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

Ying Xuan's figure, as if blending into a gentle breeze, landed silently in the small courtyard in front of the thatched house.

He didn't hide his presence, but he also didn't deliberately flaunt it.

"Squeak-"

The dilapidated wooden door opened automatically, releasing a faint scent of dust that seemed to have accumulated over countless ages. Inside, the room was dimly lit. A gaunt old man with white hair and beard, dressed in an old gray Taoist robe, sat cross-legged on a worn-out futon with his back to the door, as if he had long since become one with the rugged mountain.

An aged, hoarse voice, yet carrying a peculiar meaning, slowly rose and resonated directly in Ying Xuan's mind.

"The fleeting, unpredictable fluctuations of energy outside the Tai Xuan Sect a few days ago, were those yours?"

The old man did not turn around, but Ying Xuan could feel a gaze, as if it were tangible, piercing through the wall and landing on him, filled with scrutiny and inquiry.

"what?"

The old man's voice revealed a clear hint of surprise.

"This time, his aura is much 'clearer'... Life Spring Realm? No... this feeling..."

He seemed to be carefully sensing something, and after a moment of silence, his voice carried a hint of...expectation? "Young friend, the path of your cultivation...this old man can hardly see it clearly."

The Sea of ​​Bitterness has opened, and the Spring of Life is faintly visible; it is undoubtedly the Secret Realm of the Sea of ​​Wheels. However, the essence of the Qi and blood, the rhythm of life, and even the 'god' that vaguely merges with heaven and earth... are quite different from ordinary cultivators of the Sea of ​​Wheels. Could it be... that you have found some kind of... new path of cultivation?"

Ying Xuan calmly walked into the house and bowed slightly to the old man's back.

"Senior has keen insight. What I cultivate is indeed slightly different from the mainstream of your world. It is a combination of some things I have learned from other places and my own exploration."

However, this method has stringent requirements regarding qualifications and background, and is extremely dangerous, making it unsuitable for widespread adoption.

He did not pretend to be a pure cultivator from the Heavenly Shroud. Having reached the level of an old man, having experienced countless life-and-death battles, his fighting instincts and perception of life force were already deeply ingrained in his bones.

Although he had mimicked the aura of the Sea of ​​Wheels Secret Realm, it was difficult to completely conceal his essential life force and the foundation of his primordial spirit, especially when the other party was intentionally probing. Unless he truly achieved an immortal body and his life level underwent a qualitative change, it would be difficult to completely deceive the instinctive perception of an existence of this level. Since he couldn't hide it, he might as well be honest about some of the facts.

"I have come here not to discuss philosophy or to show off."

Ying Xuan got straight to the point and explained his purpose.

"I have come to learn from the seniors the orthodox cultivation methods of your realm."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand and took out the dark gold metal piece engraved with the core essence of the "Taoist Scripture: Wheel Sea Chapter," and presented it with both hands.

"The Daoist scriptures?"

The old man slowly turned around, revealing a face covered with deep wrinkles, as if bearing the marks of countless hardships.

His gaze fell on the metal plate, and his cloudy old eyes lit up slightly, clearly recognizing this ancient human scripture. However, he did not take it immediately, but instead looked at Ying Xuan with eyes as sharp as knives.

"Although the Tai Xuan Sect is not a supreme sect, and my humble peak is in decline, I have my own reasons for guarding this place. Young friend, you possess extraordinary techniques and your aura is strange. Your first appearance triggered my 'Azure Emperor Nine Slashes' to investigate. Now you have returned, directly asking to learn cultivation methods... Is there such a thing as a free lunch? Why do you want to teach me the Dao Scripture? And what makes you think I will teach you?"

His words were calm, yet they carried an invisible pressure, as if the surrounding air had frozen.

Ying Xuan remained calm and met the old man's gaze, speaking slowly.

"This junior will exchange the core essence of the Wheel Sea Chapter of the Dao Scripture with the senior for... what the senior knows about the cultivation of the five secret realms of Wheel Sea, Dao Palace, Four Extremes, Transformation Dragon, and Immortal Platform, which are not recorded in the classics, but are related to success or failure, life or death, resource allocation, taboos and hidden dangers... 'common sense' and 'experience'."

He paused for a moment, his tone frank.

"To be honest, senior, I had accumulated a great deal of wealth through the cultivation of unorthodox methods. I rashly attempted to nurture a natal object according to the Daoist scriptures, which almost caused a great disaster and resulted in a huge loss."

The younger generation has come to understand that any mature cultivation system is far more than just written techniques; it also contains countless generations of cultivators who have learned through blood and lessons, passing down their knowledge orally and deeply ingrained in their hearts—the "details" and "ironclad rules." What the younger generation lacks is precisely these.

He looked at the old man, his eyes clear.

"As for why it's a senior... because the senior is here, because the senior is a great power of the human race, and even more so because..."

Ying Xuan's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an undeniable resolve.

"If the senior is willing to impart all their knowledge and help the junior fill in the gaps in their understanding, so as not to repeat the same mistakes, then, in exchange..."

He looked directly into the old man's suddenly contracting pupils and spoke, word by word.

"If I have the strength in the future, I can level a... forbidden zone for the life of the Beidou human race."

"boom--!!!"

The moment the words fell, an indescribable terrifying aura, like a volcano that had been dormant for ages, suddenly erupted from the withered old man's seemingly decaying body!

The thatched hut was instantly reduced to dust! The entire sky above Zhuofeng changed color, and the void trembled! A gigantic, towering green tree, its branches and leaves seemingly capable of supporting a galaxy, was imprinted on the heavens! Nine ancient diagrams, imbued with endless killing intent and profound Daoist principles, descended from the branches and leaves, slowly rotating, completely solidifying and sealing off the space within a radius of hundreds of miles!
At this moment, all the cultivators of the 108 peaks of the Tai Xuan Sect, regardless of whether they were elders or disciples, felt as if they were being crushed by an invisible mountain. Their souls trembled, they could not move, and they looked in terror toward the direction of Zhuofeng!
The old man slowly stood up. His once cloudy old eyes now shone brightly, like two small suns, staring intently at Ying Xuan. His voice was as cold as ice, yet it carried a hint of disbelief.

"What did you say?!"

Faced with the terrifying aura and questioning that erupted from the old man Zhuofeng's earth-shattering words about "flattening a forbidden zone of life," Ying Xuan remained calm, as if the pressure that was enough to make even a powerful being at the first level of the Sendai realm scatter in terror did not exist.

Instead of directly answering the old man's question about "why," he raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the grass and houses of Zhuofeng, sweeping across all 108 peaks of the Tai Xuan Sect, his tone calm yet carrying a cold indifference that seemed to understand the truth.

"Although the Tai Xuan Sect appears to be independent now, in reality... it has long been under the control of the lineage of the ruthless Great Emperor's protector in the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, right? At least, some key inheritances and movements cannot escape their eyes."

Upon hearing this, the terrifying aura emanating from the old man, like a volcanic eruption, suddenly froze! The enormous illusory green tree and the nine Dao diagrams in the sky both trembled slightly.

The old man's crisscrossing wrinkles seemed to deepen, and a sharp glint flashed rapidly in his cloudy eyes, eventually turning into a deep sense of helplessness and bitterness, before a forced, ugly smile appeared on his lips.

"You...you even know this?"

The old man's voice lowered, carrying a sense of dejection at having his secret exposed. "It seems that your background, young friend, is even more profound than I imagined. Indeed, since the ancient times, my Tai Xuan Sect... or rather, many major human sects in the Big Dipper have had countless connections with the Forbidden Land of the Ancient Desolation, which are difficult to sever completely. That person... is too powerful."

He sighed, acknowledging Ying Xuan's statement, which also indirectly confirmed Ying Xuan's assessment that "the Ruthless Great Emperor is invincible."

"The Ancient Forbidden Land is indeed not within the scope of the 'transaction' we just discussed. That person... I can't afford to offend him, and I'm afraid no one in the Big Dipper Star Region can truly afford to offend him either. At least, until 'that person' is willing to slumber or leave, the Ancient Forbidden Land will be an inescapable shadow over the human race, and also... a kind of 'protection' and 'shackles'."

Ying Xuan nodded slightly, not surprised.

He chose to come to Zhuofeng to find this old man not only because the old man was strong enough and had a special status, but also because, based on his fragmented memories from his previous life and his perception after arriving in this world, Zhuofeng of the Taixuan Sect was indeed somewhat involved with the Ruthless Man's lineage. Even if this old man was not directly under the Protector, he must know a lot of inside information.

Seeking advice from such people can help you avoid touching on certain taboos and also help you obtain truly valuable information more quickly.

“I have come here because you are here, and you know the value of the Daoist scriptures and understand the plight of humankind.”

Ying Xuan said frankly.

"A transaction is a transaction, regardless of one's stance."

Having said that, he said no more. His figure swayed slightly, and like a reflection in water or a flower in a mirror, he slowly faded and disappeared from the spot. There were no spatial fluctuations, no ripples of magical power; it was as if he had always been a phantom, now simply dissipating with the wind.

"what?"

The old man from Zhuofeng was even more shocked. Although he had slightly restrained his aura and locked on due to the shock in his mind, with his cultivation level, even falling flowers and leaves within a hundred miles could not escape his perception. However, he could not see through the way Ying Xuan disappeared!
"It's not a stealth technique, nor is it invisibility... It's more like... something that has been integrated into the most fundamental laws and rhythms of this world? No, how could someone at the Life Spring Realm possess such a method?"

His assessment of Ying Xuan's strength and background rose even higher. Although the opponent's outward "Life Spring" realm was seriously inconsistent with his elusive methods, considering that the opponent dared to say "flatten a forbidden area," it seemed... to make sense.

This is definitely not an ordinary young cultivator who got lucky and obtained a special technique!

Suppressing his surprise and doubt, the old man quickly dealt with the spiritual inquiries from other high-ranking members of the Tai Xuan Sect that had been drawn by his aura burst forth. Once the surroundings returned to calm, he immediately turned around and returned to the original site of the thatched hut that had been reduced to dust—there, at some unknown time, an identical, simple wooden hut had appeared.

Pushing open the door, Ying Xuan was indeed sitting upright on a futon in the room, as if he had never left.

The old man gave Ying Xuan a deep look, and this time, his tone was much more solemn.

"Young friend, who exactly are you? Where do you come from? The human race has been weak in recent years, surrounded by forbidden zones, and the ancient race has also shown signs of awakening. Although the Ruthless Great Emperor is strong, his mind is unpredictable. When the forbidden zone was reaping lives, he did not intervene."

Now, suddenly, such an unfathomable figure as you, young friend, has appeared, and you even openly declare your intention to clear the forbidden area for the human race. As a member of the Beidou human race, I must get to the bottom of this!

His concerns were not unfounded. With humanity in decline, any sudden emergence of a powerful force could be either an opportunity or a greater catastrophe.

Ying Xuan met the old man's sharp gaze, his voice calm and unwavering.

"Senior, you may call me 'Ying Xuan'. As for my origins... I am not from this star system. Senior, you only need to know that I have no enmity with the Beidou human race, and I have absolutely no affection for those ancient supreme beings in the forbidden zone who feed on all living beings and live by self-destruction."

He paused, then reiterated.

"I have come here solely for a transaction. I seek instruction in the Daoist scriptures and the true essence of cultivation in the five great secret realms to fill the gaps in my understanding. In return, if I am able to do so in the future, I can level a forbidden zone for life for the Beidou human race, relieving the pressure on you."

This transaction has nothing to do with racial justice; it's purely a matter of mutual benefit. If you agree, senior, the transaction will continue. If you don't agree, or have doubts, I will leave and seek another way.

Ying Xuan's words were concise and to the point, throwing the choice back to the old man.

He demonstrated sufficient strength and sincerity, but also made his stance clear.

I'm not here to beg you, I'm here to make a deal. If it works out, great; if not, we part ways.

The old man stared at Ying Xuan for a long time, seemingly weighing the pros and cons and assessing the risks.

Finally, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. The other party's mystery and power were beyond doubt. Although their origins were unknown, the disgust they expressed towards the ancient supreme beings seemed genuine. More importantly... he had cultivated for so long, experiencing countless life-and-death situations, and had long since developed a kind of almost instinctive intuition.

The young man in front of him gave him a strange, not evil, feeling, and even made him feel that... he could be trusted?
"it is good!"

The old man gritted his teeth and made the decision.

"I, Li Ruoyu, will trust you this once! However, the matter of leveling the forbidden area is no small matter and requires careful consideration. Currently, of the seven forbidden areas of life in the Big Dipper, the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Area has been ruled out, and the Reincarnation Sea, Immortal Tomb, Divine Ruins, and Heaven are all unpredictable. The Primordial Ancient Mine involves the Primordial Clan and is too complicated... The most suitable target is—the Undying Mountain!"

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

"The ancient supreme beings within the Undying Mountain are relatively 'active,' and have a lot of friction with the outside world. The Stone Emperor and others within are particularly notorious. If we can find a way to deplete their already dwindling 'immortal source' lifespan, or even... if we can kill one or two of them, it will greatly deter other forbidden zones and buy the human race a few hundred or even a thousand years of breathing room!"

"Mount Undying...Stone Emperor..."

Ying Xuan repeated in a low voice, then simply nodded.

“Alright. We’ll make the Undying Mountain our target. But before that, I need to go to Purple Mountain to retrieve some things. Once I return from Purple Mountain, if the time is right, I’ll go to the Undying Mountain and kill that Stone Emperor.”

"Slaying the Stone Emperor?"

Upon hearing this, even with his resolute will, Li Ruoyu couldn't help but twitch his eyelids, and his blood energy surged subconsciously for a moment! The Stone Emperor was one of the rulers of the Undying Mountain, an ancient imperial powerhouse. Even if he had severed his own life, his strength was far beyond that of an ordinary quasi-emperor! How could this young man speak of it so casually?

But looking into Ying Xuan's calm and composed gaze, as if he were stating something perfectly natural, his doubts were suppressed. Perhaps... this person truly had something to be confident about?
"Very well, since the deal is done, I will not ask any more questions."

Li Ruoyu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He flipped his hand and took out the dark gold metal tablet, the "Taoist Scripture," and was about to begin explaining it.

"Wait a minute."

Ying Xuan raised his hand to stop him. (End of Chapter)