Chapter 106: Aftershocks Cleansing

The shocking battle on the edge of the Imperial Mausoleum Forbidden Zone and the destruction of the Shadow Tower's core nest could not be completely covered up after all. The soaring magic energy, the dazzling starlight, and the subsequent movement of the Imperial City Division's large troops to blockade the forbidden zone still caused a huge uproar among the high-level officials of the Imperial Capital.

Although the Imperial Family claimed to the outside world that it was clearing out a group of evil cultivators who had sneaked into the Imperial Mausoleum and had ulterior motives, and deliberately downplayed the role Lin Xuan played in it, the real interested parties, especially the Zhao Clan, the Star Palace, and those forces hidden behind the scenes, naturally had their own sources of information.

Lin Xuan's strength, especially that Star Dharma Image that could easily kill half-step Spirit Transformation magic creatures and purify magic energy, once again deeply shocked everyone. His threat level was raised to an unprecedented height in the assessment of all factions. Correspondingly, there was more hidden wariness, more intense killing intent, and... more cautious waiting and watching.

Inside the Zhao Clan mansion, the atmosphere had been oppressive for days, like the calm before a storm. The successive losses, especially the destruction of the Imperial Mausoleum nest (in which there was also the Zhao Clan's secret investment and interests), made the Zhao Clan high-level officials feel a chill in addition to their anger. They began to re-evaluate the cost of fighting Lin Xuan to the death, and some radical voices were temporarily suppressed, replaced by more insidious and long-term calculations.

The Star Palace side also seemed to have adjusted its strategy because of Lin Xuan's ability to restrain magic energy, especially the magic energy of the Abyss of Ruins. The naked pursuit and snatching turned into more hidden surveillance and exploration.

Lin Xuan did not pay too much attention to the surging winds and clouds outside. He still stayed behind closed doors, spending most of his time in Qingyun Cottage, digesting the gains of this Imperial Mausoleum trip.

The biggest gain was naturally the application and insight into the Chaos Star Dharma Image in actual combat. The battles with half-step Spirit Transformation magic creatures and Shadow Tower assassins gave him a deeper understanding of the power, characteristics, and magical powers of the "Zhou Tian Star Technique" core chapter. He felt that he was not far from the peak of the Late-Stage Soul Formation, and even touched the threshold of Spirit Transformation.

Secondly, it was the pitch-black fragment containing a trace of strange golden light obtained from the core of the white bone altar. He tried various methods to investigate and found that this thing was indestructible, spiritual sense was difficult to invade, and it contained an extremely obscure yet incomparably noble power of "order" and "protection," which was completely different from the star origin of the Star Core and the life-and-death power of the Chaos Dao Seed.

"The aura of this thing is somewhat similar to the fragments of the 'Social Artifact' that supports the dragon vein luck of the Imperial Dynasty recorded in ancient books, but it is also different..." Lin Xuan recalled the sporadic records in the Tianji Pavilion jade slip, and his heart had faint guesses, but he couldn't be sure. "Perhaps, Huangfu Tianji will know something." He decided to find an opportunity to use this thing as a lead to probe the Imperial Family's tone again.

In addition, he also invested all the various materials seized from the Shadow Tower nest, especially those weapon fragments containing essence gold energy, into the further quenching of the Chaos Immortal-Slaying Sword Embryo.

Inside the quiet room, the Chaos Dao Fire burned fiercely. Lin Xuan used his spirit as a hammer and his thought as an anvil, melting and purifying countless materials into streams of pure energy, repeatedly hammering the gray sword embryo floating in the center of the Dao Fire.

The sword embryo hummed, and the golden patterns on it wandered like living dragons and snakes, constantly absorbing the essence gold energy and the quenching of the Chaos Dao Fire. Inside the sword body, the scene of Chaos opening and stars evolving became clearer, and its spirituality grew at an astonishing speed.

At the same time, Lin Xuan also tried to integrate his understanding of the "Zhou Tian Star Technique," especially the condensation method of the "Starfall God Spear," into the sword intent. Only to see that in the Dao Fire, tiny star light spots were occasionally absorbed by the sword embryo, making a trace of starlight faintly appear in the depths of the gray sword light.

This quenching lasted for a full seven days.

When Lin Xuan finally injected a wisp of pure Chaos origin energy into the sword embryo, the entire quiet room was suddenly filled with a sharp, peerless, terrifying sword intent that seemed to be able to slash through cause and effect and slay immortals and gods!

"Qiang——!"

A sword cry that seemed to come from the beginning of heaven and earth rang through Lin Xuan's heart!

The Dao Fire dissipated, and a long sword about three feet three inches long, with a deep Chaos color, natural golden and silver patterns flowing like Zhou Tian star veins on the sword body, and a cold light at the tip of the sword that seemed to be able to freeze time and space, quietly floated in front of Lin Xuan.

The sword is formed!

It was no longer an embryo, but a real—Chaos Immortal-Slaying Sword!

Although this sword was still only at the peak of magic treasure and had not yet been promoted to spirit treasure, its essence was extremely high, containing two supreme Dao rhymes of Chaos and Stars, with infinite potential, and its power far exceeded ordinary spirit treasures! Lin Xuan could feel that he was connected to this sword, as if it were an arm, and its sharpness was enough to easily tear through the defense of a Late-Stage Soul Formation cultivator!

He reached out and grasped the hilt, and a feeling of blood connection arose spontaneously. He swung it casually, and a gray sword qi containing starlight swept past, and a deep, bottomless fine mark appeared on the wall of the quiet room silently, and the formation runes in it instantly annihilated.

"Good sword!" A look of satisfaction appeared in Lin Xuan's eyes. With this sword in hand, his attack power went up another level.

Just as he was familiarizing himself with the power of the new sword, his heart moved, and he received a message from Huangfu Hao.

"Brother Lin, strange phenomena have occurred frequently in Star-Falling Lake recently, and starlight has been soaring from the center of the lake from time to time. I fear the time for the Star-Gazing Platform to appear will be advanced. We need to plan early."

Lin Xuan's gaze narrowed. Advanced?

He replied: "I know. Your Highness can prepare first, and we will set off in three days."

Putting down the message jade slip, Lin Xuan's eyes were deep. Star-Falling Lake Star-Gazing Platform was related to his subsequent inheritance of the Star Dao, and might hide clues to deal with the Abyss of Ruins, so he was determined to win.

This trip was destined not to be peaceful. The Star Palace, other forces that might appear, and even the magic shadows of the Abyss of Ruins might appear.

But he was fearless.

The Chaos Dao Seed rotated slowly in his dantian, the Star Dharma Image appeared in his palm, and the Immortal-Slaying Sword hummed beside him.

His strength was no longer what it used to be.

"Saintess Yun Yao." He called softly.

Blue light flashed, and the divine Azure Luan landed in the courtyard, her aura full, her divine light shining, obviously she was also ready.

Lin Xuan stroked the cold sword body of the Chaos Immortal-Slaying Sword and looked toward the direction of Star-Falling Lake in the north.

"It's time to go and meet that Starfall Mystical Realm and take back the opportunity that belongs to me."

Three days later, a blue rainbow and several Imperial City Division escape lights quietly left the Imperial Capital and headed straight for Star-Falling Lake, three thousand li to the north.

The eyes of the Imperial Capital also focused on this.

A new round of storms was about to be staged on the shore of Star-Falling Lake. ===== CHAPTER 107 =====