Chapter 20: Celestial Vault

It was like a bright flame in the night, too conspicuous, too pronounced to be ignored.

"What is that?"

Wang Heng's spiritual sense extended forth, approaching the perfect ancient seed, only to witness a staggering scene.

Above the vast seas of essence, a colossal sky materialized, transforming into an immensely heavy eternal canopy, descending from above.

In an instant, gigantic waves surged, the sea exploded with sound, countless ancient seeds flew out, and the ones too slow to escape shattered on the spot, becoming the most fundamental rules of the great Dao, merging into the void.

The terrifying pressure was akin to an ancient cosmos being harshly cast down.

Just as Wang Heng was awe-struck, all the visions vanished, the sea surface returned to calm, with Dao constellation seeds bobbing up and down within, making everything that had happened seem like a mere illusion.

In the midst of the empty waters, a pale-cyan seed floated silently. Its surface was etched with Dao patterns, exuding a sense of vastness and grandeur, open and majestic, while also hiding many unknown mysteries.

Wang Heng was drawn to it, sensing that this perfect ancient seed represented a unique rule of the great Dao, immensely powerful, unmatched in its might.

If harnessed, it would surely enable dominion and supremacy, sweeping across the realms.

Approaching the ancient seed, he examined it carefully, drawing its essence into himself, attempting to comprehend it. In an instant, his eyes turned a shade of azure, and he exuded an aura grand enough to dominate through eternity.

This aura resonated well with Wang Heng; even the perfect ancient seed noticed, vibrating slightly as it showed a sense of affinity towards him.

At this moment, should he will it, he could immediately merge with the azure ancient seed, planting it within himself and stepping formally onto the path of cultivation.

However, Wang Heng remained acutely aware, decisively severing the increasingly tight connection between them.

In the next moment, the azure ancient seed's vibrations gradually calmed, soon returning to a still state.

The azure in Wang Heng's eyes vanished as he stared at the ancient seed before him, solemnly speaking: "Celestial Sky Seed."

During that brief moment of connection, the azure that appeared in his eyes was in fact a vast and weighty azure sky, boundless and immeasurable, as if countless ancient skies were stacked upon one another.

If unleashed during battle, it could instantly crush opponents into dust, with few peers able to withstand it at the same level.

Undoubtedly, this was the famed Celestial Sky Seed from the Immortal Ancient Epoch.

In the primal ancient realm, the celestial sky signifies supreme authority, carrying extraordinary significance. Thus, the perfect ancient seed named after "Celestial Sky" implies an invincible essence; planting such a perfect seed makes it almost impossible for a practitioner not to become powerful.

Despite the connection with the enigmatic Celestial Vault Seed, Wang Heng chose not to bind with it. His path lay elsewhere, with other, perhaps better, choices awaiting him.

Ultimately, he decided to leave the seed behind, even though it was among the most powerful of ancient seeds.

Ahead of him, the scene remained unchanged — an endless expanse of open ocean. In truth, this Sea of Dao Seeds was vast; reaching this point had taken Wang Heng considerable time.

He continued his yet unfinished journey, having already encountered two of the three perfect ancient seeds. Only the final Supreme Soul Seed remained, drawing him closer to the path of Dao.⁋With this thought, Wang Heng felt a surge of excitement and quickened his pace.

Two hours later, as he sped through the sea, Wang Heng came to an abrupt halt, his whole body shaken with astonishment as he looked in a particular direction.⁋His heart skipped a beat as he realized he had found the purpose of his journey: the Supreme Soul Seed.⁋Throughout his journey, he had encountered numerous soul seeds, some birthed from the remnants of powerful beings, others from the very essence of heaven and earth. But none could compare to the shock of the seed before him.

The terrifying fluctuations of soul power were intense, enough to make one's heart race. It swept over his spirit, instantly dissipating all fatigue and involuntarily releasing a formidable spiritual force.

"This is it!" he exclaimed.

Wang Heng muttered to himself, unable to contain his excitement as he hurried towards the source of the soul power fluctuations.

During this journey, the fluctuations were erratic. Some brought comfort to Wang Heng's primordial spirit, akin to immersion in divine liquid, ceaselessly evolving, while others sliced through like blades, etching countless scars on his soul.

This pain was distinct from physical wounds, directly piercing his soul, a torment unbearable, pain deep to the marrow.

Unable to suppress it, Wang Heng let out beast-like roars and growls, an effort to counter the excruciating sensation.

Yet, he did not retreat a single step, braving the overwhelming storm of soul power, pressing onward to the source. He knew this was a test from the Supreme Soul Seed; retreating now would mean losing an unparalleled chance to forge a deep connection with it.

It was unimaginable for him, the celestial child of an Immortal King, to be rejected by a soul seed—such a disgraceful scenario would be ridiculed for ages.

Certainly, this wasn't the most crucial issue; more important was the missed opportunity for a path to the Supreme Dao. Therefore, Wang Heng could not, under any circumstances, retreat.

Despite the growing tempest, the increasing intensity of pain, he remained as steadfast as a boulder.

At this moment, Wang Heng somewhat understood why Wang Mian held this Supreme Soul Seed in such high regard.

With his formidable soul power, even he struggled to endure the storm; Wang Yue would fare even worse, likely unable to withstand even three rounds, suffering grave harm.

In other words, even if the Supreme Soul Seed was placed right in front of Wang Heng, he couldn't rely solely on his own strength to cultivate it.

He would have to ask his elders for help, to subdue the Soul Seed before it could be planted.

However, relying on external forces for such a forcible fusion with the Dao Seed wouldn't result in a perfect integration and would leave imperfections.

Wang Heng, eager to tread the path of the supreme, could not tolerate any flaws.

He gritted his teeth, his divine soul glowing brilliantly. In the midst of the endless storm, he stood unyielding, showcasing astonishing resilience.

Moreover, his formidable soul power endowed him with remarkable healing abilities, mending old injuries even as new ones emerged.

In this way, he endured the most terrifying storm of soul power and successfully arrived before the Supreme Soul Seed.

The Soul Seed seemed to acknowledge Wang Heng, ceasing its fluctuations of soul power and simply hovering there silently.

Entirely black, it was deep, mysterious, holding within it boundless secrets, awaiting Wang Heng to uncover them.

Holding his breath, he reached out and grasped the black Soul Seed in his hand, feeling a refreshing coolness sweep through him.

Not only did his hand feel this sensation, but his divine soul, seated within his mind, also experienced it.