Realm Sea, Water Origin Spirit Realm.
The ancestral grounds of the Tian He Lineage floated above a vast, boundless expanse of azure waters.
Waterfalls cascaded down from the horizon, yet made not the slightest sound. The water turned in midair into the purest Spiritual Energy, nourishing this ancient land.
Shui Tian passed through archways built of flowing water, his footsteps ringing crisply against the warm, jade-smooth ground.
The Killing Intent clinging to him was cleansed away by the gentle water-attributed Spiritual Energy the moment he entered.
But the heaviness in his heart did not lessen in the slightest.
He continued onward, finally stopping before an ancient, unadorned hall.
There were no guards at the entrance.
Only two clear springs trickled down from either side of the lintel and flowed into the pond before the hall.
Shui Tian straightened his robes and bowed.
"Old Ancestor, I've returned."
Silence filled the hall.
After a long while, an aged yet vigorous voice passed through the curtain of water and reached his ears.
"Come in."
Shui Tian stepped into the hall.
It was spacious and empty. At its center lay a vast pool, its water so clear that he could see the bottom, and brimming with vitality.
An old man with snow-white hair and beard sat cross-legged atop a lotus dais in the middle of the pool, his eyes closed.
His body was withered, as if the wind might scatter him at any moment.
Yet the aura he emanated was as deep as the sea, like the ancestral grounds themselves.
This was the Tian He Lineage's bedrock, Old Ancestor Ling Shan.
Shui Tian walked to the edge of the pool and bowed again.
"Old Ancestor."
Old Ancestor Ling Shan did not open his eyes. He merely spoke calmly:
"Tell me. What did you gain