CHAPTER 714: CHAPTER 381 TRUE TRANSFORMATION

During this process, his Sea of Bitterness expanded more than twice its original size, surging within him like a vast boundless ocean roaring with tremendous force.

Finally, after consuming the last golden fruit, Gu Sheng experienced a true transformation. His body seemed to be enveloped in a golden radiance, every inch of his skin gleaming with brilliant light. In this moment, his Divine Sense fully took form, resembling a golden dragon soaring and dancing within his body.

"Boom——"

With a thunderous roar, the energy within Gu Sheng surged like a flood breaking its banks. He felt as though he had broken free from some kind of shackle, stepping onto an entirely new level.

"The Divine Bridge Realm!" Gu Sheng was overwhelmed with joy. He knew he had successfully broken through the constraints of the Life Spring Realm and ascended into the higher Divine Bridge Realm. In this instant, he felt as if he were one with heaven and earth, merged with all existence.

Gu Sheng slowly opened his eyes, and two beams of golden light shot out from his gaze, seemingly piercing through the void. Feeling the force of the Divine Power surging within him, his heart swelled with confidence. He knew he was no longer the weakling who could be trampled upon—he was now a true powerhouse!

"The Way of Heaven diminishes where there is excess and replenishes where there is deficiency..." Gu Sheng silently recited the enigmatic maxim from an ancient scripture, engraving it onto his mystical cauldron. The cauldron seemed to resonate with his soul, transforming according to his will. At this moment, it was no longer an ordinary object, but a mystical treasure glowing with divine luminescence and shrouded in profound secrets.

Gu Sheng’s comprehension of the "Dao" reached unprecedented heights in this moment. He believed the cauldron to be a natural extension of heaven and earth, a "vessel" capable of manifesting the Dao and nurturing all things. He felt as though he were one with the cauldron, able to draw upon its power to understand the profound mysteries of the cosmos.

"It’s time to leave this place." Gu Sheng stood up, his gaze resolute as he looked toward the distant horizon. He knew the road of cultivation stretched endlessly before him, yet he was confident he could walk it step by step until he reached the summit!

For more than a year, he had been cultivating earnestly in this mysterious place, consuming seven golden fruits, and now, he had attained the Divine Bridge Realm. He felt as though he had been completely reborn; both his physical body and Divine Sense had reached unprecedented levels of advancement.

"The world outside is even vaster—I must explore more of its secrets!" Gu Sheng’s heart surged with anticipation and hope. He knew he was about to embark on an entirely new journey, one filled with the unknown and countless challenges, but he was already prepared.

Thus, Gu Sheng packed his belongings and left this mysterious place. As he walked out of the forest, sunlight bathed his body, as if draping him in a golden halo. He walked forward with his head held high, his heart brimming with confidence and courage!

Gu Sheng arrived at a cavern dwelling that had once been inhabited by a Martial Artist.

"Clang—Clang—"

The crisp, metallic sound reverberated through the cavern as Gu Sheng’s gaze burned intently at what lay before him. The Purple Copper Trigram Mirror, the Jade Pure Bottle, and the Heavenly Net Umbrella—these three radiant treasures seemed almost sentient, each radiating a unique divine brilliance. They were weapons painstakingly refined by cultivators beyond the Other Shore Realm, brimming with immense power.

Gu Sheng was thrilled at the thought of incorporating these treasures into his Sea of Bitterness to enhance his cultivation. However, when he attempted to submerge the three treasures into his Sea of Bitterness, he discovered that the mysterious green copper block seemed to claim the prime position, preventing any other weapon from nearing it.

He frowned, sighing inwardly, "What on earth is this green copper block? How can it repel these treasures from entering?" Left with no other choice, he temporarily abandoned the idea.

Gu Sheng realized he could not remain in the Ancient Forbidden Zone forever. He needed to travel to a place inhabited by people to acquire more cultivation knowledge and learn about the happenings of the outside world. Thus, he packed his belongings and embarked on a journey to leave the Ancient Forbidden Zone.

On the way, he diligently practiced the mysterious footwork technique he had learned from the Madman. This technique was profoundly intricate, allowing one to shrink the ground to inches—an ability he deeply admired. He imagined that if he could fully master this technique, no place in the vast world would be out of his reach.

Two days later, Gu Sheng arrived at a bustling town. Walking among the lively streets, his ears caught fragments of conversations from the crowd.

"Have you heard? The Demon Emperor’s Tomb has finally sunk beneath the ground."

"Yes, the ruin was filled with overwhelming resentment, corpses piled high as mountains, rivers of blood everywhere, and still, no one could conquer it."

"The East Desolation’s treasure—the Desolation Tower—has vanished forever."

Listening to these discussions, Gu Sheng couldn’t help but feel stirred. The sinking of the Demon Emperor’s Tomb, the disappearance of the Desolation Tower—all of it was a testament to the unpredictable nature of the world. He knew he had to continuously work hard in his cultivation to secure a place for himself in this perilous and ever-changing world.

Over the following half month, Gu Sheng wandered through various towns, frequenting crowded areas yet always maintaining a low profile. He learned that powerful forces like the Jiang family, the Ji family, and Shaking Light Sacred Land had ventured into the Ancient Forbidden Zone but had been utterly annihilated, with no survivors. He also heard familiar names—Huang Miaoyin, Gu Xiaojiang, Linghu Qingwan—all of whom had disappeared as well.

This news shook Gu Sheng to his core. These names were those of peer geniuses he had met on his path of cultivation. Their vanishings cast a shadow over the world, reminding him of its unforgiving nature. At the same time, it steeled his resolve—to keep striving, to cultivate relentlessly, and to prepare himself for whatever crises the future might bring.