Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

The floating island didn't appear very large from the outside, but once inside, the space was vast and expansive.

Ruins stretched out endlessly.

Qin Chuan led Qin Zi toward the center of the island.

Generally speaking, the central area was often the core. If there were any treasures, they were most likely in the middle.

Along the way, they passed countless crumbling walls, but there were no shattered weapons or corpses to be seen.

It seemed that the destruction here wasn't caused by battle, but by... some kind of unavoidable disaster.

"Could it be the legendary Heaven's Collapse?" Qin Chuan thought, recalling some ancient secrets he had come across over the years, particularly in the ancient books of the Tianheng Clan.

After a long while...

The two finally reached the center of the island, and there, before them, was a dazzling... colossal square!

The square was majestic, glowing with radiant colors. Through the brilliant light, countless figures could be seen seated in perfect rows.

They were all stone figures!

These figures looked lifelike, sitting cross-legged with peaceful expressions, exuding a mysterious aura.

They seemed alive yet dead.

Neither living nor dead.

The square was filled with tens of thousands of stone figures. Judging by their appearance and attire, they seemed to be disciples of this sect.

At the very center of the square stood a massive structure resembling a pyramid with nine levels. On each level, more figures were seated.

The higher the level, the fewer the figures.

It seemed the hierarchy was strict!

If the tens of thousands seated below were the regular disciples of the sect, then the ones on the pyramid were clearly the higher-ups.

The first three levels were occupied by figures radiating an overwhelming aura, making even a distant glance terrifying.

The middle three levels had figures whose faces were obscured, shrouded in mist, giving off an unfathomable sense of mystery.

At the very top three levels, the figures appeared both real and illusory, as if they had always been there, but at the same time, as though they had never existed at all...

"Enter the sacred ground, and you shall receive the inheritance."

The ancient voice echoed once again, seemingly from the figure on the ninth level of the pyramid.

The voice was ethereal and commanding.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz!"

The tokens in Qin Chuan and Qin Zi's hands began to tremble violently, radiating a brilliant blue-gold light. A pulling force emerged, as if urging them toward the square.

"Dad, what should we do?" Qin Zi asked nervously.

"Stay here and don't move. I'll go in and take a look first," Qin Chuan instructed, taking a deep breath as he cautiously stepped toward the square.

He was a bit nervous too.

And he had already prepared a teleportation orb. If things went south, he would leave immediately.

Step by step...

Finally, he entered the square.

"Buzz!"

The moment he stepped onto the square, a pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping him.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared in his mind, seemingly real yet unreal—it was the figure seated on the ninth level of the pyramid.

This person had their back to him.

They seemed both incredibly distant and right before him, creating a paradoxical sensation.

"You've finally arrived... fated one."

The figure's back looked young, but the voice that spoke was ancient, filled with the weariness of countless years.

"Wh-who are you?" Qin Chuan asked, pretending to be nervous.

"Me? Heh..."

The figure chuckled, then said, "My name has long been forgotten, but the world once called me... Dao Lord Qingye."

"What do you want from me?" Qin Chuan asked, feigning unease.

"Little one, don't be so tense. Since you hold the token and have come here, you are fated to meet me," Dao Lord Qingye smiled warmly, then said, "I wish to take you as my disciple. Do you accept?"

"What?!"

Qin Chuan acted shocked, showing a mix of surprise and concern, before finally asking cautiously, "What do you gain from this?"

He displayed the appropriate level of suspicion, like any reasonable person would in this situation, making himself appear more grounded.

"Heh, sharp little one," Dao Lord Qingye chuckled. "Becoming my disciple is indeed a great fortune, but you're right—there's no such thing as a free meal. I would certainly gain something as well."

"The Qingye Celestial Sect remains sealed, and it will be a long time before we can fully recover."

"However, there is one method that can speed up our recovery, and that is... merging with the destiny of this era."

"The Qingye Celestial Sect has slumbered for countless eons, and we are no longer aligned with the destiny of this world. Only by having the talents of this era join our sect can we merge with the current destiny and revive."

"Moreover, the more talented the individuals who join, the stronger their innate gifts and fortune, the faster we will recover."

"I see..." Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully. Then he asked, "What happens if no talented individuals join? Can you still revive?"

"Yes, but it would take much longer. And time is something we cannot afford," Dao Lord Qingye gazed up at the sky, speaking with a deep sigh. "Because... we are not the only ones about to awaken."

"The seals have weakened, and this world is on the verge of a full revival. When that time comes, everything that once disappeared will return. It will be an opportunity of unimaginable fortune, but also a catastrophe. We must seize the initiative."

"Revival?!" Qin Chuan asked in feigned shock. "Is this world asleep? Does it have a glorious past?"

"Heh, glorious is an understatement."

Dao Lord Qingye shook his head with a soft smile, his gaze deepening. "I don't know what this world is called now, or how much it has fallen. But once... it was known as Xuanhuang Heaven."

Qin Chuan's heart trembled.

Heaven!

They called themselves Heaven!!

At this moment, without needing further explanation, he could already sense the immense power and glory that name represented.

"My Qingye Celestial Sect was once a flourishing and mighty sect in Xuanhuang Heaven. So, are you willing to become my disciple?" Dao Lord Qingye asked gently.

"I'm willing!" Qin Chuan responded, pretending to be excited.

"Good. Since you've agreed, I will now impart to you the inheritance of the Qingye Celestial Sect—our core scripture, The One Leaf Overcomes Heaven Sutra."

As he spoke, countless golden characters spread from his body, swiftly entering Qin Chuan.

Immediately, Qin Chuan felt an immense, profound, and endless scripture imprint itself into his mind.

"So powerful!"

Qin Chuan was astonished. This scripture alone could elevate his combat prowess by another level.

His current strength was rooted in raw, unmatched power.

The scripture represented the pinnacle of technique, and mastering it would allow him to harness that raw strength with unparalleled skill, producing unimaginable results.

After a while, the transmission of the scripture was complete. Dao Lord Qingye spoke again:

"Now that you have received the inheritance of the Qingye Celestial Sect, you are bound by karma. From this moment on, you are a disciple of the Qingye Celestial Sect."

"Of course, this is only the foundational inheritance of our sect. In the future, you can obtain even more."

"And once our sect fully unseals, you will have the backing of a prosperous and powerful sect."

Qin Chuan nodded silently.

He understood that this was a subtle way of telling him not to harbor any disloyal thoughts and to consider the long term.

However...

His strong sense of moral integrity constantly reminded him not to be too greedy, and he took that advice to heart.

"Those tokens... you still have them, don't you?" Dao Lord Qingye asked after a long pause, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"Ahem, I thought they were valuable, so I collected them all... Uh..." Qin Chuan scratched his head awkwardly, acting embarrassed.

"Well, then. You may use them to select disciples. As the senior disciple of this generation, you are granted the authority to take disciples on behalf of the sect," Dao Lord Qingye said.