Chapter 194: Chapter 193: Ancestral Ruins
In the vast, swirling snow, a large contingent of Blue-Hoofed Horses carried the Warriors of the North Snow Tribe northward. Leader Hunt and a host of powerful Warriors were all clad in Black Armor. Even the Warriors of a slightly lower Realm of strength wore substantial Armor and carried Cold Iron Spears in their hands.
They kept a tight rein as they headed north, a palpable killing intent radiating from them, accompanied only by the biting wind.
"Hill, do you know how the Ancestral Ruins came to be?"
Jiang Qiu, who had been focused on their journey, was startled by the Leader’s voice. He froze for a moment before turning to look, just in time to see Leader Hunt’s stern face bobbing slightly in rhythm with their horses’ hooves trampling the snow.
"I heard the Elder Witch Priest talk about it. Apparently, after our ancestors died, the important structures they left behind were all sealed."
Even before he was a year old, Jiang Qiu had heard many legends about the Northern Boundary, especially those concerning the ancestors and the Chosen Ones.
For the Northern Boundary Human Clan, the ancestors were an unavoidable topic. Tens of thousands of years of heritage all began with them.
Moreover, the only reason the ever-dwindling Human Race could still occupy a corner of the Northern Boundary was because the power left behind by their ancestors continued to protect the tribes.
Otherwise, with the Human Race’s current strength, it would be difficult to contend with the surging Demon Race. After all, the gap in Innate physical power was incredibly difficult to bridge; even with weapons, humans were still deficient in speed and strength.
The four Main Vein Tribes had also survived to this day by relying on their ancestral legacies, though Jiang Qiu didn’t know the specifics.
Right now, he was a little worried about the safety of the North Snow Tribe.
These past three years hadn’t been peaceful. In fact, the Demon Race from Cold Heaven Cliff had begun encroaching on the Ice and Snow Ridge hunting grounds, periodically slaughtering any North Snow Tribe Hunting Teams they caught alone.
Meanwhile, the Warriors of the West Ice Tribe were watching Ice and Snow Ridge even more closely. An increasing number of them guarded the side nearest the North Snow Tribe, and it seemed they had reached some special, unspoken agreement with those from Cold Heaven Cliff.
The North Snow Tribe’s Hunting Teams were either hunted by the Demon Race from Cold Heaven Cliff or attacked by West Ice Tribe Warriors for simply approaching the hunting grounds on Ice and Snow Ridge.
Now, that bunch from the West Ice Tribe had a firm grip on Ice and Snow Ridge, leaving no openings. Before, Hunting Team Captain Tiger could still lead everyone to hunt there by taking advantage of gaps in the West Ice Tribe’s patrols.
But now, that was completely impossible. It felt like the West Ice Tribe’s eyes were everywhere. It seemed those bastards weren’t even hunting; they were just lying in wait, ready to call for reinforcements the moment any North Snow Tribe Warrior drew near.
To avoid conflict, the North Snow Tribe withdrew from Ice and Snow Ridge. As a result, their hunting yields dwindled, and there was less and less Demon Beast Meat to go around. Many tribespeople starved to death. The old limping man who lived on the same street as Flower and Xiong was never seen again.
Furthermore, in the last few months of hunting on Ice and Snow Ridge, the tribe had lost over a hundred Warriors to the constant ambushes by the Demon Race from Cold Heaven Cliff. The North Snow Tribe’s situation was dire.
They knew Cold Heaven Cliff and the West Ice Tribe were targeting them, yet they were helpless. It seemed everyone was just waiting for some kind of opportunity...
Recalling all this, Jiang Qiu couldn’t help but worry. On this trip to the North Sea, even their strongest, Leader Hunt, had left the tribe, taking the most able-bodied Hunting Team Warriors of the main vein with him. ’Would the already vulnerable North Snow Tribe face an attack from the West Ice Tribe?’
’And what about those beasts from Cold Heaven Cliff? They’ve always been hostile to the Human Race. They would never pass up a chance to deal a heavy blow to the North Snow Tribe, one of the Main Vein Tribes.’
"Yes, you’re right," Hunt said, his eyes glinting. "The Ancestral Ruins are incredibly important structures left by our ancestors. A faint trace of Spirit Charm may still remain within them—practically the last of the Spirit Charm in the entire Northern Boundary.
"The ancestors used special seals to preserve a portion of the Spirit Charm, protecting the ruins from decay and waiting for future Chosen Ones to claim the legacies inside.
"The Northern Boundary was once part of the Ancestral Realm, but it was shattered in a great war. Our ancestors were unfortunate; they were powerless to turn the tide. But to preserve the bloodline of the Human Race here, they sealed the Northern Boundary’s Spirit Charm to keep this land from collapsing entirely.
"Tens of thousands of years have passed, and the Northern Boundary has mostly recovered. Yet, no one has been able to pluck the Enlightenment Fruit to break the seal. We can’t access the Spirit Charm within the legacies, so our only hope lies in the Ancestral Ruins..."
Jiang Qiu listened in silence, one eyebrow raised. "So, you’re saying the Ancestral Ruins contain Spirit Charm from Ancient Times?"
’Spirit Charm itself isn’t divided into ancient and modern. It’s the essence of all things under the sun and moon; it has always been the same.’
’But things preserved along with the Spirit Charm could be from ancient times. Like that wisp of Origin I plundered from Demon King Chen.’
’Demon King Chen’s Soul was undoubtedly from Ancient Times. He had been reincarnated into this world and possessed many inimitable techniques. Just by plundering a single wisp of his Origin, I managed to break through to the Ninth Rank of Jade Sinews.’
’This ancestral legacy is a real, tangible inheritance, not just a small wisp of Origin carried by a reincarnated Soul like Chen’s. There might be something far more important inside!’
"There is. And it is a great test for each generation of our Human Race," Hunt said, taking a deep breath as he recalled his own entry into the Ancestral Ruins. "Each tribe is only permitted to send one person inside. This is a rule we four Main Vein Tribes established at the very beginning, and even the smaller tribes that split off later must abide by it. It’s to prevent the Ancestral Ruins from being disturbed by too many people.
"Without a doubt, those who enter are the most gifted individuals of their respective tribes. In eras without a Chosen One, the person who enters the Ancestral Ruins is usually the tribe’s Young Master.
"There, they will immerse themselves in the Water of Origin. The water contains a wondrous Fiery Flame Spirit Charm. It cannot be absorbed, but the longer one soaks, the more their body benefits.
"When the Chosen One, or whichever person a tribe sends, emerges from the ruins, they will spend several months or even years on Refinement.
"Those who complete the Refinement will experience a massive evolution in their Physical Body Realm. The effect is especially pronounced for a Chosen One—they can even leap an entire High Realm!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Qiu’s eyes lit up, and his grip on the reins tightened.
’Increasing my strength is the top priority. To win the final contest of the Chosen, I have to raise my Realm quickly. With only four years left, I thought I was still a long way from Steel Bone, let alone the Jade Sinew Realm. I never imagined such a massive transformation was waiting for me!’
"Leader, what does the Water of Origin in the Ancestral Ruins test?"
Jiang Qiu’s gaze was fervent as white puffs of breath escaped his lips.
"According to generations of records, it’s most closely related to willpower and the purity of one’s Luminous Blood. It is said that the most powerful Chosen One, Zhuang, possessed Luminous Blood of incomparable purity—seventy to eighty percent. In the Ancestral Ruins, he nearly broke through to the legendary Jade Sinew Realm, leaving all other Chosen Ones in the dust and leading the North Snow Tribe straight to its Peak."
As soon as Hunt finished speaking, a panel flashed before Jiang Qiu’s eyes.
[Tier One Luminous Blood: 99/100]
