The time it takes for an incense stick to burn quietly passed in the swirling incense smoke before the stone temple.
Chen Sheng stood silently beside several cultivators, sometimes nodding in agreement, sometimes throwing out new questions, quietly gathering information about Ancestor Qin Yuan and the Nian Chen Sect.
From the enthusiastic accounts of young cultivators and the reflections of the older ones, he gradually pieced together the key storyline.
Ancestor Qin Yuan was a figure from two thousand years ago; they didn't know much, only some legends.
For example, this ancestor founded the Nian Chen Sect on Sea Abyss Island, known particularly for his prowess in alchemy, making it a leading sect in the Four Seas Cultivation Realm.
"Sea Abyss Island... Nian Chen Sect..."
Chen Sheng silently noted the information in his heart, bidding farewell to the cultivators with cupped hands, his figure melding into the mountain path of Mist Concealment Island like a wisp of smoke in the fog.
Witnessing this scene, the cultivators were immediately taken aback, hurriedly kneeling in respect, but unfortunately, they received no response for a long time before they regretfully got up.
...
Chen Sheng unfolded the Void Escape Skill, the void beneath his feet rippling faintly, the islands along the way speeding backward, the salty sea breeze mingled with spiritual mist brushing past his cheeks.
Half an hour later, an island nourished by a spirit vein appeared in view—it was Sea Abyss Island.
At the center of the island stood a series of mountain peaks, with hundreds of grottos distributed in a staggered manner on the mountains. Outside the grottos were uniformly carved pill furnaces and flame runes, and one could faintly smell the pill fragrance wafting from the mountains.
At the summit of the mountain hung a massive blue stone plaque inscribed with three archaic characters, "Nian Chen Sect," with a powerful and energetic style, exuding a serene Dao Rhyme, mirroring the calligraphy on the plaque of the stone temple in Mist Concealment Island.
Chen Sheng's figure quietly merged into the void above the heavens, his divine sense slowly spreading out like a fine net, enveloping the entire Nian Chen Sect.
Er komt 's morgens een stukje worm uit je. Probeer hetOpen
The scene within the sect vividly appeared in his sea of consciousness.
On the west side's Qi Cultivation Field, dozens of disciples were practicing fire techniques, the flames conjured at their fingertips only of Tier One level but carrying a familiar rhythm.
Some flames spiraled around, forming the basic variations of the "Profound Sun Fire Control Technique," while others transformed into fine threads of fire, akin to the technique of the "Thousand Threads Technique."
"Indeed, it's Yuan'Er's technique..."
Chen Sheng's heart flickered slightly, his divine sense turning towards the sect's east side Pill Hall.
Inside the Pill Hall, several cultivators were bustling around a pill furnace, refining Tier Two Elixir "Qi Gathering Pill," their alchemical technique subtly aligning with the basic outlines of the "Four Seas Pill Book."
"It seems Yuan'Er was the previous inheritor."
Chen Sheng's state of mind was like a lake into which a stone had been thrown, creating ripples. After refining part of the Profound Mansion's restrictions, he gradually became clear about the rules set by the "Four Seas Bead" for choosing inheritors.
The rule set by Four Seas Wanderer for selecting inheritors was indeed a needle in a haystack, emphasizing luck and fate, meeting by chance and not forceful striving.
However, due to the needs of inheritance, it particularly favored those with outstanding alchemy talent and shallow cultivation, even actively sensing and responding to such people entering the grotto heaven.
In the eyes of this Refining Void Great Power, spiritual root aptitude was not crucial. The "Four Seas Pill Book" recorded several techniques sufficient to improve the deficiencies in a cultivator's spiritual root aptitude.
...
The first time Chen Sheng left Chu Country in this life, he also met the criteria for an inheritor, which allowed him to vaguely sense the position of the Four Seas Bead. However, at that time, he did not go, choosing to sever this fate himself.
Later, when he advanced to Nascent Soul, he found the treasure bead once again, forcibly refining it with essence blood for a hundred years, thus forming a connection with this inherited treasure.
If not for this, he wouldn't be recognized by the treasure bead and couldn't have entered the grotto heaven.
"In this way, Yuan'Er also had considerable luck and a rare alchemy talent, which is why the Four Seas Bead actively responded to him."
Chen Sheng muttered to himself, but this was quickly replaced by regret, because from the current outcome, it was clear that Qin Yuan had failed.
His divine sense continued to sink, finally landing in front of a grotto at the back mountain of the sect.
Outside the grotto were carved Tier Three Runes, with faint fluctuations of spiritual power coming from within—it was none other than the current Nian Chen Sect Master, Qin Yucheng.
Chen Sheng's divine sense penetrated the stone walls of the grotto, observing a fake pill cultivator in a blue Daoist robe sitting cross-legged next to a pill furnace, holding a yellowed pill scripture, furrowing his brows, clearly pondering a pill formula conundrum.
"It's him."
Chen Sheng's heart stirred, flicking his fingers, a formless Void Power spread like ripples, instantly enveloping the entire grotto.
Qin Yucheng felt the scene before his eyes suddenly distort, spiritual power around him seemingly frozen, even his breath becoming labored.
The next moment, his body was uncontrollably shrunk, as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, and the surroundings transformed instantaneously.
The familiar grotto disappeared without a trace, replaced by a dusky space.
In the center of the space sat a man in a profound Daoist robe, emitting an overwhelming aura akin to heaven and earth, with eyes so deep they seemed to penetrate his soul.
"What... What kind of divine technique is this?!"
Qin Yucheng's heart surged with massive waves, his legs uncontrollably grew weak, and with a thud, he kneeled on the ground.
He had cultivated for years in the grotto heaven, having seen the strongest cultivator as the late-stage Golden Core real person of the Transformation Dragon Sect, but the aura of that real person compared to the man before him was like a firefly next to the bright moon.
Trembling, he spoke, his voice filled with undisguisable fear and respect: "Greetings to the senior! May I ask why the senior has brought me here, and what instructions you have?"
Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, the pressure around him slightly receding, allowing Qin Yucheng to catch his breath.
His gaze fell on Qin Yucheng, his voice calm yet with undeniable authority: "Is your surname Qin? Are you a descendant of Qin Yuan?"
"Qin... Ancestor Qin Yuan?"
Qin Yucheng's pupils contracted suddenly at these words, the shock in his heart burgeoning further.
Ancestor Qin Yuan was a figure from two thousand years ago, long turned into a legend within the sect. This senior unexpectedly mentioned the ancestor's name directly, could he be a great power living for two thousand years?
He hurriedly shook his head, his tone filled with increasing reverence:
"In response, senior, Ancestor Qin Yuan never married and left no descendants."
"The ancestor took on seven disciples, all granted the surname Qin. My ancestor was the fourth disciple of the ancestor, so the surname 'Qin' is personally passed down by the ancestor, but it's not of the ancestor's bloodline."
"Never married, no descendants!"
Chen Sheng repeated this sentence softly in his heart, the complex emotions in his heart surging like tides.
"Nian Chen, Nian Chen..."
"Yuan'Er, it seems Huang Wangyou's words from back then have come true—'A life delayed.'
Huang Wangyou once said Yuan'Er's nature was too persistent, always saying that Tang Xichen delayed his life. Now it seems, his words have become a prophecy.
Chen Sheng opened his eyes again, his gaze softened a bit, and he slowly asked Qin Yucheng:
"Tell me about Qin Yuan's deeds from back then, the more detailed, the better—his cultivation bottleneck, his travels, and... how he passed away."
Qin Yucheng did not dare to slack off. He quickly organized his thoughts and recounted the events of Qin Yuan recorded in the sect's ancient texts:
"To the senior, the ancestor loved to travel all his life, having traversed every island of the Four Seas Cultivation Realm."
"It was only during an exploration to the Netherworld Island that he accidentally suffered a hidden injury, damaging his Dao Foundation, stuck at late-stage Foundation Establishment for many years without breakthrough, and his alchemy cultivation also halted at the Tier Two top level, unable to progress further."
"Later, the ancestor founded the Nian Chen Sect, organizing the Alchemy Dao and Fire Technique inheritance into texts to pass on to disciples, remaining in the sect until his lifespan was exhausted."
"Netherworld Sea hidden injury, late-stage Foundation Establishment, Tier Two Alchemist..."
Chen Sheng was filled with regret, knowing well that according to the Profound Mansion restriction records, as long as the inheritor of the Four Seas Bead reached Tier Three (Golden Core Realm or Tier Three Alchemist), they would automatically be welcomed to the Sea Eye Secret Realm.
In the Secret Realm, there were opportunities to enhance spiritual root aptitudes, and even the Nascent Fruit to help cultivators break through to Nascent Soul.
Qin Yuan's alchemy talent was outstanding, if not for that hidden injury, he might have stepped into Tier Three and gained opportunities in the Secret Realm.
"Where was Qin Yuan buried?"
Chen Sheng's voice carried a slight, inaudible rasp.
Qin Yucheng immediately replied:
"According to the ancestor's will, he was buried at the summit of Wanggui Peak, accompanied by the Cloud Sea."
"Wanggui Peak... longing to return..."
Chen Sheng murmured these two words in his heart, his eyes slightly warm.
He finally understood why his disciple loved to travel so much—the words "longing to return" concealed a longing for homeland, a yearning to go home.
Qin Yuan never forgot the Chu Kingdom Cultivation Realm, never forgot the people and things of Thousand Machines Market. Yet, separated by a Grotto Heaven, the mountains were difficult to cross. Eventually, he could only die in a foreign land, accompanied by the Cloud Sea.
The regret and pity in Chen Sheng's heart were overwhelming, murmuring unconsciously:
"Mountains difficult to cross, who laments for the lost? Meeting by chance, all are guests in a foreign land."
...
Wanggui Peak, shrouded in mist!
This peak is the highest on Sea Abyss Island, its summit enveloped in clouds year-round, with fierce winds that make one's robes flap loudly.
Qin Yucheng hurriedly led the way forward:
"Please, Senior!"
Chen Sheng nodded and followed, his gaze already captivated by the scene at the summit.
The higher they climbed, the denser the Cloud Sea became, with white mist like flowing silk wrapping around them, adding a moist coolness to each breath.
He was somewhat dazed; the Cloud Sea here was so much like the waves of the Thousand Machines Market!
When he stepped onto the final step, everything became clear—a flat and open summit stood with a lone gravestone in its center.
The grave marker was carved from a solid block of bluestone, without complex patterns, only the words "Grave of Ancestor Qin Yuan" etched on the front in ancient script, the lettering somewhat weathered, clearly eroded by time.
Before the gravestone lay a small stone table with remnants of incense ashes, suggesting that disciples from the Nian Chen Sect often came to pay respects.
Chen Sheng stood at the summit of Wanggui Peak, hands clasped behind his back, his profound daoist robe fluttering gently in the strong winds.
He gazed at the solitary gravestone, his eyes unusually gentle, as if through the cold bluestone he could see the determined youth of two thousand years ago.
Screens of memories from the Pill Workshop flashed through his mind, eventually morphing into the cold lettering on the gravestone, stirring a sourness within him.
Chen Sheng murmured with undisguised regret:
"Yuan'Er, you traveled your whole life, yet never managed to return home..."
Beside him, Qin Yucheng dared not disturb, merely standing respectfully with eyes full of reverence as he gazed at the gravestone.
Having grown up listening to tales of the ancestor, accompanying this mysterious senior to pay respects brought both nervousness and honor to his heart.
After a long time, Chen Sheng slowly withdrew his gaze, the heavy aura around him gradually dissipating, his voice returning to calm:
"Today's matters are not to be mentioned to outsiders. Since you possess Fake Pill cultivation, I grant you the opportunity for Pill Transformation, to fulfill our bond."
With these words, he flicked his fingers, and a brilliant golden light shot out from his fingertips, like a dancing starlight, directly entering Qin Yucheng's forehead.
Qin Yucheng only felt a warmth at his forehead, as a massive flow of information surged into his sea of consciousness, revealing a complete Pill Transformation inheritance.
"This... this is the Pill Transformation Technique!"
Scanning the exquisite content within his sea of consciousness, Qin Yucheng felt both astonished and delighted, his body trembling with excitement.
A mere Fake Pill, a path severed; now with such an opportunity, it was akin to rebirth. He quickly knelt down and bow deeply to Chen Sheng:
"Thank you, Senior! I will forever remember the great kindness of the Senior! I shall not fail the entrustment, and will make the Nian Chen Sect flourish, not failing the hopes of Ancestor Qin Yuan!"
Chen Sheng nodded slightly, saying little more.
With a gentle wave of his sleeve, a soft void power enveloped Qin Yucheng, who only felt his sight blur as the surrounding Cloud Sea and fierce winds vanished, replaced by the familiar scene of his own abode.
He raised a hand to touch his forehead, the inheritance within his sea of consciousness still vividly present, proving that the recent experiences were no illusion.
At the moment, atop Wanggui Peak, the Cloud Sea continued to surge, and the winds still howled.
Chen Sheng's figure quietly stood before the gravestone, his profound robe in stark contrast with the white Cloud Sea, his silhouette exuding a deep loneliness amidst the vast heavens and earth.
He raised a hand to brush away a little dust from the gravestone, gazing once more toward the distant Cloud Sea, as if recounting a master's bond stretching across two millennia, murmuring in his heart:
"Yuan'Er, perhaps I failed this lifetime, but in the next, once I break through to Divinity Transformation, I promise I'll bring you back to your homeland."