Chapter 201: Reconnecting Heaven and Earth

During the days that followed, Li Shun remained deep within the Kong family's old residence, calmly recuperating and conserving his strength as he waited for the Hundred Schools Grand Gathering to begin.

Kong Zhao, meanwhile, continued to bustle about day and night, secretly plotting how to use Zhou Shengzhe as a stepping stone to establish his own reputation. Most of the time, he was nowhere to be seen. Yet whenever he occasionally appeared, the unconcealed delight between his brows made it clear that things were progressing quite smoothly on his end.

Li Shun's cultivation life, for once, had settled into a rare period of tranquility.

The entire Great Qian court and realm was much the same.

Ever since the upheaval in the Sacred Capital, the officials throughout the realm had tacitly fallen into a strange state of dormancy. Everyone was afraid that at this critical juncture, with undercurrents surging everywhere, they might become the bird that sticks its head out and gets shot.

Half a month later, on the third day of the third month in the five hundred and seventy-fifth year of the New Calendar.

This rare tranquility was finally broken.

Even though he was staying within the secluded Kong family residence, Li Shun could keenly sense that the aura around Mount Dai had become noticeably more turbulent in recent days.

Disciples of the Hundred Schools and various other schools and lineages were gathering here one after another. Although the grand gathering had yet to officially begin, quite a few people had already arrived ahead of time. While waiting, they traveled in groups of three or five to explore Mount Dai.

And today, Li Shun once again encountered a familiar face.

Zhao Cheng.

"Greetings, Martial Uncle Zhao."

Zhao Cheng carefully looked Li Shun over before nodding slightly.

He let out a soft sigh.

"The events in Dongshan Town are still vivid in my mind. I never imagined that things would have changed so completely by now."

"Junior Brother Fang has passed away, and you have already advanced to the upper-tier of Spirit Resonance."

"This time, you will be representing our Spring and Autumn Brush lineage at the grand gathering. Just do your utmost. If things prove impossible..."

"There is no need to force the matter."

Both the tone and manner in which Zhao Cheng spoke were markedly different from before.

Li Shun could not help but secretly observe him.

They had not seen each other for more than two years, and Zhao Cheng seemed to have experienced a great deal.

Although his appearance remained unchanged, there was an inexplicable trace of vicissitude in his eyes.

It was almost as though, from his perspective, an extremely long time had passed.

'It's not an illusion...'

Li Shun pondered this silently before nodding in agreement.

"The grand gathering is about to begin. There are some things I should tell you."

"The Hundred Schools Grand Gathering has no fixed schedule. Sometimes it is held once every ten years, sometimes once every five."

"At least five different schools or lineages are required to open it. Moreover, the more schools participate, the greater the effect of the grand gathering."

"This time, the number of participating schools is the highest in all the years it has been held."

"Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Legalism, Military Strategy."

"Yin-Yang, Diplomacy, Medicine, Agriculturalism, Miscellaneous."

"And Historiography, Dream, Names, Fishing..."

Zhao Cheng's expression became solemn.

"Although the philosophies of the Hundred Schools differ, their purpose this time is the same."

"Within the secret realm of Mount Dai, they intend to reconnect Heaven and Earth!"

Upon hearing the words "reconnect Heaven and Earth," Li Shun's mind shook violently.

He naturally knew that the terrifying calamity known as the Severing of Heaven and Earth in ancient times was what had caused Great Qian to become the isolated world it was today.

The primordial land had shattered, splitting into countless fragmented worlds.

Shamans, demons, gods, and humans had been separated from one another ever since.

Yet he had never imagined that the so-called Hundred Schools Grand Gathering was actually intended to reconnect Heaven and Earth!

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he continued listening to Zhao Cheng.

"Do you know of the Severing of Heaven and Earth?" Zhao Cheng asked.

Li Shun nodded, but did not reveal everything he knew.

Instead, he merely recounted some of the common rumors circulating among ordinary people.

"The Severing of Heaven and Earth is not some vague and illusory legend. It truly happened upon this land in the distant past."

"In the Primordial Era, the living beings of the world could ascend high mountains and communicate with Heaven."

"They could see Heaven, see the Gods, and see the Dao."

"And Mount Dai was one of the Divine Mountains that reached Heaven!"

Zhao Cheng gazed into the distance at the towering Mount Dai, his voice carrying a faint, distant quality.

Li Shun repeated the four words, "Divine Mountain that Reaches Heaven."

This was the first time he had heard such a description.

Yet when he recalled the experience of climbing to the summit of Mount Dai not long ago, it was indeed completely different from the sensation he normally experienced while standing upon the ground.

'His mind became clear, his thoughts immersed, almost as though he had entered a state of enlightenment.'

'Could this be the effect of a Divine Mountain that Reaches Heaven?'

Zhao Cheng continued.

"After the Severing of Heaven and Earth, all the Divine Mountains that Reached Heaven were severed at the waist. They also lost their miraculous ability to connect with the heavens and the Great Dao."

"However, they were once passages connecting Heaven and Earth. By gathering the strength of the Hundred Schools and employing secret arts, it is possible to reproduce, to a certain extent, the grandeur of the primordial world."

Zhao Cheng paused, a trace of remembrance appearing on his face.

"In simple terms, the Hundred Schools join forces and use the lingering aura of the Divine Mountains that Reached Heaven to create a primordial illusionary realm."

"Although it is an illusion, everything within it is almost indistinguishable from reality. Any insights, cultivation techniques, divine abilities, and even cultivation itself acquired within it can all be reproduced in the real world after the experience ends."

"And precisely because it is an illusionary realm, it cannot withstand the aura fluctuations of cultivators above the Grotto Mystic realm. Therefore, only cultivators below Grotto Mystic may participate."

Upon hearing this, Li Shun quickly realized the crucial point.

"If one dies within the primordial illusionary realm..."

Zhao Cheng smiled.

"Rest assured. I participated in a Hundred Schools Grand Gathering back then as well. There are indeed all kinds of dangers within the illusionary realm. There may be ferocious primordial beasts, or terrifying natural disasters."

"But even if you die, at most your divine sense will be damaged and you will be expelled from the illusionary realm. After recuperating for some time, you will recover. It will not endanger your life in the real world."

Only then did Li Shun seem to breathe a sigh of relief.

"However..."

Zhao Cheng suddenly changed his tone.

"During previous grand gatherings, there have occasionally been one or two cases where someone's consciousness became lost and they never returned."

"No one knows what they encountered. Without their consciousness, only an empty shell remained, which slowly withered away."

"So the primordial illusionary realm is not completely without risk. Are you still willing to go?"

Zhao Cheng asked in a deep voice.

At this point, regardless of how much of Zhao Cheng's words were true, the quota had already been decided. Li Shun had no choice but to go.

He immediately replied solemnly, "Such an opportunity is something countless cultivators throughout the world would desperately seek. How could this disciple retreat?"

"However..."

"Speak freely," Zhao Cheng said calmly.

"This disciple previously heard that if one succeeds within the illusionary realm, they will have the potential to directly enter the Creation realm. May I ask, Martial Uncle, what exactly does it mean to 'succeed'? And what exactly are we supposed to do after entering the primordial illusionary realm?"

Li Shun asked.

"That is precisely what I am about to explain to you."

At Zhao Cheng's gesture, Li Shun followed him into the room.

Countless golden characters slowly unfolded, completely sealing off the surrounding area.

Zhao Cheng waved his hand, and a map gradually unfolded in midair.

Li Shun looked over and saw numerous locations marked upon it, including Jianmu, Lingshan, Mount Buzhou, and many others.

"After entering the illusionary realm, each person will randomly appear in a different location throughout the primordial world."

"The first thing you need to do is determine your exact location. Then..."

"Go to the nearest Tongtian Divine Mountain!"

A sharp glint flashed through Zhao Cheng's eyes.

"Although it is an illusion, its ability to reach Heaven still possesses the same miraculous effects it had in the Primordial Era. Do you know what that means?"

Li Shun immediately understood.

"See Heaven, see the gods, and see the Dao?"

Zhao Cheng nodded slightly.

"The mysteries and profundities of that state are difficult to describe with words. Under such circumstances, it would not be strange to comprehend something extraordinary."

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[TL:- Tongtian (通天) literally means Heaven-Reaching or Heaven-Connecting.]