Pursuit of the Truth

If anyone raised their heads from the ninety-nine continents on the second plane, they would feel as if the space at the center of the nine continents in the upper realm was not exactly very big, but in truth, if they were there at that spot, they would be able to tell that this particular spot had no bounds.

That place could accommodate ten million people at the same time, and there would still be plenty of space left.

At that moment, there were eleven gigantic lotus platforms in the air. The lotus platform at the center was the biggest, and it was about several hundreds of thousands of feet big. Surrounding it were ten other smaller lotus platforms.

Farther away were circles of stones shining with five-colored lights. Standing on each stone were Morning Dao Sect cultivators, and the densely packed stones illuminated the place in five different colors. There were more than ten million cultivators standing within them.

Anyone who looked over would find such a scene incredibly astonishing.

There was a circle of drums at the outermost region. Rousing drum rolls spread through the galaxy and echoed in the air.

Standing on the biggest lotus platform in the center at that moment was an old man. He was dressed in a golden long robe. His face was old, but when he opened his eyes, there was brilliant light shining within them. All those who fell into his line of sight immediately felt as if their life force was boiling.

There was only one possible reason for a person to be able to cause this effect… and that was being in Life Realm!

And he was not any ordinary Almighty in Life Realm. He had reached it a long time ago, and his power was so great and deep that he was a powerful existence which could shock all people’s hearts.

Behind that old man were three other people. Su Ming had seen them before. Needless to say, they were the Sect Masters in charge of managing all things for that century in Morning Dao Sect. However, based on their location, it could be seen that their status was clearly not as great as that of the old man in Life Realm.

There were incredibly exquisite and lavish tables with auspicious beasts carved on them placed around the lotus platform where the old man stood. There were thousands of these tables, but all of them were empty. The bright ones among the people immediately understood what it meant—the tables were prepared for those who would come from the other three Great True Worlds to congratulate the Dynasts when they were truly anointed.

As the old man’s ancient voice spread out, the nine Dynasts who came with Su Ming instantly moved and spread through the ten smaller lotus platforms. Su Ming took a step forward and also landed on one of them. At the instant he did so, a dazzling light spread out from the lotus platform beneath him.

It was also not the only one that acted this way. The lotus platforms of the other nine Dynasts were the same. Because of it, the dazzling lights made it seem as if ten beautiful lotuses had bloomed in space. In fact, there were even waves of faint fragrance spreading through the area.

This scene caused Su Ming and the others to instantly become the most striking people in the crowd. They became the most brilliant suns in Morning Dao Sect at that moment.

“Morning Dao Sect…” With the usual aged and awe-inspiring voice, the old man in Life Realm began to speak at the center of the large lotus platform. “The disciples from the other races form the foundation, the descendants of the branch families form the venous pathways… while the direct descendants are Morning Dao Sect’s soul, which is why even though the ten of you are only quasi Dynasts, to show that you are different from the others, you were granted the right to stand on Morning Dao Sect’s lotus platforms. On behalf of Progenitor Dao Chen, I will also temporarily grant the ten of you the Lotus Constellation Robe!

“Whether or not you will continue to be in possession of this robe will depend on whether you can stand till the end of the ceremony! I will tell this straight to all of you that the robe has not been activated, but just wearing it will allow the ten of you to borrow the power of True Morning Dao World’s kismet. It will aid you in gaining epiphanies, and your growth in your path of cultivation will surpass that of the others by several hundred times!

“With this robe, practicing cultivation for one year will be equivalent to training for a hundred years!

“When it is truly activated, its defensive properties will allow you to withstand a full-powered strike from an Almighty in Mastery Realm. In fact, it also contains a hint of the will from Progenitor Dao Chen. You can only use it once, but even if it is just once, it will still be enough for you to kill an Almighty in Mastery Realm!

“When you have become true Dynasts, you will be allowed to go to the Progenitor’s isolation grounds, and Progenitor Dao Chen will personally activate the robe!”

As the old man’s voice echoed in the air, the breathing of the ten million people quickened. At the same time, the light from the ten lotus platforms on which Su Ming and the others stood lit up with an even more dazzling and piercing light. When it reached a blinding degree, the lotuses bloomed. Petals appeared out of nowhere and surrounded Su Ming as well as the other nine. At the same time, the Sacred Constellation Robe they wore shone with a dazzling light as if reflecting the light from the petals.

In an instant, those petals charged towards Su Ming and fused into the Sacred Constellation Robe. All of the robes, including Su Ming’s, transformed. The stars in them moved to form a flourishing lotus made by countless stars grouped together!

Su Ming’s gaze focused. He immediately sensed waves of strange aura spreading out from his robe. That aura was nourishing his body. It not only refreshed his mind, but also made him feel as if he would swiftly recover from all injuries he suffered from then on.

Su Ming could also clearly feel the power which allowed the wearer to obtain the progress equivalent to one hundred years with just one year of training. The flow of time on the robe was clearly different from the world around it. Because of that, the wearers seemed to be shrouded in a fog when anyone looked at them, making it hard for them to see Su Ming and the other nine Dynasts’ faces. They gave a feeling of being about to fuse with the air.

The thin line between illusion and reality naturally resulted in a mysterious air that turned into mighty pressure. This was the great difference between the Dynasts’ status and identities to those of the other people.

Su Ming was not the only person who felt that way. At that moment, the other nine Dynasts also lowered their heads to look at the flourishing lotuses on their bodies as their expressions changed.

At the same time, the gazes from the ten million cultivators instantly focused on the ten Dynasts. In those gazes were greed, indignation, jealousy, and also envy.

Various expressions and emotions could be seen, and it looked as if all that a person could possibly feel in their life could be found among the ten million people.

“The ten of you must have surely noticed the effects of the robes. I can tell you this, that flourishing lotus on your bodies is a supreme treasure which Progenitor Dao Chen had personally created when he was in isolation. This supreme treasure has a terrifying divine ability. Its name is the same as that of the robe – Flourishing Lotus.

“It is a divine ability Progenitor Dao Chen had come to understand while he was in isolation. It has fused into your robes, and you can activate it on your own, causing the robe to remember you at your strongest, as if time had been frozen at that particular moment. Then, when you are injured badly or have your life threatened, you can activate this Art to turn back time and instantly return to the state the robe remembers, when you were at your strongest,” the old man in Life Realm said faintly. His words were relaxed, but while the others could not tell, he was in truth also incredibly tempted by the ten Flourishing Lotuses.

If he was tempted, then it would be even more so for the three Sect Masters behind him. The ten million cultivators around him also started breathing raggedly, and due to there being ten million of them, the sound of their breathing was akin to thunder. Gazes filled with powerful desire landed on the ten Dynasts, and it was certain that their owners’ fighting spirit had been lit.

“Whosoever becomes the Dynast will be able to obtain this. Even if you are a disciple from other races and even if you cannot become the master of True Morning Dao World, you will still be able to obtain this Lotus Constellation Robe!

“Now is the time for the first step of the Anointment Ceremony, the challenges! Your divine senses have already fused with this land, so you will only need to direct your gaze to the Dynast you wish to challenge and spark your fighting spirit. The person with the strongest fighting spirit will be automatically sent to the lotus platform with the Dynast they wish to challenge. Choose the quasi Dynasts you wish to challenge. All disciples who have arrived here and stand on the five-colored stone platforms have the right to challenge them.

“However, I have to give you a final warning. Challengers are not allowed to kill, but the ten Dynasts who have been challenged have the right to kill!” The old man cast a glance at the ten million cultivators around them. When he turned his head around, he cast a glance at Su Ming and the other nine.

“Each time you manage to win against a person, the lotus platform beneath you and the robes on you will give life force for you to recover from all your wounds. I will provide that life force, so even if you are continuously challenged throughout the seven days, you will not lack any life force. You can fight without any worry,” the old man in Life Realm said flatly. There was no arrogance on his face, but his words were filled with confidence. When he swung his arm, his next words immediately echoed in all directions.

“The challenge begins!” His voice rumbled, and some people among the ten million instantly spread out their powerful fighting spirit. Once it fused with the air, they charged towards Su Ming and the other nine.

It was at that moment that a loud boom came from Su Ming’s lotus platform. A cloud and fog manifested swiftly above Su Ming, as if there was something powerful crashing against him. Most of the lotus platforms for the others went through the same thing, but the sound of something crashing against the fog and cloud were far less powerful than near Su Ming.

In an instant, an ancient runic symbol appeared in the midst of those clashes. There were ten platforms and ten runic symbols, but they were all completely different from each other.

The runic symbols were ancient letters. Each of them represented a number, and it meant just how many people were challenging the ten people. They told the Dynasts the approximate number of their challengers.

As the runic symbols for the ten lotus platforms appeared, an uproar rose into the air like a clap of thunder from among the ten million people.

“Who is that?! There’re… There’re seven million people challenging him!”

“That person is an unfamiliar face, but he’s definitely that Dao Kong! Looks like our fellow sect members are hesitant about the others, which is why they chose to challenge him!”

“But it’s rumored that this person killed Dao Fei Feng and even tens of thousands of cultivators from the Immortals’ Union, isn’t it?”

“So what? It’s because he has a powerful follower that he could do it.”

As loud voices reverberated in the air, Su Ming lifted his head to look at the runic symbol representing a number which had formed after the fighting spirits had crashed against the fog and cloud above him. His expression was slightly dark. Compared to him, the other Dynasts only had about a million or even couple tens of thousands of cultivators challenging them.