Chapter 5339: Leaving the Ancient Realm

Chu Feng sensed that he would have to put his future on the line if he wanted to open the bamboo slip, but he dared not to do so at the moment. He still remembered what the lightning beast had told him. 

He only had a single chance here. If he slipped up, the lightning beast would no longer be under his command. Unless he was confident, he wouldn’t carelessly try to get into contact with it.

“Elder, do I really only have one chance?” 

Chu Feng tried to communicate with the lightning beast, but the latter simply ignored him. Nothing else had changed other than the slight difference in its form.

“Elders, I know that you have played a huge role in my superior fighting prowess against cultivators of the same rank. No matter how hard I trained, I wouldn’t have reached my current fighting prowess if not for your strength. Thus, I’d like to thank you for your help thus far.”

Chu Feng tried to interact with the remaining eight lightning beasts both via voice and voice transmission, but he didn’t receive a response at all. It was as if they couldn’t hear him at all.

Chu Feng knew that they possessed sentience and were able to hear him. They were also aware of the events he had been through. It was just that they were choosing to ignore him. In other words, he hadn’t won their acknowledgment yet.

In the end, he was forced to give up on communicating with them.

He projected his consciousness back into his World Spirit Space and shared with Eggy his earlier conversation with the lightning beast. 

“That’s good news. At the very least, it means that this lightning beast has acknowledged you, right? I’m really curious to know what kind of means are hidden inside the lightning bamboo slip,” Eggy remarked. 

The lightning beast had told Chu Feng not to bear high hopes and simply treat his means as another martial skill, but even so, this was a martial skill left behind by that lightning beast. There was bound to be something special about it.

Chu Feng turned his attention toward Eggy. He was still more concerned about her.

Noticing his gaze, Eggy meekly muttered, “I’m sorry, Chu Feng. I should have trusted you.” 

Those words put Chu Feng at a loss. This was the first time he had seen Eggy engaging in self-reproach, and it left him a little panicked. He had no intention of blaming her. He simply felt worried and sorry for her. 

“Don’t ever say such words, Eggy. You did no wrong. It was my fault. If only I was any stronger, I could have protected you. I swear a day will come when no one can hurt you anymore,” Chu Feng said.

A smile formed on Eggy’s lips. “I believe that. I have always believed in you. However, you mustn’t blame yourself for what has happened, or else I’d do the same too.”

Chu Feng awkwardly nodded his head and replied, “All right, I won’t blame myself.”

But those words were easier said than done. Eggy had nearly died because of him.

… 

Meanwhile, Little Crescent was kneeling before the Ancestral Idol in the palace. Ravenous joy could be seen on her face.

“Milord, is this for real? Am I able to bring my clansmen out of this realm?” Little Crescent could hardly believe this was real. 

While the current generation viewed her as their ancestor, the truth was that the Ancient Realm had existed since a very long time ago, perhaps even tracing back to the Ancient Era. She knew deep well that she wasn’t anyone extraordinary to the Ancient Realm. 

She was just an ordinary individual born shortly after the Ancient Era.

She had heard many stories about how her predecessors had tried to lead their people out of the Ancient Realm, but those attempts always ended in failure. The trial was simply too difficult. It was unimaginable that anyone could clear it. Yet, she actually succeeded. 

An ancient voice echoed from the Ancestral Idol.

“You may leave now. Your clan has been cleared of its sins. This is the ancestral land of your clansmen. Lead your clansmen there and start a new life.”

An ancient map floated toward Little Crescent.

“Thank you, milord.”

Little Crescent kowtowed several times to the Ancestral Idol before she rose to her feet and caught the ancient map.

Boom!

An immense pressure fell from the sky and crushed Little Crescent onto the floor, rendering her immobile. Fear filled her face.

“Milord, didn’t you say that you’ll let us go?” Little Crescent asked through her quivering lips. She could feel death pressing close to her. 

“I allowed you to witness my conversation with Chu Feng during the final test. I said that I’d let him leave safely as long as he takes in my wisp of power, but you, in order to free the Ancient Realm from my control, tricked him and forced him to fight for your people. Are you trying to go against my will?” The voice coming from the Ancestral Idol was tinged with rage.

“Milord, I admit my mistakes. I shouldn’t have allowed my selfish intention to get in the way of your plans, but I thought that milord would have stopped me if you disagreed with my actions. After all, you’re the ruler of this land. I thought that you didn’t stop me because you wanted to see if Chu Feng could clear the bloodline trial as well, which was why I acted on my whims,” Little Crescent explained.

“Hahaha!”

The Ancestral Idol suddenly burst into laughter after hearing those words.

“Gu Yueyue, you’re indeed a smart woman. It looks like it wasn’t a wasted effort to grant you a new life. Leave. Your Ancient Realm has been freed thanks to your wise decision,” the Ancestral Idol said.

At the same time, the force crushing Little Crescent vanished.

Little Crescent could have gotten up right away, but she didn’t do so. She continued kneeling on the floor and called out, “Milord…”

“You have something else to ask me?” the Ancestral Idol asked.

“Could you heal Chu Feng’s world spirit?” Little Crescent asked. She knew that this was an easy feat for the Ancestral Idol.

“Gu Yueyue, are you getting soft-hearted? I didn’t think that you would get involved with such trivialities too,” the Ancestral Idol mocked.

“Milord, I…”

“Gu Yueyue, regardless of whether it’s your scheme or not, the world spirit chose of her own free will to ignite her life force to save Chu Feng. That’s a trial that the two of them have to go through. She was the one to make the decision; she has to pay the price for it. Also, I ought to remind you that the map won’t last too long. If you wish to return to your ancestral land, you should get moving as soon as possible,” the Ancestral Idol said.

Understanding the Ancestral Idol’s will, Little Crescent kowtowed thrice to it before rising to her feet.

“Milord, our Ancient Clan will be taking our leave now.”

Little Crescent opened a spirit formation gate and took her leave. She was transported to the forest where Chu Feng was. 

The first thing she did upon appearing was to bring out Bai Yunqing with a wave of her hand. Bai Yunqing was unconscious, but he was in a good state of health. He had fully recovered from his injuries. 

She opened up her hand, and two Half-God level Sacred Temple Beads floated from her palm toward Chu Feng. Last but not least, she conjured a spirit formation gate with a wave of her hand. 

“Take him and leave this place,” Little Crescent said.

“What do you mean by that?” Chu Feng asked.

“Chu Feng, I said that I’d save your Milady Queen, but I didn’t say that I’ll treat her. You should know that your world spirit was supposed to die. If I hadn’t made a move, you wouldn’t even be able to talk to her right now. 

“You should be able to tell that I am not skilled in world spiritist techniques. I had to use a lot of invaluable treasures to restore her to her current state. I have already done everything I could for both you and her,” Little Crescent said.

“You could have saved her earlier. If you needed my help, you could have told me directly,” Chu Feng said.

He knew that Little Crescent had intentionally waited for Eggy to burn herself out so that she could use Eggy as leverage against him. She wanted to force him to enter the boundless space and fight against the bloodline powers. 

“Yes, I did it on purpose. I have never claimed to be a good person. I had my own motive for getting close to you.” Little Crescent didn’t even look at Chu Feng when she said those words. Her side profile looked distant.

Chu Feng’s eyes turned cold. He could see where Little Crescent was coming from, but he couldn’t forgive her for exploiting Eggy’s safety for her own benefit. However, he knew that he was in a weaker position, so he suppressed his anger and further lowered his position.

“I’m begging you, Little Crescent. Help her. I know that I can’t offer you anything right now, but I’ll promise you anything,” Chu Feng pleaded.

“Leave. I have already fulfilled my promise to you,” Little Crescent said.

“Little Crescent…” Chu Feng was still unwilling to give up.

“Chu Feng.” Eggy’s voice suddenly sounded. “I’ll kill myself if you dare beg her once more.”

Eggy knew that Chu Feng wouldn’t hesitate to kneel down or throw his life away as long as he could save her, but she didn’t want him to do that.

Chu Feng heaved a sigh. 

“Little Crescent, I don’t blame you for this.”

Chu Feng could only blame himself for being too foolish and weak. If only he was a bit wiser, he could have protected Eggy. 

He first lifted Bai Yunqing up before staking the two Half-God level Sacred Temple Beads. He didn’t thank her for the beads because these were the rewards he deserved for clearing the final test. Then, he stepped through the spirit formation gate and left the Ancient Realm. 

It was only after Chu Feng was gone that Little Crescent finally turned to look at the spirit formation gate. She had a complicated look that didn’t fit her childlike face. 

A moment later, she retracted her gaze and closed the spirit formation gate with a wave of her hand. She then conjured a new spirit formation gate with a wave of her hand and entered it. The clansmen of the Ancient Realm were all waiting on the other side of the gate. 

“Paying respects to our ancestor!”

The clansmen bowed to Little Crescent.

“Heed my words! Today, we shall leave the Ancient Realm in search of our ancestral land!” As she spoke, Little Crescent conjured a massive spirit formation gate in the sky with a wave of her little hand. 

The crowd trembled in excitement. 

The Ancient Realm had traveled from place to place over the years, but none of them had been able to venture out from it. Yet, the gate to their freedom was finally right before their eyes.

“Lord Ancestor, what about the Ancestral Idol?” the Ancient Realm’s chief asked.

“Remember this, the Ancestral Idol isn’t our ancestor but our god. It’s beyond us to worry about the affairs of a god,” Little Crescent replied before heading for the spirit formation gate.

The Ancient Realm’s clansmen quickly followed her. They were leaving the place where their clan had lived for countless generations to venture into the larger world out there. 

Early Xmas gift.HOHOHO Merry Christmas 5/5

Sorry bout yesterday's late chapter. Was a bit too preoccupied with working on my other novel, Little Tyrant, that it slipped my mind.But anyway, we managed to speed through the entire Ancient Era! Hoorah! Hoorah!

-StarveCleric