Chapter 1777: Breakthrough Wave

Though the Tongyou Institution and the Essence Luxuriant World already knew for many years that the Star Curtain was about to fall, they couldn’t help but feel a wave of unease when the day finally arrived. After all... It meant that the invasion from the foreign worlds was coming.

"Sage Shang... Dare I ask... Is it possible to hasten the ascension of the Azure Qing World?” Li Jidao was the first to ask as he failed to hold back his anxiety.

Before Shang Xia could respond, Yuan Qiuyuan interjected, "It is possible to hasten the Azure Qing World’s ascension through external aid, but we best not do so."

Li Jidao frowned at the interruption, displeased, though he kept his annoyance in check due to Yuan Qiuyuan's status as their world’s only rank six Grand Stargazer. "Why not?"

Yuan Qiuyuan answered calmly, as though his interruption had been natural. "First, our world and the Azure Qing World differ greatly. If our world origin were to merge with theirs, it could shock the Azure Qing World's Will and cause its ascension to fail. Second, it might result in complete assimilation of their World Origin Source, causing it to merge into our world, like the Essence Xing World out there.”

"Of course, if we continue gathering Barbaric World, Earth Stars, or floating continents, the process could still be sped up.” Yuan Qiuyuan concluded.

No one in the Essence Luxuriant Palace said another word. Even Li Jidao dropped the matter.

As for gathering more resources for the Azure Qing World’s ascension... The True Immortals present silently agreed not to bring up the matter again.

"In any case," said Shang Xia, "we still need a bit more time. Besides, even if those foreign Sages do enter the Heaven Observation Field, our world might not be their first target.”

He turned to the other 2 high-level True Immortals in the hall and continued, "Have either of you received any recent news about the activity around the Spirit Abundance World?"

Shang Xia had not forgotten how, during the battle to relocate the Azure Qing World, the Spirit Abundance World and Star Origin Dao Field joined forces and nearly intercepted their main fleet.

Zhang Xuansheng spoke slowly. "The space around the Spirit Abundance World is packed with 3 worlds. The Essence Ping World, the Spirit Abundance World, and the newly created Spirit Observation World. The Spirit Observation World also hosts the Star Origin Dao Field. The entire region is too congested. In recent years, the constant absorption of the 3 worlds caused the energy in their void to drop sharply, accelerating the contraction of the void and forcing the 3 worlds even closer. It has become a vicious cycle. If things keep up, even without the collapse of the Star Curtain, they will likely end up fighting among themselves. Well... That is unless they wish to watch their worlds crash into each other.”

In recent years, Zhang Xuansheng had visibly aged. After their world ascension, his cultivation barely improved. Many even speculated that his lifespan was about to reach its end.

Still, the Northern Sea Mystic Sect had recently produced 2 newly advanced first tier True Immortals, surprising many who had long underestimated its foundation. Even if Zhang Xuansheng were to pass away, with Fei Xuzi and 2 first tier True Immortals present, their legacy would not end. Fei Xuzi had also played a significant role in their world ascension and the relocation of the Azure Qing World. He was one of the strongest among third tier True Immortals, with great potential to grow stronger.

Of course, there were likely hidden truths known only to a few.

Shang Xia was somewhat surprised by the revelation. "True Immortal Zhang, you mean...”

Instead of Zhang Xuansheng, Yang Taihe answered in his place. "Whatever their intentions may be, those worlds are about to reach their breaking point.”

Zhang Xuansheng nodded. “They might even be more desperate than we are.”

Shang Xia responded with a noncommittal hum, showing little emotion.

Although the meeting hadn’t yielded much progress on accelerating the Azure Qing World’s ascension, the various factions in the Essence Luxuriant World had aligned themselves once again in preparation for the threat of the fall of the Star Curtain.

At the same time, without anyone noticing, Shang Xia sent a clone out of the Essence Luxuriant Palace. The Origin Star Robe appeared on his body after he left the hall, pushing his aura to the peak of the first star. Right after, he prepared to leave the space around the Essence Luxuriant World.

Just as he was about to depart, he suddenly paused and looked in the southwest, toward the Jing Continent.

There, his Origin Star Avatar sensed a powerful surge of energy. It was dense but restrained, but it also exuded the confidence of inevitable success.

With a smile on his face, Shang Xia’s Origin Star Avatar turned away and stepped out of sight.

On a hill rich with spirit energy in the Jing Continent that was protected by powerful formations, Huang Jinghan’s breakthrough to the level of Dao Harmony caused a powerful heavenly phenomenon to rise into the skies. It was so powerful that no formation could stop it.

Before their world ascension, such a breakthrough might have shattered the heavenly screen. However, now that they were an Essence World, the sky was higher and the earth was heavier... Space was more stable in general. Even Huang Jinghan’s steady and powerful advance couldn’t project the phenomenon beyond the heavenly screen.

Yet for the Essence Luxuriant World, his advancement held special meaning.

He was the first to become a high-level True Immortal after Shang Xia and Kou Chongxue, and the first to do so since they became the Essence Luxuriant World.

His emergence would significantly bolster their world’s lack of high-tier combat strength.

At the same time, the Yuanchen Sect’s status in the Essence Luxuriant World would also soar, possibly surpassing the ancient Elysiums like the Northern Sea Mystic Sect, Eternal Palace, and Divine Capital Sect, reaching a level only second to the Tongyou Institution.

Still, Huang Jinghan’s success was only the beginning. Others were already preparing to follow.

Both Song Zhen and Xiao Yugang had begun their preparations to become high-level True Immortals.

Truthfully, Song Zhen’s accumulation at the third tier exceeded even Huang Jinghan’s. His years of service under Shang Xia and contributions during the world ascension made his contributions surpass Huang Jinghan by a mile.

𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

However, Song Zhen was not originally from the Essence Luxuriant World and had to work harder. His hard work over the years eventually dissolved the Essence Luxuriant World’s Will’s resistance, finally allowing him to draw upon the world origin in his breakthrough attempt.

For Song Zhen, it was something he never dreamed possible back when he was chief in the Piercing Cloud Bandits.

One had to know that back then, he even gave up on any thought of growing stronger, much less reaching a high-level True Immortal.

Without the World Origin Source’s support, his only chance to grow would be to overthrow the original leader of the Piercing Cloud Bandits and funnel all their resources to his cultivation. It would be an uncertain gamble at best.

Now... He had the world behind him and his chances of success were massive.

As for Xiao Yugang, his breakthrough came as no surprise. He had been the driving force behind merging the Azure Qing World into the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field’s foundations. With his world in the midst of ascension under the Essence Luxuriant World’s full support, his advancement was a matter of time.