Alert! The Dragon Lord has emerged from seclusion!

Chu Ling'er weakly raised her hand: "Um... when I was sensing those fragments, I also saw a blurry symbol."

She picked up a charcoal pencil and began sketching on the paper.

After a few strokes, an ancient emblem emerged: a circle on the outside and a square on the inside, with an abstract yin-yang vortex in the center, surrounded by seven small dots.

"This is the 'Celestial Evolution Chart'!"

Xuanbing Zhenren's pupils constricted sharply. "The mark of the Heavenly Dao Alliance! The last time it appeared was three hundred years ago, during the overnight disappearance of the ancient Loulan Kingdom in the Western Regions!"

The temperature inside the main hall seemed to drop suddenly.

Mu Qingyao nervously twisted her fingers: "Why...why are they looking for that seed? Can it really lead to immortality?"

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as becoming an immortal," Lin Chen finally said.

He had been silent since the start of the meeting, but now when he raised his eyes, a faint starlight flickered deep within them—a sign that the fusion of the seven origins had not yet been fully contained.

"If the records are true, the 'Seed of Chaos' contains the fundamental laws of creation and destruction. Whoever obtains it may truly be able to reshape the universe and act on behalf of Heaven."

He paused, then added, "It could also... be replaced."

These words sent chills down everyone's spines.

The Azure Sun Sword Master abruptly stood up: "This matter must be notified to the other six righteous sects! If the Heavenly Dao Alliance truly harbors such ambitions, it will be a catastrophe for the entire cultivation world and even the mortal realm!"

"That's not appropriate." Granny Cihang shook her head. "We currently only have fragmented testimonies and Chu's vague feelings; the evidence is insufficient."

"Rashly announcing this could alert the enemy and cause unnecessary panic and suspicion."

"What should we do then?" Qin Yurou asked anxiously. "Are we just going to wait for them to come knocking on our door?"

Su Qingxue looked at Lin Chen: "What's your opinion?"

Lin Chen pondered for a moment, then analyzed clearly: "First, continue to delve deeper into the Netherworld Sect's files to find direct clues about the Heavenly Dao Alliance."

"Second, secretly investigate historical disappearances or bizarre events related to the 'Seven Stars' and 'Nine Yang' physiques to see if any patterns can be found. Third—"

His gaze swept over the six women present: "Improve your strength. The Heavenly Dao Alliance's next move will definitely not be at the level of the Netherworld Sect."

"I agree," Ye Qingcheng said readily. "I need a place where I can practice my sword skills without worry."

Shen Qingqiu nodded: "It's time for me to formally begin studying the complete inheritance of the Medicine Spirit Body."

Chu Ling'er and Mu Qingyao exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We need to become stronger too!"

Qin Yurou clenched her fist: "I will try my best to keep up with everyone!"

Su Qingxue rose and bowed to the three elders: "In that case, please arrange cultivation sites and resources within the valley. At the same time, the intelligence networks of the Su family, Qin family, Shen family, Ye family, and Chu family will all be activated to cooperate with the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion in its covert investigation."

Master Xuanbing nodded with satisfaction: "Good. The 'Seven Mysterious Realms' in the valley can help you consolidate your origins and comprehend cultivation techniques. It will open tomorrow."

He looked at Lin Chen meaningfully: "Young Lin, the seven sources within you have just begun to merge, and your realm is not yet stable. The 'Chaos Spring' at the deepest part of the secret realm may help you fully control your newly acquired power."

"Thank you, Elder."

……

The Seven Mysterious Realms are located in the forbidden area behind the Xiaoyao Valley, and are an independent small grotto-heaven.

The entrance is a rotating, seven-colored light gate; once you step through, the view opens up before you.

The secret realm features the rotation of the sun and moon and the changing of the four seasons, and the concentration of spiritual energy is more than ten times that of the outside world.

The seven people were led to different cultivation areas.

Lin Chen walked alone to the deepest part of the secret realm.

After passing through a bamboo forest shrouded in misty fog, a spring pool about three zhang square came into view.

The pool water was a chaotic color, neither black nor white, constantly churning, sometimes resembling the annihilation of stars, and sometimes presenting the scene of the birth of all things.

"The Chaos Spring..." Lin Chen took off his outer clothes and slowly stepped into the pool.

The moment the spring water touched the body, a vast and primordial chaotic energy surged into the body.

The colorless, chaotic energy ball in his dantian suddenly accelerated its rotation, eagerly absorbing the power of the same origin.

Lin Chen closed his eyes and focused his mind, his consciousness sinking into introspection.

Within the meridians, the seven fundamental forces have begun to merge, but there are still slight obstructions.

Under the cleansing force of the Chaos Spring, these obstacles were washed away one by one, and the fusion became more harmonious and unimpeded.

He seemed to see the beginning of the universe: pure energy rising, turbid energy descending, yin and yang differentiating, the five elements emerging... and his own chaotic energy cluster was at that "origin," encompassing everything and nurturing everything.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

The seven points of starlight in his eyes completely subsided, transforming into a deep, abyss-like pupil color.

His aura had returned to its original simplicity, with no trace of it leaking out, yet it gave people a sense of vastness and immeasurability.

Half-step Golden Core, completely stabilized.

He even touched the invisible barrier of the Golden Core stage—breaking through was only a matter of time.

Just then, a communication jade talisman in his bosom began to warm slightly.

It is Su Qingxue.

Lin Chen dressed and left the pass, following the guidance of the jade talisman to a cold pool on the east side of the secret realm.

Su Qingxue was sitting cross-legged on a blue stone in the pool, surrounded by icy blue mist, clearly indicating that her Xuan Yin Body had made further progress.

Upon seeing his arrival, Su Qingxue stopped her practice, stood up, and walked on the water like a fairy treading on water.

"We have news." She got straight to the point, handing over a jade slip. "The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has used its deepest-buried informants and uncovered three things."

Lin Chen probed in with his divine sense.

First, thirty-seven years ago, a female disciple of Longhu Mountain who possessed the "Thunder Spirit Body" (one of the Nine Yin variants) mysteriously disappeared. Among the traces left at the scene, energy fluctuations similar to those described by Chu Ling'er were detected.

Secondly, 120 years ago, there was a rumor of the "Nine Yang Physique" in the northern desert, but the young man disappeared suddenly after he became famous, and was suspected to have been taken away by a mysterious organization.

Third, and most importantly, three months ago, fishermen near Guixu in the East China Sea witnessed a mirage, in which a floating fairy mountain appeared, with the words "Tianyan" faintly visible on the mountain gate plaque.

"The Ruins of Return..." Lin Chen frowned. "The legendary Abyss of Ten Thousand Seas, the end of heaven and earth."

"The headquarters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance is very likely located there." Su Qingxue's gaze was cold. "But the Ruins of Return are spatially chaotic and unpredictable, and have been forbidden areas since ancient times."

Lin Chen put away the jade slip: "We need more intelligence. At least we need to know the internal structure, strength level, and specific objectives of the Heavenly Dao Alliance."

"We're already investigating." Su Qingxue paused, her icy blue eyes looking at him. "Also, Luo Yunyi sent a message saying that her father has found new clues in the ancient books at the research institute and hopes we can go there."

"When?"

"Three days later."

……

Three days later, on the third basement floor of a state-level secret research institute in Jiangnan.

Luo Changfeng looked much better and was wearing a white coat, busy in front of a pile of ancient books and holographic projection materials.

Luo Yunyi assisted her, and she changed into a simple T-shirt and jeans, with her long hair tied in a ponytail. She looked less weak than she had in Death Valley and more capable.