Chapter 74: Hidden Dragon Leaves the Abyss

Secret realm, nameless valley, absolute silence.

Unlike the clamor of the outside world’s rumors about "Jin Shisan" clashing with a Soul Transformation expert and becoming famous far and wide, the center of the storm at this moment was immersed in a profound tranquility.

Deep in the valley, a nearly perfect concealment array completely isolated the inside from the outside. The array’s light curtain flowed with an aura that blended seamlessly with the surrounding rocks and vegetation; even if a peak Nascent Soul cultivator were to pass by, they would find it impossible to detect anything amiss unless they deliberately scanned it inch by inch with their spiritual sense.

Inside the array, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged, beneath him the Dao Expansion Meditation Cushion (imitation) obtained from the system's Chaos Compass. The cushion appeared ancient and simple, yet it continuously emitted a cool, calming intent, nourishing his sea of consciousness and making his mind clearer and more agile than ever before.

His entire body was shrouded in chaotic energy resembling clouds and mist. These currents were no longer simple gray; within them, it seemed as if countless tiny starlight flickers were being born and extinguished, with deep, dark light circulating, and even faint, strange visions of earth, water, fire, and wind evolving, and all things coming into being and passing away. This was the natural manifestation of Dao rhyme that occurred when a Chaos Dao Seed first formed.

Within his dantian, the Chaos Dao Seed had completely stabilized. It was only the size of a grain of rice, yet it was as heavy as a star, appearing to be the origin point of all matter and energy, as well as the final destination where all laws return to nothingness. The Dao Seed rotated slowly; with every turn, without needing Lin Xuan to deliberately guide it, it could swallow and spit out the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and even directly absorb the thin fragments of laws from the void, refining them into the most primordial chaotic spiritual power to nourish himself.

"Nascent Soul mid-stage, completely stabilized." Lin Xuan looked inward, his heart as calm as an ancient well. Three days of quiet cultivation had not only solidified his newly broken-through realm until it was indestructible, but with the help of the Dao Expansion Meditation Cushion (imitation), he had also sorted out the various insights from this breakthrough clearly and thoroughly.

His spiritual sense strength, due to the condensation of the Dao Seed and the refinement of the Soul Armor Technique, was now comparable to the late Nascent Soul stage, with a coverage range of up to five hundred miles, allowing for minute observation.

The "Shrinking Ground to an Inch" divine ability, under the Chaos Dao Seed’s natural affinity for spatial laws, had reached the realm of "following the mind," where a distance of a hundred feet was nearly teleportation, and the consumption of spiritual power was greatly reduced.

In the "Eye of Breaking Delusion," chaotic light flickered; ordinary illusion arrays and disguises were transparent in his eyes, and he could even vaguely glimpse the essential trajectory of energy flow.

The "Nine Turns Thunder Gang Body," nourished by the chaotic spiritual power, quietly stepped into the late stage of the second turn, his physical strength increasing once more, his blood and energy like a dragon.

And that self-created "Nirvana Finger," having integrated a trace of the destruction intent refined while opposing the demon, had become increasingly condensed, its destructive properties even greater, making it his strongest single-target offensive method at present.

The greatest harvest, however, was the control over the Star Netherlight. Previously, activating it required borrowing the power of the Star Core and the Nether Soul-Suppressing Token, consuming a massive amount of energy. Now, relying on the governance of the Chaos Dao Seed, he could initially mobilize his own spiritual power to simulate the partial law-rhyme of both treasures. Although the power was not as great as using both treasures together, it had the advantage of being used at will with controllable consumption, sufficient to serve as a powerful divine ability for regular combat.

"The might of Soul Transformation... truly beyond what a Nascent Soul can reach." His thoughts inevitably returned to that thrilling scene three days ago; that demonic palm covering the sky and sun, that pressure freezing the soul, remained as clear as yesterday. If not for the awakening of the secret realm's will, if not for him condensing the Dao Seed in the heat of the moment and perceiving the last glimmer of survival in the sealed remnant array... the outcome would have been unthinkable.

This did not discourage him; instead, it ignited a stronger fighting spirit and sense of urgency. The Xuyuan demonic consciousness was like a sword hanging over his head, not knowing when it would fall again. He needed power, and even more, he needed information.

With a thought, the token that was neither gold nor jade, the Heavenly Secret Guide, appeared in his hand. The token felt cool to the touch, and the spatial coordinates contained within seemed more active than when he was in the secret realm, transmitting a faint sense of guidance. The direction vaguely pointed toward the Imperial Capital, but it also seemed... even more ethereal and unpredictable.

"Heavenly Secret Pavilion..." Lin Xuan’s fingertips brushed over the smooth surface of the token, his eyes deep. "You invested in me, this 'variable,' in advance and told me the secret of Xuyuan; what exactly is your goal? Is the target of that so-called 'one strike' truly just that demon? Or... is there someone else?"

He never believed in kindness without reason, especially from a mysterious and unpredictable organization like the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. Trading with them was like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss; he had to be cautious at every step. But there was no denying that the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was the only source of information he could currently access that might provide insights into ancient secrets, the Hunyuan Dao Ancestor, and even the subsequent path for his own Chaos Dao.

"And Ye Chen, Li Daoyi, Yun Yao... these 'Children of Destiny'..." Several dazzling figures flashed through Lin Xuan’s mind. After this battle, they must have also felt immense pressure; with their talent and background, their strength would surely advance by leaps and bounds. The future Tianyuan Dynasty, and even this entire world, was destined not to be peaceful. His intrusion as a "variable" would only make these waters murkier, and it would inevitably bring more challenges and... opportunities.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay." Lin Xuan made a quick judgment. The secret realm had become the eye of the storm, and all parties would surely intensify their search for the demon and his "Jin Shisan" trail. Staying here, he would be found sooner or later. He needed a broader world, more resources, especially regarding the subsequent cultivation methods of the "Nine Turns Chaos Scripture," the cultivation method for the Chaos Dao Seed, and means to deal with the Xuyuan demonic consciousness. And these were more likely to be found in the core regions of the Tianyuan Dynasty or in certain ancient ruins.

The secret realm was not scheduled to close for several more months; he could not wait, nor did he wish to collide head-on with various forces at the exit.

Recalling the markings on the map of the Five Elements Wanderer, he selected an area called the "Void Rift Valley." The space there was extremely unstable, with periodic weak points in space, making it a potential path to forcibly break through the boundary and leave.

With his mind made up, he did not delay. With a wave of his hand, he removed the concealment array, his figure flickering, blending into the shadows of the valley like blue smoke. Operating the "Turtle Breath Technique" and the "Shadow Concealment Art" to the limit, combined with the system's luck-masking function, he seemed to have completely become a part of the environment, his aura ethereal, his presence reduced to the minimum, as he quietly sneaked toward the direction of the Void Rift Valley.

Several days later, a desolate and dead area with the ground covered in hideous cracks appeared before his eyes. This was the Void Rift Valley; the air was filled with chaotic spatial fluctuations, and tiny black spatial rifts were visible to the naked eye, appearing and disappearing like poisonous snakes, devouring all matter and spiritual energy that approached. Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators arriving here would have to be extremely careful, fearing being swept into the spatial turbulence.

Lin Xuan stood at the edge of the rift valley, his expression solemn. He activated the "Eye of Breaking Delusion" with all his might, chaotic light swirling in his eyes, and the world in his field of vision suddenly changed. Countless colorful light bands representing different attribute energies twisted, collided, and annihilated in the void; this was the manifestation of spatial laws being unstable to the extreme.

He waited patiently, his spiritual sense acting like the most precise radar, scanning every inch of spatial change. After a full day, when the setting sun dyed the rift valley in a desolate, beautiful twilight, he finally captured an extremely subtle but relatively regular energy ripple!

At the core of that ripple, the spatial structure was at its most fragile, and it faintly resonated with a certain coordinate in the outside world!

"Now!"

A brilliant light exploded in Lin Xuan’s eyes; he no longer hesitated. The Chaos Dao Seed in his dantian suddenly accelerated its rotation, and the vast, majestic chaotic spiritual power surged toward his right palm like a bursting flood. At the same time, he channeled his understanding of the Star Netherlight, wrapping a trace of law power containing "sealing" and "stabilizing" properties around his palm.

He pointed his fingers like a blade and, with all his might, slashed fiercely at the core of that spatial ripple!

"Open for me!"

*Screech—!!!*

A tooth-aching shriek, as if fabric were being forcibly torn apart, rang out!

A spatial rift, only wide enough for one person to pass through, with edges constantly twisting and shaking and chaotic light and shadow inside, was forcibly torn open! On the other side of the rift, it was no longer the gray sky and chaotic spiritual energy of the secret realm, but the familiar, azure sky and relatively gentle and stable spiritual energy of the outside world!

A strong spatial repulsive force surged from all directions; the rift was extremely unstable and looked as if it were about to collapse!

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, took one last look at this secret realm that had brought him transformation and crisis, his eyes resolute, and his figure turned into a stream of light, plunging into the dangerous spatial rift without hesitation!

The moment his figure disappeared, the rift convulsed and contracted violently like a wounded beast, then suddenly collapsed into a tiny black dot and disappeared completely. Only the chaotic spatial fluctuations remained in the rift valley, as if nothing had ever happened.

Tianyuan Dynasty, western border, deep in the Cangmang Mountains.

Above a lonely peak rarely visited by humans, the space twisted strangely, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sending out circles of invisible ripples.

The next moment, a figure in green robes stumbled out from the center of the twisted space in a rather disheveled state, staggering a few steps in the air before barely stabilizing his figure and landing on a giant rock at the peak.

It was Lin Xuan.

His face was slightly pale, his chest heaving, and the blood and energy within him were churning incessantly. Forcibly tearing through the spatial barrier, even after finding a weak point, involved spatial tearing forces during the crossing that far exceeded his imagination. If not for his strong physical body and the protection of his chaotic spiritual power, he would likely have been injured.

He quickly looked around. The mountains were majestic, the forest sea vast, and the air was filled with primitive and abundant wood-attribute spiritual energy and a faint demonic aura. In the distant sky, occasionally, escape lights driven by cultivators streaked across, indicating that this was not a dead zone.

"Finally out..." Lin Xuan let out a long sigh of relief. Feeling the stable and familiar laws of heaven and earth of the outside world, a sense of having lived through a lifetime arose spontaneously. He quickly determined his position; he should be in the Cangmang Mountains on the western border of the Tianyuan Dynasty. The deviation from his expected return to the Imperial Capital region was not small, but it was still within an acceptable range.

He restrained his aura, his spiritual sense spreading out like a tide, cautiously probing the movements within a few hundred miles. Only after confirming there was no immediate danger did he truly relax and begin to carefully feel his own changes.

Being in the outside world, the operation of the Chaos Dao Seed seemed a bit smoother, and his connection with this world was closer. He could vaguely feel that in the direction of the Imperial Capital, several massive auras were rising into the sky like wolf smoke, intertwining and colliding; while the more distant south was a chaotic, hazy area full of wild and unknown auras; in the west, sharp, peerless sword intent and heavy Buddha light faintly appeared; in the north, coldness and imperial dragon aura coexisted...

"The Tianyuan Dynasty is indeed full of hidden talents and magnificent sights." Lin Xuan felt a secret awe in his heart. This world was far broader and more complex than he had previously known.

He knew that although he was already at the Nascent Soul mid-stage with a nascent Dao Seed, he could not yet be considered top-tier in this vast dynasty or even this entire world. The ancestors of those top forces in the Imperial Capital, the veteran generals guarding the borders, and the sect leaders of hidden sects likely all possessed Soul Transformation or even higher cultivation bases. Not to mention the Xuyuan demonic consciousness lurking in the depths of the secret realm, watching like a tiger.

The road ahead was still long, surrounded by powerful enemies.

But there was no fear in Lin Xuan’s eyes; instead, a burning fighting spirit ignited. The Chaos Dao was meant to carve out a path amidst thousands of calamities and grasp eternity within endless variables!

His gaze was firm as he looked toward the east; that was the direction of the Imperial Capital, and also the place where wind and clouds gathered.

"The Imperial Capital, no rush for now." He quickly calmed down. "The name 'Jin Shisan' must have already spread; returning now would be no different from throwing myself into a net. I need to first understand the outside situation, especially the attitudes of various parties toward the great changes in the secret realm and toward 'me'."

He recalled the markings on the map; the nearest gathering point for cultivators was a major border town located at the edge of the mountains—Heiyan City. It was a place where all kinds of people gathered, information flowed quickly, and it was the best place to understand the situation.

"Let's start from this Heiyan City and see what kind of excitement this 'Wind Rises in Tianyuan' era holds!"

He took a step, his figure disappearing from the peak, blending into the vast forest sea, and quietly heading toward that border town outside the mountains.

The hidden dragon has left the abyss, and the wind and clouds will soon meet.