The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The entrance to the "Ancient Path of Burying Stars" is located deep within a treacherous area called "Shattered Time Abyss" in the "Eternal Star Tomb". There are no fixed stars here, only countless shattered fragments of spacetime, like glass shards in a storm, flying, colliding, and annihilating disorderly in the void, forming a dangerous yet magnificent "Spacetime Fragmentation Belt" stretching for tens of thousands of miles.

"That's it!" Han Li pointed to a constantly flashing, dark red dot on the star map, representing extreme instability. "According to the ancient star map records, after passing through this fragmented crystal belt, a rift leading to the 'Ancient Path' will briefly appear during a specific tidal low point in time. We must calculate the timing precisely and rush in the instant the rift appears, otherwise we'll either be torn apart by the fragmented crystal belt or miss the opportunity and have to wait at least three days for the next tidal cycle!"

"Three days? Too late." Han Mu stood before the control center of the Divine Shuttle, his gaze fixed on the dazzling yet deadly band of shattered crystals ahead. The "Source Coffin Mark" between his brows was slightly warm as he focused all his energy on sensing the subtle fluctuations in the surrounding spacetime. "Han Li, calculate the tides and prepare to break in. Liu Ruyan, activate all defenses of the Divine Shuttle to maximum. Everyone else, secure yourselves and prepare to meet the impact."

"yes!"

Everyone immediately took their positions. Han Li's hands flew across the control panel, countless complex runes and data streams flashing by as he muttered incantations, calculating the optimal moment to break in. Liu Ruyan activated all the defensive and concealment formations built into the Divine Shuttle, as well as the several layers of protection that Han Li had temporarily added. Layers of light films of different colors lit up on the dark gray surface of the shuttle.

Zhou Meng, Bai Ling, Luo Feng, Li Qingzhu, and the others gripped whatever was nearby, their expressions grave. Yun Yazi's remnant soul transformed into a thin ray of light, clinging to Zhou Meng's back to minimize its energy expenditure.

"Now! Northeast, 37 degrees, full speed ahead!" Han Li suddenly looked up and shouted sharply.

Om-!

With its power fully unleashed, the Divine Shuttle transformed into a blurry gray shadow, hurtling towards the location designated by Han Li with the speed of an arrow released from a bow, almost tearing through space! The shuttle grazed past countless fragments of spacetime, producing teeth-grinding friction and crackling sounds, and the defensive light membrane vibrated violently, flickering erratically.

"Three degrees to port, there's a large cluster of broken crystals!" Han Li reported urgently.

"Avoid!" Han Mu calmly controlled the shuttle, making a dangerous and rapid change of direction. It almost grazed the huge crystal fragment with a diameter of over a hundred feet, which was flashing with chaotic fragments of time inside. The resulting spacetime turbulence caused the shuttle to shake violently, and the people inside the cabin were thrown about.

"The entrance rift! Directly ahead, the duration is estimated to be only three breaths!" Han Li's voice carried a hint of excitement.

At the center of the shattered crystal belt ahead, countless fragments of spacetime seemed to be slowly parted by an invisible hand, revealing a deep, dark, and elongated rift with an unknown destination. The edges of the rift were extremely unstable, with tiny spatial cracks constantly bursting forth and healing.

"Charge in!"

The Shenxing Shuttle's engine roared under the strain, its speed increasing slightly as it plunged headlong into the deep crevice like a moth drawn to a flame.

boom--!

The moment you enter the crevice, it's as if you've passed through a viscous film of water. The noise and danger of the outside world vanish instantly, replaced by a deathly silence, emptiness, and an eerie feeling as if even time itself has slowed down. Endless darkness surrounds you, with only a faintly visible, winding "river" in the far distance ahead, composed of countless dim stars, broken meteorites, and some strange, luminous "stardust," flowing silently through the dark void.

This is the "Burial River Ancient Road"—an ancient road that buries stars and time.

"We're in." Han Li let out a long sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, but his expression remained serious. "But this is just the beginning. The spacetime structure inside the ancient path is even more chaotic than outside, and it retains the terrifying energy and resentment of the ancient war, which will form all sorts of bizarre 'dangerous ancient paths.' What's more troublesome is that there are no clear coordinates here; we can only roughly move forward along the direction of this 'river of stardust,' making it easy to get lost."

"Can you determine the general direction and time?" Han Mu asked.

"The direction is fine; following the flow of the Stardust River leads to the outer perimeter of 'Myriad Manifestations Heavenly City.' But time..." Han Li smiled wryly, "The spacetime flow on the ancient path is different from the outside world, and it's unstable. What we feel might only have been a few days, while months might have passed outside, or vice versa. We can only take it one step at a time."

The Swift Shuttle began its cautious journey along the dim "River of Stardust." Just as Han Li had predicted, the ancient path was fraught with danger. Sometimes they would encounter vast stretches of "Time Mist," which could distort perception and cause hallucinations; sometimes they would collide with invisible "Spatial Folds," as if hitting an invisible wall; and in some areas, the lingering battle obsessions of ancient powerhouses would coalesce into terrifying "Ancient Path Vengeful Spirits" that would attack passersby.

Fortunately, with Han Mu's time perception and the warning from the "Origin Coffin Mark," coupled with Han Li's array detection, the group managed to avoid most dangers along the way. For those that were unavoidable, Han Mu would take action, using the power of "Origin" or time magic to forcibly eliminate them.

Three days later, the Swift Shuttle arrived at a strange region. The "River of Stardust" here had become unusually wide, with countless enormous, mountain-like fragments of stars floating in its waters. Even more bizarrely, at the center of this region floated a semi-transparent, towering phantom gate, seemingly composed of countless fragments of time. The gate was tightly shut, its surface rippling with time-like waves, exuding an aura of antiquity, antiquity, and danger.

"This is... the 'Gate of Time Echoes'?" Han Li's expression changed as he looked at the markings on the ancient star map. "It is said that this is a projection of the relics left behind by a powerful being who controlled time in ancient times. Behind the gate may be sealed a terrifying 'Time Demon,' or it may hide an opportunity. But forcing your way through is extremely dangerous."

"Let's go around it," Han Mu said decisively. Now is not the time for risky exploration.

However, just as the Swift Shuttle was about to change course, the "Gate of Time Echoes" suddenly began to shake violently! The ripples of time on the gate spun wildly, forming a huge vortex, from which a terrifying suction force erupted, instantly locking onto and pulling the Swift Shuttle, trying to drag it into the gate!

"Oh no! It's a trap! The door has been activated!" Han Li exclaimed, desperately trying to break free by maneuvering the Divine Shuttle, but the suction was too strong, and the shuttle was being dragged little by little towards the center of the vortex.

"I'll do it!" Han Mu's eyes turned cold, and he was about to make a forceful attack on the giant gate.

Suddenly, the last faint trace of the "Time Beacon" crystal in his arms resonated with the giant gate! Immediately afterward, a faint, ethereal, and seemingly ephemeral familiar voice echoed directly in Han Mu's mind:

"Young friends... is that you...? Quickly... pass through this gate... This is... the last thing I can do for you..."

It was Qingxuan Daoist's voice! Although extremely weak, it was definitely his aura!

"Senior Qingxuan?!" Han Mu was shocked.

"There's no time to explain... The Time Lord... is using the great divine power of 'Time Tracing'... to trace... all the causal traces you left behind... This 'Gate of Echoes'... connects to... the last... not completely dissipated... core of the 'Relic of Time'... I'm burning my last... bit of my essence... to... briefly conceal the secrets of heaven for you... creating a... false... time beacon... to mislead him... Quickly... pass through the gate... behind it... is the ancient shortcut... but... there are only ten breaths left..."

The sound grew weaker and weaker until it was almost inaudible.

A complex emotion flashed in Han Mu's eyes, but he did not hesitate at all.

"Trust in our seniors! Everyone hold on tight, let's charge in!"

The shuttle stopped resisting the suction force and instead started its engine at full power, actively rushing towards the center of the vortex of the "Gate of Time Echoes"!

Just before the shuttle plunged into the vortex, Han Mu seemed to "see" through the semi-transparent doorway the final scene of the complete collapse and annihilation of the "Remnant of Time," as well as a faint gray-white light, like a candle flickering in the wind, yet carrying a sense of relief and determination, which flashed by in an instant.

boom!

The Swift Shuttle passed through the giant gate, and the scene before them suddenly changed. They appeared in a narrower tributary of an ancient road, but with exceptionally bright and dazzling starlight. Their speed suddenly increased, and they sped away into the distance.

Behind them, the illusory "Gate of Time Echoes" flickered violently a few times before exploding into countless points of light that danced in the air, completely dissipating into the ancient path. Even the lingering causal aura that Han Mu and his companions had previously possessed was disrupted and erased.

From a distant, unknowable dimension, came a faint, indistinct snort filled with the anger of someone who had been fooled.

"Qingxuan...you old dog...even in death you still plot against me..."

Inside the Swift Shuttle, Han Mu clenched his fist and bowed deeply in the direction where the "Relic of Time" was finally annihilated.

"Farewell, senior. I will remember this kindness."