38: Chapter 38 The Mystery of the Stone Box, The Manifestation of the Void Sutra

The stone box brought back from the Imperial Treasury sparked a small debate at the Heavenly Court headquarters.

Chen Hao and the others were initially quite disappointed with this drab, grey stone box—after all, they had been expecting a Heaven Rank Magical Artifact or an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, not an unsolvable puzzle box. But Qian Duoduo quickly saw its value with his merchant's eye: "Think about it, something the Imperial family couldn't open for three hundred years—once unlocked, the treasures inside must far exceed any ordinary Heaven Rank item!"

These words rekindled everyone's interest. Zhang Meng even fetched a heavy hammer, attempting to break the stone box with brute force, but the hammer ended up chipped while the surface of the stone box didn't even show a white scratch.

Lin Ye did not participate in these attempts. He brought the stone box back to his room, placed it on the table, and observed it quietly.

Moonlight spilled in through the window once again, shining on the surface of the stone box. Just like last night, when the moonlight touched the stone box, those faint patterns began to emerge. There was the pattern of the winding mountain range, and that line of small text: "The Dragon sleeps in the abyss, waiting for the sun to rise in the east; when the box opens, the national destiny shall rise again."

But other than that, there were no further changes.

Lin Ye took out the soul general core, the tattered war flag, and the ball of light containing the lingering aura of the imperial seal—that was a trace of Origin he had stripped from the imperial seal, and although faint, it retained a connection to the imperial seal. He placed the three items around the stone box, and the resonance was stronger than it had been last night.

The grey mist inside the soul general core swirled crazily, the war flag fluttered without wind, snapping loudly, and the ball of light from the imperial seal flickered on and off. The patterns on the surface of the stone box became increasingly clear, and it even began to glow.

But the lid remained tightly shut.

"Something is still missing..." Lin Ye muttered to himself.

There were four items of national destiny, and he had only gathered three so far. According to imperial records, the token of the source of the dragon vein required four keys to open, and the stone box was likely the container for that token.

So, what was the fourth key?

Lin Ye recalled all his experiences from the Ancient Tomb of the Yan King until now. Besides the imperial seal, the soul general core, and the war flag, were there any other items related to the national destiny of the Yan State? Perhaps... the Yan King's sword?

He took out the heavily rusted bronze sword. The blade remained dull, but under the illumination of the stone box's light, the two hollows at the hilt seemed to have a faint reaction.

Lin Ye tried placing the sword next to the stone box.

Resonance appeared, but it was very weak, far less than the other three items.

"It's not this." Lin Ye shook his head, "Or rather, not entirely."

The Yan King's sword was indeed related to the Yan State's national destiny, but it leaned more towards "royalty" rather than "national destiny." Moreover, the sword was severely damaged, its spirituality almost completely dissipated, so it did not meet the conditions to be a key.

Then what could the fourth item be?

Lin Ye fell into deep thought. He remembered Emperor Ji Hong saying that the token of the source of the dragon vein was sealed within an item, and that item was in the Imperial Treasury.

But he hadn't seen any other items obviously related to national destiny in the treasury—except for the stone box itself.

Unless...

A spark of inspiration flashed in Lin Ye's mind.

Unless the stone box itself was part of the token! Or rather, the stone box was the container, and the four keys needed to open it were actually four conditions to activate the stone box!

He had already satisfied three conditions: the imperial seal represented the legitimacy of imperial power, the soul general core represented the will to protect, and the war flag represented military Legacy. All three were components of "national destiny."

Then what was the fourth condition?

Lin Ye looked at the line of text on the surface of the stone box again: "The Dragon sleeps in the abyss, waiting for the sun to rise in the east."

"Sun to rise in the east"... Dawn? Sunrise? Or perhaps... some kind of extreme Yang power?

He thought of the Sun God Body, Ji Mingyue. Could the extremely Yang and rigid Sun God fire serve as the fourth condition?

But he quickly dismissed this idea. The Sun God Body had no direct relationship with the Yan State's national destiny, and Ji Mingyue was from the Yaoguang Holy Land, not in the same camp as the Yan State royal family.

"Extreme Yang power... it doesn't necessarily have to be Sun God fire." Lin Ye muttered to himself, "The dragon vein itself belongs to Yang, and Dragon Qi is also a form of Yang energy. So the fourth condition might be... pure Dragon Qi?"

He remembered that in the Burial Dragon Valley, the dragon blood jade pendant had awakened because it contained a trace of true dragon blood essence. Although the jade pendant was already destroyed, but...

Lin Ye took out a small jade bottle from his storage ring. Inside the bottle were a few drops of dark red liquid; that was the residual dragon blood essence he had collected when the dragon blood jade pendant shattered.

There were only three drops, and most of the energy had already dissipated, but it was indeed true dragon blood essence.

He dripped one drop of dragon blood onto the stone box.

"Sss—"

The moment the blood drop touched the surface of the stone box, it made a faint sound and was then absorbed by the stone box. The pattern of the winding mountain range brightened a little, but it still did not open.

Not enough. Three drops of residual dragon blood, the energy was too weak.

Lin Ye frowned. It seemed that purer, more powerful Dragon Qi was needed. But true dragons had long since become legends, and dragon blood stones were also extremely rare; where could he find them in such a short time?

Just as he was thinking, the room door was gently knocked.

"Lin Ye, are you asleep?" It was Su Qingyue's voice.

"Not yet, come in."

Su Qingyue pushed the door open and entered. She had changed into a light blue long dress, and her complexion was much better than a few days ago, but the damage to her spirit body's Origin was still obvious, and a faint cold aura emanated from her body.

"Studying the stone box?" She walked to the table, looking at the glowing stone box and the three items around it, "Any progress?"

"I have some ideas, but I'm missing a key condition." Lin Ye briefly explained his hypothesis, "I need Dragon Qi, or at least a powerful Yang energy to activate the fourth condition."

Su Qingyue looked at the stone box and pondered for a moment: "Dragon Qi... isn't the Yan State royal family itself of true dragon Bloodline? Perhaps Emperor Ji Hong could provide Dragon Qi?"

Lin Ye shook his head: "I've considered that. But royal Dragon Qi is bound to national destiny, and now that national destiny is in decline, there is little Dragon Qi left. If His Majesty Ji Hong could provide enough Dragon Qi, he would have opened the stone box himself long ago."

"Then are there any other sources?"

"Yes." Lin Ye remembered something, "The dragon vein itself. If we could find a dragon vein node that hasn't completely dried up and activate the stone box there, perhaps we could borrow the Dragon Qi from the earth vein."

"Do you know where such a node is?"

"The Qingming Mountain Range." Lin Ye pointed to the southwest outside the window, "According to the royal map, the Qingming Mountain Range is the best-preserved one among the three major dragon veins of the Yan State, and it still retains fifty percent of its Dragon Qi. There should be a Dragon Qi node deep in the mountain range, but the specific location needs to be searched for."

Su Qingyue's eyes lit up: "Then let's go find it!"

"It's not that simple." Lin Ye smiled bitterly, "Dragon vein nodes are usually protected by natural Formations, and powerful Yao Beasts may be entrenched there. Given our current state..."

He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. Both of them were injured, especially Lin Ye, whose wheel sea secret realm was damaged, greatly reducing his strength. Entering the depths of the dragon vein rashly carried too much risk.

Su Qingyue bit her lip: "Then what should we do? Just wait like this?"

"Wait a few days." Lin Ye said, "The cracks in my wheel sea are slowly repairing, and the effects of the Golden Core of the Sun haven't been fully absorbed yet. In three days, I should be able to recover to eighty percent of my strength. Then we will go to the Qingming Mountain Range."

"Then these three days..."

"During these three days, we will make preparations." Lin Ye put away the stone box and the items, "Qin Ruoxue needs to collect intelligence on the Qingming Mountain Range, Qian Duoduo needs to prepare exploration supplies, and Chen Hao and the others must also strengthen their training. And..."

He paused: "I always feel that the royal family won't just let us act like this. Although His Majesty Ji Hong gave us the key, he must be observing from the shadows. We must be prepared."

Over the next three days, the Heavenly Court entered a tense yet orderly state of preparation.

Qin Ruoxue mobilized all intelligence resources to gather information on the Qingming Mountain Range with full effort. She even purchased intelligence through special channels from several Loose Cultivator players who had previously explored the Qingming Mountain Range, organizing it into a detailed map.

The map showed that the Qingming Mountain Range stretched for eight hundred miles, and the main peak, "Qingming Peak," was three thousand zhang high, shrouded in clouds and mist all year round. There were three major dangerous areas in the mountain range: Mist Valley, Soul-Severing Cliff, and Flood Dragon Pool. Among them, the Flood Dragon Pool was said to have Flood Dragons appearing—of course, it was more likely to be a Yao Beast with Flood Dragon Bloodline.

And the most likely location for the dragon vein node was the "Dragon Head Cave" under Qingming Peak. That was the "Dragon Head" position of the entire dragon vein, where the Dragon Qi was most concentrated.

"But the Dragon Head Cave is very dangerous." Qin Ruoxue reported at the meeting, "According to intelligence, there are many Stone Puppet guards above level 35 inside the cave, as well as a naturally formed 'Earth Fiend Maze Formation.' Three years ago, a forty-person expedition team went in, and only three came out alive, and they were all crazy, muttering nonsense like 'The dragon has awakened' all day long."

"Stone Puppets are easy to handle; Chaos Power has a restraint effect on earth-stone type monsters." Lin Ye analyzed, "The Earth Fiend Maze Formation is more troublesome; it requires specialized Formation-breaking Magical Artifacts or someone proficient in Formations."

"I can try." Li Qingshan raised his hand, "I've been studying the 'Incomplete Manual on Formations' you brought back these past few days; although it's just introductory, I should be able to identify some basic Formation structures."

"Good, I'll leave the Formations to you." Lin Ye nodded, "Qian Duoduo, how are the supplies coming along?"

Qian Duoduo opened the account book: "I've purchased thirty Intermediate Talismans, including ten 'Fiend-Breaking Talismans,' ten 'Immobilization Talismans,' and ten 'Speed Talismans.' I've prepared enough Medicinal Pills, three bottles of Blood Qi Pills and three bottles of spirit recovery pill for each person. Additionally, I've also managed to get five 'Miasma-Repelling Jade Pendants'; the miasma in the Qingming Mountain Range is very heavy, so these are essential."

"What about weapons?" Chen Hao asked, "My spear is cracked and needs to be repaired or replaced with a new one."

"It has already been sent to the Artifact Refiners Association." Qian Duoduo said, "Great Master Wang Chui promised to repair it within three days, but the cost is not cheap—it will be five hundred Spirit Stones."

"Pay him." Lin Ye said without hesitation, "We cannot skimp on weapons and equipment. Zhang Meng's shield also needs to be repaired, and Qingyue's staff needs to be replenished with ice-type gemstones; get all of these done as soon as possible."

"Understood."

Three days passed quickly in the midst of busyness.

Lin Ye's injuries were recovering well. Under the continuous effect of the Golden Core of the Sun, the cracks in his wheel sea secret realm had healed by seventy percent, his Cultivate efficiency recovered from -35% to -15%, and the difficulty of breaking through to the second layer of the Dao Palace had also dropped to +80%. Although he hadn't fully recovered, he at least had eighty percent of his combat strength.

Su Qingyue's condition had also improved a lot. Under the dual nourishment of the Ice Heart Art and Chaos Power, her Vast Cold Spirit Body Origin had recovered sixty percent, and she could already cast Spells normally, though she could not fight for long periods.

Everyone else's equipment had also been repaired. Chen Hao's Silver Scale Spear was reforged by Great Master Wang Chui using [Cold Iron], its quality increased from blue to the edge of purple, and its attack power was greatly enhanced. Zhang Meng's Black Iron Heavy Shield had also been repaired, and an additional [Counter-Shock] effect was added. Su Qingyue's staff was embedded with an [Ice Crystal Stone], increasing the power of ice-type Spells by 20%.

On the morning of the fourth day, a seven-person squad gathered at the west gate of the capital city.

It was the same old lineup: Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Zhang Meng, Li Qingshan, Wang Iron Pillar, and Bai Zhi. But this time everyone was fully armed, and their auras were significantly stronger than before.

"Are you all ready?" Lin Ye scanned everyone.

"Ready!" Everyone responded in unison.

"Let's move out."

The seven of them rode their horses out of the city, galloping towards the Qingming Mountain Range in the southwest direction.

The Qingming Mountain Range was about two hundred miles away from the capital city, and at the speed of the wind-chasing colt, they could reach the foot of the mountain in an hour and a half. But the closer they got to the mountain range, the more rugged the road became, and in the end, there wasn't even a main road, so they could only ride their horses through the forest.

The scenery along the way was also changing. From the lush plains to the hills covered in colorful forests, and then to the rugged, craggy mountains. The concentration of Spiritual Qi in the air significantly increased, but at the same time, there was also a sense of oppression—that was the influence brought by the dragon vein's pressure.

Around noon, everyone arrived at the outer edge of the Qingming Mountain Range.

Looking from here, the entire mountain range was like a giant cyan dragon lying across the land, with the main peak, Qingming Peak, being the raised dragon head. Clouds and mist swirled in the mountains, and occasionally birds flew past, emitting crisp chirps.

But Lin Ye could feel that beneath this quiet and peaceful appearance, dangerous auras were hidden.

"Dismount and walk." He was the first to dismount, "There are air-prohibiting Formations in the mountain range, and riding horses is easy to trigger them. Moreover, the mountain roads are steep, and the mounts won't be able to go up."

The seven of them tied the wind-chasing colts in a hidden grove at the foot of the mountain, leaving enough fodder and water. Then they hiked into the mountains on foot.

The mountain road was indeed difficult to walk on. There was no established path at all, and they could only advance by stepping on loose stones and bushes. Li Qingshan was in the front clearing the path with a machete, Zhang Meng was at the rear, and the others were in the middle.

After walking for about an hour, a thick fog appeared in front of them.

The fog was milky white, with visibility of less than ten meters, and the fog carried a faint, sweet fragrance that made people dizzy after smelling it for too long.

"Miasma!" Bai Zhi warned, "Everyone, put on your Miasma-Repelling Jade Pendants!"

The seven of them took out the jade pendants and hung them around their necks.

The jade pendants emitted a soft glow, forming a thin shield of light that kept the miasma at bay.

The feeling of dizziness vanished immediately.

"This miasma is not simple," Lin Ye observed carefully. "It contains a faint toxicity and can interfere with Divine Sense. If we didn't have the jade pendants, we might have lost our way long ago."

"The Mist Valley is just ahead," Li Qingshan said, checking the map. "Once we pass through this foggy area, we will be able to see the entrance to the Dragon Head Cave. But there are 'Mist Monsters' in the Mist Valley, around Rank 30, and they are adept at illusion attacks."

"Maintain Formation, do not scatter." Lin Ye took out the bronze buddha lamp—although it had not been fully repaired, its illumination and evil-warding effects were still present.

The bronze buddha lamp was lit, and golden buddha light spread out, dispersing the fog within a ten-zhang radius.

However, the fog further away remained thick, and at the edge of the buddha light, some twisted shadows could be vaguely seen.

Those shadows had no fixed form; sometimes they looked like humans, sometimes like beasts, drifting in the fog and emitting low whimpering sounds.

[Mist Monster (Elite)]

Rank: 31

Health: 9000/9000

Characteristics: Immune to physical attacks, high magical resistance, adept at mental illusions

Skills: Mist Illusion (creates illusions to confuse enemies), Mental Scream (area-of-effect mental attack), Mist Assimilation (merges into the fog, cannot be targeted)

Description: Essence Spirits born from the natural fog of the Qingming Mountain Range, they survive by devouring the fear of those who are lost. In a foggy environment, they are nearly immortal unless the entire fog is dispersed.

"Rank 31 Elite, and there's an environmental bonus," Chen Hao said with a grave expression. "If we fight head-on, we might be at a disadvantage."

"No need to fight," Lin Ye said. "Our goal is the Dragon Head Cave, not to wipe out the Mist Monsters. The bronze buddha lamp can disperse the fog in a small area; we will pass through quickly and not get entangled in battle."

The seven of them quickened their pace, moving towards the depths of the fog under the protection of the buddha light.

The Mist Monsters were clearly angered by the buddha light. They emitted sharp hisses and swarmed in from all directions, attempting to break through the buddha light barrier.

However, the buddha light had a natural suppression effect on such Essence Spirits; the moment they touched the light shield, their bodies would smoke and disintegrate.

However, there were too many Mist Monsters, rushing forward one after another. The mermaid oil in the bronze buddha lamp was being consumed at a rate visible to the naked eye; at this rate, it could last for at most a quarter of an hour.

"Run!" Lin Ye shouted in a low voice.

The seven of them began to sprint. Lin Ye held the bronze buddha lamp to clear the way in front, with the others following closely behind.

The Mist Monsters attacked frantically around them, causing the buddha light barrier to fluctuate violently, but it did not break.

After running for about five minutes, the fog ahead suddenly thinned.

A pitch-black cave entrance appeared before everyone—the entrance was about three zhang high and two zhang wide, with a very irregular shape, and water droplets constantly dripped from the edges.

Above the cave entrance, a natural Dragon head pattern had formed, with the Dragon's mouth wide open, as if it wanted to devour everything.

Dragon Head Cave!

But standing in front of the cave entrance was a person.

The person wore a grey Daoist robe, had grey hair, and was standing with his back to them, looking up at the Dragon head pattern at the cave entrance.

Hearing the footsteps, he slowly turned around.

It was an old man with a refined, gaunt face and eyes as deep as a pool. In his hand, he held a green bamboo staff, with complex runes carved into the staff body, and a faint green light flowing within them.

[Mountain Guardian · Qing Xuanzi (NPC)]

Rank: ???

Identity: Guardian of the Qingming Mountain Range

Status: Calm, Scrutinizing

Description: A hermit who has guarded the Qingming Mountain Range for generations, his cultivation is unfathomable. His duty is to prevent outsiders from destroying the Dragon vein, but he also tests those who are fated.

"Seven little children, what are you doing running to this deep mountain forest?" Qing Xuanzi spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an invisible pressure.

Lin Ye stepped forward and bowed, "Senior, we Juniors have come to search for the Dragon vein node, and we have no intention of causing destruction."

"Dragon vein node?" Qing Xuanzi's eyes flickered slightly. "What do you want that for? The Dragon vein has been dormant for many years, and the nodes have long been abandoned; going there would be a waste of time."

"This Junior has been entrusted by others and needs to borrow Dragon Qi to activate a token," Lin Ye said truthfully. "This item relates to the national fortune of the Yan State; I ask that you please grant us convenience, Senior."

"National fortune?" Qing Xuanzi suddenly laughed. "Little child, do you know what national fortune is? It is the people living and working in peace and contentment, it is the stability and peace of the mountains and rivers, it is the continuous inheritance. It is not the treasures or Opportunities that you Cultivators fight over."

He paused, his tone turning stern. "Over these years, how many people have come to the Qingming Mountain Range under the banner of 'national fortune', either wanting to steal Dragon Qi to Cultivate evil techniques, or wanting to destroy the Dragon vein to refine Magical Artifacts. You say you are here to activate a token, why should this old Daoist believe you?"

Lin Ye thought for a moment, then took out the stone box from his storage ring, along with the imperial seal aura, the soul general core, and the broken battle flag—three items.

The moment the four items appeared, a low Dragon roar suddenly came from within the Dragon Head Cave!

It was not a real sound, but a resonance that acted directly on the Soul. Everyone could feel their blood boiling, and they had an urge to kneel.

Qing Xuanzi's expression changed drastically. He stared fixedly at the stone box, especially the glowing dragon-coiled-mountain pattern on the box's surface, his eyes flashing with a complex mix of shock, excitement, and disbelief.

"This is... the Grand Ancestor's stone box?! You actually obtained it?!"

"Senior recognizes this item?" Lin Ye felt a stir in his heart.

"More than recognize it!" Qing Xuanzi took a deep breath, calming his emotions. "This old Daoist's Grandmaster was one of the founding meritorious officials who followed the Grand Ancestor Emperor back then. Before he passed away, he instructed that future generations of Disciples must guard the Qingming Mountain Range for generations, waiting for the fated person who could open the stone box to arrive."

He looked at Lin Ye, his eyes becoming fervent. "Three hundred years, finally someone has gathered the conditions to activate the token... No, one is still missing. Dragon Qi, you need Dragon Qi to activate the final Seal."

"This Junior has come for exactly that," Lin Ye said. "Please guide us, Senior; is there a usable Dragon Qi node within the Dragon Head Cave?"

Qing Xuanzi was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Yes. Deep inside the cave, there is a 'Dragon Saliva Pool', which is the place where the essence of the Dragon vein gathers. The Dragon Saliva Liquid accumulated in the pool contains pure Dragon Qi. But..."

He changed the subject. "The Dragon Saliva Pool is guarded by stone Puppets, and there is also an Earthly Fiend Illusion Formation. Moreover, the Dragon Saliva Liquid cannot be taken directly; it must be stored in a special container, otherwise, it will immediately evaporate. Are you prepared?"

Lin Ye looked at Qian Duoduo. Qian Duoduo hurriedly took out a jade bottle from his backpack: "This is a [Spirit Sealing Jade Bottle], specifically used for storing spirit liquids; it should work."

Qing Xuanzi took the jade bottle and looked at it, nodding. "The quality is acceptable, but it is not enough. The Dragon Qi in the Dragon Saliva Liquid is too tyrannical; an ordinary Spirit Sealing Jade Bottle can only preserve it for at most three breaths. You need a better container."

He thought for a moment, then took a green scale from his bosom: "This is a [Flood Dragon Scale] I obtained when I was young, after slaying a wicked flood dragon in the Flood Dragon Pool. A container made from it can preserve the Dragon Saliva Liquid for twelve hours."

The scale was the size of a palm, entirely green, with natural cloud patterns on its surface, emitting a faint pressure.

[Flood Dragon Reverse Scale (Epic)]

Quality: Epic (Purple)

Type: Materials / Container Embryo

Effect: Can be refined into a storage container, has an excellent preservation effect for liquid treasures. If infused with Dragon Saliva Liquid, it can temporarily activate the Flood Dragon Bloodline within the scale, granting one 'Flood Dragon's Wrath' attack (power equivalent to a full-strength strike at Rank 50).

Description: The reverse scale of a wicked flood dragon from the Qingming Mountain Range, containing a trace of Flood Dragon Origin. This flood dragon once devoured Dragon Qi to Cultivate, so the scale has a special affinity for Dragon Qi.

Lin Ye received it solemnly: "Thank you, Senior."

"No need to thank me, this is this old Daoist's duty," Qing Xuanzi waved his hand. "However, this old Daoist must warn you that the trial of the Dragon Saliva Pool is not simple. The stone Puppets are one thing, but the Earthly Fiend Illusion Formation is the real killer. That Formation generates illusions based on the intruder's Heart Demon; once you sink into it, you will be trapped in the Formation forever."

He looked at Li Qingshan: "This little child knows some Formation techniques, but his level is not enough. How about this, this old Daoist will go in with you and help you break the Formation. But you can only take one bottle of Dragon Saliva Liquid; taking more will disrupt the balance of the Dragon vein."

"If Senior is willing to help, this Junior is extremely grateful!" Lin Ye was overjoyed. With this unfathomable Mountain Guardian's assistance, the success rate would be much higher.

"Let's go, time waits for no one." Qing Xuanzi turned and walked towards the cave entrance. "The Dragon Qi of the Dragon Saliva Liquid is most active at noon; in another half an hour, it will be the time. If we miss today, we will have to wait three days."

Everyone followed Qing Xuanzi into the Dragon Head Cave.

Inside the cave, it was more spacious than imagined, and there was a faint light source—it was glowing moss growing on the cave walls, emitting a pale blue fluorescence.

The path sloped downwards, going deeper and deeper, and the temperature became lower and lower.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, a fork appeared ahead. Three passages, each leading in a different direction.

"The left is a dead end, the middle leads to the Flood Dragon Pool, and the right is the road to the Dragon Saliva Pool." Qing Xuanzi walked towards the right passage familiarly. "But this road is guarded by stone Puppets, so everyone stay alert."

As soon as he finished speaking, heavy footsteps came from the darkness ahead.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

It was as if giant stones were hitting the ground; the entire passage was trembling. Immediately after, four tall figures walked out of the darkness.

Those were four stone statues, each three meters tall, entirely made of greyish-blue rock, with the surface covered in runes. They had no facial features, but red gemstones were embedded in their eye sockets, emitting a fierce, baleful aura.

[Dragon Vein Stone Puppet (Elite)]

Rank: 35

Health: 20000/20000

Attack: 500-600

Defense: 800

Characteristics: Extremely high physical defense, medium magical resistance, immune to mental attacks

Skills: Heavy Fist Smash, Earth-Shattering Strike, Stone Skin (temporarily increases defense by 100%)

Description: Guardian Puppets naturally bred by the Dragon vein, born from absorbing Dragon Qi, possessing infinite strength and knowing no fatigue. Only by destroying their core (the red gemstone on the chest) can they be thoroughly killed.

Four Rank 35 Elite Stone Puppets!

"Zhang Meng, Chen Hao, you hold off the two on the left! Qingyue, Iron Pillar, deal with the one on the right! Leave the one in the middle to me!" Lin Ye quickly assigned tasks. "Qingshan, you assist Senior Qing Xuanzi in breaking the Formation; Bai Zhi, pay attention to healing!"

The battle erupted instantly.

Zhang Meng roared and charged at one of the Stone Puppets with his shield raised. The heavy shield collided with the stone fist, exploding with a deafening noise. Zhang Meng was knocked back three steps, but he successfully attracted the Stone Puppet's attention.

Chen Hao thrust his spear from the side; the spear tip tapped on the red gemstone on the Stone Puppet's chest, sparking a series of sparks, but it only dealt a few hundred points of damage.

The Stone Puppet's defense was too high!

Su Qingyue's situation was slightly better. Her ice-type Spells had a certain restraining effect on the Stone Puppets; as the Ice Arrow Rain fell, frost condensed on the Stone Puppet's surface, and its movements were visibly slowed. Wang Iron Pillar took the Opportunity to attack fiercely, his battle blade hacking at the Stone Puppet's joints; although the damage was not high, it could cause stiffness.

Lin Ye faced the middle Stone Puppet alone. He did not fight head-on but instead used Void Step; his figure flickered like a ghost, constantly attacking the red gemstone on the Stone Puppet's chest from various angles.

Chaos Power had a restraining effect on earth-and-stone-type monsters, and each strike could deal over a thousand damage. But the Stone Puppet had 20,000 Health, and this little bit of damage was not enough.

More troublesome was that the Stone Puppet had activated the [Stone Skin] skill, and a layer of rock armor appeared on its surface, doubling its Defense. Lin Ye's attack damage plummeted to around three hundred.

"If we keep fighting like this, the consumption will be too great," Lin Ye calculated quickly in his mind. "Must find a weakness..."

He remembered Qing Xuanzi's words: destroy the core to thoroughly kill it.

The core was the red gemstone on the chest, but that was where the defense was highest. Was there any other way?

Lin Ye carefully observed the Stone Puppet's action pattern. He discovered that every time the Stone Puppet attacked, the red gemstone on its chest would flash; at that moment, the gemstone's defense seemed to decrease.

"That's it!"

When the Stone Puppet swung its fist again, Lin Ye did not dodge but took the punch head-on. The myriad mother qi cauldron automatically protected its master, blocking in front of him.

"Clang—!"

The little cauldron was knocked flying, and Lin Ye was also shaken, his blood surging. But this was the timing he wanted—the momentary stiffness after the Stone Puppet's attack!

"Chaos Heaven Opening!"

Grey Sword Qi shot out from Lin Ye's fingertip, accurately hitting the Stone Puppet's chest. This time, the red gemstone was not as hard as before, and a tiny crack appeared on its surface.

-3888! Weakness Attack!

Effective!

Lin Ye's spirits lifted, and he struck continuously. Chaos Power poured out crazily, and one grey Sword Qi after another slammed into the same spot. The cracks on the red gemstone grew larger and larger, until finally, with a "crack", it shattered completely!

The Stone Puppet's massive body stiffened, then collapsed to the ground, turning into a pile of rubble.

[System Prompt: You have killed a Dragon Vein Stone Puppet (Rank 35 Elite)!]

[Obtained 8000 Experience Points!]

[Obtained Items: Stone Puppet Core x1, Dragon Vein Stone x3]

Lin Ye did not have time to check his rewards and immediately went to help the others.

With everyone working together, the remaining three stone Puppets were killed one after another.

The battle ended, and everyone was panting heavily, especially Zhang Meng, whose shield had been smashed with several more dents, its durability dropping drastically.

"Hurry and rest; ahead lies the Earth Evil Maze," Qing Xuanzi reminded.

Everyone consumed Medicinal Pills to recover their state.

Lin Ye picked up the four stone Puppet cores—they were fist-sized red crystals with Dragon Qi circulating inside.

[Stone Puppet Core (Fine)]

Quality: Fine (Blue)

Type: Material / Energy Source

Effect: Contains the life essence of the dragon vein stone Puppet, which can be used to refine earth-attribute equipment or Puppet cores. The earth-attribute energy within can also be absorbed directly, but the efficiency is relatively low.

Description: A creation naturally nurtured by the dragon vein; although its Rank is not high, it excels in its purity.

After putting away the loot, everyone continued forward.

After walking for about a hundred zhang, the path ahead suddenly opened up.

It was a massive underground karst cave; the ceiling was too high to be seen, with stalactites hanging down, and dripping water droplets gathered into small pools on the ground.

In the center of the cave was a circular pool with a diameter of ten zhang; the pool water was pale gold, emitting a soft glow and rich Spiritual Qi.

Dragon Saliva Pool!

But the area around the pool was shrouded in a layer of pale black mist.

Vague illusions appeared within the mist: mountains of blades and seas of fire, beautiful women, gold and silver treasures, supreme Cultivation Techniques... Each illusion was full of temptation, yet carried fatal danger.

"Earth Evil Maze," Qing Xuanzi said with a solemn expression. "This Formation is based on the Earth Evil Qi, stirring the desires and fears deep within the hearts of intruders. The illusions you see are all generated based on your own Heart Demons. Once you are drawn in, you will sink forever."

He looked at everyone: "This old Daoist can help you stabilize the Formation, but breaking it must depend on yourselves. Remember, guard your Dao Heart and do not be moved by external objects. No matter what you see or hear, it is all fake."

"Understood," everyone nodded.

"Then go in," Qing Xuanzi walked to the edge of the Formation, formed Seals with both hands, and inserted his green bamboo staff into the ground. The runes on the staff lit up with green light, forming a safe zone with a diameter of three zhang. "This old Daoist can only maintain this range for a quarter of an hour. You must retrieve the Dragon Saliva within this time and then retreat immediately."

Lin Ye took a deep breath and stepped into the black mist first.

Instantly, the scene before him changed.

It was no longer the underground cave, but a vast starry sky.

He was floating in the Void Realm, with a rotating galaxy beneath his feet and endless darkness above his head.

And at the end of the galaxy, a towering palace was looming; at the entrance of the palace, a figure stood with its back to him.

The figure slowly turned around, revealing a face identical to Lin Ye's, but the eyes were more weathered and the aura was more terrifying.

"You've returned?" the other "Lin Ye" spoke, his voice seeming to come from the ages past. "In this lifetime, what do you want to change?"

Heart Demon illusion!

Lin Ye was vigilant in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged: "Change what should be changed."

"For example?" the Heart Demon illusion chuckled. "Prevent the Fusion three years later? Save those destined to die? Or... do you want to become the true Heavenly Emperor, Solely Deciding the Ages?"

"These have nothing to do with you."

"How can they not?" the illusion walked closer. "I am you, and you are me. Your desires, your ambitions, your fears—I know them all clearly. You are afraid of repeating the same mistakes, afraid of losing the people around you again, afraid that even with Rebirth, you cannot change your fate..."

Its voice was full of temptation: "But do you know? Actually, there is a simpler way. Accept my power, and I can let you break through to the Emperor Realm right now, sweeping away all enemies. Whatever Soul General, whatever Holy Land, whatever Dark Turmoil—they are all ants before you."

Lin Ye sneered: "And the price?"

"Price?" the illusion spread its hands. "There is no price, it's just... you will become me. No, I should say, you will find your true self—the cold, rational, unscrupulous Heavenly Emperor who stops at nothing to achieve his goals. Feelings? Bonds? Those are just shackles for the weak."

It pointed behind Lin Ye: "Look, what are your companions experiencing right now?"

The illusion shifted, showing the situation of the others.

Su Qingyue was trapped in an ice field, with countless ice demons lunging at her, while her Spirit Body was damaged and her magic power was about to be exhausted.

Chen Hao was on a battlefield, surrounded by thousands of troops, his spear broken, covered in blood.

Zhang Meng was blocking a giant beast like a mountain, his shield shattered, both arms broken.

Li Qingshan was trying to solve an unsolvable puzzle, his hair graying, his mind going mad.

Wang Iron Pillar was fleeing amidst endless pursuit, covered in wounds, on the verge of death.

Bai Zhi was treating wounded people who never stopped coming, her magic power exhausted, tears streaming down her face.

"They will all die," the Heart Demon illusion said softly. "Just like in the last lifetime. You cannot save everyone; this is fate. But if you accept my power, you can save them right now, immediately, at once."

Lin Ye looked at those scenes, and an impulse did indeed surge in his heart.

But he quickly calmed down.

"These are all fake," he said slowly. "The real them are waiting for me outside. True battles require us to fight side by side. And you..."

He stared directly at the Heart Demon illusion: "Are you just an illusion generated by the Formation, and you want to shake my Dao Heart?"

As his voice fell, the Chaos Power within Lin Ye erupted!

Gray light spread from him as the center; wherever it passed, the starry sky shattered and the illusions were annihilated. The Heart Demon illusion let out an unwilling roar, and its form gradually faded.

"You rejected me... but you will regret it... One day, you will need my power..."

The voice disappeared.

Lin Ye returned to the karst cave. He was still standing in the black mist, but the illusions before him were gone. He could see that not far away, Su Qingyue and the others were also standing in place, their expressions struggling, clearly still fighting against their own Heart Demons.

Only the safe zone maintained by Qing Xuanzi was clearly visible.

Lin Ye did not hesitate and walked quickly toward the Dragon Saliva Pool. The pool water was right before his eyes, the pale golden liquid emitting an alluring fragrance and majestic Dragon Qi.

He took out the flood dragon reverse scale and, following the method Qing Xuanzi had taught him, immersed the scale into the pool.

The moment the scale touched the Dragon Saliva, the cloud patterns on its surface all lit up, emitting a cyan-gold light. The pool water seemed to be attracted and automatically surged into the scale. In just three breaths, the scale was filled with Dragon Saliva, its internal space occupied.

Lin Ye retracted the scale and could feel the terrifying Dragon Qi contained within. This was a hundred times purer than the blood Qi in the dragon blood jade pendant from before; it was the true essence of the dragon vein.

Mission accomplished!

He turned to leave, but just at this moment, an unexpected change occurred.

In the center of the Dragon Saliva Pool, the water suddenly began to boil. A vortex formed, and from the center of the vortex, a golden light shot up into the sky, piercing straight to the ceiling of the cave!

Within the golden light, the phantom of a dragon was vaguely circling and roaring. The dragon shadow glanced at Lin Ye, then turned into a stream of light and submerged into the stone box in his hand!

"Boom—!"

The stone box vibrated violently, and the dragon coiling around the mountain pattern on its surface shone brightly. The three layers of Seals were lifted simultaneously, and the lid popped open automatically!

Lin Ye widened his eyes and looked inside the box.

There was no earth-shattering treasure as imagined, only... a Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip was entirely silver-white, with countless tiny spatial runes circulating on its surface, as if they were breaking and reforming every moment. It lay quietly at the bottom of the box, emitting an unfathomable aura.

Lin Ye reached out and picked up the Jade Slip. The moment he touched it, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind—

That was his realization of space, his cognition of the Void Realm, and his understanding of the essence of dimensions. Endless runes, trajectories, and fragments of Law washed over his Divine Sense like rivers flowing into the sea.

[System Prompt: You have obtained "Void Scripture - Incomplete Manual 1"! ]

[Quality: Legendary (Gold)]

[Type: Cultivation Technique / Legacy]

[Effect: After cultivating, you can master basic spatial Laws and unlock spatial skills. Currently, it is Incomplete Manual 1, containing three parts: Void Step (Elementary), Space Perception (Passive), and Void Cutting (Elementary).]

[Learning Conditions: Divine Sense ≥ 200, Comprehension Ability ≥ 40, Space Affinity ≥ 5]

[Detected your Divine Sense is 225, Comprehension Ability is 65 (bodhi seed + 50%), Space Affinity is 0... Learning conditions met!]

[Starting Legacy...]

Silver-white light poured out from the Jade Slip, enveloping Lin Ye completely. Countless spatial runes circled around his body and then sank into his brow one by one.

He could feel that his cognition of space was undergoing a world-shaking change. The space that was once elusive now had "textures," "nodes," and "trajectories" that could be manipulated in his eyes.

[System Prompt: You have learned the skill "Void Step (Elementary)"!]

[Effect: Short-distance spatial flash, maximum distance 10 meters, consumes 50 Divine Power points, cooldown time 3 seconds. As proficiency increases, the distance will increase, and consumption and cooldown will decrease.]

[System Prompt: You have obtained the passive skill "Space Perception"!]

[Effect: Automatically senses spatial anomalies within 10 meters, with extra insight into stealth, illusions, and spatial traps.]

[System Prompt: You have unlocked the skill "Void Cutting (Elementary)"!]

[Effect: Creates a spatial rift to attack enemies, causing cutting damage that ignores physical defense, consumes 100 Divine Power points, cooldown time 15 seconds.]

[System Prompt: Your Space Affinity has increased to 10%!]

The Legacy lasted for about ten breaths.

When the light dissipated, the Jade Slip in Lin Ye's hand turned into dust. All the knowledge and realizations had been branded into the depths of his Soul; as long as he continued to practice and comprehend, he would be able to gradually master them.

The stone box was empty. But at the bottom of the box, there was a line of small characters:

"He who obtains this scripture shall understand the wonders of space and know the principles of the Void Realm. However, the Void Realm is boundless, and this scripture is but a drop in the ocean. To obtain the full text, one must seek the remaining eight volumes. Now that the first volume has appeared, the remaining volumes will choose their masters. Remember: The Void Realm must not be used recklessly, and space must not be lightly altered; otherwise, Karma will backfire, leading to eternal damnation."

"Void Scripture" has a total of nine volumes! This is only the first volume!

Lin Ye was shocked. If just the first volume was of Legendary quality, what level would the complete "Void Scripture" be? An Immortal Scripture? An Emperor Scripture?

He put away the stone box—now it was just an ordinary box. Then he looked at the flood dragon reverse scale in his hand; the Dragon Saliva was still inside, with golden light circulating.

It was time to go.

Lin Ye turned around and discovered that Su Qingyue and the others had also broken free from the Heart Demon illusion and were walking toward him. Everyone's face carried exhaustion, but their eyes were more determined.

Clearly, the test of the Earth Evil Maze had allowed them all to gain something.

"Did you get it?" Su Qingyue asked.

Lin Ye nodded, showing the flood dragon reverse scale and the empty stone box: "I got the Dragon Saliva, and the stone box has been opened. Inside was..."

Before he could finish speaking, the entire karst cave suddenly began to shake violently!

Stalactites on the cave ceiling broke and fell one after another, cracks appeared on the ground, and the water in the Dragon Saliva Pool surged and boiled, as if something was about to come out.

"Not good, the dragon vein has been disturbed!" Qing Xuanzi's expression changed drastically. "Hurry! If we don't leave now, it will be too late!"

Everyone did not hesitate anymore and ran wildly toward the passage they had come from.

Behind them, the sound of dragon roars grew louder and louder, and the entire karst cave began to collapse.

When they rushed out of the Dragon Head Cave, the cave behind them had completely collapsed, and smoke and dust rose into the sky.

Above the Qingming Mountains, the wind and clouds changed color. Dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, as if a Heavenly Tribulation had descended.

"The dragon vein is acting abnormally; something major must be happening." Qing Xuanzi looked at the sky and muttered to himself, "Little brats, what... exactly did you open?"

Lin Ye did not answer.

He looked at the flood dragon reverse scale in his hand, then looked at the Dragon Head Cave that had turned into ruins, and an inexplicable premonition surged in his heart.

The appearance of the "Void Scripture" seemed to have... attracted something that should not have been attracted.

In the distant sky, several streams of light were flying rapidly toward this side.

That was... the aura of Cultivators, and they were very strong.