Under the night sky, before the earthen city, a group of patriarchs... dropped to their knees!
Whether from the esoteric sect, the immortal path, or the Newborn path, without exception, their echelons stepped forward en masse to pay homage.
This sight stunned everyone. To the vigorous young cultivators, the seed-level youths, and the rest, it felt as though the heavens had collapsed and the earth had caved in; their entire worldview was shattered to pieces.
In their eyes, the patriarchs of Yezhou were confident and formidable, never bowing their heads. Even when facing the joint assault of the nomadic hunting civilization and the demon civilization, they had dared to confront them alone and emerge victorious; even when Earth Immortals from Pugong invaded, they had kept their composure, digging a massive pit in advance to "send them off."
Now, how had the knees of these patriarchs grown so weak? Kowtowing in public like this completely upended everything the young generation knew.
After recovering from the massive shock in their own hearts, the guests from external domains wanted to watch the spectacle—only to discover that some of their own sixth-realm experts were also bowing down.
For instance, disciples of Earth Immortals from the northern wildlands, experts from the Western Border, and lords from the Eastern Lands ultimately stepped forward as well for an audience, meticulously performing formal grand salutations.
"Greetings, Fifth Ancestor!" This time, even Cao Qianqiu had arrived. Even he lowered his head, stripped of his past imperiousness, no longer possessing the wild arrogance to kick through every "iron plate" under heaven.
Huge waves surged in Past Rulai's heart. Before the Present Rulai, he had dared to put on airs, casually calling him martial nephew, yet here he was kowtowing, saying, "I pay my respects to the Third Ancestor."
Instantly, the grandmasters and youths in the rear finally realized what was happening: could that group emerging from the earthen city all be the oldest ancestors of their respective paths?
They were a group of pathfinders from ancient eras!
These figures were enshrined in the halls of patriarchs, having once bravely engaged in "Great Reclamation" at pivotal junctures in each path's history. Their achievements were immense; they had carved out entirely new domains for their respective systems, and their deeds were intimately known to successive generations of leaders.
Today, they had stepped straight out of legend and into reality!
"Paying respects to the First Ancestor!" Even Helian Chengyun knelt.
The people of the immortal path were dumbfounded. The progenitor of the Yuxian Sect was still alive?
This sent chills down the spines of the onlookers; such ancient monsters hailed from eras far too distant.
Even if one had achieved immortality and become a seventh-realm being, in this day and age they ought to have passed away. Time was like a millstone; their immortal lifespan should have run out long ago.
"Paying respects to the Second Ancestor!" Qingtian, the burly man covered in sinewy muscle, had also arrived. His expression was immensely conflicted—he had actually encountered a living ancestor.
Had he known this would happen, he would rather have remained in deep seclusion within his sect than come muddy these waters.
Qingtian appeared uncouth, but someone who had lived this long could not be a true reckless brute. He felt that the return of these "living ancestors," who should have vanished in the old era, might easily prove far more troublesome than the turmoil of the "Retired Emperors."
In truth, some of the high-ranking figures had not wanted to "acknowledge their ancestors" right away; they had wished to deliberate and weigh factors like Yezhou's current stability.
However, certain leaders were direct descendants of these pathfinders who had achieved immortality. They could not wait to acknowledge their kin on the spot, putting the other patriarchs who were still holding back into an awkward dilemma.
"Rise, all of you. You are considerably stronger than we were before we attained immortality. Each generation of newcomers replaces the old; you possess heaven-sent talent, every one of you truly remarkable."
Amid the swirling immortal mist, upon the avenue of golden light, the ancient ancestors nodded one after another. They personally helped the kneeling patriarchs to their feet, their faces filled with gratification.
With a rustle, once they understood the situation, the grandmasters, youths, and young immortal seeds also knelt to kowtow, having no choice but to pay formal homage.
"Good children, all of you. Rise quickly!" The ancient patriarchs wore benevolent smiles, emitting immortal light that gently lifted the crowd of juniors.
Some old grandmasters stood dazed. How many years had it been since anyone called them a child? It truly imparted a heavy sense of history.
In that moment, these "elderly children," each at least a century old, felt as though they had returned to their innocent youth.
In truth, deep down, the guests from external domains felt even more conflicted. They had traveled tens of thousands or even millions of li, yet across vast territories they had still run into a pack of their own "living ancestors." It was utterly absurd.
No one had anticipated that once the mysterious earthen city tied to Yujing emerged and its "indigenous inhabitants" walked out, this place would turn into a massive scene of ancestor recognition.
"Venerated Patriarchs, your immortal visages remain timeless, your vigor at its peak. Your return from the depths of the mist is truly a momentous occasion. We implore you to resolve our perplexities; your juniors are here to humbly receive your teachings."
Such smooth words were certainly not something Qingtian or Cao Qianqiu could utter. In fact, upon seeing Old Cao, that "brute" wanted nothing more than to thrash him again right in front of the ancestral predecessors.
Cao Qianqiu paid Qingtian no heed. He was currently biding his time and had to endure the solitude; the day would come when he would make a formidable return.
The First Ancestor of the Yuxian Sect said, "Since ancient times, golden ages face many heavenly trials. Only those who endure the tribulations without dying shall partake of the blessings."
"Heavenly trials"—it could refer to heavenly calamities, or it could mean heavenly demons.
The Third Ancestor of the Rulai Sect spoke, "Yujing has paused here temporarily, radiating auspicious light and scattering scriptures and rare treasures across the realm. Once it departs, Yezhou will likely become the focal point of catastrophe. You must possess the strength to protect yourselves and weather this crisis."
Just a few brief words from the ancient patriarchs left the higher-ups of each path furrowing their brows. Were Yezhou's prospects truly so bleak?
The hearts of the grandmasters and youths sank. In today's Yezhou, Earth Immortals dared not enter, making it seem like a true sanctuary from calamity. But once Yujing drifted away, catastrophe might strike, and the heavens might change!
This meeting before the earthen city stirred up massive waves in Yezhou, shaking the entire realm.
"Since ancient times, golden ages face many heavenly trials," and "Yujing will vanish." These key revelations sparked panic among many. Would Yezhou, peaceful for so long, suffer disaster in the future?
"Not necessarily!"
After departing the earthen city, the high-ranking figures of each path were not gripped by anxiety. Some conferred in secret, feeling that the ancient patriarchs were being somewhat alarmist.
In fact, before the earthen city, they had spent a long time in the company of those "living ancestors." While showing deference, they had also asked many blunt questions.
Yet certain answers had left Helian Chengyun, Qingtian, and the others unsatisfied.
The ancient patriarchs claimed they had survived thanks to the "gifts" of Yujing, spending most of those long ages in slumber.
As a result, they had missed many major historical events.
"They say that Yezhou, serving as a minor mooring dock for Yujing, should not be ground down by trials and may one day flourish greatly. Everything they are doing now is supposedly carrying out Yujing's 'heavenly will.'"
"When Yujing faded from view in the past, it briefly teetered on the brink, appearing to suffer from issues of its own!"
"Though they are the ancient patriarchs of each path, I cannot shake the feeling that they are hiding something, perhaps harboring ulterior motives."
During their secret meetings, Yezhou's leaders had headaches; faced with these "living ancestors," they lacked any good strategy to deal with them.
They suspected whether something had gone wrong with Yujing itself. Otherwise, why would it linger here for so long?
Why exactly had the patriarchs of past generations awakened and returned? Could they be seeking a "solution" within Yezhou?
Before long, those ancient patriarchs from the old era personally stepped out of the earthen city, appearing across Yezhou, with some even returning to their original lineages.
Under the long night, countless people across numerous cities buzzed with discussion.
Many young cultivators displayed fanatic zeal. Toward the founders of their sects and the renowned figures who had left indelible marks on the pages of history, they held immense reverence and adoration, wishing they could immediately go on a pilgrimage.
"They became immortals and have now returned! This is living, immortal myth merging into the present world!"
Throughout Yezhou, practitioners of every path grew restless.
The contemporary patriarchs realized that if these ancient patriarchs wanted to seize power, it would be far easier for them than for the "Retired Emperors."
For aside from the upper echelons, everyone else held immense veneration for these ancient ancestors, eager to worship them on altars.
After walking the realm for days, a First Ancestor of the immortal path finally opened his golden mouth, bringing his colossal influence to bear.
"In today's Yezhou, though the various paths maintain a fragile veneer of cooperation, deep-seated grievances fester. Moreover, this vast land is divided among three great empires and over a dozen dynasties, scattered like loose sand. Only by unifying all forces into a single strand can we hope to rebuild a glorious golden age."
A First Ancestor was a living myth. Regardless of his true level of cultivation, a single statement from him stirred the winds and clouds, resonated through all creation, and shook the four quarters.
Evidently, many people agreed, nodding along and finding his words profoundly reasonable.
"In Yezhou, what has long been divided must unite. It is time to forge a unified empire once more."
"Wrong! The ancient patriarchs have all attained immortality—perhaps we should establish an immortal dynasty!"
Faced with the actions following the return of these "living ancestors," the contemporary leaders of each path maintained silence, with many choosing to enter seclusion.
Under the long night, people in every city engaged in heated debates, believing the three great empires and over a dozen dynasties ought to merge, and that an immortal dynasty should be founded.
Neither the ancient patriarchs nor the current echelons seemed in any hurry, letting the news ferment as fervent discussion swept every region.
Time flew swiftly. In the blink of an eye, over three months passed. Early spring gave way to summer—the rainy season had arrived.
During this time, Qin Ming had been contemplating scriptures in a remote region, far from the dazzling megacities and insulated from the clamorous debates, cultivating diligently within the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace.
He had naturally heard the news from the core territories of Yezhou. At first, he had indeed been dumbstruck, but he soon regained his calm.
"Super-patriarchs who left their marks on history are actually still alive and returning to this era. Major events are almost bound to occur..."
One summer night, heavy rain poured in sheets and lightning fell like a waterfall. The entire Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace turned bright red, bordering on translucent, as dense clusters of thunder-fire orbs rolled incessantly across the metal tiles.
Qin Ming sighed. The types of otherworldly matter were limited; the thunder and fire did not bring new heavenly light or novel blazing fire every time. Seeking "resources" from the heavens was growing increasingly difficult.
Suddenly, he raised his head inside the golden palace to see a tall, slender figure passing through the curtain of rain, walking in the night sky and strolling casually toward him.
This person possessed extraordinary perception. Even though lightning intertwined in dense clusters, his figure evaded it all high in the sky in advance, appearing exceptionally otherworldly and ethereal.
Qin Ming's pupils contracted. This was a profoundly dangerous expert, unfathomable, and seemingly coming straight for him.
He had laid low here in great secrecy, content with months of solitude, yet he had still been found, his peace shattered.
With deep eyes, Qin Ming chose spirit wandering. His consciousness blended into heavenly light and instantly exited his body, voluntarily stepping out into the night sky blanketed by torrential rain.
His physical body remained peacefully seated inside the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace. In truth, he had retained a sliver of consciousness; having practiced the Classic of Tempering the Body to Unite with the Dao, his physical combat prowess was equally astonishing.
In the heavy rain, as streak after streak of lightning flashed, illuminating the pitch-black world, that figure in the night sky was cast into sharp relief.
It was a youth clad in green robes, possessing both an otherworldly serenity and an oppressive, murderous intent hidden beneath his calm exterior—a thoroughly dangerous individual.
"Not bad," he remarked with a nod as he watched Qin Ming enter the night sky.
Qin Ming knew the visitor bore ill intent. Choosing to "visit" on such a rainy night was precisely to avoid alerting anyone, and by now, the youth had already locked onto him.
"Is the world falling into chaos?" Qin Ming muttered under his breath. At a time when the relations between the various paths were in their golden window, someone had actually come to deal with him.
He surmised that this person might not be a native of Yezhou.
"Are you a visitor from external domains, or a descendant of the earthen city?" Qin Ming asked.
The green-robed youth gave a faint smile and did not reply. With a flick of his finger, a nine-colored flying sword materialized out of thin air in the torrential rain, releasing radiant brilliance that seemed to outshine even the lightning, ripping open the pitch-black night.
Qin Ming's brows furrowed deeply. Sure enough, this was a fourth-realm expert and a seed-level figure, whereas he himself was still in the middle stage of the third realm.
If a heaven-sent prodigy of a path, a world-renowned top-tier seed, was truly an entire major realm higher than him, any clash would bode ill for Qin Ming.
Qin Ming was formidable and had yet to meet an equal in the same realm, but if the opponent possessed a higher realm and sufficiently profound cultivation, that alone could crush everything.
Moreover, this youth seemed endowed with transcendent talent—extraordinary by any measure!
"However, today might just be different!" Qin Ming declared, devoid of fear.
It was all because today's weather was extraordinary: the torrential rain poured like surging rivers, and the lightning intertwined like a celestial net.
In the Overlord's Posthumous Writings, the core exposition was precisely drawing upon all creation between heaven and earth to replenish oneself, and harmonizing the field potentials of mountains and rivers for one's own use.
Without question, the Overlord had drawn upon certain esoteric sect secrets that were never transmitted openly, effectively blending them with the Newborn path.
Building upon that foundation, Qin Ming had further incorporated methods from the immortal path. With the three paths fused into one and his mental field bridging them together, he could borrow momentum from earthly fields, heavenly fields, the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth, and all manner of unusual manifestations.
Undoubtedly, under such extreme environmental conditions, Qin Ming would be exceptionally strong!
At that moment, with him at the center, ripples of spirit field waves expanded outward, ring upon ring.
"The legendary... Heavenly Demon force field!" The green-robed youth stared at him.
Qin Ming did not answer. Sensing something, he looked toward the west. Amid the rain curtain there, a white-robed woman emerged. In the night, beneath the torrential rain, she appeared strikingly conspicuous whenever lightning flashed across the sky.
Above her head, a canopy materialized, flowing with precious radiance that blocked the downpour and shielded her from the lightning, accentuating her unutterably noble and enigmatic presence.
The green-robed youth frowned, unsure whether he did not recognize the white-robed woman or simply did not welcome her arrival.
Qin Ming turned his head again to look due south. A man and a woman were approaching, parting the night and strolling through the open sky beneath the torrential rain.
"Is it going to be this lively tonight?" Qin Ming remarked, scanning all directions. The spirit field waves rippling out from him seemed gradually imbued with an immortal radiance.
Meanwhile, an almost charred human skin traversed the night fog, braving the pouring rain as it entered the Black-White Mountain region, swiftly drawing near Twin Trees Village.
Through the curtain of rain, he transmitted his voice: "Having heard that a senior resides here in seclusion, this junior has come specifically to pay his respects."
Chapter 367