[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ancestor-the-times-have-changed":3,"chapter-ancestor-the-times-have-changed-ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-43":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ancestor, the Times Have Changed",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2299365,4498,"Chapter 43: To Glimpse the Secret of Mankind","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>On the other side, Xu Xing and Chi Jiuyu continued upward after leaving the Iron-Tooth Crocodile Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry up, Uncle!” Chi Jiuyu called from higher up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xing always moved at a leisurely pace, so she often had to stop and wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several such pauses, the two finally reached the summit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summit was flat and spacious, a vast square that looked as if it had been cleanly sliced off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, that was exactly what had happened: when the place was first built, the owner had specially hired a Nascent Soul sword cultivator to sever half the peak with a single sword strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the hottest part of the day; the scorching sun beat down, and even the mountain breeze carried a hint of dry heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the square grew trees whose bark resembled overlapping scales, and whose fruits hung like golden-scaled dragon eggs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were Dragon Scale Fruits—a fruit tree with no connection to dragons whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Jiuyu moved swiftly, raising her hand to release her sword, which shot like a meteor and cleanly severed the stems of two Dragon Scale Fruits, then caught them mid-fall with the blade and brought them back to her side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the admission fee wasn’t cheap, all the fruits inside were free to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they weren’t spiritual fruits; just sprinkle more Soul-Replenishing Elixir at night, have a few cultivators skilled in Spring Rain Technique cast a spell, and they’d grow back by morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, this one’s for you, Uncle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sheathed her sword and handed one of the fruits to Xu Xing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xing didn’t refuse; he took it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peeling back the scale-like skin, he revealed the tender white flesh inside. Chi Jiuyu took a bite, then pointed ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, there seems to be a Sword Riding Race up ahead—let’s go watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.” Xu Xing gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Riding Race was one of the park’s most popular events; even tourists could join after signing a liability waiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, some had protested: why call it a “Sword Riding Race” when the competitors weren’t just sword cultivators?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The park’s response was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you beat a sword cultivator in the race, your profession becomes whatever you are.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after all these years, the name remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, how about we join and give it a try?” Chi Jiuyu was eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Restricted to Foundation Establishment cultivators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at a nearby notice board and only then noticed a small line of text in the bottom right corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Restricted to Foundation Establishment cultivators only】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone’s realm were any higher, conflicts might arise, and the park would have trouble intervening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Chi Jiuyu’s disappointment, Xu Xing smiled lightly: “But once we return to the sect, I could gather the younger generation from all sects for a competition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?!” Chi Jiuyu’s eyes lit up. “Don’t worry, Uncle—I’ll win the championship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had no influence of her own, but her uncle was no ordinary person! If he wanted it, he could make it happen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Confidence is key.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would also be interesting to see how much the sects’ teleportation arts have advanced over the years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, can I borrow your phone? I want to take a few more photos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for her own phone…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d just angered her master, and she was now hesitant to take it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking the phone, she fiddled with it for a moment, opened the camera app, and prepared to take a photo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a message popped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sender’s nickname was… “Senior Sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior Sister?! That was her master!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Jiuyu’s hand trembled, and the phone slipped from her grip—luckily, Xu Xing caught it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?” Xu Xing asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gulp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Jiuyu swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“U-Uncle, how do you have my master as a friend?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s my senior sister. Isn’t it normal for me to add her? And why worry? She doesn’t even know it’s you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s right! Master doesn’t know it’s me! Realizing this, she reached for the phone again—but this time, he didn’t give it to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know exactly what you’re trying to do,” Xu Xing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, Uncle, we’re family—don’t be so formal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the evening, Xiao Fan returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After work, he visited his older brother at the hospital and handed his salary to his mother, who was caring for him; his father, on night shift, had already left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing before the empty house, he remained silent for a long while before closing the door and stepping inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drinking a glass of water, he went straight to his bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His old home had been sold; now he lived in a rented apartment, so his bedroom was tiny—after placing a bed inside, there was barely room to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sliver of sunlight streamed through the window, revealing countless floating dust particles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting beside the bed, he pulled out the jade box from his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jade was smooth and milky white, seamless—had it not been for the extremely fine seam, one might never have guessed it was a box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if… I opened it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought arose, and he could no longer suppress it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it turned out to be nothing but a cruel joke, wasn’t that better than clinging to unrealistic fantasies forever?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth and applied slight pressure with his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm… it didn’t open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? Is it stuck that tightly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan stood up, gripped the jade box with both hands, and strained with all his strength—his face turned red, yet the box showed no sign of opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this thing?! I’m a Foundation Establishment cultivator—even if only a fake one—surely I shouldn’t be unable to open a mere box? This thing isn’t ordinary! Realizing this, he frowned, then left the bedroom to retrieve his flying sword, wedging its blade into the jade box’s seam to pry it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when the sword blade began to bend, the jade box remained utterly unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set down the sword and examined the box closely; the exertion had left not a single scratch on its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could this… really be some kind of treasure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a moment, Xiao Fan summoned a trace of true energy and attempted to channel it into the jade box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a mud ox entering the sea, the energy vanished into the box without triggering any reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This didn’t work either. Just as he was about to set the box down and take his sword for a blood oath, a powerful suction surged from the jade box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan was startled and jerked his hand—but he couldn’t let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within his dantian, within the delicate and mysterious Dao Foundation, a thread of energy was drawn out by the suction, traveling along his meridians, flowing to his palm, and entering the jade box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click. The suction vanished. The jade box rolled to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? Xiao Fan froze, staring at the box on the ground—now half-open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opened? After a two-second hesitation, he picked it up. I’m just a worthless nobody—what could anyone possibly want from me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled bitterly, then tried opening the box again—this time, it opened easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked inside—and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was… a single drop of blood?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was crystal-clear, shimmering like red jade, pulsing faintly as if alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this? Before he could ponder further, the drop suddenly came to life, transforming into a streak of crimson light that shot into his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His vision blurred; a vast, ancient voice echoed within his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, you shall glimpse the secret of humanity’s creation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanying the voice was a pain as if his body were being crushed, sliced, and flayed alive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaah!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan collapsed to the floor, curling up as he screamed in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a figure appeared on the empty sofa—ordinary in appearance, gentle in aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down at Xiao Fan writhing in pain, and a faint smile appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seize the wind when fortune rises; ascend with the current. The opportunity is before you—can you grasp it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please collect and follow! (End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1357,"2026-06-20T06:44:12.591Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1177740b4de1c978defd78fb7e5f6bf54cee22216138094b029d85884e995b78","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-44","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-42",648,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fancestor-the-times-have-changed-cover.jpg"]