18: Chapter 18 The Inheritance of the Five Elements

Deep in the gloomy cavern, those two emerald ghost fires approached slowly, carrying a suffocating, cold, and rotting aura. Each step they took was accompanied by a dull echo, as if stepping on the hearts of the four.

By the faint light of the ghost fire, a massive silhouette was vaguely visible. It was a skeleton over three zhang tall, covered in blue-black moss, but it was vaguely identifiable as the skeleton of some giant beast. However, this skeleton was not dead; instead, it exuded a heart-palpitating vitality. The emerald ghost fires were the soul fire burning in its hollow eye sockets. Entwined upon the skeleton were countless thick, withered, dark red vines like blood vessels, the ends of which sank deep into the ground, seemingly absorbing something.

"A corpse... possessed? Or some kind of spirit beast soul?" Xu Feng's face was deathly pale, his voice trembling. From this skeleton, he felt a terrifying pressure far exceeding that of a Golden Core, yet it carried a strong sense of Death Qi and a dissonance, as if dead matter had been forcibly pieced together into a living thing.

"This thing... was at least a Tier 4, or even Tier 5 Great Demon before it died. After death, its skeleton became sentient, or it was refined by evil arts into something like a 'Bone Demon' or 'Corpse Puppet'. Its strength... is likely no weaker than an Early Stage Nascent Soul." Han Lingtian gripped his heavy sword tightly, his knuckles white, his eyes filled with determination. Facing such an existence, let alone the four of them in their severely injured state, even in their prime, they would have no chance of winning.

Lei Meng also subconsciously stood in front of Lin Wan, gripping his twin hammers, his muscles tense. Although he knew it was useless, this was his instinct as a Senior Brother.

Lin Wan, supported by the medicinal power of the Medicinal Pill, barely managed to stay conscious. He stared fixedly at the slowly approaching giant Bone Demon, but felt no fear in his heart; instead, a strange resonance arose. The Five Elements Foundation within his body, which was on the verge of collapse and covered in cracks, actually trembled slightly as the Bone Demon approached, producing an extremely faint resonance with some obscure fluctuation emanating from the Bone Demon.

This fluctuation... is the power of the Five Elements! And it is an extremely pure, ancient, yet heavily death-laden power of the Five Elements!

Could it be...

"Little ones... trespassing into my place of slumber... do you want to become the blood food for my revival... or..." The Bone Demon's hoarse, ancient voice sounded again, carrying a playfulness like a cat catching a mouse. "Eh?"

Its two emerald soul fires suddenly locked onto Lin Wan, flickering slightly, seemingly surprised.

"Five Elements Foundation... and a Five Elements Foundation on the verge of collapse... Interesting, interesting. I have been slumbering for tens of thousands of years, and I have actually encountered a Junior who has cultivated the incomplete Great Five Elements True Scripture and refined himself into this state. Hehe, fate, it is fate."

Great Five Elements True Scripture? Lin Wan's heart shook violently. This Bone Demon could actually see through the Cultivation Technique he was practicing at a glance, and even knew it was "incomplete"? Could it be that it has a great connection with the Five Elements Sect and this Secret Realm?

"Senior... who are you?" Lin Wan forced himself to speak hoarsely.

"Me?" The Bone Demon seemed to be stirred by this question, its soul fire flickering uncertainly. "I am a remnant soul of the Five Elements Sect's guardian beast—the 'Five Elements Qilin', combined with this corpse that refuses to rot, lingering until now. You can call me... Mo Xuan."

Five Elements Qilin! The guardian beast of the Five Elements Sect! Everyone was shocked. This background was too great! The Qilin is an ancient Divine Beast, and the Five Elements Qilin is a variant among Qilins, naturally controlling the Five Elements, and was the guardian beast of an ancient Great Sect like the Five Elements Sect. Before its death, it was likely a terrifying existence of Tier 5 or even Tier 6, comparable to a human Soul Transformation or even Void Refining expert!

Even if it only had a remnant soul combined with a corpse now, its strength was less than one percent of its Peak, but it was definitely not something they could contend with.

"So it is Senior Mo Xuan." Lin Wan steadied himself and said respectfully, "Junior Lin Wan, by chance, obtained a little bit of the Five Elements Sect's meager Legacy. I entered Senior's place of slumber by mistake and had no intention of offending you, so please forgive me. We will leave now and will not dare to disturb Senior's cultivation."

"Leave?" Mo Xuan let out a low, strange laugh. "The depths of this Secret Realm are the 'Five Elements Dead Zone' formed by my corpse falling when I perished with a strong enemy back then. Those Golden Core Juniors outside are looking for you like madmen. If you go out now, you are walking right into a trap. Staying here, perhaps... there is still a glimmer of life."

Its emerald soul fire observed Lin Wan with interest: "You little doll, you have quite a lot of guts, daring to forcibly reverse the Five Elements and use that kind of suicidal forbidden technique. If it weren't for that Medicinal Pill containing a trace of the power of Creation keeping you alive, you would already be a cripple. However, you have turned a misfortune into a blessing; your Five Elements spiritual power, which was forcibly colliding and nearly annihilated, instead coincidentally aligned with a trace of the true meaning of the Five Elements clashing and returning to Chaos, giving your broken Foundation a chance for transformation."

Lin Wan's heart stirred. This Senior Mo Xuan didn't seem to have any intention of killing them immediately, but was instead guiding him?

"I beg Senior... to guide me." Lin Wan struggled, wanting to get up and salute, but he triggered his injuries and coughed up another mouthful of blood.

"Forget it, forget it. I have been guarding the last bit of the Five Elements Sect's Legacy, waiting for tens of thousands of years, and have not waited for a decent successor. Since I met you, a little guy who has cultivated the Great Five Elements True Scripture and realized a trace of the true meaning of Five Elements Annihilation in a desperate situation, it can be considered fate." Mo Xuan waved its huge bone claw. "I can help you repair your Foundation, and even pass on the complete Great Five Elements True Scripture Foundation Establishment chapter to you. But, you need to agree to one condition."

The complete Great Five Elements True Scripture! Lin Wan's breath hitched. The Great Five Elements Sword Art he obtained was only a remnant, and it focused more on sword Dao. Hearing the name, this Great Five Elements True Scripture must be the fundamental Legacy of the Five Elements Sect, and its value was immeasurable.

"Senior, please speak. As long as it is within my power and does not violate morality, I will definitely do my best." Lin Wan said in a deep voice.

"It is very simple." Mo Xuan's soul fire turned towards the depths of the cavern. "My corpse is integrated with the 'Five Elements Magnetic Mountain' at the core of this Five Elements Dead Zone and cannot leave. My remnant soul, due to the injuries back then, is bound to the corpse and cannot escape. But I am not willing to let the Five Elements Sect's lineage be completely cut off, nor am I willing to completely dissipate between heaven and earth. What you need to do is to inherit the Five Elements Sect's lineage. If one day you can reach the Realm I was in before my death, you need to return here and use the power of the Five Elements to help this remnant soul of mine break free from this rotting corpse and re-enter Reincarnation. Or... if you have the ability, reshape a Physical Body for me."

Inherit the lineage, help it break free, or reshape a Physical Body. This condition didn't sound excessive; it could even be said to be Lin Wan's Opportunity. But Lin Wan didn't agree immediately. The other party was an ancient Divine Beast remnant soul that had lived for who knows how many tens of thousands of years, and its mind was unfathomable.

"Senior, my cultivation is low, and my future is uncertain. I am afraid..." Lin Wan said cautiously.

"I naturally know. Therefore, this is just an agreement, not a compulsion. If you fall halfway, or cannot meet the requirements, I can do nothing, and I will only blame myself for being blind. But if you really have that potential, this is your Karma." Mo Xuan's voice was flat. "How about it? Accept, and I will help you heal and pass on the technique. If not, I will send you out of here, and whether you live or die depends on your own fate. However, in your current state, you will surely die if you go out. Those three Senior Brothers of yours, carrying you, a burden, will likely not be able to escape the clutches of the enemy."

Han Lingtian, Lei Meng, and Xu Feng heard this and looked at Lin Wan with complicated expressions. They didn't want Lin Wan to bear a Karma that might be a blessing or a curse just to save them, but given the current situation, there seemed to be no other choice.

Lin Wan was silent for a moment, exchanging glances with his three Senior Brothers, seeing the worry and support in their eyes. He took a deep breath and looked at Mo Xuan's flickering green soul fire.

"Junior Lin Wan is willing to accept Senior's condition. If I succeed one day, I will definitely fulfill today's promise. If I break this oath, may my Foundation be destroyed and my soul extinguished."

Cultivators value promises, and they value Karma even more. Once this oath was made, an unbreakable bond was formed with this ancient Qilin remnant soul.

"Good!" Mo Xuan seemed very satisfied, its green soul fire suddenly brightening. "Since that is the case, let me see how far your Five Elements Foundation can go."

It raised its huge bone claw and pressed it vaguely towards Lin Wan.

In an instant, in the depths of the cavern, the so-called "Five Elements Magnetic Mountain" suddenly erupted with brilliant five-colored light! Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—five kinds of vast, majestic power, pure to the extreme, yet carrying an ancient, vast, and seemingly able to fix the Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind, surged out from the ground like five rushing rivers, instantly enveloping Lin Wan!

"Five Elements Magnetic Force, forging the body and casting the Foundation!"

Mo Xuan's voice boomed in Lin Wan's mind like a great bell. That five-colored Magnetic Force did not violently rush into his body, but instead, in an extremely mysterious way, penetrated into his Five Elements Foundation, which was on the verge of collapse, and his damaged Physical Body.

The Metal Element Magnetic Force was sharp and peerless, like hundreds of millions of tiny blades, cutting and removing the Impurities and Death Qi in his Foundation and Meridians caused by the forced use of "Five Elements Annihilation", as well as the hidden injuries that the Medicinal Pill could not completely repair.

The Wood Element Magnetic Force was full of vitality, like the gentlest spring rain, nourishing his nearly dried-up Dantian, broken Meridians, and damaged Divine Soul, repairing those shocking cracks.

The Water Element Magnetic Force was soft and resilient, like the most agile stream, soothing the pain caused by the Metal Element's cutting, and guiding the Five Elements Magnetic Force to circulate harmoniously, preventing conflict.

The Fire Element Magnetic Force was explosive and hot, like the most intense furnace fire, tempering his Foundation, Physical Body, and Divine Soul, burning and purifying all the flimsiness, instability, and Impurities within.

The Earth Element Magnetic Force was heavy and condensed, like the most solid earth, carrying, suppressing, and stabilizing the other four elements of Magnetic Force, and firmly fixing this brand new, more pure, and powerful power of the Five Elements into Lin Wan's Foundation and Physical Body, laying the most solid Foundation.

This was an extremely painful, yet Opportunity-filled baptism process. Lin Wan felt as if he were in a Five Elements furnace, being repeatedly tempered, forged, and reshaped. He gritted his teeth, guarding the last trace of clarity in his mind, fully operating the Great Five Elements Sword Art and the Five Elements Body Refining technique, cooperating with the transformation of the Five Elements Magnetic Force.

He could clearly feel that his originally crack-filled and dim Five Elements Foundation was rapidly healing under the scouring and repair of the Five Elements Magnetic Force. The cracks were quickly mending, the light was shining again, and it was more solid, heavy, and harmonious than before. In the center of the Foundation, the five-colored spiritual liquid circulated, the rotation speed became faster and faster, the volume was slowly increasing, and the color was deeper and purer, faintly exuding an aura of the beginning of Chaos, encompassing all things.

His Physical Body was also undergoing a transformation. The jade-like luster under his skin became more restrained, but faintly, five-colored light flowed. His bones became denser, presenting a faint five-colored crystal glow. His Meridians were widened, reinforced, and exceptionally resilient. His internal organs were also tempered by the Five Elements Magnetic Force respectively; the heart belongs to Fire, the liver to Wood, the spleen to Earth, the lungs to Metal, and the kidneys to Water, and their connection with the Five Elements Foundation became closer, as if they had turned into five miniature Five Elements spiritual sources, swallowing and spitting Spiritual Qi on their own, feeding back into the Foundation.

What surprised him even more was that the vague realization of the Five Elements clashing and returning to Annihilation, which he had felt when he forcibly used "Five Elements Annihilation" before, gradually became clear and profound under the baptism of this pure Five Elements Magnetic Force. He seemed to have touched the deeper mysteries of the Dao of the Five Elements—the Five Elements not only generate and overcome each other, but can also reverse, return to Origin, annihilate, and create.

Time passed quietly in this mysterious baptism.

Han Lingtian, Lei Meng, and Xu Feng stood guard nervously, not daring to make a sound. They could feel that Lin Wan's aura was recovering and growing at an astonishing speed, even surpassing before. The pressure emitted by the five-colored light enveloping Lin Wan made them feel heart-palpitating. This was definitely a huge Opportunity!

Mo Xuan's huge skeleton stood quietly, its green soul fire burning silently, as if looking through time, recalling the distant past.

I don't know how long it had been, maybe a day, maybe three days.

The five-colored Magnetic Force light enveloping Lin Wan finally slowly converged and disappeared into his body.

Lin Wan slowly opened his eyes. In his pupils, five-colored light flashed and disappeared, returning to deep calmness. His aura was as heavy as a mountain, yet as agile as water, as heavy as earth, as sharp as gold, as vibrant as wood, and as hot as fire. The Five Elements circulated, harmonious and unobstructed, forming a whole.

Foundation Establishment Early Stage Peak! No, not just the Peak. His Five Elements Foundation, after being reshaped by the Five Elements Magnetic Force, had a Foundation of such solidity and spiritual power of such purity that it far exceeded those of the same rank. He even felt that he was only a thin layer of window paper away from the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, which could be pierced at any time. But since his Realm was not yet fully stabilized, it was not advisable to break through immediately.

More importantly, his Physical Body had already stepped into the threshold of the "Five Elements Spirit Body"! Although it was only the initial stage, it had already allowed his sensing, manipulation, absorption, and resistance to Five Elements Spiritual Qi to reach a brand-new height. Relying solely on his Physical Body, he was no longer afraid of ordinary attacks from Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivators. Moreover, the Five Elements Spirit Body had infinite potential, and as his cultivation improved and his understanding of the Dao of the Five Elements deepened, it would become stronger and stronger.

"How does it feel?" Mo Xuan's ancient voice rang out.

Lin Wan got up and bowed deeply to Mo Xuan: "Thank you, Senior, for the grace of rebirth! Junior feels... better than ever."

He could feel his body filled with surging power, and the weakness of being seriously injured and dying before was swept away. The Five Elements Foundation was not only restored as before, but even better than in the past. His Physical Body had been reborn. Such kindness was like a rebirth.

"Hmm, your Foundation is barely considered solid. It was not in vain that I expended my Origin and channeled the power of the Five Elements Magnetic Force Mountain to cast your Foundation." Mo Xuan seemed somewhat exhausted, his soul fire dimming slightly. "Next, I will impart the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Great Five Elements True Scripture to you. This technique is the fundamental supreme Law of the Five Elements Sect, pointing directly to the Origin of the Five Elements Dao. It cannot be cultivated by anyone who does not possess a complete set of Five Elements Spiritual Roots and transcendent Comprehension Ability. Since you possess a Five Elements Dao Foundation and have initially forged a Five Elements Spirit Body, you are barely qualified."

After saying this, a tiny, five-colored glowing dot separated from the emerald soul fire between his brows, slowly drifting toward Lin Wan and merging into his forehead.

In an instant, a massive amount of information surged into Lin Wan's Sea of Consciousness. It was an arcane, magnificent, and all-encompassing Cultivation Technique. It ranged from how to more exquisitely absorb, refine, and control Spiritual Qi, to how to construct, stabilize, and strengthen the Five Elements Dao Foundation, and even included cultivation methods for various Divine Abilities and insights into the Five Elements Dao... It was infinitely more complete and profound than the incomplete scrolls of the Great Five Elements Sword Art!

Among them were the cultivation methods for several formidable embryonic Divine Abilities, such as the "Five Elements Divine Light," "Five Elements Great Escape," "Five Elements Seal Technique," and "Five Elements Lightning Technique," which left Lin Wan yearning for more. However, these Divine Abilities had extremely high requirements for cultivation base, Comprehension Ability, and understanding of the Five Elements Dao; at his current Realm, he could only grasp the surface.

"The Foundation Establishment chapter of this scripture is enough for you to Cultivate up to the Golden Core stage. For the subsequent parts of the technique, you must reach the required cultivation base and fulfill your promise before returning here to obtain them," Mo Xuan said. "Additionally, I shall grant you three more items."

He waved his bone claw, and three items flew toward Lin Wan.

The first item was a palm-sized, ancient-looking token with a chaotic hue, made of a material that was neither metal, wood, nor stone. The front was engraved with a complex ancient seal character for "Five," while the back featured patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers, emitting an ancient, noble, and majestic aura.

"This is the 'five elements token,' the identity proof for a Core Disciple of the Five Elements Sect, and also a key to control some of the Restrictions in the Secret Realm and open certain hidden locations. Holding this token, you can avoid most of the natural Five Elements dangerous areas in the Secret Realm and sense some of the Immortal Caves and medicinal gardens left behind by the Five Elements Sect. But you must use it carefully; do not let outsiders know, especially those adversaries outside."

The second item was a fist-sized, crystal-clear jade bottle, containing a wisp of swirling, constantly changing colored mist sealed inside.

"This is the 'Five Elements Origin Qi,' refined by me back then by extracting a wisp of the Origin of the Five Elements Magnetic Force Mountain. It contains a trace of the Origin Qi of Chaos transforming into the Five Elements. You may use it when attempting to form your Golden Core; it can increase your success rate of condensing the Golden Core by thirty percent and improve the quality of the Golden Core. Use it with caution."

The third item was a dull, unremarkable pebble.

"This is the 'Qiankun Stone.' It contains a trace of spatial power and can be used to refine a storage Magic Treasure or for comprehending the Law of Space. It might be of some help for your cultivation of that movement technique which contains spatial variations."

All three treasures were extraordinary. The five elements token represented identity and authority, the Five Elements Origin Qi concerned the future Golden Core Dao, and the Qiankun Stone involved the mysterious power of space. This gift could certainly be called generous.

"This Junior... thanks Senior for the generous gift!" Lin Wan bowed deeply once more. This favor was truly too great.

"No need for such formalities. I am also investing in the future. I hope you will not disappoint me." Mo Xuan waved his hand, his soul fire turning toward Han Lingtian and the others. "The three of you are also not lightly injured. The Five Elements Magnetic Force here is dense and beneficial for healing. You may rest and recover here. Those guys outside cannot find this place for the time being. Even if they do, with me here, they will not be able to enter."

Han Lingtian and the others hurriedly expressed their gratitude. They indeed needed time to heal.

"Senior, may I ask how long we need to stay here? The date for the Secret Realm to close..." Xu Feng asked.

"There are still over ten days until the Secret Realm closes. You have enough time to heal and stabilize your Realm here. At that time, I can directly teleport you to the vicinity of the Secret Realm entrance, bypassing the blockade," Mo Xuan said.

Hearing this, everyone felt relieved. With such an existence protecting them, they were safe.

Afterward, the four of them stayed in the karst cave, healing and cultivating with peace of mind.

While Lin Wan stabilized his newly reshaped Five Elements Dao Foundation and Five Elements Spirit Body, he thirstily studied the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Great Five Elements True Scripture. The more he studied, the more he felt its infinite mysteries, and his understanding of the Five Elements Dao improved rapidly. He attempted to Cultivate one of the simplest Five Elements Divine Abilities, the "Five Elements Spirit Shield," and within just two days, he had gained an initial grasp of it. He could condense a five-colored, swirling spirit shield with astonishing defensive power, which was several times stronger than the embryonic "Wutu Dragon Shield" from before.

Han Lingtian, Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, and Xu Feng also recovered rapidly under the nourishment of the dense Spiritual Qi and Magnetic Force. Han Lingtian even gained a blessing in disguise; under the pressure of life-and-death battles and the environment here, he vaguely touched the threshold of the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. Third Senior Brother Lei Meng's Body Refining technique also improved. Xu Feng gained deeper insights into Wood and Water attribute spiritual power.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, only three days remained until the Secret Realm closed.

On this day, while Lin Wan was attempting to combine the "Five Elements Spirit Shield" with the "Five Elements Maze Array" to create a new method that integrated offense and defense, his heart suddenly stirred, and he sensed the five elements token in his embrace becoming slightly warm. He took out the token and saw that the character "Five" on it was emitting a soft light, pointing toward a certain direction in the depths of the karst cave.

"Senior Mo Xuan, what is this?" Lin Wan asked.

Mo Xuan's soul fire flickered: "The five elements token is guiding you. In that direction, there is an 'Artifact Refining Room' left behind by the Five Elements Sect. There might still be some defective items or Materials that were not taken away back then. If you are interested, you can go and explore it. With the five elements token, you can open the Restriction."

An Artifact Refining Room? Lin Wan's eyes lit up. He was currently lacking a suitable Magic Treasure that could perfectly unleash the power of the Five Elements. Although the Flowing Light Sword was good, it was, after all, only a top-grade Magical Artifact and focused more on Metal and Water attributes. If he could find a Magic Treasure embryo or Materials refined by the Five Elements Sect, that would be perfect.

"I'll go take a look." Lin Wan said to his three Senior Brothers, then took the five elements token and walked in the direction indicated.

Passing through several winding tunnels, a tightly closed stone door appeared ahead. The stone door was engraved with complex Five Elements array patterns, with faint spiritual light appearing. Lin Wan pressed the five elements token into a depression in the center of the stone door.

With a soft "click," the stone door slowly slid open to the sides, revealing the scene behind it.

This was a small stone chamber, approximately ten zhang square. In the center of the room was an ancient bronze Artifact Refining furnace; the earth fire beneath the furnace had long extinguished, and it was covered in dust. On the surrounding walls were multi-layered wooden shelves embedded into the walls, holding some Artifact Refining Materials, semi-finished Magical Artifacts, Jade Slips, etc. Most of them had lost their spiritual nature and turned into ordinary iron and stone. Only a few items still emitted a faint spiritual light.

Lin Wan's gaze swept over and landed on an inconspicuous stone platform in the corner. There, lying quietly, was a palm-sized piece of... metal? Ore? It was chaotic gray in color, with a pitted surface, yet it vaguely contained five-colored rays of light within. He could not identify the material for a moment.

However, the light of the five elements token was pointing directly at this object and was trembling slightly, seemingly resonating with it.

Lin Wan walked forward and carefully picked up the strange piece of metal. It was extremely heavy and cold to the touch, yet it had a peculiar sense of affinity, as if it were a part of his own body. He attempted to input a wisp of Five Elements spiritual power.

"Hum—!"

The metal suddenly lit up, erupting with brilliant five-colored radiance! Within the radiance, countless tiny runes vaguely flashed and flowed, as if it were breathing and resonating with Lin Wan's Five Elements Dao Foundation. What shocked him even more was that the Five Elements spiritual liquid within his body uncontrollably accelerated its rotation, separating wisps of pure Five Elements spiritual power that actively surged into this metal!

The metal, like a long-parched land receiving sweet rain, greedily absorbed the Five Elements spiritual power. The pits on its surface became smooth at a speed visible to the naked eye, and its color became more lustrous. The five-colored radiance contained within gradually permeated to the surface, forming a faint five-colored halo around the metal.

"This is... 'Chaos Five Elements Iron'?!" Mo Xuan's voice, filled with a hint of surprise, sounded in Lin Wan's mind. "I didn't expect there to be one left here. This item is a supreme divine material for refining Five Elements Magic Treasures; it can perfectly carry and amplify the power of the Five Elements, and it even possesses a trace of growth potential, continuously evolving as the owner's cultivation base increases and it is nurtured. Back when the Five Elements Sect was at its Peak, there was very little stock of it. Kid, you are truly incredibly lucky."

Chaos Five Elements Iron! A Magic Treasure divine material that can grow! Lin Wan's heart pounded. This was simply tailor-made for him! With this item, he could ask an Artifact Refining Great Master, or when his own cultivation base was sufficient in the future, refine a true Five Elements Flying Sword, or even a set of Five Elements Magic Treasures!

He suppressed his excitement and carefully put away the Chaos Five Elements Iron. He also checked other wooden shelves, found a few usable Advanced Artifact Refining auxiliary Materials and several Jade Slips recording Artifact Refining insights, and collected them all.

With a full harvest, Lin Wan returned, feeling very satisfied.

Two more days passed, and the date for the Secret Realm to close had arrived.

In the karst cave, before Mo Xuan's massive skeleton, the four of them stood respectfully.

"The time has come. I will send you away now." Mo Xuan's soul fire appeared somewhat dim; clearly, acting repeatedly had consumed him significantly. "Remember your promise, Lin Wan. And also remember, the Legacy of the Five Elements Sect is on your shoulders."

"This Junior will surely keep it in mind and dare not forget." Lin Wan said solemnly.

"Good. Go."

Mo Xuan raised his bone claw and slashed at the void. A five-colored light gate appeared out of thin air in the karst cave. Behind the light gate, the familiar scene of the Secret Realm entrance was vaguely visible.

"Step into this gate, and you will arrive directly near the entrance. The blockade of those guys outside cannot stop this teleportation. Remember, after going out, immediately activate the Secret Realm token and leave the Secret Realm. Do not delay."

"Thank you, Senior!"

The four of them no longer hesitated, bowed deeply to Mo Xuan, turned around, and stepped into the light gate one by one.

Light and shadow swirled, and the world spun.

When they reappeared, they were already on a low hill near the entrance of the Five Elements Secret Realm. In the distance, that huge five-colored vortex entrance was slowly rotating, and quite a few Cultivators had already gathered near the entrance, waiting to leave.

Lin Wan and the others looked at each other, and without hesitation, they immediately took out their Secret Realm tokens and injected spiritual power into them.

Four beams of white light descended from the sky, enveloping the four of them. The next moment, their figures disappeared from the Secret Realm.

Less than three breaths after they disappeared, several violent Divine Senses and figures swept over rapidly from all directions; it was precisely Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, Elder Zhou, and others. They had sensed the abnormal spatial fluctuations here and rushed over immediately, but only saw the four disappearing afterimages of white light.

"Damn it! Let them escape!"

"There is actually a secret technique to teleport directly near the entrance?!"

"Investigate! After we return, thoroughly investigate Tianjian Peak immediately! Especially that Lin Wan!"

The roars echoed at the entrance of the Secret Realm, but it was already too late.

Qingyun Sect, Inner Sect teleportation plaza.

Beams of white light flashed, and the Disciples who had entered the Secret Realm were teleported back one after another. Some were happy, some were disappointed, some were seriously injured, and some... would never return.

The figures of Lin Wan and the others appeared in the corner of the plaza. Their auras were stable, and they even seemed more improved than when they entered, immediately attracting attention. Especially Lin Wan, whose Five Elements Spirit Body had just been formed; although he deliberately restrained it, that rounded, deep aura that vaguely resonated with the Five Elements of heaven and earth still caused many Golden Core Elders to cast sideways glances.

"Second Senior Brother! Third Senior Brother! Fourth Senior Brother! Junior Brother!" Liu Ruyan and Xiao Yun, who had been waiting here for a long time, as well as the fellow Disciples familiar with Xu Feng and Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, immediately greeted them. Seeing that Lin Wan was safe and sound and that his temperament was even better than before, Liu Ruyan's eyes instantly filled with tears, and she threw herself into his arms. Xiao Yun also had red eyes and tugged at his sleeve.

"It's okay, I'm back." Lin Wan gently patted Liu Ruyan's back, comforting her softly, his gaze sweeping over her noticeably protruding belly, and infinite tenderness welled up in his heart.

"Junior Martial Uncle Yue Lingyun!" Han Lingtian suddenly bowed toward the sky.

Everyone looked up and saw Peak Master Yue Lingyun of Tianjian Peak, who had appeared out of thin air at some unknown time. His gaze was like lightning, sweeping over the four of them, and it lingered on Lin Wan for a moment, a trace of surprise and relief flashing in his eyes.

"It is good that you have returned." Peak Master Yue Lingyun nodded, then his gaze turned cold as he looked at Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, Elder Zhou, and others who were watching this side with gloomy faces in the distance. His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire plaza. "The Disciples of my Tianjian Peak are not for outsiders to bully. Whatever means you have, feel free to use them; I, Peak Master Yue Lingyun, will take them on."

Overbearing, protective, and undisguised.

The faces of Ghost Hand Daoist and the other two became even uglier, but on the territory of the Qingyun Sect, facing a Mid-stage Golden Core Sword Cultivator Peak Master, they dared not act rashly, so they could only coldly snort and flick their sleeves, leaving. But everyone knew that this matter was not over.

The turmoil in the Secret Realm seemed to have temporarily subsided.

But Lin Wan knew that greater waves might have just begun.

The Legacy of the Five Elements Sect, the Chaos Five Elements Iron, the promise to Mo Xuan, the hostility of Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, and Elder Zhou, the undercurrents of the Inner Sect... the road ahead was still full of thorns.

But he was fearless.

Foundation Establishment in the Five Elements, the Spirit Body initially formed, the True Scripture in hand, his beloved wife by his side, his beloved daughter by his knees, and even fellow Disciples, close friends, and mentors to protect him.

On this path to immortality, he was no longer walking alone.

Squeezing Liu Ruyan's hand and patting Xiao Yun's head, Lin Wan looked toward the towering Tianjian Peak, his eyes filled with determination and anticipation.

"Let's go home."