5 Young Sapling
Zhen Han and Lin Li arrived at the entrance of the first zone. The entire boundary was surrounded by a blood-red barrier. Even experts of Divine Manifestation realms would have a hard time breaking the barrier. The barrier was both a defensive and offensive array.
The entrance to the first zone was heavily protected by the imperial guards. Zhen Han and his mother were easily able to enter inside after providing their identity token.
Zhen Han's face was full of awe as he stared at the amazing scenery in the first zone. The inside of the first zone was full of mountains and lakes. Every breath he took was full of spiritual essence.
"As expected of the imperial capital," praised Zhen Han.
"Haha. You have seen nothing. Wait till we go to the Imperial Palace."
This time Lin Li couldn't refuse the imperial escorts. The first zone has many forbidden areas such as spirit stones mines, spirit herb garden, etc so every action within the first zone was noted.
Zhen Han and Lin Li went inside the imperial carriage provided to them. The imperial carriage works on spiritual stones so it didn't need any beasts. The speed of carriage was fast, and all Zhen Han could see through carriage window were glimpses of mansions and gardens in the mountainous terrain of the first zone. He has a hard time believing it was a city.
His grandfather's castle was also in mountains but they were nowhere as grand compared to the imperial city. The castle has Spiritual Energy Gathering Array so the spiritual vigor was high but nothing compared to the first zone of the imperial capital.
Zhen Han thought of his mother's earlier words and understood that everything depends on one's own ability. If you are strong you can have anything you like but if you are weak you will be at mercy of others. Talented people can have riches but useless people can't even one-time food. A cruel world.
He has enjoyed riches from his birth but he realized that compared to the imperial city it was nothing. He wasn't envious or bittersweet about the difference in living standard. He was grateful for what he had. From his mother's words and the stories, he knows most people don't have basic necessities of life. He has seen the house slaves inside the castle who worked so hard and never complained. Or the young woman in the second zone whose dignity was trampled by that young man.
A man should know when to be grateful and satisfied. This also didn't mean they should not pursue more riches. Zhen Han once more thought of his mother's words and thought perhaps there is a difference between satisfied and self-satisfied. One should be content with what one has but shouldn't be too content that they stop pursuing more.
"I would become the strongest and richest person," Zhen Han promised himself in his heart.
Soon they arrived outside a grand river. The mother-son duo came out of the castle. At the center of the lake, they could see a grand palace full of imposing attitude. It was at least 5 km long. This was dozens of times large than grandfather's castle.
"Mom, would we go through a boat to the palace?" Zhen Han asked.
"Nope. We would walk on the bridge." Lin Li answered.
Zhen Han was confused by her words as he could see no bridge in the river. In fact, there were no boats in the river as far as he could see. No bridge? No boats? How were they supposed to go?
"You're thinking there is no bridge, right? Who said that the bridge has to be above the river surface?"
Lin Li took Zhen Han at the front of the river. She took out her identification jake token and placed her aura on it. A green light came from the token which flew inside the river water.
Soon Zhen Han could see different types of fishes coming towards the river bank. They were grouping themselves. He couldn't help but have a shocked expression on his face as he realized that the fishes were the bridge his mother mentioned.
Millions of fishes converged together to form a one-meter wide bridge.
Zhen Han stepped on the fish bridge. Much to his shock the bridge didn't move or showed any sign of breaking. Lin Li gave a small chuckle when she saw her son's expression. The imperial escorts followed behind the mother-son duo.
"It's nothing to be surprised about. The fishes are anything but ordinary. They were born in such a high-density spiritual energy area. Just like cultivators they too have evolved."
The bridge was 10 km long so for a mortal it would be a time-consuming journey but for cultivators it was nothing. Lin Li took Zhen Han in her arms when she saw him showing signs of exhaustion.
She walked slowly so that her child can enjoy the sight. She has seen far more wonderful things in life so for her the fish bridge was nothing but a child's play. In fact, there were many wonderful things back in the castle and the state. It was just that Zhen Han was far too young for him to meet those wonderous pocket dimensions and mystic realms.
"Well, I also showed such an expression when I first arrived here during my youth so I have no right to laugh," Lin Li reminded herself.
It was nighttime when they finally arrived at the palace.
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Wang Xixi was waiting in front of Imperial Palace for welcoming Zhen Han and his mother. Wang Xixi is the sixth wife of Skyrise Emperor. Perhaps if someone who doesn't know the working of Empire would think being the sixth wife was a low place but in fact, it was a very high place.
The current Skyrise Emperor has ninety-nine wives and thousands of concubines. The Emperor has been in power for more than thirty thousand years so the size of the harem wasn't shocking. In fact the harem was considered small.
The Skyrise Emperor was in World King realm so he has a very long lifespan. For mortals, the Emperor was nothing less than a true immortal.
In his thirty thousand years life, the Skyrise Emperor has married multiple times and taken many concubines. Sadly most of his lovers died due to old age.
A mortal has a lifespan of hundred years at most but cultivators can steal lifespan from the Heavens. So the lifespan of cultivators is long but that doesn't mean they are Immortal. Higher your cultivation level the longer would be your lifespan but even then you would have to face death. There was no eternal life or at least no one from Endless Continent has heard about an Eternal Life Being.
For Wang Xixi being the sixth wife of an Emperor, who has lived for more than thirty thousand years, spoke volumes. Out of ninety-nine wives, only twenty survived the river of time. As for concubines thousands of them have died and replaced by new concubines.
Wang Xixi was someone who has an eternal trust of the Emperor and hence she has the responsibility by the Emperor for handling the genealogy records.
The members of the imperial family thought it was a thankless and useless task but only Wang Xixi knew how important the genealogy records were.
Wang Xixi has a complicated expression on her face when she saw the three-year-old Zhen Han. She has scanned his body through her divine perception when he entered the first zone. She was able to judge that he has a very high latent talent.
"Having high talent is not always good." Wang Xixi thought to herself. She felt bittersweet when she thought of what would happen to him tomorrow during the 'genealogy records'.
Wang Xixi cleared her thoughts and went to greet the newly arrived mother-son duo. Lin Li quickly offered greetings when she saw Wang Xixi.
"Lin Li, I will take your child tomorrow morning for the genealogy records and inspection." Wang Xixi reminded Lin Li before leaving them inside their temporary residence.
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Wang Xixi teleported herself to a dark underground palace. She was hovering in the space of the underground palace. It was more precise to say she was standing in the space as the room has no floor. The room looked like a scene from outer space. Full of darkness and coldness.
In the center of the room, there was a cocoon floating. The cocoon was gigantic and made of blood threads. It released a faint but powerful aura. The aura was so powerful that it could destroy Divine Manifestation realms just with its very presence.
In the Endless Continent, the path of cultivation was divided into ten realms: Awakening, Blood Transformation, Golden Body, Divine Sea, Dao Awakening, Divine Manifestation, Divine King, World King, Empyrean and Dao Ancestor. Each realm was subdivided into lower, middle, high and perfection.
Awakening, Blood Transformation, and Golden Body realms focused on the development of the fleshly body itself. Awakening realm focused on awakening the body from its mortal sleep and making it awake to the spiritual energy of the world. It meant laying off the shackles of mortality.
Blood Transformation and Golden Body realms focused on increasing the vitality of body and making it inextinguishable.
Divine Sea focused on qualitative changes in the soul. From Dao Awakening realm one start sensing the Great Dao of the world. Some believe Dao Awakening is the first true step in the path of cultivation.
Divine Manifestation realm focuses on manifesting the enlightenment of Dao in the form of a divinity. From Divine Manifestation onwards one can use the natural laws of the world during battles.
The highest known experts in the Endless Continent are of World King realm but the blood-red cocoon was releasing an aura which was countless times stronger than World King!
Wang Xixi has faced this cocoon multiple times but that didn't stop the fear she has. Every time she saw the cocoon she felt a fear from her very source of soul.
"You have disturbed my sleep..." A sinister voice came from the cocoon.
Wang Xixi was frightened out of her wits. She hastily kneeled and tried to explain.
"Reverend Master, my apologies. I came here to tell you we have found another sapling meeting your standards."
Wang Xixi's face was full of sweat as she waited for a reply from the cocoon.
"Ah! You have found a lot of saplings lately. How is the new sapling compared to the previous ones?"
"Reverend Master, the latent talent of the new sapling is very high compared to the previous ones. Most likely he too has benefitted from the heavenly phenomenon which has blessed our continent. He would be suitable for master..."
The heavenly phenomenon from three years ago has created a lot of miracles. No matter whether it was mortal or cultivator everyone benefitted from the violet radiance. Mortals gained longevity and find themselves free of their ailments. Cultivators had progress in cultivation. Young people have an increase in their latent talent.
The blood cocoon was silent for a while as if the presence inside was in deep thought. Afterward, it released a sinister laughter.
"A sapling with very high talent. Hahaha. Seems like Heavenly Dao wants me to revive soon."
"Yes, master. The world and its people are waiting for your revival."
The presence inside the blood cocoon didn't care a bit about the words of Wang Xixi. All it cared for was reviving soon.
"I will give you two strands of my soul. You know what to do. I'm sure I don't need to remind you the price of failure."
"Reverend Master, you can rest assured. I will handle the matter properly," Wang Xixi frantically promised. She has handled this matter many times before.
Two blood-red soul strands came out of the blood cocoon. Wang Xixi took out a precious treasure jar and placed those strands in it. She once more offered her respect and hastily teleported out.
"The one she spoke of should be my 999999th sapling. My two soul strands would lie dormant inside this new sapling's soul, and pave way for my return just like the other saplings. Young sapling, mature soon so that I can enjoy the fruits. "
The presence inside the blood cocoon gave a self-satisfied laughter. It has a strong premonition that the new sapling would be a turning point in its revival.
