A quarter of an hour later, the island finally came to a stop.

With a “boom,” the prohibition at the bottom of the deep sea was activated.

The laws shifted, the seawater vanished, and an ancient hall appeared ahead.

The hall was enormous, entirely dark in color, giving off a feeling of oppressive majesty.

The hall’s door resembled a towering mountain, with a stone tablet standing to one side.

On the stone tablet, only one character was engraved—Dao.

At first glance, the character on the stone tablet didn’t evoke much feeling, just a sense of ancientness.

But after a few more looks, other sensations emerged, as if one were enveloped in mist, surrounded by laws, reaching out to touch them but finding it impossible, so close yet untouchable.

“This should be something left behind by that predecessor,” Chen Qingyuan speculated. “Perhaps it contains his legacy.”

That was an invincible figure in his time, who surely didn’t want his legacy to vanish after his death, hence leaving numerous prohibitions and barriers to test those fated to find it.

“Clang!”

As the crowd arrived, the hall’s door mysteriously opened on its own, startling everyone.

“Let’s go in and take a look.”

Not only did Chen Qingyuan suspect there was a legacy inside the hall, but many others also had the same thought, eager to be the first to obtain the fortune.

Although many came from prestigious backgrounds, if the hall indeed contained the legacy of a once-invincible powerful figure, its value would be immeasurable by spirit stones.

Even the high-ranking members of the thirty-six sects of the Imperial Province would fight fiercely for such a legacy.

“Whoosh—”

When the first person entered without incident, the others immediately followed, unwilling to lag behind.

Chen Qingyuan and his companions did the same, swiftly reaching the hall’s door.

Upon arriving at the stone tablet, Chen Qingyuan paused to observe it closely.

The character “Dao” seemed to contain the life’s insights of that predecessor.

The more he looked, the more he felt as if he were peering into the mysteries of the universe, himself like a drifting duckweed in an endless sea, without direction or end.

“Senior Brother!”

Song Ningyan noticed something was off with Chen Qingyuan and, worried, patted his shoulder and called out to him.

Snapping back to reality, Chen Qingyuan’s expression was calm. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Shall we go in?”

Song Ningyan intended to act together with Chen Qingyuan for mutual support.

“Of course.” Having come this far, Chen Qingyuan certainly wouldn’t miss out.

Thus, Chen Qingyuan, Daochen Monk, and Song Ningyan formed a team and finally stepped into the hall.

After they entered, the laws of this space no longer sensed any living beings outside, and the hall’s door slowly closed.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Chen Qingyuan’s vision was filled with white mist, making it impossible to see anything.

“Junior Sister Song? Buddha’s child?”

Chen Qingyuan looked around but found that Daochen Monk and Song Ningyan were not by his side.

It seemed the palace had special laws that transported each person to a different small space, preventing them from acting together and relying solely on their own strength.

The more it was like this, the more it reinforced Chen Qingyuan’s speculation.

Only something very important would require individual assessments. If the hall contained only ordinary fortunes, it wouldn’t need to be so complicated.

“Plop.”

Taking a step forward, Chen Qingyuan’s body suddenly felt heavy.

Instantly, the space around him changed dramatically.

In a calm sea, Chen Qingyuan stood on the water’s surface, ripples spreading beneath his feet.

“Buzz—”

A faint Dao sound echoed around his ears.

Ahead, a dense fog suddenly appeared, putting Chen Qingyuan on alert.

Before long, the fog dispersed, revealing a table and chairs on the sea’s surface.

On the stone table was a pot of tea, steaming as if freshly brewed.

Too eerie.

Chen Qingyuan didn’t dare to approach, watching from a distance with some tension.

Swish—

From where Chen Qingyuan stood to the stone table, a stone path appeared on the sea’s surface.

The atmosphere had been built up to this point; if Chen Qingyuan still didn’t move, it wouldn’t make sense.

He decided to go for it. Who was afraid of whom?

Steadying his emotions, Chen Qingyuan took a step forward.

Each step was cautious and deliberate, not daring to relax.

When he reached the stone table, a gentle force pressed him onto the chair, making him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Then, the teapot floated up on its own, filling an empty teacup.

The teacup slowly moved until it stopped in front of Chen Qingyuan.

“What is this?”

Chen Qingyuan felt uneasy, unable to understand the situation.

Glancing at the fragrant tea, Chen Qingyuan spoke to the void ahead, “Predecessor, may I see you?”

Not knowing who was orchestrating this from the shadows, he decided to lower his stance and probe for information.

Silence!

An unusual silence.

After a long standoff, Chen Qingyuan looked at the tea on the table, thinking to himself, “Could this tea contain some mystery?”

He picked up the teacup and examined it closely.

A rich tea fragrance wafted into his nose, strangely familiar.

Have I smelled similar tea before?

Maybe!

Chen Qingyuan frowned slightly, recalling the types of tea he had tasted since childhood, but none matched.

For some reason, after smelling the tea a few more times, Chen Qingyuan gradually let down his guard, a strange feeling emerging from deep within, assuring him that his current environment posed no danger.

Perhaps due to external influence or an inexplicable sense of relaxation, Chen Qingyuan couldn’t help but take a sip of the tea.

Slightly bitter, followed by sweetness.

The tea’s fragrance lingered, and a pure spiritual energy flowed through his body, nourishing his meridians.

“It feels like I’ve had this before.”

Chen Qingyuan furrowed his brows, the strange familiarity growing stronger.

However, Chen Qingyuan was certain he had never drunk this kind of tea in his life. After all, such high-quality tea containing spiritual energy would leave a deep impression after one taste, impossible to forget.

“Sir, are you satisfied with the tea?”

Just as Chen Qingyuan was still pondering, a clear voice suddenly sounded, startling him and causing his hand to shake, spilling some tea.

“Who?”

Chen Qingyuan abruptly stood up, looking around.

Splash—

A water column rose from the sea in front of him, and a slightly transparent girl appeared.

The girl wore a blue dress, her face fair, her eyes hollow, her legs connected to the water column as if they were one.

Not a real person!

Chen Qingyuan immediately realized the girl wasn’t a living being, most likely a spirit.

“Greetings, Predecessor.”

Regardless of what she was, it was always right to greet respectfully.

Chen Qingyuan had already spoken his greeting, and as he bowed, a gentle force stopped him.

“Xiao Ling cannot bear your bow, sir.”

The girl returned a bow, her smile bright, revealing two crescent moons, a hint of respect in her eyes.

“?”

Seeing this, Chen Qingyuan was bewildered, his mind full of questions, not knowing what to do.