34: Chapter 34 The Fetal Breath is About to End, A New Plan is Plotted in the Dark Room

The mountain wind whistled through the gaps in the dead wood like a sob.

Lin Yuan shouldered his pack, took one last look at the needle-like patch of green and the old man still kneeling on the ground, then turned and plunged into the shadows of the denser—though lifeless—forest.

He did not return the way he came.

The equipment pack Boss Qian had given him contained an old-fashioned paper map, on which several secret mountain paths and landmarks were sketched out in pencil.

He chose a route that seemed like a detour but offered the best chance to avoid potential surveillance points and main roads, maneuvering circuitously toward the general location of Dr. Li's leyline ruins.

Moving in the state of 'Taixi' was like sneaking through the deep sea while heavily burdened.

His perception was wrapped in the heavy facade of 'slumber,' making his reactions to the outside world more than a beat slower, and his body felt like a rusted machine, with every movement consuming more energy and time than usual.

The ruggedness of the mountain forest only magnified this difficulty.

Sharp rocks, twisted dead roots, and soft humus layers all became obstacles that required extra caution to navigate.

He had to divide a portion of his focus to maintain the 'Taixi' simulation of his true state perfectly, while also remaining vigilant of his surroundings—even though this place was desolate, he could not afford to let his guard down against either the potential hidden sentries under Mr. Mo or the all-encompassing technical surveillance of 'Lingxiao Capital.'

He walked and stopped intermittently, his gasps sounding muffled within his chest.

Sweat soaked his undershirt, only for the cold nature of 'Taixi' to rapidly sap away the heat, bringing waves of uncomfortable damp chill.

The fragment of ning-shen jade under his tongue and the pouch of wild ginseng whiskers in his bosom continued to emit a faint, cooling, and nourishing aura, barely supporting his excessively drained mind and physical strength.

Along the way, he rested briefly a few times, gnawing on a few bites of compressed biscuits with cold water, while seizing the time to circulate and recover a sliver of Leyline Affinity, absorbing the natural aura (however thin) from the mountain forest to replenish himself slightly.

He dared not stop for more than five minutes each time, calculating the increasingly pressing time.

About two hours later, he entered a deeper, more desolate region of the Luoxia Mountain range.

This area was completely devoid of any traces of development, with towering ancient trees (also sickly) and entangled vines, and the light was fragmented by the dense canopy, while the air was thick with the smell of rotting leaves and damp moss.

According to the map, the entrance to the leyline ruins was on the edge of this area, behind a crevice in the rock wall washed out by mountain floods.

Just as he approached the target location and passed through an exceptionally dense cluster of ferns where the light was almost completely obscured, a sudden change occurred!

Not far to his right, a seemingly ordinary patch of ground covered in thick fallen leaves suddenly collapsed silently!

Immediately after, an extremely subtle, pale blue energy ripple with a standardized, precise feel, like a ripple on water, rapidly swept across a range of tens of meters, centered on the collapse point!

It was a trap!

And an automated, passive detection device in the style of 'Lingxiao Capital'!

It was highly likely that after failing to find him during their wide-scale search, they had set up these hidden, trigger-based sensors in this desolate area considered 'possibly used for hiding or passing through'!

The collapse just now might have been triggered by a small animal passing by, or natural loosening from years of neglect!

Alarm bells rang in Lin Yuan's mind!

The moment the energy ripple swept over, he almost instinctively pushed the 'slumbering near-death' state simulated by 'Taixi' to the extreme, while his body, as if losing all support, slumped softly toward the base of a huge rotting tree nearby, curling into a ball to minimize his 'profile' and 'life signature' to the greatest extent.

The pale blue energy ripple swept across his body.

He felt as if he were being washed over by a layer of cold, slippery, and analytical 'current.'

This detection was clearly more refined than the street-level scans, attempting to penetrate the disguise of 'Taixi' and directly read his vital signs, energy characteristics, and even material composition.

The 'slumbering near-death' state simulated by 'Taixi,' under this refined detection, revealed a trace of unnatural 'uniformity' and 'stillness'—a true dying person's life signature should be chaotic, decaying, and full of unpredictable fluctuations, whereas what 'Taixi' simulated was more like a preset, perfect 'near-death model.'

The ripple showed an extremely brief, imperceptible stagnation and feedback enhancement!

Oh no!

He was about to be exposed!

Just at this critical moment, the faint resonance that Lin Yuan had been maintaining with the surrounding leylines (even though the leylines here were weakened by the influence of the 'vein-locking nail') suddenly came into play!

The nearby leyline energy, due to the interference of the detection ripple and the tiny bit of the 'Ruins' artistic conception of the same origin that Lin Yuan was unconsciously emitting while in the 'Taixi' state, produced an extremely faint, spontaneous disorder and interference.

This interference was insignificant in itself, but it happened to collide with a certain frequency of the detection ripple, causing the briefly stagnant detection data to develop a small area of 'noise' that was difficult to analyze!

Immediately after, perhaps triggering some anti-false-alarm mechanism, or perhaps because 'Lingxiao's' backend analysis system classified this 'noise' and the 'overly perfect near-death model' as a 'combined result of environmental interference (such as inert bioelectricity released by special geology or decaying organic matter) and temporary sensor failure,' the pale blue energy ripple, after slightly intensifying its scan for a few seconds, did not trigger an alarm or initiate a more intense reaction, but slowly receded like the tide, returning to silence.

From the collapsed ground, a few extremely faint mechanical reset sounds came, and then everything returned to normal, with only a faint smell of ozone remaining in the air.

Lin Yuan remained curled up at the base of the rotting tree, not daring to move, his breathing (simulated) almost stopped.

He waited for a full fifteen minutes, and after confirming there were no further abnormalities, he slowly and very slightly let out a breath, his back soaked with cold sweat.

That was close!

He had almost been exposed!

The 'Taixi' state was not omnipotent; when faced with highly precise, targeted detection, there was a risk of being discovered!

Moreover, the faint interference from the leylines just now was mostly luck.

It seemed that 'Lingxiao Capital's' search net was woven tighter and was more technologically advanced than he had imagined.

He could not delay any longer!

He had to enter the ruins immediately; with Dr. Li's formation shielding, it would be relatively safe there.

He forced his nearly exhausted body to identify the direction and quickened his pace (though it remained slow under 'Taixi'), rushing toward the crevice in the rock wall.

After spending nearly another hour, he finally saw the crevice, half-hidden by vines and moss, which was only wide enough for one person to pass through sideways.

He squeezed in, and the familiar cold, damp air rushed to meet him.

After passing through a short natural tunnel, traces of artificial renovation appeared ahead, which was exactly the path he had taken when he left earlier.

He traveled a bit further and finally returned to the stone chamber with the dim oil lamp and the dilapidated pottery altar.

Dr. Li did not seem to be there; the stone chamber was empty, with only the oil lamp burning quietly.

Lin Yuan could no longer hold on; he slid down to the ground with his back against the cold stone wall, gasping violently, every breath bringing a burning pain in his lungs and a groan from his entire skeleton.

The 'Taixi' state also became somewhat unstable due to this final dash and the previous thrill, and the earthy yellow 'slumber' aura covering his body began to show subtle, water-like ripples.

He knew he had to immediately deactivate 'Taixi,' otherwise, if it went out of control, fake death would turn into real death, or if his aura leaked and attracted pursuers, it would be a catastrophe.

He sat cross-legged, focused his mind and calmed his breath, and according to the method Dr. Li had imprinted into his consciousness, mobilized all the remaining intent in his body to trigger that wisp of 'Earthly Origin Fetal Breath' deeply planted within him.

"Disperse!"

A silent command echoed in the depths of his soul.

The earthy yellow 'slumber' aura covering his whole body trembled violently, and then, like a receding tide, it rapidly stripped away and dissipated from his body surface, transforming back into pure leyline energy and returning to the earth beneath his feet.

At the same time, a strong, long-suppressed vitality, like a dam-bursting flood, instantly surged through his limbs and bones!

"Cough—!"

Lin Yuan couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of phlegm with some black blood, but his complexion quickly recovered a hint of color.

His heartbeat became strong and powerful, and his breathing became deep again.

The feeling of perceiving the world through a layer of frosted glass completely disappeared, and his spiritual sense returned to clarity, although accompanied by severe dizziness and soreness throughout his body, like waking up after a long period of lying down.

He was back.

From that 'mask' state between life and death, he had returned to the vivid—and simultaneously perilous—reality.

The status prompt on the system interface refreshed immediately:

[ Special Status: 'Earthly Origin Fetal Breath' disguise deactivated. ]

[ Status: Severely injured (recovering, physical and mental energy overdrawn) ]

[ Negative Status: Curse Soul Seal (activity suppression effect weakened, currently suppressing about 60%) ]

[ Warning: There is a brief period of weakness after 'Taixi' is deactivated, lasting about fifteen minutes. ]

As expected, the activity of the soul seal had recovered a bit. The effect of Dr. Li's medicinal pills was continuously fading.

He dared not linger where he was, so he forced himself to stand up and walked toward the familiar meditation room.

The meditation cushion remained in the meditation room, and the milky white fluorite cast a soft glow.

He collapsed onto it and immediately began to regulate his breathing, calming the turbulent blood flow caused by ending his "Taixi" and overexertion, while seizing the time to absorb the pure energy from the leyline node in the meditation room to replenish his consumption.

About half an hour later, the weak sensation of dizziness gradually faded.

He slowly opened his eyes; although he was still exhausted, he had at least regained the basic ability to move and think.

Just then, the stone door of the meditation room was pushed open, and Dr. Li walked in carrying medicinal food.

Seeing Lin Yuan's appearance, she raised an eyebrow: "You're back? Looking at your complexion, was the road not peaceful?"

"I encountered a passive detection trap from the Tianji Pavilion and was almost exposed." Lin Yuan briefly recounted the process.

Dr. Li nodded, seemingly unsurprised: "Their 'Spirit Net' is indeed annoying and pervasive. It's good that you made it back. Did you deliver the items?" She was referring to the information for Boss Qian and the retrieved equipment.

"Delivered, and I also obtained the necessary intelligence and equipment." Lin Yuan paused, his expression solemn, "Senior Dr. Li, at the southern foothills of Luoxia Mountain, I discovered some things... that might be directly related to Mr. Mo."

"Oh?" Dr. Li put down the medicinal food and sat on the cushion opposite him, "Tell me about it."

Lin Yuan recounted as clearly and completely as possible the "Heartbroken Land," the past events described by the old man, his perception of the underground "vein-locking nail," the clues about the "Summer Palace" to the southeast, and his speculation that Mr. Mo might have conducted plundering rituals there in his early years to supply the "ten thousand infant banner" or suppress backlash.

After listening, Dr. Li remained silent for a long time, her fingers gently tapping her knees.

" 'vein-locking nail'... extracting leyline vitality... a dozen years ago..." She whispered the keywords, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, "Yes, that matches. A dozen years ago, Old Ghost Mo's first attempt to refine the 'ten thousand infant banner' failed, and he suffered a strong backlash, retreating in serious injury. It was rumored at the time that he used some secret method to forcibly extend his life and suppress the backlash, but the cost was huge and required continuous absorption of large amounts of pure vitality... So, he transferred the cost onto the leyline spiritual cavern! I once heard an old friend mention that herb garden at the southern foothills of Luoxia Mountain; it is a rare 'Small Spring' cavern within a hundred miles, full of vitality. No wonder he targeted it!"

She looked at Lin Yuan: "The trace of greenery you awakened is very critical. It shows that the origin spirituality of that cavern has not been completely drained and can still be saved. More importantly, this proves that the combination of your 'Optimization' and the 'Ruins' Dao has unique advantages in repairing such 'rule-level injuries'."

"Then the 'Summer Palace'..." Lin Yuan pressed.

" 'Summer Palace'... If it really is the vitality reception and conversion hub set up by Old Ghost Mo back then, what is hidden inside is probably not simple." Dr. Li mused, "It might contain some of the leyline essence he plundered, it might house the formation core maintaining the operation of the 'vein-locking nail,' or even... it might preserve some experimental records or residues from his failure to refine the 'ten thousand infant banner' back then. Regardless of which, it could be crucial for you to understand Old Ghost Mo's background, find a way to break the soul seal, and even disrupt his 'ten thousand infant banner' plan."

"But it must be heavily guarded and fraught with danger." Lin Yuan analyzed calmly.

"Correct. In your current state, charging in is suicide." Dr. Li spoke bluntly, "However, besides these clues, did you have any other gains from this trip? For example, new insights into your own path?"

Lin Yuan's heart stirred, and he briefly explained his realization from attempting "communication and guidance" rather than "violent extraction" at the "Heartbroken Land," as well as his new ideas on applying the combination of the "Authority of Order" and "Optimization" concepts.

After listening, the admiration in Dr. Li's eyes grew stronger: "Very good! It seems this adventure was worth it. You have initially touched upon the marvelous realm of 'going with the flow' and 'deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces.' This is more important than simply increasing your power. To deal with an old demon like Old Ghost Mo and a behemoth like 'Tianji Pavilion,' brute force is the worst choice."

She stood up and paced the meditation room for a few steps, seemingly weighing something. A moment later, she stopped and looked at Lin Yuan:

"Kid, do you want to prepare a... relatively safe 'rear' for yourself, and a 'stronghold' from which you can continuously obtain 'resources,' before solving the soul seal and the debt?"

Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "Senior, you mean..."

"That 'Heartbroken Land' at the southern foothills of Luoxia Mountain, and the 'Summer Palace' that might be connected to it." Dr. Li's gaze was piercing, "If you can gradually 'Optimization' and 'repair' that land, and even have the opportunity in the future to control or convert that 'vein-locking nail' hub, then it will become a secret stronghold partially controlled by you, containing leyline spiritual energy (even if it is very weak at the beginning). Advancing, you can use it as a base to spy on Old Ghost Mo's secrets and collect resources. Retreating, you can use the leyline formation to hide and serve as a shelter during crises. Moreover, repairing the leylines itself is practicing the 'Ruins' Dao, which is greatly beneficial to the growth of your spark and obtaining feedback from heaven and earth (similar to merit or natural aspiration power)."

"But, the surveillance of the 'Tianji Pavilion,' the potential attention of Mr. Mo, and the risks of the 'vein-locking nail' itself..." Lin Yuan pointed out the difficulties.

"Therefore, you cannot rush; you must be like you are when repairing the land—quiet and gradual." Dr. Li said, "I can help you further refine the concealment formation nearby and teach you a few simple techniques to cover your tracks and energy fluctuations using earth energy. You will use every opportunity when you go out to 'treat' that land bit by bit, while secretly investigating the 'Summer Palace.' This requires immense patience and precise operation, but once successful, the return will be huge. Moreover, this process itself is the best tempering for your abilities."

A long-term, secret "base" construction plan? Lin Yuan's heart pounded. This was indeed an extremely attractive concept! Not only could it solve his current predicament of hiding here and there like a rootless duckweed, but it could also transform passive coping into active planning!

"This is feasible." Lin Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, his gaze returning to calmness, "But it needs to be planned carefully, step by step. Right now, the most urgent things are the soul seal and the upcoming deadline for the divine breath."

"Naturally." Dr. Li nodded, "Regarding the soul seal, I will continue to help you look out for materials and suppression methods. As for the divine breath debt... the 'Optimization' consultant business you mentioned before, perhaps it can be accelerated? Especially the case with that multinational team; if you can achieve significant results, not only can you earn worldly funds to exchange for some faith points, but you can also use this to contact higher-level clients and resource networks, perhaps finding other ways to quickly accumulate faith."

"I understand. The 'Cross-border Selection' plan has been deployed, and there should be preliminary feedback in the coming days." Lin Yuan said, "Additionally, on Zhang Qiming's side, perhaps we can introduce a deeper 'organizational energy field reshaping' service to increase the unit price and the quality of aspiration power feedback."

"You are better at business matters than I am." Dr. Li smiled, "You should rest assured and recuperate here for another day or two, thoroughly stabilize your injuries, and digest what you have gained this time. Afterward, whether to continue promoting the business or start the long-term plan for the 'Heartbroken Land,' you can decide for yourself. On my end, I will prepare the preliminary concealment formation and the techniques for using earth energy for you."

"Thank you, Senior!" Lin Yuan saluted sincerely.

Dr. Li waved her hand, left the medicinal food, and turned to leave.

The stone door of the meditation room closed again.

Lin Yuan sat on the meditation cushion, looking at the steaming medicinal food in front of him, his eyes deep.

The road ahead was still shrouded in mist, with strong enemies surrounding him.

But this time, it seemed he had an extra blurred "map" in his hand that needed to be drawn over the long term, and a "rear" where he could work silently and accumulate strength.

He drank the medicinal food in one gulp, feeling the warm current melting into his limbs and bones.

Then, he closed his eyes again and sank into a meditative state.

This time, he was not just healing; he was beginning to outline that difficult yet hopeful future blueprint regarding the "secret stronghold at Luoxia Mountain" in his mind.

The leylines whispered beneath his feet, and the spark burned quietly in the depths of his soul.

The countdown was still ticking.

But perhaps, from this moment on, he would no longer be just prey chased by time.

He would also become the gardener, quietly sowing seeds in the shadows of time.