“Sir, if there is a next life, you must accept me as your disciple…”
With those words, Ji Fuyao was on the verge of death. She saw the white-robed man gently stroke her hair, and he uttered a single word.
“Good.”
Ji Fuyao closed her eyes.
***
The vision shattered! The scene dissolved, leaving Ji Fuyao standing stunned, tears streaming down her face.
“Master…”
Master had never told her any of this. He had always been helping her in silence! In the Ancient Epoch, Sir had not formally accepted her as a disciple. But Master had fulfilled his promise. She truly became the Oldest Senior Sister! And Ye Chen became a disciple!
As these thoughts flooded her, Ji Fuyao felt as if she had traversed endless eons. She sought more fragments of her past memories within the Unbounded Sea of Fire, but found no further revelations.
“Perhaps only when I reach the Ancient Ancestor Realm will I awaken all those memories,” Ji Fuyao murmured. Just as she was about to resume her cross-legged meditation, she felt an incredibly powerful summons. It was a profound telepathic connection. With a thought, a powerful Ancient Ancestor Remnant rose from beneath the Unbounded Sea of Fire, taking on Ji Fuyao’s exact likeness. This was the true Flame Ancestor! Yet, it was also her.
“I must have died more than once,” Ji Fuyao muttered. “After dying in the Ancient Epoch, Sir revived me. Then, during the Bronze Ancient Palace conflict, I died again, and my soul fell into the Tai Chu Realm. And then, when I was on the verge of death once more, Master saved me again, allowing me to re-enter the Grand Dao Sect and become his disciple!”
The Ancient Ancestor Remnant spoke, “You are correct. Master has helped us countless times. And now, we must fight for Master! Tianzhao and Tamamo-no-Mae are currently besieged by over a dozen Ancient Ancestors. We must go and assist them!”
Battle intent surged around Ji Fuyao. “Good,” she affirmed.
Boom! The Ancient Ancestor Remnant transformed into a streak of fire and surged directly into Ji Fuyao’s body. Instantly, her aura began to skyrocket, soaring directly towards the Ancient Ancestor Realm! However, this was not Ji Fuyao’s true cultivation realm! Nevertheless, with this wisp of Ancient Ancestor Remnant, she would benefit immensely, able to refine the inherited power of the Ancient Ancestor much faster!
Moments later, Ji Fuyao stepped out of the secret realm, an endless Ancient Ancestor pressure surging from her, pouring out like a tide in all directions. The many Old Ancestors of the Yanwu Sect were startled, asking with utmost solemnity, “Esteemed Ancient Ancestor, is the ultimate battle of the Starry Sky about to descend?”
Ji Fuyao nodded, her gaze turning towards Ye Chen’s inheritance ground. Ye Chen was still refining the Ancient Ancestor’s power!
“Wait for Ye Chen.”
***
Meanwhile, within Ye Chen’s inheritance ground, his martial will poured forth like a torrent, continuously cascading through the heavens and earth, evolving into endless Dao Rhyme. This overwhelming power seemed capable of suppressing all enemies in the world! Ye Chen’s cultivation directly broke through to the Three-turn Star Venerate Realm! Behind him, a colossal Martial Dao Furnace manifested, as vast as a great domain. Within him, the Martial Dao Seed had grown robustly, now enveloped in Dao Rhyme, its martial aura incredibly rich. Once he stepped into the Ancient Ancestor Realm, this Martial Dao flower would fully bloom!
Suddenly, he sensed an incredibly familiar remnant calling to him.
“Predecessor?” Ye Chen respectfully inquired.
“Not a predecessor,” the voice resonated. “I am you, and you are me.”
Boom! Between the heavens and earth, an immense phantom appeared before Ye Chen. The Martial Ancestor Remnant! This Martial Ancestor Remnant bore Ye Chen’s exact likeness.
Ye Chen felt a flicker of confusion.
The Martial Ancestor Remnant stated, “I know you have many questions. I shall now dispel your doubts.” With that, the colossal phantom extended a finger and gently tapped Ye Chen.
Whoosh! A brilliant streak of light shot forth. Ye Chen felt a daze wash over him as he witnessed a fragmented scene…
Beneath a colossal ancient tree, a white-robed man sat cross-legged. A faint divine radiance shimmered around him, and though he strove to suppress it, a terrifying aura continuously radiated outwards.
“Master?” Ye Chen gasped, gazing at that familiar back. He couldn’t help but exclaim. Just then, he saw a white-robed youth slowly approach, his face an exact replica of Ye Chen’s own.
“This… this is me?” Ye Chen stammered.
The white-robed youth then glanced towards the distance, where a woman in a fiery red dress stood, her figure exquisite, her divine radiance unparalleled. She was gesturing towards the white-robed youth, miming ‘eating’.
The white-robed youth looked down at the steaming meal placed beside the white-robed man on the ground, muttering, “Big Senior Sister made food for Sir again!” Big Senior Sister had just asked him to remind Sir to eat!
The white-robed youth cleared his throat. “Ahem, Sir, please eat.”
The white-robed man nodded. “Good.”
Ye Chen bowed respectfully. “Sir, today I do not seek guidance on the Martial Dao, but on the Alchemy Dao!”
The white-robed man smiled faintly. “Alchemy Dao?” He didn’t ask why Ye Chen wanted to learn alchemy, but instead smiled and asked, “What do you believe the Alchemy Dao to be?”
Ye Chen pondered for a moment. “To fuse many spirit herbs into a single furnace, then refine pills.”
The white-robed man shook his head. “If that is all, then it is but a minor path.”
Ye Chen bowed respectfully. “Sir, I am eager to learn more!”
The white-robed man gazed into the distant Starry Sky, slowly speaking, “Let the heavens and earth be the furnace, creation the craftsman; yin and yang the charcoal, and all things the bronze. The Alchemy Dao, like the Martial Dao, knows no limits. One can take the Starry Sky as a furnace and refine all the heavens. That is the true Alchemy Dao.”
Ye Chen asked again, “Sir, is this the ultimate peak of the Alchemy Dao?”
The white-robed man shook his head. “What is called ‘ultimate’ is merely the end of a path. But the Dao has no end!”
Ye Chen rubbed his nose. “Sir, I understand. I will go back to refining pills now.” As he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly saw the woman in the fiery red dress in the distance gesturing to him again. Ye Chen immediately said, “Sir, Big Senior Sister… er, Ji Fuyao made you a meal. Please eat it while it’s hot.”
The white-robed man nodded and slowly began to eat. In truth, as an Innate Ancient Ancestor, he had long transcended the need for food. But it was a token of Ji Fuyao’s affection.
Watching the scene unfold, the present-day Ye Chen was utterly stunned. A tidal wave crashed within his heart. He was far too familiar with those words! He had already recited them by heart back in the Grand Dao Sect! He never imagined that these very words had been spoken to him by his Master, all the way back in the Ancient Epoch.
At this realization, an expression of profound shock spread across Ye Chen’s face as he mumbled, “What? Master is Sir? And I, long ago in the Ancient Epoch, had already stepped into the Ancient Ancestor Realm, and had always listened to Sir’s teachings!”
The Martial Ancestor Remnant affirmed, “Precisely. In the dark, there is destiny. What has been, will be again! What has been done, will be done again.”
“That’s also something Master said!” Ye Chen exclaimed.