The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Deep within the turbulent flow of time and space, the scenery is completely different from the outside.

There are no shattered fragments of spacetime here, but rather twisted spacetime tunnels, like countless tangled ropes, intertwined to form a vast labyrinth. Colorful streams of light flow through these tunnels—the chaotic forces of time and space, fatal to any touch.

"This is the depths of the spacetime turbulence?" Luo Feng stared wide-eyed at the intricate network of passages before him, his scalp tingling. "How do I get through this? One wrong step and I'm done for!"

Han Mu was also observing. He summoned the system panel:

Name: Han Mu

True Realm: Late Golden Immortal

Surface Realm: Mid-stage True Immortal

Time Rule: 15% for beginners (in the process of inheritance and integration)

Spatial Laws: Introduction 3%

Celestial Aura: 200 points

Progress of inheritance and integration: 3%

Status: The Time Dao Ancestor's inheritance continues to merge.

The progress of inheritance and integration has increased from 1% to 3%, indicating that the integration speed has accelerated amidst the temporal turbulence. However, the amount of immortal energy is still only 200 points, a drop in the ocean.

"The spacetime here is extremely chaotic; the Sky-Gazing Mirror's locking mechanism should be ineffective." Han Li sensed for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief. "That woman can't find us for now."

The words had barely left her lips when a loud crash came from behind. The woman in white forced her way in, but her expression was grim. The spatial and temporal forces deep within the spatial turbulence were far too violent; even a Taiyi Jade Immortal would pay a price for forcing her way in. Several tears appeared in her white robes, and her aura was somewhat disordered.

"You're quick on your feet." The woman in white stared at Han Mu, her eyes icy. "But once you're in here, you can't get out. It's common sense that you can enter a time-space maze but not get out."

"Can't get out?" Liu Ruyan's expression changed.

"The Time-Space Maze is the core area of ​​the Time-Space Turbulence. The passages here are constantly changing, and there is no fixed exit," Han Li explained. "I've heard of it before, but I've never been inside. It's said that nine out of ten people who enter die here."

"Then why did you bring us here?" Zhou Meng glared.

"If we don't come here, we'll die immediately. If we come here, we can live a few more days." Han Li was very practical. "Besides, although the Time-Space Maze is dangerous, it may also hold opportunities. In ancient times, many powerful figures left their legacies here, waiting for those with the right destiny."

Han Mu looked into the depths of the maze. The laws of time were very active here; he could sense that something deep within the maze was calling to him—a resonance with the legacy of the Time Dao Ancestor.

"Let's go this way," Han Mu pointed to a passage. The time flow in that passage was slower than the others, and the summoning sensation was the strongest.

"Senior Han, are you sure?" Lin Fan hesitated. The Time-Space Maze was no joke; one wrong step could send him to an unknown time or space, or tear him apart by the power of time and space.

"I'm not sure, but should we just stay here and wait to die?" Han Mu asked rhetorically.

Lin Fan remained silent. Indeed, staying here and waiting for the woman in white to recover would still mean certain death.

The nine people entered the passage, and the woman in white followed. However, the passage was very narrow, only allowing one person to pass at a time. With her following behind, she became like a tail, unable to launch an attack.

"Han Mu, do you think you can get rid of me like this?" The woman in white sneered. "The methods of a Taiyi Jade Immortal are beyond the comprehension of a mere Golden Immortal like you."

After she finished speaking, she took out a jade talisman and crushed it. The jade talisman transformed into a beam of green light and disappeared into the void. Han Mu's heart skipped a beat; he had a bad premonition.

"Is she calling for someone?" Han Li frowned.

"It should be, but the Time-Space Maze can block communication, so the people she summons can't get in," Han Mu said. It's common knowledge that the Time-Space Maze can block all communication.

"We can't get in, but we can wait outside." Han Li's expression was grave. "If we find an exit, going out will be like walking into a trap."

"Then don't go out." Han Mu said decisively. "Find opportunities in the maze, improve our strength, and wait for her people to get impatient and leave, or wait until we are strong enough to fight our way out."

"Senior Han, your idea..." Luo Feng scratched his head, "is very optimistic."

"What else? Wait to die?" Han Mu glanced at him.

Luo Feng shut up. Indeed, waiting to die was even less reliable.

The passage was long, winding, and constantly branching. Han Mu, relying on his perception of the laws of time, always chose the right path. But the deeper he went, the more violent the forces of spacetime became. The passage began to shake, and in some places, cracks even appeared, revealing a pitch-black void beyond which a single glance was enough to send chills down one's spine.

"Be careful, don't touch the rift," Han Mu warned. The spacetime rift is more dangerous than the passage. If you fall in, you don't know where you will be transported. You might be transported directly to some forbidden land, or tens of thousands of years ago or tens of thousands of years in the future.

Everyone proceeded cautiously, avoiding the cracks. But the woman in white was less careful. Relying on her high cultivation level, she forced her way into the area with the most cracks, trying to take a shortcut to block Han Mu. As a result, a crack suddenly widened, sucking half of her body inside.

"Ah!" the woman in white cried out, struggling with all her might. She finally managed to break free, but her left arm was grazed by the crack, and her entire arm disappeared instantly. It wasn't severed, but erased by the power of spacetime, without even a drop of blood flowing.

"Hiss—" Luo Feng gasped, "This crack is terrifying."

The woman in white, pale-faced, took out a pill and swallowed it. The granulation tissue at the severed arm began to twitch, but its growth was slow. Wounds caused by the power of spacetime are extremely difficult to heal.

"Serves him right," Zhou Meng muttered under his breath.

The woman in white heard him and gave him a cold look. Her gaze was as cold as a knife, and Zhou Meng shivered, daring not to say another word.

After walking for another half hour, an open space appeared ahead. In the center of the space floated a stone tablet, which emitted a faint golden light and was covered with dense runes. The runes were constantly changing, as if they were alive.

"A beacon of time and space!" Han Li exclaimed.

"Time-space beacon? What's that?" Lin Xue asked.

"The Spacetime Beacon is a treasure that stabilizes spacetime. With it, the surrounding spacetime is stable and will not change," Han Li explained. "This spacetime labyrinth is very likely constructed with this Spacetime Beacon as its core. Whoever can refine the Spacetime Beacon will be able to control this labyrinth."

Controlling the time-space labyrinth? Everyone's eyes lit up. If they could truly control the labyrinth, then the woman in white would be nothing to fear; within the labyrinth, they would be in control.

"How do I refine it?" Han Mu asked.

"I don't know." Han Li shook his head. "The Spacetime Beacon is a supreme treasure, and the method of refining it has long been lost. Moreover, such a supreme treasure must be protected by restrictions, and forcibly refining it will result in a backlash."

Han Mu approached the stone tablet. He didn't recognize any of the runes on it, but the laws of time resonated within him, and the legacy stirred within him. He reached out and touched the stone tablet.

boom!

The stone tablet shone brightly with golden light, enveloping Han Mu. A massive amount of information flooded his mind—the method for refining the spacetime beacon, one of the legacies left by the Time Dao Ancestor.

So that's how it is. The Time Dao Ancestor left the Time-Space Dao Beacon here for two reasons: first, to stabilize the spacetime turbulence and prevent it from spreading and harming the Immortal Realm; and second, to select a successor, as only those who master the laws of time can refine the Time-Space Dao Beacon.

Han Mu sat down cross-legged and began refining. Under the golden light, the fluctuations of time around him grew stronger and stronger, and the flow of time around him became sometimes fast and sometimes slow, making everyone's hearts pound with fear.

"He's refining a spacetime beacon?" The woman in white's expression changed, and she tried to interrupt him. But a barrier of golden light formed, blocking her out. She attacked with all her might, but the barrier remained unmoved.

"Damn it!" the woman in white gritted her teeth. Once the spacetime beacon was refined, she would truly be powerless against Han Mu. Within the spacetime labyrinth, the controller was a god; even if she were a Taiyi Jade Immortal, she would be suppressed.

"We can't let him succeed in refining it." A resolute glint flashed in the white-clad woman's eyes as she took out a blood-red pill and swallowed it. As soon as the pill entered her stomach, her aura surged, her severed arm instantly regenerated, and her cultivation level increased significantly, approaching the peak of the Taiyi Jade Immortal realm.

"Blood Burning Pill?" Han Li's expression changed drastically. "She's gone mad. Although the Blood Burning Pill can improve cultivation in a short time, it has extremely severe side effects. At best, it can cause a decline in cultivation; at worst, it can damage one's foundation. She's risking her life."

The white-clad woman, having consumed the Blood-Burning Pill, experienced a surge in power and attacked the golden barrier once more. This time, the barrier began to tremble and cracks appeared.

"Stop her!" Han Li shouted, striking first. Liu Ruyan and the other eight reacted quickly, attacking the woman in white. However, the difference in strength between them and the woman in white was too great; even with only one arm remaining, she was still beyond their capabilities.

The woman in white unleashed a palm strike, the wind from which was like a blade, sending everyone flying. Luo Feng crashed into the wall, coughing up blood; Bai Ling's sword broke, leaving people injured; Zhou Meng was in the worst condition, a section of his chest caved in, and he was on the verge of death.

"You ants dare to stop me?" The woman in white sneered, striking the golden barrier with another palm. If this palm struck, the barrier would shatter, and Han Mu's refining process would be interrupted.

Just then, Han Mu opened his eyes. It wasn't that he had completed the refining process, but rather that he had achieved initial control. He raised his hand and pointed at the woman in white.

"Certainly."

Time stood still. The white-clad woman's outstretched hand hovered in mid-air, her entire body like a statue. But only for a moment, and she broke free from the time freeze; after all, she was a Taiyi Jade Immortal and had consumed the Blood-Burning Pill.

But that one moment was enough. Han Mu pointed again, and time around the woman in white began to reverse. Her cultivation, which had been boosted by the Blood Burning Pill, began to decline, her regenerated arm disappeared, and finally, she reverted to her state before taking the pill, with her severed arm still there and her aura weak.

"Time reversal?" the woman in white exclaimed in shock. Time reversal is even more difficult than time freezing; Han Mu had actually mastered it? Although he could only reverse a few breaths, it was still terrifying enough.

"Get out, or die." Han Mu stood up, the golden light receded, and the spacetime beacon disappeared into his brow. He had initially refined the spacetime beacon; although he could only use a portion of its power, within this spacetime labyrinth, he was the master.

The woman in white's expression shifted rapidly. She was unwilling to accept defeat; the Time-Space Beacon, the Time Dao Ancestor's inheritance, and a Dao Ancestor-level magic treasure—these three things were right before her eyes, yet she couldn't obtain them. But if she continued fighting, she might not win. Han Mu had refined the Time-Space Beacon and was moving with ease within the maze, while she was seriously injured, and the side effects of the Blood Burning Pill were beginning to appear.

"Han Mu, I'll remember you." The woman in white finally chose to leave. She gave Han Mu a deep look, turned around and left, her figure quickly disappearing into the passage.

"Phew—" Han Li breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the ground. Although he wasn't seriously injured in the battle, he had still expended a lot of energy. Liu Ruyan and the other eight were in even worse shape, all of them wounded, and Zhou Meng almost died.

Han Mu took out pills and distributed them to everyone, taking one himself to restore his mana. Refining the Spacetime Beacon had consumed a great deal of energy, and he now only had 30% of his mana left.

"Senior Han, is that woman really gone?" Luo Feng asked while tending to his wounds.

"She's gone for now, but she won't give up." Han Mu knew very well that a powerful woman of the white-clad level wouldn't give up easily. She would definitely be guarding outside the maze, or finding help.

"So what do we do now?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"Let's heal our wounds first, then explore the maze," Han Mu said. "The spacetime maze is huge. Besides the spacetime beacon, there should be other things. And after refining the spacetime beacon, I have a general understanding of the maze and know a few safe passages that can help us avoid dangerous areas."

Everyone nodded and began to focus on healing. Han Mu also sat down cross-legged to examine the spacetime beacon. The spacetime beacon was not only the core of controlling the maze, but also a spacetime magic artifact that could stabilize spacetime and allow for spacetime travel. However, with his current cultivation level, he could only travel short distances, and it consumed a great deal of energy.

"System, view spacetime beacon information."

[Time-Space Beacon (Fragment): Forged by the ancient Time Dao Ancestor, capable of stabilizing time and space, and allowing time travel. Current control level: 10%]

Features:

1. Stabilize spacetime within a radius of 100 miles

2. Short-distance time travel (limited to three times per day)

3. Sensing spatiotemporal fluctuations

4. ? ? ? (Insufficient control, unable to view)

5. ? ? ? (Insufficient control, unable to view)

With only 10% control, its functions are limited. But even so, the spacetime beacon is a treasure; at least within this labyrinth, he has the ability to protect himself.

Two hours later, everyone's injuries had mostly healed. Han Mu led them through the maze, guided by spatial beacons, avoiding all dangerous areas, and found several ancient cultivators' caves. There wasn't much of value in the caves; after all, so much time had passed, and most things had weathered and decayed. However, they found a few bottles of pills and a few broken magical artifacts, which was a small gain.

"Fellow Daoist Han, what are your plans next?" Han Li asked. He followed Han Mu mainly for refuge, and now that he was temporarily safe, he needed to consider his next move.

"Let's improve our strength first," Han Mu said. "The Time-Space Maze is a good place. The flow of time here is different from the outside world; some places are fast, and some are slow. We can find a place where the flow of time is fast to cultivate. One day outside is equivalent to one year inside. Once our strength has increased, we can go out and settle accounts with that woman."

"A place where time flows differently?" Han Li's eyes lit up. "Such places are incredibly rare. Can you really find one?"

"There are spacetime beacons, that's fine." Han Mu nodded. Spacetime beacons can sense spacetime fluctuations and locate areas with abnormal time flow.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and search!" Luo Feng perked up. One day outside is equivalent to a year inside—where else can you find such a good deal? One year of cultivation is equivalent to one year of other people's cultivation; only a fool wouldn't do it.

Han Mu smiled and activated his spatial beacon. He quickly found an area where time flowed extremely fast; one day there was equivalent to one year outside. Moreover, the area was large enough for nine people to cultivate.

When the group arrived at that area, they indeed felt that time was flowing differently. Although they had only stood there for a short while, it felt like a very long time had passed.

"Cultivate here," Han Mu said. "I will set up an array to prevent that woman from coming. You all hurry up and try to break through as soon as possible."

"Senior Han, where are you going?" Liu Ruyan understood the meaning behind Han Mu's words.

"I'm going to find the core of the Time-Space Maze," Han Mu said. "The Time-Space Beacon only controls the maze; the core holds even greater secrets. Moreover, I need a faster cultivation speed. A day or a year here isn't enough; I need to find a place where a day is a hundred years."

A hundred years in a day? Everyone gasped in astonishment. A hundred years of cultivation would only amount to a day in the outside world—that was simply unbelievable.

"That kind of place must be very dangerous," Han Li frowned.

"I'll go even if it's dangerous," Han Mu said firmly. The woman in white wouldn't give up easily, and the Heavenly Court's pursuit wouldn't stop. He had to improve his strength as soon as possible to protect himself and those around him.

"I'll go with you," Liu Ruyan said.

"We'll go too," Bai Ling and the others agreed.

"No need, you all stay here and cultivate." Han Mu shook his head. "I'll go alone; it'll be more flexible. Besides, there's a spacetime beacon, so I can escape if I encounter danger."

Before anyone could say anything more, Han Mu waved his hand and said, "It's settled then. Fellow Daoist Han, we'll leave them in your care."

Han Li nodded: "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to them."

Han Mu said no more and turned to leave. With Han Li around, Liu Ruyan and the other eight were safe. What he needed to do now was find the core of the maze and improve his strength as soon as possible.

Stepping out of the cultivation area, Han Mu summoned the system panel to check the progress of the fusion of the Time Law. After this period, the fusion progress had increased from 3% to 5%, and the Time Law had also reached the beginner level of 18%. At this rate, complete fusion would still take a long time, but if there were a place with a faster flow of time, the time could be greatly shortened.

"System, scan the core location of the maze."

[Scanning... The core of the maze is located at the deepest point of the spacetime turbulence, where time flows at a speed ten thousand times faster than outside. However, spacetime is extremely unstable, and entering is extremely risky.]

[WARNING: Signs of unknown life form activity detected in the core of the maze]

Unknown life form? Han Mu raised an eyebrow. Deep within the temporal turbulence, in a place where time flows at ten thousand times the normal speed, there is actually a life form? Is it an ancient creature, or one that intruded later?

Regardless of which one it is, it's worth exploring. Han Mu took a step towards the core.