30: Chapter 30 Sting marks

The stone chamber door closed behind him, shutting out the dim light of the oil lamp and Dr. Li's gentle, profound gaze.

The quiet room was not completely dark; several round stones embedded in the four walls emitted a soft, milky glow, resembling a gentle type of fluorite.

The air was crisper than in the outer stone chamber, carrying the scent of damp earth, yet strangely mixed with a hint of freshness unique to plant roots.

The floor was covered with a dry rush mat, with only a simple meditation cushion in the center.

Most strangely, Lin Yuan could clearly feel that the leyline energy here was purer and calmer than at the altar outside, pulsating at an extremely slow and steady frequency, like the breathing of a sleeping earth.

This pulsation resonated subtly with the Void God Spark deep within his divinity, as well as the newly acquired Leyline Affinity trait, making him feel a sense of stability and nourishment he had never experienced before.

Following Dr. Li's instructions, he first washed the blood off his body in a stone trough in the corner that channeled a clear underground spring, then changed into a set of slightly oversized gray coarse cloth clothes prepared by Dr. Li.

When treating his wounds, he saw that Dr. Li's ointment was indeed miraculous; the most fatal wounds had already stopped bleeding and scabbed over, and the pain in his internal organs had greatly diminished, though the deep-seated weakness and the stinging pain in his soul remained distinct.

He sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and first looked inward.

Under the dual effects of the medicinal pills and medical skill, his body had barely moved away from the "near-death" line, but it was still far from "recovered".

Many meridians remained broken or blocked, and his Power of Faith was nearly non-existent.

The situation at the soul level was more complex. The medicinal pill from Dr. Li had formed a pale golden film, temporarily wrapping and suppressing the Curse Soul Seal, reducing its emanating chill and tracking fluctuations by eighty percent.

However, the soul seal itself had not disappeared; it was embedded like a tumor on the periphery of his divinity, and that film of medicinal power was also being slowly eroded, requiring continuous replenishment.

The subtle cracks in his soul itself required more delicate nourishing to repair.

Inside his divinity, the Void God Spark burned steadily, and the pale golden sparks seemed to appear more solid and bright due to being at this leyline node.

The Leyline Affinity and Vestige Resonance traits were operating passively, making his connection with the surrounding environment tighter.

The containment field state was basically stable, but maintaining it still consumed his mental energy.

System interface update:

[Status: Seriously Injured (Recovering)]

[Negative Status: Curse Soul Seal (Activity suppressed by 80%)]

[faith reserve: 0.001 (Near exhaustion)]

[Void God Spark (Rudimentary): Burning steadily (Weak), trait in effect]

[Environment: Secret Leyline Node (Soul nourishing effect + Medium, energy interference + High)]

[divine breath countdown: 22 days 17 hours 33 minutes] (Note: Countdown speed unchanged during recovery)

Time was still tight, but at least there was a relatively safe buffer period. Lin Yuan did not waste a second and immediately began to regulate his breath.

He did not try to guide the leyline energy into his body to impact his meridians like a traditional cultivator—that was too brutal and would be tantamount to suicide in his current state.

He adopted a method more in line with his own philosophy of "Optimization" and "Authority of Order".

First, he fully operated the Leyline Affinity trait, not to "absorb", but to "perceive" and "synchronize".

He adjusted his breathing frequency, heartbeat rhythm, and even the fluctuations of his consciousness to be as consistent as possible with the calm and slow pulsation of the leyline beneath his feet.

Gradually, he seemed to "merge" into this land. The leyline energy was no longer an external object he was trying to capture, but became the background and cornerstone of his existence.

Those pure and calm energies no longer needed to be forcibly guided, but began to naturally and extremely slowly permeate his body, like spring rain moistening things, silently nourishing his dried-up meridians and damaged internal organs, with a repair speed far exceeding the ordinary.

Next, he dealt with his soul trauma. He combined the meager power of his Authority of Order with the intentions of "inclusiveness" and "nourishment" from the Void God Spark, turning them into countless pale golden light filaments thinner than hair, carefully probing toward the subtle cracks on the surface of his soul.

It was not "repairing", but "combing" and "smoothing". Using these light filaments like the most dexterous darning needles, he gently straightened and repositioned the soul energy fibers that had "curled" and "misaligned" due to overdrawing and impact, restoring them to their original orderly arrangement. At the same time, the pale golden film formed by Dr. Li's medicinal pill provided protection and support.

This process was slower and more mentally exhausting than repairing his body, but the effect was significant. The stinging pain in his soul was gradually reducing, and the fragility of a porcelain piece about to shatter was slowly fading away.

As for the Curse Soul Seal, he did not touch it for the time being. Dr. Li's warning still rang in his ears; that thing involved profound evil arts, and rashly dealing with it could trigger a backlash. Maintaining the medicinal suppression was the optimal solution for now.

While regulating his breath and recovering, his brain did not stop running. Like a multi-threaded processor, he was processing the "data" of his own repair while simultaneously reviewing, analyzing, and planning for the future.

First, regarding Dr. Li and this tomb.

Dr. Li was clearly a reclusive expert with unfathomable cultivation (likely an orthodox practitioner or a guardian of ancient inheritance), had a history with Boss Qian, and was quite knowledgeable about the way of the "Void", even looking after this place at the request of a friend.

The goodwill he showed him, besides the benevolence of a healer and the "incense" connection of the "Void" path, likely also carried the intention of observing and investing in a "variable". This was a potential ally that needed to be carefully maintained and could be limitedly leveraged.

Second, regarding Mr. Mo and the "ten thousand infant banner".

Mr. Mo was a true giant of the evil path, and his plans for refining the "ten thousand infant banner" were vast. His interest in his divinity (especially the Void God Spark and Optimization ability) had gone beyond simple revenge; he likely wanted to integrate him into the evil banner as some kind of "special material" or "artifact spirit". The two sides were now in a dead end. He must find a way to restrain the Curse Soul Seal and deal with Mr. Mo's evil arts as soon as possible. Perhaps he could find clues from the restraining characteristics of the "Void" inheritance or from Dr. Li's side.

Third, regarding "Tianji Pavilion" (Lingxiao Capital).

This was a systematic, technological, and massive capital (or power) group, whose logic of action was based on "risk assessment" and "profit maximization". His previous actions had disrupted their models and demonstrated "abnormal value". Their current strategy was likely "control" over "destruction"—trying to control him through commercial infiltration, technical theft, or even possible "co-option". This provided room for maneuvering; he could use their rules and internal contradictions, but he must also be vigilant against their more covert and systematic strikes.

Fourth, regarding his own path and resources.

The core was the "Optimization" divine profession and the "Void God Spark". The former needed more practical cases to deepen and expand application areas (such as the cross-border team Optimization he had already taken over, and possible community or even leyline Optimization). The latter required energy, practicing the "Void" path (such as exploring ruins, dealing with things in a "ruined" state), and possible inheritance completion to grow.

Existing resources: The temporary shelter and treatment provided by Dr. Li; Boss Qian's commercial channels and information network; the customer relationships initially established with Zhang Qiming, General Manager Zhao, etc.; the containment field within his divinity waiting to be "digested" and "converted"; the black metal fragment and dark red blood crystal (clues) obtained from the Black-robed Man; and the initial resonance with the legacy of the "Void".

Shortcomings: faith reserve exhausted, debts piling up; his own strength seriously insufficient; weak intelligence network; enemies powerful and numerous.

Initial action plan:

1. Short-term (Next 3-5 days): Fully cooperate with Dr. Li's treatment, stabilize his injuries, and at least recover basic mobility and a certain amount of Power of Faith (need to find a safe way to obtain trace amounts of faith, perhaps by deepening the resonance with the tomb?). At the same time, try to ask Dr. Li for more information about the soul seal, Mr. Mo, and "Tianji Pavilion".

2. Medium-term (Before the debt repayment countdown): After his injuries allow, he needs to re-establish safe contact with Boss Qian as soon as possible, understand the changes in the external situation, handle the follow-up Optimization of "Cross-border Selection", and try to obtain some secular resources (money, intelligence, supplies). At the same time, start trying to "digest" the containment field and explore paths to convert it into usable resources.

3. Long-term (After debt repayment): Must find a way to stably obtain Power of Faith (build a temple? Develop core believers? Expand high-end Optimization business?). At the same time, formulate defense and counterattack strategies against Mr. Mo and "Tianji Pavilion". Deepen "Optimization" and the "Void" path to improve his strength.

The plan gradually became clear, and the heavy feeling in his heart slightly lessened. He knew that plans could never keep up with changes, but with direction and priorities, he would not be at a loss when a crisis came.

Time passed in deep meditation and calm thinking. In the quiet room, there was only the low pulsation of the leyline and the sound of his long, steady breathing.

I don't know how long it had been, but the stone door of the quiet room was gently knocked.

Dr. Li walked in carrying a wooden tray, on which was a bowl of steaming, fragrant medicinal soup, two steamed buns made of coarse flour, and a small dish of pickles.

"Drink the medicine first, then eat something. Your body right now is too weak to handle heavy tonics; you can only use these mild medicinal herbs and food to slowly nourish it." Dr. Li placed the wooden tray in front of him.

"Many thanks, Senior Li." Lin Yuan took the medicine bowl and said respectfully. The medicinal soup was bitter, but after entering his stomach, it turned into a warm current, complementing the leyline nourishing energy he was absorbing, and the recovery effect was even better.

"How do you feel?" Dr. Li sat down beside him, looking at him.

"Much better. The leyline nourishment and your medical skills have extraordinary effects." Lin Yuan said sincerely, "It's just that the soul seal..."

"The matter of the soul seal cannot be rushed." Dr. Li shook his head, "Old Ghost Mo's curse technique is extremely vicious, rooted in the soul origin and karmic entanglement of the cursed person. Forcibly removing it would at best cause serious damage to the soul, and at worst directly trigger the backlash of the curse power, causing the soul to scatter. The medicine I used can only temporarily suppress it. To completely solve it, you need several extremely rare heavenly treasures combined with special rituals, or... your 'Void' fire and 'Optimization' path, if they can grow to a certain degree, might be able to 'analyze', 'reconstruct', or even 'optimize' away the core structure of this curse power."

"Analyze and reconstruct the curse power..." Lin Yuan was thoughtful. This line of thought was consistent with the principle he used to treat evil wounds with the fire spark, only the soul seal was more complex and vicious.

"That's just a direction; you are still far from it." Dr. Li poured cold water on him, but then changed the subject, "However, since you are here, there is an opportunity that might give you a deeper understanding of the 'Void' and the 'Leyline', which will be helpful for your healing and future confrontation with the soul seal."

"Please enlighten me, Senior."

Dr. Li pointed to the ground: "Below this quiet room is the edge of the core area where that predecessor 'Old Ru' sat and transformed, and where his body completely merged with the leyline node. Although the core area has been sealed and protected by the predecessor's own power to prevent external forces from damaging the leyline, the 'Void' artistic conception and leyline rhythm emitted here are the clearest."

"You can try, while regulating your breath, not only to synchronize with the leyline pulsation but also to use your fire spark to 'listen' to and 'comprehend' the intentions of 'inclusiveness', 'carrying', 'nurturing', and 'returning to storage' emitted from that core area. This will be beneficial for stabilizing your divinity foundation, deepening 'Leyline Affinity', and even comprehending some basic 'Void' path techniques. Of course, do not force it, and do not attempt to impact the core seal; that is seeking your own death."

Listen to the artistic conception of the Void? Lin Yuan's heart stirred. This might be the shortcut to accelerate the growth of the fire spark and complete his understanding of the 'Void'!

"The junior understands, I will definitely try it cautiously."

"Hmm. Also," Dr. Li took out a palm-sized, ancient wooden plaque tied with a red thread from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Yuan, "Take this with you. It's made from the scraps of a type of 'Soul-Calming Wood' unique to this place, and I've carved a few simple calming talismans on it. Although it can't stop the soul seal, it can slightly strengthen your resistance to negative mental influences. Wearing it daily has benefits and no harm."

Lin Yuan took the wooden plaque; it was warm to the touch and carried a faint fragrance, which indeed made one's heart and mind settle. "Many thanks for your generous gift, Senior."

"Alright, continue your meditation. I will send medicine and food at this time every day. If there is an emergency, you can gently knock on the stone door three times." Dr. Li stood up, picked up the empty medicine bowl, and prepared to leave.

Walking to the door, he suddenly turned back and asked casually: "By the way, regarding your 'Optimization' business, if it is aimed at a place... hmm, an 'abandoned herb garden' where vegetation has withered and the land is barren due to long-term accumulation of negative energy, but there are no strong evil spirits, is there a way to 'optimize' it?"

Lin Yuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately realized that this might be the "patient" or "complex situation" Dr. Li mentioned earlier. He answered cautiously: "I need to conduct an on-site survey of the type of energy accumulation, land structure, and the situation of the remaining 'vitality nodes' before I can formulate a plan. Theoretically, if the root cause of the problem lies in blocked energy circulation or local 'rule' disorder, it should be possible to try to 'optimize' it through dredging, reconstruction, and introducing virtuous cycles."

Dr. Li nodded, noncommittally: "Let's talk about it after your injuries are better." After saying that, he turned and left.

The stone door closed again.

Lin Yuan gripped the Soul-Calming wooden plaque in his hand, light flashing in his eyes.

Dr. Li's herb garden? That might not be an ordinary herb garden. Perhaps this was not just an opportunity to repay a favor, but could be a key case to verify the application of the 'Optimization' ability in more subtle and higher-level fields (such as spirit plants, earth energy), and might even bring unexpected gains.

He put on the wooden plaque, closed his eyes again, and concentrated.

This time, he did not just synchronize with the leyline pulsation, but sank all his mental energy into the Void God Spark, and then, like unfolding the most sensitive tentacles, carefully probed toward the core area deep beneath the quiet room, which was more profound, more ancient, and contained the origin artistic conception of the 'Void'.

In the darkness, the pale golden sparks flickered slightly, as if listening to the ancient whispers of 'inclusiveness' and 'rebirth' from deep within the earth, spanning a long time.

The countdown ticked quietly in the silence.

And Lin Yuan's path of 'Optimization', in the depths of this secret leyline, began a new round of deeper accumulation and transformation.