The glow of the Immortal Gate faded away, and the warm afterglow of ascension immortal energy still lingered around Chen Fan's body. He stood firmly atop the green peak of the Hengxiao Heavenly Realm, his eyes lowered in concentration, carefully sensing everything in this brand-new world.
The Chaos Root within his dantian continued to tremble gently. Threads of rich heavenly spiritual energy poured into his body endlessly through his pores, flowing along his meridians and merging perfectly with his Path of Balance. Compared to the heavenly constraints of the Lower Realm, the spiritual energy here was not only extremely pure but also carried a natural, inherent charm of balance. Even without deliberately activating his cultivation technique, his base was being gently nourished, and his foundation at the Perfection of the Spirit Cleansing Realm grew more solid. The exhilaration of his mortal body transforming into an immortal physique spread to every part of his limbs and bones.
He lifted his eyes and gazed into the distance. The world was vast and boundless; amid the surging sea of clouds, immortal mountains stood scattered one after another. Spirit birds danced among the peaks, surrounded by auspicious qi. In the far distance, streams of light streaked across the sky—local cultivators traveling with magical artifacts. Everywhere was a celestial scenery rarely seen in the Lower Realm. At the eastern end of the sky, a thick mass of black fog lingered. Within the fog, an obscure aura seemed to tug at the Chaos Root inside him across the great distance. This was exactly the unusual movement from the Forbidden Ancient Mountain mentioned in the previous chapter.
Chen Fan restrained his aura completely, hiding his cultivation to appear as an ordinary rogue cultivator, and walked slowly down the mountain. Beside the mountain path grew many spirit herbs and immortal plants rare in the Lower Realm, their spiritual energy dense. Even ordinary vegetation far surpassed the top-grade spirit plants of the Lower Realm. He moved forward without pining for the surrounding spiritual treasures, focusing only on familiarizing himself with the customs of this heavenly realm and understanding its basic cultivation rules.
Halfway down the mountain, the sharp clashing of weapons suddenly rang out from the forest, mixed with cultivators' shouts and the roars of a demonic beast.
Chen Fan paused and followed the sound. In a forest clearing, four young cultivators in light blue robes were surrounded by a snow-white demonic beast with red patterns. The beast's cultivation was roughly at the Middle Stage of the Spirit Cleansing Realm, with sharp claws and violent demonic power. The four young men were all outer disciples of Qingxuan Pavilion, their cultivation only at the Early Stage of the Spirit Cleansing Realm. Fighting together, they were already retreating steadily, wounded and panicked, on the verge of collapse.
"This Spirit-Patterned Snow Leopard is too ferocious—we can't defeat it! Retreat!" the leading cultivator roared through gritted teeth. He blocked with his longsword, only to be sent flying by a single claw strike from the beast, his虎口 cracking and blood streaming down.
The Spirit-Patterned Snow Leopard roared, leaped into the air, and slashed its claws toward the fallen cultivator, intent on killing him on the spot. The other three cried out in alarm, too late to save him.
Chen Fan stood not far away, his expression calm. He had just arrived in this realm and wished to avoid unnecessary trouble, but the beast's wanton slaughter had upset the balance of surrounding life—an act that violated the core of his cultivation path.
Without any grand movement, Chen Fan simply flicked a finger. A wisp of gentle yet condensed balance spiritual energy shot out silently. This energy held no killing intent whatsoever, yet contained the suppressing power of the origin of the Great Dao. It landed on the Spirit-Patterned Snow Leopard in an instant.
The once ferocious snow leopard froze abruptly, its violent demonic power locked tight as if bound by an invisible chain. It could not move at all, its roar caught in its throat. It crashed straight to the ground, writhing helplessly, completely stripped of its ability to fight back.
The scene unfolded so suddenly that all four blue-robed cultivators froze. They stared blankly at the fallen beast, then turned to look at the plainly dressed Chen Fan, shock and disbelief written all over their faces.
They had not even seen how the stranger had acted, nor sensed any fluctuation of spiritual energy. With a casual gesture, he had easily subdued a beast they could not defeat even together. His strength was unfathomable.
The leading young cultivator snapped back to his senses, quickly enduring his wounds and stepping forward to bow deeply to Chen Fan, his voice filled with gratitude and respect. "Thank you for saving us, Senior! We four are outer disciples of Qingxuan Pavilion. We came to gather spirit herbs in the mountains and unexpectedly encountered this beast. If you hadn't intervened, we would have perished today!"
Chen Fan nodded lightly, his tone calm. "A small matter. There is no need for such courtesy."
As he spoke, he lifted his finger slightly. The balance energy restraining the snow leopard gradually dispersed. He did not harm the beast, only scattered its ferocity. The leopard, terrified, tucked its tail and fled into the forest, vanishing from sight.
Seeing this, the four cultivators admired him even more, realizing the unassuming stranger was a hidden expert. Noting Chen Fan's unfamiliar attire, unlike local cultivators of the heavenly realm, the leader dared not probe into his origins and said respectfully, "Senior, you do not seem to be from the Qingheng Region. You must have just arrived in the heavenly realm? This area borders the Lingxu Region, where demonic beasts run rampant. Furthermore, the Forbidden Ancient Mountain has been unusually restless lately and is quite dangerous. If you are heading to the market ahead, you may travel with us."
Chen Fan had wished to gather information about the heavenly realm, so he nodded slightly. "In that case, I will trouble you."
Along the way, grateful for Chen Fan's help, the four cultivators answered every question, voluntarily explaining the rules of the Qingheng Region. They told him the market ahead was the largest cultivator gathering spot nearby, where all kinds of spiritual materials and treasures were traded, with many rogue and sect cultivators coming and going. They also mentioned that the heavenly realm was divided into four major regions: the Qingheng Region, with peaceful spiritual energy and numerous sects; the Lingxu Region, full of secret realms and forbidden lands; the Xuanbing Region, a cold and bitter land home to powerful major sects; and the Youji Region, a forbidden zone for cultivators, where strange shadowy figures appeared and harmed travelers.
When speaking of the Forbidden Ancient Mountain, their expressions shifted. They lowered their voices and said, "That mountain has been sealed for a thousand years, and no one dared to approach it. But in recent days, it has trembled frequently. Rumors in the market say ancient treasures are hidden within, luring many cultivators to investigate. Yet all returned empty-handed, and many even vanished without a trace. It is truly eerie."
Chen Fan listened and fell into quiet thought. The Chaos Root in his dantian trembled once more, echoing the obscure aura from the distant mountain. He understood in his heart that within that ancient mountain lay an opportunity—or a danger—closely linked to his Chaos Root.
Before long, the group reached the cultivator market at the foot of the mountain. The market was bustling with activity; cultivators came and went endlessly. Stalls on both sides were filled with spirit herbs, ores, and tattered ancient books. Hawking and chatting blended into a lively scene. Among the surrounding conversations, fragments about a black-crowned shadowy figure and the ancient inheritance of balance were occasionally mentioned, adding even more mystery to this heavenly realm.
After thanking Chen Fan repeatedly, the four cultivators took their leave and returned to their sect. Chen Fan wandered alone through the market, listening quietly to the surrounding chatter and piecing together the structure of the heavenly realm.
Just as he stopped in front of an ancient book stall, intending to browse, a gentle and modest voice sounded beside him. "Fellow Daoist, you look unfamiliar—you must have just arrived in the Qingheng Region. Most of the ancient books here are fragmented and mixed in quality; they would only waste your attention."
Chen Fan turned to see a young cultivator in a light gray robe standing beside him with a smile. He had gentle features, clear bright eyes, and a calm, steady aura. His cultivation was at the Late Stage of the Spirit Cleansing Realm, yet he carried no trace of arrogance, appearing exceptionally amiable.
Seeing Chen Fan look over, the young man clasped his hands in greeting and introduced himself. "I am Wen Yanzhi, a rogue cultivator. I have traveled the four regions of the heavenly realm and know a fair bit about its customs and rules. You are alone and new here; it must be inconvenient. If you don't mind, we may travel together, and I can explain the ways of this realm to you."
Chen Fan's heart stirred slightly. He was about to reply when suddenly the entire market shook violently. The ground rumbled, and the surrounding noise fell completely silent. All cultivators paled and turned their heads toward the direction of the Lingxu Region.
Above the thousand-year-sealed Forbidden Ancient Mountain, thick black fog erupted into the sky, forming a huge shadow that vaguely took the shape of a crown. A bone-chilling cold aura swept across the whole world in an instant.
And the Chaos Root in Chen Fan's dantian trembled wildly at this moment. A powerful sensation surged into his mind, as if a pair of cold eyes had pierced through heavy clouds and locked directly onto him!