197: Chapter 194 People from Qingshen Pass

None's voice was very soft, yet it seemed to contain a strange magic; every word was like an invisible heavy hammer, striking fiercely at Chen Zhiwen's mind.

The entire study instantly fell into a near-solidified silence.

The faint scent of ink drifting in the air now seemed to carry a hint of coldness.

A lie?

These two words were simple, yet heavy enough to be suffocating.

Chen Zhiwen's pupils constricted to the extreme at this moment; he looked at None quietly without speaking, but a stormy sea had already risen within those deep eyes.

The Dao he cultivated was the Overbearing Dao.

It was a Dao that cut through all delusions, saw through all obstacles, and pointed directly to the heart.

But now, someone was telling him that the Foundation he stood upon, everything he knew, was itself... a delusion.

This was a shock sufficient to shake any Cultivator's Dao Heart.

After a long time, Chen Zhiwen slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

That breath was very long, as if he wanted to exhale all the shock and suspicion in his chest at once.

He looked up again, his gaze having returned to being as calm as an ancient well. He looked directly into None's eyes, which seemed to see through eternal ages, his voice steady and firm.

"Please, Senior, resolve my doubts." This sentence was spoken with extreme sincerity, without the slightest doubt or rebuttal, only a pure desire for the truth.

He knew well that a truth capable of terrifying the zhandao sword spirit to such an extent must be extraordinary and could not possibly be mere nonsense.

Chen Zhiwen's reaction caused a surge of admiration to rise in None's heart.

Such Heart-Nature was indeed rare; no wonder he could reach his current level.

None nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then slowly closed his eyes as if through Transmigration, returning to that distant era.

His voice gradually became ethereal, as if coming from another world: "In the endless ages past, in my era, the cultivation system of Huang Province was far more... brilliant than it is now."

"That was a true Golden Age, where various cultivation methods competed in splendor like a hundred flowers blooming. Countless Prodigies sprang up like bamboo shoots after a rain, each displaying their Divine Ability; for a time, it was a galaxy of stars, dazzling and eye-catching."

"And I was fortunate to be born in that era. Although my talent wasn't top-tier, it was passable. Relying on my own hard work and Comprehension Ability, I took only fifty short years to fight my way through and finally successfully step into the Peak Grandmaster Realm."

None's tone was exceptionally flat, as if he were recounting a most ordinary matter, with no intention of boasting.

However, from his words, others could deeply feel the glory and magnificence of that era.

But Chen Zhiwen's heart was shaken once again.

Fifty years!

From a Mortal to a Peak Grandmaster!

What terrifying talent, what a brilliant achievement!

Even he himself, possessing many Opportunities, would never dare say he could achieve it.

"At that time, like everyone else in the world, I believed that Peak Grandmaster was the ultimate Realm of cultivation in this world and the final destination of the Human Dao Domain. However, the truth was not so."

The corners of None's mouth curled up slightly into a self-mocking arc. He said slowly: "But I was wrong, and I was wrong quite ridiculously."

"One day, a person walked out of Qingshen Pass."

While he was immersed in his memories, he suddenly mentioned a place—Qingshen Pass.

When he spoke this name, his voice changed for the first time.

It was an extremely complex mix of emotions: gravity, reminiscence, and even a faint, indistinct wariness.

It was as if merely mentioning that place was enough to make this wisp of Soul Origin, which had survived for ages, tremble.

Chen Zhiwen keenly caught the place name "Qingshen Pass" and couldn't help but feel curious. He pressed: "Qingshen Pass?"

None's gaze slowly turned to Chen Zhiwen, and he answered softly: "That's right, it's what you now call... Qinghua Mountain."

None confirmed.

Chen Zhiwen's heart sank abruptly.

Qinghua Mountain, the place where the Remnant Clan is Sealed!

Could it be...

"That person was haggard, like a candle in the wind, his appearance identical to those dying old men in the Mortal world whose Lifespan is nearly exhausted and who are about to enter the grave."

None's words continued to come, his voice growing deeper, as if that aura brought him great pressure.

"However, it was such a person who seemed to be in his twilight years who possessed an aura I had never seen before."

"That aura... ancient and weathered, as if it had undergone the baptism of long ages, so powerful that even I, a so-called Peak Grandmaster, couldn't help but feel trepidation!" None's description caused Chen Zhiwen's breathing to hitch slightly.

One must know that None was a figure from ten thousand years ago; he had ascended to the throne of a Peak Grandmaster in just fifty short years, an achievement that could be called peerless.

But now, even he felt trepidation at this aura; just what kind of terrifying existence was the owner of this aura?

In Chen Zhiwen's mind, he almost subconsciously thought of that mysterious group suppressed deep within Qinghua Mountain.

"Senior, could this person... be from the Remnant Clan?"

Chen Zhiwen asked.

After all, based on all the information he currently possessed, the only existence that could be associated with Qinghua Mountain and also possess such eerie and powerful strength seemed to be the legendary Remnant Clan.

However, what he completely did not expect was that None's answer would be so surprising.

None slowly and firmly shook his head: "No."

These two words were like a heavy hammer striking Chen Zhiwen's heart, causing his expression to change instantly.

He widened his eyes, looking at None in disbelief, seemingly unable to accept this fact.

"In my era, although the Remnant Clan could be considered a not-weak force, their strength was far inferior compared to now. Moreover, they were definitely not Sealed within Qingshen Pass," None continued, his tone calm and steady, as if telling a most ordinary story.

"They... were not qualified." None's final words exploded in Chen Zhiwen's ears like a thunderclap. His mind went blank, completely unable to understand what this meant.

Not the Remnant Clan! Even in that era, the Remnant Clan wasn't even qualified to be Sealed!

Then, who exactly was that withered old man who walked out of Qingshen Pass?!

An unprecedented chill rose in his heart.

He felt as if he were touching a terrifying secret that had been sealed by time for far too long.

"Then he... who exactly is he?"

Chen Zhiwen's voice couldn't help but carry a hint of dryness.

None raised his eyes and gave Chen Zhiwen a deep look.

That gaze was complex and difficult to decipher.

After a moment, he spoke four words, one by one, in a low voice.