As the two of them hesitated, the G

As the two of them hesitated, the Grand Elder waved his finger, causing a vortex to appear in midair in the middle of the temple. The vortex spun out, growing to dozens of meters in size. It was filled with swirling mists, within which slowly appeared the image of another world.

Gradually, that world grew clearer and clearer.

Meng Hao’s face was calm as he looked at the Grand Elder. The fact that he had been given a choice was somewhat strange. After a moment of thought, he glanced over at the direct bloodline Elders, and could see that they were also hesitating. He was now being given an opportunity that he would be hard-pressed to come across in any other situation.

At the same time, he was facing imminent danger.

“Hao’er,” said Fang Xi’s father, 19th Uncle, “you really need to consider the matter carefully. I suggest that you don’t enter the ancestral land. Wait until you’re in the Immortal Realm. In another few hundred years, then you can go into the ancestral land. That would be much better. There’s really no reason for you to enter now. Hao’er, consider things carefully.”

Meng Hao was silent for a moment before turning back to the Grand Elder, clasping hands and bowing deeply.

“Grand Elder, am I the only one who can enter on this occasion? May I choose to decline the chance to enter?”

“If you enter, you will do so alone,” the Grand Elder said slowly, his expression one of neither joy nor anger. “If you wish to decline the chance to enter, you may go to the Dao of Alchemy Division to challenge the medicine pavilion.”

Off to the side, Fang Xiushan sat there nervously. He had paid a very heavy price to arrange this matter, and if Meng Hao didn’t enter, it would be impossible for him to have Meng Hao killed.

“Bear in mind,” continued the Grand Elder, looking at Meng Hao with a piercing gaze, “all contact with the outside will be severed once you enter the ancestral land. Nothing that happens inside will be visible to any of us.”

Those words caused Fang Xiushan’s face to twitch. He looked over at his father, and saw that, although his face was expressionless, his pupils had constricted.

Meng Hao was unsure as to why the Grand Elder was taking this stance. The normal thing to happen would be for the Grand Elder to give him no choice in the matter. For things to turn out this way caused Meng Hao to look over at the vortex thoughtfully. He was just about to say that he would decline what was obviously an ambush set up by Fang Xiushan when suddenly, a tremor ran through his body. As he looked into the world inside of the vortex, his eyes suddenly went wide.

For a moment, it seemed as if he had caught sight of something completely unbelievable. However, his expression quickly returned to normal. Nontheless, inwardly, he was more shocked than if he had been struck by lightning. His heart began to pound beyond control.

Mouth and throat dry, he immediately said, “I choose to enter the ancestral land!”