Nascent Soul, I have not left the Daoist Sect. It's time to visit the Great Wilderness, to seek opportunities for breaking through to Mid-stage Nascent Soul, and to explore the depths of the Great Wilderness. Perhaps I'll find new inspiration for the three paths of Pill, Array, and Artifact."
True Monarch Cloud Talisman smiled and nodded, "That sounds wonderful!"