Chapter 35: The Ancestor Is Not Dead?

Qin Ming walked out from the mountains and peaks, his expression calm and composed, as if the slaughter of those ants was of no consequence to him.

And, in truth, it was. In this world of fantasy, one simply cannot survive without being ruthless. It was an absolute necessity. Jiang Han understood the subtle line between the death of one’s enemies and one’s own demise perfectly well.

Lin Yuan and the senior elders of the Tongtian Immortal Sect watched Qin Ming, their faces filled with a sense of unfamiliarity. His overwhelming strength, which had cut through the ranks of his foes, left them deeply wary.

"Sect Master, Elders," Qin Ming said, putting away his Dao-Patrolling Sword and offering a faint smile.

This gentle demeanor settled the hearts of Lin Yuan and the others. Initially, they had feared that Qin Ming might have been possessed, but now, the familiar feeling had returned.

Lin Yao stood frozen. She looked at Qin Ming, blushing slightly, and remained silent. Just moments ago, she had declared in front of everyone that she was the one "keeping" and protecting him. To think that an unexpected turn of events had occurred—this would undoubtedly be a permanent stain on her reputation. Finding a flimsy excuse, she slunk away, though she had no intention of abandoning her plan. She was determined to "keep" this man! Such a "boy" of immense fortune and alchemical talent was far too valuable to lose.

As word of Qin Ming’s massacre spread, the entire Qingzhou region was thoroughly shaken. Waves of astonishment and horror rippled through the land, never ceasing. Every faction was stunned, and fear began to spread among them.

Inside the great hall of the Tongtian Immortal Sect, Qin Ming stood before the senior elders.

"Ming'er, how did your strength suddenly surge so dramatically?" Lin Yuan asked, still deeply concerned. He approached to check Qin Ming’s physical state, terrified that he might have been burning his own life force. If that were the case, they would be filled with guilt.

Qin Ming smiled, understanding Lin Yuan’s concern. He bowed respectfully and continued, "My strength, including this sword, was bestowed upon me by the Ancestor."

"The Ancestor?"

At these words, the cultivators present were stunned. Which ancestor? They did indeed have an ancestor, but he had long since vanished, and the soul lamps within the sect had extinguished. By all accounts, he should have perished long ago. This was precisely why, despite being the premier sect of Qingzhou, the Tongtian Immortal Sect lacked momentum—they lacked a foundational power to anchor them, leaving them without the means to contend with the factions of the Central Plains.

But now, hearing Qin Ming’s words, they were shocked. Was their ancestor still alive? This was earth-shattering news.

"Where is the Ancestor?"
"Is the Ancestor truly still alive?"

The senior elders of the Tongtian Immortal Sect wept, unable to hide their faces.

"Yes," Qin Ming replied, his expression somewhat strange. It had been a flimsy excuse he’d concocted on the spot, but now he had no choice but to bite the bullet and commit to it. "The Ancestor finds it inconvenient to appear for the moment. He is preparing a grand movement—one that will teach those factions targeting the Tongtian Immortal Sect that we are not to be trifled with."

Qin Ming’s gaze sharpened with a cold, ruthless glint. The Corpse-Sealing Sect could not have arrived so quickly without traitors from the Central Plains; that was an impossibility.

"Ming'er, are you certain?" the Sect Master asked, still finding it hard to believe. But since Qin Ming had spoken, there had to be a reason behind it. It must be the truth.

"This is a gift from the Ancestor to you all."

Qin Ming secretly opened the Nine-Dragon Heaven-Burial Cauldron and released everything he had refined recently. Drops of golden liquid hovered in mid-air. In an instant, a dense, rich spiritual energy permeated the hall. The elders, who had seen it all and considered themselves worldly, had their eyes light up.

"Hiss... what is this liquid? Is it the legendary Fountain of Immortality?"
"It cannot be. The Fountain of Immortality is transparent, while this is golden."
"It does not appear natural, but rather refined. Yet, how could something refined contain such dense spiritual energy?"

The elders were utterly bewildered. Seeing their confusion, Qin Ming had to once again invoke the name of the Tongtian Ancestor. "Distribute it among yourselves. This should allow you to further break through your cultivation realms."

With a bow, Qin Ming stepped out of the hall to act as a guardian for the elders and the Sect Master. Over the next few days, the sound of rumbling echoed incessantly from within the hall as the elders made their breakthroughs. The most significant advancement was that of Sect Master Lin Yuan, who jumped from the fourth to the ninth level of the Bitter Sea Realm.

Lin Yuan’s talent was truly terrifying. Qin Ming felt a lump in his throat, realizing that Lin Yuan had sacrificed his own cultivation resources for the growth of the sect. Otherwise, with his talent, how could his cultivation have stagnated for so long? Lin Yuan was already over four hundred years old. In the Bitter Sea Realm, one lived to about six hundred. At this age, he was considered quite old, and his chances of a turnaround were slim.

But Qin Ming was not discouraged. With the Nine-Dragon Heaven-Burial Cauldron, anything was possible—not just theoretically, but highly likely.

Seeing that the elders had finished their breakthroughs, Qin Ming’s eyes flashed. Using the cauldron to mask his aura and scramble his signature, he became unrecognizable. He then set off into the mountains, intent on taking revenge on the Corpse-Sealing Sect. This great scourge had to be eradicated. Their sect was too wicked to be allowed to exist; destroying them would be an act of justice, not cruelty.

Though their elite forces had fallen and their sect leaders had been defeated, as long as their ancestor lived, the threat remained.

Under the cover of night, Qin Ming traveled, utilizing teleportation arrays to reach the Central Plains. He did not rush to annihilate the sect immediately. Instead, he spread rumors that the Ancestor of the Tongtian Immortal Sect had made a powerful comeback, his strength greater than ever, and that he was coming to settle debts.

Having planted the seeds of fear, Qin Ming went into seclusion. Having slain so many "ghosts," he was now terrifyingly powerful, and his cultivation resources were dazzling. He finally had the opportunity to冲击 higher realms.

"Old Man Cauldron, refine it for me!"

Qin Ming gave the order without hesitation. The cauldron groaned into action, refining the vast number of corpses he had collected from the Corpse-Sealing Sect. They were transformed into pure energy, which Qin Ming immediately began to absorb.