From Fanwu to Xinghai

Late at night, a deserted mountain god temple thirty miles outside Yunzhong City.

Several men in black concealed their presence, blending seamlessly into the darkness. The leader, a middle-aged man with only one eye, was pale, his left eye covered by a black cloth, leaving only his right eye cold and indifferent.

A man in black emerged from the darkness and knelt on one knee: "The information is confirmed. The target is Lin Chen from Qing Shi Town, sixteen years old, at the third level of Body Tempering. He defeated Wang Tianba, a direct descendant of the Wang family, in the martial arts exam retest, and his combat strength far exceeds his cultivation level."

"A Body Tempering Stage 3 cultivator defeats Wang Tianba?" The one-eyed middle-aged man frowned slightly. "Even at his weakest, Wang Tianba is still at the Body Tempering Stage 5, cultivating the Overlord Fist Technique. How could a border youth possibly defeat him?"

"I witnessed it with my own eyes. His reaction was abnormal. His dodging and counterattacks were as if he had foreseen it. The candidates privately say that he has a special ability similar to precognition."

The one-eyed middle-aged man's pupils contracted sharply, and he repeated in a low voice: "Precognitive abilities... fragments of the River of Time."

He walked to the temple gate, looked at the lights of Cloud City, and said in a deep voice, "Three days ago, the young master sent a message that there were fluctuations from an ancient ruin underground in Qing Shi Town. After our people investigated, they found that the entrance had been opened and a first-level civilization artifact had been taken away. The person who took the artifact was Lin Chen. The young master has ordered that we retrieve the artifact at all costs. He must see the person alive or dead."

The man in black replied, "Understood."

"Furthermore, Zhao Wuji has set his sights on Lin Chen. He is a member of the Zhao family and has a past grudge against us. If he makes a move, we will observe the situation and reap the benefits."

"Your subordinate obeys."

The man in black disappeared into the darkness. The one-eyed middle-aged man gazed at the bright moon in the night sky and muttered to himself, "A fragment of the River of Time. Three hundred years ago, someone activated this object and founded the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, which became one of the most mysterious organizations in the world. How far can this boy go? But it doesn't matter. In front of the young master, he is ultimately just an ant."

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Cloud City Inn.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, shirtless, surrounded by billowing white steam. Uncle Chen placed his hand on Lin Chen's back, continuously channeling warm spiritual energy into him. The Iron Wall Infusion Technique had taken effect, and Lin Chen felt his meridians becoming increasingly resilient under the nourishment of the spiritual energy.

"Guide the high-dimensional energy from the mark between your eyebrows to flow along the meridians. Remember to do it slowly. If you feel the meridians tearing, stop immediately," Uncle Chen solemnly instructed.

"clear."

Lin Chen focused his mind on the space between his brows, and the Time Mark glowed faintly under the guidance of his will. A wisp of faint golden energy overflowed, flowing into his meridians like a fine thread. The energy was gentle yet contained immense power. Wherever it flowed, impurities in the meridians were cleared, cells were activated, and muscle fibers quietly transformed.

"This is a good sign; the higher-dimensional energy is optimizing your physique," Uncle Chen said, his tone slightly relieved.

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden energy suddenly accelerated out of control, the mark between his eyebrows throbbed violently, and a massive amount of golden energy surged out, far exceeding Lin Chen's control.

"Not good!" Uncle Chen's expression changed drastically. He tried his best to suppress the energy with his spiritual power, but he couldn't stop the energy from bursting forth. "Lin Chen, sever the connection with the mark!"

Lin Chen wanted to stop, but his consciousness was firmly locked, and countless images flashed wildly in his mind: a giant city built of transparent material, vehicles shuttling through the air, strange crowds sitting around a circular device, a blue crystal floating at the core, a light gate engraved with living characters... The broken words "civilization" and "accelerator" flashed through his consciousness.

boom!

A terrifying energy erupted from Lin Chen's body, causing the room to shake violently, the window paper to shatter, and the tables and chairs to overturn. Uncle Chen was forced back three steps, his face turning deathly pale.

Lin Chen was enveloped in golden light, with a faint miniature compass pattern rotating around him. His cultivation level soared wildly: peak of the third level of Body Tempering, early stage of the fourth level of Body Tempering, mid-stage of the fourth level of Body Tempering... until the peak of the fourth level of Body Tempering, the golden light slowly dissipated, and his body fell back onto the bed, panting heavily.

Uncle Chen stepped forward to examine the pulse, his shock turning into relief: "You're incredibly lucky. Just now, the high-dimensional energy went berserk. If it weren't for the Iron Wall Infusion Technique strengthening your meridians, you would have been crippled long ago."

Lin Chen remained silent. He knew that the Time Imprint was evolving, and those images were ancient memories remaining in the Imprint, with something unknown being activated.

"The benefits are real. From the third to the peak of the fourth level, it takes less than an incense stick's time. This is unprecedented in the dynasty." Uncle Chen smiled bitterly. "It will be barely enough for tomorrow's retest. The peak of the fourth level plus the ability to foresee things is enough to deal with ordinary opponents, but it will still be insufficient when encountering geniuses above the seventh level of Body Tempering."

"Do your best." Lin Chen got up and stretched. His strength increased by 50%, his speed by 30%, his endurance doubled, and his control over the time imprint became more precise. He could predict the scene with unparalleled clarity and even see the direction of his opponent's muscle contraction.

The retest continued the following day.

After yesterday's elimination rounds, only 400 out of more than 800 people remained. Today's rules have been changed to a free-for-all: all 400 people will enter the 100-foot stone platform together. Anyone who is knocked down or escapes the platform within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn will be eliminated, and the top 100 will advance to the finals.

Lin Chen stood at the edge of the stone platform, the Time Mark glowing faintly, countless fragments of the future flashing within. In the chaotic battle, there were too many enemies and the changes were too rapid. Knowing that his advantage was being weakened, he immediately chose to defend and counterattack. With his back against the corner of the stone platform and stone pillars on his left and right for cover, he only needed to defend his front, greatly reducing the pressure.

At the examiner's command, four hundred people attacked simultaneously, fists and blades flashing, screams and shouts rising and falling.

A young man at the fifth level of Body Tempering charged at Lin Chen with a knife. Lin Chen, through precognition, saw that there were two more people behind him and planned to surround him with the three of them.

Lin Chen's lips curled slightly as he bent down to pick up a pebble and precisely threw it half a foot in front of the young man's right foot. The young man stepped on the pebble while sprinting, instantly losing his balance and falling forward. Lin Chen dodged to the side and kicked him in the back of the knee, shattering his kneecap. The young man screamed and rolled off the stone platform.

Seeing this, the other two dared not step forward and retreated dejectedly.

In the following time, Lin Chen used the same method to accurately throw stones to break the balance, defeating the enemy with one blow, eliminating seven attackers in a row, calmly and efficiently, without suffering any damage.

On the examiner's platform, Zhao Wuji frowned: "This boy is unusually calm; he is definitely not an ordinary youth."

The black-robed man beside him nodded: "Excellent positioning strategy, defensive counterattack, no waste of energy, fighting style far beyond that of ordinary people."

Zhao Wuji took out the jade slip, infused it with spiritual power, and pointed it at Lin Chen. Instantly, the jade slip shone brightly.

"A resonance reaction! It really is a fragment of the River of Time!" Zhao Wuji's voice trembled. "Quickly inform the young master that among this group, there are true seeds!"

When the incense stick's time was up, the examiner blew the horn, and only 107 people remained on the stone platform. Lin Chen ranked seventh and easily advanced.

Back at the inn, Uncle Chen was already waiting: "How did the second round of testing go?"

"Advanced, seventh place."

"Not bad, it's extremely rare for someone at the peak of the fourth level to achieve this result." Uncle Chen nodded. "But the finals are the real battlefield. You don't have much chance of winning against geniuses like Bai Yutang, Tieshan, and Murong Xue, who are at the seventh level of Body Tempering or above."

"I need to use my premonition to find their weaknesses, but I also need to figure out their fighting style, moves, and weaknesses," Lin Chen said in a deep voice.

Uncle Chen laughed: "You're a smart kid. Tonight I'll help you find out information about the finalists, but there's a condition: after the finals, no matter the results, you have to come with me to a place."

"Where?"

"The answers to your parents, the marks on your body, and the truth about this world can all be found there," Uncle Chen said earnestly, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Lin Chen was shocked: "My parents' affairs? What do you know?"

"We'll talk about it after the finals." Uncle Chen turned and left. "Now, rest and focus on preparing for the finals. Leave everything else to me."

Lin Chen was alone in the room. Moonlight streamed in, and he gently touched the burning mark between his brows, vaguely sensing that something was slowly awakening.