102: Chapter 102 The Ancient Forbidden Land, the Abyss Summons Again

The seventh morning after the Black Wind Gorge defense line was built.

In the cultivation room on the third floor of the Chaos Valley faction main hall, Lin Ye slowly awakened from deep meditation. Morning light spilled through the window lattice, casting mottled light and shadows on the warm jade floor tiles. He opened his eyes, and deep within his pupils, chaotic brilliance swirled before fading away.

Seven days.

Since the day he witnessed the adult Stone Race members gathering at the edge of the Primal Ancient Mine, the entire Heavenly Court had entered the highest level of war readiness. The Black Wind Gorge defense line was guarded twenty-four hours a day, the four major legions took turns patrolling, and Lu Ming led the Formation Masters to work tirelessly day and night to reinforce the Formation and add traps. The defensive works within Chaos Valley were also raised to the extreme; although the Five Elements mountain-protecting Formation still lacked two core Materials and could not be fully activated, its basic defensive capabilities were already three times stronger than before.

However, the large-scale attack that had been anticipated did not arrive.

Those adult Stone Race members that crawled out from the depths of the Primal Ancient Mine did not rush directly toward Black Wind Gorge after gathering; instead, they established a crude camp on the outskirts of the Primal Ancient Mine. They moved giant boulders, stacked stone walls, and dug earth caves, as if they were... building an outpost?

Scouts from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion ventured closer to observe and brought back more detailed intelligence: twelve adult Stone Race members had been confirmed, with their Rank estimated between 70-75. In addition, there were over two hundred Stone Race juveniles (Rank 60-65), as well as a large number of Yao Beasts enslaved by them—mostly of the earth and stone types, such as Rock Armor Rhinos, Earth-Walking Lizards, and Petrified Pythons.

These ancient creatures did not seem to be in a hurry to attack but were methodically preparing for something. They transported a large amount of dark gray Ore from the depths of the Primal Ancient Mine and erected a ten-zhang-high rough stone platform in the center of the camp. The surface of the stone platform was carved with twisted runes; those runes were similar in style to the ones Lin Ye had seen on the steles in the Primal Ancient Mine, but they were even older and more obscure.

"They are holding a ritual," Pavilion Master Qin concluded after analyzing the rune samples collected by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. "This is a type of summoning or strengthening ritual. After the stone platform is built, they might summon more of their kin or enhance the strength of the existing Stone Race."

"How long will it take?" Lin Ye asked at the time.

"Based on the engineering progress and energy fluctuations, it will take at least ten days," Pavilion Master Qin replied. "But that is assuming we do not interfere."

Interfere? How could they interfere?

Send troops to attack the Stone Race camp? That would be suicide. Twelve adult members above Rank 70, plus over two hundred juveniles—this force was enough to crush the current Heavenly Court. Even relying on the Black Wind Gorge defense line, the chance of winning was less than thirty percent.

Lin Ye ultimately chose the most rational plan: stand by and intensify preparations.

During these seven days, apart from handling faction affairs, he spent most of his time in the cultivation room consolidating his Realm. His cultivation at the Dao Palace Fourth Layer Peak had been completely stabilized, and the opening progress of the Liver Divine Palace had increased from 90% to 92%; although slow, it was steady progress. He had also mastered the two new skills, Chaos Wood and Chaos Earth, and could wield them more proficiently.

More importantly, his understanding of the Chaos Law was deepening.

Chaos encompasses all things and can also derive all things. During these few days of quiet cultivation, he had vaguely touched upon another characteristic of Chaos—Time.

Yes, Time.

Chaos is the state before Heaven and Earth were opened; at that time, there was no space, no time, and everything returned to Chaos. When he circulated his Chaos Divine Power, he could occasionally feel the subtle fluctuations of time around him, as if his power could influence the flow of time.

This discovery left him both shocked and excited. The Law of Time was a profound Law that only Cultivators at the Xiantai Realm and above were qualified to touch. If the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body truly contained a time characteristic, then his potential would far exceed his imagination.

However, this realization was still very vague, like looking at flowers through a fog, difficult to grasp.

Lin Ye stood up and stretched his muscles and bones. His joints made a light cracking sound, and his blood surged in his body like a river. He walked to the window and looked in the direction of Black Wind Gorge. Even from thirty li away, he could see five-colored brilliance swirling in the sky over there—that was the light of the daily operation of the Five Elements chain Formation.

The defense line was very stable, but Lin Ye still felt a trace of unease in his heart.

The Stone Race was holding its position, the six Forbidden Grounds continued to change, and the Ten Thousand Races Covenant meeting was to be held in three days... there seemed to be some connection behind all this, but he still couldn't grasp that thread.

"Perhaps, I should go and take a look at the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land," Lin Ye muttered to himself.

Seven days ago, at the same time the invitation to the Ten Thousand Races Covenant was delivered, Qin Ruoxue had also brought another piece of intelligence: there was a new situation regarding the changes in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. The white mist that had originally been spreading suddenly began to shrink, forming a huge whirlpool in the depths of the Forbidden Ground. In the center of the whirlpool, a bronze-colored light was vaguely flickering, similar to the aura emitted by the bronze finger ring that Lin Ye had obtained previously.

Lin Ye had felt something at the time, and the bronze finger ring in his bosom had become slightly hot. But he was busy with the construction of the defense line and war preparations, so he had temporarily suppressed the thought of exploring it.

Now, the defense line was initially stable, and the Stone Race showed no signs of attacking, so it was a good time to explore.

"Qingyue, Shi Potian, come to the main hall," Lin Ye sent a message through the transmission jade Talisman.

A quarter of an hour later, on the first floor of the faction main hall, the three met.

Su Qingyue was wearing a light blue Daoist robe, her Ice Jade Staff leaning against her shoulder, and the moonlight swirling around her body was even more natural. After the battle at Black Wind Gorge and these few days of cultivation, her Vast Cold Spirit Body second stage had been completely stabilized, reaching Rank 49, just one step away from the Four Extremities Realm.

Shi Potian was carrying that repaired giant axe, and his heavy armor looked brand new—it had been re-forged using fragments of petrified shells and Adamant Jade, and its defensive power had increased by forty percent compared to before. The purity of his Tyrant Body Bloodline was stable at 45%, and although his Rank was still 48, his actual combat power was enough to crush most Rank 50 players.

"Leader, is there a mission?" Shi Potian's eyes lit up. He had been feeling stifled guarding the defense line these past few days, and he was eager for a fight.

Lin Ye nodded and took out the bronze finger ring. The ring was currently emitting a warm touch, and pale cyan brilliance was swirling on its surface, completely different from the weak reaction seven days ago.

"This ring is hot, pointing towards the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land," Lin Ye showed the ring. "Pavilion Master Qin's intelligence shows that energy fluctuations originating from the same source as the ring have appeared in the depths of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. I suspect that there is something related to the ring there, or... a secret."

"The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land?" Su Qingyue frowned slightly. "It is very dangerous there now. Although the mist has shrunk, according to monitoring by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, the energy concentration in the shrinking area has increased by more than five times, and several exploration teams have already gone missing inside."

"I know it is dangerous," Lin Ye said. "But the anomaly of the ring cannot be ignored. This ring came from a stele in the Primal Ancient Mine and is likely related to the secrets of the six Forbidden Grounds. And..."

He paused: "I have a premonition that if I miss this opportunity, I might regret it."

The intuition of a Rebirth person was often more reliable than any intelligence.

Su Qingyue looked at Lin Ye's firm gaze and stopped trying to persuade him: "Then let's go. But this time, we cannot make a big show of it like we did at the Primal Ancient Mine; it is best to act in secret."

"I have the same intention," Lin Ye nodded. "Just the three of us. Travel light and return quickly. If it goes smoothly, we will return within three days, so it won't affect the meeting of the Ten Thousand Races Covenant."

Shi Potian grinned: "A three-person team? I like it! A small group is easier to move, and we can run if we can't beat them!"

"We are not going there to fight, but to investigate," Lin Ye corrected. "Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not fight. Our goal is to figure out what the ring is pointing to, as well as the truth behind the changes in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land."

He looked at the two of them: "Prepare yourselves, bring enough supplies, but do not attract anyone else's attention. Meet at the valley entrance in one hour."

"Yes!"

One hour later, at a hidden small gate on the east side of Chaos Valley.

Lin Ye had changed into a gray, tight-fitting outfit and covered it with a cloak to conceal the characteristics of the Void Realm armor. The myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo had shrunk to the size of a palm and hung at his waist. He wore the earth vein core close to his body and the bronze finger ring on the index finger of his left hand.

Su Qingyue had also changed into casual clothes, and her Ice Jade Staff was wrapped in a special cloth cover and carried on her back. Shi Potian's giant axe was wrapped in coarse cloth, looking like ordinary luggage.

The three of them, like ordinary adventurers, quietly left Chaos Valley and headed east.

The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land was located on the eastern border of the Yan State, a straight-line distance of about two hundred li from Chaos Valley. If they traveled at full speed, they could arrive in half a day. But in order to avoid any potential eyes, the three chose a roundabout route, first detouring fifty li to the south, and then turning east.

On the road, Lin Ye expanded his Divine Sense, remaining vigilant of the movements around them.

After leaving Chaos Valley for thirty li, the environment began to change. The vegetation gradually became sparse, cracks appeared on the ground, and a faint smell of decay permeated the air. This was the influence of approaching the Forbidden Ground—the changes in the six Forbidden Grounds were not limited to the core area; their influence was spreading to the surrounding areas.

After traveling another fifty li, the scene became even more desolate.

The trees were withered, leaving only bare branches, like ghost hands reaching toward the sky. The ground was covered with a layer of gray-white powder, which was soil eroded by some kind of power. Occasionally, one could see animal skeletons, most of which had died recently, their flesh and blood having been sucked dry by something, leaving only skeletons.

"The death aura here is very heavy," Su Qingyue said softly. "It is even thicker than the outskirts of the Primal Ancient Mine."

Lin Ye nodded; he could feel it too. The Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body was very sensitive to energy, and the aura of death, decay, and decline here was like a substance, constantly trying to erode his body. Fortunately, he had the protection of his Chaos Divine Power, which kept all evil at bay.

Shi Potian felt a bit uncomfortable; he cultivated the rigid and domineering Tyrant Body, which naturally repelled this kind of evil environment. "This ghost place, if we stay here too long, we will definitely get sick."

"Speed up," Lin Ye said. "The ring's response is getting stronger."

The three of them increased their speed, rushing across the desolate land.

Two hours later, the outline of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land appeared in their field of vision.

It was a vast area shrouded in white mist, the mist churning slowly like a living creature, its edges constantly shrinking and gathering toward the center. Through the thin layer of fog, one could vaguely see the scene inside: collapsed buildings, broken stone pillars, dried-up riverbeds... this had once been a prosperous ancient city, but it had been destroyed untold years ago and became a Forbidden Ground.

At the edge of the Forbidden Ground, there stood a ten-zhang-high stone stele. Four blood-red characters were carved on the stele: Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. The handwriting was ferocious, as if written in fresh blood, and it had not faded with the passage of time. Around the stone stele, a large number of corpses and abandoned equipment were scattered, all left behind by adventurers who had tried to break into the Forbidden Ground.

"Stop," Lin Ye stopped at a distance of one hundred zhang from the stone stele.

He expanded his Divine Sense and probed into the interior of the Forbidden Ground. But the moment his Divine Sense touched the mist, it was devoured and twisted by a strange force, and the information fed back was fragmented and difficult to identify.

"The mist has the effect of interfering with Divine Sense," Lin Ye frowned. "My Divine Sense can only penetrate ten zhang; any further in, and it is just Chaos."

Su Qingyue tried to use the moonlight sensing of her Vast Cold Spirit Body, but it was similarly blocked. "My spirit body sensing has also been suppressed; I can only vaguely feel a strong aura of death in the depths of the mist, and also... a trace of faint vitality?"

Life within death, this was very abnormal.

Shi Potian scratched his head: "I can't feel anything; I just think it's very dangerous inside."

Lin Ye took out the bronze finger ring. At this moment, the ring was already shockingly hot, and the cyan brilliance on its surface was flickering like breathing. It pointed into the depths of the mist, guiding them in a certain direction.

"Follow the ring," Lin Ye made a decision. "But we must be careful. Vision is blocked in the mist, and Divine Sense is limited, so it is very easy for us to get separated or encounter an attack."

He took out three special ropes from his Storage Pouch, each three zhang long, woven from a mixture of ice silkworm silk and metal wire, and they were exceptionally tough. "Tie the rope to your waists and connect with each other, so that even if we get separated, we can find each other."

The three of them did as instructed.

Once prepared, Lin Ye took a deep breath and was the first to step into the mist.

The moment he stepped in, the temperature plummeted.

It was not a cold drop, but a kind of eerie, bone-chilling coldness. The mist surged over like cold tide water, wrapping around his whole body, and his vision instantly dropped to less than three zhang. The light of the illumination bead was compressed to the point where it could only illuminate one chi around him; any further was just a pale white.

What was even more strange was the sound. The wind and insect chirping from the outside had all disappeared, replaced by absolute silence, with only his own breathing and heartbeat magnified in his ears. This kind of silence was more oppressive than any noise.

"Hold the rope tightly and follow me closely," Lin Ye whispered, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the mist.

Guided by the bronze finger ring, he Advanced into the depths.

Under his feet was soft, gray-white soil, and there was no sound when stepping on it. Occasionally, they would step on hard objects, and when they looked down, it was often some broken bone or a fragment of a rusted weapon. Shadows flashed in the mist from time to time; they were extremely fast, and it was impossible to see what they were, but he could feel the malice.

After walking for about one li, ruins of buildings appeared in front of them.

It was the ruins of a palace; most of the walls had collapsed, leaving only a few stone pillars standing alone. Exquisite patterns were carved on the stone pillars, but most had been worn down and blurred. In the center of the palace was a dried-up pond, with broken jade tiles paved at the bottom of the pond.

Lin Ye approached a relatively intact stone pillar and carefully observed the carvings on it. It was some kind of ancient sacrificial scene: a group of people kneeling before a high platform, and an item was placed on the high platform—because the carving was worn, it was impossible to see exactly what it was, but the outline was somewhat similar to the bronze finger ring.

"This place was once a sacrificial site," Su Qingyue said softly. "The object of the sacrifice might be related to the ring."

Lin Ye nodded; he had the same feeling.

Continuing deeper, there were more and more architectural ruins. Streets, houses, squares, temples... the scale of this ancient city was far beyond imagination, and hundreds of thousands of people must have lived here at one time. But now, everything had turned into ruins, leaving only death and silence.

After walking another li, a canyon appeared in front of them.

On both sides of the canyon were steep cliffs, and countless caves were carved into the cliff walls, like a honeycomb. A stone statue stood in front of each cave, and the stone statues were in various forms; some looked like people, some like beasts, and some were simply impossible to describe. They all faced the depths of the canyon, maintaining a posture of kneeling or guarding.

The guidance of the bronze finger ring was pointing straight into the depths of the canyon.

"Do we go in?" Shi Potian asked. He gripped his giant axe tightly, instinctively sensing that it was very dangerous inside the canyon.

Lin Ye observed the entrance of the canyon. There were two particularly huge stone statues, five zhang high, shaped like warriors holding spears. The eyes of the stone statues were two red gemstones, which were currently emitting a faint red light, as if they were monitoring the entrance.

"These two stone statues are guards," Lin Ye judged. "If we rush in rashly, we might activate them."

"Then what should we do? Bypass them?"

"We can't bypass them," Lin Ye shook his head, as the ring's guidance pointed directly into the canyon without deviation. "We must try to pass through."

He thought for a moment and took out three Talismans from his Storage Pouch: "This is a 'Conceal Breath Talisman'; it can hide our aura and energy fluctuations to the greatest extent. Once used, as long as we don't actively attack or unleash a large amount of energy, we shouldn't be discovered by the stone statues."

The three of them applied the Conceal Breath Talismans, their auras instantly weakening until they were almost merged with the surrounding environment.

Lin Ye took the lead, cautiously passing between the two stone statues.

As he passed, he could feel red light flickering in the stone statues' eyes, as if they were scanning. However, the effect of the Conceal Breath Talismans was excellent, and the stone statues did not react.

They successfully passed the entrance and entered the canyon.

The inside of the canyon was gloomier than the outside. The cliffs on both sides were densely packed with caves, as if countless eyes were staring from the darkness. Deep within the caves, faint green light flickered, and subtle rustling sounds could be heard, as if something were moving inside.

"Do not look at those caves," Lin Ye whispered. "Follow me, and pass through quickly."

The three of them quickened their pace and moved through the canyon.

The canyon was winding and tortuous, as if it had no end. The further they went, the thicker the fog became, and visibility dropped to less than one zhang. However, the induction from the bronze finger ring grew stronger, burning Lin Ye’s finger with pain.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from ahead.

Thump... Thump... Thump...

The sound was like a giant boulder hitting the ground, with every step causing the earth to tremble slightly.

"Hide!" Lin Ye urged urgently, pulling the two of them behind a giant rock.

Through the mist, they vaguely saw a tall silhouette approaching. It was a stone statue, but not the warrior stone statue from the entrance; instead, it was a rock giant beast resembling a rhinoceros. It stood three zhang tall and was five zhang long, constructed entirely of dark gray rock, with magma-like red light flowing at its joints.

[Name: Stone Statue Guard (Elite)]

[Rank: 65]

[Type: Puppet / Guard Unit]

[Attribute: Earth Attribute, Stone Attribute]

[Traits: 1. Rock Body (Physical Defense +120%, Earth Spell Resistance +100%); 2. Earth Connection (When standing on the ground, Recovery Speed +300%); 3. Petrifying Gaze (Targets within sight gradually petrify); 4. Earth-Shattering Charge (Linear charge, deals massive damage and knocks back)]

[Status: Patrolling]

[Note: A guard Puppet from deep within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. It is ancient, but still faithfully executing its guarding mission.]

A Level 65 elite guard!

Lin Ye and the others held their breath, maximizing the effect of the Conceal Breath Talismans.

The stone statue guard walked past the giant rock where they were hiding. Its red-glowing eyes scanned the surroundings, but it found nothing unusual. Its footsteps were heavy and slow, like a tireless machine, as it continued to patrol along a fixed route.

After the guard walked away, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"This place is so heavily guarded; there must be something important inside," Shi Potian whispered.

"Continue moving forward," Lin Ye said. "But be more careful."

During the rest of the journey, they encountered three more waves of patrol guards, all of which were stone statue Puppets around Level 65, each with a different form: some were giant statues wielding axes, some were winged stone birds, and others were multi-legged centipede-shaped stone beasts. Fortunately, the Conceal Breath Talismans were effective, and combined with Lin Ye's keen perception, they were always able to detect and avoid them in advance.

After walking for about half an hour, they finally reached the end of the canyon.

At the end was a massive underground cave entrance. The entrance was circular, with a diameter of over ten zhang, and its edges were inlaid with glowing blue crystals. The cave was pitch-black and bottomless, with only cold airflows surging from the depths, carrying a thick aura of death.

The induction from the bronze finger ring was now so strong that it felt as if it were about to break free from his finger and fly away!

"This is it," Lin Ye said, looking at the cave entrance. "The destination guided by the ring."

He walked to the edge of the entrance and looked down. The cave was bottomless, and faint blue light spots flickered in the darkness like stars. Deeper down, it seemed as if something were calling out—a call that acted directly upon the Soul, compelling one to jump down and explore.

"This below... is the abyss," Su Qingyue’s voice trembled slightly. Her Vast Cold Spirit Body was sensitive to energy, and she could clearly feel the terrifying fluctuations emanating from the depths of the cave—power that far exceeded their understanding.

Shi Potian also felt a sense of trepidation. "Boss, are we really going down? I keep feeling like there’s something very terrifying down there."

Lin Ye did not answer immediately. He took out the bronze finger ring and observed it carefully.

At this moment, the cyan luster on the surface of the ring had condensed into a substance, flowing like liquid. The luster detached from the ring and outlined a complex symbol in the air—a symbol that resonated with the light emitted by the blue crystals at the edge of the cave entrance!

Buzz—

The blue crystals at the cave entrance lit up simultaneously!

The light intertwined, forming a light blue screen at the entrance. Runes flowed across the surface of the screen, and those runes were of the same origin as the patterns on the bronze finger ring; it was clearly some kind of verification mechanism.

"The ring is the key," Lin Ye realized. "Only those who hold the ring can pass through this light screen."

He reached out and touched the light screen. The moment his finger made contact, the bronze finger ring shone brightly, resonating with the runes on the screen. The screen rippled like water, splitting open a gap large enough for one person to pass through.

"I will go in first," Lin Ye said. "Wait for my signal."

He took a deep breath and stepped into the light screen.

The moment he passed through the light screen, the world spun.

It was not a physical rotation, but a sensation of chaotic time and space. It felt as if he had crossed an endless distance in an instant, yet also as if he had merely stepped in place. When Lin Ye regained his footing, he found himself in a completely different space.

This was a massive underground cave, a hundred times larger than what he had seen at the entrance. The ceiling of the cave was a hundred zhang high and inlaid with countless glowing blue crystals, like stars in the night sky. The ground was flat, paved with neat black stone slabs engraved with complex rune arrays.

In the center of the cave stood a massive bronze altar.

The altar was circular, about thirty zhang in diameter and five zhang high. Its body was cast from bronze and covered in rust, yet one could still make out exquisite reliefs: the sun, moon, and stars; mountains and rivers; the worship of the Ten Thousand Races... In the center of the relief was a groove, the shape of which matched the bronze finger ring perfectly.

Scattered around the altar were a large number of skeletal remains.

Unlike those in the outside world, these remains had not decayed; instead, they had transformed into a jade-like texture, emitting a warm luster under the light of the blue crystals. Most of the remains maintained a kneeling posture, facing the altar, as if they were still praying devoutly at the very last moment of their lives.

Even more astonishing was that these jade-like remains still retained faint Soul fluctuations. As Lin Ye's Divine Sense swept over them, he could "hear" them whispering some ancient prayer—an obsession that had spanned endless years.

"This is... the sacrificial core," Lin Ye murmured.

He walked onto the altar and approached the groove. The bronze finger ring in his hand trembled violently, nearly flying out of his grasp.

Lin Ye hesitated for a moment, then placed the ring into the groove.

It was a perfect fit.

The moment the ring was embedded, the entire altar vibrated!

Golden patterns emerged on the bronze surface, flowing as if they were alive. They spread from the base of the altar upward, finally converging on the ring in the groove. The ring absorbed the golden patterns, and the cyan luster on its surface transformed into a dazzling gold.

At the same time, the jade-like remains around the altar also lit up. Their residual Soul fluctuations were activated, transforming into specks of fluorescent light that flew toward the altar. The light merged into the golden patterns, making them brighter and more complex.

This process lasted for about a quarter of an hour.

When the last speck of fluorescent light merged, the altar’s vibration ceased. The ring in the groove had completely changed its appearance—it was no longer a simple bronze finger ring, but had transformed into a palm-sized bronze key. The surface of the key was covered in golden runes, exuding an ancient and majestic aura.

[Item: abyss key (Legendary)]

[Type: Special Item / Secret Realm Key]

[Description: Key to the entrance of the Abyss Layer of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land, condensed from an ancient sacrificial ritual and containing the power of time and space.]

[Attribute: Space Affinity +50, Time Resistance +30]

[Effects: 1. Can open the entrance to the Abyss Layer of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land (Uses: 3/3); 2. Wearer can faintly perceive time and space fluctuations; 3. Acts as a medium to unlock certain ancient Seals.]

[Special Ability: Time-Space Anchor (Can mark the current location; later, can consume Divine Power to teleport back to the marked point. Cooldown: 7 days)]

[Binding: Lin Ye (Soul Bound)]

[Note: This key is connected to the 'Time Anomaly Zone' deep within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. The holder may be drawn into an anomalous time-space.]

abyss key!

Legendary item!

Lin Ye picked up the key. It felt warm to the touch, and he could clearly feel the majestic power of time and space contained within it. This key could not only open the abyss entrance but also perceive time and space, and perform teleportation; its value was immeasurable.

Just as he picked up the key, the cave wall behind the altar slowly cracked open.

It was not an ordinary crack, but a distorted space rift emitting silver light. The rift was three zhang high and one zhang wide. Inside was not darkness, but a flowing river of silver light. Countless scenes could be vaguely seen flashing rapidly within the river of light—these were fragments of time.

At the edge of the rift, text appeared in ancient immortal script:

"Time and space rift, one day equals ten years."

"To enter the abyss, first cross the time."

"Attain the true heart, then see the truth."

"This is..." Lin Ye’s pupils contracted.

Time Anomaly Zone!

One day outside, ten years inside!

He had heard of such a place in his previous life; it was one of the highest-level cultivation Holy Lands in the game. By cultivating in the time anomaly zone, for every day that passed outside, ten years passed inside. This meant that as long as one had sufficient resources, one could complete in a very short time the cultivation progress that would take others years or even decades!

However, the danger was equally immense. The disparity in time flow within the time anomaly zone would place a huge burden on the entrant's body and Soul. If one's mind was not firm, they might suffer a mental breakdown after staying inside for "a few years." Moreover, there were often special trials within the anomaly zone; if one failed to pass, they might be trapped inside forever or torn apart by the turbulence of time and space.

"Lin Ye, are you okay?" Su Qingyue’s voice came from outside the light screen, filled with worry.

Lin Ye then remembered that Su Qingyue and Shi Potian were still outside. He hurried to the light screen and found that it had changed from a one-way barrier to a two-way transparent one, allowing those outside to see inside.

"I’m fine," Lin Ye said. "Come in, but be careful."

Su Qingyue and Shi Potian passed through the light screen and entered the cave.

Seeing the scene inside the cave, both of them were stunned. Especially upon seeing the bronze altar and the time and space rift behind it, Shi Potian’s mouth hung open. "This... what is this?"

"Time Anomaly Zone," Lin Ye explained simply. "The time flow rate inside is different from the outside; one day outside equals ten years inside."

"Ten years?!" Shi Potian’s eyes widened. "Then if we go in and Cultivate for ten years, only one day will have passed outside?"

"Theoretically, yes," Lin Ye nodded. "But the anomaly zone is very dangerous, and the difference in time flow rate will place huge pressure on the body and mind. And there may be trials inside; if you can't pass..."

He looked at the time and space rift. "You might die, or be trapped inside forever."

Su Qingyue walked to the rift and carefully observed the flowing river of silver light. "My Spirit Body can feel that this place holds huge opportunities, but also deadly dangers. Lin Ye, do you plan to go in?"

Lin Ye clenched the abyss key and pondered for a long time.

The Ten Thousand Races Covenant meeting was in three days, and the Stone Race might complete their ceremony and launch an attack within ten days. If he entered the time anomaly zone, one day would pass outside, and ten years would pass inside. This meant he had ten years to Cultivate and prepare!

Ten years!

With the Aptitude of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, plus the life spring divine fluid and the essence of the primordial life stone, in ten years, he was fully capable of breaking through to the Four Extremities Realm, or even touching the threshold of the Dragon Transformation Realm! By then, facing the Stone Race army, he would have much greater certainty.

However, the risk was equally immense. If he were trapped inside and couldn't get out, or if he suffered a mental breakdown after staying inside for "a few years," then the Heavenly Court would be finished.

"We enter," Lin Ye finally decided. "But we cannot all go in. Qingyue, you and I will go in. Shi Potian, you stay outside, guard the entrance, and prevent anyone from breaking in."

"Why can't I go in?" Shi Potian asked anxiously.

"Because we need someone to respond from the outside," Lin Ye explained. "The time flow rate inside and outside the time anomaly zone is different. After we enter, we don't know when we will be able to come out. If something happens outside—for instance, if the Stone Race attacks early—you need to notify the Chaos Valley in time, or even... destroy the entrance when necessary to prevent the things inside from coming out."

This task was heavy, but someone had to take it on.

Shi Potian wanted to go in to Cultivate, but he understood the gravity of the situation. He nodded heavily. "Don't worry, Boss! With me here, not even a fly will get in!"

Lin Ye looked at Su Qingyue again. "Qingyue, the time anomaly zone may have a special impact on your Vast Cold Spirit Body; you must consider it carefully. If you do not wish to go in, I will not force you."

Su Qingyue shook her head, her eyes firm. "Wherever you go, I go."

A simple sentence, yet it carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

Lin Ye felt a warmth in his heart and nodded. "Okay, then let's go in."

He walked to the time and space rift. The abyss key flew up automatically and hovered in the center of the rift. The golden runes on the key lit up, blending with the silver light of the rift to form a stable light gate.

"Remember, Shi Potian," Lin Ye urged in his final instructions. "No matter how long passes inside, after three days outside at most, we will definitely come out. If we haven't come out after three days... proceed according to the plan."

"Understood!"

Lin Ye took Su Qingyue’s hand, the two looked at each other, and stepped into the light gate simultaneously.

Silver light swallowed their figures.

Shi Potian stood in the cave, watching the light gate slowly close until it finally disappeared, leaving only the time and space rift still rotating slowly.

He gripped his giant axe, standing with his back to the rift and facing the cave entrance.

"Boss, Sister Yue, you must come back safely."

The cave returned to silence.

Only the whispers of the jade-like remains and the faint humming of the time and space rift echoed in the air.

And on the other side of the rift, in the torrent of time, Lin Ye and Su Qingyue’s trial had just begun.

One day outside, ten years inside.

These ten years would change many things.

Including their destiny, and... the direction of the entire world.