Longevity starts with dual cultivation

Chapter 326 Coming in droves
The turbulent situation outside had no effect on Ling Changqing and his group.

At this moment, his feet had stepped onto a ladder to heaven that was about ten feet wide, radiant and dazzling, as if formed from clouds.

Beyond the Heavenly Ladder lay a hazy, ethereal sea of ​​clouds and a vast expanse of blue sky. Even with Bai Qingyi and Luo Binghu's cultivation levels, they couldn't see what was hidden behind the sea of ​​clouds.

Moreover, this heavenly ladder slowly extends upwards until it enters the depths of the sea of ​​clouds at the edge of the sky, where the magnificent and majestic palace phantoms appear and disappear in the sea of ​​clouds.

"...Husband, don't worry, just keep moving forward."

Xue Qingtan, standing beside her, said softly, "As long as we don't leave the area of ​​the Heavenly Ladder, we'll be fine."

"Alright, let's go."

Ling Changqing nodded and, together with his group of beauties, headed towards the end of the Heavenly Ladder.

The journey was indeed smooth and uneventful; nothing happened, and there were no restrictions or traps on the Heavenly Ladder.

However, in Ling Changqing's divine sense, the sea of ​​clouds outside the Heavenly Ladder was constantly changing. Occasionally, a terrifying aura would suddenly emerge and then disappear without a trace, as if a giant beast had plunged into a bottomless abyss.

Ling Changqing didn't know what it was, but it goes without saying what would happen to any outside cultivator who accidentally stepped into the sea of ​​clouds.

Of course, Xue Qingtan was fully aware of this. In this goddess emperor's previous life, the Doumu Immortal Palace was not as peaceful as it is now when it opened. Many powerful cultivators fought fiercely outside, causing chaos and rivers of blood to flow.

As a result, less than 10% of the cultivators were able to successfully enter the depths of the Immortal Mansion Ruins.

Moreover, in order to seize the various opportunities that appear within, they inevitably engage in fierce battles and selfless fighting.

In the struggle for a rare celestial herb or a precious cultivation technique, scenes of fellow disciples turning against each other, fathers and sons, brothers, lovers and Daoist partners betraying each other are common occurrences.

As a result, very few people were able to obtain certain opportunities and leave this place alive; they were basically all well-known and powerful figures in this world.

However, now, with her husband's help, Xue Qingtan felt that she could take all the benefits in the Ancient Immortal Palace, and no one else could even dream of getting a single one.

A moment later, the enormous sea of ​​clouds drew ever closer. Ling Changqing, sensing no danger, simply took all the women, including Bai Qingyi, into the inner space of the Epoch Star Palace, leaving only Xue Qingtan and himself to travel together.

After entering the area covered by the sea of ​​clouds, the scene before Ling Changqing's eyes quietly changed. The majestic and magnificent palace complex disappeared, and beautiful stars of different sizes and colors hung overhead, radiating a tangible pressure.

Ling Changqing sensed them slightly and was surprised to find that these stars were all projections of rare ancient spiritual treasures, and their number was probably in the tens of thousands.

They hang silently in the azure sky, their tranquil and magnificent starlight carrying an ancient, mysterious, and desolate aura that has remained unchanged since time immemorial.

"These are just illusions, my husband, don't be fooled."

Xue Qingtan, who was beside him, took his hand and whispered softly, "There are indeed many treasures in the key areas of the Immortal Palace, but they are not here. We can see them after we go in."

Ling Changqing did not question her judgment, as it was not much different from her own deduction.

A short while later, Ling Changqing and Xue Qingtan successfully reached the end of the Heavenly Ladder.

Here, the Heavenly Ladder has branched into nine paths, each several thousand feet long, and at the end of each path is a huge, colorful star that is slowly rotating.

The colorful stars here are all large-scale spatial teleportation arrays. Once you step into one, you will be teleported to a deeper part of the Immortal Palace Ruins.

"Hmm? There are no restrictions or traps here, so all nine paths should be passable, right?"

Ling Changqing glanced around and didn't sense any danger, which meant that no matter which side path the outside cultivators chose, they would eventually have a chance to enter the core area of ​​the Immortal Palace Ruins.

"That being said, there are still differences in distance and familiarity among these paths."

Xue Qingtan squeezed his hand and said with a smile, "Husband, would you prefer to arrive at the depths of the Immortal Palace ruins in a few days? Or would you prefer to arrive in a month... or even a year?"

These branching paths are all safe and real; the only difference is how long it takes to get there.

Xue Qingtan remembered that in her previous life, there was an unlucky cultivator who wandered deep into the ruins of the Immortal Palace for several years before finally reaching his destination, only to be beaten to it by someone else, and he didn't get any benefits.

"Is that so? My lady, you should know the shortest route, right?"

Ling Changqing asked.

"Okay, let's choose the third option on the right."

Xue Qingtan said, "There will be more path selections to come. Most of them are safe, but whether we can choose the shortest path depends on luck."

Ling Changqing nodded slightly. This was the first time he had ever faced such a test. It seemed simple, but if he made a mistake even once, it was hard to say what kind of danger he would encounter next.

Fortunately, Xue Qingtan had regained her memories of her past life, and she could also confirm it through divination. Compared to other cultivator teams, she had a huge advantage. "However, we still need to find a way to eliminate all traces after we leave, so that later cultivators can't see through our deception."

Ling Changqing continued, saying that he would not be so generous as to share such an extraordinary opportunity with outsiders. It should be like the Hongmeng Holy Temple, which should belong entirely to his own family.

"Don't worry, my husband, I will definitely handle it properly."

Xue Qingtan smiled and said that as long as the disturbances of the two people's aura and destiny are eliminated, even if the cultivators who followed behind have the cultivation of the Void Refining Realm or even the Dao Integration Realm, they will find it difficult to deduce any useful information.

A moment later, having finished dealing with the aftermath, Xue Qingtan took Ling Changqing's arm and stepped into the spatial teleportation array, disappearing into the dazzling light and shadow.

……

Outside the ruins of the fairy palace.

The first to arrive were three magnificent and imposing celestial ships, each a thousand feet long.

This is an elite group of cultivators led personally by the head of the Yu family. The group numbers in the tens of thousands, including men, women, and children, simply because their territory is the closest to this place.

"...Patriarch, quite a few cultivators have already gone in, and they all seem to be women? Could they be from the Xuan Nu Palace and the Ye family?"

A family monk responsible for monitoring from a distance stepped forward, bowed, and then reported in a low voice.

It's obvious that the cultivators who opened the Immortal Palace Ruins wouldn't just wait here; they've probably already gone deep into the ruins.

"...There's no time to lose, let's go in immediately!"

The head of the Yu family frowned as he looked at the situation, then gave the order in a deep voice.

On the Azure Sea Continent, the only forces that rely solely on female cultivators are the Mysterious Maiden Palace and the Ye Family. If they were to take the lead, it would be bad news for the Yu Family.

As for the possibility of being ambushed inside, the patriarch couldn't care less about that now. This celestial palace ruin was clearly extraordinary, and they had to find a way to seize it no matter what; there was no reason to easily give it up to outsiders.

"Patriarch, there are still a large number of family members gathering behind us. Shouldn't we wait for them?"

An elder asked.

"We can't wait any longer. Let them come along on their own! Let's go in first, otherwise the other forces will arrive soon."

The head of the family gave the order decisively. There was no reason to hesitate at this point; if he was a step too late, he might not even get a sip of soup.

As a result, numerous Yu family cultivators surged into the ring-shaped light gate like a tide, and then disappeared.

Of course, a small number of family cultivators are hidden outside, ready to provide assistance should anything happen inside.

Half an hour later, hundreds of cultivators with different clothes and varying levels of cultivation arrived in a flurry of activity, riding their escape lights.

They were all wandering cultivators who happened to be passing through the area. They had all flocked over because they had unexpectedly discovered the unusual celestial phenomena that occurred when the Immortal Palace Ruins opened.

Upon seeing the entrance to the ruins, they did not hesitate for long. They immediately used their magical treasures and talismans to protect their bodies before stepping inside without looking back.

For the vast majority of cultivators in this world, obtaining opportunities requires taking risks, even at the cost of their lives.

Over the next few hours, many more independent cultivators arrived, and they too did not stay for long, entering in groups of three or five.

Half a day later, a magnificent embroidered tower, over a hundred feet in circumference, bathed in holy light and adorned with exquisite ornaments, appeared on the horizon. It descended slowly but actually very quickly near the gate of light.

"...Sister, quite a few people have already gone in!"

A sweet, melodious voice rang out.

"Definitely. Such a commotion can't be kept from them. Who knows, even those annoying guys might be attracted here?"

Her voice, gentle yet authoritative, spoke slowly and deliberately.

The doors of the embroidered pavilion opened, and a large group of stunningly beautiful women in gorgeous clothes poured out like clouds, their fragrance filling the air and their hair swaying in the breeze.

Leading the group was a graceful and elegant woman dressed in a crimson brocade palace gown, her black hair tied up high, adorned with a fiery gold hairpin, and her bright, sparkling eyes as clear as the stars.

Ye Xinglan, the current head of the Ye family, one of the ten major powers on the Azure Sea Continent.

(End of this chapter)