Chu Feng and the others departed through the tunnel they had come by and successfully met with the Immortal Sea Fish Clan Chief and the others.
Since Old Cat was pressing them, Chu Feng briefly told the Immortal Sea Fish Clan Chief and the others about what he planned to do next.
Upon learning that Chu Feng intended to go to the Seven Realms Sacred Temple, the Immortal Sea Fish Clan Chief and the others originally wanted to follow along.
However, Chu Feng firmly refused.
The reason the Immortal Sea Fish Clan Chief wanted to go was that he felt he owed Chu Feng a debt of gratitude and wished to lend his strength.
But he also understood that with someone like Old Cat present, the significance of his following along was truly minimal.
So after obtaining a letter of introduction from Chu Feng, he planned to lead the Immortal Sea Fish Clan's army to join forces with the Totem Dragon Clan.
After all, he knew about Chu Feng's relationship with the Totem Dragon Clan, and if he could protect the Totem Dragon Clan, that would count as repaying a portion of the favor he owed Chu Feng.
Xiao Yu'er and Immortal Sea Shaoyu had also wanted to follow Chu Feng, but naturally Chu Feng would not allow it, and they could only helplessly go with their own clan to the Totem Dragon Clan.
On the way to the Totem Dragon Clan, Immortal Sea Shaoyu gave his grandfather and parents a more detailed account of what had happened at the Ancient War Clan.
Upon learning the full details, the upper echelons of the Immortal Sea Fish Clan all wore solemn expressions. After all, the appearance of Old Cat had once again shaken their understanding of the world.
"Just fusing remnants can make one this powerful."
"If that so-called Ancient Sacred Beast was this strong, what kind of existence would it have been at its peak?"
"How many powerful figures among the Ancient Races remain unknown to us?"
Even Immortal Sea Shaoyu's grandfather, who had always been optimistic, showed signs of pessimism on his face.
He was deeply worried that aside from the Divine Clan and the Ancient Sacred Beast, the Ancient Races still harbored even more terrifying existences.
How were martial cultivators of this era supposed to contend with all of that?
...
Back on Chu Feng's side, Old Cat took out a sword. Originally three feet long, it had now expanded to ten meters.
It was not a weapon — it was a treasure, incredibly fast for traveling.
Of course, that was only compared to normal travel; it naturally could not match the teleportation speed of the Nine Heavens Secret Realm.
However, because Old Cat was a rather complicated individual, and with Jie Shanxian also present, Chu Feng chose not to use the Nine Heavens Secret Realm for travel.
Instead, he sat cross-legged with Old Cat on this sword, soaring through the spatial tunnel. Calculating the time, they should not be far from the Seven Realms Sacred Temple.
Throughout the journey, Old Cat kept chatting with Chu Feng, but would always seemingly ask about Chu Feng's father in a casual manner.
Some things could not be told, but many others were things that Chu Feng genuinely did not know.
After all, even he did not understand his father all that well.
"Brother Chu Feng, you really keep your mouth shut. It's out of gratitude toward your father that I want to learn more — I have no other intentions."
Seeing that Chu Feng shook his head no matter what was asked, Old Cat grew somewhat helpless.
"It's really not that I won't tell you — I truly don't know," Chu Feng said.
But Old Cat naturally did not believe him.
"Fine, this great lord will tell you a secret."
"Do you know why Lord True Dragon entered the Ninth Dao Heavenly River? It was actually this great lord who told him about the secrets of the Martial Realm," Old Cat said.
"What secrets?" Chu Feng asked.
"Although I've lost part of my memories, some still remain."
"This great lord can tell you clearly that the current Eight Dao Heavenly Rivers are not the same as they were in ancient times," Old Cat said.
"So the current Eight Dao Heavenly Rivers are fake?" Chu Feng asked.
"They're not fake — but many worlds are missing from them, and many of the remaining worlds have shrunk to varying degrees."
"The specific reason is unknown, but the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is also extremely thin, far inferior to the ancient era."
"But all signs indicate that the Ninth Dao Heavenly River hasn't changed, so if you martial cultivators want to make a breakthrough, you must enter the Ninth Dao Heavenly River," Old Cat said.
This explanation from Old Cat was quite similar to what the middle-aged man in red robes — the one they had rescued from the Divine Clan — had said before.
"Brother Chu Feng, see? I've even told you this kind of secret. Don't hide your father's affairs from me — this great lord truly has no ill intentions," Old Cat continued.
"Old Cat, I really don't know."
"Put your mind at ease. My father was probably just helping you — he has no desire to work against you."
"Besides, you're an Ancient Sacred Beast. If something were truly off, you should be able to sense it, right?" Chu Feng asked.
"See, see? How narrow-minded."
"Why do you think so poorly of this great lord?"
"How could I ever be so suspicious of my benefactor?"
"This great lord truly just wants to understand my benefactor a bit more. Fine, if you won't say it, this great lord won't ask."
"Just watch how this great lord helps you rescue your mother."
"The mere Seven Realms Sacred Temple — today I'll let them witness this great lord's divine might."
As Old Cat spoke, he produced a talisman paper. The talisman also carried the aura of the Ancient War Clan Chief, indicating it too had been taken back from the War Clan.
The talisman transformed into flames under his technique seals and merged into the long sword beneath them. The next moment, barrier power surged in all around, and the sword broke through the teleportation tunnel, emerging into the endless starry sky.
And appearing not far away was a massive celestial body — the main base of the Seven Realms Sacred Temple.
However, the enormous world that the Seven Realms Sacred Temple occupied had changed compared to before — it was even more radiant.