188: Chapter 188: Encountering an Old Friend Upon Emerging from Seclusion, Another Turbulent Wave Rises

The stars were hollow, and time passed in silence.

Lin Wan sat cross-legged, with Chaos Qi currents faintly appearing and disappearing around him, and five-colored immortal light weaving and flowing, making him look like a deity who had created heaven and earth. His Aura was deep and heavy like an abyss. Unlike the sharp edge he showed when he had just broken through, he now resembled an unpolished jade that had returned to its original simplicity, its brilliance contained within, deep and unfathomable.

A full three months had passed since he underwent his Heavenly Tribulation and officially stepped into the Heavenly Immortal Realm.

During these three months, he did not step outside, spending all his time consolidating his Realm and digesting what he had gained from undergoing the tribulation. A Heavenly Immortal is a crucial watershed on the path of immortal cultivation. Becoming a Heavenly Immortal means leaping out of the Three Realms and no longer being within the Five Elements. With a Lifespan measured in tens of thousands of years, one initially gains the qualification to roam the myriad worlds of the heavens and explore the Origin of the Great Dao. For Lin Wan, the significance was even more extraordinary.

He looked inside his Dantian. The Dantian was vast, like an infinite sea of stars. In the center, a seed the size of a grain of rice, chaotic in color, with countless mysterious dao patterns naturally flowing on its surface, floated quietly, emitting a supreme dao rhyme that embraced all things and evolved everything. This was the truly materialized Chaos Dao Seed. Although still tiny, it was like the seed of a Universe, containing infinite possibilities. Wisps of greyish, yet seemingly multi-colored Chaos Qi diffused from the Dao Seed, nourishing Lin Wan's Physical Body, Divine Soul, and immortal essence, causing them to continuously transform and evolve toward a higher level of life form.

Slowly rotating around the Chaos Dao Seed was a fist-sized Five Elements Dao Seed, chaotic in color yet containing an inner rotating five-colored brilliance. This was formed from the Fusion of the Five Elements Law Seeds, far more powerful than a single Five Elements Law Seed. It not only contained the power of the Five Elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—but also the perfect dao rhyme of the Five Elements generating and overcoming each other in an endless cycle. There was a close connection between the Five Elements Dao Seed and the Chaos Dao Seed. The power of the Five Elements continuously generated and evolved, providing nourishment for the Chaos Dao Seed, while the Chaos dao rhyme fed back by the Chaos Dao Seed made the Five Elements Dao Seed even more harmonious and powerful, as if nurturing the mighty power to create heaven and earth.

Lin Wan's Chaos Immortal Energy was more than ten times purer and more condensed than when he was an Earth Immortal. When circulated, it was like a surging galaxy, containing the power to destroy heaven and earth. His Physical Body, tempered by the Chaos Tribulation Lightning and the gifts of heaven and earth, had reached an unimaginable intensity. His skin was translucent like jade, his bones were as brilliant white as divine metal, and his internal organs rumbled with the sound of the Dao. As his blood and Qi circulated, they flowed like the Yangtze River, radiating majestic vitality. Relying solely on the power of his Physical Body, he was confident he could directly clash with the Magic Treasures of ordinary Early Stage Heavenly Immortals.

His Divine Soul had also undergone a complete transformation, becoming as solid as glazed glass, crystal clear. His perception range had skyrocketed from a thousand-mile radius to ten thousand miles, and it was even more acute and detailed, allowing him to faintly capture the threads of the Laws between heaven and earth. As his Divine Sense swept across, everything was revealed down to the finest detail, with profound insight.

"Early Stage Heavenly Immortal, stabilized. Chaos Dao Seed, initially stabilized. Five Elements Dao Seed, harmonious and flawless." Lin Wan slowly opened his eyes. The vision of Chaos arising and destroying, and the Five Elements rotating, flashed and vanished in his eyes, which then returned to a deep and calm state. "It is time to emerge from seclusion."

He stood up, his Aura naturally withdrawing until he seemed like an ordinary Mortal, with no trace of magic power fluctuations left. This was a sign of his meticulous control over his own strength, reaching a Realm of returning to simplicity. The Turtle Breath Hidden Shadow Art had also been cultivated to the Major Achievement stage by him. When circulated now, even experts of the Middle Stage or Late Stage Heavenly Immortal Realm would find it difficult to see through his true strength unless they deliberately probed with their Divine Sense.

With a wave of his hand, he removed the Restriction. Lin Wan took a step forward, leaving this shattered star that had sheltered him for over three months, and once again stepped into the chaotic and violent void of the Chaotic Star Sea.

Looking at the still bizarre and danger-ridden scene before him, Lin Wan's state of mind was now different. When he first entered this place, he had to be cautious, but now, he felt like a fish in water. His Chaos Immortal Energy embraced all things; the chaotic energy and spatial turbulence here were no longer fatal threats to him. Instead, they could serve as a unique form of tempering, and he could even extract a trace of weak, mixed chaotic energy from them to slowly nourish his Chaos Dao Seed.

"I should return to the Tianshu Immortal Palace first to check on the situation, and by the way, hand in a portion of the five elements origin beads in exchange for Contribution Points and other resources," Lin Wan calculated in his mind. Although he had obtained many opportunities, the growth of the Chaos Dao Seed and the Five Elements Dao Seed required a massive amount of resources. Relying solely on his own searches would be too inefficient. As a major Sect in the Immortal Realm, the Tianshu Immortal Palace had a deep Foundation, and Contribution Points could be exchanged for many rare resources that were hard to find in the outside world. Moreover, he also needed to understand the latest movements of the Xuan Yin Sect and the Tian Sha Sect, as well as the current situations of Emissary Shen Lian, Su Yuechan, and the others.

Identifying the direction, Lin Wan moved, transforming into an almost imperceptible streak of light that merged into the chaotic void. He quietly fled toward the outer perimeter of the Chaotic Star Sea, which was also the direction of the Tianshu Immortal Palace. Having executed the Turtle Breath Hidden Shadow Art and being in an environment like the Chaotic Star Sea that naturally interfered with Divine Sense detection, he was confident that even a Late Stage Heavenly Immortal expert would find it difficult to discover his trace.

However, just as he was about to fly out of the core region of the Chaotic Star Sea and enter the relatively stable outer perimeter, a sudden, violent fluctuation of energy and the sound of fighting came from a 'Shattered Star Belt' ahead, which was composed of countless tiny star fragments and spatial dust.

Lin Wan frowned slightly, not wanting to get involved in trouble, and planned to bypass it. Now that he had made many enemies, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. However, just as he was about to change direction, an angry and shocked cry, mixed with a familiar Aura, faintly drifted over.

"Is that... Su Yuechan?" Lin Wan's heart stirred, and he halted. He was quite familiar with Su Yuechan's Aura. Although they hadn't interacted much back in the Five Elements Small World, her cold, aloof, yet resilient temperament had left a deep impression on him. Moreover, Emissary Shen Lian had mentioned that Su Yuechan had also gained something at the Five Elements Dao Derivation Platform and should be able to break through to the Heavenly Immortal Realm after emerging from seclusion. Why would she appear in this dangerous Chaotic Star Sea? And why was she fighting someone?

His Divine Sense quietly spread out, passing through layers of spatial dust and chaotic energy, allowing Lin Wan to 'see' the situation within the Shattered Star Belt clearly.

He saw three figures locked in a fierce battle in a relatively empty stretch of void. One of them, dressed in snow-white clothes with a cold and peerless countenance, held an ice-blue longsword. Wherever the sword light passed, a chilling coldness arose, seeming to freeze even the void itself. It was indeed Su Yuechan! Her Aura at this moment was impressively at the Early Stage Heavenly Immortal Realm, and her Foundation was stable, indicating she had broken through some time ago. However, her face was slightly pale and her breathing was somewhat ragged, showing that she had expended a significant amount of energy.

Besieging her were two Cultivators dressed in black robes, their Auras cold and eerie. One was tall and the other short. The tall one was as thin as a bamboo pole, with deeply sunken eyes, holding a pitch-black bone banner. As he waved it, countless ferocious ghost shadows surged out, wailing and howling, shaking the Soul. The short one was as fat as a meatball, with a face full of rough flesh, holding a pair of jet-black short spikes. His movement technique was bizarre, like a ghost, specializing in sneak-attacking Su Yuechan's vital points. The cultivation of both individuals was actually at the Early Stage Heavenly Immortal Realm, and they coordinated tacitly, clearly skilled in joint-attack techniques.

Although Su Yuechan was a Heavenly Immortal with exquisite swordplay and powerful ice-attribute divine abilities, under the joint attack of two opponents of the same rank who coordinated perfectly, she was already at a disadvantage. She could only barely hold on by relying on her exquisite movement techniques and freezing sword light, facing danger at every turn. Her white clothes already had several tears, with blood seeping through.

"Su Yuechan, if you know what's good for you, hand over that 'Nine Nether Profound Ice Lotus' and come back with us brothers obediently to be offered to the Young Sect Master as a Cauldron! Perhaps then we can spare your life to enjoy wealth and glory! Otherwise, this very place will be your grave today!" the tall, thin Cultivator sneered sinisterly while driving the ghost shadows to attack, his gaze sweeping over Su Yuechan's exquisitely curved body with pure lust.

"Hehe, Big Brother is right. The Ice Fairy of the Tianshu Immortal Palace is a famous ice beauty. If we can get a taste of her, the Young Sect Master will surely reward us handsomely!" The short, fat Cultivator licked his lips. His figure appeared behind Su Yuechan's flank like a ghost, his jet-black short spikes carrying a foul black mist as they stabbed directly toward her heart.

Su Yuechan's face was as cold as frost, her eyes brimming with killing intent. The ice-blue longsword in her hand drew a mysterious arc, instantly erecting a thick wall of profound ice behind her.

"Clang!"

The jet-black short spikes stabbed into the profound ice wall, producing the sound of clashing metal. The profound ice wall cracked with numerous fissures, but ultimately blocked the strike. However, the countless ghost shadows in front had already pounced. Su Yuechan swept her sword across, the sword light like a white ribbon, shredding a large portion of the ghost shadows. Yet, the ghost shadows seemed endless and carried a gloomy, cold power that eroded the Divine Soul, forcing her to divide her attention to resist, expending a vast amount of energy.

"People from the Xuan Yin Sect?" Lin Wan's gaze turned cold. From the ghost-path Cultivation Technique and bone banner used by the tall, thin Cultivator, as well as the 'Young Sect Master' they mentioned, Lin Wan immediately deduced that these two were Cultivators of the Xuan Yin Sect! Moreover, judging by their tone, it seemed that the Young Sect Master of the Xuan Yin Sect had taken a liking to Su Yuechan and sent them to capture her, while also snatching some 'Nine Nether Profound Ice Lotus'.

"What a small world." Cold light flickered in Lin Wan's eyes. He already had an irreconcilable feud with the Xuan Yin Sect, and now he had run into them using numbers to bully the few and coveting Su Yuechan. Whether for public justice or personal reasons, he had no reason to stand by and watch.

"Just as well, I'll use you to test my hands and see how my current strength is." A cold arc curled up at the corner of Lin Wan's mouth. With a sway of his body, he approached the battlefield silently, like a ghost merging into the void. He did not reveal himself immediately, preparing to find an Opportunity for a one-hit kill. The opponents were two Early Stage Heavenly Immortals who coordinated tacitly. Although he was confident in winning, he had to prevent them from acting desperately out of cornered panic, harming Su Yuechan, or using some escape secret technique.

Inside the Shattered Star Belt, the battle grew increasingly fierce. Su Yuechan's sword light was like a rainbow, and her chilling Aura overflowed, keeping her defense airtight. Her occasional counterattacks were sharp and freezing, forcing the two Xuan Yin Sect Cultivators to temporarily avoid her edge. However, she was fighting two on her own after all; a prolonged defense would eventually fail. Coupled with the tall, thin Cultivator's ghost shadows that penetrated everywhere and carried Soul attacks, her mind was heavily drained, and her Aura became increasingly unstable.

"Ice Fairy, why resist so stubbornly? Surrender obediently, and you can suffer less!" Seeing that they couldn't break her defense for a long time, a trace of impatience flashed in the tall, thin Cultivator's eyes. He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the pitch-black bone banner in his hand.

"Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Soul, Go!"

The bone banner burst with intense black light, its surface fluttering loudly. A dense, almost tangible, eerie ghostly Qi erupted, instantly transforming into a ghostly domain spanning a hundred Zhang! Within the ghostly domain, countless phantom images of ferocious ghosts emerged, clawing and baring their fangs while letting out ear-piercing shrieks. These shrieks rushed straight at the Divine Soul, making one dizzy and lose focus. At the same time, the ghostly domain carried a powerful binding force, like a quagmire, causing Su Yuechan's movement within it to instantly become sluggish.

"Not good!" Su Yuechan's expression changed. This ghostly domain Divine Ability was clearly the opponent's ultimate move, not only covering a vast area but also possessing the dual effects of Soul attack and binding. She hurriedly circulated her Cultivation Technique to guard her mind, while waving her sword to erect layers of ice walls around herself to block the ghost shadows and shrieks.

"Now!" The short, fat Cultivator sneered. His figure merged into the shadows of the ghostly domain like a ghost. In the next moment, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, he suddenly appeared from Su Yuechan's blind spot behind her. A pair of jet-black short spikes, carrying a foul, toxic glow, stabbed fiercely toward Su Yuechan's heart and Dantian! This strike was incomparably venomous; if it landed, even if Su Yuechan didn't die, her cultivation would be completely ruined, leaving her at their mercy.

With her mind shaken by the ghostly shrieks and her movement restricted by the ghostly domain, Su Yuechan's back was completely exposed. She was on the verge of perishing.

"How dare you, rats!"

At this critical juncture, a cold, sharp shout, like thunder from the Nine Heavens, exploded within the ghostly domain! The voice was not loud, but it contained a power that shook the Divine Soul, actually causing the shrieks of the countless ferocious ghosts to freeze!

Immediately after, a grey, unremarkable finger glow, like a stream of light piercing through the shadows, silent yet incredibly fast, arrived first despite being launched later, tapping onto the jet-black short spike that the short, fat Cultivator was stabbing toward Su Yuechan's Dantian.

"Ding!"

A crisp sound rang out, like the clashing of gold and jade. The jet-black short spikes, crafted from ten-thousand-year cold iron mixed with highly toxic substances and holding the rank of a Low Grade Immortal Artifact, actually shattered inch by inch instantly under this seemingly unremarkable grey finger glow, as if they were made of paper! The remaining force of the finger glow did not diminish, lightly tapping onto the short, fat Cultivator's Dantian.

"Puff!"

The sneer on the short, fat Cultivator's face instantly froze, replaced by boundless terror and disbelief. He felt an indescribable power, as if capable of annihilating everything, instantly destroy his protective immortal light, pierce through his Dantian, and shatter his Dao Foundation! His entire Heavenly Immortal cultivation, like a deflated balloon, drained away frantically, and even his life force was rapidly dissipating.

"No... impossible..." The short, fat Cultivator looked down at his hollow Dantian, the light in his eyes quickly dimming. His body flew backward like a broken sack, and while still in mid-air, he had already breathed his last. Even his Divine Soul could not escape, wiped out entirely by the annihilating power contained within that grey finger glow.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. From Lin Wan's strike to the short, fat Cultivator's fall, it was but an instant. The tall, thin Cultivator hadn't even reacted, and before the sneer on his face could fade, he saw his companion, an Early Stage Heavenly Immortal expert, effortlessly insta-killed by a grey finger glow that came out of nowhere!

"Who is it?! Get the hell out here!" The tall, thin Cultivator was shocked and furious. He suddenly pulled back the bone banner to shield himself, his Divine Sense frantically scanning the surroundings. However, he only saw the chaotic void and floating star fragments, unable to find any trace of the person who had attacked. The opponent seemed to have merged into the void, formless and invisible.

Su Yuechan was also stunned. She had already prepared herself for death, intending to detonate herself rather than let these two scoundrels have their way. Unexpectedly, finding a way out of a dead end, a mysterious finger glow instantly reversed the situation and killed the short, fat Cultivator. A trace of surprise and vigilance flashed in her beautiful eyes as she held her sword on guard, her Divine Sense also scanning the surroundings.

"Rats hiding their heads and showing their tails! How dare you kill an Elder of my Xuan Yin Sect! My Xuan Yin Sect will fight you to the bitter end!" The tall, thin Cultivator shouted with fierce words but a cowardly heart, while secretly fueling the bone banner, ready to flee at any moment. For the opponent to approach silently and insta-kill an Early Stage Heavenly Immortal of the same rank, their strength was definitely far above his, and their actions were ruthless and decisive—definitely not someone to be trifled with.

"The Xuan Yin Sect? Is it that impressive?" An indifferent voice suddenly rang out right behind the tall, thin Cultivator.

The tall, thin Cultivator was scared out of his wits. Without a second thought, he violently swung the bone banner backward while rushing forward, trying to pull away.

"Your reaction is too slow."

The voice remained behind him, like a shadow clinging to his bones. The tall, thin Cultivator felt his vision blur, and a figure dressed in ordinary green robes with a plain face appeared before him like a ghost, barely three feet away. He could even clearly see the calm, unperturbed, yet deep-as-an-abyss gaze in the other's eyes.

When was this? How did he get here? The tall, thin Cultivator was utterly horrified; he had not seen how the opponent moved at all!

"You..." Just as he was about to speak, a slender, fair hand, seemingly carved from jade, lightly pressed against his chest.

There was no earth-shattering Aura, nor any blindingly brilliant visions. That hand simply pressed down gently.

"Thud."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

A dull, soft sound rang out.

The tall, thin Cultivator shuddered, his movements freezing instantly.

He lowered his head and looked at his chest.

There, there were no wounds, no traces of blood.

However, an irresistible, eerie force that seemed capable of disintegrating all things had already penetrated his body, instantly spreading to every inch of his flesh and every wisp of his Divine Soul.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could not make a sound.

His body, like a weathered sand sculpture, began to rapidly turn into powder starting from his chest where the palm had pressed down, disappearing silently into the Void Realm.

Along with the pitch-black bone banner in his hand and the Storage Ring on his person, everything vanished into dust under that force, leaving nothing behind.

Body and Soul destroyed, not even a corpse remained.

Lin Wan slowly retracted his palm, as if he had only done something insignificant.

He didn't even glance at the spot where the tall, thin Cultivator had dissipated, but turned around and looked at Su Yuechan, who was standing not far away, her face dazed and her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

"Senior Sister Su, long time no see. Have you been well?"

Lin Wan wore a gentle smile on his face as he spoke, his voice calm, as if the person who had just casually killed two Early Stage Heavenly Immortals was not him.

Su Yuechan finally awoke from her daze, looking at the ordinary-looking man in green robes before her, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

The thunderous, instantaneous killing of two Heavenly Immortals of the same Realm just now, that unfathomable movement technique that seemed to merge with the Void Realm, and this terrifyingly calm tone...

"You are... Junior Brother Lin Wan?"

Su Yuechan asked hesitantly, her voice still cold and clear, but carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling.

She had met Lin Wan a few times in the Five Elements Small World and had some impression of his Aura and appearance.

But the person before her, while bearing some resemblance to Lin Wan, had a completely different temperament.

The previous Lin Wan, while steady, ultimately carried the sharpness of a young man.

The person before her, however, had an Aura restrained to the extreme, his eyes so deep they seemed capable of piercing through a person's heart.

Standing there, clearly right before her, he gave one the illusion of being unreachable, as if facing an entire world.

Especially that gray energy which had flashed by when he struck earlier, making even her Soul tremble—it was filled with mystery and terror.

Moreover, wasn't Junior Brother Lin Wan only at Earth Immortal Perfection?

Even if he had obtained a great Opportunity in the Five Elements Small World, how could he have become this strong in just a few short months?

Instantly killing two Early Stage Heavenly Immortals—this was at least the strength of a Middle Stage, or even Late Stage, Heavenly Immortal!

Could it be that he had hidden his cultivation level before?

Or had he encountered some Heaven-Defying fortuitous encounter in these few months?

Countless thoughts raced through Su Yuechan's mind in an instant; shock, doubt, vigilance, gratitude—various emotions intertwined.

But regardless, the person before her had saved her; that was a fact.

"It is me."

Lin Wan smiled slightly, his appearance and Aura blurring for a moment before he returned to his original handsome, clean-cut appearance, though his temperament remained deep and restrained.

"I have startled you, Senior Sister. I had just come out of seclusion when I encountered these scoundrels from the Xuan Yin Sect acting against you, so I casually dealt with them."

Seeing Lin Wan return to his true appearance, the last trace of doubt in Su Yuechan's heart dissipated, but her shock remained undiminished.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in her heart, and bowed gracefully to Lin Wan, her cold, clear voice filled with sincere gratitude: "Many thanks to Junior Brother Lin for saving my life. If not for your timely intervention, I, Yuechan, would likely have faced a grim fate today."

"Senior Sister is too polite. Between fellow disciples, we should naturally support one another."

Lin Wan waved his hand, his gaze falling upon the several torn and blood-stained areas of Su Yuechan's white robes, his brows furrowing slightly.

"How are your injuries, Senior Sister? Those scoundrels from the Xuan Yin Sect, they didn't damage your Foundation, did they?"

"Many thanks for your concern, Junior Brother. It is just some flesh wounds and excessive exhaustion; I will be fine after a moment of recuperation."

Su Yuechan shook her head, took out a fragrant Medicinal Pill and consumed it, and a hint of ruddiness returned to her pale face.

She looked at Lin Wan, her beautiful eyes shimmering with strange brilliance, and could not help but ask: "Junior Brother Lin, you... have you already broken through to the Heavenly Immortal Realm? And your strength..."

She truly did not know how to describe it.

Both were Early Stage Heavenly Immortals, yet before Lin Wan, she felt an unfathomable pressure, as if the other party were a vast ocean while she was merely a small boat.

This gap was simply too large.

"I was lucky to have a Breakthrough."

Lin Wan did not explain further, changing the subject.

"Senior Sister Su, why did you come to this Chaotic Star Sea all alone? And how did you encounter people from the Xuan Yin Sect?"

Mentioning this, a hint of frost and anger appeared on Su Yuechan's cold face: "I came out of seclusion a few months ago, and after stabilizing my Realm, I accepted a Sect mission to come to the edge of the Chaotic Star Sea to search for an Artifact Refining material called 'Cold Star Iron.' After completing the mission and preparing to return, I accidentally discovered a 'Nine Nether Profound Ice Lotus' that was about to mature. This item is of great use to the 《Mysterious Ice Jade Heart Technique》 I Cultivate; it can help me refine the 'Mysterious Ice Jade Heart' and improve my cultivation and Aptitude. I stayed nearby to wait for it to mature."

"I did not expect that just as the Profound Ice Lotus was about to mature, I would run into these two scoundrels from the Xuan Yin Sect. They recognized my identity and not only wanted to seize the Profound Ice Lotus, but that tall, thin Cultivator also spewed vile filth, saying that their Young Lord had long coveted me and wanted to capture me back to be a Cauldron! Naturally, I refused, so I fought with them. Their cultivation was on par with mine, but they worked together tacitly and possessed that ghost-path Magic Treasure which countered my ice-attribute Divine Ability. I was careless for a moment, fell for their sneak attack, and was chased by them all the way here..."

Su Yuechan briefly recounted the events, her tone carrying lingering fear and resentment.

If not for Lin Wan's timely appearance, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"The Young Lord of the Xuan Yin Sect?"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Wan's eyes.

It seemed that this Xuan Yin Sect, from top to bottom, was nothing good.

The old ones chased him, and the young ones coveted Su Yuechan; it was truly a lineage of shamelessness.

"What about that Nine Nether Profound Ice Lotus?"

Lin Wan asked.

"It is still over there."

Su Yuechan pointed in a direction deep within the Star Fragment Belt.

"I set up a concealment Formation around it, so it should not have been discovered by others yet. However, the commotion from the fight just now was not small, and I fear it might attract others. Junior Brother Lin, we..."

She looked at Lin Wan, clearly seeking his opinion.

Unknowingly, she had already come to regard Lin Wan as her backbone.

"The Profound Ice Lotus is important to you, Senior Sister, so we naturally cannot let others benefit from it. Let us go quickly to retrieve it and leave this place."

Lin Wan made a swift decision.

Although he was not afraid, he did not want to invite unnecessary trouble.

"Alright."

Su Yuechan nodded.

After consuming the Medicinal Pill, she had recovered somewhat, so she led Lin Wan and flew toward the place where she had hidden the Profound Ice Lotus.

A moment later, the two arrived in a relatively hidden crevice within the star fragments.

Su Yuechan cast a few hand seals, removing the concealment Formation, and a spiritual plant appeared before them. It was crystal clear like ink jade throughout, with nine leaves, and in the center sat an ice-blue lotus flower that was about to bloom.

The area around the lotus exuded an extreme chill, as if even the Void Realm were about to freeze, yet within that chill, it contained an incomparably pure Xuan Yin power.

It was indeed the Nine Nether Profound Ice Lotus, and looking at its Spiritual Qi fluctuations, it was only a hair's breadth away from maturity.

"It is indeed a good item."

Lin Wan nodded.

This Profound Ice Lotus was of extremely high quality and was indeed a supreme treasure for those who cultivated ice-attribute or yin-cold attribute Cultivation Techniques.

"Senior Sister, hurry and collect it; I will stand guard for you."

"Many thanks, Junior Brother."

Su Yuechan was not coy; she walked to the Profound Ice Lotus and cast various hand seals, beginning to collect it with care.

The Profound Ice Lotus was about to mature; collecting it now would yield the best medicinal effect, but one had to be careful not to damage its spiritual essence.

Just as Su Yuechan was concentrating on collecting the Profound Ice Lotus and Lin Wan was standing with his hands behind his back, his Divine Sense guarding the surroundings, a sudden change occurred!

"Swish!"

A wisp of black light, so subtle it was almost imperceptible, shot out like a venomous snake flicking its tongue from behind an inconspicuous star fragment to the side, aiming straight for the back of Su Yuechan's head!

This black light was extremely fast and silent, and its timing was grasped to Perfection—it was the exact moment Su Yuechan was concentrating most on collecting the Profound Ice Lotus!

"Careful!"

Lin Wan's eyes sharpened.

He had actually long ago detected that someone was hiding behind that star fragment; their Aura was cold and obscure, and their cultivation was not weak, at least at Earth Immortal Perfection, and they were proficient in the art of concealment and assassination.

He had deliberately not pointed it out, wanting to see what the other party intended to do.

He had not expected them to be so ruthless and decisive, launching a lethal strike the moment they acted, and aiming directly at the completely defenseless Su Yuechan!

Lin Wan did not move his body, but merely flicked his finger. A gray finger-beam arrived later but struck first, precisely hitting that wisp of black light.

"Puff!"

The black light was like an egg hitting a rock, instantly shattering and dissipating into black smoke.

However, the finger-beam did not lose momentum; as if traversing the Void Realm, it struck directly behind that star fragment.

"Ah—!"

A short, miserable scream rang out, and a black shadow stumbled out from behind the star fragment.

There was a bowl-sized, transparent hole in his chest, clear from front to back, his life force instantly severed, and his body collapsed softly, his face still etched with unbelievable terror.

This was a thin, skeleton-like old man in black robes, still clutching a pitch-black dagger in his hand; he was clearly an assassin proficient in killing.

"There is another accomplice?"

Su Yuechan had also reacted by this time; she instantly put away the Profound Ice Lotus, drew her ice-blue sword, and looked around vigilantly, her pretty face frosty.

She had not expected that, apart from those two Xuan Yin Sect Heavenly Immortals, there was actually a third person lurking nearby, and one so insidious and vicious that she had almost fallen for his trap.

"It seems the Xuan Yin Sect truly spared no expense to capture you. Two Heavenly Immortal Elders were not enough, so they even sent a death soldier skilled in concealment and assassination."

Lin Wan's tone was flat, but the cold glint in his eyes intensified.

This Xuan Yin Sect was becoming increasingly devoid of morals in its actions.

"It should be someone from the Xuan Yin Sect's 'Shadow Kill Hall,' which specializes in assassination and espionage."

Su Yuechan was clearly knowledgeable about the Xuan Yin Sect, and her tone was grave.

"Junior Brother Lin, this place is not suitable for a long stay. The people of the Xuan Yin Sect act in mysterious ways; I fear they have further plans. We must leave as soon as possible."

"Hmm."

Lin Wan nodded; he had the same intention.

Although he was not afraid, being watched by flies was ultimately disgusting.

He waved his hand, casting several flames to incinerate the three corpses (the short, fat Cultivator's corpse was still in the distance) and the traces of the battle, destroying all evidence.

"Let's go!"

Lin Wan did not delay further.

He took Su Yuechan, his figure turning into an elusive streak of light, and they quickly left the Star Fragment Belt, speeding toward the outer reaches of the Chaotic Star Sea.

Not long after they left, several powerful Auras descended upon the area.

The leader was a young man wearing luxurious black robes, with a pale, effeminate face and lecherous eyes; his cultivation had actually reached the Middle Stage Heavenly Immortal Realm!

Behind him followed several black-robed Cultivators with not-weak Auras, two of whom were actually Early Stage Heavenly Immortals.

"Young Lord, the Soul Lamps of the three Ghost Shadow members have all gone out."

A black-robed Cultivator reported with an ugly expression after investigating.

"Trash!"

The effeminate young man was none other than the Xuan Yin Sect Young Lord—Yin Wujiu.

His face was gloomy, and his gaze swept over the empty Void Realm, which only retained some residual fluctuations of battle.

His eyes flashed with violent light.

"Two Early Stage Heavenly Immortals plus a Shadow Kill Hall Earth Immortal Perfection death soldier, and they couldn't even take down a Su Yuechan who just broke through to the Heavenly Immortal Realm? And they all died? Who did this? Investigate! Have this Young Lord's people investigate clearly! That bitch Su Yuechan, and that piece of trash who dared to kill my Xuan Yin Sect Elder, this Young Lord will extract their Souls and refine their spirits, condemning them to eternal damnation!"

"Yes! Young Lord!"

The subordinates, terrified into silence, hurriedly replied.

Yin Wujiu looked in the direction where Lin Wan and Su Yuechan had left, licking his lips, his eyes a mix of lechery and killing intent.

"Su Yuechan... there has never been a woman this Young Lord has set his sights on who could escape. And that meddlesome fellow, no matter who you are, if you dare to spoil this Young Lord's good deeds, you must die!"

He waved his hand and, taking his subordinates, transformed into several streaks of black light, chasing in the direction where Lin Wan and the others had left.

Clearly, he possessed some special tracking method.

Deep in the Chaotic Star Sea, two streaks of light moved rapidly, one following the other.

"Junior Brother Lin, this time I truly owe it to you."

Su Yuechan followed behind Lin Wan, looking at that steady-as-a-mountain figure ahead.

A complex emotion surged in her heart.

There was the relief of having survived a disaster, the shock at Lin Wan's powerful strength, and an indescribable sense of security.

It was as if, as long as this figure was there, no danger was worth fearing.

"Senior Sister is too serious."

Lin Wan did not turn his head, his voice calm.

"Between fellow disciples, this is only natural. However, Senior Sister, you must be more careful when going out for training in the future. The people of the Xuan Yin Sect are vengeful; after this failure, they will likely not let the matter rest."

"Hmm, I understand."

Su Yuechan nodded, hesitated for a moment, but still could not help asking, "Junior Brother Lin, your... your strength, how did it improve so quickly? Also, you killed two Xuan Yin Sect Heavenly Immortal Elders; they will definitely not let you go. What do you plan to do next?"

Lin Wan was silent for a moment, then said: "Just some Opportunities. As for the Xuan Yin Sect... I will meet soldiers with soldiers and water with earth. If they do not come to find me, I will sooner or later go to find them."

His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable confidence and killing intent.

Su Yuechan felt a shiver in her heart.

Looking at Lin Wan's back, her beautiful eyes shimmered even more brilliantly.

This Junior Brother, who had needed her "care" back in the Five Elements Small World, had now grown to a level where she had to look up to him.

He seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious veil, making one unable to resist the urge to explore it.

"Junior Brother Lin, are you returning to the Immortal Palace next?"

Su Yuechan asked.

"Not for now."

Lin Wan shook his head.

"I still have some matters to attend to. Senior Sister, you can return first and report the matter of the Xuan Yin Sect to the Sect. In addition, if it is convenient, please help me keep an eye out for any tasks or intelligence within the Immortal Palace regarding Chaos Qi, Innate Five Elements Qi, or clues related to the Chaos Ruins or Guixu."

"Chaos Qi? Chaos Ruins? Guixu?"

Hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed in Su Yuechan's beautiful eyes.

These were all things from legends, related to Chaos, and were extremely rare and dangerous.

Why did Junior Brother Lin want to find these things? Could it be related to the improvement of his strength?

She was puzzled but did not ask further, only nodding and saying: "Alright, I will note it down. Junior Brother, you must be very careful; the people from the Xuan Yin Sect are likely already searching for you everywhere."

"Many thanks for the reminder, Senior Sister."

Lin Wan nodded.

He naturally knew the danger, but he was even clearer that the growth of the Chaos Dao Seed could not be separated from these high-level resources.

Secluded cultivation was too slow in progress; he had to take the initiative to seek out Opportunities.

The two conversed along the way and soon flew out of the core area of the Chaotic Star Sea.

Just as they were preparing to part ways—Su Yuechan to return to the Tianshu Immortal Palace, and Lin Wan to continue his journey—Lin Wan suddenly frowned, stopped, and looked toward the chaotic Void Realm behind him, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"There really are those who don't fear death, chasing after us."