Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

The Xuan Shui Cave is filled with the gurgling of a spiritual spring, and the water vapor is as misty as a fog. It is imbued with a warm and spiritual energy all year round, making it an ideal place for quiet recuperation and healing in Laoshan.

Lin Yan sat cross-legged on the stone platform at the heart of the spring, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing. A pale blue, watery aura flowed slowly around him, intertwining with the spiritual veins at the bottom of the cave. His breathing subtly harmonized with the profound tranquility techniques of the Nine Waters of Laoshan. The spirit tortoise Xuancang on his shoulder lay curled up motionless, its ancient golden patterns on its shell flickering and flowing. It continuously absorbed and exhaled the essence of the spiritual spring, transforming it into wisps of gentle, primordial spiritual energy that flowed into Lin Yan's body, nourishing his damaged meridians.

This tortoise was born from the Guixu spiritual vein, and naturally possesses the abilities to calm the veins, dispel evil, and heal injuries. Lin Yan had been fighting to the death for days, repeatedly activating his supreme treasures, and then clashing head-on with the Bone Demon, resulting in a backlash that ruptured his internal organs and severely damaged his meridians. Furthermore, residual evil poison lurked in his muscles. Ordinary elixirs could only temporarily alleviate the pain, but only the spiritual energy of the tortoise could fundamentally cleanse the poison, cultivate the veins, and solidify his foundation.

After sitting quietly for a long time, the surging blood and qi in Lin Yan's chest gradually calmed down, the excruciating pain in his internal organs dissipated, and his scattered spiritual energy gathered back like a tide, becoming thick and solid. He slowly opened his eyes, a flash of spiritual light in them. His internal injuries had healed by ninety percent, and his aura was deep and majestic, showing no trace of post-battle exhaustion.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, walked to the spring, and with a slight lift of his fingertips, a wisp of pale golden innate elixir fire leaped out. The elixir fire brushed across the water's surface, and the spiritual spring instantly vaporized into a sky full of mist. The wisps of dark, malevolent poison contained within it vanished upon contact with the fire, dissolving completely.

Lin Yan understood that his innate Dan Fire was specifically designed to counter Yin and evil. Previously, he had not been able to completely eliminate the remaining poison due to a deficiency in spiritual energy. Now that he had successfully completed his recuperation and was assisted by the spiritual tortoise, the elimination of poison would naturally be a natural outcome.

As soon as the thought arose, the "Canglan Shuiyun Danjing" in his arms suddenly trembled slightly on its own, a faint light shone, and a page of secret elixir formulas appeared before his eyes.

The inscription clearly states: The poison of the Bone Demon's Yin Sha Corrosion is deeply rooted in the veins and cannot be cured by ordinary purification methods. Only the Pure Soul Water Heart Lotus produced on the Water Moon Pavilion Medicine Island can eradicate the poison and restore the meridians. There is no other way.

Lin Yan finished reading in silence, already understanding the situation.

To completely cure Su Lingyue's poison, the only way is to personally visit the Shuiyue Pavilion.

Just then, the spirit tortoise Xuancang suddenly raised its head and let out a soft cry. The golden patterns on its shell shone brightly, and it frequently gestured towards the dense forest outside the cave, full of vigilance.

Lin Yan instantly spread his divine sense, probing deep within Mingxia Valley. A chilling, bone-chilling aura of bloodlust flashed by, its presence extremely well concealed. Had it not been for the spirit turtle's innate warning signs, it would have been extremely difficult to detect.

"They are Blood Fiend Sect sentries."

Lin Yan's eyes turned slightly cold.

It turns out that the Bone Demon, after his defeat, did not flee far, but instead sent people to infiltrate the heart of Laoshan Mountain to spy on his secluded cultivation place. His true scheme was never about the Hidden Crystal Spirit Vein, but rather about the two supreme treasures of the Void, the Inkstone and the Dingyuan Pearl, which he possessed.

At this moment, the sect elders were still arguing, surrounded by four other sects, the Lingxian Valley's defenses were unstable, and Su Lingyue's poisoning was still unresolved. The situation was extremely precarious. Lin Yan remained calm and did not want to lose sight of the bigger picture. He raised his hand and summoned back his two treasures: the Ink Inkstone and the Dingyuan Pearl, their spiritual light restrained and dormant, still tightly connected to the underground spiritual veins, like a stabilizing needle holding the earth's energy in place.

This time, his seclusion was no longer limited to healing. Instead, he integrated the "Canglan Water Cloud Elixir Scripture," the Canglan Sword Technique, the Water Control Secret Art, and the Innate Elixir Fire. The four forces of elixir, sword, water, and fire intertwined and circulated within his dantian, complementing each other. With the nurturing of the spirit tortoise and the continuous infusion of spiritual energy from the Hidden Crystal Spirit Vein, Lin Yan's cultivation level soared. His Foundation Establishment barrier shattered, and he officially entered the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. His Dao foundation became increasingly solid, and his combat power far surpassed that of before.

A surge of spiritual energy coursed through his body, causing the surrounding spiritual spring to boil slightly. A wisp of azure light shot straight up to the cave ceiling, then slowly fell back down, being absorbed into his body. Lin Yan clenched his fist, feeling a surge of power coursing through his body. The sluggishness and weakness he felt during his previous battle with the Bone Demon vanished, replaced by a fluid and powerful energy.

He looked up toward the Taiqing Palace, his gaze hardening: "No matter how long the Elders' Hall discusses things, it's all just empty talk. To secure the sect, defend against external enemies, protect the spiritual veins, and save our fellow disciples, we must ultimately rely on our own strength."

Before he finished speaking, a very subtle yet exceptionally clear tremor of the spiritual vein suddenly came from outside the cave.

It wasn't a strong attack from an external enemy, but rather a faint, uneasy tremor emanating from the direction of the Guixu Seal.

Lin Yan's expression changed slightly.

The tortoise also suddenly raised its head, its golden shell flashing rapidly, as if issuing a warning.

"The seal... is acting strangely again?"

He focused his attention and observed closely. The fluctuation was fleeting, yet it carried a familiar chill, exactly like the bloodthirsty aura of the Blood Fiend Sect.

Lin Yan's heart sank suddenly.

The Bone Demon Sect's spies were watching him, probably not just to seize the treasure, but also to test the weaknesses of the Returning Void Seal, waiting for an opportunity to incite evil spirits and coordinate an attack from within.

With the three sect leaders pressing on the mountain from the outside, the elders splitting up from within, and the Blood Fiend Sect eyeing the seal from the side, Su Lingyue's poisonous nature deeply rooted, even the Ruins of Return began to feel uneasy.

The perilous situation, like a large net, is quietly tightening.

Meanwhile, inside the council hall of Taiqing Palace, the two factions of elders remained deadlocked, each sticking to their own version of events and refusing to yield, creating an atmosphere of extreme tension.

The peace advocate Dan Chenzi sighed repeatedly, while the war advocate Elder Wudao was furious. Just as everyone was arguing fiercely, a hurried and anxious report suddenly broke the commotion outside the hall:

"Reporting to all elders! Outside Lingxian Valley, the three sect leaders—Lie Cang, the sect master of Fentian Sect; Shen Qinghan, the sect master of Qingyun Sect; and Su Wanli, the sect master of Shuiyue Pavilion—have jointly arrived at the mountain gate, stating their intention to enter the mountain for a face-to-face meeting to discuss the important matters of the ownership of the spiritual veins and the disposal of the Guixu Seal!"

The moment those words were spoken, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Elder Wudao's expression changed drastically, while Xuanzhen and Yulan looked extremely solemn.

The arrival of the three sect leaders was no longer a matter of applying pressure, but rather a coercion.

The news spread like wildfire, reaching all the way to the back of the mountain.

Inside the Xuan Shui Cave, Lin Yan closed his eyes and listened intently before slowly standing up. His deep-sea blue robe fluttered without wind, and his inkstone and Dingyuan Pearl hummed softly, as if responding to their master's fighting spirit.

"The arrival of the three sects... is fine." A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he was about to take a step out of the cave.

The perpetual mist at the cave entrance suddenly fell silent without a breeze. The sounds of all the flowing spiritual springs ceased abruptly, the surrounding spiritual energy stagnated for a moment, and the world was utterly undisturbed.

There were no footsteps, no fluctuations of spiritual energy, and no other unusual signs. A figure in a green robe stood out from nowhere amidst the light and shadow at the cave entrance.

"Master! You..."

Master Guanhai has been living in seclusion in the deep mountains of Laoshan for many years, not concerning himself with sect affairs, not getting involved in elder disputes, and rarely showing his face.

Lin Yan paused, his heart trembling slightly. He immediately stopped his stance, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, "Master."

Master's gaze was gentle, falling lightly on Lin Yan, sweeping over the flow of his aura, and then glancing at the spirit tortoise Xuan Cang on his shoulder. A faint hint of approval flashed in his eyes, "Healed from injuries, breakthrough in realm, calm mind, stable foundation, very good."

With just a few words, he saw through all the achievements and breakthroughs Lin Yan had made during his seclusion.

Lin Yan lowered his head: "Our sect is in peril, with three sects pressing on our mountain. This disciple is about to go and deal with them."

The master shook his head slightly, slowly walked into the cave, his gaze fixed on the direction of Taiqing Palace. His tone was calm and even, yet he succinctly revealed the crux of the matter:

"The three emperors' coup attempt was merely an external act."

"Blood Demon spy on the treasure, Bone Demon plots to seal it, the sect is internally divided, Su Lingyue is poisoned, external threats are easy to deal with, internal troubles are hard to guard against, and the hearts of the people are the hardest to appease."

He saw through all the schemes, both overt and covert, without missing a single one.

Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat: "This disciple is dull-witted, please enlighten me, Master."

Master raised his hand, and a glimmer of light from his fingertip gently touched Lin Yan's brow. A pure and gentle Dao principle entered his body, stabilizing his newly broken-through mid-stage Foundation Establishment Dao foundation. At the same time, he transmitted a secret message: "The three sects are negotiating. There is no need for a head-on fight or compromise. Just keep things stable."

"You must go to Shuiyue Pavilion, you must retrieve the Pure Soul Water Heart Lotus, saving people is to stabilize your mind, and only by stabilizing your mind can you protect your pulse."

"I will suppress the internal strife within the Laoshan sect and the hidden movement of the Guixu seal for you. You can focus on your work and don't need to worry about anything else."

After speaking, the master's gaze darkened slightly, and he added the most important piece of advice:

"Remember, what you are protecting is not the spiritual veins, but the Dao heart of all living beings. As long as the Dao heart remains unbroken, Laoshan will never fall."

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure in the green robe vanished silently in a wisp of mist, leaving no trace, as if he had never been there at all.

Lin Yan bowed respectfully. The inkstone and the Dingyuan Pearl ceased their humming, and the spirit tortoise Xuancang rested peacefully on his shoulder.