As his consciousness swept toward the two of them, Liu Ba and Liu De immediately realized that they were being observed.
Liu Ba subconsciously held his breath. His heartbeat quickened slightly—not out of fear, but from an instinctive sense of reverence. His special body reacted faster than his thoughts, as if his deepest instincts were warning him that the one observing them was no ordinary person.
At the same time, Qin Yuan also noticed the change. As an experienced cultivator, he instantly understood that Zhu Tian had extended his spiritual consciousness and was now observing the situation outside. Even so, Qin Yuan did not dare to make a decision on his own. He remained where he was, not allowing Liu Ba and Liu De to step inside without receiving direct permission.
Without any signal, Liu Ba and Liu De simultaneously cupped their hands and bowed toward the ancestral hall—the place where Zhu Tian was located. Their movements were neat and sincere, without the slightest hint of disrespect. This was not merely cultivator etiquette, but a natural response to the presence they sensed.
Inside the ancestral hall, Zhu Tian clearly saw the scene through his spiritual consciousness. Noticing their polite attitude, a faint sense of goodwill unconsciously formed in his heart.
Zhu Tian then directed his thoughts toward Qin Yuan. He had never specifically learned any spiritual communication techniques, yet as his thoughts moved, the words were transmitted naturally, as if this were an innate ability.
A cultivator who had just stepped onto the first path would naturally obtain certain basic abilities. Much like an adventure game player who was automatically given starter equipment—no long tutorial required.
"Bring them in," Zhu Tian said through his spiritual consciousness.
The command was simple, calm, and devoid of excess emotion. But to Qin Yuan, those words were an order that could not be delayed.
Qin Yuan immediately bowed toward the ancestral hall and replied respectfully, "Yes."
He then turned and gestured for Liu Ba and Liu De to follow him. As they stepped past the gate, both youths felt their hearts pound even faster.
For Liu Ba, the sense of opportunity he felt in this place was completely different from anything he had ever experienced before. Throughout his life, he had sensed many opportunities—some small, some great. Some felt like towering hills, others like massive mountains.
But what he felt here… was as if he were standing before an endless sky.
The feeling was so vast and profound that even his special body struggled to measure it.
Liu De, on the other hand, did not possess a special body like Liu Ba. However, he trusted his companion's instincts completely—and that trust was not without reason.
Several years ago, in a secluded cave, Liu Ba had once summoned Liu De to his cultivation site. At the time, Liu De had been puzzled.
"Why did you call me here?" Liu De had asked.
Normally, if there was an opportunity, Liu Ba would invite him to meet outside. He almost never invited Liu De directly into his own cultivation cave.
"I sensed an opportunity," Liu Ba replied with an unusually serious tone—one he rarely used. "And this opportunity… is immeasurable."
"Immeasurable?" Liu De repeated in surprise.
He knew Liu Ba better than anyone. Liu Ba often encountered opportunities and almost always shared them with him. But this was the first time Liu Ba had shown such an expression and spoken in such a tone. From that moment on, Liu De never doubted Liu Ba's instincts again.
Now, returning to the present, Qin Yuan opened the gates of the ancestral hall.
The moment they stepped inside, the sight before them caused Liu Ba and Liu De to unconsciously slow their steps.
The building was majestic—far beyond what should exist in such a remote place. The structure of the hall felt complex and grand, like that of a high-tier sect. Tall pillars rose upward, carved with phoenixes and dragons that seemed alive, as if those sacred creatures could awaken at any moment.
The spiritual energy within the hall was far purer and more orderly than outside. Each breath felt heavy yet calming, stabilizing the soul. The spiritual energy inside the ancestral hall had been arranged by Qin Yuan when constructing the hall as instructed by Zhu Tian, through the installation of a formation that drew spiritual energy from the outside.
At the highest point of the hall, seated upon a simple yet imposing chair, sat a young man.
The youth had long black hair neatly draped behind him, his eyes deep black, like a starless night. His skin was pale and flawless, without a single blemish or scar. He wore plain black robes—simple yet clean—with small purple engravings on the chest and sleeves. The engravings were subtle, yet carried an air of mystery.
Liu Ba and Liu De were shocked.
They had never expected that the figure at the center of the heavenly phenomena—the figure even Qin Yuan feared—would be merely a young man who appeared to be around twenty years old. Judging from his bone structure, they could roughly estimate Zhu Tian's age, which only deepened their shock. Even so, neither of them dared to look down on him, even if he was only a "Qi Condensation" cultivator at the age of twenty.
The two exchanged a brief glance. Without opening their mouths, they communicated through spiritual consciousness.
"This might be a deception," Liu Ba said to Liu De through spiritual sense. "Or at the very least, his outward appearance can't be trusted."
Liu De nodded slightly. He felt the same strangeness. The cultivation world was full of concealment techniques, and many old monsters chose to appear as youths.
Yet despite their doubts, they did not dare to show any disrespect.
With slow, cautious steps, Liu Ba and Liu De continued forward, walking toward the black-robed youth—the figure who might change their destinies forever.