The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The silvery river of time is vast and boundless, flowing with time itself. On the river, the boats are moving at extremely high speeds, closing in on Han Mu and his companions' Time-Space Ship in the blink of an eye.

There were three ships in total, each carrying five or six people. The weakest among them was at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, and the three leaders were all Great Yi Jade Immortals—one in the early stage and two in the middle stage. Any one of these individuals could easily crush Han Mu and his nine companions.

"Tsk, this is a big problem." Zhou Meng grinned, his hand holding the knife trembling slightly. "Three Great Jade Immortals, how are we supposed to fight them? They could just blow us away."

"Shut up, stop talking such discouraging things." Liu Ruyan glared at him, but her own face was also pale. The difference between a Great Jade Immortal and a Golden Immortal is greater than the difference between a Golden Immortal and a True Immortal; it's a qualitative difference.

Han Li remained the calmest, whispering to Han Mu, "Fellow Daoist Han, they might be 'Time Hunters,' specializing in hunting time travelers in the River of Time to seize time treasures. Our Time Ship is just easy prey in their eyes."

"Time Hunter?" Han Mu was hearing this title for the first time.

"The River of Time is a forbidden area, but also a treasure trove. It contains treasures such as 'Fragments of Time' and 'Crystals of Time and Space,' which can aid in the cultivation of the laws of time and space and are priceless. Some powerful individuals specifically hunt the weak here to seize resources," Han Li explained.

As they spoke, the three ships had already surrounded the Time-Space Ship in a triangular formation. On the lead ship stood an old man in black robes, a mid-stage Great Jade Immortal, with a withered face and sinister eyes, staring at Han Mu as if he were prey.

"A peak Golden Immortal leads the team, with eight Golden Immortals ranging from early to late stages, and a Time-Space Ship of decent quality." The black-robed elder's voice was hoarse. "Youngsters, hand over the Time-Space Ship and all your storage treasures, and I'll spare your lives."

Another early-stage Grand Jade Immortal was a beautiful woman in red. She covered her mouth and chuckled, "Old Man Kumu, why be so polite with these juniors? Just kill them, and everything will be ours. This Time-Space Ship is made of special material; after refining it, it can sell for at least a million Immortal Spirit Stones."

The third one, a burly man at the mid-stage of the Great Jade Immortal realm, said in a deep voice, "Red Lady is right, it's a waste of time. Kids, I'll give you three breaths to consider. If you don't hand it over after three breaths, I'll kill you all."

The three of them completely disregarded Han Mu and his nine companions. In their eyes, the strongest of the nine Golden Immortals was no more than the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, and killing them would be as easy as slaughtering dogs.

Han Mu's mind raced. A direct confrontation would be certain death; even with his Time-Space Beacon and Chaos Time-Space Dao Patterns, he couldn't defeat three Great Jade Immortals. Escape was impossible either; the River of Time had special rules, and the Time-Space Ship's speed was fixed, unable to outrun their ship.

"System, is there any way?"

【分析中……对方三名大乙玉仙，建议：1.使用不朽棺抵挡一击，趁机逃跑（成功率5%）；2.亮出垂钓翁信件，对方可能忌惮守河人（成功率30%）；3.交出时空之舟和财物（保命率90%）】

Handing over valuables could save his life? Han Mu didn't believe it. These days, hunters kill and rob; how could they possibly leave anyone alive? The Immortal Coffin could only be used three times, and each use reduced its lifespan, with a success rate of only 5%. It seemed he could only try the old fisherman's letter.

"Senior, we are delivering a message for the old fisherman and we need to see the river keeper." Han Mu took out the yellowed letter and held it up in his hand.

"The old fisherman?" The withered old man's pupils contracted. "That old monster? Is he still in the Realm of Forgetfulness?"

"Impossible!" Lady Hong's expression changed. "The old fisherman disappeared 100,000 years ago; rumors say he's perished. Boy, where did you get this fake news?"

"Whether it's true or false, you'll know at a glance, senior," Han Mu said calmly. The old fisherman gave him an unfathomable feeling, so the letter should be genuine.

The old man with the withered tree made a grabbing motion in the air, and the letter flew into his hand. He opened it, glanced at it, his expression changing constantly, and finally took a deep breath before returning the letter to Han Mu.

"It is indeed the old fisherman's handwriting, and it also bears his Daoist aura." The withered old man gave Han Mu a deep look. "Boy, who are you to make the old fisherman entrust you with delivering a message?"

"I only stumbled into the Land of Forgetfulness by mistake and was entrusted by Senior Fisherman to deliver a message," Han Mu said truthfully.

"Wandered in by accident?" Hong Niangzi scoffed. "The Forget-Worry Realm is a secret realm of time and space; there's no way to enter without a special method. Kid, you've got quite a few secrets up your sleeve."

The burly man frowned: "Kumu, are we really going to let them go? The old fisherman is powerful, but he hasn't shown himself for 100,000 years; he might be dead by now. If we steal this space-time ark and hide, he won't be able to find us."

"Fool." The old man withered tree said coldly, "The old fisherman is a Dao Ancestor-level existence. If he wants to find someone, there is nowhere to hide in the world. Moreover, the river guardian has a close relationship with him. If we mess with his people, the river guardian will not let us off the hook."

"The Dao Ancestor?" The burly man and the Red Maiden's expressions changed drastically. The Dao Ancestor was an existence they looked up to; he could crush them with a single finger.

"I am merely delivering a message and will leave afterward. I have no intention of becoming enemies with you seniors," Han Mu said, seizing the opportunity.

The old man withered tree was silent for a moment, then waved his hand: "You may leave. Remember, after delivering the letter, leave the River of Time as soon as possible; this is not a place for you."

"Thank you, senior." Han Mu breathed a sigh of relief and urged the Time-Space Ship to leave.

"Wait a minute." Hong Niangzi suddenly spoke, staring at Han Mu, "Boy, you have the aura of the Time Law and the fluctuations of Chaos Dao Patterns on you... Have you obtained the inheritance of the Time Dao Ancestor?"

Han Mu's heart tightened. This woman had such keen senses; she could even detect the Dao patterns of chaotic spacetime.

"Red Maiden, what do you want to do?" The withered old man frowned.

"The withered tree, the legacy of the Time Dao Ancestor, and the Chaos Dao Patterns—these two items are worth ten thousand times more than this Time-Space Ark." A greedy glint flashed in Hong Niangzi's eyes. "Let's rob them, find a place to hide and cultivate, and emerge after breaking through to the Dao Ancestor level. What are we afraid of then, those old fishermen and river guardians?"

"Are you insane?" the withered old man roared. "Do you think the Dao Ancestor's legacy is so easy to take? Although the Dao Ancestor of Time is dead, his karma remains. To steal his legacy is to go against his karma. If you want to die, don't drag us down with you!"

"Fortune favors the bold." Red Lady gritted her teeth. "Kumu, you're getting old, and your courage has waned. Black Mountain, are you in or not?"

The burly man, Heishan, hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Let's do it! The Dao Ancestor's legacy is worth the risk."

The old man withered wood looked grim. Both Red Maiden and Black Mountain were mid-stage Great Yi Jade Immortals, and although he was also mid-stage, he had no chance against two opponents. Moreover, if a fight really broke out, Han Mu and his nine companions would definitely side with him, but nine Golden Immortals were just cannon fodder in a battle between Great Yi Jade Immortals.

"Kumu, step aside. We'll only kill this kid. The others can leave," Hong Niangzi said, pointing at Han Mu.

Han Mu's heart sank. The worst had happened. He looked at the withered old man; if the old man backed down, they were truly doomed.

"Senior Kumu, the old fisherman's letter is for the river keeper. If I die, the letter won't be delivered, and if the river keeper investigates, you won't be able to escape either," Han Mu said.

"The River Guardian..." The old man with the withered tree's eyes flickered. The River Guardian was the protector of the River of Time, his strength unfathomable, at least at the Dao Ancestor level. Offending the River Guardian was indeed more troublesome than offending the old fisherman.

"Red Maiden, Black Mountain, stop now," the withered old man said finally. "It's not worth offending two Dao Ancestors for a little greed."

"Two Dao Ancestors?" Red Maiden sneered. "The River Guardian never leaves the River of Time. As long as we don't return, he can't do anything to us. Drywood, I'll ask you one last time, will you let us pass or not?"

The old man with the withered tree remained silent, then finally sighed and stepped aside. He didn't want to take any risks.

"Hahaha, you're smart to know what's good for you." Hong Niangzi laughed, looking at Han Mu, "Boy, obediently hand over the inheritance and Dao patterns, and I can give you a quick death."

Han Mu gripped his sword tightly, ready to fight to the death. Even if he died, he would take a piece of his opponent's flesh.

Just then, the River of Time suddenly surged violently, its waters swirling back to form a massive whirlpool. From within the whirlpool, a figure slowly rose.

He was a young man in white, with an ordinary appearance but a world-weary look in his eyes, as if he had seen countless ages. He stood barefoot on the water, looking at Hong Niangzi and Heishan.

"The river of time forbids private duels. You have crossed the line." The white-robed youth's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"The...the river guard!" Hong Niangzi's face turned ashen, and her voice trembled.

Black Mountain panicked and quickly cupped his hands in apology: "Senior River Guardian, we...we just..."

"Just what?" The river guardian glanced at him. "Murder and robbery? Have you forgotten the rules of the River of Time?"

"We wouldn't dare!" Hong Niangzi and Heishan quickly lowered their heads, cold sweat pouring down their backs. The River Guardian was the enforcer of the River of Time, with the authority to deal with anyone who violated the rules. If he made a move, the two of them would surely die.

The river keeper ignored them and looked at Han Mu: "The old fisherman's letter?"

"Yes." Han Mu handed over the letter.

The river keeper took the letter, opened it, glanced at it, frowned slightly, then relaxed: "I see. I received the letter; you can leave now."

"Thank you, senior." Han Mu breathed a sigh of relief. With the river guardian appearing, Hong Niangzi and Heishan dared not make another move.

"Wait," the river keeper called after him again. "The old fisherman said in his letter that you have good talent and asked me to give you some pointers. You're cultivating the laws of time, isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"Downstream from the River of Time lies a 'Secret Realm of Time,' containing fragments of time that can help you comprehend the laws of time. You may explore it, but remember, the secret realm is only open for three days. After three days, you must leave, or you will be trapped inside forever," said the river guardian.

"A Time Realm?" Han Mu's heart stirred. Fragments of time are supreme treasures for cultivating the laws of time, extremely rare and hard to come by.

"This is the map to the secret realm and the incantation to open it." The river guardian flicked out a jade slip, which Han Mu caught. "Go, don't linger too long."

"Yes." Han Mu put away the jade slip, activated the Time-Space Ship, and headed downstream. Hong Niangzi and Heishan watched helplessly, not daring to stop him.

After the Time Ship sailed away, the River Guardian looked at Red Maiden and Black Mountain: "You two, cut off one arm each, get out of the River of Time, and are not allowed to set foot here for ten thousand years."

"Yes..." Hong Niangzi and Heishan dared not disobey, gritted their teeth and cut off their own arms, then fled in a sorry state. The withered old man also bowed and took his leave.

The river guardian looked in the direction Han Mu had left and murmured to himself, "The inheritor of the Dao Ancestor of Time, the Dao Pattern of Chaos and Spacetime... I hope you can go all the way to the end and complete the unfinished work of the Dao Ancestor."

Downstream in the River of Time, Han Mu and his nine companions, following the map's guidance, found a hidden river bend. Within the bend was a whirlpool, the very entrance to the Time Realm.

"Senior Han, shall we go in?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"Go in." Han Mu nodded. The fragments of time were very important to him, as they could quickly improve his understanding of the laws of time. Moreover, the river guardian had said that the river would only be open for three days, so there shouldn't be too much danger.

The nine people stepped into the vortex, and the scene before them changed, bringing them to a strange space. There was no sky, no earth, only countless floating points of light, each a memory of a past time.

"Fragments of Time!" Han Li's eyes lit up. "So many!"

Han Mu was also deeply shaken. There were at least tens of thousands of fragments of time here, each containing insights into the laws of time. If he were to refine them all, his understanding of the laws of time would at least increase to the beginner level by more than 50%.

"Hurry up and refine as much as you can." Han Mu sat down cross-legged and began refining. The others also sat down. Although they did not cultivate the laws of time, the fragments of time could temper their souls and improve their comprehension, which was a great opportunity.

Han Mu brought up the system panel to check the current status:

Name: Han Mu

True Realm: Peak Golden Immortal

Surface Realm: Mid-stage True Immortal

Time Rule: 32% for Beginners

Spatial Laws: Introduction 5%

Celestial Aura: -100 points

Fusion degree of Chaotic Spacetime Dao Patterns: 15%

Spacetime beacon control level: 12%

He was still far from mastering the laws of time. He began refining fragments of time, one, two, three... With each fragment he refined, his understanding of the laws of time deepened, and his comprehension of the laws of time slowly increased.

33%, 34%, 35%...

Three days passed quickly. Han Mu refined over three hundred fragments of time, raising his Time Law to 45% of the beginner level, just 5% away from minor success. Others also made gains: Liu Ruyan broke through to the mid-stage of Golden Immortal, Bai Ling Sword Intent reached its peak, and Luo Feng, Zhou Meng, and others made significant progress.

"It's time to go," Han Li reminded him.

Han Mu nodded and led everyone away from the secret realm. Back in the River of Time, the river guardian was already waiting outside.

"How was the harvest?" the river keeper asked.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior. I have learned a great deal." Han Mu cupped his hands in thanks.

"Hmm, your Time Law has improved to 45% of the beginner level, not bad." The River Guardian saw through Han Mu's true strength at a glance. "But your foundation is unstable and needs to be consolidated. I have a task for you, are you willing to take it? If you complete it, I will help you stabilize your foundation and even break through to the Taiyi Jade Immortal realm."

"What mission?"

"Go to the 'Ancient Battlefield of Time and Space' and retrieve something." The river guardian took out a token. "This is a Time and Space Token, which allows you to stay in the ancient battlefield for one month. The ancient battlefield has spacetime turbulence, which will help you comprehend the laws of spacetime. But what you need to retrieve is deep within the battlefield, guarded by a 'Time and Space Ancient Beast'—a peak-level Great Yi Jade Immortal."

A time-space ancient beast at the peak of the Great Yi Jade Immortal realm? Han Mu frowned. This mission was far too difficult.

"Don't worry, the ancient beasts of time and space are mostly asleep. As long as you're careful, you'll have a chance to succeed," the river guardian said. "Moreover, the ancient battlefield of time and space contains time-space crystals, which can help you cultivate the laws of space. If you cultivate both the laws of time and space, you'll achieve even greater things in the future."

Han Mu pondered for a moment, then nodded: "This junior is willing to go."

"Alright, here's the map and mission details." The river guardian gave Han Mu another jade slip. "Remember, it's a one-month deadline. Don't wait until then."

Han Mu accepted the jade slip and led the group away. The river guardian watched their departing figures with deep gazes.

"The Dao Ancestor's game has begun. I hope you can break free and not end up like the Time Dao Ancestor..."

Han Mu was unaware of the river guardian's thoughts; he was examining the jade slip. The ancient battlefield of time and space, the site of the great battle between the ancient Time-Space Dao Ancestor and a powerful enemy, still retained terrifying time-space power. What he sought was the "Heart of Time and Space," the core left behind after the Time-Space Dao Ancestor's fall, containing complete time-space laws.

If he could obtain the Heart of Time and Space, he could cultivate the Laws of Time and Space to a minor or even major level in a short period of time. However, the Ancient Beast of Time and Space, a peak Great Yi Jade Immortal, would be difficult to deal with.

"Senior Han, are we really going?" Luo Feng was somewhat apprehensive. A peak Great Yi Jade Immortal could be killed with a single breath.

"Go." Han Mu said firmly. Danger and opportunity coexist; to quickly improve his strength, he had to take risks.

The Time-Space Ship changed direction and headed towards the Ancient Battlefield of Time and Space. But it hadn't gone far when a black warship appeared ahead, carrying a group of people. Leading them was a man in golden armor, exuding a terrifying aura—he was none other than a late-stage Great Yi Jade Immortal!

"The Heavenly Court Patrol Division is ordered to arrest the wanted criminal Han Mu. All bystanders, please stand aside!" The golden-armored man's voice was like thunder, shaking even the river of time.

Han Mu's expression changed. The people from Heaven had actually tracked him down to the River of Time!