Chapter 512

Chapter 512: Millennium Master

Immortal Diyuan certainly holds himself in high regard and didn’t speak a word to Qiao Yuan and the others.

However, when he spoke to Qiao Mu about the Great Collapse, he did not say it directly but conveyed the message through his mind.

This is a small act of kindness from her.

The great world of Jiu Province is about to be destroyed; all the efforts and resistance of mortals will be in vain.

Soon, this realm will fall into Return Ruins, just like the many worlds she has witnessed with her own eyes.

So, in her view, whether it’s the Soul Predicting Path or the Long Life Gate, both Immortal Gates have no meaning, regardless of the outcome.

Under the Great Collapse that sweeps through all realms, the joys and sorrows of the human world are just a small ripple in the flood of Return Ruins.

Even so, she will not mention this matter to his face. This is the small understanding she has shared with Qiao Mu over the past fifteen years.

But Qiao Mu made a different choice from the one he usually would.

"Does Senior Qiao Huo only need a drop of my blood? No more?" Qiao Yuan asked before leaving.

"One drop is enough."

Qiao Mu took out a small white jade bottle and watched as Qiao Yuan cut his finger, letting a few drops of fresh blood fall into the bottle.

"Your body has merged with the bones and blood of many giants from the Kuafu tribe, making you different from ordinary people," Qiao Mu explained.

"The Kuafu tribe is an ancient lineage of gods and demons, long lost to history."

"With your flesh and blood, we may be able to study and glimpse a little of the ancient Kuafu tribe."

When Qiao Mu first entered the Return Ruins, he had seen the mountains formed by the bodies of the ancient Kuafu giants.

At that time, he had the thought to develop the Shape Changing Skill in a non-human direction… like this Kuafu tribe.

Qiao Yuan’s existence is unusual; he has a high compatibility with the fierce bones and blood of the Giant Kuafu.

In his early days, when his martial skills were still low, he became a sewer rat in the Kuafu Mountain Secret Realm, hiding within the Secret Realm.

Now, he has grown into a towering tree that shelters an entire region.

After finishing the matter, Qiao Mu’s true strength rose like clouds at his feet, and he quickly disappeared with the Earth Sword Immortal brothers above the clouds.

On the Giant Kuafu Mountain, which stretches across the Western Province wasteland, only Qiao Yuan remained.

"Immortal Diyuan? A true immortal from the lower realm?"

Qiao Yuan pondered.

He had been a jailer in the heavenly prison, served as a guard of the Great Yan Flying Fish, and held a position in the Western Province for decades, gaining rich experiences and insights.

Although Immortal Diyuan and Qiao Mu’s conversation was not clearly stated, he could sense the heavy atmosphere without needing it to be said.

"A true immortal from the upper realm has really appeared in Jiu Province?"

While the Western Province is the site of a battlefield for gods and demons, legends of ascenders have always been passed down in the great world of Jiu Province.

However, the existence of true immortals dates back so far that it cannot be traced, perhaps for ten thousand years, or maybe even longer…

For over ten thousand years, the great world of Jiu Province has not seen anyone break through to ascend, nor has any True Immortal descended again.

Until today.

Combining what Qiao Mu had previously hinted at, Qiao Yuan felt a sense of brewing storm, as if trouble was approaching.

"I truly wonder what kind of powerful enemy or disaster could make a True Immortal feel so threatened."

Qiao Yuan sighed softly. He stretched out his palm, and the ground in front of him opened up, revealing a dark chasm that swallowed him whole.

The path he walked was actually different from everyone else’s.

His ability to harness even a fraction of the power of the giant of Kuafu Mountain depended on how much bone and blood he could find among the many Secret Realms, and whether he could fully control it…

…………………………………………

Dong Province.

In the ancestral hall of the Xue family, smoke from incense swirled as many people gathered. The adult elders, with serious expressions, were discussing important matters.

Beside them, a few young children seemed carefree, wandering around the hall and chattering nonstop.

"Let me ask you, which family in Jiu Province can be called a great martial arts family with a rich tradition?"

An elder with a touch of gray in his hair smiled softly and leaned down to speak to the seven or eight lively children in front of him.

"This question might be a little tricky."

"Although Jiu Province is large, there aren’t many great martial arts families… Many years ago, the prestigious families and famous sects declined."

The seven or eight children were chattering away, discussing the question.

With the help of the Tide Listening Building, stories of the martial arts world in Jiu Province often spread widely, and the children loved to hear these tales, so they could discuss them quite well.

However, these children spoke with different accents, clearly coming from various regions.

"Yan family? Isn’t that the Great Yan Royal Family… It is indeed a big family, but it can’t be counted as a martial arts family. There is only one great pillar, so it doesn’t count."

"The Wu family? Hmm? You even know about the Wu family? At such a young age, you really know quite a lot." The elderly clan member with graying hair looked a bit surprised.

Whether it was Martial Saint or the Wu family, they were both part of stories from a long time ago.

When Martial Saint died, this elder of the Xue family hadn’t even been born yet, and he never imagined this child would give such an answer.

"But unfortunately, you’re wrong," the gray-haired elder said with a smile.

"The Wu family is not a true family."

"It’s just that back then, Martial Saint took in many disciples and adopted many sons and daughters. Although they all share the surname Wu, they often compete fiercely against each other, which is quite the opposite of a normal family."

Seeing that these children kept guessing wrongly, the elder smiled and revealed the answer:

"Actually, there are only two families that can be considered true martial arts families."

"First, there is the Changsheng Qiao family, famous for over fifty years in Jiu Province. It is said that some of its elders are hundreds of years old, and in terms of age and rank, they are not lower than Founding Emperor Yan."

"The second, of course, must be our Xue family," the elder said, puffing out his chest slightly.

"Qiao family members live long lives, while Xue family members do not, often passing away by the age of fifty. Whether from our main line, who inherit the family’s wishes, or from you who have just returned to the branch, it is the same."

"Fifty years, a limit? Do we have to die at fifty?" the children exclaimed wide-eyed.

"Brother Changming, what are you talking about with the kids?" Someone outside the ancestral hall frowned and came in.

"Of course, it should be said, and said early," the elder continued seriously, showing no expression.

"Our lifespans are limited; for over a thousand years, hardly anyone has lived past fifty, and the limit is clearly there."

"So do whatever you wish to do quickly; don’t waste your limited life on trivial matters. Even if you have to die, don’t be a fool!"

"Brother, telling these things to the children, how can they understand… it’s still too early," a middle-aged man nearby shook his head.

"After many years, one will naturally understand." The elder said lightly, "But we cannot wait for that time; we naturally must speak early."

"Uncle." At this moment, a child asked:

"Uncle just said ‘almost,’ right? So, there are indeed people in the Xue family who can live past fifty years old?"

The elder smiled faintly; he had been waiting for this question. He then spoke:

"Of course there are."

"The only person who can live past fifty years old is our current family head." Speaking of Xue Changhe’s deeds, the elder unconsciously stood a bit taller:

"The Xue family is the one and only thousand-year martial arts family in Jiu Province, and for over a thousand years, only the current family head has been able to break this lifespan limit. It would not be wrong to say he is a once-in-a-thousand-years talent, or perhaps an unparalleled genius."

"At fifty, the family head’s skills had already reached a level of mastery; even the bloodline curse left by the Long Life Gate cannot take his life…"

"Speaking of our family head, we must mention the story of how, when he first came down from the mountains in his youth, he stirred the resonance of seven famous swords in the Southeast Province Sword Tomb…"

The elder with slightly gray hair was speaking passionately when a soft cough came from behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, a figure had quietly appeared behind him.

Xue Changhe still wore a bright red robe that looked like it was drenched in blood, with a face as beautiful as jade and eyes as bright as stars. From behind, he seemed like a charming young gentleman, but if you looked at him face to face, he carried the powerful presence of a respected family leader.

After inheriting the Xue family for over a thousand years and shouldering the dreams of generations, he was no longer the young family head he once was; he had become the "Millennium Master" at the age of seventy.

"Is the family head here?"

"The clan leader."

"The family head."

Inside the ancestral hall, the many Xue family members who had been chatting before, all stood up to greet.

Seeing this, the elder who had been praising Xue Changhe just a moment ago also turned around to greet him.

"Dad, you’re here?"

Xue Changhe looked deeply at his eldest son, who had gray hair by his temples.

His eldest son was already forty-five years old this year, close to the lifespan limit of the Xue family, and showed clear signs of aging, looking like he was over sixty.

If judged by appearance alone, Xue Changhe might have to call his own son "grandpa"…

"Longevity, don’t flatter our Xue family." Xue Changhe said slowly.

When he was twenty and new to the world, he truly wanted to compete with the famous Qiao family from Jiu Province, until he met a Qiao family member and two Nascent Soul Elders from the Immortal Gate in Sword Tomb, and realized how vast the world was.

Now at seventy, his son was saying that the Xue family and the Qiao family were the two great martial clans of Jiu Province, and then began to boast about his youthful stories: unfortunately, it all came back to that dark history in Sword Tomb.

Little did Xue Changming know, he shook his head and said nothing.

"Dad, these children are the returning members of our clan, someone needs to share the stories of the important figures in our family, right?"

"If we don’t mention it again, there won’t be any time left."

Xue Changhe and his son exchanged a few silent glances, feeling a sense of exhaustion rising within them.

The Xue family members have always been divided into main and branch lines, not by birthright but by talent.

The Xue family martial artists who can bear the heavy responsibilities of the family are the main line.

Those Xue family members with limited talent or who do not wish to practice martial arts are considered branch members; they usually wander outside, earning their own living, much like ordinary people.

After all, it’s not easy for ordinary people in chaotic times to live past fifty.

The branch members used to only need to pay tribute regularly, but in recent years, as the main line Xue family members have become fewer, signs of a generation gap have appeared, leading to some branch members returning.

"A generation gap, huh…" Xue Changhe remained silent.

Xue Changming, being his son, naturally attracted much attention within the clan.

Although he is better than his peers, he cannot be called a genius. He does not have the ability to inherit thousands of years of strength from Xue Changhe. The so-called family inheritance is not as beautiful as outsiders imagine. Too much internal strength is hard to bear, and it could destroy his body.

Not to mention, Xue Changhe’s internal strength has already transformed into True strength.

Seventy-year-old Xue Changhe is still the head of the family, which is certainly because he is exceptionally talented and far surpasses previous family heads.

However, from another perspective, it also shows that there are no later generations in the family who can take on the weight, forcing him to extend his life until now, with the heavy burden still on his shoulders.

Fifty years later, now.

In the entire Xue family, there are no brothers of Xue Changhe’s generation left.

Even the children and grandchildren of Xue Changming’s generation are now old, nearing the end of their lives, with nearly half of them gone.

Today, the young and strong in the family are Xue Changhe’s grandchildren… and the forever young Xue Changhe himself.

If he does not take action soon, it will not simply be an old man mourning a young person.

According to the tradition of the Xue family, his child will pass on the skills they have worked on their whole life to the current family leader before their time is up, just like Xue Changhe’s peers and younger relatives who have passed away in the last fifty years.

"Leader, the time is almost here; we should get going."

At this moment, someone outside the temple respectfully spoke.

"Please wait a moment longer," Xue Changhe said softly.

The children who were playing inside the temple had already been taken away by their elders, and now only Xue Changhe and his son remained inside.

In front of them were the memorial tablets of the past family leaders of the Xue family, arranged from left to back, with red candles on both sides flickering softly.

Xue Changhe’s father’s memorial tablet was also there; he was the twenty-seventh head of the Xue family.

Behind him stood his aging eldest son, and there was no one else.

The temple fell silent, and even the sound of the burning candles felt very loud.

He whispered softly, "The twenty-eighth family leader, Xue Changhe, goes to battle today alongside the sons of the Xue family to fight against the Immortal Gate of Eternal Life."

"May our ancestors witness this, the thousand-year fate of our family will reach its end today."

By the age of fifty, Xue Changhe had achieved great mastery; even the bloodline curse left by the Mahayana Stage ancestors of Jiu Province could not take his life.

But that was all.

He could only resist and had not escaped it.

Over the past fifty years, he could only watch as his relatives aged little by little, moving towards old age.

At first, it was his peers who slowly withered away; then it was the next generation, and now even his own children were nearing the end of their lives.

Xue Changhe, at fifty and still alive, greatly boosted the confidence of the members of the Xue family.

Thus, in these years, the Xue family martial artists who passed away, from peers to younger generations, passed on their skills to him once again before their time ran out, making him, the family’s master, even stronger.

The stronger his inner strength became, the heavier he felt the weight of his responsibilities.

"The blood debts of these fifty years and the wishes of over a thousand years should come to an end now."

Xue Changhe bowed to the ancestors’ tablet and turned to leave.

Xue Changming followed closely, and with them were twenty to thirty martial artists from their clan, all around their thirties to forties.