The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The seventh branch hall of the Reincarnation Hall, the Hall Master's secret chamber.

The black-robed hall master stood with his hands behind his back, while Han Mu, Liu Ruyan, Luo Feng, Zhou Meng, and Li Qingzhu stood below. Elder Mo had already left. Although he was a late-stage Golden Immortal, he was not a core member of the Samsara Hall, but merely a guest elder. The hall master had some things he couldn't say in front of him.

"Sit." The temple master waved his hand, and five futons appeared in the secret room.

The five sat down as instructed, all feeling somewhat uneasy. The Palace Master's personal summons must mean something important.

"This incident at the Netherworld Abyss was due to my negligence," the Palace Master said calmly. "Netherworld Child dared to plot against my Samsara Palace; I will handle it personally. You need not worry, he will not dare to come again."

"Thank you, Lord Palace Master," the five said in unison.

The Palace Master waved his hand and looked at Han Mu: "Guest Han, do you know why Youmingzi is relentlessly pursuing you?"

Han Mu's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive: "This junior does not know. This junior only met Youmingzi once in the Black Wind Cave. At that time, he tried to seize the treasures I had obtained, but I repelled him. As for why he knew about the fragments of the Time Dao Pattern, this junior truly does not know."

"Fragments of Time Dao Patterns..." the Palace Master said slowly, "This item involves the laws of time and is a supreme treasure of the Immortal Realm. Behind Youmingzi is the Youming Sect, and behind the Youming Sect... is the Heavenly Court."

Heaven!

All five were shocked. The Heavenly Court was the most powerful force in the Immortal Realm, ruling over the nine Immortal Domains and possessing countless powerful figures. The Netherworld Sect was actually connected to the Heavenly Court?

"Does the Palace Master mean that the Heavenly Court's intention is for Youmingzi to seize the fragments of the Time Dao Pattern?" Han Mu asked.

"Indeed." The Palace Master nodded. "The Heavenly Court has been searching for fragments of the Time Dao Runes, which seems to be related to a certain Dao Ancestor. I am not clear about the specific reasons. But what is certain is that Youmingzi's seizure of the Time Dao Rune fragments was not a personal act, but rather an order from the Heavenly Court."

Han Mu frowned. If that were true, then his acquisition of the Time Dao Pattern fragments had likely already attracted the attention of the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court's power was immense, far beyond what he could currently contend with.

"However, you don't need to worry too much," the Palace Master said. "The Samsara Palace and the Heavenly Court have a long-standing feud. Now that you've joined the Samsara Palace, you're one of their people, and the Heavenly Court won't dare to openly harm you. But you should be careful behind the scenes, as the Heavenly Court might send someone else to take action."

"Thank you for the reminder, Lord of the Palace," Han Mu said.

"Besides informing you of this matter, there's another reason I've summoned you here today," the Palace Master said, changing the subject. "The Samsara Palace has a secret mission that requires manpower. I've observed you for a long time and believe you are all capable of great use. I wonder if you are willing to accept this mission?"

"May I ask, Lord Palace Master, what kind of mission is it?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"Let's explore a secret realm," the temple master said. "This secret realm is located deep in the wilderness and is called the 'Secret Realm of Time and Space'."

The Secret Realm of Time and Space! Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. The fragmented map in his hand pointed directly to the Secret Realm of Time and Space. The Palace Master also knew about the Secret Realm of Time and Space?

"The Time-Space Secret Realm, as the name suggests, is a secret realm containing the laws of time. Legend has it that there are time-related Dao patterns within the secret realm, and if one can comprehend them, one can comprehend the laws of time," the Palace Master said. "However, the secret realm is fraught with danger and has restrictions, and only those below the Golden Immortal level can enter. I need five people to enter the secret realm to search for time-related Dao patterns. The five of you are just right."

The five exchanged bewildered glances. The Time-Space Secret Realm, with its Time Dao Patterns—this was an immense opportunity, but also a great danger. Only those below the Golden Immortal level could enter, meaning they would face enemies at the peak of the True Immortal realm or even the early Golden Immortal stage.

"Palace Master, regarding the Netherworld Abyss..." Luo Feng hesitated. His experience at the Netherworld Abyss still haunted him, and he feared this mission might be another trap.

"This mission will be personally overseen by me, and there will be absolutely no problems," the Palace Master said. "Moreover, the rewards are generous. Each person will receive a top-grade immortal artifact, 100,000 contribution points, and if they find the Time Dao Runes, there will be an even greater reward."

A top-grade immortal artifact! 100,000 contribution points! The five people's eyes lit up. A top-grade immortal artifact is rare even among Golden Immortals, and True Immortals dream of owning one. 100,000 contribution points are enough to exchange for a large amount of cultivation resources.

"I'm willing to go," Han Mu was the first to speak. He had to go to the Time-Space Secret Realm, not only for the Time Dao Patterns but also to complete the system's mission. Moreover, with the Palace Master personally in charge, his safety was guaranteed.

"I'll go too," Liu Ruyan said.

"Count me in," Zhou Meng said.

"I'll go," Li Qingzhu said.

Luo Feng hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll go."

"Good." The Palace Master nodded in satisfaction. "We will depart in three days. Make your preparations. Remember, this matter must be kept secret and must not be divulged."

"Yes."

The five left the secret chamber and returned to their respective caves. When Han Mu returned to his cave, Han Li had already emerged from seclusion and broken through to the late stage of True Immortal.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Han," Han Mu said with a smile.

"I broke through by sheer luck," Han Li said modestly, then said seriously, "Fellow Daoist Han, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"When I was in seclusion, I had a sudden realization and sensed some unusual activity in the direction of the Netherworld Abyss," Han Li said. "It seems that a treasure has been born, but its aura is very subtle. If it weren't for the special cultivation technique I use, I wouldn't have been able to sense it."

"The Netherworld Abyss?" Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. They had just returned from the Netherworld Abyss, and now a treasure had appeared? Was it a coincidence, or...?

"Fellow Daoist Han, I would like to go to the Netherworld Abyss again," Han Li said.

"The Netherworld Abyss is dangerous; it's not appropriate for you to go alone," Han Mu said. "Here's what we'll do: I have a mission to carry out in three days. After the mission is completed, I'll accompany you to the Netherworld Abyss."

"Okay." Han Li nodded.

Han Mu returned to his room and began preparations. The journey to the Time-Space Secret Realm was fraught with danger, and he had to be fully prepared.

"System, view available redeemable items."

Han Mu opened the system shop and browsed the items available for exchange. He currently had 3827 points of immortal spiritual energy, which he could exchange for some life-saving items.

[Boundary-Breaking Talisman: Can break spatial restrictions; requires 2000 Immortal Spirit Energy to exchange]

[Substitute Puppet: Can be used to take someone's place once; requires 5000 Immortal Spirit Energy to exchange]

[Time Acceleration Talisman: Accelerates the flow of time for the duration of an incense stick's burning; requires 3000 Immortal Spirit Energy to exchange]

……

The items are all good, but too expensive. Han Mu currently only has 3827 points of Immortal Spirit Energy, which isn't enough to exchange for anything too good.

"System, are there any treasures suitable for exploring the secret realm?"

[Secret Realm Compass: Can detect restrictions and traps in secret realms; requires 1500 Immortal Spirit Energy to exchange]

[Escape Talisman: Allows random teleportation within secret realms; requires 1000 Immortal Spirit Energy to exchange]

[Concealment Pill: After consumption, it can perfectly hide one's aura for three days. Requires 500 Immortal Spirit Qi to exchange.]

Han Mu thought for a moment, then exchanged for the Secret Realm Compass and the Concealment Pill, spending 2000 Immortal Spirit Qi. He didn't need the Escape Talisman for the time being; he had the Qiankun Fan, which allowed him to teleport short distances.

"System, view personal information."

Name: Han Mu

[Realm Level: Late Stage of True Golden Immortal, Mid Stage of Superficial True Immortal]

[Cultivation Techniques: Primordial Longevity Technique (Seventh Level), Heaven-Gathering Divine Technique (Perfect), Reincarnation Sword Technique (Fifth Level)]

[Laws: Law of Time (Beginner 2%), Law of Reincarnation (Minor Success)]

[Celestial Aura: 1827 points]

[Magic Items: Qiankun Fan (Mid-grade Immortal Artifact), Time Dao Pattern Fragment x2 (can be assembled), Time-Space Secret Realm Fragment x2 (half a piece), Soul-Destroying Pearl x1, Secret Realm Compass, Concealment Pill]

[Family: Changsheng Han Family (Spirit Realm)]

[Current Task: Establishing the Foundation of the Immortal Realm (In Progress)]

I only have 1827 points of Celestial Aura left; I need to find a way to earn more. The trip to the Time-Space Secret Realm might be an opportunity.

Three days later, Han Mu and his group of five arrived at the meeting point. The Palace Master was already waiting, along with two other people. One was a woman in white, with stunning beauty and a cold demeanor, whose cultivation was at the peak of True Immortal. The other was an old man in black robes, with a withered face and sinister eyes, whose cultivation was also at the peak of True Immortal.

"These two are Bai Ling and Mo Laogui, who are entering the secret realm with you," the Palace Master introduced.

Bai Ling and Mo Laogui. Han Mu sized up the two. Bai Ling's aura was pure, indicating she was a righteous cultivator. Mo Laogui's aura was cold and sinister, somewhat similar to You Mingzi, but even more elusive.

"Once you enter the secret realm, the seven of you must work together and not fight amongst yourselves," the Palace Master said. "There are time runes within the secret realm; whoever finds them keeps them. But if anyone dares to harm their companion, I will not let them off lightly."

"Yes," the seven replied in unison.

The temple master took out seven jade talismans and distributed them to the seven people: "These are communication jade talismans, which can be used to contact each other within the secret realm. If you encounter danger, crush the jade talisman, and I will sense it, but whether you can be rescued in time depends on your fate."

"Thank you, Palace Master." The seven people put away the jade talisman.

The temple master took out another map and unfolded it: "This is a map of the Time-Space Secret Realm, but it's only the outer area; the core area is unknown. After you enter, explore the outer area first. If you have the opportunity, then venture deeper into the core. Remember, safety first, opportunity second."

"Yes."

"Let's go." The temple master waved his hand, and a flying boat appeared. The seven people boarded the flying boat, which transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the distance.

On the flying boat, the seven people sat in meditation, none of them speaking. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. After all, the seven were not familiar with each other before, and now that they were going to explore the secret realm together, it was inevitable that they would be wary.

Han Mu closed his eyes to rest, secretly observing the other six people. He was quite familiar with Liu Ruyan and the other three, but he didn't know Bai Ling and Mo Laogui. Bai Ling was alright; she had a cool and aloof demeanor, but her eyes were clear, not like a wicked person. Mo Laogui was a different story; his eyes were sinister, and his aura was cold, indicating he was no good.

"Guest Han," Mo Laogui suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Fellow Daoist Mo." Han Mu opened his eyes.

"I've heard that Guest Elder Han obtained a fragment of the Time Dao Pattern in Black Wind Cave. I wonder if I could have a look at it?" said Old Ghost Mo.

Han Mu sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface: "Fellow Daoist Mo is joking. How could I, a junior, carry such a precious fragment of the Time Dao Pattern on my person? Besides, I have already refined the fragment, so it makes no difference whether I look at it or not."

"Refined it?" A hint of doubt flashed in Old Ghost Mo's eyes. "Fragments of time-related Dao patterns contain the laws of time; how could a True Immortal refine them?"

"I was fortunate enough to refine a trace of it, but most of the energy has dissipated," Han Mu said.

Mo Laogui stared at Han Mu, seemingly trying to discern the truth. Han Mu met his gaze calmly, revealing no flaw.

"Alright, since it's already been refined, let's leave it at that." Old Ghost Mo withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes to meditate.

Han Mu closed his eyes, his mind on high alert. The old ghost Mo's interest in the fragments of the Time Dao Patterns suggested ulterior motives. He needed to be wary of him once inside the secret realm.

Three days later, the airship arrived deep in the wilderness. Ahead lay a misty expanse, within which the entrance to a valley could be vaguely seen.

"We've arrived at the entrance to the Time-Space Secret Realm," the Palace Master said. "The entrance is protected by a restriction; only those below the Golden Immortal level can enter. Once you're inside, I will be waiting for you outside. Remember, the secret realm is only open for three months. You must leave after three months, or you will be trapped inside forever."

"Yes."

The seven disembarked from the flying boat and headed towards the valley entrance. As they approached, Han Mu felt a resistance, seemingly testing his cultivation level. He activated the Heaven-Concealing Divine Technique, suppressing his cultivation to the mid-stage of True Immortal, and passed through smoothly. The others followed suit.

Upon entering the valley, the scenery changed dramatically. It was no longer a desolate wilderness, but a vast forest. The forest was rich in spiritual energy, but the flow of time seemed different from the outside world. Han Mu felt time moving at varying speeds, which was quite eerie.

"The flow of time here is unstable, everyone be careful," Liu Ruyan warned.

The seven of them spread their divine senses to explore the environment. The secret realm was vast, and their divine senses could only cover a range of about a hundred miles. Within that range, there were many demonic beasts, the weakest of which were at the early stage of True Immortal, and the strongest had reached the peak of True Immortal.

"Let's find a place to stay first, and then make further plans," Han Mu said.

The seven found a cave, set up a protective barrier, and settled there temporarily.

"The secret realm is dangerous, and it's not advisable for the seven of us to split up," Liu Ruyan said. "I suggest we split into two groups, one to scout ahead and the other to stay behind, taking turns."

"I agree," Han Mu said.

The others nodded in agreement. It was ultimately decided that Han Mu, Liu Ruyan, and Luo Feng would form one group, while Bai Ling, Mo Laogui, Zhou Meng, and Li Qingzhu would form another. The two groups would take turns scouting, each time for three days.

The first group consisted of Han Mu and two others who scouted ahead, while Bai Ling and three others stayed behind to guard the area.

Han Mu and his companions left the cave and began their exploration. The secret realm contained many spiritual herbs, but all were guarded by demonic beasts. The three of them joined forces and killed several mid-stage True Immortal demonic beasts, gathering several thousand-year-old spiritual herbs.

"There's the sound of fighting ahead," Liu Ruyan suddenly said.

The three concealed their auras and quietly approached. In the valley ahead, two groups were engaged in fierce combat. One group consisted of three black-clad cultivators, and the other of two white-clad cultivators. The black-clad cultivators were all at the mid-stage of True Immortal, while the white-clad cultivators were a man and a woman; the man was at the late-stage of True Immortal, and the woman at the mid-stage.

"They're from the Heavenly Court," Liu Ruyan whispered. The black-clad cultivator's attire was indeed in the Heavenly Court's style.

"Why would people from Heaven be here?" Luo Feng wondered.

"I'm afraid it's also for the time runes," Han Mu said. The Palace Master had said that the Heavenly Court was searching for fragments of time runes, so it wasn't surprising that they sent people into the secret realm.

"Do we need your help?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"Let's see," Han Mu said. The Heavenly Court is powerful and should not be offended easily. But if the people of the Heavenly Court do evil, he will not stand idly by.

In the arena, the man in white was incredibly powerful, holding his own against two opponents. The woman in white, however, was weaker and was being overwhelmed by a cultivator in black, facing constant danger.

"Junior sister, be careful!" The man in white saw his junior sister in danger and wanted to help her, but he was entangled by two cultivators in black and could not break free.

The black-clad cultivator thrust his sword towards the white-clad woman's chest. The white-clad woman had no way to dodge, and despair filled her eyes.

Just then, a flash of sword light appeared, deflecting the black-clad cultivator's sword. Han Mu appeared before the white-clad woman and said calmly, "To bully the few with the many is going too far."

"Who are you? How dare you meddle in the affairs of the Heavenly Court!" the black-clad cultivator roared.

"When you see injustice on the road, you should draw your sword to help," Han Mu said.

"You're courting death!" The black-clad cultivator swung his sword at Han Mu. Han Mu unleashed a sword strike, its energy like a rainbow, forcing the black-clad cultivator back.

"Peak True Immortal?" The black-clad cultivator's expression changed. Han Mu's sword strike just now was far more powerful than a mid-stage True Immortal; it was at least at the peak of the True Immortal realm.

"Retreat!" The black-clad cultivator made a decisive call, urging his companions to retreat. The three black-clad cultivators transformed into black light and disappeared into the distance.

"Thank you for saving me, fellow Daoist." The man in white stepped forward and cupped his hands in thanks.

"No need to be so polite," Han Mu said. "I am Han Mu, and these two are my companions, Liu Ruyan and Luo Feng."

"My name is Lin Fan, and this is my junior sister, Lin Xue," the man in white said. "We are from the Baiyun Sect. We entered the secret realm in search of opportunities, but unexpectedly encountered people from the Heavenly Court. If it weren't for your intervention, my junior sister would have been in grave danger."

Han Mu had heard of the White Cloud Sect; it was a small sect in the Immortal Realm, famous for its swordsmanship.

"Does Fellow Daoist Lin know why the people from Heaven are here?" Han Mu asked.

"It's said they're here for the Time Dao Patterns," Lin Fan said. "The Heavenly Court seems to be collecting fragments of Time Dao Patterns, but the specific reason is unknown."

As expected. Han Mu thought to himself.

"Fellow Daoist Han, are you also here for the Dao Pattern of Time?" Lin Fan asked.

"I guess so," Han Mu said noncommittally.

"In that case, why don't we travel together?" Lin Fan suggested. "The Heavenly Court is powerful, and we might encounter danger if we act alone. Traveling together will allow us to look out for each other."

Han Mu looked at Liu Ruyan and Luo Feng, and the two nodded. Lin Fan was quite strong, a late-stage True Immortal, and Lin Xue was a mid-stage True Immortal; traveling together would indeed be safer.

"Okay." Han Mu nodded.

The five continued their exploration together. Along the way, Han Mu learned more about the secret realm from Lin Fan. It turned out the secret realm was divided into three levels; they were currently on the outermost level. The middle and inner levels were more dangerous, but also offered more opportunities. The Time Dao Pattern was said to be located in the core area of ​​the inner level.

"The inner layer contains Golden Immortal-level demonic beasts and even time turbulence, making it extremely dangerous," Lin Fan said. "With our strength, entering the inner layer could be fatal."

"Let's explore the outer layer first, and if there's an opportunity, we can enter the middle layer," Han Mu said. He had the Secret Realm Compass, which could detect restrictions and traps, making him much safer.

Three days later, Han Mu and his two companions returned to the cave and met up with Bai Ling and her group of four. Han Mu told Bai Ling and her group about their encounter with Lin Fan, and they had no objections. Having a couple more helpers was always a good thing.

Over the next month, the seven of them, along with Lin Fan and his companion, made a total of nine people exploring the outer layers of the secret realm, reaping considerable rewards. They collected many thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, slew dozens of demonic beasts, and obtained a significant amount of demon cores and materials. Han Mu's immortal spiritual energy also increased to 5000 points.

On this day, the nine arrived at a cliff. Below the cliff was an abyss, its bottom unseen. The Secret Realm Compass indicated that there were strong fluctuations in time within the abyss.

"There might be fragments of time-related Dao patterns below," Han Mu said.

"Let's go down and take a look," Lin Fan said.

Nine people flew down into the abyss. The abyss was very deep, and they flew for about a thousand feet before reaching the bottom. At the bottom was a cave, and in the center of the cave was a pool of water. Floating in the pool was a fragment that emitted a faint ripple of time.

"Fragments of Time Dao Patterns!" Everyone's eyes lit up.

Just then, something unexpected happened!

Beams of light illuminated the cavern, forming a trapping array that confined the nine people within. Simultaneously, ten figures appeared at the cavern entrance, the leader being none other than Youmingzi!

"Youmingzi!" Han Mu's face darkened.

"Boy, we meet again," Youmingzi sneered. "Let's see where you run this time!"