“Yet it was precisely this unprecedented achievement that caused a complete imbalance between the immortal and mortal realms. The power that held up the flourishing Immortal Spirit Realm could no longer bear the weight, and at last, the Heavenly Court fell, and all immortals perished.”

“The ancestral hall ahead enshrines the ancestors of Lingshan who fell during the Heavenly Tribulation, from the Sincere Immortal Ancestor to the last Mountain Dweller. It is both our commemoration of the classical era and a silent warning. The crisis a thousand years ago reminds us…”

Chapter 3: Seeing Yourself Where You Shouldn’t

Under the setting sun, the Ascension Platform was just as magnificent and splendid as Lucas Warren remembered.

But as Little Red Riding Hood cheerfully explained, all that splendor gradually crumbled away.

That crisp voice, once like the morning bird’s gentle call, now seemed twisted into the screech of tearing metal—harsh and grating. Every word she spoke felt like a curse uttered by a heart demon, desecrating the soul, making the ears ring and the heart race.

A thousand years ago?

A thousand years ago!

The Heavenly Court fell?

The Heavenly Court fell!

All immortals perished?

All immortals perished!

The barrage of question marks and exclamation points rising in Lucas Warren’s mind made him finally understand how his master, James Sutton, must have felt when he raided Olivia Warren’s private workshop and saw, with his own eyes, the fan fiction of the The Sutton Brothers and the tentacle king of Chidang Mountain—that world-shattering shock.

Just a few sentences were enough to make one question their entire existence.

However, precisely because he thought of his master and senior sister, Lucas Warren’s wavering heart only lasted for a brief moment.

No matter how shocking the story, it was still just a story. Compared to his senior sister’s wild, alternate-world pineapple novels, Little Red Riding Hood’s tale wasn’t even that heavy. After all, the fall of all immortals was better than all immortals being… well, never mind. Besides, there was no evidence to prove Little Red Riding Hood was telling the truth. Even if it was true, losing his mind in a mountain hollow wouldn’t help anything.

In his senior sister’s stories, those predecessors who traveled through time, reincarnated, and then made their mark, were always overjoyed at the prospect of a new life, immediately setting out to find beast-eared girls in need of help. Rarely did they beat their chests and mourn their original families.

Accepting reality—this, too, was a required lesson for every Lingshan disciple.

So Lucas Warren calmed himself and listened to the rest of Little Red Riding Hood’s story.

“This ancestral hall may look a bit dilapidated, but it’s a historical relic personally built by the founding heroes of the New Immortal Era. It’s over a thousand years old and is a nationally certified historical and cultural heritage site by the Golden Deer Hall. The hall not only enshrines the memorial tablets of generations of Lingshan people, but also houses many crafts of great historical value—perfect as souvenirs for our trip…”

Through the gaps in the peace fern’s leaves, Lucas Warren saw Little Red Riding Hood shouldering a red flag, speaking non-stop; and across from her, more than twenty men and women, all wearing red hats, were already coming up the steps.

Most of them were somewhere between middle-aged and elderly, dressed in bizarre clothes that Lucas Warren had never seen before, chattering noisily as they walked, like a marching horde of mice.

At the front was an old woman, her head small and pointed like a pear, her body thick as a spindle. When she spoke, her voice reminded Lucas Warren of the Edward Hill that once galloped across the Fengzhou grasslands.

With just one sentence, she silenced Little Red Riding Hood’s endless chatter.

“All right, all right, stop trying to sell us your pile of fake goods. What’s the next stop?”

The red-hatted girl was clearly stumped, and after a long pause, she said, “There isn’t another. Skyfall Valley is the last stop. Actually, this Lingshan Ancestral—”

Before she could finish, Edward Hill raised her eyebrows: “How can there not be? Skyfall Valley is just at the foot of Lingshan. Aren’t there plenty of things up the mountain? When you sold us the tickets, you said it was a one-day Lingshan tour, and now we’re done at the foot of the mountain?”

The red-hatted girl explained, “Beyond this point is the restricted zone. It’s been sealed since the founding era and has never been reopened. You can ask any local in Rongcheng—they all know. So the scenic area only goes as far as Skyfall Valley, and honestly, there’s nothing much to see in the restricted zone…”

“Nothing to see, and you’re still selling tickets? Don’t you feel guilty, young lady? Whatever, I can’t be bothered to argue. If there’s nothing to see, let’s just go back. No need to look at this shabby ancestral hall either.” As Edward Hill spoke, she called out to the people behind her, “What do you all say? Should we head home?”

The mouse horde responded in quick succession.

“Let’s go, let’s go, there’s really nothing worth seeing on this trip.”

“And this is supposed to be a national historical site? It’s not even as good as that tourist-trap Lingxi Old Town—at least they put on a song and dance show.”

“It’s all run-down, and there’s no scenery, just constant hawking of local products. Pure consumer trap. I’m filing a complaint when I get back.”

The chorus of complaints made the red-hatted girl flush with frustration, but she bit her lip and still maintained her enthusiastic smile.

“Well, since everyone’s tired, let’s get ready to head back for dinner. As per our previous arrangement, I’ve booked a group meal for everyone at Golden Apricot Restaurant…”

She was interrupted again before she could finish.

“We’re not going to Golden Apricot! We already checked on Taixu, that place has a terrible reputation—just pre-made food and scams!”

“But…”

Edward Hill rallied the group again: “Everyone, I just booked a table at Snowfrost Pavilion. Let’s go have hotpot at Snowfrost!”

“Let’s go, let’s go, follow Sister Hill!”