Chapter 3

"Little one, wake up, wake up..."

In a daze, Su Ye didn't know how long had passed before he faintly heard a voice gently calling him. After several attempts, his heavy eyelids, as if weighed down by lead balls, finally opened. But immediately, a blinding white light pierced his eyes.

After a while, Su Ye finally adapted to the light, his vision clearing, and he realized he was floating in the air like a weightless feather, surrounded by a white mist.

"Where... is this?"

A look of surprise and confusion involuntarily appeared on Su Ye's face. He clearly remembered fainting on the third floor of the Ascension Pavilion. Before he lost consciousness, the ancestral statue had eerily opened its eyes, but he never expected the surroundings to change so drastically upon waking.

"This is my 'Divine Court.'"

A laugh suddenly echoed through the space.

"Who?"

Su Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he turned around sharply, his mouth opening wide. In front of him, another figure was floating in the air. It was a middle-aged man, dressed in a white robe, with a slender build and a smiling face, exuding an elegant and distinguished demeanor.

What Su Ye found most unbelievable was that the middle-aged man's face was identical to the ancestral statue in the Ascension Pavilion, with no difference at all.

"Ancestor? Could this be an illusion?"

Su Ye murmured, instinctively raising his hand to wipe his eyes. When he looked again, the middle-aged man was still smiling at him.

"You haven't seen wrong, I am Su Muzhe."

The middle-aged man smiled and teased, "Little one, you spent so much time cultivating in front of my body over the past five years. How could you not recognize me now that you're in my 'Divine Court'?"

"Are... are you really the Ancestor?"

Su Ye stammered, then, as if remembering something, he exclaimed in shock, "Ancestor, you... you... you're still alive?"

The middle-aged man's words, combined with the eyes he saw before fainting, led Su Ye to a shocking realization: the ancestral statue that had sat in the Ascension Pavilion for over three thousand years was not a lifeless object but the body of Ancestor Su Muzhe himself!

The more Su Ye thought about it, the more he believed his guess was correct.

For a moment, a wave of shock and awe surged in Su Ye's chest. He could imagine the impact this news would have on the Su family, and even on Gumu City, knowing that the Su family's ancestor had been a powerful Sumeru Realm cultivator three thousand years ago.

Su Muzhe sighed, "Little one, although I am alive, it's not much different from being dead. Moreover, my time is almost up."

"Ah?"

Su Ye was stunned, "How could that be..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly remembered that even Sumeru Realm cultivators were not immortal. After reaching the Life Seizing Realm, one could live up to two hundred years, and with each breakthrough, their lifespan doubled, allowing Sumeru Realm cultivators to live over twelve thousand years.

However, this was just a normal calculation. For some unknown reason, the Ancestor had been a statue for three thousand years, which must have drastically reduced his lifespan.

At that moment, Su Ye felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart. Over the past five years, he had spent about a third of his time on the third floor of the Ascension Pavilion, pouring out his heart to the statue, even though he had never received any response. The ancestral statue had become a spiritual support for him.

Su Muzhe smiled, "Little one, don't be sad. Seeing a once-in-a-millennium spiritual cultivation genius emerge in our Su family before I go is enough to make me content."

"Ancestor, I've been cultivating for ten years and can't even reach the Life Seizing Realm. How can I be a spiritual cultivation genius?" Su Ye said with a bitter face.

"Little one, are you already discouraged?"

Su Muzhe laughed, "Not being able to reach the Life Seizing Realm is nothing. You were born with twenty-six divine apertures and had thirty-six by the age of eight. Even now, with fifty-four divine apertures, you haven't reached the Life Seizing Realm... This isn't because your talent is poor, but because your talent is exceptionally good."

"Do you know that in other worlds outside the Dalu Realm, those who have thirty-six divine apertures and successfully reach the Life Seizing Realm are considered mediocre. Only true spiritual cultivation geniuses can break through after opening more dead apertures, and some can only do so after all one hundred and eight divine apertures are open!"

Su Ye had spent five years in the Ascension Pavilion, and Su Muzhe knew his situation well.

"What?"

Su Ye was incredibly shocked. He knew there were other worlds beyond the Dalu Realm, but he never imagined the situation would be like this. Breaking through the Life Seizing Realm after opening all one hundred and eight divine apertures? How long would it take to open all the dead apertures?

If it were him, he would probably die before he could open all the dead apertures.

"Surprised?"

Su Muzhe smiled, "Of course, the situation in the Dalu Realm is different from other worlds. In the Dalu Realm, it's very difficult to have more divine apertures before reaching the Life Seizing Realm because there are few suitable and powerful spiritual techniques. Even if a few powerful sects and clans have such techniques, they keep them secret and never share them. Ordinary cultivators can't easily access them."

Pausing, Su Muzhe continued, "Little one, you're only eighteen years old, and you've managed to have fifty-four divine apertures with just a sixth-grade spiritual technique, the 'Spring Rain Technique.' That's already very impressive. If you were mediocre, would I have called you to my Divine Court before I die?"

Hearing this, Su Ye nodded reflexively, then his eyes lit up with excitement, "Ancestor, do you mean..."

"Exactly, I have a spiritual technique that's suitable for you!"

Su Muzhe nodded and said, "Once, while searching an ancient relic, I accidentally obtained a 'Soul Pearl.' It was formed from the soul of an ancient supreme cultivator, continuously absorbing the essence of heaven and earth over countless years. For us cultivators, the 'Soul Pearl' is a treasured gem. If we can refine it, our cultivation will greatly increase."

"However, the ancient Soul Pearl isn't easy to refine. When I was still in the Absolute Thought Realm, I didn't dare act rashly, fearing the Soul Pearl's counterattack. After breaking through to the Sumeru Realm, I thought I was strong enough and couldn't resist. But I never expected the ancient Soul Pearl to be a massive trap. Once I jumped in, I couldn't get out."

At this point, Su Muzhe couldn't help but sigh deeply, "The Soul Pearl had its own consciousness. The moment my spiritual energy entered it, it suddenly attacked. I was caught off guard and was immediately possessed. However, I wasn't an easy target. In the instant my body was taken, I captured the Soul Pearl in my Divine Court. Since then, my descendants have thought I was missing, but in reality, I've been a statue, fighting the ancient Soul Pearl in the Ascension Pavilion for over three thousand years."

Su Ye couldn't help but take a deep breath. Although Su Muzhe's tone was calm, Su Ye could sense the incredible struggle beneath the calm. After losing control of his body, Su Muzhe could still hold out in the Divine Court for so long, which was unimaginably difficult.

For a moment, Su Ye felt even more admiration for the Ancestor.

However, he was also curious about the connection between the spiritual technique the Ancestor mentioned and the ancient Soul Pearl.

"At first, I thought the Soul Pearl's consciousness was a remnant of an ancient cultivator, but later, I discovered it contained a 'Xuan Ji Divine Seal,' and the consciousness came from this seal." Su Muzhe said solemnly.

"Xuan Ji Divine Seal?" Su Ye blinked, puzzled, as he had never heard of it before.

"Yes, the Xuan Ji Divine Seal!" Su Muzhe's eyes sparkled with excitement, "In the countless worlds, including our Dalu Realm, many spiritual techniques are carried by seals. Powerful techniques require powerful seals. I once heard that only the Xuan Ji Divine Seal can carry Saint-grade techniques."

"Saint-grade? Ancestor, isn't the strongest grade a first-grade technique?"

Su Ye asked, surprised.

Su Muzhe laughed, "In our Dalu Realm, that's true, but in other worlds, there are Heavenly-grade, Saint-grade, and even stronger techniques above first-grade."

"After discovering it was a Xuan Ji Divine Seal, I knew the technique it carried must come from outside our realm, possibly from a powerful world. Fortunately, the consciousness of the Xuan Ji Divine Seal wasn't overwhelmingly strong. After nearly three thousand years of struggle, I finally managed to completely deplete the ancient Soul Pearl's power, gaining the upper hand and glimpsing the secret of the technique. However, this technique can only be cultivated by those who have at least half of their apertures open and have not yet reached the Life Seizing Realm."

"Half of the apertures open..."

Su Ye's expression changed. He had exactly fifty-four divine apertures and had not yet reached the Life Seizing Realm.

Su Muzhe said, "Little one, you're lucky. This technique seems tailor-made for you, and you happen to have fifty-four divine apertures at this moment. Otherwise, I wouldn't have called you to the Divine Court, as I wouldn't want to risk passing on a dangerous secret to my descendants."

Su Ye nodded slightly, understanding the Ancestor's meaning. If he didn't have fifty-four divine apertures, he wouldn't be able to merge with the Xuan Ji Divine Seal and obtain the technique. In that case, possessing a Saint-grade or higher technique would bring disaster to the Su family due to the seal's aura attracting others' greed.

"Little one, now that you meet the conditions, I have no more reservations."

Su Muzhe looked at Su Ye with satisfaction, then his expression turned serious, "Next, I will completely defeat the consciousness of the Xuan Ji Divine Seal and send it into your body."

"Yes, Ancestor."

Su Ye nodded, but then asked worriedly, "Ancestor, after the Xuan Ji Divine Seal's consciousness is defeated, will you..."

"Of course, I will die."

Su Muzhe didn't avoid the topic, smiling, "If I could live, I wouldn't want to die. However, even though I have the upper hand, I need to use all my strength to destroy the Xuan Ji Divine Seal's consciousness. Moreover, after such a long struggle, I am already exhausted. Even if I survive temporarily, it would only be a matter of days. Little one, seeing the hope of the Su family's revival, I can die without regrets."

As he spoke, Su Muzhe's figure became increasingly faint.

"Ancestor!"

Su Ye called out urgently, but then heard a loud "boom." Su Muzhe's figure completely dissipated, and a blinding white light surged around him. At the same time, a blood-red, irregularly shaped ring appeared out of nowhere and was immediately covered by the white light.

"Little one, you must not reveal the secret of the Xuan Ji Divine Seal and this technique to anyone, remember, anyone..." Su Muzhe's solemn voice echoed again, followed by a sharp "swoosh." The blood-red object shot towards Su Ye and instantly merged with his forehead.

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