The Ancestral Altar, also known as the Ancestral Sacrificial Altar.
This place is a landscape of crumbling walls and ancient stone carvings, remnants of history strewn everywhere, many left behind from the great wars of the previous era.
Located at the very heart of the Imperial Pass, it is the most sacred of grounds.
Here lie the bones of ancestors, immortal inscriptions, an ancient sacrificial site that has endured through the ages, and sealed stone chambers—rumored to house those who have meditated for an entire epoch without emerging.
The invincible figures of the Imperial Pass also reside here year-round, only appearing when great battles demand their presence.
It is said that these individuals may even predate Meng Tianzheng, Wang Changsheng, and Jin Taijun, existing as peers of the same legendary caliber.
A vast golden path, stretching countless miles, carried Shi Hao and his companions to the outermost reaches of this sacred region. As they stepped onto the ground, the sight before them was one of mist-shrouded ruins—broken walls and rubble etched with the wear of time, the weight of history, fragmented yet profound, like a living chronicle of antiquity rushing toward them.
Though desolate, the area was far from lifeless today. A great gathering had taken place, with countless beings seated upon the earth.
None ventured deep into the Ancestral Altar; all remained at the periphery, perched upon massive stones and ruins, engaged in fervent discussion.
These were the esteemed elders of various clans, numbering no fewer than a hundred thousand.
Word had spread that Shi Hao had returned with a wooden chest of immense significance, and all had gathered to witness it firsthand.
Had it not been for this, they would have surely sought him out themselves.
In the distance stood a dilapidated palace, also near the outer region, typically barren and uninhabited.
But now, the dust had been swept away, and within, chaotic energy swirled, obscuring vision.
Faintly visible were several ancient figures seated in meditation, motionless, their auras restrained like stone. Yet, their presence alone inspired an instinctive reverence.
Without a doubt, these were the Supreme Beings—awakened and seated in silence.
Among them were Jin Taijun, Wang Changsheng, and the invincible figures of the Imperial Pass.
“Wait here. I will deliver the chest to the ancient hall,” said a middle-aged woman with a gentle smile, reaching for the wooden box.
“A few more steps won’t make a difference,” Shi Hao replied, striding forward toward the Ancestral Altar, determined to present the chest himself.
“Who is this woman? Another from the Jin Family, always meddling. Does she really think she can stop Shi Hao from entering the Ancestral Altar? Impossible!” Cao Yusheng sneered.
This gathering was a congregation of heroes, the elite of every clan. Shi Hao’s presence here was of great significance, ensuring his contributions would be remembered by all.
Yet, even at the final steps, someone sought to obstruct him, subtly diminishing his glory by denying him entry.
Of course, the woman had been polite and tactful, her intentions veiled—unless one looked closely, it might have seemed mere courtesy.
At that moment, the elders of every clan turned their gaze toward the approaching young man, seated atop a golden lion, his figure tall and poised, his heroic aura restrained.
Many eyes locked onto the wooden chest in his hands.
“So this is Shi Hao, the legendary prodigy! Truly, heroes emerge from the young!”
“Reports say he has already reached the mid-stage of the Severing Realm—unbelievable! He’s shattered the records of this era, unmatched in history!”
Praise rang out, and goodwill swelled toward him.
To many, Shi Hao’s daring feats—battling the elites of the other realm and seizing this chest—were nothing short of snatching prey from a tiger’s jaws!
Who in the past would have dared imagine such a thing? How many could survive the hunt of the other realm’s royal clans?
This young man was fearless, standing alone beyond the border, said to have slain countless young geniuses of the other realm, cowing an entire generation.
Such glory had greatly bolstered the prestige of the Imperial Pass, filling hearts with pride. Tales of his battles brought exhilaration, a breath of fresh air.
For too long, the cultivators of the Imperial Pass had suffered humiliation in their clashes with the other realm. To have such an anomaly—one who forced an entire generation of the enemy to bow in fear—was a rare and satisfying vengeance.
Shi Hao acknowledged the crowd before presenting the chest to the figures within the ancient hall.
“Sit.”
A statue-like figure spoke, inviting Shi Hao to take a seat within the hall.
This was an extraordinary honor—Shi Hao was being treated with distinction by the Supreme Beings, a privilege denied to others.
Unfazed, Shi Hao sat, immediately sensing a tempestuous pressure. Though the Supreme Beings restrained their auras, the occasional glance sent his blood surging.
No doubt, it was Jin Taijun observing him—her figure that of an elderly woman.
The others’ gazes were calm, exerting no pressure. Only hers carried an intimidating weight, though she neither acted nor deliberately suppressed him. Yet, the suffocating sensation lingered.
Wang Changsheng was also present, appearing shockingly youthful—no more than sixteen or seventeen. Seated amidst the chaos, he remained silent, his gaze serene.
“My master wishes to examine this chest,” a voice spoke from nearby.
Instantly, murmurs spread as the elders identified the speaker.
An elderly man with a single leg sat upon a large bluestone, a molting rooster beside him—his mount.
He had appeared once before, hailing from one of the supreme forbidden zones of the Nine Heavens!
Back then, he had come to the Imperial Pass upon learning of a tattered beast-hide map pointing to the region between the Heavenly Beast Forest and the Divine Medicine Mountain Range.
Now, Shi Hao had unearthed the great tomb there and returned with this chest, stirring the masters of the forbidden zones once more.
The one-legged envoy brought a direct message: this chest might hold the key to producing an Immortal King-level expert!
The revelation sent shockwaves through the gathering. Even the invincible figures of the Ancestral Altar were unsettled, and Jin Taijun and Wang Changsheng had personally appeared in the Imperial Pass!
The envoy claimed this was a gesture of sincerity.
He assured the cultivators of the Imperial Pass that the forbidden zone would not seize the chest by force. They merely wished to borrow it after the experts here had deciphered its secrets, promising to return it.
Thus, the situation was now fraught with complexity.
If the chest truly held such importance, how could it be lent so easily?
Many wondered why the envoy was so forthright. Did he not fear the Imperial Pass would refuse to part with such a treasure once its value was known?
“Fellow Daoists, please study it first,” the envoy said.
Jin Taijun’s eyes opened, and with a glance, the chest flew into her hands. She was the first to examine it.
Occasionally, her gaze flickered toward Shi Hao, piercing and unsettling.
“Recount the circumstances of the chest’s retrieval in full,” she said coolly.
Shi Hao held no fondness for her and disliked the idea of his efforts benefiting her. Yet, he recounted everything, hoping the gathered experts might unlock the chest’s secrets and strengthen the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
Jin Taijun closed her eyes and fell silent for a full half-hour, probing the chest with her divine sense, attempting to force it open—to no avail.
Finally, she set it down.
The other invincible figures took their turns, but none could breach the chest’s defenses.
When Wang Changsheng’s turn came, he produced a small halberd, no longer than a palm, and traced it across the chest. The crowd gasped—it was his clan’s supreme immortal weapon!
“Friend, reconsider!” a Supreme Being cautioned, fearing the chest might be damaged.
To everyone’s shock, the halberd’s edge left no mark. The chest emitted a soft glow, unharmed.
All were stunned.
“If the master of the forbidden zone desires this chest, why not come for it himself?” Wang Changsheng asked the one-legged elder.
“My master wishes to avoid a great karmic entanglement,” the elder replied calmly.
“What do you mean?” Jin Taijun demanded.
“This chest carries immense karma. My master seeks not to be implicated, lest he face reckoning in the future,” the elder said softly.
“What?” Even as a Supreme Being, Jin Taijun inhaled sharply, her expression shifting.
Others trembled. What kind of karma could frighten even the denizens of the forbidden zones?
It was said that these beings had endured across epochs, surviving even the other realm’s invasions unscathed.
“He has returned…” the one-legged elder murmured, explaining that his master had glimpsed a fragment of the future and uttered these words unconsciously.
The youths who had descended the golden path with Shi Hao shuddered. The elder had spoken similarly during his last visit.
“Please, take a seat of honor!” Jin Taijun said gravely, conjuring a cushion and inviting the elder forward. The atmosphere grew heavy with tension.
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