Alien Ruins, the Star Explorer, and Origins Shared with the Ancient Clan's Ancestral Land?

The exchange between Qi Yuan and the fat cultivator was merely a brief interlude, though it drew quite a few eyes. Yet no one took it seriously. They felt the two were simply spouting nonsense. Standing not far from Qi Yuan, Wang Zhiqi looked at him with curious eyes and asked in a low whisper, "Senior, what did you realize? What... kind of Purple Mansion are you going to cultivate?" "It's a secret." Until it was complete, Qi Yuan had no intention of telling anyone what kind of Purple Mansion he planned to create. Wang Zhiqi fell silent, while Xie Tang shot her a reproving glare. By now, the gathering was hitting its stride. One by one, the Divine Infant cultivators shared their insights on the Purple Mansion. Without Qi Yuan interrupting, the symposium got back on track. Finding it rather boring, Qi Yuan took out his phone, preparing to make an online post to ask how to properly construct the Netherworld. Brainstorming with the masses was always better than racking his own brains alone. Just then, the elder in the solid red mask glanced at Qi Yuan and warned, "No photos or video recordings." Hearing this, Qi Yuan chuckled. "I get it, I get it. Play around, joke around, but no photos when the Dao is spoken." The elder in the solid red mask said nothing more to him. The Divine Infant cultivators continued their discussion on the path of the Purple Mansion. Qi Yuan drafted and submitted his thread: *To all the 20-centimeter guys and 36D ladies: how do you build a Netherworld?* Having submitted the post, Qi Yuan closed his eyes to rest his mind, though in truth he was pondering how to actually form his Purple Mansion. Purple qi and the Netherworld... well, both were exceedingly difficult. Needless to say, purple qi mostly appeared when heaven and earth first opened. As for the Netherworld, that went without saying. *Could it be that I have to threaten this world's Heavenly Dao?* *But... why doesn't this world have a Heavenly Dao?* Upon reaching the realm of a Great Venerable, one could sense the Heavenly Dao. Indeed, powerful Great Venerables could even capture the Heavenly Dao of certain small worlds and devour it. Yet in this world, Qi Yuan had failed to detect any Heavenly Dao whatsoever. If the Heavenly Dao wasn't at home, how was he supposed to threaten it? Time slipped by minute by minute. Joy gleamed in the eyes of the Divine Infant cultivators present. Evidently, this symposium had yielded great gains for them. Many Divine Infant True Monarchs exchanged flattering praises, and some even swapped contact information. "Fellow Daoists, this concludes our symposium," the elder in the solid red mask spoke up, declaring the end of the gathering. The Divine Infant cultivators present still lingered, wanting more. Clearly, they had hoped to hear the Purple Mansion grand cultivator preach a little longer. At that moment, the solid-red-masked cultivator shifted the topic. "In truth, my invitation to you all for this symposium had two purposes. Discussing the Dao was the first; inviting you all to join in a grand endeavor is the second." As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone present. Those who had been preparing to leave returned to their seats, curious to know what this second purpose was. "As for what this second matter entails, this old man cannot say for the time being. However... much like exploring a secret realm, it is fraught with danger and the unknown, but the rewards are bountiful. If you are willing to take part, please remain, and I will explain everything in detail. If you are unwilling, please take your leave at once." Those present were taken aback. "Like exploring a secret realm? But this world... doesn't seem to have any secret realms." "I have just gained insights from the Dao discourse, so I will not get involved in such matters." "I will not be going!" "Heheh, I haven't stretched my limbs in years. I find myself quite interested." The nearly twenty Divine Infant cultivators conferred briefly, and about five of them immediately withdrew. After all, they did not know each other; embarking on such a venture was perilous. Shortly afterward, a few more Divine Infants backed out. Only twelve Divine Infant cultivators remained. Ning Tao leaned close to Qi Yuan and asked softly, "Husband, should we go?" "Let me check." Qi Yuan brought his ability to bear. At that moment, his left eyebrow gave a bizarre twitch. Delight flashed in his eyes. "We go!" A twitching left eye meant wealth; a twitching right eye meant disaster. This time, the twitch of his left eyebrow was quite pronounced, which meant there was a lot of wealth to be had. Beside them, Xie Tang was caught in a dilemma. To tell the truth, had she been younger, she would never have agreed to explore a secret realm without knowing the specific details. The cultivation world was cruel; countless geniuses had perished within secret realms. Yet now, her senior sister Xie Xinsu was still missing, Xuantian Sect was in dire straits, and resources were running scarce. Thus, she gritted her teeth and resolved to take the gamble to secure resources. "I'll go as well!" As for Wang Zhiqi, she would naturally return to the sect. The fat cultivator pondered for a moment before finally declaring, "Count me in!" The remaining Divine Infant cultivators fixed their gazes on the purple-robed Purple Mansion cultivator, awaiting his decision. "This old man finds himself rather intrigued as well. I shall go." Hearing that the Purple Mansion grand cultivator was joining, some of the Divine Infants breathed a sigh of relief, while others grew secretly apprehensive. Those relieved felt that with such a powerful figure present, the expedition would be much safer. More importantly, during the discourse, this Purple Mansion senior had appeared genial, and the Dao he expounded was gentle. Those apprehensive knew you could know a person's face but not their heart; if this Purple Mansion cultivator turned on them, everyone present would be doomed. Those who remained were bold precisely because of their skills. "Since you are all going, let those uninvolved depart first," the elder in the solid red mask said. Wang Zhiqi, the other disciples, and the junior companions of the Divine Infants took their leave one after another. The cruise ship grew quiet and spacious. The red-masked elder cleared his throat and said, "The realm we are to explore this time is no ordinary cultivation secret realm. It is... alien ruins." "What? Alien ruins?" At these words, everyone present was shocked. Decades ago, alien ruins had surfaced, sparking a great war on Arch Star. Qinyuan and Guwu Kingdom had gone to war, with Can Star extending its reach into the conflict to aid Guwu. In the end, three years later, the war concluded with a narrow victory for Qinyuan Kingdom. Qinyuan and Guwu Kingdom signed a treaty to jointly explore the alien ruins. However, that expedition ended in failure. The alien ruins were completely bare, containing nothing at all. It was as though they had been swept clean. This had bitterly disappointed both Qinyuan and Guwu Kingdom. Nevertheless, experts from both nations concluded, "The contents of the alien ruins were likely relocated by someone who beat us to it." Other experts claimed it was merely an abandoned alien ruin, and the true alien ruins remained hidden elsewhere on Arch Star. The abandoned alien ruins were still garrisoned by armies and experts from various nations. They were all investigating where the true ruins had gone. Yet now, the red-masked man claimed to possess information regarding the ruins—how could those present not be astonished? After all, the Eye of the Sky, which was capable of obliterating a Purple Mansion grand cultivator, had been retrieved from an alien ruin. If they could obtain an Eye of the Sky, would that not mean their sect gained Purple Mansion-level combat power and foundation? The Divine Infant cultivators breathed heavily, their eyes blazing with excitement. "After stumbling upon these ruins by sheer luck, I once attempted to explore them alone, hoping to claim them for myself," the elder explained. "Yet my strength is meager; I could not even breach the entrance. Having held the ruins for over a decade with no way forward, I had no choice but to join forces with fellow Daoists to explore them together." Hearing this, the Divine Infants found it perfectly reasonable. With such immense benefits at stake, anyone's first instinct would be to keep them for themselves. Only after failing to enter alone would one reveal the secret and seek partners. Such occurrences were commonplace in the cultivation world. "However, before we explore the ruins, we must agree on ground rules," the red-masked elder continued. "Inside the ruins, no fighting or killing one another is permitted. Once outside the ruins, after fifteen minutes have passed... every person for themselves. What say you?" "No problem," a burly man replied, his aura unmistakably that of late Divine Infant strength. "Let us swear an inner demon oath together—how about swearing to our respective Heavenly Daos?" a Divine Infant cultivator proposed. "Fine by me." None of the Divine Infant cultivators objected; clearly, this was not their first time exploring ruins. Qi Yuan nodded as well. "Fine." Swearing an oath to the Heavenly Dao could not bind him. Back when he had just achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he might have been wary of that chubby kid who was the Canglan Realm's Heavenly Dao. Now... to put it bluntly, he could thrash it directly. The twelve people present each swore an inner demon oath. Even so, everyone remained guarded against each other. The fat cultivator looked at Qi Yuan and murmured, "Fellow Daoist, fate seems to have brought us together. Once inside the ruins, why don't we look out for each other?" "Sure." Qi Yuan did not refuse. This fat cultivator was truly a hidden dragon among the weeds, his wits exceptionally sharp. Beside them, Xie Tang gritted her teeth and spoke softly, "I wonder if I might have the chance to join the three of you?" Going in alone was certainly unwise. She chose to put her trust in Qi Yuan, odd as he seemed. "No problem!" For Yang Shan's sake, Qi Yuan did not turn her away. ... An hour later. The twelve cultivators descended into a deep mountain range. The mountains were shrouded in lush, verdant jungles where various insects darted about, venomous snakes slithered past, and other poisonous creatures lurked in the shadows. Ordinary mortals would find it nearly impossible to survive in such terrain, but to these Divine Infant cultivators, it posed no threat at all. "After discovering the entrance to the ruins, I feared it might be found by others, so I laid a concealment maze here. I shall dispel it now." The elder in the solid red mask waved his hand, revealing a hidden illusion array. As he cast his spell, the maze gradually dissolved. Witnessing this, several Divine Infants quietly speculated on the elder's identity. This illusion array was exceedingly intricate; few within the Three Realms possessed the skill to set up such an array. Once the array faded, a sinkhole came into view. Straight bamboos grew along its edge. The sinkhole was bottomless and pitch-black, and standing above it, one could faintly feel drafts rising, indicating oxygen down below. Without hesitation, everyone flew downward. The sinkhole was five hundred meters deep, which took only a single breath for Divine Infant cultivators. Soon, the group reached the bottom. The red-masked elder led the way. Advancing through the cavern floor, they spotted numerous grottoes. The red-masked elder shrank his body and slipped into an opening no larger than a fist. Seeing this, the other cultivators shrank their forms and followed him inside. The tunnel was freezing, well below zero. After roughly fifteen minutes, the red-masked elder halted. The space ahead opened up dramatically. "To be able to find such a hidden place—your luck is truly remarkable, Fellow Daoist," a Divine Infant cultivator marveled. "Just sheer luck," the red-masked elder replied. "This is the entrance to the ruins. Alas, I could not enter. It will require our combined might to break it open." The elder waved his hand, dispelling the concealing array over the portal. Before them appeared a peculiarly styled gate. Its material resembled glass—pure, transparent, and breathtakingly sleek, exuding a distinct sci-fi aesthetic. Inscribed on the glass door were peculiar symbols, bizarre markings that seemed to be some form of script. *[Gate of the Star Explorer. Produced by the Divine Han race. Requires a special key to enter.]* Qi Yuan looked at it, and information appeared before his eyes. This was hidden information only he could see. Seeing this, he was slightly taken aback. For the architectural style bore striking similarities to the Ancient Clan's Ancestral Land in the Mortal Heart Realm. *Could it be...* Curiosity sparked in Qi Yuan's eyes. He had a premonition that he was about to uncover the deepest secret of this game. "Come, fellow Daoists, let us join forces and breach this gate!" the red-masked elder urged with a smile. He had failed to open it before because his strength fell short. Now, with so many assembled, they might just succeed. Without hesitation, the others banded together, preparing to unleash their divine abilities to force the gate open. Right then, a voice transmission reached the red-masked elder's ears: *"Fifth Brother, is the artifact left by our Patriarch ready? Don't let anything go wrong!"* *"Don't worry, everything is prepared."* Transmissions crisscrossed through the air. Among the twelve Divine Infants present, six harbored strange glints in their eyes. These six Divine Infants were all participants in the Sky-Overturning Plan. The Sky-Overturning Plan involved using the secret artifact left by their Patriarch to siphon away all spiritual energy from both the Three Realms and Arch Star, relocating their sects into a massive secret realm. When they initially discovered this ruin, they had been ecstatic. However, even with thirty Divine Infant cultivators striking in unison, they could not force the gate open. Later, the red-masked elder produced the secret treasure left behind by their Patriarch. This secret treasure was said to be capable of breaching any defense under the sun. Yet activating it required the fresh blood of at least four newly slain Divine Infant cultivators. Hence, they had devised this scheme. Of the twelve Divine Infants present, half were their own people, and the other half were the unfortunate souls chosen as sacrifices. As for the Purple Mansion cultivator, they felt no fear. After all, their Patriarch was an ascendant cultivator; the artifact he had left behind was more than enough to deal with a Purple Mansion cultivator. The other Divine Infant cultivators would never imagine that anyone would carry a sect's supreme treasure away from their homeland and bring it onto Arch Star—such an act was exceedingly rare. Right now, having them help break the door was merely a diversion. After all, if twenty Divine Infants couldn't break it, adding one Purple Mansion cultivator wouldn't be enough either. *"To think I would actually have a chance to hunt down a Purple Mansion cultivator,"* one Divine Infant mused with suppressed excitement. He carried a sect treasure of his own, and his target was precisely that Purple Mansion expert. For now, he put on a show of exerting himself alongside the others. Once everyone pushed their power to the brink, leaving their defenses compromised and vigilance dropped, they would strike. "Now, strike together!" At the red-masked elder's command, everyone unleashed their power. Vast spiritual energy surged against the gate, several divine abilities slamming into its surface. Yet the gate remained completely unmoved. "Hold nothing back, everyone! Hit it together!" the red-masked elder yelled. Seeing this, the remaining Divine Infants knew they couldn't hold back too much. Immediately, everyone poured their full strength into the assault. A peculiar glint flashed through Qi Yuan's eyes. *Divine Infant strength can't break it, but what about a Yang God?* In that instant, power belonging to a Yang God surged from Qi Yuan's palm. Yet his control over magical techniques went far beyond the Subtle realm; even as he unleashed his power, none of the cultivators present could perceive his true strength. *Boom!* In the blink of an eye, the supposedly indestructible gate shattered. "The door broke open! Wonderful!" the fat cultivator exclaimed in delight. The red-masked elder's heart skipped a beat, bewildered. Back then, over twenty Divine Infants had struck together, and the gate hadn't suffered even the faintest hairline crack. Now... it was smashed to pieces in one blow? Wasn't that way too fast? Should they still proceed with the plan? He hesitated. He glanced toward the Purple Mansion cultivator, dread flickering in his eyes. *Is this the terrifying might of a Purple Mansion cultivator?* *"What do we do, Fifth Brother?"* *"How did it open? Wasn't it impossible to break?"* *"It must have been that Purple Mansion cultivator."* *"Abort the plan for now. This Purple Mansion cultivator is too strong. Send a secret message immediately to summon our other companions and set an ambush at the exit,"* the red-masked elder swiftly decided. Everyone stood before the doorway, but no one dared to be the first to enter. "This door is certainly sturdy enough. It took thirty percent of my strength to break it. Looks like there really are good things inside," Qi Yuan remarked, curiosity shining in his eyes. Hearing this, the red-masked elder was left speechless, unable to resist retorting, "Had it not been for this Purple Mansion senior, we might not have been able to enter at all." Even twenty Divine Infants couldn't break it. This cultivator really loved patting himself on the back. Opened it with thirty percent of his strength? The other cultivators looked at Qi Yuan with much the same thought. However, unlike the red-masked elder, they did not call Qi Yuan out directly. The Purple Mansion cultivator chuckled. "Everyone contributed their strength. This credit belongs to all of us; there is no need to dispute it." Just then, Ning Tao linked her arm with Qi Yuan's and sent him a voice transmission: *"Husband, should we just kill them all?"* As a Great Venerable, the killing intent of Divine Infants could not hide from her senses. *"No need. It won't be too late to kill them once the rest of their people arrive,"* Qi Yuan replied. He was in the Yang God realm. Their secret transmissions were no different from speaking at the top of their lungs right in front of him. Even disguised, Qi Yuan could see through to their true appearances with a single glance. For instance, among the six cultivators bearing secret artifacts, one female cultivator had a truly fair face—fairer than a pair of breasts, even.