23: The treacherous plot was foiled at the altar; the dragon clan bestowed treasures to help break the formation.

As the morning light just spread over the pile of withered bones on the Desolate Plains, Lin Chen lifted Nian Xue into the air, the wind element forming a transparent staircase beneath his feet. Lin Qingxue followed closely, holding the void-rank ice crystal sword; wherever the blade swept, the residual Heavenly Dao energy in the air was instantly frozen.

"Daddy, the bones down there are so big!" Nian Xue pointed at the beast bones a meter high on the ground, her little finger poking Lin Chen's chin.

Lin Chen was about to respond when his Divine Thought suddenly caught an anomaly—from behind a dirt slope a thousand meters ahead, a weak cry for help came, yet the voice was wrapped in faint Heavenly Dao energy, as if deliberately baiting him.

[Bait: Heavenly Dao Puppet disguised as a human Survivor (Rank 72, origin level)]

[Ambush: 6 chaos rank Heavenly Dao War Beasts hidden under the dirt slope, a grandmist rank sacrificial trap buried on the slope surface]

[Tactic: Use cries for help to lure the target closer, trap to restrict movement, war beasts to ambush the child]

"Don't make a sound." Lin Chen pressed down on Nian Xue's little hand, and the Space Law was activated instantly. The Puppet behind the dirt slope had just poked its head out when its body was twisted into a twist by an invisible force, and the war beasts hiding under the slope were crushed into blood mist by the suddenly contracting space before they could rush out.

The sacrificial trap on the slope surface sensed the movement and erupted with a blood-colored light shield, but it was dispelled on the spot by the Law of Light triggered by Lin Chen. The grandmist rank runes inside the trap lost their energy support and fell as flying ash.

[Ding—Killed Heavenly Dao Puppet x1, Heavenly Dao War Beast x6, experience points shared equally]

[Lin Chen Rank: 71]

[Lin Qingxue Rank: 71]

[Lin Nianxue Rank: 11]

Nian Xue poked her head out from Lin Chen's arms, looking at the empty dirt slope: "Daddy, where did the person who was calling for help go?"

"It was something bad in disguise; Daddy has already chased it away." Lin Chen said softly, his gaze sweeping toward the distance—in the direction of the source of the cries for help, dozens of Heavenly Dao auras were quietly retreating, clearly unwilling to clash head-on now that their scheme was exposed.

The three continued forward, entering a forest scorched by black flames at noon. Just as they passed through the canopy, they heard intense fighting—three giant dragons covered in scales were being besieged by ten Heavenly Dao Priests, their dragon scales covered in blood-colored runes, clearly struck by a sacrificial curse.

[Race: Archaic Golden Dragon Clan]

[Rank: 75 (chaos rank)]

[Status: Struck by Heavenly Dao sacrificial curse, no hostility, nearing death]

"It's the Dragon Clan!" Surprise flashed in Clear Snow's eyes. "The scales of the Archaic Golden Dragon Clan can resist Heavenly Dao energy; they are very precious."

Lin Chen's Divine Thought probed, discovering that the curse within the dragons was rapidly devouring their life force; if not rescued in time, they would turn into sacrificial energy within half an hour.

"Attack!" Following Lin Chen's command, the Space Law instantly enveloped the battlefield. The ten Heavenly Dao Priests had just begun to activate their sacrificial arts when their bodies were torn apart by space, and the Heavenly Dao energy within them was completely purified by the Law of Light.

The lead Golden Dragon panted and lowered its head: "Thank you for saving us, my Lord! We are guardians of the Archaic Golden Dragon Clan, ordered to escort our clan's supreme treasure to the Central Altar, but we were ambushed by Heavenly Dao Priests..."

As it spoke, it spat out a fist-sized golden scale, the scale wreathed in Grandmist aura: "This is our clan's grandmist rank dragon scale, capable of resisting Heavenly Dao attacks below chaos rank. Please accept it as a token of our gratitude."

Lin Chen took the dragon scale and activated his concept-level Sublimation Talent. The scale instantly bloomed with a void halo, and reverse Heavenly Dao Runes appeared on its surface.

[Ding—grandmist rank Archaic Dragon Scale x1 → void-rank Archaic Dragon Scale x1 (cannot be sublimated further)]

[Effect: Resists Heavenly Dao attacks below void-rank, automatically purifies sacrificial curses]

He handed the dragon scale to Clear Snow: "Use this to make a heart-guard armor; I'll feel more at ease during battles."

Clear Snow took the dragon scale, her fingertips condensing the Ice and Snow Law, and the dragon scale instantly transformed into an Ice Crystal Dragon Scale Armor that fit her figure perfectly. Void Power and Ice and Snow Law intertwined, and her aura became steady.

[void-rank Ice Crystal Dragon Scale Armor]

[Effect: Physical Defense +800000, Heavenly Dao energy defense +1000000, immune to sacrificial-type curses]

The three followed the Golden Dragon to a hidden cave deep in the forest, where a treasure chest emitting a Grandmist aura was hidden—it was the supreme treasure the Dragon Clan was escorting.

[grandmist rank Golden Dragon treasure chest]

[Note: Contains Archaic Golden Dragon Clan Legacy items, can only be opened by creatures of chaos rank and above]

Lin Chen stepped forward and activated his Sublimation Talent. The treasure chest instantly lost its Grandmist luster, turning into a void color, and the Golden Dragon patterns on the surface came alive, circling the chest.

[Ding—grandmist rank Golden Dragon treasure chest → void-rank Golden Dragon treasure chest (cannot be sublimated further)]

[Trap disabled: Legacy Guardian Array turned to active defense, repelling Heavenly Dao energy]

Opening the treasure chest, inside lay a golden token, with the words "Golden Dragon Guardian" engraved on it, and a detailed map of the core area of the Central Altar on the back.

[void-rank Golden Dragon Guardian Token]

[Effect: Can ignore the outer defense of the Ultimate Sacrificial Array, summon Archaic Golden Dragon phantoms to assist in battle]

"With this and the previous sacrificial token, we can directly enter the Altar core." Lin Chen tightened his grip on the token, and it suddenly became scorching hot. A segment of the Golden Dragon Clan's Legacy memory poured into his mind: "...There are three Heavenly Dao origin pearls at the core of the Ultimate Sacrificial Array. Destroying the origin pearls can terminate the sacrifice... The origin pearls require void-rank power to destroy..."

As the memory dissipated, hurried footsteps came from outside the cave—the Heavenly Dao auras that had previously retreated had returned, and this time there were twenty more powerful chaos rank auras, clearly unwilling to accept failure and having called for reinforcements.

[Enemy configuration: Heavenly Dao Priest x10 (Rank 78 Chaos), Heavenly Dao War Beast x15 (Rank 76 Chaos), Heavenly Dao Commander x1 (Rank 85 Grandmist)]

[Tactic: Surround the cave, use grandmist rank sacrifice cannons to collapse the cave, capture the void-rank target alive]

"My Lord, let us stop them!" The three Golden Dragons blocked the cave entrance, their dragon might erupting.

Lin Chen shook his head: "No need, your injuries haven't healed yet, rest."

He carried Nian Xue out of the cave, with Clear Snow following closely behind. The Heavenly Dao Commander saw Nian Xue, and greed flashed in his eyes: "Lin Chen, hand over that child, and I will let you die painlessly!"

"Too much nonsense." Lin Chen triggered the Space Law and instantly teleported behind the Heavenly Dao Commander. His Ancient Gods Body erupted with golden light, his fist wrapped in Void Power, slamming fiercely into the commander's chest.

With a "crack," the commander's grandmist rank armor shattered inch by inch, and the Heavenly Dao Origin within him instantly dissipated. Lin Chen took the opportunity to snatch the sacrifice cannon from the commander's hand and activated his Sublimation Talent.

[Ding—grandmist rank sacrifice cannon → void-grade sacrifice cannon (cannot be sublimated further)]

[Attribute reversal: Changed from "sacrificial attack" to "anti-sacrificial attack," can consume Heavenly Dao energy to launch attacks]

Lin Chen turned the muzzle, aiming at the charging priests and war beasts. Void Power was injected into the barrel, and a golden beam erupted. Wherever the beam passed, all Heavenly Dao enemies instantly turned into flying ash, not even having time to let out a scream.

[Ding—Killed grandmist rank Heavenly Dao Commander x1, chaos rank Heavenly Dao Priest x10, chaos rank Heavenly Dao War Beast x15, experience points shared equally]

[Lin Chen Rank: 72]

[Lin Qingxue Rank: 72]

[Lin Nianxue Rank: 12]

The three Golden Dragons were stunned, and hurriedly stepped forward to thank him again: "My Lord, your Divine Might is incredible! We are willing to follow you to the Central Altar and help you destroy the sacrificial array!"

Lin Chen nodded: "That's fine, more strength means more security."

By evening, the group arrived at the periphery of the Central Altar. The altar was suspended a thousand meters in the air, surrounded by a blood-colored energy shield, with countless Heavenly Dao Puppets patrolling outside the shield, and three origin pearls emitting blood-colored light vaguely visible in the core area.

Lin Chen found a hidden valley and brought up the three people's panels to confirm their status:

[Name: Lin Chen]

[Race: Perfect Ancient God (Tier 2)]

[Rank: 72]

[Talent: Sublimation (Unique-grade, Concept-level)]

[Attributes: Strength 1603820 (Rank 70 1603520 → Rank 71 1603720 → Rank 72 1603820), Agility 1603820, Physique 1603820, Spirit 1604120]

[Skills: Ancient Gods Body (Enhanced), Ancient Gods Pressure (Enhanced), Ancient Gods Divine Sense (145 km), Thunder/Space/Law of Light (Perfection), Void Power Control (Initial Success)]

[Traits: Law Affinity (Perfection)]

[Items: void-rank Heavenly Dao sacrificial token, void-rank Golden Dragon Guardian Token, void-grade sacrifice cannon]

[Name: Lin Qingxue]

[Race: Ice and Snow Nine-Tailed White Fox (Transcendence Level)]

[Rank: 72]

[Talent: Heart of Ice and Snow (mythical-grade), Grandmist Ice Soul (origin level), Dragon Scale Guardian (Newly Awakened, from void-rank Ice Crystal Dragon Scale Armor)]

[Attributes: Strength 2650000 (Rank 70 2620000 → Rank 71 2630000 → Rank 72 2650000), Agility 3520000, Physique 2650000, Spirit 4720000]

[Skills: Ice and Snow Divine Power/Nine-Tails Power/Ice Domain (Perfection), Grandmist Ice Blade/Ice and Snow Origin Control (Perfection), Void Ice Blade (Newly Comprehended)]

[Items: void-rank ice crystal sword, void-rank Ice Crystal Dragon Scale Armor]

[Name: Lin Nianxue]

[Race: Ancient Demon God]

[Grade: void-rank]

[Rank: 12]

[Talent: Void Immunity (void-rank)]

[Attributes: Strength 10020 (Rank 10 10018 → Rank 11 10019 → Rank 12 10020), Agility 10020, Physique 10020, Spirit 10020]

[Items: legendary-grade life jade pendant · Enhanced]

[Mission Time: 24 days remaining]

[Rest Limit: Not opened]

"The altar energy shield's defense is very strong; we need both the sacrificial token and the guardian token to open a gap." Lin Chen looked at the map, "There are at least a hundred Heavenly Dao Puppets inside, and there might be even stronger Heavenly Dao Emissaries hiding."

Clear Snow gripped her ice crystal sword: "No matter how many enemies there are, we can kill our way in."

Nian Xue leaned into Lin Chen's arms, her little fist clenched: "Daddy, Nian Xue can help too, the jade pendant can reflect the bad guys' attacks."

Lin Chen rubbed her hair, his eyes full of warmth. Outside the valley, the blood-colored energy shield of the Central Altar became increasingly thick; clearly, the Heavenly Dao was still continuously injecting energy, and the time for the Ultimate Sacrificial Array to open was getting closer and closer.

The three Golden Dragons were wiping their dragon scales on the side, ready to fight at any time. Lin Chen looked at his wife and child and allies beside him, and took a deep breath—this battle concerning the survival of all races would officially begin tomorrow.

The last line of defense of the Heavenly Dao's conspiracy was right before his eyes; as long as he destroyed the three origin pearls, he could terminate the sacrifice and protect everything he wanted to protect.