Perfect World

Chapter 562: Chapter 562 Sky Ascension Path
 

The temperaments of these two were undergoing drastic changes, frighteningly so, when suddenly black lightning appeared beside them, followed by an echoing noise that vibrated the void.

Shi Hao was surprised at heart, for he could naturally see their changes and had long known that these two were no ordinary individuals. He stopped and asked, “Gentlemen, is there something you wish to say?”

Bird Grandpa and Coin Elder seemed to awaken from a dream, the powerful fluctuations within them subsiding, and they once again became tranquil, emitting bursts of auspicious halos.

From one thought springs enlightenment, from another thought springs demon. All transformations could be completed in an instant.

They themselves pondered, frowning and struggling to recall, at times peaceful, at times lost, at times fierce, their temperaments continuously shifting.

“How could this be? Only today did I realize that I am me,” Coin Elder muttered thoughtfully.

Bird Grandpa nodded, then shook his head and said, “Hmm, that’s not right. I am ‘me,’ but who is ‘me’?”

Following his words, Coin Elder also became puzzled and said, “Which one is the real ‘me’?”

Shi Hao’s eyes were clear, and he watched them calmly. Today, he was finally going to understand the origins of these two, who were indeed very extraordinary.

“You continue breaking records, we feel as though a veil covering our spirits is about to be lifted, and we gradually remember some extraordinary matters,” Bird Grandpa said, seriously for once, unlike his usual deceitful self.

Shi Hao nodded, forcefully advancing, continuously breaking records.

In the realm of Virtual Gods, all directions trembled as Little Stone returned, singing triumphantly along his journey, startling everyone.

Bird Grandpa and Coin Elder grew increasingly strong, and those following behind were all dumbstruck. What was happening? It felt like they were following two Prehistoric Fierce Beasts, unease festering in their hearts.

With a hum, on Bird Grandpa’s shoulder, that bird surged up, transforming into a radiant sun hanging behind him, encasing his head like a brilliant Divine Halo, as if he were an Immortal.

Coin Elder was also transforming, possessing an air of Daoist immortality, the sneer on his face disappearing, with a somewhat transcendent aura.

Onlookers were dumbstruck; weren’t these two old frauds? Now the change was so great that for a moment, they couldn’t believe it was this shameless duo.

Shi Hao reached a higher level area; his body glowed like an immortal Divine Furnace, breaking several significant records, and, feeling fatigue, he stopped.

“As you continue to break records, we grow stronger, some power flows into our bodies and awakens some sealed memories.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Hao looked at them, deep in thought. After becoming Emperor, he had once sent people to investigate, but in the real world, they couldn’t find any famous experts that matched these two individuals.

“Could you be personifications of the laws of the Realm of Virtual Gods?” he speculated.

“No, we are flesh and blood humans, genuine and guaranteed,” Bird Grandpa declared, with a sun manifesting behind him.

Shi Hao said, “Do you want me to break the records of the Wasteland and then go break the records of other major domains? I don’t have that much time!”

“I’m gradually understanding more,” Coin Elder said, “there’s no need for that now.”

“Let’s go to the Ultimate Lands!” Bird Grandpa stated, his expression serious.

The others found it strange; these two old swindlers had changed too much and now possessed an air of detachment, as if they no longer belonged to the mortal world.

“Who exactly are you?” Shi Hao asked, a question that everyone else wanted to know.

“We want to know too, still figuring it out,” Bird Grandpa chuckled dryly.

Coin Elder quickly nodded, and his grin appeared quite scheming again, breaking their transcendent demeanor and bringing them back to the mortal plane.

On the road ahead, they reverted to their original selves, the shameless duo once again, busy peddling their Bone Texts, business booming!

But occasionally, a flash of brilliance in their eyes revealed they were different now.

“This Bone Text costs five thousand precious coins per book, guaranteed to satisfy you!”

“What, not satisfied? Look at Little Stone, he rose by following the trials in it. Young man, you must strive, the next Little Stone could be you!”

…

The two swaggered along the road, faces full of cunning, swindling a large crowd and thus becoming akin to deities, surrounded in the center.

“What is this place?” the crowd wondered in surprise, having unknowingly arrived in a hazy area with flowing white mist, resembling Immortal Qi.

Here stood a pair of huge bronze gates, majestic and boundless like mountains, their existence previously unknown, a mysterious place indeed.

“Open!” Coin Elder pointed forward, sigils flickering, and the massive ancient bronze gates burst open amidst rumbling, releasing bursts of primal chaos mist.

Everyone stepped back, their hearts chilled, realizing the true significance of this place as primal chaos mist spread.

Behind the mountain-high bronze gates lay an endless expanse, heavily fogged and unclear, and after a long while, a road became faintly visible, winding towards the heavens.

This was a limestone path, quite unique as it wasn’t laid upon a mountain but suspended in the void, unsupported, resembling a blue ribbon that stretched to the high skies.

It seemed a path to the heavens, and stepping on it felt as if one could ascend to the heavens.

Shi Hao with hands behind his back, looked up at this path, his heart extremely perturbed. The Realm of Virtual Gods even had such a place? He had never heard of it before.

“We’ve remembered some things. No matter how many records you break, you won’t obtain the last two bronze pieces. Only by ascending this path can you achieve them,” Bird Grandpa stated.

“Why do you, an old man, smile so sleazily?” Shi Hao asked.

Bird Grandpa immediately bristled and exclaimed, “Nonsense! How can you speak to an old man like that? I’m happy and excited. Finally, the day has come when a fine young man like yourself can embark on this path.”

“This is a path to the heavens. If you can ascend and defeat all your rivals, the bronze pieces will appear on their own,” Coin Elder explained.

Everyone was moved and very shocked. What kind of path was this, its origins unknown, and what kind of adversary lay at the end of this road?

It was extremely strange. Earlier, it had been sealed by a pair of bronze gates and had just now emerged. Who was the adversary? Could it be someone who had lived from ancient times till now?

Shi Hao gave a nonchalant smile. Now, he really wasn’t afraid of having a powerful opponent; he yearned for a battle, hoping for a real fight that would allow him to give his all.

“Buzz!”

As he stepped onto the bluestone path, the mist surged violently, making the area clearly visible. His feet seemed to scatter the white mist, revealing the ancient bluestone path beneath.

Shi Hao’s heart tightened. He had only just stepped onto this path and already felt a pressure that normal cultivators probably couldn’t withstand.

As he walked step by step along the winding trail towards the high sky, the mist in front continued to disperse, as if clearing the clouds to see the sun.

“Elder, can we also step onto that heavenly road?” someone asked the two crafty old men.

“Yes, but if you fall, you’ll have to return to the real world and won’t be able to come back for several months,” Bird Grandpa answered.

“Is stepping onto this road so dangerous?” Many people were suspicious, seeing Shi Hao walking at ease, apparently unattacked, they somewhat disbelieved.

Momentarily after, about dozens of people stepped out and rushed towards the trail, yet just as they stepped onto it, one person was shaken off, stumbling backwards.

Others charged forward, but after only about a dozen steps, they all shook and then screamed as they fell down.

Beside the trail, under the cloud and mist, there was a bottomless abyss. A strange killing intent surged up, grinding them to dust.

Everyone gasped in shock, and no one else dared to take the risk.

“The heavenly road is rugged and perilous; one wrong step and you’ll never recover,” Coin Elder shook his head.

“Let’s go up from this side and see if he could ascend to the heavens,” Bird Grandpa waved his hand, and the mist beside them dispersed, revealing a towering mountain.

It was entirely black, rising from the abyss below, piercing into the Yunxiao, its height unknown.

This mountain was not very far from the path suspended in midair, allowing everyone to see every move of Shi Hao, but the two were parallel and couldn’t make contact.

In this place, flying was impossible, and crossing over was also forbidden; Coin Elder solemnly warned that this area was a “No-fly Domain” and not to attempt it.

As Shi Hao walked, the endless crowd behind him all rushed towards that black mountain, a magnificent giant mountain too vast to compare with any in the real world.

Shi Hao didn’t know how long he had walked, indeed enduring considerable pressure, but this did not stop his steps.

The higher he got, the quieter it became—no sounds, no people, as if he had reached the ends of the earth, the world silent, with only him alone in a lonely exploration.

“Is this the path of cultivation? Will my future be like this?”

Shi Hao’s pace wasn’t slow, but he walked for three days and three nights just to approach the end of this road, which was astonishingly distant.

It really seemed like he was ascending to the heavens!

Meanwhile, the crowd was also climbing that black mountain, following along, gazing towards Shi Hao from afar.

At last, at the end of the road, there was a high platform, like an ancient altar or a mysterious arena, made of bronze.

This platform was quite spacious, suspended in midair, as if existing forever. On it were various lifelike engravings of creatures, only covered in a layer of green rust spots.

Arriving here, even someone as strong as Shi Hao was very tired because the climb had put unimaginable pressure on him, like mountains bearing down on his back.

He stepped forward towards the altar, but then a dense mist blocked him, nearly causing him to fall off the road.

Everyone following him trembled, knowing that falling would mean an endless abyss below, with no chance of flying, they would be shredded by the strange killing intent.

Shi Hao was also astonished. There seemed to be an invisible force protecting this bronze altar, difficult to penetrate without effort.

He took a short respite to regain his energy, then shouted loudly, “Open for me!”

Shi Hao threw a punch, turning his fist golden, scattering the invisible forces. He stepped forward, ascending the ancient bronze altar.

Following his punch, the fog dispersed, and the scenery on the high platform became clearly visible, spacious enough that even the people behind could see.

“Eh!?” A voice came.

At the same time, Shi Hao was also surprised. In front of him was a figure who turned and saw him, expressing surprise.

It was a woman, dressed in a golden gown, radiant. She was tall, graceful and elegant, with long black hair flowing down, her eyes very clear, her face covered by a veil.

She stood there proudly, and when her eyes opened again, they shot out lightning, her entire being transcendent yet powerful, enveloped in the aura of dao.

“Great Ferocious?” the woman spoke, her voice pleasant, with divine light emerging in her eyes, staring intently.

“Monster?” Shi Hao responded.

“Heavenly Immortal,” the woman answered.

“Emperor,” Shi Hao replied in kind.

End of Chapter Two, asking for monthly tickets, going to write Chapter Three.

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(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to recommend votes and monthly votes at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)