Chapter 61: The Venerable Dayan

But what exactly was it that drew him in? At last, in the center of the pile of spirit stones, Lin Zhan found the source of the attraction. There, quietly seated, was a skeleton whose age was impossible to guess. Every bone of this skeleton gleamed gold, emanating a terrifying aura of majesty that made Lin Zhan’s heart race uncontrollably.

“Even in death, it’s this fearsome—how powerful must it have been in life?”

The spirit stones surrounding the golden skeleton had been reduced to powder in a wide circle, as if sucked dry by this very skeleton.

The golden radiance from the remains gave Lin Zhan a sensation of warmth and comfort, compelling him to sit cross-legged in front of it. His spiritual energy moved on its own, flowing gently within his body, and in that gentle flow, Lin Zhan suddenly understood many things. “So, the circulation of spiritual power isn’t necessarily better the faster it is—this subtle and nurturing way is also immensely powerful.”

Thus, Lin Zhan passively closed his eyes and began to meditate, as strands of golden light from the skeleton transformed into fine lines that gradually seeped into his body. These golden threads infiltrated his bones, quietly dissolving within...

No one knew how many hours passed. Gradually, the golden glow of the skeleton dimmed and finally vanished completely. Moments later, the remains suddenly crumbled to dust and dissipated into the air.

Suddenly, Lin Zhan’s eyes flew open, and a subtle smile curled at the corner of his lips.

“What a pleasant feeling.”

He felt immense relief—the first level of the Yellow Rank, his current cultivation stage, was now utterly solid.

His rapid advancement and the formidable opponents he had faced left his foundation unstable, which had always been a source of anxiety. A shaky foundation would spell great trouble on the path ahead, but now, at least at this stage, Lin Zhan had nothing to fear.

Upon closer examination, Lin Zhan discovered the greatest benefit to his body—his bones!

Previously, after suffering grievous wounds, the Nine-Star Diagram had helped him cleanse and refine his meridians and flesh, renewing everything except his bones. But today, he could clearly sense that his skeleton had changed fundamentally; perhaps not completely transformed, but certainly much tougher than before.

Though Lin Zhan had sat with his eyes closed, guided by instinct, he had been acutely aware of the golden skeleton’s dissolution and knew he had received a tremendous blessing.

The owner of the golden bones must have been an extraordinary figure. Though the reason for his death here remained a mystery, he had left behind this precious opportunity.

With this thought, Lin Zhan solemnly bowed three times in the direction where the skeleton had been, offering his gratitude for such a gift.

At that moment, a crystalline message jade suddenly burst apart, and a hazy figure appeared before Lin Zhan. The face was indistinct, more a vague presence than a visible form.

The apparition spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

Lin Zhan held his breath and listened intently, for the message was about those like himself—travelers from another world—and the golden skeleton’s previous owner was just such a traveler!

He had been a sovereign at the pinnacle of the Ninth Grade of the Earth Rank, known as the Sovereign of Grand Evolution.

The Sovereign recounted that only another traveler could absorb the energy within his bones and unlock the hidden message jade.

The words, “I walk this path not alone,” filled Lin Zhan with a warm sense of kinship.

What followed left him utterly stunned, unable to describe his astonishment.

The Sovereign of Grand Evolution had arrived in this Blue Ice World at a time when humanity was still in the era of primitive society—meaning he had crossed over at least a million years ago! And his birthplace was in the distant, wild days of antiquity.

To Lin Zhan, that era belonged to myth and legend.

Pangu splitting heaven and earth, Nüwa mending the sky, Xing Tian, Kuafu, Hou Yi…

“Heavens, how could this be?” Lin Zhan felt his mind short-circuit. Could it be that the ancient myths and legends, the tales from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, weren’t simply fanciful stories, but records of true events?

Yet every word from the Sovereign of Grand Evolution rang with a truth that brooked no doubt—the brutality of war, the world-shattering destruction, the invincible figures plucking stars from the sky, battles spanning all of time and space...

“In the era of primeval chaos, the gods, human emperors, demon lords, and devil generals each led their own factions to rise in power. In the end, as conflicts intensified, a catastrophic great war erupted. The entire planet teetered on the brink of annihilation, and every faction suffered a massive reckoning... Later, with the gods’ aid, the Human Emperor offered himself as the foundation, drawing a boundary to imprison the demon and devil factions, sealing them away, and refining separate pocket worlds...”

“Originally, after the refinement, these worlds were to be destroyed, but the demons and devils used forbidden arts to nurture these pocket worlds into places where life could persist—thus was the Blue Ice World created...”

“The human race’s strength was shattered by this war, the gods departed, and the demon and devil clans, unwilling to be confined and cut off from the world, plotted ceaselessly... Because of the chaos, many humans and even a few immortals and gods were sealed away along with them. Thus, the Nine Heavens and Ten Realms regularly select representatives to forcibly open passages, enter the pocket worlds, and prevent the others from breaking the seals. Should that ever happen, the world would once again face disaster!”

Lin Zhan steadied himself, thinking, “Thank goodness I wasn’t chosen as a representative. I don’t have to shoulder such a heavy task. I’m just a passerby, here by accident—maybe someday I’ll find a way home.”

At the thought of his parents, beloved sister, and those idiotic dorm mates, Lin Zhan was on the verge of tears. Yes, he was homesick—terribly so.

Of course, he also thought of Ling Qier, and wondered how she was faring since their parting.

Ding-dong. Suddenly, a chill ran through him. If all the Sovereign of Grand Evolution said was true, and this Blue Ice World was a sealed pocket realm inhabited by the great demon and devil clans, along with fellow humans, then it was as if he were living inside the miniature art piece he’d once bought for Ling Qier. So where exactly in that miniature was he now?

Oh my god, the more he thought about it, the more bizarre it seemed!

“My spiritual imprint will not last much longer, so I must be brief. To be a traveler is an honor. We have sworn to defend the peace of the Nine Heavens and Ten Realms, to thwart the ambitions of the demon and devil clans, to endure the destruction of our very souls if need be, so that righteousness may endure... If demons and devils are destroyed and the world restored, we may one day meet again...”