Chapter 252: Attempting Deity Transformation

Originally, you thought the Mountain of Books mentioned by Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword would be a pavilion—or at most, a large hall.

But when you actually arrived, you discovered it was a secret realm.

A secret realm spanning a full thousand miles across, no smaller than an ordinary blessed land.

"Among our Heavenly Sword Peak disciples, only legacy disciples qualify to enter the Mountain of Books for comprehension," Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword said. "They receive just three chances in their entire lives, studying for a maximum of one month each time."

Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword spoke from the side, "But you, fellow Daoist Qingyuan, may naturally stay in the Mountain of Books for as long as you wish."

Your eyes shone as you stared across the Mountain of Books. On the surface, this was a world of small bridges and flowing water. In reality, every stone, every drop of river water, and every leaf recorded various inheritances, secret arts, and ancient texts...

Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword offered a few more words of advice before departing.

For a time, you were the only one left in the vast Mountain of Books.

"Fifth-tier alchemy inheritances—all of these?"

You had casually walked up to a massive boulder, only to find that the small stones scattered on the ground shockingly contained fifth-tier inheritances—specifically for alchemy.

"This sapling is... a fifth-tier talisman inheritance? There are fifth-tier array inheritances too... and all kinds of rare soul secret arts..."

You constantly browsed through them, comprehending whatever you could and memorizing the rest before moving on. "This is a Sixth Tier body cultivation inheritance... It allows one to cultivate to the level of a Sixth Tier Venerable, equivalent to the Void Return stage in dharma cultivation..."

You carefully examined it. It was obvious that this body cultivation inheritance, just like your Shanhai Inheritance, originated from the Upper Realm.

Only the Upper Realm possessed Void Return stage inheritances. As for the Human Realm? Even during the ancient era, a true Void Return stage Venerable had never been born.

"There are also numerous recorded insights on breaking through from the Nascent Soul stage to the Deity Transformation stage..."

A smile appeared on your face. Even though others' breakthrough experiences might not perfectly suit you, they could still serve as references.

Furthermore, there were simply far too many of these records within the Mountain of Books. If there weren't a thousand copies, there were at least eight hundred...

Clearly, these insights spanned back to the ancient era, and even the experiences of those who failed their breakthroughs were included.

When a Nascent Soul stage true lord attempted to break through to Deity Transformation, there was a chance of surviving failure.

If they survived, they could naturally leave behind the insights gained during the attempt.

...

Hundreds of years of careful planning in this simulation can't compare to the time spent here at Heavenly Sword Peak...

You couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It wasn't limited to just this simulation; all the serendipities you had obtained in the previous simulations combined couldn't compare to your harvest at Heavenly Sword Peak. The breakthrough cave dwelling connected to the Heavenly Sword's origin, and the vast sea of inheritances, secret arts, and ancient texts within the Mountain of Books...

It gave you the feeling that all your previous efforts had been entirely meaningless.

Of course, this was merely an illusion.

Without those hundreds of years of effort, you would never have even reached the threshold to become Heavenly Sword Peak's predestined person.

Leaving everything else aside, reaching the Fourth Tier High Grade in Divination was alone one of your greatest harvests in the Xuande Grotto-Heaven.

If you hadn't swept through those peak Great Cultivators, you wouldn't have obtained the Heavenly Cliff Fruit within the Xuande Grotto-Heaven so smoothly. Relying on its power, you briefly merged with heaven and earth, creating the opportunity for your Divination skill to step into the Fourth Tier High Grade.

Without the Heavenly Cliff Fruit, your Divination skill would have stopped at the Rank 4 Middle Grade. Even if your other four paths had reached the Fourth Tier High Grade, you still wouldn't have become Heavenly Sword Peak's predestined person. The final outcome would most likely have been failing to even meet Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword.

...

"Alchemy... Talismans... Equipment Forging... Arrays... Puppetry... Divination... Medicine..."

Looking at the various fourth- and fifth-tier skill inheritances within the Mountain of Books, you finally understood why Heavenly Sword Peak could produce so many Grandmasters in these auxiliary paths.

With such a profound foundation of inheritances, how blessed must the artisans of Heavenly Sword Peak be?

"Hm? This leaf records the specific advantages a legendary Great Cultivator has when breaking through to the Deity Transformation stage..." You reached out and pinched a leaf, browsing it carefully.

"Everyone says that legendary Great Cultivators have an additional advantage when attempting the Deity Transformation stage. In truth, this statement is not entirely accurate. Not every legendary Great Cultivator possesses this benefit."

Looking at the information recorded within the leaf, your heart stirred.

This was indeed something you hadn't anticipated. You had always heard that legendary Great Cultivators received an extra boost when transcending the Deity Transformation Annihilation Tribulation, but you had never learned the specific details.

The number of legendary Great Cultivators was simply too low. This held true even in the ancient era.

Your divine sense probed into the leaf, reading further.

"Only a legendary Great Cultivator who has broken their soul limit can slightly maintain their sense of self while undergoing the Deity Transformation Annihilation Tribulation. Legendary Great Cultivators who have broken the limits of their physical body or magical power do not share this benefit."

You quickly finished reading the leaf and breathed a sigh of relief.

Your physical body, magical power, and soul had all broken the Nascent Soul stage limit. Either way, you met the requirements.

...

Year 393. You were 410 years old.

After immersing yourself in the Mountain of Books for several years, you finally had your Second Nascent Soul take control of the Fourth-Tier Late-Stage Puppet. Bringing the Blood Roc along, it headed to the Eastern Wilderness Domain to pick up Li Yan. You had arranged for her to stay in the Eastern Wilderness Domain because it was safe.

The Eastern Wilderness Domain was unlike the Central Continent Territory. Nascent Soul stage true lords were rarely seen, and Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivators were even fewer in number.

But now?

In the entire Human Realm, was there anywhere safer than Heavenly Sword Peak?

After interacting with them for the past few years, you had also lowered your guard against Heavenly Sword Peak.

With Heavenly Sword Peak's foundation and Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's strength, there was no need for them to deceive you.

If Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword wanted to kill you, it wouldn't be difficult.

"Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword... The Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak..."

You fell into deep thought. Having been at Heavenly Sword Peak for so many years, you naturally knew that you, the predestined person, were inscribed within Heavenly Sword Peak's supreme inheritance, the Sword Scripture.

Furthermore, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword and the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, both of whom cultivated the Sword Scripture, showed no hesitation regarding your existence. They strictly followed the requirements within the Sword Scripture and obeyed your commands.

"The Sword Scripture..."

You vaguely sensed that the Sword Scripture left behind by the Sword Lord might contain a failsafe. Only then could it ensure that generation after generation of Peak Masters and Heavenly Monarchs would strictly comply.

...

Year 403. You were 420 years old.

You still spent most of your time immersed in the Mountain of Books.

Your magical power, soul, and physical body had all reached a point where they could not be elevated any further. Browsing through the many ancient texts and inheritances in the Mountain of Books only enhanced your foundation and insight. The recorded experiences on breaking through from the Nascent Soul stage to the Deity Transformation stage, in particular, allowed you to clearly see the path ahead.

...

Year 413. You were 430 years old.

"So the Heavenly Monarch in the Deep Sea is actually a Rank 5 Void Whale... an absolute overlord of the Deep Sea."

You looked at a maple leaf in front of you. It recorded the negotiations between a sword cultivator Heavenly Monarch of Heavenly Sword Peak and that Rank 5 Void Whale while wandering the Human Realm.

That Void Whale was extremely hostile toward human cultivators and had lived for at least nearly ten thousand years.

Void Whales belonged to a long-lived species with lifespans far exceeding those of humans. A Rank 5 Void Whale had a lifespan of over ten thousand years.

The Deep Sea... you thought, deeply curious. To human cultivators, the Deep Sea was an unknown land. Even though the Northern Sea Territory connected to it and many human cultivators traveled there year-round, they barely scratched the surface compared to the vastness of the Deep Sea.

...

Year 423. You were 440 years old.

You sent your Second Nascent Soul, occupying the Fourth-Tier Late-Stage Puppet, to the Heavenly Talisman Sect to greet Great Cultivator Sanfu.

Great Cultivator Sanfu didn't ask how you managed to take control of Heavenly Sword Peak. Instead, he chatted with you about many past events concerning the Heavenly Talisman Sect.

To Great Cultivator Sanfu, you taking charge of Heavenly Sword Peak was even more shocking than you becoming a Deity Transformation stage Heavenly Monarch.

He didn't even need to think to know that peerless secrets were involved. If he rashly inquired—putting aside whether you could even answer—could a mere Late Stage Great Cultivator like him bear the weight of such a secret?

Thus, Great Cultivator Sanfu simply didn't ask.

...

Year 453. You were 470 years old.

Li Yan cultivated to the Peak Early Nascent Soul Stage.

With the support of your numerous resources, she ultimately stepped into the Mid Nascent Soul Stage smoothly. A Primordial Yin Treasure Physique at the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, nurturing her very first wisp of Primordial Yin Qi for five hundred years—you highly anticipated the effect it would have on your breakthrough to the Deity Transformation stage.

You took out a portion of the many musical skill inheritances from the Mountain of Books and gave them to Li Yan to comprehend.

Normally, the numerous inheritances, secret arts, and ancient texts within the Mountain of Books were not allowed to be taken out or copied.

But now, you held the highest status in Heavenly Sword Peak, even sitting above Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword. Naturally, you didn't need to abide by this rule.

...

Year 500. You were 517 years old.

You attempted to draw a fifth-tier talisman, but ultimately failed. Becoming a fifth-tier talisman master placed extremely high demands on the soul. Only when one's soul power reached the Deity Transformation stage could they control enough of the power of heaven and earth to converge it into a single piece of paper, transforming it into a fifth-tier talisman.

You looked inward at your dantian, observing the seventy Dharma Talismans whose power had all reached the fifth tier.

These seventy fifth-tier Dharma Talismans were all at the Fifth Tier Low Grade. If you wanted to nourish them to the Fifth Tier Middle Grade, given your current magical power quality, you would need at least another six or seven hundred years.

...

Year 536. You were 553 years old.

While you were immersed in the Mountain of Books, your expression suddenly shifted, and you pinched your fingers to divine. Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue... is about to pass away in meditation...

You thought silently.

This information was not something you had deduced; rather, it was an experience from your fifth simulation.

A hundred years after Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue passes away in meditation... accurately speaking, ninety years later, Purple-Eyed True Monarch will step into the Deity Transformation stage and join the ranks of the Heavenly Monarchs...

You recalled the information you had gathered in the previous simulation.

In other words, the best timeframe for you to attempt the Deity Transformation stage was also ninety years from now.

Although you didn't know if this timeframe was truly the absolute best, since Purple-Eyed True Monarch could break through then, there was no reason you couldn't.

...

Year 586. You were 603 years old.

Before you knew it, Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue had passed away in meditation fifty years ago.

During these fifty years, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword had sought you out to ask when you would attempt Deity Transformation.

You didn't reveal your thoughts, instead asking for Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's opinion. He suggested making the attempt roughly seventy years after Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue passed away in meditation.

You suddenly recalled that in the fifth simulation, there was also a sword cultivator Great Cultivator at Heavenly Sword Peak who attempted the Deity Transformation stage, and his timeframe was almost exactly seventy years after Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue passed away in meditation.

However, that sword cultivator Great Cultivator ultimately failed his breakthrough. His sword intent, which had been nourished for a thousand years, shattered and scattered, shaking the Central Continent Territory.

You thought it over and decided you still planned to emulate Purple-Eyed True Monarch and begin attempting Deity Transformation ninety years after Heavenly Monarch Shuiyue passed away in meditation.

Up to this point, although Late Stage Great Cultivators had been attempting to reach the fifth-tier Deity Transformation stage one after another, just like in the fifth simulation, they had all ended in failure.

...

At the summit of Heavenly Sword Peak, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword sat cross-legged, his gaze looking out over the entire Central Continent Territory, and even the whole Human Realm.

"Before fellow Daoist Qingyuan attempts the Deity Transformation stage, no Late Stage Great Cultivator is allowed to succeed."

Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's gaze overlooked the entire Human Realm, constantly monitoring the breakthroughs of the many Great Cultivators. Whenever any Great Cultivator passed the first two of the Three Trials of Deity Transformation and showed hope of smoothly stepping into the Deity Transformation stage, he would secretly take action to suppress and disrupt them.

...

Year 596. You were 613 years old.

Heavenly Sword Peak, fifth-tier cave dwelling. You leaned against a massive boulder, listening to the zither melody played by Li Yan.

The quality of your cave dwelling on Heavenly Sword Peak reached the fifth tier, and even among fifth-tier cave dwellings, it could be considered top-notch.

You had experienced the Heavenly Talisman Sect's fifth-tier cave dwelling. Comparing the two, this fifth-tier cave dwelling on Heavenly Sword Peak was far superior.

As the sparse zither notes drifted through the air, you felt your state of mind become incredibly peaceful.

"Master, the musical inheritances you gave to Yan'er... after comprehending them, Yan'er was deeply moved..."

Li Yan said, her tone soft and sweet.

"It's good that they moved you."

You nodded slightly. Over these years, Li Yan's musical skills had clearly improved significantly.

One had to know... Li Yan was already a Fourth Tier High Grade Musical Grandmaster. At such a height, improving even a tiny bit was incredibly difficult.

...

Year 606. You were 623 years old.

Inside the Mountain of Books, you were still immersed in comprehending the numerous inheritances, secret arts, and ancient texts. There were simply too many. Some were extremely special; before you fully comprehended them, they were very difficult to memorize and required viewing the original copies.

"The vastness of heaven and earth is truly unimaginable..."

You set down a small stone from your hand. This stone recorded information related to the Upper Realm.

The Upper Realm was also known as the Spirit Realm. It was the plane that the Human Realm's Heavenly Monarchs of the ancient era would arrive at upon ascension.

The Spirit Realm was boundless and limitless. It housed Void Return Venerables and even stronger existences. However, during the middle of the ancient era, an extremely tragic great war occurred in the Spirit Realm, causing the ascension path to be severed. The Human Realm could no longer contact the Spirit Realm.

"The Spirit Realm..."

You pondered for a moment, then quickly stopped dwelling on it.

Right now, you weren't even at the Deity Transformation stage. The Upper Realm was still far too distant for you.

...

Year 626. You were 643 years old.

You walked out of the Mountain of Books.

"It's time to attempt Deity Transformation." Your gaze was calm. This point in time was the exact moment Purple-Eyed True Monarch had stepped into the Deity Transformation stage during your fifth simulation.

It was also the timeframe you had set for your own Deity Transformation attempt.

The current you—whether it was your magical power, soul, and physical body, or your foundation, insight, and understanding—had reached an unprecedented pinnacle.

The time to attempt Deity Transformation was right now.

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