"This time everyone must participate..."
"Therefore, almost every cultivator harbors some speculation in their hearts: someone is bound to ascend this time!"
"This is also why this Ascension Ceremony is so grandiose."
Understanding the Dao through battle...
Wang Mu remained silent.
"Currently, these Ascension experts..." Cheng Tianyong's sword-like brows relaxed, "Once the discourse begins, any cultivator present should benefit, and this is the second reason."
"The third is the appearance of the Sage Dongfang Mu." Cheng Tianyong continued, "As a sage from a thousand years ago, he is certain to attend this grand gathering. For a millennium, no one knows the extent of his strength. If one can discourse the Dao with him, they will surely benefit greatly."
"I think this is also one of the reasons why many Ascension experts are attending."
"As for the legendary Immortal Gates descending to the world, they do exist, but attempting to ascend through the Immortal Slaying Sect is not the pursuit of most experts. After all, normal ascension and Crossing Tribulation are already so difficult. To ascend through the Immortal Slaying Sect, who knows what level one must reach? Perhaps only Elder Yan can manage a bit of it..."
"With all these factors, this year's Ascension Ceremony is likely the most magnificent in history... with the most attendees..."
In the conversation, the speed of the Immortal Boat was extremely fast, and in just a day, they had reached the realm of Qianzhou.
Ascending Immortal Platform.
Located at the very center of Qianzhou.
"There's a star stone from beyond the heavens, which fell into Qianzhou, weathered by winds and rains for three hundred years, forming a heavenly platform, suspended in the void, rumored to connect with the heavens."
"This Ascending Immortal Platform was formed from a mysterious star stone that flew in from beyond the heavens, like a fallen star, nine hundred years ago. Back then, the Nine Provinces' plate changed, and many wondrous sights were formed during that time."
"The Ascending Immortal Platform was no exception. This platform, spanning tens of thousands of zhang, initially sank underground when it landed."
"Later, after three hundred years, it developed spirituality and called itself: Ascending Immortal Platform. It leaped out from underground, becoming a magnificent spectacle suspended in the air comparable to a continent."
"It has spirituality?" Wang Mu asked in surprise.
He had heard of the Ascending Immortal Platform.
In Qianzhou, this place is quite special.
Under normal circumstances, entry is impossible, like... a map restriction. Without cultivation above the Crossing Tribulation stage, one experiences barriers of special space constraints, preventing any cultivator from entering.
"Indeed, the Ascending Immortal Platform has a Stone Spirit that has been cultivating in the Nine Provinces for five hundred years, essentially a Transcendence Tribulation Stage earth spirit."
"Look over there."
From above the Immortal Boat, Wang Mu gazed along the gentle breeze.
He saw beneath the mountains and rivers, a landmass comparable to a grand ancient city."""
From afar, its surface shimmered with an odd brilliance.
Wang Mu took a deep breath, unable to see the end of the Ascending Immortal Platform from the side.
Seen from above, it's likely several times larger than a city with tens of millions of inhabitants.
A classic floating city in the Immortal World.
At this time, countless flying artifacts, Immortal Boats, and ancient treasures descended onto the Ascending Immortal Platform like converging rivers, the spectacle so grand that all the grand scenes Wang Mu had seen before paled in comparison to this...
The disciples of the Sword Sect on the Immortal Boat rubbed their eyes, seemingly feeling a bit sour.
"Ascension experts from the Nine Provinces..."
Each representing a force of the Nine Provinces.
Even those sects and major dynasties without Ascension experts, like Li State, not usually in contact with the Outer Continent, and its three major dynasties, numerous small nations, families, and sects all came.
Among the dense and swarm-like forces, Wang Mu hardly saw any familiar faces.
This was a time to test a cultivator's knowledge and connections, to see who could recognize the most...
"Senior Brother Wang, you are always traveling outside the sect, with presumably rich experience, how many guests from our area can you recognize?"
A disciple asked curiously.
"..." Wang Mu.
Wang Mu coughed, glanced around, and indeed did not see many familiar faces.
He shook his head.
"Not recognizing any?" The disciple seemed disappointed.
"These sect forces are relatively small." Wang Mu replied, "How could I recognize them?"
Saying that, Wang Mu's eyes focused a bit, looking into the distance.
He saw dragon boat-like flying artifacts approaching through the clouds and mists from afar, with nine radiant water dragons pulling them, indicating the arrival of someone remarkable.
"Look, I recognize this one." Wang Mu said, "This is the Dongling Sea Dragon Palace. I am acquainted with that Dragon King."
"In the Nine Provinces, only forces of this magnitude are ones I mingle with."
"Other small orders and minor sects, it's natural I do not recognize."
"..."
Everyone admired Wang Mu.
Wang Mu withdrew to the back of the crowd, walked up to Master Cheng, and whispered:
"By the way, is Elder Yan already here?"
Cheng Tianyong glanced at Wang Mu:
"Naturally, she has arrived. Elder Yan is the top-ranked expert of the Upper Realm Ascension Ceremony in the Nine Provinces. She is the first Ascension arena master of this ceremony, and at this moment, she should be within the Battle Illusion Realm on the Ascending Immortal Platform."
"The Battle Illusion Realm is an alternate space created by the Ascending Immortal Platform for many Ascension experts to battle in."
"Only Ascension experts can enter it. Look at that fire-red Cloud Sea at the center of the Ascending Immortal Platform."
Wang Mu looked, and indeed saw a vast Cloud Sea, fiery red, very majestic.
A faint sword light could be seen hiding within.
"When the grand meeting begins, that Cloud Sea will reveal the scenery of the Battle Illusion Realm."
Cheng Tianyong said, "By then, Elder Yan's figure should be visible."
"The other Ascension experts should be arriving one after another."
As mentioned, they came.
Just as Cheng Tianyong finished speaking.
Suddenly, in the distant sky, emerged torrents of floodwater, pouring down, the waters covering the heavens and revealing figures of the Sea Clan within.
The previously mentioned dragon boats pulled by nine dragons also flew directly into them, taking the lead in front.
Seeing this momentum, Wang Mu estimated it must be Immortal Bi You arriving.
Beside him, Cheng Tianyong sighed:
"The grandeur of this Great Immortal is as formidable as ever. Back then, she descended upon our Sword Sect like this to threaten Elder Yan..."
"This Immortal Bi You has been to the Sword Sect before?" Wang Mu voiced in surprise, "Did she come with her Sea Clan underlings for a fight?"
"I don't know..." Cheng Tianyong shook his head, "That was after you repaired the Green Frost Sword, the Elder sliced the Immortal Zombie—that event... I was not clear why she came..."
"?" Wang Mu was taken aback.
Wasn't Bi You long gone?
Returned again?
Wang Mu pondered...
The boundless floodwaters were held in the air, forming a bridge of water.
As streams of light descended, the water-blue figures entered the crimson clouds, stirring waves...
"Immortal Bi You enters the realm!"
The clouds shifted, revealing a message.
The Immortal Boat continued its unhurried advance towards the Ascending Immortal Platform.
Actually, at its speed, it could arrive quickly.
However, with too many flying artifacts here, the speed had already slowed, and the visible distance took an unknown duration to barely approach closely.
Soon, with Immortal's entry.
One after another, some Ascension experts started entering.
But mostly were the New Sect Ascension experts Wang Mu knew, like Dao Wuya and Lei Lixing from the Supreme Mysterious Dao Sect... those unrecognized ones came from all major continents. There weren't many in number; Wang Mu counted maybe ten or twenty?
Among the countless beings of the Nine Provinces, only so few...
Of course, excluding those Ascension experts who have already passed, these are all living ones.
The number is quite a lot.
The millennium of the Nine Provinces is a gradually prosperous process, from the initial upheavals in heaven and earth to now, which can be said to have reached the heyday of cultivation.
Almost every cultivator feels a premonition in the dark.
As long as there is one Ascension, there will soon be a second, a third...
At this moment, someone suddenly shouted:
"Hey, look over there, what is that?"
Numerous disciples followed the voice to look.
Above the Saint Platform, at some unknown time, a myriad of intrepid... yours truly, no matter what