23: Chapter 23 The Final Hall, The Spirit of the Ancient Temple

The swirling light gate swallowed the six of them. The dizziness of space-time teleportation was far stronger than the previous two times. Lin Ye felt as if he had been thrown into a turbulent river of time, with countless fragmented images flashing through his consciousness—stars being born and extinguished, civilizations rising and falling, bronze giants fighting in the starry sky, finally being pinned through the chest by a pitch-black broken sword...

"Bang!"

The six of them fell heavily to the ground.

The dizziness slowly receded, and Lin Ye propped himself up. What first met his eyes was a vast space beyond imagination.

This was a hall that could not be described in words.

The dome hung high, as if the entire starry sky had been moved here. Countless stars slowly rotated overhead. Those stars were not static points of light but were actually moving along some mysterious trajectories, their starlight weaving into a star map that covered the entire dome. In the center of the star map, nine particularly bright stars were arranged in a ladle shape—the big dipper, plus the Fuxing and Bixing stars, forming the complete Nine Stars of the Big Dipper.

The floor of the hall was paved with some kind of translucent crystal. Beneath the crystal flowed a golden liquid, like molten gold or some kind of living energy. With every flow, complex Formation patterns would emerge on the ground. Those patterns echoed the star map on the dome, forming a complete grand Formation.

The most eye-catching thing was the center of the hall.

A Bronze Throne floated there.

The throne was about three zhang high and cast entirely from bronze, but its surface flowed with a dark-gold luster. The armrests of the throne were two coiled bronze dragons, their mouths wide open and holding fist-sized red gemstones. The back of the throne was covered with ancient characters—they were not any known script; every character seemed to be wriggling and changing, containing the rhythm of the Great Dao.

And at this moment, a person sat on the throne.

Or rather, a human-like existence.

It wore tattered bronze battle armor, its surface covered with cracks and corrosion, as if it had endured hundreds of millions of years of erosion. The body revealed beneath the armor was not flesh and blood but some kind of dark-green metal material, yet there were muscle-like textures on that metal, giving a feeling that was both ancient and eerie.

Its face was mostly covered by a bronze helmet, only the chin and lips visible. The lips were dark green, tightly shut without any movement. But what made one's heart palpitate most were its eyes—they were two clumps of flickering green flames, and deep within the flames were reflections of the starry sky collapsing and the Reincarnation of the Universe.

And in its back, a sword was thrust.

A pitch-black broken sword, with only half the blade remaining, covered in spiderweb-like cracks. The broken sword pierced in from the back and out through the chest, with black liquid constantly dripping from the tip. When the liquid hit the ground, it would corrode small black holes, but the holes were quickly repaired by the crystal.

The aura of death emitted by the broken sword caused the temperature of the entire hall to drop by ten degrees.

"This..." Chen Hao's voice trembled slightly, "This is the spirit of the ancient hall?"

Lin Ye slowly stood up and withdrew the myriad mother qi cauldron into his Wheel Sea. The small cauldron floated quietly in the Wheel Sea, emitting a gentle Chaos aura, which unexpectedly offset part of the deathly pressure brought by the broken sword.

"It's not an ordinary spirit," Lin Ye said in a low voice. "This is a... remnant soul obsession left behind by the First Generation Hall Master."

He had read similar records in ancient books. After some ancient powerhouses fell, if their obsession was too deep, their remnant Souls would fuse with certain objects or spaces, forming an existence similar to a "Guardian Spirit." Such existences often retained part of their memories and power from when they were alive, but their sanity was usually incomplete, and they could only act according to preset rules.

The one before them was clearly the remnant Soul of the First Generation Hall Master of the Bronze Ancient Palace. The broken sword stuck in its back was likely the murder weapon that caused its downfall.

The six of them stood in place, not daring to act rashly.

Time passed minute by minute, and the remnant Soul on the throne remained motionless, just sitting quietly, the green flames in its eyes flickering slowly.

Just as Lin Ye was considering whether to speak first, the remnant Soul suddenly moved.

It slowly raised its head, and the green flames beneath the helmet turned toward the six of them. At that moment, everyone felt their Souls pierced by some ancient gaze, and all their secrets were laid bare.

"Finally... someone has arrived."

The remnant Soul spoke, its voice like the friction of bronze, hoarse and desolate, every word carrying a weight that spanned across eternity.

Lin Ye stepped forward and bowed: "Junior Lin Ye, along with my companions, has accidentally entered this palace and disturbed Senior's slumber. Please forgive us."

"Accidentally?" The corner of the remnant Soul's mouth seemed to twitch, as if smiling or mocking. "To walk through the Bronze Corridor, break through the Time Chamber, and obtain the World Tree seed... and you call it 'accidentally'? Little fellow, you are quite modest."

Its gaze lingered on Lin Ye for a long time, the green flames flickering more intensely: "Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body... how nostalgic. The last person to possess this Physique was 'Dizun'. Unfortunately, he also fell."

Dizun!

Lin Ye's heart shook. This name was like thunder in his ears in his past life; he was a figure from the end of the Mythological Era who had established the Heavenly Court and intended to lead the entire sect to Immortal Ascension, but ultimately met a mysterious end. He didn't expect the remnant Soul before him to actually know Dizun. Then the era it existed in...

"Senior knows Dizun?" Lin Ye asked tentatively.

"Know him? Hehe..." The remnant Soul's laughter was even more desolate. "More than just know him. Back then, when Dizun established the Heavenly Court and invited all races to discuss the Immortal Ascension Road, my Bronze Clan also sent an envoy. Unfortunately, that grand gathering eventually turned into a burial ground, and almost all the participants... were wiped out."

It paused, the flames in its eyes dimming slightly: "I've digressed. Little fellow, being able to come here means you've passed the previous trials. But if you want to obtain the true Legacy of the Ancient Palace, you still need to answer three of my questions."

Here it comes.

Lin Ye's spirit was roused. This was the final trial phase of the Bronze Ancient Palace—the Three Questions of the Heart. The team that cleared the Hell difficulty in his past life had shared some information on the forums, saying these three questions concerned the fundamentals of cultivation, and whether the answers were correct would affect the final reward.

"Please ask, Senior," Lin Ye said respectfully.

The remnant Soul stretched out its right hand—it had only three fingers left, which were bronze-colored and covered in cracks. It tapped the air with these three fingers, and the first question appeared:

"What is the Dao?"

Three simple words, yet they stunned everyone.

What is the Dao? This question was too vast. Since ancient times, countless Cultivators had spent their entire lives seeking the answer to this question, but who could truly explain it clearly?

Chen Hao frowned in thought, Su Qingyue's eyes flashed with confusion, and Zhang Meng and the others were simply bewildered.

Only Lin Ye remained calm.

In his past life, he had cultivated to the Pseudo-Emperor Realm, and his understanding of the "Dao" had already touched the level of Laws. More importantly, after being reborn, his reflections on this question had become even deeper.

"The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao," Lin Ye spoke slowly. "This is the saying from the Tao Te Ching. But in my understanding, the Dao is the rules, the order, the fundamental Laws by which all things in heaven and earth operate."

He paused and continued: "But for a Cultivator, the Dao is more than that. The Dao is a path, the road chosen by every practitioner. Some seek the Dao through the sword, some through strength, some through techniques... No matter which path is chosen, one must eventually return to their original heart. Therefore, to me, the Dao is direction, choice, and persistence."

The remnant Soul listened quietly, the green flames showing no change.

Lin Ye knew this was not enough. Such a general answer could not possibly pass the trial.

He took a deep breath and spoke his true understanding: "But these are all surface appearances. The essence of the Dao... is 'me'."

"Oh?" For the first time, the remnant Soul had a clear reaction. "Tell me more."

"Heaven and earth have their Dao, and all things have their Dao, but those are external Daos." Lin Ye's eyes shone. "When a Cultivator Cultivates, they are not cultivating the Dao of heaven and earth, but their own Dao. Using one's own heart to experience the heart of heaven, using one's own Dao to replace the Heavenly Dao, eventually reaching the Realm of 'I am the Dao, and the Dao is me.' This is the true essence of cultivation."

He pointed to his own Wheel Sea: "My Dao is right here. Chaos is the beginning of heaven and earth, and also the destination of all things. I take Chaos as my foundation to open up my own Dao. This path may be difficult, but once it is traversed, I will become Chaos itself—this is my Dao."

As his voice fell, the hall plunged into a brief silence.

The star map on the dome suddenly accelerated its rotation, and countless starlight gathered into a pillar of light that fell upon Lin Ye. Within the light pillar, the sounds of the Great Dao echoed, as if acknowledging his answer.

The remnant Soul nodded slowly: "Not bad. Though immature, it has touched the essence. The first question is passed."

It extended its second finger, and the second question appeared:

"Why do you Cultivate?"

This question seemed simple, but it pointed directly to the heart.

Chen Hao subconsciously wanted to say "to become stronger," but he swallowed the words. He knew such a superficial answer would not pass.

Su Qingyue was also thinking. Why did she Cultivate? Family expectations? Personal pursuit? Or...

Lin Ye did not answer immediately this time.

He closed his eyes, and images from his past life surfaced in his mind—the Fusion of the game and reality, Blue Star shattering, billions of lives perishing in wails. Chen Hao had been turned into a blood mist by a palm from a Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone while covering his retreat. Su Qingyue had burned her Soul Origin to freeze everything for a thousand miles, buying him three seconds to escape...

And those desperate faces in the disaster, the children crying in the ruins, the nameless heroes who died fighting to protect their homes...

"To protect," Lin Ye opened his eyes, a certain firmness in them. "To have the ability to protect those I want to protect, to no longer be powerless when disaster strikes, and to... make this world a little better."

He looked at Su Qingyue, at Chen Hao, and at every teammate: "I Cultivate not to stand above all living beings, nor for immortality, but so that at critical moments, I have the power to stand up, rather than just watching everything happen powerlessly."

This answer was very plain, without any grand embellishments.

But the green flames in the remnant Soul's eyes flickered even more violently.

"To protect..." it repeated in a low voice, a hint of indescribable emotion in its tone. "Many years ago, someone else said the same thing. He said cultivation isn't for oneself, but for the race, for civilization, and to... keep the sparks alive."

It paused and looked at Lin Ye: "But you must know that protection often means sacrifice. To protect one person, you may have to sacrifice ten. To protect a world, you may have to sacrifice yourself. In such a case, are you still willing?"

"I am," Lin Ye said without any hesitation. "If sacrificing me can exchange for the survival of more people, then I am willing. But that doesn't mean I will sacrifice myself blindly—I will become strong, strong enough that I don't need to sacrifice anyone to protect everything."

"Arrogant," the remnant Soul commented, but there was no derogatory tone. "But... you have ambition. The second question is passed."

Two pillars of light enveloped Lin Ye. He felt his Divine Sense rising rapidly, and his comprehension of the Chaos Law deepened. This was not just a reward for the correct answer, but also a kind of Epiphany during the "Asking of the Dao" process.

The remnant Soul extended its third finger.

This time, the question did not appear immediately.

The green flames in its eyes suddenly surged, and the star map of the entire hall abruptly went out, falling into absolute darkness. In the darkness, only the flames in the remnant Soul's eyes burned, and the scene reflected in those flames changed—it was no longer the starry sky collapsing, but a vast Chaos, with a speck of golden light flickering within it.

"The final question." The remnant Soul's voice became ethereal, as if coming from a distant time and space. "If one day, you must choose between yourself and the world... what will you do?"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

This question was even more cruel than the previous two.

Choose yourself, and the world is destroyed. Choose the world, and you perish.

There was no perfect option, no third path.

Su Qingyue's face paled, Chen Hao clenched his fists, and Zhang Meng and the others breathed rapidly.

Lin Ye fell silent.

He remembered his past life, at the final moment when the game and reality merged, there was actually a chance to escape.

Several Great Emperors had joined forces to open a passage to another Universe, which could only accommodate a few people.

He had obtained the passage qualification at the time, but at the last moment, he gave it up.

He chose to stay and live or die with Blue Star.

Then, he died.

Reborn, he returned.

'I would choose the world,' Lin Ye said calmly.

'Why?' the Remnant Soul pressed. 'You just said you wanted to become strong enough that you wouldn't need to sacrifice anyone. But what if you only had two choices?'

'Because the world is not just me.' Lin Ye looked at his teammates beside him, and at those invisible people in the Void Realm who would encounter disasters in the future. 'My life compared to the lives of billions, which is heavier? This choice is actually very simple.'

He paused and added, 'But before making the choice, I will do my best to find a third path. If I really can't find it... then I choose to sacrifice myself. This isn't some noble sentiment; I just feel that exchanging one life for billions is a good deal.'

The darkness lasted for three seconds.

Then, the star map lit up again, its light even more brilliant than before.

The Remnant Soul slowly stood up—this was the first time It had left the throne.

Its height exceeded three meters, and even with a hunched back, It gave a feeling of overwhelming oppression that reached the heavens.

The broken sword on its back swayed with its movements, and the black liquid dripped faster.

'Three questions, three answers.' The Remnant Soul walked in front of Lin Ye, looking down at this human who was only half its height. 'Although green, although immature, but... these were all the truth.'

It extended its incomplete right hand and pressed it onto the top of Lin Ye's head.

'I, the First Generation Hall Master of the Bronze Ancient Palace, 'Qingming', with my last remaining power, acknowledge you as the inheritor of the Bronze Ancient Palace.'

Cyan flames gushed from the Remnant Soul's hand, pouring into Lin Ye's body.

It was not harm, but a Legacy, a form of recognition.

Lin Ye felt his Soul trembling, and countless pieces of information flooded into his mind—the Artifact Refining secret techniques of the Bronze Race, the essence of Formations, partial maps of the Ancient Star Road, and fragmented memories about Above the Heavens...

Most importantly, a bronze-colored mark slowly emerged between his eyebrows.

The mark resembled a miniature ancient palace, its doors tightly closed, but the sound of bells could faintly be heard from within.

[System Prompt: You have passed the test of the Bronze Ancient Palace's spirit!]

[System Prompt: You have obtained the hidden title 'Inheritor of the Ancient Palace'!]

[System Prompt: You have obtained part of the Bronze Race's Legacy memories!]

[System Prompt: The Bronze Ancient Palace's favorability towards you has increased to 'Reverence'!]

A series of prompts flashed by, and Lin Ye immediately checked the title attributes:

[Inheritor of the Ancient Palace (Title)]

Quality: Legendary (Gold)

Effect:

① [Bronze Favor]: In Bronze Race ruins, all attributes increased by 30%, EXP gain increased by 50%

② [Ancient Palace Summon]: Can summon a projection of an Ancient Palace Guard to assist in battle (limited to 1 time per day, Guard's Rank is the same as the user's, lasts 5 minutes)

③ [Legacy Mark]: Can sense Bronze Race related items or ruins within a hundred-mile radius

④ [Hall Master Candidate]: Possess the qualification to inherit the Bronze Ancient Palace (requires completing subsequent trials)

Description: A successor recognized by the First Generation Hall Master of the Bronze Ancient Palace, shouldering the mission of exploring the truth behind the destruction of the Bronze Race. Collect all nine Legacy Marks to truly inherit the Ancient Palace.

Strong!

This was Lin Ye's first reaction.

A 30% increase to all attributes was simply a Heaven-Defying bonus in Bronze Race ruins.

The Ancient Palace Summon was equivalent to having an extra combat pet of the same Rank; although it could only be used once a day, it could turn the tide in critical moments.

The treasure-hunting function of the Legacy Mark was even more practical, as the Bronze Race, being an ancient civilization, must have left behind many treasures.

Most importantly, the 'Hall Master Candidate' status meant he had the opportunity to truly control this ancient ruin, the Bronze Ancient Palace.

'The Legacy has been bestowed, my mission is complete.' The Remnant Soul Qingming withdrew its hand, its figure becoming even more illusory.

The broken sword on its back seemed to sense its weakness and began to vibrate violently, with more black liquid gushing out.

'Senior!' Lin Ye could feel that Qingming's Remnant Soul was accelerating its dissipation.

'No need to be sad.' Qingming's voice became more ethereal, 'I should have died billions of years ago, and being able to last until now has exhausted everything. Little guy, remember your answer—protect the world, find a third path.'

It turned around, walked back to the throne, and slowly sat down.

'This ancient palace will completely collapse in three hours. Take your companions and leave. The core control room of the ancient palace is... under the throne... there is a teleportation Formation to leave...'

The voice grew weaker and weaker, finally disappearing.

The cyan flames in Qingming's eyes extinguished.

It sat on the throne, head drooping, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep again.

But this time, everyone knew that It would not wake up again.

The black broken sword stuck in its back also stopped vibrating, and the cracks on its surface seemed to have widened a bit.

The hall was silent.

After a long time, Chen Hao spoke softly: 'Brother Lin, we...'

'Go under the throne.' Lin Ye composed himself and walked towards the Bronze Throne.

The six of them went behind the throne and, sure enough, found a hidden mechanism on the ground.

Lin Ye followed the method in his Legacy memories and stepped on several specific crystals in order.

'Click—'

The ground under the throne slowly sank, revealing a downward staircase.

The staircase was not long; after thirty steps, they arrived at a small secret chamber.

The secret chamber was only ten meters square, and in the center was a teleportation Formation with a diameter of three meters.

The teleportation Formation was composed of eight bronze pillars, engraved with spatial runes.

Beside the teleportation Formation, there was a stone platform with three things on it.

A bronze token, a Jade Slip, and... an egg?

Lin Ye picked up the token first.

The token was heavy in his hand, with the words 'Ancient Palace' engraved on the front and a star map on the back.

[Bronze Ancient Palace Control Token (Damaged)]

Quality: Legendary (Gold)

Type: Special Item

Effect:

① [Hall Master Authority]: Can partially control the Formations and Restrictions of the Bronze Ancient Palace (current authority 15%)

② [Remote Teleportation]: Can teleport to the Bronze Ancient Palace once a month (becomes invalid after the ancient palace collapses)

③ [Ruin Resonance]: Can sense the location of other Bronze Race ruins

Description: The core control token of the Bronze Ancient Palace, with damaged functions due to the impending collapse of the ancient palace. If the other eight fragments can be collected before the collapse, the complete token can be reforged to obtain full control of the ancient palace.

The token was damaged, with only 15% authority.

But even so, it could partially control the ancient palace's Formations, which would be a huge help in early exploration.

Lin Ye put away the token and picked up the Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip felt warm in his hand, with flowing light on its surface.

Lin Ye's Divine Sense probed in, and a large amount of information flooded into his mind—the architectural structure diagram of the Bronze Ancient Palace, the layout of the Formations, the distribution map of traps, and... a hidden secret passage.

That secret passage led to the 'Treasure Vault' of the ancient palace, but it required a special key to open.

The key was in... the 'Time Chamber' of the ancient palace, requiring the activation of three time runes in a specific sequence.

Lin Ye's heart stirred.

He remembered that in the Time Chamber, there were indeed three inconspicuous runes carved on the wall.

He hadn't paid attention at the time, but now it seemed that those might be the key to opening the Treasure Vault.

Unfortunately, there was no time to go back now.

He put away the Jade Slip and looked at the last item—that egg.

The egg was the size of a basketball, bronze-colored on the surface, covered with fine patterns.

Faint cyan light flowed within the patterns, as if life was gestating inside.

The surface of the eggshell was stained with some dark red spots, like dried blood.

Lin Ye reached out to touch it, and the eggshell became slightly warm, the flow of cyan light inside accelerating a little.

[Unknown Bronze Egg (Special Item)]

Quality: ???

Status: Dormant (Incubation progress 0.01%)

Description: An egg found in the depths of the Bronze Ancient Palace, with unknown life gestating inside. It seems to require special energy or an environment to accelerate incubation.

Warning: Cannot identify its specific information, potential risks may exist.

Unknown quality, unknown life, and a warning prompt.

Lin Ye hesitated for a moment, but still put the egg away.

Anything placed here by the First Generation Hall Master should not be an ordinary object.

As for the risks... when he was strong enough, he would naturally be able to deal with them.

'Brother Lin, the teleportation Formation is ready to use,' Chen Hao checked the Formation and said.

Lin Ye nodded, took one last look at the secret chamber, and walked towards the teleportation Formation.

The six of them stood in the center of the teleportation Formation, and Lin Ye injected Divine Power into the Formation according to the method in the Jade Slip.

The eight bronze pillars lit up simultaneously, and space began to distort.

Just then, the entire ancient palace suddenly began to vibrate violently.

'The collapse has begun!' Su Qingyue's expression changed.

'Speed up!' Lin Ye increased his Divine Power output.

The light of the teleportation Formation grew brighter and brighter, completely enveloping the six of them.

At the last moment, Lin Ye looked back towards the direction of the secret chamber entrance.

He seemed to see that on the Bronze Throne, the remains of the First Generation Hall Master Qingming were slowly dissipating into bronze-colored light spots.

And that black broken sword, with the dissipation of the remains, also began to disintegrate.

But at the final moment of disintegration, a micro-imperceptible mark lit up at the hilt of the broken sword.

It was a character—'Heaven'.

The teleportation light swallowed everything.

When the six of them opened their eyes again, they were already at the edge of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land.

Behind them, that Bronze Ancient Palace suspended above the abyss was emitting a deafening sound of collapse.

Countless cracks appeared on the surface of the palace, and bronze fragments fell like raindrops into the abyss, without making any echo.

The entire ancient palace had begun to collapse ahead of the three-hour time limit.

'It's over...' Zhao Xiaoyu murmured.

'No.' Lin Ye shook his head, looking at the damaged control token in his hand, 'This is just the beginning.'

The Bronze Ancient Palace had collapsed, but the Legacy of the Bronze Race, the secrets of the Bronze Race, and the mission of the Bronze Race... had just begun.

And he, as the Inheritor of the Ancient Palace, had already stepped into this vortex.

In the distance, some players heard the commotion and were rushing over.

Lin Ye put away the token and looked at his teammates: 'Let's go, let's head back to the city first. There are still many things to do.'

The six of them turned and walked towards the direction of the Capital City of Yan State.

Not long after they left, the Bronze Ancient Palace completely collapsed, turning into countless bronze fragments that fell into the abyss.

From the depths of the abyss came a faint sigh.

In that sigh, there was relief, unwillingness, and also... anticipation.

In a corner that no one noticed, a black-robed figure slowly emerged.

He looked at the collapsed ancient palace, then towards the direction Lin Ye had left, a strange smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

'Inheritor of the Ancient Palace... the first candidate for the 'Seed Plan'. How will you grow next? It's truly something to look forward to...'

The black-robed figure turned around, his figure merging into the shadows and disappearing.

The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land returned to silence.

But the gears of fate had already begun to turn faster.