64: Helping all break through to gather the key to the origin, and to seek the core light at the top of the temple.

Lin Chen guided the golden light from the Origin Pillar into Clear Snow's body—her Origin concentration rose from 63% (Early Transcendence Level) to 83%, and her Ice and Snow Domain expanded to sixty zhang.

"Thank you, husband!" Clear Snow opened her eyes, and an Ice Blade condensed at her fingertips. The blade shimmered with Transcendence Level golden light, capable of cutting through the Black Tide's corrosion.

Lin Chen turned to Nian Xue and wrapped her in gentle Origin energy: "Don't be afraid, Daddy will help you get stronger."

Nian Xue's Origin concentration rose from 33.5% (Early Late Diamond Stage) to 43.5%, her Void Power covered twenty-four zhang, and the air she touched shimmered with purple-gold patterns.

A Qing leaned forward, golden powder shaking off its dragon wings: "Lord Lin Chen, I want to get stronger too!"

Origin Pillar energy flooded into its body, moving from 50% to 70% of the Late Early Transcendence Level. The temperature of its Dragon Breath rose by another fifty percent, enough to melt Transcendence Level black crystals.

The powerhouses of each clan stepped forward in turn, and Lin Chen precisely guided the energy:

- The Star Spirit Clan Leader rose from 15% to 25% of the Late Transcendence Level, and their crystal stone light could now penetrate the darkness of the deep sea;

- The Dragon Clan Branch Dragon Guard Leader rose from 18% to 28% of the Late Stage, their golden wings expanded to three zhang, and their Dragon Breath fired in concentrated beams;

- The Wood Spirit Clan Chief rose from 30% to 50% of the Early Transcendence Level, and their sacred plant vines could now entangle opponents at Transcendence Level Perfection;

- The Sea Spirit Clan Leader rose from 20% to 40% of the Early Transcendence Level, and their Coral Spear could pierce the scales of a Black Flood Dragon.

"I broke through!" Nian Xue pulled Little Sea Spirit into a dance, and Little Sea Spirit's fishtail splashed water onto her skirt.

A Qing spread its dragon wings and took Nian Xue for a flight, tracing golden light trails in the hall that made everyone laugh.

Lin Chen opened the Transcendence Codex, and new runes appeared on the pages: "The top floor of the temple contains the 'origin core,' which requires the Origin Keys of the five clans to open."

The leaders of each clan immediately took out their keys—the Crystal Spirit Clan's blue crystal key, the Wood Spirit Clan's green vine key, the Stone Spirit Clan's grey stone key, the Dragon Clan's gold scale key, and the Elf Clan's green feather key. The bodies of the keys all shimmered with their respective clan's Origin light.

"Let's head to the top floor!" Lin Chen closed the Codex, and the team assembled to walk toward the passage deep within the hall.

The walls of the passage were engraved with Transcendence runes that lit up every ten steps, as if guiding the way.

Nian Xue held A Qing's claw and pointed her small finger at the runes: "Daddy, these drawings are just like the ones at the Ancient God Altar!"

"They were left by the Transcendence Ancestor to help us stabilize our Origin." Lin Chen's fingertips brushed over the runes, and pale gold light motes merged into everyone's bodies, slightly raising their Origin concentration by 0.5%.

After walking for about half an hour, a runic door appeared before them, with "Origin Resonance" inscribed on the lintel—it required the five clan keys to be inserted into the slots simultaneously.

The Crystal Spirit Elder inserted the blue crystal key into the left slot, the Wood Spirit Clan Chief inserted the green vine key, the Stone Spirit Clan inserted the grey stone key, the Dragon Clan inserted the gold scale key, and the Elf Clan inserted the green feather key.

"Inject your Origin!" Lin Chen shouted. The five clan leaders injected their Origin at once, and the runic door rumbled open, releasing thick Origin mist.

Stepping through the stone door, the passage widened. The floor was paved with pale gold crystal stones, and Origin lamps on both sides lit up automatically—these were Transcendence Level "Origin Fluorites," capable of continuously releasing energy.

A member of the Metal Clan bent down to pick up a piece of fluorite: "This can be used as a weapon core; it's even stronger than Purple Crystal!"

Lin Chen nodded: "Collect them for now. We will distribute them once we've finished on the top floor."

After another fifteen minutes, they reached the entrance to the top floor. Standing at the door were three "Temple Spirit Guards"—their bodies were covered in golden patterns, they held Origin spears, and their auras were all at Transcendence Level Perfection!

"Outsiders, halt!" The Spirit Guards' voices were booming as their spears crossed to block the path, the tips glowing with golden light.

"vanguard team, pin down the left Spirit Guard! main force team, attack the right Spirit Guard! I'll handle the one in the middle!" Lin Chen ordered and was the first to charge forward.

Clear Snow led the vanguard team to deploy the Ice and Snow Domain, freezing the left Spirit Guard's feet; the Metal Clan's laser cannon was aimed at the right Spirit Guard, its muzzle coated in sacred plant powder; and Lin Chen condensed Transcendence Level Rules in his palm, striking the middle Spirit Guard's chest.

*Boom!*

The golden patterns on the middle Spirit Guard cracked. It swung its spear to counterattack, but Lin Chen teleported away and struck its back with a palm—the Spirit Guard stumbled a few steps, its Origin aura weakening slightly.

Nian Xue condensed a Void Light Orb and smashed it into the Spirit Guard's spear from the side: "Daddy, I'll help you!"

The light orb exploded, and the golden light on the spear dimmed. Lin Chen took the opportunity to seize the spear shaft and used the power of Rules to snap it.

The left Spirit Guard broke free from the ice and thrust its spear at Clear Snow. Wood Spirit Clan warriors shot out vines to entangle the spear shaft, while Stone Spirit Clan warriors threw stone shields to block the attack. The right Spirit Guard breathed out Origin Fire, but Elf Clan Archers fired ice arrows to extinguish the flames, the arrow tips piercing the Spirit Guard's golden patterns.

"Focus attacks on the core!" Lin Chen shouted, pointing his finger at the middle Spirit Guard's forehead—there was a pale gold core there.

A Qing spat out golden Dragon Breath, hitting the core. The Spirit Guard let out a miserable cry, its body turning into golden light, leaving behind only a Transcendence Level Perfection crystal core.

Seeing its companion fall, the left Spirit Guard's aura became erratic. Clear Snow seized the opportunity and her Ice Blade pierced its core. The right Spirit Guard tried to flee, but Sea Spirit Clan warriors threw a Coral Net to trap it, and the Dragon Clan Dragon Guards' golden wings struck its chest—the Spirit Guard crashed to the ground, and its crystal core rolled out.

"It's settled!" Everyone cheered. Lin Chen picked up the three crystal cores and broke them into small pieces to distribute to the powerhouses of each clan: "Absorb these; they will take you one step closer to the Peak!"

After absorbing the energy, Lin Chen's Origin concentration rose from 100% (Early Transcendence Level) to 20% (Middle Transcendence Level), and his Divine Thought range expanded to 520 kilometers; Clear Snow went from 83% (Early Transcendence Level) to 93%; Nian Xue went from 43.5% to 48.5%; and A Qing went from 70% to 90% of the Late Early Transcendence Level.

The team pushed open the doors to the top floor. Before them was a circular hall, and in the center floated a basketball-sized "origin core"—it emitted a deep gold Transcendence Level Peak aura, surrounded by floating Origin light spots like stars.

"The origin core!" Lin Chen walked forward, and the core automatically floated toward him, its surface manifesting runes that resonated with the runes of the Transcendence Codex.

"This core can help us break through to the Middle Transcendence Level! It can also open the entrance to the 'Origin Realm'!" the Star Spirit Clan Leader said excitedly, their crystal stone light shining directly onto the core.

Lin Chen guided the core's energy and distributed it to everyone:

- After absorbing it, he rose from 20% to 30% of the Middle Transcendence Level, and his power of Rules could now easily crush attacks from the Transcendence Level Perfection stage;

- Clear Snow rose from 93% (Early Transcendence Level) to 10% (Middle Transcendence Level), and her Ice and Snow Domain covered sixty-five zhang;

- Nian Xue rose from 48.5% to 53.5% (Early Late Diamond Stage), and her Void Power could now neutralize Middle Transcendence Level attacks;

- A Qing broke through to the Early Middle Transcendence Level, its dragon scales shimmering with deep gold light and its Dragon Breath becoming a golden beam of light.

After the members of each clan absorbed the energy, their strength rose again: the Star Spirit Clan Leader rose from 25% to 35% of the Late Transcendence Level; the Dragon Clan Dragon Guard Leader rose from 28% to 38% of the Late Stage; and eight members each from the Wood Spirit Clan and Sea Spirit Clan broke through to the Middle Transcendence Level.

Lin Chen grasped the origin core, and the Codex automatically flew into his hand, its pages fully opening—"Gather the origin cores to open the Origin Realm and seek the Peak of Transcendence."

He looked up at the hall's dome, where there was a circular indentation—the exact place for the core.

"Everyone get ready, we are opening the entrance to the Origin Realm!" Lin Chen said to the group, holding the core in his palm as he walked toward the indentation.

The members of each clan gathered around, the Origin Keys in their hands lighting up in resonance with the core's glow.

Pale gold light spread from the indentation, and a vortex-like entrance gradually appeared on the dome, emitting an even richer Origin aura—a new world was waiting for them.