81: Chapter 81 Chaos Valley Stands, All Directions Pay Homage

The seventh day after the journey to the Primal Ancient Mine ended, early morning.

Heavenly Court Stronghold, Cultivation Room.

Lin Ye sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, eyes slightly closed, with five-colored brilliance swirling around him. The light flowed incessantly, sometimes transforming into crimson flames, sometimes into verdant vines, sometimes into heavy yellow earth, sometimes into sharp golden rays, and sometimes into deep water—it was the scene of Five Elements Spiritual Qi coexisting harmoniously under the guidance of the Chaos Body.

His consciousness sank into his body, within the Dao Palace Secret Realm.

Inside the Heart Divine Palace, Chaos flames still burned fiercely, but at this moment, within those flames, there was a hint of added heaviness and vitality. Above the heart, the second divine treasury—the Spleen Divine Palace—had been completely opened.

The Spleen Palace belongs to Earth, resides in the center, governs transformation, and carries all things.

Lin Ye's choice of the Spleen Palace as his second divine treasury was not random. After refining the three Five Elements Divine Stones (Earth, Gold, Wood) obtained from the Primal Ancient Mine, the feedback from the Chaos Body showed that the Earth element resonance was the strongest.

Earth, with its great virtue carrying all things, is the Foundation of the Five Elements, which happens to align with the Chaos Body's characteristic of encompassing everything. More importantly, once the Spleen Palace is opened, the 'Central Hub' among the Five Viscera Divine Treasuries is established, allowing for better coordination of the other four palaces and laying the Foundation for subsequent continuous openings.

At this moment, within the Spleen Palace, a mass of Chaos-colored energy, as heavy as a mountain, was condensing. That was the Origin of the Chaos Earth; although not yet fully formed, the aura it emitted made Lin Ye's inner world even more stable.

[System Prompt: Spleen Divine Palace opening progress 78%, estimated 12 hours to fully form. Once completely opened, the skill 'Chaos Earth' will be unlocked, granting passive effects: Defense +30%, Earth-type Spell resistance +50%, Blood-Qi recovery speed +100%.]

"Finally..."

Lin Ye opened his eyes, and the five-colored brilliance gradually withdrew into his body. Feeling the surging power within him, a trace of a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Though the journey to the Primal Ancient Mine was perilous, the harvest far exceeded expectations.

Not only did he find three Five Elements Divine Stones and determine the direction for his second divine treasury, but he also discovered clues to a small Divine Source mineral vein on the outskirts of the Ancient Mine. Although he couldn't mine it deeply due to the chaotic battles between various factions, the map coordinates were recorded, and he could return once his strength was sufficient.

More importantly, he verified some key information from his past life's memories—the Seal on the Primal Ancient Mine was indeed loosening, and at a much faster rate than in his previous life. This meant that the process of the game world's 'realization' was accelerating.

"Boss!"

Chen Hao's excited voice came from outside the Cultivation Room: "Come out quickly! Something big is happening!"

Lin Ye stood up and pushed open the door.

Outside the door, Chen Hao, Su Qingyue, Zhao Wuji, Qin Ruoxue, Shi Potian, and others were all there, each with excitement on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Lin Ye asked.

"The conditions for faction promotion have been met!" Zhao Wuji handed over a Jade Slip, his voice trembling, "The System just prompted that the Heavenly Court has met all requirements to promote to a Rank 3 faction! As long as we confirm, we can promote immediately and obtain the exclusive territory rewarded by the System!"

Lin Ye took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

[Faction: Heavenly Court]

[Current Rank: Rank 2 (500/500 members full)]

[Rank 3 Promotion Requirements Check:]

1. Member Count: 500/500 (Met)

2. Ratio of members at or above Dao Palace Realm: 45% (Requirement 30%, Met)

3. Faction Reputation: 68,700 (Requirement 50,000, Met)

4. Occupied Resource Points: Mineral Veins x3 (Copper, Silver, Black Iron), Medicine Garden x1, Secret Realm Entrance x1 (Bronze Ancient Palace); meets the requirement of at least three resource points.

5. Completed Large-scale Event: Yao Beast Tide Defense War (Contribution ranking 1st in Yan State); Met

6. Faction Funds: 820,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones (Requirement 500,000); Met

All conditions met, application for promotion available.]

[Promotion Reward Preview:]

7. Member limit increased to 2,000 people

8. Obtain exclusive territory 'Chaos Valley' (System-generated, Spiritual Qi density +300%)

9. Obtain Building Blueprint Pack (Includes: Faction Hall, Cultivation Tower, Pill Refining Room, Artifact Refining Workshop, Scripture Pavilion, and other basic buildings)

10. Faction Leader obtains exclusive title 'Pioneer of the Realm'

11. Server-wide announcement three times]

"Chaos Valley..." A sharp light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

In his past life's memories, the exclusive territory for a Rank 3 faction was random; it could be a valley, lake, mountain peak, island, or other terrains. And the name 'Chaos Valley' obviously had some connection to his Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body.

Spiritual Qi density +300% meant that Cultivating within Chaos Valley would be four times faster than in the outside world! If the 50% acceleration from the bodhi seed was added, that would be six times the cultivation speed!

This would be the key cornerstone for the Heavenly Court's takeoff.

"What are we waiting for? Confirm the promotion!" Chen Hao couldn't wait.

Lin Ye did not act immediately but looked at Qin Ruoxue: "Pavilion Master Qin, does the Heavenly Secret Pavilion have any intelligence on 'Chaos Valley'?"

Qin Ruoxue was already prepared and handed over another Jade Slip: "Found it. In the game's background setting, Chaos Valley was the cultivation site of a Chaos Body powerhouse in ancient times. After that powerhouse fell, this place was sealed by the Heavenly Dao, waiting for a fated person. The 'System-generated' mentioned in the System prompt is actually an unsealing."

"A Chaos Body powerhouse?" Su Qingyue said thoughtfully, "No wonder it's called Chaos Valley. Lin Ye, this place is practically tailor-made for you."

"It's not just for me." Lin Ye shook his head, "Chaos Valley's Spiritual Qi density +300% is a huge benefit for all members. Moreover, since it's an ancient powerhouse's cultivation site, there are likely some legacies or treasures remaining inside."

He looked at everyone: "After promoting to a Rank 3 faction, the Heavenly Court will officially enter a period of high-speed development. But opportunity also means challenge—with three server-wide announcements, our name will spread throughout the entire 'covering the heavens era'. At that time, countless players will apply to join, and countless factions will target us."

"Especially a treasure land like Chaos Valley will inevitably attract covetous eyes."

Shi Potian gripped his battle-axe: "Whoever comes to snatch it, I'll blow them away!"

"Brute." Zhao Wuji rolled his eyes but then said seriously, "The boss is right. Once the news of Chaos Valley is public, people will definitely be envious. We must prepare in advance."

"Therefore," Lin Ye looked around at everyone, "before the promotion, we need to clarify a few points."

"First, the location of Chaos Valley must be kept secret. Although the System will announce that we've obtained a territory, the specific coordinates won't be directly disclosed. We must try to delay the time it takes to be found."

"Second, start the relocation immediately after promotion. The Heavenly Court's main force must move into Chaos Valley as soon as possible to establish a defense System."

"Third, the recruitment of new members must be strictly screened. We can't take just anyone; quality over quantity."

Everyone nodded.

"Alright." Lin Ye took a deep breath, pulled up the faction management interface, and found the promotion option.

[Do you confirm the promotion of the faction 'Heavenly Court' to Rank 3?]

[Upon confirmation, a server-wide announcement will be triggered, and the aforementioned rewards will be obtained.]

[Yes/No]

Lin Ye chose "Yes".

The next moment—

[Server-wide Announcement: Congratulations to the player faction 'Heavenly Court' for successfully promoting to a Rank 3 faction, becoming the seventh player organization on the server to reach this Rank! Rewarded with the exclusive territory 'Chaos Valley', hereby announced as encouragement!]

The announcement scrolled three times consecutively.

Golden text flashed in the center of every online player's vision; no matter where they were or what they were doing, everyone saw this news.

After a brief silence, the world channel exploded.

[World Channel]:

"Holy crap! The seventh Rank 3 faction! The first six were all large Western guilds; Heavenly Court is the first Eastern one!"

"Night Emperor is awesome! Heavenly Court is awesome!"

"Chaos Valley? Sounds powerful just from the name, Spiritual Qi density +300%! This cultivation speed, I'm dying of envy!"

"Requesting to join! I'm Level 45, Dao Palace Third Layer, specializing in Fire-type Dao arts, with team dungeon experience!"

"Get in line, guy above! I'm Level 48, Dao Palace Fifth Layer, with the rare talent 'Sword Heart Clarity', just asking for one spot!"

"Is Heavenly Court still recruiting? Although I'm only Level 40, I'm an architectural designer in real life and can help plan territory construction!"

"I'm an Alchemist, Great Master Rank! Please take me in!"

"Artifact Refiner here! Can forge Epic-grade equipment!"

In just a few minutes, the world channel was flooded with messages requesting to join the Heavenly Court.

And at the Heavenly Court stronghold, Lin Ye's private message channel and faction application list exploded instantly.

[System Prompt: You have received new private messages, count: 1,247 (continuously increasing)]

[System Prompt: Faction 'Heavenly Court' has received join applications, count: 8,956 (continuously increasing)]

"This... this is too exaggerated." Chen Hao was dumbfounded.

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up: "This is an opportunity! With so many talents, we can pick and choose carefully!"

"Don't be in a hurry." Lin Ye said calmly, "Pavilion Master Qin, have the Heavenly Secret Pavilion start screening applicants immediately. Basic criteria: Level no lower than 40 (Dao Palace Realm), no bad records (red names, backstabbing previous guilds, etc.), and priority for those with special life professions."

"Understood." Qin Ruoxue immediately led her people to start working.

"Zhao Wuji, you are responsible for territory reception. The System should have already sent you the coordinates and teleportation permissions for Chaos Valley."

Zhao Wuji checked his System mail, and sure enough, there was a letter from the System.

[System Mail: Congratulations on obtaining the exclusive territory 'Chaos Valley'. Territory coordinates have been bound; you and the faction leader Lin Ye have highest authority. Attached: Territory Teleportation Formation Construction Blueprint x1, Basic Building Blueprint Pack x1.]

He opened the territory coordinates, and his expression changed: "Boss, the location of Chaos Valley... is a bit special."

"How so?"

"It's at the junction of the Eastern Wasteland and the Central Province, near the 'Heaven Burial Mountain Range'. That's a high-level map; the surrounding Yao Beasts are generally Level 60 or above." Zhao Wuji gave a wry smile, "This land the System gave us is indeed not so easy to take."

"Heaven Burial Mountain Range..." Lin Ye pondered.

He knew this place. In his past life, the Heaven Burial Mountain Range was an area players would only explore on a large scale after reaching Level 80 (Dragon Transformation Realm); it hidden many Secret Realms and ruins, but was also fraught with danger. For Chaos Valley to be there, it seemed the System intentionally placed high-level resource points in high-level areas.

"Only with challenges is there value." Lin Ye quickly made a decision, "Zhao Wuji, immediately take a vanguard team and head to Chaos Valley via the teleportation Formation to establish a temporary camp. Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, each of you take a team to accompany and protect them."

"Yes!"

The four accepted the order and left.

Lin Ye then looked at his own System prompts. Besides the faction promotion announcement, he had also received several important personal messages.

[System Prompt: Congratulations, as the leader of the faction 'Heavenly Court', you have obtained the exclusive title 'Pioneer of the Realm'.]

[Title: Pioneer of the Realm (Gold)]

[Effect: All Attributes +8%, Member Cultivation Speed within territory an additional +10%, Faction Resource Output +15%]

[Description: You are the first Eastern player leader to lead a faction to Rank 3; this honor is well-deserved.]

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

[System Prompt: You have obtained the highest authority of Chaos Valley.]

[Territory: Chaos Valley]

[Affiliation: Heavenly Court]

[Area: Approximately 50 square kilometers (expandable)]

[Spiritual Qi concentration: Base +300% (Core area can reach +500%)]

[Characteristic 1: Chaos Residue (Effect of cultivating Chaos-type and Five Elements-type Cultivation Techniques doubled)]

[Characteristic 2: Ancient Seal (There are three Seal nodes within the territory; unlocking them grants additional areas)]

[Characteristic 3: Spiritual Vein Convergence (There is a medium-sized Spiritual Vein underground, Spiritual Qi Pool can be built)]

[Existing Buildings: None]

[Constructible Buildings: Faction Hall, Cultivation Tower, Pill Refining Room, Artifact Refining Workshop, Scripture Pavilion, Spirit Beast Garden, Spirit Medicine Field, Defense Tower, City Wall, etc.]

[Defense Rank: 0 (Needs to be built by yourself)]

[Population Limit: 5000 (Increases with building upgrades)]

"Three characteristics..." Lin Ye's eyes brightened.

Chaos Residue—this was a huge help for his cultivation. Ancient Seal meant there were hidden areas waiting to be discovered. Spiritual Vein Convergence—this was the Foundation for sustainable development.

This territory was invaluable.

"Lin Ye."

Su Qingyue returned, her face solemn: "I just received a message from the Yaoguang Holy Land."

"Holy Land?" Lin Ye raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Su Qingyue handed over a Jade Slip engraved with star patterns. "It was sent by an Outer Sect Deacon of the Holy Land. They said congratulations on the Heavenly Court advancing to a Level 3 faction, and the Holy Land is willing to establish a 'friendly faction' relationship with the Heavenly Court and provide certain assistance when necessary. But the condition is... the Heavenly Court needs to acknowledge the Yaoguang Holy Land as a superior Sect and pay 30% of the revenue as tribute every year."

Lin Ye took the Jade Slip, swept it with his Divine Sense, and the content was consistent with what Su Qingyue said.

"Superior Sect? 30% of the revenue?" Lin Ye sneered. "The Holy Land has quite an appetite."

"This is common practice." Su Qingyue explained, "In the game settings, if player factions in the Eastern Wasteland want to gain a foothold, they usually need to attach themselves to some Holy Land or ancient family. The Holy Land provides protection and some resources, while the player faction pays tribute. The previous six Level 3 factions have also signed similar agreements with major Holy Lands."

"But we don't need to." Lin Ye shook his head. "Chaos Valley is in the Burial Heaven Mountain Range, which is not under the direct jurisdiction of any Holy Land. Moreover, I am confident in my ability to defend this land myself."

He returned the Jade Slip to Su Qingyue: "Reply to the Holy Land, saying that the Heavenly Court appreciates the Holy Land's congratulations, but we have no intention of attaching ourselves to anyone for now. Be polite in your tone, but be firm in our stance."

"Understood." Su Qingyue nodded. "However... this might offend the Yaoguang Holy Land. After all, they are one of the seven great Holy Lands of the Eastern Wasteland, with immense power."

"If it offends them, so be it." Lin Ye said indifferently, "In the game world, it ultimately comes down to strength. When we are strong enough, the Holy Land will have to treat us with respect."

He paused and added: "Besides, I have a premonition that the Holy Land's traditional mode of rule will soon be broken. The 'realization' process of the game affects not only players but also these NPC factions. When the time comes, who attaches to whom is not yet certain."

Su Qingyue was lost in thought, then turned to reply.

Lin Ye continued to deal with the accumulated affairs.

Over the next few hours, he was almost drowned in various messages.

There were congratulations (or probing) from various guilds, self-recommendations from solo experts, cooperation requests from chambers of commerce, and even several real-world investment institutions wanting to inject capital into the Heavenly Court.

Lin Ye handled them one by one, rejecting those that needed rejecting, engaging with those that needed engaging, and shelving those that needed shelving.

During this process, Qin Ruoxue's Heavenly Secret Pavilion played a huge role. They established a detailed applicant database and, through the intelligence network within the game, verified the background, strength, and character of each applicant.

In the end, from nearly ten thousand applications, five hundred people were initially selected to enter the second round of assessment.

In the evening, Zhao Wuji sent news back from Chaos Valley.

[Zhao Wuji's Message: Boss, the preliminary survey of Chaos Valley is complete. The basic situation is as follows: 1. The terrain of the territory is a valley, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only east and west exits. It is easy to defend but hard to attack, but the exits need to be heavily guarded. 2. The Spiritual Qi concentration is exactly as the System said; the core area (the center of the valley) can reach +500%. We discovered a spirit spring there, and the spring water has the effect of washing the marrow and cutting the muscles. 3. Three Seal nodes were found at the bottom of the valley, the northern cliff, and the southern ancient cave. The Seal strength is very high and cannot be unlocked for the time being. 4. Surrounding Yao Beast threats: There is a "Golden-Winged Eagle Flock" (average level 65) outside the east exit, and a "Earth-Walking Dragon Lair" (leader estimated level 75) outside the west exit. They have not taken the initiative to attack yet, but we need to be vigilant. 5. A temporary camp has been established, capable of accommodating three hundred people. It is recommended to start basic construction as soon as possible. Attached: Panoramic view of Chaos Valley (recorded by Image-Recording Jade Slip)]

Lin Ye checked the Image-Recording Jade Slip.

In the picture, the scenery of Chaos Valley came into view.

This was a quiet valley surrounded by mountains, with an open valley floor spanning several miles. The valley was covered with green grass and exotic flowers, and a clear stream meandered through it, finally flowing into a green pool in the center—that was where the spirit spring was located.

Above the pool, the Spiritual Qi condensed into a faint mist, refracting seven-colored light under the sunset.

On the cliffs on both sides of the valley, many spirit trees grew, including many rare varieties. And on the northern cliff, a cave entrance obscured by vines could be vaguely seen, with faint runes flickering at the entrance—that must be a Seal node.

Overall, Chaos Valley was not only rich in Spiritual Qi, but the scenery was also extremely beautiful, worthy of being called a paradise.

"Good place." Lin Ye praised.

Such a treasure land was indeed worth guarding with all his might.

He immediately ordered: "Notify all core members that tomorrow morning, everyone will move to Chaos Valley. The first batch will be five hundred people, and the rest will enter in batches."

"Also, issue an announcement: The Heavenly Court is officially opening recruitment, with three assessments. Only those who pass can join."

The announcement was quickly issued through the World Channel and the Heavenly Court's faction channel.

[Heavenly Court Recruitment Announcement]

[Faction: Heavenly Court (Level 3)]

[Territory: Chaos Valley (Spiritual Qi concentration +300%)]

[Recruitment Requirements: Level ≥ 40 (Dao Palace Realm), no bad records, pass three assessments.]

[Assessment Content: First: Heart-Nature assessment (Illusion array test, testing willpower, team awareness, concepts of good and evil) Second: Combat power assessment (Actual combat test, testing combat skills, adaptability, professional cooperation) Third: Loyalty assessment (Contract test, need to sign a basic loyalty contract for one year)]

[Assessment Time: Three days later, starting at the Heavenly Court stronghold in the Yan State.]

[Note: Special life professionals (Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Formation, Talisman, Spirit Planting, etc.) can have relaxed level requirements, but must pass professional tests.]

[Recruitment Quota: First batch 1500 people (filling the 2000-person limit)]

Once the announcement was made, it caused a sensation again.

The setting of the three assessments was both strict and reasonable. Especially the loyalty contract, although it was only for one year, it was enough to filter out those speculators with ulterior motives.

And the Spiritual Qi concentration of Chaos Valley was the biggest attraction.

For a time, players from all over the Eastern Wasteland, and even other major regions, began to gather in the Yan State.

Three days later, outside the Heavenly Court stronghold in the Yan State, it was crowded with people.

More than five thousand players gathered here, waiting for the assessment to begin. Among these people, there were experts in the Dao Palace Realm, special life professionals, elites from major guilds, and lone wolves.

Everyone wanted to seize this opportunity to join this emerging top-tier faction.

Lin Ye stood on the watchtower of the stronghold, overlooking the crowd below.

Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, Zhao Wuji, Qin Ruoxue, and other core members stood behind him.

"The lineup is really big." Chen Hao clicked his tongue, "It's much livelier than when we first established the Heavenly Court."

"Times have changed." Zhao Wuji laughed, "We are now the seventh Level 3 faction in the entire server, and the first in the East. The attraction of Chaos Valley is more effective than any publicity."

"Let's start." Lin Ye ordered.

The assessment officially began.

First, the Heart-Nature assessment.

Presided over by Lu Ming, three large illusion arrays were set up in the stronghold square. Each illusion array could accommodate one hundred people at the same time, and the test content was different.

The first array, "Mortal World Heart Refining," simulated temptations such as wealth, beauty, and power, testing desire control.

The second array, "Life and Death Choice," simulated team cooperation and the spirit of sacrifice in desperate situations.

The third array, "Scale of Good and Evil," simulated moral dilemmas, testing one's original heart.

Players entered the illusion arrays in batches. Some sank into illusions in the first array, some fell in the team conflicts of the second array, and some exposed their true nature in the moral choices of the third array.

Three hours later, the first assessment ended. Of the more than five thousand people, nearly half were eliminated, and only two thousand eight hundred passed.

Second, the Combat Power assessment.

It was conducted in the training ground outside the stronghold. Shi Potian, Chen Hao, and Su Qingyue served as examiners, assessing the three major directions of melee, ranged, and Spells.

This was not a simple sparring, but a simulation of actual combat. The examinees needed to face attacks from Puppets of the same level while completing designated tasks.

Shi Potian's assessment was the most direct—persist for the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn under his Tyrant Body pressure, and smash ten moving targets during that time.

Chen Hao's assessment was the most testing of skills—shuttle through a rain of one hundred arrows, and hit thirty weak points in different positions.

Su Qingyue's assessment was the most testing of control—fight with ice element Puppets on an ice-sealed field, while maintaining three ice shields without breaking.

Another three hours later, the second assessment ended. Of the two thousand eight hundred people, another half were eliminated, leaving only one thousand four hundred.

Third, the Loyalty assessment.

This hurdle was the simplest, yet the most serious.

Those who passed the first two rounds needed to sign the [Basic Loyalty Contract] notarized by the System.

The content of the contract was not complicated: within one year, one must not betray the Heavenly Court, must not leak the secrets of the Heavenly Court, and must not harm the interests of the Heavenly Court. Violators would be punished by the System (forced level reduction by 10, all attributes permanently -20%).

At the same time, the Heavenly Court also promised: to provide resource supply, cultivation environment, skill guidance, and fair promotion channels superior to the market.

This was a mutual constraint.

Most people signed readily—System contracts have absolute validity within the game, and this is also standard practice for large factions.

But a few hesitated or refused; they either had other intentions or were unwilling to be constrained.

In the end, out of one thousand four hundred people, one thousand three hundred and fifty signed the contract.

Adding the original five hundred core members, the total number of the Heavenly Court reached one thousand eight hundred and fifty, close to the two thousand person limit.

"Congratulations to everyone for officially becoming a member of the Heavenly Court."

Lin Ye stood on the high platform, facing the new members who passed the assessment, his voice spreading throughout the venue.

"From today on, you will share honor and disgrace with the Heavenly Court, and advance and retreat together. Chaos Valley will be our common home and the starting point for our take-off."

"I promise, as long as you do not fail the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Court will never fail you."

"Now, everyone get ready, teleport to Chaos Valley!"

The large teleportation array that had already been set up lit up.

Batches of members stepped into the teleportation array and disappeared into the light.

As the last batch of people finished teleporting, Lin Ye also stepped into the teleportation Formation.

Light flickered, and the scene changed.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already in Chaos Valley.

In the center of the valley, in front of the temporarily constructed Sect hall, over 1,800 members of the Heavenly Court stood in neat rows, with excitement and anticipation on everyone's faces.

The Spiritual Qi in the valley was so dense it had almost solidified; with every breath, one could feel their strength growing within their body.

The sky was a clear azure, and sunlight filtered through the mist of Spiritual Qi, casting a soft golden radiance.

In the distance, the mountains were like painted ink, and nearby, the Spirit Spring gurgled.

This was Chaos Valley, and this was the future Foundation of the Heavenly Court.

Lin Ye walked onto the temporarily constructed high platform and scanned the crowd.

"Brothers, welcome home."

These simple five words caused a warm current to surge in everyone's hearts.

Home.

In this perilous game world, having a safe "home" filled with abundant Spiritual Qi where one could Cultivate with peace of mind was something countless players dreamed of.

And now, they possessed it.

"For the next three days, we will focus all our efforts on building Chaos Valley," Lin Ye began to deploy. "Zhao Wuji, you will be in charge of the construction. Following the blueprints, prioritize building the Sect hall, cultivation tower, city walls, and defensive towers."

"Su Qingyue, you are responsible for designating the residential and cultivation areas."

"Chen Hao, Shi Potian, you are responsible for organizing the patrol teams to guard the perimeter of the valley."

"Qin Ruoxue, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion will begin mapping out Chaos Valley and the surrounding areas in detail, marking all resource points and danger zones."

"Lu Ming, you study those three Seal nodes and attempt to break them."

"All new members, group yourselves according to your profession and expertise, and participate in the construction. During the construction period, contribution points will be recorded in your personal profiles, serving as the basis for future resource allocation."

Orders were issued in an orderly manner.

The entire Chaos Valley instantly turned into a massive construction site.

The sounds of chopping wood, chiseling stone, ramming earth, and the humming of activated Formations... all these sounds intertwined, yet it was not noisy; instead, it was filled with vitality and hope.

Lin Ye was not idle either.

He went to the edge of the Spirit Spring in the center of the valley and sat cross-legged.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi here was the highest, reaching +500%. Coupled with the 50% acceleration from the bodhi seed, his cultivation speed was 7.5 times that of the outside world!

"Taking this opportunity, I will open up the Spleen Divine Palace completely."

He closed his eyes and began circulating the Chaos Scripture.

The dense Spiritual Qi surged into his body like a tide, and under the conversion of his Chaos Body, it transformed into pure Chaos Divine Power, flowing into his Spleen Palace.

Inside the Spleen Palace, that ball of Chaos-colored energy became increasingly solid, gradually manifesting the phantom image of mountains and rivers.

[Spleen Divine Palace opening progress: 83%... 85%... 88%...]

Time passed minute by minute.

When night fell, lighting Formations lit up inside Chaos Valley. Construction continued, and many players were unwilling to log off, working through the night.

Lin Ye was also immersed in his cultivation, seemingly unaware of the changes in the outside world.

Until the hour of the Rat —

[System Notification: Spleen Divine Palace opening complete!]

[You have successfully opened the second Divine Treasury: Spleen Divine Palace (Earth)]

[Skill Unlocked: Chaos Earth (Passive)]

[Effect: Defense +30%, Earth-attribute Spell resistance +50%, Vitality recovery speed +100%]

[Skill Unlocked: Earth Pulse (Active)]

[Effect: Connect to the power of the earth, recover 5% of max Vitality per second for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.]

[Dao Palace Realm Second Layer Breakthrough!]

[Level: 38 → 39]

[All attributes increased: Vitality +8000, Divine Power +7000, Attack +400, Defense +600, Dao Technique Bonus +5%]

[Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body Resonance: Dao Palace Second Layer Breakthrough, Chaos Domain range expanded to 35 meters, effect increased to enemy attribute -32%, ally +22%]

Lin Ye opened his eyes, feeling the surging power within his body.

Dao Palace Second Layer, achieved!

Moreover, the defense and recovery bonuses brought by the Spleen Palace significantly increased his survivability.

"At this rate, cultivating in Chaos Valley, I will be able to break through to the Dao Palace Fifth Layer and assault the Four Extremities Realm in at most a month," Lin Ye calculated in his mind.

He stood up and looked at the valley.

After half a day of construction, Chaos Valley had already begun to take shape.

A circle of three-meter-high stone walls had been built along the edge of the valley; although still rough, it could already provide basic defense. At the east and west exits, two ten-meter-high arrow towers had been erected, with crossbows already installed on them.

The frame of the Sect hall had been set up, covering an area of about 500 square meters; although not yet finished, one could already see its grandeur.

The Foundation for the cultivation tower had also been laid; that would be the core building for the Heavenly Court members' cultivation in the future.

What surprised Lin Ye even more was that many life-profession players had demonstrated astonishing efficiency.

The Alchemists gathered herbs in the valley and had already begun trying to refine the first batch of Medicinal Pills.

The Artifact Refiners used the mined stone and timber to craft simple yet practical tools and weapons.

The Formation Masters, under Lu Ming's leadership, began setting up basic Formations such as Gathering Spirit Formations, defensive Formations, and warning Formations.

The entire Chaos Valley presented a scene of vigorous upward momentum.

"Boss!"

Zhao Wuji ran over excitedly, holding an account book in his hand: "The preliminary statistics are out! The resource potential of Chaos Valley far exceeds expectations!"

"Speak."

"First, Spirit Medicine resources. Thirty-seven types of rare herbs have been discovered in the valley, eight of which are main ingredients for refining Four Extremities Realm Medicinal Pills. If we open up Spirit Medicine fields for large-scale cultivation, the annual output value will be at least one million Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"Second, Spirit Spring output. The central Spirit Spring can produce 100 liters of 'Spirit Spring Water' daily; long-term consumption can improve Physique and increase cultivation speed. If diluted and distributed as a benefit, it will be a huge attraction for members."

"Third, mineral vein resources. An 'Azure Obsidian' vein (Rank 4 Artifact Refining material) has been discovered in the North Mountain; although the reserves are not large, it is enough for our own use."

"Fourth, timber resources. There are many Spirit Woods in the valley, among which the 'Iron Fir' (Rank 3 building material) is in considerable quantity, which can meet most construction needs."

"Conservatively estimated, after Chaos Valley is fully developed, the annual output value will be over five million Low-Grade Spirit Stones! This does not even include the implicit benefits brought by the concentration of Spiritual Qi!"

Five million Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

Even Lin Ye was shocked by this figure.

One must know that the Heavenly Court's total current floating capital was only over 800,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. The annual output of Chaos Valley was more than six times their existing assets!

"But this takes time," Zhao Wuji calmed down. "Full development will take at least half a year and requires significant investment. Additionally, the biggest problem is... can we hold onto it?"

He pointed outside the valley: "This afternoon, the patrol team already discovered three waves of scouts. There were players and also NPCs. After the news of Chaos Valley spreads, there will definitely be more people coming to our doorstep."

Lin Ye nodded: "This is also what I am worried about. However, soldiers will be blocked by generals, and water will be blocked by earth."

He looked at the gradually forming city walls and arrow towers: "First, build up the basic defenses. Additionally, Cultivate a batch of elites as quickly as possible. The Spiritual Qi environment of Chaos Valley is enough to allow our members to grow rapidly."

"Understood," Zhao Wuji nodded. "I have already formulated a training plan. Core members will have priority use of the Spirit Spring and Advanced cultivation rooms, striving to Cultivate at least fifty experts above the Dao Palace Fifth Layer within a month."

"Very good."

As the two were talking, Qin Ruoxue walked over hurriedly, her expression grave.

"Leader, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion has received urgent intelligence."

"Speak."

"Three things," Qin Ruoxue said quickly. "First, Yaoguang Holy Land expressed 'regret' at our refusal, but there is no further action for the time being. However, they have secretly contacted several other player forces and seem to be planning something."

"Second, the Overlord Pavilion, Blood Fiend Alliance, and Eternal Dynasty have formed an Alliance, claiming that the Burying Heaven Mountain Range where Chaos Valley is located is their 'traditional sphere of influence,' demanding that the Heavenly Court withdraw within seven days, otherwise they will take 'necessary measures'."

"Third, and most importantly—" Qin Ruoxue paused, "Intelligence shows that inside the three Seal nodes of Chaos Valley, there may be some kind of dangerous existence sealed. And the reason for the loosening of the Seals may be related to the overall mutation of the game world. If we forcibly break them, it may trigger unpredictable consequences."

Three pieces of intelligence, each one heavier than the last.

Lin Ye pondered for a moment and said: "For the first matter, continue monitoring. For the second matter... if they want Chaos Valley, let them come and try. For the third matter—"

He looked at the cliff wall on the north side of the valley where runes were flickering.

"The secret of the Seal nodes must be unlocked. But before that, we need to be fully prepared."

"How is the progress on Lu Ming's side?"

"Lu Ming says the Seals are extremely ancient and complex; with his current attainments in Formations, it will take at least three months to initially break them. Moreover, he suggests setting up multiple protective Formations around the Seals before breaking them, just in case."

"Then do as he says," Lin Ye made the final decision. "Safety first."

Qin Ruoxue accepted the order and left.

Lin Ye walked alone onto the unfinished city wall, gazing at Chaos Valley in the night.

Moonlight spilled into the valley, the Spirit Spring shimmering with ripples, and the newly built structures cast long shadows under the moonlight. In the distance, the patrol team's torches flickered like stars.

All of this was the Foundation he had built with his own hands.

But Lin Ye knew that the real challenges had only just begun.

A treasure land like Chaos Valley could not remain peaceful forever. The covetousness of various forces, the secret of the Seal nodes, the mutation of the game world... all of these would erupt at some moment in the future.

And what he could do was to make himself and the Heavenly Court strong enough before that happens.

Strong enough to cope with any challenge.

"Soon..." Lin Ye muttered to himself. "When Chaos Valley is completely built, when the Heavenly Court's elites are cultivated, when my strength breaks through to the Four Extremities... by then, even if the Holy Land enters the fray in person, I will have the power to fight them."

The night wind blew, bringing the fresh scent of vegetation from the valley.

Lin Ye took a deep breath, feeling the dense Spiritual Qi surging into his body.

He turned and walked towards the direction of the cultivation tower.

Time was tight; he had to race against time.

And behind him, the lights of Chaos Valley shone quietly in the night, like a spark ignited in the darkness, weak yet firm.

This spark would eventually start a prairie fire.