The Nascent Soul Old Monster's Private Diary!

A moment later, in the underground secret chamber, the small mountain of Spirit Stones, enough to drive any Cultivator mad, had vanished completely, leaving not a single one behind.

Lin Yuan didn't bother to count carefully, but he estimated there were at least three to five million of them.

Mu Wanqing smoothed her slightly disheveled clothes, the lingering flush on her cheeks adding a touch of alluring charm to her cold, aloof temperament.

"Let's leave here first; the commotion outside has almost stopped."

Lin Yuan, however, shook his head, his gaze sweeping sharply across the empty secret chamber.

"Don't you feel... that something is missing?"

"What?" Mu Wanqing was a bit confused.

"They are all Low-Grade Spirit Stones." Lin Yuan's voice was calm. "Three to five million of them, yet not a single Medium Grade one, let alone High Grade. The Blood River Spirit Stone Mine is a rich mine; this is unreasonable."

Mu Wanqing was stunned. After his reminder, she instantly realized it too.

Indeed, three to five million Low-Grade Spirit Stones sounded frightening, but the Blood River Spirit Stone Mine produced a vast amount. The lack of high-tier Spirit Stones was in itself the greatest anomaly.

"Furthermore, the Formation here is unusual."

Lin Yuan walked to a wall, his fingertips tracing the cold stone surface. "In this secret chamber, another secret chamber is hidden."

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, carrying a hint of amusement: "This old fellow from the Misty Immortal Sect really likes playing Russian nesting dolls."

"A secret chamber?" Mu Wanqing's beautiful eyes scanned the surroundings. All she saw were flat, thick walls, the circulation of Spiritual Qi seamless, with absolutely no gaps or flaws visible.

"Don't look," Lin Yuan said without turning his head. "This is a composite Formation, integrating concealment, defense, and deception. Without sufficient attainment in Formations, you won't see any clues."

She walked to Lin Yuan's side, looking at his confident profile, and asked softly, "Then... can you open it?"

With Lin Yuan's current attainment in Formations, he really couldn't open it.

Lin Yuan's gaze sank into his mind, and golden characters emerged before his eyes.

【Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Mid Stage: 21680 / 100000 (addable points)】

【Fourth-Grade Alchemist: 1 / 600 (addable points); Sixth-Grade Artifact Refiner: 1 / 400 (addable points); Sixth-Grade Formation Master: 0 / 400 (addable points)】

【Fifth-Level Fire Control Art: 0 / 500; Illusion Transformation Art (Perfection)】

【Available attribute points: 4286】

【Special attribute points: 1】

Before coming to Lanyue City, he had cultivated arduously face-to-face with Xue Linglong in Black Stone City for four months. Through daily accumulation, he had gathered over two thousand attribute points.

As a thought stirred in his mind.

The text 【Sixth-Grade Formation Master】 began to flash violently, dissipate, and reorganize.

In an instant, it became 【Fifth-Grade Formation Master】.

Immediately after, it leaped from Fifth-Grade to 【Fourth-Grade】.

Finally, amidst a burst of brilliant golden light, it settled steadily at 【Third-Grade Formation Master】!

A massive torrent of information rushed into Lin Yuan's mind. Countless profound and complex Formation diagrams, experiences in breaking and solving Formations, and unheard-of ingenious ideas for setting up Formations were instantly absorbed, understood, and mastered by him!

In an instant, the world in his eyes transformed into the most fundamental lines and nodes; the trajectories of Spiritual Qi circulation and the Laws constituting all things became clearly visible.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes, a flash of light passing through them before returning to their usual depth.

His entire demeanor underwent an indescribable change. Mu Wanqing keenly sensed that the man before her was still the same man, but as he stood quietly, he seemed to merge with the surrounding space, the earth beneath his feet, and the very veins of the entire tower—composed, imposing, and unfathomable.

In Lin Yuan's eyes, that flawless wall was now a completely different sight. Countless invisible lines of spiritual power wove into a net, with rune nodes flickering, forming a composite Formation so precise it made one's scalp tingle.

This change was like facing an incomprehensible heavenly book one second, and the next, having that book automatically break down into the most basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Lin Yuan stepped forward and pressed his palm lightly against the stone wall.

"Open!"

With a low shout, his magic power turned into a key, probing into the wall along the profound trajectory, precisely touching the core of the hidden Formation.

There was no violent roar, no dazzling brilliance.

Only a series of subtle "click, click, click" mechanical sounds could be heard, as if gears sealed for a thousand years had begun to turn once more.

The smooth stone wall in front of Lin Yuan actually split from the middle, slowly receding to both sides, revealing a deeper and darker entrance.

Mu Wanqing subconsciously took half a step back. Watching this incredible scene, her gaze toward Lin Yuan shifted from shock to disbelief, and finally into undisguised admiration.

"You..." She couldn't form a complete sentence for a long time.

Lin Yuan turned back, gave her a triumphant smile, and stepped inside first.

The secret chamber was not large, containing only a simple wooden bed and a wooden table.

On the table sat a single book, a brush, an inkstone, and an unremarkable gray Storage Pouch.

Lin Yuan clawed through the air, and the Storage Pouch, as if guided by an invisible hand, landed lightly in his palm.

His Divine Sense surged in; there were very few items, just ten crystal-clear, glowing High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Beside the Spirit Stones was a piece of jet-black flesh the size of a fist, which was slightly squirming, as if it were a living thing.

Lin Yuan's heart tightened; he was very familiar with this aura.

"immortals remains?"

"No, this thing's fluctuation is far stronger than that of the immortals remains?"

After examining it for a long time, he could only confirm that this thing must also have come from the Upper Realm.

Then his gaze fell upon the yellowed ancient book on the table.

He reached out and picked it up; the touch on his fingertips carried the vicissitudes of time.

With a strange feeling of prying into someone else's privacy, he turned to the first page. A line of delicate yet forceful handwriting came into view.

【372nd Year of Jingyuan, Winter. Today, I finally achieved a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, and my Lifespan has greatly increased. However, the Dao is long, and even a Nascent Soul is but an ant. Before my Revered Master passed away, he said that the Spiritual Qi of this world is exhausted, the Laws are incomplete, and there is no hope for Soul Transformation. I do not believe in fate. I, Ji Qingying, will surely act in a Heaven-Defying manner and take that legendary step!】

"Ji Qingying... this name... she is the Grand Elder of the previous generation of the Misty Immortal Sect! 372nd Year of Jingyuan, counting it up, this is a relic from over fifteen hundred years ago!"

Lin Yuan's heart stirred; he hadn't expected this to be the diary left behind by that legendary Nascent Soul old monster.

He continued to flip through it.

The diary content detailed Ji Qingying's mental journey from the Early Nascent Soul Stage step-by-step to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, as well as the various incredible methods she had attempted in order to seek a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation stage.

These precious experiences and insights were like a guiding beacon for Lin Yuan, giving him a clearer understanding of the path after the Nascent Soul stage.

Until he flipped to one page, where his gaze suddenly froze.

【860th Year of Jingyuan, Spring. The Demon Falling Valley has opened, with Devilish Qi soaring to the heavens; it is suspected that an ancient demonic treasure has emerged. I went to investigate and discovered a broken ancient corpse in the abyss at the bottom of the valley. Although this corpse is dead, its Physical Body has not decayed, and it actually contains a trace of faint immortal spiritual qi! Heaven helps me! This is the immortals remains! If I can refine it, I will surely be able to unlock the secret of the Soul Transformation stage!】

Lin Yuan understood; so that pitch-black, constantly squirming piece of flesh in the Storage Pouch was actually discovered by Ji Qingying in the Demon Falling Valley. In that case, it was highly likely that, just like the immortals remains he had obtained, it also came from the Upper Realm.