Chapter 1100: Frenzied Dance of the Lightning Snakes

Cultivation was an austere path, amounting to little more than seated meditation and circulating qi through a heavenly cycle.

Yet sitting for so long still grew wearisome.

The qi destiny of the Mortal World trembled. Seeing this, Chen Changsheng made a trip down to the Mortal World.

The anticipated day was not far off...

Besides, he also wanted to see an old friend.

But before that, he needed to make a trip to Tianji Mountain to ask a few lingering questions he had never quite finished asking.

Ever since Chen Changsheng left those words on the cliff face, Tianji Mountain had grown much livelier. More people came, and more people knew of it. Yet, in all the years that followed, the only person to comprehend anything from that stone wall was Xiao Dongxu of Xuanjiu Immortal Mountain.

After Xiao Dongxu descended the mountain, his reputation in the Cultivation World soared. He was even hailed as the foremost among his peers, a sentiment shared by quite a few people.

When the previously unassuming Xiao Dongxu suddenly rose to prominence, many in the Cultivation World linked it to what was left on the cliff of Tianji Mountain. Rumors spread that anyone who could comprehend it was destined to achieve the great dao.

As a result, even more people came.

Although Tianji Mountain no longer allowed outsiders to visit the cliff so freely, people still flocked there in admiration, some even going so far as to clash in spell battles with the Tianji Mountain Disciples just to win a chance to ascend the mountain.

When Chen Changsheng arrived, he happened to see a cultivator being thrown down the mountain.

"Ah..."

The terrified shout echoed through the air.

Chen Changsheng glanced up. Seeing the person falling, he kindly reached out to catch him.

The man stumbled upon landing. Fortunately, Chen Changsheng had buffered his fall; otherwise, dropping from such a height would not have been pleasant.

The cultivator gasped for breath, still reeling from the shock.

Recovering his wits, he looked at the person behind him and hurriedly offered his thanks.

"Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!"

Chen Changsheng waved his hand. "It was nothing."

With that, he said no more and continued walking forward.

The man hastily called out, "Senior, please be careful on your way up! The cultivators of Tianji Mountain are incredibly difficult to deal with!"

Chen Changsheng stared blankly for a moment, then smiled. "This Chen is not here to pick a fight."

The cultivator blinked, somewhat bewildered.

Not here to fight?

Before he could fully process this, the man in green robes had already begun his ascent.

The cultivator quickly hurried after him, hoping to offer another word of advice.

But when he followed him to the foot of the mountain, he saw that the Tianji Mountain Disciple was bowing to the gentleman in green robes.

The cultivator recognized the Tianji Mountain Disciple standing there. Earlier, when he had tried to climb the mountain, this very disciple had made things incredibly difficult for him and mocked him endlessly. Yet now, in the presence of this newcomer, the disciple was bowing in deep reverence, his head lowered, utterly devoid of his previous arrogance.

The cultivator stared blankly, completely stunned.

He then heard the Tianji Mountain Disciple say, "Junior greets Mister Chen. Please, come this way. Junior will lead the way for you."

With that, the Tianji Mountain Disciple guided the man up the mountain.

The cultivator stood frozen in place.

"How did he..."

The cultivator stared blankly before a sudden realization dawned on him.

"Surnamed Chen?"

He froze as a startling guess surfaced in his mind.

Could it be that this man was...

At first, it seemed impossible. But as he thought deeper, he recalled the rumors. They said that the Mister Chen who had left behind the great dao on the cliff was always dressed in green robes and possessed a gentle, approachable demeanor, completely devoid of arrogance.

The cultivator's mind reeled as he finally realized just who he had encountered.

"Ah! I missed it! I missed my chance!"

The cultivator felt a pang of regret. If only he had recognized the man sooner, he could have asked for a few words of guidance.

Chen Changsheng remained blissfully unaware of all this. Led by the Tianji Mountain Disciple, he ascended Tianji Mountain and made his way to the Back Mountain, where he met Mister Zhong.

Zhong Zhengyuan was showing his age, and his white hair had grown thicker. Even cultivators grew old; it was merely a matter of time.

Zhong Zhengyuan hosted Chen Changsheng, even bringing out his finest tea leaves for the occasion.

Chen Changsheng said, "This Chen has come to see the Mountain Master."

Seeing that Chen Changsheng was not going to elaborate, Zhong Zhengyuan tactfully asked no more. After finishing their tea, he prepared to lead the way.

Chen Changsheng said, "There might be unexpected developments."

These words made Zhong Zhengyuan's heart skip a beat.

He gave a slight nod and said, "The mountain lord explained this to us years ago. Please go right ahead, Mister Chen."

Chen Changsheng murmured, "So he told you..."

Zhong Zhengyuan said, "The mountain lord only mentioned that he was approaching the end of his life. He also told me that with every visit from you, Mister, there is a chance the Mountain Master might pass away."

The mountain lord had offered no deeper explanation on the matter. Since Chen Changsheng already understood his meaning, he naturally said no more.

They traveled all the way to the Back Mountain, arriving at a rather familiar small temple.

The mountain lord was eating a mountain peach, perched upon a roof beam inside the temple as he sized Chen Changsheng up.

"You're here."

Chen Changsheng replied, "The time is fast approaching. I figured I had to come."

The mountain lord spat out the peach pit and shook his head. "Go back. You hesitated for three breaths when you walked in. I imagine you originally didn't plan on coming at all."

Chen Changsheng said, "I should at least have a peach before I go."

"There aren't any for you."

"What a shame."

Chen Changsheng stepped forward and sat down on a meditation cushion.

Resting his chin on his hand, he looked at the mountain lord.

Swinging his legs, the mountain lord looked back at Chen Changsheng and said bluntly, "Ask away. Whether it is something you can ask or cannot, I will answer you. But you likely only have a few questions anyway. Let's see if I have enough time to tell you the answers."

"There is much that this Chen does not understand. I will list them out one by one, and you can pick which ones to answer."

"Works for me."

Chen Changsheng gave a slight nod and didn't waste any more breath. "Was Tianji Mountain established by one of my past lives?"

"Is the Demon-Summoning Divine Lord also me?"

"What is the connection between this Chen and this world?"

"Why am I afflicted by this curse?"

"Yu Xuan... is she still alive?"

"Back then, I saw a figure in the Yellow Springs. He told me that he was me, but that I was not him. Looking back on it, this Chen has formed a guess. The Chen you see before you right now—me—is also an External Avatar, correct?"

Initially, the mountain lord had not cared much. He had assumed Chen Changsheng was just going to ask a few more trivial questions.

But as Chen Changsheng voiced them out loud, the mountain lord's expression shifted drastically.

He slowly raised his head.

He could already faintly sense the might of the heavens gathering toward their location.

"Looks like I really have to go this time."

The mountain lord let out a soft sigh. When he looked up again, his gaze had grown profound.

"I'll answer as many as I can. Now, listen closely..."

The great Bell of Tianji Mountain began to toll. Every disciple and elder on the mountain, without exception, descended toward the base.

On this day, it was as if day and night had inverted.

Torrential rain poured down as if the Heavenly River had burst its banks, accompanied by thunder as dense as pounding drumbeats.

Flashes of lightning momentarily illuminated the suddenly darkened world, followed by rolling peals of thunder that sent tremors of pure terror through the soul.

Countless bolts of Heavenly Tribulation crashed down like a frenzied dance of lightning snakes!