Chapter 140: Chaos Tribulation Domain Initially Formed, Sword Heart Bright Light

Chaos Tribulation Sea, boundless and shoreless.

Lin Xuan's consciousness still floated in this strange space transformed by his own Dao. The passage of time lost its meaning here, only the rotation of that "Chaos Tribulation Crystal," and the star phantoms and gray-purple lightning that were born and died in the tribulation sea, constituted the eternal background.

However, unlike the silence and passive absorption when he first fell asleep, at this moment, the Chaos Tribulation Sea was undergoing a slow yet fundamental drastic change.

That life-and-death battle of forcibly guiding the ending power of the Star Evil Graveyard, like the most violent "tribulation fire," "tempered" his Dao foundation, flesh, soul, and even his understanding of the Chaos Tribulation Dao. A large amount of miscellaneous law fragments and origin auras from enemies (Shadow Erosion Demon Marshal, Star Evil dead energy, silent sword intent remnants) and the destructive energy of heaven and earth were forcibly swallowed, decomposed, and reorganized by the Chaos Tribulation Crystal.

In the tribulation sea, the originally chaotic airflow began to faintly differentiate and condense.

In the area close to the tribulation crystal core, the gray-misty airflow was the most intense, they rotated slowly, forming a miniature "Chaos Vortex" that seemed to devour all light, emitting the ultimate Dao rhyme of all things returning to ruins, which was the embodiment of the "ending" side of Lin Xuan's tribulation Dao.

And on the periphery of the vortex, the area that absorbed part of the green lotus petal vitality origin flowed with strands of warm jade-like green light. These light flows were not intense, but exceptionally tough, like seeds quietly sprouting in the ashes of destruction, containing the artistic conception of "a ray of life" and "the beginning of creation," representing the possibility of "rebirth" in the tribulation Dao.

Further out, there were countless jumping and flickering gray-purple lightning bolts. They were not falling violently in a disorderly manner, but faintly constituted a certain profound trajectory network, as if outlining bones and veins for this chaotic space. Within the lightning, silence and purification power intertwined, being both the executor of destruction and the maintainer of order (in the way of tribulation).

And the original nine-zhang-high Chaos Star Dharma Image had now completely merged into the tribulation sea, the origin of the Dharma Image—those star light points representing different tribulation luck trajectories, were now embedded in the key nodes of the thunder network, flickering, as if deducing the infinite changes of tribulation numbers.

Lin Xuan's consciousness, like the "Heavenly Dao Will" of this Chaos Tribulation Sea that was evolving, observed and guided everything calmly. He could feel that his connection with this tribulation sea was becoming closer and closer, as if it was no longer a simple magic power domain or sea of consciousness vision, but was gradually becoming an extension of his "Dao," a part of his "existence."

"Chaos as the foundation, tribulation power as firewood, birth and death as the furnace, thunder as the hammer..." In the dark, a section of ancient and profound insight floated into his heart, "The realm of Soul Formation lies in condensing the 'Primordial Spirit,' turning the god of the mortal fetus into the god of heaven and earth, merging with the Dao, and initially controlling the laws... However, my Dao is the Chaos Tribulation Dao, encompassing all laws, and also transcending all laws. Why should my 'Primordial Spirit' be confined to a fixed form?"

A bold to the extreme thought became clear in his consciousness.

He no longer tried to "condense" an independent, traditional sense of Primordial Spirit from this Chaos Tribulation Sea. Instead, he wanted to take the entire Chaos Tribulation Sea that was evolving as the foundation, take that "Chaos Tribulation Crystal" as the core, and completely merge his will, Dao rhyme, and law insights with this tribulation sea! Let this tribulation sea become his unique, both "Primordial Spirit" and "Dao Domain"—Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body!

This was an unprecedented path, full of unknowns and dangers. Once it failed, his soul and Dao foundation might completely collapse, merge into chaos, and never be recovered.

But Lin Xuan's Dao heart had long been polished into Chaos Divine Iron in one life-and-death battle after another and one Dao insight after another. He had no hesitation, his consciousness completely opened, like a baby throwing himself into the mother's body, actively embracing and merging into this Chaos Tribulation Sea he had created himself.

"I am Chaos, I am the Tribulation Sea. As long as the tribulation sea does not dry up, my Dao will last forever!"

The silent declaration echoed in every corner of the tribulation sea.

In an instant, the entire Chaos Tribulation Sea boiled!

The gray-misty chaotic airflow surged frantically, gathering and compressing toward the central Chaos Tribulation Crystal! The green vitality light flow and the gray-purple silent thunder also, like two giant dragons, entangled and merged into it! Countless star light points, as if summoned, peeled off from the thunder network one after another and threw themselves into the tribulation crystal core that was undergoing qualitative change!

The light of the tribulation crystal, from blue-gray, gradually turned into a kind of chaotic original color that could not be described in words, as if containing all colors and void of the universe! Its form was no longer a regular crystal, but began to twist, stretch, and expand, gradually evolving toward a human-like outline!

This human-like outline was blurry, yet emitted an ancient and majestic aura that seemed to exist since the beginning of heaven and earth, transcending all things. He stepped on the chaos vortex, his left hand wreathed in green vitality, his right hand entangled in gray-purple thunder, his body embedded with flickering tribulation luck stars, and the position of his eyes were two balls of constantly born and dying chaos light, as if he could see through the past and future and understand the origin of all laws.

This was exactly the "Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body" that Lin Xuan condensed based on the entire Chaos Tribulation Sea, which belonged uniquely to him!

This was not a traditional Primordial Spirit entrusted in the sea of consciousness or dantian, but a "conceptual existence" between virtual and real, completely integrated with his flesh, soul, and Dao. Once the Dharma Body is formed, his control over Chaos Tribulation Power and his understanding of the "Tribulation" Dao will undergo a qualitative leap. Its status had officially stepped into... the realm of Soul Formation! And it was definitely not an ordinary Soul Formation!

The moment the Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body was initially formed—

Outside, Linhai City, in the deepest part of the Sea-Suppressing Military Governor's Mansion, in the quiet room filled with layers of nourishing and sealing formations and spiritual energy so rich it turned into spiritual liquid.

Lin Xuan's main body, which had been silent like a deep sleep, suddenly changed!

Beneath his tightly closed eyelids, a chaotic-colored light shone through. The pores all over his body dilated, and wisps of gray, chaotic airflow containing inner cyan-purple electric sparks spontaneously overflowed, slowly circulating and spiraling within the quiet room. Wherever these airflows passed, the air became viscous, the flow of time seemed to slow, and even the pure spiritual energy provided by the formation was domineeringly assimilated and absorbed by them.

The injuries on his body, those Dao foundation cracks deep to the bone and traces of demonic energy erosion, were healed and disappeared under the scouring of this pure and vast Chaos Tribulation Power, and the newly born skin and bones faintly glowed with a warm yet indestructible luster like jade, with chaotic airflow and tiny electric light flowing inside.

A deep, vast, terrifying pressure that seemed to make heaven and earth silent began to slowly awaken and permeate from him. This pressure was not deliberately released, but a natural law resonance when the life level and Dao realm leaped!

Outside the quiet room, Eunuch Wei, Elder Beichen, Ling Shuang, and others who had been waiting for many days felt this unusual fluctuation almost at the same time, and their expressions changed, looking toward the quiet room with surprise and joy.

"This aura... is Fellow Daoist Lin?! Is he waking up? No... this pressure..." Eunuch Wei, as a Soul Formation, felt it most deeply, he had never felt such a strange and powerful aura, as if what he was facing was not a cultivator, but a heavenly tribulation about to descend, or a chaotic world being gestated!

"Soul Formation... but completely different..." Elder Beichen's eyes flashed with starlight, full of shock. "His Dao has completely taken shape and is resonating with the laws of heaven and earth at the deepest level! Quick, reinforce the surrounding formations, isolate the aura, and don't let this breakthrough vision attract unnecessary prying!"

Just as everyone was busy reinforcing the formations and protecting Lin Xuan's breakthrough.

In another quiet room that was also heavily guarded.

Zhao Yuan sat cross-legged, with the "Silent Shadow" divine sword across his knees. He still had his eyes tightly closed, his face sometimes pale as paper, sometimes showing an abnormal gray-white luster, his brows furrowed, clearly his consciousness was experiencing a great test.

In that inheritance space where absolute darkness and only sword intent runes flickered.

Zhao Yuan was holding "Silent Shadow," engaged in a fierce battle with a gray-white figure formed by the combination of his own inner demons, the shadows of family sins, and the overly pure "silent" intent contained in the inheritance!

This figure had a blurry face, but emitted the same aura as him, and even used the silent sword intent more sharply and ruthlessly. It constantly emitted seductive whispers:

"Slash everything! Family is a burden, emotion is a weakness, protection is stupid! Only absolute silence is the eternal Dao!"

"Look at this sword intent, how powerful! Slashing stars and destroying the world, all things return to ruins! As long as you give up those meaningless persistence, you can immediately possess this power, surpass Lin Xuan, surpass everyone! Even... slash the shackles of sin on your body!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Make all those who are enemies with you, all those who make you suffer, return to silence!"

Gray-white sword light crisscrossed, full of madness and paranoia to destroy everything.

Zhao Yuan swung his sword to block, retreating step by step. The other side's sword intent was indeed powerful, and pointed directly at the weakness and desire (power, getting rid of sin) deep in his heart. Several times, he was almost assimilated by that pure silent intent, and his sword moves became equally sharp and ruthless.

But every time he was about to sink, some images would flash in his mind:

In Falling Star Lake, Lin Xuan's calm back blocking in front of everyone with a Golden Core body, facing the demon tide.

Above the Imperial Capital, Lin Xuan's determined back holding the sky with one hand, hard-shaking the Void Refinement demon shadow.

Shattered Star Islands, Lin Xuan guarding the Thunder Prison alone, the trust of fighting for time for him and everyone.

And... the final warning of that ancient sword cultivator: "You inherit my sword, not my hatred. Sword intent follows the heart... If you lose your original heart, how is it different from a demon?"

His sword began to change.

No longer blindly pursuing extreme destruction and sharpness, but in the sharpness, there was a bit more "resilience" and "stability" of persistence. In the gray-white silent sword light, a wisp of dark gold, representing the firm will of "slashing false shackles and protecting the light in the heart," faintly appeared.

"You are wrong." Zhao Yuan stopped retreating after a fierce confrontation, looked directly at the gray-white figure, his voice hoarse but clear, "Silence is not the end, and it is not a tool for venting hatred and avoiding pain. It is a means, a process, a thorn that slashes obstacles to progress, a thunder that cleanses the filth of the world, and it is for... letting truly important things remain, and be able to be reborn!"

"My family has sins, I cannot erase them, but I can use the sword in my hand to slash the possibility of these sins spreading, to protect more innocent people, and not let tragedy repeat itself! This is the meaning of me bearing these sins!"

"My sword does not hum for destruction, but roars for protection and rebirth! What is slashed is falsehood and shackles, what is protected is the morality and light in the heart! This is... Zhao Yuan's sword heart!"

As the words fell, the "Silent Shadow" divine sword in his hand suddenly erupted with unprecedented light! No longer pure gray-white, but dark gold and gray-white interlaced, on the sword body, the dark gold pattern that had been spreading since the beginning of the inheritance finally completely penetrated the sword body, perfectly merging with the gray-white silent sword mark, forming a brand new, containing the artistic conception of "breaking and then standing," "protecting rebirth in silence" sword Dao law!

"Silent Shadow · Heart-Clearing Slash!"

A gray-white sword light that was not vast, but incomparably condensed, containing dark gold sharpness, was swung from Zhao Yuan's sword. This sword, what was slashed was not a physical object, but his own inner demons, paranoia, and past obstacles.

That figure composed of inner demons and paranoid sword intent, in front of this sword containing the true meaning of "seeing the heart and nature," let out a silent hiss, collapsed inch by inch, turned into the purest silent sword intent origin, and merged into Zhao Yuan's body, being completely absorbed and controlled by his new sword heart.

The darkness retreated, and the sword intent space dissipated.

Zhao Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

There was no more confusion, gloom, and struggle in his eyes, only a sword light that was as clear as autumn water, yet as sharp as a cold star. His aura was stabilized at the peak of Golden Core, but that restrained silent sword intent that seemed to be able to slash all laws made the cultivators guarding outside feel their skin prickle.

He looked down at the "Silent Shadow" divine sword in his hand that had been renewed, was in mind-to-mind connection with him, and seemed to have become an extension of his body, gently stroking the mysterious dark gold and gray-white interlaced patterns on the sword body.

"From now on, you will follow me, slash all demons, and protect the clarity of this realm." He whispered to himself, and the sword body transmitted a burst of joyful light hums.

Almost at the same time as Zhao Yuan realized his sword heart and woke up.

In the next quiet room, the chaotic airflow on Lin Xuan's body suddenly converged, and that heart-palpitating pressure also slowly calmed down. His eyelids trembled, and finally, he slowly opened his eyes.

The moment his eyes opened, in the quiet room, visions of chaos opening, thunder birth and death, and star rotation flashed by, and then returned to calm, leaving only a clarity as deep as an ancient well.

Soul Formation, achieved.

Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body, initially condensed.