167: Chapter 167 Advancement to Earth Immortal, Secret Realm Opens

Inside the Immortal Cave, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Lin Wan sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly closed, his entire body enveloped in rich Immortal Spiritual Qi and a faint trace of Chaos Qi. The medicinal power of the nine-turn golden pill was like a floodgate being opened, surging and roaring within his body, crashing against that invisible, intangible, yet very real solid barrier—the Bottleneck between Human Immortal and Earth Immortal.

He circulated the "Chaos Reincarnation Sutra" to its absolute limit. The phantom of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" in his Sea of Consciousness emitted a hazy glow. The four supreme dao rhyme prototypes—Chaos, Reincarnation, existence, and the end—were like four pillars holding up the sky, suppressing the Divine Kingdom. At the same time, they resonated with Lin Wan's own magic power, Divine Soul, and Physical Body, guiding the majestic medicinal power of the nine-turn golden pill in a profound way, washing and tempering his limbs, bones, Meridians, Dantian, and even his Divine Soul and Sea of Consciousness.

"Crack..."

A soft sound, like the cracking of porcelain, resounded within Lin Wan's body. Under the majestic medicinal power of the nine-turn golden pill and the profound circulation of the Chaos Reincarnation Sutra, that solid Bottleneck finally cracked.

Immediately after, the cracks spread like a spiderweb, growing more numerous and dense.

"Boom!!!"

Finally, a loud rumble, as if splitting heaven and earth, erupted within Lin Wan's body! The Bottleneck that had troubled countless Human Immortal Cultivators shattered with a bang!

In an instant, Lin Wan felt his life level undergo a qualitative leap! Within his Dantian, his original lake-like Immortal Essence instantly boiled and expanded, turning into a vast ocean of Immortal Essence! The quality of his Immortal Essence also skyrocketed, becoming more condensed and pure, carrying a faint trace of Chaos aura and the Reincarnation Concept.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Soul power surged, and his Divine Sense's coverage instantly expanded by more than tenfold! Moreover, the "quality" of his Divine Sense underwent a transformation, becoming more solid and sharp, even carrying a hint of the charm of the Dao, allowing him to perceive the omnipresent threads of Law between heaven and earth more clearly.

His Physical Body was also undergoing earth-shaking changes. His bones became as crystal clear as jade, gleaming with a faint metallic luster; his Meridians became wider and tougher, like coiling dragons; his blood surged like liquid mercury, making thundering sounds as it flowed; his internal organs were covered with a layer of treasure light, like immortal divine gold. His Physical Body's strength surged by far more than tenfold! Now, relying solely on his Physical Body, he was strong enough to go head-to-head with ordinary Low Grade Immortal Artifacts!

Earth Immortal! This was an Earth Immortal!

Compared to a Human Immortal, it was like the difference between clouds and mud! It was not just an increase in magic power quantity, Divine Sense range, and Physical Body strength, but a leap in the essence of life, a deeper comprehension and control of the Laws of heaven and earth.

Lin Wan slowly opened his eyes, and a scene of the beginning of Chaos and the birth and destruction of galaxies seemed to flash through them. He exhaled a long breath of turbid Qi, which condensed without dispersing, turning into a grayish-white arrow of Qi that shot out, piercing a bottomless hole through the hard wall of the Immortal Cave.

"Earth Immortal... I've finally achieved it." Lin Wan felt the majestic power within his body, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Advancing to Earth Immortal not only caused his strength to skyrocket, but his Lifespan also surged to a hundred thousand years! More importantly, he finally had a certain degree of self-preservation ability. In the Immortal Realm, he was no longer an ant that anyone could squeeze.

"Moreover, my Earth Immortal Realm seems different from ordinary Earth Immortals." Lin Wan looked inside himself and found that his Dantian's ocean of Immortal Essence was not pure gold or green, but rather a strange Chaos color. It was also mixed with wisps of grayish-black Reincarnation power, as well as specks of white light symbolizing 'existence' and black light symbolizing 'the end'. The four supreme dao rhyme prototypes seemed to have initially integrated into his Immortal Essence, giving it a unique attribute that encompassed all things, evolved all things, and ended all things.

"Chaos Immortal Energy? Reincarnation Immortal Essence?" Lin Wan understood in his heart. Because he cultivated the "Chaos Reincarnation Sutra" and comprehended the four supreme dao rhyme prototypes, his Immortal Essence had undergone a mutation, far exceeding that of ordinary Earth Immortals. Its quality was higher, its power stronger, and its affinity with the Laws of heaven and earth was also greater.

"If I were to fight Qin Wushuang again now, I wouldn't even need to use the 'Chaos Reincarnation, Universe Birth and Death Finger'. Just this mutated Immortal Essence alone would be enough to easily defeat him," Lin Wan estimated his own strength. Advancing to Earth Immortal, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap. An ordinary Earth Immortal Middle Stage would probably not be his match, and he could even fight an Earth Immortal Late Stage. If he used all his trump cards and unleashed the four supreme dao rhyme prototypes, he could even contend with an Earth Immortal Peak.

"However, I still cannot be careless. The Immortal Realm is vast and boundless, and geniuses emerge in large numbers; those who can fight across Realms are not few. And above Earth Immortal, there are still Heavenly Immortal, Golden Immortal, Immortal Lord, Immortal Emperor... the road is still very long." Lin Wan quickly calmed his excited mood. Advancing to Earth Immortal was just a new starting point.

With a thought, he brought up the System panel.

"[Host: Lin Wan]"

"[Realm: Earth Immortal Early Stage (chaos reincarnation immortal body)]"

"[Cultivation Technique: Chaos Reincarnation Sutra (Second Layer)]"

"[Divine Ability: Chaos Return to Void Fist (Major Achievement), Samsara Tribulation Finger (Major Achievement), Chaos Reincarnation Domain (Minor Achievement), Universe Birth and Death Finger (Prototype)]"

"[Dao Companions: 0 (Dao Companion binding can increase the cultivation speed of both parties, share part of their insights, and obtain special rewards)]"

"[Children: 0 (The birth of children can yield generous rewards; children's talent is related to the talents of the host and their Dao Companions)]"

"[Special Items: donghua token, Yaochi Token, Divine Weapon Token, Wanbao Token, dao source mark, nine-turn golden pill (consumed)]"

"[dao rhymes: Chaos dao rhyme (Prototype), Reincarnation dao rhyme (Prototype), existence dao rhyme (Prototype), the end dao rhyme (Prototype)]"

"[System Functions: Dao Companion Binding, Children Rewards, Dao Comprehension Space, Simulated Battle, Resource Scan, Mall (Locked)...]"

"Earth Immortal Early Stage, chaos reincarnation immortal body... seems to be a special Immortal Physique?" Lin Wan noticed the note after his Realm. The chaos reincarnation immortal body was likely a special body constitution formed after cultivating the "Chaos Reincarnation Sutra" and fusing the four supreme dao rhyme prototypes, possessing infinite potential.

His Cultivation Technique had advanced to the second layer, and his Divine Abilities now included "Chaos Reincarnation Domain (Minor Achievement)" and "Universe Birth and Death Finger (Prototype)". The Chaos Reincarnation Domain was a preliminary Fusion of the Chaos Domain and the Reincarnation Domain, possessing even greater power. The "Universe Birth and Death Finger" was a Divine Ability he created himself; although it was only a prototype, its power was already extremely terrifying.

"Dao Companions and children are still zero..." Lin Wan stroked his chin. Previously in the Lower Realm, he had focused solely on cultivation. Coupled with the fact that the System had only recently awakened, he hadn't had time to consider this aspect. Now that he had ascended to the Immortal Realm and possessed a basic level of self-preservation, he could indeed consider the task of "spreading his lineage." The System was named "Many Children, Many Blessings." Obviously, Dao Companions and children were important ways to enhance his strength and obtain rewards. Moreover, finding a suitable Dao Companion could also assist in his cultivation and allow them to explore the Great Dao together.

"However, this matter cannot be rushed. Dao Companions must be of one heart and mind, sharing the same path; otherwise, a forced binding would not be pleasant. Furthermore, I am currently in the spotlight. Rashly looking for a Dao Companion might cause trouble. It's better to wait until I am stronger and have established a firm foothold." Lin Wan quickly made a decision. Regarding Dao Companions, he would let nature take its course—marry if he met a good match, and forget it if there was no affinity, without forcing anything.

"However, this 'Mall' function is shown as locked. I wonder what the conditions are to unlock it?" Lin Wan was somewhat curious. According to the usual tropes, the System Mall would definitely contain all kinds of miraculous items, Cultivation Techniques, Divine Abilities, and even Medicinal Pills that could directly increase one's cultivation. It was just that it was currently locked, so he couldn't find out.

"System, how do I unlock the Mall function?" Lin Wan asked in his heart.

"[Ding! Question from the host detected. The System Mall requires the host to meet any of the following conditions to be unlocked: 1. Bind the first Dao Companion; 2. Give birth to the first child; 3. Reach the Heavenly Immortal Realm; 4. Obtain 10,000 System points (can be obtained through completing System tasks, child growth, Dao Companion cultivation level increases, etc.). Current System points: 0.]"

The cold System notification sounded in his mind.

"Binding a Dao Companion, giving birth to a child, reaching the Heavenly Immortal Realm, or ten thousand System points..." Lin Wan thought to himself. It seemed that if he wanted to unlock the Mall, Dao Companions and children were the fastest routes. However, he did not intend to casually bind a Dao Companion just to unlock the Mall for now. The Heavenly Immortal Realm was still somewhat distant for him. His System points were currently 0, and he needed to figure out how to obtain them.

"I'll slowly study the System functions after coming out of the Donghua Secret Realm. The top priority right now is to consolidate my cultivation, familiarize myself with the power of an Earth Immortal, and prepare to enter the Donghua Secret Realm." Lin Wan stopped thinking about it, focused his mind, and continued to consolidate his newly broken-through Earth Immortal cultivation.

As the days passed, in the blink of an eye, the day of the opening of the Donghua Secret Realm arrived.

On this day, beside the massive Douxiantai Platform in the center of Donghua Immortal City, hundreds of Cultivators had already gathered. These people were all the top one hundred of this Ascension Conference, the lucky ones who had obtained the qualification to enter the Donghua Secret Realm. They gathered in groups of three or five, chatting with each other, their expressions either excited, expectant, or nervous.

Lin Wan also arrived on time. As soon as he appeared, he immediately drew the attention of the entire venue. Awe, worship, jealousy, scrutiny... all kinds of gazes locked onto him. After the battle at the Ascension Conference, Lin Wan's prestige among the younger generation in the Donghua Immortal Domain was at its Peak, known to everyone.

Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, Xiao Zhan, Qian Duoduo, and others had also arrived. Seeing Lin Wan, Qin Wushuang nodded to him as a greeting, his eyes calm and without hostility, instead carrying a hint of respect for the strong. Saintess Ye Qingxue remained cold and detached, merely nodding slightly to Lin Wan. Xiao Zhan grinned at Lin Wan, his Battle Intent still unextinguished, clearly wanting to fight another round. Qian Duoduo's eyes shone as he rubbed his hands together and approached.

"Brother Lin, congratulations! You've reached Earth Immortal? Tsk tsk, this aura is more than a notch stronger than an ordinary Earth Immortal Early Stage!" Qian Duoduo circled Lin Wan, clicking his tongue in wonder, his eyes full of curiosity. "Brother Lin, how have you thought about it? Do you want to join my Wanxiang Tower? The terms are negotiable! One hundred million High Grade Immortal Crystals a year is too little? We can talk again! One hundred and fifty million? Two hundred million?"

Lin Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This Qian Duoduo was truly an interesting fellow, never straying from his trade for more than three sentences.

"Fellow Daoist Qian, let us discuss this matter later," Lin Wan politely declined.

"Sure, sure, no rush, no rush. Once Brother Lin enters the Secret Realm, if you have any harvest you want to sell, or if you need to buy any supplies, feel free to find me! The price is absolutely fair!" Qian Duoduo didn't mind, saying with a smile as he handed over a golden Transmission Talisman. "This is my Transmission Talisman. If you run into trouble in the Secret Realm, you can also contact me. I, Qian Duoduo, might not be good at other things, but I have plenty of friends and wide connections!"

"Then thank you, Fellow Daoist Qian." Lin Wan took the Transmission Talisman and cupped his hands in thanks. Although Qian Duoduo was incredibly wealthy and flashy, he seemed to be a decent person, so there was no harm in making friends with him.

"Hmph, flatterer." A cold snort came from the side; it was Xiao Zhan. He seemed quite disdainful of Qian Duoduo's behavior of "using money to pave the way."

"Hehe, Brother Xiao, you are mistaken. When out and about, having one more friend means one more path," Qian Duoduo said with a chuckle, not getting angry at all.

"Quiet!"

Just then, a majestic voice rang out. Everyone looked toward the source and saw that on the high platform, Immortal Lord Tianhua, Immortal Lord Tianji, and several Golden Immortal Elders had arrived at some point.

"The Donghua Secret Realm is about to open." Immortal Lord Tianhua's gaze swept over the crowd below, his voice calm yet carrying an unquestionable authority. "Within the Secret Realm, there are countless opportunities, but it is also fraught with danger. The Secret Realm Jade Slip in your hands is both your proof of entry and your life-saving tool. If you encounter a life-or-death crisis, shattering the Jade Slip will teleport you out of the Secret Realm, but you will also lose the qualification to continue exploring. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, life or death, depends entirely on your own fortune. The Secret Realm will be open for three months. After three months, no matter where you are, you will be automatically teleported out. Do you all understand?"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

"In that case, open the Secret Realm!" Immortal Lord Tianhua did not waste words. Together with Immortal Lord Tianji and several Golden Immortal Elders, they simultaneously made hand seals, sending streaks of magic light into the center of the Douxiantai Platform.

"Buzz!"

The center of the Douxiantai Platform lit up with a dazzling light, and a massive, slowly rotating silver light portal appeared out of thin air. Within the light portal, mountains, rivers, towering ancient trees, and dense Immortal Qi were faintly visible, as if leading to another world.

"The Secret Realm has opened, enter quickly!" Immortal Lord Tianji shouted.

"Go!"

The crowd, who had long been unable to hold back, turned into streaks of light one after another, rushing into the silver light portal in a scramble to be first, and disappeared.

Lin Wan nodded to Qin Wushuang and the others, then moved his body, turning into a streak of green light and plunging into the light portal.

Shortly after Lin Wan entered the light portal, several inconspicuous figures in the crowd also quietly blended in and entered the Secret Realm. Their gazes swept covertly over the direction where Lin Wan had disappeared, a trace of icy killing intent flashing in their eyes.

"The target has entered the Secret Realm. Act according to plan."

"Be careful to stay hidden. Do not let the people of the Donghua Immortal Sect discover us."

"We must ensure a one-strike kill and seize the secrets on him!"

Several Divine Thoughts silently communicated in the shadows.

On the high platform, Immortal Lord Tianji's gaze swept over the direction where those figures had disappeared with a profound look. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but then smoothed out again, as if he had noticed nothing.

"A young eagle must always go through wind and rain before it can soar in the Nine Heavens. Lin Wan, I hope you do not disappoint this old man," Immortal Lord Tianji murmured in his heart, then closed his eyes.

The Donghua Secret Realm, this ancient Secret Realm that opened only once every hundred years and harbored countless opportunities and dangers, once again opened its mysterious gates to a group of young Cultivators. And an undercurrent of killing intent revolving around Lin Wan also quietly unfolded within this Secret Realm.