Chapter 463: Prophecy and the Secret Realm

Lin Xuan frowned slightly: "I also sensed unusual energy fluctuations during the process of reconverging; that was definitely not just interference from Yage's residual will."

"There is something even more worrying," Xu Feng continued, "Although the Void Pollution Zones in many parts of the world were purified when you returned, Void Energy is abnormally gathering in certain areas recently, forming a new threat. Especially in Nanji, the Bermuda Triangle area, and the depths of the Amazon; the three points connected together form a 'Void Triangle', and the energy readings are rising every day."

Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan exchanged a glance, both seeing determination in each other's eyes.

"We originally planned to go into seclusion for another three months," Lin Xuan said after a moment of thought, "but it seems the situation is not optimistic. Give us one more month; I want to attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage. Then, we will return to the headquarters to see what we can do about this new crisis."

Xu Feng gasped: "Nascent Soul Stage? That requires at least decades of accumulation! Are you sure you can do it in a month—"

"Not sure," Lin Xuan said candidly, "but it is worth a try. If my guess is correct, this 'Void-Reality Dual Spirit Root' has infinite possibilities; perhaps it is the key to countering the Void."

Xu Feng was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Fine, I will prepare more cultivation resources for you. At the same time, the headquarters will step up research on those three abnormal areas and collect more intelligence."

After seeing Xu Feng off, Lin Xuan returned to the center of the Array, closed his eyes, and felt the Yin and Yang colored Golden Core within his body. He knew that the coming month would be an extremely critical period, not only concerning his personal breakthrough in cultivation but also the future of the entire human world.

"Since the heavens have granted us a chance at rebirth, there must be a profound meaning behind it." Lin Xuan secretly made up his mind and entered a state of deep cultivation once again.

Late one night in the fourth month of seclusion, Lin Xuan was concentrating on guiding the circulation of the Void-Reality Dual Power within his body when he suddenly heard an abnormal energy fluctuation coming from the adjacent cultivation room. He immediately opened his eyes and discovered that a strange golden light was flickering in Xiao Yuan's cultivation room.

Lin Xuan quickly got up and pushed open the door to the cultivation room, only to see Xiao Yuan sitting cross-legged in the center of the Array, her eyes slightly closed, yet golden light was seeping out from the slits of her eyelids. Her body was enveloped in a pale golden energy field, as if she were isolated from the real world, having entered some kind of special state.

"Xiao Yuan?" Lin Xuan called out softly, but received no response.

Just as he hesitated whether he should interrupt this state of Xiao Yuan's, Xiao Yuan suddenly opened her eyes, and two beams of golden light shot out from them, illuminating the entire cultivation room. Her expression became exceptionally solemn, and her gaze seemed to pierce through the boundaries of time and space, looking toward some distant place.

"The Void Gate will open, the Ancient Inheritance reappears today, opportunity and danger lie on the same line, the truth is hidden within the Hun Dun." Xiao Yuan's voice was not as soft as usual, but carried a certain ancient and mysterious rhythm; every word seemed to carry a special power, forming a peculiar resonance in the air.

As soon as she finished speaking, the golden light in Xiao Yuan's eyes gradually faded, and her body went limp, falling forward. Lin Xuan hurriedly stepped forward to support her, gently patting her cheeks: "Xiao Yuan, are you okay?"

Xiao Yuan slowly opened her eyes, her gaze returning to its usual clarity: "Lin Xuan? Did I just enter that state?"

Lin Xuan nodded: "You spoke a prophecy; it seems to be about some secret realm that is about to open."

Xiao Yuan took a deep breath and collected her thoughts: "In my meditation, I suddenly felt my consciousness pulled into a strange space, and I saw a huge secret realm deep in the Himalayas. There is the inheritance and secrets left behind by Yage, and also... information related to your Spirit Root."

"Related to my Spirit Root?" A flash of surprise crossed Lin Xuan's eyes.

"Yes," Xiao Yuan nodded gently, "I saw you standing before an Ancient Altar, surrounded by a vortex of Void-Reality Dual energy, as if that were the source of this power. There was also a voice telling me that the secret realm will open in seven days, and the opening time is only one month."

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment: "It seems our seclusion plan needs to be adjusted. This secret realm might hide a method to completely purify Void Energy, and perhaps it can also solve the mystery of the origin of my special Spirit Root."

Xiao Yuan held Lin Xuan's hand: "Do you want to go and explore that secret realm?"

"Yes," Lin Xuan nodded firmly, "but before that, we need to return to the headquarters to share this discovery and request support. Exploring a secret realm is often full of danger; a little more preparation is always good."

The next morning, Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan ended their seclusion and returned to the Cultivation Science Headquarters. Their sudden appearance caused quite a stir, especially when people sensed that Lin Xuan had already reached the late stage of Golden Core, only one step away from the Nascent Soul Stage, they were even more amazed.

Xu Feng quickly arranged a high-level meeting, and Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan shared the details of Xiao Yuan's prophecy and the vision. The headquarters immediately organized a team composed of linguistics experts, energy monitoring experts, and researchers of ancient cultivation texts to analyze Xiao Yuan's prophecy.

"According to our monitoring data, there is indeed an ancient energy fluctuation point deep in the Himalayas," the energy monitoring expert said, displaying the holographic data charts, "In the last month, the frequency of energy fluctuations at this point has been rising, seemingly preparing for some kind of energy eruption. This is very likely the entrance to the ancient secret realm mentioned in Xiao Yuan's prophecy."

The linguistics expert analyzed: "'The Void Gate will open, the Ancient Inheritance reappears today' implies that this opening of the secret realm is closely related to Yage, possibly some kind of contingency left by Yage before being sealed. 'Opportunity and danger lie on the same line' warns that this secret realm contains both huge opportunities and dangers. As for 'the truth is hidden within the Hun Dun', it may refer to some major secret hidden within the secret realm."

The holographic projection in the center of the conference room displayed a 3D map of the Himalayas, with a flashing red dot marking the suspected location of the secret realm entrance. It was a remote mountain canyon, surrounded by glaciers that never melted and steep cliffs, which would be difficult to reach even with modern technology.

"Lin Xuan's 'Void-Reality Dual Spirit Root' is another key point we must discuss," said Director Chen of the Cultivation Theory Research Institute, "This unprecedented Spirit Root characteristic is extremely rare and may be the key to countering Void Pollution. If there is indeed an inheritance related to it in the secret realm, this will be a heaven-sent opportunity."

"But we cannot rule out the possibility that this is a trap," a veteran cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage raised a question, "Void Energy itself has the characteristic of bewitching people's hearts. Although Lin Xuan is exceptionally gifted, his Spirit Root contains Void power; there is no guarantee he won't be influenced by the Void Will at a critical moment."