Chapter 20: The Legacy of the Supreme Ancestor Endures

Li Chen and Lin Ying clasped their hands tightly as the light screen before them flickered. The gates of the secret realm slowly creaked open, exhaling an ancient and mysterious aura. As they stepped into the unknown, they were greeted by a landscape of swirling mists and jagged, towering peaks that resembled a celestial fairyland. Ancient trees reached toward the heavens, their dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves to dance upon the mossy stone path, making every step feel like an intrusion upon the passage of time. In the distance, an ancient altar shimmered in and out of view, its surface etched with intricate runes that seemed to await their arrival. An inexplicable force pulled them forward, drawing them slowly toward the site.

As they drew nearer, the mist around the altar thickened, as if every breath they drew was filled with the weight of eons. A strange tremor stirred in Li Chen’s heart, a sensation as if he shared a blood connection with this secret realm. At the heart of the altar, a faint but distinct light suddenly ignited, revealing the secrets hidden behind the ancient runes: a series of lifelike reliefs depicting scenes of ascending to the Immortal Realm. Each stroke contained supreme profundity. Lin Ying gripped Li Chen’s hand firmly, her eyes shining with determination and curiosity. They knew this was more than just an exploration; it was a dialogue across time and space with the supreme ancestor of ages past.

Li Chen pulled Lin Ying’s hand, and together they ascended the altar. Upon reaching the center, they beheld a celestial crystal stele, two zhang high and one zhang wide, suffused with purple mist. Inscribed upon it were the words "Li Ruocang, Supreme of the Immortal Realm." Within the surface of the stone, a figure appeared, indistinct yet noble, with a gentle, elegant countenance and eyes so piercing they seemed to penetrate the nine heavens. It was an avatar. At this moment, he looked upon the pair with a smile of deep affection and indulgence.

"This is Ancestor Ruocang," Li Chen said urgently, pulling Lin Ying with him. "Quickly, kneel and pay your respects!" The two knelt and kowtowed nine times, chanting in unison, "Your descendants, Li Chen and Lin Ying, pay respects to our ancestor!"

"Hahaha!" Li Ruocang laughed heartily. "Such talent, such aptitude, such temperament—they are no less than my own! The Li clan of the Immortal Realm is truly blessed; our legacy shall continue!"

Seeing them still kneeling, he said, "Rise, both of you, rise." Once they stood, Li Chen introduced her respectfully: "Ancestor, this is your granddaughter-in-law, Lin Ying." Lin Ying blushed, offering the ancestor a graceful curtsy.

"Good, good, good." With a gesture toward Lin Ying, an object wreathed in purple mist appeared before her. "This is a gift from me to greet you, little Ying: a protective talisman of the Supreme Realm. You are the treasure upon which the Li clan relies to ensure our lineage flourishes for a thousand generations; no harm must come to you. Hahaha!"

With her face flushed crimson, Lin Ying quickly knelt again. "Thank you, Ancestor, for your grace!" She rose, holding the gift in both hands, her face radiant with joy.

Li Chen followed suit, kneeling and asking, "Ancestor, what about mine?" Lin Ying covered her mouth, giggling incessantly at the sight.

Li Ruocang also let out a hearty laugh. "Everything I have is yours; what more could you need?" Li Chen stood up, sheepishly replying, "You could have said so earlier, Ancestor!" Naturally, he had only been trying to lighten the mood.

Li Ruocang added, "I do not wish for you to develop a sense of arrogance or reliance, for that would hinder your cultivation and lead to a life of mediocrity."

"Your descendant understands. Thank you, Ancestor!"

Li Ruocang looked at Li Chen and remarked, "You are already twenty, yet your cultivation is so weak? How did you end up in the lower realm?"

Li Chen recounted the power struggles and infighting of his family in his past life, explaining how his cousin, driven by selfish desires, had conspired with the Demon Realm to orchestrate a fatal ambush.

Li Ruocang sighed and shook his head. "From the gods above to the mortal families below, unworthy descendants are always inevitable."

"Long ago, after my true self ascended to the Immortal Realm, I could no longer maintain contact. This soul-shard avatar, lacking replenishment from the original body, has grown increasingly weak. I have relied solely on the abundant immortal energy within this secret realm to remain in existence, and I have long been unable to venture out to attend to the family in the Immortal Realm. This secret space was a foundation for the Li clan that my true self established before ascending, hoping to provide a deep legacy and great opportunities for future descendants, ensuring the family would remain prosperous and endure forever."