Chapter 1156: Simultaneous Appearance of All Four Sacred Academies
Translator: Lordbluefire Editor: Lordbluefire
At this moment, a voice rang out in the minds of everyone. Was what they had seen earlier, the constellations they used to condense their astral souls?"
In the boundless starry space, there were countless constellations that were incomparably far apart. However, they could still sense the astral energy and draw upon the constellations for their own use. Only at this moment did they understand that the astral energy they could use was so much weaker compared to the true power of the constellations. Only as their cultivation bases grow stronger would they be able to unleash more might, nearing to the true powers of the constellation themselves.
"Did humans create the cosmos or did the cosmos give birth to humans?!" Qin Wentian murmured. "In that case, are constellations born from astral souls, or are astral souls condensed from constellations?"
As the sound of his voice faded, the gazes of everyone all turned to Qin Wentian. What a bold conjecture that caused their hearts to tremble.
They naturally understood what Qin Wentian meant by that. Astral souls and constellations were truly extremely similar. Astral souls were something condensed from constellations and as astral souls become stronger and stronger, their resemblances to constellations also grew as well. One day, when their astral souls grew as strong as the constellations, wouldn't it mean that their astral souls would be constellations of their own?
Such an audacious thought made everyone feel how tiny and inconsequential they were. Even those who were at the peak of the Immortal Foundation Realm, what else could they do but incline their heads to admire the constellations in the sky? They were simply insignificant in comparison.
"One day when you guys stand at the pinnacle of cultivation, maybe you would be as resplendent as these constellations in the starry space, emitting boundless light that cascades down to the world. You yourself would be a representative of laws." That ethereal voice continued.
Everyone stared at the starry space. The shiniest of constellations were like supreme ultimate experts standing proudly there, casting their light down.
They sank into contemplation and while they were in this state, the voice of the dao lecture didn't cease. They just simply sat there and listened quietly. Each and every sentence was able to cause them to be in a deep state of pondering, causing a resonance in the depths of their hearts.
From large to small, from constellations to astral souls, and from astral souls to cultivation. That voice of the dao put them in a completely immersive state, unable to extricate themselves. Their eyes have long closed as they began to cultivate while in that marvelous mode.
Enlightenment was extremely rare, it was something all cultivators sought for. A moment of enlightenment far surpassed many years of cultivation. However, the dao lecture was able to cause everyone who heard it to sink into that state. Such a heaven-defying lecture was almost impossible to find in the immortal realms. At the very least, the elders of these major powers they were from, didn't have such capabilities.
Everyone cherished the appearance of the sacred academy, sending their junior generations in there to cultivate. No power would dare to underestimate the sacred academy and from this, one could see how austere the status of the sacred academy was, in the immortal realms. And despite the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy not having appeared in the immortal realms for such a long time, it's reputation and influence was still just as terrifying.
Such influence was naturally left from the accumulated prestige from the era of ancient emperors.
Once every twelve years, these dao lectures have sent everyone who listened to it, into that rare meditative state. The voice of the ethereal figure was akin to the voice of the Great Dao, ringing out in their hearts and minds, opening the doors on the path of cultivation previously unseen to them. This made it possible for them to see further, also aiding them to proceed further on their path of cultivation in the future.
Under the astral light, transformations begin to occur. If one stood at the highest peak here, they would be able to see three other similar sacred academies from a vantage point.
These four sacred academies were extremely similar to each other, floating up in the sky with a stairway connecting them, while they emitted an ethereal and holy sensation. Connecting these four academies, one could see a world shimmering in and out of existence. This world was none other than the Sky Connecting Realm.
However at this moment, the people cultivating in the four sacred academies had no idea that all four academies appeared. They were still immersed in that marvelous state.
At the 27th year mark, in the sacred academy Qin Wentian was in, several people started to awaken from that state. The golden-winged great roc Jia Nantian, a king of the Sky Roc Race, suddenly broken through to the ninth-level of immortal-foundation. When he broke through, golden light filled the skies and the projection of a gigantic golden roc could be seen in the air. The eyes of those who awoke all turned to him, now that Jia Nantian was at the ninth-level, there was probably no one else in this academy who could stand equal to him. Even if all four academies were combined, only a rare few would be able to fight against him.
Jia Nantian who has just broken through, was still immersed in that state, and didn't wake up.
During the same year, the demonic lion also broke through, stepping into the ninth-level of immortal foundation.
Naturally other than them, there were over a hundred experts who also broke through but the commotion they caused while leveling up, wasn't as intense as either of the two.
Because according to the rows of seats, they were seated on the second row. Also, their breakthroughs were from the eighth-level of immortal-foundation to the ninth level.
A breakthrough was naturally easier if one was at a lower level. Without the appropriate opportunity, it was very ordinary for one to be stuck for thousands of years at the eighth-level. Everyone understood that the opportunity that is the sacred dao lecture, was the rare encounter they needed to break through.
Those who missed the first lecture could only sigh in regret. They finally understood how rare this opportunity of a dao lecture was.
On the 28th year mark, many experts knew that they had no way to improve further. These experts dismounted from their seats and when they stared into the horizons, they were shocked to see that there were three other similar sacred academies far off in the distance.
At the 30th year mark, Qin Wentian broke through and stepped into the fifth-level of immortal foundation. He leveled up in both the dao lectures, and originally because of his lower cultivation base, his break through wouldn't have attracted much attention. But because he was the one sitting in the lead seat, anything that has to do with him, was especially more conspicuous.
However this year, the people still on the immortal seats were reduced drastically. A majority of the students have already awakened but Jia Nantian and the demonic lion haven't left and were still cultivating as well. Other than them, roughly around a few hundred more were still in that marvelous state.
At the 32nd year mark, only Qin Wentian still remained on the immortal seat.
At the same time, many people discovered that the sacred academy has changed. Now, all four of the sacred academies were finally connected and the Sky Connecting Realm was no longer an illusory world. Now, one could enter it with their own body, it was a world meant for combat but even so, the Sky Connecting Realm was still governed by a strict set of rules. Those who entered it cannot depend on any other external treasures or powers, and one thing still remained unchanged. Those who died within would still be sent out from the Sky Connecting Realm. Most probably, even the sacred academy didn't want to see too many elite geniuses perishing due to the intense competition when cultivating here.
Other than this, they also discovered that in the four locations of the dao lectures in each of the academies, the ancient stairways leading there actually emitted a formless energy that barred re-entry after one exited it. When Little Rascal and Purgatory wanted to go back and look for Qin Wentian, they discovered that they had no way to step up the stairway anymore. This made many speculate that could it be there would only be two dao lectures?
In addition, there was information being circulated that there was not only a level to the Sky Connecting Realm. There were other deeper levels as well. Some have personally witnessed the powerful experts on the Supreme Might Rankings vanishing in front of the Sky Connecting Immortal Rock.
There were over ten thousand elites in the sacred academies now, with human cultivators making up a majority. Demons were in the minority as after all, the greater demons who came from the Western Regions and Ten Thousand Mountain Range from the land of desolation were simply too small in number. The immortal realms was a human-dominated world. Only a few powerful greater demon races could stand tall in the immortal realms.
Right now, the sacred academy was even more lively than before
Yet Qin Wentian continued to quietly cultivate on his immortal seat. Right now, the entire academy was extremely tranquil, he was the only person left facing that statue and although many years have passed, he was still immersed in that special state.
At the 33rd year mark, the external world had many changes but to those major powers who stood at the peak, things were still the same as before. Because at their vantage point, the deaths of boundless lives and the conflict among minor powers didn't affect them in the slightest. It was like raindrops falling on the surface of the river. Although there would be ripples, the ripples eventually amounted to nothing.
The attention of the immortal realms was still focused on the sacred academy. After all, the appearance of the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy might change the future of the immortal realms.
Today, outside the sacred academy, a flawlessly beautiful figure stood there at the platform used for testing of one's talent. This maiden was truly a supreme beauty, but when she released her astral souls, many were disappointed. However, her immortal foundation wasn't bad at all, it was a fourth-tier king-graded immortal foundation. Such accomplishments might already place her among the ranks of geniuses among many people but when compared to the elites currently in the sacred academy, she was far from sufficient.
"Based on her looks, this maiden is truly as beautiful as a fairy from the nine heavens. However, her cultivation base is only at the first-level of immortal-foundation and although her talent is considered good, it isn't outstanding. She is still lacking if she wants to enter the sacred academy." Someone sighed.
And as expected, the illusory figure on the platform shook his head, "You should know that given your level of talent, you wouldn't have the qualifications to step into the academy."
"Junior understands. However, junior still hopes that senior can give me a chance." That maiden knelt and bowed her head, her beautiful face was etched with sincerity.
"Your innate talent isn't very high, you should have received a remodelling of some sorts postnatally or had some rare encounters that enabled your potential to increase. Maybe you would be able to have some accomplishments in the future but even so, you are still not qualified to enter the sacred academy. You can leave now." That ethereal figure spoke.
This beautiful maiden was like the darling of the world. No matter who it was, they were all filled with an involuntarily desire to help her. Even the expert who was the one responsible for the criteria of entry, said a few more sentences and didn't immediately reject her despite the fact that her talent wasn't high enough.
"Senior, please grant me this." That maiden was still kneeling, bowing so low that her head touched the ground. Her eyes were filled with an incomparably intense resolution.
"Why must you be so determined? There is still a test up ahead even if you enter now. If you cannot pass the trial of the immortal sea, you would be stuck there for many years." That expert continued.
"Junior's husband has entered the sacred academy for over thirty years. I know very well that my talent is far inferior compared to my husband, and hence, I have to work extra hard in my cultivation as I'm not willing to have such a great disparity between us. All I want to do is to be by his side and the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy is said to be a holy ground for cultivation. Firstly, if I enter, I can accompany my husband, and secondly, I can raise my own strength. Hence, after I broke through to immortal-foundation and stabilized my strength, I immediately rushed over to this place. I know there are still tests up ahead, but junior is willing to take them all. Even if I fail in the end, I would have no regrets."
"Who is your husband?" That illusory figure asked. The immortal sense of the maiden stirred, as a portrait appeared in the air. When that illusory figure saw the man in the portrait, his hands involuntarily trembled. After some time, he then nodded, "If that is the case, feel free to enter then."
"Many thanks to senior!" That maiden bowed again and stepped towards the entrance of the sacred academy!