Chapter 125: Cultivating in Star Fall Lake, Tides Rising in the Endless Hanhai

Deep within Star Fall Lake, at the heart of the Mystical Realm.

Time seemed to have lost its measure here; only the eternal, unchanging residual glow of the stars and the lingering echoes of chaos flowed slowly through the silence. The remains of the star core were like the heart of a sleeping giant beast, emitting a faint yet constant pulse that resonated with the unique laws of this lake-bottom Mystical Realm.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged beside the star core, unaware of how much time had passed.

His entire body was shrouded in a layer of strange, blue-gray light cocoon. The cocoon was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it seemed to isolate the space inside from the outside world. Upon its surface, ignorant currents of air, like those at the dawn of chaos, flowed at times; at others, phantom Dao patterns of blue lotus petals emerged; and occasionally, illusions of stars flickering into extinction and rebirth shimmered uncertainly.

Inside the cocoon, Lin Xuan's body was undergoing a slow and thorough reshaping.

The terrifying, spiderweb-like cracks that had previously covered his skin had long since vanished. His skin now possessed a strange texture, warm and moist like jade, yet faintly revealing the cold, metallic luster of metal. His internal organs, his limbs, and his bones—every inch of flesh and every meridian—had been completely shattered and then, under the combined action of the chaotic tribulation power and the vitality of the blue lotus, reconstructed and fused in an entirely new way.

The "Chaos Tribulation Crystal" located at his heart, which had replaced his original dantian, had now stabilized. It was no longer covered in cracks but had become a strange, flawless, round crystal about the size of a fingernail. Inside the crystal, the blue and gray colors were not static; they swirled and blended slowly like yin and yang fish. With every rotation, they derived a subtle yet pure chaotic tribulation power, which flowed into the newly constructed "Chaos Tribulation Meridians." At the core of the crystal, a tiny, almost imperceptible blue light spot floated quietly; it was the final origin imprint of the Chaos Blue Lotus petal, like life born within a tribulation, like living water amidst death.

His soul had also undergone a transformation. His original sea of consciousness had vanished, replaced by a "Chaos Tribulation Sea" that existed between reality and illusion, constantly cycling through birth and extinction. Within this Tribulation Sea, there were no longer raging waves, only eternal silence and the occasional ripples of faint light representing the artistic conceptions of different "tribulations." That nine-zhang Chaos Star manifestation now sat quietly in the center of the Tribulation Sea. The manifestation itself had become half-virtual and half-real, merging with the Tribulation Sea; every flickering star seemed to correspond to the trajectory of a tribulation fate.

This was an entirely new path, distinct from the current cultivation system—the Chaos Tribulation Dao. With chaos as the foundation, it took tribulation fate as power, mastering the cycle of birth and extinction. Its power was unfathomable, its future uncertain, and it was exceptionally dangerous.

On this day, the blue-gray light cocoon finally trembled slightly, and countless fine cracks appeared on its surface.

"Crack..."

Amidst the light sound, the cocoon shattered like an eggshell, turning into specks of flowing light that merged into the surrounding star power.

Lin Xuan, sitting cross-legged within, slowly opened his eyes.

When his eyes opened, the previous gray haze was gone; instead, they appeared exceptionally clear and profound. Deep within his pupils, it was as if the vast scenes of the universe's birth and extinction and the cycles of eras were reflected. They were calm and waveless, yet contained a heart-palpitating sense of vicissitudes and majesty. With a slight movement of his mind, the aura around his body was completely retracted. In an instant, he became like a mortal, save for those eyes, which remained extraordinary.

He had succeeded.

Not only had he stabilized his Dao foundation and repaired his injuries, but he had also gained preliminary control over the chaotic tribulation power. His cultivation base had risen with the tide, formally stepping into... the Late-Stage Soul Formation! And not an ordinary Late-Stage Soul Formation at that; the purity and vigor of his magic power and the unfathomable stability of his Dao foundation far surpassed his peers. His true combat power was immeasurable.

He raised his hand slightly, palm upward, and a wisp of gray-blue air appeared out of thin air, burning quietly. This air seemed gentle, but Lin Xuan could clearly perceive the terrifying "tribulation" power contained within it—power capable of causing magic treasures to decay, spiritual power to dissipate, and vitality to reach its end. With another movement of his mind, the air suddenly changed, transforming into a wisp of blue light filled with vibrant vitality, emitting a pure aura of creation.

"Destruction and vitality, extinction and revival, all lie within a single thought..." Lin Xuan whispered to himself, feeling the unprecedented power within his body and the heavy responsibility that came with it. This path was destined to be lonely, destined to be accompanied by destruction, yet it also contained the possibility of transcendence.

"Feng Xi." He communicated with his spirit pet space.

Inside the space, a clear cry, yet one carrying a hint of new vitality, rang out. With a flash of light, a Green Luan, slightly smaller than before but even more spirited and elegant, flew out. It landed affectionately on Lin Xuan's shoulder, rubbing its head against his cheek.

At this moment, Feng Xi's feathers were a lush, dripping green, flowing with a glaze-like luster, and its tail feathers even faintly carried a seven-colored rainbow light. There were no longer any scars on its body, and its aura was restrained and pure. It had clearly turned misfortune into a blessing; nourished by the blue lotus vitality and the lingering echoes of Lin Xuan's tribulation power, its bloodline had further awakened, and its cultivation had broken through to the Early-Stage Soul Formation! Moreover, Lin Xuan could feel that Feng Xi's body also seemed to be tainted with a trace of faint chaotic aura, making its connection with him even closer and more mysterious.

"You have recovered too, very good." A hint of warmth appeared in Lin Xuan's eyes as he gently stroked Feng Xi's feathers. If Feng Xi had not fought to the death to win him that split-second opportunity, he would likely have perished before the blue lotus petal arrived. He kept this friendship in his heart.

Feng Xi chirped happily a few times, then seemed to remember something. It tilted its head, looked toward a certain direction in the Mystical Realm, and transmitted a vague thought.

"Hmm? Someone is still here?" Lin Xuan's eyebrows raised slightly. Before his seclusion, he had clearly sealed the entrance to the Mystical Realm completely, masking it with chaotic tribulation power; ordinary cultivators would never have discovered it. Could it be...

His figure moved slightly, and with one step, he crossed a distance of several hundred zhang, arriving before a relatively stable stone cave at the edge of the Mystical Realm. Inside the cave, a figure was curled up in a corner, wrapped in a layer of faint star power. The person seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep; their aura was stable, but their cultivation had been sealed by some power.

It was Zhao Yuan!

Lin Xuan remembered. During the battle at the imperial capital, Huangfu Hao seemed to have knocked Zhao Yuan unconscious and taken him away. Later, when he left the imperial capital, he hadn't paid attention in his haste. Presumably, Huangfu Hao or the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secrets had sent him here? What was the purpose? To keep him under watch? Or... to leave behind a karmic tie for him?

His spiritual sense swept over Zhao Yuan. This youth's spiritual root aptitude was indeed excellent; he possessed the rare dual attributes of "Dark Spiritual Root" and "Metal Spiritual Root," and both were extremely pure. Yet, at this moment, a thick, inseparable gloom, pain, and confusion were gathered between his brows, along with a trace of forcibly suppressed ferocity. Clearly, the massive changes in his clan (the destruction of the Zhao Clan) and his own experiences (being tainted by demonic energy, then saved, then sealed and sent here) had dealt him a massive blow; his Dao heart was on the verge of collapse.

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment. The Zhao Clan had been destroyed, and Zhao Song had colluded with the Demonic Abyss; they deserved their fate. But Zhao Yuan himself had possessed a decent character back at Star Fall Lake, and his later tainting by demonic energy was not his own intention. This youth had outstanding talent; it would be a pity if he were to sink into depravity or go down a crooked path. Moreover, there was indeed an unfinished karmic tie between him, himself, and Huangfu Hao.

"Forget it." Lin Xuan sighed softly, pointing his fingertip to release a wisp of gentle chaotic air fused with blue lotus vitality, which sank into Zhao Yuan's brow. "Wake up."

Zhao Yuan's body trembled, his eyelids twitched violently, and he slowly opened them. At first, his eyes were blank and hollow, but then memories flooded back like a tide: the demonic disaster in the imperial capital, the clan rebellion, his father's ferocious face, being knocked unconscious... His face turned deathly pale in an instant, and complex emotions—massive pain, shame, hatred, and confusion—surged in his eyes. He saw Lin Xuan standing before the stone cave, the "Senior Lin" who had once earned his admiration at Star Fall Lake and later became the key figure leading to the Zhao Clan's destruction.

"It's you..." Zhao Yuan's voice was hoarse and dry. He wanted to move but found his body restrained by a gentle yet tough power. "Why not kill me? The Zhao Clan... deserved their fate, and I am also... a remnant."

Lin Xuan looked at him, his gaze calm: "The Zhao Clan is the Zhao Clan, and you are you. Huangfu Hao spared your life and sent you here for his own reasons. I observe that your spiritual roots are unique and your character has not completely sunk; there is still a possibility of reshaping. Whether you sink into hatred and the past, give up on yourself, and even fall into the demonic path, or cut off the past, clarify your mind, and walk a path that belongs to you—it all lies within a single thought of yours."

Zhao Yuan shook all over, staring blankly at Lin Xuan as tears slid down silently. The sins of his clan, his own powerlessness, the confusion of the future... various emotions almost drowned him.

Lin Xuan said no more, turning to look outside the Mystical Realm, his gaze seemingly piercing through the lake water and the strata, looking toward the boundless distance.

"The matter here is finished; it is time to leave." He sensed that the chaotic mark he had left at the entrance of the Mystical Realm seemed to have been touched, and there were faint residual fluctuations of a message. Presumably, it was information left by Huangfu Hao or the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secrets.

With a flick of his sleeve, he took Zhao Yuan, who was still in a state of massive psychological shock, along with Feng Xi on his shoulder, and turned into a barely perceptible blue-gray stream of light, quietly leaving the Star Fall Lake Mystical Realm.

Just as Lin Xuan left seclusion and departed from Star Fall Lake.

Far away, tens of thousands of miles away, above a vast, boundless expanse of blue water where storms never ceased.

This place was known as the "Endless Hanhai," a true ocean world dozens of times more vast and a hundred times more dangerous than the Tianyuan Continent. Giant waves surged to the heavens, sea beasts ran rampant, and islands were scattered like stars, hiding countless ancient ruins and heavenly treasures, while also nurturing numerous powerful and mysterious overseas sects, rogue cultivators, and alien races.

At this moment, deep within the Hanhai, on a giant immortal island shrouded in seven-colored rosy light, where spiritual energy was so dense it turned into spiritual rain.

Inside a magnificent palace built entirely of ten-thousand-year warm jade, several figures with auras like abysses and seas were sitting around a jade table flickering with starlight.

Sitting in the main seat was a middle-aged Daoist wearing star robes, his face like a crown of jade, and in the opening and closing of his eyes, it seemed as if galaxies were being born and dying. His aura was ethereal, as if he had merged with the entire immortal island and even the surrounding sea area, unfathomable. He was the current Palace Master of one of the three great overseas super-powers—the "Star Palace," True Person Xinghe.

On the left was a burly, bronze-skinned bald man wearing simple animal skins, his muscles coiled like dragons. Just by sitting there, he emitted a terrifying power of blood and energy like a primordial giant beast. He was the Sect Master of the "Giant Spirit Sect," known for body refining and beast taming, Man Shan.

On the right was a woman in palace attire, beautiful yet cold in expression. A faint chill swirled around her, as if even the air were frozen. She was the Pavilion Master of the "Mystic Ice Pavilion," Fairy Bingpo.

These three were all big figures who could make the Endless Hanhai tremble with a stomp of their feet. Their cultivation had long since surpassed Spirit Transformation, reaching the peak of this realm—the Refining Void Realm!

"Everyone," True Person Xinghe spoke slowly, his voice gentle yet carrying unquestionable majesty, "The anomalies of the 'Return to Ruins Sea Eye' have become increasingly frequent recently. The monitoring array shows that the concentration of 'Source Primordial Demonic Energy' leaking from within has increased by more than thirty percent compared to a hundred years ago. At this rate, in at most a hundred years, the 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Array' on the periphery of the Sea Eye will likely be unable to hold."

Man Shan said in a muffled voice: "Hmph! Isn't it because of that great battle three thousand years ago that damaged the core of the array? We've been searching for repair materials for so many years, and we are still missing the most critical 'Star Essence Gold' and 'Chaos Breath Soil.' Palace Master Xing, your Star Palace claims to control the stars of the heavens; has the Star Essence Gold not been found yet?"

Fairy Bingpo said coldly: "Chaos Breath Soil is even more ethereal. Ancient books record that it only has a tiny possibility of being nurtured in places where chaos first opened or in world fragments. Places of chaos in this realm have long since vanished, and world fragments are even more impossible to find."

True Person Xinghe nodded slightly, his expression grave: "My Star Palace's inventory of Star Essence Gold is indeed exhausted. However, recent observations of the stars and deductions of heavenly secrets have revealed a glimmer of opportunity pointing toward... the direction of the Tianyuan Continent."

"Tianyuan Continent? That remote and barren land?" Man Shan frowned.

"Do not underestimate it," True Person Xinghe said. "Although the Tianyuan Continent is not as vast as the Hanhai, its foundation is not shallow. According to reliable intelligence, not long ago, a catastrophe involving the Demonic Awareness of the Ruins Abyss erupted in the Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty, and a cultivator possessing chaotic power appeared, turning the tide. Chaos... might be related to Chaos Breath Soil. Moreover, heavenly secrets show that dragon energy is rising on that continent, and a new emperor has been born bearing the mandate of fate; perhaps this is where the variable lies."

Fairy Bingpo's beautiful eyes flickered: "What does the Palace Master mean?"

"Send envoys to the Tianyuan Continent," True Person Xinghe decided. "First, to investigate the reality of the chaotic power and see if it is related to Chaos Breath Soil; second, to befriend or observe the new emperor and assess his potential and value; and third... to see if we can trade for news of Star Essence Gold or other resources that could help stabilize the array. The Return to Ruins Sea Eye concerns the safety of the entire Hanhai and even this realm; it cannot be lost."

Man Shan and Fairy Bingpo looked at each other and nodded slowly.

"Since that is the case, let us follow the Palace Master's words," Fairy Bingpo said. "My Mystic Ice Pavilion can send an Elder at the peak of Soul Formation to accompany them."

"My Giant Spirit Sect will also send one," Man Shan said.

"Good," True Person Xinghe clapped his hands. "My Star Palace will send a direct disciple to lead the team, supplemented by a deacon proficient in arrays and exploration. We will depart in ten days, taking the 'Star Raft' to the Tianyuan Continent. This operation will focus on investigation and befriending; unless necessary, do not provoke conflicts with local forces."

The meeting concluded, and orders were sent out from this overseas immortal island.

A giant flying boat, as large as a small mountain, cast entirely from strange silver metal, engraved with countless star runes on its surface, and emitting vast spatial fluctuations—the "Star Raft"—began its final maintenance and loading of supplies.

A storm sparked by the threat of the Demonic Abyss was about to quietly blow from the Endless Hanhai toward the Tianyuan Continent, which had just experienced a catastrophe and was seeing the first light of dawn.

And Lin Xuan, who had just left seclusion and was on his way back, did not yet know that his chaotic tribulation power, as well as his existence and that of Huangfu Hao, had already entered the view of top overseas forces. A new stage, and broader waves, were waiting ahead. ===== CHAPTER 126 =====