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

Chapter 187 Eight Turns
Warmth surges forth, ice and snow melt, and the hundred-mile-long frozen plain transforms into a southern garden!

In the blink of an eye, the once chilly and desolate Hidden Star Courtyard seemed to have transformed into a fertile land beyond the Great Wall, lush with greenery and blooming with flowers!
"This...this is?! The external realm of the Core Formation stage? Just looking at it, I feel my cultivation has improved!"

"A single thought can change the course of history, and ice itself can create destiny!"

"Wonderful! Truly the aura of an immortal! As expected of the Hidden Star Dharma Master!"

The cultivators were naturally amazed, especially when they realized that these many strange phenomena could actually enhance their cultivation and spiritual power!

Despite the astonishment of the crowd, Chen Qing remained unmoved.

His gaze was calm as he looked inward and felt a surge of vitality welling up from the mysterious portal in his heart, healing all the old wounds within him.

But within the Niwan Palace, a sense of emptiness arose amidst the surging auspicious clouds. The Chaotic Golden Core within the Dantian had reached its eighth stage of perfection, its magical power lively and agile, and with every thought, it seemed as if countless spirits were leaping about!
The eighth stage of the Golden Elixir: the Dao Embryo opens in the void, and the Dharma possesses primordial spirit!
He pointed to the dotted point.

A wisp of sword energy leaped from his fingertip, growing longer in the wind, and spontaneously evolved into various sword techniques in the air. It was cunning and sharp, and seemed to have intelligence, cutting a piece of black ice three zhang away into dust before disappearing without a trace.

"The magic possesses a primordial spirit, truly extraordinary! The many sword techniques I've memorized can be imprinted onto magical power and evolve on their own!" Chen Qing nodded. "Ordinary spells, after being enhanced by this, gain thirty percent more power, and can even change at will! With the passage of time, the magical power can even become sentient, and magical artifacts can even be imbued with spirituality!"

Just as I was pondering this, a sudden change occurred!

The door in his heart trembled violently, as if trying to break free of its restraints and rush straight to Qingyun in the Niwan Palace!

At the same time, the starlight from deep within the dantian also gathered on its own, like a reversed galaxy, and surged towards the Niwan Palace!

Chen Qing's expression hardened, and his hands rapidly formed hand seals.

"town!"

The illusory image of mountains and seas emerged from behind him, and its powerful momentum pressed down, forcefully pressing the restless gate in his heart back to the depths of his mind; at the same time, the acupoints around his body emitted starlight, like a cage locking the starlight of the calamity back into the depths of his dantian!
The two immense forces rebounded, causing Chen Qing to sway slightly and feel a bit weak inside, but this weakness was quickly dispelled by the burgeoning vitality.

Chen Qing immediately thought of the conditions for the Nine Revolutions of the Golden Core, which was to obtain a fragment of the Mysterious Gate of the Female to nurture the Jade Palace Purple Mansion, which is the cradle of the Nascent Soul.

"The fragment of the Mysterious Female is actually hidden within the Star Silence Calamity Light?" He wiped away the bloodstains, his gaze deep and unfathomable. "Unfortunately, firstly, its origin is unknown, and secondly, its attributes clash. Incorporating it into the Purple Mansion at this time will not only be of no benefit but will also destroy the foundation of one's Dao."

Chen Qing himself didn't even know what secrets were hidden in the gate of his heart. How could he use it as the foundation for his future Nascent Soul before he had a complete grasp of it?

As for the Starry Night Calamity Light, it leans towards the Dao of Annihilation and Starlight. While it aligns with one aspect of Chen Qing's current cultivation, Chen Qing's foundation is currently the Dao of Yin Yang, Stars, Mountains and Rivers. Starlight is only one aspect of it. Incorporating it rashly could cause an imbalance in his foundation, leading to a regression in his cultivation instead of progress!

"I need to hold off on this advancement for a while. I'll proceed to the next step once I've fully comprehended the Gate of the Heart or found a more suitable vessel for the fragment of the Gate of the Mysterious Female!"

After suppressing the surging energy within his body, he rolled up his sleeves, and the overflowing vitality, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, was completely absorbed into his body. The strange phenomena around him gradually disappeared, leaving only a few tender green remnants in the ice crevices, indicating the miraculous events that had just occurred.

Stepping on the newly sprouted grass, he slowly walked towards Han Jing Dao Ren and the others who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

"Congratulations on your successful completion of your cultivation, Junior Brother!" Han Jing and Huan Yun were all smiles.

"Congratulations, Uncle-Master, on your great progress in cultivation!"

Everyone bowed in unison, their faces showing reverence and joy.

Upon seeing this, Chen Qing shook his head and smiled, "Our Hidden Star Sect shouldn't be involved in these empty formalities."

Han Jing Daoist stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the still lingering aura on Chen Qing's body, and said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother's commotion this time is quite significant, and it has probably already alarmed the surrounding area."

Chen Qing laughed and said, "What's there to be afraid of? I'm cultivating here, so I'm not afraid of being known by others."

He chatted with Han Jing and Huan Yun for a while, then suddenly felt something and looked up.

Several figures were seen walking quickly towards them. The one in the lead was dashing, with lively eyes and a silver scale shining brightly on his forehead.

"Master!" The woman knelt down from afar, "Disciple Yin Qingping respectfully welcomes Master's return from seclusion!"

Yin Qingping?
Chen Qing remembered the name; it seemed to belong to an official in the Immortal Dynasty. They had a slight disagreement back then, so how come he was calling him "Master" all of a sudden?
However, as his mind sank and his eyes opened and closed, relevant memories welled up from the bottom of his heart, and he immediately understood the cause of the matter. It turned out that this woman was actually a bloodline left behind by Yin Lin'er in the North!
Before the dream ended, he sensed the pull of the bloodline and the sincerity of the path, so he took him under his wing.

It is worth mentioning that, according to what she knew in her dream, Yin Lin'er later married a real dragon from the East Sea and propagated a bloodline in the Dragon Palace, but she and Yin Qingping belonged to different families.

"Lin'er, you've gone astray!"

Muttering to himself, Chen Qing sighed and said, "Get up."

Yin Qingping chuckled, showing no fear whatsoever, and instead took a few steps closer.

Chen Qing's gaze then passed over her and landed on a tall, resolute-looking young man behind her.

This man was dressed in coarse cloth, looking travel-worn, with a burning aura between his brows, exuding pure Yang energy. He was none other than the young man who had led the way outside the Devouring Spirit Pavilion back then!
At this moment, he knelt down respectfully, kowtowed and said, "Disciple Zhang Shi greets Master! Congratulations on your profound achievements, Master!"

"This boy, though he had no intention of killing when he first led the way, still harbored harmful intentions. How come fifty years have passed, and he's now my disciple? How could the person in my dream be so magnanimous?" Chen Qing pondered, his gaze lingering on the boy as relevant memories resurfaced. It turned out this boy possessed the Crimson Flame Dao Body, with excellent physique, which was why he was chosen as bait to lure people into the cave—because his constitution allowed him to withstand the cave's intense heat!

However, the day Chen Qing displayed his skills and subdued the crowd, it stirred the young man's heart and made him remember it. Later, he found out Chen Qing's identity and heard about his great deeds in Beiming, so he traveled thousands of miles to this villa.

During this period, he faced numerous life-threatening situations and went through many twists and turns. When he arrived at this place, he was turned away because of his past actions. So he built a hut and knelt down day and night. The fairy Huanyun softened her heart and allowed him to enter the academy, but she did not dare to make a decision for Chen Qing. She only let Zhang Shi start as a servant.

From then on, he worked diligently for twelve years. It just so happened that he encountered the body in his dream who had temporarily left seclusion to observe the scenery and comprehend the mysteries. After exchanging a few words, the body in his dream granted him a nominal position.

At this moment, Zhang Shi's restlessness had completely disappeared, his eyes were gentle, and his demeanor was calm. There was no trace of the impetuous young man he once was.

Chen Qingguan nodded slightly. The connection left by the kind and generous nature of the boy in the dream was not entirely unreasonable. After tempering his character, this boy did have some merit.

Thinking this, Chen Qing looked at the third person again, and then his eyelids twitched involuntarily.

"How come this person has become a disciple? After my main consciousness woke up from the dream, everything I did and thought in the dream was out of instinct and intuition. Could there be some mystery hidden in this?"

This third person had grown up and was no longer the little girl she once was. She had blossomed into a bright and aloof beauty, dressed in a plain white dress. She was none other than the current generation's Ice Soul Profound.

Logically speaking, this woman had her own lineage, and when she first came into contact with Chen Qing, she still harbored the intention to use him. However, fifty years ago, for some reason, she wanted to become his disciple and was accepted by him in her dream, where she cultivated in a separate courtyard.

Now, fifty years later, few people know her original background. They only know that she was Bing Yanmiao, a disciple of Ji Mingzi, the Dharma Master of the Hidden Star Sect.

Perhaps because her innate Ice Soul Heavenly Root was manifest, her innate talent was extraordinary, and her talent in the Path of Ice and Annihilation was terrifying! Her temperament, innate talent, and comprehension were all top-notch. She could grasp the essence of things immediately and master them quickly. The Hidden Star Sect's "Mysterious Nether Ice Soul Path" and even the "Taiyin Annihilation Chapter" that she created by integrating her insights were all easily mastered by this woman!
Chen Qing turned his gaze away, his mind racing.

Actually, setting aside other factors, the three disciples he took in during the dream were all quite good. Although the eldest disciple relied on causal relationships, he was still exceptionally talented. The second disciple was calm and composed, and also had the advantage of a Dao body. As for the third disciple, his origins were even more unpredictable, and he was incredibly talented.

"These three would be excellent choices as disciples in any sect. If they could all sincerely seek knowledge, they would be quite good," Chen Qing thought to himself. "Now that they have entered my sect and inherited my lineage, as long as they are properly nurtured, they will surely achieve great things."

He pondered how to teach according to students' aptitudes, but as he thought about it, a thought suddenly struck him.

"I thought I would have to stay in the North for a while, but it's been fifty years since then. My disciples have already made arrangements for me, which has saved me some trouble. So I can just leave now. Next, I need to find the path to the Nine Revolutions of the Golden Core and the foundation of the Nascent Soul."

After eight cycles of practice, the Dharma possesses its primordial spirit.

The next step is to refine the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, open up the Jade Palace Purple Mansion, and lay the foundation for the Nascent Soul Dao Seed. Naturally, further planning is needed.

"In this way, we can find clues to the gate in our hearts, as well as fragments of the gate of mystery from when! But this matter requires extensive searching for clues."

He raised his eyes and looked at Han Jing Daoist beside him, asking, "Senior brother, do you know if there are any places in the Northern Lands or even the Immortal Dynasty that specialize in collecting information and selling secrets?"

Han Jing Daoist didn't ask any further questions. After pondering for a moment, he said, "What you're asking for reminds me of something. It's the Heavenly Mystery Alliance, one of the top sects of the Immortal Dynasty. This sect's tentacles reach across all continents, covering all matters of the past and present. They are especially skilled at deducing heavenly secrets and understanding secrets. However, the alliance has extremely high entry requirements and is difficult to approach. Their prices are also extraordinary, and you need to verify their authenticity yourself."

"The Heavenly Secrets Alliance?" Chen Qing was familiar with the name, and there was no record of its destruction in the Remnant Scroll Pavilion. He said, "It's good that we have a direction. We can discuss the price later."

He immediately thought of the Remnant Scroll Pavilion and the keeper of the scriptures, Yu Yin.

“In reality, the Remnant Scroll Pavilion is also a viable option. As long as I gather information in the Immortal Dynasty, even without specific details, I can still gain something by visiting the Remnant Scroll Pavilion after waking up from the dream, and there won’t be many hidden dangers.”

"Actually, I can also consult the collection of the Remnant Scroll Pavilion to see the clues that record the fragments of the Mysterious Female. Even if someone has already gotten there first in the present world, I can still follow the clues and seek opportunities tens of thousands of years in advance when I return to the Immortal Dynasty in my dream."

"Inquire about relevant matters in the Celestial Dynasty, and examine ancient records outside of dreams; inquire about extraordinary people and eccentrics outside of dreams, and you can be one step ahead of others in dreams!"

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Qing's mind opened up, and he felt that the road ahead was smooth.

"According to the calculations of this dream body, when this body completes the Nine Revolutions and attains perfect enlightenment, it will be the time for the physical body in the mortal world to form the Golden Core! Taking advantage of this opportunity, the physical body may be able to break through to the Golden Core realm directly, and even attempt to form the Nascent Soul!"

Just as Chen Qing was beginning to daydream, someone came to report that an old friend had come to visit and wanted to see his Uncle Jiming.

"It's actually an old friend of yours, Junior Brother?" Master Han Jing asked in surprise. "An old friend? Could it be someone from Xuan Yu?"

"How did you know I had a past in Xuanyu, Senior Brother?" Chen Qing was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

Fifty years ago, after the demonic calamity, Chen Xinghen pursued his dream body relentlessly, but Senior Brother Han Jing, True Person Ji Yue, Elder You Chan, and others had long since had their cultivation sealed and were imprisoned in the Xuan Prison.

After Chen Qing swiftly annihilated Yuehua Prefecture, they were finally freed from Xuanyu. It is likely that they heard about Chen Qing's past service there during this period. As for the deeper story of the "ancestor," naturally no one would easily reveal it.

"The Xuanyu is difficult to enter, but even more difficult to get out. It doesn't just imprison criminals, but also countless extraordinary people who know the secrets of all sides and possess unique skills!"

Upon realizing this, Chen Qing felt a sudden inspiration, and his previous thoughts became clear.

"I was just thinking of finding a jack-of-all-trades, and now it seems that the Xuanyu Prison is a ready-made treasure trove! There are quite a few talented people hiding inside! After being apart for decades, they must miss me, right?"

As Chen Qing pondered, his divine sense spread out, enveloping the gate of the secluded courtyard, wanting to see what kind of background the old friend who had come to visit was.

(End of this chapter)