In the center of the hall, a figure sat cross-legged atop a protruding rock.
Fang Yan looked closely and realized that the rock was actually the skull of a massive beast.
The skull was dark brown, its surface covered in cracks worn by time, yet its former savagery was still apparent.
Three curved bone horns rose from its forehead. Its eye sockets were deeply sunken, and its slightly parted jaws revealed two rows of sharp skeletal teeth.
The skull of an Immortal Level demon beast!
The Fang Family Ancestor sat atop that skull, his eyes half-closed, not a trace of aura leaking from his body.
After just one glance, Fang Yan's heart skipped a beat.
The strongest Immortal God in the Southern Border Star Domain truly lived up to his reputation.
"You're here?"
An aged voice rang through the hall, neither loud nor soft, as though casually asking a question.
Fang Yan dropped to one knee and performed the salute a Fang Family junior would offer an elder.
"This junior, Fang Yan, pays respects to the Ancestor."
"Rise." The Ancestor opened his eyes.
They were very ordinary eyes. There was no golden light, no runes; they even looked somewhat clouded.
"A Wind Law Imprint. Mm, not bad."
The Ancestor nodded slightly, his tone calm.
"To gain recognition from the laws at the World Lord stage in only two hundred years... Lie had raised a fine son."
"You flatter me, Ancestor." Fang Yan answered respectfully, doing his best to keep his voice steady.
"No need to be so restrained."
The Ancestor waved his hand, a faint smile appearing on his wrinkled old face.
"I dislike all that empty formality. Sit."
He casually pointed to a meditation cushion on the floor of the hall.
Fang Yan sat down as instructed, but he did not dare relax in the slightest.
"Do you know why I summoned you?" the Ancestor asked.
Fang Yan honestly shook his head.
The Ancestor fell silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.
That sigh echoed through the empty hall, carrying an indescribable meaning.
"The Fang Family has been rooted in the Southern Border Star Domain for seventy thousand Yuan. From our initial Stellar Level founder to now, we have passed through three generations of Immortals. I am the third."
The Ancestor spoke slowly.
"Seventy thousand Yuan—neither long nor short. Yet the Fang Family's territory has not expanded for eight million years."
Fang Yan's heart stirred.
The Ancestor continued, "The Primordial Universe is becoming livelier and livelier. The Human Race is expanding, and the other peak races are expanding as well. Those small powers that once kept to their own corners will either be annexed or crushed. The Southern Border Star Domain may be remote, but sooner or later, the winds will reach us."
He paused, his gaze settling on Fang Yan.
"And you are the only member of my Fang Family in seventy thousand Yuan who has any hope of entering the Immortal realm within ten thousand years."
Fang Yan froze for a moment.
Ten thousand years?
From World Lord Ninth Order to Immortal, he did not dare say it was guaranteed, but with the Spring Autumn Cicada Clone assisting him, his comprehension of the Time Law was advancing at an incredible pace. Coupled with resources like Wind Origin Crystals, wasn't ten thousand years far too conservative?
But on second thought, he understood.
In the early Primordial Universe, breaking through from World Lord to Immortal was an exceptionally difficult matter.
Without methods to accelerate law comprehension, without the inheritances of Chaos Steles, ordinary World Lords could spend dozens of Yuan without crossing that threshold.
The Ancestor's estimate of ten thousand years was already extremely high praise.
"So, I intend to give you two choices."
The Ancestor rose to his feet and slowly floated down from the top of the skull, landing before Fang Yan.
Fang Yan held his breath.
With a wave of the Ancestor's hand, two clusters of light appeared out of thin air in the hall.
The cluster on the left was azure, shaped like a great bird spreading its wings. Its wingspan stretched several yards, and countless Wind Secret Patterns surfaced across its feathers. Faint sounds of wind came from within.
The cluster on the right was a fist-sized crystal, entirely jade-blue, with a wisp of impossibly light aura sealed inside.
That aura slowly circulated within the crystal. Every time it completed a cycle, Fang Yan felt the Wind Law Imprint between his brows twitch gently.
"The Wind God Wings are an Immortal flight-type secret treasure. When activated at full power, they can instantly escape hundreds of thousands of miles. For a child like you... mm, one with a rather cautious personality, they are quite suitable."
The Fang Family Ancestor pointed to the left. Fang Yan's mouth twitched.
What did he mean by "a rather cautious personality"? Was the Ancestor tactfully saying that he was afraid of death?
He definitely was!
"The Wind Origin Crystal contains a wisp of Wind Origin. After refining it, your comprehension of the Law of Wind will greatly improve."
After speaking, the Ancestor calmly watched Fang Yan.
"Two choices. Pick one."
Fang Yan grumbled inwardly. Couldn't he choose both? Did the Ancestor really take him for a child?
But on second thought, everyone was living frugally in the early Primordial Universe.
The Primal Stars had not opened many times, vast stretches of cosmic secret realms had yet to be developed, and even the Eight Beast Gods were still alive and well.
For the Fang Family Ancestor to heavily invest resources in him under such circumstances was indeed not easy.
Fang Yan immediately reached out and grabbed the jade-blue cluster of light.
The Wind Origin Crystal felt warm and smooth in his hand. The Wind Origin within seemed to sense the Law Imprint between his brows and let out a faint hum, as though it could not wait to merge with him.
The Ancestor watched his choice, surprise flashing through his eyes before turning into understanding.
"I thought you would choose those wings."
Fang Yan gripped the Wind Origin Crystal and grinned.
"Ancestor, no matter how good the wings are, they are external things. Cultivation is what truly belongs to me. I may be afraid of death, but I am even more afraid of being left behind by others."
The Ancestor stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly laughed.
That smile did not carry the majesty of an Immortal God. Instead, it resembled an elder seeing through a junior's thoughts, with a hint of teasing.
"Afraid of being left behind by others?" The Ancestor repeated the words and gently shook his head.
"Not a bad excuse."
Fang Yan played dumb. "What do you mean, Ancestor? I don't understand."
"If you don't understand, then forget it."
The Ancestor turned around, floated back to the top of the skull, and sat down again, waving his hand.
"Take the item and return. Remember, after refining the Wind Origin Crystal, you must comprehend the Law of Wind to perfection within ten thousand years, then attempt to break through to the Immortal realm. When the time comes, I will personally guard you."
Ten thousand years. Fang Yan's heart tightened.
"Yes."
He bowed, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the hall.
After taking only two steps, the Ancestor's voice sounded again behind him, suddenly carrying a deeper meaning.
"Oh, Fang Yan."
Fang Yan halted.
"That little thing hidden inside your body is concealed quite deeply. Hurry and break through to the Immortal realm. Once you reach the Immortal realm, no great being will set their sights on that little thing of yours."
Fang Yan's entire body stiffened.
In that instant, his mind went blank. The Spring Autumn Cicada Clone deep within his Origin Core shook violently, nearly bursting out of his body.
The Ancestor's voice remained calm, as though he were discussing some trivial matter.
"Everyone has secrets. So do I. As long as your secret does not harm the Fang Family, I will pretend I never saw it."
With that, the hall returned to silence.
Fang Yan stood where he was, cold sweat running down his spine all the way to his waist.
PS. Recently, many readers have been wondering how the Fang Family Ancestor discovered the protagonist's Clone.
Tingyu will explain it here for all you esteemed readers. In the original work, Chaos Lord needed the Initial Universe to discover that Luo Feng had possessed the Golden Horned Beast.
But!
But! That was when Luo Feng had not used any innate secret technique!
Yinghuo Star is only so large, and the protagonist was using the Spring Autumn Cicada to exploit a bug there. For an Immortal, noticing an extra trace of time power in his own home should be quite easy, right? ٩(๑^o^๑)۶
(Thank you here to all you esteemed readers for your support. If there is anything wrong with Tingyu's writing, please point it out. Tingyu is currently a full-time writer and will revise it as soon as it is seen. Thank you once again for all your support! (◦˙▽˙◦)!)
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