Chapter 779

Beyond the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Faintly, celestial birds sang joyfully, immortals whispered softly; a stone platform floated and sank amid misty fairy mist, as if ascending it would grant enlightenment and ascension.

"Ascension Platform."

Li Rui's pupils contracted slightly.

It was said that in ancient celestial courts, cultivators ascended to immortality via the Ascension Platform, passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate, and entered the celestial court.

The scene before him matched that legend perfectly.

A whisper of urgency echoed in his heart lake.

"Hurry, hurry."

Li Rui's expression hardened; he drew a deep breath, swept his sleeve, and sealed the Southern Heavenly Gate shut.

For some reason.

Seeing the Ascension Platform always stirred a pang of unease.

While studying in the Hongwen Pavilion, he had read records concerning the Ascension Platform, condensed into three words—Great Peril!

Each time the Ascension Platform opened, even Dao Lords perished.

Know this.

Dao Lords wielded unfathomable powers; normally, their demise was nearly impossible, yet records clearly state multiple Dao Lords have fallen within the Ascension Platform.

In short, the Ascension Platform is not only a place of divine fortune, but also a grave for Dao Lords.

Perhaps stepping through the Southern Heavenly Gate, Li Rui could truly enter the Ascension Platform.

But with his current late-Soul Transformation cultivation base, it would likely bring him not fortune, but calamity.

If fortune cannot be seized, it becomes disaster.

If one cannot seize it, why risk it?

Ascending to heaven in a single step is not so simple.

Better to focus on cultivating with one's existing talent and resources, and explore later when one's cultivation base has grown.

Li Rui stepped back, swept his sleeve.

Behind the Southern Heavenly Gate, all returned to emptiness.

In the deepest reaches of Shenyu Palace.

Within a palace towering hundreds of zhang high, a massive celestial globe stood upright.

Below it.

Several figures stood, each with profound qi, so profound that even the Dao itself could not approach them—only Dao Lords could manifest such aura.

At least six!

The depth of the Shenyu Immortal Dynasty was evident.

Among them was Qianxin Dao Lord.

Compared to months ago, his aura had grown markedly thicker; his Dao injury had healed over half.

He squinted at the hunched old man standing at the front.

Shouxing Dao Lord.

The Shenyu Immortal Dynasty's overseer of cosmic fortune; though called an overseer of fortune, the fact that a Dao Lord personally guarded it revealed his true task: monitoring the Ascension Platform.

"Ascension Platform."

Just moments ago, the Ascension Platform had stirred abnormally, detected by Shouxing Dao Lord, hence their gathering here.

"Shouxing, is the Ascension Platform about to open?"

The Shenyu Emperor spoke calmly.

Shouxing Dao Lord shook his head: "No. Someone has triggered it—but this sign suggests its opening is near."

At these words,

the expressions of the Shenyu Immortal Dynasty's Dao Lords shifted slightly.

At their level,

what mattered was but four words—attaining Dao and becoming immortal.

It is well known,

that only the Ascension Platform can aid one in ascension.

How could they not yearn for it?

This scene

did not occur only in the Shenyu Immortal Dynasty; many major cultivation sects also sensed the Ascension Platform's disturbance.

After a stick of incense burned,

the disturbance ceased.

Qianxin Dao Lord returned to his quarters, where Friend Huanglong Dao Lord's voice once again echoed in his ear: "Qianxin, have you decided yet?"

"Friend Huanglong, do you truly think I'm a three-year-old child?"

Qianxin Dao Lord snorted coldly.

But Friend Huanglong Dao Lord's voice came again: "Qianxin, do you truly believe your Dao injury can be healed by dragon qi?"

"Let me tell you—it is the primordial source of Immortal Dao."