47: Chapter 47: Dao Palace Completed, Second in the Entire Server

Inside the secret chamber, the Chaos Fire around Lin Ye slowly retracted.

He opened his eyes, and the two gray flames deep within his pupils gradually faded, replaced by a restrained, chaotic luster. Feeling the surging power within his body, he could clearly 'see' inside his heart palace that the crimson divine palace was operating steadily, continuously producing Chaos Divine Power.

[System Notification: Congratulations on successfully stabilizing the Dao Palace First Layer Realm!]

[Current Level: Level 31 (Dao Palace First Layer · heart palace Initially Formed)]

[Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body adaptability increased to 23%]

[heart palace cultivation efficiency: 100% (Base) + 50% (Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body bonus) + 30% (Secret Chamber Spirit Gathering Formation) = 180%]

180% cultivation efficiency!

This meant his cultivation speed in the heart palace was almost twice that of Cultivators at the same Realm. At this rate, he could Cultivate the heart palace to Perfection in at most half a month and begin opening the second divine treasure.

Lin Ye stood up and stretched his limbs. His bones emitted a 'cracking' sound, a sign of being filled with power. He clenched his fists, feeling the surging energy within him—completely different from the Wheel Sea Realm; this was a qualitative leap.

The power of the Wheel Sea Realm was like a river, flowing endlessly but ultimately having a traceable path; the power of the Dao Palace Realm was like an ocean, vast and deep, containing the prototype of certain Laws.

'It's time to test my actual combat power.'

Lin Ye walked to the testing area in the corner of the secret chamber. In addition to the previous sword-testing stone, there were several facilities specifically for testing various abilities: Speed-Testing Bronze Man, Spell-Resistant Crystal Stele, and Divine Sense Induction Pillar.

He first came to the Speed-Testing Bronze Man. This was a Puppet made of a special alloy, its surface engraved with acceleration and sensing runes, capable of accurately recording attack speed.

'Let's try normal punch speed.'

Lin Ye did not use any skills, punching purely with his physical strength.

'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!'

The five muffled sounds almost merged into one. The runes on the surface of the Speed-Testing Bronze Man flashed wildly, finally settling on a number—

[Attack Frequency: 0.18 seconds/punch]

[Evaluation: Dao Palace Third Layer standard]

0.18 seconds per punch meant he could throw over five punches per second! And this was just a normal attack; if combined with skills, the burst power would be even stronger.

Next was the Spell-Resistant Crystal Stele. This was a transparent crystal two feet square, capable of withstanding and recording Spell damage.

Lin Ye took three steps back, and Chaos Fire ignited in his right palm. He did not use his full strength, only mobilizing 30% of his Divine Power.

'Go!'

The gray flame left his hand, turning into a streak of fire in the air, instantly hitting the crystal stele.

'Sss—'

There was no explosion, no loud noise. The Chaos Fire adhered to the surface of the crystal stele, burning silently. The crystal stele became dim at a speed visible to the naked eye, and fine cracks appeared on its surface.

[Spell Damage: 8921 points (Chaos Fire)]

[Spell-Breaking Effect: Crystal Stele resistance -35%]

[Evaluation: Dao Palace Fourth Layer Spell intensity]

Nearly nine thousand points of damage! And it came with a Spell-breaking effect!

A look of satisfaction flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. This was only 30% of its power; if fully unleashed, the damage could at least exceed twenty thousand. Coupled with the weakening effect of the Chaos Domain and the combat bonus of the heart palace, in actual combat, this Chaos Fire would be enough to severely injure enemies below the Dao Palace Fifth Layer.

Finally, the Divine Sense Induction Pillar. This was a three-foot-tall black stone pillar with a smooth, mirror-like surface, specifically designed to test the strength and range of Divine Sense.

Lin Ye extended his Divine Sense.

One hundred zhang, two hundred zhang, three hundred zhang...

At the Peak of the Wheel Sea Realm, his Divine Sense limit was three hundred and fifty zhang. Now, it easily broke through four hundred zhang and was still extending!

Four hundred and fifty zhang, five hundred zhang, five hundred and fifty zhang!

It finally stopped at five hundred and eighty zhang.

[Divine Sense Strength: 580 zhang (visible range)]

[Divine Sense Penetration: Can penetrate three inches of refined iron]

[Evaluation: Dao Palace Fifth Layer Divine Sense standard]

A sensing range of five hundred and eighty zhang! This meant that within a radius of more than a mile around him, no movement could escape his perception. Coupled with the mobility of the Void Step, he was almost invincible.

'So this is the Dao Palace Realm...'

Lin Ye took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart. He remembered his past life, where it took him a full eight months to break through to the Dao Palace Realm, and that was just with the most ordinary water-attribute divine treasure. In this life, not only was the time shortened by four-fifths, but he had also opened the strongest Chaos Fire Palace.

This was the terror of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, and also the advantage brought by his Rebirth.

Just as he was about to continue testing other abilities—

'Hum!'

The entire secret chamber suddenly vibrated.

It wasn't a physical vibration, but a tremor on the spatial level. Countless golden light spots appeared in the air, rapidly converging to form bucket-sized runes. The runes rotated and arranged themselves, finally forming three lines of golden text spanning the entire secret chamber:

[World Announcement: Congratulations to player 'Lin Ye' (Eastern Wasteland Region · Yan State) for successfully breaking through to the Dao Palace Realm, becoming the second player in the entire server to reach this Realm! Reward: Reputation +10000, [Dao Palace Pill] x5, [Innate Spirit Jade] x1!]

[World Announcement: Congratulations to player 'Lin Ye' (Eastern Wasteland Region · Yan State) for successfully breaking through to the Dao Palace Realm, becoming the second player in the entire server to reach this Realm! Reward: Reputation +10000, [Dao Palace Pill] x5, [Innate Spirit Jade] x1!]

[World Announcement: Congratulations to player 'Lin Ye' (Eastern Wasteland Region · Yan State) for successfully breaking through to the Dao Palace Realm, becoming the second player in the entire server to reach this Realm! Reward: Reputation +10000, [Dao Palace Pill] x5, [Innate Spirit Jade] x1!]

Three announcements, brilliant golden light, every word like thunder!

The moment the announcement appeared, all online players in the entire 'covering the heavens era' world—whether in the Eastern Wasteland, Western Desert, Southern Ridge, Northern Plains, Central Plains, or overseas islands—received this System notification.

After a brief silence, the world channel exploded.

[World Channel]:

'Holy shit! Dao Palace Realm?! It's only been two months since the server opened, right?'

'Lin Ye? This name sounds a bit familiar... Is it the one who got the first clear of the Bronze Ancient Palace before?'

'Second in the server? Then who is first?'

'The first is 'Zeus', from the Western server, who broke through three days ago. It's said he's now at the Dao Palace Third Layer!'

'Someone from the Eastern Wasteland has finally caught up! Awesome!'

'What is a Dao Palace Pill? It sounds very powerful just by the name.'

'Is the Heavenly Court guild recruiting? I'm at Wheel Sea Seventh Layer, please let me join!'

Information flooded the screen like a flood. Lin Ye looked at the scrolling text, his expression calm.

Second in the server... This ranking was within expectations. The Western server opened six hours earlier than the Eastern Wasteland, and Zeus, as the world's number one player in his past life, possessed the 'Thunder God Body' and the resource support of the entire Olympus guild, so it was not surprising that he was the first to break through to the Dao Palace Realm.

However, this was just the beginning.

Cultivation after the Dao Palace Realm relied more on talent, Opportunity, and Cultivation Technique. The Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body might only be 10-20% stronger than top-tier Physiques at the Wheel Sea Realm, but upon reaching the Dao Palace Realm, this gap would become increasingly larger. Only when opening the Five Divine Treasures and condensing the Dao Palace Dharma Form would the gap truly widen.

'Let's check the rewards first.'

In front of Lin Ye, after the announcement dissipated, three items remained.

Five golden Medicinal Pills the size of longans floated in mid-air, emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance. There were cloud-like pill patterns on the surface of the pills; looking closely, those pill patterns seemed to be flowing slowly.

[Dao Palace Pill (Legendary)]

Quality: Golden

Effect:

① After consumption, Dao Palace Realm cultivation speed +50%, lasting 30 days (Effects can stack, up to +200%)

② Upon first consumption, there is a chance to trigger 'Epiphany state', randomly increasing the proficiency of one Dao Palace-related skill

③ The Innate Dao Rhyme contained in the Medicinal Pill can nourish the divine treasure and increase the quality limit of the divine treasure

Description: A special Medicinal Pill rewarded by the Heavenly Dao, only obtainable by the first ten players in the entire server to break through to the Dao Palace Realm. The pill contains a trace of Innate Dao Rhyme, which is of great benefit to Dao Palace Realm Cultivators.

Good stuff!

Cultivation speed +50%, lasting thirty days! And it can stack! If all five were consumed, that would be a 250% bonus, plus the buffs from the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body and the Spirit Gathering Formation...

Lin Ye calculated quickly. Base cultivation efficiency 100%, Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body bonus 50%, Spirit Gathering Formation bonus 30%, five Dao Palace Pills stacking 250%, a total of 430% cultivation efficiency!

More than four times!

This meant that while others cultivated for one day, he was equivalent to cultivating for more than four days. At this rate, let alone half a month, he could Cultivate the heart palace to Perfection in at most ten days!

'As expected of a Heavenly Dao reward.'

Lin Ye carefully put away the five Dao Palace Pills. He did not consume them immediately because he was still under the after-effect buff of the Breakthrough, and his cultivation speed was already three times the normal rate. After thirty days when the status disappeared, he would consume the Dao Palace Pills, allowing for a seamless transition and maintaining high-speed cultivation.

The second reward was a jade plaque the size of a palm.

The jade plaque was milky white, warm and delicate, and felt warm to the touch. It felt as if liquid was flowing inside; looking closely, that was Spiritual Qi condensed to the extreme, which had already turned into spirit liquid.

[Innate Spirit Jade (Epic)]

Quality: Purple

Effect:

① Wearer recovers Divine Power +50 per second, Qi and Blood +30

② When cultivating, Spiritual Qi absorption efficiency +20%

③ Can be stored in the Dantian for nourishment; as the nourishment time increases, it will slowly improve the wearer's Innate Aptitude (+1 to all attributes per year)

④ The jade plaque can block one fatal attack (shatters after triggering)

Description: A spirit jade conceived by heaven and earth, containing a trace of Innate Qi. Long-term wearing can improve Aptitude and prolong life. It is a treasure that is rare to come by.

Recovering 50 points of Divine Power and 30 points of Qi and Blood per second!

What kind of concept was this? With Lin Ye's current Divine Power limit of 28500 points, if relying only on natural recovery, it would take about half an hour to fully recover. But with the Innate Spirit Jade, this time was shortened to ten minutes! There was almost no need to worry about Divine Power depletion in battle!

What was even more terrifying was the '+1 to all attributes per year'. Although the growth was slow, it was durable. Wearing it for ten years meant ten points of all attributes, equivalent to leveling up two or three times out of thin air!

As for the effect of blocking a fatal attack, it was like having an extra life.

Lin Ye did not hesitate to wear the Innate Spirit Jade close to his body. The moment the jade plaque touched his skin, a warm energy poured into his body, flowing along his Meridians. He could feel that his recovery ability had significantly improved, and even his breathing had become more steady and powerful.

Finally, there was 10000 points of Reputation.

The reputation System was very important in 'covering the heavens era'. High reputation could not only trigger hidden quests but also gain favorable treatment from NPC factions, and could even be used to exchange for special items.

Lin Ye opened the reputation panel:

[Current Reputation: 21500 (Renowned)]

[Yan State Region: Revered (8000/10000)]

[Yaoguang Holy Land: Friendly (3000/6000)]

[Heavenly Court Guild: Worshipped (Max)]

[Reputation Level Classification]:

0-100: Unknown

101-1000: Little Known

1001-5000: Rising Fame

5001-20000: Renowned

20001-50000: Famous in a Region

50001-100000: Renowned Throughout the World

Above 100001: World-Famous

Twenty-one thousand five hundred points of reputation, reaching the 'Renowned' level. Within the territory of the Yan State, almost all NPCs would maintain a respectful attitude toward him, with discounts on purchasing items and priority in accepting quests.

'That's about it.'

Lin Ye organized his harvest and pushed open the door of the secret chamber.

Outside the door, Ji Mingyue was waiting there. Seeing Lin Ye come out, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes—surprise, admiration, and a hint of undetectable envy.

'Second in the server... Congratulations,' she said. 'The Yaoguang Holy Land has been established for three thousand years, and you are the first Disciple to break through to the Dao Palace Realm in such a short time. The Elders Council has decided to promote your Disciple level to 'True Disciple Candidate', enjoying Core Disciple treatment.'

True Disciple Candidate!

This was a higher level than Outer Sect Disciple and Inner Sect Disciple, second only to True Disciple. Throughout the entire Yaoguang Holy Land, there were no more than fifty True Disciple Candidates, each of whom was a one-in-a-hundred Genius.

'Many thanks,' Lin Ye cupped his hands.

'This is what you deserve,' Ji Mingyue handed over a new token. 'True Disciple Candidate Token. With this token, you can freely enter and exit most areas of the Holy Land, choose one Cultivation Technique or secret art from the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion every month, and your monthly resource quota will be doubled.'

Lin Ye took the token. The token felt cool to the touch, with the big dipper pattern carved on the front and the four ancient Seal characters 'True Disciple Candidate' on the back.

[Yaoguang True Disciple Candidate Token (Special)]

Quality: Golden

Effect:

① Identity proof: Within the sphere of influence of the Yaoguang Holy Land, enjoy Core Disciple privileges

② Can choose one Cultivation Technique/secret art from the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion every month (Limited to 12 hours)

③ Monthly resource quota: Mid-Grade Spirit Stone x1000, Medicinal Pill x20 bottles, Contribution Points x2000

④ Can accept 'True Disciple Quests' issued by the Holy Land, with a chance to be promoted to True Disciple after completion

Description: The identity token of a True Disciple Candidate of the Yaoguang Holy Land, representing the recognition and cultivation of the Holy Land.

One thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, twenty bottles of Medicinal Pills, and two thousand contribution points every month!

This treatment is more than ten times better than that of an Outer Sect Disciple!

More importantly, it includes access to the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

The collection there consists entirely of Profound Rank or higher Cultivation Techniques and secret arts, and there are even a few Earth Rank fragments.

Taking out just one of them would cause a bloodbath in the outside world.

"Additionally," Ji Mingyue continued, "because you have achieved a Breakthrough to the Dao Palace Realm, the Holy Land will distribute a 'Dao Palace Congratulatory Gift'."

"You can choose one of the following: First, an Earth Rank Low Grade Cultivation Technique; second, an epic-grade piece of equipment; third, a one-time Holy Land Enlightenment (personal cultivation guidance from an Elder); fourth, one hundred thousand Spirit Stones."

All four options are extremely tempting.

An Earth Rank Cultivation Technique is a Legacy that can allow one to Cultivate to the Saint Realm; epic-grade equipment is at least at the Peak standard of the Dao Palace Realm; Holy Land Enlightenment allows one to avoid many detours with an Elder's guidance; and one hundred thousand Spirit Stones is a huge sum of money.

Lin Ye did not hesitate for too long.

"I choose the Holy Land Enlightenment."

He was not lacking in Cultivation Techniques; the Void Scripture was at least Heaven Rank, and possibly even a fragment of an Emperor Scripture. As for equipment, he had the myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo, which had infinite growth potential. While Spirit Stones were important, in the long run, the value of guidance from an expert was greater.

Ji Mingyue was a bit surprised. "Are you sure? Although the Holy Land Enlightenment is precious, it is only a one-time Opportunity, and the effects vary from person to person. The Earth Rank Cultivation Technique and epic-grade equipment are tangible benefits."

"I am sure," Lin Ye nodded. "On the path of cultivation, sometimes a single word of guidance is worth more than ten years of bitter practice."

"Very well," Ji Mingyue stopped trying to persuade him. "Then I will take you to meet Elder Xuanwei. He is one of the Elders in the Holy Land most skilled at guiding Disciples in their cultivation, especially possessing unique insights into the Dao Palace Realm."

The two left Tianshu Peak and flew through the air towards the depths of the Yaoguang Holy Land.

Passing through seven main Peaks and crossing a sea of clouds, an inconspicuous small mountain Peak appeared before their eyes.

The mountain was not high, only about a hundred zhang, but the Spiritual Qi was terrifyingly dense—the plants on the mountain shimmered with spiritual light, and any random blade of grass would be considered a Spirit Medicine level item in the outside world.

"Xuanwei Peak, the place where Elder Xuanwei lives in seclusion," Ji Mingyue introduced. "The Elder has a peculiar personality and dislikes noise, so speak less and listen more later."

The two landed on the Peak.

There were only three thatched cottages and a small fenced courtyard here, with a few vegetable patches planted in the yard, looking no different from an ordinary farmhouse.

But Lin Ye could feel that hidden within this seemingly simple environment were at least three layers of Formations—a Spirit Gathering Formation, an Illusion Formation, and a Killing Formation.

Moreover, the Rank of each layer was extremely high; with his current Divine Sense, he could only barely sense their existence and could not see through their reality at all.

"Mingyue pays respects to Elder Xuanwei," Ji Mingyue bowed outside the courtyard.

A moment later, the door of the thatched cottage opened with a creak.

An old man dressed in coarse linen clothes walked out.

He looked to be seventy or eighty years old, with white hair and beard, a face full of wrinkles, and he was holding a hoe in his hand, looking exactly like an old farmer.

But Lin Ye did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.

Because he could not see through the old man's cultivation at all—his Divine Sense swept over, only to feel like it had swept into a void, sensing nothing.

There were only two possibilities: either the old man was a Mortal with no cultivation, or his cultivation far exceeded Lin Ye's, at least at the Xiantai Realm or above!

Obviously, someone who could live in the depths of the Yaoguang Holy Land could not be a Mortal.

"Little Mingyue, what brings you to visit this old man?" Elder Xuanwei said with a chuckle, but his gaze fell on Lin Ye. "And you brought a little fellow... Hmm? Chaos aura? Are you a Chaos Body?"

He saw through Lin Ye's Physique at a glance!

Lin Ye was shocked internally but maintained his composure on the surface. "Disciple Lin Ye pays respects to the Elder."

"Chaos Body... how many years has it been since I last saw one." Elder Xuanwei looked Lin Ye up and down, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes. "The last time I saw a Chaos Body was eight hundred years ago. A little brat with a Chaos King Body appeared in the Central Region and later became a Great Saint... It is a pity that he eventually fell on the path to the Emperor."

He shook his head and put away his hoe. "Come in. Since you are a Chaos Body and have Mingyue's recommendation, this old man will make an exception and guide you once."

The three entered the middle thatched cottage.

The interior was sparsely furnished, with only a wooden table, three bamboo chairs, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall.

The painting was shrouded in clouds and mist, with mountain Peaks appearing and disappearing; looking closely, those clouds and mists were actually moving slowly!

"Sit," Elder Xuanwei sat down first and gestured for the two to sit as well.

Lin Ye and Ji Mingyue sat down as instructed.

"You just achieved a Breakthrough to the Dao Palace Realm and opened the Heart Fire Divine Treasury, right?" Elder Xuanwei got straight to the point.

"Yes," Lin Ye nodded.

"The Chaos Body encompasses all things and is not restricted by the Five Elements, so you chose the Heart Fire, which has the strongest offensive power, as your starting point. This choice is correct, but have you thought about what comes next?" Elder Xuanwei asked.

Lin Ye thought for a moment. "According to the Five Elements generation cycle, Fire generates Earth, so I should next open the Spleen Earth Divine Treasury. Earth governs defense, which can make up for the shortcoming of having excessive offense but insufficient defense with the Heart Fire."

"Wrong," Elder Xuanwei shook his head.

Lin Ye was stunned.

"That is the path for ordinary Cultivators," Elder Xuanwei said slowly. "The path a Chaos Body must take is completely different from ordinary Physiques. Let me ask you, what is Chaos?"

"Chaos... is the state before heaven and earth were opened, encompassing everything and surpassing everything," Lin Ye replied.

"Well said, but not thorough enough," Elder Xuanwei reached out and tapped the table.

On the desktop, a pattern appeared out of thin air—on the left was a ball of gray mist, and on the right was a clear Five Elements generation diagram.

"Ordinary Cultivators Cultivate step-by-step, with the Five Elements rotating and generating endlessly," he pointed to the diagram on the right. "This is the Righteous Path, stable, but the upper limit is limited. The ultimate achievement is at most a Great Saint."

"But for a Chaos Body..." he pointed to the gray mist on the left, "the path to take is the path of returning to the Origin. It is not the Five Elements generation cycle, but the Five Elements returning to one, returning to Chaos."

The Five Elements returning to one, returning to Chaos!

It was as if a thunderclap exploded in Lin Ye's mind.

"You used Chaos Fire to open the Heart Fire Divine Treasury, which is very good. But for the subsequent Divine Treasuries, you cannot use a single attribute again," Elder Xuanwei continued. "For the Liver Wood Divine Treasury, you must integrate Chaos Wood; for the Spleen Earth Divine Treasury, integrate Chaos Earth; for the Lung Metal Divine Treasury, integrate Chaos Metal; for the Kidney Water Divine Treasury, integrate Chaos Water."

"Finally, when the five internal organs' Chaos Divine Treasuries are gathered together, with the central Void Divine Treasury as the hub, the Five Elements will be reversed, returning to Chaos. Only then will your Dao Palace be truly at Perfection, and you will be qualified to attempt the Four Extremities Realm."

These words were like a sudden enlightenment.

Although Lin Ye knew the Chaos Body was special before, he did not have a clear concept of exactly how it was special. Now, having heard Elder Xuanwei's guidance, he finally had a direction.

"But Elder," he raised a question, "where can I find Chaos Wood, Chaos Earth, and the like? When I opened the Heart Fire Divine Treasury, it was by chance that I absorbed the power of thunder and converted it with the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body to form Chaos Fire. I am afraid that Chaos energy of other attributes..."

"This is the difficulty of Chaos Body cultivation," Elder Xuanwei sighed. "It requires great Opportunity. However, I can point you in a direction—the 'Five Elements Secret Realm' of the Yaoguang Holy Land opens once every ten years, and the next opening is in three months. There is 'Five Elements Origin' in the Secret Realm; although it is only the Origin power diluted ten thousand times, it is enough for you to condense the Chaos Five Elements."

Five Elements Secret Realm!

Lin Ye noted the name.

"Additionally," Elder Xuanwei took out a Jade Slip from his bosom. "This is something I obtained from an ancient ruin when I was traveling years ago, recording some precautions for Chaos Body cultivation. Take it for reference, but do not copy it exactly—the path of every Chaos Body is different, and my experience may not be suitable for you."

Lin Ye solemnly took the Jade Slip. A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed a large amount of insights and conjectures about Chaos Body cultivation, and although they were not systematic, every sentence was priceless.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder!"

"No need to thank me, this is the rule of the Holy Land," Elder Xuanwei waved his hand. "Alright, the guidance is finished, you may go. This old man still needs to go water the vegetable patch."

The dismissal was unceremonious.

Lin Ye and Ji Mingyue exchanged a glance and stood up to take their leave.

Leaving Xuanwei Peak, Ji Mingyue finally spoke. "Elder Xuanwei is one of the longest-serving Elders in the Holy Land. It is said he has lived for over two thousand years and has seen the succession of three Holy Lords. That he could guide you is your good fortune."

"I understand," Lin Ye nodded. "This guidance has at least saved me three years of detours."

"What are your plans next? Returning to the capital city?"

"Yes, there are still many things to deal with at the Heavenly Court," Lin Ye said. "The threat of the Blood Fiend Alliance must be resolved as soon as possible."

"Do you need the Holy Land's help?" Ji Mingyue asked. "You are now a True Disciple candidate and can apply to mobilize a team of Law Enforcement Disciples."

"Not for now," Lin Ye shook his head. "If we cannot even deal with a Blood Fiend Alliance, the Heavenly Court has no right to establish itself in the capital city."

"Then be careful," Ji Mingyue did not insist. "Shadow Killer is not someone to be trifled with; none of the people he has assassinated have survived."

"I know."

The two parted ways at Tianshu Peak. Lin Ye used a teleportation array and returned to the Wanbao Pavilion in the capital city.

This time, Shopkeeper Qian did not appear; only a servant received him and handed him a secret letter. "Fellow Daoist Lin, this was entrusted to us by Mr. Zhao Wuji of your guild to pass on to you."

Lin Ye opened the secret letter, which contained only one line of text:

"The Blood Fiend Alliance is showing unusual movements, suspected of discovering the Guild Leader's whereabouts. Please return to headquarters immediately."

It had come, just as expected.

A cold light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes as he walked out of the Wanbao Pavilion, his figure disappearing at the corner of the street.

He did not go straight back to the headquarters but circled the city a few times. After confirming that no one was following him, he entered the Heavenly Court's base from the back door.

In the meeting hall, all core members were present, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"Brother Ye!" Chen Hao was the first to rush up. "You finally returned! Second in the entire server, that is too awesome!"

"Let's not talk about that for now," Lin Ye waved his hand. "What is the situation with the Blood Fiend Alliance?"

Zhao Wuji handed over a piece of intelligence. "At noon today, all the Blood Fiend Alliance's secret sentries in the city were suddenly withdrawn and concentrated in an abandoned warehouse in the west of the city. Our people monitored them from afar and found that they were preparing a large amount of equipment—poison darts, smoke bombs, and beast traps, all things used by assassins."

"What about the target?"

"Not sure, but..." Qin Ruoxue took over. "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion intercepted a secret letter written in code. After decoding it, the gist is: 'The fish has taken the bait, tonight at the Hour of the Rat, we will close the net at the mass grave.'"

The mass grave, the Hour of the Rat.

This was exactly the fake trail Lin Ye had 'accidentally' leaked before.

"It seems they have taken the bait," Lin Ye sneered.

"Brother Ye, this is too dangerous," Su Qingyue said worriedly. "Shadow Killer is likely already lying in ambush at the mass grave, just waiting for you to appear. And the Blood Fiend Alliance has dispatched at least twenty people this time, all of whom are elites."

"I know," Lin Ye said. "That is why I do not intend to go alone."

He looked at the others. "Chen Hao, Shi Potian, you each take ten elites from the Azure Dragon Hall and White Tiger Hall to deploy defenses on the outskirts of the mass grave two hours in advance. Remember, do not enter the core area of the mass grave; just lie in ambush on the outskirts and wait for my signal."

"Zhao Wuji, you stay and hold the fort at the headquarters, keeping all Formations fully activated to prevent the enemy from luring the tiger away from the mountain."

"Qin Ruoxue, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion is to monitor the entire city, especially the movements of the Overlord Pavilion. If they send reinforcements, signal immediately."

"Su Qingyue, you take the Vermilion Bird Hall and lie in ambush in the woods three miles south of the mass grave; that is the necessary path for retreat. If the battle goes unfavorably, you are responsible for the rescue."

A series of arrangements, well-organized.

Everyone accepted the orders and went to prepare.

Lin Ye remained in the meeting hall alone and took out items one by one from his storage ring.

[Lost Tracking Formation Plate (Fine)]: Can set up a Lost Tracking Formation with a radius of fifty zhang to interfere with enemy perception.

[Revealing Dust (Common)]: Can cause stealth units to be revealed after being scattered.

[Antidote Pill (Fine)]: Can cure all poisons.

[Golden Wound Medicine (Fine)]: Rapidly restores Qi and blood.

And the most important ones—three [thunder blast talisman (Epic)].

These were the essence he refined from the Thunder Eagle King's Materials, made by a Holy Land Talisman Master. Each Talisman sealed a bolt of thunder equivalent to a full-power strike from a Dao Palace Third Layer Cultivator; once detonated, nothing would survive within a radius of ten zhang.

"Shadow Killer... a Dao Palace Second Layer assassin..." Lin Ye muttered to himself. "Let me see if your dagger is faster, or if my thunder is faster."

The night grew deeper.

The Hour of the Rat was approaching.

In the mass grave north of the city, weeds grew in abundance, and there were countless graves. The night wind blew, bringing with it bursts of wailing sounds, like ghosts crying. This was a notorious ominous place in the capital city; it is said that a great battle a hundred years ago buried tens of thousands of people here, and the Yin Qi was extremely heavy, so much so that even wild beasts were unwilling to approach.

A figure quietly appeared on the edge of the mass grave.

It was Lin Ye.

He did not hide his aura, and even deliberately released a wisp of Dao Palace Realm pressure, like a bright lamp in the dark night.

"Come out," he said to the empty graveyard. "Since you have come, why hide your head and show your tail?"

Silence.

Only the wind whistled.

Suddenly, from behind a grave three zhang away on the left, a black shadow darted out like a ghost!

The black shadow was extremely fast, reaching Lin Ye's front almost the instant it appeared. A cold light flashed, and a pitch-black dagger stabbed straight at his throat!

This strike was ruthless, accurate, and fast!

The timing, angle, and speed were all perfect. An ordinary Dao Palace Second Layer Cultivator would have had their throat pierced before they could even react.

But Lin Ye was no ordinary Cultivator.

The moment the dark shadow appeared, his Divine Sense had already locked onto the opponent. The instant the dagger struck, he tilted his body slightly—

"Hiss!"

The dagger grazed his neck, carving a shallow bloody mark.

- 587!

The damage number floated up. It wasn't high, but the potent poison on the dagger took effect immediately; Lin Ye felt a wave of numbness at the wound on his neck, and his health began to drop continuously.

[System Prompt: You have been afflicted with "Bone-Eroding Poison". You will lose 300 health points per second for 30 seconds!]

Three hundred per second; thirty seconds meant nine thousand points! That was enough to drain an ordinary Dao Palace First Layer Cultivator to death!

"Nice reaction." The dark shadow, having missed its strike, immediately retreated and disappeared back into the darkness. "It's a pity. Once you've been poisoned by me, you won't live for more than a quarter of an hour."

The voice was elusive, as if it were coming from all directions.

Lin Ye swallowed an antidote pill, and the numbness on his neck quickly subsided. He looked toward the direction where the dark shadow had disappeared, a cold sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Shadow Killer, is that all you've got?"

Before the words had even faded, his right hand suddenly lifted!

"Palm Thunder!"

"Boom—!"

A purple bolt of lightning shot from his hand, striking a dead tree five zhang away to the right!

The dead tree exploded, and amidst the flying wood chips, a dark shadow scrambled out in a sorry state.

It was Shadow Killer!

At this moment, he finally revealed his true appearance—clad in tight black clothing, wearing a black mask on his face, with only a pair of cold eyes exposed. He gripped two pitch-black daggers, the blades shimmering with a ghostly blue light, clearly quenched in potent poison.

"You can see through my stealth?" Shadow Killer's voice carried disbelief.

"A mere parlor trick," Lin Ye said indifferently.

In reality, he couldn't see through it at all. That previous strike was based purely on instinct—although Shadow Killer was perfectly hidden, the moment he attacked, a trace of Killing Intent would leak out. In his previous life, Lin Ye had clashed with countless assassins; his sensitivity to such Killing Intent was etched into his marrow.

"Interesting." Shadow Killer licked his lips. "After killing you, there will be one more Dao Palace Realm Cultivator on my assassination list."

His figure disappeared once again.

This time, Lin Ye did not wait.

"Chaos Domain, activate!"

A gray Domain unfolded with him at the center, instantly covering a radius of thirty zhang!

Within the Domain, all things were under his control. Although Shadow Killer's stealth was skillful, under the perception of the Chaos Domain, he still had nowhere to hide—seven zhang to the front left, behind a tomb mound!

"Found you."

Lin Ye's figure flashed, Void Step activated, and he instantly appeared in front of the tomb mound.

Chaos Fire ignited on his right hand, and he threw a punch!

"Boom—!"

The tomb mound exploded, mud splattering everywhere. Shadow Killer was forced to reveal himself, crossing his twin daggers to block.

"Clang—!"

Fist met dagger, emitting the sound of clashing metal.

Shadow Killer retreated three steps, even greater shock in his eyes. "Your strength... how can it be this strong?!"

He was at the Dao Palace Second Layer, while Lin Ye was at the Dao Palace First Layer; logically, his attributes should have been completely superior. But in that clash just now, he had actually fallen into a disadvantage!

"Is it strange?" Lin Ye pressed forward step by step. "Do you think the Dao Palace Realm is only about levels?"

As he spoke, his left hand unleashed another Palm Thunder!

Shadow Killer dared not take it head-on and used his movement technique to dodge. His movement technique was extremely strange, like a ghost, weaving between the tomb mounds and leaving behind trails of afterimages.

But Lin Ye's attacks were faster.

Chaos Fire, Palm Thunder, and Void Step—the three combined, and the offensive was like a tidal wave. Shadow Killer could only passively dodge, and any occasional counterattack was easily blocked by the myriad mother qi cauldron.

"Damn it!" Shadow Killer gritted his teeth. "The intelligence is wrong! This isn't just a newly Breakthrough Dao Palace First Layer; he has at least the combat power of the Third Layer!"

He began to consider retreating.

As an assassin, the basic principle was to flee a thousand miles if a strike failed. Now that the target's strength far exceeded expectations, if he continued to tangle, he would likely be the one to die.

"Want to leave?"

Lin Ye saw through his intention.

"Since you've come, you might as well stay."

He formed hand Seals with both hands, and all the Chaos Fire in his heart palace surged out, condensing into a gray fire lotus in front of him.

The fire lotus rotated slowly, exuding an aura of destruction.

"Chaos Fire Lotus, go!"

The fire lotus drifted toward Shadow Killer; it wasn't fast, but it had locked onto his aura. No matter how he dodged, the fire lotus followed him like a shadow.

Shadow Killer's expression changed drastically. He could feel that if this fire lotus exploded, he would undoubtedly die!

"You forced me to do this!"

A look of madness flashed in his eyes; he took out a blood-red Medicinal Pill from his bosom and swallowed it in one gulp!

[System Prompt: Target "Shadow Killer" has consumed "Blood Burning Pill", all attributes +50%, lasting for 60 seconds! After the effect ends, he will enter a weakened state, all attributes -80%, lasting for 12 hours!]

His aura surged!

Shadow Killer's speed instantly doubled, allowing him to narrowly avoid the fire lotus. He stopped running and instead turned around to attack Lin Ye!

"Die!"

His twin daggers transformed into a sky full of cold light, every strike aiming directly for vital points!

Lin Ye's expression was grave. Shadow Killer, having consumed the Blood Burning Pill, had combat power approaching the Dao Palace Fourth Layer, and his attacks carried a strange penetrating power that even weakened the defense of the myriad mother qi cauldron.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang—!"

In just three breaths, the two exchanged dozens of moves. Lin Ye had three more wounds on his body; although they weren't deep, the potent poison on the daggers was constantly eroding him.

Shadow Killer wasn't having it easy either. The burning of the Chaos Fire caused his health to continuously drop, and Lin Ye's attacks carried a thunder paralysis effect, making his movements increasingly sluggish.

"This won't do..." Lin Ye calculated in his heart. "The Blood Burning Pill effect has fifty seconds left; I must end this quickly."

He deliberately exposed a flaw.

Shadow Killer fell for it, thrusting his dagger straight at his heart!

Now is the time!

Lin Ye did not dodge or avoid, letting the dagger pierce his left shoulder. At the same time, his right hand lightning-fast grabbed Shadow Killer's wrist, and his left hand slapped a thunder blast talisman onto his chest!

"Explode!"

"Boom—!!!"

Thunder exploded, illuminating the entire mass grave.

Shadow Killer was blasted backward, his chest scorched black, his health instantly bottoming out.

Lin Ye didn't fare much better. His left shoulder was pierced by the dagger, the poison invading and causing his entire arm to lose sensation. But he endured the excruciating pain, stepped out, activated Void Step, and appeared in front of Shadow Killer.

"It's over."

Chaos Fire condensed in his palm, which he slammed toward Shadow Killer's head.

Despair flashed in Shadow Killer's eyes, but it immediately turned into madness. "Let's die together!"

All the remaining power within his body erupted, and his body swelled as if being inflated—

Self-destruction!

The self-destruction of a Dao Palace Second Layer Cultivator had enough power to raze a radius of thirty zhang!

At the critical moment, Lin Ye retreated rapidly, simultaneously channeling the myriad mother qi cauldron to protect his whole body.

"Boom—!!!"

An even greater explosion sounded.

The shockwave swept through; the tomb mounds were razed to the ground, and trees were uprooted.

In the distance, Chen Hao and the others saw this scene, their expressions changing drastically. "Brother Ye!"

They wanted to rush over, but were blocked by the aftermath of the explosion.

The dust and smoke gradually dispersed.

In the center of the ruins, Lin Ye was half-kneeling on the ground, the myriad mother qi cauldron hovering above his head, dripping down streams of mother qi. A crack had appeared on the cauldron's body, but it had ultimately blocked the explosion.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood and looked toward the spot where Shadow Killer had self-destructed.

There was nothing left there but scorched black earth and a few pieces of broken equipment.

[System Prompt: You have killed "Shadow Killer" (Dao Palace Second Layer), gained 850,000 experience points, Reputation +1500, [Shadow Killer Dagger (Left)] (Epic, Damaged)!]

He had won.

But Lin Ye did not relax at all. He swallowed a few Medicinal Pills to quickly recover from his injuries, while simultaneously expanding his Divine Sense to stay vigilant of his surroundings.

Shadow Killer was dead, but what about the others from the Blood Fiend Alliance?

Twenty elite assassins; it was impossible that they had only sent Shadow Killer to act alone.

Sure enough, the next moment, figures emerged from the shadows all around.

A full eighteen people surrounded Lin Ye in the center.

Leading them was a burly man with a scar on his face, holding a blood-colored long blade, his aura fierce.

[Name: Blood Blade]

[Identity: Commander of the Blood Fiend Alliance Yan State Branch]

[Level: 38 (Dao Palace First Layer)]

[Status: Killing Intent Boiling]

"Worthy of being the second in the entire server." Blood Blade grinned, revealing white, sharp teeth. "Even Shadow Killer fell into your hands. However, how much strength do you have left now?"

Lin Ye stood up slowly and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He looked at the eighteen assassins surrounding him; each was at least at the Wheel Sea Seventh Layer, and among them were three at the Wheel Sea Peak.

If he were in his prime, he wouldn't even put these people in his eyes. But now, his left shoulder was severely injured, his Divine Power was more than half consumed, and he was afflicted with potent poison...

"It is indeed a bit troublesome." Lin Ye said. "However, who told you that I came alone?"

He raised his hand, and a signal flare shot into the sky.

"Bang—!"

Red fireworks exploded, illuminating the night sky.

The next moment, shouts of battle erupted from the perimeter of the mass grave!

Chen Hao and Shi Potian each led ten elites to charge out, flanking from both sides!

Further away, Su Qingyue led the mages of the Vermilion Bird Hall and began chanting area-of-effect Spells!

Blood Blade's expression changed drastically. "There's an ambush! Retreat!"

But it was already too late.

Lin Ye forced himself to muster his last bit of Divine Power, and the Chaos Domain unfolded once again!

Within a radius of thirty zhang, the speed of all Blood Fiend Alliance assassins plummeted by 30%!

"Kill!"

Chen Hao took the lead; his Wind Chasing Spear was like a dragon emerging from a cave, instantly piercing the throat of an assassin. Shi Potian was even more violent, throwing out his fists and directly sending two people flying.

Spells descended from the sky; ice spikes, fireballs, and wind blades covered the entire battlefield.

Although the Blood Fiend Alliance assassins were elite, they were ambushed, weakened by the Domain, and caught in a pincer attack; they immediately fell into disarray.

The battle only lasted a quarter of an hour.

Eighteen assassins, all annihilated.

Blood Blade tried to escape at the end but was blasted to death by Lin Ye's Palm Thunder.

[System Prompt: You have killed "Blood Blade" (Dao Palace First Layer), gained 520,000 experience points, Reputation +800, [Blood Fiend Blade] (Epic)!]

The battle ended.

The members of the Heavenly Court quickly cleaned up the battlefield and collected the spoils of war.

Lin Ye sat on a tombstone, and Su Qingyue treated his wounds. Her Vast Cold Spiritual Power had a suppressing effect on toxins and quickly forced out the poison from the Shadow Killer dagger.

"Brother Ye, you were too reckless." Su Qingyue complained while treating him. "What if the power of Shadow Killer's self-destruction had been even greater..."

"I have a sense of measure." Lin Ye smiled. "Isn't everything fine?"

"Don't do this next time."

"Alright."

While the two were talking, Chen Hao walked over and said excitedly, "Brother Ye, what a huge harvest! Eighteen assassins dropped twelve blue-tier items, five purple-tier items, and a pile of Materials and Medicinal Pills. The equipment of Shadow Killer and Blood Blade is even top-tier!"

He handed over two pieces of equipment.

[Shadow Killer Dagger (Left) (Epic, Damaged)] Quality: Purple (Damaged). Attack: 680-750. Special Effect 1: Armor Piercing (Ignores 30% of target's defense). Special Effect 2: Poison Quench (Attacks carry "Bone-Eroding Poison", dealing 10% of attack power as poison damage per second for 10 seconds). Special Effect 3: Shadow Assault (First strike damage +50% while in stealth state). Description: Shadow Killer's signature weapon, unfortunately damaged in the self-destruction, power reduced by 30%. Can be repaired.

[Blood Fiend Blade (Epic)] Quality: Purple. Attack: 720-800. Special Effect 1: Blood Drink (15% of damage dealt is converted into own health). Special Effect 2: Blood Fiend (Attacks carry "Blood Fiend Qi", reducing target's healing effect by 30%). Special Effect 3: Frenzied Slash (Consumes 500 health points, next strike damage +100%). Description: Standard weapon of the Blood Fiend Alliance, quenched with the blood and essence of living beings, extremely fierce and evil.

Both were top-tier Epic weapons, especially the Shadow Killer Dagger; although damaged, its special effects were excellent and suitable for the assassin class.

"Give the Shadow Killer Dagger to Qin Ruoxue and have her distribute it to the most excellent assassin in the Heavenly Secret Pavilion." Lin Ye instructed. "Keep the Blood Fiend Blade... for now; we'll distribute it when there's a suitable candidate later."

"Understood."

After the treatment was finished, everyone returned to the headquarters.

In this battle, the Heavenly Court won a complete victory. The elite forces of the Blood Fiend Alliance's Yan State branch were completely lost and could no longer pose a threat in the short term. The Overlord Pavilion had lost this blade and could only temporarily cease fire.

But Lin Ye knew this was just the beginning.

The Overlord Pavilion would not let the matter rest, and Olympus was even lurking in the shadows.

And... he remembered the name that ranked first during the server-wide announcement. Zeus, Dao Palace Third Layer, the number one person on the Western server, President of the Olympus Guild.

"Second in the entire server... that's not enough."

Lin Ye looked toward the West, Battle Intent burning in his eyes.

"One day, I will stand higher than you."

The night wind blew, and the stars twinkled. The legend belonging to the "covering the heavens era" had only just begun.