608: The ancestors of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect

Deep within the Lingxiao Immortal Sect, amidst swirling clouds and mist, a solitary peak rose from the ground, towering several zhang higher than the Sect's main hall, the Lingxiao Hall. The peak's summit was perpetually shrouded in ethereal clouds, exuding an air of solemnity and mystery.

This mountain was named "Ancestral Spirit Peak" and was the most forbidden of all Forbidden Grounds within the Sect. Apart from the Sect Master, no other Disciples, not even core Elders, were permitted to set foot on it.

At this moment, Sect Master Xu Yuan ascended the peak alone.

The stone steps along the mountainside had been worn smooth by time. Ancient pines stood robustly on either side, their rustling adding to the tranquility.

At the summit, there was no grand structure as one might imagine, only a single palace of ancient and simple design stood erect.

The palace was constructed from an unknown bluish-black stone, devoid of carved beams or painted rafters, and without any gilded decorations. Only a few bronze wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, swaying gently in the mountain breeze, emitting low, distant chimes.

Xu Yuan walked slowly to the palace door, raised his hand, and gave it a gentle push. The heavy door opened inward without a sound, releasing a scent that mingled sandalwood with the weight of accumulated years.

The interior of the hall was dimly lit, with only a few night pearls embedded in the ceiling emitting a soft glow that illuminated the scene within.

Inside, dozens of statues were arranged in neat rows, varying in height and demeanor.

Some wore Daoist robes, held whisks, and had gaunt faces, exuding an immortal and dignified Aura. Others were clad in battle armor, glaring fiercely with imposing Auras. Still others sat cross-legged, eyes closed in deep concentration, with streams of light seemingly swirling around them.

Each statue was lifelike, with meticulously carved details, representing every Old Ancestor of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect who had either ascended to immortality or entered seclusion since the Sect's founding.

The Sect Master walked to the center of the hall, bowed deeply to all the statues with utmost reverence, and spoke in a clear voice.

"Esteemed Old Ancestors, your Disciple Xu Yuan has urgent matters to report, concerning the rise and fall of the Sect. I humbly request your guidance to illuminate the path forward!"

His voice echoed through the empty hall, lingering for a long time.

After a moment, the eyes of a statue on the left, holding a bronze sword with a resolute expression, suddenly shifted. A voice, aged yet robust, slowly emerged, breaking the silence within the hall.

"Oh? Young Xu, you've managed the Sect for many years with steady composure. Today, you rush so urgently to the Ancestral Spirit Hall. Has someone come knocking at our door? Or is it some Heaven-Defying Opportunity, or perhaps a catastrophic disaster?"

This voice came from the Seventeenth-Generation Old Ancestor of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect, renowned in the cultivation world for his ability to shatter myriad techniques with a single sword.

Xu Yuan did not dare to be negligent. He bowed once more and then recounted in detail the entire process: Jiang Lu's return from the Forbidden Ground, the mysterious potion she brought back, its miraculous effects of enhancing spiritual power and extending lifespan, and the mysterious faction's intention to establish ties.

He spoke at a steady pace, clearly and logically, omitting no key details, explaining both the potion's miraculous effects and the potential Opportunities and risks.

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the hall. The dozens of statues, previously motionless, all began to stir.

Some slowly opened their tightly shut eyes, a gleam of light flashing within. Others stretched their limbs, joints emitting faint cracking sounds. Some rose slowly from their cross-legged positions, the Spiritual Qi swirling around them visibly fluctuating.

In an instant, all the statues transformed into living figures—some standing, some sitting, some with hands clasped behind their backs, others stroking their beards in contemplation. Each Old Ancestor exuded an unfathomable pressure that seemed to solidify the air within the hall.

Xu Yuan was long accustomed to this and showed no trace of surprise on his face.

He knew these were not the Old Ancestors' true bodies but their Incarnations, nurtured over the years within the Ancestral Spirit Hall. Their true bodies had long since entered the Sect's most secretive Immortal Caves for seclusion, seeking higher Realm Breakthroughs. Only when matters concerning the Sect's survival arose would they manifest through these Incarnations to listen to reports and offer guidance.

"Oh, a faction deep within the Forbidden Ground?"

A hoarse yet robust voice broke the hall's silence.

"Strange... truly strange..."

The Old Ancestor who spoke slowly shook his head.

"This old man has never heard before of any mysterious faction hidden deep within the Forbidden Ground."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and an involuntary look of surprise appeared on his face.

He looked up at this Old Ancestor and sighed inwardly.

This Old Ancestor was a genuine living fossil of the Sect, having lived for over thirteen thousand years, making him the seventh-generation Old Ancestor since the Sect's founding.

According to Sect records, the first six Old Ancestors either succeeded in Undergoing Tribulation, shattered the Void Realm, and Ascended to become legendary beings,

or fell short on the path to Ascension, failed their tribulations, and suffered Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, leaving behind only a few lamentable anecdotes.

The Seventh Ancestor was currently the highest-ranking and longest-living Old Ancestor still alive within the Sect, having witnessed far more storms and known far more secrets than anyone else in the Sect.

"Even you, Seventh Ancestor, have never heard of it?"

Xu Yuan instinctively pressed further, his tone unable to conceal his astonishment.

As his words fell, the other Old Ancestors in the hall also turned their gazes, clearly equally surprised by this answer.

Xu Yuan quickly calculated in his mind.

The Seventh Ancestor's experience was truly Heaven-Defying. Within and outside the Sect, from ancient secrets to the Sect's changes over the past ten thousand years, there was almost nothing he did not know.

If even he had never heard of this mysterious faction deep within the Forbidden Ground, it meant only two possibilities.

Either this so-called mysterious faction was utter nonsense, a lie deliberately fabricated or disguised by others,

or the faction had existed for an extremely long time, perhaps even longer than the Sect's history, and had hidden itself so deeply that it had never left the slightest trace in the world, thus evading the Seventh Ancestor's detection.

As everyone pondered this, another slightly urgent voice rang out.

"What about that potion? Let me see it!"

The speaker was an Old Ancestor seated on the right. He wore a purple Daoist robe embroidered with alchemical fire patterns, had a gaunt face, and sported three strands of ink-black long beard beneath his chin. A faint scent of medicinal herbs and a sharp metallic Aura subtly surrounded him. This was the Sect's twelfth-generation Old Ancestor.

This Old Ancestor was extremely renowned within the Sect, not because of his seniority or age, but due to his masterful skills in Alchemy and Artifact Refining.

He was recognized as the strongest Alchemist in the Sect's history. Even the most ordinary Body Tempering Pills he personally refined far surpassed those made by ordinary Alchemists. Simultaneously, his Artifact Refining skills had reached the pinnacle; many of the Sect's treasured Magic Treasures were crafted by his hand.

"Let me see it. I must examine whether this thing is as miraculous as you claim."

The Twelfth Ancestor urged again, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and scrutiny. As a top-tier master of Alchemy and artifacts, he was always highly sensitive to all kinds of rare and exotic treasures. Especially upon hearing about a potion related to a mysterious faction, he could hardly contain his desire to investigate.