NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40: Transcendence
“It seems that attending this grand gathering was worthwhile. First, there arrived the long-hidden merger of Hongmeng Purple Qi Seed from the Purple Abode, then the ancient monk lineage from Mount Sumeru sailed in, and now, the celestial prince who has surpassed us all with an overwhelming presence has also arrived. It's truly exhilarating,” a young man dressed in daoist robes said with a light chuckle.
“Haha, indeed, this gathering should be counted among the top tier of cultivators from the ancient world,” a creature clad in golden sacred armor agreed. Though youthful, he exuded an aura of invincibility—majestic, powerful, and imposing.
The others wore broad smiles, their eyes relaxed and amicable, devoid of any conflict or discord, resembling friends. Each one was surrounded by an aura of celestial dao.
As they spoke, nine heavenly horses from the Harmonious Dao Realm, also known as the Supreme Realm, swiftly descended with an ancient battle chariot, disrupting the tranquility and peace of the banquet.
Everyone looked up to the sky, their faces filled with reverence.
All this because of the Wang Family's Celestial King, invincible above and below the heavens. His fame resonated throughout the heavens and was on par with other exemplary figures in the ancient world. Although from the Celestial Domain, after achieving enlightenment, he chose to settle in the primordial ancient world, becoming one of its guardians.
Across the thirty-three heavens, countless forces and living beings revered this supreme celestial king.
“Boom!”
As the heavenly horses descended, their fiery hooves struck the ground, and their wings fluttered a few times before retracting. The ancient chariot marked by the passage of time followed suit, landing gracefully.
At the banquet, all creatures fell silent, eyes fixed on the direction of the ancient chariot, the quiet was so deep that the drop of a pin could be heard.
Though the beings inside had yet to emerge, the nine-headed heavenly horses were already asserting their dominion. Their heads held high, they snorted out wisps of white divine energy, their voices like thunder shaking the very fabric of space. Their immense eyes swept across all present with an air of disdain and arrogance.
This was a gathering place for young prodigies, lacking in formidable figures, and the horses naturally paid them no mind.
The young cultivators, despite being looked down upon by the heavenly horses, did not mind. These horses hailed from the family of the Immortal King and possessed extraordinary power in their own right. To them, addressing these horses as seniors was no exaggeration.
Of course, there were those who harbored dissatisfaction in their hearts, yet due to the formidable gap in status and power, dared not voice their grievances.
"Creak!"
The bronze ancient chariot began to glow, its door inscribed with deep axe marks swung open, unleashing a burst of killing light. A phantom of the river of time appeared, and from the chaos, a massive axe of creation emerged, cleaving everything in its path, bearing down upon a chariot. In the end, it became stuck in the portal, unable to pierce through.
The next moment, the being meditating inside the chariot made its move. So powerful was its aura that the scene became indistinct and blurred. After a twist in vision, the last image appeared before the onlookers: the colossal axe, once mighty enough to cleave chaos and reshape worlds, had been shattered into countless fragments, scattering in all directions.
"This depicts the scene where the Wang Family's Immortal King once slew a formidable enemy," someone remarked.
An overwhelming sense of shock washed over the crowd. Such a powerful creature, it couldn't withstand for long before being annihilated, its weapon splintered into hundreds of pieces. The sheer terror of the spectacle stunned them all.
As the image crumbled to dust and vanished, an exceptionally enigmatic man stepped forward, exuding the aura of a true immortal. Immediately, his presence subdued everyone present.
Following him, Wang Heng made his entrance, descending from the antique war chariot.
Handsome by birth, and with the rich aura of immortality enveloping him, Wang Heng resembled a young true immortal—mysterious yet overwhelmingly powerful.
Many young prodigies regarded him with grave expressions, sensing danger emanating from him that sent chills down their spines.
This chariot was steeped in countless battles, its murderous intent ingrained deep within its very core. Any being who rode it would find their aura affected, becoming aggressively strong-willed. Such was the case with Wang Heng at this moment.
He had expected that this grand gathering of prodigies would be a cauldron of tension, with young talents from all factions at each other's throats, eager for confrontation. However, upon arriving, he found the reality quite different from his imagination.
He immediately reined in his murderous intent, allowing himself to become calm and serene, no longer projecting the sharpness he once did.
Sensing this change in him, the young beings at the banquet felt the awkwardness between them dissolve almost instantly, prompting some to step forward and strike up conversations.
Wang Heng was astonished, for he detected no malice in the hearts of most of the young attendees; their spirits were remarkably peaceful.
Surrounded by the prodigious talents, he was ushered to a seat of honor, like a celestial body orbited by stars, sitting upon a jade chair.
On the jade table before him lay rare fruits and exquisite wines, their subtle aroma blending with the ambient aura, unmistakably not of this world.
Below, white mist just barely covered the knees, where lotuses bloomed, their stems and leaves a brilliant gold, radiating supernatural splendor.
Just as Wang Heng took his seat, a five-colored divine deer approached gracefully, with a jade dish atop its head. The dish bore an array of fruits, each one vibrantly distinct and exuding an extraordinary essence. The deer came before Wang Heng, lowering its head slightly in a gesture of reverent offering.
Before Wang Heng could respond, another white ape shuffled forward, dutifully serving him fine wine.
Everything about the scene was natural and serene, removed from the clamor of the world, exuding a transcendent beauty.
Wang Heng, captivated by the atmosphere, nodded with a smile, picking up a piece of fruit to eat while downing the exquisite wine in his cup.
After the divine deer and white ape withdrew, white mists roiled, and a pure white crane arrived, precisely dropping a few leaves into Wang Heng's cup.
Instantaneously, a purple cauldron leaped from the water, emitting dazzling violet light, accompanied by the ethereal ringing of a chaotic ancient bell, permeated with the aura of the Dao, the fragrant tea immediately wafting out. The young prodigies present felt as if they were about to step into a realm of enlightenment.
"This is the Ancient Enlightenment Tea, gifted by the True Immortal Hua Yun of the Purple Bamboo Grove. In this entire region, fewer than five individuals are privileged with such tea, signifying the True Immortal's favor and boundless potential."
"As expected of Wang Heng. Just his presence alone has stirred the True Immortal, a testament to his awe-inspiring nature," complimented a young man from a True Immortal lineage.
"Indeed, Wang Heng's talent is unrivaled, destined to be the leader among the youth of our realm."
Surrounded by young creatures, Wang Heng received endless praise, with words of admiration flowing effortlessly.
Wang Heng responded with humility, suggesting that everyone present need not address him as "Wang Ancestor," but rather as "Brother Wang." However, no one dared to do so.
As the son of the Immortal King, Wang Heng's status was unassailable, and no one would dare to overstep such boundaries.
(End of Chapter)
