Chapter 124: Unable to Be a Hero

A flicker of killing intent crossed Xuanyuan Tunhan’s mind, but it dissipated almost as quickly as it had appeared.

If the systems belonging to Yi Tianling and Ning Xianyu could assist him in locating the stones, that would be a far more convenient method. He had spent so many years searching with little to show for it, yet after the two of them appeared, he had found two pieces in quick succession. Did this suggest that with them around, finding the stones would be simpler? Perhaps the turning point he had sought for ten thousand years lay right here.

The world might not have another ten thousand years to spare; he had to seize every moment and not let any possibility slip by.

Seeing Yi Tianling still struggling to climb toward the dome, Xuanyuan Tunhan glanced around, then suddenly struck several points on his own body. Breaking through his own restrictions, his spiritual power surged, and he leaped upward, landing directly upon the ceiling. Grasping the dome with both hands and feet, he exerted force and pried the stone loose.

It was indeed a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.

Xuanyuan Tunhan felt a surge of joy. Just as he was about to stow the stone away, he noticed an opening revealed behind where it had been embedded. Peering through the hole, he discovered another level of the underground palace above, with the faint outline of a spiral staircase leading upward. He delivered a heavy blow to the aperture, widening the hole significantly.

Yi Tianling, who had been climbing toward the spot in hopes of obtaining the stone, saw his expression shift instantly when he realized the Ancestor had already snatched it away.

*The System let out a cold snort: "See? You try to be polite, but he certainly won't be. He’ll snatch your belongings without even a word of discussion."*

Yi Tianling suppressed his jealousy and thought, *It wasn't mine to begin with.*

*"But you found it first," the System countered.*

Yi Tianling said nothing more, though he found the System’s point somewhat persuasive. Ancestor Xuanyuan possessed such formidable cultivation that he surely did not need this stone, whereas he himself desperately did. If he were to ask, would the man simply hand it over? As Xuanyuan Tunhan was currently busy smashing through the passage, he kept his peace.

"Senior Xuanyuan, have you discovered a passageway?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan tucked the stone into his sleeve, gave a simple "Mm," and continued to strike the ceiling. He was drenched in sweat from the effort of clinging to the dome while breaking through the solid rock. Ning Xianyu, who had been nursing a grudge against him, couldn't help but feel a pang of concern at the sight of his exhaustion.

After a few more strikes, Xuanyuan Tunhan punched through, creating an opening large enough for a person to pass through. The upper level was now visible.

He climbed through, surveyed the surroundings, and checked the staircase, confirming it led further up. He returned to the opening and tossed down a rope. "Grab the rope, and I will pull you up."

Yi Tianling gestured for Ning Xianyu and Su Yun'er to go first, intending to follow last. Xuanyuan Tunhan told them to come up together, insisting he could handle the weight. Once they were all hoisted up, the four stood together and scanned the area.

This was also a grand hall, but unlike the one below, it was clearly the living quarters of a woman. There was a vanity, and because it had not been flooded, it remained remarkably dry. Moreover, the bed was not a conventional bed, but a crystal coffin.

They gathered around to look and found the remarkably well-preserved, lifelike remains of a woman inside. Her appearance…

"Isn't this the woman from the murals downstairs?"

The woman lived above, while the Youquan Immortal lived below?

Ning Xianyu asked, "Is this the woman the Youquan Immortal loved? He loved her so much that even in death, he insisted on living right underneath her?" Her love seemed a bit too subtle, didn't it?

Su Yun'er remarked, "The Youquan Immortal was an ancient immortal about whom little is recorded, so naturally, this woman is never mentioned. However, one might assume it was a case of unrequited love."

Yi Tianling asked, "What makes you say that?"

Ning Xianyu laughed. "You're dense, aren't you? If it were mutual, they would have been buried together. Look, the Youquan Immortal secretly lived right below her. She must have disliked him, and he loved her but feared being discovered, so he stayed below." Though a powerful immortal, he was both timid and persistent.

Xuanyuan Tunhan looked around and suddenly said, "It was not unrequited love; it was unforgivable."

The three turned to look at him. "What does the Ancestor mean by that?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan’s voice carried a hint of melancholy, as if he were recalling events from a long-lost age. "In the beginning, this world was ruled by the Ancient Tree clan. Later, humans, demons, and monsters emerged. The Ancient Tree clan refused to be replaced and launched an attack."

"That war was long and arduous, but the strength of the humans, demons, and monsters was too weak, and they were trapped by the Ancient Trees in a space—this very place."

Su Yun'er asked in confusion, "But isn't this space now used to trap the Ancient Trees?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan continued, "At that time, the two most powerful cultivators were the Youquan Immortal and his partner. The Youquan Immortal excelled in sealing techniques, while his partner, Fairy Qingyu, specialized in breaking barriers and space."

"Fairy Qingyu could have slashed open the space with a single sword stroke, but she was pregnant at the time. Not wanting to risk the child's life, she refused to act."

Fairy Qingyu had intended to break the space after giving birth, but the Ancient Trees did not let up, constantly compressing the space. The gestation period for cultivators was extremely long—often decades or even centuries—and they simply did not have the time. In the face of life and death, the Youquan Immortal conceived a plan to induce a premature birth.

The child was born frail and sickly. With no other choice, Fairy Qingyu, dragging her exhausted body, used the Universe-Splitting Sword to tear open the space. She died from the strain, her spiritual energy drained by the sword, without even having the chance to look at her child for long. She passed away carrying both resentment toward the Youquan Immortal and a deep attachment to her child.

After her death, the Youquan Immortal led the counterattack of the immortals, demons, and monsters, eventually using his sealing power to trap the Ancient Tree clan here. These two levels of the palace were likely built by the Youquan Immortal with his remaining strength, perhaps to commemorate his wife.

When Xuanyuan Tunhan finished his story, silence fell over the group. The tale was truly...

*"How utterly infuriating!" Ning Xianyu exclaimed aloud. "If my man risked me and our child for the sake of the world, I would smash his dog-head in and make him die right along with us."* She admired those who sacrificed themselves for the greater good, but she would never force others to do so, nor would she ever gamble with her own child's life. The Youquan Immortal might have done right by the world—and everyone would revere him as a hero—but as a husband and father, his family had truly been unlucky.

*The System added: "That is the agony of being a hero, I suppose. Watching those close to you suffer, protecting the world at the expense of those you love."*

*Ning Xianyu replied: "That is why a selfish, cowardly person like me could never be a hero."*

Yi Tianling and Su Yun'er, however, were filled with emotion. "The story of the Youquan Immortal and Fairy Qingyu is truly moving. Their dedication to the world is worthy of our respect. But what of their child?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan did not answer the question. He merely said, "Let us leave. Since this palace was built by Youquan for Fairy Qingyu, there must be an exit. He would never have allowed Qingyu to remain buried here forever."