On the dusk of the seventh day, when the last echo of the bell had completely vanished deep within the Misty Forest, the thick fog shrouding the entire assessment area began to recede like an ebbing tide.
Like a giant beast withdrawing its breath, the outlines of ancient trees gradually sharpened as the white curtain faded. The scent of blood that had accumulated over seven days in the forest’s decaying leaf?layer, mixed with the stench of demon beast carcasses, spread in the evening winda nauseatingly sweet odor.
Lin Chen stood at the edge of the mud?churned clearing outside the forest, his left hand pressed against the token at his waist; the cold touch from his palm kept him alert. Beside him, Shi Meng’s millstone?sized great hammer had three chipped edges on its blademarks left from this morning’s head?on clash with an Iron?back Bear. Lin Chen’s own left sleeve bore a palm?sized hole corroded by poison, revealing skin beneath where faint silver Star Patterns shimmeredthe Netherworld Demonic Poison left by Poison Elder last night had been ninety percent purified by Chaos Stellar power.
But hidden dangers remained.
Looking inward with Stellar Eye, he could see a few extremely fine black threads still clinging to the surface of the Chaos Star Vortex in his dantian. That was the root of the demonic poison; it required pure yang spiritual energy to slowly refine.
“Finally it’s over.”
Shi Meng let out a long, turbid breath, his voice full of weariness and relief. He turned to look at Lin Chen, a grin spreading across his dark face: “Brotherwe survived.”
Lin Chen nodded, but his gaze swept over the teams emerging one after another from the forest.
First was Liu Ruyan’s “Azure Luan Team.”
Three female disciples, robes dusty but strides steady, auras calm. Liu Ruyan walked in front, pale?green combat outfit cinched at the waist, ponytail swaying lightly behind. When she saw Lin Chen, her steps paused for an instant; a complex emotion flashed in her eyesregarding Book Elder’s warning last night “Be careful of Liu Ruyan, that girl,” Lin Chen still hadn’t fully digested it.
Their gazes met briefly; Liu Ruyan first averted her eyes and led her teammates toward the registration point.
Then came other teams.
Some were complete, disciples’ waist?tokens bulging, faces unable to conceal excitement; some were maimed, wounded supported by companions, faces pale as paper; a few teams had vanished entirelyforever left in that man?eating forest, their bones perhaps never to be recovered.
Lin Chen silently counted.
Surviving teams: ninety?three.
That meant at least twenty?seven teamsover eighty Outer Sect discipleshad died in this supposed selection assessment.
“Really ruthless” Shi Meng murmured quietly, “Elimination rate was never this high in past years.”
“Because the Netherworld Palace intervened this year.” Lin Chen’s voice was calm.
Shi Meng jolted: “You mean”
“Poison Elder appeared last night, yet Zhao Hu’s team came out unscathed. Why would a demonic path assassin help them? Only one reason”
Lin Chen looked toward the last group walking out of the forest.
Zhao Hu’s “Tiger Fiend Team.”
Seven members, intact.
Zhao Hu walked at the front, expression gloomy as iron, eyes bloodshotclearly these seven days hadn’t been easy. But the tokens stacked at his waist were like a small hill; a rough glance showed at least twenty. That meant they had snatched massive points, perhaps even hunted more than one team.
When Zhao Hu’s gaze swept over, Lin Chen clearly saw undisguised killing intent.
And a trace of hardly detectable mockery.
As if saying: You survived the team battle, but in the arena matchyou’ll definitely die.
Lin Chen’s face remained expressionless, but his right thumb gently stroked the edge of the token at his waist.
Five days laterthe arena matches.
Then, Poison Elder would surely appear.
What he needed to do waswithin these five days, break through to strength capable of resisting a Spiritual Light Realm assassin.
“Tally points!”
The Outer Sect elder in charge of the assessment called out, voice booming like rolling thunder. Ten duty disciples holding record jade slips checked each team’s tokens in turn, recording the numbers on their backs.
The process was quick.
Half a shichen later, the giant stone stele’s surface shimmered with spiritual light, floating golden characters:
First Place: Tiger Fiend Team, 3,200 points
Second Place: Azure Luan Team, 1,800 points
Third Place: Lin Chen Team, 1,500 points
Fourth Place: Blood Blade Team, 1,300 points
Shi Meng stared at the stele, grinning: “Third! Solidly in the top thirty?two!”
But Lin Chen frowned slightly.
Zhao Hu’s points reached a staggering 3,200nearly double the second place. That absolutely wasn’t a number obtainable from normal demon beast hunting. The Misty Forest’s demon beasts were plentiful, but high?tier Condensation Stage beasts were inherently scarce, and hunting them consumed time and energy. To amass three thousand points in seven days would require killing at least thirty Level?7 or above demon beasts.
Was that possible?
Unless they weren’t hunting demon beasts, but other disciples.
Stealing a token yielded half the opponent’s points. If Zhao Hu’s team spent these seven days specifically targeting other teams, with their seven?man strength, they could completely manage it.
MoreoverPoison Elder appeared last night; why didn’t he attack Zhao Hu’s team?
Would a Netherworld Palace assassin kindly help Azure Cloud Sect disciples farm points?
The only explanation: Zhao Hu had completely turned to the Netherworld Palaceor perhaps he was originally a Netherworld Palace sleeper planted within the Azure Cloud Sect.
“Silence!”
The elder raised a hand, pressing down the gradually rising discussions; his gaze swept like electricity across the hundred?odd surviving disciples.
“For this team battle, a total of 120 teams participated; 93 teams survived; 27 teams were eliminated. According to sect rules, the top 32 scoring teams among survivors advance to the final arena matches.”
“Additionally, the top three teams will receive extra rewards.”
He paused; his voice suddenly rose:
“First Place: Tiger Fiend Teamreward: three bottles of ‘Gathering Source Pills,’ three hundred mid?grade spirit stones!”
“Second Place: Azure Luan Teamreward: three sticks of ‘Mind?focusing Incense,’ two hundred mid?grade spirit stones!”
“Third Place: Lin Chen Team”
The elder’s gaze fell on Lin Chen, lingering slightly.
The corner of his mouth seemed to carry a barely detectable hint of a smile.
“Reward: three?day cultivation qualification in ‘Spirit Qi Valley’!”
As the words fell, the entire field fell dead silent for an instant.
Then erupted into boiling clamor!
“Spirit Qi Valley?! Isn’t that where Inner Sect elite disciples can enter only one day per month?”
“Three days enough to break through two levels, right?!”
“What does this trash deserve it for?!”
“Definitely elder favoritism! I protest!”
Jealous, resentful, incredulous gazes surged like a tidal wave.
Shi Meng also froze; after a while he slapped Lin Chen’s shoulder, voice trembling: “Brobrother! We hit the jackpot! That’s Spirit Qi Valley! My dad saidcultivating there one day equals half a month of bitter training outside!”
Lin Chen’s heart was equally shaken.
Spirit Qi Valleyone of the Azure Cloud Sect’s three great cultivation holy lands.
Inside the valley, source spirit qi concentration was five times the outside, and there were chaos qi leakage pointsabsolutely ideal breakthrough opportunities for the Chaos Stellar Body.
Inner Sect elite disciples got only one day per month. Now this rewardthree daysgiven to an Outer Sect disciple?
This reward was too heavy.
Heavy to the point of being abnormal.
He looked at the elder; the other’s gaze was deep as a pond, giving a slight nod.
Was that hinting at something?
“Quiet!”
The elder suppressed the field again; voice infused with spiritual power, vibrating disciples’ eardrums painfully.
“Reward rules were set by successive generations of the secthow dare you question them? Anyone who makes further noise will have their advancement qualification revoked!”
The field instantly fell silent.
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But the malice in those gazes didn’t dissipate.
Zhao Hu stared dead at Lin Chen, lips moving silently, uttering two words:
“Wait to die.”
Lin Chen remained expressionless.
After rewards were distributed, the elder continued:
“The arena matches will be held five days from now, venue: Inner Sect training grounds. Rules: single?elimination; opponents determined by draw. Use of external force treasures exceeding one’s own cultivation is prohibitedviolators will have cultivation crippled and be expelled from the sect!”
“These five days, you may prepare freely. But remember”
His voice suddenly turned coldlike piercing ice:
“The sect strictly forbids private combat! If any disciple is discovered secretly harming fellow disciples, regardless of background, will be treated as sect?betrayalexecuted without exception!”
The final four wordskilling intent sharp as frost.
Clearly aimed at Zhao Hu.
Zhao Hu’s face turned livid, but he didn’t dare refute, only gritting his teeth and lowering his head.
“Dismissed!”
The elder flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
Disciples gradually dispersed.
Just as Lin Chen and Shi Meng were about to leave, Liu Ruyan approached with her two female teammates.
“Junior Brother Lincongratulations.”
Her voice was gentle; gaze still clear, showing no trace of pretense.
Lin Chen cupped his fists: “Senior Sister Liulikewise.”
“Spirit Qi Valley is a rare opportunity.” Liu Ruyan took a pale?green jade slip from her bosom, offering it, “This is a map my father left years agomarks several areas where chaos qi is relatively dense. Might be useful to you.”
Lin Chen froze.
Book Elder’s warning surfaced again“Her father also died investigating demonic qi years ago. But now she seems rather close to Zhao Long.”
Was it genuine aid, or a trap?
He accepted the slip; divine sense swept over it.
The map was extremely detailedvalley topography, spirit spring distribution, demon beast lairs, chaos leakage points even marking several “danger?prohibited zones.” Handwriting neat and elegantclearly carefully drawn.
Not like a forgery.
“Thank you, Senior Sister.” Lin Chen stored the slip.
“No need.” Liu Ruyan paused, lowering her voice, “Also be careful of Zhao Long. He’s recently been rather close to an Inner Sect eldersurname ‘Qin,’ in charge of Law Enforcement Hall punishments. Has ties to the Netherworld Palace.”
Having said that, she turned to leave.
“Senior Sister.” Lin Chen suddenly spoke.
Liu Ruyan halted and looked back.
“Why help me?”
The air quieted for an instant.
In the distance came the clamor of other disciples; evening wind stirred the stray hair before Liu Ruyan’s forehead. A flash of painswift as lightningpassed through her eyes, then restored calm.
“Because my father also died by demonic path hands.”
Voice very soft, yet hammering Lin Chen’s heart.
“But my ability is limited. Investigating three yearsonly uncovered these superficial clues. You’re differentyou have the Chaos Stellar Body. You’re the only one who might uncover the truth.”
She looked at Lin Chen, eyes firm.
“Solive. Grow stronger. Then avenge my father.”
No more words; Liu Ruyan led her companions and departed.
Her back, in the deepening twilight, appeared especially slenderyet radiating an indescribable resilience.
Shi Meng scratched his head: “Junior Brother LinSenior Sister Liu seems genuinely helping us?”
Lin Chen stayed silent.
Genuineor acting?
He didn’t know.
But the truth of his father’s disappearance was like a giant net, drawing everyone in.
Liu Ruyan, Zhao Long, Elder Qin, the Netherworld Palace
Perhaps even the Azure Cloud Sect’s higher echelons had problems.
“Firstback to our quarters.”
Lin Chen collected his thoughts.
The immediate prioritythree?day cultivation in Spirit Qi Valley.
Must grasp it.
Night fell; stars gradually appeared.
Outer Sect residenceLin Chen sat cross?legged on his crude wooden bed, taking out the jade slip that sealed the Netherworld Demonic Qi.
The black energy slowly rotated inside the sealing array, as if alivesometimes coalescing into ferocious ghost?faces, sometimes dispersing into black mist. With each rotation, it faintly resonated with the back?mountain forbidden area.
Poison Elder’s demonic poison root lay there.
His father’s disappearance clues lay there.
And also that terrifying existence needing “fresh blood?food.”
Lin Chen closed his eyes; divine sense sank into Star Pattern space.
Inside the one?cubic?meter chaotic spacethat fragment of star?path map floated quietly. On its surface, originally dim stellar patterns now emitted faint silver radiance.
He attempted to channel stellar power.
Hum!
The fragment suddenly brightened!
Light patterns swam as if alive, sketching a faint phantom within the space.
Lin Xiaotian.
Even fainter than last timelike a candle flickering in the wind, about to vanish at any moment.
“Father!” Lin Chen’s divine sense urgently called.
The phantom slowly turned its head; within empty eye sockets, something like a faint glimmer flickered.
“Chen er”
Voice broken, as if transmitted across endless time?space.
“Do you still live? Where are you now?” Lin Chen pressed.
The phantom shook its head.
“Time?space turbulence no fixed location Chen?er, listen”
“Deep in Spirit Qi Valley there is an ancient star?stele carved on it the method to extract the key”
The key!
The Stellar Tower key within Yue Liuli’s body!
“But dangerous”
The phantom’s voice suddenly grew urgent.
“The Netherworld Palace has already stationed people guarding the stele they want to use your blood for sacrifice to awaken the ancient remnant soul sealed within the stele”
“What?!” Lin Chen’s mind shook violently.
Use his blood for sacrifice?
Because of the special bloodline of the Chaos Stellar Body?
“Fatherwhat should I do?”
“Grow stronger as fast as possible”
The phantom began fluctuating violently; light patterns brightened and dimmed unsteadily.
“The day of nine?star alignment approaching fast the Stellar Tower will appear the Netherworld Palace will surely spare no effort to seize it”
“Be careful Yue Liuli”
“She may not be an ally”
The final few wordstiny as mosquitoes, yet thunderclaps in Lin Chen’s ears.
Be careful of Yue Liuli?
Why?
The Star Moon Sect’s Saintessshouldn’t she be implacably opposed to the Netherworld Palace?
Why would father say that?
“Father! What exactly is Yue Liuli”
Light patterns scattered.
The phantom vanished completely.
The star?path map fragment returned to calm, as if everything just now were mere illusion.
But Lin Chen knewit wasn’t.
His father’s remnant divine sense, warning across time?space turbulencecouldn’t be wrong.
Deep in Spirit Qi Valley lay a star?stele, recording the method to extract the key.
But the Netherworld Palace had already stationed people guarding the stelethey wanted to use his blood for sacrifice.
And also Yue Liuli might not be an ally.
“Hah”
Lin Chen withdrew his divine sense from the space; fine cold sweat beaded his forehead.
The situation was more complex than he’d imagined.
But he had no way back.
Only forward.
Next morningsky not yet bright.
Lin Chen and Shi Meng had already set out.
Spirit Qi Valley lay deep within the Azure Cloud Sect’s back mountain; required passing three warning formations, walking half a shichen.
Scenery grew increasingly unusual along the way.
Ancient trees even taller; branches wrapped in spiritual mist; birdcalls crisp as bells. The air’s source spirit qi concentration was already more than twice that of the Outer Sect area.
“No wonder Inner Sect disciples cultivate faster.” Shi Meng took a deep breath, face rapt, “Just breathingspiritual power’s rising!”
Lin Chen nodded, activating Stellar Eye.
In his visionrainbow?colored spiritual energy flowed like streams through mountain forests, converging toward the valley entrance.
Therethe center of the spiritual vortex.
After walking roughly a quarter?shichen, a narrow gorge entrance appeared ahead.
Cliffs on both sides soared over a hundred zhang; smooth as mirrorsclearly artificially carved. At the gorge mouth, a pale?golden formation light?curtain shimmered like water ripples. Two Inner Sect disciples stood guard left and right.
Both wore cyan combat attire, long swords at waist, auras sharpSpiritual Light Realm · Starlight Stage.
“Halt.”
The left disciple raised a hand; gaze sharp as a sword sweeping over.
“Token.”
Lin Chen handed over the reward token.
The disciple took it, carefully examined it, then looked at Shi Meng: “He rewards only one personthree days. You may not enter.”
Shi Meng grinned: “I knowI’ll wait outside.”
The disciple nodded, returning the token to Lin Chen: “Enter. Rememberstrictly no private combat inside the valley; violators severely punished. Three days from now at this exact timemust exit. Exceed one kededuct next entry qualification; exceed one shichenpermanently barred.”
“Understood.”
Lin Chen took a deep breath and stepped through the light?curtain.
The instant he passed the formationvision suddenly broadened!
Inside the valley, the scene was like a celestial paradise.
The ground was covered with crystalline white fine sand, soft as cotton underfoot. Surrounding cliffs were draped with emerald vines; pale?golden small flowers bloomed among them, emitting a refreshing subtle fragrance.
Most astonishingthe spiritual qi concentration.
Stellar Eye observed; source spirit qi in the air had condensed into tangible rainbow?colored threads, swimming like living beings. Every breath drew vast spiritual energy into his body; the Chaos Star Vortex automatically accelerated rotation; cultivation visibly rising with each inhalation.
“This is a cultivation holy land.”
Lin Chen murmured.
But soonhe noticed an anomaly.
At the center of the springwhere chaos qi should gush from the leakage pointwas half?blocked by a black stone stele.
The stele stood one zhang tall, three chi wide; surface carved with twisted symbols. Those symbols emitted a faint dark glow, plugging most of the leakage opening; only thin, intermittent grey chaos qi escaped.
An aura of Netherworld Demonic Qifaintly emanating from the stele.
A sealing object.
Andplaced just last night.
Lin Chen’s gaze swept around the spring.
Currently seven or eight Inner Sect disciples sat meditatingmen and women, auras lowest at Spiritual Light Realm · Starlight Stage. Among themthree sat closest to the stele.
All three wore grey robes; sleeve?edges bore barely detectable black patterns.
Auras cold; eyes indifferent.
Netherworld Palace sleepers.
Lin Chen understood.
No wonder the reward was so generousthis was a trap from start to finish.
The Netherworld Palace wanted to lure him into Spirit Qi Valley, then
Sacrifice his blood to the star?stele?
Or perhapsanother purpose?
He remained expressionless, choosing a relatively secluded spot east of the spring, sitting cross?legged.
Activated “Chaos Stellar Scripture.”
The instant the technique circulatedsurrounding spiritual energy surged like tidal waves!
The Chaos Star Vortex spun madly, drawing in nine?attribute source spirit qi, refining, fusing. Within his dantian, that grey?hazy star vortex visibly expanded; cultivation steadily climbing.
But the effectfar below expectation.
Because the chaos qi was mostly sealed.
At this ratethree days at most break through one level, reaching Condensation Stage Level 6 peak.
Not enough.
Far from enough.
Five days laterarena matches; Poison Elder would surely strike.
A Spiritual Light Realm · Moon Radiance Stage demonic path assassinwasn’t something Condensation Stage could contend with.
Must destroy the seal.
But Inner Sect disciples surrounded them; and private combat strictly forbidden within the valley.
What to do?
As he pondereda gentle voice suddenly sounded beside his ear:
“Junior Brother Lin.”
Lin Chen opened his eyes.
A cyan?robed youth had appeared beside him at some unknown timesmiling, scholarly and refined. An Inner Sect elite token hung at his waist; cultivation: Spiritual Light Realm · Moon Radiance Stage.
“I am Han XingStellar Peak disciple.”
Stellar Peak?
Lin Chen’s heart stirred.
The peak his father belonged to years ago.
“Elder Brother Han.” He rose and bowed.
Han Xing waved a hand; gaze swept over the black stele at the spring’s center, voice lowered: “Junior Brothernoticed the sealing anomaly?”
“Yes.” Lin Chen nodded, “The Netherworld Palace’s handiwork.”
“Placed last night at midnight.” Han Xing’s eyes flashed cold light, “I wanted to destroy itbut those three watch too closely.”
He indicated the three grey?robed disciples.
“All Netherworld Palace sleepersat least Spiritual Light Realm · Starlight Stage peak. If we fightwe wouldn’t gain advantage, and would violate valley rules. Then they’d turn around and accuse usjunior brother’s cultivation qualification would be revoked.”
Lin Chen was silent a moment.
“Elder Brotherhave a plan?”
“Yes.” Han Xing smiled, “Tonight at midnightwhen moonlight is strongest. Stellar power can briefly shield the valley’s monitoring formation. Thenwe join forces, destroy the seal, quick battle quick resolution.”
“Why help me?”
Han Xing’s expression grew solemn.
“Because of Master?uncle Lin Xiaotian.”
He looked at Lin Chen, eyes sincere.
“Ten years agoI was an Outer Sect disciple, framed by others, thrown into the back?mountain cold pool to die. Master?uncle Lin passed bysaved me, taught me the basics of ‘Stellar Sensing Chapter.’ This life?saving graceI’ve always remembered.”
“Later Master?uncle disappeared; Stellar Peak was squeezed by other peaks; resources taken; disciples scattered. Now the peak has only me left, struggling to hold on.”
“I’ve been waiting for someone who could revive Stellar Peak.”
Han Xing met Lin Chen’s gaze directly.
“Junior Brotheryou have the Chaos Stellar Body. You are Stellar Peak’s only hope. ThereforeI must help you.”
Lin Chen looked at him.
Sinceredidn’t seem like pretense.
But his father’s warning echoed“Be careful of everyone.”
Including Han Xing?
He didn’t know.
But nowhe needed strength.
The chaos qi in Spirit Qi Valley was the key to rapid breakthrough.
And Han Xingcurrently the only possible ally.
“Alright.” Lin Chen nodded.
“Bold!” Han Xing’s smile widened; he took out a jade talisman, “This is ‘Star?concealing Talisman’can conceal aura for half a shichen. Junior Brother keep itjust in case.”
Lin Chen accepted the talisman.
Warm to the touch; surface carved with intricate stellar patternstruly Stellar Peak’s secret inheritance.
“Thank you, Elder Brother.”
“No need.” Han Xing turned to leave, transmitting a final sentence, “Tonight at midnightmeet east of the spring, under the stone cliff.”
Lin Chen watched his departing back vanish.
Then sat cross?legged, re?circulating his technique.
Midnightstill ten shichen away.
He must adjust his condition to peak.
Because tonightwasn’t just a battle to destroy a seal.
More likely the first frontal clash with the Netherworld Palace.
And the outcome of this clashwould decide whether five days later, on the arena stage he could survive.
Sky gradually darkened.
Within the valley, spiritual mist glowed faint silver under moonlight, as if draped in a thin veil.
Around the spring, Inner Sect disciples gradually leftonly the three grey?robed sleepers remained, sitting like stone statues.
Midnight approached.
Lin Chen opened his eyes; silver radiance swirled within his pupils, like stars reflected.
The Chaos Star Vortex in his dantianfilled with nine?attribute power.
He rose, walking toward the stone cliff east of the spring.
Tonighteither break through, or die.
