The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Roar--!

The fiery behemoth roared, its sound waves carrying blazing flames that swept towards the "Fire-Slaying Flying Boat" in a crimson tide. The temperature of those blazing white flames far exceeded that of ordinary flames in the starry sea, distorting space wherever they passed, as if even time itself was about to be ignited.

"It's the 'Burning Time Flame'! A strange fire containing the power of time! Be careful!" Han Li's expression changed. This flame not only burns matter, but can also scorch lifespan and interfere with the perception of time.

"My lord, I'll come..." Zhou Meng stepped forward, raising his warhammer.

"No need." Han Mu raised his hand to stop him, took a step out of the flying boat, and stood in mid-air. Facing the raging tide of burning flames, his expression remained unchanged, but the "Origin Coffin Mark" between his eyebrows suddenly lit up, and a gray-white "Origin" power that was more condensed and pure than before emanated from his body, forming a seemingly thin but indestructible light screen in front of him.

boom--!

The raging fire surge crashed violently against the gray-white light barrier, unleashing a deafening roar. However, the violent fire surge, which was enough to severely injure cultivators of the same level, melted and disintegrated the moment it touched the light barrier, just like snow meeting the scorching sun. The trace of "reversed" time power contained within it was easily purified and devoured by the power of "origin".

A flicker of surprise crossed the fiery behemoth's eyes, followed by a deeper rage. With a flap of its wings, its massive body transformed into a blazing white meteor, carrying the power to tear through the void. Its claws aimed straight for Han Mu's head, the Burning Flame burning at its claw tips becoming even more condensed.

"Don't you understand?" Han Mu shook his head slightly. Facing this fierce attack, he neither dodged nor evaded, but simply extended his right index finger and gently touched the faint light between the giant beast's brows. "Suppress."

A faint, invisible suppressive force, originating from the very source of "Origin," spread like ripples. The fiery behemoth's ferocious movements abruptly froze in mid-air, its fierce flames solidifying, replaced by a look of bewilderment and struggle. The faint light between its brows, sharing the same origin as Han Mu's mark, flickered violently, seemingly resonating with and resisting Han Mu's "Origin" power.

With a thought, Han Mu caused the gray-white mark in his sea of ​​consciousness to shine brightly, actively establishing a connection with the faint light between the giant beast's brows. A weak, incomplete, but familiar Daoist aura of "Guardian of Time" flowed through the connection, mixed with chaos, pain, and a trace of instinctive protective obsession.

"So that's how it is... You were the 'Guardian Fire Spirit of Time' left behind by Senior Qingxuan in the 'Burning Heaven Star Sea' to guard a certain important node. Unfortunately, the power of the 'Time Lord' has corrupted this place, polluted the node, and clouded your intelligence, turning you into a ferocious beast that only knows destruction." Han Mu instantly understood.

Using the brand as a guide, he mixed the purer "Origin" power with a trace of his own understanding of the "Law of Time," continuously injecting it into the faint light between the giant beast's brows. Nourished, that faint light gradually became brighter and more stable, beginning to dispel and purify the "rebellious" power that had invaded the giant beast's body.

Roar... The fiery behemoth let out a low roar intertwined with pain and relief. Its massive body trembled violently, and the color of the blazing white flames on its body began to change, gradually turning from a violent blazing white to a more restrained and warm crimson gold. Its aura also changed from chaotic and violent to peaceful and solemn, even carrying a trace of ancient vicissitudes.

A moment later, the ferocity in the fire behemoth's eyes completely vanished, replaced by a clear spirituality. It slowly lowered its head, letting out a gentle growl at Han Mu. Its massive body rapidly shrank, eventually transforming into a small, palm-sized, pure gold creature resembling a lion cub with a grayish-white mark between its brows. It affectionately nuzzled Han Mu's hand.

"This...it's already subdued?" Inside the flying boat, Luo Feng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "That huge thing turned into a kitten?"

Han Mu patted the little beast's head, and the beast comfortably squinted its eyes. Through the branded connection, he learned the secret hidden in this node—beneath that meteorite, in a place shrouded by layers of spacetime restrictions and flames, there was a small, dilapidated "Altar of Time," seemingly set up by Daoist Qingxuan long ago for guiding, locating, or sealing something. At the center of the altar, there remained an extremely pure refining Daoist aura, the same as that of the "Forging Heaven Workshop Secret Realm Map."

"It seems that Senior Qingxuan also came to the 'Burning Heaven Star Sea' back then and left a contingency plan here." Han Mu, with the little beast, flew towards the depths of the collapsing meteorite ruins.

He quickly found the hidden altar. The altar was only about ten feet in diameter, constructed of an unknown dark red crystal, and engraved with runes of time. In the center was a groove whose shape perfectly matched that of the bronze box.

Han Mu took out the bronze box and placed it into the groove. The rust on the box's surface peeled away automatically, revealing ancient and profound patterns beneath. As the box was placed in, the entire altar trembled slightly, and all the time runes lit up one by one, eventually converging on the box. The lid clicked open automatically!

There were no earth-shattering phenomena, only an incredibly complex three-dimensional star map composed of pure light, rising from the box and hovering in mid-air. At the core of the star map, a constantly flashing crimson dot was clearly marked—"The Heart of Molten Core"!

At the same time, Han Mu sensed that the two fragments of the "Key of Time" on his body (the first one came from Qingxuan, and the second one's approximate location had been deciphered in the Shadow Time Token) resonated slightly with a certain location on the star map.

Han Mu brought up the system panel and quickly scanned it.

Name: Han Mu

[True Realm: Late Stage of Taiyi Jade Immortal (Peak State)]

[Time Rule: 90%]

[Status: Good. Tamed the "Guardian of Time Fire Spirit" (can be named "Little Fire"). Obtained the complete "Molten Heart" Rift Star Map.]

[Celestial Aura: -6000 points]

[System Notification: Successfully activated the "Forging Workshop Secret Realm Map," obtaining the precise coordinates of the "Heart of Molten Core." Main quest "Searching for the Key in the Sea of ​​Fire" progress update: Target area located. Three "Reverse Time Alliance" teams detected approaching this area from different directions; estimated arrival time: half an hour.]

"The Reverse Time Alliance is indeed nearby, and there's more than one team." Han Mu's eyes turned cold as he put away the star map and the bronze box. "They've come at the right time. Zhou Meng, Bai Ling, get ready. We'll 'entertain' the nearest one first. Han Li, set up an array to seal off this area. Don't let them escape, and don't alert the other two teams."

"yes!"