The thunderclap, echoing with the raw power of a nascent soul's birth, vibrated through Bai Xing's very bones. He felt the world's silent approval, a gentle yet firm pull upwards, a confirmation that his gamble had paid off. The nascent soul, shimmering with pure, potent energy, was complete. He had done it. He had achieved the impossible in the Mortal World. This was not a defiance of rules, but the manifestation of the most ancient path of cultivation – true ascension.
A golden light erupted from his body, a beacon piercing the veil of the mortal realm. The air around him shimmered, distorting like heat haze on a summer road, and he felt his physical form begin to dematerialize, atom by atom, ascending towards an unseen destination. It was not a violent tearing, but a gentle unraveling, a transition from one state of being to another.
At the Heavenly Court in the Mortal World, Jian Li and the three Spiritual World envoys watched in horrified awe as the sky above them shimmered with a brilliant, blinding light. The earlier thunderclap was now followed by a columnar beam of pure, golden energy, shooting upwards, seemingly connecting the Mortal World to the heavens themselves.
"He's ascending!" Ling Dao gasped, her elegant composure shattered. "He actually managed to break through!"
"Incredible!" Xiaofan boomed, a mixture of grudging respect and profound frustration in his voice. "A talent such as this… to achieve Nascent Soul in the Mortal World! This hasn't happened in tens of thousands of years! He chose the path of true ascension!"
Ren Xue, usually stoic, clenched his fists. "We underestimated him. Severely. The intelligence was flawed. He was never an early Golden Core; he was simply hiding his true cultivation. This will have immense repercussions in the Spiritual World."
Jian Li, his face a mask of grim determination, slammed his hand on the table. "Regardless, the goal remains the same. He possesses the Immortal's inheritance. And now, he is in the Spiritual World. Our mission now shifts. We must inform the Spiritual World Heavenly Court of his successful ascension and his new cultivation base. This will no longer be a search, but a hunt." He turned to the three envoys. "Gentlemen, ladies, your sects will be crucial. His cultivation speed is monstrous. If he reaches the Transformation Realm before we can apprehend him, the consequences for the Spiritual World will be dire. He would become an unstoppable force."
As the golden light faded, leaving only lingering echoes in the sky, a sense of urgency descended upon the Heavenly Court. The immediate threat in the Mortal World had vanished, replaced by a far greater, more elusive challenge in the vast expanse of the Spiritual World.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Central Continent, Li Mei stood transfixed, her gaze fixed on the fading golden light in the sky. Her heart pounded with a mix of disbelief and profound awe. "He actually did it," she whispered, a tear tracing a path down her cheek. "He really ascended! Bai Xing, you truly are something else." From their first meeting, Li Mei had observed his sincere desire to cultivate and his genuine care for others. The idea that he might use her had been a fleeting, self-protective thought in her mind's initial assessment of his impossible abilities, but it had quickly evaporated in the face of his actions. Now, witnessing this grand phenomenon, her admiration for him deepened immeasurably.
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE SPIRITUAL WORLD
"By the inherent essence of the Spiritual World, let it be known throughout all the Spiritual Realm: CULTIVATOR BAI XING HAS SUCCESSFULLY ASCENDED INTO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD AT THE AGE OF 102!"
In the grand, ethereal halls of the Spiritual World Heavenly Court, seven figures radiated power that distorted the very air around them. These were the Divine Lords, the absolute pinnacle of cultivation in this realm, their expressions now contorted with unconcealed fury. They were aware that Bai Xing's ascension was a natural phenomenon, a sign of profound talent, but they chose to twist the narrative for their own ends.
"A Nascent Soul! A mere Nascent Soul, breaking through from the Mortal World?!" Divine Lord Tian, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the chamber, smashed a fist onto his throne's armrest. "This is an insult to our authority! The very audacity of ascending without our decree, and with that inheritance!"
"The Immortal's inheritance must be truly profound to allow such a rapid rise, even through natural ascension," Divine Lord Feng mused, her eyes narrowing. "We had underestimated the potential of this Bai Xing, not his method."
Divine Lord Mu scoffed, "Underestimated? He's a Nascent Soul. Even if he possesses that inheritance, he is still leagues away from challenging us. His 'natural ascension' is merely a display of remarkable fortune, not a threat to our dominion. Send out a few Late Nascent Soul cultivators. That should be enough to contain this insolent junior and bring him back for questioning. The Immortal's inheritance is too valuable to fall into the hands of an uncontrolled variable, especially one who chose a path independent of our established channels."
The other Divine Lords nodded in agreement, their initial rage quickly replaced by a sense of calculated superiority. A Nascent Soul, no matter how extraordinary, was still just that. They were Divine Lords, the peak of the Spiritual World. A few top-tier Nascent Soul experts would be more than sufficient to handle this upstart. They would paint him as a rogue, a danger, a cultivator who defied the established order, regardless of the truth of his ascension.
Simultaneously, within the powerful and ancient strongholds of the Heaven Spirit Sect, Blossom Spirit Sect, and Thunder Spirit Sect, similar announcements were met with immediate, decisive action. Following the lead of the Heavenly Court, they deliberately spun a narrative of danger and defiance.
A PROCLAMATION REGARDING CULTIVATOR BAI XING FROM THE SPIRITUAL WORLD
"By the inherent essence of the Spiritual World, and by the decree of the Heaven Spirit Sect, Blossom Spirit Sect, and Thunder Spirit Sect, let it be known throughout all the Spiritual Realm:
A grave danger has arisen from the Mortal World in the form of Cultivator Bai Xing, who has unlawfully ascended into our realm. He is confirmed to possess a fragment of the Immortal World and the inheritance of an Immortal, and has caused major disruptions in the lower realms. It is rumored he achieved ascension through unsanctioned and chaotic means, thereby posing a significant threat to the stability and order of the cultivation world.
His known details are as follows:
* Name: Bai Xing
* Current Cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm (Early Stage)
* Age: 102
* Background: A mysterious force
* Companion Name: Unknown
* Companion Current Cultivation: Middle Golden Core Stage
Therefore, he is to be considered extremely dangerous despite his apparent cultivation level. He has displayed unprecedented speed in cultivation, and his origins are suspicious. Approach with extreme caution. Report any sightings immediately to the Heaven Spirit Sect, Blossom Spirit Sect, or Thunder Spirit Sect."
Bai Xing felt a sudden, exhilarating rush as his consciousness solidified. The air around him was different here – thick with a vibrant, palpable energy that dwarfed anything he had experienced in the Mortal World. He stood on a boundless, emerald-green plain, dotted with towering, crystalline mountains that pierced a sky of swirling, iridescent clouds. This was the Spiritual World.
Tai Bing Chi's voice, clear and vibrant, filled his mind. "Welcome, lad, to the Spiritual World! Your Nascent Soul is now fully formed, ready to draw upon this realm's abundant spiritual energy. Remember, here, the Nascent Soul realm is merely the beginning. You must now focus on gathering enough qi to advance through its four minor stages: Early, Middle, Late, and Peak. And then, the true challenge of the Transformation Realm awaits. Beyond that, the Divine Lord realm. Your five spiritual roots will serve you well here, but the competition is fierce. The Spiritual World is far vaster and more dangerous than the Mortal World, filled with countless sects, ancient beasts, and hidden perils. But also, boundless opportunities."
Bai Xing nodded, a profound sense of purpose swelling within him. His eyes swept across the majestic landscape, a new world stretching out before him, ripe with challenges and opportunities. He had ascended. He had truly embarked on the path to immortality.
"So, old man," Bai Xing mused, a faint smile playing on his lips, "where do we go from here? What's the first step in this new, grand adventure?"