Chapter 636: Chapter 446: Heavenly Punishment Returns, Martial Hall Anomaly_2

The Heaven-Supporting Jade Pillar rose abruptly, sustaining the vast dome. Above the clouds and rays of mist was an expansive starry sky sealed here. Against the deep, ink-like backdrop, billions of Stars revolved as if they were living beings, twinkling and luminous.

Behind the Jade Table sat the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor, her tired expression hardly concealed. Her phoenix eyes were still as bright as ever, yet seemed covered with an autumn frost, revealing a somewhat somber atmosphere. She gazed at Chu Zheng, standing tall below the Jade Steps, with evident satisfaction in her eyes:

“You have not let me down.”

The moment the Immortal List changed, she already knew that Chu Zheng’s cultivation had broken through to the Immortal Monarch Realm, a pace even faster than she had anticipated.

“Greetings, Moonlight Immortal Ancestor.”

Chu Zheng respectfully bowed and then straightforwardly asked, “Should I follow the summons from the Punishment Authority?”

His situation within the Immortal Alliance was like walking on thin ice, with everything needing to align with the intentions of the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor. Otherwise, a misstep could lead to his obliteration, even as an Immortal Monarch.

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor did not answer him immediately, and after examining him carefully, she suddenly looked slightly surprised, exclaiming, “You’ve actually condensed two Dao Seals simultaneously?”

In a single step, she came before Chu Zheng, her palm hovering above his chest, where an ancient Immortal Seal faintly glowed, emanating endless Immortal Light, illuminating the Immortal Robe.

Chu Zheng’s upper body, upon which the Immortal Light shone, appeared almost translucent, with the Dao Seals imprinted on his organs clearly visible.

“Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, Five Qi Towards Yuan, yet you have advanced so swiftly without the ordeal of the Chaos Sea. How have you reached this stage so quickly?”

The shock was evident in the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s eyes; the path of the Qi Cultivator was not an easy one and was considered rather arduous.

With the precedent of the Ancestral Dao, countless geniuses throughout history have attempted to emulate the Ancestral Dao, yet the mere hindrance of Tribulation Qi has stymied countless exceptionally talented individuals.

These geniuses, had they pursued other Taoist Orthodoxies, might have succeeded, but because of their high self-regard, they embarked on the solitary path of the Qi Cultivator, only to meet premature demise.

The Golden Immortal Realm requires overcoming countless minor and major tribulations, just two steps shy of Daluo Golden Immortal. Such achievements, since the inception of Qi Cultivators, have been scarce.

Chu Zheng’s dual cultivation in the Immortal Path allowed him to elevate his Qi Refining Lineage to such heights, which was truly absurd.

If he were to abandon either the Immortal Path or the Qi Refining Path, his cultivation would progress even faster, meaning that if he focused on a single path, Chu Zheng might have entered the Space-time Domain before reaching two hundred years of age.

This was not merely a matter of innate talent; someone must have paved the way for Chu Zheng, otherwise, his journey wouldn’t have been so unimpeded.

The mere task of condensing a Dao Seal, let alone successfully on the first attempt, was rare, and simultaneously condensing two Dao Seals was unheard of by her.

Even the Ancestral Dao had not accomplished such a feat.

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor furrowed her brow slightly, lowering her hand slowly, as Chu Zheng’s myriad mystical qualities already gave her some speculation.

The fact that Chu Zheng traversed the Qi Refining Path so smoothly indicated that someone must have shielded him from tribulation, most likely the Daoist Ancestor Zheng Chu who emerged from the Chaos Sea.

Yet the predecessor of this Incense Fire God originated from Chu Zheng himself.

The most crucial point was the individual who initially guided Chu Zheng onto the path of the Incense Fire Spirit.

With these thoughts, the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s eyes flashed subtly, suddenly asking in a deep voice, “Why did you choose to cultivate in the Incense Fire Divine Path simultaneously? Where did you get the inspiration?”

Chu Zheng looked slightly confused, unsure why the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor was asking this, but he answered truthfully:

“When I underwent my tribulation incarnation, I encountered Zhao Tingxian’s Incense Flame Golden Body. I subsequently found traces of his cultivation in the Incense Fire Divine Path within the Cangyun Realm. On my second tribulation, I deliberately chose a Great Realm of the Incense Fire Divine Path for tribulation, which led to the existence of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.”

“Zhao Tingxian…”

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s eyes narrowed slightly, cold stars seemed to flicker within them, and she asked slowly, “How did he embark on the Incense Fire Spirit Path? Did he ever mention this to you?”

“I’m not entirely sure on that point.”

Chu Zheng shook his head slightly, with a touch of hesitation, he added with slight uncertainty, “Long ago Zhao Tingxian also received guidance from the Ancestral Dao, which might be associated.”

“Ancestral Dao.”

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s eyes brightened with understanding.

With that, many things could be explained.

The Ancestral Dao had paved the way for Chu Zheng, and everything unfolding now was likely already known by the Ancestral Dao long before.

Therefore, Chu Zheng’s existence was almost certainly the reincarnation of the Ancestral Dao, and the Ancestral Dao must have glimpsed part of the secrets of the Reincarnation Road; otherwise, the timing wouldn’t be so precise, predicting even the time and place of Chu Zheng’s, or his own, birth.

“Interesting.”

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s eyes shone brightly, a hint of excitement surging between her brows, looking at Chu Zheng with an increasingly passionate gaze.

The Ancestral Dao laid plans spanning millennia, leaving only Chu Zheng as a chess piece, indicating that Chu Zheng’s future would certainly hold more astounding fortunes.

The Ancestral Dao’s arrangements were undoubtedly more than just this and would certainly have stronger measures to protect Chu Zheng.

The contest for the Master of Heavenly Fortune might truly rest upon Chu Zheng.

Chu Zheng felt somewhat baffled, not quite understanding what the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor had noticed, and even the fatigue in her brows vanished.

“The Dao War has commenced, yet aside from me, none of the other Immortal Ancestors have seen your value. Now is your opportunity; before the Ancestral Realm enters the fray, there’s still a sliver of possibility for you to alter destiny.”

After pondering for a long while, the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor spoke:

“Once you return, head directly to the Starry Sky Barrier, join the battle. I will arrange two Great Immortal Emperors to protect you secretly, and help you capture Martial Cultivators to gather Heavenly Fortune.”

Now holding two Dao Seals, Chu Zheng was not threatened by ordinary Taoist Lord Realm beings. Only living creatures in the Mythical Realm might pose a slight chance, but with two Great Immortal Emperors by his side, he would be equipped for any unexpected occurrences.

She could not shield Chu Zheng merely from the background. Without direct interaction or instructions from the Ancestral Dao, interference might backfire and disrupt the Ancestral Dao’s original arrangements.

Initially, for the unseen Ancestral Dao, she held some disdain, holding two-and-a-half portions of Heavenly Fate yet only lingering in shadows.

Now it seemed, this Ancestral Dao was indeed extraordinary. Even just discovering a part of the Reincarnation Road’s secrets placed him above all previous Ancestral Realm beings, second only to the former Master of Heavenly Fortune.

Currently, a glimmer of anticipation rose in her heart. If Chu Zheng could uncover some of the Reincarnation Road’s secrets, she might not have to endure long in the Vast Universe, endlessly waiting for opportunities, but instead, could directly embrace a new beginning.

Seeing the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s certainty, Chu Zheng did not argue further and bowed respectfully:

“As you command.”

He held no significant expectations for that battlefield, but neither would he shy away–this day, he had readied himself back in the Cangyun Realm.

The Qi Cultivator’s path is one of solitude, ultimately how far one reaches depends entirely on the fortune one seizes.

“Go forth.”

The Moonlight Immortal Ancestor gestured with a reminder: “These days, the Heavenly Punishment remains somewhat restrained, not causing too much disruption. However, if Fu Pinglan emerges from seclusion, the situation might worsen. In those trials, make your own judgments. I can hardly intervene directly; doing so could hasten your demise.”

“Thank you, Immortal Ancestor, I shall remember your words.”

Chu Zheng bowed again, and as he raised his head, the sight before him transformed into a desolate starry sky.

Recalling the Moonlight Immortal Ancestor’s words, he remained silent, realizing that the Ancestral Realm might join the scene rather soon.

He lingered no further, heading directly onwards.

Upon entering the Immortal Monarch Domain, he could now shift across vast swathes of the starry sky. The Great Universe no longer seemed as boundless as before in Chu Zheng’s eyes.

In less than a day, Chu Zheng traversed the entirety of the Immortal Domain, arriving outside the battlefield near the Starry Sky Barrier.

The glaring blood light painted the Sky Universe red, a cosmic river hanging upside down, while from the distant starry sky came the sound of metal clashing, resonating sharply.