"Chen Qingyuan, I offer you two choices. One is to become my spiritual partner; the other is..."
In the depths of a restricted area known as Tianyuan, a young woman dressed in a red dress spoke coldly.
The long skirt sways as it moves, with a few captivating flowers adorning the hem.
She was barefoot, revealing her ankles that were as white and flawless as jade.
A dark veil covered her face, except for a pair of eyes that seemed like stars. Her eyebrows were as delicate as spring water, and her long hair flowed like a waterfall. Every movement and expression exuded charm and beauty.
"I choose option two."
Without waiting for the young woman in the red dress to finish her words, a young man dressed in a green robe made a decisive choice.
Beautiful women are like poisons, especially those who have lived for many years. Chen Qingyuan, who had been tormented by the young woman in the red dress for a hundred years, was well aware of her terrifying nature and would not be deceived by her appearance.
Aside from this reason, Chen Qingyuan had made a verbal agreement with a certain young woman to become spiritual partners; he could not break this promise.
"Don't regret this, young one,"
the girl in the red dress glared at Chen Qingyuan and snorted. "Absolutely no regret."
Chen Qingyuan was resolute in his decision.
"Then let's make nine agreements with each other. Once they are fulfilled, I will release you and sever any connections or consequences between us."
The young woman in the red dress took out a jade bracelet and handed it to Chen Qingyuan with a mere wave of her hand.
Chen Qingyuan took the jade bracelet and set off on the journey back home. Having been trapped on Tianyuan for over a hundred years, he was finally able to leave this eerie place, and his excitement was palpable.
...
Northern Wilderness, Fuxing Star Region, Xuanqing Dao Sect.
"Master, the Soul Lantern of the young master has lit up."
A core disciple on duty at the Life Soul Pavilion discovered something and rushed to the Elders' Council with great urgency.
"That's nonsense. Your junior master has been dead for over 100 years."
Inside the house, an elderly person was making tea and shouted loudly.
"Really, come and see for yourself if you don't believe me."
This is a significant matter; it was only after multiple confirmations from the core disciples that they dared to report it.
Upon hearing this, the elderly person was momentarily choked by the tea in his mouth and stared at the speaker with wide eyes: "Seriously?"
Upon arriving at the Hall of Life and Soul, a faint glow emanated from a spirit lamp in a corner. It was indeed as expected.
The old man's body trembled slightly, filled with excitement but also a hint of apprehension, fearing that this possibility might not come true and that he might once again experience the agony of despair: "Has the Soul Lamp been rekindled? Is my young disciple truly alive?"
"Master, what should we do?"
one of the core disciples asked, seeking guidance.
"Let's investigate."
In the old man's eyes, a glimmer of hope shone, and his hands were clenched tightly, his expression grave. His name was Dong Wenzhun, and he was a senior protector of the Xuanqing Dao Sect, holding a very high position and prestigious status.
Located more than 100,000 miles away from the Xuanqing Dao Sect, there is an ancient restricted area known as Tianyuan.
A hundred years ago, an unusual phenomenon appeared in the Tianyuan Restricted Area. Some people claimed to have seen a precious artifact from both heaven and earth fall into the restricted area.
As a result, numerous sects from the Northern Wilderness ventured into Tianyuan.
The Xuanqing Dao Sect sent over a dozen highly skilled elders, along with dozens of core disciples, to participate in this endeavor.
Among them was a newly appointed Inner Gate elder named Chen Qingyuan, who was relatively young but held a very high position in the hierarchy.
Entering the Forbidden Zone of Tianyuan, many masters from various sects never returned and perished.
The Xuanqing Sect suffered an even worse fate than other sects, with its entire force wiped out.
Centuries have passed, but the Soul Lantern of Chen Qingyuan has finally lit up, causing great excitement among all members of the Xuanqing Sect.
"Finally made it out,"
Chen Qingyuan stood by the lake edge in the outer world of Tianyuan Restricted Zone, exhaling deeply.
His clothes were covered in some dirt, and there was absolutely no sign of spiritual energy emanating from him.
He was the last disciple accepted by the Supreme Ancestor of the Xuanqing Sect before the latter's passing.
A group of elderly individuals from the Xuanqing Sect all refer to him as their junior disciple, and even lower-ranking disciples are expected to call him senior disciple or even senior patriarch.
"Never want to go back there again in this lifetime."
Chen Qingyuan turned back to take a look at the pitch-black jungle, which concealed an ancient abyss that held secrets beyond imagination.
When Chen Qingyuan just said those words, a ethereal female voice reached his ears: "Young lad, don't forget the agreement we made."
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingyuan shivered and quickly shut up.
The century-long experiences within Tianyuan make Chen Qingyuan reluctant to recall them.
What still puzzles Chen Qingyuan is why he was able to survive a near-death experience; could it be because he is handsome?
While this possibility is slim, it is not entirely impossible.
The young woman in the red dress hinted that Xuanqing Sect would likely soon discover their trail and send people to investigate.
"Find a shaded spot to rest for a while."
As a result, Chen Qingyuan was too lazy to walk and lay down under a large tree, where he fell asleep contentedly.
It has to be said that, in such a desolate and remote location, Chen Qingyuan, without any cultivation, still dares to act with such boldness. This suggests that even though his cultivation has been depleted, he must still possess some hidden strengths or strategies that are not widely known, otherwise, why would he act with such impunity?
After one hour, Dong Wenzhun arrived.
When Dong Wenzhen saw Chen Qingyuan lying under the shade of a tree, his body trembled with excitement, and his lips quivered. He felt like shouting out loud. However, fearing it might be just his imagination, Dong Wenzhen stood frozen in place, and ripples appeared in his eyes.
"Little Master, wake up," some disciples exclaimed, hurrying forward to call out. Chen Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes and took in the sight of everyone around him.
The next moment, Chen Qingyuan looked directly into the eyes of Dong Wenzhun, who had graying hair, and smiled, calling out softly, "Senior Brother Dong."
Hearing the familiar voice, Dong Wengjun felt as if he had returned to reality. Quickly, he appeared in front of Chen Qingyuan and cautiously extended his hands, grabbing Chen Qingyuan's arms tightly. "Brother, is this really you?"
"It's me," Chen Qingyuan chuckled. "Senior Brother, you should be a bit gentler; it hurts!"
Without hesitation, Dong Wenzhun released his grip and took a moment to observe him. "Apprentice, how far have you progressed in your cultivation?"
Dong Wenzhun had not noticed this earlier, but after taking a closer look, she discovered that Chen Qingyuan's body showed no signs of having any spiritual energy or any form of cultivation.
"That's all, but it's not a big deal," Chen Qingyuan's mood didn't show much fluctuation, and a smile remained on his lips.
Normally, it would be even more distressing for a practitioner who has become useless than if they had passed away.
However, Chen Qingyuan seemed completely unconcerned, as if it were no big deal.
Living in a restricted area for hundreds of years is not without its benefits.
"Ah? This..." Dong Wenzhun was quite surprised and also felt a hint of sympathy. "Let's not dwell on this.
Let's just go back first!" Chen Qingyuan waved his hand to cut off the conversation.
"Okay."
Dong Wenzhun nodded emphatically. This was indeed not a place for casual conversation.
So, Dong Wenzhun produced a sacred artifact to shield Chen Qingyuan's body and set off towards Xuanqing Sect.
The Xuanqing Sect was able to locate Chen Qingyuan thanks to the guidance of the Soul Lantern.
Eventually, Chen Qingyuan returned to the Xuanqing Sect, which was surrounded by towering mountains and shrouded in mist.
Gazing at this beautiful scene, Chen Qingyuan's face displayed a profound expression of joy.
"Finally, I'm home."
Chen Qingyuan had grown up in the Xuanqing Sect. Unfortunately, just as he was about to be formally accepted as a disciple by the Supreme Elders, his master passed away due to reaching the end of his lifespan.
As a result, Chen Qingyuan cultivated under the guidance of many senior disciples, and their relationship with them was extremely close.
The meeting hall was packed with people, all of whom were Elders from the Xuanqing Sect.
This meeting is of great significance, and only core disciples who meet certain qualifications are allowed to attend.
Chen Qingyuan was brought to the Council Hall. Looking at the familiar faces, he bowed respectfully: "Greetings to all senior brothers and sisters."
The head of Xuanqing Sect is named Lin Changsheng, who is Chen Qingyuan's senior brother-in-law.
"Little apprentice, how did you manage to survive?"
Lin Changsheng, seated in the main position, was already aware of the general situation.
"Alas, it's a long story that's hard to put into words."
Chen Qingyuan stood in the center of the hall, being stared at by dozens of pairs of eyes, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
"We have plenty of time, let's talk it over slowly!"
Lin Changsheng's expression was serious.
Seeing this, Chen Qingyuan was forced to speak slowly, "That day, we ventured into Tianyuan..."
Chen Qingyuan then proceeded to deliver the prepared speech.
To sum up, the group ventured into Tianyuan and encountered various restrictions and unknown perils, leaving only Chen Qingyuan alive. It was due to Chen Qingyuan's use of a forbidden technique that he was able to feign death and escape, taking a hundred years to emerge from the danger zone.
Though narrowly escaping death, due to the backlash from the forbidden technique, all of their cultivation was destroyed, and their spiritual root was also severed.
Listening intently, everyone found themselves lost in thought. Not knowing what lay within the Celestial Abyss, it was impossible for them to discern whether what Chen Qingyuan had said was true or not.
"It's just you left now, sigh,"
sighed Lin Changsheng. Initially, everyone had harbored a glimmer of hope that perhaps others had faked their own deaths like Chen Qingyuan and escaped.
"The Abyss of Heaven is not something that can be entered."
Chen Qingyuan recalled the harrowing scene of his fellow disciple's death, his face filled with sorrow.
The laws within the restricted area are extremely terrifying; those who cross them are certain to die. Chen Qingyuan's escape might be due to luck or fate.
"Young junior, for the sake of safety, we have no choice but to check your physical condition."
Lin Changsheng said in a serious tone, "Understood, let's investigate it."
The Xuanqing Sect is concerned that Chen Qingyuan might have been taken over by another entity, and if not handled carefully, it could be detrimental to the sect.
In general, taking over someone else's body only allows one to possess the physical form but not the memories. Of course, there is a rare possibility that a few individuals might retain memories from their previous lives.