Terran Guardian - Chapter 3612

Chapter 3590 Meeting an Old Friend

The news of Shen Changqing’s return from the Upper Realm quickly spread throughout the entire universe.

The reason was simple:

Shen Changqing’s dozens of avatars swept across the entire universe with absolute power. The calamity that had previously ravaged the universe and nearly wiped out all races was completely suppressed and quelled in less than a month.

As a result, it was difficult for any side not to know the news.   In

an instant ,

many powerful figures from all races across the universe came upon hearing the news, wanting to see Shen Changqing.   Shen Changqing instructed Jiang Zhen to use his current seclusion as an excuse to refuse most of the Immortal Kings.   This   was naturally to save trouble.   Otherwise, if he had to personally meet every cultivator who came, it would be too much trouble.   Shen Changqing disliked trouble and was naturally too lazy to show his face.   Of course,   he didn’t capture all the Immortal Kings.   He did meet with some Immortal Kings he was more familiar with.   For example—   the Zhongshan Divine Clan.   Zhong Dongxuan personally paid a visit, and Shen Changqing also came to see him.   ”Sect Master Shen, it’s been millions of years since we last met, and your brilliance is even greater than before!”   Inside a celestial mansion on the main peak of the Heavenly Sect, Zhong Dongxuan looked at the person before him, his expression filled with emotion.   This person, who had returned from the Upper Realm, had swept across the entire heavens with the power of dozens of avatars, suppressing all kinds of evil spirits, which naturally shocked Zhong Dongxuan.   Although he was far inferior to Shen Changqing before, he could at least barely catch a glimpse of the other’s back.   But now,   this former Sect Master of the Heavenly Sect sat before him, and in Zhong Dongxuan’s eyes, he was like a bottomless abyss, unfathomable in the slightest.   How could such a gap not startle him?   Shen Changqing smiled calmly: “Immortal King Dongxuan has also changed quite a bit. With your current strength, it shouldn’t be long before you ascend to the Upper Realm.”   With his vision, he could see that Zhong Dongxuan was no weakling now, his cultivation reaching the half-step Ancient Immortal realm. To   put it bluntly, such cultivation and strength are among the best in the entire universe.   Don’t be fooled by the numerous Immortal Kings in the universe; only a tiny fraction truly reach the half-step Ancient Immortal level.   As mentioned before,   the cultivation environment of the Microcosm cannot compare to that of the Upper Realm.   In the universe, the Immortal King realm is roughly the pinnacle of cultivation, while breaking through to Ancient Immortal is equivalent to breaking through the shackles of limitations.   Those who can truly break through these limitations are extremely rare.   In fact—   let alone breaking through the shackles—   even taking another step forward within the Immortal King realm presents most cultivators with countless difficulties and obstacles.   This is true for ordinary Immortal Kings; for half-step Ancient Immortals, it’s even more fraught with difficulty.   Even within the Heavenly Sect now, the number of half-step Ancient Immortals is extremely limited.   Even Immortal Kings like Tai Shan and Lei Ji, whose cultivation was only at the peak of the Immortal King realm, were still some distance from the half-step Ancient Immortal level.   A half-step Ancient Immortal ,   as the name suggests,   is someone who has taken another half-step beyond the peak of the Immortal King realm, needing only one more opportunity to create a Primordial Chaos World and instantly prove their Dao to the Ancient Immortal realm.   ”Breaking through to the Ancient Immortal realm is no easy feat. This half-step difference is a world of difference for us. Whether we can truly take that half-step in the future is still unknown!”   Zhongshan Dongxuan shook his head, his expression complex.   Shen Changqing nodded: “This half-step difference is indeed so for ordinary cultivators, but I observe that Immortal King Dongxuan possesses abundant fortune and should have the potential to become an Ancient Immortal!”   Then,   he changed the subject and asked: “How is the Zhongshan Divine Clan faring during this great calamity?”   Upon hearing this…   Zhongshan Dongxuan gave a bitter smile: “The losses are heavy!”   ”If it weren’t for Sect Master Shen’s return from the Upper Realm, suppressing the various evil spirits with absolute power, our clan would probably be on the verge of extinction.   But even so, we paid a heavy price, including the death of the Candle Emperor at the hands of an ancient immortal-level evil beast—”   ”The Candle Emperor has fallen!”   Shen Changqing’s expression also changed slightly.   This news was unexpected.   Shen Changqing was naturally familiar with the emperor of the Zhongshan Divine Clan.   To be honest,   Shen Changqing had a very good impression of the Candle Emperor. The   Candle Emperor had made an indispensable contribution to the Zhongshan Divine Clan’s rise from a small clan to its current status.   In terms of talent and foundation, the Candle Emperor was also not weak.   Before his ascension, the Candle Emperor had already reached the late stage of the Immortal King realm, and if nothing unexpected happened, he might even ascend to the Upper Realm in the future.   Therefore,   hearing the news of the Candle Emperor’s fall naturally surprised Shen Changqing.   Zhongshan Dongxuan said, “The great calamity of evil spirits has affected all the heavens. Not long ago, an ancient immortal-level evil beast appeared among the gods, causing many of our cultivators to perish.   Later, we joined forces and finally killed that ancient immortal evil beast .   But as a price, the Candle Emperor also perished in that battle—”   Zhongshan Dongxuan did not hide any details about the battle, and Shen Changqing nodded upon hearing what he said.   An ancient immortal evil beast was certainly not to be underestimated.   Although evil beasts act only on instinct and are much easier to deal with than ancient immortals of the same level, they are still ancient immortals. The fact that   the Zhongshan gods could kill an ancient immortal evil beast with the power of an immortal king was enough to shock the entire heavens if word of this achievement were to spread.   ”To challenge an ancient immortal with the body of a Celestial King is rare even in the Upper Realm. The Zhongshan Divine Clan’s foundation is truly admirable!   Although the Candle Emperor has fallen, he was able to slay an ancient immortal beast, so he probably has no regrets.”   ”For the Candle Emperor, the safety of the Divine Clan is the greatest blessing!”   Zhongshan Dongxuan nodded, his expression returning to calm.   Then, he changed the subject and asked, “There is something I would like to ask Sect Master Shen about.”   ”Very well!”

“What is the origin of these strange beasts?”

Zhongshan Dongxuan asked.

Rumors are circulating throughout the heavens that these bizarre creatures are called “Spirit Beasts,” but very few truly know their origins.

Zhongshan Dongxuan’s personal visit this time was to clarify this matter.

After all, the recent calamity caused heavy losses to the Zhongshan Divine Clan, with even the Candle Emperor perishing in the battle.

Therefore,

Zhongshan Dongxuan naturally did not want the matter of the Spirit Beasts to remain shrouded in mystery.

Shen Changqing said, “The evil beasts, as the name suggests, are beings corrupted by the power of the Great Evil and ultimately fall into depravity.

As for where the Great Evil comes from, I do not know, but every time a Great Evil appears, it is always accompanied by a catastrophic calamity.

The reason why there is this calamity and turmoil in the myriad universes is that a Great Evil appeared in the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm, causing the destruction of countless Immortal Realms.

In the end, this calamity spread, and many evil beasts went deep into the void. The myriad universes are just one of the many microcosms affected by this calamity.”

“However—”

“The myriad universes are fortunate amidst misfortune. Before I came to the myriad universes, I had witnessed the destruction of many microcosms, with all the beings in those universes perishing.

Although the myriad universes have suffered heavy losses, they have been preserved.

Otherwise, if a universe had been destroyed by an evil beast, all the beings in that universe would have perished as well.”

Shen Changqing’s words shocked Zhong Dongxuan.

“The Great Demon… Is such a being truly so terrifying?” “

When the Great Demon appears, all living beings who behold it will be transformed into demonic beasts. There was once a supreme immortal realm, teeming with countless powerful beings, but due to the appearance of a single Great Demon, the entire realm was instantly destroyed.

Billions upon billions of living beings became nothing more than bloodthirsty demonic beasts in that instant.” Upon

hearing this,

Zhong Dongxuan’s expression changed again.

He could already imagine much from Shen Changqing’s words.

If what Shen Changqing said was true, if a Great Demon appeared in the universe, it could instantly cause a universe to utterly perish.

“Such a bizarre being is truly terrifying!”

Zhong Dongxuan took a deep breath. He realized that even his cultivation, which had reached the half-step Ancient Immortal realm, seemed extremely insignificant before such a being.

“I wonder what the Upper Realm is like? Are there many powerful beings there?”

“Many! A great many!”

Shen Changqing nodded.

“Cultivators at the Immortal King realm are plentiful in the Upper Realm. Anyone with decent aptitude has a chance to break through to Immortal King.

In the Ancient Immortal Realm, there are also some in declining Immortal Domains.

In powerful Immortal Domains, Ancient Immortals are numerous, and above them are Immortal Emperors, and above Immortal Emperors are the Half-Saints who aspire to immortality.

Many ancient forces have Half-Saints; theoretically, anyone who reaches this level can have eternal lifespan.

However, Half-Saints must also undergo various tribulations; if they cannot overcome them, they will perish—”

Shen Changqing truthfully told Zhong Dongxuan about some things in the Upper Realm.

These things

weren’t exactly secrets.

If the other party were to ascend to the Upper Realm one day, he would know sooner or later.

Revealing more now wouldn’t hurt.

In that instant,

Zhong Dongxuan felt an urgent urge to go to the Upper Realm.

The heavens were too small!

If he couldn’t go to the Upper Realm, then his limit for his entire life would be the Immortal King level.

Only by venturing to the Upper Realm can one truly witness the vastness of the world and have the opportunity to advance further.

“Hoo, today, from Sect Master Shen’s words, I finally understand what it truly means to have heavens beyond heavens. This world is like a well within a well; we Immortal Kings are ultimately just sitting in a well, only seeing the sky!”

Zhongshan Dongxuan suppressed his thoughts, then let out a long breath, his expression complex.

Half-Saint!

Immortality!

Especially Shen Changqing’s last words, which stirred the heart of this Immortal King of the Zhongshan Divine Clan.

What have we cultivators cultivated for so many years for?

In the end,

it’s nothing more than achieving immortality.

However,

even for those who have reached the Immortal King realm, immortality is like trying to catch the moon’s reflection in water, utterly unattainable.

Now someone tells him that as long as he steps into the Half-Saint realm, he can attain immortality; how could Zhongshan Dongxuan not be excited?