[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-258":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to Divinity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280808,4461,"Chapter 258: Where Clouds Run Deep, No One Knows","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-258",258,"\u003Cp>Jiang Jian struggled to steady himself, enduring the searing agony in his soul, and activated the ice-blue radiance once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He temporarily halted the chaotic, surging spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The acupoints and meridians throughout his limbs and bones also ceased cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pure World Divine Flame is too high a tier—I can only wield a fraction of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These ice-blue rays won’t last long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression was cold as he carefully sensed his acupoints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He roughly estimated that, in his current state, he could sustain it for at most half a day!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cosmic rule backlash from his failed breakthrough was terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had his will not been unyielding, had he not endured the excruciating pain and barely held onto consciousness to activate the ice-blue radiance and forcibly suppress it,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his soul would have already shattered, killing him on the spot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian lifted his head and attempted to take a step—immediately, piercing, splitting pain surged through his entire body!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood seeped from his seven orifices, yet his expression remained unchanging, blank, as he took one step, then another, toward the edge of the island’s barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>deep within his mind, a chilling clarity emerged, unprecedented in its transparency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thoughts surged rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, two methods came to mind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First method: find Shen Qingchanyi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Her Weaving Fate divine art, if fully unleashed, would surely alleviate the soul’s fissures!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian reached the barrier and stepped through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tremendous pulling force seized him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just two seconds,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian opened his eyes—he was back at the edge of Shengshan, outside the Breakthrough Hall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shengshan was eerily quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as he could see, white stone buildings stood in rows, yet not a single soul was visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second method: activate the Earth Store Scepter and summon the Guide Messenger to return to Yinshan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian walked to the edge of Shengshan, gazing down at the vast, mist-shrouded landscape below, and made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Tenth Hall of Yinshan,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>not only could the Wheel of Rebirth Manifestation be freely used,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but the cost of wielding the Earth Store Scepter would be greatly reduced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scepter’s nature is mastery over the “Rebirth” attribute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This attribute also has the effect of stabilizing the soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Earth Store Scepter’s true purpose lies elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its soul-stabilizing effect is merely incidental—it cannot repair soul fissures, only prevent further damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Activating this treasure consumes enormous soul-source energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be counterproductive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, Jiang Jian had never used the Earth Store Scepter precisely because of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he returned to the Tenth Hall of Yinshan right now,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>under minimal cost,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the scepter’s nature could maintain his soul from shattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For his current situation, this would be immensely helpful!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his meridians cracked and the damage halted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the two realms’ acupoints gradually restored a trickle of spiritual energy through self-sustaining circulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The backlash from his failed breakthrough had been too violent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shenque and Yongquan acupoints each suffered distinct injuries, riddled with cracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Jian’s cultivation in both realms was exceptionally profound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had activated the ice-blue radiance in time to suppress the backlash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why his two realms’ acupoints had not fully collapsed and could still be used—for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If anyone else had attempted this,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“they would have died instantly upon failure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his thoughts churned,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression turned icy, and he took a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the little spiritual energy he had left, a jet-black phoenix appeared beneath him, hurtling toward the Lihai direction!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Diyue Academy was empty—this was highly unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But right now, Jiang Jian had no time to care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Long Quexu form beneath him appeared semi-transparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His flight speed was much slower than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every slight recovery of Shenque spiritual essence flowed into the Long Quexu form, barely sustaining its existence and preventing its disintegration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yinshan Wonder Realm, Guide Messenger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing atop Long Quexu’s head, Jiang Jian gritted his teeth against dizziness and drew a thread of soul-source energy into the Earth Store Scepter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Activating the token required little energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian knew this well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His current state was extremely dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One misstep, and he would perish here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he must ensure he could return to Yinshan at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he went to Lihai’s Qiushuigong and failed to find Shen Qingchanyi,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>or if\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Qingchanyi could not help him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he would immediately leave—through the Guide Messenger—to return to the Tenth Hall of Yinshan, slowly restore his acupoints and meridians, and seek out the hidden measures left by the physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Moon Realm barrier was on the verge of collapse; heaven’s tilt was imminent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The struggle for the Earth Store Seat in the Yinshan Wonder Realm was also drawing near.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could not resolve these issues quickly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>merely competing for the Earth Store Seat would kill him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Wonder Realm’s rules,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the other nine Hall Masters were almost certainly all Divine Palace cultivators!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could not break through, fighting Divine Palace cultivators with only Yongquan-level cultivation would be extremely perilous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How are you here?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A startled voice rang in his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression remained blank; he sheathed the Earth Store Scepter and said, “Can you extract me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guide Messenger clicked its tongue. “If the distance is sufficient, I can use the Wonder Realm’s power to forcibly teleport you here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if the Yinshan Wonder Realm has just shifted to the opposite side of Earth, and the distance is too great, I cannot do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it examined carefully and spoke again: “You’re lucky—right now, the Yinshan Wonder Realm’s coordinates are not far from Chang’an Prefecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you want to return?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian shook his head slightly. “Wait a while—I still have things to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His soul fissures urgently needed healing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though returning to Yinshan would stabilize them and prevent further cracking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it could not repair the cracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even if he fully healed his meridians and acupoints,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he would still face the other nine Hall Masters—Divine Palace cultivators—with only Yongquan-level cultivation. The disadvantage would be too great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you end up like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guide Messenger asked, curious. “Half your meridians collapsed, your acupoints shattered—and yet you’re still alive? It’s unbelievable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it seemed to sense something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its tone paused, then grew cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could the reserves hidden deep within your Divine Palace be so profound!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you’re clearly still at the Gushing Spring realm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Logically, the Divine Illumination barrier should still be intact!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the Guide Messenger grew even more puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian remained silent, sitting atop Long Que, quietly restoring his spiritual essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His soul ached with splitting pain; every bone and joint stabbed with agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like needles piercing his flesh at every moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ignored the Guide Messenger, and amid this torment, his mind grew clearer and purer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carefully pondered every detail concerning the Physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A memory surfaced quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the dialogue from the moment the Physician severed his soul fragment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subconscious had buried this memory deep within his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when he went to the Hall of Contemplation did he barely recall it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Physician had once said something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I took a fragment of your soul—not as payment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But to save more people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words still faintly echoed in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made Jiang Jian’s gaze grow colder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even recalled the moment he first met the Physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Physician seemed to know everything about his sister’s illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, he was still very young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though deep within his mind, he had many defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still made a deal with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian murmured to himself, “She saw me as medicine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Medicine to cure and save lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>when his breakthrough failed,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that mysterious sensation rose from deep within his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Illumination barrier remained, now only a thin layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a transparent water curtain, shimmering with ripples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if a mere touch would shatter it, collapsing into the Divine Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My soul was once purified by Pure World Divine Fire—there was nothing abnormal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian sensed the Divine Illumination barrier and quietly formed a hypothesis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Physician truly did something,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>there was only one place it could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Illumination barrier, thin as a cicada’s wing, before the Divine Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Her goal was to prevent me from breaking through to the Divine Palace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But from start to finish, the Physician never mentioned this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Jian pondered, his mind stirred, and suddenly another thought arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary beings,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>if they failed a breakthrough, would die immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in his case, the faint blue-white light had forcibly suppressed the backlash of failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Illumination barrier still existed, reduced to a thin layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the original complete Divine Illumination barrier had already fallen into the Divine Palace, becoming the foundation of his third realm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he healed his meridians and acupoints, and fully replenished his spiritual essence and qi,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>at that time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>striking the Divine Illumination barrier would be effortless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he could even use the Physician’s lingering method\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>to pull more matter from the Starry Rules, continuously forming new Divine Illumination barriers and further enhancing his Divine Palace’s foundation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Jian knew better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that, he must fully understand the Physician’s method before attempting another breakthrough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guide Messenger suddenly spoke, his tone strange, “In the past two years, most of the Chosen Ones of Yinshan’s Ten Halls have ascended to the Hall Master position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only the Chosen One of the Seventh Hall remains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He is one step away from becoming Hall Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The contest for the Earth Store Throne will begin soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With your current condition—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk tsk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His form flickered, projecting itself onto Long Que’s back, his gaze shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment, then asked, “What are you getting at?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guide Messenger stared at Jiang Jian and said, “That black wood staff—you’ll take it to your grave. Better give it to me before you die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with deadly seriousness, no hint of jest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>as one of Yinshan’s Guide Messengers, he knew much about the other nine Hall Masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had almost already concluded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>given Jiang Jian’s cultivation state,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he would inevitably lose in the contest for the Earth Store Throne!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression remained calm—he agreed outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up, gazing at the Guide Messenger’s projection, and softly said, “If I truly die, I won’t just give you the Earth Store staff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll also issue a personal command to the Wheel of Rebirth before I die, transferring all Ten Hall Soul Jade to you—to grant you your freedom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Guide Messenger froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he snapped back, looking at the boy beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had it happened?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood scabs on the boy’s face had completely washed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him, soft golden light wove together, transforming his robes into a flowing, magnificent robe of golden threads and white silk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His former disheveled state was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“there will never be such a day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing alone atop Long Que, the white-robed boy spoke softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze crossed mountains and rivers, fixed ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, stretched an endless expanse of azure sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1883,"2026-06-20T01:21:35.424Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","da30e5811a4906d102a04f35f6c5419016d0a8f795e6a20e5b5ed1b3ae55406a","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-259","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-257",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]