"What place is this?" Wang Xiu asked.
"The Hidden Sect," Zhuo Canglang said. "In our Sanqing Immortal Sect, all cultivators who are nearing the end of their lifespan with no hope for a breakthrough co here to await their final day."
Wang Xiu was slightly shocked, finally understanding what these mound-like hills were.
They’re tombs!
"I promised to give you a reward," Zhuo Canglang said.
Wang Xiu paused, not speaking again. What he had seen today was clearly the greatest secret of the Sanqing Immortal Sect. He understood that he would learn everything he was ant to know today.
Eventually, they arrived before a valley. The entrance was sealed by snow and ice, completely impenetrable. The surrounding temperature dropped sharply, suffused with a bone-chilling cold.
"Great Ancestor! I have brought the person," Zhuo Canglang called into the valley, his tone extrely respectful.
RUMBLE!
There was no sound from within the valley; the ice and snow seed sentient, parting to open a pathway.
"Go in by yourself. The Great Ancestor is cold-natured and dislikes crowds."
"Alright." Wang Xiu took a deep breath and entered the valley through the opening. The vines sealed the entrance behind him.
The passageway was neither long nor short; the mountain seed to have been completely hollowed out. Pools of water flanked both sides. There was no source of light, yet it was not dark.
Wang Xiu walked straight ahead, eventually reaching a small, ancient, and simple courtyard. It was filled with common wildflowers, none of which were rare treasures. The sky was perpetually filled with wind and snow, yet the surface of the water was not frozen. It was truly magical.
"Junior Wang Xiu pays his respects to the Ancestor!" From a great distance, Wang Xiu bowed toward the courtyard.
SWIRL!
The surface of the water stirred, and an ice coffin slowly erged from the depths. The coldness in the air grew even more piercing, and the blizzard surged like a tide, forming waves of wind that crashed against Wang Xiu.
Wang Xiu remained as still as a mountain, standing perfectly straight. The wind and snow clung to his body, moving with an intelligence of their own, feeling like an invisible hand roaming over him.
"It truly is a Twelve-color Nascent Soul. Little Zhuo did not deceive ."
A voice, like that of a woman, emanated from the ice coffin. It echoed between heaven and earth, ethereally faint, as if it had rged with the wind and snow, or was the very embodint of this world.
"My Sanqing has faced great calamity and has been on the verge of ruin several tis. I never imagined we would find such a person. It seems this is truly the will of the heavens. The heavens do not wish for our Sanqing to perish," a sigh emanated from the ice coffin.
Suddenly, the coffin lid shifted aside. The wind and snow converged at one spot as starlight cascaded down. A figure slowly stepped out from the heart of the blizzard.
A full head of white hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall. Her waist was slender enough to be encircled by a single hand, and her skin was fairer than snow, glowing with a pale light. Her long, straight, jade-like legs were especially unforgettable, like sculptures of pure ice.
Wang Xiu would bet that these were, without a doubt, the most perfect legs he had ever seen. There was no comparison.
Unexpectedly, this Sanqing ancestor, who was on the brink of death, was a peerless beauty.
Wang Xiu was surprised, but he quickly understood.
For cultivators, maintaining their appearance and youth is simple; the only question is whether they want to or not. Generally speaking, male cultivators don’t care much for it. Looking older, with white hair but a youthful face, makes them appear more like transcendent immortals. Looking too young can make them seem frivolous or unimpressive. But female cultivators, no matter their age, always appear in their youngest, most beautiful state. This is why it’s often said there are no ugly won among cultivators. And certainly no old hags. Even the enchantresses of the Demonic Path were all bewitchingly beautiful.
"Greetings, Senior." Wang Xiu’s will was firm. He quickly cast aside his distracting thoughts and bowed again.
"Oh, and such a handso young man, too. If that’s the case, I feel much better about handing everything over to you..." the Snow Ancestor said, appraising Wang Xiu. Her lips curled slightly into a captivating smile.
Wang Xiu’s mouth twitched.
Didn’t the Sect Leader say this ancestor had a cold personality? Cold personality my foot!
"Senior... please don’t joke," Wang Xiu said with a wry smile. He still felt a deep reverence for this Great Ability who had lived for who knows how many years.
"Who’s joking with you? Didn’t little Zhuo explain things clearly?" the Snow Ancestor’s voice was clear and exceedingly lodious.
"He did not," Wang Xiu replied honestly. "My Martial Uncle only said that I would know everything once I arrived."
"Hmph, that little Zhuo. He’s still so good at slacking off. I’m already about to push up daisies, and he still can’t spare a little trouble..." The Snow Ancestor pressed a hand to her forehead, looking quite vexed.
Then, with a flick of her fingers, the ice coffin suddenly landed between the two of them. The Snow Ancestor sat down on it first, then patted the other side. "Co on. Sit and chat while there’s still ti."
Wang Xiu hesitated. "...This... isn’t quite proper, is it?"
"I don’t care, so what are you worried about?" the Snow Ancestor said. "Relax, I’m not dead yet. There’s nothing ominous about it."
Wang Xiu coughed twice and sat down beside the Snow Ancestor. The mont he sat down, he gasped, sucking in a sharp breath of cold air.
I’m lucky my physical body is so strong. An ordinary person could never handle this!
So unbelievably cold!
"Young man, your Yang energy is quite robust... Youth and a healthy body are wonderful things," the Snow Ancestor remarked, her lips curving into a suggestive smile.
"It’s alright."
"I heard you’re quite outstanding. At such a young age, you’ve killed many from the Demon Race and even shattered the world rules of the Ancient Sanctuary, freeing the people trapped inside?" the Snow Ancestor asked softly, as if they were discussing everyday matters.
"It was mostly luck," Wang Xiu said modestly.
"Luck is a wonderful thing. So many people seek it but can never find it," the Snow Ancestor sighed, her beautiful eyes shimring as she reminisced. "Back then, if we’d had just a bit more luck, many things wouldn’t have ended up this way..."
"The seniors of the past fought bloody battles against the Demon Race. Their deeds were both heroic and heartbreaking, and I have long admired them," Wang Xiu said earnestly.
"There’s nothing worthy of admiration," Snow Ancestor said, waving her hand. "We were just a group of people trying to survive. It was our turn. We didn’t want to die, and we didn’t want to beco fodder for the Demon Race, so we could only fight."
Her tone was calm, as if she never regarded those past wars as a source of pride, but rather as a choice born of helplessness.
"There are many ways to survive," Wang Xiu said seriously. "You chose the right one and persevered. That alone is remarkable and puts you far above ordinary people."
The Snow Ancestor looked at him, a light shining in her beautiful eyes. "Soone told sothing very similar to that, long ago."
"Who?" Wang Xiu asked, surprised.
"You should have t them already," she replied. "In the Nine Nether Prison."
"..."
The air fell silent for a long ti.
"Ah, I really am getting old," the Snow Ancestor suddenly chuckled with self-mockery. "Whenever I chat with a young person, the conversation always turns to such heavy topics..."
Wang Xiu looked up and saw the twilight of her life reflected on her exquisitely beautiful face.
She’s really dying. Her lifespan is almost over.
He subconsciously used the Supre Sensing Chapter to perceive the Qi within her body and discovered the sa situation he had found with Luo Binglan.
How long is the lifespan of an Earth Immortal Level powerhouse? The Snow Ancestor doesn’t look like soone who has truly lived for that long. Who knows how much of her life she burned away in the past battles against the Demon Race.
"I have cultivated for over three thousand years," the Snow Ancestor began, her voice soft. "I’ve seen the azure seas and blue skies, traveled to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, entered Demon Sea Island to slay demons, and journeyed to the Desolate Wilds Demon Realm to hunt monsters. I have seen and experienced countless wonders of the mortal world. This life has been enough."
She slowly stood up. Her plain robe began to glow, outlining her perfect celestial body as immortal light radiated outward, filling the area with a serene peace.
She looked down at Wang Xiu, her beauty indescribable, and spoke slowly. "But upon reflection, I haven’t made any great contributions in my life. Even when I wanted to help suppress the demon hordes in the Nine Nether Prison, they stopped and wouldn’t let go. If I were to die just like this, I’m sure they would all laugh at ! But luckily, the cultivation I have left can still be of so use... Kid, are you ready to accept my gift?"
Wang Xiu’s heart lurched.
So this was the gift Zhuo Canglang ntioned... the parting gift of an Earth Immortal Level ancestor? What an incredible gesture! An Earth Immortal powerhouse, igniting her own life to illuminate another’s path! What kind of heaven-sent opportunity is this?
Yet, Wang Xiu couldn’t feel happy. Looking at the Snow Ancestor before him, his mind kept flashing back to the twelve immortal skeletons in the Nine Nether Prison. His heart felt heavy as a stone.
"Kid, why are you hesitating?" The Snow Ancestor raised her eyebrows, looking proud as she said, "I never brag. Even though my current strength is less than one ten-thousandth of what it was at my peak... it’s still enough to make your path to Tribulation Transcendence a hundred, no, a thousand tis smoother!"
[Ding!]
[Detected soone nearby bragging excessively, triggering a critical hit and reaching the System’s high disdain threshold. Gained Mana 19,998, Mana Quality 19,998!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Qing Emperor’s Longevity Scripture" Complete Experience Card!]
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