155: Chapter 155: In Front of the Ascension Pagoda

The "Ascension Conference" was less than ten days away.

Donghua Immortal City was becoming increasingly lively.

Cultivators from all over the Donghua Immortal Domain, and even Prodigies from other Immortal Territories or those who had ascended from the Lower Realm, were pouring into the Immortal City in an endless stream, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

The streets were packed with people, restaurants and inns were full to bursting, and all sorts of discussions, betting pools, and even secret deals regarding the Ascension Conference were in full swing.

"Have you heard? The number of people participating in this Ascension Conference is said to have exceeded one million! It is the largest turnout in history!"

"One million? More than that! I heard that just those who obtained the participation credentials number over three million! And that doesn't even include those who are keeping a low profile or have deep backgrounds!"

"That's too exaggerated, right? Over three million people competing for the top one hundred? The odds of that are thousands of times harder than the imperial examinations in the Mortal world!"

"Hehe, why else would it be called the 'Ascension Conference'? That is an Opportunity to reach the heavens in a single step, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate! The top ten will not only receive official Immortal status from the Immortal Court but can also join top-tier powers like the Donghua Immortal Sect, Yaochi Immortal Palace, and Divine Weapon Pavilion, rising straight to the top and with a promising path for the Great Dao!"

"Sigh, for us Loose Cultivators, if we can manage to get into the top one thousand and join a medium-sized Sect, we would be satisfied..."

"You can't say that! This time, there are quite a few Prodigies who ascended from the Lower Realm! That Lin Wan, who defeated Bear Tyrant in one move at the Fighting Platform before, is said to be one of them! Perhaps there will be a dark horse that emerges and breaks into the top ten!"

"Lin Wan? That one who ascended from the Lower Realm? Hmph, he just took advantage of Bear Tyrant being careless. When it really comes to the Ascension Conference, facing those top Geniuses who grew up in the Immortal Realm with countless resources, it's hard to say how far someone from the Lower Realm can go!"

"Exactly. I favor Qin Wushuang! The heir of the Qin family, who Cultivates the 'Nine Turns Tyrant Emperor Art', is at the Peak of the Human Immortal, and he can shatter mountains with a single punch! He is definitely the hot favorite to win the championship!"

"I favor Saintess Ye Qingxue more! A successor of the Yaochi Immortal Palace, who can challenge those at the Peak of the Human Immortal while only being at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal. Her ice-based Divine Ability is superb and unfathomable!"

"Xiao Zhan cannot be underestimated either! That madman won twenty-nine consecutive matches at the Fighting Platform, many of which were against those at the Peak of the Human Immortal. His fighting style is fearless of death; he is a ruthless character!"

"Su Muyun and Little Thunder God are not easy to deal with either... In short, this assembly will definitely be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers, and it will be spectacular!"

Similar discussions were happening in every corner of Donghua Immortal City. The Ascension Conference had become the most anticipated grand event in the entire Donghua Immortal Domain and even the surrounding Immortal Territories.

And one of the centers of the storm, that "Lin Wan" who had once killed Bear Tyrant in one move at the Fighting Platform and caused quite a stir, was currently still staying in the quiet room of "Tingyu Pavilion", concentrating on his Cultivation.

With less than ten days until the assembly, he naturally would not go out and show off at this time. After this period of closed-door cultivation, coupled with the assistance of the "Ningyuan Pill" and the Heaven-Defying Aptitude of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom", his cultivation had already broken through from the Middle Stage of the Human Immortal to the Late Stage of the Human Immortal, and he was only one step away from the Peak of the Human Immortal.

"Late Stage of the Human Immortal... There are still ten days until the assembly. If I can take another step forward and reach the Peak of the Human Immortal, my chances will be even greater."

Lin Wan slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of chaotic light flickered and vanished in his pupils. He could feel that his accumulation was already deep enough; he only lacked a key Opportunity to break through to the Peak of the Human Immortal. Unfortunately, the effect of the "Ningyuan Pill" was already negligible to him, like a drop in the bucket.

"There are very few Spirit Stones left, and I cannot buy higher-grade Medicinal Pills." Lin Wan smiled bitterly. The five thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones he had won earlier were long gone after purchasing information, Medicinal Pills, and Talismans. Now, he could barely afford the rent for "Tingyu Pavilion".

"It seems I have to find a way to earn some Spirit Stones. Otherwise, I won't even be able to afford the entry fee for the assembly."

Although the Ascension Conference was established to select talent, participation was not entirely free. Each participant needed to pay a "registration fee" of one hundred Medium Grade Spirit Stones, as well as a "security deposit" of one thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones. If one could achieve a certain ranking in the assembly, the security deposit would be refunded, and there would be extra rewards. If the performance was too poor, the security deposit would not be refunded, which was considered a contribution to the Immortal Court.

These one thousand one hundred Medium Grade Spirit Stones were already a huge sum for Lin Wan. He couldn't even take out one hundred Medium Grade Spirit Stones right now.

"I cannot go to the Fighting Platform again; it is too conspicuous. Moreover, with my current cultivation at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal, going to challenge those ring masters at the Early Stage of the Human Immortal wouldn't earn much in Spirit Stones even if I won, and losing would be a huge loss."

Lin Wan pondered for a moment, and his gaze fell on the "Purple Jade Token" gifted by the Tianji Tower.

"The Tower Master of the Tianji Tower once said that with this token, one can enjoy VIP treatment at the Purple Jade level at the Tianji Tower, get a 30% discount on information, and even obtain Medicinal Pills and Spirit Stones on credit. Perhaps I can go to the Tianji Tower and see if there are any tasks that can quickly earn Spirit Stones."

With his mind made up, Lin Wan got up and left the quiet room.

He first went to the counter of "Tingyu Pavilion" to renew the rent for one month. Although it pained him, the cultivation environment was crucial, and he could not lose the big for the sake of the small. The remaining Spirit Stones were only enough to maintain the most basic living conditions.

Afterwards, Lin Wan arrived at the "Tianji Tower" again.

Unlike last time, this time he directly presented the "Purple Jade Token". When the guards at the door saw the token, their attitudes immediately became extremely respectful. They bowed and invited Lin Wan inside, leading him all the way to a quieter and heavily guarded elegant room on the third floor.

"Guest Lin, please wait here. This Junior will go to report to Elder Yu immediately." The guard leading the way said respectfully.

Not long after, Elder Yu, who had received Lin Wan before, hurried out with a warm smile on his face: "Little Friend Lin, long time no see. How have you been? What brings you to my Tianji Tower today?"

"Elder Yu is too polite." Lin Wan returned the salute with cupped hands. "This Junior has come this time, firstly to thank your establishment for the previous care, and secondly to ask if your establishment has any tasks that can quickly earn Spirit Stones, or if there is anything that requires this Junior's help?"

Elder Yu heard this, and a trace of understanding flashed in his eyes. He smiled and said: "Little Friend is short of Spirit Stones? That is true, the Ascension Conference is imminent, and various expenses are huge. Little Friend, rest assured, since you are a Purple Jade VIP of my Tianji Tower, this old man will naturally help with such a small matter."

He stroked his beard and continued: "My Tianji Tower does indeed have some tasks with good rewards. For example, going to the 'Meteor Sea' at the edge of the Donghua Immortal Domain to collect a material called 'Star Core Fragment'. Each piece can be exchanged for fifty Low Grade Spirit Stones. If you are lucky and find 'Star Core Essence', one piece can be exchanged for five hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones. Alternatively, go to the 'Ten Thousand Beast Mountains' to hunt some specific Yao Beasts and take their inner cores and Materials, which can also be exchanged for Spirit Stones. Both of these tasks are not too high-risk, and given Little Friend's strength, the speed of earning Spirit Stones should not be slow."

"Meteor Sea? Ten Thousand Beast Mountains?" Lin Wan frowned slightly. He had seen these two places in the 'Donghua Immortal Domain Annals of Scenery and Objects'. They were both relatively dangerous areas in the Donghua Immortal Domain. Although they were not dead lands, they often had Yao Beasts and dangerous situations, which were indeed risky for a Human Immortal Cultivator. Moreover, the round trip would also take quite a bit of time, and what he lacked most now was time.

"Elder Yu, are there no more convenient tasks that take less time?" Lin Wan asked.

Elder Yu pondered for a moment and said: "Convenient and time-saving... it's not that there isn't one. My Tianji Tower just happens to have a commission recently, requiring a Cultivator with sufficient strength and trustworthiness to escort a batch of goods to 'Dengxian City'. Dengxian City is the host location for this Ascension Conference, about thirty million Li away from Donghua Immortal City. The escort reward is ten thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones, settled after the task is completed. How about it?"

"Go to Dengxian City?" Lin Wan's heart stirred. He was already going to Dengxian City to participate in the assembly, and escorting along the way while earning ten thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones was a pretty good choice. Moreover, ten thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones were enough to pay for his participation fees, and there would even be a surplus.

"May I ask what these goods are? What dangers might be encountered during the escort?" Lin Wan asked cautiously. There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world; the higher the reward, the greater the risk.

Elder Yu explained: "The goods are some information Jade Slips and some local specialties, not too precious, but they cannot be lost. As for the danger... the journey to Dengxian City, although mostly safe, has some low-probability events, such as encountering spatial storms, interstellar pirates, or being attacked by some blind Yao Beasts. With Little Friend Lin's strength, self-preservation should be no problem, and escorting these goods will be even easier."

Lin Wan thought to himself that he was now at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal, and he had the Heaven-Defying Dao Fruit of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom". Ordinary Peak Human Immortals were not his opponents. As long as he did not encounter experts at the Earth Immortal level or large-scale interstellar pirates, there shouldn't be a big problem. Moreover, he had to make this trip to Dengxian City anyway; making money along the way, why not?

"Good, I will take this task." Lin Wan immediately agreed.

"Straightforward!" Elder Yu was overjoyed and immediately took out a Storage Ring and handed it to Lin Wan. "The goods to be escorted are inside. Little Friend Lin, keep it safe. This is a communication Jade Talisman. In case of an emergency, you can crush this Talisman, and my Tianji Tower will know immediately. In addition, this is the prepaid two thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones as a deposit. The remaining eight thousand will be settled in full after arriving at Dengxian City and handing over the goods."

Lin Wan took the Storage Ring and the two thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones. After scanning with his Divine Sense and confirming there was no error, he nodded: "Elder Yu, rest assured, this Junior will definitely do his best to deliver the goods safely."

"With Little Friend Lin's words, this old man is relieved." Elder Yu smiled. "Little Friend Lin can set off at any time. I have already marked the direction to Dengxian City in the Jade Slip map for you. I wish you success, and may you shine brightly at the Ascension Conference!"

"I will take your kind words, Elder." Lin Wan cupped his hands to bid farewell and left the Tianji Tower.

Returning to "Tingyu Pavilion", Lin Wan tidied up the things in the quiet room and checked out. Now that he had Spirit Stones in hand, he didn't intend to continue renting this expensive Immortal Cave and prepared to head directly to Dengxian City.

Leaving "Tingyu Pavilion", Lin Wan did not delay at all and turned into a ray of escape light, flying towards the ten-thousand-zhang-high city gate of Donghua Immortal City.

At this time, the city gate was still bustling with people coming and going. Lin Wan showed the "Temporary Passage Token" and the participation credentials (previously obtained at the Ascension Hall), and he successfully passed the city guards' inspection and left Donghua Immortal City.

Once out of the city, Lin Wan identified the direction, brought out the map Jade Slip from the "Donghua Immortal City Guide", and determined the route to "Dengxian City".

"Thirty million Li... With my current cultivation at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal, flying at full speed without sleep or rest, it will take about ten days. The time is just enough."

Lin Wan took a deep breath, his Immortal Qi circulated within his body, and he turned into a gray ray of escape light, soaring into the sky and speeding away in the direction of Dengxian City.

The sky of the Immortal Realm was higher and bluer than that of the Lower Realm, and the clouds were whiter and thicker. Flying within it, one could feel the rich Immortal Qi rushing towards one's face, making one feel relaxed and happy.

While flying, Lin Wan circulated the "Chaos Reincarnation Technique," absorbing the surrounding Immortal Qi to consolidate his cultivation at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal realm.

At the same time, he continuously simulated various situations that might arise during the Ascension Conference in his mind, along with strategies to deal with them.

"Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, Xiao Zhan, Su Muyun, Little Thunder God... these geniuses all possess formidable strength. Especially Qin Wushuang and Saintess Ye Qingxue; one is peerlessly domineering, the other cold and arrogant. Both are troublesome opponents. That battle maniac, Xiao Zhan, is also not to be underestimated..."

"However, I am now at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal realm, and my 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom' has become increasingly solid. Among those of the same rank, I have never feared anyone! Even against an Early Stage Earth Immortal, I have the power to put up a fight!"

A trace of confidence flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. He had absolute faith in the "Chaos Reincarnation Great Dao" he had created.

Just like that, Lin Wan traveled day and night, flying at full speed.

Along the way, he indeed encountered a few minor troubles. Once, he ran into a group of interstellar bandits, numbering about a dozen, mostly at the Soul Transformation and Void Refining stages, with their leader at the Early Stage of the Human Immortal realm.

Lin Wan couldn't be bothered to waste words; he directly punched the Early Stage Human Immortal bandit leader into ashes, and the remaining underlings were scared out of their wits, fleeing in all directions.

Another time, he encountered a passing "Void Thunder Beast," whose strength was equivalent to the Middle Stage of the Human Immortal realm. It was extremely irritable and took the initiative to attack Lin Wan.

Lin Wan used the "existence" dao rhyme of his "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" to freeze the Void Realm, then struck with "Chaos Return to Ruins," causing the Void Thunder Beast to experience Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, leaving behind only a Thunder Beast core, which Lin Wan casually collected.

Except for these two conflicts, most of the time, Lin Wan's journey was very peaceful. He even had leisure time to appreciate the vast and boundless starry sky of the Immortal Realm, as well as various peculiar celestial bodies and nebulae.

Time passed quietly during his flight.

On this day, while Lin Wan was flying, suddenly, in the distant starry sky ahead, the outline of an incomparably huge city faintly appeared, like an ancient giant beast crouching in the starry sky, exuding a vast, ancient, and majestic aura.

That city was more than ten times more magnificent than Donghua Immortal City!

The city walls were one hundred thousand zhang high, cast entirely from a dark golden metal that emitted rich immortal light and runic fluctuations, stretching for unknown thousands of li, with no end in sight.

Above the city, it was covered by a colorful, multi-layered protective light barrier that was far thicker and more powerful than that of Donghua Immortal City. Above the light barrier, countless immortal birds danced, and thousands of auspicious rays of light shone.

In the four directions of the city, there were city gates each ten thousand zhang high. Above every city gate, three large characters were engraved in ancient immortal script—Ascension City!

"Finally arrived! This is the venue for the Ascension Conference—Ascension City!"

A trace of excitement flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. He knew that from the moment he stepped into this city, his life would enter a brand-new stage.

He reined in his flight light and flew toward one of the city gates.

The closer he got to the city gate, the more Cultivators there were coming and going, more than ten times denser than in Donghua Immortal City. Various flight lights gathered from all directions like meteors, merging into Ascension City.

Lin Wan queued for a long time before reaching the city gate. The city guards at the gate all had cultivation levels above the Soul Transformation Stage, and the leading captain had even reached the Late Stage of the Human Immortal realm.

"Name, origin, and the proof you hold," the city guard captain asked expressionlessly.

"Lin Wan, a Cultivator who ascended from the Lower Realm, holding a temporary pass from the Ascension Hall and the participation certificate for the Ascension Conference." Lin Wan handed over the token and the certificate.

The captain checked them, then scanned Lin Wan with a jade mirror. After confirming there were no issues, he returned the token and certificate to Lin Wan and handed him a Jade Slip: "This is the map of Ascension City and the preliminary notices for the Ascension Conference. Keep it well. After entering the city, go to the 'Ascension Hall' first to report and receive your competition jade tablet. Remember, private fights are strictly prohibited in the city; violators will be killed without mercy!"

"Thank you for the information." Lin Wan took the Jade Slip and stepped into Ascension City.

Once inside the city gate, a surge of Immortal Qi, more than ten times denser than in Donghua Immortal City, rushed toward him, refreshing Lin Wan's spirit.

The streets were incomparably wide, enough for a hundred carriages to travel side by side, and the ground was paved with unknown jade stones that emitted a warm, gentle luster. On both sides of the streets, shops stood in great numbers, even more luxurious and imposing than those in Donghua Immortal City. The items sold were mostly Heaven And Earth Treasures, Medicinal Pills, and Magic Treasures unique to the Immortal Realm.

The flow of people was dense to the extreme. Cultivators, Mortals, Yao Race, and even some races with strange clothing and eerie auras rubbed shoulders, making it incredibly noisy.

Lin Wan swept his Divine Sense and discovered that in this Ascension City, Human Immortal Cultivators could be seen everywhere, Earth Immortal Cultivators were not rare, and he could even occasionally sense the aura of Heavenly Immortal powerhouses flashing by.

"As expected of the place hosting the Ascension Conference; it truly is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!" Lin Wan thought to himself.

He did not linger on the street but followed the guidance of the Jade Slip map and headed to the "Ascension Hall."

The "Ascension Hall" was located in the central area of Ascension City. It was a massive palace, ten thousand zhang high, magnificent and golden, surrounded by immortal energy, several times more grand than the "Ascension Hall" in Donghua Immortal City.

At the entrance of the palace, there was a long queue of participating Cultivators who had come to report. Lin Wan patiently waited at the end of the line, moving forward slowly.

Standing in front of him were two young Cultivators wearing brocade robes with arrogant temperaments, who were talking in low voices.

"I heard that for this assembly, Qin Wushuang and Saintess Ye Qingxue are the biggest favorites to win the championship!"

"That's natural. Qin Wushuang Cultivates the 'Nine Turns Hegemon Technique,' his Physical Body is peerlessly strong, and he is hard to find an opponent among those of the same rank. Saintess Ye Qingxue's 'Taiyin True Scripture' is also unfathomably mysterious, with the Ice Seal of a Thousand Li. These two are both at the Peak of the Human Immortal realm, and their strength is unfathomable."

"However, I am quite optimistic about that Xiao Zhan. That guy is a madman with extremely strong combat power; he might just cause an upset."

"Xiao Zhan? Hmph, a mere Loose Cultivator, ultimately unworthy of the grand stage. On the other hand, that Lin Wan who ascended from the Lower Realm has been quite popular recently; I wonder if he has any real ability."

"Lin Wan? The guy who instantly killed Bear Tyrant with one move on the Fighting Platform? Tch, that was just Bear Tyrant underestimating his opponent. In front of true geniuses, it's uncertain how far someone from the Lower Realm like him can go!"

Although the two were not speaking loudly, with Lin Wan's hearing, he naturally heard them clearly. He only sneered in his heart and did not care. Verbal disputes were meaningless; strength was the only hard truth.

The queue moved slowly, and after about an hour, it was finally Lin Wan's turn.

"Name, origin, participation certificate." Inside the hall, a middle-aged man wearing the attire of an immortal official with an indifferent expression asked routinely.

"Lin Wan, a Cultivator who ascended from the Lower Realm; here is the participation certificate." Lin Wan handed over the certificate.

The middle-aged man checked it, scanned Lin Wan with a jade mirror, then entered the information into a Jade Slip, took out a jade tablet, and handed it to Lin Wan: "This is your competition jade tablet, number 'Ding 732'; keep it safe. Three days later, take this jade tablet to the 'Ascension Tower' to participate in the preliminary selection. The jade tablet contains detailed rules and precautions for the assembly; go back and study it carefully. Dismissed."

"Thank you, Immortal Official." Lin Wan took the jade tablet, swept his Divine Sense, and found that it indeed contained a detailed "Ascension Conference Participation Manual," so he turned and left the Ascension Hall.

The most urgent thing for him now was to find a place to stay, then carefully study the manual to understand the details of the assembly, while also seizing the last few days to push for the Peak of the Human Immortal realm.

In a relatively remote and cheaper area of Ascension City, Lin Wan found an inn named "Xiankelai" and rented an ordinary room.

Although the room was simple, it had the advantage of being quiet, and the Immortal Qi was reasonably dense. Lin Wan sat cross-legged on the bed, took out the Jade Slip of the "Ascension Conference Participation Manual," and immersed his Divine Sense into it.

The content of the manual was very detailed, including the assembly's process, rules, rewards, precautions, and some case studies from previous years.

The assembly was divided into three rounds:

First Round: Ascension Tower. All participants enter the Ascension Tower, which has ninety-nine floors. Each floor has different tests, including combat power tests, illusion tests, Comprehension Ability tests, perseverance tests, etc. Based on the number of floors passed and the degree of completion, a comprehensive score is given, selecting the top ten thousand to enter the second round.

Second Round: Arena Battle. The top ten thousand Cultivators will fight in pairs, adopting a knockout system, finally selecting the top one thousand.

Third Round: Myriad Races Battlefield. The top one thousand Cultivators will be thrown into an ancient Secret Realm called the "Myriad Races Battlefield" for a month of melee, fighting, and competing for points. Finally, based on the points, the top one hundred, and even the top ten, top three, and first place will be ranked.

In terms of rewards, they were also very generous.

The top one hundred can obtain the official Immortal Registry of the Immortal Court and freely choose to join any medium-sized Sect in the Donghua Immortal Domain.

The top ten, in addition to the Immortal Registry, can also receive heavy rewards from the Immortal Court and have the Opportunity to be accepted as Core Disciples by top forces such as the Donghua Immortal Sect, Yaochi Immortal Palace, and Divine Weapon Pavilion.

The top three rewards are even more astonishing; not only are there heavy treasures bestowed by the Immortal Court, but there is also a chance to receive personal guidance from high-level officials of the Immortal Court, with limitless future prospects.

As for the first place, one can truly ascend to the sky in one step, obtaining the status of "Immortal Court True Disciple" and receiving a reward from an "Immortal King" level powerhouse!

"A reward from an Immortal King level powerhouse..." A trace of burning passion flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. What he lacked most now was the Opportunity and resources to improve his "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom." If he could obtain a reward from an Immortal King powerhouse, he might be able to find clues to the "samsara mirror" fragments.

"It seems that I am determined to fight for this first place!"

Lin Wan put away the Jade Slip, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes. He not only wanted to obtain the Immortal Registry but also to win first place, gain the attention and rewards of the Immortal King powerhouse, and lay a solid foundation for finding the "samsara mirror" fragments and even confronting "the end" in the future.

For the next two days, Lin Wan went nowhere, staying in the inn room, studying the manual and familiarizing himself with the rules while practicing in seclusion, pushing for the Peak of the Human Immortal realm.

He felt that his accumulation was already deep enough, missing only that last layer of window paper. As long as he was given a little time, a Breakthrough would not be difficult.

On the morning of the third day, while Lin Wan was practicing, suddenly, a slight roaring sound came from within his body, and a surge of Immortal Qi, even more majestic and refined than before, surged within his Dantian.

"Success! Peak of the Human Immortal realm!"

Lin Wan suddenly opened his eyes, and a brilliant light flashed in his pupils. He had finally gone a step further on the basis of the Late Stage of the Human Immortal realm, breaking through to the Peak of the Human Immortal realm!

"Now, my strength is several times stronger than it was at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal realm! Even facing Peak Human Immortal Cultivators like Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and others, I have the certainty of victory!"

Lin Wan stood up, feeling the vast, sea-like power within his body, his heart filled with soaring ambition.

Today is the day when the first round of the Ascension Conference—the Ascension Tower—opens!

He took out the competition jade tablet, his figure flickered, and he turned into a flight light, speeding toward the direction of the Ascension Tower.