Chapter 185: The Secret of Ascension, the Strongest Gather in the North!

Three hundred years of time passed leisurely; whether it was Gu Nianmo, who had gone to explore Heaven and Earth, or Gu Shengxi, who was entangled in the many affairs of the Human Race, both had now returned to Beidi.

And at this moment, it had been exactly two thousand seven hundred years since Gu Jiangming broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm.

After Gu Nianmo and the others returned to Beidi, they could all see that the Heavenly Human Dao Rhyme on Gu Jiangming's body was almost thick to an inconceivable degree.

This appearance was just like those powerful Heaven and Earth Enlightenment experts who were about to step into Dao Transformation.

Only, unlike ordinary powerful experts in their twilight years undergoing Dao Transformation, there was not a shred of decaying aura on Gu Jiangming; what existed was only that Dao Rhyme, so thick that one could not help but be assimilated just by getting slightly close.

When looking at Gu Jiangming in this state, both Gu Shengxi and Gu Nianmo felt a sense of unspeakable emotion in their hearts.

Even though no aura of decay had appeared on Gu Jiangming, having such thick Dao Rhyme on his body meant that Gu Jiangming would likely truly undergo Dao Transformation and depart within three hundred years.

Seeing their father about to undergo Dao Transformation, how could Gu Nianmo and Gu Shengxi feel at ease?

"There is no need to be so worried; perhaps I will have comprehended the final threshold between life and death and truly ascended to immortality?"

Gu Jiangming looked at the appearance of Gu Nianmo and the other, and although it was difficult to explain the existence of Mie Changsheng to them in detail, he still made up an excuse, attempting to make their moods feel slightly better.

As for the brothers Gu Nianmo, although they knew Gu Jiangming had fabricated a lie, they still could not help but let a glimmer of hope rise in their hearts.

After all, after all, Gu Jiangming had been far too legendary throughout his journey.

Things others could not do, their father Gu Jiangming, might he not be able to achieve them? Yet only Wang Qinghe, Jiu Jiu, Liu Moxuan, and Long Xi remained silent while listening to Gu Jiangming's words; they knew that three hundred years later would likely be the point where Gu Jiangming departed from this era.

Long Xi and the others had also prepared themselves; once Gu Jiangming returned, they would also depart from this era along with him.

Only, looking at Gu Nianmo before them, looking at Gu Shengxi before them, both Liu Moxuan and Wang Qinghe could not help but have a sense of reluctance in their eyes.

Once they left this era, then in the future, only the three siblings would be left to walk forward.

"For these last few hundred years of time, just stay in Niankong Villa!"

"The strength of you two brothers has also reached this point, and added to the fact that you two were born with natural omens, your lifespans will also be longer than ordinary humans."

"In the future, perhaps you two brothers will also be able to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm!"

Gu Jiangming looked at the two brothers Gu Nianmo before him, deciding to teach them as much of his insights regarding the Heavenly Human Realm as he could.

As for Gu Mingyue...

Gu Mingyue had always remained in Niankong Villa, and even when going out to travel, it was mostly within the Human North Territory; added to the miraculous nature of Gu Mingyue, among Gu Jiangming's three children, it was actually Gu Mingyue who had the most hope of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm first.

"What about those words circulating between Heaven and Earth?"

Gu Nianmo and Gu Shengxi had returned, but they had heard so many rumors circulating between Heaven and Earth regarding Gu Jiangming.

Although they also knew Gu Jiangming was about to step into Dao Transformation, such widespread rumors were clearly being pushed by a Supreme behind the scenes.

"Do not worry about those old fellows who don't know which era they survived from."

"Their lifespans cannot hold out, and I can roughly understand some of their thoughts."

"First, they release rumors to gather all the many Heaven and Earth Enlightenment experts of this era."

"To fight me under the eyes of the public; if they can break the Heavenly Human Realm, that is naturally best, and if they cannot break through, at least their fall will leave a mark on this era."

"A few old things on the verge of death, where is there any need to take them too much to heart?"

"It is actually a good thing that they come to fight me."

"Adding a few more Supreme Dao Principles, perhaps the Qilin Grotto-Heaven can be more perfected!"

Gu Jiangming had already learned of the schemes of those old fellows like the Dragon Race ancestor from his convenient father-in-law, and Gu Jiangming knew even better that the old Dragon King had already stepped past the Supreme Realm.

For those old fellows, they wanted a dignified exit.

But Gu Jiangming, how could he not also want a dignified exit? Furthermore, Gu Jiangming's thoughts regarding the Qilin Grotto-Heaven had also been increasing in recent years; if he could fill it with the Dao Rhyme of a few Supremes, and then fill it with his own Dao Rhyme, the Qilin Grotto-Heaven and the Four Thousand Bureau might be able to go a step further! The only thing that made Gu Jiangming feel slightly regretful was that he still could not make the Qilin Grotto-Heaven detach from this Heaven and Earth.

According to Gu Jiangming's calculations, if the Qilin Grotto-Heaven could detach from Heaven and Earth and form a Small World of its own within the Void, even if it were an extremely tiny world, it would be enough for him, this Heavenly Lord, to go a step further.

If a cycle formed within the Qilin Grotto-Heaven, perhaps Gu Jiangming would truly not be far from the Ascension Realm! Although Gu Jiangming's words were full of disdain for those few Ancient Supremes, the brothers Gu Nianmo felt relieved after hearing Gu Jiangming's words.

For the next hundred years, neither Gu Nianmo nor Gu Shengxi went out again.

The two of them stayed in Niankong Villa to accompany their parents, and took Gu Mingyue to play in the nearby Human cities, but most of the time, Gu Nianmo and Gu Shengxi stayed by Gu Jiangming's side, listening to Gu Jiangming speak of the mysteries of the Heavenly Human Realm.

"In this era, wanting to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm requires possessing the power of a Pseudo-Heavenly Human."

"Back then, neither I nor Zhou Kai actually truly possessed the combat power of the Heavenly Human Realm, which also led to the Qilin Grotto-Heaven not being perfect since its birth."

"If you two brothers want to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm in the future, you must first break the Void and create Earth Fire Water Wind within the Void!"

"Do not learn from me, do not borrow any power from Heaven and Earth; even if the Small World you open up is only the size of a house, that is a world that belongs solely to you."

"Break through to the Heavenly Human Realm in your own world, then return to this Heaven and Earth."

"The benefit of this method is that even after breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm, one can go a step further; as long as you can fill your own world, as long as you can supplement your own world's Dao Principles, the cultivation of the Heavenly Human Realm will always be complete."

"A Small World not restricted by Heaven and Earth has even greater potential, and it is even possible that it is the key to Ascension."

"There is always a saying in the world: 'If a person does not prove immortality, they have no power to face Heaven!'"

"Immortality is the same as Heaven, so as long as one recreates a piece of Heaven, one can naturally raise their status!"

Over a hundred years, Gu Jiangming told all his insights regarding the Heavenly Human Realm to the three siblings, Gu Nianmo, Gu Shengxi, and Gu Mingyue.

After Gu Jiangming had exhausted all his insights regarding the Heavenly Human Realm, he spoke again of the Ascension Method he had conceived.

The three siblings listened earnestly, and even had some unspeakable thoughts in their hearts.

If, if one of the three siblings could ascend to immortality, could they pull Gu Jiangming out from the brink of life and death?

Although this thought was faint, it undoubtedly left a seed in the hearts of the three siblings.

Also during the hundred years that Gu Jiangming was telling the three siblings about the mysteries of the Heavenly Human and his concepts of Ascension, the moods of the Dragon Race ancestor in the sea and the other two Ancient Supremes became increasingly anxious.

Gu Jiangming's curtain call had not yet arrived, but their own curtain call had already reached the point where it had to happen! "Release the news!"

"Say that the three of us will join forces to slay the Heavenly Human; if we succeed, even those powerful experts who have just stepped into Heaven and Earth Enlightenment will have a great chance to step into the Supreme Realm."

"If we do not succeed, the three of us will fall, which will inevitably cause the Dao of Heaven and Earth to fluctuate; the closer one is, the more chance one has to go a step further."

In the Void, three thoughts were colliding and communicating with each other.

These three thoughts were naturally the other three Ancient Supremes, excluding the Supreme Changyu.

The Ancient Supreme of the Dragon Race was named Long Ao, and the other two Ancient Supremes were named Huang Yu and Ziwu respectively.

It is fortunate that no one else could hear the thoughts of these three Ancient Supremes; otherwise, they would surely have perceived that the owners of these three thoughts had already decayed to an unimaginable degree.

Merely listening to the exchange of these three thoughts, one felt as if they were witnessing three existences on the verge of death.

"Having eked out an existence for three hundred thousand years, the time for the curtain call has finally arrived!"

"It is truly hard to be reconciled to this!"

"Heavenly Human Realm, Heavenly Human Realm..."

The voice of Ziwu Supreme carried a bitter smile, despair, helplessness, a sigh, and melancholy.

Whether it was Ziwu, Long Ao, or that Huang Yu, all three of them knew very well that it was highly improbable for them to break through the Heavenly Human Realm.

Having eked out such a long existence in the human world, only to face such an ending, how could they not sigh?

"Since the curtain is falling, let us bid farewell to this era with dignity!"

"The two of you, we may not have crossed paths during our active eras, but this time, we must work together."

"Do not let your decay hold us back!"

Even though he was about to face life and death, one could not hear much sorrow in Long Ao's words.

In the past, he did not want to die, dared not die, and could not die! But the Dragon Race had successors; if one added Long Xi, even if he were to perish and his Dao extinguished, there would still be two in the Supreme Realm presiding over the Dragon Race, and for the next three hundred thousand years, the Dragon Race would certainly not fall into trouble.

"We must naturally let the many Heaven and Earth Enlightenment of this era see that although we are old, we still remain Supremes!"

Huang Yu's voice was like that of an old crone; her words were few, but they carried a rare sense of heroism, as if they were not going to their deaths, but to fight a meaningful battle.

Following the conclusion of the three Ancient Supremes' words, in the three years that followed, the news that the three Ancient Supremes were challenging the Red Lotus Demon Venerable spread throughout the Four Wilds and Eight Desolations where the living beings of the world resided.

Hearing the news that observing the battlefield offered a hope of breakthrough, those Heaven and Earth Enlightenment were ultimately tempted.

They also knew that this time, three more Ancient Supremes would likely fall.

But since the three Ancient Supremes were challenging a Heavenly Human, whether out of self-interest or psychological reasons, they were indeed prepared to see the three Ancient Supremes off.

There were even a dozen or so Breaking Limits Realm cultivators who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, preparing to enter the battlefield themselves.

Among these dozen or so Breaking Limits Heaven and Earth Enlightenment, some had little lifespan left, some hoped to sublimate to the extreme under terrifying pressure, and some truly held the intention of killing Gu Jiangming, that Red Lotus Demon Venerable.

In an earth-colored mountain range rarely visited by living beings, the Changyu Supreme, forgotten by the era, finally heard this news.

No one knew what Changyu Supreme was thinking, but on this day, a brilliant golden light of escape rose from the desolate mountains, then crossed billions of miles of mountains and rivers, heading toward the Human North Territory.

For a time, this long-silent world seemed to become lively once again.

One by one, Heaven and Earth Enlightenment appeared within the Human Race's territory, some concealing their faces, others appearing openly.

Regardless of what thoughts these Heaven and Earth Enlightenment held, they did not act high-profile while within the Human Race's territory.

Gu Shengxi governed the Human Race, and in two thousand seven hundred years, the Human Race gave birth to nine Heaven and Earth Enlightenment, among whom four were Heaven and Earth Enlightenment who broke through by practicing the Starfire Technique.

Added to the Human Race's original Elder Taicang and the Daoist Master of Longhu Mountain, the number of Heaven and Earth Enlightenment within the current Human Race alone exceeded ten.

And this was only the Human Race's Enlightenment exposed to the public; as for those in the shadows...

Who knew if there were other Heaven and Earth Enlightenment in the shadows?

In any case, in Nian Mo's Niankong Villa, there was a former Liu Family general who had broken through to Heaven and Earth Enlightenment, but that person often managed Niankong Villa and did not show their face to the outside world.

Over a thousand Heaven and Earth Enlightenment gathered in the Human North Territory, yet these Heaven and Earth Enlightenment were in no rush, simply traveling through the Human North Territory.

Compared to other races, the creativity of the Human Race was peerless among all races within the Four Wilds and Eight Desolations of Heaven and Earth.

In past years, the Human Race was constantly struggling for survival and food, so their creativity was not clearly manifested.

But with Gu Nianmo governing the Human Race well, and with the Dao of Great Harmony for the world on the right track, the Human Race, having enjoyed two thousand seven hundred years of peace, had truly transformed their territory into a prosperous land.

Even those well-traveled Heaven and Earth Enlightenment were moved by the ingenuity of the Human Race as they walked through the human cities.

These Heaven and Earth Enlightenment traveled through the various cities of the Human North Territory while waiting for the arrival of the protagonists of this battle.

On this day, in the east, south, and southeast of the Human North Territory, an incredible rainbow light flashed and flew in each of the three regions.

Those three rainbow lights clearly rose from within the Human Race's territory; it seemed that in the final moments of their lives, they were also observing the Human Race.

When these three rainbow lights rose as if by appointment, a vast aura filled the ten directions for a time; every Heaven and Earth Enlightenment felt a sense of awe in their hearts, and every cultivator looked at the three incoming rainbow lights with expressions of horror.

Ziwu Supreme, Huang Yu Supreme, and Long Ao Supreme—these three Ancient Supremes did not conceal a single bit of their aura.

The aura on their bodies was decaying, and the Dao Rhyme on their bodies was twilight, yet as these three stood above the firmament, they were like gods and demons stepped out of a mythological epic.

Especially at this moment, these three Ancient Supremes revealed their true forms completely.

Within the North Territory, one could only see a decaying great dragon several thousand zhang long with eyes like torches, and one could only see a massive divine bird with a wingspan of a thousand zhang stretching its form; though the divine bird was old, its posture remained beautiful and noble.

As for Ziwu Supreme, he did not reveal his original form; he merely stood above the firmament in his human appearance, standing beside the dragon and phoenix!

(End of this chapter)