The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

As night deepened, nine figures sped across the wilderness.

Han Mu held the Heart of Time and Space in his hand, silver light flowing in his palm, guiding his way. The location marked on the jade slip was deep within the Netherworld Abyss, tens of thousands of miles away from their current position.

"Senior Han, there are people following us," Liu Ruyan transmitted her voice. With her keen senses, she could vaguely detect three faint auras a thousand miles away.

"It's those two from the Heavenly Court, and there's another one... whose aura is even more concealed; he's probably reinforcements." Han Mu didn't turn his head. "Let them follow us; we'll deal with them when we reach the Netherworld Abyss."

"The Netherworld Abyss is heavily guarded. How do we get in?" Zhou Meng asked.

"There are many guards on the outer perimeter of the Netherworld Abyss, but the defenses are lax in the depths," Han Mu said. "The Heavenly Court's focus is on the Temple of Time and Space, and they can't attend to the time-space node of the Netherworld Abyss for the time being. Besides, Han Li is there, so he should have already made preparations."

"I hope so," Luo Feng muttered.

After a night of rapid travel, as dawn broke, the nine arrived before a mountain range shrouded in black mist. The mountain range stretched for thousands of miles, its majestic peaks faintly visible through the black mist, but all was deathly silent, without even the chirping of insects or the calls of birds.

We've arrived at the Netherworld Abyss.

"The Netherworld Abyss has a natural barrier of death energy; those below the Great Yi Jade Immortal level cannot stay there for long." Han Mu stopped at the edge of the mountain range. "Everyone, take the Poison Avoidance Pills, activate your protective immortal light, and follow me."

After everyone took the pills, various colored lights shone, protecting their bodies. Han Mu was the first to step into the black mist, followed closely by the others.

The black mist was as thick as ink, obstructing vision and suppressing divine sense. Han Mu could only rely on the perception of the Heart of Time and Space to navigate through the mist. Fortunately, the Heart of Time and Space provided guidance, preventing him from losing his way.

After venturing a hundred miles deeper, unusual things began to appear within the black fog. Scattered on the ground were white bones, some humanoid, some animaloid, all weathered and seemingly dead for countless years. The air was thick with a stench of decay, nauseating to behold.

"Watch out, there's something there," Bai Ling suddenly said.

As soon as he finished speaking, a rustling sound came from the black mist ahead, like countless insects crawling. Soon, a swarm of black beetles emerged from the mist, each the size of a fist, with sharp mouthparts and scarlet eyes.

"Netherworld Corpse Beetles feed exclusively on corpses, but they're also interested in living things," Lin Fan said in a deep voice. "There are too many of them. Don't fight them head-on, charge!"

Han Mu nodded, and the laws of time activated, forming a time acceleration field in front of him. The nine people's speed increased dramatically, transforming into nine streaks of light, forcefully breaking through the swarm of insects.

The beetle gave chase frantically, but it couldn't keep up and was quickly left behind. Before everyone could even catch their breath, another group of skeleton soldiers appeared ahead. These skeletons wielded rusted swords, their eye sockets glowing with eerie green soul fire, and their auras ranged from True Immortal to Golden Immortal.

"This is never going to end!" Zhou Meng cursed, swinging his sword at a skeleton in the early stage of the Golden Immortal realm.

The skeleton shattered upon impact, but more skeletons swarmed in. Han Mu didn't want to prolong the fight; the Heart of Time and Space shone brightly, and the Law of Time was activated at full power.

"Time stands still!"

The skeletons within a hundred feet of them stopped moving, and the nine people seized the opportunity to break out of the encirclement. However, Han Mu was also quite exhausted, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

"This won't do. There are too many undead creatures in the Netherworld Abyss; we can't kill them all," Li Qingzhu said.

"Hold on a little longer, the time-space node is just ahead." Han Mu pointed into the depths of the black mist.

After traveling several dozen miles, the black mist suddenly thinned, revealing a valley. In the valley stood a stone platform, covered with complex runes, marking a spatial-temporal node. However, dozens of golden-armored celestial soldiers guarded the platform, led by a mid-stage Great Jade Immortal.

"The people from Heaven have arrived first." Liu Ruyan's face darkened.

"Not just the Heavenly Court." Han Mu looked towards the other side of the valley, where three figures stood—the three Heavenly Generals who had been tracking them. Two were from before, and there was a stranger with an even stronger aura, a late-stage Great Yi Jade Immortal.

"Han Mu, you've finally arrived." The Heavenly General, a late-stage Great Yi Jade Immortal, spoke, his voice cold and hard. "Hand over the Heart of Time and Space, and the Dao Venerable may spare your life."

Han Mu ignored him, his gaze fixed on the stone platform. Beside the platform, a figure in a green robe sat cross-legged—it was Han Li. His face was pale, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth; he was clearly injured. A golden light barrier surrounded the stone platform, trapping him within it.

"Fellow Daoist Han, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this," Han Li said with a wry smile.

"It's alright." Han Mu looked at the people from the Heavenly Court. "Release him, and we can discuss the Heart of Time and Space."

"You think you have the right to negotiate?" A celestial general in the late stage of the Great Yi Jade Immortal realm sneered. "The Dao Venerable has ordered that Han Li is a traitor and must be brought back to the Heavenly Court for trial. As for you, you either hand over the Heart of Time and Space, or... die."

"Then there's nothing to discuss." Han Mu gripped the Heart of Time and Space tightly, silver light flowing in his palm.

"You're courting death!" A celestial general in the late stage of the Great Yi Jade Immortal realm waved his hand. "Take him down!"

Dozens of heavenly soldiers responded to the call, forming a battle formation and charging towards Han Mu and his nine companions. The three heavenly generals also attacked simultaneously, their targets aimed directly at Han Mu.

"Senior Han, we'll hold off the heavenly soldiers, you save Han Li!" Liu Ruyan shouted, and together with Bai Ling, Zhou Meng and the others, they faced the heavenly soldiers.

Han Mu nodded, his figure blurred, and he rushed towards the stone platform. But the Heavenly General, a late-stage Great Yi Jade Immortal, was even faster, instantly blocking his way and throwing a punch.

The fist's force was as solid as a mountain, carrying terrifying pressure, aiming to blast Han Mu into pieces. Han Mu dared not take it head-on, activating the laws of time to create a time-slowing field in front of him, while simultaneously dodging to the side.

"The Law of Time? Interesting." The late-stage Great Jade Immortal Heavenly General sneered, and threw another punch. This punch was even more powerful and faster, sealing off all of Han Mu's escape routes.

Han Mu gritted his teeth, and the Heart of Time and Space shone brightly, transforming into a silver armor that covered his entire body. He stopped dodging and threw a punch as well.

"boom!"

Their fists collided, and Han Mu was sent flying backward, blood spilling from his mouth. The power of a late-stage Great Yi Jade Immortal was too strong; even with the protection of his Time-Space Armor, he could hardly withstand it.

"Nothing special." The heavenly general shook his head and charged forward again.

But this was the moment Han Mu had been waiting for. He gripped the Heart of Time and Space tightly with his right hand, and made a sweeping motion in the air with his left. The laws of time erupted for the third time, but this time the target was not the heavenly generals, but... the golden light screen on the stone platform.

"Time rewind!"

The light barrier trembled violently and began to retreat. One by one, the runes that made up the light barrier went out, the light barrier rapidly thinned, and finally, with a "crack," it shattered.

"What?!" The Heavenly General, a late-stage Great Jade Immortal, paled in shock. This light barrier, personally set up by the Dao Venerable, was meant to trap even a peak Great Jade Immortal, yet it was broken by a Golden Immortal?

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Han Mu rushed to the stone platform, grabbed Han Li, and turned to flee.

"Stop him!"

The heavens were enraged and unleashed a powerful punch. But Han Mu was prepared; the Heart of Time and Space shone brightly, forming a silver shield behind him.

"boom!"

The shield shattered, but Han Mu used the impact to carry Han Li out of the valley and reunite with Liu Ruyan and the others.

"Walk!"

The nine abandoned their fight and fled into the depths of the Netherworld Abyss. The Heavenly Court pursued them relentlessly, but the Netherworld Abyss was thick with deathly energy, and they dared not pursue them too far.

Half an hour later, the nine of them shook off their pursuers and stopped in a secluded cave. Han Li was seriously injured and sat cross-legged to meditate. Han Mu was also greatly exhausted, and his Heart of Time and Space had dimmed considerably.

"Thank you for saving me, Fellow Daoist Han." Han Li regulated his breathing for a moment and then opened his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Han, you're too kind. You've helped me many times; this is only what I should do," Han Mu said. "Why did the Heavenly Court arrest you?"

"Because I discovered their secret." Han Li's expression was solemn. "The spacetime node of the Netherworld Abyss connects not only to the Temple of Spacetime, but also to an even more important place—the Chaos Sea."

"The Chaos Sea?" Han Mu was taken aback.

"The Chaos Sea is the origin of the Immortal Realm, containing the laws of chaos. The Heavenly Court wants to enter the Chaos Sea through the spacetime node, seize the origin of chaos, and thus control the entire Immortal Realm," Han Li said. "But they lack a key—the Heart of Spacetime. The Heart of Spacetime is not only the key to open the Temple of Spacetime, but also the key to open the Chaos Sea."

Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. So that's how it is. No wonder the Heavenly Court is so determined to obtain the Heart of Time and Space.

"Who is Dao Zun?" Han Mu asked.

"Behind the Heavenly Court is the 'Chaos Dao Venerable,' an ambitious Dao Ancestor," Han Li said. "He wants to refine the Chaos Sea and become the ruler of the Immortal Realm. But the Chaos Sea is extremely dangerous; even a Dao Ancestor would face a near-death experience if he went in. Therefore, he needs the Heart of Time and Space to protect him."

Han Mu remained silent. Involving the Dao Ancestor was a serious matter.

"Fellow Daoist Han, you possess the Heart of Time and Space, making you a thorn in the side of the Chaos Dao Venerable," Han Li said. "He will absolutely not let you go. We must leave the Immortal Realm as soon as possible and find a place to hide."

"Where to?"

"I know of a place, a secret realm opened up by ancient immortals, which can prevent Dao Ancestors from exploring it," Han Li said. "But it requires the Heart of Time and Space to activate the teleportation array."

"Where?"

"At the deepest part of the Netherworld Abyss, there is an ancient teleportation array. But that is the core of the Netherworld Abyss, and the 'Netherworld Emperor' is in charge. The Netherworld Emperor is the ruler of the Netherworld Abyss, with the cultivation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal. If we want to use the teleportation array, we must get past him."

A Grand Luo Golden Immortal… Han Mu’s lips twitched. How could they possibly compete with this? A Grand Luo Golden Immortal could annihilate them with a single glance.

"The Netherworld Emperor is in a deep sleep for most of the year. If we are careful, we should be able to avoid him," Han Li said. "Besides, the Netherworld Emperor is at odds with the Heavenly Court, so he might not make things difficult for us."

Han Mu thought for a moment and nodded: "That's the only way. Let's rest for a while and then set off."

Everyone took the pills and began to recover. Half an hour later, Han Li's injuries stabilized, and Han Mu had also recovered most of his strength. The nine of them left the cave and headed deeper into the Netherworld Abyss.

The deeper they went, the denser the deathly aura became, the black mist almost materializing. The undead creatures they encountered along the way grew increasingly powerful, with many being mid-to-late stage Golden Immortals, and even a Skeleton General at the level of a Great Jade Immortal.

Han Mu had to frequently use the laws of time to lead everyone away from danger. The silver light of the Heart of Time and Space flickered in the black mist, guiding their way.

Three days later, the nine arrived at the deepest part of the Netherworld Abyss. Here, the black mist had vanished, replaced by a desolate plain. In the center of the plain stood a colossal black palace. The palace soared into the clouds, radiating a chilling aura of power.

The Netherworld Imperial Palace.

The palace gates were tightly shut, and two hundred-foot-tall skeletal guards stood before them, their eye sockets glowing with ghostly blue soul flames, their auras clearly those of a peak Great Yi Jade Immortal.

"The Netherworld Emperor's guards," Han Li said in a low voice. "We can't force our way in; we need to think of a way."

"What method?" Luo Feng asked.

Han Li pondered for a moment, then took out a black token from his robes. The token was shaped like a skull and exuded a chilling aura.

"This is the 'Netherworld Decree,' which I obtained by chance many years ago. It can command Netherworld creatures once," Han Li said. "However, it is only effective against Netherworld creatures below the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal. It might be useful against skeleton guards."

"Give it a try," Han Mu said.

Han Li nodded and activated the Netherworld Token. The token glowed with black light and shot towards the two skeleton guards. The soul fire in the guards' eyes flickered, as if they were struggling. But soon, they knelt on one knee and made way for him.

"It's done!" Han Li breathed a sigh of relief.

The nine people cautiously approached the palace gate. The gate was ten zhang high, entirely black, and its material was unknown. Han Mu reached out and pushed it, but it didn't budge.

"Use the Heart of Time and Space," Han Li said.

Han Mu nodded and placed the Heart of Time and Space on the door. Silver light swirled, and the door slowly opened, revealing a deep passage.

"Enter."

The nine people stepped into the passage, the door closing behind them. The passage was long, with murals on both sides depicting the history of the Netherworld Abyss. Han Mu didn't have time to look closely and moved forward quickly.

A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at the main hall deep within the palace. The hall was empty, with only a high platform in the center. On the platform sat a figure.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe, with a dignified face, sleeping with his eyes closed. He sat there as if he were the center of the entire Netherworld Abyss, his aura unfathomable.

The Underworld Emperor.

Han Mu and the other nine held their breath, not daring to make a sound. But at that moment, the Netherworld Emperor slowly opened his eyes.

Those were pure black eyes, without any whites, as deep as the starry sky. He looked at Han Mu, or more precisely, at the Heart of Time and Space in Han Mu's hand.

"The Heart of Time and Space..." the Netherworld Emperor spoke, his voice hoarse, "It has finally arrived."

Han Mu's heart tightened, and he gripped the Heart of Time and Space tightly, ready to fight to the death at any moment. But the Netherworld Emperor's next words surprised him.

"I have been waiting for you for a long time, successor of the Time Dao Ancestor."