Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 358: Ascension (Request for Monthly Pass)

Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Ascension (Request for Monthly Pass)

"This world is truly fascinating, the path of mystery and transcendence leads back to the beginning after all..."

Zhong Shenxiu’s lips curled into a slight smile.

"You’re very astute... I only barely understood this when I was five hundred years old."

Isreal’s demeanor became calm again, "So... for the sake of world safety, please ascend!"

"You really... have no regard for my feelings or safety whatsoever. After ascending, I could be devoured by the irate Master of Black Blood, or even have my soul extracted, enduring a fate worse than death..."

Zhong Shenxiu shook his head with a sigh, "Then... what about the Mojito family, and my friends?"

"We can make a trade... I can offer them protection, as long as you share your secrets with me."

Isreal smiled, "Why... have you risen so quickly? I’ve studied everything about you in the secret histories, and you truly dazzle... Unfortunately, in this world, rising too quickly is not always better. Give me your secrets, and I will take care of your family and subordinates..."

"How greedy..."

Zhong Shenxiu spoke with regret, "I reject your proposal."

"An expected choice, after all, no one wishes to reveal their trump card, even when facing impending death..." Isreal sighed, and suddenly he waved his hand.

A thick darkness suddenly descended.

The sun in the sky, as if eclipsed, lost all its radiance.

Stars across the heavens suddenly appeared, dazzlingly bright, casting down their light.

Within Byron City, the tracks of various Arrays suddenly lit up.

They seemed as if they had always been there, part of the city, yet they had eluded Zhong Shenxiu’s perception.

All the citizens were stunned, thinking it was divine punishment.

Some recalled the disaster a century ago, letting out agonized wails: "Why... has disaster chosen this city once again?"

The vast scope of the ceremony, encompassing nearly the entire city—if viewed from the sky, one would see dazzling symbols suddenly light up within the circular ceremonial ground.

Many cryptic connections finally formed a huge six-pointed star pattern.

At the very center of the six-pointed star was the café where Zhong Shenxiu was located!

"In the nearly one hundred years here, I haven’t been idle... To complete this ceremony under your nose without you noticing was quite the endeavor... The Ascension Ceremony is very complex, I’ve almost poured all my savings into it."

Isreal revealed an innocent smile, "Moreover, I knew that you would definitely come back here when your brothers and sisters died, just as I did. Congratulations... Mr. ’Ascender’, you’ve successfully walked into the trap!"

Watching layer upon layer of light converge upon him, with the Ascension Gate about to open, Zhong Shenxiu’s expression remained very calm.

He did not struggle, resist, or roar...

What remained was only calmness!

Calmly accepting everything!

Strange palpitations suddenly emerged in the world.

It was an event even more colossal than the Holy Grail brewing the blood of longevity!

The real world trembled!

The Spirit Realm trembled!

Nearly all mystics could feel this palpitation and revelation.

"It’s Ascension!"

"A ’longevity’ is about to ascend! To push open that door!"

"My God, could it be the Federation Guardian, Mr. Li Wei?"

"No... Mr. Li Wei is still so young, why would he leave us?"

...

Above Byron City, it seemed as if a microcosm of the world appeared, along with the illusions of many mystics.

Some cursing, some astonished, some offering blessings...

But none of this could stop Zhong Shenxiu’s Ascension.

Isreal’s expression was calm, but his trembling hands under his robe betrayed his excited state of mind.

Even though he had delved deep into the research and was certain that Ascension was a huge trap, without a real example, it was all just theory and conjecture.

This time, he had finally trapped a ’longevity’, not only resolving the threat and hidden dangers they brought to the world but also turning them into his own test subjects.

This was a victory of wisdom!

The only thing that made him uneasy was the other’s calmness.

"So this is the Ascension Ceremony? Without hundreds of years of accumulation, I really couldn’t have arranged it..."

Zhong Shenxiu took one last look at Isreal and smiled, "Thank you!"

After saying this, he seemed to be lifted by an invisible force, ascending higher and higher... rising into the phantom above Byron City.

At that moment, the illusions of the world had dissipated, and the shadows of the Spirit Realm emerged.

The door of black, the barren white wasteland, the crimson river, the Golden Sky-reaching Tower... Each transformed into different doors, blocking the Ascension.

Zhong Shenxiu’s expression remained calm as he approached the door of black.

Gazing at the massive dark wall, he remembered the moment he first entered the Spirit Realm and the stirring and shock he felt upon seeing the giant wall.

The black wall opened upon command, revealing an arched gateway.

This gateway was both protection and an obstacle, symbolizing the leap from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

He passed through calmly, looking at the pure white gate made of blazing flames and slowly pushing it open.

The fierce fire could not singe even a thread of Zhong Shenxiu’s garment.

Behind the gate of white was a world of crimson.

The river of crimson wrapped around in a circle, forming a round door.

Above the door were shadows of the historical failures, the Ascenders who did not succeed.

Filled with regret and pain, their emotions peaked, especially upon seeing someone about to Ascend.

That was malice from the abyss!

Among the many failures, Zhong Shenxiu felt a momentary daze, as if he saw Jones’s face.

"Stay!"

"Stay!"

Blood tears streamed from Jones’s eyes as he appeared before Zhong Shenxiu, murmuring something.

"Stay... with your radiance, your glory, redeem me!"

This was not an illusion; Zhong Shenxiu even felt that if he gave up Ascension, he could indeed redeem Jones.

Although Jones’s spirit was washed away by the river of crimson, the river had a significant connection to the Master of Black Blood.

"Is this a trade... or a warning from the black blood?"

Zhong Shenxiu sneered coldly, his expression indifferent, "I bear no guilt towards the Mojito family. It’s you who are overly greedy."

He extended his hand, brushing Jones aside, and entered the door of crimson.

Immediately after... was the Golden Sky-reaching Tower, as well as the Gate of Blue Sky...

After passing through the five illusory doors, at the highest point, a sudden brilliance emerged.

An invisible light formed the last doorway, which seemed to stand for truth, for the supreme, for everything.

Passing through this door of invisibility, one could reach the origin of the Spirit Realm!

As Isreal witnessed this scene, he even felt regret and wished to replace Zhong Shenxiu as the one to Ascend.

Zhong Shenxiu was now flying very high.

He looked back at the world one last time, then resolutely threw himself into the door of radiance...