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

Chapter 177 Who Else But Me! [Third Update]

"Is it because this gate is broken that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is depleted?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing was first taken aback, then realized something, and his expression suddenly changed!
Liu Shuang'er glanced at Chen Qing's expression, thinking he was just surprised, and said, "Legend has it that the ancient Mysterious Gate was extremely large, connecting heaven and earth. After it was broken, the fragments scattered and merged into all things in heaven and earth. If we cultivators reach the eighth level of the Golden Core and open our Dao Embryo, we need to obtain a fragment of the Mysterious Gate and nurture it in our bodies in order to have a chance to step into the ninth level!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing immediately took it to heart. After obtaining the Emperor's Daoist Rhyme, he used it to deduce his own Yin-Yang Star Mountain and Sea Dao Path, and almost thoroughly comprehended the first eight stages of the Golden Core. However, he always felt that he was lacking in the ninth stage, and thus could not deduce the Nascent Soul level.

Liu Shuang'er naturally wouldn't hold back, and said with a smile: "My cultivation level is not high enough. I've only heard my elders say that when you reach the eighth level of cultivation, you will have a Dao embryo, and you will be almost a small world on your own. Your laws will have a primordial spirit, which is almost the limit of human beings and the limit of your use of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Beyond that, you will create your own spiritual energy system."

By this point, Chen Qing had understood: "Does one need to break through the limits using fragments of the Gate of Mysterious Female?"

"Exactly, by using the fragments, the Dao Embryo can open the 'Jade Palace Purple Mansion,' forming its own system and breaking free from the shackles and constraints of heaven and earth on human life. Only then can it turn around and seek deeper mysteries in the depths of heaven and earth!"

Speaking of Liu Shuang'er, before Chen Qing could ask further, she said, "As for what the deeper mysteries are, I, a mere Yin spirit, have no way of knowing."

Chen Qing nodded, digesting the information.

Liu Shuang'er, however, was engrossed in conversation and began to recount the anecdotes she had heard: "It is said that before the Gate of the Mysterious Female was destroyed, those ancient masters of great supernatural powers who wished to ascend and transcend could use this gate to reshape their immortal bodies and avoid the suffering of the five signs of decay in the celestial realm! Thus, it is said that the Gate of the Mysterious Female is the gateway between life and death; once stepped out, one is forever separated from the mortal realm. Later, the gate was destroyed, but the residual essence of the Mysterious Female still remained in the world. When ascending, one could gather along the path of the Dao for a moment, and thus it was called the Gate of the Immortals."

As she spoke, she seemed to sigh: "Now, all of these have become ethereal legends. We cultivators can only search for fragments in old books and imagine what that magnificent scene was like."

The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously!
Chen Qing suddenly recalled that when the Primordial Immortal Emperor ascended to heaven, he had seen a portal that was called the "Immortal Gate" by many cultivators!
"However, that door and the door reflected in my heart have similarities and differences. Do they originate from the same source? But in the end, even if it is the Gate of Mysterious Female, what does it matter if it appears in a cultivator's heart?"

Recalling the broken stone tablet he had seen, it did indeed mention that Taiyi Dao Palace was attempting to rebuild the Gate of Mysterious Female!

Combined with Liu Shuang'er's introduction, Chen Qing was roughly certain that the strange gate in his heart, even if it wasn't the Gate of the Mysterious Female, must have a very deep connection to it!
"During the Taijing era, the spiritual energy of the Celestial Dynasty was already depleted. The Taiyi Dao Palace attempted to rebuild the Gate of Mysterious Female, perhaps to prevent the transformation of spiritual energy? Could there truly be good people in the Celestial Dynasty during this period? I hope these ruins can provide me with the answer..."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the west side of Blackwater City and stood in front of a rather large abandoned mansion.

Many officials and servants came and went in the courtyard.

Liu Shuang'er led Chen Qing to the depths of the mansion, where they saw a huge gap in the ground, leading down into deep stone steps and into an unknown underground depth.

The scenery on both sides of the gap is completely different, clearly distinct.

To the east, a sinister aura pervades, with distorted demonic patterns faintly visible etched into the dark rock face.

To the west, however, lies a scene of broken walls and ruins. Though dilapidated, they exude an ancient Taoist charm of moderation and peace. Faint patterns of the sun, moon, and stars can be seen on the remaining stone pillars and jade bricks.

At this moment, there are several people at the east entrance.

Yan Ruoshuang stood side by side with a tall and handsome man dressed in a striking blue outfit.

The man had a handsome face, bright eyes, and a refined and restrained aura, yet he also revealed a sharp edge. He was clearly a Golden Core cultivator!
Upon seeing Chen Qing and Liu Shuang'er arrive, Yan Ruoshuang forced a slightly stiff smile onto her icy face and spoke first, "Alliance Leader Chen, you've arrived." She then turned to the man beside her and introduced him, "Senior Brother, this is Alliance Leader Chen Qing of Mingxia Mountain, the alliance leader jointly elected by all the sects of Nanbin."

The valiant man's gaze fell on Chen Qing, and he clasped his hands in a fist and smiled: "Alliance Leader Chen, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ling Juefeng. I heard that you used your Yin Shen Realm sword to slay the Golden Core Reversed Qi Prolonging Old Demon. This demon was vicious and stubborn, and he was a troublesome figure with a name on the Demon Hunting Record. Fellow Daoist, you were able to rid the world of this scourge, which is truly admirable." His tone was sincere, not insincere.

Chen Qing also returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "You flatter me, fellow Daoist. It was just a stroke of luck."

Just then, footsteps sounded from behind.

Everyone turned around and saw a young man with a pale face, dressed in a white robe with cloud patterns, walking slowly towards them, accompanied by an old man in a black robe.

His gaze swept over the people present, pausing for a moment on Ling Juefeng's face before he said in a calm tone, "Ling Juefeng? You've come too? Are you the reinforcements they brought to try and overpower me? Well, it's good that you're here. The demonic patterns and ancient road restrictions here are intertwined, making it extremely unpredictable. It's exactly what I need—someone with a clear sword mind like you—to protect me, lest something happen to me."

Upon hearing this, Ling Juefeng smiled slightly, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "I wondered which master the Xuanjuan Pavilion would send, it turns out to be you, Liu Yin. What, of the four ranks of rune-deciphering masters in the Xuanjuan Pavilion—'Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow'—you alone were sent this time?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yin was not annoyed at all, and replied with a half-smile: "You are mistaken. The fact that I, Liu Yin, have come here for the mere twin ruins of a small border town is already because of Commander Liu's repeated reports and the possibility that they may be related to the legacy of the Taiyi Dao Palace. Do you think this place is worthy of a master's personal visit? Even I, a mere Yellow Rank official, am treated with great respect and reliance by you?"

"Alright," Liu Shuang'er stepped in to smooth things over, "business is more important."

"Speaking of serious matters," Liu Yin's gaze swept over Chen Qing, his brows furrowing, "Commander Liu, I heard there are more people? I've said it before, everything must be done according to my rules. Don't let the pursuit of credit ruin my important business!"

Liu Shuang'er immediately introduced Chen Qing: "This Fellow Daoist Chen is the leader of the various sects in Nanbin. With him by your side, you can be assured of safety."

"Alliance Leader of Nanbin, can you guarantee my safety? Even Ling Juefeng wouldn't dare to say that, would he?" Liu Yin looked Chen Qing up and down a few times, his eyes indifferent. "I've heard of your deeds. At the Yin God Realm, you were able to defeat a Golden Core cultivator beyond your level. You must possess some extraordinary treasure or one or two remarkable protective abilities. That's quite rare."

Then, he changed the subject: "However, the depths of this ruin are a labyrinth of reality and illusion, strange and unpredictable, and involve ancient secrets. It's not something you can enter by just fighting skills. Those without sufficient luck to protect themselves or a firm enough Dao heart will be misled by illusions and possessed by inner demons if they rashly venture in. Their deaths will be in vain. If you insist on letting him in, don't blame me for not warning you if something goes wrong." Upon hearing this, Yan Ruoshuang said coldly: "Master Huang Jiewen has quite the arrogance! Alliance Leader Chen has an illustrious record; how dare you insult him?"

Ling Juefeng gently waved his hand to stop Yan Ruoshuang, and then transmitted his voice to Chen Qing: "The people of Xuanjuan Pavilion have been studying ancient secrets for many years and have been in contact with top geniuses from all sides and even ancient secrets. Their vision is naturally very high. Before they have seen it with their own eyes, they only believe in the rules and knowledge they have mastered. Don't take it personally."

However, Chen Qing also had some distracting thoughts. He was angered by Liu Yin's few words. He immediately knew that it was caused by the strange gate in his body. He suppressed it and waved his hand, saying, "It's alright. Verbal exchanges are nothing. We'll see who wins when the real battle begins."

Chen Qing knew very well that Liu Yin had made a mistake.

What he relied on was never any protective divine power at the Golden Core level.

It is at the Nascent Soul level.

the other side.

Compared to Liu Yin, whose words were open and disdainful, the old man in black robes beside him had his eyes fixed on Chen Qing from the moment Chen Qing appeared, as if facing a formidable enemy.

As Liu Yin stepped into the west entrance first, the old man in black robes used his figure as cover to secretly conjure a gray talisman, creating a barrier that enveloped the two of them and blocked out sound. He then whispered, "Young Master, that Chen Qing is extremely dangerous."

Liu Yin didn't stop, his face still arrogant, but he transmitted his voice: "For someone like you, a sixth-stage Golden Core cultivator, to feel threatened, this person must indeed be strange. I originally wanted to play the role of someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart, hoping to make him back down and avoid becoming an uncontrollable variable. Now it seems that my efforts were in vain. However..."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "The biggest threat right now is still Ling Juefeng. He is a sword genius that Ironclad Fortress produces only once in a century. He is at the seventh level of the Golden Core stage, and his cultivation is extremely solid. Now, the Five Elements are in motion, and the Metal element is in the lead, which is in line with the way of the sword. If he suddenly launches an attack, the few trump cards I have prepared will have to be used up here in advance, which would be a loss."

A look of worry flashed in the old man's eyes as he whispered, "Young Master, do you really want to take this risk? The depths of the ruins are fraught with danger; making another powerful enemy might..."

"A risky move?" A resolute glint flashed in Liu Yin's eyes. "If I weren't taking a risk, why would I have paid such a huge price to compete for this inspector's position and come to Blackwater City before everyone else?"

His voice lowered: "The place recorded in the family's secret records as 'Twin Demons Accompanying Each Other, Palace Ruins Hiding Truth' is ninety percent here! This is related to the core secrets of the Taiyi Dao Palace! The three bloodlines that crossed the sea back then have evolved into the magnificent Tiangong Mansion, while my Liu family, originally a great clan of Taiyi, has gradually declined! Whether we can revive the family depends entirely on whether we can find that thing this time! We cannot afford to fail!"

The old man in black robes hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What exactly is that thing?"

“The secret record is vague,” Liu Yin sighed, but quickly rallied his spirits. “But it does record that the Dao Palace spent a great deal of manpower and resources to make arrangements for this, in order to revive the dynasty. As a result, the most core part collapsed along with the Central Continent, and one part on the Eastern Spirit was the most intact! Such a painstaking arrangement could only be triggered by the true core bloodline and the true descendants of the lineage. Who else but me could do it!”

He paused, then glanced behind him: "That woman Liu Shuang'er, relying on her family background and the authority of the Demon Suppression Guard, is recklessly stuffing people into her ranks, increasing unpredictability and causing trouble. Once the initial investigation is complete, we need to find a way to transfer her away from here."

Behind them, Chen Qing, Ling Juefeng, Liu Shuang'er, Yan Ruoshuang and others followed closely in.

Yan Ruoshuang took two steps closer to Chen Qing and explained, "Previous explorations only reached the outer perimeter, where we found some scattered fragments of jade slips. However, the core area's restrictions were relatively intact, and a strange force field interfered with divine sense, making it difficult to penetrate deeper. We hope that Master Liu Jiewen can make a breakthrough this time..."

The words just fell!

The moment Chen Qing stepped into the ruins...

"Boom!"

The entire ruins trembled violently!
Countless dust particles fell from the broken dome, and the dim star patterns on the wall suddenly lit up for a moment!
"what happened?!"

"The relic's restrictions have been triggered?"

"No! This fluctuation... has never happened before!"

Liu Shuang'er, Yan Ruoshuang, and the others' expressions changed drastically, and they instantly became alert, their magical power surging.

Ling Juefeng frowned slightly, his body swirling with an invisible sword intent that quietly dispelled the shock and dust that had been coming. He glanced around and then looked thoughtfully at Chen Qing.

Liu Yin and the old man in black robes turned around abruptly, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty!
Then, as if he understood something, Liu Yin murmured, "Indeed, I am the destined one! This place has changed because of me!" Then, he grasped a pitch-black compass, and seeing the compass needle trembling wildly, he grinned.

Chen Qing felt the strange portal in his heart tremble violently. The sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers and states engraved on the surface of the portal seemed to come alive and resonated strongly with the entire ruins!
Many random thoughts poured out from the door, as if they possessed a spirit!
He raised his hand to rub his temples, suppressing the invisible restlessness, feeling utterly helpless.

"This isn't like boarding a flying boat!"

　call--

　　
　
(End of this chapter)