57: Encountering a Primal Beast on the way to the ruins, seeking a breakthrough opportunity within the ruins.

The wind from the northeast of the Sea of Clouds carried an ancient aura. Lin Chen clutched a Spiritual Plant Talisman in his palm, and the transcendence pill in his Storage Pouch emitted a faint golden light.

"Daddy, are there many old stories in the ruins? Just like the ones Grandpa Tree tells." Nian Xue sat on A Qing's dragon back, her little hand waving a Spiritual Plant Flower.

A Qing spread the golden wings she had just broken through with, flying even more steadily. "Don't be afraid, little sister. I'm at the Transcendence Level now and can drive away the bad beasts!"

Clear Snow walked at the side of the group, her nine tails lightly sweeping the Sea of Clouds as she captured unusual scents. "There's a pack of Origin Beasts thirty miles ahead. Their aura is at the Transcendence Level Early Stage, and they're not hostile."

The Star Spirit Clan Leader held up a crystal stone, its light flashing softly. "They are 'Sea of Clouds Origin Beasts.' They feed on Origin Mist and can help guide us to the ruins."

As the group approached, they indeed saw dozens of semi-transparent beasts. Their bodies resembled deer, with points of Origin light hanging from their antlers, and they were leisurely feeding on the mist of the Sea of Clouds.

"The antlers of these beasts can be made into 'Origin Guidance Devices,' which are even more useful than crystal stones," Clear Snow said softly, condensing ice and snow at her fingertips without disturbing the herd.

Lin Chen teleported next to an Origin Beast, a gentle Origin emanating from his fingertips. The beast didn't dodge; instead, it affectionately rubbed against his hand, and the light points on its antlers fell into his palm.

"So gentle!" Nian Xue slid down from A Qing's dragon back and carefully stroked the beast's ear. "Little Beastie, can you take us to the ruins?"

The Origin Beast herd seemed to understand. The lead beast tilted its head and hissed softly before turning toward the northeast. The group followed closely behind, and their speed increased significantly.

After walking for about an hour, a floating Stone Island appeared ahead. Broken stone pillars stood on the island, carved with ancient runes—it was indeed a Transcendence Level ruin.

At the entrance of the ruins stood two stone beast statues, emitting a faint golden light with an aura reaching the Transcendence Level Middle Stage. "Outsiders, if you wish to enter the ruins, you must pass the 'Three Trials of Origin'."

The first trial was "Origin Resonance." A runic array appeared on the ground at the entrance, requiring the injection of corresponding Origin to activate. Lin Chen was the first to inject his Late Diamond Stage Origin, and the runes lit up with a faint golden light. Clear Snow injected her ice and snow Origin, adding a layer of light purple to the runes. When Nian Xue's Void Origin was injected, the runes flashed with purple-gold patterns.

"First trial passed!" The voice of the stone beast statues rang out, and the first stone gate at the entrance slowly opened.

The second trial was the "Illusion Labyrinth." Behind the gate was a patch of mist where illusions of what everyone cared about most appeared. A scene of Nian Xue being besieged by the Dark Crystal Clan appeared before Lin Chen's eyes. Just as he was about to rush in, the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule reminded him that it was an illusion.

"Don't be fooled by the illusions! Use your Origin to shatter them!" Lin Chen shouted, condensing golden light in his palm and sweeping it across the mist. The illusions instantly dissipated, and the others also broke through theirs using their Origin.

"Second trial passed!" The second stone gate opened, revealing a deep passage inside. At the end of the passage, a thick golden light glowed—it was the core of the ruins.

The third trial was "Origin Guard." Ten Stone Puppets suddenly rushed out into the passage, their auras at the Transcendence Level Early Stage. They didn't attack but only blocked the way, requiring non-offensive Origin to make them move aside.

Clear Snow expanded her Ice and Snow Domain, but instead of freezing, she used the ice and snow to condense into flowers that landed on the Puppets. Nian Xue's Void Power turned into points of light that gently circled the Puppets. Lin Chen's Ancient God Origin radiated warmth, enveloping the Puppets.

The stone eyes of the Puppets lit up with golden light, and they stepped aside one after another. "Third trial passed! Please enter the core area!"

At the end of the passage was a circular hall. In the center floated a golden ancient book, emitting an aura of Transcendence Level Perfection—it was the "Transcendence Origin Record," which contained the method for breaking through the Late Diamond Stage!

Lin Chen stepped forward, and the ancient book automatically flipped open. The runes on the pages flew into his mind: to break through the Late Diamond Stage, one needed "Origin Fusion"—resonating one's own Origin with the Origin of a Transcendence Level world, and then absorbing the energy of an origin core.

"The origin core is in the Stone Coffin in the hall!" The Star Spirit Clan Leader pointed to a Stone Coffin in the corner of the hall, which had the words "Transcendence Ancestor" carved on it.

Lin Chen opened the Stone Coffin. Inside lay a faint golden core the size of a fist. It was indeed an origin core, and its aura was ten times thicker than the previous Heart of Origin!

"This core can allow one person to directly break through to Late Diamond Stage Perfection!" Clear Snow's eyes flashed with surprise. "Husband, you absorb it!"

Lin Chen shook his head and broke the core into three pieces. "One for me, one for you, and one for Nian Xue. We will break through together!"

He handed the largest piece to Clear Snow, kept the medium one for himself, and gave the smallest to Nian Xue. As the cores entered their bodies, a rich Origin instantly erupted.

Clear Snow's Origin concentration soared from 31% (Early Late Diamond Stage) to 81% (Mid Late Diamond Stage), her mastery of the Ice and Snow Law reached 90%, and her Domain could cover thirty zhang.

Lin Chen rose from 10% (Mid Late Diamond Stage) to 60% (Mid Late Diamond Stage). His Divine Thought range expanded to 370 kilometers, and his Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule could easily neutralize Late Stage Transcendence Level attacks.

Nian Xue rose from 53% (Mid Diamond Mid-Stage) to 93% (Late Diamond Mid-Stage). Her Void Power could cover ten zhang, and the demon god mark on her forehead flashed with brilliant purple-gold.

A Qing watched them break through with some envy. Lin Chen took out a transcendence pill and handed it to her. "Eat this, and you can break through to the Middle Stage of the Transcendence Level Early Stage!"

A Qing took the pill and swallowed it. The Origin in her body boiled, and she indeed broke through. Her dragon wings glowed with a thicker golden light. "Thank you, Lord Lin Chen! I can protect my little sister even better now!"

The group rested in the hall. Lin Chen studied the Origin Record and discovered it contained a "Transcendence Level World Map," marking locations such as the "Origin Sea," "Ancient God Ruins," and "Transcendence Holy Temple." Among them, the Transcendence Holy Temple held the Opportunity to break through to the Transcendence Level.

"Our next step is to go to the Origin Sea. There are origin core fragmentss there that can help everyone raise their Realm." Lin Chen pointed to the blue area on the map.

The Star Spirit Clan Leader nodded. "The aura of the Origin Sea is very pure and without danger. We can also collect 'origin pearls' and refine them into 'origin pearl pills'."

As the group left the ruins, the stone beast statues handed over a Stone Talisman. "With this talisman, you can enter the ruins to Cultivate at any time. The Transcendence Ancestor will protect you."

Lin Chen took the Stone Talisman and put it into his Storage Pouch. "Thank you for the protection. We will come to Cultivate often."

When they returned to the Sea of Clouds, the Origin Beast herd was still waiting for them. The lead beast brought a light blue origin pearl in its mouth and handed it to Nian Xue—as if giving a gift.

"Thank you, Little Beastie!" Nian Xue took the pearl and handed it to Lin Chen. "Daddy, can this be used for Alchemy?"

"Yes, this is an origin pearl, it's very precious!" Lin Chen smiled and put the pearl into his pouch. "We'll go to the Origin Sea to collect more pearls and refine Medicinal Pills for everyone."

The group moved toward the Origin Sea. The color of the Sea of Clouds gradually turned blue, and a vast blue sea area vaguely appeared ahead, emanating a rich Origin aura—it was indeed the Origin Sea.

Nian Xue lay in Lin Chen's arms, her little finger pointing at the Origin Sea. "Daddy, the water there is blue, just like the lake water in the Spiritual Plant Garden!"

"Yes, there are many pearls inside, and fish that glow." Lin Chen rubbed her head and swept his Divine Thought toward the Origin Sea. At the bottom of the sea, there was the aura of origin core fragmentss, as well as gentle "Origin Fish," with no danger at all.

The silhouettes of the group gradually approached the Origin Sea. Sunlight spilled onto the blue sea surface, refracting into seven-colored light like a flowing gemstone. A new Opportunity was right before them; they would collect pearls here, search for fragments, and advance toward a higher Realm.