Chapter 166: Chapter 86: The Second Immortality Ascension Token_2

This gaze bore no ill will, but Shen Yuan always felt a bit uncomfortable under its scrutiny.

Considering the whisperings like soft mosquito humming from before, Shen Yuan strongly suspected that these spying and whispering activities were associated with the rewards he obtained upon completing the main tasks of “Cultivation Arts Mastery”.

“Ever since I’ve suddenly become a Founding Ancestor, these strange things keep cropping up. Can it be that I’ll really have disciples and granddisciples lining up to pay respects?”

Said Shen Yuan, mumbling under his breath with a frown on his face.

In the Courtyard Secret Realm, the playful pangolins still frolic in the water. Stuffed from a meal, Bai Xue lays lazily by the Spirit Pool, sunbathing while napping. The miniature puppet, in the barren area, is hard at work tilling the land.

Shen Yuan shook his head in confusion and resumed his research on how to concoct an Incense Avatar using the External Incarnation Technique.

Within Rongcheng’s Fine Jade Grotto Heavens, with the complete extinguishing of the God Invocation Incense, the previously lifeless atmosphere began to slowly recover.

From ancient grotto residences and dormant tombs, powerful beings broke out in succession, assembling around the Ancient Bell atop the mountains.

Mo Li looked reverently at these visiting elders of the sect, each one of which was at least a Spirit Refining True Being who had weathered the Great Tribulations lasting three thousand years.

Among them were some highly respected people such as sect elders and Penalty Palace Elders who are at the level of True Monarch.

However, all who attended merely greeted each other with cursory glances, then reverently turned their gazes towards the direction of the Cloud Top Sky Palace.

After long, the enormous palace began to slowly fade away back into the clouds, disappearing under a myriad of protective formations.

A thin man wearing a Taoist robe, Gong Buhuo, slowly emerged from the clouds, an irrepressible smile on his aged face.

“Greetings to Ancestor Gong!”

Atop the mountain, sixteen True Beings and three True Monarchs bowed in unison towards Gong Buhuo, expressions full of respect.

Gong Buhuo’s cloudy gaze passed over the multitude of True Beings, eventually settling on the three True Monarchs before him.

“Sky Little Kid, I never would’ve thought that, with all your preening and prancing in your youth, you would actually become a Penalty Palace Elder.” “I believe you are called Liu Yuan? If I calculate roughly, your lifespan should be over seven thousand years now. I didn’t know you were still alive.”

“You, however, seem a bit unfamiliar. Did you ascend to True Monarch during the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge three thousand years ago? A promising seed indeed.”

The Penalty Palace Elder who Gong Buhuo had called ‘Sky Little Kid’ stroked his beard awkwardly, mumbling:

“Ancestor Gong, my name is Qian Yu, you must be referring to my father Qian Kong.”

Another Inner Gate Elder promptly and respectfully said, “Ancestor Gong, I’m humbled by your remembering Liu Yuan. Unfortunately, Ancestor Liu Yuan has long passed during the last Spirit Energy Tidal Surge. My name is Liu Yih.”

As for the last True Monarch, he respectfully bowed to Gong Buhuo, saying, “Thank you for your praise, Ancestor.”

Gong Buhuo did not show any embarrassment for mistaking two identities and instead nodded, quite satisfied.

“Not bad. The younger generation of the Fine Jade Grotto Heavens produced some nice potential.”

Then, with a serious face, Gong Buhuo announced in a grave voice:

“So, only you are left to enter the Void Refining Stage in Fine Jade Grotto Heavens now?”

The Penalty Palace Elder stepped forward, speaking solemnly:

“Reporting to Ancestor Gong, our Fine Jade Grotto Heavens had a total of eight Void Refining True Monarchs and thirty-one Spirit Refining True Beings before the last Spirit Energy Tidal Surge set in.

During the three thousand years period of Spirit Energy depletion, we confirmed the fall of eleven Spirit Refining True Beings and three Void Refining True Monarchs, including the former Dao Leader, the Elder of the Scripture Depository, and the Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall. The situations of those two other fellows are also unknown.

Although the fact that such turbulence appears in our grotto heaven yet they remain unawakened It’s feared that their odds of survival are slim.”

Everyone fell silent at those words.

It should be noted, these True Beings and True Monarchs were not born from a single Tidal Surge of Spirit Energy, but the cumulative efforts of ten thousand years within the Fine Jade Grotto Heavens.

Of the eight True Monarchs, six have lived for at least six thousand years, overcoming two cycles of Spirit Energy Surge.

Even so, such a large number of True Monarchs couldn’t outlast the third cycle of Spirit Energy Surge, whereas the Spirit Refining True Beings survived simply because their lifespans were comparatively shorter.

Even Gong Buhuo’s complexion was a bit more severe than usual, casting a glance at the Ancestor Hall, he said:

“Among those old-timers in the Ancestral Hall, three could not last till the next awakening, and one young fellow has some hope, but it is uncertain whether he will wake up.”

Upon hearing this, every cultivator blanched instantly. The individuals in the Ancestral Hall were the pillars of Fine Jade Grotto Heavens. Losing even one was a blow the Grotto Heavens could hardly withstand, let alone losing three at once.

If the news were to leak, those observing Fine Jade Grotto Heavens would undoubtedly make their move. Surrounded by a pack of wolves, even Ancestor Gong wouldn’t be able to prop it up alone.

“The wear and tear of ten thousand years are unbearable for anyone. Even those who have ascended to the Immortal Realm will eventually erode.”

As he said this, Gong Buhuo unconsciously glanced at his somewhat soiled white Taoist robe, dimness flickering in his eyes.

However, he soon rallied, waved his mana-infused robe to wipe away the dirt, and laughingly reassured everyone:

“But rest assured, just as is the case with Fine Jade Grotto Heavens, the other Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands are not much better.

The old freaks who were struggling during the last Spirit Energy Tidal Surge have mostly perished as well. So, Fine Jade Grotto Heavens needn’t worry too much..”