684: Chapter 684 Proving the Dao and Ascending to Immortality

Demon Venerable Sui Xing's questioning was like a red-hot iron block thrown into ice water—with a hiss, the temperature of the entire tent plummeted instantly.

The eerie green demon flames in the four corners suddenly shrank, their color fading from eerie green to pale white, as if all their heat had been instantly drained by something.

Fine frost crystals condensed on the Dragon-hide tent walls, spreading wildly along the skin patterns, emitting crisp "crackling" sounds.

At this moment, the air became as thick as lead, as if an invisible giant hand were pressing down on everyone's chest, making even breathing a luxury.

"And then a Void Immortal fights against us three Earth Immortals? Is this reasonable?!"

Demon Venerable Sui Xing's voice reverberated in the tent, every word like a dull blade scraping bone, ruthlessly plowing through everyone's nerves present.

His lizard face was twisted to the extreme, his already hideous features almost twisted into a knot, muscles twitching wildly, blood vessels bulging under the skin like countless earthworms wriggling frantically beneath.

His serrated teeth gnashed with a "clattering" sound, sharp and grating, comparable to fingernails scraping against an iron plate.

Dark gold scales rose and fell on his skin—sometimes bristling, sometimes flattening, sometimes trembling violently, emitting a "clattering" metallic roar.

The edges of the scales rubbed against each other, sparking and falling to the ground, scorching small, charred pits into the floor.

It was as if something was struggling violently beneath his skin, wanting to tear through the scales and rush out.

"Think about it yourselves! Eight months ago! Eight months ago!"

He suddenly thrust out a finger as thick as a baby's arm, covered in dark gold scales, almost poking the tip of Demon Venerable Shi Ri's nose.

The scales at his fingertip were layered, forming natural armor, with bone spurs protruding like daggers, gleaming with a cold, chilling light in the firelight.

His voice grew higher and sharper, finally becoming an almost hysterical roar:

"This kid has fought me! I remember it clearly! His cultivation was at the Void Immortal stage! The Void Immortal stage!"

Droplets of saliva exploded in the air, landing on the ground and actually corroding small pits—this was caused by his violent demonic power overflowing due to his loss of emotional control.

"But what about now?! Late Stage Earth Immortal!!"

He suddenly spread his arms wide, as if tearing apart the heavens and questioning the sky:

"From Early Stage Void Immortal to Late Stage Earth Immortal—how long did it take him?! Eight months!! Eight months!!"

The roar reverberated in the tent, shaking the Dragon-hide tent walls until they "hummed" and trembled incessantly.

"You tell me, what can you do in eight months?!"

He grabbed a bone wine pot from the side and smashed it fiercely against the ground.

The wine pot shattered, scarlet liquid splattering like blood, splashing everywhere, like a shocking pool of blood spreading on the ground.

"It's not even enough for a closed-door cultivation session!!"

He slapped the table beside him with one palm—it was forged from a single piece of mysterious iron, weighing ten thousand jin, its surface densely carved with defensive runes, and even a full-force strike from an Early Stage Earth Immortal might not leave a mark.

But at this moment, under Demon Venerable Sui Xing's furious palm strike—

"Boom—!"

A loud explosion erupted, the table shattered in response, turning into countless fragments that shot out in all directions.

The fragments struck the Dragon-hide tent walls, emitting dull "thudding" sounds as they embedded themselves deep within.

Several fragments even pierced directly through the Dragon-hide and flew out of the tent, causing a commotion and screams outside.

The teacups, wine pots, and fruit plates on the table crashed to the floor, tea, wine, and fruit juice mixing and flowing, the air filled with a sweet, greasy, and pungent, fishy odor.

"Is this fucking reasonable?!"

Demon Venerable Sui Xing's roar reverberated in the tent, lingering for a long time.

The coarse voice sounded like an enraged ancient Vicious Beast roaring, containing endless anger, unwillingness, confusion, and a trace of something even he hadn't noticed—

Fear.

That's right, fear.

When an ant that could once be crushed at will grows to stand on equal footing with you in just eight months—no, this isn't equal footing, this is clearly surpassing.

This kind of shock is enough to tear apart any Dao Heart that has lived for ten thousand years.

What does Void Immortal to Late Stage Earth Immortal mean?

It means if Chu Changsheng maintains this speed, in another eight months, he will step into the Heavenly Immortal Realm!

In another eight years, will he be proving the Dao and ascending, joining the ranks of the Immortals?!

Once this thought emerged, it was like a venomous snake coiling around one's neck, tightening more and more, impossible to shake off no matter how hard one tried.

Demon Venerable Shi Ri did not speak.

Demon Venerable Tun Yue did not speak either.

But the expressions on both their faces already laid everything out in the open.

Not much emotional fluctuation could be seen on Demon Venerable Shi Ri's scarred face, but his eyes betrayed him.

In his orange-red slit pupils, lava-like light was churning and boiling, as if a volcano were ready to erupt at the bottom of his eyes.

His pupils were frantically contracting and dilating, contracting and dilating, at an eerily fast frequency—this was his instinctive reaction to forcibly suppress the raging waves in his heart.

Demon Venerable Tun Yue was a different scene.

On her stunningly beautiful face, a rare, extreme bewilderment appeared.

In her silver eyes, moonlight-like light trembled slightly, like a pool of still water suddenly rippled by a fierce wind.

The trace of deep blue at the edge of her pupils deepened and faded, as if something was repeatedly pulling and tearing deep within her heart.

Her fingers, which had been elegantly resting on her knees, now tightened unconsciously, her nails digging deep into her palms, leaving white marks.

Because—

They also couldn't figure it out.

Every word Demon Venerable Sui Xing said was a fact.

The battle eight months ago was not just participated in by him alone.

The three Earth Immortal Demon Venerables joined forces to besiege Chu Changsheng, and that battle shook the heavens and split the earth, obscuring the sun and moon—the mountain ranges within a radius of ten thousand li were leveled by three layers from the battle's aftermath, the earth cracked and magma surged, and the sky was torn open with pitch-black fissures that could not heal for a long time.

They remembered clearly: Chu Changsheng's cultivation at that time was indeed the Void Immortal stage.

It could not be wrong.

Earth Immortal-level perception could not be wrong—the young man's spiritual power fluctuations, physical strength, and Divine Sense range at that time were clearly at the Void Immortal level, not even touching the threshold of the Earth Immortal stage.

This feeling was like a child who had just learned to toddle facing three battle-hardened, iron-blooded warriors.

Logically speaking, this should have been a one-sided massacre.

But the fact was—

It was precisely this Void Immortal-stage Cultivator who, under the joint siege of three Earth Immortals, not only didn't die but was even at ease!

He could even counterattack!

In that battle, Chu Changsheng fought three against one, his Divine Abilities and Spells endless, fighting until the sky went dark.

Several times, they were almost killed by the opponent in return!

At the time, they vaguely felt something was wrong. How could a Void Immortal-stage Cultivator be this strong?

But the result of that battle was there—Chu Changsheng fled with serious injuries, and they also suffered injuries of varying degrees; no one gained any advantage.

Thus, this matter was concluded as "that kid has some trump cards," and it was left at that.

But now—

Late Stage Earth Immortal.

These three words were like a ten-thousand-jin heavy club, smashing fiercely against the foreheads of each Demon Venerable.

Hum—

Their minds went blank.

Void Immortal stage to Earth Immortal stage.

Eight months.

A whole major Realm leap.

No, not just one major Realm—from Early Stage Void Immortal to Late Stage Earth Immortal, this spanned the entire Early to Late Stage of the Immortal Dao Realm!

This was unheard of in the history of the Cultivation World.

No, it should be said—

In any world, any era, any period of history, it was unheard of!

Even those peerless monsters from ancient times who were called "Heavenly Dao's Favorites" had never been able to complete such a terrifying leap in eight months.

The path of cultivation gets harder as one progresses—if going from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment is stepping over a threshold, and Golden Core to Nascent Soul is climbing over a mountain, then Void Immortal to Earth Immortal is climbing a ten-thousand-zhang divine peak that pierces the nine heavens!

How many gifted individuals have been stuck at Void Immortal Perfection for thousands of years, until their Lifespan was exhausted, without being able to take that step?

And how many Void Immortals, in order to break through to Earth Immortal, risked their lives to break into Secret Realms of certain death, only to end up with no bones left?

But now someone tells you: a person jumped from Early Stage Void Immortal to Late Stage Earth Immortal in eight months?

This is no longer a question of whether they are a Genius or not.

This goes against common sense. It goes against the Heavenly Dao. It goes against every rule they have ever known.

"Sit down."

Demon Venerable Shi Ri finally spoke.

Only two words.

The voice was not loud, deep and slow, like a ten-thousand-ton boulder booming as it moved deep within the earth.

But these two words carried an unquestionable Heavenly Might, pressing down until the entire tent trembled.

Demon Venerable Sui Xing's roar came to an abrupt halt.

His chest heaved violently, his dark gold scales still contracting and relaxing, like unvented anger churning incessantly.

A low rumbling sound came from his throat, like a beast suppressing a roar.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but meeting the cold light shooting from Demon Venerable Shi Ri's orange-red slit pupils, he forced himself to swallow his words.

Finally, he let out a heavy "humph" and plopped back onto the newly brought iron chair.

The chair groaned under his massive weight, "creaking" as if it might fall apart at any moment.

He crossed his arms over his chest, his dark gold scales still slightly fluttering, exposing the raging waves in his heart.

Demon Venerable Shi Ri's gaze moved away from Demon Venerable Sui Xing and slowly swept over Demon Venerable Tun Yue's face.

Demon Venerable Tun Yue nodded slightly; although the trace of deep blue in her silver eyes had faded a little, the shock had not completely receded—on the contrary, it seemed to have settled, sinking deep into her eyes, turning into a deeper, heavier haze.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.

Demon Venerable Shi Ri withdrew his gaze and looked back at the golden ripples dissipating in the void—the lingering charm of the Great Dao's decree.

The golden ripples were fading and thinning at a speed visible to the naked eye, like an ink painting slowly dissolving in water.

But even though it was so faint it was almost invisible, the Heavenly Might contained within still made the three Earth Immortal Yao Race members feel a stinging, burning pain.

It was like having one's pupils pierced directly by the scorching sun—even if one closed their eyes, that ball of white light still remained on the retina, unable to be shaken off.

This was a brand. A warning. A declaration from the Heavenly Dao—

This child must not be lightly insulted.

The tent quieted down.

It was terrifyingly quiet.

Only the eerie green demon flames flickered slightly, "crackling," casting the three people's shadows onto the Dragon-hide walls, growing larger and smaller, longer and shorter, twisting and deforming, like three dormant giant beasts lurking in the dark.

The air solidified like iron, and time seemed to stand still. Even the sound of breathing became exceptionally clear and jarring.

Demon Venerable Sui Xing sat on the iron chair, his chest still heaving, his gaze nailed to the ground, as if he wanted to burn through all those broken wood chips, porcelain shards, and wine stains.

Demon Venerable Tun Yue closed her eyes to rest, but her slightly furrowed brows and constantly trembling eyelashes had long since torn through her surface calm.

Demon Venerable Shi Ri maintained that posture—gaze fixed on the void, as if the golden ripples were still there, still transmitting some kind of signal to him.

He was silent for a long time.

Long enough that Demon Venerable Sui Xing's patience was about to be worn through.

Long enough that a questioning light emerged in Demon Venerable Tun Yue's silver eyes.

Long enough that the demon flames outside the tent seemed to dim by three parts.

Then—

He spoke.

"This matter..."

The voice was lower than before, so low it was like talking to himself.

So low that if the tent hadn't been as silent as death, it would have been almost impossible to hear what he was saying.

"Can no longer be judged by common sense."

Every word sounded like it was being squeezed hard from deep within his throat.

Every word carried a ten-thousand-jin weight that was so heavy it made one unable to breathe.

After he finished speaking, the tent fell into silence again.

But this silence was completely different from before.

The previous silence was shock, confusion, and being at a loss.

And the current silence—

Is a consensus.

What they are facing is no longer a category they can understand.