The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The Star Tomb Ruins floated silently deep within the spatial folds, enveloped in chaotic flames. The crimson flames were incredibly hot, distorting and warping the surrounding space.

Han Li manipulated the detection array to scan carefully.

"My lord, there are seven layers of broken formations around the palace. Although they have been neglected for many years, the core is still functioning and can withstand the erosion of the chaotic flames. There is a faint energy reaction inside the palace, so there should still be some things preserved there."

"Hazard level assessment," Han Mu asked.

"The formation itself is not a great threat. The Bone Dragon's shield is strong enough to force its way in. However, we need to be worried because these ancient ruins often contain traps, restrictions, or guardian spirits. Moreover, the chaotic flames could burn through the palace's defenses at any time."

Luo Feng stared at the flames and swallowed hard.

"My lord, are we really going in? I think this place is very eerie. It's called Star Tomb, which means it's a graveyard for stars, a place where stars are buried. It must be unlucky inside."

"It could also be a place where stars fell, burying some ancient beings." Zhou Meng sensed the fluctuations in time. "My lord, I feel that the flow of time inside is abnormal. Time flows extremely slowly in some areas and extremely fast in others. It should be that the time-related restrictions set up back then have not completely failed."

Han Mu looked at the palace ruins, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

The core of the Molten Core was slightly warm in the storage ring, as if it had some kind of connection to the palace.

"Go in and take a look, but don't go too deep. Han Li, you control the Bone Dragon to get closer, and I'll use the Molten Core to probe."

"Yes."

The Bone Dragon slowly approached the edge of the spatial fold. Han Mu took out the core of the Molten Heart. As soon as the crimson-gold core appeared, the surrounding temperature suddenly rose. The chaotic flames around the palace seemed to be attracted and a wisp of them drifted toward the core.

Han Mu did not stop it, allowing the flame to touch the core.

boom.

Dense flame runes appeared on the core surface, resonating with the wisp of chaotic flame. Then, a beam of crimson-gold light shot out from the core and accurately struck the array surrounding the palace.

The array's light barrier rippled open, revealing a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.

"As expected, there is a connection." Han Mu put away the core. "Han Li, you stay on the Bone Dragon and be ready to provide support at any time. Zhou Meng, Luo Feng, and Liu Ruyan, the three of you come in with me. The rest of you stay here."

"Yes."

Han Mu flew out of the Bone Dragon first, followed closely by Zhou Meng and the other two, passing through the gap in the formation and entering the palace area.

Upon entering, the temperature dropped. Although the palace was dilapidated, its main structure was still intact. The floor was paved with dark red crystals, and the walls were carved with various flame totems.

"This should be some outpost or observation point of the Burning Heaven lineage," Zhou Meng said, looking at the totems on the wall. "The style of the totems is the same as the patterns on the core of the Molten Heart."

As the group walked along the corridor, they saw many collapsed palaces and occasionally some scattered refining materials, but most of them had lost their spiritual power.

Han Mu stopped in front of the main hall.

The main hall's doors were tightly shut, and an intricate star map was carved on them. In the center of the star map was a depression whose shape perfectly matched the core of the Molten Core.

"My lord, shall we give it a try?" Liu Ruyan asked.

Han Mu nodded, took out the core, and pressed it into the indentation.

Click.

The door slowly opened, revealing the interior.

The main hall was very spacious, with a huge refining furnace in the center. The furnace fire had long since gone out, and some jade slips and artifacts were scattered around the furnace. The most eye-catching thing was the white skeleton sitting cross-legged deep inside the hall.

The bones were reddish-gold in color, and even though they had been dead for countless millennia, they still exuded a faint aura of power, with flame patterns flowing across their surface.

"At least the peak of Taiyi Jade Immortal, or even possibly the remains of a Daluo Loose Immortal," Zhou Meng said solemnly.

Han Mu walked up to the skeleton, who was holding a jade slip in its hand and had a crimson gourd beside it.

Han Mu did not touch them rashly. Instead, he carefully explored them with his divine sense and, after confirming that there were no restrictions, he remotely retrieved the jade slip and gourd.

He probed the jade slip with his divine sense, and a large amount of information flooded into his mind.

"I am Huo Yunzi, an outer sect steward of the Burning Heaven lineage, ordered to guard the Star Tomb observation point and monitor any unusual activity in the Fire Sea Forbidden Zone..."

"Thirty thousand years ago, a chaotic fire surge erupted deep within the forbidden zone. The observation point was affected, and most of the formation was destroyed. I was poisoned by the chaotic fire and my life was nearing its end..."

"This jade slip is specially left to inform future generations that the coordinates of the Eternal Furnace have changed. After the Chaos Fire Tide erupted, a 'Nine-Layer Fire Ring' formed around the furnace. Only those with a 'Fire Avoidance Token' can pass through safely. The method for crafting the Fire Avoidance Token is recorded in the latter half of the jade slip..."

"If any newcomer is not of the Burning Heaven lineage, they can use my identity token to travel to the 'Ancient City of Burning Heaven' deep within the Star Sea to find the current lineage leader, and may have the opportunity to obtain the inheritance..."

The latter half of the jade slip indeed recorded the method for crafting the Fire Avoidance Token, which required three rare materials. Han Mu had two of them, but the third, "Chaotic Fire Essence," needed to be collected deep within the forbidden zone of the Fire Sea.

As for the crimson gourd, when Han Mu opened it, he found three egg-sized crimson-gold crystals inside, each containing pure fire elemental essence.

"This is... a Fire Source Crystal, and it's a Fire Source Crystal at the Taiyi Jade Immortal level." Liu Ruyan's eyes lit up. "My lord, this thing is a great tonic for fire-type cultivators. Even if you don't cultivate fire-type techniques, absorbing it can greatly enhance your body's fire resistance."

Han Mu put away the gourd and jade slip and looked at the skeleton.

"Senior, your information is useful to me. I will accept these three Fire Source Crystals in exchange for taking your remains away from here and burying them in a quiet place."

Han Mu bowed to the skeleton and then put it away.

Just then, the entire palace suddenly began to shake violently.

"Oh no, the palace is about to collapse! The chaotic flames are burning through the last defenses!" Han Li's voice came through the communication talisman, urgent and urgent.

"withdraw."

Without hesitation, Han Mu led the three of them out of the main hall.

As soon as they rushed out of the palace, they saw that the dome above had begun to collapse, with large chunks of crimson crystals falling down, and chaotic flames pouring in from the cracks, causing the temperature to rise sharply.

"Han Li, provide backup."

The Bone Dragon rushed in through the gap in the formation, its protective shield fully activated, smashing through the falling rocks, and Han Mu and the other three quickly flew into the cabin.

"Walk."

The Bone Dragon changed direction and rushed back towards the gap it had come from.

The palace behind them collapsed completely, turning into a sea of ​​fire. The seven layers of broken formations finally gave way and shattered.

The moment the Bone Dragon burst out of the spatial fold, the entire fold began to collapse inward, eventually forming a huge vortex of fire that swallowed everything.

"That was close." Luo Feng wiped his sweat. "I almost became a roast suckling pig."

Han Mu ignored Luo Feng's mutterings and took out the jade slip to examine it again.

Fire Avoidance Token, Chaos Fire Essence, Nine-Layer Fire Ring.

It seems that to enter the Eternal Forge, we need to obtain the Chaos Fire Essence first.

"Han Li, adjust the flight path and head to the nearest Chaos Fire Essence gathering point first."

"Yes, my lord, but Chaos Fire Essence is usually only produced in a few 'Fire Eyes' on the outermost edge of the Fire Sea Forbidden Zone, and those places are often guarded by powerful fire beasts."

"It doesn't matter, just kill them."

The Bone Dragon changed direction and headed towards a marked point on the outskirts of the Fire Sea Forbidden Zone.

Shortly after the Bone Dragon departed, a crack suddenly appeared in the void at the point where the space had collapsed, and three figures shrouded in gray robes emerged.

The leader looked at the swirling flames that had not yet completely dissipated, his voice hoarse.

"We arrived too late; someone had already entered the Star Tomb and taken Huo Yunzi's belongings."

"Can you confirm who it is?"

"The aura is unfamiliar, but the residual time fluctuations... are about 70% similar to those at the site of the Eclipse Fall."

"Chase."

Three figures transformed into streaks of light, chasing after the direction the Bone Dragon had left in.