Chapter 55: Demon Lord's Secret? I Secretly Lay Out a Chess Game!

In a hidden stone cave far from the Five Elements Demon-Sealing Basin, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. The power of the elixir had dissolved, his consumed spiritual power had recovered seven or eight tenths, and the slight tremors caused by his battle with Elder Youquan had also subsided.

He did not act immediately, but instead sank his consciousness into the system space and took out the Nether Soul-Suppressing Token (Fragment) that had triggered the anomaly.

The token remained dim, but held in his hand, he could clearly feel it continuously transmitting a faint, yearning throb toward the direction of the basin.

"System, perform a deep analysis on the energy connection and information interaction between the Soul-Suppressing Token and the basin's seal."

[Ding! Command confirmed, consuming 5% energy for deep source-tracing analysis...]

[Analyzing... Detected fluctuations of homologous laws. The law fragments contained within the Nether Soul-Suppressing Token have a high degree of correlation with the core seal of the basin; they are suspected to be different components of the same system, or one of the key tokens for controlling/reinforcing the seal.]

[Information interaction analysis: The Soul-Suppressing Token is passively receiving a certain 'call' or 'status information' from the seal's core. The information is extremely fragmented and cannot be fully interpreted. Key word fragments captured: '...suppress...pressure...imbalance...complete...']

Suppress? Imbalance? Complete?

Lin Xuan’s gaze sharpened. Combined, these key phrases revealed intriguing information. Could this Nether Soul-Suppressing Token not be a magic treasure used by the Nether Sect for evil, but rather... an orthodox token used to suppress that ancient demon? Was it only because it was fragmented that it was lost and partially obtained by the Nether Sect?

And was the "imbalance" of the basin's seal caused by the lack of a key component like the Soul-Suppressing Token? Were the Nether Sect and the demon race attacking the stone pillars to exacerbate this imbalance and thereby release the demon?

If this were true, then the importance of this Nether Soul-Suppressing Token would far exceed his imagination! It might not be a key, but a lock core! It was the key to maintaining the stability of the seal!

"I must go to the core area of the seal to take a look!" Lin Xuan made up his mind. Speculating from the periphery was useless; only by being there in person could he uncover the truth. But with powerful experts currently surrounding the edge of the basin, and the Nether Sect and demon race hating him to the bone, going directly would be no different from throwing himself into a net.

He needed a new identity, or a chaotic opportunity.

He put the Soul-Suppressing Token away and took out the jade slip obtained from the Five Elements Rogue’s cave, once again carefully studying the incomplete map regarding the "Five Elements Demon-Sealing Land."

The map marked several relatively safe paths, as well as several potential points of Five Elements-attributed opportunities. His gaze fell upon one winding, tortuous path that seemed to detour extremely far; the end of this path pointed to... underneath the basin's core area? There was also a vague mark on the edge of the map, with a small note beside it: "Eye of the converging earth veins, gap of the Five Elements flow, perhaps a passage to the nether."

"Eye of the converging earth veins? Gap of the Five Elements flow?" Lin Xuan’s heart stirred, and he used the "Eye of Truth-Shattering" in conjunction with the system to perform a three-dimensional deduction of the map.

[Deduction complete: According to the map information and energy flow model, this location should be one of the foundation energy nodes of the basin's sealing array. The power of the Five Elements flows and converges here; due to the passage of time or a loosening of the seal, there may be subtle energy gaps. Theoretically, there is a possibility of sneaking into the area beneath the seal's core through this place, but the risk is extremely high, and it is very easy to be shredded by the chaotic Five Elements power or trigger the array.]

High risk, high reward! This might be the only way to bypass a frontal conflict and reach the core!

Having made up his mind, Lin Xuan did not hesitate. He did not head directly to that marked point, but first went in another direction marked on the map—a mineral vein point that might harbor "Geng Metal Spiritual Essence."

He needed to craft a new "disguise" for himself.

Relying on "Shrinking Ground to an Inch" and "Shadow-Ghost Steps," he avoided some wandering secret realm demon beasts and sporadic cultivators, and soon arrived at that area. This was a valley of jagged, strange rocks, and the air was permeated with sharp, metallic baleful Qi.

He did not bother to mine the vein, but directly used his chaotic spiritual power to forcibly strip and refine a few wisps of the purest Geng Metal Qi from deep within the mountain. The process consumed a little spiritual power, but for him now, it was nothing.

After obtaining the Geng Metal Qi, he found a hidden spot and began to circulate the "Nine Revolutions Chaos Scripture," carefully guiding his chaotic spiritual power to simulate and fuse with this wisp of Geng Metal Qi.

This time, what he was doing was not a simple simulation of aura, but a deeper level of "attribute disguise"!

Chaos gives birth to all things and can also transform into all things. He wanted to temporarily disguise himself as a sword cultivator who primarily cultivated metal-attribute techniques and was filled with baleful Qi!

This was an extremely delicate process that required perfectly integrating the Geng Metal Qi into his own spiritual power field and even his spiritual sense fluctuations. He focused his full attention, adjusting it bit by bit, failing several times and spending the better part of a day.

Finally, when he stood up again, the aura around his body had completely changed!

The original profound and obscure nature had vanished, replaced by a sharp, peerless edge that seemed capable of cutting through everything! His spiritual power fluctuations carried the sharpness and baleful aura of the metal attribute, and as he opened and closed his eyes, sword light seemed to flicker. At this moment, he looked just like a late-stage Golden Core sword cultivator who had been immersed in the path of slaughter and swordsmanship for years, with an arrogant and cold personality!

He took out the Profound Heavy Ruler and injected spiritual power into it; the ruler hummed, and the originally gray chaotic airflow receded, replaced by a dark golden, sharp radiance, making it look like a strangely shaped heavy sword.

"Not bad." Lin Xuan felt the changes in himself and nodded with satisfaction. As long as he did not use the fundamental characteristics of his chaotic spiritual power, relying only on his aura and appearance, he feared no one below the Nascent Soul realm could see through his disguise.

"From now on, I am the rogue cultivator 'Jin Shisan'." He casually made up a code name for himself.

Having finished his disguise, he did not delay and, following the map's guidance, snuck toward the direction marked as the "Eye of the converging earth veins."

The journey was uneventful; he deliberately avoided crowded places and chose steep, remote paths. During this time, he encountered several groups of cultivators, but feeling the unmasked, sharp baleful Qi on him, most chose to avoid him, and no one came forward to provoke him.

Several days later, he reached his destination.

This was a vast, colorful swamp. Bubbles constantly gurgled in the swamp, emitting toxic miasma containing the power of the Five Elements. In the center of the swamp was a constantly rotating five-colored vortex; the vortex was small, only large enough for one person to pass through, but it emitted heart-palpitating energy fluctuations, as if it were connected to the deep underground. That was the "Gap of the Five Elements flow" marked on the map!

Lin Xuan could clearly feel that after arriving here, the throb of the Nether Soul-Suppressing Token in his bosom became even more obvious, even faintly transmitting a pulling force that pointed toward the five-colored vortex!

"This is it!" He took a deep breath but did not rush in immediately. He carefully observed the rotation pattern and energy fluctuations of the vortex, with his "Eye of Truth-Shattering" analyzing the relatively stable moments within it.

[Analysis complete: The vortex energy operation is periodic; every thirty breaths, there is an energy trough period of about 0.5 seconds, where the fluctuations are at their calmest. This is the best time to enter.]

Now! Lin Xuan seized the moment of an energy trough, spread his disguised metal-attribute spiritual power all over his body, and at the same time secretly mobilized a trace of chaotic spiritual power to protect his core, his figure turning into a sharp golden light as he shot into the five-colored vortex without hesitation!

Boom!

Once inside the vortex, it was as if he had fallen into a boiling ocean of the Five Elements! Violent and chaotic Five Elements power crushed in from all directions; the intent of attacks involving golden spears and iron horses, burning flames, entangling giant trees, flooding waters, and overturning earth... all kinds of attribute-based attack intentions took turns assaulting his mind and protective spiritual light!

He maintained the stability of his metal-attribute disguise with all his might, while relying on the inclusiveness of his chaotic spiritual power and the powerful defense of his "Nine Revolutions Thunder-Steel Body" to resist. He swung the Profound Heavy Ruler, slashing through waves of solidified energy turbulence.

This passage was not long, but it was extremely dangerous. In just a few breaths, his protective spiritual light flickered violently, consuming a massive amount of power.

Swish!

Bright light appeared ahead; the exit was in sight!

Lin Xuan’s spirit lifted, and he suddenly accelerated and rushed out!

Thump!

He landed on the hard, cold ground, and the pressure around his body suddenly lightened. He immediately sprang up and vigilantly scanned his surroundings.

This was a vast underground tunnel, wide enough for dozens of people to walk abreast. The walls and dome were cast from some kind of pitch-black metal, covered in dense, extremely complex runes. These runes were currently emitting faint, multicolored spiritual light, clearly in continuous operation. The air was filled with pure yet incredibly chaotic Five Elements spiritual energy, as well as a... soul-shuddering, ancient, and evil pressure!

At this moment, he was at an inconspicuous fork in this giant runic tunnel. And the Nether Soul-Suppressing Token in his bosom was now vibrating more violently than ever, pointing toward the depths of the tunnel!

He had successfully snuck into the interior of the sealing array!

However, before he could investigate carefully, a burst of intense fighting sounds and angry roars came from ahead in the tunnel!

"Stop them! You must not let them get near the core!"

"Hehehe... just by relying on you few remnants, you want to stop our Holy Sect's great undertaking?"

"Guarding the seal is our duty! We have no regrets even in death!"

Lin Xuan’s heart tightened; he suppressed all his aura and, like a shadow, pressed against the wall and moved forward silently.

After turning a corner, the scene ahead made him gasp!

He saw that in the wide tunnel, a tragic slaughter was taking place!

On one side were seven or eight... puppets? No, they were more like ancient cultivator spirits with lingering battle souls, wearing ancient-style armor that was already damaged in many places, their auras decaying! They held broken weapons and had formed a battle array, desperately guarding a huge, rune-covered metal gate behind them. These spirits had varying cultivation bases, from early Golden Core to late Golden Core, but every one of them had a firm gaze, carrying a tragic, death-defying momentum!

And attacking them were the Nether Sect cultivators! There were over a dozen of them, led by two peak Golden Core elders, one of whom was exactly Youquan! They were driving various ghosts, yin-lightning, and bone banners, crazily attacking the battle array. Several spirits and the corpses of two Nether Sect disciples were already lying on the ground.

Clearly, the Nether Sect had found a path and broken into the interior of this seal, and they were trying to break through the defensive line of these ancient guardians to enter behind that gate!

And behind that gate, it was likely the true core of the seal, the place where that ancient demon was suppressed!

Lin Xuan hid in the shadows, his eyes flickering. The situation was more complex and critical than he had anticipated!

Should he sneak in during the chaos to find the mystery of the Soul-Suppressing Token? Or... help these guardian spirits to stop the Nether Sect?

He glanced at the incessantly vibrating Soul-Suppressing Token in his bosom, then looked at those spirits who, despite their broken bodies, were still fighting to the death without retreating, and he instantly made his decision.

The demon must never be released! For both public and private reasons, he had to stop the Nether Sect!

But he would not be stupid enough to rush out and fight head-on. His gaze fell on the flank of the battlefield, where several Nether Sect disciples were manipulating the array, trying to weaken the spirits' battle formation.

Like a leopard in the dark night, he circled around silently.

"Metal-Baleful Sword Qi, slash!"

He lowered his voice, simulating the hoarse tone of a metal-attribute sword cultivator, and pointed his fingers like a sword. A dark golden sword Qi, condensed to the extreme and emitting a sharp, baleful aura, shot toward the unsuspecting Nether Sect disciples like a venomous snake emerging from its hole!

(End of Chapter 55)