18: Chapter 20 Desperate Counterattack, First Kill Glory

The golden text of the server-wide announcement was still slowly fading at the edge of his vision, and Lin Ye had temporarily muted the frantic scrolling of the world channel. In the third space of the Bronze Ancient Palace, there was only the sound of five people’s heavy breathing and the faint light emanating from three items on a stone platform.

Supported by Chen Hao, Lin Ye walked step by step toward the stone platform deep within the hall. With every step, his entire skeleton felt the agonizing pain as if it were about to fall apart. The Divine Power in his wheel sea secret realm was nearly exhausted, and the surge from his life spring was so weak it had almost come to a standstill. But he had to go—the things on the stone platform were likely the greatest harvest they had traded their lives for.

"Brother Lin, slow down." Chen Hao's voice was full of worry. "Sister Qingyue, she..."

"I know." Lin Ye interrupted him, his gaze falling on the unconscious Su Qingyue not far away. Zhao Xiaoyu was kneeling beside her, converting the last bit of her mana into gentle healing energy to maintain her vital signs. "We'll leave as soon as we get the items and immediately return to Yan State to find a physician."

Finally, the two arrived before the stone platform.

This was a square platform carved entirely from dark green jade, its surface covered in ancient patterns. Those patterns were not decorations but some kind of sealing Formation—Lin Ye could feel the Formation slowly lifting, with energy flowing inside the stone platform.

On the platform, three items were placed quietly.

On the far left was a palm-sized dark gold token. The token was rectangular with dragon patterns carved on the edges. The front bore an ancient character for "Order," while the back featured a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams pattern. A faint halo flowed over the token's surface, as if a lifeform were breathing.

In the middle was a roll of yellowed bamboo slips, tied with black silk thread and strung with three jade beads. The bamboo slips themselves looked unremarkable, but when Lin Ye's gaze fell upon them, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body within his wheel sea actually trembled spontaneously—it was a resonance reaction that only occurred when encountering high-tier items of the same Origin.

On the far right was a stone box, about a foot square, entirely grey and plain without any ornamentation. Yet, it was this most unremarkable-looking stone box that emitted the densest Chaos Qi. Lin Ye could even see the space around the stone box slightly distorting, with light bending as it passed by.

"This is..." Chen Hao's eyes widened. "The ultimate reward?"

Lin Ye didn't answer. He reached out and first touched the dark gold token.

It was cool to the touch and heavy in texture. Golden light suddenly flared from the token's surface, and a stream of information was transmitted directly into Lin Ye's consciousness.

[Ancient Palace Legacy Token (Special Item)]

Quality: Legendary

Source: Bronze Ancient Palace First Clear Ultimate Reward

Effects:

① [Ancient Palace Mark]: The holder can teleport to the periphery of the Bronze Ancient Palace at any time (Cooldown: 72 hours).

② [Legacy Protection]: Within the range of the Ancient Palace, all attributes are increased by 20%, and experience gain is increased by 50%.

③ [Nine Palaces Envoy]: Can summon nine Bronze Guards (Level same as the holder, duration 30 minutes, cooldown 24 hours).

④ [Palace Master Candidate]: Obtain the qualification to inherit the Bronze Ancient Palace (Requires completion of subsequent trials).

Binding Status: Soul Bound (Lin Ye)

Description: A Legacy keepsake left by the First Generation Palace Master of the Bronze Ancient Palace. The holder is regarded as the successor across generations of the Ancient Palace.

Lin Ye's pupils constricted slightly.

In his past life, he had heard of things like "Legacy Tokens." They were first-clear rewards for certain top-tier hidden dungeons. Not only were their own attributes powerful, but they also represented a complete Legacy line. Owning a Legacy Token was equivalent to having an entry ticket to a hidden faction.

The Legacy of the Bronze Ancient Palace... this had never been triggered by anyone in his past life. Because the first clear record for Hell difficulty was only broken by a max-level team three months after the server opened. By then, the rewards for the Ancient Palace had already been adjusted according to the average player level, and things like Legacy Tokens no longer existed.

But now, because of his Rebirth and because they had cleared the Hell difficulty on the seventh day of the server's opening, they had triggered the most primitive and highest-specification rewards.

"This token..." Lin Ye shared the token's attributes with Chen Hao.

After reading it, Chen Hao gasped: "Teleport back to the Ancient Palace at any time? Summon nine guards of the same level? This... this is too broken!"

"Legacy-type rewards are all like this." Lin Ye put away the token, which turned into a golden light and entered his forehead, suspended above the wheel sea secret realm, echoing with the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body. "But this means responsibility. The Legacy of the Bronze Ancient Palace is probably not that simple to inherit."

He didn't say more and reached out to pick up the second item—the roll of bamboo slips.

The bamboo slips were light in his hand, and the tied silk thread untied itself. Lin Ye slowly unrolled the bamboo slips. On the yellowed bamboo pieces, dense small characters were written in ancient Seal Script. He didn't recognize any of the characters, but when he stared at them, the words actually turned into flowing light and were imprinted directly into his consciousness.

It wasn't a skill or a Cultivation Technique, but a piece of information.

Information about the Bronze Ancient Palace, about this starry sky, and about the nature of the "covering the heavens era" world.

The amount of information was so vast that it made Lin Ye's head throb. He forcibly digested the content, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

"Brother Lin?" Chen Hao noticed his abnormality.

Lin Ye closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, there was something profound in his eyes: "These bamboo slips... record the 'Bronze Annals'."

"Bronze Annals?"

"Yes." Lin Ye rolled the bamboo slips back up and put them into his Storage Ring. "Simply put, it's an era before our current one. At that time, there was no Human Race in the Big Dipper Star Field. Ruling this starry sky was the 'Bronze Clan,' an ancient civilization that existed in the form of metal life. The Bronze Ancient Palace is one of the ruins left by that civilization."

He paused and added, "The bamboo slips also mention that the Bronze Clan perished in a 'Heavenly Crack Disaster.' The sky shattered, Laws became chaotic, and the entire civilization declined rapidly within a hundred years. The First Generation Palace Master of the Ancient Palace left this Legacy before their demise, hoping that successors would find the truth and prevent the tragedy from repeating."

Chen Hao was stunned: "Heavenly Crack Disaster? Is this game's background lore that deep?"

"The background of 'covering the heavens era' is far more complex than it appears." Lin Ye didn't say more and reached for the third item—the Chaos stone box.

This time, he didn't touch it directly. Instead, he first circulated the remaining Chaos Divine Power in his body, condensing a wisp of greyish aura in his palm. That aura came into contact with the Chaos Qi emitted by the stone box, and like a key inserted into a lock, the stone box opened automatically with a "click."

There was no radiant light inside the box, only a fist-sized grey stone.

The stone was irregularly shaped and pitted, looking just like a pebble picked up randomly by a river. But the moment Lin Ye saw it, his breathing nearly stopped.

"This is..." He carefully took out the stone.

It was heavy in his hand, several times heavier than an equal volume of gold. Inside the stone, it was as if a nebula were flowing, with grey mist slowly rotating within. Every rotation would trigger the surrounding Spiritual Qi into a frenzy.

[chaos source stone (Fragment)]

Quality: Immortal Artifact Material

Source: Bronze Ancient Palace Ultimate Treasure

Effects:

① [chaos origin source]: Contains the most primitive Chaos Qi, which can be absorbed by a Chaos-attribute Physique to enhance the strength of the Origin source.

② [myriad mother qi]: Can extract myriad mother qi (3-5 wisps can be extracted per fragment).

③ [Divine Forging Material]: When integrated into equipment, there is a chance to advance the equipment and add Chaos attributes.

④ [ Enlightenment Medium]: When the holder meditates on Chaos Law, efficiency is increased by 300%.

Description: A fragment of the source stone condensed at the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth when Chaos was yet to be divided. A complete chaos source stone is an Immortal King level material. This fragment is less than one ten-thousandth of the original body, but it is still a rare supreme treasure in this world.

chaos source stone!

Lin Ye's hand trembled slightly.

In his past life, he had only seen the name of this thing in legendary threads on forums. It was said that a complete chaos source stone was the core material for refining Immortal Artifacts. Even a fragment the size of a fingernail could cause a qualitative change in an Emperor Weapon Prototype. And this fist-sized fragment before him... its value simply couldn't be measured with Spirit Stones.

More importantly, the chaos source stone provided a fundamental enhancement to the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body. If he could absorb the chaos origin source within this stone, his Physique would likely undergo its first evolution, unlocking deeper abilities.

"What's wrong, Brother Lin?" Chen Hao saw Lin Ye's expression and realized this stone was not simple.

"It's nothing." Lin Ye took a deep breath and carefully put the chaos source stone back into the stone box, then placed the stone box into the deepest part of his Storage Ring. "A very important material. I'll use it later."

He didn't explain too much. It wasn't that he didn't trust Chen Hao, but rather that for something like the chaos source stone, the fewer people who knew, the better. The principle that "possessing a jade makes one guilty" applied in any world.

All three items on the stone platform had been collected, and the platform's own light began to dim. The sealing patterns extinguished one by one, and finally, the entire stone platform shattered with a "click," turning into ordinary rubble.

At the same time, the pile of loot that had already existed in the center of the hall began to glow even more brilliantly—this was the regular reward mentioned in the System announcement, as well as the items dropped by the Guardian Stone General and the Core Remains.

Supported by Chen Hao, Lin Ye walked back to the center of the hall.

Zhao Xiaoyu was still looking after Su Qingyue, while Zhang Meng had already crawled to the side of the loot pile but restrained himself from touching it—this was the basic rule of the team: before the captain distributed them, any person could not take anything without permission.

"Good work." Lin Ye nodded to Zhang Meng and then looked at the pile of items.

The light gradually faded, revealing the specific items inside.

The most eye-catching were three fist-sized fruits with mist swirling around their surfaces—[archaic sacred fruit]. This was part of the System's first-clear reward. Each one could permanently increase all attributes by 50 points, and the first consumption had a special effect.

In his past life, Lin Ye had only obtained three fruits in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land. In this life, because he had changed the plot and added the first-clear reward, he now had six in hand. This thing was a Heaven-Defying attribute-boosting item in the early game, and in the late game, it was a core material for refining top-tier Medicinal Pills, being priceless and rare.

He put away the three sacred fruits and looked at the other items.

A piece of heavy armor emitting a faint blue light, with a stone-like texture on its surface. It was a smaller version of the set worn by the Guardian Stone General—[Stone General Heavy Armor (Rare)].

Lin Ye picked up the armor, and its attributes appeared:

[Stone General Heavy Armor (Cuirass)]

Quality: Rare (Blue)

Level Requirement: 25

Class Restriction: Warrior, Knight types

Attributes:

Defense: +480

Physique: +35

Strength: +28

Special Effects:

① [Stone Skin]: Reduces physical damage taken by 15%.

② [Stability]: Immune to displacement effects such as knockback and knock-up.

③ [Guardian Aura]: Increases defense of teammates within 10 meters by 5% (Aura effects do not stack).

Durability: 220/220

Description: Reforged from the armor fragments of the Bronze Ancient Palace's Guardian Stone General. Although it doesn't compare to a ten-thousandth of the original, it is still a rare piece of defensive equipment for the early game.

"A good tank piece." Lin Ye handed it directly to Zhang Meng: "It's yours. Replace that white-tier cuirass you're wearing; your defense will increase significantly."

Zhang Meng's eyes lit up, and his hands were shaking as he took the armor: "Th-thank you, Brother Lin!"

He didn't hesitate and immediately put on the armor. A faint blue light flashed, and Zhang Meng's already burly Physique appeared even more solid, his defense visibly increasing by a notch.

Lin Ye continued the distribution.

The Guardian Stone General also dropped three [Bronze Hearts (Fine Material)], which could be used for forging or enchanting; five [Low-Grade Spirit Stones], each containing 1,000 points of Spiritual Qi, which could be directly absorbed to restore Divine Power or used as currency; and some silver and copper coins.

The drops from the core's remains were even more precious.

Besides the [star core eye (Legendary Material)] already taken by Su Qingyue, there were three drops of [Stone General Essence Blood (Rare Material)], a bottle of [Earth Essence (Fine Consumable)], and a piece of equipment that even surprised Lin Ye—

It was a ring.

The ring was dark gold throughout, with a grain-sized deep blue crystal embedded on the face, stars swirling inside. The ring itself emitted no light, but Lin Ye could feel the Star Power within.

[Star Ring (Rare)]

Quality: Rare (Blue)

Level Requirement: 30

Attributes:

Spirit: +40

Divine Sense: +50

Special Effects:

① [Star Power Infusion]: Active activation, the next three skills do not consume mana/Divine Power (Cooldown: 5 minutes)

② [Star Perception]: Slightly increases comprehension of star-type skills

③ [Night Vision]: Vision is unaffected in dark environments

Description: A ring forged from star core eye fragments. Although made from scraps, it still contains the mighty power of the stars.

"For Qingyue." Lin Ye tucked the ring away. "Her Vast Cold Spirit Body has a natural affinity for Star Power. This ring can speed up her recovery and raise her future growth ceiling."

Chen Hao nodded, then looked at the last item—the [myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo] rewarded by the System.

The new cauldron embryo floated in mid-air, only the size of a fist, its surface greyish and more ancient-looking than the previous one, with Chaos Qi several times denser inside. Lin Ye could feel its potential far exceeded the previous one; if he could find enough myriad mother qi to nourish it, it could even grow to the level of an Emperor Weapon in the future.

He reached out to touch the embryo, which turned into a grey light and entered his wheel sea, re-condensing where the original embryo had shattered. The Origin power of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body automatically wrapped around it, beginning to slowly nourish it.

[myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo (Growth-type Natal Weapon)]

Status: Embryo Stage (0/100)

Current Attributes:

Attack: +800 (Unlocks at full Nourishment Level)

Defense: +1200 (Unlocks at full Nourishment Level)

Special Effects:

① [Mother Qi Curtain]: Passive, reduces all damage taken by 25%

② [Chaos Resonance]: When linked with Chaos-attribute skills, effects increase by 20%

③ [Cauldron Suppressing Mountains and Rivers]: Active skill, consumes 500 Divine Power, suppresses all enemies within a 10-meter radius, reducing their movement speed by 50% for 5 seconds (Cooldown: 2 minutes)

Growth Requirement: myriad mother qi (0/10 wisps)

Description: A cauldron embryo reforged by the Bronze Ancient Palace using secret methods, fused with a wisp of the first-generation palace master's Origin, possessing immense growth potential.

25% permanent damage reduction!

Lin Ye was shocked. This new embryo's attributes were more than a notch stronger than the previous one. Although attack and defense required full Nourishment Level to unlock, the passive damage reduction alone would significantly boost his Early Stage survival.

More importantly, the growth requirement was clear—myriad mother qi. Although myriad mother qi was extremely rare in the early game, Lin Ye knew a few places that might produce it, and he could explore them once his level was high enough.

Loot distribution finished, Lin Ye looked at his experience bar.

The 5 million experience from the first-clear reward pushed him from level 24 straight to level 30. His cultivation in the wheel sea secret realm was now at Perfection; his Bitter Sea had expanded to its limit, and his life spring gushed like a pillar. As long as he completed the Dao Palace Trial, he could break through to the next major Realm.

But the Dao Palace Trial couldn't be done now. He needed to return to the city to rest, recover his status, and then challenge the trial quest.

Besides experience, there were reputation rewards.

[System Prompt: You have gained Reputation +10,000]

[Current Reputation: 12,500 (Slightly Famous)]

[Reputation Rank Up! You have obtained the title 'Ancient Palace Conqueror'!]

A new title appeared in Lin Ye's title slot.

[Ancient Palace Conqueror (Title)]

Effects:

① Increases damage to Puppets and statue-type monsters by 15%

② In ruins and Ancient Tomb maps, perception range expands by 30%

③ NPC initial favorability +10

Description: Proof of being the first to clear the Hell difficulty of the Bronze Ancient Palace, representing courage and wisdom.

A very practical title. Especially the damage bonus against Puppet-type monsters, which would be useful when exploring certain specific dungeons.

Lin Ye equipped the title, and a line of faint golden text appeared above his head: [Ancient Palace Conqueror · Lin Ye]. This was a title effect that could be hidden manually, but he didn't plan to hide it now—sometimes, appropriate deterrence could reduce a lot of trouble.

After distributing all the loot, Lin Ye looked at the unconscious Su Qingyue.

Zhao Xiaoyu had exhausted her last bit of mana and sat nearby, pale: "Brother Lin, Sister Qingyue's state is very strange. Her health is full, but she won't wake up. The System prompt says 'Spirit Body Origin Overdraft,' requiring a special method for treatment."

Lin Ye knelt down and placed his hand on Su Qingyue's wrist.

It felt icy cold, as if holding a piece of cold jade. He could feel that the Vast Cold Spirit Body inside her was in a state of extreme exhaustion; the cold air that should have been circulating had almost stagnated, with only a faint spiritual light at her heart maintaining her life.

Spirit body overdraft was a tricky problem in his past life too. Ordinary healing skills and Medicinal Pills could only restore health, not repair the Origin. It required special Heaven And Earth Treasures to nourish the spirit body, or the help of a high-level NPC.

"The Capital City of Yan State should have a doctor who can handle this," Lin Ye decided. "Let's leave here first."

He stood up and took out the Ancient Palace Legacy Token from his Storage Ring.

With the token in hand, he could clearly perceive every corner of the Bronze Ancient Palace. With a thought, golden light flowed on the token's surface, and a light gate slowly opened in the center of the hall.

[Using 'Ancient Palace Mark', establishing teleportation channel...]

[Target Location: Bronze Ancient Palace Outer Area (Safe Zone)]

[Channel construction complete, lasting 30 seconds.]

"Let's go." Lin Ye was the first to step into the light gate.

Chen Hao carried Su Qingyue on his back, and Zhang Meng supported the weak Zhao Xiaoyu as the four followed closely.

The moment they passed through the light gate, a sense of dizziness from space-time transition hit them. Next, they appeared in a desolate valley.

Looking back, the massive gates of the Bronze Ancient Palace were a hundred meters behind them, but they were now tightly closed, their bronze surfaces rusty as if they had been abandoned for countless years. Only Lin Ye knew that after the 72-hour cooldown, he could use the token to open them again.

The valley was empty.

But in the distance, the faint clamor of players could be heard—those players who had been blocked from the palace earlier hadn't dispersed but were exploring the outer areas, hoping to find other entrances or opportunities.

"Let's leave here first," Lin Ye said in a low voice. "The news of the first clear has already spread; people will come to check soon. Our current state is too poor to deal with others."

Everyone nodded and moved quickly toward the Capital City of Yan State.

On the way, Lin Ye opened the world channel he had previously muted.

As expected, the entire channel had exploded.

[World Channel] Player "King of Gossip": "Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! First clear of the Bronze Ancient Palace on Hell difficulty? On the seventh day of the server? What kind of god-tier team is this?!"

[World Channel] Player "I am Rich": "Who is Lin Ye? Who is Su Qingyue? Does anyone know them? Offering a high price for contact info!"

[World Channel] Player "Zhan Tian Pavilion · Mad Blade": "Investigate! Immediately find out everything about this Lin Ye! Recruit him if possible; if not... don't offend him either."

[World Channel] Player "Yaochi Fairy": "Our guild organized an elite group of fifty people and couldn't even beat Normal difficulty... How did they do Hell difficulty? Asking for a guide!"

[World Channel] Player "Bai Xiaosheng": "Latest news! Lin Ye's team's average level doesn't exceed 25! What method did they use to clear it across levels? Private message me if you have inside info, price is negotiable!"

[World Channel] Player "Overlord Pavilion · Iron Blood": "Heh, just luck. Once our guild's main force reaches level 30, we can clear it too."

[World Channel] Player "Passerby A": "Stop being salty. They cleared Hell difficulty; you'll be lucky to clear Easy difficulty."

The screen scrolled too fast; Lin Ye only watched for a bit before closing the channel.

He knew that from today on, the name "Lin Ye" would enter the sights of all major powers. In the coming days, recruitment, testing, and even assassinations might follow.

But this was what he wanted.

Returning from Rebirth, he intended to build his own power to contend with future disasters. And fame was the first step to attracting talent.

An hour later, the five returned to the Capital City of Yan State.

The city gate was even more crowded than when they left, with countless players entering and leaving, almost all discussing the "first clear of the Bronze Ancient Palace." Lin Ye and the others lowered their heads and entered the city, blending into the crowd.

They didn't go to the player-frequented inns but headed straight for the NPC area in the west of the city.

As the core main city in the early game, the Capital City of Yan State was larger than a first-tier city in reality. Players mainly moved in the East and South Districts, where trading markets, mission halls, and class mentors were located. The West and North Districts were residential areas for NPCs and special functional buildings.

Lin Ye led the group through the bustling streets and turned into a small alley paved with bluestone. Ancient-style buildings lined the alley, with occasional NPCs sweeping or chatting in front of their doors.

Finally, they stopped in front of an inconspicuous small courtyard.

The courtyard gate was slightly ajar, with a wooden plaque hanging on the lintel, bearing three Seal Script characters: Huichun Hall.

This was a place Lin Ye knew from his past life. The master of Huichun Hall, "Sun Simiao," was a hidden high-level doctor in the Capital City of Yan State. Though only level 40, he had methods for treating special injuries and repairing Origins that even doctors in high-level main cities couldn't match.

Provided you could pay the fee and gain his approval.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Lin Ye raised his hand and knocked.

After a moment, an old voice came from inside: "No consultations today, please leave."

"Elder Sun, this Junior is seeking medical help for an emergency," Lin Ye said respectfully. "The patient's spirit body is overdrawn and her Origin is damaged; only your miraculous hands can bring her back to life."

Silence for a few seconds inside.

Then, the courtyard gate opened with a "creak."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

An old man dressed in grey cloth robes with white hair and beard stood inside the door; he looked to be in his sixties with a kind face, but his eyes were as bright as stars.

His gaze swept over Lin Ye and the others, finally landing on Su Qingyue, who was on Chen Hao's back.

"Vast Cold Spirit Body?" A trace of surprise flashed in Sun Simiao's eyes. "Such a pure ice-type spirit body... actually overdrawn to this extent. Come in."

The group felt a surge of joy and hurriedly followed the old man into the courtyard.

The courtyard was not large but was kept very tidy.

On the left was an herb garden planted with various medicinal herbs, and on the right were wooden racks for drying medicinal Materials.

The main house consisted of three tiled rooms; the middle was the consultation room, and the two sides were likely the bedroom and the pharmacy.

Sun Simiao gestured for Chen Hao to place Su Qingyue on the bed in the consultation room, then reached out to take her pulse.

His fingers paused slightly the moment they touched Su Qingyue's wrist: "Hmm? This is... Star Power?"

The old man's gaze became grave.

He examined her carefully for a moment, withdrew his hand, and looked at Lin Ye: "This young lady's spirit body is overdrawn because she forcibly activated power that exceeded her own limits."

"But strangely, there is an external Star Power maintaining her vitality within her body; otherwise, her spirit body would have long since collapsed and she would have died."

Lin Ye took out the Star Ring: "Is this the effect of this item?"

Sun Simiao took the ring, examined it for a moment, and nodded: "So that's it. A fragment of the Star Core Eye... You went to the Bronze Ancient Palace?"

His tone was very flat, but Lin Ye could hear the underlying meaning.

"Yes." Lin Ye did not hide it. "We just cleared the Bronze Ancient Palace on Hell difficulty, and my teammate overdrew her spirit body in the final battle. I ask that you please lend a hand, Sir. As for the consultation fee, this Junior will certainly do my best to satisfy it."

Sun Simiao glanced at Lin Ye, then at the pale golden title above his head, and suddenly smiled: "Bronze Ancient Palace Conqueror... Not bad. It has been many years since this old man has seen a young person who could obtain this title within seven days of the server opening."

He turned and took several jade bottles from the medicine cabinet: "We will discuss the consultation fee later."

"Although this young lady's injuries are troublesome, they are not untreatable."

"She needs three things: first, 'cold jade marrow' to nourish her spirit body; second, 'Star Brilliance Grass' to harmonize the Star Power within her body; and third, someone to guide her with same-Origin mana to help her sort out her chaotic spirit body Origin."

"This Junior can go search for the cold jade marrow and Star Brilliance Grass," Lin Ye said immediately. "But as for this same-Origin mana..."

"The Vast Cold Spirit Body belongs to the ice element and requires ice-element mana to guide it," Sun Simiao stroked his beard. "Although this old man is well-versed in medical principles, my mana attribute is wood, so I cannot fulfill this task. Unless..."

He paused: "Unless you can find a practitioner of the 'Ice Heart Art'. The Ice Heart Art is a basic Cultivation Technique specializing in ice-element mana; although it is not Advanced, it is upright and gentle, making it the most suitable for guiding and sorting."

Ice Heart Art.

Lin Ye's heart stirred.

He knew of this item; it was one of the basic Cultivation Techniques that an Outer Sect Disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land could exchange for.

However, the exchange required contribution points, and one had to be a Disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land.

It seems the plan to join the Yaoguang Holy Land must be brought forward.

"Many thanks for your guidance, Sir." Lin Ye bowed. "May I ask where the cold jade marrow and Star Brilliance Grass can be found? And how much is the consultation fee?"

Sun Simiao placed the jade bottles on the table: "These Medicinal Pills can stabilize her injuries for now, ensuring she is safe for seven days."

"cold jade marrow is produced in the depths of the 'Cold Ice Cave' three hundred miles north of the city, but it is occupied by ice-element Yao Beasts and is quite dangerous."

"Star Brilliance Grass grows in places where Spiritual Qi gathers under the night sky; within the Yan State, only the 'Star Gazing Cliff' meets the conditions, but that is a Rank 30 map and is also not simple."

"As for the consultation fee..." the old man looked at Lin Ye meaningfully, "This old man does not want Spirit Stones, nor do I want equipment. I want you to promise me one thing."

"Please speak, Sir."

"Within three months, go to a place for this old man and retrieve an item," Sun Simiao said slowly. "I will tell you the specific location and item when the time comes. Your strength is still too weak right now; knowing it would be useless."

Lin Ye was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Very well, this Junior agrees."

"Straightforward." Sun Simiao smiled and handed a bottle of Medicinal Pills to Lin Ye. "This is the 'Spirit Nourishing Pill'. Give her one pill every day to ensure her spirit body does not continue to deteriorate."

"Remember, you only have seven days. If you do not have the cold jade marrow and Star Brilliance Grass after seven days, and there is no practitioner of the Ice Heart Art to guide her, her spirit body will begin to irreversibly atrophy, and even an Immortal would be unable to save her then."

Lin Ye solemnly accepted the Medicinal Pills: "This Junior understands."

When they left the Huichun Hall, the sky was approaching dusk.

The group found a secluded inn to stay in.

Lin Ye gave Su Qingyue one Spirit Nourishing Pill, and only after seeing her pale complexion improve slightly did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Brother Lin, what should we do next?" Chen Hao asked. "Should we split up to go to the Cold Ice Cave and the Star Gazing Cliff?"

Lin Ye shook his head: "No, both of those places are not simple; splitting up is too dangerous. We will rest for the night first. Tomorrow, I will go to the Yaoguang Holy Land to see if I can obtain the Ice Heart Art as soon as possible. You all stay in the city to gather intelligence and inquire about the specific situation of the Cold Ice Cave and the Star Gazing Cliff."

"Yaoguang Holy Land?" Zhang Meng scratched his head. "Brother Lin, you want to join the Holy Land?"

"Yes, this is part of the plan." Lin Ye did not explain further. "Qingyue needs the Ice Heart Art, and I also need the Holy Land's resources to achieve a Breakthrough to the Dao Palace Realm. It kills two birds with one stone."

He looked out the window; the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the Capital City of Yan State a golden yellow.

The first clear of the Bronze Ancient Palace was just the beginning.

The road ahead was still very long.

At this moment, in another corner of the Capital City of Yan State, in the study of a luxurious mansion, several figures were gathered together.

"Have you found out clearly?" The young man wearing brocade clothes in the main seat asked slowly.

The ID above his head was [Overlord Pavilion - Jueying], and he was indeed the president of the Overlord Pavilion's branch in the Yan State.

"President, it is basically clear," a player dressed as an assassin below said respectfully. "Lin Ye, 23 years old, created his character on the first day the server opened, initial talent unknown. His current Rank should be around Rank 30, and he possesses at least two high-quality pieces of equipment. The few people with him are all solo players without any guild background."

"Solo players..." Jueying tapped his fingers on the table. "A team of solo players, clearing the Bronze Ancient Palace Hell difficulty on the seventh day the server opened... Do you believe it?"

There was silence in the study.

No one believed it.

But the facts were right before their eyes.

"There are two possibilities," Jueying said slowly. "First, they have support from a major force in reality, and they are just hiding their identities. Second, they have mastered some kind of bug or special strategy."

He paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Regardless of which possibility it is, this person must be in our grasp. If not... then destroy him."

"President, they have already returned to the city and are staying at the 'Yuelai Inn' in the west of the city. Should we go and make contact now?"

"No rush," Jueying waved his hand. "Send people to watch them first. Wait until their condition has recovered, then go and test them. Remember, the attitude should be polite, but the bottom line must be clear—either join the Overlord Pavilion, or... don't bother trying to make a living in the Yan State."

"Yes!"

After his subordinate retreated, Jueying sat alone in the study, watching the darkening sky outside the window.

His fingers traced a name on the desktop: Lin Ye.

"Interesting..." he muttered to himself. "I hope you do not disappoint me."

The night grew deeper.

In the guest room of the Yuelai Inn, Lin Ye sat cross-legged on the bed, his wheel sea secret realm slowly operating, absorbing the thin Spiritual Qi in the air.

His consciousness sank into his wheel sea, observing the newly born myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo.

The cauldron embryo hovered above the bitter sea, rotating slowly. With every rotation, it would absorb a wisp of the Origin aura emitted by the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body.

Although the Nourishment Level was still 0/100, Lin Ye could feel that the connection between the cauldron embryo and himself was gradually deepening.

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he took out the chaos origin source stone fragment from his Storage Ring.

The fist-sized grey stone emitted a faint light in his palm, and the Chaos nebula inside slowly flowed.

Lin Ye tried to probe it with a wisp of his Divine Sense; instantly, an ancient, vast, and all-encompassing aura engulfed him.

That was the scene at the beginning of the creation of the world.

Chaos was not yet separated, and heaven and earth were one. Afterward, a giant held an axe, splitting the Chaos with one strike; the clear Qi rose to become the heavens, and the turbid Qi sank to become the earth.

Broken fragments of Chaos scattered in all directions; one of them fell into the Big Dipper Star Field, buried deep underground, and after enduring eternal years, was finally obtained by the first Palace Master of the Bronze Ancient Palace...

The scene shattered, and Lin Ye came back to his senses, discovering that he was drenched in cold sweat.

Merely a touch of his Divine Sense allowed him to see such a scene. The information and energy contained within this chaos origin source stone far exceeded his imagination.

"It cannot be absorbed directly," Lin Ye judged. "The current Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body is still too weak. Forcibly absorbing the chaos origin source within the Origin source stone would very likely lead to being assimilated and losing oneself."

He carefully put the Origin source stone away, but a plan had formed in his mind.

The myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo required myriad mother qi to nourish it, and the chaos origin source stone could extract myriad mother qi.

If he could find a method to extract it, he would be able to nourish the cauldron embryo to Perfection in the short term and unlock all its attributes.

However, extracting myriad mother qi required special Artifact Refining techniques, or... a specialized Magic Treasure.

Lin Ye remembered that in a certain corner of the Capital City of Yan State, a special NPC was hidden. In that NPC's hands was a replica called the "Heaven Refining Furnace"; although it was only of purple quality, it happened to possess the function of extracting myriad mother qi.

However, to get the Heaven Refining Furnace from that NPC, one needed to complete an extremely troublesome chain quest.

"It seems that tomorrow, in addition to the Yaoguang Holy Land, I must also go to the blacksmith shop in the east of the city to take a look," Lin Ye muttered to himself.

Outside the window, the moonlight fell.

The night in the Capital City of Yan State was not quiet; the clamor of players came from afar, accompanied by the roars of Yao Beasts, forming the unique night scene of this virtual world.

Lin Ye closed his eyes and began to operate the breathing method from the Incomplete Manual of the Void Scripture.

Wisps of spatial power were absorbed into his body; although they were imperceptible, they accumulated over time.

His affinity for the spatial Law was increasing at a slow but steady speed.

Meanwhile, in the next room, the fingers of the unconscious Su Qingyue suddenly moved.

At the center of her eyebrows, a point of ice-blue light quietly lit up, as if something was awakening.

The night was still very long.