Above the sky, the ancient golden light finally took shape.
The pillar of light was woven from countless intricate golden runes. It had no physical form, yet it was heavier than any stone door, as if an entire river of time had been compressed into its outline.
"The access channel is open."
The Five-Crown King stood up, his gaze falling on the golden door, and his grip on his longsword tightened slightly.
"The ancient path is now open. Those who obtain the futon may enter the Ultimate Ancient Land."
Deep within the ancient pass, an ancient and aged voice resounded throughout the land.
The voice was ethereal, like a celestial melody, seemingly emanating from the depths of time; devoid of emotion, yet carrying an undeniable majesty.
Then, six golden beams of light shot into the sky simultaneously from the six prayer cushions.
The pillar of light enveloped the six people, as if they were being lifted up by an invisible hand and sent deeper into the golden immortal gate.
The speed wasn't fast, but it made everyone feel as if the space was being stretched.
Like a ray of afterglow from eternity past, it travels through the long river of time...
The scene before him shattered and reformed in an instant, as if countless fragments of images were flitting past the edge of Lin Fan's consciousness.
There are fallen stars and collapsed celestial palaces.
There are towering figures silently battling in the void, and slow-motion shots of broken fragments of immortal Immortal Stele falling from the clouds.
"The imperial prince... is leaving."
Where will they be taken?
Below the Immortal Ladder, countless cultivators looked up, their gazes following the six golden beams, their eyes filled with complex emotions and awe.
" The Ultimate Ancient Land, the legendary location of the Immortal Stele."
"This departure... I fear that when we meet again, we will be in completely different worlds."
The six golden rays gradually shrank at the edge of the sky above the ancient pass, transforming into six golden specks of light that merged into the eternal gate of immortal light.
"Holy crap, the Imperial Prince is about to take off!"
"It's ascension!"
"Stop talking, my tear ducts are mingling with the smell of roasted dragon meat, it's getting a bit intoxicating."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion.
Enveloped in golden light, Lin Fan opened his eyes and saw an endless, stretching ancient bluestone road beneath his feet, and endless flowing immortal light above his head. In the distance, he could vaguely see a majestic Qingtong palace with its doors open, through which it seemed as if countless ages were flowing.
Then, everything returned to calm.
Lin Fan stood firmly on the ground, opened his eyes, and found himself in a world completely different from the Immortal Ancient Ruins.
This place is shrouded in Immortal Qi, its Daoist aura so rich it's almost tangible. Fine golden dust floats in the air, each speck resembling a miniature rune of law, slowly rotating and radiating an aura of timelessness.
"Is this where the Immortal Stele is located?"
He asked a question.
No one answered.
The air here is completely different from that of the Three Thousand Provinces.
Each breath felt like swallowing a wisp of diluted immortal energy, causing his Chaos Gods and Devils Body to operate spontaneously, greedily absorbing everything around him.
"Wait, where's the Immortal Stele?"
Lin Fan looked around and stroked his chin. "I thought I'd be delivered directly to the Immortal Stele, but it turns out I have to walk there myself?"
His voice echoed through the empty ancient land.
The echoes reverberated in layers, like a pebble thrown into an ancient, still pool.
Just then, a figure slowly materialized in front of them.
It is not a physical entity, but rather a wisp of light and shadow worn very faint by the passage of time, with blurred outlines. Only a pair of eyes, as if they have accumulated the wisdom of countless eras, are clear and far-reaching.
"In this degenerate age, you have actually managed to condense Immortal Qi in the Sage Realm."
The voice, neither loud nor soft, resounded directly in his mind, devoid of any emotion, yet it made him feel a gaze emanating from the very level of life itself. "Not bad, not bad, much better than I expected."
I admire Lin Fan.
Lin Fan looked at the figure, which was an Immortal Qi white-haired old man who, for the first time, had abandoned his usual laziness.
He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect befitting a junior.
Judging from appearances, this person must be the legendary guide...
Regardless of who the other party is, being able to leave a remnant soul in such a place and see through the wisp of immortal Immortal Qi within him at a glance is definitely not something simple.
"Junior Lin Fan greets Senior."
Lin Fan straightened up, his tone tinged with curiosity. "What do you mean by the 'End of Dharma Era' that you spoke of, senior?"
Isn't this the golden age?
Geniuses emerge in great numbers, Immortal Ancient Ruins rise!
The guide did not answer immediately.
Her deep eyes looked at him calmly, as if she could see a more distant shadow through his young body.
"Heaven and earth cycle, and the great Dao rises and falls."
Then he spoke, with a calm tone but with a hint of unspeakable emotion. "The Three Thousand Provinces you are in is a corner left after the collapse of the ancient immortality. The Tao is incomplete and the spiritual energy is poor. It is not easy to cultivate to the holy realm. Being able to condense the immortal energy in the holy realm... Even in the ancient immortal era, it is considered rare."
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow and tentatively asked, "Is Immortal Qi that powerful?"
It seems I was right not to break through to Quasi-Emperor...
The guide was silent for a moment, a very faint ripple flashing in his eyes, as if amused by his words, or as if recalling some distant past.
" Immortal Qi is the foundation for becoming an immortal."
"A Immortal Qi is like a seed planted in your dantian. The day it takes root and sprouts is the day you take that first step. Ordinary cultivators may not be able to condense even a wisp in their entire lives, but you... at such a young age, you've already condensed one in the Sage Realm. You ask if it's amazing?"
He paused, then added, "One begets two, two begets three, three begets all things, three is the ultimate number! A person can only condense three strands of Immortal Qi."
"A Immortal Qi, unmatched among those of the same realm!"
"Two strands of Immortal Qi can slay emperors and immortals beyond their level; three strands of Immortal Qi grant the appearance of Immortal Emperor! Even in the ancient immortal era, such power would incur the envy of the heavens."
Lin Fan clicked his tongue, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Is one wisp too little for me?"
Um...
The guide glanced at him, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly, as if he was suppressing a laugh, or perhaps marveling at the young man's considerable appetite.
"This is... something that can only be encountered by chance."
The guide gave him a deep look. "The condensation of every wisp of Immortal Qi requires talent, extremely profound accumulation, and an opportunity that is extremely difficult to replicate. The strongest prodigy I have ever seen has only condensed two Immortal Qi."
"Alright... I won't say any more!"
" The Immortal Stele is just ahead."
"It is a relic of a Immortal King from the Ancient Celestial Era, containing the secrets to becoming a Celestial. Unfortunately..."
His tone suddenly carried a hint of regret. "If the Immortal Stele were intact, you might have been able to comprehend a second strand of Immortal Qi within it. But now, the Immortal Stele has been incomplete for a long time; how much fortune it can grant you depends entirely on your own destiny."
Lin Fan followed his gaze.
At the far end of the ancient land, an ancient monument stands silently.
The monument is dark gray all over, and its surface is covered with dense cracks, as if it has been torn apart countless times by the years and war.
Even so, it still exudes an indescribable Daoist charm, as if a compressed ancient world lies dormant within it.
Lin Fan took a few steps closer, his gaze falling on the monument.
The Chaos Qi within his body suddenly trembled slightly, as if something invisible had plucked a string on a musical instrument.
"Buzz!"
Immediately afterwards, the two fragments of the Dao Comprehension Stele that had been quietly dormant in his storage ring simultaneously emitted an extremely faint hum.
Like two hearts separated by countless years, they finally sensed each other's presence across endless void and began to beat simultaneously.
Lin Fan's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.