398: Chapter 398 Going with the Flow

Leaving the Cold Pond Cave, the four of them followed the sensation of the chaos talismanic seal, traversing through the maze-like passages.

The further they went, the more complex the passages became, with numerous forks, sometimes even requiring them to backtrack.

The Five Elements Spiritual Qi in the air also began to become increasingly chaotic.

Pei Tieshan couldn't help but mutter, "This place is really sinister. With the Spiritual Qi in such a mess, where on earth is the token?"

"The chaos token contains chaos law fragments; it can evolve into ten thousand techniques and also encompass and harmonize various elements.

Where it resides, the Five Elements Spiritual Qi is bound to be chaotic because it is constantly absorbing, transforming, and releasing this Spiritual Qi," Ye Tian explained.

Shui Qingdie followed half a step behind Ye Tian, silently regulating her breathing.

Her gaze frequently fell upon the back of the figure in front of her.

The scene by the pond from earlier repeatedly surfaced in her mind...

Every time she thought back to it, her heart would skip a beat.

She quickly looked away, suppressing the strange feeling in her heart and warning herself to focus on the task at hand.

Dongfang Xinghe, meanwhile, noted the marks along the way. "It seems no one has set foot here for a long time, but there are residual marks of fighting and techniques. They are very old; it seems those who entered the Secret Realm in the past also visited this area."

The sensation from the chaos talismanic seal fluctuated in strength, and the direction was also changing.

Ye Tian was fully focused, spreading his spiritual sense to its maximum range to capture those subtle fluctuations while also guarding against ambushes from Vicious Beasts or others.

After all, the Spiritual Qi in this area was chaotic, making it very easy to hide killing intent.

After traveling for about another hour, a cavern appeared ahead.

Inside was not flat ground, but a Chaos-colored vortex about ten zhang in diameter.

The vortex rotated slowly and silently. The chaotic Five Elements Spiritual Qi around it was gradually flowing into the vortex, then transforming into purer chaos aura at the edges and dissipating.

At the very center of the vortex, a point of faint light bobbed up and down; it was precisely the source of the chaos talismanic seal's sensation.

The chaos token.

However, on the ground between the vortex and the edge of the cavern, there were cracks of varying depths.

Turbulent currents of energy in various colors surged within the cracks.

Crimson flames, azure ice, cyan wind blades, yellow earth spikes, golden sharp rays...

The Five Elements Spiritual Qi was completely disrupted here, forming a dangerous energy swamp that guarded the Chaos vortex in the center.

"This..." Pei Tieshan took a sharp breath as he looked at the area where energy raged. "How do we get across? Wouldn't stepping on it get us torn to pieces in an instant?"

Shui Qingdie's expression was also solemn. "These energy currents are not fixed; they are constantly shifting and surging without any pattern. It would be too difficult to force our way through with movement techniques."

Dongfang Xinghe observed for a moment and said deeply, "These cracks and currents seem to be a naturally formed Formation, or rather, a barrier formed by the chaos token itself gathering chaotic Spiritual Qi.

To approach the vortex and obtain the token, we must cross this area. Junior Brother Ye, can your Chaos True Essence neutralize these currents?"

Ye Tian stared at the chaotic energy region, his brow furrowing slightly.

His Chaos True Essence indeed had the property of encompassing and neutralizing foreign energies, but the area before them was quite large, the intensity of the currents was high, and they were ever-changing.

With his current cultivation, if he were to force his way through by protecting himself with Chaos True Essence, the consumption would be immense, and he might not be able to block all attacks completely.

"Let's try." Ye Tian did not advance rashly. Instead, he walked to the edge of the turbulent energy area and extended his right index finger, slowly reaching into a flickering tongue of crimson flame.

Sizzle!

The tongue of flame licked his finger, making a sound.

After a moment of contemplation, Ye Tian began to try condensing Chaos True Essence at his fingertip, transforming that scorching fire-attribute spiritual power into a part of his own True Essence.

However, he soon felt that the destructive power within this tongue of flame far exceeded that of ordinary fire, and it was mixed with other chaotic spiritual powers, making the transformation far from easy.

He tested several more energy currents of different attributes; the situation was similar. The Chaos True Essence could transform them, but the efficiency was low and the consumption was significant.

If he were to enter with his whole body, his True Essence would likely be exhausted before he was halfway through, and he would then be torn apart by the violent currents.

"No, forcing our way through is too risky." Ye Tian withdrew his hand and shook his head. "Although my Chaos True Essence can neutralize it, the currents here are too strong and endless; my consumption can't keep up."

"Then what should we do? Are we just going to watch?" Pei Tieshan said anxiously.

Ye Tian didn't answer. He stepped back a few paces, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and slowly extended his spiritual sense toward the Chaos vortex and the turbulent energy region ahead.

"All things have their own laws; perhaps I just haven't discovered them yet?"

He stopped trying to analyze the currents and instead submerged his mind into the vortex, feeling the rhythm within its slow rotation and capturing the "orderly" veins.

Seeing this, Dongfang Xinghe and the other two knew Ye Tian was thinking or gaining insight. They didn't dare disturb him and kept watch on their surroundings, waiting silently.

Looking at Ye Tian's calm profile, that inexplicable sense of trust welled up in Shui Qingdie's heart once more.

Time passed bit by bit.

Small beads of sweat gradually appeared on Ye Tian's forehead.

The vortex seemed chaotic, swallowing the Five Elements and releasing Chaos, but in its depths, it truly followed a certain law.

However, that law was not fixed but changed with the momentum, yet it never strayed from its core principles.

"Chaos... is not absolute disorder, but rather change nurtured within order. Encompassing and transforming, then to balance and finally to derivation..."

The general outline of the Chaos Thunder Emperor Scripture surfaced in Ye Tian's mind; the key points written within were so similar.

"This area of turbulent energy seems like a dead end, but since it was formed by the chaos token, there must be a sliver of a way through.

Chaos True Essence might be the key, but how to use this key is the crux. Forcing a neutralization is the inferior strategy; following its momentum and merging into it is the superior one..."

With that thought, Ye Tian suddenly opened his eyes, stood up, and walked to the edge of the turbulent energy area. "I have a way."

"Junior Brother Ye, you've thought of a way?" Dongfang Xinghe asked quickly.

"Yes." Ye Tian nodded, looking at the chaotic energy ahead, and said slowly, "This place should be a test from the chaos token for its acquirer.

But what it tests is not brute force, but the understanding of the Chaos Dao.

Forcing a way through definitely won't work, but if one can 'merge' into this Chaos, follow its changes, and find that single 'orderly' path within, one can pass through safely."

"Merge into the Chaos? Find an orderly path?" A trace of thought flashed in Shui Qingdie's beautiful eyes. "Junior Brother Ye, do you mean observing the patterns of change in these energy currents to find a safe path?"

"It's not just observing patterns." Ye Tian shook his head. "These currents are constantly changing and have no fixed patterns.

Rather, it is to sense the 'momentum' of the Chaos vortex itself. The rotation of the vortex drives the flow of surrounding energy; it appears chaotic, but in fact, there is a core direction of flow.

What I need to do is adjust my own aura and footsteps, merging into this 'flow' and becoming a part of this chaotic energy field rather than opposing it."

The three of them listened, only half-understanding.

Ye Tian smiled and stopped explaining. The Chaos True Essence in his body slowly retracted. He closed his eyes and once again directed his spiritual sense toward the Chaos vortex, capturing the flowing rhythm.

A moment later, he carefully took a step and entered the turbulent energy region.

"Junior Brother Ye!" Seeing this, Shui Qingdie couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

However, the expected scene of the energy currents erupting did not occur.

A cyan wind blade struck but merely brushed past him. A tongue of crimson flame swept under his feet without burning him in the slightest.

He traversed through the turbulent energy as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Dongfang Xinghe and the other two watched, dumbfounded.

They could feel that the aura emanating from Ye Tian was extremely faint, and he wasn't using a shred of True Essence to resist.

"This... what kind of footwork is this?" Pei Tieshan murmured.

"It's not footwork, it's... a Realm." Shock filled Dongfang Xinghe's eyes. "It's Junior Brother Ye's comprehension of 'momentum'."

Shui Qingdie clenched her hands, her beautiful eyes staring unblinkingly at Ye Tian's figure, fearing he would be swallowed by the currents in the next moment.

But seeing him traverse the currents so freely, her worry gradually transformed into deeper admiration.

This was the man she had feelings for.