The old emperor hadn't expected this matter to be so baffling to him as well. With a furrowed brow, he looked at Qi Xiaoyu and Chu Mo in front of him and said in a deep voice, "If a powerhouse descends, I should be able to sense it. If the appearance isn't their true form, you should still detect it. For someone to make you think you're dreaming... this person."

The old emperor knitted his brows tightly. Having stepped into the ancestral realm—a domain regarded as the apex within the entire Luotian Universe—his cultivation and Dao insights had indeed advanced by leaps and bounds. His abilities in deduction and calculation were overwhelming, unmatched by any cultivator below the ancestral realm.

And yet, regarding this matter, he remained utterly clueless! Not a single trace could be deduced!

By all accounts, this sort of occurrence should be impossible and shouldn't happen at all!

"In the current era, there shouldn't exist such a person," the old emperor said. "Unless the Supreme manifests in person!"

Chu Mo shook his head and said, "That's even more impossible."

"Indeed, impossible..." the old emperor murmured. Suddenly, his brows rose. "I recall someone."

"Hmm?"

Chu Mo looked at the old emperor. Suddenly, the two spoke in unison, "Spiritual Master Lingtong!"

A sharp gleam flashed through the old emperor's eyes and disappeared quickly. He turned to Chu Mo, saying, "How did you come to think of him?"

Chu Mo said solemnly, "It was him who made that prophecy back in the day, and this cosmic scheme... was also orchestrated by him. But later, he disappeared without any rhyme or reason. They said he entered Dao Conversion; that reason, I doubt many believe."

"No, you're wrong. When he entered Dao Conversion, nearly everyone believed it. To be precise, you should remove the word nearly," the old emperor said.

"Why?" Chu Mo asked with evident astonishment.

The old emperor explained, "Because when a powerhouse enters Dao Conversion, celestial phenomena naturally occur—there will be Heaven's weeping. This is true Heaven's weeping, and all sentient beings in the cosmos can sense the sorrow. Note that it's genuine Dao Conversion, the culmination of one's Great Dao, not being violently struck to death."

"So, back then, many people witnessed Spiritual Master Lingtong's Dao Conversion with their own eyes?" Chu Mo asked.

"In fact, shortly after he made that prophecy, he entered Dao Conversion," the old emperor said. "However, I've always suspected that he never actually died. Hmm... To put it more accurately, it's like another version of him still lives!"

"The other side?" Chu Mo asked.

The old emperor regarded Chu Mo, nodding lightly.

Swoosh!

Chu Mo let out a deep breath. This matter was being pushed towards an unknown direction. Even someone of his grandfather's stature couldn't deduce what was happening.

It seemed that to rescue Shui Yiyi, he truly had no choice but to enter the Far Ancient Battleground. Yet Chu Mo loathed being coerced like this; no one liked it.

Qi Xiaoyu anxiously looked at Chu Mo. Truth be told, she didn't want him to enter the Far Ancient Battleground either. Not long ago, he had said he wouldn't go, but now, things had turned around so completely. The biggest issue was that no one could confirm Shui Yiyi's whereabouts!

She appeared to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace!

"I don't advise you to go," the old emperor said earnestly to Chu Mo. "If things are indeed as we've guessed, then there must be an even greater conspiracy waiting."

Chu Mo replied, "If he could silently abduct Yiyi, wouldn't killing me be just as easy as reaching into his pocket?"

This was obvious. The old emperor understood it too, but he truly didn't want to see his outstanding grandson, who had only recently settled down, plunge back into this colossal whirlpool.

"Perhaps if I remain unmoved, when the Far Ancient Battleground closes, he'll still seize me and throw me inside," Chu Mo said.

The old emperor was momentarily speechless. After a long while, he finally said, "Doing this clearly isn't to groom you."

"Indeed. Perhaps it's cultivation farming," Chu Mo said calmly. "I can think of no other reason."

"Farming…" the old emperor murmured softly, chewing on the word, while recalling that prophecy from years ago. Finally, he let out a long sigh. "Unexpected—reaching such a high realm, yet still faced with so many helpless moments. This so-called ascension and Dao pursuit—when does it truly end?"

Chu Mo stood up and knelt slowly before the old emperor. "Grandfather, I beg you to take care of Xiaoyu."

"Brother, I… I want to go with you!" Qi Xiaoyu also knelt before the old emperor. "Please grant me this request!"

She knew Chu Mo would undoubtedly refuse her, so she chose to plead with the old emperor instead.

The old emperor sighed. If he could, he would even stop Chu Mo from going to the Far Ancient Battleground. Not to mention the unseen plots behind this, which even as someone at his level, he couldn't unravel. The sheer brutal nature of the Far Ancient Battleground alone was enough to dissuade any elder from letting their juniors enter it.

Qi Xiaoyu looked at the old emperor, her face full of pleading.

In that instant, the old emperor's face suddenly changed. From his throat came an almost silent sound of fury.

But this was a true Great Dao resonance!

From the infinite heavens above suddenly surged a horrifying ripple of energy!

Then, the old emperor unexpectedly spat out a mouthful of blood!

A newly ascended supreme existence was injured from a single blow—this was simply beyond terrifying!

Afterward, a hand descended casually from the sky, piercing through countless palace walls, grabbing Qi Xiaoyu in its grasp, and then... disappearing rapidly!

This happened too abruptly, unfolding at an inconceivable speed.

Chu Mo tried to stop it from start to finish, but he simply couldn't.

He unleashed all his powers in that fleeting moment—the Celestial Mirror, the Chaos Furnace, and the divine runes embedded in his body—but it was all useless!

He was utterly suppressed by a force so powerful that he couldn't move!

In Chu Mo's eyes, this power undoubtedly surpassed even the strength of giants.

Even when facing ancestral realm beings, they wouldn't be able to suppress him to this extent.

Then, a cold voice exploded in Chu Mo's divine sense like thunder: "Foolish and spineless, cowardly and evasive! How difficult is it for you to make a decision? Do you think relying on an ancestral realm powerhouse would let you avoid entering the Far Ancient Battleground? Coward! Your two women are now in the Tunnel! If you want to see them, kill your way out of the Far Ancient Battleground and appear in the Tunnel!"

Immediately, the force suppressing Chu Mo vanished.

Chu Mo, his face pale, looked at the old emperor. The old emperor frowned deeply and said, "This person... is incredibly powerful."

"Grandfather didn't hear his voice?" Chu Mo asked.

"What voice?" The old emperor seemed puzzled and turned to look at Chu Mo.

Chu Mo repeated the voice that had exploded in his divine sense earlier. The old emperor's expression turned gloomy. The key issue was that up until now, he still couldn't deduce the opponent's identity. Even with their direct interaction creating a cause-and-effect connection, he couldn't decipher it!

This person seemed entirely absent from the ancient history of the Immortal Domain of Luotian—as if they had never existed.

"He might truly be from over there... another Spiritual Master Lingtong," the old emperor sighed heavily, speaking sternly at last.

"I will enter the Far Ancient Battleground, then head to the Tunnel to bring them back. If I can't bring them back, then I'll just leave my bones there!" Chu Mo declared resolutely, his expression becoming utterly calm.

Originally, with only Shui Yiyi missing, he had already decided to rescue her. Now, with Qi Xiaoyu added to the equation, he was left with no choice at all.

This tactic was old-fashioned, but it was the most effective.

If a man cannot protect his own women, what face does he have to continue living?

The old emperor, upon hearing this, no longer tried to dissuade him.

For at this point, even he was outraged—and had the urge to follow Chu Mo into the Far Ancient Battleground to shield his grandson from harm.

But before he could speak, Chu Mo refused him outright.

"Grandfather, I must go alone! You cannot go! No one from the Imperial Clan can go! In fact, before the Far Ancient Battleground closes, you must not mention this to anyone," Chu Mo said earnestly.

He had brought Qi Xiaoyu with him secretly, without alarming anyone.

The old emperor pondered. He understood his grandson's intentions very well.

The Imperial Clan truly could not afford to lose its pillar of support.

No one could be certain whether those giants who held grudges against the Imperial Clan had entered the Far Ancient Battleground. Even if only one remained outside, as long as the old emperor left, the Imperial Clan could once again face the risk of collapse!

Thus, for the Imperial Clan and the peace of the entire Luotian Universe, the old emperor could not leave.

"Child..." The old emperor looked at his grandson, his heart aching. Guilt flooded through him. This exceptionally gifted child should have experienced more joy in life. Instead, at his age, he was shouldering so much he should never have had to bear.

Chu Mo merely smiled. "Grandfather, don't worry. I will undoubtedly return safely with both your future granddaughters-in-law!"

The old emperor, rarely showing such emotion, stood up and gently hugged Chu Mo. Then he said, "Good child, your grandfather will await your return! And I will take care of all your loved ones and friends!"

"Then all is well, Grandfather. I won't bid them farewell," Chu Mo said. Bowing deeply, he knelt and kowtowed three times before his grandfather, then vanished.

The old emperor sat silently for a long time before sighing deeply. "Powerhouses? Utter mockery… Still nothing but pawns."

----------

Outside the Far Ancient Battleground, in the vast domain of stars, there was no one.

For all who had arrived here had been absorbed by the fearsome force.

Some, using Mirror Divine Powers from unfathomably distant starfields, bore witness to this and spread the word. From then on, nearly no one dared approach.

Alone, Chu Mo embarked on the road ahead. Apart from the old emperor, he informed no one!

Whether his parents, close friends, or even his companion, the proud rooster—no one knew.

He traveled through the desolate star river alone, pushing his speed to its maximum. Faster than light, tens of thousands of times over!

As he neared the Far Ancient Battleground, Chu Mo unexpectedly encountered someone blocking his path.

This person exuded an aura of overwhelming tyranny, unrestrained and radiating outward.

Seeing Chu Mo, he sneered, "You came, as expected. No need to enter the Far Ancient Battleground to die. Right here, the Ancestor sends you on your way!"

----------

The third night watch post has arrived.

Everyone, cast more recommendation votes! Recommendation votes are always few on Mondays. Brothers and sisters, show more support!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.