Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

The old man did not look down. His eyes, which seemed to have seen through the vicissitudes of life, were quietly scanning the area where Ying Xuan had first appeared and which he had later carefully explored with his divine sense, as well as... the direction of the mountain where Ying Xuan was now! Wherever his gaze fell, the space rippled slightly.

"Still...nothing?"

The old man muttered to himself in a low voice, which was hoarse but echoed through the world like rolling thunder.

He slowly raised his withered, bird-claw-like right hand and gently pressed it into the void.

In an instant, strange phenomena appeared!

A colossal, illusory image of a green tree was imprinted in the void! Its trunk was as vigorous as a dragon, its branches and leaves were lush and towering, and every leaf shimmered with mysterious runes. With a gentle tremor, it caused a large area of ​​the surrounding void to hum and tremble, as if it might collapse at any moment! The illusory image of the green tree was not a physical object, but it exuded a rich vitality and a majestic Daoist aura that suppressed heaven and earth.

Immediately afterwards, nine blurry yet profoundly evocative ancient Dao diagrams, seemingly expounding the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, descended from the branches of the green tree, encircling the old man. The moment the nine Dao diagrams appeared, they were like nine invisible black holes, frantically devouring all the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of hundreds of miles!
The spiritual energy within the Tai Xuan Sect's mountain gate was thinning at a visible rate, and many disciples who were cultivating were abruptly interrupted from their meditation, their faces filled with horror.

The spiritual energy was completely devoured, and the nine Dao diagrams slowly rotated. Yin and Yang energies and the essence of the Five Elements flowed and died within them, eventually forming a huge black hole at the center of the Dao diagrams—a hole that was so deep that it seemed to be able to devour all light and matter!
The black hole slowly rotated, emanating a chilling aura of destruction and devouring, even distorting and tearing space itself, groaning under its unbearable weight. The old man slowly pushed the black hole toward the location where Ying Xuan had first appeared and was now situated on the mountain peak, seemingly intending to completely devour and annihilate that area along with any "alien objects" that might exist there!
Hidden in the shadows of the mountain peak, Ying Xuan sensed the undisguised, fierce aura and almost obsessive vigilance emanating from the withered old man, honed through countless life-and-death battles. He understood immediately.

This wasn't because they had revealed any major flaws, but rather an instinctive reaction honed over countless years and perilous situations—they would immediately investigate and eliminate any "abnormality," even the slightest intuition, as subtle as the rustling of a leaf, using the most ruthless and thorough methods! Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!
Facing the slowly approaching black hole that seemed capable of devouring even one's primordial spirit, Ying Xuan remained calm.

He did not move, nor did he use any earth-shattering supernatural power to resist. With a slight thought, an extremely obscure, invisible talisman, seemingly not existing in any dimension of the present world and drawn from the pure power of the world's origin, quietly appeared between his brows and vanished in a flash.

The next moment, Ying Xuan, along with the small space he was in, seemed to be "temporarily erased" from the current world.

It's not about becoming invisible or disappearing into the void, but a more sophisticated form of "existence elimination" based on his understanding of the laws of the world.

The all-consuming black hole slowly swept across the mountain where he stood. The mountain remained unchanged, the vegetation unharmed, as if nothing at all existed there, just an ordinary rocky outcrop.

The black hole lasted for about half a cup of tea's time, repeatedly "ploughing" that area several times, devouring even the finest dust and energy, before finally slowly dissipating. The nine Dao diagrams disappeared, and the enormous illusory green wood transformed into specks of green light, merging into the old man's body.

The gaunt old man stood in the void, his cloudy old eyes scanning the area once more, his brows furrowed.

He indeed found nothing unusual, but the faint sense of unease deep within him hadn't completely dissipated. However, even the "Devouring Heaven Diagram" derived from the "Azure Emperor's Nine Slashes" had failed to force anything out. Perhaps… he was just being overly sensitive?
After a long silence, the old man finally shook his head slowly, his figure gradually fading away, like ink merging into the void, disappearing without a trace.

The terrifying pressure that had enveloped the heavens and earth dissipated. Within the Tai Xuan Sect, countless disciples and elders finally breathed a sigh of relief, their clothes already soaked with cold sweat, their gazes towards the sky filled with awe and lingering fear.

I wonder which reclusive ancestor suddenly lost his temper.
After everything returned to calm, and a long time passed, Ying Xuan's figure slowly solidified again atop the mountain peak, like ink spreading across a painting.

He gazed intently in the direction the old man had disappeared, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"The cultivators of this realm are indeed extraordinary. They can achieve such a feat with only a sliver of almost non-existent intuition."

Ying Xuan's assessment of the world's level of danger rose another level.

However, this only fueled his interest further. The more dangerous and challenging the environment, the more likely it is to forge truly powerful individuals and invaluable knowledge.

Without further delay, he took a step forward, his figure disappearing silently like a gentle breeze towards the depths of the Tai Xuan Sect—towards the most majestic and imposing main peak, where the Tai Xuan Sect's library was also located. Since it wasn't convenient to go directly to Ye Fan for the time being, he might as well first take a look at the orthodox basic cultivation texts of this world.

At the same time, his divine sense, which covered the entire mountain, had firmly locked onto Ye Fan's unique and vigorous aura, confirming that he was currently in a relatively secluded courtyard with two other people.

……

Meanwhile, inside the Tai Xuan Sect, in an ordinary courtyard where visitors or registered disciples could temporarily reside.

Ye Fan was sitting opposite two fellow countrymen from Earth—Li Xiaoman, who had a beautiful face and bright eyes, and Zhang Wenchang, who was slightly chubby and had a simple and honest personality.

All three wore expressions of joy at their long-awaited reunion, as well as a hint of confusion and homesickness that were hard to conceal.

They spoke in hushed tones, recounting their experiences since coming into this world, their longing for their homeland evident in their words.

Just then, an ancient, distant chanting voice, seemingly piercing through the endless starry sky and the barriers of time, resounded directly deep within the souls of the three without warning!
"In the beginning of time, who passed on the Way? Before heaven and earth took shape, how could we investigate it?"

"The darkness and the brilliance are beyond comprehension; who can fathom them? The formless and ethereal are beyond comprehension; how can one discern them?"

The language used in this voice was none other than the ancient and beautiful Chinese! Moreover, it was an extremely ancient chapter from the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu)!

"This...this is?!"

Ye Fan suddenly stood up, his face drained of color instantly, his eyes filled with indescribable shock and horror! Li Xiaoman and Zhang Wenchang were also dumbfounded, their bodies trembling violently!

Earth! Only on Earth, their homeland, could such ancient poems be passed down! Who? Who in this world could recite Qu Yuan's "Heavenly Questions"?!

"A powerful being! It must be a living, powerful being! And it's very likely... from the same place as us!"

Ye Fan's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"He might... he might know the way back! He might be able to help us get home!"

Go home! These two words, like the most ardent flame, instantly ignited the deepest longing in the hearts of the three!
Go find him!

Li Xiaoman answered without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with hope.

"Yes! Quick! The sound seems to be coming from that direction!"

Zhang Wenchang also excitedly pointed in a certain direction deep in the mountains.

The three of them no longer cared about sect rules and etiquette, nor whether they would offend the disciples. Like drowning people grasping at a straw, they burst forth with astonishing speed and ran wildly toward the direction from which the chanting sound came!

Along the way, they knocked over several low-ranking disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect, drawing gasps and angry shouts, but they paid no heed, their minds focused on only one thought—to find the one reciting the "Heavenly Questions"! They ran deeper and deeper, the surrounding scenery gradually changing from bustling palaces and pavilions to desolate silence, ancient trees reaching for the sky, and jagged rocks. Suddenly, the three felt a blur before their eyes, and the surrounding landscape seemed to subtly shift.

The air seemed to freeze, the space itself appearing several times more solid than the outside world. An invisible pressure descended, causing them to slow down involuntarily. The surroundings were eerily silent, save for their own heavy breathing and heartbeats.

"Something is wrong here."

Ye Fan was the first to sense something was wrong, stopping in his tracks and cautiously looking around. Li Xiaoman and Zhang Wenchang also noticed something amiss and huddled together nervously.

Just then, not far ahead of them, on a mountain peak that was not particularly tall but exceptionally rugged and ancient, a figure slowly came into their view.

He was a young man dressed in dark black. His clothing was simple and ancient in style, with a distinct style that was quite different from the popular styles in the Beidou Starfield at present—it was a variation of the deep robe and curved hem from the pre-Qin period!
The wide robes and sleeves, with leather belts around the waist, were simplified for ease of movement, but the solemn and mysterious charm originating from the ancient East was still overwhelming!

The young man stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his hands behind his back on a protruding rock at the mountain peak. His clothes fluttered gently in the breeze, and his expression was calm and serene, as if he had merged with the exceptionally stable space around him.

He didn't look at the three of them, but just quietly gazed at the sea of ​​clouds in the distance. However, his detached and otherworldly demeanor made Ye Fan and the other two hold their breath instantly.

Combining the "Heavenly Questions" poem they had just heard—a poem that could never possibly appear in this world—with the sight of these garments clearly bearing the characteristics of ancient Chinese culture, the last trace of doubt in Ye Fan and his companions vanished! Hope ignited like wildfire!

"senior!"

Ye Fan suppressed his excitement, took a few steps forward, and bowed deeply to the figure on the mountaintop, his voice filled with respect and urgency.

"Junior Ye Fan pays respects to Senior! May I ask if Senior's recitation of Qu Yuan's 'Heavenly Questions' is... perhaps from the same homeland as us?"

Li Xiaoman and Zhang Wenchang quickly followed suit, their eyes fixed eagerly on the figure.

At the summit, Ying Xuan slowly turned around, his gaze calmly falling on the three of them, especially lingering for a moment on Ye Fan's vigorous blood and energy, which, although well hidden, could not escape his perception.

The appearance and demeanor of these three individuals match the description in the Stone Gate mission information.

Seeing the almost overflowing anticipation and excitement in the three people's eyes, he understood. But instead of directly answering the question about their hometown, he asked a question in his calm and even voice that made Ye Fan and the other two pause slightly.

"How did the three of you manage to pass through the 'Yinghuo' pass and arrive at this star field?"

Mars? Pass?
Ye Fan and the other two looked at each other, a hint of confusion flashing in their eyes.

They were inexplicably brought to the Big Dipper by the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin, and had no idea about the "Mars Pass".
Seeing their reactions, Ying Xuan had a general idea of ​​what was going on; it seemed that they themselves were also unclear about the specific "path".

He stopped asking for details and instead spoke in a declarative tone.

"This star field is infinitely far away from your homeland. Ancient roads are cut off and star barriers separate them. Ordinary cultivators can hardly cross it without passing through specific ancient passes or mastering heaven-defying spacetime secrets."

His gaze swept over the three of them.

"Whether you have arrived here by chance or with secrets to hide, you have at least crossed that 'door'. Now that you wish to return, you must know the way you came, or seek a new path."

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan was startled and quickly bowed again.

"We humbly request your guidance, senior! We are filled with longing for our homeland. If we could return, we would be eternally grateful and willing to serve you with utmost loyalty!"

Li Xiaoman and Zhang Wenchang nodded repeatedly, their eyes filled with pleading.

Ying Xuan looked calmly at Ye Fan and the other two below, who were staring at him with barely suppressed excitement.

Having decided to complete the escort mission and obtain the reward, he had no intention of lingering in this realm, much less playing the role of some unfathomable, ambiguous senior expert. Efficiency was his top priority.

"The 'ancient road' that you all know is Hangu Pass."

Ying Xuan got straight to the point, his voice calm yet clear enough to reach the three of them.

"That is an ancient pass connecting Earth to this Big Dipper star field, and also a node of the ancient star road. Only those who have reached a certain level of cultivation, possess special tokens, or happen to encounter certain celestial anomalies can use it to travel."

Ye Fan, Li Xiaoman, and Zhang Wenchang listened attentively, but a hint of confusion and confirmation flashed in their eyes. Hangu Pass? They had never been there before, nor did they possess any tokens. It seemed their inexplicable journey to Beidou by the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin was indeed unrelated to this "normal" passage. But this did not diminish their determination to grasp at this lifeline before them!

"Your wisdom is profound!"

Ye Fan took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and bowed deeply once again.

"It was truly an accident that the three of us were stranded in this realm. Although the Big Dipper Star Region is vast and the cultivation culture is prevalent, this place is not our homeland! Here, the strong are respected, and life-and-death battles are commonplace. We are of low strength and feel like we are walking on thin ice day and night, with no guarantee of survival."

Our longing for home is etched deep in our hearts! Today, meeting you, senior, is like seeing a dear elder. We humbly beg you to have mercy and use your supreme power to send us back to Earth! This kindness and virtue will be forever etched in our hearts, and we are willing to repay it with everything we have!

Li Xiaoman and Zhang Wenchang also hurriedly pleaded, their voices trembling with anticipation.

They desperately want to go back! No matter how good BeiDou is, it's fraught with danger. Where is the peace and familiarity of Earth?

Ying Xuan looked at the burning desire in their eyes, nodded slightly, and made no hesitation.

"can."

Such a decisive and straightforward agreement surprised Ye Fan and his companions for a moment, then an indescribable joy welled up inside them! They had thought they would have to go through a lot of persuasion, and even pay some price, but they never expected this "Earth Star Senior" to be so agreeable! (End of this chapter)