Chapter 971

Nirvana Emperor Domain!

This place was originally the dominion of the Phoenix Clan.

Now, Luo Bingyao has become the ruler of this emperor domain.

But today, Luo Bingyao is not here, for He Pingsheng dispatched her to Gushong Mountain to guard the great array atop the mountain.

And He Pingsheng himself came to Tianwang Mountain in the Nirvana Emperor Domain with his son, He Tianya.

“Greetings, Brother He!”

The human Mahayana guardian of Tianwang Mountain bowed to He Pingsheng.

This person was Bing Xuan—the Mahayana Empress who once entered the Underworld and retrieved her son.

With no one else available, He Pingsheng had asked her to guard Tianwang Mountain.

“Can the Ascension Platform be used?” He Pingsheng asked Bing Xuan.

Bing Xuan nodded: “Yes.”

“Is… Young Master He going to ascend?”

“Correct!” He Pingsheng said: “He is going to ascend!”

“Understood!” Bing Xuan said: “Please follow me!”

Tianwang Mountain is the highest peak in the entire Nirvana Emperor Domain.

It is also said to be the highest peak on the entire Heavenfire Continent.

It is mountain upon mountain, peak upon peak.

He Pingsheng followed Bing Xuan, ascending straight upward without pause.

Soon they saw a vast expanse of white, like a snowfield.

Above the snowfield lay a massive, dark mountain range.

He Pingsheng continued flying up the mountain range.

Upon this range were countless peaks.

The tallest among them, ten thousand li across and uniquely dark red, was the main peak of Tianwang Mountain: Feixian Peak.

Upon Feixian Peak stood a flat plaza.

On the plaza rose a towering stone stele, a hundred zhang tall.

The jet-black stele was carved with countless mysterious gray runes.

Just one glance made He Pingsheng’s soul tremble.

Around the stele was drawn a giant circle, within which lay a perfect hexagon.

At each corner of the hexagon sat a Body Integration cultivator, guarding the site.

“This is the Ascension Plaza!” Bing Xuan said. “Also called the Ascension Platform!”

“The central stele is called the Jietian Stele!”

“When cultivators ascend, they use this stele as a medium to commune with Heaven!”

“This stele is no ordinary artifact—it is an immortal relic passed down from ancient times, standing here for untold tens of thousands of years!”

“The stele bears countless talismanic markings and ten thousand and eighty landing points.”

“Before ascending to the Immortal Realm, your spiritual sense and spiritual power must connect to one of these landing points—upon arrival in the Immortal Realm, you will appear precisely there!”

“This is the unique feature of Tianwang Mountain’s Ascension Platform!”

Bing Xuan slowly explained to He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng listened, nodding.

He Pingsheng understood some things about ascension.

In this spiritual realm, the function of ascending to the Immortal Realm works normally.

The materials for the Nine-Tiered Elixir, the Feixian Pill, all exist—if you possess the Feixian Pill and lack Absolute Wisdom, swallowing one pill will likely allow you to ascend.

Of course, you might still fail.

If ascension fails, try again in a few decades.

As long as you lack Absolute Wisdom, there will always be a day you ascend.

But if you have Absolute Wisdom, there is truly no way.

Ascension can occur anywhere in the spiritual realm—you don’t have to come here.

But Tianwang Mountain’s Ascension Platform has one advantage: as Bing Xuan just said, it allows targeting.

For example, some with special needs come here to ascend to a specific location in the Immortal Realm.

What is the Immortal Realm like?

How large is it?

How many factions exist there?

How are cultivation realms divided?

These things are unknown.

But some people know exactly where they wish to go!

The Jietian Stele lists which landing points lead to which races.

“Young Master, let me warn you,” Bing Xuan said: “Do not bring any items!”

“Nothing—not even immortal treasures—can accompany you to the Immortal Realm!”

“Not even various small worlds or magic treasures…”

“Many arrogant cultivators once tried to bring things up—without exception, their precious treasures remained on the Ascension Platform—or were destroyed by heavenly tribulation lightning!”

Before He Tianya could speak, He Pingsheng chuckled: “So guarding the Ascension Platform has its benefits!”

“Indeed,” Bing Xuan said: “Almost every cultivator who ascends leaves something behind!”

As Bing Xuan had said, some always overestimate themselves.

They believe others cannot bring things up, but they surely can.

In truth, nearly all ascenders’ belongings were stripped away.

These items became ownerless, eventually ending up on the Ascension Platform.

They are varied beyond measure.

Bing Xuan has only managed the Ascension Platform for a few centuries, overseeing fewer than ten ascensions—but even so, each one left behind something.

“I dare not keep anything for myself!” Bing Xuan said. “I’ve collected everything, ready to hand it over to you, Brother!”

“Look!” Bing Xuan presented a ring to He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng sent his spiritual sense into it.

Indeed, all fine items.

But none of them were what he needed.

“These… turn them over to the Human Clan’s Treasure Vault!”

“As for your merit, I’ll remember it—you’ll have your due reward later.”

“Yes!” Bing Xuan showed no hint of negligence.

“Alright, Tianya!” He Pingsheng pointed to the Jietian Stele: “Go, choose where you wish to ascend in the Immortal Realm—then begin!”

“Yes!” He Tianya approached the stele, studied it for about an incense stick’s time, then returned and said: “Father, I’ve chosen the one thousand six hundred thirty-third point—it’s human territory!”

“Fine!” He Pingsheng had no advice to offer his son.

Ascension is a leap into darkness.

Simply reaching your own race’s domain is already difficult.

He Tianya then sat cross-legged beneath the stele, adjusting his state.

While He Tianya prepared, Bing Xuan hesitantly asked He Pingsheng: “Brother He, there’s something I must tell you.”

He Pingsheng nodded: “Speak.”

“Yes,” Bing Xuan said: “Ordinary ascension tribulations are not especially strong—almost everyone can endure them.”

“But if you have a body double, the tribulation lightning becomes far stronger—it doubles!”

“So, before your son undergoes tribulation, did you eliminate his body double?”

He Pingsheng shook his head: “No.”

This is the rule of the cultivation world!

Normally, before ascending, the first thing one must do is destroy one’s body double.

One reason is to prevent these doubles from later becoming rogue immortals and disrupting the natural order.

Another reason is that destroying the body double makes the main body’s tribulation easier.

If you ascend while still possessing a body double, the tribulation’s intensity increases by more than double.

It’s as if two people’s tribulations are forced onto one person.

This is an immense trial for the cultivator.

But He Pingsheng has confidence—after all, his son possesses that turtle shell!