Ascension of The Unholy Immortal-Chapter 412: Tian Shu

It didn't take long for Liang to step through the gate and emerge on the other side.

Everything remained exactly as he had left it—untouched, unaltered, undisturbed.

His gaze flicked briefly toward the core of the matrix before settling on the two white-robed men approaching, clearly alerted by his arrival.

"Mister Liang," one of them greeted with a respectful smile. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

These two are among the clan's top formation masters—each one a rank-seven formation expert.

Liang gave a faint nod. Then, without a word, he stepped into the void—and vanished, leaving behind only a ripple of spatial energy.

Dong Si watched the lingering distortion with a trace of awe. "What an extraordinary man," he murmured.

Beside him, Dong Chen stroked his beard, his tone contemplative. "Indeed. Without him, completing this matrix might have taken us centuries."

Dong Si exhaled softly. "Genius like that can't be taught. It simply appears—heaven-ordained."

Dong Chen chuckled. "Still, we're not exactly lacking ourselves. Seventh-grade formation masters are rare, no matter the domain."

"I'm not talking about talent or recognition," Dong Si said, shaking his head. "I mean the Path itself. Formation mastery… it's not something one can coast through. Every step forward feels like defying the heavens."

Dong Chen fell silent, his eyes lingering on the fading ripples in the void.

"Do you think he's glimpsed the next realm?" he asked after a pause.

Dong Si's expression turned solemn. "Hard to say. The eighth level is the threshold—the gate to what some call the Divine Formation Realm."

Dong Chen's eyes flickered. "It doesn't feel so unreachable anymore. Maybe… we should ascend."

Dong Si nodded slowly. "I've already decided. A hundred years from now, I'll leave this domain."

"Oh?" Dong Chen raised a brow. "You're certain?"

"In this place, there's no room left for growth. Just stepping into the Origin Domain is enough for me."

Dong Chen stroked his beard again. "It's not a peaceful life up there. Constant battles, endless pursuit of power... If you don't keep rising, you fall. And falling means death."

Dong Si snorted. "Life here is comfortable. Too comfortable. Most seventh-grade experts choose to stay and stagnate. But what is comfort without purpose?"

Dong Chen gave a dry laugh. "I'd rather wait for origin collapse than die beneath a lightning tribulation."

Dong Si turned his gaze to the horizon, eyes distant. "Origin collapse is peaceful, I'll admit that."

Origin collapse—the moment a cultivator's foundation could no longer support their cultivation. The core fractured, their essence dissipated, and they faded into the void.

Dong Chen nodded slowly. "Like a candle's final flicker—no violence, no pain. Just... silence."

"A natural death," Dong Si agreed with a thin smile. "When insight ceases, and the Path ends, the cultivation base begins to erode. First slowly… then all at once."

"There's a kind of dignity in that," Dong Chen said, almost defensively. "A cultivator seated in meditation, their breath steady, aura calm—until it simply fades away."

"But to me," Dong Si said, steel in his voice, "that is still death without meaning. To burn out quietly rather than blaze a trail through the heavens—how can that be the legacy of a true formation master?"

Dong Chen smiled faintly. "And yet, many choose it."

---

Not far from the Heavenly Yin Cliff, a black-robed man stood with a furrowed brow, glancing around vigilantly.

Just then, he turned to look behind—and instantly took two steps back.

When he saw who stood there, his expression eased slightly, though the tension in his body didn't vanish.

"Sir, you scared me to death just now," Tian Shu said with an unpleasant smile.

"You're just not vigilant enough," Liang replied with a mocking chuckle.

Tian Shu sneered inwardly but kept quiet. "Sir, I've fulfilled my part of the agreement and informed you the moment the revenant left the Heavenly Yin Cliff."

Liang nodded approvingly. "Indeed. You've done a good job."

"So?" Tian Shu's brow furrowed further. He didn't care for praise—only payment.

"So impatient," Liang said with a soft chuckle. With a wave of his sleeve, he sent a space ring flying through the air.

Tian Shu caught it deftly, his spiritual sense sweeping through its contents in an instant. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his eyes, quickly hidden behind his usual guarded expression.

"Very well," he said, slipping the ring onto his finger. "We're even."

Liang gave a faint smile. "For now."

Tian Shu's eyes narrowed, but he didn't dwell on the words. Instead, he turned to leave. His body shimmered and vanished like smoke in the wind.

Moments later, he appeared in a lonely mountain range far from the Heavenly Yin Cliff. The sky above was blanketed in gray clouds, and a cold wind howled between the jagged peaks. Thin mist curled along the ground, carrying a faint chill.

Tian Shu didn't move immediately. He closed his eyes and stretched out his divine sense, sweeping the land around him like a massive net. After several breaths, he confirmed—no one had followed.

Only then did he remove the black mask from his face and exhale a long sigh.

"That man… too dangerous," he muttered.

Several years ago, Liang had appeared without warning and offered him a task. It had sounded simple: watch a location and report any changes in the inner region. For that, Liang had paid a large deposit of elemental crystals. The second half had just been delivered.

Easy on paper—but far from simple in reality. The Heavenly Yin Cliff was cursed. Dark energy clung to it like rotting flesh, and twisted spirits often stirred in the shadows. For most, it would have been a death sentence. But for him, it was manageable.

Watching the place wasn't a burden—in fact, it had been convenient. He often came to the Heavenly Yin Cliff to cultivate anyway. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Within the Heaven Fortune Domain, he was widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on the cliff—both in theory and experience.

He shook his head and let out a bitter laugh.

"Still… it was worth it."