The Ancient Immortal Continent was in the midst of turmoil. Fear, war, death, and despair ran rampant all throughout. The peace before the people from Upper Realm entered seemed like an illusion.
Tranquillity cannot be easily regained once lost.
Just a few days prior, the Great Elder of Heavenly Dao Immortal Palace had even appeared in person, rushing towards the Dragon Island.
He was an ancient existence so old it'd be an insult to call them a living fossil.
And his unfathomable strength was enough to make anyone tremble.
No one knew what the Great Elder did when he finally arrived at the True Dragon Clan, nor did anyone understand why he ultimately fought against an ancestor of the True Dragon Clan, a legendary figure named Void Shadow.
But one thing was for sure. Their battle had shocked every Daoist Sect and Ancient Immortal Races, and even the stars outside the Upper Realm were shattered by the fluctuations, becoming streams of ashen powder floating in the night sky.
The Great Elder took action, shaking Heaven and Earth. The Qi in each of his strikes was as vast as a galaxy, submerging everything under its intense might.
So what if even the phantom of the True Dragon Clan's Ancestor reappeared?
He was simply no match for it.
The space within hundreds of thousands of miles of Dragon Island was blasted into dust in that battle, and the aftermath of the battle lingered on, making the hearts of many strong individuals tremble, not daring to go anywhere near.
After the war, the Great Elder showed his strongest methods and persecuted the Ancient Immortal Races, thinking that they needed to be unified, lest the other Daoist Sects come to take a piece of the pie.
The continent, which had survived since the Immortal Period, now needed a new ruler.
And although the Great Elder did not specify who the ruler was, every clan in the Ancient Immortal Continent realized that it must be the current Heir of Heavenly Dao Immortal Palace
Moreover, the identity of this heir was not a mystery to Ancient Immortal Races.
Wasn't it just a while ago that Gu Changge had raised a ruckus inside the Ancient Immortal Continent and pissed off the various Ancient Immortal Races?!
The incident caused shock and anger throughout the Ancient Immortal Continent, followed by a sense of deep unease. Gu Changge's backing was one that, as long as you knew about it, would already cause anyone to become terrified and fearful.
Yet now there was the Great Elder showing up to support Gu Changge as well?
It was simply unbelievable!
The many Daoist Sects in the outside world that noticed Gu Changge's ambition, gasped in astonishment.
'He intends to unify the Ancient Immortal Races!'
However, they were also puzzled, thinking that Gu Changge was still merely a young man.
No matter how powerful he was, could he possibly change the current situation of the Ancient Immortal Continent just using his own strength?
Not unless the forces behind him, such as the Ancient Immortal Gu Family and the Primordial Divine Sect intervene, and put their influence on the table.
Because it was a very unrealistic notion otherwise.
The troublesome piece called the Ancient Immortal Continent had a lot of meat for sure, but if one is not careful it would be difficult to swallow.
Furthermore, its bone might even make one bleed if one was not careful.
Hence, although many Daoist Sects were planning to conquer the Ancient Immortal Continent for a long time, they never took any actions, unlike Gu Changge.
This move of his truly shocked countless cultivators.
The Ancient Immortal Continent had a glut of inhabitants, with inheritances that have been standing since the Immortal Period.
Apart from the destroyed Tiangou Clan, which had surrendered, no substantial harm or loss had befallen the other clans at all.
That meant that the many Daoist Sects pouring into the Ancient Immortal Continent would not pose too much of a problem for the natives, since not every sect could kill everything in sight like Ancestor Gu Nanshan of the Ancient Immortal Gu Family.
— — —
[At the same time, in an endless mountain range.]
"The Great Elder gave the True Dragon Clan half a month to consider. If the True Dragon Clan has not given a reply by then, they will be suppressed by the Great Elder."
?The True Dragon Clan holds an extraordinary significance to the rest of the Ancient Immortal Races, and are arguably the most powerful. Once they choose to surrender, there are bound to be other clans that follow."
"Gu Changge's idea to act using the Great Elder was smart indeed..."
Many ancient and huge warships floated in the sky, shrouded in golden mist, like immortal soldiers descending from myth.
The person who spoke was standing on the warship, his splendid golden eyes gleaming, the descendant and heir of the Immortal Wang Family – Wang Wushuang.
He was still in the Ancient Immortal Continent.
Besides him was an old but powerful elite of the Immortal Wang Family, with a stooped figure and terrifying aura.
After learning of the Fairy Gate's appearance, this old monster had come to the Ancient Immortal Continent to look for opportunities.
However, he received nothing but near-fatal injuries in the end. He had lost almost half their life on this journey.
Yet he did not choose to immediately leave the Ancient Immortal Continent but instead chose to stay by Wang Wushuang's side. They planned to look out for Gu Changge and fish in troubled waters to get some benefits.
"What a fine plan. Using the excuse of getting justice, not only did he pacify the Tiangou clan, but is now even intending to encroach upon all the Ancient Immortal Races..."
Hearing this, the old monster also sighed, incomparably amazed by the boldness of such a young junior, and feeling curious at the same time.
"Hah, apart from those Ancient Freaks or the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritors, I am afraid few people in the younger generation are qualified to fight against Gu Changge. We can only but speculate on what level of cultivation he might have already reached."
Wang Wushuang's body, hidden in the thick fog, looked very mysterious.
Revealing only those all-seeing golden pupils that flickered with runes from time to time.
He nodded solemnly.
Ever since his birth, he had prided himself on being invincible, yet he couldn't help but be scared when facing Gu Changge, his heart palpitating.
In a real fight with no holds barred, Gu Changge would crush him.
"Gu Changge is truly powerful, but he's not necessarily invincible. Wushuang, have you forgotten about your sister? She should have left secluded cultivation and returned by now."
The old monster standing near Wang Wushuang smiled slightly at those crest-fallen words, before casually mentioning the arrival of Wang Wushuang's mysterious sister.
"My sister?"
Wang Wushuang was stunned for a moment, his reaction a bit sluggish, while all kinds of memories flashed through his mind like lightning.
He was actually very curious about this incomparably mysterious sister of his.
It was said that she had been picked up and taken away by the Human Ancestral Hall at a young age to undergo specialized training because of her extremely terrifying talent.
And during the practice which lasted more than 20 years, she had never once returned to the clan.
Therefore, many clansmen and even some senior members of the Immortal Wang Family did not even know about his sister's existence.
Even Wang Wushuang himself had only heard about it recently from a Clan Elder.
And it seemed like this elder sister of his had successfully completed her practice within the Human Ancestral Hall, and was now returning to the clan.
"Is she very strong?" Wang Wushuang asked after being silent for a while.
"Strong?"
The old monster smirked, shaking his head gently, "To describe your sister only as strong is already considered an insult. Her talent is simply unparalleled."
"You need only know that during the day when your sister was born, a peerless Heavenly Vision spread out across a million miles, and the Great Dao resounded for three days, three nights. It caused many cultivators to realize some bits of Dao on the spot."
"At that time, she directly devoured the essence of several star fields and was born at the level of a Sacred Realm Cultivation. It's just that she herself decided to destroy her cultivation base using her tremendous perseverance and willpower."
"This incident shocked several ancestors into awakening from their seclusion. Combining their strength, they then made a bold move to cover up all the secrets and seal the very heavens, to prevent the other Daoist Sects and Immortal Clans from noticing."
"Many clansmen who knew about this matter also sealed their memories; for fear that someone would realize your sister's terrifying talent in advance and assassinate her."
The words of this old monster, fuelled by deep admiration, dumbfounded Wang Wushuang.
It was unbelievable!
Born with a Sacred Realm Cultivation? What was this concept?
Even with his god-gifted talent, he was still only in the False God Realm after training for so long and wasting so many resources.
Yet his sister was born a Sacred Realm cultivator?
It was too shocking! If he had not heard this directly from the mouth of the old monster, he would never have believed it.
Horrifying. The news made him freeze in place, trembling slightly.
"It's no wonder that my sister's existence was hidden by the clan, with no news available about her. If it had spread out, it would definitely cause a major earthquake, and she would've most likely been assassinated before reaching maturity."
Wang Wushuang suddenly felt a sense of admiration for his estranged sister.
"Yeah, at that time, many clansmen had their memories of this matter sealed. Thus, your sister's existence has always been kept a tight secret."
The old monster nodded in agreement.
"So don't look at Gu Changge acting so victorious now, there are many more people with more monstrous talent than him in this world. For your sister, it won't matter how strong Gu Changge becomes, he'll probably never be worthy of being her opponent."
"I remember hearing a few years ago that she was about to enter the God King Realm, and so it is estimated that she is not far from the Sacred Realm now..."
Hiss!
Wang Wushuang sucked in a breath of cold air, suffering another blow to his pride.
'She was in the God King Realm a few years ago?'
'Such monstrous talent!'
At this moment, he finally understood why those clan elders didn't pay much attention to him as an heir, putting little effort into properly raising him.
It turned out that his existence was purely a cover-up for his sister!
Thinking of this, Wang Wushuang couldn't help but smile bitterly.
But what could he say? Who asked his talent to be inferior to his sister?
"It seems my sister has left me a lot of trouble." Wang Wushuang sighed in acceptance.
The old monster coughed slightly, "I do have to say, though, that your elder sister strangely didn't cry or make trouble when she was born, which is different from other babies. It was as if she possessed life-transcending intelligence from her past life. The ancestors decided to investigate, but still couldn't find out the reason..."
"Furthermore, her personality is, uh..."
Speaking until here, the old monster showed a weird tangled expression, as if it was difficult to describe exactly what he wanted to say.
He still remembered it vividly.
A young girl, with pink cheeks that looked like jade and skin as delicate and as flawless as a little fairy, opened her mouth to spill out "your mother's…" and a various blend of exotic and expressive curses. The impact on his three views was simply immense that day.[1]
[1: Three views is a Chinese thing. One's perspective over life, world, and value.]
These memories left a deep impression on him.
"By the way, what is my sister's name?"
Wang Wushuang was becoming more and more curious about his sister.
It was unbelievable that this Clan Elder would show such an expression and say such words.
"Your sister? Her name is Wang Zijin... and you'll see her soon enough."
The old enchanting smiled menacingly and spoke.
"And soon, this name will shake the entire Upper Realm."
— — —
[At the same time in the Heavenly Domain, Upper Realm.]
Within the most prosperous and ancient territory's centre.
A majestic palace that stood in the sky, magnificent and sacred, like an immortal abode.
Tiles of flawless white jade and pure glazed glass, paired with eaves made of million-year-old purple gold sandalwood, lead up to a pavilion paved by Obsidian Star Stones.
It was an extremely luxurious atmosphere.
Domineering, yet quaint and solemn.
Filled with a thick sea of surging immortal aura.
A palace that oversaw the endless pond below the Ancient City.
Rising as the sun, and setting as the moon, countless gleaming runes intertwined between every breath and move in the Main Hall.
Reflecting the stars of the nine heavens, and viewing the universe like a supreme throne, it showed the transcendental status of this palace.
A huge Immortal Plaque hung in front of the temple gate, with purple Immortal Gold as the base and inlaid with Immortal Gold Glyphs.
Converging into three Archaic words.
Human Ancestral Hall.
Thousands of silver threads could be seen flowing from Heaven and Earth, rushing towards the palace crazily, as if they wanted to gather inside it, those lines of energy that appeared sacred and pure.
And inside these silver threads were countless chants, praises, and prayers. The culmination of the worship and recitation of Human Ancestor's achievements from cultivators all over the realm.
At this time, a beautiful woman dressed in flawless white clothes with a veil on her face was cultivating with her eyes closed in the main hall.
A vague immortal figure, so grand and mysterious, seemed to chant scriptures behind her. It looked ethereal and ephemeral as if it was crossing the space-time barrier from an Immortal Period.
Her complexion was fair and delicate. Her eyebrows were fair and sharp. And her eyes were a pair of flawless black gems, shining with a lustre that could move the souls of any being.
But her expression only showed a bone-chilling apathy.
A state of detachedness, like the abandonment of emotions and worldly desires.
"Reporting to the Saintess, Holy Maiden Zijin has left the Heavenly Domain and is on her way back to the Immortal Wang Family."
A man and woman suddenly appeared out of thin air.
The woman respectfully reported her piece.
"Wang Zijin... so she still left secretly ."
Hearing this, the woman in white seemed a bit surprised.
Yet, her expression was as calm as ever, as the receding waves of an ocean.
"Did she say anything?" The woman cloaked in white asked lightly.
"Holy Maiden Zijin also left a short message saying that she has no interest in finding the reincarnation of Human Ancestor and that it was purely a coincidence that she came to this place to cultivate, and that we... 'did her dirty'."
"So now she's leaving."
"She also said that she doesn't want the position of Saintess... and needed to go back to find a husband to marry..."
The woman who was reporting on the situation looked a little embarrassed.
For this type of remark to be said by the Human Ancestral Hall's Descendent was simply too shocking. If any outside ever heard about it, they would be completely disgraced!
Then again, considering the Holy Maiden's "unique" attitude, it did not seem too strange.
But even though the Holy Maiden talked about "marriage" so lightly, her words were shallow at best, since she barely had experienced the outside world.
"Wang Zijin's dreams truly are big, but I'm afraid this matter is not something she can decide for herself. Once you enter the Human Ancestral Hall, you'll be a member of the Human Ancestral Hall for life. Assisting the Human Ancestor in restoring the world's peace becomes your lifelong obligation and duty."
The woman in white just shook her head slightly.
'Wang Zijin cannot escape her fate.'
'As for this "marriage" matter, although Wang Zijin said it so casually, she is actually a very arrogant person. Even in the Human Ancestral Hall where talents are abundant...'
'No one can hope to catch her attention.'
'Could the outside world possibly compare with the Human Ancestral Hall in this regard?'
As her words echoed in the spacious chamber, a hazy mist began to appear upon the face of the woman clothed in white, covering her whole body.
The voice became indistinct, and it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female.
To think that there would be two descendants of the Human Ancestral Hall in this life and that the descendants were both women! It was something deemed unimaginable in the past.
The Elders decided to elect them as a pair of descendants because the talent of both those women was just too good to waste
Whether it was Wang Zijin of the Immortal Wang Family or the woman in white named Jiang Chuchu, they were both terrifying monsters of the younger generation.
Moreover, in the eyes of many old generation powerhouses in the Human Ancestral Hall, Jiang Chuchu was very likely to be the reincarnation of an Ancient Immortal!
Although Wang Zijin was strong, it would be difficult for her to gain an upper hand in front of Jiang Chuchu.
"According to my prediction, the reincarnation of the Human Ancestor should have been born already. It seems that I have to leave this place."
Jiang Chuchu pondered for a while, her calm face showing otherworldly insight.
Because not every generation would herald the Human Ancestor's reincarnation.
For the descendants of the Human Ancestral Hall, their biggest task was to protect the Human Ancestor's reincarnation in his infancy and help him slowly become stronger.
To aid in awakening the Human Ancestor's past memory and guide him to become a powerhouse of the generation, in order to save the world and bring salvation to all races.
"The reappearance of the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor in this life will inevitably lead to chaos in the world. On the way to finding the Human Ancestor's reincarnation, I will capture the Demonic Arts' Inheritor and kill them first."
Jiang Chuchu muttered to herself. Bringing justice to the common folk and eliminating harm for the people was her primary moral code.
Righteous, Brave, and Benevolent. If Gu Changge was here, he'd definitely understand that this woman had the bearing of the True Orthodox Path.
— — —
Boom!
Horrifying pressure like a mighty mountain fell from the sky. A sea of suppression.
Shaking the Heavens and moving the Earth, the sun and moon lost their lights. It was like a supreme being, slashing forth a blow from the ends of the universe.
Yet in the next moment, the breath of Qi that made the sky tremble seemed to have been strangled by the throat, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
The monstrous force dissipated like the fading embers of a fire.
[Ancestral Hall, Divine Crocodile Clan]
Gu Changge stood there with his hands behind his back, clothed in black hunting clothes, with a smile on his face as he stared down at the kneeling ancestor of the Divine Crocodile Clan.
"Are you courting death?"
"Young Master Gu, please don't take my words seriously, you are a magnanimous and benevolent person. There is no need to listen to the ramblings of an old fool like myself..."
The Quasi-Supreme Ancestor of the Divine Crocodile Clan paled as cold sweat trickled from his scaly forehead and down his spine.
All the clansmen behind him were even more frightened, almost bathing in desperation.
They did not expect that their ancestor in the Quasi-Supreme Realm would be so helpless in front of Gu Changge, to the point where his life was in the palm of Gu Changge's hand!
This was no longer as simple as the prior deterrence.
He had now firmly controlled the lives of clansmen of the entire Divine Crocodile Clan.
"You seemed to be courting death, but I will spare you on the grounds that you still have some use to me. If there is a second offence, it will not only be you but also your entire Divine Crocodile Clan... that I will personally see buried."
Looking at the ancestor of the Divine Crocodile Clan, Gu Changge spoke with a slight smile.
The contrast between his natural indifference and his bloody, threatening words, made all the Divine crocodile clansmen shiver, not daring to breathe a single breath.
"From today onwards, we will honour Young Master Gu as our Lord."
They had no choice. It was either surrender or death by Gu Changge's hand.
And there was no doubt that they'd choose to surrender.
'One should not take Gu Changge's words so simply.'
Quite a few clansmen actually did not believe in his terror and had provoked him earlier. But just when they were about to attack him, their bodies collapsed, souls destroyed, dissipating as they died without taking a single move.
In Gu Changge's view, it was necessary for the Divine Crocodile Clan to recognize the fact that he could kill them all without issue, lest they wonder if they might have a chance to break free from his control
It was impossible for him to appear like this unless he was completely sure of his abilities.
The terrifying control of the Immortal Binding Arts was not affected by the cultivation base.