Chapter 199

Chapter 199: Human Ancestor

"Brother Ye, could it be that with only four walls, just four murals could be recorded, hence no subsequent content exists?" Great Emperor Ziwei pondered earnestly.

"Brother Ziwei, you truly are a maestro." Ye Xu praised.

Great Emperor Ziwei scratched his head, his expression sheepish.

A flash of light crossed Ye Xu’s eyes as a thought surfaced: why only four murals?

He refused to believe it was due to limited wall space.

This was the world of fantasy—a single grain of sand could harbor a universe.

Ye Xu propped his chin. "Could the owner of the murals have been certain we’d know the events afterward? That seems impossible."

"If not, why didn’t he record them?"

Ye Xu frowned. There must be a reason.

"Brother Ye, do you have an idea?" Great Emperor Ziwei asked.

Ye Xu approached the final mural. Gently touching its surface as though swiping a touchscreen, he slid his fingers left.

Hum!

Instantly, Pure Energy misted from the mural. Slowly coalescing, it formed a hazy figure—plain and serene, face indistinct yet bearing an aura impossibly ancient as though weathered through countless ages.

"Fated one, you’ve arrived."

The hazy figure ignored all others. His gaze paused slightly on Ye Xu, seeming to see through something profound but passing without concern. Instead, he looked toward Nangong Zhandao.

"Esteemed elder." Prepared, Nangong Zhandao bowed respectfully upon seeing the figure address him.

Dao King, Su Miao Zhen, Emperor Venerable Yama, Lin Qianmo, and others froze in place, expressions filled with envy.

A true child of fortune—extraordinary indeed!

"Was it you, elder, sheltering this junior all along?" Nangong Zhandao’s eyes held some doubt.

The figure gave a faint nod.

"This junior expresses deepest gratitude for your mercy." Nangong Zhandao bowed again.

"Human Ancestor?"

Suddenly, Ye Xu spoke.

Facing the hazy figure directly, he voiced his speculation.

The Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest hid numerous treasures and meticulously chronicled the ancient history of the creation of the heavens. Its owner’s identity remained utterly astonishing. In Ye Xu’s estimation, the most likely was simply this revered sage—the ancestor of humans.

The words “Human Ancestor” fell like a stone cast into a calm lake.

"He…is the Human Ancestor?"

Both Su Miao Zhen and Emperor Venerable Mi Luo trembled, their shock and exhilaration far exceeding their awe at witnessing the ancient creation’s tale.

The Human Ancestor was not just the highest saint among humans, but also a guide and mentor to all races. Without his leadership—teaching beings to cultivate wisdom and carve a path through wilderness—none of today’s all realms would exist.

Human Ancestor looked at Ye Xu without the slightest displeasure at his identity being unveiled. Lightly, he smiled. "Yes…it is this elder."

"Never thought after countless epochs, someone still remembers this old man."

"Ancestor, you are humanity’s great benefactor, the supreme teacher revered by countless races. For generations, they remain eternally grateful for your boundless kindness." Emperor Venerable Mi Luo knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed three times.

One by one, the rest knelt and paid their respects.

Ye Xu cupped his hands in salute. He revered the human ancestor, but that didn’t mean he would kneel.

Eyebrows furrowed among the crowd at Ye Xu’s gesture.

Yet the human ancestor paid it no mind.

"Ancestor, you… do you still live?" Emperor Venerable Mi Luo asked hesitantly, voicing the question burning in everyone’s mind.

Was the human ancestor alive or dead?

With tens of millions of years passing without any trace of him, no one knew his whereabouts. Now he stood before them—but was this a lingering wisp of consciousness or a manifested primordial spirit?

"I think, therefore I am."

The human ancestor smiled.

He lightly waved his hand, and the emperor venerables and great emperors found themselves helplessly expelled from the Origin Palace. Only Nangong Zhandao and Ye Xu remained inside.

Ye Xu tensed slightly, unable to fathom the human ancestor’s purpose.

But he wasn’t afraid. This was merely his Second Primordial Spirit Avatar. Even if the human ancestor truly intended to kill him, it wouldn’t matter; the only loss would be those precious treasures.

"Nangong Zhandao," the human ancestor inquired, "do you know why the Yuan Realm is called the Ancestral Home?"

Nangong Zhandao reflected for a moment before answering, "After that Innate Divine Being created the heavens, its physical form transformed into the land. That continent should be the Yuan Realm."

"Correct." The human ancestor nodded.

Ye Xu’s spirit quivered.

He had a similar suspicion upon seeing the mural, yet dared not confirm it. Now that the human ancestor had verified it, he finally understood why the Yuan Realm was the Ancestral Home, why Nangong Zhandao—bearing the luck of the Yuan Realm—was designated by the system as the child of fortune!

The source of all this was that primordial divine being.

"Elder human ancestor," Ye Xu seized the moment, "did that creator of the heavens have a name?"

"Pan."

The human ancestor descended to the ground, approaching Ye Xu and Nangong Zhandao. The divine radiance receded, revealing a weathered face. He appeared like a hoary elder with snowy hair and eyes swirling with endless epochs.

"Also called Gu."

"But this old man prefers calling him Pangu," the human ancestor stated.

Boom!

Ye Xu’s mind reeled.

Pangu?

Could this too be a coincidence?

"That goddess who repaired the heavens," Ye Xu ventured further, "she wouldn’t be Nuwa, would she?"

The human ancestor regarded him with surprise, his smile deepening. "Young friend, you have insight indeed. Few in all creation know my mother’s name."

Ye Xu suddenly felt a sense of being seen through.

A hint of panic rose in his heart; in the past, only he saw through others, but now he had the same experience.

He suddenly realized that he had always underestimated the cultivators of this universe.

For instance, Duobao Daoist was a being capable of attaining the Immortal King state, with his Great Dao remaining unbroken.

Such existences could create the Reincarnation Lock to evade his prying eyes.

As for masters like the human ancestor, even if they hadn’t reached the peak of the universe, it likely wasn’t far off. His avatar before the human ancestor could be said to have no privacy at all.

However, these words from the human ancestor enlightened him.

The human ancestor called Nuwa mother, which suggested that the human ancestor was probably one of Nuwa’s first human ancestors or even the very first person.

Otherwise, it was hard to explain the term “human ancestor”.

Nangong Zhandao looked toward Ye Xu, his eyes full of confusion.

"Who exactly is Ye Qing Xuan? How does he know so many secrets?" Nangong Zhandao thought silently.

"Thank you, senior, for informing me."

Ye Xu cupped his hands in thanks.

The human ancestor turned to face Nangong Zhandao and said, "Since you know the origins of the ancestral home, you should understand how crucial the luck of the Yuan Realm you carry is."

"Over long ages, only three people were chosen by the will of the ancestral home."

"One was me, one was the Heavenly Emperor, and now it’s you."

The human ancestor’s words were gems of wisdom, deeply striking.

Nangong Zhandao’s mind was reeling.

Even though his Dao heart was as firm as a rock, he was greatly shocked by this revelation.

The human ancestor, mentor to all races, pioneered cultivation realms and laid the foundation for the Heavenly Emperor.

The Heavenly Emperor’s achievements were extraordinary.

He overthrew the Innate deities and demons, suppressed the Primordial beings, eradicated the demonic races, built the Immortal Realm with the power of all beings, brought order to all realms, and separated immortals from mortals.

The contributions of these two to all realms were utterly amazing.

Ye Xu was also astounded.

Previously, he only knew that Nangong Zhandao bore the luck of the Yuan Realm and was destined to become a top-tier powerhouse, attaining immortality without doubt.

Only now did he comprehend the immense potential of Nangong Zhandao.

Nangong Zhandao bowed deeply and said, "Senior, please teach me."

Ye Xu glanced at him; this kid was really clever and caught on quickly.

"The Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book, while offering great accomplishments, has severe limitations. If you keep walking that path, you’re destined to fail at major achievements in the future," the human ancestor said solemnly.

Nangong Zhandao’s heart clenched.

Was the meaning of these words to make him abandon cultivating the Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book?

"How to choose is up to you," the human ancestor added.

Nangong Zhandao’s eyes showed confusion for the first time.

Since childhood, his resolve had been exceptionally firm.

Even when exiled from the imperial family by Emperor Da Qian and left drifting without support, he had never been so lost. But now he knew—this was a decision concerning his destiny.

Human Ancestor was a top master. Following his guidance, even the most mediocre achievement would allow Nangong to stand above all realms, eternally free.

Yet persisting with the Supreme Forgetting Emotions path meant not only betraying Lan Youruo, but likely halting midway in cultivation.

Nangong Zhandao felt utterly adrift.

Ye Xu furrowed his brow.

He saw that abandoning the Supreme Forgetting Emotions path would allow Nangong both love and the pinnacle of power.

But this would shatter Nangong’s Dao heart—whether future cultivation would suffer remained uncertain.

A truly difficult choice.

In worldly affairs, perseverance seems simplest yet proves hardest.

Human Ancestor didn’t rush him, waiting patiently for Nangong’s decision.

Nangong Zhandao closed his eyes.

Lan Youruo’s face appeared in his mind.

This woman had stayed by his side since his humblest days, unwavering through hardship. They’d cherished but two months of happiness. If he continued practicing the Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book, they’d surely part ways.

Nangong’s heart tangled itself in knots.

He never wanted to abandon Lan Youruo.

Though the Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book severed worldly desires, that Emotional thread remained unbroken.

Nangong always believed slicing that thread would clear every obstacle from his path.

Only now did he comprehend Lan Youruo’s irreplaceable significance.

"Since it’s come to this," an inner voice urged, "discard everything—switch techniques and start anew without hesitation."

"Would you truly squander a century’s devotion?" countered another voice. "You stand at the threshold of attaining the Great Dao, ready to forget emotion throughout heaven and earth!"

Nangong’s head throbbed as if splitting—

these voices argued within his mind like two quarreling beings.

Human Ancestor sighed softly. "After all these years—that familiar scene."

A familiar scene?

Ye Xu made a guess.

"Was the last one… the Heavenly Emperor?"

"Is the Heavenly Emperor your disciple?"

"Nothing wrong sharing this." Human Ancestor spoke placidly, his expression warm. "I once carried the luck of the Yuan Realm. When the Heavenly Emperor emerged, that luck dispersed and coalesced around him."

"So I found him, ready to teach his cultivation."

"But that young prodigy was beyond arrogance, loudly proclaiming his own Dao unrivaled in existence."

Human Ancestor chuckled heartily, amused by bygone years.

"Did he concede?" asked Ye Xu.

"His stubbornness was absolute—never changing conclusions once drawn." Human Ancestor shook his head. "Though I offered countless treasures, he declared himself poor in possessions but not in spirit, insisting my Dao didn’t suit him."

"Still, I guided his growth. He sought me in difficulty—we debated each obstacle together."

"With time, he addressed me as teacher."

Nostalgia crossed the old master’s face—

that era remained his most cherished memory.

Ye Xu smiled.

The Heavenly Emperor’s rise resembled a protagonist’s template.

He pressed further. "Having witnessed his journey, surely you know his name?"

"For the Revered One, for the Emperor—names aren’t spoken." Human Ancestor’s smile held secret weight.

Ye Xu frowned at this mysticism surrounding a single name.

His gaze returned to Nangong Zhandao.

Still deep in contemplation.

"And what will this youth choose?" Ye Xu murmured.

Would he cling to his current path?

Or would he turn toward a new teaching?