Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 1017: Descendants

The four of them stepped into the golden passage and walked within it.

The old woman leaned on her cane, moving slowly, her voice calm and deliberate. "When you come here in the future, you must follow the exact same steps as before. Not a single mistake is allowed."

The young boy and girl responded quickly in unison. Beside her, the old man sighed softly. "The time between each emergence of the inner hall grows shorter and shorter. At this rate, who knows what the situation will become in their era? Our ancestors could never have imagined that Seven-Kill Hall would change in such a way. If Seven-Kill Hall were to fully emerge one day and the witch race had enough time to break the celestial barrier, it would be impossible for us, their inept descendants, to stop them completely."

The old woman chuckled lightly. "Senior Brother, why worry so much? Each generation has its own fate. Our grandmaster never tasked us with protecting the human race, only with carrying out his instructions. The human race still holds the advantage in strength. Even if Seven-Kill Hall truly emerges, the witch race will not gain much from it."

Her cane tapped lightly, and her voice echoed through the corridor. "Besides, didn’t we check everything last time? The celestial barrier remains intact, and the barriers our grandmaster left behind have not been affected by the early awakening."

The young boy and girl exchanged puzzled glances. Though they could barely make sense of the conversation, they did not dare to ask, quietly following behind.

After walking for some time, they reached the end of the passage. When the scenery before them came into view, the boy and girl gasped in astonishment.

At the center of a sea of clouds floated a mountain suspended in mid-air. The mountain was not large, but lush and green, encircled by celestial clouds. Clear springs flowed around pavilions and winding streams.

Who could have imagined that within such a perilous inner hall, there existed a tranquil, harmonious place so full of life, like the cave dwelling of an immortal?

The two elders, however, showed no surprise. Their expressions remained calm as they walked out of the passage and flew toward the floating mountain. The young pair quickly followed after regaining their composure.

The four of them landed before a wooden hall deep within the forest. The hall stood alone, surrounded by overgrown weeds and fallen leaves. In the quiet, shadowed woods, it appeared somewhat desolate.

The old woman paused and lightly tapped her cane on the ground. A ripple of invisible force spread outward, instantly sweeping away all the weeds and leaves around them. The old man stepped forward and gently pushed open the wooden door.

Creak! Light spilled inside, driving away the darkness.

To their surprise, the interior contained a teleportation array. The four stepped onto it, and in a flash of light, they appeared within a dim cavern. A chill swept through the air, making the boy and girl shiver. They quickly circulated their cultivation arts, and after completing one cosmic orbit, they finally dispelled the cold.

Drip... Drip... The sound of dripping water echoed from ahead.

After walking for a short while, the pair froze as they entered a circular cavern. The cavern was damp, with droplets clinging to the stone walls and falling intermittently. The chill they had felt earlier emanated from this very place.

At the center stood a raised stone platform, and upon it rested a square stone cauldron with handles on either side. The two elders flew atop the platform and took a glance inside the cauldron. Its surface was coarse, covered with tiny beads of moisture. A thin layer of clear water had gathered at its base. Though the water radiated a biting cold, it had not frozen over.

The old woman lifted her gaze and said solemnly, "The spiritual liquid is less than half of what it used to be."

The old man nodded. "That’s to be expected. It has only been a little over a hundred years since the inner hall last emerged."

The young pair approached, staring curiously at the rough stone cauldron and the faintly shimmering liquid within it. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Grandmaster, is this the Soul-Cleansing Liquid? Why does it grow inside a stone cauldron?" the boy asked, unable to restrain his curiosity.

"This liquid is not yet the Soul-Cleansing Liquid. It is merely one of the crucial ingredients required to refine it. Only when combined with several other spiritual herbs can it be made into the true Soul-Cleansing Liquid. Fortunately, the other ingredients are not too rare," the old man explained kindly.

He continued, "This spiritual liquid can only be found here. It seems that this place was once an underground cold spring infused with strange power. Though the spring has since dried up, the barrier within the stone cauldron slowly refines and condenses this special liquid from the cavern. It contains the purest energy and is ideal for refining Soul-Cleansing Liquid. Now, you two stand back and watch carefully. Observe every hand seal and step as we perform the refining process. You must remember them all."

"Yes!" The young pair stepped back to the base of the platform, faces tense, eyes fixed intently on the elders’ every movement.

"Junior Sister, let’s begin," the old man said.

He brushed his hand across the Mustard Seed Pouch at his waist, and several jade boxes flew out, each containing different spiritual herbs, some flowers, some fruits, each glowing faintly with spiritual energy.

"Go!" With a flick of his finger, all the herbs fell neatly into the cauldron.

Then both elders pressed their palms on the sides of the cauldron, channeling their true essence into it.

Hum! The cauldron trembled, releasing a deep, resonant sound. Mysterious runes shimmered across its surface, their glow dispelling its previous roughness and giving it a mysterious luster.

Their fingers moved in blurring succession, forming countless hand seals that shot into the cauldron. Dazzling light surged within, the interior shrouded in a fog of shifting colors. The barrier fluctuated, obscuring the herbs from view.

A faint fragrance began to spread, filling the cavern. As time passed, the fragrance grew lighter, fading until only a trace of chilling, ethereal scent lingered in the air.

"Retrieve!" The old man gave a low command. Both withdrew their palms and peered into the cauldron, satisfied smiles forming on their faces.

He then produced two jade bottles and, with a thread of true essence, drew out a small portion of the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, carefully storing it inside. The young pair were astonished to see that he stopped even though much liquid remained.

"Grandmaster, why are we leaving so much behind?" the boy asked, puzzled.

The old man replied, "This is our ancestral rule. Moreover, the barrier within the cauldron limits how much can be taken each time. We may only draw this amount. The rest must be sent to the trial realm as a reward."

The girl pouted. "The trial realm? You mean the people waiting outside the inner hall when we entered? The cold spring was discovered by our grandmasters, and the other herbs were cultivated with your painstaking effort. They’re not even related to us, why should we give them so much of the Soul-Cleansing Liquid? Even a third—No! Even one-tenth would be too generous!"

The two elders exchanged amused glances.

"You little greedy girl," the old woman said with a smile, lightly tapping the girl’s forehead with her cane.

"The Soul-Cleansing Liquid and the trial realm were both established by the four great ancestors to ensure our human race continues to thrive and never declines. Thanks to these arrangements, our kind has always produced exceptional talents and maintained dominance over the witch race, forcing them to cower within the Witch God Continent. The vast vision of our ancestors is far beyond what a little girl like you can comprehend."