“Interesting… their cultivation realm differs from mine… I kind of expected this…”
Zhang Dong looked at his children who were expanding their cultivation level beyond the Dao Expansion realm. They were reaching the Immortal stage before his eyes, and the 99th level had been mostly destroyed. The elder they were up against was the person he faced on the 50th floor, but this time around, the man was in his true form. While he had to stop him from killing his children, he was part of the system and could be revived for when others needed to understand their Daos better.
“Their realms are a bit different from mine… Is it because of the nature of their creator? But wasn’t I also created by the same being?”
What he expected was the blossoming of their Dao seeds into a Dao tree that resembled his. Then, they would be given their own universe where they would contemplate the Dao of Life and Death. This wasn’t the case here. While they became immeasurably stronger and were starting to tap into higher powers within this universe, they didn’t really have a world within. Instead, it was something akin to a sea. For now, it was like a large calm ocean, similar to a gathering of a mass of spiritual energy in liquid form.
“I guess you could call it a Dao Ocean or Dao Sea realm? It doesn’t seem like it will be about creating living worlds…”
Zhang Dong was confused but also concerned about this state of events. He had hoped that his children would be able to follow in his footsteps, but they were different. The system was also able to distinguish their cultivation and gave it the moniker of '’Immortal Realm’. It was probably a path that had been traversed before, and something the creator of the system was aware of.
As the remnants of the 99th floor dissolved into the void, Zhang Dong reached out to the ethereal forms of his children. The Dao Sea realm they had entered was uncharted territory, and he needed to understand it better. His consciousness merged with the vast expanse of their combined Dao, and he found himself in a space that transcended the boundaries of the trial tower.
The siblings, now ethereal dragons intertwined in a dance of golden and white energies, hovered in the center of this Dao Sea realm. They seemed to be in deep meditation, their awareness submerged within the boundless sea of spiritual energy. Zhang Dong could sense the pulse of their Dao, the ebb and flow of power that resonated with the very essence of existence.
He didn’t want to pry too far, as his own energies were above theirs. If he exuded too much pressure in this delicate time, then it was possible that the two might suffer a backlash. Instead, he decided to shield them from any outside energies and people that might peek from outside. Like this, they remained for an extensive period of time, much longer than his own ascension process.
Soon days and then weeks started passing as his children were trying to reinforce their cultivation stages. The Dao dragons that they previously created were slowly fusing with their Dao sea which in turn started to expand even further. Within the Dao Sea realm, Zhang Jun and Zhang Xiu continued their profound meditation. As their consciousness merged with the vast sea of spiritual energy, they felt a connection to the essence of existence itself. The dragons they had summoned were no longer separate entities but had become integrated with the very fabric of their being.
Zhang Dong, observing from the periphery of their consciousness, marveled at the uniqueness of their journey. Their Dao Sea was not a conventional Dao Tree, but rather an expansive ocean of spiritual energy. It seemed to be a reflection of their connection to the vastness of the universe, a testament to the fact that their creation was different from his own.
As the siblings explored this uncharted realm, they began to tap into the latent potential within their Dao Sea. They could shape the very nature of their existence, manipulating the spiritual energy around them to form vast spiritual constructs. It was a process of creation that even caused him to increase his own knowledge. While they were below his power scale, they had access to a different set of abilities that weren’t that inferior to the Dao Tree stage of his.
Eventually, after remaining a silent observer for more than a few months, he heard something. It was the roar of two dragons that pierced through this pocket dimension and could be heard by the other participants of this trial tower. Huo Qiang, Zhang Liena, and the others felt a shiver run through them as two new immortals emerged.
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“What’s that?”
“Are those Little Jun and Xue? Did they manage to achieve it, after all these years?”
“The great ancestor's children are something else!”
The people that were within the trial tower started cheering while also trying to absorb any Dao knowledge that might have come from this ascension. Many thousands of years had already passed since they entered this place and now the first two had ascended to the level all of them were aiming for. Soon they saw a white door appearing and three people walking out through one of the hotel doors. The one in the middle was their ancestor Zhang Dong, while a step behind him were his children.
The trio stepped out through the door leading out of the last floor. They radiated a strange force that even the Dao Expansion masters couldn’t understand, it was clear that they had ascended to a new stage, the immortal stage. Zhang Liena approached along with the others, their eyes filled with curiosity and respect. They had witnessed the siblings’ journey and could only imagine what the last floor had in store for them.
“Welcome back and congratulations”
“Mother, we are back.”
“Congratulations, Senior Brother! Zhang Jun! Zhang Xiu! They've truly reached the pinnacle!”
Huo Qiang exclaimed, a genuine smile breaking across his face. Even though he wanted to be the first one, he understood that these two had more talent than him. Along with his senior brother’s unique bloodline, they were bound for greatness. There was no one in this chamber that wasn’t a little bit jealous, but soon they would do the same, and all of them were sure of it.
“Haha, I understand that this is a cheerful moment but the two won’t be able to remain here for too long, the upper realm awaits us all and we need to stick to the plan.”
“Ah… is that true?”
“Yes mother, we had already decided to join father in the upper realm.”
Zhang Liena nodded as she realized that her husband had become a little more distant. Everything weighed down on his shoulders, and they weren’t cultivating for fun, but to win a possible confrontation with an unknown adversary. They were given a few days to celebrate their ascension, but soon the two needed to leave through the mirror and join him in the last mission.
“Let us rejoice in this moment now though, the drinks are on me!”
Before their departure, Zhang Dong decided to host a little party. This hotel was a pocket dimension that could create other ones. It was quite easy to create an avenue for them to rest and chat about the things that transpired.
The celebration was lively, filled with laughter, cheers, and heartfelt congratulations. Zhang Jun, and Zhang Xiu shared stories of their journey through the trial tower, the challenges they faced, and the profound insights they gained during their ascension. The other cultivators listened with awe as they tried to absorb the knowledge the two new immortals had gained. If they used it well, then soon they too could visit the 99th floor and confront the quasi-immortal.
As the night progressed, Zhang Dong noticed the mix of emotions in his children;s eyes. While there was joy and accomplishment, there was also a sense of duty and anticipation. They were ready to move forward, to face whatever challenges awaited them in the upper realm. They had been given snippets of the information but now they would need to actively take part in the main plan. Amidst the celebration, Zhang Dong approached his children while having a hard time hiding his smile.
“You've both done exceptionally well. Ascending to the Immortal stage is no small feat, and I am proud to have you as my children.”
There was a sense of accomplishment that only a father with such children could feel. He was proud of them but also slightly sad that they had already become reputable grown-ups. Zhang Jun and Zhang Xiu bowed respectfully to their father.
“Thank you, father, for guiding us and supporting us throughout our journey. Without your teachings and the system you provided, we wouldn't have reached this stage.”
Zhang Dong smiled, ruffling their hair affectionately.
“Haha, you did it yourselves, you’re far more diligent cultivators than this old man of yours!”
The trio, surrounded by friends and fellow cultivators, continued to enjoy the festivities. However, as the night wore on, Zhang Dong’s gaze turned thoughtful. He knew that their time in this pocket dimension was limited, and the impending mission in the upper realm awaited them. Everything was proceeding smoothly but he couldn’t get rid of the foreboding feeling he was having.
Around twenty percent of the stations had already fallen into his clutches and the armies he was creating were growing. His family was now starting to reach the immortal level which would hasten this process. Within the next few years, a lot of changes would be taking place and perhaps soon all of this would be over.
Soon the festivities ended and both of them headed through the mirror connecting to the space station. The Zhang Dong clone remained back at the trial tower to guide everyone else and they were picked up by one of the puppets. Jun’s and Xiu’s eyes went wide as they witnessed the strange occurrences in this place. The strange puppets were everywhere and they could even see other system holders being processed without being able to give them aid.
However, this was nothing compared to the presence their father exuded. After arriving at the administrative chamber they were finally able to reunite with what their father had truly become, an existence that was already above a true immortal.