Primordial Wilderness.
Qingqiu.
A lonely island in the lake, a small pavilion.
"Ling Yi," "Kongmeng," "Mogui," "Fu Qiong," and "Zisai" stood beneath the main hall. All but "Ling Yi" kept their eyes lowered, their expressions respectful.
At the head of the hall sat a figure wrapped in layers of mist, its true appearance impossible to discern. The presence was full of contradictions, yet utterly perfect.
Spirit Incense rose in wisps from the gilded censer, its smoke filling the room.
As time passed, the ash fell in soft showers.
A moment later, the last stick of Spirit Incense burned away. As its ash fell, the curling smoke swirled, and Wushi's figure dispersed like clouds and mist, vanishing without a trace.
Sensing that Ancestor Wushi had left, Kongmeng, Mogui, Fu Qiong, and Zisai slowly lifted their heads.
Out of respect for their forefather, they had kept their eyes lowered and never looked directly at Ancestor Wushi.
At that moment, Fu Qiong said calmly, "The Primordial ancestors are about to cut down Jianmu!"
Kongmeng, Mogui, and Zisai all nodded.
Zisai looked around and said solemnly, "Though we have become immortals, this is still a bygone age."
"In truth, we are still caught in the game of Go!"
"Before our forefather cuts down Jianmu, we must climb it once more and return to our own time!"
Among the ascension secrets passed down by the Nine Sects of the Panyai Realm, there were three rules concerning the climb up Jianmu.
The second rule stated that every living being in the mortal world had only one chance to climb Jianmu! (See Chapter 3 of this volume.)
The five of them had already climbed Jianmu once, but this rule applied only to mortal beings. Now that they had become immortals, they were no longer bound by it.