The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

Even after years of weathering, with a ring of bone peeling away around the hole, it remains conspicuously imprinted on the skull, exuding a chilling and sharp killing intent.

Zhao Qing glanced over and instantly understood: this was the work of the Chaos Worm, the second barrier protecting the core of the ancestral mountain.

The mountain path narrows slightly here, forming a pass that resembles a giant, gray-white mouth, swallowing intruders and cascading their remains like a waterfall onto the path leading deeper into the mountains.

At the end of the road paved with corpses, in the shadows of the pass, a bright yellow light quietly emerged.

It was a strange pillar about ten feet tall.

It exudes a soft, crystalline light, with a color like the purest amber. However, its internal structure is not a single, solid piece, but rather filled with countless tiny pores that are difficult to see with the naked eye.

"Heavenly Nether Crystal is also a product of meteorites falling from the sky. It is one of the hardest and most unbreakable crystals in the world. It can retain light and provide warmth and life force... It is a good material for refining weapons."

A thought flickered in her mind, but she did not stop, continuing along the path paved with death.

The gregarious Chaos Worms could not possibly have a longer lifespan than the Taotie, nor could they easily possess a cultivation level starting from the seventh realm.

The reason they have been able to guard this place for hundreds of years is that they spend most of their time in hibernation. They will not take the initiative to attack unless they sense someone approaching.

So, the way to perfectly pass this test is very simple: the ultimate method of breath control, ensuring no leakage of vital energy.

For Zhao Qing, this was by no means a difficult task.

In an instant, the brilliant light around her body receded, and all vitality, true essence fluctuations, and even the faint divine thoughts that were scattered were completely enveloped and isolated by an invisible membrane.

His entire aura vanished instantly, as if he had transformed into an ancient, stubborn rock beside the mountain path, merging into the cold, black rock.

She moved silently, like a ghost, toward the celestial crystal pillar. There was not a breath of wind, not a ripple of energy. Inside the pillar's opening, the chaotic swarm, as small as dust, remained dormant, unresponsive to the approach of this "stubborn rock."

Just three feet away from the crystal pillar, Zhao Qing made his move!

With his left hand, fingers joined like a sword, he moved with lightning speed, silently striking the crystal pillar!
An extremely cold, seemingly time-freezing Taiyin True Water erupted instantly. It was not an overwhelming attack, but rather a precise spread and penetration along the veins of countless tiny pores inside the crystal pillar, like billions of ice needles!
laugh--!
A slight freezing sound was heard.

The entire ten-foot-tall Heavenly Nether Crystal Pillar, along with the swarm of chaotic insects sleeping in all its internal holes, was instantly and completely sealed by a layer of deep blue ice that flowed with mysterious runes!
The crystal pillar transformed into a massive ice amber, within which countless tiny chaotic worms remained dormant, eternally frozen at a temperature of -270°C.

The props she used were prepared in advance before she broke through to the next realm, without consuming any of Zhao Qing's energy to advance the evolution of the inner universe.

"Captured alive."

Then, she simply spun the Heavenly Nether Crystal Pillar a few times, took it out, and probed it with her divine sense to observe the state of the Chaos Worm:
"...It should only be at the sixth realm level, but its size is less than 0.1 millimeters. It is too small a target. Its penetrating power is extremely strong, and there are many of them. It is estimated that even the peak of the seventh realm would not be able to stop it."

These creatures perfectly illustrate the principle that the smaller the urine stream, the harder it is to detect and block.

Despite being at the same sixth level of cultivation, and with its own strength perhaps not even comparable to that of a large creature at the fifth level, the Chaos Worm's combat power was more than enough to instantly kill those who came to this place.

The quality that is concentrated into a single point is far superior to the quantity that is superficial.

In Zhao Qing's eyes, they were not only "battle pets" with amazing taming value, but also provided her with a lot of inspiration for her sword qi and sword aura cultivation, allowing her to supplement herself with the bloodline talents of different species.

After crossing the crystal pillar, we reached about halfway up the ancestral mountain, where the valley became extremely flat. There were very few skeletons inside, but behind each skeleton, there were plow marks or deep footprints on the ground.

These are all traces left by the cultivators' vital energy or their feet trampling through the area, who were trying to force their way through.

In order to resist the attack of the Chaos Worms, they obviously used even more astonishing power, so the mountain path and valley were barren, and even the land and rocks were transformed by the energy into something like agate.

But the result was always the same: death.

For hundreds of years, apart from the tomb guardians of the Tianliang lineage of Zhanmohe who might have had the means to cleverly pass through this barrier and go further, Zhao Qing is definitely the first person in history to break through this obstacle.

What's puzzling is that after pausing for a while, she didn't step into the canyon leading to the final hall. Instead, she decisively turned around and went back the way she came, heading towards the Fountain of Youth, which was filled with a rich life force at the foot of the mountain.

The newly created "Yuanjin Sacrifice Spirit" still needs to be polished slowly with reference to the Fountain of Youth, and some new preparations need to be made for the deeper challenges.

……

Dozens of miles away, in the shadow where the edge of the basin meets the steep slopes.

The Great Shaman of the Wu Kingdom, Zhan Mohe, lay dormant like a corpse buried alive, deep within a shallow pit he had dug himself. The pit was covered with a thick layer of grayish-white bone fragments mixed with soil, leaving only an extremely fine, almost imperceptible crack through which he could perceive the outside world.

His body was curled up like a hibernating snake, his cultivation at the seventh level was compressed to the limit, his heartbeat was almost stopped, his breathing was barely audible, and his true essence was hidden in the deepest part of his dantian, not daring to leak out in the slightest.

Like a real fossil, it blends into the cold earth beneath it and the bones covering it.

Only those eyes, hidden deep beneath the bone fragments, flickered with anxiety, doubt, and a hint of deeply concealed madness, staring intently in the direction of Zushan.

His perception was compressed into an extremely thin line, cautiously probing the ancestral mountain path area, not daring to go deep, only daring to capture the most macroscopic energy and law fluctuations coming from there.

"Such powerful icy energy... it erupted and subsided in an instant... Did you pass through the Chaos Insect Barrier? So fast?!"

Zhan Mohe was filled with doubt and apprehension as he assessed Zhao Qing's methods, a mixture of elation and deeper apprehension.

The terror of the Chaos Worm was clearly recorded in his ancestor's notes; even a seventh-realm grandmaster was instantly pierced and drained of his brains like an ant. This effortless method of resolution… truly befits an eighth-realm, awakening-of-heaven powerhouse!
Next, he held his breath and waited for the fluctuations that indicated the intruder would continue to penetrate deeper and trigger even deeper restrictions.

Time flowed slowly amidst the cold, deathly silence of the bone fragments.

A quarter of an hour...two quarters of an hour...

No! The anticipated more intense energy collision did not occur!

"What's going on?" Zhan Mohe's heart sank little by little.

He sensed that the aura representing the intruder, as silent as a rock, was actually... walking back? And at a slow pace, even somewhat... leisurely?
"He's back? Why is that guy back?!"

A tremendous sense of absurdity and anxiety instantly gripped Zhan Mohe's heart.

"The Chaos Worm has been dealt with, and the Fountain of Youth has been soaked in. Why not take advantage of the situation to strike at the heart of the enemy, defeat the Peerless Wind and Rain Sword, and obtain the Elixir of Immortality? Why turn back?! Could it be that you've been injured and are soaking in the spring to heal?"

What drove him even more crazy was that the dormant aura did not return directly to the Fountain of Youth area, but instead began to wander in the outer area of ​​the ancestral mountain... like it was taking a walk, or like it was searching for something! Sometimes it paused, sometimes it moved, its trajectory completely unpredictable.

The agonizing night passed, and the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. The frigid air of daybreak brought no good news.

The figure was still lingering on the outskirts! Its speed hadn't increased at all! The rising sun cast the massive shadow of the ancestral mountain onto the sea of ​​bones in the basin, and also onto the pit where Zhan Mohe was hiding, bringing a false warmth. Noon was approaching, and the sun was blazing overhead.

"Dawdling! How can such a powerful person act so...strangely and slowly!"

Zhan Maha's nerves were stretched to the limit. The depletion of his energy during the infiltration was immense, and the constant mental strain was an even greater torment.

He wasn't afraid of physical exhaustion, but rather of the long wait that was completely out of his control and with no clear purpose, and the fear of being discovered at any moment by the other party's unfathomable perception.

"Waiting a few hours is fine... but how long will it take? Ten days? Half a month? How much longer can I hold on?"

A shadow of despair crept into the heart of this survivor of the Cold Sky Clan. He roared inwardly, his anxiety burning like poisonous fire: the meticulously planned scheme to use someone else to kill—the "knife" was right at the target's doorstep…lost? Or perhaps, it was digging for earthworms?

Having reached this point, Zhan Mohe could only pray that the mysterious expert was only temporarily taking something and would soon venture back into the deadly core of the ancestral mountain.

……

The midday sun scorched the northwestern wilderness, sending up distorted waves of heat. A massive cavalry force, like a rolling iron torrent, trampled the withered meadows, kicking up clouds of dust, and finally reached the awe-inspiring edge of the ancestral basin.

No rapidly advancing army can be too large; 14,000 to 15,000 is the limit. Otherwise, it would be impossible to guarantee speed, and even the supply of food and logistics would not be able to keep up.

Therefore, the army mobilized by the Wu Kingdom was divided into two groups, with elites serving as the vanguard, and did not arrive all at once.

The leader was none other than Yelü Canglang, the Grand Marshal of the Wu clan.

He wore a dusty white fox fur coat, which stood out starkly against the surrounding rugged military bearing, yet could not conceal his handsome face and sharp eyes. A magnificent longsword hung at his waist, its jeweled skull hilt reflecting a cold, hard light in the sunlight.

Riding alongside him was Ling Shan, the first divine general of the Wu clan.

Ling Shan's body was as imposing as an iron tower, clad in a heavy bronze armor covered with ancient sword marks of varying depths and as dense as dandelion seeds. In the thickest parts of the armor, the metal surfaces shimmered with a cold, electric golden light under the sunlight, their crystalline luster subtly revealing countless baptisms of blood and fire.

The two long swords crossed on his back had rough wolf-skin scabbards, but the pale yellow jade hilts with purplish-red hues had an unusually warm feel.

His jewel-like blue eyes swept across the steep basin slopes, like a hawk surveying its hunting grounds.

Ten thousand horses galloped, their hooves thundering, striking the dry earth and stirring up billowing dust.

Unlike the Qin army, which was uniform in style and had a strict formation, this Wushi cavalry had different uniforms and armor, with mottled colors. Their riding formation was also like the ever-changing clouds on the grassland, seemingly scattered.

However, the long swords, hooks, maces, and other weapons hanging from the sides of the saddles of all the soldiers rhythmically collided with the hard leather saddles with the astonishingly synchronized gait of the warhorses, producing a continuous, uniform, dull sound of "tap, tap, tap..."

Like war drums echoing from the depths of the wilderness, striking the hearts of people.

"Whoa—!" The two generals reined in their horses almost simultaneously.

Ahead, the slopes at the edge of the basin are steep, as if cut by a knife and axe, forming a natural barrier.

Without the rider needing to rein in, the well-trained warhorses slowed down on their own and came to a neat stop at the edge of the hilltop, exhaling hot white steam.

"Marshal," Ling Shan's voice was deep and resonant like muffled thunder, his gaze fixed on the center of the basin shrouded in a thin mist—the silent, black ancestral mountain. "The ancestral precepts are as firm as a mountain; those who trespass will be executed. But right now... should we send scouts in to investigate?"

He looked at Yelü Canglang, his eyes showing little reverence for ancestral precepts, only obedience to military orders and caution towards the unknown.

Yelü Canglang's slender fingers caressed the skull gem on the sword hilt, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "The Imperial Advisor has sent word that an unparalleled expert has trespassed and may be shaking the seal. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken."

He paused, "Besides... the ancestral precepts... are meant to bind the people of the Wu clan. I, Yelü Canglang, am ultimately of Donghu blood. The Empress Dowager granted me authority, and I repay it with loyalty—this is the greater good. But... perhaps these ancestral prohibitions do not apply to me?"

The words were unfinished, but the meaning was already clear.

"However, if that expert is truly at the Qitian Realm, with unparalleled combat power... if I rashly enter, I fear I will face a near certain death. It would be best to release the flock of eagles first, letting them circle low to see where the intruder is!" He changed the subject, his brow furrowing slightly.

"As for... Lord Zhan Mohe, he disappeared after sending the message. Logically speaking, as the Imperial Preceptor, and someone who is well-versed in the history of our ancestral land, he should be here taking charge at this moment. Where is he?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden change occurred!
Without warning, a thin, crystal-clear, glass-colored light membrane appeared out of thin air, like a huge, upside-down bowl, instantly enveloping the entire ancestral mountain and the surrounding area for several miles!
The light membrane shimmered with iridescent rays, instantly blurring the view inside, as if through a layer of flowing, refracting crystal, where only faint outlines of shimmering light and shadow could be seen.

It is not still; its surface seems to have endless, intricate runes that are constantly being created and destroyed. Sometimes it transforms into a sharp and unparalleled sword intent, its edge piercing through the void, and sometimes it evolves into the illusory world of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, cities, people, joys, sorrows, and partings!

The chilling sword intent and the myriad aspects of the mortal world intertwine and rotate within it, endlessly creating a vast barrier that appears beautiful but actually contains endless killing intent and profound mystery!
In an instant, all horses fell silent!

The clash of weapons, which had been as orderly as war drums just a second ago, came to an abrupt halt, replaced by a deathly silence and gasps of breath.

Countless Uc clan cavalrymen stared wide-eyed in horror at the seven-colored light membrane that enveloped the sacred mountain and flowed with divine power. Some devout veterans had already dismounted, prostrated themselves on the ground, their foreheads pressed against the cold, bone-shard-like ground, muttering incantations and praying for their ancestors' forgiveness.

Some warhorses, intimidated by the grand, sacred, and subtly sharp aura, reared up in terror, letting out mournful neighs. Only the knights beside them managed to hold their reins tightly, preventing further chaos.

The entire iron-willed cavalry, faced with this miraculous sight, was instantly plunged into immense shock and indescribable fear.

"What is this?!" Yelü Canglang's pupils shrank, and for the first time, a look of surprise appeared on his handsome face. Ling Shan subconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword, the golden light from the sword marks on his bronze heavy armor flashing rapidly.

The two instantly realized that this was not an original restriction of the ancestral mountain, and both fell silent, barely managing to suppress the turmoil in their hearts:

"Could this be... the 'scapegoat talisman' from the ancient You Dynasty?! But this evolution... this aura... it absolutely surpasses the manifestation of the original's laws, it can be called a divine manifestation of the talisman's way!"

"If Li Caitian, the Madman of Yan, widely recognized as the greatest talisman master of the Great Yan Dynasty, were here, witnessing the magnificent and all-encompassing nature of this talisman, he would probably be filled with admiration and feel inferior! Just who is this intruder?!"

Yelü Canglang was filled with shock and incomprehension, muttering to himself, as if trying to convince himself, or perhaps paying homage to a grandmaster who was not present:

"I have heard that during the fire in Yingdu, a peerless swordsman demonstrated the ultimate Dao, using an unbroken sword intent to continuously carry hundreds of moves, connecting them with talismanic threads and merging them into one, suppressing the chaos in the entire city. He has reached the pinnacle of sword and talisman mastery in the world..."

"Could that person be the one who has come to visit the ancestral mountain?"

Although Ling Shan, standing to the side, was not proficient in the art of talismans, he was still a top-tier grandmaster of the seventh realm. His powerful true essence was also unleashed, subtly resisting the distant, grand sword intent, and he shouted in a deep voice:

"Such a powerful aura! Such a terrifying sword! This person... is unfathomable! Even with you and my soldiers, I fear we still would be no match for him!"

……

Just as Yelü Canglang and the others were still in shock, within the barrier, deep within the ancestral mountain, Zhao Qing, holding a page of golden talisman, had quietly returned and reappeared on the path of corpses where the Chaos Worms had previously dwelled, and continued inward. (End of Chapter)