Ji Fuyao froze, her mind reeling. The residual image within this ancient inheritance ground... why did it bear her exact likeness? For weeks, since arriving at the Yanwu Sect's Flame Ancestor inheritance, she'd felt an uncanny resonance, a deep, spiritual connection, as if the very legacy had been patiently awaiting her. Could she truly be linked to the legendary Flame Ancestor?
A resounding boom echoed, not in her ears, but deep within her very being. Ji Fuyao's body resonated with the surrounding space, a profound, almost fated connection. From the depths of the inheritance ground, an endless torrent of Spirit Fire Dao Rhythms surged forth, swirling around her before funneling directly into her mind.
A wave of dizziness washed over Ji Fuyao. When she next opened her eyes, she found herself in a shimmering, ethereal space.
"Where... is this?" Her eyes, now alight with divine brilliance, swept across the surroundings. The space pulsed with iridescent light, a breathtaking, almost unreal illusion.
She stepped forward, her gaze drawn to a colossal, ancient tree. Beneath its sprawling branches stood a man in white robes, his back to her. A gentle breeze rustled, making his robes billow slightly, and a soft, divine luminescence emanated from his silhouette.
"Master?" Ji Fuyao gasped, a tremor of disbelief in her voice. That unmistakable silhouette... it was her Master!
Ji Fuyao moved closer, an impulse to gently pat her Master's back. But then, another figure emerged, slowly approaching from a short distance away. It was a woman, strikingly beautiful, clad in a fiery red gown—and her face was identical to Ji Fuyao's own. An Ancient Ancestor's aura radiated from her as she gracefully positioned herself behind the white-robed man, her form almost perfectly superimposed over Ji Fuyao's.
In the woman's hands, a steaming plate of food rested. "Sir," she murmured, her voice soft, "dinner is ready."
"Just set it down," the white-robed man replied, his tone casual.
The exquisite woman gently placed the meal on the ground, then waited in silent deference.
A long silence stretched between them. Finally, the beautiful woman couldn't hold back any longer. "Sir," she ventured, "what occupies your thoughts?"
"This Starry Sky has gained a new Great Domain, the Eerie Plateau," the white-robed man stated, his voice carrying a subtle weight. "The Starry Sky is no longer at its zenith. Just as mortals experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, the cosmos itself undergoes cycles of prosperity and decay. This is an unstoppable truth."
"Oh," the beautiful woman responded, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "The Eerie race seems to bear ill will. If they dare seek trouble, I am ready to stand by your side, Sir."
The white-robed man gave a faint nod. "Let us hope such a day never dawns."
The beautiful woman continued, her voice firm, "Sir, you alone possess the power to shatter the entire Eerie race. And you have siblings, like Innate Ancient Ancestor Mei. Beyond that, you have preached your Dao across the Starry Sky for countless years, your teachings spreading far and wide. Your disciples are innumerable—the recently risen Martial Ancestor Ye Chen, and other burgeoning talents like Shenwu Emperor Tianye and Starry Sky Dao Tianzhao... Our Starry Sky stands united!"
The white-robed man nodded. "Fuyao," he said, his gaze distant, "the Great Dao is boundless. Though I am an Innate Ancient Ancestor, that title holds meaning only within this particular Starry Sky. Beyond the Ancient Ancestor Realm, other realms surely exist. There is no truly invincible person, only an invincible Dao."
The exquisite woman tilted her head, a graceful curve of her neck, nodding as if she grasped his words, yet a hint of bewilderment lingered in her eyes.
A brief silence settled. "Your Spirit Fire Dao has now taken its initial form, Fuyao," the white-robed man observed, "and you have stepped into the Ancient Ancestor Realm. However, you must still carefully ponder and internalize my words."
The beautiful woman hummed softly in acknowledgment, then slowly retreated a short distance, murmuring to herself, "Though Sir has never formally accepted me as a disciple, in my heart, you are my Master."
"In Sir's eyes, all living beings are his disciples. He constantly burns his own Great Dao, sacrificing it to enlighten the masses. Others mistakenly believe that by preaching, Sir gains feedback and grows stronger. But that is not the truth. From the moment he was born into this world, Sir was already vastly more powerful than Innate Ancient Ancestor Mei and all others."
"His preaching causes his Great Dao to dissipate, allowing others the chance to ascend to the Ancient Ancestor Realm!"
Just then, a white-robed youth approached, a faint, confident smile gracing his lips. His very being thrummed with a roaring martial will, radiating brilliant golden light.
A thunderous boom accompanied the manifestation of a colossal Martial Dao Furnace behind him.
The white-robed youth stopped before the exquisite woman, bowing respectfully. "Big Senior Sister," he greeted.
The beautiful woman tilted her elegant neck, a charming smile playing on her lips. "Ye Chen," she chided playfully, "why call me Big Senior Sister? Sir hasn't even formally accepted any disciples yet."
Ye Chen rubbed his nose, a grin spreading across his face. "In my heart, you are my Big Senior Sister! After all, you were the first to reach the Ancient Ancestor Realm, apart from the Innate Ancient Ancestors themselves."
"And now I'm the second, which makes me the Second Senior Brother! Hahahaha! From now on, anyone who achieves the Ancient Ancestor Realm will be my junior sibling!"
The beautiful woman chuckled. "Careful, Sir might get annoyed."
Ye Chen merely smiled. "Sir didn't object, so that's as good as an endorsement. Big Senior Sister, who do you think will be the third to ascend to the Ancient Ancestor Realm?"
The exquisite woman's smile brightened, her eyes shimmering like an endless Starry Sky. "I truly don't know. Perhaps Dao Yi, or Ah Li, or Baili, or Qingqiu... I cannot discern it. But tell me, why have you come to seek Sir?"
Ye Chen let out a low chuckle, then leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Big Senior Sister, when Sir isn't preaching, you can't just stand by and let anyone approach him. I'm not some peerless beauty, after all."
The beautiful woman bit her tender lower lip, remaining silent.
"I came to Sir," Ye Chen explained, "because I wish to consult him on the Dao of Alchemy."
The beautiful woman gently tapped Ye Chen's head. "You've only just ascended to the Ancient Ancestor Realm, and your Martial Dao is far from its peak, yet you're already contemplating mastering another Great Dao!"
Ye Chen rubbed his nose again, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I want to master more Great Daos," he declared, "that way, I'll be even more formidable than all of you!"
The exquisite woman shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "Go on, then."
Moments later, Ye Chen stood behind the white-robed man, bowing deeply. "Sir," he requested, "I seek your guidance on the Dao of Alchemy."
As his words faded, a soft boom resonated. The figures of the white-robed man, the exquisite woman, and Ye Chen shimmered, dissolving into countless motes of starlight, vanishing completely.
"This... this was a vision from the past!" Ji Fuyao whispered, utterly dumbfounded, rooted to the spot.
A profound 嗡 vibrated through her, her mind momentarily blank, as if struck by a bolt of cosmic lightning. Two streams of clear tears traced paths down her cheeks.
A choked sob escaped her. Thump! Ji Fuyao could no longer bear the weight of it. Her legs gave way, and she dropped to her knees in the boundless sea of fire, weeping uncontrollably.
"Master... Master..." she choked out, then, "Sir..." Ji Fuyao watched the fading vision, her delicate body wracked with tremors.
In the depths of the cosmos, destiny had always been woven. Her Master... was Sir! The legendary Sir!
During her time in the Yanwu Sect, she had indeed heard the ancient patriarchs speak of 'Sir.' The first Ancient Ancestor of this Star Sea! Invincible! He had preached the Dao, taught all beings, without distinction of race, status, or origin. Yet, Sir had vanished from the Star Sea, and the Ancient Ancestors of the First Star Ring had conspired to suppress his history, ensuring his deeds remained largely unknown.
In that instant, a cascade of memories flooded Ji Fuyao's mind, tears streaming down her face like glistening pearls.
She remembered that day, when she had claimed first place in the Grand Dao Sect's entrance examination, arriving at the grand disciple recruitment assembly. The Sect Master, with a flourish of his sleeve, had announced, "The Grand Dao Sect's disciple recruitment ceremony officially commences! You may now choose a Spirit Peak to join!"
At his words, the assembled youths erupted in excitement. "I'm joining Dan Peak! I'll be an alchemist!" "I'm going to Sword Peak!" "Body Refinement Peak for me!" In a frenzy, they surged towards the various Spirit Peaks.
Yet, only one spot remained utterly deserted: Lu Xuan's. Not a single soul approached him!
Several Peak Masters watched Lu Xuan with mocking, playful smiles. "If Lu Xuan manages to recruit a disciple today," one sneered, "I'll eat my hat!" Another scoffed, "He hasn't taken a single disciple in seven years! He'll be forced to leave the Grand Dao Sect soon enough—it's what everyone expects!"
As these memories resurfaced, a tidal wave of emotion crashed through Ji Fuyao's heart. "Master... he was waiting for me to be his first disciple all along... Wuwuwu!" she sobbed, the realization piercing her soul.