Chapter 1589: Ancient Ancestor

The Gu Yi prostrated himself with his head touching the ground, his reverence and solemnity reaching an unparalleled level.

Could this truly be the same Gu from ancient times?

Shi Hao’s expression shifted as he stood there, carefully sensing his surroundings, yet no overwhelming aura emanated from within.

The stone door was rough, devoid of divine power or dao principles—simple, unadorned, and utterly ordinary.

At that moment, the stone door trembled and was pushed open by an invisible force, revealing the interior. It was shockingly plain—only a stone bed, upon which sat an elderly man.

The Ancient Ancestor of the Gu Clan?!

This was an old man, tall in stature, his seated posture still exuding a sense of grandeur. His back was straight, and his hair, once golden, now bore streaks of white.

Time had left deep marks on his face, his skin no longer radiant. His sword-like eyebrows stretched toward his temples, and his deep-set eyes resembled the vastness of the starry sky.

In his youth, this man must have been strikingly handsome—golden-haired, with piercing eyes and an aura of peerless heroism.

But time had taken its toll. Even the mightiest would wither, losing the vigor of their blood and the sharpness of their spirit.

Now, he seemed utterly ordinary, devoid of any trace of magical power or imposing presence—just an aged mortal.

Was this the Gu Ancestor, the one who had once fought An Lan and nearly stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Immortal Kings?

Legend had it that he was just one step away from becoming a supreme Immortal King!

Not long ago, at the Imperial Pass, Shi Hao had witnessed a drop of Immortal King blood rolling forth, shaking the heavens and suppressing an army of millions—its majesty unmatched.

Yet now, a living being who had nearly reached that very level sat before him, whole and complete, yet emanating nothing.

Too tranquil. Even if he had returned to simplicity, there should have been at least a trace of pressure.

From beginning to end, the awe-inspiring elder of the Gu Clan remained silent, his expression calm—until he raised a hand, signaling Gu Yi to rise. Only then did his expression shift slightly.

His gaze settled on Shi Hao, studying him intently, his eyes peaceful, devoid of any worldly aura.

Whether a Supreme Being or an Immortal, when such an existence fixed their gaze upon someone, even if it didn’t shatter flesh and shake the soul, it came close—their pressure was simply too immense.

Such beings could swallow suns and moons with a breath, shatter star rivers with a roar—effortlessly.

Yet this old man before him was entirely unassuming, showing no signs of peering into Shi Hao’s soul.

After a moment, he nodded slightly and finally acted—lifting a single finger toward Shi Hao.

Inside the stone chamber, Gu Yi trembled with excitement, his blood surging. Were it not for the need to maintain reverence before such a supreme being, he might have cried out in exhilaration.

He believed they had found the right seed—the Gu Ancestor needed Shi Hao!

Shi Hao’s body tensed. Though he sensed no killing intent or imminent danger, facing such a legendary figure, who could remain calm?

That finger pointed directly at Shi Hao’s brow—the seat of his primordial spirit.

In an instant, Shi Hao felt his brow grow scorching hot, a surge of warmth spreading outward. His forehead bone began to glow, and a thunderous crack resounded.

The mark of sin erupted like shattered clouds, lightning crackling densely as the unique bloodline sigil of the Shi Clan manifested!

At his brow, a complex and profound mark appeared—one that had been branded as the “Mark of Sin” on the other side of the Imperial Pass, a symbol of disgrace.

Yet, upon seeing this sigil, the supreme figure of the Gu Clan finally showed emotion for the first time.

His eyes blazed, piercing through the depths of the soul. In that instant, lightning tore through the void, and the river of time faintly appeared—this was the direct manifestation of his emotional upheaval!

“Correct. A descendant of the Shi Clan,” he spoke for the first time.

Now, Shi Hao finally saw clear abnormality. The elder’s expression was complex—his gaze dimming one moment, blazing like a scorching sun the next, then brimming with sorrow.

But all of this shifted in the blink of an eye, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

Yet even this brief fluctuation caused terrifying phenomena that shook the ancient land. Within the stone chamber, a mysterious force smoothed everything over, but outside—

Chaos lightning churned, immortal mist blotted out the sky, and the earth trembled violently across countless miles. The heavens split, stars fell, and bloody rain poured as if the cosmos itself wept in mourning!

Outside, all the mighty were stunned.

Countless beings trembled in fear, and across the land, clans shuddered, unable to resist that overwhelming pressure.

Fortunately, this aura came and went swiftly, leaving only calm skies in its wake.

Inside the stone chamber, silence reigned once more.

Shi Hao’s brow still glowed, his body taut as a drawn bowstring. Even knowing he stood no chance, he would fight to the end!

Better to die battered and broken than to yield—this was the unyielding nature of the once-feral boy, unchanged even in adulthood.

Would he be possessed? Perhaps that was the only outcome.

To Shi Hao, he had stepped into a dead end.

Gu Yi, however, was exhilarated. He hoped the Ancient Ancestor would revive, breaking free from his predicament—and what better gift than Shi Hao, who had succeeded in forging his own path as a seed?

Yet in the end, the Gu Ancestor merely waved a hand, his eyes filled with desolation and flashes of war. His dim gaze reflected countless figures from the Immortal Ancient Era—epic battles, seas of blood!

“Ancient Ancestor!” Gu Yi was confused. Was he dismissing them?

“If I had fallen to the point of stealing another’s Great Dao Seed, would I have reached this stage? The Gu Clan would have long ceased to exist,” the elder said calmly.

Gu Yi shuddered.

“Would this not aid you?” Gu Yi pressed, unwilling to relent.

The Gu Ancestor remained silent, sitting motionless. An invisible force pushed Gu Yi and Shi Hao out of the stone chamber, the door closing soundlessly behind them.

“About the Immortal King… you do not understand.” At that moment, Gu Yi recalled his late grandfather’s words.

Dazed, Gu Yi led Shi Hao out of the underground palace and back to the surface. The moment they left the stone valley, they were swiftly surrounded.

These were Supreme Beings—some from Imperial Clans, others from various factions—all wary, blocking their path while scrutinizing Shi Hao.

“Gu Yi, what have you done?”

Their gazes toward Shi Hao were tinged with apprehension.

Some among them had heard rumors—that beneath the stone valley lay the Gu Ancestor, who had once nearly ascended to Immortal Kinghood, only to be thwarted by the ancestors of the Shi Clan, severing his foundation.

Others had heard that the path of forging oneself as a seed had been attempted by many, with the Gu Ancestor being one of its architects!

Now, Shi Hao had succeeded on that very path, while his ancestors had cut off the Gu Clan’s future. It was inevitable that certain events would unfold.

At this moment, they truly wondered—had Shi Hao been possessed, or had his seed been taken?

“You overthink. Without a heart that towers above the ages, how could one become an Immortal King?” Gu Yi spoke unexpectedly.

Now, he felt both relief and profound regret.

He murmured further, “Even if the myriad daos of the heavens coil around one’s body, forming a cocoon, without a will that dares to swallow eternity, the path cannot be completed.”

Despite his explanation, the gathered cultivators remained skeptical, frowning deeply. After all, many had felt the earlier cataclysmic disturbance—undoubtedly the Gu Ancestor’s doing.

“If you doubt me, inspect him yourselves. Take him away!” Gu Yi flicked his sleeve, forcefully dismissing them.

One of the Supreme Beings retrieved an ancient treasure—the Mirror of Divine Reflection—and bathed Shi Hao in its light. Yet no anomalies were detected.

“Let us go.” They departed the Gu Clan’s territory.

After all, they reasoned, if the Gu Ancestor had truly acted, he would not have let Shi Hao leave so easily. At that level, one either acted with heaven-shaking boldness—or not at all.

In the distance, an ancient tree swayed, its branches cradling star rivers, each leaf bearing countless glittering stars. This was the World Tree, born and nurtured within this realm.

Its sprawling canopy sheltered the entire ancient world.

After the great war, it was this very tree that had mended the fractured boundaries of the realm, preserving the integrity of this land.

Now, the World Tree glowed, casting down an edict from beyond the heavens.

“An Immortal Edict!”

The Supreme Beings escorting Shi Hao paled. For the World Tree to transmit an edict meant the situation was dire.