She stood before the door, like a celestial being guiding them, extending her hand to the crowd.

In a daze, the people began to “walk towards” her.

But then, a sudden change occurred—the light door flung open, rejecting the vast majority, leaving only two behind.

Fifth Lingyu and Tang Zifeng.

The three stood at the door, each with a puzzled look in their eyes.

Qin Ruqing frowned.

She didn’t immediately lead them in but cut off the guidance instead.

Everyone’s consciousness abruptly plummeted.

As consciousness returned, everyone in the real world simultaneously opened their eyes.

The sea breeze blew, and they were still on the island.

“What happened?” The expressions on their faces were still filled with confusion and lingering shock.

Feng Qinxue recalled the details with seriousness and said, “The Sixth Domain seems to be rejecting our entry?”

“But why can these two enter?” Fifth Sheng turned to look at Fifth Lingyu and Tang Zifeng.

“I didn’t feel any rejection. I should be able to enter,” Qin Ruqing murmured, then slowly lifted her gaze, her clear eyes filled with scrutiny. “What do the three of us have in common?”

“Young age?” The Master of Taiyi stroked his graying beard, sounding somewhat regretful.

If age were a criterion for the Sixth Domain, he clearly did not meet it.

“Have all entered the Abyss?” Fifth Lingyu replied casually, arms crossed.

“No, it should be that we have all been selected by a heritage,” Tang Zifeng said, not responding to Fifth Lingyu but deliberately moving a bit farther away from him before looking at Qin Ruqing and speaking slowly.

Sensing Tang Zifeng’s movement, Fifth Lingyu shot him a cold glance.

At that moment, Qin Ruqing said loudly, “Yes.”

Her star-like eyes sparkled as she looked at Tang Zifeng, saying appreciatively, “You’re right. The Sixth Domain is a place where laws are fused, and the six great heritages represent six types of rule power. Only those who have received the heritage can enter. That’s the most likely answer!”

Perhaps due to the praise or Qin Ruqing’s gaze, Tang Zifeng smiled slightly.

Hmph~

From Fifth Lingyu’s angle, he saw the two of them sharing a smile.

He snorted for no apparent reason.

Soon, he found it boring, his radiant face growing colder.

Others seemed to have missed this minor exchange and were more troubled, saying, “So, does that mean we old folks can’t go?”

The news wasn’t entirely bad, but it certainly wasn’t good either.

It did throw everyone’s plans into disarray.

Qin Ruqing understood their dilemma, “Here’s the plan. I’ll set aside a day for everyone to gather the younger generation from various clans who have entered the Abyss and received the heritage. We’ve found the Sixth Domain with great difficulty, so we must follow its rules.”

The crowd nodded, both disappointed and understanding.

Yes, even if it meant giving this rare opportunity entirely to the younger generation, so be it.

As for the “one day” Qin Ruqing mentioned, though tight, they understood that time was indeed pressing.

Using one day to gather them was already considered giving them some leeway.

So it was decided.

The first day’s gathering consisted of Qin Ruqing’s old acquaintances.

Lu Wei, Qi Rong, Fifth Youlin, Feng Mingyue, Dang Qing, Xiao Fenhua, Ming Ying…

Being with these young peers is naturally better than associating with those rigid old fogies.

Qin Ruqing’s “old rivals” from the Qing Dynasty showed a smile.

The beautiful Ming Ying felt that among these people, she was closest to Qin Ruqing.

She took the initiative to step forward and said casually, “You really found the legendary Sixth Domain.”

She twirled the silk on her dress, exuding her unique brightness and charm.

“Because I’m amazing~” Qin Ruqing responded naturally, sticking close to the beauty.

However, everyone present, including the older generation, felt that this was the most sincere truth possible.

Rui Fenhua waved her arm in a friendly manner towards Qin Ruqing.

She felt like it hadn’t been long since her last trip with Qin Ruqing to the Beast Realm, and now they were about to go to the Sixth Domain again.

It seemed that as long as she was associated with Qin Ruqing, this legendary figure, her life could never be ordinary.

“If, later, we are also rejected by the Sixth Domain, what should we do?” Feng Mingyue, dressed in a sleek black outfit, tall and sharp, asked the most practical question.

“The likelihood is low because Fifth Lingyu and Tang Zifeng have already been recognized by the Light Gate. If they can pass, there’s no reason why you can’t,” Qin Ruqing said with a smile, adding playfully, “But if someone fails to pass the Light Gate, just consider it bad luck and go back. What else can you do?”

Everyone laughed lightly, and the previously tense atmosphere relaxed considerably.

Fifth Lingyu watched Qin Ruqing converse with these prodigies, her demeanor graceful and at ease.

The brilliance of these people had once overshadowed Qin Ruqing, but now, almost unnoticed, the situation had shifted to one where Qin Ruqing was the central figure.

Even Feng Mingyue, with her status and identity, seemed to feel that there was nothing wrong.

Fifth Lingyu thought that Qin Ruqing was indeed charming.

She could even, if she wished, make people spin around her in circles.

The image of Qin Ruqing’s bright smile reflected in Fifth Lingyu’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but think of the time he spent with her.

In the beginning… it wasn’t entirely adversarial.

A familiar laugh came to his ears, accompanied by the words “Tang Zifeng.”

It turned out they had been talking about the Starfall Cosmic Instrument and, unconsciously, ended up mentioning Tang Zifeng.

Grandmaster Menghua said Tang Zifeng was impressive, able to forge a divine artifact like the Starfall Cosmic Instrument.

Whether intentionally or not, Qin Ruqing smoothly brought Tang Zifeng into the center of their conversation.

She was already dazzling, and standing next to her, Tang Zifeng inevitably shared in that radiance.

He was able to handle such brilliance.

With his restrained and composed demeanor, he displayed himself just right, like a precious artifact, complementing Qin Ruqing well.

Fifth Lingyu averted his gaze lightly.

It didn’t matter anymore.

Whether there was harmony in the past… it didn’t matter anymore.

After a brief chat and some discussion about the border defenses with Fifth Sheng and Feng Qinxue, and ensuring everything was in order, Qin Ruqing finally summoned the Light Gate once more.

Before she closed her eyes to cast the spell, Fifth Sheng said nervously:

“If… if you see the Dao Ancestor, make sure to truthfully report the current situation in the Human World!”

“Be careful. I guarantee that before you return safely, not even a bird’s feather will float onto this island.” Feng Qinxue’s expression was calm, but her tone was quite imposing.

Qin Ruqing nodded to everyone and began to call upon the Sixth Domain.

The feeling was the same as before: darkness before her eyes, consciousness floating in the air.

They all ascended together, as if climbing to the moon, and after an unknown period, a huge Light Gate appeared overhead.

Leading the group, Qin Ruqing rushed ahead, with the Light Gate reflecting her body and casting a golden glow.

Bright and dazzling.

She shouted energetically from the front: “Keep moving, and go straight in!”

Thus, dozens of young faces, symbolizing the future of the cultivation world, plunged into the endless light gate.

To those waiting outside, their physical bodies remained, as if they were peacefully asleep.

---

Qin Ruqing had assumed that the other side of the light gate was the Sixth Domain.

Since it was a “domain,” she expected it to be a place where one could set foot firmly.

But now, as she truly entered the Sixth Domain, it felt as if she had arrived in an endless void.

She seemed to float effortlessly up and down, drifting far away one moment and returning to her original position the next—all merely by her will.

It was a strange place.

Qin Ruqing looked at her hands, but the view was pitch black, with no tangible objects—indeed, she was in the Sixth Domain and had no physical body.

She only sensed her own existence, yet she seemed not to exist (?)

This non-existence wasn’t absolute.

If she thought, “I should have a hand,” in her mind, the void would seem to have a hand drawn as if by someone holding a pen, quickly sketching out a hand for her.

And then, she would have a hand.

Qin Ruqing felt awkward: …there’s no need for that.

She thought for a moment and shouted into the void, “Ancestor, disciple has arrived. Are you here?”

No response.

Her voice echoed back, repeating several times.

Well, it was obvious that the ancestor wasn’t going to come looking for her. If she could immediately meet the ancestor upon entering the Sixth Domain, that would be truly bizarre.

Even novels wouldn’t dare to write it that way.

The silence of the void gave Qin Ruqing a peculiar feeling, as if she was face to face with herself, alone.

In the midst of her thoughts… since no one was watching, she pinched her throat and theatrically said:

“Let there be light.”

After saying this, Qin Ruqing felt embarrassed.

But the void was not embarrassed; it actually cast a beam of light directly above her.

Since she had no body, the light that came from above resembled a small orange lantern lighting up the night.

It was quite cute.