The Gulf Between Heaven and Earth!

Whoosh! Luo Chen's figure materialized on the misty, cloud-veiled plaza. The moment his feet touched the ground, a disciple of the Dao Sect stepped forward to meet him. Before the disciple could utter a word, Luo Chen produced a jade medallion. The medallion shimmered with light. With just a glance, the Core Formation cultivator understood Luo Chen's identity. "So you are a guest elder of the Star Gate! This way, please!" Luo Chen nodded and followed behind him into the billowing clouds. The instant he crossed into the plaza, it felt as though he had passed through a thin membrane. In that fleeting second, his formidable physical body felt a faint prickle of unease and constriction. "Is this a defensive formation?" The guiding cultivator blinked. "Senior has keen eyes. Indeed, this is the defensive formation naturally generated by Heaven and Earth Peak. Normally, it is never activated. However, the Alchemy Saint's ascension is the foremost event for our sect. While our sect has no fear of mishaps, it is only proper to take thorough precautions." *So that's it.* Luo Chen glanced back instinctively at the invisible, formless barrier. *A defensive formation generated naturally by Heaven and Earth Peak, which houses a fifth-rank spirit vein?* He could feel the terrifying power lurking within it! Even his own formidable physique—comparable to that of a fourth-rank desolate beast—felt slightly uncomfortable. And this was merely in a semi-active state, without being fully unleashed. If the formation were powered to its full extent, Luo Chen doubted that even his all-out attacks could breach it. Of course, his reaction was largely due to his physique being excessively robust and overly sensitive; an ordinary cultivator likely would not have even noticed that such a formation was operating on Heaven and Earth Peak. "Might I ask what it is called?" he inquired casually. The Core Formation cultivator was taken aback. As a guest elder of the Star Gate, did Senior Luo Chen truly not know the formation's name? However, he soon recalled the additional words "External Affairs" engraved on the jade medallion. Evidently, the man's clearance was not high enough, leaving many matters beyond his knowledge. After a brief hesitation, he answered Luo Chen. "Severing Heaven and Earth!" Luo Chen paused. *What kind of name is that?* Heaven and Earth Peak rose so high into the heavens that its summit was invisible. Even this vast Cloud Sea Plaza, when viewed from below, sat merely halfway up the mountain. One could say that this wondrous, ancient peak truly carried the majesty of bridging heaven and earth. Yet its naturally formed defensive formation was named "Severing Heaven and Earth"? He wanted to ask more, but the Core Formation cultivator clearly had no wish to elaborate—or perhaps did not even know the true effects of the formation. After all, from the time the Tianyuan Dao Sect carved out the Central Plains over ten thousand years ago to when it established its supreme hegemony three thousand years ago, the formation on Heaven and Earth Peak had never once been activated. How could ordinary mortals or common cultivators ever know the wonders of the Severing Heaven and Earth Array? Suppressing his curiosity, Luo Chen arrived at the southern corner of the Cloud Sea Plaza. Before he had even drawn near, the bustling hum of voices reached his ears. "Senior Luo, we have arrived. The cultivators of the Star Gate have been arranged to observe the ceremony here. Should you require anything, you may instruct the nearby Dao Sect disciples at any time." "Very well. You may go." Luo Chen waved his hand and stepped inside. As his figure emerged, gazes turned toward him one after another. On the surface, Luo Chen remained placid and unmoved, yet his heart tightened abruptly. And for good reason! Among the thousands of eyes looking his way at that moment, nearly a hundred belonged to masters of the Nascent Soul realm! Moreover, every single one of them was at a higher realm than him! The weaker were at the third or fourth level of Nascent Soul, while the stronger reached the sixth or seventh level. And those were merely the ones actively releasing their magic power fluctuations. The majority had concealed their cultivation, making it impossible for Luo Chen to discern their exact realms without actively prying with his divine sense. *Is this the true strength of Heaven and Earth Peak's Star Gate?* Luo Chen swallowed hard. Even though he had repeatedly revised his estimates of the Star Gate's power, calculated the number of its Nascent Soul cultivators, and factored in the natural cycle of aging and passing, he still had not expected to find nearly a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators gathered here. If such a force were unleashed upon the outside world, it would be more than enough to dominate an entire continent! Yet this was merely the accumulation of thirty-six centuries within the Star Gate—just a fraction of the Tianyuan Dao Sect's immense heritage! "Fellow Daoist Luo, over here!" While he was still reeling from shock, the familiar Elder Qideng waved to him. Luo Chen immediately walked over. Along the way, he exchanged brief nods with Lindong Shanren and Lu Qiuzhen, who were looking toward him. Clearly, they had arrived earlier than he had. They were, after all, official guest elders of the Star Gate. The Alchemy Saint's ascension was the grandest event of the Star Gate, so they naturally had been notified early and had prepared ahead of time. Luo Chen directed his gaze toward Elder Qideng, where four elderly figures were gathered together. None of them revealed their cultivation realms, yet their tranquil presence exerted a pressure on Luo Chen as vast as the sea and as towering as a mountain. *Could these be four of the five Outer Continent Great Elders of Heaven and Earth Peak?* He could not say for sure. Back during the Star Gate's Seven Elders Council, everyone's features had been obscured, and even the Alchemy Saint had only been recognizable to him by her delicate silhouette. As Luo Chen approached, two of the four elders took their leave ahead of time. Only Elder Qideng and a grey-robed elder remained. "Allow me to introduce you. This is Desolate Hermit Luo Chen, who only recently joined our Star Gate." Luo Chen cupped his hands in a respectful Daoist greeting to the grey-robed elder. Elder Qideng then introduced the grey-robed elder to Luo Chen. "This is Consecrator Hui Yuanhong..." *Merely a consecrator?* *That isn't quite what I imagined!* Before Luo Chen could ponder further, Elder Qideng continued, "Once the Alchemy Saint ascends, one of the five Outer Continent Great Elder seats of the Star Gate will be left vacant. When that time comes, Consecrator Hui will take that seat." Realization dawned upon Luo Chen. Meanwhile, Hui Yuanhong looked at Luo Chen with great interest, sizing him up repeatedly. "So you are the first external affairs guest elder admitted to our Heaven and Earth Peak's Star Gate by exceptional decree of the Alchemy Saint?" Before Luo Chen could answer, Elder Qideng spoke up helplessly. "Why speak in circles? Did we not already discuss this earlier?" Hui Yuanhong laughed heartily. "Do not take offense, Fellow Daoist Luo. I only wished to become acquainted. From now on, we will cultivate together on Heaven and Earth Peak. Along the path of immortality, I hope we may support each other." Luo Chen smiled and nodded humbly. "I am merely an external affairs guest elder; I hardly deserve such regard from Elder Hui. Given your profound realm, it is you who should guide and elevate me. Talk of mutual support is far too flattering." *What a sharp lad, calling him Elder Hui already!* Hui Yuanhong was thoroughly delighted. To be addressed as such before he had even formally assumed one of the nineteen elder seats on Heaven and Earth Peak was music to his ears. Elder Qideng, on the other hand, was rather surprised. It seemed this Desolate Hermit was surprisingly well-versed in the ways of the world! Hui Yuanhong smiled and said, "The title of external affairs guest elder is of little consequence. So long as Fellow Daoist Luo performs tasks and earns merits for the Tianyuan Dao Sect in the future, promoting you to a formal guest elder is merely a matter of a single word from us." "Perform tasks for the Dao Sect?" Luo Chen asked curiously. "For a sacred ground that rules an entire continent, what matter could possibly require my humble efforts?" "Soon, soon!" Hui Yuanhong patted Luo Chen's shoulder. "You arrived just at the right time!" He did not elaborate on the specific details. After warmly patting Luo Chen on the shoulder, he took his leave and blended into the crowd. Evidently, in preparation for his upcoming promotion to elder, he was eagerly broadening his network of connections. Luo Chen was merely one of many, and comparatively the easiest to win over, seeing as he was the most recent cultivator from the outer continents to join Heaven and Earth Peak. After he left, Luo Chen rolled his shoulder slightly with an awkward twitch. It had been many years since someone had treated him with such overbearing "regard." Standing beside him, Elder Qideng said slowly, "Pay it no mind. Consecrator Hui has been overjoyed lately, so it is only natural that some of his actions overstep boundaries." Luo Chen voiced an agreement, indicating he did not mind. Clearly, the other man had overstepped boundaries in more than just physical touch; promising Luo Chen a promotion to formal guest elder was itself an early exercise of an elder's authority. Luo Chen looked around and could not help but sigh in admiration. "So many people!" "Many?" Elder Qideng stroked his long beard. "This is merely half the strength of Heaven and Earth Peak." Luo Chen's pupils contracted, and he blurted out, "Only half?" Even now, Nascent Soul cultivators were still entering this corner from time to time, bringing the count barely past a hundred. If this was only half, did that mean the Star Gate possessed as many as two hundred Nascent Soul cultivators? What kind of absurd joke was that?! Seeing that he had misunderstood, Elder Qideng quickly clarified, "The composition of the Star Gate does not consist solely of cultivators from the outer continents. One need only look at the establishment of the nineteen elders of Heaven and Earth Peak to see this." Nineteen elders: twelve from the great clans, two from the aristocratic families, and five seats occupied by cultivators from the outer continents. In other words, the clans of the Central Plains also occupied a portion of the Star Gate? Sure enough, Elder Qideng's subsequent words confirmed this speculation. "When certain Nascent Soul cultivators from the major clans reach a certain age in their lifespans, they voluntarily join the Star Gate." "However, most of them do not cultivate on Heaven and Earth Peak during normal times. Only when they are near death do they come here, selecting a cave abode to quietly await the end." "You do not see them today because their respective clans have also arrived to observe the ceremony, so they have gone to their own families' viewing platforms." *So that's how it is.* Luo Chen understood completely now. Not only that, but from Elder Qideng's further explanations, he learned of other circumstances regarding the outer continent cultivators in the Star Gate. More often than not, the cultivators from outer continents who joined the Star Gate did not come alone; they brought their families and disciples with them. However, those juniors were not permitted to cultivate on Heaven and Earth Peak. Instead, they were relocated by the Tianyuan Dao Sect to various parts of the Central Plains. If these juniors had previously operated as a clan, they continued to exist as a clan. If their lineage had originated as a sect, they were broken up and dispersed to establish small-scale cultivation families, or integrated into local Central Plains families through marriage. From that perspective, it was exceedingly difficult for the descendants brought by outer continent Nascent Soul cultivators to truly assimilate into the Central Plains. Yet the Tianyuan Dao Sect granted them an opportunity. If they remained in the Central Plains for five hundred years, their descendants would have the chance to enter the Tianyuan Dao Sect to study. The reason there were over a thousand people in this corner of the Star Gate's viewing platform today was that many of them were the descendants of the Star Gate's guest elders and consecrators, taking advantage of this rare occasion to reunite. Curious, Luo Chen asked if there had been any successful precedents. He received an affirmative answer. From the look of it, the Tianyuan Dao Sect had not made empty promises; they had genuinely put these policies into practice. Having grasped all this, Luo Chen could not help but sigh with deep emotion. *No wonder the Star Gate is able to draw in so many Nascent Soul experts from the outer continents. It not only offers them hope of reaching Soul Formation, but also resolves their worldly worries for their descendants.* Amidst these musings, his thoughts began to wander. *If I return and bring my old friends from the Luotian Sect to the Central Plains, would they also have the chance to enjoy all this?* The cultivation philosophy of the Central Plains did not align with the path Luo Chen walked. Yet the millennia of peace in the Central Plains was something no one could dislike. Even if competition existed, it was merely benign rivalry between the sect and the clans, never escalating into indiscriminate slaughter and bloodbaths. Such a place truly fit the traditional description of a cultivation holy land. The more he learned, the more the haughty notion of being a mere "passerby" faded from his heart, giving way to the nascent desire to put down roots here! Just as Luo Chen's thoughts were drifting, the mist and clouds across the grounds trembled, and white chairs fashioned from cloud patterns, mist, and boundless spiritual energy rose into the air one after another. "All cultivators, take your seats!" That ancient, weathered voice from before echoed in everyone's ears once again. "It is Sect Master Mo!" Elder Qideng said, then floated upward. Luo Chen did the same, following a subtle, mystical guidance to land gently upon a cloud chair high in the air. At this height, the vast sea of clouds could no longer obstruct their vision. Looking northward from the south, fifty chairs stood facing them in the distance. At first glance, Luo Chen's eyes fell upon the two chairs in the far corner. The reason was simple: on one of those chairs sat an uncomfortable-looking Core Formation cultivator. He was the sole Core Formation cultivator among the many Nascent Soul masters seated high among the clouds. *One of the two representatives elected by the countless humble clans of the Central Plains?* What led Luo Chen to this conclusion was that seated on the neighboring chair was none other than Perfected Longyuan, who was in the early Nascent Soul realm! He had not yet managed to elevate the humble Liu family into the ranks of the aristocratic families, so he was still accorded the treatment of a humble clan. Naturally, the person beside him had to be from a humble clan as well. At that moment, Perfected Longyuan immediately sensed the gaze Luo Chen cast toward him. He said nothing, merely giving a gentle nod. Luo Chen frowned slightly. What did that nod signify? Without dwelling on it, Luo Chen swept his gaze across the other forty-eight chairs. Those individuals were likely the representatives of the twelve great clans and the thirty-six aristocratic families. ... Down on the Cloud Sea Plaza, a dense crowd of people stood, ranging across all realms from Qi Refining to Core Formation. Clearly, these were the younger generations and kinsmen brought along by the various clans to witness the ceremony. At that moment, three individuals stood together, searching the heights above until they finally spotted their target among the True Persons in the south. "He is there! Senior Brother Changfengzi, is that truly him?" "His appearance is vastly different, and his temperament is completely transformed. Is that intelligence of yours genuine?" Facing the inquiries of Guan Xiaoping and Wu Tao, Changfengzi gave a strained, heavy nod. There was no mistake! The intelligence gathered by the Shen family was extraordinarily accurate! Desolate Hermit was Demonic Lord Qingyang, and Luo Hai was naturally Luo Chen, who now sat high upon the clouds. Faced with Changfengzi's confirmation, Guan Xiaoping and Wu Tao were so dazed they could hardly contain themselves. A rogue cultivator who had once merely served as their guide had actually walked this far? Meanwhile, decades had passed, and their own cultivation had only advanced by a modest step, rising from early Core Formation to mid Core Formation. Could the gap truly be this immense? In fact, despite their intense gazes, the man did not even cast a downward glance in response. Between Core Formation and Nascent Soul lay a gulf as vast as heaven and earth. ... Among the numerous family representatives, Luo Chen accurately located Fu Chaosheng. After exchanging a knowing smile, neither initiated a conversation via divine sense. Luo Chen continued observing the others, lingering especially on the representatives sent by the twelve great clans. All of them were Nascent Soul True Persons of profound cultivation and formidable attainment. Next, he looked toward the western side, which was the outermost corner. There, intricate and noble cloud chairs had likewise risen. The figures seated upon them came as no surprise to Luo Chen; several were the very individuals who had appeared at the Peach Garden. The eminent monk from the Western Desert, the black-robed figure from the Southern Border, and the young man from the Mingyuan Sect of the Eastern Desolation. As for the others, Luo Chen had no impression of them. Altogether, these guests numbered over a dozen. After surveying the entire plaza, Luo Chen formed a general idea in his mind. *Over a hundred True Persons, the clans of the Central Plains, and the representatives of three continents—together, they form the viewing delegation for this ascension ceremony. The scale is extraordinarily high!* *This reflects just how much importance the Tianyuan Dao Sect attaches to the Alchemy Saint's ascension.* *If I, or any other outer continent cultivator in the Star Gate, were to reach Soul Formation and ascend one day, would we receive such treatment?* Luo Chen was certainly not the only one harboring such thoughts. On the southern viewing platform, every Star Gate True Person seated high in the clouds experienced surging emotions and a swarm of stray thoughts. The representatives of the three continents in the west were equally lost in their own musings. The eminent monk of the Western Desert appeared serene, but the continuous flicking of his prayer beads revealed that he was not quite as composed as he seemed. The young man from the Eastern Desolation's Mingyuan Sect wore a dark expression, constantly glancing about as if anticipating something, yet dreading it at the same time. The cultivator from the Southern Border, shrouded entirely in black robes, showed no discernible expression, though their gaze periodically shifted toward the assembly of Star Gate cultivators in the south. Suddenly, everyone's thoughts froze for a fraction of a second. Instinctively, every gaze turned toward the east. From within the sea of clouds, three figures slowly emerged. Yet everyone ignored the two companions and fixated solely on the elder leading them. "Greetings, Sect Master!" It was unclear who spoke first, but a thunderous clamor like crashing waves immediately swept across the plaza. Even the viewing representatives from the three continents respectfully called out, "Greetings, Sect Master Mo." Luo Chen was no exception, joining the throng in paying his respects. Mo Shouzhuo! The contemporary Sect Master of the Tianyuan Dao Sect! His realm: Soul Formation! He alone represented the entirety of the Tianyuan Dao Sect! Yet no one dared overlook this seemingly solitary figure—not merely because of his cultivation realm, but because everyone present, save for the viewing representatives of the three continents, was an integral part of the Tianyuan Dao Sect. Amidst that mountain-shaking greeting, Luo Chen truly felt the overwhelming might of the sole master of the Central Plains for the very first time. Ever since arriving in the Central Plains, Luo Chen had interacted with great clans, aristocratic families, and humble clans, and his eyes had beheld the assembled cultivators of Heaven and Earth Peak's Star Gate. The renown of the Dao Sect that was so widely spoken of in the Eastern Desolation and Northern Sea had seemed rather nebulous by comparison. Even after traveling through the Lanke Mountain Range, Luo Chen had not felt much of an impact. Yet in this very moment, he finally understood what the Tianyuan Dao Sect truly was. The twelve great clans were the Tianyuan Dao Sect. The thirty-six aristocratic families were the Tianyuan Dao Sect. The countless humble clans were also the Tianyuan Dao Sect. Heaven and Earth Peak's Star Gate was likewise the Tianyuan Dao Sect. Yet there was only one Tianyuan Dao Sect. All these people and events combined, several hundred Nascent Soul masters combined, and even this vast Central Plains beneath their feet—stretching millions of li in length and countless myriads of li in breadth—only when all of it was united did it form the true Tianyuan Dao Sect! *This is what a true sacred ground looks like!* Luo Chen marveled inwardly, his eyes brimming with boundless yearning. Right then, Mo Shouzhuo, Master of the Dao Sect, raised his right hand slightly and pressed it down through the air. The multitude fell silent; not a single sound remained. There was only his calm, indifferent murmur: "Begin!" The moment the words fell, Heaven and Earth Peak shuddered violently. At that instant, everyone felt as though this ancient mountain, which had stood in the Mountain Sea Realm since antiquity, had suddenly awakened and come to life. An indescribable aura began to rise madly, growing from minuscule to immense, from faint to overwhelming. *Boom!* Mountain winds surged; white clouds drifted wildly. A hazy phantom abruptly materialized in the void. Though the phantom was indistinct, its facial features were extraordinarily clear. Her brows and eyes were like a painting, her gaze like autumn waters. The bridge of her nose was straight yet gentle, resembling a masterpiece painstakingly sculpted by an ancient master artist. Her lips parted slightly, like cherry blossoms just beginning to bloom. The contour of her cheeks was gently rounded, bestowing upon her a delicate, frail air accompanied by a lively, spirited charm. Everyone raised their heads to gaze up at that ethereal face. The young man from the Mingyuan Sect clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his flesh. "It is Martial Uncle Chu Yan!" Seated upon his cloud chair, Luo Chen was struck dazed and lost in wonder. *Crossing the yin soul into yang, transforming the Nascent Soul into a divine entity—this is a Primordial Spirit!* In this moment, even though he had already achieved the Nascent Soul realm he had dreamed of in his youth, he still felt the chasm between heaven and earth. Before that phantom face, he was as frail and insignificant as an ant.