Of course, people in the Dao Realm didn’t need to pa.s.sively bathe in the the light of heavenly bodies. They could fly off the planet itself and directly face the light of the sun!

Right now, within the the 9,000-meter area around Brightmoon Lake, everyone sat cross-legged, bathing in the light of East Ascension Sun. Suddenly, Fang Wei flew out from the East Ascension Pavilion, and proceeded to shoot up into the sky without the slightest pause.

The boundless sunlight was shockingly hot. The entire world seemed visibly distorted, as if all of the moisture in the air had been completely sucked away. All of Brightmoon Lake seemed to have evaporated into a mist, and was now completely dried up.

Cracks appeared on the surface of the ground as the Fang Clan members around Brightmoon Lake soaked in the power of the sunlight and used it to strengthen their fleshly bodies to shocking levels.

When Fang Wei flew out, it attracted a lot of attention. He was a Chosen, a blazing sun of the Fang Clan. He instantly shot up to a height of 3,000 meters with incredible speed. It was there that he took a deep breath and then settled down cross-legged, seemingly transforming into a black hole that rapidly sucked in sunlight.

A commotion immediately broke out.

“Prince Wei is really deserving of his reputation!”

“He’s not just absorbing the sunlight, he’s gobbling it up! What profound understanding of the East Ascension Sun!”

Even the experts and Elders in the ancestral mansion were silently nodding their heads.

The second person to fly up into the sky was w.a.n.g Mu, Chosen of the w.a.n.g Clan. His eyes flickered with a strange gleam as he flew up into the air, his expression quickly turning into one of excitement.

“The Patriarch had a magic called Sundered Night, which was created after he gained enlightenment of the rising sun…. Today, I, w.a.n.g Mu, will contemplate the East Ascension Sun, which will improve my own enlightenment of Sundered Night!” [1. w.a.n.g Lin from Renegade Immortal used a divine ability called Sundered Night. This would have been known to readers of ISSTH who also read Renegade Immortal, but as far as I’m aware, it hasn’t come up yet in the translation of Renegade Immortal. The references I found were in the chapters after 1,000, although I suppose it could have come up before then]

After w.a.n.g Mu, it was Taiyang Zi, who rose up into the air laughing. He was from one of the Five Holy Lands, Mount Sun, and he cultivated a magical technique that had a lot to do with the sun. Therefore, the good fortune of this day meant more to him than anyone else.

Taiyang Zi immediately flew to a position roughly 2,400 meters high. He took a deep breath, and then… completely transformed into something that looked like a sun! Everyone who could see him was instantly shocked.

Next were Fan Dong’er and Li Ling’er. The two young women flew up, one to a height of 3,000 meters, the other to a height of 2,700 meters, where they both settled cross-legged. Both of them were beautiful to begin with, but underneath the light of the sun, they were scintillating, and emanated a feeling of holiness. Anyone who saw them would feel their hearts pounding, as if they were looking at celestial beings.

Song Luodan followed closely behind. After him were the other Fang Clan Chosen, among whom Fang Donghan was the swiftest. He came to a stop at a position roughly 1,800 meters high, astonis.h.i.+ng many clan members.

Meng Hao released Sun Hai, whose expression was somber as he stepped forward and then flew up to a height of 2,100 meters. He emanated the energy of an Emperor, causing vast quant.i.ties of sunlight to build up around him.

Of all the Chosen who flew out from East Ascension Pavilion, none stopped at a position lower than 1,200 meters. Even Fang Xi managed to make it to 1,200 meters, where he began to meditate. There were quite a few other clan members in that same position, most of whom flew up from positions surrounding Brightmoon Lake.

Meng Hao didn’t fly up. He remained sitting cross-legged in the pavilion. The heat from the outside penetrated into his body, making him feel as if he had caught fire.

It caused beads of sweat to begin to roll down his face, all of which were pitch black. It was as if there were impurities within his body that were now being forced out. At the same time, he began to absorb some of the heat, strengthening his qi pa.s.sageways, toughening his bones, and increasing the power of his blood and flesh.

“East Ascension Sun!” he thought, taking in a deep breath. The heat battered his face, pouring into his body, which began to tremble. After some time past, he finally flew out of the pavilion.

The instant he appeared outside, he could hear the clamor of voices. People weren’t talking about him, though, they were focused on… Fang Wei!

“21,000 meters! I can’t believe Prince Wei reached 21,000 meters!”

“It’s only been an hour, and he’s already at 21,000 meters! the heat there could vaporize an ordinary Spirit Realm cultivator in the s.p.a.ce of a single breath!”

“Prince Wei really deserves his reputation!”

Meng Hao heard the cries of surprise ringing out. Earlier, he had spent one hour inside of the pavilion to get used to the sunlight of the East Ascension Sun. Now, as he looked up into the sky, he could see the various Chosen up in their various positions high in the sky.

The highest, of course… was Fang Wei!

He wore white garments, and floated alone at a height of 21,000 meters, grand and magnificent. Golden light surrounded him as sunlight poured into his body.

Fang Wei’s hair floated around him, making his normally handsome appearance even more shockingly elegant and graceful. Anyone who caught sight of him would be unable to withhold a cry of praise.

The three people just below Fang Wei were Taiyang Zi, Fan Dong’er and… someone Meng Hao wasn’t familiar with. When he had been with the other Chosen earlier, laughing and chatting, Meng Hao had learned that this was the Chosen from the Sublime Flow Sword Grotto… Zhou Xin!

Seeing Zhou Xin reminded Meng Hao of someone else from the Sublime Flow Sword Grotto….

“I wonder how Zhao Yifan is doing….” he thought.

When Meng Hao had first gotten to know all of these Chosen, Taiyang Zi’s cultivation base did not allow him to stand on a level similar to Fan Dong’er. However, the magic he cultivated gave him an advantage due to being connected to the sun, and therefore, he was at the same level as the other two, 19,500 meters. Below them at the 18,000-meter mark were Li Ling’er and w.a.n.g Mu!

Song Luodan, Sun Hai and the others were all at the 15,000-meter level. Fang Donghan was among their number, and many were paying attention to him. The main reason for that was that he normally kept a very low profile in the Fang Clan, and yet on this occasion, unexpectedly made it 15,000 meters high.

Meanwhile, back in the Fang Clan ancestral mansion, many of the Elders and other powerful experts were watching events play out. The Grand Elder was one of them, and as he looked at Fang Wei’s lofty position, his face was devoid of any expression. No one who looked at him would possibly be able to guess what he was thinking.

Fang Wei’s father and grandfather sat some distance away from the Grand Elder. Both of them were smiling.

“Wei’er has been preparing for years, building up resources, all with the goal of reaching a height of 300,000 meters….”

“If anyone can do it, it’s Wei’er!”

Outside of the East Ascension Pavilion, Meng Hao watched as everyone, including Fang Wei and the other Chosen, slowly climbed higher and higher. As they did, the good fortune they acquired increased.

Meng Hao’s eyes glittered.

“I haven’t kept a low profile at all in the Fang Clan, and today will be no different!

“Moreover, this sunlight will greatly benefit my fleshly body. In fact, it’s possible that… I can take my fleshly body… to the level of true Immortality!”

Meng Hao took a deep breath and then began to rise into the air. In one simple movement, he reached 3,000 meters. He stopped there for a moment to take a breath. The sunlight distorted as it engulfed him, and was then sucked into his mouth.

Because of the ma.s.sive amounts of sunlight that Meng Hao was absorbing, a rumbling sound suddenly echoed out!

It was a sound created from light containing natural law being accelerated to a high speed in the process of being absorbed. It was a strange sound that first sounded like rumbling, but then, if one listened closer, sounded like an enraged roar.

As the sound spread out, it immediately attracted quite a bit of attention.

“That’s Fang Hao!”

“What was that sound just now?”

“It’s coming from around Fang Hao! The rays of light are distorted. He’s gulping them up just like Prince Wei did!”

Meng Hao ignored the buzz of conversation. His body felt like it was about to burst into flames. He trembled for a moment, then closed his eyes, relis.h.i.+ng the feeling of becoming like an incarnation of flame. His fleshly body was on fire, and because of it, was in the midst of transforming!

“Wonderful,” he thought, opening his eyes. Flames danced within his pupils. He threw his head back and laughed, then proceeded on higher. He was now at the 6,000-meter position!

As soon as he arrived, the other clan members at the 6,000-meter position looked over at him. Fang Xi was there, and when he saw Meng Hao, he started to get excited.

Meng Hao took a second deep breath, sucking in more sunlight. The intense temperatures around him turned into a whirlpool, and he was completely inundated by sunlight.

Yet again, that strange noise emanated out!

Next, Meng Hao laughed and then proceeded on a third time, then a fourth, then a fifth!

9,000 meters. 12,000 meters. 15,000 meters!

The shocking sound echoed out yet again, three times! RUUUMMMMBLLLE!

Everything in the area shook, and the clan members sitting cross-legged on the ground, bathing in the sunlight, began to look up, startled by the sound. When they saw what was happening, their expressions flickered with shock and astonishment.

They weren’t the only surprised ones. All of the people at the 15,000-meter position were shaken as they personally watched Meng Hao approaching at top speed. Every time he moved, he rose 3,000 meters, and creating ma.s.sive rumbling sounds!

“Five steps to get 15,000 meters! Fang Hao… isn’t just astonis.h.i.+ngly skilled in the Dao of alchemy, his fleshly body is incredibly powerful!”

“It takes a strong cultivation base to bathe in the sunlight, but even more important is a strong fleshly body to support you! Without that, if you climb too high, you’ll be instantly killed!”

In the ancestral mansion, a strange gleam could be seen in the Grand Elder’s eyes as he watched Meng Hao. Fang Wei’s father and grandfather were frowning. As for all the direct bloodline clan members, they were starting to get excited. Fang Xi’s father, 19th Uncle, was laughing happily.

Meng Hao took a deep breath as he hovered there at the 15,000-meter position. He took a moment to experience the shocking temperature, and the sunlight that was apparently capable of refining his body. He felt as if his entire person were being refined inside of some sort of furnace of Heaven and Earth.

“With Heaven and Earth as the furnace, pills can be refined, and so can people!” Meng Hao moved onward. To the shock of the other clan members at the 15,000-meter location, it only took one movement for him to shoot another 3,000 meters to the 18,000-meter position!

By this time, Fang Wei had reached 27,000 meters. Taiyang Zi, Zhou Xin, and Fan Dong’er were at the 24,000-meter position, and Li Ling’er was only 3,000 meters away from Meng Hao’s current location!

By now, all of them had noticed Meng Hao. Of course, none of them were surprised to see him climbing so high. Deep in all of their hearts, they had long since begun to consider Meng Hao to be Chosen just like them.

This was especially true of Li Linge’r, who knew that Meng Hao and Fang Mu were one and the same. Seeing him below her, she clenched her teeth and pushed on higher.

Fang Wei, at the 27,000-meter position, wore the same facial expression as usual. When he looked down at Meng Hao below him, a flicker of scorn could be seen in his eyes. He didn’t care that Meng Hao was rising higher; he chose to disregard him the way he always had.

“My goal is 300,000 meters,” Fang Wei murmured. “I don’t need to compare myself to others.

"As I continue to advance on my path, I will surpa.s.s everyone and leave them in my dust….

“I will be the person that everyone tries to catch up to. Fang Hao… your goal is most likely to outdo me. Well, you’ll have to work a bit harder. Don’t get left too far behind.” With that, Fang Wei pushed higher, stepping into the 30,000-meter position.