LAVW – Chapter 26 Direct Entry

A conflicted heart, hesitant legs.

The result? Not moving an inch.

In a moment of distraction, this Foundation Establishment cultivator was about to be overtaken by those coming from behind.

Foundation Establishment cultivators were everywhere—early-stage ones were as common as stray dogs. With no better option, the early-stage cultivator carefully stepped aside, allowing the two cultivators behind him to pass first.

Afterward, he felt rather wise about his choice.

Following the path others have taken—safe.

On the other side, Long Ye and Shi Qian were making their way through the forest, focused solely on traveling.

Shi Qian was responsible for keeping his head down, while Long Ye was responsible for moving forward.

After quite some time, Shi Qian, feeling restless in the large pouch on Long Ye’s chest, climbed onto Long Ye’s shoulder to enjoy the breeze.

Long Ye was moving at a decent speed, so the wind was quite strong.

Shi Qian: “Squeak Squeak.”

So refreshing.

Long Ye, sweating all over and practically steaming from exertion: ?

Slowing down, Long Ye deliberately took deep breaths and suggested, “Brother Qian, why don’t you take over? Let me rest for a bit.”

Shi Qian only cultivated when his spiritual energy was completely drained and he had no choice but to replenish it. Otherwise, he hated the pain of cultivation—mild cases led to aching meridians, severe cases could knock him unconscious.

He wasn’t even human anymore, so why put himself through all that?

Hearing Long Ye’s words, Shi Qian pulled out a spirit stone and handed it to him enthusiastically.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Here you go, Brother Ye, take this to replenish your spiritual energy.

“Squeak Squeak, Squeak Squeak Squeak.”

As for me, I need to save my spiritual energy for emergencies—so I can help you escape if we run into danger. My spiritual energy is a strategic reserve, not to be used lightly.

Failure +1. Long Ye was used to this by now.

Giving up, Long Ye changed the topic and asked curiously, “Did your mother teach you all this? ‘Strategic reserve’ sounds pretty impressive.”

His mother?

Shi Qian’s mother was a native demon beast—she definitely didn’t know such terms.

But all of this knowledge came from the influence of his great homeland. And in a way, Motherland could also be considered another mother, right?

Unable to explain properly, Shi Qian vaguely nodded and asked back, “Squeak Squeak?”

What about you, Brother Ye? You learned from your father, right?

“Yeah, a lot of my habits came from my father. He once took me to the Beiwang Demon Mountain, just to explore the outskirts and gain experience. He also knows a lot about medicinal herbs and is familiar with various demon beasts. He loved bringing me books to read.”

“Squeak Squeak?”

Are there many books in the cultivation world? Don’t people usually keep them hidden or sell them for high prices?

“The important classics, cultivation techniques, and secret manuals are always kept private—outsiders never get access to them. Even the weakest Yellow-rank techniques can be sold for a high price. As for Xuan-rank techniques, they’re worth a fortune and only appear in auction houses.”

Long Ye spoke with confidence, “But the common knowledge about demon beasts and spiritual herbs is widely spread because, first, low-level cultivators need it, and second, many people use it, allowing merchant guilds to profit from it.”

Another example of how material conditions determine ideology.

Shi Qian understood and was just about to nod when he heard a commotion from the center of the forest.

Turning his head, he saw startled birds and beasts fleeing, branches scattering in all directions. A cloud of dust rose, followed by flashes of fire and clashing sword light—the battle was fierce.

Long Ye sighed in relief. “So the forest really was dangerous. Good thing, Brother Qian, you could predict trouble ahead.”

Shi Qian: Actually, this is my real talent.

But having deceived Long Ye so many times, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

He muttered softly, “Squeak Squeak.”

Nothing special, let’s just focus on traveling. We can take a detour and get ahead of them.

Long Ye was even more motivated to hurry, and soon the wind in the air seemed stronger, ruffling Shi Qian’s thick fur.

Shi Qian climbed back into the pouch, pulled out a handful of sun-dried peanuts, and started gnawing on them as a snack.

He had no idea which little squirrel had stored these, but this batch was especially dry and fragrant—absolutely delicious! Such diligence and hard work! Shi Qian mentally praised the squirrel several times.

Hearing the sound of Shi Qian eating, Long Ye unexpectedly felt a bit hungry himself.

He never used to be like this. But this feeling wasn’t bad—what’s wrong with craving food? No need to deprive himself.

So, with a big hand, he reached into his chest pouch and precisely plucked the peanut that Shi Qian had just taken out.

“Squeak.”

Shi Qian tossed a peanut shell out, hitting Long Ye’s clothes lightly. The boy’s laughter mixed with the drifting peanut shell, carried away by the wind.

“Phew—”

After finishing their detour, Long Ye let out a breath of stale air, feeling like he had made some slight progress in his cultivation.

It was just a tiny bit.

But he believed that as long as he kept cultivating, one day, he would become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Continuing forward, Shi Qian, now re-energized, spotted the Ancestral Hall.

Unlike the vast and seemingly endless medicinal gardens, the Ancestral Hall had an imposing atmosphere, its buildings grand and luxurious. Though somewhat dilapidated, the remnants still hinted at its former glory.

Many courtyards and houses were in even greater disarray, having just been looted by cultivators, as if a ruthless autumn wind had swept through.

Knowing they had arrived late and were behind others, searching these smaller courtyards was pointless. Long Ye scanned the area and headed straight for the grand hall where the most people had gathered.

The palace was located at the very core of the Ancestral Hall, with wisps of white mist drifting behind it. The building itself was predominantly black, appearing even more solemn and heavy against the mist. Not a single plant grew around it, giving Shi Qian the impression of an extravagant version of an ancient emperor’s tomb chamber.

This was the Ancestral Shrine.

As Shi Qian gazed at the palace, a flicker of excitement crossed his face—something Long Ye couldn’t see.

Long Ye’s Chance at Foundation Establishment—It’s Here!

That’s right, in the Ancestral Shrine, the original Long Ye had struggled but finally broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

The process was tough, but the outcome was rewarding. Only after reaching Foundation Establishment could Long Ye qualify to soak in the Heavenly Dao Pool, breaking the shackles of his overpowering bloodline and achieving another major leap in cultivation.

Now, thanks to his contract with Shi Qian, Long Ye’s cultivation had already advanced several levels. This time, reaching Foundation Establishment seemed inevitable.

Behind them, the battle in the forest had just ended.

That meant news of someone seizing a great opportunity for themselves hadn’t spread far yet.

The cultivators gathered at the entrance of the Ancestral Shrine barely spared Long Ye a glance. Instead, they were busy racking their brains, trying to figure out—how to enter the shrine again after failing the first time.

Ascending the steps, Long Ye approached the towering palace. To the side of the massive doors stood an enormous stone tablet on a slab of white jade.

Two lines of text were inscribed upon it—

“Those with fate shall obtain, those without shall still receive.”

Reading this, Long Ye’s mood lifted.

According to the tablet, even the most unfated would gain something. This was considerate of low-level cultivators like him. He wasn’t greedy—if he could gain anything at all, he’d be more than satisfied.

As Long Ye passed the failed cultivators and neared the shrine’s entrance, their envious gazes followed him, some to the point of nearly making a move.

Surrounded by the predatory stares of the crowd, Long Ye quickened his steps, unwilling to delay.

Then, suddenly, he stopped.

A new line of text had appeared beneath the two ancient inscriptions on the stone tablet.

Sensing Long Ye’s hesitation, Shi Qian—hidden in his pouch—grew anxious and poked his head out.

He glanced at the stone tablet. Indeed, three new characters had surfaced—but he only recognized the first one.

Shi Qian: “Squeak—?”

“Wang—?”

Long Ye blinked and read it aloud: “Wang Xingzhi.”

Shi Qian was stunned.

The other cultivators were even more shocked.

“Wang Xingzhi’s name appeared on the stone tablet?!”

“Impossible! No matter how strong Wang Xingzhi is, he doesn’t practice alchemy!”

“He’s a sword cultivator! Nearly every disciple of the Sword Sect focuses solely on swordsmanship!”

Someone countered, “But the War Sect emphasizes combat above all. Unlike modern alchemists who only know pill refining—more like pill manufacturing—those who focus on seeking out herbs don’t necessarily need to refine pills at all!”

This was precisely why so many cultivators coveted the Ancestral Shrine.

Its trial methods were diverse. Despite being part of the Ancestral Hall, it didn’t limit itself to just pill refinement. It included herb identification, collection, pill crafting, the uses of demonic beast cores, pill dueling, and more.

Unlike ordinary secret realms meant for junior disciples to gain experience, the rewards here were exceptional.

Hearing all this, Long Ye had a sudden realization—”Even those who don’t refine pills can still succeed.”

For him, this was fantastic news.

The debates barely lasted a few moments before Wang Xingzhi himself arrived from the other side—putting an end to the discussion.

Wang Xingzhi had just been teleported to another location. Now that he had returned to the stone tablet, he glanced at his name inscribed on it and muttered, “As expected, this one records names as well.”

Seeing Long Ye and Shi Qian, Wang Xingzhi smiled. His youthful face made him look rather adorable, a clear sign that he must have gained quite a bit from the trial—his good mood was proof of that.

Other cultivators couldn’t resist asking, “Senior Wang, may we ask if you obtained the inheritance of the Ancestral Hall?”

“I saw it at the end,” Wang Xingzhi shook his head slightly. “But I didn’t take the inheritance jade stone. I chose a different reward instead. I’m not an alchemist—better to leave it for someone who can actually use it.”

Long Ye had already heard some things, but he wasn’t sure if those sources were trustworthy. Seizing the opportunity, he asked Wang Xingzhi directly.

“Brother Wang, is it true that some of the trials don’t require alchemy?”

“Yes.” This time, Wang Xingzhi nodded. He shared his experience briefly, “If you have some knowledge of spiritual herbs and can fight your way through, you’ll pass the trial.”

Shi Qian: A true beast.

Some people might look like innocent golden boys, but behind the scenes, they were absolute warriors. Wang Xingzhi made it sound easy, but actually doing it was another matter entirely.

If the trials inside were really that simple, why wasn’t there a second person emerging victorious just yet?

Shi Qian vaguely remembered that Long Ye had suffered greatly inside. He had struggled to clear the trial, barely managing to obtain a single spiritual herb that would allow him to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Long Ye’s expression remained neutral. After asking two more questions, he bid temporary farewell to Wang Xingzhi.

Then, before Wang Xingzhi could leave, Long Ye swiftly stepped through the massive riveted doors of the Ancestral Shrine, charged with a fierce and ominous energy.

Beyond the door lay a vast hall, polygonal in shape. Shi Qian counted the sides—nine, to be exact. Aside from the entrance, there were eight walls.

The lighting was dim, making the small doors along the walls barely noticeable.

Since only Long Ye and Shi Qian were present, the space was eerily silent. Perhaps due to the structure of the building, the temperature was also unnervingly low.

Shi Qian hesitated before crawling out of the pouch. “Squeak Squeak.”

This place feels scarier than your family’s ancestral hall.

Long Ye was even more detached than him. “The Long family’s ancestral hall isn’t scary, is it?” His tone was distant, as if drawing a clear line. But he was telling the truth.

“Squeak squeak.”

I’ve only been inside two ancestral halls before.

As he spoke, Shi Qian moved closer to Long Ye’s neck.

“Once we enter the inner chambers, it should be different from this main hall,” Long Ye reassured him, gently stroking his back before approaching one of the walls with doors.

Each door was engraved with ancient text and intricate patterns, exuding an aura of antiquity and mystery.

Long Ye knew he was more suited to taking the same path Wang Xingzhi had. But out of habit, he carefully examined each door, trying to discern a pattern—this kind of patience had helped him many times before.

Shi Qian still found the place unsettling, but since he didn’t smell any immediate danger, he followed Long Ye’s lead, using the opportunity to learn new characters from the inscriptions.

After examining a few doors, Shi Qian suddenly noticed something familiar about the engravings.

“Squeak Squeak!”

The patterns on this door look just like the ones on our token!

Excited, Shi Qian reached out a paw to fish out the secret realm token. Since they were alone, it was a perfect chance to check if anything had changed.

As he pulled it out, a small pure-red bead accidentally tumbled onto the floor.

The bead rolled across the stone tiles of the hall—

—and in the blink of an eye, it vanished into thin air.

Shi Qian: “Squeak Squeak!”

I dropped one! And some of these beads are turning even redder!

Long Ye glanced at it and made a quick mental calculation. “That probably means there are at most 300 people left in the secret realm now.”

Shi Qian was convinced that Long Ye must be amazing at math and logic. Unlike a certain lazy tanuki who couldn’t even be bothered to count, Shi Qian decided to keep quiet.

Holding the token tightly in both paws, he no longer dared to tug at the cord attached to it.

Whether it harmed him or someone else, neither was a good outcome.

But… was it just his imagination, or did the eye on the token seem to have opened even wider?

Shi Qian’s paws moved faster than his brain. By the time he realized it, his claws had already poked into the eye on the token.

Immediately, a massive suction force erupted from the nearest door, yanking Shi Qian inside—

—while simultaneously shoving Long Ye backward. He was thrown against the opposite wall with a loud thud.

“Brother Qian!”

Shi Qian was extremely frustrated. He was done being treated like a baby cub!

But he only had time to leave Long Ye with one last shout—

“Squeak squeak!”

Don’t worry! I’m not in danger!

It felt like he had been tossed into a washing machine set to super turbo mode and spun around tens of thousands of times.

By the time the force disappeared, Shi Qian crash-landed on the ground, dizzy beyond belief. The token in his paws smacked against the floor with him.

“Squea—!”

Ow, ow, ow! Did I just land so hard I have three extra bruises on my butt?!

Lying there dazed, Shi Qian had an absurd thought: If I were about to die from a fall, would I be able to smell the scent of impending doom beforehand?

Because he sure didn’t smell a thing before this happened, and yet, his butt hurt like hell right now.

He had no idea how long he stayed sprawled on the ground before his dizziness finally subsided.

Slowly, he lifted his head, gathered himself, tucked away the token, and took in his surroundings.

—A spacious stone chamber, illuminated by spirit stone lanterns.

These lanterns ran on spirit stones as fuel. To Shi Qian, this was the definitive mark of a filthy rich household.

Under the bright lighting, he saw eight stone platforms.

Suspended above them were various powerful-looking weapons, spiritual plants, and other artifacts—none of which Shi Qian recognized.

But… one of the eight platforms was empty.

Something about the “eight missing one” situation felt oddly coincidental.

After resting a bit longer, he was too lazy to walk, so he used teleportation magic to warp to the other side of the chamber.

There, he spotted another stone tablet, engraved with none other than Wang Xingzhi’s name.

Finally, he understood exactly where he was.

He had just poked his way straight to the final destination.