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

Chapter 2 The Book of Dreams

After reading Han Sha's letter, Chen Qing frowned.

Chen Qing's senior brother had taken in two disciples. Han Sha was the first disciple. Because of his good aptitude and intelligence, he was regarded as the hope for the Hidden Star Sect to grow stronger.

"Now it seems he really does have some cleverness." Chen Qing put down the letter. "The formation stopped working, and I didn't want to waste the talismans on night watch, which allowed him to slip away."

In the letter, Han Sha bluntly stated that the Hidden Star Sect was merely a clandestine lineage of rogue cultivators, having no connection whatsoever with the Central Spirit Continent. Furthermore, the "Sea and Mountain Scroll," the true secret of life they had painstakingly sought to acquire, was incomplete, hindering not only longevity but also cultivation, and even preventing physical health. Now that their sect leader had passed away, the sect was teetering on the brink of collapse, with no future to speak of. Only by seeking refuge elsewhere could they truly embark on the path of cultivation.

Finally, he emphasized that only by truly embarking on the path of spiritual practice can one be considered to have inherited his master's legacy!
"Having truly embarked on the path of cultivation?"

Seeing this, Chen Qing shook his head inwardly.

The secret teachings are rarely found in this world; the Dao is as solid as metal and stone, requiring the perfect blend of fire and fire.

Moreover, if it weren't for the rescue by his senior brother, Han Sha, an orphan from a fishing village, would have been in grave danger, let alone cultivating. How could he have had the chance to come into contact with the secret techniques of the Xuanmen sect and the true understanding of life and death? If the incomplete scroll were not precious, how could the Hidden Star Sect have been established?
It should be understood that spiritual practices often have a history of hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years. Even those created in recent years have their origins and have accumulated the wisdom and experience of practitioners throughout the ages. Every word and phrase is a distillation of the blood and tears shed during past trials and errors. What may seem like just a few words are actually pearls of wisdom, containing the wisdom and commentary of thousands of years.

"The Haiyue Fragment Scroll can be cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm, which is the second Great Perfection, granting a lifespan of two hundred years, already considered longevity. It also increases qi and blood, and strength. In addition, my master left behind a secret technique, saying it can help one break through to a higher realm, but the required talent is even greater. The old man wouldn't lie to me about this..."

Thinking of this, Chen Qing suddenly became alert.

"However, while what he said is correct, many of the insights in the letter are beyond Han Sha's understanding. It seems that outsiders have already contacted him. I wonder if they saw his extraordinary talent and intentionally lured him away, or if they have ulterior motives and harbor malicious intentions."

He was pondering this to himself.

"Uncle-Master, is what Han Sha wrote in the letter true?"

A simple-minded young man's question interrupted Chen Qing's thoughts.

This boy, named Fang Da'ao, was rescued from the tsunami by Chen Qing's second senior brother. He suffered amnesia due to the accident and was given a new name and surname, and was taken in as a disciple. This boy has mediocre talent but a pure heart. He has made the fastest progress in cultivation, laying a solid foundation in three years and is about to formally study the "Haiyue Fragment".

At this moment, he asked in a low voice, his voice filled with despair: "I used to boast to the villagers about the sect's heritage. If it was all a lie, how could my master rest in peace? What face would I have left to live on?"

Your line of thinking is not quite right, and your Dao heart is somewhat fragile!

But after all, it was the legacy left by his senior brother, and he was still young, and had suffered a series of misfortunes...

Chen Qing thought to himself, "Qu Xiaoyao is still young and it's alright, but Fang Da'ao suddenly learned the truth at this time, which may cause unforeseen changes. It's precisely because he is pure-hearted and stubborn that he often sticks to his principles. Master, if you had just told him the truth from the beginning, Da'ao might not have been unable to accept it, but in the end, it has come to this."

Forget it, let's keep them calm for now and sort things out later. Otherwise, I've only just become the sect leader, and the sect might fall apart as soon as it collapses.

As he was thinking, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he remembered the method of compiling Dao traces mentioned in the book "Tai Xu Dao Yan Lu".

"Since Big Claw and Little Ray are both disciples of the Hidden Star Sect and my junior disciples, they can also be considered my students. Perhaps, we can test the quality of that book, 'The Record of the Evolution of the Great Void Dao'? And at the same time, comfort Big Claw and ease his grief."

Upon realizing this, Chen Qing said, "If we're talking about inheritance, there is one, which is said to be related to Zhongling Continent."

Qu Xiaoyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Da'ao hesitated for a moment and asked, "Uncle-Master, even if we have the inheritance, I am dull-witted, Junior Sister Xiaoyao is still young, and Han Sha is the most talented among us, but he is gone. Can our sect rise again in the future?"

Our sect has never truly risen, so how can we talk about a revival?
But now that a door has been opened, Chen Qing simply said, "Since ancient times, even those who have squandered their wealth can rise again, and even those whose countries have been destroyed can be revived. Our sect still has its techniques and its members still exist, so why can't we?"

Fang Da'ao's eyes lit up, but he misunderstood: "Uncle-Master, are you saying that when our Hidden Star Sect established its mountain gate in Zhongling Continent, there was also a founder who revived the sect?"

When did I ever say that? I haven't even started making things up, and you've already imagined so much?
Seeing that Fang Da'ao had regained his spirits and had supplemented the story setting, Chen Qing readily said, "Perhaps there is." He thought to himself: If there are no changes in the Taixu Record, this matter of fabricating the patriarch cannot continue next time.

"I knew it! The mountain gate has its own immortal lineage! The foundation for longevity is hidden in the Sea and Mountain Scroll! Han Sha will definitely regret leaving without saying goodbye!" Fang Da'ao looked outside the mountain gate, regaining some of his energy: "My grandmaster said that those who lightly abandon their immortal destiny, even if they burn incense and pray, will only be like those who try to find a lost sword by marking the boat, leaving only regret."

Qu Xiaoyao asked in a low voice, "Won't the sect's true secrets be leaked if Senior Brother Han leaves?"

"Oh dear!" Fang Da'ao suddenly realized, "That makes sense! We have to go after him!" He said, and was about to set off.

"No need," Chen Qing waved his hand to stop him. "The Qi-inducing technique he learned is not unique to our sect, but since he learned it from Hidden Star, we should retrieve it. However, things are complicated right now, so you should rest first. I will go find him after things have settled down."

He pondered to himself: Han Sha's sudden departure must be suspicious. He wondered if he had come into contact with someone, and it might be related to the Haiyuan Temple that Han Sha had mentioned. He absolutely could not let his two nephews be put in danger again.

"Moreover, the formation needs to be reset, but there are only nine pieces of spirit marrow left. Even if we use them all, it won't last a month. In addition, the South China Sea blood tax is coming soon, so we need to reserve a few more. As for Han Sha..."

He squinted slightly.

“We can’t let him be an ingrate. If he loses his dignity, I, as his senior, will have to help him maintain his dignity.”

Thinking this, Chen Qing went to the main hall and set up his master's memorial tablet. Then, looking at the four tokens of the patriarch, his two senior uncles, and his own master on the platform, he bowed and said, "Disciple Chen Qing, today, in his capacity as the head of the Hidden Star Sect, expels Han Sha from the sect for leaving without notice and betraying his sect! I ask all the elders to bear witness!"

After saying that, he took out paper and pen and wrote a "removal notice".

"Your martial uncle is quite cautious."

At the foot of Mingxia Mountain, several figures lingered. Among them stood a thin young man named Han Sha with a look of panic. In front of him stood a man in white robes, looking up at the mountain with a greedy expression.

"It's a pity we didn't lure him down the mountain, otherwise we could have forced him to reveal his cultivation techniques and plundered his medicinal resources," the white-robed man licked his lips. "The accumulated wealth of Mingxia Mountain over the decades must be quite considerable."

The woman in green standing to the side chuckled, "Senior brother, are you worried about the formation on the mountain? It's just a small, independent sect that has lost the protection of a second-realm cultivator. With an elder's help, breaking the formation would be a piece of cake."

"Foolish! With the elders making a move, what can we possibly gain?" The white-robed man chuckled and shook his head. "Besides, our Nanbin sects are all bound by the Crimson Flame Blood Alliance. We've paid a blood tax to Mingxia Mountain, so it's not convenient to break in directly." Saying this, he gave a sinister smile. "However, since there are people willing to surrender, we'll wait until we understand the true nature of this mountain before we come to ask for it." He then gave Han Sha a meaningful look.

Han Sha said tremblingly, "Didn't Liu Jun say before that he saw my good potential and couldn't bear to see it go to waste, that's why..."

“Of course I value you.” The white-robed man suddenly grabbed Han Sha’s chin, forcing him to look up. “But if you don’t reveal all the secrets and heritage of Mingxia Mountain, how can I teach you according to your aptitude?” He abruptly shook off Han Sha’s hand. “Also, from now on, I am your teacher. Respect your teacher and value the Way, understand?”

Han Sha staggered backward.

The man in white robes said calmly, "Remember, you are now a member of the Haiyuan Temple, far superior to those lowly mountain cultivators! You need to have some class! Understand?"

"I understand, I understand..."

"very good."

The man in white robes nodded in satisfaction. After giving him a pep talk, he offered a sweet treat: "In a few days, a master from the Xuanji Chess Academy will come to Nanbin. This person likes to give pointers to the younger generation of cultivators. As the saying goes, a true master's teaching can be conveyed in a single sentence, while false teachings can fill countless volumes. You've been in Mingxia Mountain for many years, yet you only have this low-level skill. But if you can receive his guidance even once, you can save at least five years of hard work! Perform well, and you'll have a chance."

"Yes, Master!" Han Sha blushed again, her eyes full of anticipation.

"The troubles of the mortal world prevent you from healing."

As night deepened, Chen Qing, having finished his busy work, looked up at the bright moon, sighed deeply, then forced himself to sit up cross-legged, abandoning worldly thoughts, contemplating the mountains and seas, and breathing in the moonlight.

"Breathe in the dantian, swallow saliva and inhale qi to circulate through the six viscera..."

Soon, a radiant light emanated from three inches below his navel, and a "whooshing" sound came from his entire body as his blood and qi surged, and a fresh fragrance of herbs and trees wafted from his body.

The Yellow Court Palace suddenly shone with golden light, and Qi and blood surged like mercury.

This is precisely the sign of the perfection of the first realm.

The Huang Ting states: "The women in the Huang Ting Palace wear brocade robes, with purple flying skirts and cloud-like silk."

The Yellow Court Palace is the lower dantian. The first stage of cultivation requires opening and nurturing the lower dantian. When it is perfected, the blood and qi in the whole body surge, and the acquired qi from all parts can be drawn together and gathered in the dantian to "rise like clouds," which is to cultivate true breath and internal qi.

Since the cataclysmic changes in the world and the sinking of the Central Continent, the spiritual energy and resources in the world have become increasingly scarce. Since unorthodox cultivators do not have spiritual veins or acupoints, they can only accumulate meager spiritual energy in their bodies during the conjunction of the sun and moon for refining.

The body's energy is circulating, and the fatigue is slightly relieved.

"The Yellow Court Cloud Formation is complete, but to break through to the second realm, 'Chonghe Foundation Building,' we still need spiritual objects of the five elements. Our sect only has wood and earth elements left, so we are still missing the other three."

As he pondered, he lay down, but immediately sat up again, took out a yellow talisman, and chanted an incantation while making hand seals: "The celestial bodies patrol the heavens, a clear omen! Hurry!"

The talisman hung in the courtyard, its vermilion patterns faintly glowing, illuminating the courtyard.

"This talisman will last for three hours, at which time it will awaken me."

After making the arrangements, he lay down again and slowly fell asleep. He returned to the misty white fog, intending to carefully consider the events of the day, deduce subsequent changes, and also check whether there were any changes in the "Records of the Great Void Dao".

Upon arriving at the stone platform, Chen Qing immediately opened the book and quickly flipped through it. He noticed that seven ink marks were missing from the first page, leaving ten. After flipping through the pages from beginning to end, he finally returned to the middle page, where a new line of writing had appeared:
“In the past, there was a patriarch named [name omitted] who, at a time when the sect was in decline, single-handedly supported the precarious structure, re-established the lineage, and restored the foundation for longevity. He was revered by later generations of disciples as the patriarch of the restoration, and his incense is worshipped eternally.”

This content looks so familiar, isn't it exactly the same as the ancestor of the restoration that Fang Da'ao imagined!
"My guess was right!" Chen Qing suddenly realized: "So that's how it works! I fabricate, he believes, and that's how seven Dao traces are used to create seven life milestones, stringing together the life story of a fictional character!"

Chen Qing had previously suspected that this was a profound method of cultivating one's life through entering dreams. Now that the conditions were all in place, he was overjoyed. Without caring about anything else, he eagerly stretched out his fingertip, lightly touched the words, and silently recited: "I wish to enter a dream."

Suddenly a strong wind arose, engulfing his dreamlike form and sweeping it into the pages of the book.

　New author, new book, desperately needing support! If you're passing by, please add it to your favorites! Thank you...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)