Chapter 100: The Path Beyond Fate (2)

"Husband? Did something happen?" Ji Yan asked, quickly moving toward Gu Yuan when she sensed something was amiss.

Ji Yue remained where she was. She, too, had noticed the change, but unlike her sister, she was certain it was something good. There was no need to worry.

"Nothing happened." Gu Yuan shook his head.

He couldn’t reveal the existence of the Orb of Creation. However, seeing Ji Yan’s concern and Ji Yue’s suspicious gaze, he decided to offer an explanation.

"I just sensed that the door was damaged. I was a little surprised."

"Damaged?" Ji Yue repeated.

She had complete confidence in her own perception. Even if her husband was a Forging Master, she couldn’t imagine him noticing something she had failed to detect.

"Are you certain?" she asked, moving closer to examine the door herself.

"I’m certain." Gu Yuan nodded.

Ji Yue didn’t press him on how he’d discovered it. Instead, she carefully examined the Ascension Door, searching for any signs of damage. Yet no matter how thoroughly she inspected it, she couldn’t determine what was wrong with the ancient treasure.

"Anyway, what is this stele?" Gu Yuan asked, pointing toward the tall structure near the Ascension Door, trying to change the subject, and also because he could feel an extraordinary aura from it.

Despite recognizing his intention, Ji Yue went along with the change of topic.

"It’s a stele left behind by the ancient Immortal Emperor I mentioned earlier. It contains his insights into ascension."

"We returned to this secret realm to continue comprehending it. But before that, let’s visit the next chamber and see what kind of inheritance he left behind." Ji Yue turned toward the exit.

Gu Yuan followed the twins, but his attention had already shifted elsewhere.

He opened his status window and checked the description of the Orb of Creation. Beneath the four abilities he already possessed, he found a new entry.

- Door: Allows the host to open a door toward any target with whom sufficient Karma has been established.

Gu Yuan had been barely containing his excitement at gaining another ability. Now, however, his enthusiasm promptly deflated, and his expression fell.

The ability itself sounded impressive. Being able to open a door directly to someone he was connected to could prove useful in all sorts of situations.

But how useful would it actually be to him?

He already had little interest in seeking out trouble, and he certainly wasn’t going to go around establishing connections with people just to make use of an ability. Besides, he didn’t yet know how strong the Karma had to be for the ability to work.

Well, I suppose I’ll have to test it properly before making a judgment.

With that thought, Gu Yuan put the matter aside and continued following the twins.

The next chamber was relatively small. Unlike the grand halls they had passed through earlier, this room contained only three exquisite boxes.

"It seems Emperor Tianwu divided his inheritance into two parts..." Ji Yue remarked, her gaze resting on the wall ahead of them.

"For now, let’s see what’s inside these three boxes." Ji Yan spoke up from beside her.

Curious about Emperor Tianwu’s inheritance, Gu Yuan joined the twins as they approached the boxes.

Ji Yan opened the first one, revealing a small white crystal surrounded by a mysterious aura.

"Origin Stone... It’s quite valuable." Ji Yue nodded.

Judging by the twins’ reactions, Gu Yuan couldn’t tell whether she meant it was merely valuable or extraordinarily so. Neither of them seemed particularly impressed.

Ji Yan opened the second box, revealing a crystal slip.

"A cultivation technique?" Gu Yuan asked, his interest piqued.

Ji Yue casually extended a strand of spiritual power into the slip to examine its contents. "Yes. It’s a cultivation technique, and it points directly at the Origin Dao."

Both twins seemed rather indifferent to it, so Gu Yuan couldn’t help but speak up. "Then, I’ll take it."

Was he being shameless? After all, it was thanks to the twins’ efforts that they had gained access to this secret realm in the first place. Gu Yuan wasn’t sure. But if neither of them wanted the technique, there probably wasn’t any harm in taking it for himself.

"You can certainly have it, Husband. However, this technique was tailored specifically to Emperor Tianwu. It follows his Dao, not yours, so I wouldn’t recommend practicing it." Ji Yue explained.

"Yes. It’s better to create your own cultivation technique than to rely on one made by someone else," Ji Yan added.

If other immortal cultivators heard them say this, they would probably pull their hair out in frustration. Who could guarantee that they would ever reach the Dao in the first place? And since when was creating a cultivation technique an easy task?

Unaware of just how high the twins had set their standards, Gu Yuan fell silent, seriously considering their advice.

Should he take the easy path or the difficult one?

His goal was to surpass the twins. Yet, after five years together, he had come to understand just how difficult that would be.

Even with the Orb of Creation’s help, his cultivation speed couldn’t compare to theirs. Could this technique help him close the gap?

But even if it gave him an advantage for now, what would happen if he reached a bottleneck later? Wouldn’t he simply be putting the cart before the horse?

"Forget it." Gu Yuan sighed. "I’ll see if I can create my own cultivation technique later."

Both twins smiled, relieved that he hadn’t prioritized an immediate benefit over the bigger picture. They then turned their attention to the final box.

The moment Ji Yan opened it, an ancient and overbearing aura flooded the chamber.

Both sisters were visibly shocked, and this time, Gu Yuan could understand their reaction. The instant he sensed the aura, an unprecedented greed surged within him.

He felt as though he could reach the very peak of cultivation simply by absorbing this treasure.

He knew that such a thing should be impossible. Even so, he couldn’t suppress the greed assaulting his heart.

"It’s a Great Dao Fragment," Ji Yue exclaimed softly as she picked it up.

She turned to Gu Yuan and her twin sister, then declared, "I’m taking it."