Inside the Cloud Stream Cave atop the main peak of Azure Cloud Sect, Chen Fan had been sitting in silent seclusion for three full months.
Ever since he had completely defeated the lower-realm forces of the black-robed invaders, purified all remaining dark turbid air across the three realms, and stabilized the balance of the mortal world, he had devoted himself to cultivation here without rest. Yet no matter how he circulated the Chaos Root in his dantian, or how he cycled the Path of Balance through his meridians, his cultivation base showed no sign of further progress. It remained stuck at an extreme state of perfection, as if blocked by an invisible heavenly barrier that allowed not an inch of forward movement.
Chen Fan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and clear without a trace of anxiety. He understood deeply that this stagnation was not due to a weak Dao heart or flawed cultivation techniques—it was that the heavenly rules of the mortal realm could no longer contain his Path of Balance. The spiritual energy density and the upper limit of Dao principles in this world had reached their absolute end. His current cultivation stood as the pinnacle of all mortal cultivators, with no room left to rise.
At that very moment, a mysterious and gentle sensation descended from the nine heavens, winding through every meridian and bone in his body. It was a call beyond the mortal world, warm and unshakable, guiding him toward a vaster, more boundless realm. Only by stepping into that new world could his Path of Balance and the origin of his Chaos Root undergo a complete transformation. Chen Fan's heart was fully enlightened: this was the sign of Ascension, the recognition of heavenly rules for a cultivator who had achieved mortal perfection, and the new journey he was bound to undertake.
He stood up, brushing the faint dust off his sleeves, and stepped out of the Cloud Stream Cave. A gentle breeze swept across the main peak, with sea clouds surging around him. The halls of Azure Cloud Sect loomed faintly through the clouds, and the mortal realms, once torn by war, now basked in hard-won peace. The quiet atmosphere of cultivation lingered everywhere at the foot of the mountain, all the tranquility forged by his and fellow cultivators' blood and sweat. But now, he could stay no longer—the call of heaven had arrived, and no delay was permitted.
Chen Fan first made his way to the garrison of the Light and Shadow Alliance. The alliance soldiers were training in an orderly manner, and the guarding cultivators bowed in reverence as soon as they saw him, their eyes filled with admiration. Su Lie, the leader of the alliance, strode forward quickly, clasping his fists and saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, you've emerged from seclusion after three months! Has your cultivation broken through to a new height?"
Chen Fan shook his head gently, his tone calm yet resolute: "It is not a breakthrough in cultivation. I have hit the bottleneck of mortal-realm cultivation, and the heavenly Dao has bestowed upon me the sign of Ascension. I will leave this place for the upper realm soon, and I came here to bid farewell to you all today."
The entire garrison fell silent in an instant. All soldiers looked shocked, and Su Lie's face was etched with reluctance as he clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Ascension is a supreme opportunity that all cultivators dream of, but if you leave, what will become of our mortal realm…"
"There is no need to worry." Chen Fan raised his hand to interrupt him, his voice steady and powerful, "I have left the basic methods of the Path of Balance with the sect, and the spiritual veins of the three realms have been fully stabilized. The remaining lower-realm forces of the black-robed faction have been completely wiped out. As long as you uphold your original hearts, protect this hard-won peace, the mortal realm will remain safe and stable. For your future cultivation, remember to stand by righteousness, reject evil paths, and guard the balance of the three realms—this is my final exhortation to you all."
All cultivators of the Light and Shadow Alliance bowed deeply, their voices firm and resonant: "We will abide by your teachings, Fellow Daoist, and swear to protect the peace of the mortal realm!"
Chen Fan nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping over the familiar faces. There was no overly emotional sentiment, only a solemn bow to the crowd. Some goodbyes needed no extra words; the tacit understanding and respect between them were worth more than a thousand speeches. He turned and left the garrison without hesitation.
Next, he returned to the main hall of Azure Cloud Sect. Elder Mo Chen, the other sect elders, and core disciples had long been waiting there. They had all sensed the strange Ascension aura between heaven and earth, and had a faint guess in their hearts. As Chen Fan walked into the hall, Elder Mo Chen stepped forward, his white beard trembling slightly, his eyes red with emotion: "Chen Fan, you… are you really going to Ascend and leave us?"
"Elder, I have reached the end of the mortal realm's Dao. Only by ascending to the upper realm can I continue to explore the true meaning of the Path of Balance." Chen Fan bowed deeply to Elder Mo Chen, performing the full salute of a disciple, "I am grateful for the sect's shelter and the elders' care, without which I would not be where I am today. I am reluctant to leave, but the heavenly Dao cannot be defied, and I must follow the will of my Dao heart."
He paused, turning to the sect disciples in the hall, and spoke in a warm and earnest tone: "From now on, Azure Cloud Sect will be in your care, fellow juniors and elders. On the path of cultivation, the Dao heart comes first; do not obsess over disputes of strength and weakness. Only by holding fast to your original heart can you walk far in cultivation. I have left my cultivation insights on the basic Chaos Root in the Scripture Pavilion; those who are destined may comprehend it to protect and develop the sect."
Tears welled up in the disciples' eyes as they knelt and kowtowed. Elder Mo Chen helped Chen Fan up, letting out a long sigh: "The Dao is boundless, and you were never meant to be confined to this mortal pond. The upper realm has a vast world, and you will surely carve out your own path. Azure Cloud Sect will always be your backing. No matter where you go, we wish you all the best."
A faint ripple of emotion stirred in Chen Fan's heart, yet he maintained the calm of his Dao heart. He bowed once more to everyone in the hall, bidding farewell to the sect where he had cultivated for years, then returned to the top of the main peak.
He stood above the sea of clouds, waiting quietly for the moment of Ascension. Before long, clouds surged in the nine heavens, and ten thousand feet of golden immortal light broke through the sky. An ancient immortal gate carved with balance runes slowly emerged above the firmament. From within the gate, gentle immortal grace poured down like a gentle rain, falling onto Chen Fan's body.
This was the Ascension Baptism—no thunder tribulation, no destructive turbid air, but a gift from heaven for a perfect Dao. The immortal grace seeped into his meridians strand by strand, washing away the last trace of mortal turbid air. The Chaos Root in his dantian crazily absorbed the power of the immortal grace, completing its immortal transformation, while his cultivation base quietly transformed, making final preparations for entering the upper realm. The faint inner demons and trivial greed that had arisen during his cultivation were completely dispelled under the baptism of immortal grace, making his Dao heart clearer and unshakable.
Chen Fan closed his eyes and focused, letting the immortal grace temper his physical body and divine soul. When the baptism was complete, he stepped into the golden Ascension Immortal Gate without a single moment of hesitation.
The mountains, rivers, sects, and old friends of the mortal realm were instantly isolated by the light of the immortal gate. The scenery around him changed drastically, and when he opened his eyes again, he stood atop a green mountain peak shrouded in clouds and mist, where spiritual energy was so rich it was almost tangible.
There was no confinement of the mortal realm in this world; the spiritual energy was wrapped in abundant ancient Dao principles that perfectly matched his Path of Balance. The moment Chen Fan landed, his cultivation base stabilized perfectly at the Perfection of the Spirit Cleansing Realm, and his physical body completed the initial transformation from mortal to immortal. He looked up, gazing at the stacked mountains in the distance, immortal birds skimming across the sky, and faint traces of cultivators traveling back and forth. This brand-new world was known as the Hengxiao Heavenly Realm.
And his path of cultivation in the upper realm, from this moment on, officially began.