Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

The next morning, Zhao Sheng got dressed and cleaned up, donning his Cloud Dispersion Robe before leaving his guest room to meet with Zhao Jijian on the first floor.

Today, Zhao Jijian was also dressed with vigor, his head full of silver hair tied into a Taoist bun, with the Red Rainbow Sword inserted into it as a Magic hairpin.

Upon meeting, the two exchanged a knowing smile.

As Zhao Jijian put it the night before, regardless of the outcome of today's matters, they could not be outdone in terms of presence.

Zhao Sheng took out the invitation and handed it to Zhao Jijian, asking, "Shall we keep this invitation with you?"

"No need, you are the main character today, and I am responsible for support."

After pushing the invitation back, Zhao Jijian added, "Let's go, to the workshop station first."

Indeed,

Zhao Sheng nodded, pocketing the invitation.

Upon leaving the inn, the two headed straight for the station.

In the Cultivation World, the gates of the major Cultivation Sects generally do not allow outsiders to enter.

If outsiders want to enter the gates, they must be escorted.

In the station of Jiuding Square, Outer Disciples of the Elixir Cauldron Sect are stationed all year round, specifically to escort Cultivators.

The Elixir Cauldron Sect is located in the southern part of Central Continent, near the Ten Thousand Great Mountains of the Southern Border. Together with the Beast Taming Sect, which guards the Endless Mang Forest, they are called the Twin Giants of the Southern Domain. Both sects are among the top ten paramount sects of Central Continent.

The climate in the Southern Border is hot, and the local customs are vastly different from those of Pocket World City in the central part.

On their way to the station, they caught glimpses of Southern Border beauties wearing short skirts and crop tops, flaunting their voluptuous figures.

There were also muscular Great Han simply going shirtless, their chests and backs tattooed with varied demon beast totems like bears, tigers, and dragons.

Besides, on the streets, all kinds of demon beasts were walking among the people with sheer audacity.

It was only because a Master was watching over that these demon beasts had not been slaughtered by Cultivators already.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Compared to the other four continents, Central Continent was the earliest to be developed, so beasts and Spiritual Medicines had become increasingly scarce on the land.

Especially in certain boundaries of the Cultivation World where demon beasts were nearly hunted to extinction.

It was precisely because of the unique geography of the Southern Border, with the Ten Thousand Great Mountains and the Endless Mang Forest as paradises for demon beasts, that such an abundance of demon beings could be found.

The sights and scenes along the way greatly broadened Zhao Sheng's horizons, and he couldn't help but marvel at the vast and wondrous world of Cultivation.

Such magnificent and mystical phenomena are beyond the wildest imaginations of mortals.

An hour later, after crossing the majority of the Square, Zhao Sheng and the other finally reached the station.

Just as they arrived at the entrance, Zhao Sheng suddenly heard a chirping sound by his ear, and then saw a small bird with a yellow beak and white feathers fly out from the station, hovering over his head without leaving.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng became inwardly vigilant, and Zhao Jijian did the same.

At that moment, a young Cultivator with delicate eyebrows and a long face, wearing a white robe adorned with Elixir Patterns, hurried out from the station.

He looked around, and upon spotting Zhao Sheng and his companion, his face lit up with pleasure, and he quickly approached them with a gentle voice, "May I ask if you two Taoists have come for the auction?"

After listening, Zhao Sheng exchanged a glance with Zhao Jijian and then nodded, "Indeed, we are here by invitation to attend the auction."

"Then... could you please show the invitation?"

Zhao Sheng hesitated for a moment before taking out the invitation from his Storage Bag and showing it to the young man.

After inspecting it, the young man said joyfully, "Very good, my name is Zhou Siming, and I am the escort messenger of the Elixir Cauldron Sect. I am specifically in charge of escorting you two to the Outer Object Hall for the auction. Please follow me!"

With that, he gestured for them to follow and then turned to walk towards the station.

Zhao Sheng and his companion exchanged glances once again, then followed suit together.

Moments later, a single-horned Flying Lizard with a wide back, two legs, and a wingspan extending over thirty feet suddenly burst into the sky from the station, flying directly towards the heavens.

After passing through the clouds, the Flying Lizard flapped its wings and flicked its tail, veering towards the southwest.

Standing on the broad back of the Flying Lizard, Zhou Siming turned his head to look at them and asked with a congenial smile, "May I have the honor of knowing your esteemed names?"

Zhao Sheng replied with a smile, "We are both surnamed Zhao. My name is Zhao Chonghe. This gentleman is an elder of my family."

"Where do you hail from? You both seem not to be natives of the Southern Border based on your attire," Zhou Siming inquired curiously.

"Mr. Zhou, what a keen observation. We are indeed not from the Southern Border, but rather..."

Facing the ever-curious Zhou Siming, Zhao Sheng was invigorated, chatting and joking with him, while Zhao Jijian remained silent throughout, maintaining the demeanor of a lofty figure.

The Flying Lizard was incredibly fast, and it only took a quarter of an hour to cover the distance of over two hundred li.

As they were about to arrive at the mountain gate of the Elixir Cauldron Sect, the conversation between Zhao Sheng and Zhou Siming suddenly ceased, and their moods differed.

Looking down at the earth below, Zhao Sheng saw nothing but mountains, valleys, and large lakes, the landscape covered in green forests, Spirit Plants, and treasure beasts and demon beasts.

However, in the midst of this vibrant world, there lay a vast expanse of barren hills and marshes, strikingly out of harmony with the surroundings.

Zhao Sheng saw a flat area to the south of the barren hills and marshes, dotted with pavilions, towers, and palace complexes, a grand architectural cluster.

Yet to Zhao Sheng's surprise, the Flying Lizard did not head towards that cluster of buildings but instead flew toward the barren hills and marshes.

Zhou Siming, noticing the change in their expressions, explained, "Please don't misunderstand. That area of barren hills and marshes is nothing more than an illusion created by a Formation. Our Sect's mountain gate is hidden behind it. And the buildings below are merely the peripheral clusters, not the location of my Elixir Cauldron Sect's mountain gate."

"Hmm,"

After nodding towards Zhou Siming, Zhao Sheng suddenly turned his head to Zhao Jijian and asked, "Is it about time?"

Zhao Jijian glanced at the barren hills ahead and surveyed below once more before nodding slightly, saying in a deep voice, "It's about time."

Hearing this, Zhao Sheng gave a slight smile and said to Zhou Siming, who was somewhat perplexed, "Thank you, Mr. Zhou, for accompanying us on this journey. We'll proceed on our own from here. There's no need to trouble you further to lead the way."

Before Zhou Siming could react, Zhao Sheng had already stepped off the lizard's back, his body freely falling towards the cluster of buildings below.

At that moment, the Red Rainbow Sword in Zhao Jijian's hair suddenly sang out, transforming into a streaking red sword rainbow that enveloped Zhao Jijian and sped downward.

Zhou Siming simply thought Zhao Sheng and his companion were fools.

Did they really think he was unaware of the rule that one cannot rashly intrude into any Sect's mountain gate?

Even with a Sect disciple leading the way, without a Pass Token, they would still be captured as intruders.

The planner of this scheme had a simple and effective intention – to capitalize on a timing discrepancy.

If Zhao Sheng were even slightly slower to react, with the Flying Lizard's speed, by the time he noticed something was amiss, he would probably have already flown into the Illusion Array.

By then, everything would have been too late.

Zhao Sheng and his companion would certainly miss the auction.

Mid-fall, Zhao Sheng was caught by Zhao Jijian, who came on a gliding sword rainbow.

The two of them stepped onto the Red Rainbow Sword and quickly landed on a stone pathway in the cluster of buildings below.

Upon landing, they suddenly heard a loud shout: "Who are you?"

Zhao Sheng turned his head and saw a team of red-robed sword-carrying Patrol Disciples running towards them from not far away.

The leader was a robust Great Han, nearly nine feet tall with a panther-like face and piercing eyes – it was he who had shouted the query.