Be the Hardest Working Demon Cultivator!

And it was at the moment Tan Shuchang entertained such a thought that Gu Zhengyi took the initiative to speak of a celestial fate, "The celestial fate soon to be nurtured in the Jiawu Realm involves the Star Fate refinement, seasonal changes, severing of lifespan, and control over the universe that only True Immortals can touch.

Particularly, the Star Fate refinement and seasonal changes are powers that even orthodox Righteous True Immortals, let alone ordinary ones, are not qualified to touch!"

Listening, Tan Shuchang felt oddly familiar, "..."

A moment of time, a sliver of gold — severing lifespan?

Melting rocks flowing gold — control within the palm?

Star Fate refinement — Star Fate universe, the mystical colors of heaven and earth?

Seasonal changes — the twenty-four seasons?

So, the treasures over which these tri-ascenders, who have been scheming for centuries and on the verge of fighting each other, are actually about to be completely gained by him?

At that moment, Tan Shuchang finally understood why the cultivation strength in the Jiawu Realm became increasingly difficult to advance the higher one reached!

No wonder this cultivation strength involves Fate Counting and the celestial essence!

"Thus, a millennium of cultivation strength, able to thoroughly negate all costs to validate eternal life, is very likely paid as the price to obtain this celestial fate..."

Tan Shuchang felt a strange sensation in his heart, as if the remote and unattainable goddess sought in vain by others was already moaning melodically under him.

Although thinking this in his heart, Tan Shuchang swiftly responded, "May I know, venerable forebears, if you have spoken so forthrightly about all this owing to the Chaotic Life Dharma Bead?"

"Exactly as the junior has said, once the Son of the Heavenly Mandate arrives from the Sword Temple, we hope that the junior might temporarily lend us this treasure. Also, if the Son of the Heavenly Mandate does not offend the junior, then would the junior refrain from acting against him?" Gu Zhengyi stated.

"Since the senior has spoken thus, it would be impolite of the junior to refuse." Tan Shuchang immediately replied.

"Good, young man, if you keep your word, we will not treat you unfairly, and when the time comes, we will guide your ascension! To ascend on your own requires three proofs, but with celestial fate, one proof is also sufficient!" Tai Shi Wujiu nodded slightly.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

They knew very well that without showing some benefits, no one would earnestly commit.

"Thank you, esteemed seniors!" Tan Shuchang bowed with his hands clasped.

Then, Gu Zhengyi and Tai Shi Wujiu spoke no more and departed.

Watching this scene, Tan Shuchang couldn't help but feel surprised; he did not expect the two to trust him so implicitly, eschewing any oaths of the grand Dao or specific contracts.

Under normal circumstances, aren't they supposed to scheme against each other, mutually distrustful, and then resort to such measures only barely to feel reassured about each other?

...

Meanwhile, shrinking the land to an inch, stepping across regions in one stride, Tai Shi Wujiu also happened to raise this issue.

"Brother, do you trust Tan Shuchang so much?"

Tai Shi Wujiu was admitted to the sect slightly earlier than Gu Zhengyi, so he was the senior brother. While their cultivation levels were originally similar, Gu Zhengyi now was somewhat stronger.

Due to the hardships, after Tai Shi Wujiu's tri-proofs ascension, his cultivation could be said to regress if not progress. But fortunately, he found a treasure that matched his Sword Dao, which did not weaken his power and even helped him take the crucial final step.

If not for this, he would now be in the same position as Dugu Jianyin, basically without the qualification to use a "manifestation".

"Such verbal agreements, although lax, will be observed by anyone as long as there's prospect of benefit. Moreover, it won't be long after the celestial fate appears that we will return to the Jiawu Realm, where the benefits and drawbacks are clear to the lord of the Demon Gate. Brother, reflect on your state of mind before your ascension," Gu Zhengyi said with a smile.

He had already clarified the pros and cons to Tan Shuchang and had used their profound understanding of the celestial fate to display their own foundations and strength, so he believed that Tan Shuchang would not go back on his word.

After all, adhering to the agreement is the best way to maximize profit!

Upon hearing this, Master Historian Gu immediately understood Gu Zhengyi's intent. Back when he discovered he could ascend, he was uncontrollably excited. Before ascending, he was even more overwhelmed with emotion.

Even with his status back then, a cultivator who had not yet achieved the immortality of the first proof was likely to be even less capable.

"I wonder how the three senior brothers are doing? Is the Path of the Ancient Yin going smoothly?" Gu Zhengyi pondered. The two tasks he and Master Historian had accomplished, probing the reality of the Upper Clarity Temple and Western Tuo Mountain and dealing with the trouble brought by a suspected True Immortal lineage, were minor issues.

The expedition to the Path of the Ancient Yin was of the utmost importance.

Otherwise, their chances of seizing the opportunity for immortality would significantly decrease.

"With the capabilities of the three senior brothers, there certainly won't be any problems.

Although this matter was expedited because of the Chaotic Life Dharma Bead, overall, there isn't much difference, since it would have happened sooner or later anyway." Master Historian Gu waved his hand, asserting that here they could fully manifest the power of their current stage of proof, and incidents like Tan Shuchang's were likely just rare exceptions!

It was precisely because Tan Shuchang was utterly enigmatic that Gu Zhengyi and Master Historian Gu decided to change their approach and strategy.

"Senior brother speaks wisely; we had already planned this matter well in advance, and there was no specific time requirement. By the way, senior brother, can you tell which True Immortal lineage Tan Shuchang belongs to?" Gu Zhengyi nodded.

The bloodline of a True Immortal is mystically extraordinary. Even though the blood from mixed heritage ranks the lowest, if the True Immortal's cultivation is exceedingly profound, then even the mixed blood can possess incredible power.

For instance, they once heard of a Righteous True Immortal with vast divine skills, who after performing a Law of Heaven and Earth-type skill, accidentally left a footprint in the mundane world.

A mortal girl happened to pass by that footprint, and under the influence of the True Immortal's essence, she conceived a child even though she was yet unmarried.

Moreover, the child born from the mixed bloodline possessed such astonishing strength that it defied all logic.

In his youth, he could catch the magic weapons of an Immortal with his bare hands.

By the time he reached adulthood, he was unmatched by even those who had attained three proofs of immortality.

Their perception of Tan Shuchang was initially that during the world's advancement in the past, he was fortunate enough to absorb some influence from a True Immortal's used artifact, which contained traces of True Immortal essence, thus evolving by chance into someone with a True Immortal lineage.

After all, such examples are myriad. Most lineages of True Immortal blood arise from similar origins.

But having seen Tan Shachang in person, they realized they couldn't fathom his power or potential threat.

"How could I know that?

But, favored by neither fate nor the Demon Luo Heavenly Authority, his abilities, though not mediocre, are unlikely to match those of a Celestial Master True Immortal and are more akin to those of the Heavenly Gang Orthodox Law, or perhaps even still to the qualities of the Earthly Fiend Orthodox Law." Master Historian Gu spoke, not that he disdained the Righteous True Immortal of Earthly Slaughter, but because the essence of this immortal was fundamentally different from their own.

While the essence of a True Immortal can foster True Immortal blood, the essence from the Earthly Fiend Orthodox Law typically stifles a cultivator's potential.

Simply put, True Immortal blood fostered by this essence has a high baseline, easily allowing one to become a formidable figure in a region, yet it has a very low ceiling.

In ten years, one might become a regional power, but from then on, progress ceases until death.

True Immortal blood derived from the essence of the Heavenly Gang Orthodox True Immortal is merely a bit higher in potential than that created by the Earthly Fiend Orthodox Law.

Only the essence from a Celestial Master True Immortal fosters True Immortal blood with ample potential for further power.

"Then, this young ascendant will likely face severe mental strain after ascending..." Gu Zhengyi said with a light chuckle, as his views were much in line with Master Historian Gu's.

"Such individuals are not rare in their youth; one more makes little difference." Master Historian Gu also laughed.

If it were not so, they wouldn't truly consider facilitating Tan Shuchang's ascension after achieving their goal.