Chapter 1544: Sister’s Warning, the Patriarch’s Lineage

The Gate of Eternal Life was one of the treasures from the first generation of civilization, used to seal the source of the Black Disaster. It stood alongside other mysterious artifacts like the Mirror of Reincarnation, imbued with boundless fortune and mystery. According to Ling Yuxian’s understanding, the Gate of Eternal Life likely concealed secrets connected to the “real place,” a realm beyond even the most profound mysteries.

The creator of the Gate of Eternal Life once remarked that the blueprint, believed to be handed down from this real place, contained traces of knowledge leading toward transcending eternal life. In an era more ancient than most could remember, the grand outline of detachment, which ignited fierce competition across various realms, seemed to have subtle links to the Gate of Eternal Life.

Ling Yuxian had gleaned all of this from the memory fragments she had absorbed. Now, if she wished to rescue her sister, she would need to gather enough strength and capable allies to break the seal on the Gate of Eternal Life. However, she also had to tread cautiously, as the spirit within the gate posed a significant danger.

Even her sister, a being of immense power, had fallen victim to the machinations of the Gate of Eternal Life’s artifact spirit, forcing her to seal both herself and the spirit inside it. Now, after so many years, the power of the artifact spirit had likely grown far stronger, so much so that her sister had to awaken Ling Yuxian prematurely and call for her aid. This was the main reason Ling Yuxian had not fully recovered until now.

Inside the Gate of Eternal Life lay a vast, boundless inner universe, a self-contained world whose limits were unknown. Multiple dimensions of time and space overlapped within it, creating an immense and unfathomable expanse. Her sister’s consciousness, entangled with the spirit of the Gate of Eternal Life, was gradually weakening.

If the spirit of the Gate succeeded in fully devouring her sister, it would become a self-sustaining entity, evolving from merely being an artifact’s spirit into an independent, living being. Ling Yuxian couldn’t predict what would happen if that transformation occurred, but she knew that her sister’s fate would be disastrous.

Moreover, as Ling Yuxian delved deeper into her recovered memories, she felt an odd unease. Along with her sister’s plea for help, there was a persistent warning to stay away from Gu Changge. When she absorbed more of the memory fragments and her primordial spirit regained some of its strength, she once again sensed her sister’s thoughts from deep within the Gate of Eternal Life. The warning regarding Gu Changge was stronger than ever, filling her with a sense of unprecedented vigilance and danger.

The image of the halberd light piercing her body resurfaced in her mind, a memory tied to that same feeling of dread. “He is truly mysterious and dangerous, his intentions unreadable. He claims to have no ill will towards Yu Xian Palace… but are those words sincere?”

Ling Yuxian’s mind slowly settled as she pondered these thoughts, her expression calm as she muttered to herself. Finally, she stepped out of the cave, emerging into the world outside, the weight of uncertainty still lingering.

If Gu Changge was indeed someone with past memories, much like herself, his background would undoubtedly be extraordinary. A person like him couldn’t be judged by common standards or understood through ordinary thinking. Ling Yuxian couldn’t forget how, even in the presence of Ling Qiuchang, the awe-inspiring palace lord, Gu Changge had remained composed, smiling as if completely unaffected.

Yet, her sister had warned her to be wary of him. What was the reason for this caution?

“You really need to be careful of that guy. Jing Xiao being so close to him is dangerous,” Ling Yuxian sighed to herself.

She couldn’t bring herself to believe that Gu Changge, with his depth and complexity, could genuinely be interested in someone like Jing Xiao. Despite Jing Xiao’s blossoming feelings, which were quite clear to Ling Yuxian, Gu Changge’s indifferent attitude toward her made it hard to discern any romantic intentions.

Ling Yuxian, though young by appearances, was of the same generation as the patriarch of Yu Xian Palace. With that insight, she could easily tell that Jing Xiao’s feelings were still in their early stages, innocent and unguarded. While Gu Changge’s interactions with Jing Xiao seemed harmless on the surface, Ling Yuxian had a gnawing suspicion that there was something more beneath his calm demeanor. She felt that Gu Changge must have an unknown, hidden purpose, and that the apparent harmlessness was nothing but a façade.

Ling Yuxian couldn’t shake the sense of danger Gu Changge embodied. She didn’t want to see Jing Xiao get caught in whatever lay behind his mysterious persona. After all, her relationship with Jing Xiao had always been close, until that fateful night at Jing’s house.

Jing Xiang had come to Ling Yuxian that fateful night to express his heartfelt feelings, only to catch her in the midst of her painful past memory awakening. A flood of fragmented memories surged into her mind, and the pain was almost unbearable. Ling Yuxian couldn’t let Jing Xiang sense anything was amiss or uncover her secrets. However, even after she rejected him, Jing Xiang refused to leave, still clinging to hope.

Ling Yuxian, who was indifferent toward him from the start, had no choice but to utter harsh words, intending to drive him away. She never imagined that those words would lead to such lasting consequences, causing a rift between her and Jing Xiao. From that moment on, Jing Xiao viewed her as an adversary, someone she had to surpass to erase her brother’s humiliation.

True to her nature, Ling Yuxian didn’t feel inclined to explain or soften her stance over the matter. Once she had said something, she stood by it, no matter the context or the pain it caused at the time. The aftermath of her words shaped their relationship, and she accepted responsibility for that.

Upon awakening this particular memory fragment, Ling Yuxian was filled with reflection. After a while, she made her way to see the palace master, Ling Qiuchang. The Jing family, from which Jing Xiao hailed, were actually descendants of an old servant who had once served her and her sister loyally. In order to escape the vengeance of their enemies, this old servant had assumed the role of the Yu Xian Palace patriarch in name, concealing the true leadership behind the palace—herself and her sister.

In a bid to follow her sister’s last command, the ancestor of the Jing family had gone into seclusion, hiding away with the sealed Gate of Eternal Life, to guard it from being discovered by their enemies.

The Gate of Eternal Life had been guarded by the Jing family for generations, and during that time, the seal had been reinforced to prevent the spirit of the Gate from escaping. Jing Xiao’s older sister had suspicions that the spirit of the Gate of Eternal Life had developed independent consciousness and undergone a drastic shift in temperament. She speculated that, during the battle to suppress the master of the Black Disaster, the spirit may have been tainted by a drop of the Black Disaster’s blood, leading to its corruption by darkness.

Originally, these treasures from the first generation of civilization had been forged to seal away the Black Disaster, which had threatened the vast expanse of existence. Even the Artifact Spirits born from such treasures were said to possess a righteous and upright nature. How could something with such a noble origin turn on its host and plot in secret?

After this realization, Ling Yuxian sought out Ling Qiuchang, revealing her true identity and hinting at the ancient origins and hidden secrets of Yu Xian Palace. Ling Qiuchang was understandably shocked and horrified by the revelation. Who could have imagined that the patriarch of the Jing family, recorded in their ancient texts, was merely an old servant of the true patriarch? He had always believed that the Jing family descended from the founder of Yu Xian Palace.

Ling Yuxian further informed him that her sister, who was trapped, was in fact within the secluded residence of the Jing family. She urged Ling Qiuchang to quietly gather the other elders and ancient figures of Yu Xian Palace, expressing her concern that unforeseen complications might arise. She planned for the people of Yu Xian Palace to remain hidden and ready, ensuring they would be prepared for any unexpected events.

The following day, all of Yu Xian Palace’s elders were summoned by Ling Qiuchang for another meeting in the main hall. This time, the matter was far more serious. Aside from the elders, no disciples were present, except for Ling Yuxian herself.

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