CHAPTER 558: CHAPTER 442 TIANMANG PALACE’S RECRUITMENT AND CHOICE

On this day.

Chen Jichuan was sitting with Zheng Jun and Lei Xin at a teahouse.

This Lei Xin was Zheng Jun’s good friend, also someone who had emerged from the Tianmang Realm. When he first arrived at the Hanging Mirror Sea, his cultivation was only in the Third Realm of Divinity Transformation, and he was not yet two thousand years old. Now, in just eight hundred years, he had advanced to the Divine Transformation Realm, with boundless prospects.

The two were both from the Tianmang Realm and had become acquainted two months ago through Zheng Jun. Over the past two months, they had met several times and got along quite well.

On this day, the three were gathered once again.

Just a few days ago, Chen Jichuan had come upon a piece of news: "I heard that to the south of our Ekong Country, there’s an ancient city called ’Quliang Ancient City.’ Recently, there’s been a rumor that the ’Quliang City Lord,’ who occupies this city, has comprehended the workings of creation, unraveled the mystery of life and death, and gained insight into the secrets of the Fifth Order. Reportedly, they will soon ascend in a blaze of glory. I wonder if this is true or not?"

This was the first time Chen Jichuan had heard of someone advancing to the Fifth Order.

Previously, whether in the Dao Fruit World or on Panlong Mountain, he’d heard of ascension, but even in the Chongming World, figures like Wang Yan and Yu Ming, who ascended to the outer heavens, had all been stuck at the Fourth-order Peak, unable to step into the Fifth Order.

However, in the Hanging Mirror Sea, after hearing about the ’Quliang City Lord,’ Chen Jichuan had made it a point to investigate and learned that here, those at the Fourth-order Peak couldn’t ascend; only Fifth-order cultivators could reach the Upper Realm.

And the Hanging Mirror Sea had, in history, seen ascenders—more than one, according to recorded accounts.

After their advancement to the Fifth Order, those individuals could no longer remain in the Hanging Mirror Sea, as they were repelled and forced to ascend to the Upper Realm.

And now.

It was said that the ’Quliang City Lord’ would be the next Fifth-order cultivator in the Hanging Mirror Sea—the next ascender.

"Quliang City Lord."

"Indeed."

"I’ve also heard this rumor. Recently, I even asked our commander about it, and they said there’s a ninety percent chance it’s true. Ekong Country has been mobilizing lately, and the twelve armies of the Shuofeng Domain have been ordered not to take leave or leave their respective twelve cities, standing by for deployment at any moment."

"This is clearly preparation for war. If the ’Quliang City Lord’ truly ascends, the ’Quliang Ancient City’ they occupy will be vacated. A Hanging Mirror Ancient City like that will undoubtedly attract countless Enlightened Seekers to compete for it. Even the kings of the neighboring countries around the ’Quliang Ancient City’ won’t let this opportunity slip by."

"When the time comes, it will undoubtedly be a world-shaking battle!"

Zheng Jun, as a warrior in the Shuofeng Army, had access to more detailed information, and the army’s recent actions pointed to certain indications.

With all these factors combined, the likelihood of the ’Quliang City Lord’ making a breakthrough and ascending seemed significantly higher.

"The kings and lords of the Hanging Mirror Sea are all Enlightened Seekers at the Fourth-order Fourth Realm Peak and are the most powerful among them. They occupy one ancient city after another, and each city extends their lifespans by ten thousand years."

"The ’Quliang City Lord’ is exceptionally talented. With their strength, they could easily occupy over a dozen ancient cities and establish a kingdom. Yet, they chose to occupy only one ’Quliang Ancient City’ and did not continue further. Now, they are not yet forty thousand years old—far from reaching the lifespan limit of an ordinary Upper Immortal—and yet they are about to advance to the Fifth Order and ascend. It’s truly admirable!"

Lei Xin chimed in.

Having spent eight hundred years in the Hanging Mirror Sea, he had apparently paid a great deal of attention to the ’Quliang City Lord’ near Ekong Country. As he spoke of them now, a tone of reverent admiration colored his words.

And as he said.

An individual like the ’Quliang City Lord,’ who could ascend to the Fifth Order within forty thousand years, was indeed worthy of respect.

But Chen Jichuan’s attention was elsewhere.

"Enlightened Seekers?"

He had noted that Zheng Jun had previously mentioned the term ’Enlightened Seekers,’ and Lei Xin had just used it again. He had some guesses about this term, so he turned to Zheng Jun and Lei Xin for clarification.

"It’s natural that a newcomer doesn’t know."

Zheng Jun nodded in understanding and explained to Chen Jichuan, "The Fourth-order Ascension is divided into four realms, where the Fourth Realm is much stronger than the first three, and each individual is a dominant figure. However, beyond the Four Realms, there is a significant leap in strength for those at the Fourth Realm Peak, surpassing ordinary Fourth Realm cultivators. Thus, the Upper Immortals specifically classify those at the Fourth Realm Peak who are striving to break through to the Fifth Order into a separate category, calling them ’Enlightened Seekers.’ They are also known as ’Seeker of the Dao,’ ’Pursuer of the Dao,’ and ’Half-Step Fifth Order,’ among other terms, but ’Enlightened Seekers’ is the most widely used name."

The Fourth Realm Peak.

In the Chongming World, they were called Immortal Venerables.

In the Hanging Mirror Sea, however, they were more appropriately referred to as ’Enlightened Seekers.’ At the Fourth Realm Peak, cultivators begin to comprehend the Heaven and Earth Dao and grasp its profound intent. Their singular goal is to break through to the Fifth Order.

Among cultivators of this level, there could be vast differences in power.

The disparity in Daoist cultivation.

The disparity in Magic Skills and Divine Skills.

The disparities in Cultivation Techniques.

Thus, even among ’Enlightened Seekers,’ there were distinctions of high and low tiers.

In the Hanging Mirror Sea, they were broadly categorized into first-class country masters, second-class country masters, third-class country lords, ancient city lords, and ordinary Enlightened Seekers.

Their standing was determined by whether they possessed ancient cities and how many they controlled.

"Currently, there are seven first-class ancient kingdoms in the Hanging Mirror Sea. Each king of these first-class kingdoms controls over a hundred ancient cities, extending their lifespans by over a million years. Though breaking through to the Fifth Order may be difficult for them, their strength undoubtedly places them at the very pinnacle of the Hanging Mirror Sea."

"Meanwhile, our Ekong Country is merely a third-class nation. The Ekong Country Master controls thirteen ancient cities, having cultivated for one hundred forty thousand years. Among the Enlightened Seekers, he is considered quite formidable. However, breaking through to the Fifth Order won’t be easy for him either. With three or four thousand years of lifespan remaining, if he cannot break through in this time, he will have to seize more ancient cities to extend his life. Otherwise, he will still meet his end, and Ekong Country will collapse into chaos and disintegration."