"My world was shrouded in gray, devoid of brilliant colors..."
On the lands of the Other World, a melancholy powerhouse stood by the sea, sitting as he played the zither. He let out a long sigh, like a giant drum shaking the heavens—dull yet powerful, echoing through the coastal region for a long time.
"Ge Qian, someone in the Nine Provinces of the Mortal World is attempting the final step. Aren't you going to seize the Dao Fruit?"
Several Other World Ancestor Gods stood beside him. Their attitude was strange; they seemed neither friends nor subordinates, but more like watchers. Even their tone was exceptionally rude.
"How could I seize it..."
The melancholy man, Ge Qian, replied calmly. He sat there serenely, still plucking the strings. As he spoke, the Chaos Mist trembled. He gazed toward the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps and Luoyang in the Nine Provinces of the Mortal World.
He was a middle-aged man dressed in ancient garments. His long grayish-brown hair curled slightly and fell naturally over his shoulders and back.
His skin was pale, as if he had not seen sunlight for countless years, giving him a somewhat sickly appearance. His weathered eyes were as unfathomable as the sea, seeming capable of seeing through one's mind.
Most eye-catching of all was his left arm. It had completely turned to stone and fused perfectly with his flesh-and-blood body. Though plain and unadorned, it sent chills through people's hearts.
He was a deeply contradictory man with an unusual temperament. He seemed peaceful, yet inspired terror. His appearance was calm, but the power hidden within him was horrifying.
Beyond the Ancestor God realm lay two paths: the path of the flesh-and-blood Supreme Ancestor God, and the path of transforming into a Stone Person King. The final step toward the flesh-and-blood