The Great Zhou Dynasty Family had a rigorous procedure for studying the Path of Time: first, theory learning, followed by trying to see the past, then the future. If one could proficiently see the past and future, they would then be taught incantations and how to enter the River of Time.
When entering the River of Time, the presence of an elder is essential. It is incredibly dangerous for a novice cultivator to enter the River of Time alone. The slightest mistake could lead to total annihilation.
An incantation is the key to the River of Time. Historically, no one has been able to directly enter the River of Time without mastering the incantation.
Ji Kongkong was the first to accomplish this.
Even Ji Zhi, who possesses double pupils, couldn't achieve this feat!
Let alone Ji Huayu being unprepared for such an event, even Jiang Li, the person involved, was shocked.