The clan's foundational secret scripture?
Chen Qingyu was instantly filled with delight and surprise. He hurriedly bowed and said:
"Thank you, Ancestor."
"Hahaha!"
The white-haired youth laughed heartily, then turned to Chen Zhengxing:
"Zhengxing, are you still serving as the guardian of the Great Yin Grotto?"
Chen Zhengxing's expression shifted slightly. He lowered his head and said:
"Yes."
The white-haired youth's smile faded. After a moment of silence, he slowly said:
"So much time has passed since that incident. Let it go."
"Starting today, you are relieved of your duties as guardian. Spend more time at home with Qingyu and take charge of guiding his cultivation."
At these words:
The expressions of Chen Guangyao and the elders immediately changed. They exchanged several glances, then all fell unusually silent.
Chen Zhengxing trembled all over. He abruptly bowed deeply, a trace of hoarseness entering his voice:
"Thank you, Ancestor."
"No need to thank me."
The white-haired youth gave him a long look:
"If you want to thank someone, thank yourself for having such a good son."
Chen Zhengxing bowed once more without a word.
Watching this unfold, Chen Qingyu's thoughts stirred:
It seems my father might have made some mistake back then?
And if he can guide my cultivation, that means he cultivates the clan's foundational secret scripture himself.
He keenly sensed that his father must have had many stories from his youth.
However, this was clearly not the time to ask.
"All of you, remember this."
The white-haired youth slowly rose, sweeping his gaze over everyone:
"All information concerning Qingyu is to be classified as top secret. Not a word may be revealed to anyone!"
"Anyone who dares disobey, I will grind their bones to dust and scatter their ashes, extract their soul, and torment it in netherfire for ten thousand years!"
"Yes!"
Everyone in the hall immediately grew solemn and voiced their assent:
"We shall obey your decree, Ancestor!"
The white-haired youth nodded slightly, then looked at Chen Qingyu with a faint smile:
"Little Qingyu, come with me."
With that, he swept his sleeve and vanished into thin air, taking Chen Qingyu with him.
Only then did Chen Guangyao and the elders let out long breaths. Clearly, facing this ancestor had placed them under considerable pressure.
"Zhengxing."
Chen Guangyao looked at Chen Zhengxing and said:
"Back then, you caused an earth-shaking uproar over that incident. Though the supreme elders and ancestors did not intervene directly, they knew about it."
"They also tacitly approved of how we dealt with you."
"But today, since the Ninth Ancestor has spoken, that incident shall be wiped from the slate. You need not guard the Great Yin Grotto anymore."
He paused, then continued earnestly:
"Today, you have finally been freed. From now on, your focus must be on your son, Qingyu."
"He is the future of our Chen Clan!"
Chen Zhengxing nodded silently, his voice low:
"I understand."
Chen Guangyao nodded, then suddenly said meaningfully:
"The Ninth Ancestor was quite right. You should thank yourself for having such an extraordinary son."
"That wish you failed to fulfill back then-once Qingyu grows up and stands proudly above the world, there may yet be a chance..."
Chen Zhengxing trembled all over. After a moment of silence, he gave a long sigh:
"If that truly happens, I will have no regrets left in this life."
Whoosh!
Chen Qingyu's vision blurred.
When he could see his surroundings clearly again, his mind reeled and his eyes widened:
In every direction, above and below, stretched a dazzling sea of stars. Countless stars glittered, giving off an eternal, ancient presence.
And amid that boundless sea of stars:
He and the white-haired man stood on an island floating in the void.
Verdant trees covered the floating island, streams murmured, and a three-story bamboo building stood at its center, brimming with antique charm.
"Ancestor, this place is..."
Looking astonished, he instinctively turned to the white-haired youth.
The white-haired youth said with a beaming smile:
"This is an independent space I opened deep within the Floating Heavenly Palace. I usually cultivate in seclusion here."
"Well? Quite a view, isn't it?"
At his words, Chen Qingyu could not help looking awed.
Opening an independent space?
This truly was an incredible feat. Even among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Transformations, only great divine abilities such as Manipulation of Creation and Moving Stars and Shifting the Dipper could accomplish it.
Of course, actually wielding such great divine abilities also required incomparably powerful cultivation to support them.
"Ancestor."
Coming back to his senses, Chen Qingyu could not help murmuring:
"Does that mean this isn't the only independent space within the Floating Heavenly Palace?"
"Of course."
The white-haired youth smiled faintly:
"The Floating Heavenly Palace is the very foundation of our Chen Clan of Changluo. It holds many secrets."
"But at your current stage, you need not concern yourself with them. Focusing wholeheartedly on cultivation is what matters most."
With that, his expression turned serious, and he said solemnly:
"Qingyu, what I am about to teach you is our Chen Clan's foundational secret scripture, the Taihao Limitless Ascension True Scripture."
"This profound cultivation art was passed down personally by our ancestor, Saint King Chenliu. It leads directly to the realm of the supreme Great Emperor, and its mysteries are inconceivable. It is the foundation upon which our Chen Clan stands."
"Within the Chen Clan, only you, with your honored status as Dao Child, may receive this profound art directly without any assessment. You must treasure it deeply."
Chen Qingyu immediately grew solemn and declared clearly:
"I understand. Please bestow the art upon me, Ancestor."
"Good!"
The white-haired youth swept his sleeve, sending a speck of spiritual light shooting straight into the space between Chen Qingyu's brows.
In an instant:
A boom shook Chen Qingyu's mind, and a wealth of mysterious characters, diagrams, and profound truths appeared within it, instantly drawing him into them.
As his comprehension deepened, the many scripture passages and diagrams faintly coalesced into the image of a star.
This star was unimaginably vast, entirely black, and exuded a weighty, ancient, boundless, mysterious presence.
This was the Star of Grand Hao!
A glimmer of understanding instantly rose in Chen Qingyu's heart.
The Star of Grand Hao was the legendary ancestor of all stars, the first star born after heaven and earth were created.
Immeasurably vast!
Immeasurably heavy!
Immeasurably magnificent!
After heaven and earth stabilized, the Star of Grand Hao shattered, giving rise to the sun, moon, and countless stars between heaven and earth. It was the origin of all stars.
The Star of Grand Hao represented the source and beginning of the power of all the stars in the heavens!
This was the most powerful, most exalted stellar power!
Insights flashed through Chen Qingyu's mind one after another, and his presence began to fluctuate.
Only after an unknown amount of time did he gradually return to his senses and open his eyes.
"How does it feel?"
Before him, the white-haired youth asked with a beaming smile.
"Incredible!"
Chen Qingyu's eyes held wonder:
"With the Taihao Limitless Ascension True Scripture, even in the Meridian Opening Realm, each layer allows one to open twelve Heavenly Martial Meridians!"
"As for the Aperture Opening Realm, each layer requires awakening a hundred and forty-four Earthly Acupoints..."
The white-haired youth laughed heartily:
"A hundred and eight martial meridians and twelve hundred and ninety-six acupoints. Those are the limits of the Meridian Opening Realm and Aperture Opening Realm, their most perfect states."
"Such an achievement is called the supreme foundation."
"Across the Ancient Desolate Continent, the people of this generation who can lay such a foundation within the Four Physical Body Realms can be counted on one's fingers."
Hearing this, Chen Qingyu could not help nodding silently.
To cultivate the clan's foundational secret scripture, unless one rendered unparalleled merit, there was ordinarily only one opportunity-
A direct-line descendant had to advance to the Blood Sea Realm before the cultivation assessment at age nine.
In reality, however, this was extraordinarily difficult. Even Chen Qingyuan, who possessed seven-star talent and the Pure Yang Sacred Physique, could only be said to have a chance.
"Qingyu!"
The white-haired youth's expression grew serious, and he said in a deep voice:
"I opened this space by gathering the power of the stars. It is ideally suited to cultivating our Chen Clan's arts."
"Seize this opportunity. With me guarding you, switch cultivation arts and transform your foundation, attaining the strongest Meridian Opening Realm in one stroke."