The Gathering of Half-Ancestors

A scruffy young man with yellowed, unhealthy hair staggered forward, looking as if he had not eaten properly in a long time. He stopped before the palace ahead, pointed, and spat as he cursed, “Bird god, get out here! I’ve come to wipe you out!”

Beside him, a plump, fair-skinned child of seven or eight, whose features were delicate and lively, fanned the flames: “We knew that bird god was no good. Let’s tear down this piece of heaven first.”

The delinquent youth rolled up his sleeves, raised his arm high, and bellowed, “Open!”

A massive hand, a thousand zhang in both directions, materialized in the sky. It dragged endless dark clouds behind it, and thunder exploded as it smashed down, shaking the very vault of heaven.

“Boom!”

The power was unimaginable. The sacred mountains around them melted like ice and snow; dozens of peaks collapsed in an instant, turning to dust. In the central sky, the ordinary-looking palace trembled violently. Tiles and rubble flew, the great gate crashed down, and clouds of dust billowed up.

A corner of the heavenly temple had been blasted away. The delinquent youth and the plump child were pushing their audacity to the limit. Throughout the ages, few had dared to raise such a ruckus before a sacred hall.

“Tianwaitian, Renwairen—do not push us too far!” A voice of majestic authority rolled from the ancient temple, echoing like thunder across the entire sky.

“Hmph!”

The rogue-like youth did not care at all. He coolly reduced another section of the holy palace to rubble and shouted, “You damned bird killed my disciple, and now you say I’m pushing too far? I’m not done with you today!”

Hidden far away in the Lost Paradise, Xiao Chen was stunned. It really was Tianwaitian and Renwairen! These two human Half-Ancestors had vanished for so many years, and now they had appeared here, acting with astonishing ferocity.

“Yes, I’m bullying you today. What can you do about it?” Renwairen’s voice was childish, but his expression was that of an old hand. He charged into the holy temple and began dismantling it with gusto.

“Outrageous! Do you think I don’t know your disciple died thousands of years ago? Don’t pin that debt on me!” A giant shadow, over ten zhang tall, shot into the air. Sacred light swirled around him, obscuring his true form, but an overwhelming pressure flooded the entire heavens.

Tianwaitian and Renwairen flew straight at the giant figure, shattering the void and sending the Holy God reeling. Space ripped apart in great fissures dozens of li long—a terrifying display of power. Though many angels witnessed the scene, none dared approach.

“I came today to beat that bird-faced god to a pulp. My disciple’s death has everything to do with you!” Tianwaitian had dropped his slouching manner. He stood there like an ancient demon mountain, radiating an unassailable gravity that pressed down upon all directions.

Renwairen, with his fair, tender skin, was even more shocking. He muttered a divine incantation, and several enormous meteorites flew in from beyond the sky. His small, white hand reached out and refined the huge celestial bodies down to millstone size, then he flung them at the Holy God.

“Bang!”

The Holy God, whose true face remained hidden, blurred across space to dodge the meteors, but Tianwaitian tore through space and appeared beside him, whipping out a refined mountain range from his sleeve and slapping it squarely into the Holy God’s face.

“Rumble!”

The colossal mountain manifested in its true form and disintegrated high in the sky, but it had covered the Holy God in dust and dirt. The deity’s hair flew in a wild rage.

“Your face is really thick, bird god—smashing a mountain to pieces against it! ‘Face like a city wall’ is the truest saying!” Tianwaitian taunted.

The Holy God was so furious that smoke seemed to pour from his seven orifices. Even a clay doll has some temper, let alone a being so high and mighty. But anger was useless; two Half-Ancestors, Tianwaitian and Renwairen, pressed him mercilessly, determined to destroy him.

Just then, a sea of death aura surged from the distant sky. Demonic clouds rolled, monstrous waves towered, and a snow-white skeleton, like an ancient fossil, rode the endless leaden clouds toward them.

Xiao Chen, watching from the Lost Paradise, was startled. That was definitely a Half-Ancestor—a sovereign from the world of the dead!

“Boom!”

From another direction, a murderous aura shot straight into the heavens. A red-haired Asura, with lightning flickering in his eyes, glared arrogantly at the world. A torrent of blood-red mist surged around him as he flew toward the heavenly temple.

Half-Ancestor! Another Half-Ancestor!

“Tianwaitian, Renwairen, stop. You came here deliberately to make trouble because you are dissatisfied with the rules we set. Why such a commotion?” The snow-white old skeleton called out from the sky.

“You old bones—you have already obtained flesh and blood rebirth, yet you still wag that skeleton frame. How boring!” Renwairen curled his lip.

Nevertheless, the great battle stopped.

The Half-Ancestor of the Asura race flickered with blood-colored light in his eyes. “When we set those rules, no human Half-Ancestors were around. What is the point of making a scene now?”

“Scram!” Tianwaitian’s brusque retort left Xiao Chen in the distant Lost Paradise speechless. He nearly burst out laughing. This Half-Ancestor who looked like a delinquent had none of the bearing of a peerless expert—he was nothing but a street thug.

“While I was fighting for my life out in the heavens, you were hiding in the back yard. Don’t talk to me about right and wrong!”

Those words enraged the Asura Half-Ancestor. A terrible fluctuation like an ocean erupted from his body, and the void around him instantly turned into an endless chain of black holes, exuding pure destruction.

“Red-hair, you want to fight? Since the Nine Provinces have been unsealed, I have already recovered my peak strength. Do you think I fear you, a red-haired Asura?”

The Asura Half-Ancestor’s internal organs seemed to burn with rage. He had met scoundrels before, but never a Half-Ancestor scoundrel like this. He almost lunged for a life-or-death struggle.

“What, really want to fight? My brothers Chiyou and Xingtian will return soon. Let’s set a time and have a proper bout, so you red-hairs can learn why flowers bloom so red.”

The Asura Half-Ancestor and the Angel Holy God wished they could slap this bastard to death. They were practically itching to bite him. This was the dregs of the Half-Ancestor order—he had no trace of a transcendent expert’s style, nothing but a common hooligan.

“What are you staring at? This is what a real hero looks like!” Tianwaitian smirked.

Two foreign Half-Ancestors were about to lose control, but the Skeleton King restrained them. He cracked the joints of his spine slowly, the sound grating like stones grinding. “We all regret missing the great battle back then. Since human Half-Ancestors have returned, we can reopen negotiations on the previous rules.”

“All right, let’s talk,” Tianwaitian and Renwairen agreed.

Under the Skeleton King’s mediation, the Angel Holy God swallowed his anger and led the group into the holy temple.

Just as Xiao Chen was considering whether to leave, light flashed and Tianwaitian appeared outside the Lost Paradise. He stared at Xiao Chen in shock. “You…” His face was incredulous. “How are you still alive?”

“A fluke—I came back from death,” Xiao Chen said, eager to ask a thousand questions. “Back then, Xuanyuan flew into the sky to fight Hongjun. What happened?”

At that question, Tianwaitian shook his head slightly. He sent a thought directly into Xiao Chen’s mind. “No resolution. They fought to the deepest depths of the heavens and vanished completely.”

“And the other Half-Ancestors?” Xiao Chen was deeply shaken.

“All lost in the depths of the starry sky. Only I and Renwairen have returned. The rest disappeared along with Xuanyuan.” Tianwaitian was full of questions about Xiao Chen’s resurrection and pressed for details.

Xiao Chen did not hide the truth. He transmitted a thought describing his experiences in the world of the dead.

Even as a Half-Ancestor, Tianwaitian was stunned. After a long silence, he muttered, “The Skeleton race has hidden its knowledge deep. They knew the secrets of the death world long ago but never breathed a word to the outside.”

He thought for a long time before coming back to himself. “The Nine Provinces and the Four Realms will become a battlefield. The elites of every race will emerge. The Trial War is about to begin.”

Xiao Chen was shocked. “Why?”

“In the future, a war of cataclysmic proportions will threaten the Nine Provinces and the Four Realms. The Trial War is meant to select true elites—survival of the fittest.” Tianwaitian’s voice was calm, but Xiao Chen felt the cruelty and urgency.

“Will not many experts die in vain in the Trial War? How can we afford such losses?”

“Those who perform exceptionally will not have their heroic spirits extinguished even in death. The Half-Ancestors will reshape their physical bodies.” Tianwaitian’s tone turned grave. “Elite individuals, as it were, have two lives. The final victor of the ultimate battle will receive a great bestowal.”

“What bestowal?”

“Several of the final victors may ascend to the Half-Ancestor realm.”

Hearing this, Xiao Chen’s heart quaked. Gambling life against life to climb the ranks—the battles would be merciless. Yet he could foresee that, even with a sword hanging over their heads, everyone would flock to compete.

Xiao Chen quickly collected himself. He knew a great upheaval was about to descend upon the Nine Provinces and the Four Realms.

“Come with me into the temple to hear the rules.”

Xiao Chen stepped out of the Lost Paradise, carrying little Keke, and followed Tianwaitian toward the holy temple.

“Boom!” An overwhelming pressure descended, blocking Xiao Chen and Keke. The Angel Holy God’s voice rang out. “No one below the Half-Ancestor realm may set foot in this hall.”

The gazes of the Asura Half-Ancestor, the Skeleton King, and the Angel Holy God cut through the void like divine swords, staring directly at the spot just outside the central hall. Their terrible eyes rested on Xiao Chen for a long time, then swept over Keke.

“If the Trial War begins, this little beast cannot bring the Lost Paradise to the battlefield. Other wise, do not blame us for acting without mercy,” the Asura Half-Ancestor said darkly, fixing his stare on Keke.

The Skeleton King also released a powerful pressure. “Even a Half-Ancestor can be sealed inside. Naturally, the Lost Paradise must not be brought onto the field. Otherwise, we will have no qualms about striking.”

The Angel Holy God nodded in agreement.

All of them wished for their own clans to win and gain a Half-Ancestor seat. Naturally, they did not want a powerful obstacle like Keke in the way.

“This shabby hall—I already wrecked half of it. What authority do you pretend to have? Come in with me!” Tianwaitian grabbed Xiao Chen’s hand and pulled him forward.

“A crude mortal who has not reached the Half-Ancestor realm does not deserve to enter this hall.” The Angel Holy God hardened his stance, refusing to yield. He swept his cold gaze over Keke and Xiao Chen.

The Skeleton King and the Asura Half-Ancestor, though seated, had already secretly blocked Renwairen inside the hall.

At that moment, a fierce murderous aura covered heaven and earth. An old Yaksha appeared, sleeves fluttering, crossing the void. He spoke to Tianwaitian at the entrance. “This is a palace left by an Ancestral God. How can any ordinary mortal below the Half-Ancestor realm freely enter?”

A fourth foreign Half-Ancestor had arrived. Four Half-Ancestors gathered together, their authority swelling, and they intended to give Tianwaitian and Renwairen a lesson.

Tianwaitian sneered and was about to lash out, but Xiao Chen held him back. “I will not go in.” He did not want to be the excuse for a battle among Half-Ancestors.

“Keke, let’s go.” Xiao Chen took the little beast and turned away.

The Angel Holy God, the Skeleton King, the Asura Half-Ancestor, and the Yaksha Half-Ancestor all sent merciless glances after him. They even sealed the space—their murderous intent was undisguised.

“If you want to attack me, just say it outright.” Tianwaitian’s eyes went cold.

Renwairen also stood up, smiling coldly. “Do you think numbers matter? A great battle like this would not be bad. It would spare the Buddha and Laozi from having to trouble you when they return.”

Xiao Chen stepped into Keke’s Lost Paradise. “We’re leaving.”

Ignoring the Half-Ancestors’ blockade, the Lost Paradise carried them off into the distance.

The four foreign Half-Ancestors remained unmoved, but killing intent still glistened in their eyes. The Angel Holy God said, “Let them go. But if that beast brings the Lost Paradise onto the battlefield, do not blame us for acting mercilessly.”

The Asura Half-Ancestor, the Skeleton King, and the Yaksha Half-Ancestor all nodded in agreement.

Once far from the heavenly paradise, Keke was still fuming, waving its little claws behind it.

Xiao Chen smiled. “No need to be angry. They are so arrogant—for now, we will not provoke them. If we cannot beat the old, we can at least kill the young. Once the Trial War begins, I will make them weep.”

Keke pointed at the giant stone statue in the Lost Paradise. Xiao Chen shook his head, laughing. “This secret weapon cannot be used now. I will save it for a surprise for a certain Half-Ancestor.”

They did not find the few problematic youths—Bing Lan, Xue Meng, and the others—in heaven. Xiao Chen took Keke and flew toward the Nine Provinces.

A southern water town—a thousand-year-old ancient town. Waterways ran through the entire settlement, streets along the water, markets on the banks. Black-canopied boats shuttled back and forth, and shops lined the shore, the cries of vendors endless.

With the elite Trial War of the Hundred Races about to begin, Xiao Chen, little Tianya, and Keke toured the town, savoring a final moment of peace.

“This is a thousand-year-old human town? Charming water scenery? What a load of crap! We’re wasting our time here before the Trial War!” On a black-canopied boat, a few Yechas and Asuras grumbled. When they saw another boat blocking their way, a powerful Asura roared, “Get lost!”

“Boom!” The boat ahead exploded into fragments, opening a water path for them.

Xiao Chen, who had already stepped ashore, turned back in fury. An old man who had been rowing a small boat was blasted apart in the spray, his blood dyeing the water red. They treated human life like grass.

At the same time, Xiao Chen noticed a light skiff behind, on which the Yaksha King stood with his hands behind his back, drifting down the current, following the large boat of Yechas and Asuras.

Another boat blocked the path. The Asura on the large vessel shouted again, “Get lost!”

“Die!” Xiao Chen stepped forward, a cold cry on his lips. The Asura who had been about to commit murder disintegrated on the spot, body and soul turned to a puff of blood mist that scattered over the water.