There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Was it exposed on the very first day of Chapter 1?
Donglingzhou, Linhai County, Mingxia Mountain.

It was late autumn, and the frost and wind swept the leaves, leaving the ground desolate.

"Qing'er, now that things have come to this, your teacher will no longer hide it from you."

On his sickbed, the old man, shivering with cold, looked at the handsome young man before him and whispered, "What I told you in the past... was mostly false, basically all... all made up, cough!" Before he could finish speaking, he gasped for breath.

Chen Qing endured the biting cold, grasped the old man's withered hand, and whispered, "Master, rest assured, I guessed it long ago. If what you say is true, that our Mingxia Mountain lineage originated from the Zhongling Continent, which sank 15,000 years ago, we would never have fallen to such a state. Besides, your story is full of flaws..."

"Traitor!" the old man glared and shouted angrily, "Even if it's fake... you can't say it so bluntly!"

After saying that, he deflated, his eyes sunken, and sighed, "Fine, I can't control you anymore. From now on, you will be the head of the Hidden Star Sect. This sect is the result of my life's work and the last wish of your grandmaster and uncles... I can't let the sect fall apart when I close my eyes."

Chen Qing's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but he finally said only, "Don't worry."

"The sect leader's token is under the meditation cushion in the meditation room. At the very back of the meditation room is a secret chamber containing the relics of your grandmaster, uncle, and senior brothers. Remember to put my relics there as well. Reserve some of the spiritual essence from the treasure room to pay the blood tax. Don't be like your second senior brother; know when to bow your head..."

The old man gave Chen Qing a long, earnest pep talk, and his spirits gradually lifted. But then he paused, looked at Chen Qing with cloudy eyes, and suddenly lowered his voice: “Forget it, if things can’t be done, then… then abandon the sect. Don’t delay your cultivation, and don’t risk your life.”

The words stopped abruptly.

Chen Qing gazed at the old man on the bed for a long time, then sighed and silently got up.

Seventeen years ago, he crossed into this world and replaced his drowned predecessor, but he was caught in a raging torrent and almost drowned. It was the person in front of him who saved him from the water.

The old man's secular name was Zhou Yuanjing, and his sobriquet was Tingtao Jushi. He was the head of the Hidden Star Sect, whose sect was located in Mingxia Mountain in the southern part of the Southern Yan Dynasty, standing by the sea and far away from the hustle and bustle of the world.

When he rescued Chen Qing, he saw that Chen Qing had some talent and felt pity for him, so he took him in as a disciple. However, the Hidden Star Sect was a small sect with no more than ten people in total. Zhou Yuanjing himself was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had reached the second stage of cultivation. His cultivation methods were ordinary, and he was not good at fighting. Because the sect was poor, Chen Qing had to cultivate and also farm and study.

Zhou Yuanjing went out to collect herbs, but when he returned, he was afflicted with a bone-deep cold poison. He endured for three days before his powers dissipated and he died.

"You left so swiftly; you promised to give me a Taoist name next month."

Chen Qing stood before the bed, recalling the past, remaining silent for a long while before regaining his composure.

"We can't get too caught up in the situation, or those three little guys outside will panic even more."

He glanced again at the old man, whose flesh and blood had turned bluish-purple, then turned and opened the door. Wisps of cold air rushed out with him.

Three pairs of eyes looked over from outside the door.

Two boys and a girl in a red coat.

These three are disciples left behind by Chen Qing's deceased eldest and second eldest brothers. These three junior disciples, along with Chen Qing, who has just ascended to the position of sect leader, constitute the entirety of the Hidden Star Sect of Mingxia Mountain.

In Chen Qing's view, this lineup and scale were more like a cultivation enthusiasts' association than a sect.

"Uncle-Master! How is the Sect Leader? Has he improved?"

As soon as the three children saw Chen Qing come out, they rushed forward to ask him questions.

Chen Qing shook his head and said to the three of them, "Your grandmaster has passed away."

As soon as he finished speaking, the youngest girl burst into tears, and the two boys' eyes also reddened, their fists clenched until they turned white.

Chen Qing squatted down and gently wiped away the girl's tears. He softened his voice and said, "He instructed me to take good care of you and raise you to adulthood, and to pass on my skills to you."

The girl's crying subsided a little.

Beside him, the tallest and most robust honest-looking boy choked up and said, "My grandmaster promised me that he would teach me swordsmanship when he came back this time, how come suddenly..." He couldn't finish his sentence and turned his face away to wipe his eyes.

Chen Qing's eyelids twitched.

As far as he knew, his master didn't have the ability to fly on a sword, and there was no sword-flying technique in the sect. He figured it was just the old man making a casual promise. Now, the old man didn't need to worry anymore; the blame would likely fall on him! He'd have to find an opportunity to make things clear later.

Thinking of this, Chen Qing patted the other person's shoulder, wanting to say some words of comfort, but then he saw another thin boy suddenly look up and ask, "Uncle-Master, what will happen to our Hidden Star Sect in the future?"

These words struck everyone like a heavy stone.

All three pairs of eyes were fixed on Chen Qing.

Chen Qing said firmly, "Before your grandmaster passed on the position of sect leader to me, everything will remain the same."

The three children reacted differently upon hearing this.

The girl timidly tugged at Chen Qing's sleeve. Although she was still crying, her tense heartstrings seemed to have relaxed. The honest boy nodded heavily, his eyes regaining their light. Only the thin boy lowered his head, making it impossible to see his expression.

Seeing this, Chen Qing sighed.

The thin boy was named Han Sha. He was an orphan from a fishing village who was rescued from the clutches of pirates by his senior brother and taken in as a disciple. He was intelligent and precocious from a young age, and was silent and thoughtful. At this moment, he was clearly still worrying about the future.

Chen Qing stopped explaining and planned to guide them slowly in the future. He glanced at the sky and said, "You have not yet opened your Yellow Court and do not have the cultivation of the first realm. You cannot resist the residual cold. I will take care of the aftermath. Go and rest first."

The kind-hearted boy nodded to the girl in red.

The thin young man, Han Sha, suddenly spoke, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the wind: "Uncle-Master, I...I want to go down the mountain. I heard that Haiyuan Temple is recruiting disciples..."

The other two children's expressions changed.

The girl stared wide-eyed in terror.

The honest-looking young man grabbed Han Sha by the collar and angrily said, "Your grandmaster has just passed away, and you're already trying to betray your master and ancestors?"

"I didn't! I just..." Han Sha's face flushed red, but she did not back down. Chen Qing stepped forward to separate the two, gave Han Sha a deep look, and said, "Now is not the time to talk about this. Let's discuss it after we've dealt with the sect leader's funeral."

Han Sha bit her lip and nodded, bowed to Chen Qing, and hurriedly went back to her room.

The honest-looking boy remained silent. Finally, he pulled the girl in red to bow to Chen Qing before leaving. The girl kept looking back, her expression bewildered.

"Leading a team is really not easy."

Chen Qing shook his head and sighed softly before getting busy.

As he had told the Three Kingdoms, Zhou Yuanjing was poisoned by the cold. After his death and the dissipation of his Dao, the cold air was no longer restrained, and his entire body was quickly frozen. Even with Chen Qing's cultivation at the peak of the first realm, he was still able to withstand the cold air and collect the body, but it was still quite difficult.

By the time the mourning hall was set up, it was already sunset. He was just about to rest when he suddenly glanced outside the mountain gate.

"Several formations need to be stopped; they're all major energy consumers!"

The Hidden Star Sect has a small population, with only eight houses at its gate. Due to its location deep in the mountains and the conflicts within the cultivation world, its master set up an array for defense, reconnaissance, and vigilance. In the past, it relied on Zhou Yuanjing's regular infusion of magical power to sustain it, but now that Chen Qing's cultivation level is only at the first realm, it is naturally difficult to continue. In addition, the sect's resources are scarce, so in order to ensure a sustainable future, it has to temporarily stop using all the resources.

By the time everything was settled, it was already late at night.

Chen Qing returned to his room, sat cross-legged on a futon, regulated his breathing to recover, and dispelled the cold.

The "Haiyue Fragment" he was cultivating was said by the old man to be a fragment of a major secret technique passed down from the legendary Zhongling Continent. However, Chen Qing knew very well that it was actually a legacy that his own grandmaster had obtained by chance.

This technique is divided into three parts: breathing exercises, visualization, and circulating Qi throughout the body. Although it is a true method for refining one's life force, it is incomplete and its upper limit is only the second stage of perfection. It requires extremely high aptitude and comprehension.

Chen Qing was of average talent. He began his cultivation at the age of twelve and it took him seventeen years of hard work to reach the first stage of cultivation, "Huang Ting Chu Pi" (the initial opening of the Yellow Court).

"The first stage of cultivation, the initial opening of the Yellow Court, involves cultivating the Yellow Court Palace, which is the lower dantian. It can open the essence and spirit treasure. I have now reached perfection, and my lifespan can reach the limit of the mortal body, which is one hundred and twenty years old. However, the Sea and Mountain Remnant Scroll becomes slower and slower as you progress. I am afraid that I will not have the opportunity to step into the second stage, 'Chonghe Foundation Building,' until I am seventy or eighty years old. At that time, my qi and blood will decline, and I am afraid that the path to immortality will be difficult to reach."

In the past, he would feel irritable whenever he thought about this, but now that he has heavy responsibilities for the sect, he feels even more exhausted.

Amidst his distracting thoughts, he simply lay down fully clothed.

Perhaps due to the day's toil and the loss of his master, Chen Qing's emotions fluctuated wildly. He closed his eyes and fell into a dream. In his hazy state, he came to a white, misty world.

For seventeen years, he has dreamt of this place every night before falling asleep.

The vast wilderness stretched out before them, with only a stone platform in sight.

The stone platform is about half a person's height, and on it sits a thread-bound book with no title on the cover.

Upon arriving at the stage, Chen Qingwang sighed softly.

He had flipped through this book countless times, yet every page remained blank.

The only benefit is that there is more time for reflection in dreams—the body sleeps peacefully, but the mind is active, which can restore energy and allow for review and contemplation in dreams. There are a few more hours of thinking time each day than for ordinary people, but even so, the progress is still slow.

"Logically speaking, this book might be related to the biographical series I designed before I transmigrated. But when others transmigrate, they are accompanied by a system or a rare treasure, while I only have a blank book. I wonder if, now that I have become the sect leader and my status has improved, it might be able to... um?"

He came to the stone platform as usual, glanced at the book, and suddenly froze.

Five more words appeared on the cover—

The Record of the Great Void Dao.

"There really has been a change! Was it because I took on the role of sect leader that this book was activated?"

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, turned the pages of the book, and saw that there were seventeen more ink marks on the first page.

A light touch of the ink on my fingertips sent a message into my mind—

"This is the Dao Traces, originating from the enlightenment of the human heart. Use it as a basis to describe to your disciples. It can be used to record the turning points of one's destiny, record the pivotal moments of life, and compile one's life story. However, the writer must act according to his ability and not write recklessly, otherwise he will only waste the Dao Traces. Once the Heavenly Book has been established and its outline set, one can enter into dreams to savor the recorded life and receive its feedback to preserve one's life."

Turning the page further, it remained blank.

"The core of this book lies in 'making the false appear true'!"

Chen Qing closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, then suddenly understood.

"The Dao traces arise from the enlightenment of people's hearts, like custom points. They can be used to make people believe in the truth by telling false stories, thus creating the life stories of fictional characters. However, they cannot be too outrageous, otherwise even if the Dao traces are consumed, there will be no feedback. This false life has wonderful uses. It can be used to enter dreams to experience the life experiences of fictional people, and receive feedback from it to improve one's own life foundation."

Upon realizing this, Chen Qing opened his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

"It's like a cultivation method that uses entering dreams as a means."

Just then, the surrounding white mist suddenly trembled.

"I'm about to wake up. It took me a long time to comprehend this." Chen Qing wasn't surprised. "Well, I'm going to be the sect leader starting today, so I should get up early to prepare."

When the white mist dissipated, he opened his eyes and woke up, just as he heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

The honest-looking young man rushed in, holding a letter, and said urgently, "Uncle-Master! Junior Brother Han... Han Sha is gone!"

"Gone?" Chen Qing was taken aback.

“He left a letter,” the boy said, handing over the letter, his voice trembling. “The letter said that our sect leader has been lying to us all along! Our Hidden Star Sect is not a descendant of the Central Spirit Continent at all, but just an ordinary rogue sect! Our sect’s Sea and Mountain Divine Art is only a fragment. Let alone seeking immortality, even wanting to improve our health and live a long life is a pipe dream!”

　As a new author with a new book, this is a very challenging time. I hope that any readers who happen to be passing by will consider adding it to their favorites. If you enjoy it, please check back every day to read it. Thank you in advance!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)