Chapter 688: The Ancient Gateway Reacts

The vibration inside the Soul Ring became stronger.

Chu Miao closed her eyes and examined the changes carefully.

At first, she thought another sealed region was opening. However, after following the movement of spiritual energy, she realized that the disturbance came from a place they had already visited.

It was the ancient gateway they had discovered beyond the cold zone, the burning desert, and the illusion trial.

The barrier cracking was not hiding a new region.

It was the seal covering the gateway.

The golden light escaping from the cracks was flowing along the training ground and spreading into the rest of the Soul Ring.

The spiritual spring rose higher as if responding to the light.

“It’s the gateway,” Chu Miao said.

Ye Xuan immediately understood which gateway she meant.

“Why would it react now?”

“It should be related to my advancement.”

She turned her attention inward and discovered that the Blue Moon Crystal in her dantian was spinning.

It had behaved this way several times before.

Whenever she needed large amounts of energy, it would absorb spiritual energy from the surroundings, purify it, and send it into her dantian.

However, this time, it was not absorbing anything.

It appeared to be responding to the ancient gateway.

Fine golden lines appeared across the surface of the blue crystal. They lit up one after another, forming a pattern Chu Miao did not recognize.

“The Blue Moon Crystal is reacting as well,” she said.

Ye Xuan frowned.

“Is it hurting you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

Chu Miao looked at him.

“If it were hurting me, I would say so.”

Ye Xuan did not respond immediately.

Considering how calmly she had endured eighty-one lightning bolts, he was not entirely convinced that her definition of pain was reliable.

Chu Miao could tell what he was thinking.

“Ah Xuan, I am truly fine.”

“Alright.”

His tone showed that he would still keep watching her.

Chu Miao did not argue further.

She took Ye Xuan, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise into the Soul Ring.

They appeared outside the old courtyard.

The ground was still trembling lightly.

Golden light passed through the sky in thin waves, all coming from the deeper part of the Soul Ring.

The people cultivating inside had already noticed the commotion.

Several family members emerged from the villas and looked around in confusion.

Chu Hao was the first to run over.

“Bunny, what happened?”

“The gateway is reacting to my advancement.”

“The one leading to the higher world?”

“Yes.”

Chu Hao’s eyes brightened.

“Can it open now?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Then let’s go and see.”

Chu Hao looked ready to leave immediately, but Chu Miao stopped him.

“Your cultivation has not stabilized.”

“It is stable enough.”

“No.”

“It will only take a few minutes.”

“No.”

Chu Hao looked at Ye Xuan for support.

Ye Xuan turned his attention to the golden light in the sky.

It was obvious whose side he had chosen.

Chu Hao sighed.

“What is the use of having a brother-in-law if he always supports his wife?”

“You should find your own wife,” Ye Xuan replied calmly.

Chu Hao immediately stopped complaining.

The subject of marriage was much more dangerous than an ancient gateway.

Grandpa Chu approached them with the rest of the family.

“Is there any danger?” he asked.

“We haven’t checked yet, but the Soul Ring hasn’t warned me of any danger.”

Grandpa Chu nodded.

“Then go and investigate. We will remain here.”

He had wanted to accompany them, but he understood that too many people might complicate the situation.

The gateway was connected to another world.

No one knew what would happen if its seal opened suddenly.

“Be careful, Bunny,” Mother Chu said.

“I will.”

Chu Miao turned toward the two divine beasts.

The White Tiger had already returned to its smaller form and stood beside her.

The Black Tortoise remained near Ye Xuan’s feet.

“You should both remain here and stabilize the power from the blessed rain,” Chu Miao said.

The White Tiger immediately objected.

“I am your contract beast. I should go with you.”

“You are also still shedding golden fur everywhere.”

The White Tiger looked at its body.

Several faintly glowing strands of fur floated away whenever it moved.

“That is because my bloodline is improving.”

“Exactly. You should stabilize it first.”

The White Tiger wanted to argue, but it could not find a suitable excuse.

The Black Tortoise was more cooperative.

“My bloodline is also unstable. I will remain here.”

The White Tiger glared at it.

“You only agreed because you don’t like walking.”

“The master of the Soul Ring can bring us to the gateway directly.”

“Then why aren’t you coming?”

“Because I am stabilizing my bloodline.”

The Black Tortoise spoke as if that had been its idea from the beginning.

Chu Miao shook her head and ignored their small disagreement.

She and Ye Xuan disappeared from outside the courtyard.

When they reappeared, they were standing before the ancient gateway.

Chu Miao could appear anywhere inside the Soul Ring as long as she knew the location. Before they had discovered the gateway, they needed to pass through the training grounds to find it.

Now that they had already passed the ancestral trials and defeated the guardian, there was no need to cross those dangerous regions again.

The gateway towered above them.

The last time they had stood there, it had been completely silent.

Now, golden light moved across its surface.

Ancient symbols lit up along the frame, and the surrounding spiritual energy was much denser.

A transparent barrier covered the entrance.

Cracks were slowly spreading across it.

However, the gate itself remained closed.

Chu Miao walked closer.

The Blue Moon Crystal spun faster with every step.

By the time she reached the bottom of the gateway, golden light had filled her dantian.

She placed her palm against the barrier.

A pulse of energy passed through her hand.

The barrier did not reject her.

Instead, the golden cracks moved toward her palm.

Ye Xuan stood beside her.

“What do you see?”

“Nothing yet.”

Chu Miao sent a small amount of spiritual energy into the barrier.

The Blue Moon Crystal immediately released purified energy.

The gateway absorbed it.