Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 399 Looking to the Past, Illuminating the Future, Entering the River of Time (4000 words)

"Conditions? Rules?"

Zhang Yuanzhu gently stroked the long ruler with his palm, his brows furrowing.

At this moment, the legal representative also spoke up:
"The secret realm opened a thousand years ago, and anyone below the Golden Core realm can enter."

"The secret realm opened two thousand years ago. Those below the Condensation Realm can enter the secret realm. Anyone who does not meet the rules will die if they get close."

"Is that so?"

The young man's eyes were deep. If the rules were still the same as they were two thousand years ago, then neither Qingyangzhai nor the Du family would stand a chance.

He wanted to show them what it meant for an entire generation of descendants to be wiped out.

As the two talked, the door trembled slightly.

Boom~
The sky and earth shook, and the various colors of light that surged forth suddenly stopped.

Immediately afterwards, a deep black color appeared in the middle of the door and spread rapidly.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the entire gate was stained black.

It resembles a giant mouth, standing between heaven and earth, ready to swallow everything.

"The Chuanyuan Secret Realm has opened!"

Some people exclaimed in surprise, their expressions excited.

However, no one entered the door.

Most of those present possessed inherited knowledge and naturally knew about the events of the Chuanyuan Secret Realm. Even those who were unruly cultivators without inherited knowledge, and even the fools who had just died, would not be the first to enter the portal.

Time passes minute by minute.

Boom~Boom~
Several streaks of light emerged from the ends of the earth and arrived at the gate in the blink of an eye.

There were four people in total, each radiating an extremely powerful aura that attracted the attention of all living beings.

"Peak True Person of the Condensation Realm".

A cultivator murmured, his eyes filled with shock.

In an era when Golden Core cultivators rarely appeared, a True Person at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage was the strongest they could come into contact with, yet now three of them have appeared at once.

Zhang Yuanzhu remained indifferent as his gaze swept over the three True Immortals.

One of them was an elderly man with gray hair and a thin body.

The man, wearing a blue cloak and a sky-blue inner shirt, stood in the sky, his gaze lowered, meeting the eyes of the young man.

Both of their eyes were filled with murderous intent.

A powerful figure from the fifth ancestral lineage of the Du family once wielded a golden elixir magic weapon and ambushed him at the edge of Greenwood Mountain.

"How can unorthodox cultivators participate in the secret realms of the righteous path?"

The hoarse voice echoed between heaven and earth, and an overwhelming aura pressed down, like a divine mountain collapsing, terrifying beyond measure.

"Ah!"

A chuckle.

The young man took a step forward, like a long sword drawn from its sheath, its sharpness fully revealed, shattering the energy flow and tearing apart the clouds.

"You old pig-dog, if you want to die, I'll grant your wish."

Before the words had even finished, wisps of inexplicable energy surged forth, startling the observers.

“This…this is the aura of a Golden Core True Monarch; he possesses a Golden Core treasure.”

The old man, draped in a blue cloak, had a solemn expression and his eyes were filled with apprehension.

Are they Golden Elixir items?
He knew very well that the other party also possessed items belonging to Dao Lords, things that he could not contend with.

He turned slightly to the side and spoke to the tall, armored middle-aged man beside him:
"Fellow Daoist Qingyangzhai, the unorthodox sect members are fierce and cunning. Do not let them enter the secret realm. Kill them quickly."

The middle-aged man in armor stood expressionless, hands behind his back, and simply responded:
"The secret realm is the priority; all other matters should be postponed."

He paused, then continued:
"Letting them in as a trial for the younger generation is not a bad idea."

Upon hearing this, the old man looked astonished. "Are you serious?"

This person could severely injure the Du family's prodigy with a single move, yet you want to train him as a junior disciple? Is Qingyangzhai so confident, or do you have other motives?

The old man regained his composure, his eyes darkened, and he fell silent.

Standing on the right was a short figure shrouded in light, who ignored the two sects conversing.

A hand reached out, sleeves flicked.

Figures appeared in mid-air: there were cultivators exuding demonic energy, white-haired elders, Foundation Establishment cultivators, and various demonic beasts...

All sorts of creatures filled the sky. Although they differed in cultivation level and age, they all shared one thing in common: fear etched on their faces.

A short, blurry figure reached out with a hand, its fingertips lightly touching the ground.

A young man at the Qi Refining Realm stepped out of the crowd and strode toward the deep entrance. As he approached the entrance, his face grew paler and paler.

Until it enters the portal and disappears from the sight of the masses.

"You can enter if you are in the Qi Refining Realm!"

A cultivator whispered, his gaze fixed intently on the sky.

The short figure pointed again with his fingertips.

One by one, the cultivators walked out, their faces pale, and entered through the gate.

Bang~bang~
An elderly man with white hair exploded, his blood and bones scattering; a Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped into the portal and vanished; even a Demonic Cultivator at the Qi Condensation Realm perished…

As more and more lives were lost, the cultivators gradually came to understand the rules of this secret realm.

'Is it not a matter of cultivation level, but age?'

Zhang Yuanzhu murmured to himself, already having made a deduction.

"Those who live past one hundred years old will die if they approach the gate."

Fayan put his hands together, murmured a Buddhist chant, and slowly opened his mouth.

"It's not the best, but it's not bad either."

The young man nodded.

Cultivation is difficult. Even for an ordinary genius, reaching the third or fourth level of Foundation Establishment after a hundred years of cultivation is already considered quite remarkable.

Therefore, even if someone has cultivated for more than seventy years longer than him, there are few who can rival him.

Lost in thought, she lightly stomped her foot, and the silver boat glided across the sky, slowly approaching the door.

Wow! Wow!
As the airship drew closer to the gate, the faint sound of surging waves gradually reached their ears.

Zhang Yuanzhu's double pupils were deep and unfathomable. He scanned his surroundings but found nothing.

"Can you hear the sound of flowing water?"

Fa Yan and Fa Ding looked surprised, listened carefully, and all shook their heads.

"Brother Dao, we have never heard the sound of waves."

"The Secret Realm of the Passing River has existed since ancient times, and it is perfectly normal for it to have some strange features."

The two women began to speak.

The young man gripped the ruler tightly with his five fingers, tapped his forehead slightly, and remained vigilant, showing no sign of relaxation.

One breath!
Five breaths!!
Ten breaths!!!

The silver boat sailed through the gate and was completely swallowed up by the dark light.

Like a drop of water flowing into the ocean, it seems to have gone largely unnoticed.

Thousands of miles away, atop a mountain, a woman with silver hair and a gray robe leaned against a tree trunk, gazing at the gate.

Her eyes, like those of a smiling fox, were alluring and captivating.

"The elegance of the past has faded with the wind, and the friends of yesteryear have all turned to ashes. It is no longer our era."

"The gate remains the same, the secret realm is as it was before, but can Feng Jiuwu reappear?"

The woman sighed softly, her voice carrying a sense of vicissitude.

She didn't believe the promises made by Qingyangzhai, yet she was willing to stay there and wait for the so-called ending.

What if it succeeds!
Even if it was just to see her one last time, she would be willing to give everything.

……

In the Qingyangzhai pavilion, two figures sat facing each other, with a chessboard placed in front of them.

Snapped!
White moves, occupying the center point and securing the victory.

"I won this round!"

"All the pieces are now in play. You have indeed won, but I have also won."

Two figures slowly stood up, and the player holding the black pieces dispersed and disappeared.

The blurry figure turned to look in the direction of the secret realm and whispered:
"We are one, if I win, you win too."

...Splash~ Splash~
The stream flowed beneath my feet, creating splashes of water. Everything around me was hazy and indistinct, neither up nor down, neither left nor right, neither light nor darkness.

Space and time both seem to be hidden.

"Where is this?"

Zhang Yuanzhu moved his feet, but he didn't know where he was going.

He found himself in this predicament the moment he stepped through the door.

He was in a daze, and the ten-story glazed pagoda in his mind was shaking and disintegrating. He felt himself becoming more and more ethereal, as if he was about to leave his original world as he walked forward.

In his confusion, he saw a river, with the years flowing and time rushing by. Was that time?

Gone forever!
As time goes by, this thought inevitably comes to mind.

Deep within the soul, the silent Seven Treasures Tree swayed gently, and wisps of divine light emanated from its entire body.

In an instant, Zhang Yuanzhu regained consciousness.

A secret gateway to the flowing rivers and the vast landscape, it offers a glimpse into the past and the future.

All the marks associated with time flashed through my heart.

Call ~
Zhang Yuanzhu let out a soft breath.

Things are getting interesting.

Is it the Seven Treasures Tree, or the river that dried up at the beginning of time, or a secret realm that has existed since ancient times...?

Too many thoughts flooded my mind.

At last……

"Ah!"

It turned into a soft laugh.

The youth stood by the river, gazing intently at its long course. On each wave, there was a peerless hero, majestic and extraordinary, shining with brilliant light that illuminates the ages.

He strained to see into the distance, and he saw scene after scene: peerless heroes soaring into the sky, fairies shedding blood, common people weeping blood, and the masses crying out in despair...

Some of these images were clear, while others were blurry. Zhang Yuanzhu looked at them carefully and found that some were things recorded in ancient books, while others were not, because they were too ancient and had been forgotten by the world.

Finally, he saw six indescribable, blurry beings, standing on the upper reaches of the river, as if trying to cut off the passage of time and exist eternally.

'Did something great exist before this era? Was it the primordial chaos, or something even further back in time?'

Zhang Yuanzhu murmured to himself.

The past is set in stone, but what about the future?
The young man's heart stirred slightly, and he stopped in his tracks, wanting to turn around and take a look at the downstream of the river of time.

"The past is uncertain, why turn back, fellow Daoist?"

A gentle voice sounded in my ear.

"Keep moving forward, the path is beneath your feet."

Unknown words drifted down, the hazy river began to clear, the water receded, revealing a path.

Zhang Yuanzhu's lips curled into a mysterious smile.

For a moment, only the churning waves could be heard, and there was no other noise.

He took a step forward, then suddenly turned around and looked around.

The great river surged and churned, its flow hazy and indistinct, obscuring everything.

This is a river even grander and a more turbulent than the upper reaches of the river of time; it must be the epitome of brilliance and splendor.

Zhang Yuanzhu's face melted, becoming even more radiant. He turned and stepped forward, entering the path and slowly disappearing into the mist.

Step by step forward, I don't know how much time has passed, whether it's a moment or eternity.

The river disappeared, the waves vanished, the mist dissipated, and even the path beneath our feet was nowhere to be seen.

He stood amidst a vast, boundless sea, exuding a sense of vicissitude.

Zhang Yuanzhu's deep, unfathomable double pupils unleashed the secret technique of "Breaking Illusion," scanning all directions.

"Come out?"

Although this sea is ancient, it is far less majestic than the river of time.

He shook his head, suppressing the distracting thoughts that were rising in his mind.

He began to think about the current situation. Since Fayan and Fazhi had disappeared without a trace, they had to be found as quickly as possible.

The remaining task is to search for opportunities and spiritual objects to enhance one's own strength.

After making the corresponding plan, Zhang Yuanzhu took out the two women's items, and the [Special Attribute] of his mind burst forth, causing a strange feeling to surge in his heart.

He frowned slightly and looked in different directions.

The two women separated and went to different places.

The young man hesitated for a moment before making his decision.

First seek the Dharma teachings!

Strands of lightning erupted from his body, swirling around his crimson robe, carrying with them a majestic divine power.

Crackling!

A burst of purple lightning erupted, and it sped off westward.

In an instant, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, cleaving the vast sea in two, fierce and tyrannical.

As it rampaged through the area, its imposing aura bursting forth. Sea beasts, demonic beasts, and even cultivators who had entered the secret realm with it could only sense it from afar before retreating in a frenzy.

A day has passed!
Three days have passed!!
Seven days have passed!!!

A splash of blood caught the young man's eye and spread forward with the thunder, until it filled his vision.

Zhang Yuanzhu slowly slowed down, examining the limbs and severed arms floating in the seawater, as well as the stark white bones rising and falling with the waves.

He stared expressionlessly at the center of the blood-red sea.
A blue ox was lying on the seawater, gnawing on its severed limbs.

Click! Click! Ptooey!
"The meat in the old clams is a bit tough, but luckily fresh ingredients are delivered automatically."

The bull raised its head, its beastly eyes filled with mockery and cruelty.

It opened its mouth and swallowed the severed limb from the hoof.

“You ingredients descend once every thousand years, sometimes terrifyingly powerful, sometimes extremely weak.”

Blood flowed from the cow's mouth, a bloody and tragic sight.

The beast's body stood upright, and billowing demonic energy surged forth, sweeping across the vast wilderness and stirring up millions of tons of seawater.

The surrounding area, spanning hundreds of miles, trembled, as if horrified by the resurrection of a peerless demon.

This is definitely a powerful demonic beast that has entered the Condensation of Evil Realm and has reached an extremely deep level in the second step of the Condensation of Evil Realm.

Zhang Yuanzhu lowered his eyes, his double pupils as deep as an abyss, and slowly extended his palm, forming a magic seal.

Fire Serpent Technique!
boom!
Streaks of purple lightning appeared between heaven and earth, intertwining and converging, continuously spreading to the horizon.

Baizhang!

A thousand feet!!
lofty!!!

A colossal thunder serpent, thirty thousand feet long, appeared in the world.

Crystal-clear purple scales, cold snake eyes, and a snake head reaching down from the sky.

This spell, which Zhang Yuanzhu had mastered since the beginning of his cultivation, now unleashed terrifying power.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood in the sky, inhaling and exhaling:

"kill!"

The word fell like a thunderclap.

sizzle~
The thunder snake roared at the sea, and waves burst forth for hundreds of miles, stirring up a deluge of rain.

The giant thunder serpent roared down, attacking the green ox as if the sky were collapsing.

"Little Doyle!"

The blue ox stood on its hooves, bursting into loud laughter, its demonic aura surging and becoming extremely viscous.

A pair of bull horns, like two peerless divine swords, radiate dazzling sword energy.

The bull's head was facing upwards as it crashed out at high speed.

Overbearing and domineering!
The dazzling sword energy, mixed with dark green demonic energy, resembled two sword dragons, slashing towards the snake's head.

A giant thunderous serpent and a strange sword aura clashed continuously.
near!

near!!
Get closer!!!
Until they touch!

Sword energy soared into the sky, demonic energy was malevolent, and thunder snakes hissed. The two sides clashed wildly, and in less than a breath, they had already fought hundreds of times.

Countless sword energies, demonic energy, and lightning rained down, tearing apart the sea and cleaving open the earth.

After an unknown amount of time, the lightning serpent vanished, the sword energy dissipated, and the battlefield returned to calm.

(End of this chapter)