Chapter 67: Cicada Sheds Its Skin? My Heavenly Secret Reappears!

The Nascent-Forming Creation Dew has fallen into the hands of "Jin Shisan"!

This news swept through the cultivators remaining at the entrance of the Ten Thousand Laws Source Pool like a storm, and countless gazes instantly turned scorching and dangerous. Greed, jealousy, killing intent... all sorts of negative emotions intertwined like an invisible net, firmly locking onto Lin Xuan, who had just appeared.

Ye Chen’s eyes were sharp, and lightning light flickered around his body as he seemed to be weighing the pros and cons of making a move.

The Third Imperial Prince Li Dao had a gloomy expression and gave a look to the two old men beside him.

Elder You Liang of the Nether Sect and the others had even more venomous gazes, wishing they could immediately pounce and tear Lin Xuan to shreds.

Other factions, including some lone Nascent Soul rogue cultivators, also had their auras surging, faintly forming a surrounding formation.

The air solidified; the situation was tense!

Lin Xuan was at the center of the storm, yet his expression remained calm. He had long anticipated such a situation. His Chaos Nascent Soul trembled slightly, and vast spiritual power surged through his meridians, ready to unleash a heaven-shaking strike at any moment. At the same time, he secretly communicated with the Small Void Teleportation Talisman and the Small Zhou Tian Illusion-Killing Array disk within his system space, preparing for the worst.

However, at this critical juncture—

"Hehe... It seems I have arrived just in time."

A familiar, slightly hoarse voice abruptly rang out in the area, breaking the frozen atmosphere.

Everyone followed the sound and looked over, only to see the space on the water surface not far away rippling like water waves. A figure shrouded in a silver cloak slowly emerged; it was none other than the Heavenly Secret Pavilion envoy—Yin Si!

His appearance instantly attracted everyone’s attention. The mystery and transcendence of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion made everyone present wary.

Yin Si’s eyes, flickering with data streams, swept across the entire scene and finally landed on Lin Xuan, saying in a flat, waveless tone: "Since Fellow Daoist Jin Shisan has obtained the Creation Dew, he is a guest of my Heavenly Secret Pavilion. According to our agreement, you may accompany me to the Heavenly Mandate Hall to complete the transaction."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place was shocked!

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion was actually publicly backing Jin Shisan?! And they were going to lead him to the Heavenly Mandate Hall to complete a transaction?

This meant that within the vicinity of the Heavenly Mandate Hall, anyone wanting to touch Jin Shisan would have to weigh whether they could withstand the wrath of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion! Although the Heavenly Secret Pavilion generally did not directly participate in conflicts, its unfathomable foundation and bizarre methods made no one willing to provoke them easily.

Ye Chen’s brows were tightly furrowed, and the lightning light around his body slowly receded.

The Third Imperial Prince Li Dao gave a cold snort but did not speak to stop it.

Elder You Liang and the others had faces ashen with rage and were gnashing their teeth, yet they dared not act.

Yin Si’s appearance was like a basin of cold water, temporarily extinguishing the war that was about to break out.

Lin Xuan’s heart also stirred slightly. Yin Si appearing at this moment seemed to be helping him out of a predicament, but in reality, he was making his connection with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion public, while simultaneously "inviting" him into the center of the even more complex whirlpool that was the Heavenly Mandate Hall. But he had no other choice at this moment; staying here would only lead to an endless siege.

"I will trouble Envoy Yin Si to lead the way." Lin Xuan nodded slightly toward Yin Si, his tone calm.

Yin Si said no more, turned around, and stepped onto the water surface. Wherever his feet stepped, the water surface automatically condensed into crystal-like stairs, extending toward the Heavenly Mandate Hall deep within the clouds and mist.

Lin Xuan did not hesitate and followed closely behind.

Under the gaze of countless complex eyes, the two walked one after the other, stepping on the crystal stairs, their figures gradually submerging into the thick clouds and mist until they disappeared.

Not until they had completely vanished did the frozen atmosphere in the plaza suddenly relax, immediately followed by an eruption of even more intense discussion.

"The Heavenly Secret Pavilion actually intervened!"

"What exactly is this Jin Shisan’s background? To actually make the Heavenly Secret Pavilion value him so much?"

"It seems there is no hope for the Nascent-Forming Creation Dew..."

"Not necessarily! The situation inside the Heavenly Mandate Hall is complex; there might still be a chance!"

Everyone had different thoughts, but for the time being, no one dared to pursue them into the territory of the Heavenly Mandate Hall. That was the Heavenly Secret Pavilion’s turf, where the rules were strict.

Passing through the thick clouds and mist, the scene before them opened up once again.

It was not the golden, magnificent palace one might imagine, but a massive platform suspended in the void. The platform was paved with some unknown blue-gray stone, ancient and weathered, with clouds and mist swirling around its edges and a bottomless void below. On the platform were dozens of pavilions and towers of various styles, some brightly lit, others silent.

This was the outer platform of the Heavenly Mandate Hall.

Yin Si led Lin Xuan straight toward the tallest building in the center of the platform. It was a nine-story ancient bronze pagoda, its body covered in the traces of time and profound runes, its spire hidden in the chaotic airflow above, emitting a vast and mysterious aura.

The pagoda door opened silently; inside was not a pagoda chamber, but a vast, strange space with stars arranged in rows! It was as if a piece of the starry sky had been intercepted and brought into the pagoda.

"This place is my Heavenly Secret Pavilion’s stronghold here, the 'Star-Gazing Pagoda'." Yin Si’s voice echoed under the starry sky. "Fellow Daoist Jin, please follow me."

He led Lin Xuan, stepping on invisible stairs, walking step by step into the depths of the starry sky. The surrounding stars revolved, appearing within reach, yet separated by endless time and space.

Finally, the two stopped in front of a slowly rotating star emitting a soft white light. On this star, a jade desk and two meditation cushions were placed.

"Sit." Yin Si sat down on one of the cushions.

Lin Xuan sat down opposite him, his gaze sweeping over the endless starry sky around him, his heart shocked by the methods of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. This Star-Gazing Pagoda was definitely a space magic treasure of terrifyingly high grade!

"Envoy Yin Si, can we talk about the transaction now?" Lin Xuan got straight to the point.

Yin Si’s eyes, flickering with data streams, looked at Lin Xuan and said slowly: "The content of the transaction depends on your choice. My Heavenly Secret Pavilion can offer you three paths."

"First, my pavilion can take action to help you completely resolve the external crisis and assist you in leaving the secret realm safely. The price is... the Nascent-Forming Creation Dew in your hand, and that you owe my Heavenly Secret Pavilion a favor."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuan sneered in his heart. These conditions were harsh; not only did they want to take the Creation Dew he had obtained with such difficulty, but they also wanted him to owe a favor that would be hard to repay. He shook his head directly: "This path will not work."

Yin Si seemed to have expected this and continued: "Second, my pavilion can provide an absolutely safe place for seclusion, allowing you to refine the Creation Dew and stabilize your cultivation. When you emerge, whether you fight or leave is for you to decide. The price is... you must swear a heart-demon oath to do three things for my pavilion in the future. This matter will never violate your Dao heart principles."

These conditions were slightly better than the first, but it still meant handing over part of his fate to others. Lin Xuan shook his head again: "Please state the third path."

The corners of Yin Si’s mouth under his hood seemed to curl into an imperceptible arc: "The third path is also the one I most recommend. My pavilion can tell you a secret—the greatest secret regarding this secret realm and yourself. This secret concerns your life and death, and also a great catastrophe about to sweep through this world. Knowing this secret, you might be able to grasp a glimmer of survival, or even... reverse the situation. The price is..."

He paused, his voice becoming deeper and more mysterious.

"The price is seven-tenths of the medicinal power of that drop of Nascent-Forming Creation Dew in your hand! Furthermore, you need to promise to take action for my Heavenly Secret Pavilion at a specific moment in the future, with a target... who might be an 'old friend'."

Only seven-tenths of the medicinal power? A promise to take action once? And the target is an "old friend"?

Lin Xuan’s gaze narrowed. This third path seemed to have the lowest price, but the information it contained was the most shocking! It concerned the greatest secret of the secret realm? It concerned his own life and death? It concerned a catastrophe sweeping the world? And that specific "old friend" target...

What exactly did the Heavenly Secret Pavilion know? And what were they plotting?

He pondered for a moment, not answering immediately, but instead asked: "How can I be sure that the secret you speak of is worth this price?"

Yin Si seemed to have expected him to ask this and raised his hand to brush over the jade desk. Starlight condensed on the desk, turning into a blurry dynamic image.

In the image, one could vaguely see the five giant stone pillars at the Five Elements Demon-Sealing Land shaking violently, with cracks spreading, more severe than before! And behind that rune-covered gate he had reinforced, the terrifying aura of that "Ruins Abyss Demon Sense" seemed to have become more active, tyrannical, and even... faintly revealing a trace of cunning and wisdom! As if its previous suppression was not entirely due to lack of power, but... intentional?!

At the same time, the image flashed, and several blurry figures appeared. One of them was none other than the Zhao family ancestor, Zhao Wuji! He was meeting with several black shadows with bizarre, non-human auras in a secret location! And in another flickering image, Lin Xuan even saw the figure of Ye Chen; he seemed to be pursuing something, but his line of fate showed signs of being extremely complex and shrouded in heavy fog...

The image stopped abruptly.

Yin Si withdrew his hand and said faintly: "These are just some fragments. The real secret is far more shocking than what you have seen. How about it? Will you make this deal or not?"

Lin Xuan’s heart was surging with waves. The hidden danger of the Five Elements Demon-Sealing Land had not been eliminated, but might have become even more severe? The Zhao family was indeed colluding with certain forces? Ye Chen’s fate was shrouded in fog? Behind all of this, there truly seemed to be a massive conspiracy hidden!

He took a deep breath, looked at Yin Si, and said in a deep voice:

"I want to know everything!"

(End of Chapter 67)