Chapter 102 (2/2): The Thirteenth Ancestor

“But it doesn’t matter. Living one more month or six is meaningless for someone my age.”

“Girl, come closer. Before I die, I have things to tell you.”

“If I don’t say it, you won’t hear it from anywhere else.”

“People always think the True Self Realm is the pinnacle of cultivation.

“This is partly true and partly false.

“Before reaching the True Self Realm, cultivation is called ‘Seeking the Dao.’

“The final nine steps are called ‘Witnessing the Dao.’

“Because no one has ever succeeded in witnessing the Dao, the True Self Realm is considered the highest.

“So this saying isn’t wrong.

“But the nine steps of witnessing the Dao differ greatly in strength with each step.

“So it’s also wrong.”

“Each step forward gains a source of origin energy.

“The path of witnessing the Dao has nine steps, thus the so-called Nine-Source cultivators.

“The final realm is legendary, a place no one in history has reached.”

“Birth, aging, sickness, and death are engraved in the laws of the Dao.

“No one can break them.”

The Thirteenth Ancestor’s voice was tinged with nostalgia.

“In my lifetime, reaching the Three-Source realm already marked me as an outstanding prodigy of a millennium.

“My name is recorded in the annals, and I can die without regrets.”

“Next, I’ll tell you the responsibility of the Su family.”

“Tianchen should have told you: after you step down as Grand Elder, the truth will be revealed.”

The Thirteenth Ancestor chuckled lightly.

“No need to wait. I’ll tell you everything now.”

“You don’t need to fulfill the responsibility yet. Wait thirty years.

“After thirty years, you’ll have the strength to take it on.”

“It was a sin the Su family committed.

“The progenitor, young and unaware, had an extraordinary talent and punched a hole in the boundary wall that couldn’t be repaired.

“In that instant, heaven and earth changed color, the land shook, the ocean roared.

“Countless cultivators from the entire realm rose against her.

“Facing so many powerful enemies, the progenitor was young and inexperienced, panicked and promised to take responsibility.

“How did she take responsibility?

“She founded a family to guard the hole and prevent creatures from other realms from invading and causing havoc.”

“The grand cosmos isn’t divided into upper and lower realms as novels say.

“There are only seven equal small worlds, all formed by differentiation of the Primordial Source World.

“I’ve guarded the boundary stone all these years.

“People mock me as the Gatekeeper, hiding the progenitor’s foolish deeds.

“Well, Gatekeeper I am.

“Nowadays, very few know this ancient story.

“Even the Xuán Sect once lost many ancient records.”

The Thirteenth Ancestor laughed heartily recalling the progenitor’s folly.

“When she first arrived at the boundary stone, she saw the thin barrier ahead and thought she could punch through it.

“She swung a fist right there.

“No one expected her to strike the world’s weakest point and tear an irreparable hole.

“I’ve guarded the boundary these years to prevent cultivators from sneaking in and stop the hole from growing, while searching for a way to repair it.”

“If you can find a way to fix the hole, there’ll be no need to guard the boundary anymore.”

The Thirteenth Ancestor’s tone turned resigned.

“Well, that’s a high expectation.

“Many predecessors of the Su family failed to solve it.

“You’re just a little girl—I won’t give you too much pressure.

“You should enjoy your youth these thirty years.

“Young people love novelty, and as an old man, I understand.”

After so many words, the Thirteenth Ancestor’s voice weakened.

He was clearly near his final breaths, with only a last breath left in his throat.

He carefully reviewed what he had said, adding final thoughts.

“About the strongest cultivators in this world.

“A hundred years ago, I met a Five-Source Evil Cultivator attempting to cross realms.

“He was the strongest cultivator I’ve ever seen.

“Unfortunately, I stood on this side of the boundary stone.

“When he tried to cross, I struck him with a punch.

“The defenses on either side of the barrier aren’t even comparable.

“Faced with my attack, he had no answer.

“He couldn’t ignore my offense forever and had to retreat in shame.

“I even felt I could block a Six-Source cultivator.”

“But such cultivators don’t exist in this world, so no need to worry.”

The Thirteenth Ancestor recalled the scene that day—a little girl whose realm was unclear but seemed like a major figure’s projection.

Though she looked much stronger than him, he thought she was at most Five-Source.

Boom—

An anomaly appeared in the sky.

The earth briefly blossomed with birdsong and flowers, creating countless beautiful scenes.

The Thirteenth Ancestor’s voice grew fainter.

“Girl, I’m leaving.

“After I die, dig out my marrow.

“You can fuse it with true dragon marrow.

“It doesn’t look like pure Su family blood.

“Maybe you can discover your true origins.”

After saying this, he had nothing more to say.

Roar—

Suddenly, a resounding dragon roar echoed from inside the hut.

It sounded anything but weak.

A last flash of brilliance, a final peak.

The Thirteenth Ancestor had reached the end of his life.

The genuine dragon roar reverberated through the clouds and stretched thousands of kilometers.

This was the last great roar of a supreme cultivator at death.

It stirred the blood and made one tremble.

The roar reached every corner of the Su family.

It carried the Thirteenth Ancestor’s lifetime Dao fruit, needing no air to spread.

This dragon roar lasted a long time, instantly reaching beyond the Su family to other secluded noble estates, echoing continuously in countless ears.

Many strong cultivators lifted their heads to the sky, saluting with reverence.

A true divine dragon, jade-green and resplendent, burst through the wooden hut’s roof and soared straight into the clouds.

Unlike the previous shadowy apparition, this was the dragon’s true form.

Su Liumeng had yet to transform into a dragon.

The Thirteenth Ancestor was the last true dragon in the world.

Within him flowed real, scorching dragon blood—each drop the rarest treasure in ordinary eyes.

Roar—

Another mournful dragon cry.

The Thirteenth Ancestor howled at the sky.

The vast heavens seemed so small before his colossal body.

Dimmed and overshadowed.

Countless Su family members stared blankly at the sky.

An emptiness swelled in their hearts, a sudden wave of tragic pain—as if something precious was about to be lost forever.

The Grand Elder silently wiped away tears.

He was one of the few who knew the truth.

A supreme cultivator who had guarded the Su family for five hundred years in secret.

Today, he was to reach the end of his life.

Boom—

Countless thunder tribulations appeared in the sky.

The Grand Elder watched the pitch-black thunderclouds with a flicker of joy in his eyes.

Then came profound loneliness.

Because he knew the Thirteenth Ancestor would never break through.

If he could, he wouldn’t have waited until now.

The nine steps of witnessing the Dao were incredibly difficult.

Each step was a chasm; failing to cross meant death and destruction of the Dao.

“Hahaha.”

Facing the terrifying thunder tribulations, the Thirteenth Ancestor’s laughter echoed through heaven and earth.

Each of the nine steps of witnessing the Dao carries accompanying thunder tribulations.

Only those favored by heaven can escape this life-and-death trial.

“I — Su Wuji, have lived an upright life.

“Even in death, I want it to be grand and glorious—dying on the battlefield.”

“Damn the heavens, I’ve long wanted to curse you.”

“I curse you for giving the world no hope, for showing no justice.”

Boom.

The thunder tribulations intensified.

“Today, I — Su Wuji — will show you some color!”

Thump thump thump—

This was the Thirteenth Ancestor’s heartbeat.

Like war drums and bells, his pulse echoed across the heavens.

Armor clashed, horses galloped—the battlefield reborn.

The Azure Dragon raised its neck high, all its energy boiling and burning fiercely.

True dragon blood ignited completely.

He burned his own blood, his massive body gradually collapsing as blood seeped through his skin.

He was like a golden sun blazing down.

Facing the endless black thunder, he charged without hesitation.

Boom—

A thunder tribulation struck down.

Moments later, the sky cleared.

Only endless dragon blood remained, spilled across the earth.

The Thirteenth Ancestor came naked, and wished to leave no trace.

He left no body for the world to admire.

Carrying his full resentment and rage, he burned his last drop of true blood.

Like the other twelve ancestors of the Su family, only a simple tombstone remained.

His grave was empty, his heroic spirit eternal in death.

The thunder tribulations dissipated.

Countless Su family members looked up at the sky.

Some felt deeply moved, tears tracing sorrowful lines down their faces.

Though unaware of his true identity, they sensed this was someone very important to the Su family.

Those who knew the truth grieved in sadness.

Among them was the Grand Elder, who had received much care from the Thirteenth Ancestor.

Now, he knelt on the ground.

He wept like a child, sobbing uncontrollably, bidding final farewell to the most beloved elder.

Outside the Su family, a cultivator sighed softly.

In that sigh were regrets, memories of the past, and sorrow for the future.

Su Wuji’s life, as he said, was bright and upright, never making enemies.

His departure was silently mourned by many.

The head of the Xuán Sect stood atop a mountain for a long time, silently paying tribute.

“My old friend, journey well.”

Su Liumeng stood before the hut for a long time, staring at the sky.

Countless drops of true dragon blood had not even touched the earth before evaporating, burning away.

The Thirteenth Ancestor left no trace of his existence for the world.

Boom—

A massive bone crashed onto the ground.

Apart from this one promised piece of true dragon marrow left to her.

Su Liumeng was silent for a long while, her heart full of emotion.

Today’s wind was slightly chill.

“Journey well.”

“Grandpa Wuji.”

At the age of eighteen, the Su family’s Thirteenth Ancestor passed away completely, carrying his final regrets, before the most cherished junior.