[{"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-85":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},2299407,4498,"Chapter 85: The Principle of Peril: The Meaning of Living by Facing Death! (Fifth Update)","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-85",85,"\u003Cp>Xiao Fan’s first clash with Zhang Yunlu saw her immediately at a disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The human body is frail; cultivation demands enduring countless hardships, refining the three passes is arduous, and only one in ten thousand succeeds.” The voice was cold and calm. “Yet my *clan, favored by heaven’s will, is born with a naturally formed Dao foundation. Why do you refuse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Born with a naturally formed Dao foundation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We pasture all living beings; ten thousand spirits bow before us. Even the starry heavens were once our flock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the voice continued to enter her ears, images began to surface in Zhang Yunlu’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drinking the starry rivers, ten thousand spirits kneeling in worship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All scenes Xiao Fan had once witnessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And now?” Zhang Yunlu suddenly said. “Aren’t you just rats in a sewer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What century is this? Still using such crude scam tactics?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you really think dragging up lofty nonsense and conjuring a few illusions can fool someone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a student at the Third Middle School of Xuanjian City, she’d attentively attended every anti-scam lecture the school held every year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the worst scam gangs use far more sophisticated tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan paused, then his swordplay turned sharply fierce!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very well. Human sword cultivators are always this ungrateful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding! Ding! As his assault grew rapid, Zhang Yunlu’s defense grew increasingly desperate; within moments, she was on the brink of death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan’s sword path had no fixed form, yet it was extraordinarily ‘precise’—or rather, ‘perfect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect to the point that not a single movement held a flaw, as if it contained every advantage of all sword arts in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how she swung her sword, he effortlessly parried it—even the blade flashes of the Flowing Cloud Sword Art failed to scratch him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh! Another strike, nearly piercing through Zhang Yunlu’s shoulder, staining her robe with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled from the wound on her brow, impairing her vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should she do? In sword technique, experience, and efficient use of spiritual power—he was far beyond her!…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Dao, the young one you’ve chosen is quite interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those two remarks may have been idle words, but they struck the old thing right where it hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhang Yunlu said, no matter how glorious the past, now you’re still just a rat in a sewer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pity. I won’t live to see which of our proteges proves stronger.” Hu sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xiao Fan whose body was now seized by the old thing was no longer himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Chi Jiuyu scratched her head. She’d realized now: that kid who acted even more aloof than her had real strength far surpassing Little Yunlu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword art was nearly as strong as hers—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes. Just barely behind hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still… there was one thing she didn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Uncle, what exactly is that guy on Little Yunlu’s side babbling about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must’ve said something, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then why couldn’t she hear a single word?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He…” Xu Xing began to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding—! A strange alert tone suddenly sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Jiuyu widened her eyes, staring at Xu Xing in disbelief: “Master Uncle, you have a ‘Special Concern’ friend?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it’s not even me! “It’s Senior Sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She set this up herself, actually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, so it’s Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then never mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Jiuyu calmed down and turned back to the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xing pulled out his phone and opened the messaging app.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guardian Sword Ancestor: “Not over yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fugitive Ancestor: “Almost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These usernames… Dao Brother and Sword Ancestor… are you serious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to see more of their conversation, Xu Xing suddenly stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Dao, please pay closer attention to the secret realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked out without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“???”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were they even talking about? And now you won’t let me watch? Hmm… but given Sword Ancestor’s icy demeanor, it was probably just Dao Brother asking one question and her replying with one word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Hu stopped pondering and turned his attention back to the secret realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the combat space, Zhang Yunlu retreated once more, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two deep sword wounds gashed her right forearm; pain surged through her body, making her grip on the sword tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still struggling? With your pitiful sword cultivation? Or perhaps that hidden short sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan held his sword, tone dripping with contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon closer look, his glass-like, multicolored eyes held no emotion whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humanity’s ‘awakening to principle’ is a peculiar state, intimately tied to a cultivator’s inner condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had delayed killing her precisely to shatter her spirit, completely severing her chance of ‘awakening to principle.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his primary goal wasn’t this, why not eliminate a human sword cultivator’s chance at ‘awakening to principle’ if the opportunity arose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough! Cough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yunlu spat two mouthfuls of blood, braced her sword on the ground, and forced herself upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, she drew her waist short sword and dropped it to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she raised her main sword again, eyes locked firmly ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evasion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither suited her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All she could do was, as she had at the start, trust the sword in her hand—and live by facing death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zzzzzz! The sword sliced through the air with a hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, Xiao Fan’s glass-like, multicolored eyes rippled—not because of the sword, but because of her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze reminded Him of someone He deeply wished to forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who, at first, was no more than an ant, yet ultimately sounded the death knell for the entire Cang race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His greatest regret in life: failing to crush him when he was still weak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well. I shall send you on your way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Fan raised his sword. The strike was as gentle as a breeze brushing willow branches—calm, soothing—yet brimming with lethal intent. He effortlessly found her opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade aimed straight for her brow—not to toy with her now, but to kill her outright!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the blade drew nearer, her acute perception amplified every minute change in the surroundings. Her body instinctively recoiled; a sharp pain surged from her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat, blood, or both—soaked her clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she felt no chill. Instead, she felt heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything seemed to scream: *Dodge!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Yunlu felt only profound stillness within. Her grip on the sword never trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body was exhausted, yet her primordial spirit blazed brighter than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guided by the light of her primordial spirit, she finally crossed that chasm-like threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[Seems to have backfired.]*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Xiao Fan’s first thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, Zhang Yunlu was gone—only a lingering afterimage remained! Zzzzzz!!! A buzzing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—it was the sword’s hum! *[Shouldn’t have given her so many Tongxuan grass monsters to kill.]*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his second thought. In the very moment the thought formed, a chill brushed his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[It’s ‘awakening to principle’—but why is it so illogical?]*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was His third thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puff! Blood sprayed. A three-finger-deep gash split his throat, nearly severing his head—only a thin layer of skin and the spine still connected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yunlu appeared behind Xiao Fan, gently stroking her blade, her eyes still hazy with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is awakening to principle…” she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed. It suits me perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she awakened to: the principle of peril—the meaning of living by facing death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Requesting first subscription!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One more chapter coming later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1228,"2026-06-20T06:44:12.591Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","57c465b0160337b235ce3ec094a5a58c5241abc6dc25fcbe3e535d31b562d502","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-86","ancestor-the-times-have-changed-chapter-84",648,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fancestor-the-times-have-changed-cover.jpg"]