[{"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-72":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},2299394,4498,"Chapter 72: Secret Realm Enters Reality","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-72",72,"\u003Cp>Vehicles passed by, the noise somewhat chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yunlu was on her way to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had taken an afternoon leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she ranked first in that combat test, and now most of the school’s teachers knew she had begun practicing the Gathering Method, the leave was granted easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Fang Chi, who used to clash with her, now dared not make things difficult for her, and even wanted to mend their teacher-student relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she paid no attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Zhang Xiu, since he was on night shift, he had already arrived at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall ahead of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, she planned to complete the final stage of the Gathering Method, then prepare for the upcoming trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the first two stages, the final step—Gathering the Sun’s Essence—must be completed at noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Nine Qi Gathering Method, this final step is best performed when the celestial luminary stands at zenith, its light pouring down from the eight directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this, she could also consider joining the Sword Sect…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was just thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! Isn’t this little Yunlu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the voice reached her ears, she saw Chi Jiu Yu pedaling a tricycle, slowly approaching her side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you headed? Let me give you a ride!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had just delivered the items to the Discipline Hall, as her uncle had instructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, she encountered a group of disciples from other immortal sects, and deliberately slowed down—but not a single one recognized her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If her uncle hadn’t warned her beforehand, she might have thought her fame had truly faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...No thanks,” Zhang Yunlu shook her head slightly in refusal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk tsk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How short a time it’s been, and already she’s turned so cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, I’m still the real deal—I’ve died so many times and still haven’t changed at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Judging by your look, you’re heading to practice the Gathering Method?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which stage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The third stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the final stage already? Not bad!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This little Yunlu really is impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this peaceful era, she’d have had a hard time discovering her talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her luck was just that good—she happened to meet her uncle upon his emergence from seclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now she’s soared beyond measure, nearly ready to establish the Celestial Foundation—joining the Sword Sect is a sure thing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d also heard that Zhang Yunlu lost both parents young, and was raised by her older brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This plot feels so familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Parents dead, then a master discovers her talent, and she soars to greatness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sounds a bit like the protagonist of a novel…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No no!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to those comeback stories, you’d at least need a few enemies, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a family heirloom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In conclusion, I’m the real protagonist!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? She looked up—and sure enough, just a short turn down the alley was the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d been too absorbed to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad—she’d wanted to chat a while longer with her little fan, the only person in Xuanjian City I ever guided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, alright! Good luck with your cultivation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that, Chi Jiu Yu kicked hard—the tricycle shot off at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuhu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yunlu watched the departing tricycle for a moment, then turned and walked into the alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I used to truly admire her…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>City Hall, Mayor’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock knock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mayor’s secretary knocked, then entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mayor, the Discipline Hall sent an application—someone wants to host a large-scale event and seeks your opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? This kind of trivial matter still comes to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My opinion? Deny it!” the mayor waved his hand irritably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What large event? Don’t we have enough trouble already?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years of stagnation in Xuanjian City have worn out his enthusiasm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just wants to retire peacefully, then find a place to advance to Soul Transformation and head to the Star Battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soaring through the stars—that’s true masculine romance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, I think you should take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to look at? With the current chaos, hosting a big event? That’s just pure trouble—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he complained, the secretary had already placed the application on his desk and pointed to the name—Chi Jiu Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name of the proposed large-scale event: Third Trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My sword sect’s little junior ancestor, you’re really giving me face—so this is connected to you! “What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way you say that makes it sound like I actually have a choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mayor picked up the crude application and read it carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid missing anything important, he read it several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How to put it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The format was standard enough, but it was absurdly minimal—and the most crucial detail, the location, was written as “None”? Yes—not left blank, but deliberately written as “None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you make of this?” the mayor asked the secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think…” The secretary, about to voice his guess, glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window behind the mayor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That one glance froze him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think… we don’t need to guess anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? The mayor turned around in confusion—and froze too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the window, the entire sky was covered by a faint red glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was that? Was it another demonic cultivator?! “Quick! Pull up the satellite map!” the mayor snapped back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The secretary quickly recovered and swiftly formed a hand seal, projecting a light screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was called a satellite was, in essence, a magic treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancient devices such as the Kuitian Mirror and Guanshi Platform are now classified by Saint Emperor Yuan as \"satellite\" magic treasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The screen quickly displayed an image: an aerial view of the entire Xuanjian City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the map, a massive pale red, phantom sphere now hovered in the sky—just from this projection, it was nearly half the size of Xuanjian City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was steadily growing more solid, as if approaching reality from another dimension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After staring for a long while, the mayor slowly uttered two words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Secret Realm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a Secret Realm gradually entering reality—and the mastermind behind it intended to use an entire Secret Realm as the venue for the Third Trial!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanjian City’s total area: 487,000 square kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant, even without accounting for internal spatial folding, its interior contained over 200,000 square kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mayor strode to the window, opened it, and stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hovering in midair, he looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Secret Realm, hidden behind the sky, resembled a red moon magnified dozens of times—silent, yet radiating a terrifying pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ghostly banners released by the demonic cultivator during his cultivation of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner paled in comparison to this Secret Realm—like fireflies beside the full moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast Secret Realm nearly obscured the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight reminded the mayor of his past experiences on the Star Battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, on a mission, he had witnessed a small asteroid pierce the atmosphere, blazing with fire as it crashed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he was only a Nascent Soul cultivator; only the intervention of a Soul Transformation cultivator saved him by destroying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was the Star Battlefield!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please collect, please follow!! (End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1177,"2026-06-20T06:44:12.591Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5200a750dada05216c89b41e277cc539ff605d8ea25caa2b61e43ae7f233d94c","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-73","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-71",648,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fancestor-the-times-have-changed-cover.jpg"]