Volume One: The Calamity of the Lich Chapter 139: The Primordial World’s Subtle Ascension

It was fortunate, after all, that this all took place in the primordial wilderness.

At this moment, the land had not yet suffered any great loss of its essence, nor had the spiritual energy thinned. Even the weakest living being—so long as it had awakened consciousness—began as a Celestial Immortal.

Yet, even so, a wave of panic swept through the world.

“What is happening? Has the Calamity of Immeasurability arrived? Why has the earth split open, mountains soaring ever higher—how are we supposed to survive this?”

“Ah! Help!”

Countless beings, caught unawares, were swallowed by the sudden chasms as the ground cracked beneath them. In the blink of an eye, new canyons were born, mountains collapsed, and rivers changed course.

Still, many powerful entities reacted quickly, coming to the aid of fledgling creatures or those whose strength had waned with age.

Buzhou Mountain, nourished by newfound primordial essence and the growth of the wilderness, now nearly doubled in size. Already the grandest pillar of heaven, it became even more awe-inspiring.

“Fortunately, atop Buzhou Mountain grow two Primal Chaos Spirit Roots. Over countless years, their myriad roots have entwined the mountain, binding it utterly to the land. Nothing could possibly go amiss.”

With the wilderness’s transformation, all creatures reaped great rewards. After the world’s ascension, countless beings found their power soaring, some even leaping into an entirely new realm.

In that moment, many discovered the upper limit of cultivation had risen. So long as one’s aptitude sufficed, it was now possible to reach heights previously unattainable.

Some even found their innate talent directly enhanced.

“The Innate Plantain Tree has unexpectedly advanced further. It seems keeping it when I obtained it from Taiqing and the Blood Sea was not without reward,” Qingkong mused, gazing at the Plantain Tree he had transplanted near the Lotus of Creation.

“In the past, I truly had no such opportunity. But now, with ample primordial essence, since you have taken this step, allow me to lend you a hand.”

With that, Qingkong produced a portion of the essence he had collected and cast it to the Innate Plantain Tree.

“Still one step short. But this is no longer something that can be achieved by relying on the world’s essence alone,” Qingkong sighed as he realized the final boundary remained unbroken.

He turned next to the Innate Gourd Vine on Buzhou Mountain, which, thanks to his earlier aid, had advanced further. Now, riding the momentum of the world’s ascension, it broke through at last to become a Primal Chaos Spirit Root.

Beneath Buzhou Mountain, Qingxuan had forgotten that the five lotus platforms within the Hall of Pangu were now undergoing tremendous change, nourished by primordial essence casually tossed by Qingxuan and Houtu.

“Elder brother, are these five lotus platforms growing?” asked Jumang, the ancestor of wood, who had recently comprehended the Great Dao of Life.

The fusion of worlds with the wilderness had been his great opportunity, and as he was preparing to seek Houtu and pursue enlightenment, he sensed the transformation of the five lotus platforms and hurried over.

Dijiang nodded at Jumang’s words, his whole attention still fixed on the platforms.

“They are treasures our uncle labored to find in the wilderness. They are of utmost importance, both to him and to us. Go summon our brothers; together, we must seal the sacred hall.”

With that, Dijiang urged Jumang, who immediately went to fetch the other Ancestral Wu.

All twelve combined their strength, with Houyi—now a Golden Immortal of the Primordial Unity—standing in for Houtu. Together, they sealed the Hall of Pangu.

When the hall opened again, the five lotus platforms had at last transformed into Primal Chaos Spirit Roots.

The array formed by these five roots was unimaginably formidable. Within the hall, innate spiritual energy congealed visibly into spiritual matter, forming pools of spiritual water that accumulated in the great chamber.

Similar phenomena unfolded on an immortal island in the East Sea, in the ancient starry sky, and atop Longevity Mountain.

Almost simultaneously, Zhen Yuanzi sensed strange movements from the Ginseng Fruit Tree and hastened back to Wuzhuang Temple. Using the Book of the Earth, he connected the mountain’s leylines—already brimming with spiritual force—and even those nearby, centering the array on the book itself.

With the Book of the Earth’s defense and the support of the leylines, the formation was impregnable except to an attack of the Hunyuan Da Luo level.

No sooner had Zhen Yuanzi finished than the Ginseng Fruit Tree completed its ascension.

Meanwhile, the Innate Jianmu, Fusang Tree, Sacred Star Tree, and Laurel Tree all became Primal Chaos Spirit Roots.

In that instant, whether in the ancient starry sky or across the wilderness, the density of innate spiritual energy rose sharply.

And when the ten great spirit roots had all become Primal Chaos Spirit Roots, the Plantain Tree, which had been stuck just short before, broke its shackles and also ascended to that highest state.

“I never expected such a link between spirit roots. Pity for the Innate Bodhi Tree, though—it is Zhunti’s true form, and thus unlikely to ever become a Primal Chaos Spirit Root,” Qingkong sighed.

Yet, such matters were no concern of his.

He could hardly expect Zhunti to hand over his own body.

Upon the Lunar Star, the transformation of the Laurel Tree did not escape the notice of the two Star Sovereigns who dwelled there. Yet at this time, only Changxi remained; Xihe had gone to attend Hongjun’s discourse.

As Changxi, full of worry, gazed at the Laurel Tree, a cool, clear voice sounded behind her.

“Are you troubled by the Laurel Tree?”

Startled, Changxi realized she had sensed no one’s approach. If the other had not spoken, she would never have known anyone was near.

“Who are you? Lady Wangshu!”

Turning, Changxi saw a figure whose presence felt both dear and familiar; she hesitated.

“I’d heard you were in seclusion, my lady. For you to appear now, have you succeeded in your breakthrough?”

The thought shook Changxi deeply. After all, she’d heard this Lady was born countless ages before even the Emperor of Ziwei. Her cultivation had long reached a bottleneck, and she’d shut herself away to break through to even greater heights.

As for herself, she was but a perfected Golden Immortal, with no telling when such fortune would come.

“Breakthrough?” Wangshu gave a self-mocking laugh.

“Perhaps it is all a matter of talent. Some toil for countless eras without success, while others in a short time reach heights you could scarcely imagine.”

As she spoke, Wangshu’s expression changed, her eyes growing distant as if lost in memory.

Watching her, Changxi recalled idle rumors she had once heard from other star gods. Joined with what she now saw, those tales, which she had once dismissed, suddenly seemed not so far-fetched.

“My lady, then, you are...?”

Changxi looked cautiously at Wangshu and saw her gaze, dreamy and unfocused, turned toward the vast wilderness below.