[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-253":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"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},2260126,4410,"Chapter 253: Unsettled Dao Heart","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-253",253,"\u003Cp>Within the Sacred Ground of the Ancients, turbulent energies howled ceaselessly through the gloomy sky, chaotic and disordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath it, Chen Shixian’s direct disciple Chen Luo sat in meditation amid the bamboo grove between the Three Mountains, cultivating and striving to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the Sacred Ground, seasons had turned—autumn passed, spring came, summer neared—and this Chen clan direct disciple had advanced from the Fusion Dao realm to the Response to Heaven realm; his aura had grown far stronger, unrecognizable from when he first arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the mystery of the Sacred Ground of the Ancients—indeed, one year here equaled ten years of cultivation elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, Chen Luo, deep in meditation, suddenly grimaced in pain, and the aura swirling around him exploded apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Chen Luo opened his eyes, gasping heavily, his heart cold and hollow, sweat soaking his temples beneath the jade crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the Sacred Ground to cultivate the Dao, his progress had been astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though among all cultivators in Qingyun Realm, the Little Mirror Master of Qingyun Sword Mountain was the fastest to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet among all other direct disciples, Chen Luo’s attainment at his age was already exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he broke through into the Response to Heaven realm, the energy within him began to surge wildly, uncontainable, while his mind filled with chaotic thoughts—whispers like demons, incessantly disturbing his Dao heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were not his own distractions—they came from Heaven’s Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely put, whenever he resonated with Heaven’s Dao, cold, dark distractions flooded in—an unprecedented situation for Chen Luo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Sacred Ground of the Ancients was a place of transmitting the Dao, the closest point between humanity and Heaven; the Dao observed here should be the clearest, purest law—not this mottled, corrupted thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could I have cultivated wrongly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I walk the same path as my Chen clan ancestors—each step deliberate, how could I be wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After catching his breath, Chen Luo felt a cold aura enveloping him, clinging to his skin like a greasy, icy film he could not shake; he looked up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly remembered that when he first entered the Sacred Ground, the sky had been perpetually bright and clear, the spring breeze gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, dark clouds hung low, encircling all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just days ago, demonic winds had surged through the Sacred Ground, rushing relentlessly toward the southeast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was where the Mystic Light Gate opened—the very place they had entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Luo’s mind was muddled, his Dao heart fractured; he could not think clearly, only rose and climbed upward, reaching the northern cliff of the Three Mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xi sat there in meditation, wearing a green-and-white cross-collar ruqun, her hair coiled in twin buns, a vermilion mole on her brow perfectly complementing her pale skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this spot lay outside the Sacred Ground’s center, its mystery remained profound—this direct disciple and sacred maiden was also breaking through, still one step short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing footsteps beside her, Chen Xi slowly opened her eyes and looked at her brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has your realm stabilized?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, I feel my Dao heart can’t settle—it’s as if something is influencing it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Chen Xi’s brow furrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, she felt the same—something had changed within the Sacred Ground of the Ancients, though she couldn’t say what; only a sense of unease, like her heart dangled in midair, stalling her cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, a gust of wind suddenly surged through the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wind carried a wave of heat, rushing into the forests on all sides, shaking the green leaves into a rustling chorus as it rolled up the slopes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling this aura, the siblings froze—before they could react, a powerful force erupted from the foot of the southern mountain, like dawn’s first blaze, roaring like a tiger’s howl and a dragon’s cry, filling the entire valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, Chen Xi pressed her hands to her knees, while Chen Luo clenched his fists, muscles tensing along his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both felt a crushing pressure riding the scorching wave, climbing the ridge, pressing down until they struggled to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, they exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew the source of this energy—this was the second time since entering the Sacred Ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first occurred shortly after their arrival, when the valley echoed with the man’s low grunts, leaving Chen Xi unsettled and agitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came another wave of searing heat, as if a red sun had risen from the valley floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, they had merely felt a faint tension; now, the pressure weighed upon them, demanding active balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t mere intimidation—it was the sense that a colossal beast lurked in the valley, capable of swallowing mountains and rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xi glanced at her brother and noticed his deeply furrowed brow and the turbulent spiritual energy around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brother had entered the Response to Heaven realm days ago—he was already on another level, yet still had to actively resist this sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cultivation path in Qingyun Realm had always been fixed: each realm carried its own distinct aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the man in the mountain had, over these past six months, shown them something utterly beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is he still Tongxuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still Tongxuan—he’s never attempted a breakthrough,” Chen Luo couldn’t help saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the siblings spoke, a white-robed figure emerged from the valley; when they saw him, their expressions grew even more complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For while the overwhelming aura had conjured the illusion of a devouring beast, Ji You stood tall and slender, resembling nothing more than a frail scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when his aura was contained, he showed no trace of danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You stood at the foot of the southern mountain, fist clenched, energy surging violently within him, his blood roaring like a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over half a year, he had focused solely on body refinement, enduring two grueling trials; now his physical strength far surpassed his former self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always believed that if Dao cultivation could proceed independently of the body, then body refinement could also rise beyond realm boundaries—now he saw he was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the question remained: if Dao cultivation’s goal was ascension to heaven, then what was body refinement’s true purpose? He still didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That arrogant little brat would regret not having sighed sooner…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Always stubborn, always delaying—now look, his body was stronger than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You exhaled slowly, dispersed his energy, then stepped lightly—his figure shot through the forest and landed beside a small stream, flowing downstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Downstream lay a clear lake—he had cultivated here long enough to know every inch of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the shore, Ji You leapt in, submerging himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body refinement session had lasted exceptionally long; his skin felt sticky, and plunging into the water brought instant relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After washing, he climbed out, dried his clothes with spiritual energy, and looked up at the sky, brow slightly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since some time ago, the Sacred Ground’s aura had been shifting constantly—especially the laws of the Four Elements of Wind and Rain—colliding violently, filling this realm with chilling cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had never attempted Heaven-Man resonance, he felt something off—this wasn’t right; something was deeply wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After long thought, Ji You closed his eyes, and his golden spiritual sense rose into the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always feared losing control of his realm, succumbing to obsession and falling into darkness—but the Sacred Ground’s anomalies had persisted so long, he could no longer suppress his curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his spiritual sense surged upward, an icy chill instantly struck him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven’s Dao churned violently, twisted and blurred, while from the southwest came an inexplicable aura, drifting erratically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, footsteps approached one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen family siblings, Chai Ze of the Heavenly Book Academy, Yan Shujing and Yan Rui of Qingyun Sword Mountain, Jiang Chenfeng of the Questioning Dao Sect, and Huo Hong of the Mountain Sea Pavilion all arrived in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they drew near, all stared at Ji You—still radiating Tongxuan aura—and their expressions turned strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Sacred Ground was vast, occasional encounters were common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Months ago, some had already whispered that Ji You’s realm seemed frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While only Chen Shixian’s direct disciple Chen Luo had broken through, others’ auras had nearly reached their thresholds—yet Ji You’s remained stagnant, unchanged since entry, baffling everyone. After all, Ji You had been the brightest star at the Heavenly Dao Assembly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When entering the Sacred Ground, countless had predicted he’d emerge into Response to Heaven—yet he hadn’t even reached Fusion Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a few moments, all turned their gazes westward—specifically, southwestward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sacred Ground’s anomalies had persisted for a long time; daily cultivation had made them all aware.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is that place? Why does it emit such strange energy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t we have a map?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The map isn’t complete—it doesn’t mark what lies in the southwest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The map provided by the Celestial Supervision Office was indeed incomplete, covering only roughly half the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After long thought, Chai Ze spoke: “That must be the ancestral homeland of our human race.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ancestral homeland?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ancestral homeland bears the fate of humanity, sealed within the Sacred Ground of the Ancients. Legend says Heaven’s Origin lies there—years ago, rumors circulated of ancient transmissions hidden within.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That place has always been unstable. Our position is relatively secure, but farther southwest, it’s far more fragile—I suspect that’s why the map omits its location.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sacred Ground of the Ancients was sealed precisely because it was nearly shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Alchemists repaired it with elixir arts, some regions had torn space itself—Chai Ze said the southwest was worse; one misstep could sever body from head, and even if one escaped, Heaven’s might could shatter the soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, this region was effectively a forbidden zone for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In past years, some had ventured in—but after severe consequences, few dared try again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, tales of Heaven’s Origin and ancient transmissions were mere rumors, never verified—naturally, they deterred all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, Chen Luo and Chen Xi, already direct disciples, had no need for such risk; others sought stability, uninterested in such perilous endeavors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You looked at Chai Ze and spoke softly: “If it’s humanity’s ancestral homeland, why has its aura suddenly become so strange?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Ze glanced at him: “That realm has never been stable. Perhaps this disturbance is normal—I suspect outside, storms and thunder rage now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Origin Force connects to all of Qingyun Realm, merely sealed by the Ancients’ great power. Here, the laws are chaotic—outside, they’re affected too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With such chilling winds, how can this still be called a Sacred Ground?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yin and Yang are fundamental laws of Heaven’s Dao—all things in the world follow this: black and white, light and dark. Brother, you haven’t entered Fusion Dao—you may not yet grasp this fully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ji You’s lips twitched slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck, he’s looking down on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Ze’s tone was like a high schooler who’d wandered into a college gathering and asked a question the college kids thought absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chatting idly in the grasslands beyond the forest, everyone dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, for them, going out meant either inheriting an immortal sect or taking over a family—cultivation remained the top priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many among them were already at the breakthrough stage and would not distract themselves with trivial matters, wasting time here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Ji You, after pondering for a while, stepped toward the southwest and began circling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called ancestral land of humanity, the primordial source of heaven’s Dao—these were merely vague concepts; Ji You had no idea where they might be. Yet he was deeply curious about the malevolent energy his spiritual sense had sensed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the next several days, the prodigies meditating in the Sacred Ground of the Ancients could not help but frown frequently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as before, their inner distractions grew thicker; their Dao hearts, far from remaining clear, began to grow murky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Ze was also at a critical juncture in his ascent to the Yingtian Realm, but after days of meditation, he had become full of malice, his heart wild and turbulent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivation requires the abandonment of the seven emotions and six desires; greed is one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before entering, many had hoped to stay as long as possible, but now they sensed something was amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially those on the verge of breakthrough felt their Dao hearts growing heavier by the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to leave was Yan Shujing, the direct disciple of Xuanjian Peak; sword Dao demands clarity, and she knew she could no longer remain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to leave were the Chen family’s twin direct disciples: Chen Luo had already broken through, and Chen Xi was on the threshold—staying here longer would bring more harm than benefit, so it was no longer a wise choice for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who remained were mostly of lower status, clinging tightly to the opportunity and unwilling to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as time passed, they too began to falter, especially after realizing their cultivation could no longer advance—and their Dao hearts grew increasingly alien—they knew it was time to depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet humans comfort themselves: even if inferior to others, one can still be superior to some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You, for instance, was their best source of solace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if stuck on the brink of breakthrough, they knew they could still break through upon leaving—better than entering and leaving unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before departing, they had exchanged words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they hadn’t seen Ji You in days, they assumed he had already left; after all, without breakthrough, staying near the Dao’s source was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they did not know that Ji You had now pressed deep into the southwest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From grasslands to forests and back to grasslands, he had entered a vast wild woodland—towering trees and thick mist pressed together as if crammed, rendering his spiritual sense unable to extend far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The malevolent energy he had sensed earlier had receded; he could no longer perceive it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You now halted in a dense thicket, staring at a trampled blade of green grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could now be certain someone had entered before him; what exactly they did remained unknown, but the Sacred Ground’s aura had turned strange during that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the chilling energy must have arisen from the same cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You cared deeply about this energy because he sensed a faint familiarity in it—reminding him of his time in Qiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many things had happened then: the ascended demon, the vanished infant—but after the thunderous divine lightning, everything had fallen silent, with no further developments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All blame had been laid on the Zheng family: those to be held accountable were punished, those seeking benefits received them, and nothing else ever occurred again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet many unresolved questions lingered: for instance, where had the carriage that left from the back of Qiling gone? It vanished completely afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You had always been sensitive to this matter, which was why he had followed the trail here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after searching for days, he found nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had once heard that the Sacred Ground held the legacy of the Ancients and primordial power, but no one in decades had ever found it—indicating the place was exceedingly hard to locate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You fell silent for a moment, then stepped out of the dense thicket and glanced outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sacred Ground still held chaotic energy, but when he extended his spiritual sense, he sensed no living beings—apparently, the prodigies had already left while searching the forests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>May it be, as Chai Ze said, that the sudden shift in aura was merely the Sacred Ground’s usual fragility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>May someone merely have harbored selfish intent, found the so-called ancestral primordial land, taken their gain, and slipped away silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s third eye furrowed slightly as he suddenly felt a surge of distraction rising within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had suppressed his Heavenly-Human Resonance because he could not answer his own heart; now that his spiritual sense had soared, the resonance had reconnected, and certain impulses could no longer be restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You calmed his aura, then walked toward the northeast. As the jade tablet at his waist glowed, he reappeared in the valley where he had entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, light rain drizzled in the valley, accompanied by the constant rumble of thunder in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2707,"2026-06-19T15:28:41.422Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","399bad9d5f2b4780bf72afb4f796e56fc549dbad802e1d65a79dda876636a6a3","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-254","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-252",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]