The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The figure within the sphere of light stared at Han Mu with profound, penetrating gazes that seemed to see right through him. Han Mu felt as if he had been stripped naked; under that gaze, there were no secrets he could keep.

"The Seed of Time and Space has chosen you; this is both your destiny and your tribulation." The figure spoke slowly, its voice resounding directly in Han Mu's mind. "I am a remnant soul left behind by the Ancestor of Time and Space, awaiting a destined one. Now that you have arrived, are you willing to accept my inheritance?"

Han Mu remained silent. Accepting the inheritance meant bearing the karma of the Time-Space Dao Ancestor, including his enmity with the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor. But if he didn't accept it, he wouldn't be able to quickly improve his strength, and what would he use to kill Black Fiend Dao Venerable three years later? Moreover, he had no choice but to agree to Green Wood Dao Venerable's conditions.

"I accept." Han Mu nodded. He had no choice; becoming stronger was the only way out.

"Very good." The remnant soul nodded, and the ball of light slowly floated towards Han Mu, disappearing into his brow. Han Mu shuddered, feeling countless pieces of information flooding his mind—comprehensions about the Great Dao of Time and Space, vast as the sea, almost overwhelming his consciousness.

"Guard your mind and digest this slowly." The remnant soul's voice rang out, carrying a gentle power that protected Han Mu's soul. Han Mu gritted his teeth and persevered, sitting cross-legged to begin absorbing this information.

Liu Ruyan and the others watched Han Mu nervously, fearing something might happen to him. Han Li gestured for everyone to step back and not disturb him. He knew this was both an opportunity and a test for Han Mu. Inheritance was not something easily accepted; a slight misstep could lead to a collapse of one's soul.

Time passed slowly, and a faint silver light emanated from Han Mu's body. The flow of time around him began to change, sometimes fast and sometimes slow. The murals in the cave seemed to come alive, and scenes of ancient battles appeared around Han Mu before quickly disappearing.

"This is... a fragment of the Time-Space Dao Ancestor's memory?" Han Li's pupils contracted. The legacy left by his master was indeed extraordinary.

Three days later, Han Mu slowly opened his eyes, a silver glint flashing within them before quickly disappearing. He stood up, feeling completely different. His understanding of the laws of time had improved by more than one level; although he hadn't broken through to the Great Luo realm, he had already touched upon a bottleneck.

Han Mu brought up the system panel to view the changes:

Name: Han Mu

[True Realm: Peak Golden Immortal (Half-Step Great Luo)]

[Surface Realm: Mid-stage True Immortal]

[Time Rule: Small Success Rate 2%]

[Celestial Aura: 5210 points]

[Time-Space Path Seed: 10% depleted, recovering]

[Inherited: Time-Space Dao Codex (First Layer), Time-Space Footwork, Time-Space Domain (Prototype)]

His mastery of the Time Law improved from 8% to 2%, and his true realm reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, just one step away from breaking through to the Great Luo realm. He also obtained the Time-Space Dao Scripture, the Time-Space Footwork, and the prototype of the Time-Space Domain, reaping tremendous gains.

"Thank you, senior." Han Mu bowed to the ball of light. Although it was only a remnant soul, it was still a Dao Ancestor-level existence, and the due respect could not be lacking.

"No need to thank me, this is your own good fortune." The remnant soul's voice was much weaker, and the sphere of light dimmed. "The inheritance has been passed on, and my mission is complete. However, before I dissipate, I have a few words to say."

"Please speak, senior," Han Mu said solemnly.

"First, the Time-Space Dao Seed is not an inanimate object; it has its own will. You are only at the initial stage of refining it now. As your cultivation level increases, it will gradually awaken. At that time, you will face a choice: whether to let the Dao Seed dominate you, or you to dominate the Dao Seed. Remember, you are the master; do not let the Dao Seed control you."

Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. A Dao Seed possesses a will? And it can even turn the tables? This is not good news.

"Secondly, the Dao Ancestor of Reincarnation is not dead; he has merely been sealed by me. But the seal will not last forever. Within a thousand years, he will surely break free. You must possess sufficient strength before he breaks free; otherwise, he will seize your Dao Seed and refine your divine soul."

"Third, you can trust Daoist Qingmu, but you can't trust him completely. He saved you because he owes me a favor, and once that's repaid, he won't care about you anymore. As for killing Daoist Heisha, you should weigh the consequences yourself. If you can kill him, then kill him; if you can't, then run away. There's no shame in that."

"Fourth, Han Li is your ally, but also your competitor. You are not the only candidate for the inheritance of the Time-Space Dao Ancestor. Han Li is also a candidate. Only one of you can become the true successor of the Time-Space Dao Ancestor. But I hope that you will not kill each other. The Great Dao of Time and Space needs inheritors, not dictators."

Han Mu looked at Han Li, and Han Li looked back at him, their gazes filled with complex emotions. It turned out they were both allies and rivals. The legacy of the Time-Space Dao Ancestor could only be inherited by one person.

"One last thing," the remnant soul's voice grew weaker, "Beware of the Heavenly Court. The Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court is also eyeing the Seed of Time and Space. He is more dangerous and more insidious than the Ancestor of Reincarnation. Alright, I should disperse now. Han Li, come here."

Han Li stepped forward, and the remnant soul looked at him with a hint of affection in its eyes: "Disciple, you have suffered these past years. But ultimately, you must walk your own path. The Dao Seed of Time and Space chose Han Mu; this is the will of Heaven. You can walk your own path and may very well surpass your master. Remember, of the three thousand Great Daos, Time and Space is only one. Finding your own Dao is the most important thing."

"Disciple understands." Han Li knelt and kowtowed, his eyes slightly red. Although it was only a remnant soul, it was still the last trace left by his master.

"Alright, disperse." After the remnant soul finished speaking, the sphere of light completely dissipated, turning into specks of silver light that merged into the cave. The cave began to tremble, and the light on the murals gradually dimmed, eventually returning to ordinary stone walls.

"The inheritance is over." Han Li stood up and looked at Han Mu. "How do you feel?"

"Excellent, better than ever before." Han Mu clenched his fist, feeling the power surging within him. "But the pressure is immense. I have to kill Black Fiend Daoist in three years, prevent Reincarnation Daoist Ancestor from escaping within a thousand years, and also be wary of the Jade Emperor of Heaven. Tsk, a mountain of troubles."

"Who told you to get the Seed of Time and Space?" Han Li rarely joked. "There are gains and losses. The Seed of Time and Space brings not only power, but also responsibility."

"This is a huge responsibility," Han Mu said with a wry smile. He felt like he was on a sinking ship, but there was no way to get off.

"Senior Han, what's next?" Liu Ruyan asked as she approached. The inheritance was over, but there were still two Dao Venerables guarding outside; they couldn't just hide in the secret realm forever.

"I'll cultivate here for a while, and then go out when my strength improves." Han Mu looked around the cave. The immortal energy here was abundant, perfect for cultivation. "Han Li, what are your plans?"

"I'm also cultivating here, trying to break through to the peak of the Great Luo realm," Han Li said. "Although I didn't obtain the inheritance left by my master, the immortal energy here is still beneficial to me. Moreover, I need time to digest the insights from my previous battle."

"Then it's settled." Han Mu nodded, then looked at the others, "You all should also hurry up and cultivate. This place is rich in immortal energy, a rare treasure for cultivation. Once we are strong enough, we'll fight our way out."

Everyone nodded and found places to cultivate. Han Mu sat cross-legged on the high platform and began to digest the Dao Scripture of Time and Space. The Dao Scripture of Time and Space was the culmination of the Dao Ancestor of Time and Space's life's work, divided into nine levels, corresponding to the nine realms of the laws of time. He had only obtained the first level so far, but it was enough for him to study for a long time.

Time passed day by day, and three months flew by in the blink of an eye. Han Mu's understanding of the laws of time deepened, and his cultivation steadily improved, just one step away from breaking through to the Great Luo realm. Han Li also successfully broke through to the peak of the Great Luo realm, his aura becoming much stronger. Liu Ruyan and the others also gained something, their cultivation levels all improving.

On this day, Han Mu was comprehending the Spacetime Step Technique when he suddenly felt the secret realm tremble. He opened his eyes and found that the cave was shaking and cracks had appeared on the stone walls.

"What's going on?" Han Li opened his eyes and frowned.

"Someone is attacking the secret realm from the outside." Han Mu's face darkened. Without a doubt, Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable had found the entrance to the secret realm and were launching a full-scale attack.

Although the secret realm was hidden, it was ultimately just a small world casually created by the Dao Ancestor of Time and Space, and it couldn't withstand the continuous attacks of two Dao Venerables. It wouldn't be long before the secret realm was breached.

"Prepare for battle." Han Mu stood up, the Blade of Time appearing in his hand. Although he hadn't broken through to the Great Luo realm yet, his current strength was more than twice that of three months ago. With the Spacetime Footwork at a minor level, the Spacetime Domain in its nascent stage, and the Time Law at a minor level, even if he couldn't defeat a Dao Venerable, he should be able to protect himself.

"Senior Han, are we really going to fight Dao Zun head-on?" Luo Feng swallowed hard, feeling a little apprehensive. Dao Zun was a top-tier existence in the Immortal Realm; all of them combined wouldn't even be enough to withstand a single slap from him.

"We have to fight, whether we like it or not. Are we just going to wait to die?" Zhou Meng snorted and took out his magic weapon. "I've been wanting to meet the Dao Venerable for a long time. Let's see if they're more powerful, or if my hammer is harder."

"You?" Li Qingzhu rolled her eyes. "They could crush you with one finger."

"We can't back down then," Zhou Meng said, his neck stiff.

"Alright, stop arguing," Han Mu interrupted them. "A direct confrontation is definitely not going to work; we need to think of something. Han Li, what's your idea?"

Han Li pondered for a moment and said, "The secret realm has a self-destruct formation, a backup plan left by my master. If the secret realm is breached, the formation will activate and blow up the entire secret realm. Its power is equivalent to a full-force attack from a peak Dao Venerable, which should be enough to severely injure Hei Tian and Bai Yuan."

"And what about us?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"We'll leave early," Han Li said. "The secret realm has a teleportation array that can transport you to the edge of the Chaos Sea. However, the array can only transport five people at a time, and it takes time to activate."

"Five people..." Han Mu looked at the group. There were eight of them in total, but the teleportation array could only transport five people, meaning that three of them had to stay behind.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Who should stay and who should leave—that was the difficult question.

"I'll stay," Han Li was the first to speak. "The secret realm was left behind by my master. I'm most familiar with the formations and can buy some time."

"I'll stay too," Han Mu said. "I am the successor of the Dao Seed, and I am their main target. If I leave, they won't let it go."

"Then we won't leave either," Liu Ruyan, Bai Ling, Zhou Meng, Li Qingzhu, Lin Fan, and Lin Xue said in unison. Although they were afraid, none of them wanted to be deserters.

"Nonsense!" Han Mu roared. "Staying here means death. You're all young; there's no need for you to die with me. Liu Ruyan, you take Bai Ling, Zhou Meng, and Li Qingzhu and leave. Lin Fan and Lin Xue, go too. This is an order!"

"Senior Han!" Liu Ruyan exclaimed anxiously.

"Enough talk, it's settled then." Han Mu waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Han Li, activate the teleportation array and send them away."

Han Li looked at Han Mu, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded: "Okay."

"Senior Han, I'm not leaving!" Luo Feng suddenly stepped forward, his eyes reddening. "You saved my life; if I die, I'll die with you!"

"And me too." Lin Fan stepped forward. "Senior Han has treated me well; I can't abandon you and escape alone."

"Me too." "Me too."...

Looking at those determined faces, Han Mu felt a lump in his throat. These guys, usually so carefree and jovial, were truly loyal when it mattered.

"Alright, let's die together then." Han Mu grinned. "But before we die, we have to take two of them down with us. Han Li, activate the self-destruct formation. Let's give those two Dao Venerables a surprise."

Han Li nodded, walked to the center of the cave, and began activating the formation by forming hand seals. The secret realm trembled even more violently, and the cracks on the stone walls multiplied, threatening to collapse at any moment.

Outside, Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable were jointly attacking the entrance to the secret realm. The entrance was a silver light gate, which was teetering on the brink of collapse under their attacks.

"Give it a little more, it'll break soon." Black Heaven Dao Venerable grinned maliciously. He had waited too long for this day; the Time-Space Dao Seed would soon be his.

Just then, the silver light gate suddenly shone brightly, then exploded with a deafening roar. Terrifying energy swept out, engulfing Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable.

"Oh no, it's a self-destruct formation!" Daoist Baiyuan's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly retreated, but it was too late. He was caught in the blast and spat out a mouthful of blood. Daoist Heitian fared even worse; he was closer and was directly blasted away, half of his body shattered.

After the explosion, the entrance to the secret realm disappeared, leaving only a huge crater. At the edge of the crater, Han Mu and his eight companions scrambled to their feet, covered in dust and dirt. Although they were disheveled, none of them were seriously injured.

"Pah, pah, pah! I almost got buried alive." Luo Feng spat out the dirt in his mouth and looked into the distance. "Are those two Dao Venerables dead?"

"Dao Venerable isn't that easy to die." Han Mu looked across the pit, where Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable crawled out of the ruins. Although they were seriously injured, their auras were still terrifying.

"You little beasts, you're courting death!" Black Heaven Dao Venerable roared, half of his body a bloody mess, looking utterly wretched. A dignified Dao Venerable, actually tricked by a few juniors—if word got out, how could he ever face the Immortal Realm again?

"Kill them!" Daoist Baiyuan was also enraged. Although his injuries were slightly less severe, he was still badly hurt by the blast. The two attacked simultaneously, unleashing the power of Daoists to crush Han Mu and his eight companions.

But just then, a beam of azure light descended from the sky, blocking the two men's attacks. Old Man Qingmu, carrying a tattered palm-leaf fan, stood in front of Han Mu and the others.

"Aoki, do you really want to oppose us?" Black Heaven Daoist's face was gloomy.

"Oppose me? No, no, no, I'm just here to collect a debt." Old Man Aoki grinned. "You injured my guest, and that debt needs to be settled."

"What do you want?" Daoist Baiyuan frowned. Old Man Qingmu's strength was no weaker than any of theirs, and both of them were injured. If they really fought, they wouldn't come out on top.

"Simple, get out of here now, and I'll pretend I didn't see anything," said the old man Qingmu. "If you don't leave, then we'll fight. Although I can't beat the two of you working together, I can hold you off. Once these two juniors recover, hehe, we'll see who kills whom then."

Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable's expressions shifted. Old Man Qingmu was right; they were seriously injured, and if a real fight broke out, they might not be able to defeat Han Mu and the others. Moreover, Han Mu possessed a Time-Space Dao Seed, and Han Li also had the inheritance of a Dao Ancestor. If pushed to the limit, and the two fought desperately, even if they won, they would pay a heavy price.

"Fine, I'll remember this humiliation!" Black Heaven Dao Venerable gritted his teeth, glared fiercely at Han Mu, and turned to leave. White Abyss Dao Venerable followed suit, and the two transformed into streaks of light and disappeared into the horizon.

"They're finally gone." Old Man Aoki breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Han Mu. "Kid, you did a good job, managing to outmaneuver them. But this is just the beginning; they won't let it go easily. Don't forget the three-year agreement."

"I will not forget." Han Mu clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for saving me again, senior."

"No need to thank me, hurry up and leave, it's not safe here." Old Man Qingmu waved his hand, "I'll escort you on your way, go hide in the depths of the Chaos Sea. Come out again when things have calmed down."

The azure light enveloped the eight people once more, and they vanished from their spot. In the distance, Black Heaven Dao Venerable and White Abyss Dao Venerable stood atop a mountain, their faces grim as they watched the direction in which Han Mu and the others had disappeared.

"Are we just going to let them go like this?" Daoist Baiyuan was unwilling.

"Otherwise what? Really fight Qingmu to the death?" Black Heaven Dao Venerable sneered. "However, they can't escape. The Reincarnation Dao Ancestor has already sent people to seal off the Chaos Sea; they can't get away. We just need to wait for them to walk into our trap."

"You mean...?"

"That's right, there's an entrance to 'that place' deep within the Chaos Sea. Going there is suicide," Black Heaven Dao Venerable sneered. "We just need to wait outside and see how they die."

Daoist Baiyuan's eyes lit up. Yes, how could he have forgotten that place? The depths of the Chaos Sea were a forbidden zone even Daoist Venerables dared not easily venture into. If Han Mu and the others went in, they would face certain death.

"Let's go and guard the entrance." The two transformed into streaks of light and flew towards the depths of the Chaos Sea.

Meanwhile, Han Mu and the others had already been transported by Old Man Qingmu to an unfamiliar sea area. The seawater here was black, the sky was gray, and an eerie atmosphere permeated the air.

"This is the depths of the Chaos Sea. You should hide here for a while," said the old man Qingmu. "I have business to attend to and will come back to you in three years. Remember, don't wander off; it's very dangerous here."

After saying that, the old man Aoki vanished in a flash.

Han Mu looked around, his brows furrowed. The atmosphere here made him very uncomfortable. Moreover, he felt the communication jade slip in his pocket vibrating. He took it out and saw a message from Han Li:

"Be careful, something's strange here. I sense a familiar aura, it's like... the aura of the Reincarnation Ancestor."

Han Mu's heart sank. The aura of the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor? Could this place be related to the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor?

He looked up into the distance. On the sea, a dark island was faintly visible, and above it, countless black crows circled, emitting piercing cries.

"What place is that?" Liu Ruyan asked.

"I don't know, but it's definitely not a good place." Han Mu gripped the Blade of Time tightly. "Let's go take a look. Since we're here, we can't leave empty-handed."