Chapter 76: Immortal Product Assembly

The Immortal Product Assembly arrived both slowly and swiftly; while waiting, each day felt like torture, but when the day finally came, it caught him off guard, making him wonder if he had overlooked something.

That morning, as sunlight first touched the window frames, Zheng Fa was awakened by a faint vibration.

The moment he opened his eyes, he noticed the Immortal Product Token in his chest trembling restlessly, as if urging him to rise.

Zheng Fa pulled out the Immortal Product Token, but before he could figure out what it was doing, it flashed twice—and shattered into powder.

From the powder, a golden talisman drifted down, then split into two streaks of light that swept toward Zheng Fa’s calves.

Two gentle winds spontaneously surged beneath his feet, lifting the still-unwashed Zheng Fa upward, carrying him straight out the door and into the sky.

Zheng Mu, who had already risen to clean the house, watched him fly past the courtyard gate, dropped the cloth in her hand, and chased after him—but could not keep up, only stretching her neck to watch him vanish into the distance.

From the Zhao family compound across the street, two figures soared into the air—one was the Seventh Young Master, the other a woman Zheng Fa did not recognize.

In the small pavilion where the Lady resided, a figure leaned against the railing, gazing far off at them, as if waiting for a long time.

From several other large compounds nearby, more individuals took flight.

Zheng Fa rose higher and higher; the city of Jingzhou shrank below. Only when he looked up did he realize a boundless expanse of colorful clouds loomed above him.

His head plunged straight into a cloud.

When his entire body emerged above the colorful clouds, a vast square came into view—the sea of colored clouds rippled like waves, yet felt solid beneath his feet.

At the center of the square stood a grand hall, behind which rose five buildings, each uniquely shaped.

“My sister told me this is the Ascension Platform…” the Seventh Young Master murmured, sidling up: “Zheng Fa, just this flight alone makes it all worth it!”

…As if I didn’t see you turn pale from fear a moment ago?

Zheng Fa noticed a boy slightly younger than him turn to look at him the moment the Seventh Young Master called his name.

The boy looked familiar—he must have been one of the few from Jingzhou who had flown up.

…

Zhao Fu, Zhang Shijie’s courtyard.

Zheng Mu, invited here, gripped her daughter Zheng Shan’s hand tightly, watching the room’s occupants with nervous restraint.

Besides the courtyard’s owner, Zhang Shijie, the Lady and the Eldest Young Lady were also present.

“Zheng Madam, don’t be afraid. Zheng Fa, like my son, has gone to attend the Immortal Product Assembly. Master Zhang feared you’d worry, so she invited you here.”

Though Zhang Shijie had summoned Zheng Mu, her expression toward her remained cold; she did not speak to Zheng Mu, only gave a slight nod.

Zheng Mu took two deep breaths, smoothed her worried expression, straightened her posture, and bowed to Zhang Shijie: “Thank you, Master Zhang.”

Zhang Shijie’s expression softened slightly.

By nature, she looked down on Zheng Mu’s timid disposition—but Zheng Mu’s behavior just now revealed that though she felt inferior, she refused to let her son lose face before them.

This earned her a sliver of respect, and she spoke up voluntarily: “That colorful cloud is the Ascension Platform, a magic treasure crafted ten thousand years ago by the Hundred Immortal Alliance to select divine talents. Whoever holds the Immortal Product Token will be lifted to it—it is no ill omen.”

Zheng Mu nodded gratefully.

Zhang Shijie pointed a finger, and a golden talisman appeared in midair; the space before them rippled like water—a transparent, half-wall-sized “screen” materialized, displaying the scene of Zheng Fa and the others on the Ascension Platform.

“Brother!”

Zheng Shan cried out joyfully.

Only when she saw Zheng Fa safe and sound did Zheng Mu loosen her grip on Zheng Shan’s hand.

“Zhang Shijie!” A man’s voice came from outside. Zhang Shijie looked up—it was Huang Daoyu, who had come the other day to request the Immortal Product Token.

Huang Daoyu, seeing the screen formed by Zhang Shijie’s talisman, exclaimed: “Your Tracking Shadow Talisman rivals even a Nascent Soul’s Mirror of Flowers and Water—no wonder you’re called the top talisman expert below Nascent Soul.”

“Far from it—only because the Ascension Platform is close.” Zhang Shijie showed no pleasure; she knew he wasn’t here to praise her. “What do you want, Huang Shidi?”

Huang Daoyu chuckled awkwardly: “The Immortal Product Assembly is a grand event of the Hundred Immortal Alliance. I thought I’d come to watch the spectacle at your place.”

…

Zhang Shijie stared at him; her face plainly read: “I don’t believe you.”

“Cough… My master said that since you claim that Zheng Shidi’s talent surpasses my little disciple, we should wager on their performances at the Immortal Product Assembly.”

“Wager?” Zhang Shijie frowned. “What do you want?”

“Your talisman-based Foundation Establishment method.”

“…So Master Pang truly holds that Shidi in high regard.” Zhang Shijie finally understood: “He’s already planning his Foundation Establishment method before he even enters the sect.”

“…” Huang Daoyu’s face flushed; she had hit the truth. He could only nod: “You set the record for the fastest Foundation Establishment in the Hundred Immortal Alliance with your talisman method. Since my disciple shows great talent in talismans, my master naturally wants to give him the most suitable Foundation Establishment method.”

Zhang Shijie understood Master Pang’s intent—her master and Master Pang had long been at odds, both Nascent Soul, neither able to best the other, evenly matched.

But among the next generation, she stood alone at the top; Master Pang’s faction had no one to rival her, and even if they didn’t care about face, she had seized much of their resources.

Master Pang had found a promising disciple and wanted to pour all his strength into cultivating him—even resorting to a wager to obtain a suitable Foundation Establishment method from her.

Huang Daoyu seemed to sense she understood, his expression uneasy, as if expecting her refusal.

“Agreed,” Zhang Shijie suddenly said. “I want Master Pang’s Void-Sight Technique.”

This time, it was Huang Daoyu who froze. He stared at Zhang Shijie, surprised she had agreed so readily.

“Sister, are you really that confident in that Shidi?”

Zhang Shijie smiled, but gave no answer, her gaze fixed on the screen.

On the screen, Zheng Fa and the others were approaching the grand hall.

…

As they reached the hall’s entrance, the boy who had been watching Zheng Fa stepped beside him and the Seventh Young Master.

“What do you want?” the Seventh Young Master asked, sensing hostility.

The boy didn’t even look at him, only said to Zheng Fa: “I’m Zhou Gan.”

He seemed to think naming himself was enough, then simply walked past them without further action.

“What’s he so proud of?” the Seventh Young Master muttered.

“Single elemental root, Geng Metal Dao Body, favored by a Nascent Soul True Person for his talisman talent—wouldn’t you be proud if you were him?” Zheng Fa chuckled.

He knew why the boy had been staring at him: with such talent and opportunity, the boy had likely never faced defeat. This time, Zhang Shijie’s refusal to give him the Immortal Product Token had surely left a mark.

“…He’s targeting you?” The Seventh Young Master tensed.

“Targeting me? He probably doesn’t even see me.” Zheng Fa shook his head. “He thinks I took the Immortal Product Token meant for him. Yeah, this is just a show of dominance.”

“…Is there anyone less reasonable than me?” The Seventh Young Master stared, utterly baffled by Zhou Gan’s logic.

Zheng Fa paid him no more mind. The two followed the crowd into the hall, where a mirror, half a person’s height, stood upright in the center facing them.

“This is the Immortal Product Mirror. It determines your initial rank based on your elemental root and Dao Body,” the Seventh Young Master said, repeating what he’d learned from his sister.

Zheng Fa saw that as each person passed the mirror, a beam of light shot from within, forming a glowing circle beneath their feet.

The circles came in three colors: purple, green, and white. White was most common, green rarer, purple almost unseen.

This must be the so-called initial rank.