Dashing Student Chapter 1363: Glorious Ancient Nation

Ten thousand meters below the surface, the seabed exists in perpetual gloom. However, the abyss is not entirely devoid of light, as schools of bioluminescent fish and clusters of glowing coral cast a faint, ethereal shimmer across the floor.

A specific trench stands out from the rest, radiating a brilliance that mimics the sun, visible even from a significant distance.

This luminous trench served as the goal for Chen Nan and his companions—an ancient site of ruins.

Upon their arrival, a multitude of cultivators had already gathered. While every individual present possessed a cultivation base exceeding the Third Layer of the Golden Core Realm, there was a notable absence of masters at the Nascent Soul Realm.

It was clear that those who dared venture to these ruins belonged to minor and middling islands; they had no intention of allowing Nascent Soul Realm experts to intervene and claim the lion's share of the treasures.

"Let us proceed forward," he urged.

As Chen Nan and his group breached the entrance of the trench, they discovered an entirely different plane of existence. The interior space was vast, and the threshold into the ruins was marked by a towering city gate.

The defensive walls flanking the gate had crumbled into heaps of debris ages ago, and beyond the portal, an absolute darkness reigned. Chen Nan could sense the presence of an unstable pocket of space lurking within that void.

This volatility accounted for the restriction barring anyone above the Third Layer of the Golden Core Realm; the immense pressure exerted by more powerful beings would surely shatter the fragile integrity of the space.

"Could this place have been an actual kingdom at one time?" Chen Nan remarked, feeling a surge of astonishment.

Their arrival triggered little interest from the assembled crowd. Chen Nan’s aura appeared to be at the Fifth Layer of the Golden Core Realm, a level of strength that the more seasoned outsiders found completely insignificant.

Among the gatherers, a cultivator at the Eighth Layer of the Golden Core Realm stood out, wearing an expression of such supreme arrogance that he seemed to treat everyone else as if they were beneath his notice.

Chen Nan directed his group to a quiet corner to settle. He began pulling various artifacts from his storage pouch, bestowing items like the Void Breaking Sword, the Sword Chenyuan, and the Heaven-Burning Flame upon his Shadow Clone.

Of greatest importance was the Blood Gourd, which he insisted the Shadow Clone carry, as rumors suggested the ruins were infested with powerful demon beasts, the perfect ingredients for crafting Demon Spirit Pills.

"Keep in mind, our primary directive for this expedition is to secure Spiritual Medicine. If a stroke of fortune presents itself, seize it without hesitation, but ensure you rely on your own abilities first," Chen Nan instructed, his tone echoing that of a doting, elderly patriarch as he spoke to Zhong Ling.

Zhong Ling felt a rush of adrenaline. This was her first time stepping into a Secret Realm; for years, she had only listened to folklore about cultivators stumbling upon immense treasures and rising to greatness.

Fables of paupers becoming wealthy overnight within these ruins had fueled countless legends.

She had yearned for such an opportunity for as long as she could remember, and finally, her wish was realized.

Waste no more time, the Shadow Clone and Zhong Ling stepped through the gate and entered the remains of the ancient civilization.

Watching her silhouette vanish into the depths, Chen Nan felt as if he were drifting through a dream. He stood where Zhong Ling was only moments ago, yet he had now matured into her Guardian.

The structures of the ruins were indeed ancient; the gate itself bore weathered scars, a silent testament to the erosion of eons.

Once they traversed the passage, the horizon widened dramatically. It was as if Zhong Ling and the others had stepped into the heart of a grand capital, with the skeletal remains of massive buildings looming over a distant forest.

Even in their decayed state, these structures possessed a mountain-like grandeur, making it easy to picture their former glory before they surrendered to time.

Everywhere they looked, the horizon was swallowed by ruin.

Great trees had sprouted from the foundation of fallen halls, and vines twisted through the rubble, blending the architecture with the untamed wilderness.

Judging by the sheer scale of the ruins, Chen Nan was struck by the realization that this location was even more vast than a major island. An ordinary mortal kingdom could never have possessed such an immense capital.

Clearly, this realm had been established by powerful cultivators who had long since been wiped from the pages of history.

Chen Nan furrowed his brows deeply, musing, "A country built by cultivators? Could it be that all the state officials were also cultivators?"

He could not conceive of any other way such a domain could function. To an ordinary mortal, a cultivator appeared as a Divine being; no practitioner would willingly submit to the rule of the mundane.

Zhong Ling unfurled a map, studied it briefly, and then gestured toward a nearby clearing. "Master, let us go and investigate that location."