98: Chapter 98 A Triumphant Return, Seclusion for Breakthrough

When the outline of Chaos Valley appeared in sight, it was already the dusk of the third day.

As Lin Ye's party crossed the edge of the Black Forest and stepped onto the familiar mountain road leading to Chaos Valley, the valley in the distance looked as if it had been gilded with a golden edge under the setting sun.

On the two newly built watchtowers at the valley entrance, one could vaguely see the figures of patrol members.

The Heavenly Court flag fluttering on top of the tower snapped in the evening breeze, the star pattern on the flag shimmering with a faint luster in the sunset.

"Finally... we're back." Zhao Wuji looked at the valley entrance, his eyes even turning slightly red.

This short trip to the Ancient Mine, having experienced life and death, felt like it had lasted several years.

Seeing the familiar home at this moment, that sense of stability upon returning was indescribable.

The squad quickened their pace.

Before they even reached the valley entrance, a horn sound rang out from the watchtower—that was the signal that friendly forces had returned.

Immediately after, the valley gate swung wide, and dozens of figures poured out.

Leading them were Wang Iron Pillar and Shadow Blade, followed by Fire Dance, Iron Wall, and... the resurrected Tie Shan and Shadow Killer!

"Boss!"

"Leader!"

"You're back!"

Cheers erupted, and everyone came to meet them.

Tie Shan and Shadow Killer walked quickly to Lin Ye and knelt on one knee.

"Leader, we have returned!" Tie Shan's voice was loud, but his eyes held guilt, "We dragged the team down, please punish us, Leader!"

Shadow Killer also lowered his head and said, "It was our carelessness that we fell into the Mist Beast's ambush."

Lin Ye reached out to help the two up: "The Ancient Mine is dangerous, no one could have predicted it. That you were able to be revived safely is the greatest fortune. The loss in Rank and equipment will be compensated by the Heavenly Court."

He looked at the two; Tie Shan's Rank had dropped from 48 to 47, and Shadow Killer's from 47 to 46, which was indeed a significant loss.

Moreover, the durability of their main weapons and armor had hit zero, requiring a large amount of resources to repair.

"Tie Shan, I will have the Forge prioritize the repair of your Mountain Suppressing Shield and heavy armor. Shadow Killer, your dual blades and cloak will also be repaired as soon as possible," Lin Ye promised.

"In addition, I have something for you later that can compensate for part of the losses."

"Thank you, Leader!" the two said gratefully.

At this moment, Wang Iron Pillar squeezed to the front and looked Shi Potian up and down: "Brother Shi, are you okay? I heard you encountered big trouble?"

Shi Potian grinned and patted his chest: "I'm fine! Not only am I fine, but I also turned a misfortune into a blessing; my strength has improved by a huge margin!"

He wasn't lying.

Although the trip to the Ancient Mine had been a brush with death, after consuming the life spring divine fluid, the purity of his Tyrant Body Bloodline had increased to 45%, unlocking the new ability "Tyrant Body Regeneration," and his Rank had also recovered to 48, with his overall strength at least 50% stronger than before entering the Ancient Mine.

The crowd surrounded the exploration squad and entered Chaos Valley.

Compared to when they left, Chaos Valley had undergone new changes.

The buildings in the valley were more orderly, the roads were paved with stone slabs, and lighting pillars were erected on both sides—that was the simplified version of the "Eternal Light Formation" designed by Lu Ming previously, driven by Spirit Stones, capable of automatically absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to maintain lighting.

The residential area had been expanded with two new rows of neat wooden houses.

The commercial area was more prosperous, the number of shops had nearly doubled, and one could even see players who were not members of the Heavenly Court trading—that was the external commercial network developed by Zhao Wuji.

The Spirit Gathering Formation in the cultivation area had been optimized, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi was 20% higher than before.

Lin Ye could feel that the flow of Spiritual Qi throughout the valley was more orderly, vaguely forming a certain cycle.

Most importantly, a new three-story stone building had been built in the center of the valley—the Faction Hall.

The hall was built of blue stone, the roof covered with black tiles, and copper bells hung from the eaves, making a crisp sound when the wind blew.

A three-zhang-high stone monument stood in the square in front of the hall, with the two large characters "Heavenly Court" carved on it; the brushwork was vigorous, and there was a faint flow of Law.

"This is..." Lin Ye looked at Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Wuji smiled proudly: "Boss, you guys weren't idle the few days you were in the Ancient Mine. Wang Iron Pillar led the construction team to work day and night to build this Faction Hall. Now our Heavenly Court can be considered decent!"

Everyone walked into the hall.

The first floor was the meeting hall, with a circular stone table and twelve stone chairs—the same set from the Star Gazing Platform, which had been moved here.

The second floor was the archives and intelligence room, and the third floor was Lin Ye's private cultivation room and study.

"Leader, you guys rest first, I'll go arrange the welcome banquet!" Zhao Wuji ran out excitedly.

Wang Iron Pillar, Shadow Blade, and the others also tactfully took their leave, letting the exploration squad rest first.

Only six people remained in the hall: Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, Lu Ming, and Qin Ruoxue, along with the newly resurrected Tie Shan and Shadow Killer.

"Everyone, sit." Lin Ye sat in the main seat.

Everyone sat down in turn.

"First of all, welcome back to the team, Tie Shan and Shadow Killer." Lin Ye looked at the two, "Although you died once, you identified the danger for the team, so your merits and demerits cancel each other out. Moreover..." He took out two bottles of life spring divine fluid, "This is compensation for you."

Two bottles of golden divine fluid were placed on the table, the bottles were transparent, and the liquid inside flowed with a starlike luster.

"This is..." Tie Shan and Shadow Killer were puzzled.

"life spring divine fluid," Qin Ruoxue explained, "A divine medicine refined by the Leader in the Ancient Mine. After taking it, you can significantly improve your strength, repair injuries, and even restore your Rank."

She briefly recounted the effects of the divine fluid.

Tie Shan and Shadow Killer's eyes lit up after hearing this.

"This is too precious..." Tie Shan hesitated, "We only did what we were supposed to do, we don't deserve such a heavy reward."

"Take it." Lin Ye was irrefutable, "You are the core combat power of the Heavenly Court, and your strength must be restored as soon as possible. Moreover, the Heavenly Court will have major moves next, and we need you to participate in your best state."

The two looked at each other and solemnly took the divine fluid.

"Thank you, Leader!"

"Take it now, we will protect you." Lin Ye said.

Tie Shan and Shadow Killer did not refuse anymore, opened the bottle caps, and drank it in one gulp.

Golden light shone on the two.

Tie Shan's Rank began to rise: 47 -> 48!

Not only that, his "Mountain Suppressing Technique" ran automatically, his earth-type affinity increased significantly, and the fourth layer "True Form of the Mountain," which would have required months of hard cultivation to break through, was directly brought to Major Achievement under the promotion of the divine fluid!

Shadow Killer's Rank also recovered to 47, and his "Shadow Evasion Technique" broke through to the fifth layer, unlocking the new skill "Shadow Raid"—capable of short-distance teleportation in shadows to ambush enemies.

What was even more miraculous was that the portion of potential they had lost due to death was replenished under the nourishment of the divine fluid, and even surpassed it.

A quarter of an hour later, the golden light dissipated.

Tie Shan felt the surging power in his body and his voice trembled with excitement: "Leader, this divine fluid... is too divine! Not only did my Rank recover, but my Cultivation Technique also broke through! Now I have the confidence to solo a Level 50 elite monster!"

Shadow Killer also clenched his fists: "My speed is at least 30% faster than before, and my shadow affinity has increased significantly. If I encounter the Mist Beast again, I am confident I can discover them in advance."

"Very good." Lin Ye nodded with satisfaction, "Now, let's talk about business."

He looked at Qin Ruoxue: "Pavilion Master Qin, you first report on the movements of the outside world during the few days we were away."

Qin Ruoxue took out an organized intelligence scroll and began to report:

"First, the anomaly in the Ancient Mine has spread. The earthquake three days ago reached magnitude seven, covering the entire outer perimeter of the Ancient Mine. After the earthquake, the Chaos Qi in the Ancient Mine showed abnormal fluctuations, with concentrations rising and falling, and unknown roars could be heard from the depths."

"Currently, the Six Kingdoms Alliance, Yaoguang Holy Land, and Eternal Star Domain are all sending more personnel, trying to investigate deeper. However, according to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion scouts, new dangers have appeared in the depths of the Ancient Mine—large numbers of high-level Yao Beasts and unknown creatures are active, and the casualty rate of exploration teams has soared."

"Second, the information about the appearance of the Stone Race has been confirmed." Qin Ruoxue looked solemn, "It's not just the one we encountered. According to reports gathered from various sources, there are at least five traces of Stone Race activity on the outer perimeter of the Ancient Mine. They are between levels 55-65, all juveniles, but their strength is terrifying, and they have already caused several exploration teams to be wiped out."

"Third, major forces have begun to adjust their strategies. The Six Kingdoms Alliance has temporarily stopped large-scale exploration and turned to establishing defensive lines on the outer perimeter of the Ancient Mine to prevent things from inside from coming out. Yaoguang Holy Land has sent a second batch of teams, led by two Dragon Transformation Realm Elders, and they seem to have a clear goal. The Eternal Star Domain is trying to use technological means to probe the depths of the Ancient Mine remotely, but the effect is not good; the Chaos Qi interferes seriously with technological equipment."

"Fourth, regarding our Heavenly Court." Qin Ruoxue paused, "The news that we entered the Ancient Mine has leaked. Now the outside world knows that the Heavenly Court has an elite team that went deep into the Ancient Mine and returned safely, and also brought back 'incredible gains.' Many forces are already inquiring about our intelligence, including the Six Kingdoms Alliance and Yaoguang Holy Land."

Lin Ye listened and pondered for a moment: "To be expected. The anomaly of the Ancient Mine cannot be hidden, and the news of our safe return cannot be hidden. The key is what we brought back; this must be kept secret."

He looked at the crowd: "life spring divine fluid, primordial life stone essence, Epic-grade Materials... if any of these leak out, they will attract countless covetous eyes. Everyone must keep their mouths shut."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

"Next, distribute the gains." Lin Ye began to arrange.

He first took out the remaining three bottles of life spring divine fluid: "These three bottles are for my own use. I need to seclude myself for a Breakthrough, and the divine fluid is the key."

No one had any objections. Lin Ye's strength improvement was crucial to the Heavenly Court.

Next was the primordial life stone essence. The seventy-nine essence crystals were divided into three parts: forty for the Heavenly Court's strategic reserves; twenty for rewarding meritorious members; and nineteen to be kept by Lin Ye for Alchemy and special purposes.

The Epic-grade Scorpion King stinger was temporarily sealed until a blacksmith capable of handling Epic-grade Materials could be found.

Lin Ye kept the earth vein core for himself, which was of great help to his earth-type cultivation and exploration ability.

Soul Crystals: the remaining five were given to Su Qingyue, Qin Ruoxue, Lu Ming, Chen Hao, and Flame Dance, one each, to improve Divine Sense. Shi Potian, Tie Shan, Shadow Killer, and Holy Light did not Cultivate Divine Sense, so they were not given any.

Materials such as Spider King poison sacs, rock-hard carapaces, and earth spirit crystals were handed over to Zhao Wuji for storage as forging and Formation Materials.

Lin Ye kept the Stone Race scales for research.

After the distribution, Lin Ye looked at everyone: "I plan to go into seclusion for three days to impact the Dao Palace Fourth Layer. During this period, Heavenly Court affairs will be temporarily handled by Su Qingyue, with Zhao Wuji assisting. Wang Iron Pillar, Shadow Blade, Fire Dance, and Iron Wall will perform their duties. Lu Ming, you are responsible for optimizing the Formations in the valley. Qin Ruoxue, intelligence work cannot be relaxed, especially the movements of the Ancient Mine and major forces."

"Understood!"

"Dismissed. Three days later, we will discuss the next steps of the Heavenly Court's development in detail."

Everyone left, leaving only Lin Ye and Su Qingyue in the hall.

"I have had people prepare the place where you will go into seclusion." Su Qingyue said softly, "In the third-floor cultivation room, I have set up a Spirit Gathering Formation and a soundproofing Formation, no one will disturb you."

"Thank you for your hard work." Lin Ye looked at her, "For these three days, the Heavenly Court is left to you."

Su Qingyue shook her head: "This is what I should do. You can focus on your Breakthrough, I'm here to handle things outside."

The two looked at each other, everything unspoken.

A moment later, Lin Ye went up to the third floor and entered the cultivation room.

The cultivation room was about three zhang square, the floor was paved with warm jade, and the walls were engraved with spirit-gathering runes. In the center was a futon, and in front of the futon were three bottles of life spring divine fluid, as well as a few items to assist in cultivation: an Earth Spirit Crystal Soul, a wood-attribute Spirit Stone, and the earth vein core.

Lin Ye sat cross-legged on the futon and closed his eyes to regulate his breath.

Half an hour later, his state was adjusted to the best.

He opened his eyes, picked up the first bottle of life spring divine fluid, and drank it in one gulp.

The golden liquid entered his throat, turning into a warm torrent that rushed into his limbs and bones. Unlike the emergency recovery taken after previous battles, this time it was focused cultivation, and the medicinal power of the divine fluid was completely guided towards cultivation.

Lin Ye circulated the "Chaos Scripture," and the four Great Divine Treasures resonated simultaneously.

In the Heart Divine Palace (Fire), the Chaos Fire burned fiercely, the temperature was higher than before, and the flame color turned from crimson to golden red.

The Spleen Divine Palace (Earth), under the blessing of the earth vein core, the Chaos Earth was thick and solid, and a phantom of mountains and rivers faintly emerged.

The Lung Divine Palace (Metal) was sharp, and Sword Qi circulated in his body with every breath.

Although the Liver Divine Palace (Wood) had only been opened 80%, it already showed astonishing vitality. Green Chaos Qi circulated in the Divine Palace, nourishing his Meridians and internal organs throughout his body.

The medicinal power of the divine fluid first nourished the Liver Divine Palace.

That Divine Palace space, which had only been opened 80%, began to improve rapidly under the promotion of the majestic life energy.

81%... 82%... 83%...

The progress improved at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, the Law fragments in the divine fluid were also playing a role. Lin Ye could feel that his understanding of the Law of Life was constantly deepening. Although those fragments were small, they were like keys, opening a corner of the mystery of life.

The liver belongs to Wood, governs vitality, and manages drainage. The improvement of the Liver Divine Palace not only improved Lin Ye's vitality and recovery ability but also made his Divine Sense clearer and his thinking more agile.

An hour later, the medicinal power of the first bottle of divine fluid was absorbed.

Liver Divine Palace opening progress: 80% -> 90%!

Only one step away from Perfection.

Lin Ye did not stop, picked up the second bottle of divine fluid, and drank it again.

This time, the focus of the medicinal power shifted to the Spleen Divine Palace.

The spleen belongs to Earth, governs transportation and transformation, and manages blood. Although the Spleen Divine Palace had long been opened, under the dual effect of the earth vein core and the divine fluid, it began to undergo a qualitative change.

The Divine Palace space expanded, the Chaos Earth became more solid, and it even began to evolve into a concrete form—that was a miniature mountain and land, although it was just a phantom, it already had the initial prototype.

Even more amazingly, the Spleen Dao Palace and the earth vein core resonated deeply.

Through this resonance, Lin Ye's understanding of the earth reached a new level.

He could "hear" the pulse of the earth veins, "see" the structure of the rock layers, and "feel" the vitality of the soil.

This perception already surpassed the Divine Sense probing of ordinary Cultivators, approaching an understanding at the level of Law.

The second hour ended, and the second bottle of life spring divine fluid was absorbed.

The reinforcement of the Spleen Dao Palace was complete, its space expanded by 50%, Earth-element affinity increased by 100%, and the earth vein sensing range expanded to a radius of ten miles.

Next was the third bottle of life spring divine fluid.

This time, the medicinal power was evenly distributed among the four major divine storehouses, pushing for an overall Breakthrough.

Lin Ye could feel his cultivation level climbing rapidly.

The Bottleneck of the Dao Palace Third Layer Peak was broken through as if it were made of paper.

His Rank increased from 43 to 44—officially stepping into the Dao Palace Fourth Layer!

But this was not the end.

Under the push of the life spring divine fluid, his cultivation continued to rise.

Rank 44 Early Stage... Rank 44 Middle Stage... Rank 44 Late Stage...

Finally, it stopped at the Rank 44 Peak, just a hair's breadth away from Rank 45.

And an even greater change occurred within the divine storehouses.

When the reinforcement of the four major divine storehouses reached a certain critical point, a marvelous resonance occurred between them.

Heart Fire, Spleen Earth, Lung Metal, Liver Wood—the four-element divine storehouses, although lacking Kidney Water and failing to reach Perfection, had already formed a miniature cycle.

Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Wood... Although Wood cannot directly generate Fire (lacking Water as an intermediary), the cycle of the Four Elements generating each other had been initially established.

In this cycle, the Chaos Divine Power began to circulate automatically, without requiring Lin Ye to guide it intentionally.

With every cycle, the Chaos Divine Power became one point purer, and the divine storehouses became one point more stable.

What surprised Lin Ye even more was that with the establishment of the four-element cycle, he unlocked two new skills.

[System Prompt: Four of the Five Elements divine storehouses obtained, Chaos cycle initially established.]

[Unlocked Skill: Chaos Wood (Healing)]

[Type: Active Skill / Healing Divine Ability]

[Consumption: 5,000 Chaos Divine Power / use]

[Effect: Release Chaos Wood-element vitality to heal the target's injuries. The healing effect is the base healing amount × (Wood-element affinity × 0.1), capable of healing complex injuries such as internal injuries, fractures, and Meridians damage.]

[Current Effect: A single treatment can restore 50,000 HP to the target and dispel most negative status effects.]

[Cooldown: 60 seconds]

[Note: The healing effect of this skill is reinforced by Chaos Law and also has a certain curative effect on Law-based damage.]

[Unlocked Skill: Chaos Earth (Defense)]

[Type: Active Skill / Defense Divine Ability]

[Consumption: 8,000 Chaos Divine Power / use]

[Effect: Mobilize the power of Chaos Earth to form an absolute defense shield. The shield strength is Base Defense × (Earth-element affinity × 0.15) × (Earth vein connection degree × 0.1).]

[Current Effect: Can generate a Chaos Earth Shield that absorbs 300,000 damage; while the shield exists, it is immune to most crowd control effects.]

[Duration: 30 seconds]

[Cooldown: 180 seconds]

[Note: The defense effect of this skill is boosted by the earth vein environment; when standing on the ground, the shield strength increases by 50%.]

Two skills, one offensive and one defensive, perfectly made up for Lin Ye's current ability shortcomings.

The healing effect of Chaos Wood, although not as good as a professional healer, excels in comprehensiveness and can treat various complex injuries.

Furthermore, as a Chaos-attribute healing, it has miraculous effects on certain special types of damage (such as Law damage, curses, etc.).

The defensive capability of Chaos Earth is even more astonishing.

A shield that absorbs 300,000 damage can be called an absolute defense at the current stage.

Combined with Lin Ye's own defensive attributes, after activating the Earth Shield, he can withstand most attacks from below Rank 60.

"The Five Elements cycle is truly mysterious." Lin Ye felt the newly acquired abilities, joy in his heart.

This is only the initial effect of the four-element cycle; if the Five Elements were complete, what kind of scene would that be?

He could almost foresee that when the Kidney Dao Palace (Water) is opened and the Five Elements reach Perfection, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body will welcome its first qualitative change.

By then, he will truly possess the capital to be invincible among the same Rank and to challenge higher Ranks.

After the Breakthrough was complete, Lin Ye did not immediately end his seclusion.

He needed to consolidate his Realm and become familiar with his newly acquired abilities.

In the cultivation room, time flowed quietly.

Lin Ye repeatedly circulated the "Chaos Scripture," allowing the newly added cultivation to completely fuse with his body.

He attempted to cast Chaos Wood and Chaos Earth, familiarizing himself with the release rhythm and consumption of the skills.

When Chaos Wood is released, a pale green Chaos Qi flow appears in his palm; within the Qi flow are specks of golden light, which are fragments of the Law of Life.

Wherever the Qi flow passed, even the warm jade floor slabs radiated vibrant vitality, and tiny moss grew on the surface.

When Chaos Earth is released, the earth beneath his feet resonates; earth-yellow Chaos Qi rises from the ground, condensing into a thick shield around his body.

On the surface of the shield, mountain and river textures flow, as if an entire land had been condensed.

The consumption of both skills is not small, but with Lin Ye's current Dao Palace Fourth Layer Divine Power, he can fully support multiple uses.

What surprised him even more was that during the cultivation process, the Chaos Creation Furnace and the Chaos Soul Suppressing Seal also made progress.

After Alchemy broke through to the Great Master level, the Chaos Creation Furnace upgraded from a prototype to a complete first layer.

Now his success rate in refining fine-grade Medicinal Pill is close to 100%, and he has a 50% chance of refining rare-grade Medicinal Pill.

Furthermore, the Alchemy speed is faster and the consumption is lower.

The Chaos Soul Suppressing Seal also upgraded to the second layer, its range expanded to a 150-meter radius, damage to spirit-type enemies increased to 700%, and the Soul Seal mark effect enhanced to "Divine Soul damage received +80%."

"It seems that every major Realm Breakthrough will drive the improvement of other abilities." Lin Ye thought thoughtfully.

This is the advantage of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body—all-around development, with no shortcomings.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

When Lin Ye ended his seclusion and walked out of the cultivation room, his entire aura had undergone a subtle change.

Before, it was sharp and exposed, like a drawn sharp sword.

Now, it is restrained, like a divine weapon hidden in its scabbard; it looks peaceful, but is actually even more dangerous.

His Rank is fixed at Rank 44 Peak (Dao Palace Fourth Layer), but his actual combat power can already crush most Rank 50 ordinary players, and can even contend with Rank 55 elites.

Three of the four major divine storehouses have reached Perfection (Heart, Spleen, Lung), the Liver Dao Palace is 90% opened, and the Five Elements cycle has been initially established.

The total amount of Chaos Divine Power has doubled compared to before the seclusion, and its purity has increased by 30%.

More importantly, all attributes have increased by 25%!

This is the comprehensive improvement brought about by the life spring divine fluid and the Realm Breakthrough.

Now Lin Ye's attribute panel has reached an astonishing level:

[Player: Lin Ye (Night Emperor)]

[Rank: 44 (Dao Palace Fourth Layer Peak)]

[Physique: Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body (Unique)]

[HP: 285,000 / 285,000 (+25%)]

[Divine Power: 235,000 / 235,000 (+25%)]

[Attack: 13,500 - 15,200 (+25%)]

[Defense: 12,800 (+25%)]

[Dao Technique Bonus: +280% (+25%)]

[Divine Sense: 6,100 (Soul Crystal +350, Realm Breakthrough +200)]

[Luck: 89 (Hidden Attribute, slightly increased)]

[Main Cultivation Technique: "Chaos Scripture · Dao Palace Volume" (Fourth Layer)]

[Innate Divine Ability: Chaos Domain (Range 35 meters, Enemy attribute -35%, Friendly +25%), Chaos Control (Passive, all skill power +20%)]

[New Skills: Chaos Wood (Healing), Chaos Earth (Defense)]

[Equipment: myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo (Growth-type, Current Rank: Rare+), Void Armor Set (Epic, Damaged, Durability 32%), earth vein core (Equipped)]

[Combat Power Rating: 112,000 (Average rating for players of the same Rank: 35,000)]

A Combat Power Rating of 112,000!

This has already surpassed the level of ordinary Rank 55 players.

You must know that Rank 50 is a watershed; for every Rank gained above 50, the attribute growth margin increases significantly.

Lin Ye, with a Rank of 44, has reached the combat power of Rank 55; this leap is enough to shock anyone.

Walking out of the cultivation room, Su Qingyue was already waiting outside the door.

She looked at Lin Ye, a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Your aura... is even more unfathomable."

Lin Ye smiled: "Slight gains. How is it outside these past three days?"

"Everything is normal," Su Qingyue reported. "Zhao Wuji has already put the loot into storage and formulated an allocation plan. Lu Ming has optimized the Formation within the valley; now, the defensive capability of Chaos Valley has increased by at least 30%. Wang Iron Pillar and the others are stepping up the training of new recruits, and the full strength of the four major legions has reached two thousand."

"Additionally," she paused, "there is new intelligence from Qin Ruoxue. After the second batch of teams from Yaoguang Holy Land entered the Ancient Mine, they sent back the first message yesterday: they discovered a 'Seal land' on the third layer of the Ancient Mine, but they cannot enter it; it requires a specific 'key'."

"A key?" Lin Ye's heart stirred.

"Yes. According to news circulating within the Holy Land, that Seal land requires three keys to open: one is the 'Miner's Key', one is the 'Guard's Key', and one is the 'Sacrificial Key'. Yaoguang Holy Land has already found the Guard's Key and is currently searching for the other two."

Miner's Key, Guard's Key, Sacrificial Key...

Lin Ye remembered the Seventh Mining Team Token he had obtained. Could that thing be the Miner's Key?

And the trial of the stone tablet, the cave entrance guarded by the Scorpion King... Are these related to the Sacrificial Key?

"It seems the secrets of the Ancient Mine are even more complex than we imagined," Lin Ye mused. "What else did Qin Ruoxue say?"

"She said that Yaoguang Holy Land attaches great importance to the Seal land, and even requested the assistance of a Grand Elder who was sleeping deep within the Holy Land. That Grand Elder used the Great Derivation Divine Technique to deduce a conclusion: in the Seal land, there is something that can 'change the landscape of the Eastern Wasteland'."

Change the landscape of the Eastern Wasteland...

Lin Ye thought of the Primordial Covenant Fragment.

If that thing is really in the Seal land, it would indeed be enough to change the landscape of the Eastern Wasteland, or even the entire Big Dipper Star Field.

"We must speed up our pace," Lin Ye decided. "In three days, I will personally go to the black market auction in Forest Town. Perhaps I can find some clues there."

"You are going?" Su Qingyue frowned. "That is too dangerous. You are now the focus of attention from all sides; once you appear..."

"That is exactly why I must go." A sharp light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. "Some clues must be accessed personally. Furthermore, I also want to see to what extent the outside world has developed now."

He looked at Su Qingyue: "Rest assured, I will use a disguise. Moreover, with my current strength, unless I encounter an old monster above the Dragon Transformation Realm, I will have no trouble protecting myself."

Su Qingyue knew she couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she could only nod: "Then be careful. I will have Shadow Killer take a team to protect you in secret."

"Good."

The two walked down the stairs and arrived at the first floor of the main hall.

Zhao Wuji, Qin Ruoxue, Lu Ming, and others had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Lin Ye end his seclusion, everyone felt that oppressive aura and was shocked in their hearts.

"Leader, have you made a Breakthrough?" Zhao Wuji asked pleasantly surprised.

"Yes, Dao Palace Fourth Layer," Lin Ye nodded. "Let's talk business. I plan to go to the black market auction in Forest Town in three days, and Pavilion Master Qin will accompany me. The rest will stay at Chaos Valley to step up training and construction."

He looked at Zhao Wuji: "Old Zhao, is the capital needed for the auction prepared?"

"It's prepared!" Zhao Wuji patted his chest. "Although most of the Materials we brought out from the Ancient Mine this time need to be kept for our own use, some of the unused scraps, plus the Spirit Stones we accumulated before, add up to about two million. It is enough to buy anything we want at the auction."

Two million Spirit Stones—this is already the entire fortune of many small and medium-sized forces.

But for the current Heavenly Court, it is just available liquid capital.

"Good. For these three days, everyone perform your respective duties. In three days, Pavilion Master Qin and I will depart."

The meeting ended, and everyone dispersed.

Lin Ye stood alone at the entrance of the main hall, looking at the sky that was gradually darkening.

The Seal deep in the Ancient Mine, the actions of Yaoguang Holy Land, the appearance of the Stone Clan, the black market auction...

These seemingly unrelated events gradually linked together into a web in his mind.

At the center of the web is the secret of the deepest part of the Primal Ancient Mine.

And he has already obtained the first key to uncover the secret.

Next is to find the other two, and then... open that door.

Lin Ye clenched his fists, a determined light shining in his eyes.

In this life, the path he must walk is destined not to be ordinary.

But precisely because of that, it is even more interesting.

The night grew deeper, and the lights in Chaos Valley lit up one by one.

This emerging player main city is like a rising star in the darkness.

And in the deeper darkness further away, ancient secrets are awakening.

The gears of fate have already begun to turn.