Chapter 1658: The Ascension Battles Road

Xiao Yuanqi and Tuogu Yuan were deep in conversation, chatting away like old friends. Their rapport was surprisingly warm.

Standing nearby, Mu Xinghe occasionally shot them glances. He didn't say anything, but his eyes betrayed a trace of doubt.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Mu Xingchen, on the other hand, was listening intently. She was curious about the young master of the Immortal Treasures Pavilion. Of course, it wasn't because of his status, but because of the Immortal Treasures Pavilion's legendary wealth.

Could someone really spend all that money?

she wondered. And if not...

maybe I can help.

The group crossed the desolate plains and entered a mountain range so vast and dense that it blocked out the sky. The atmosphere grew heavier, the air filled with a faint but palpable pressure.

Everyone grew more cautious.

This was the Desolate Beast Mountain Range, a place rarely explored and home to powerful and territorial demonic beasts. Any outsider who entered their territory risked being seen as a threat. That's why they chose not to fly, keeping a low profile to avoid unnecessary conflict.

After some time, Ye Guan suddenly came to a halt. The others turned to him. He was staring into the dense forest to their right. It looked ordinary at first glance.

But following his gaze, the group's expressions slowly turned serious.

They all felt it. Something, or someone, was watching them from within those trees.

Tuogu Yuan stepped forward and cupped his fists respectfully. "Respected demonic beast, I am a disciple of the Tuogu Gu Clan. I hope you'll give us a bit of leeway."

He wasn't from the main branch of the clan, just a distant disciple. Still, he took pride in his clan, and it had occasionally earned him some respect over the years. He hoped to one day be acknowledged by the clan proper.

But the demonic beast in the forest didn't respond.

Ye Guan narrowed his eyes, and in that instant, a faint glint of sword light flashed within them.

The pair of eyes hidden in the forest flinched, then vanished as the demonic beast fled.

Demonic beasts were far more attuned to danger than humans. That one had clearly sensed the lethal threat Ye Guan posed.

As the oppressive aura disappeared, Tuogu Yuan grinned smugly. "Looks like the Tuogu name still carries some weight. Let's keep moving."

They continued forward. Along the way, a few other demonic beast auras brushed past them, probing from the shadows. But each time Tuogu Yuan dropped the clan name, those presences quickly withdrew. No one dared cause trouble.

Before long, they reached the end of the mountain range. What lay beyond was a massive ruin, a collapsed, ancient site strewn with broken walls and shattered structures.

In the middle of the wreckage stood a large hall that was surprisingly intact. Suspended above it was a glowing blue array, crystalline and faintly humming with energy.

Mu Xinghe's eyes lit up. "Looks like no one's been here yet. Let's go..."

Tuogu Yuan quickly interrupted. "Hold on. Don't rush in. This place gives off strange vibes. We'd better be careful."

Xiao Yuanqi nodded. "Agreed."

They cautiously approached the hall. Faint energy pulsed through the ruins, there in one moment and gone the next. It felt... off.

Ye Guan's brows furrowed as he stared at the hall.

Mu Xinghe noticed. "Brother, what's wrong?"

Only he and his sister knew Ye Guan's terrifying level of strength. Here, they were more than happy to let him take the lead.

Ye Guan said simply, "Stay alert."

He led the group closer. As they crossed the broken remnants of the ruins and arrived at the main hall, Mu Xingchen instinctively reached for the door.

Mu Xinghe stopped her. "Here, we listen to Brother."

Mu Xingchen nodded obediently.

Tuogu Yuan frowned. "There's an array on this door."

Ye Guan looked closely. Sure enough, a mysterious force shimmered faintly on its surface.

"I'll give it a shot," Tuogu Yuan offered.

He stepped forward and opened his palm. A golden-red needle appeared in his hand.

"Is that... a Sacred Civilization Weapon?" Xiao Yuanqi looked surprised.

Tuogu Yuan smiled. "One of the finest our family has. It's especially effective against arrays. Let me try first, if it doesn't work, then someone else can step in."

The others nodded.

Tuogu Yuan activated the weapon. The golden needle turned into a streak of sword-like light and struck the door.

Boom!

Golden energy surged across the surface of the door, which began to tremble under the pressure.

Soon, Tuogu Yuan's face turned pale.

Ye Guan stepped forward, ready to intervene but just then, a cracking sound echoed from the door. A moment later, it shattered into pieces with a thunderous crash.

"I did it!" Tuogu Yuan grinned, clearly excited. He put the needle away and turned to the group. "Let's head in."

They stepped into the hall. It was vast and empty. At its center stood a statue of an old man, weathered and eroded by time. The face was no longer visible, and dust had accumulated thickly on its surface.

It was a place long forgotten.

The group studied the statue with interest. In ancient clans, it was common to leave behind some method of passing on their legacy, a form of inheritance.

But they waited, and nothing happened. No reaction. No inheritance.

Their disappointment was obvious.

Xiao Yuanqi searched the hall, but it was completely empty. They had to accept it: this hall held nothing of value.

Mu Xinghe and the others looked visibly deflated.

Just then, Ye Guan stepped up to the statue. For a moment, he stared at it, then slowly placed his hand on its shoulder.

Boom!

Ye Guan's eyes narrowed. In that instant, his consciousness was swept away and drawn through time itself into a chaotic, ancient world.

It was a battlefield. Countless terrifying cultivators charged toward a vast Great Dao road.

Ye Guan's eyes widened in shock. Every single one of them... was at least in the Circle-Breaking Realm.

Wave after wave of these powerful cultivators stormed the path, only to explode in bursts of blood and mist. The path was paved with death.

What kind of place is this?

Ye Guan was stunned.

"Descendant from a future era..."

A voice suddenly echoed beside him.

Ye Guan turned to see an old man in robes standing nearby, watching him curiously.

"You're... the statue?" Ye Guan asked.

The old man nodded.

Ye Guan looked confused.

The old man said softly, "This was the Reverse Ancient Era, which is a trillion years ago."

"You brought me here?" Ye Guan asked.

The old man didn't answer, just continued to study him in silence.

Ye Guan had no idea what was going on.

The old man murmured, "So that's why you have that aura I see now."

His gaze shifted from curiosity to... pity.

"So he..."

Before he could finish, an overwhelming force swept through the realm. The world around Ye Guan began to distort, fading into nothingness.

Ye Guan summoned his Invincible Sword Intent, trying to force his way back in and get answers, but it was already too late. The entire world shattered and vanished into nothingness.

He snapped back to reality.

"Brother?"

Mu Xinghe's voice reached Ye Guan's ears.

Ye Guan's eyes cleared. He took a step back and looked at the group. They were all staring at him in concern.

Tuogu Yuan asked, "What happened to you?"

Ye Guan replied quietly, "My consciousness... it was pulled back to a trillion years ago."

He gave them a brief summary of what had happened.

Everyone was stunned.

Xiao Yuanqi's expression grew solemn. "The Reverse Ancient Era... That's a time from trillions of years ago... My god."

Ye Guan stared at the statue, frowning. What truly shocked him was how many powerful cultivators existed back then.

And that road... Was it the Ascension Battles Road?

He hadn't been there yet. He couldn't be sure.

Suddenly, Mu Xingchen asked, "Brother, did that old guy give you any money?"

Ye Guan was speechless.

Mu Xinghe quickly explained, "It was just his consciousness..."

He turned to Ye Guan. Ye Guan gave a helpless smile. "No money. Just one cryptic sentence."

Tuogu Yuan chuckled. "Brother Ye, no one knows anything about that. You should tell the Immortal Treasures Pavilion what you saw. You might get some reward."

Ye Guan shook his head. "I'm not interested. But if you guys want to try, go ahead."

Tuogu Yuan hesitated. "It's your opportunity. It wouldn't be right for us to claim it..."

Ye Guan knew the rest of the group was poor, so he laughed. "Just give me a small cut of the Ancestral Spiritual Crystals if you get any."

"Deal!"

Tuogu Yuan responded eagerly, and everyone brightened up a bit.

They left the hall and continued deeper into the ruins, with Ye Guan leading the way. Before long, they reached the Blood Monument, and this time, three groups were already there.

To the left stood the white-haired man Ye Guan had seen before, dressed in black robes with a cold, imposing aura. Several young men stood behind him.

A short distance to the right stood a barefoot boy in ragged clothes, shackled with iron chains. He had no hair, and his bald head gleamed in the light.

Behind the monument stood a young man in Daoist robes, a horsetail whisk slung across his back. He looked calm and composed, oddly mature for his age.

When Tuogu Yuan saw the two, his expression grew serious. "The Nothingness Sect... and the Gate of Bitterness.."