198: Chapter 198 Attacked on the Way Home, Undercurrents Surge

Outside the Grey Mist Zone, a temporary stronghold of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace.

The light of the Formation softly enveloped the camp, isolating the Grey Mist outside and any prying eyes. In the main tent at the center of the camp, Lin Wan sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed. Faint grey mist swirled around him; it was Chaos Qi slowly repairing his damaged Origin. Although his face was still somewhat pale, his aura had stabilized significantly.

Outside the tent, Palace Master Xuè Wúhén, the Bald Giant, and others stood with solemn expressions, personally leading the guards, not daring to be even slightly negligent. Having experienced the life-and-death crisis in the ruins and witnessed Lin Wan's shocking finger strike, their reverence for Lin Wan was etched into their bones. At the same time, they were even more aware that their survival and gains from this trip to the Chaos Ruins were entirely due to Lin Wan's protection. Now that Lin Wan was recovering, they naturally had to do their utmost to ensure his safety.

"Elder Xuè, is Senior Lin... really alright?" Liu Qingqing asked in a low voice, the worry on her pretty face not yet faded. Although Fairy Shuiyun remained silent, her beautiful eyes were also filled with concern.

"Senior Lin possesses great Divine Ability. Since he said he would be fine after resting for a few days, he should be fine." Palace Master Xuè Wúhén said softly, but her gaze drifted toward the main tent from time to time, her heart equally turbulent. To kill an Incarnation of a Golden Immortal grudge with one finger—even if it was just an Incarnation—was enough to prove that Lin Wan's strength was not as simple as a Heavenly Immortal. What... exactly was his Origin?

"Heh, I say, Elder Xuè, could this Senior Lin be some reclusive old monster playing around in the mortal world?" The Bald Giant lowered his voice and winked. He was rough by nature, but he held heartfelt admiration for the strong. Lin Wan's strength had completely convinced him.

"Shh! Silence!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén glared at him with a serious expression. "Senior Lin's affairs are not for us to speculate about. Today's events, including Senior Lin's strength, must be kept strictly to ourselves, otherwise... it may lead to a fatal disaster!"

The Bald Giant's expression turned stern, and he nodded heavily. An innocent man is innocent, but possession of a treasure is a crime. Once Lin Wan's secret was leaked, it would inevitably attract countless covetous eyes and trouble, and might even implicate them.

Just then, the curtain of the main tent was lifted, and Lin Wan walked out slowly. Although his face was still somewhat pale, his eyes had regained their clarity, and his calm, transcendent aura put people at ease.

"Senior Lin!" Everyone hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"No need for formalities." Lin Wan waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, lingering briefly on Palace Master Xuè Wúhén and the Bald Giant. "I have troubled you all to serve as my Protectors these past few days."

"Senior, you are too polite. This is our duty." Palace Master Xuè Wúhén said quickly.

"Senior Lin, your injuries..." Fairy Shuiyun couldn't help but ask.

"It is no longer a major issue, just some loss of Origin that requires quiet rest for a period of time." Lin Wan said indifferently, then changed the subject, "This place is not suitable for a long stay. I fear there may be changes in the depths of the Chaos Ruins. We should set off immediately and return to the Ice and Snow Divine Palace."

"Understood!" Everyone responded in unison. Having experienced the horrors in the ruins, they were already fearful of the Chaos Ruins and were eager to leave immediately.

Soon, everyone packed up and boarded the Ice and Snow Divine Palace's flying immortal boat. The immortal boat was made entirely of ten-thousand-year black ice, engraved with the Ice and Snow Divine Palace's emblem and defensive Formation. In the grey sky, it looked like an icy blue fish, breaking through the Grey Mist and speeding away from the Chaos Ruins.

In the quiet room of the immortal boat, Lin Wan sat cross-legged and took out the grey chaos crystal. The crystal felt warm to the touch, and the Chaos Qi inside flowed slowly like clouds, exuding an alluring dao rhyme. After refining the remnant soul of Wu Yin, this chaos crystal had completely become an ownerless object, and the resentment of the Chaos God inside had been removed, leaving only pure Chaos Origin.

"With this chaos crystal, both my Chaos Dao Body and Chaos Dao Seed can advance further. I might even... be able to attempt a Breakthrough to the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm." A glint flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. The Chaos Dao Derivation Scripture he cultivated required a massive amount of Chaos Qi every time he advanced a level. This chaos crystal would save him hundreds of years of bitter toil.

However, he did not refine it immediately. The Chaos Ruins were full of dangers, and the immortal boat was not absolutely safe. Breaking through the Realm required an absolutely quiet environment, and not the slightest disturbance could be tolerated.

He put away the chaos crystal and sank his Divine Sense into his body to inspect his Dantian. Inside the Dantian, the grey Chaos Dao Seed floated quietly, rotating slowly, breathing in Chaos Qi. On the Dao Seed, mysterious patterns were faintly visible; those were the imprints of the Great Dao of Chaos. Surrounding the Dao Seed were nine light spots of different colors, circling like stars. These were the Incarnations of the nine Clones he cultivated, corresponding to the nine Laws of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Ice, and Time-Space. However, except for the Time-Space Clone, which had reached Minor Achievement due to the Time-Space Tower, the other Clones were still in the gestation stage and required massive resources and time to Cultivate.

"The path of the Clone is a long and arduous one." Lin Wan sighed inwardly. Cultivating the Chaos Dao Derivation Scripture to condense the nine Clones and finally merging the nine bodies into one to achieve the Chaos Dao Body was an incredibly difficult path, but it was also full of promise. Once successful, he would be invincible among those of the same Realm, and could even fight across Realms.

Just as Lin Wan was lost in thought, the immortal boat suddenly shook violently, as if it had hit something. The defensive light shield lit up with a blinding light, emitting an unbearable creaking sound.

"Enemy attack!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's cold voice rang out on the immortal boat, carrying a heavy tone.

Lin Wan frowned slightly, and with a flash, he appeared on the deck of the immortal boat. He saw three figures exuding powerful auras blocking their path ahead. The leader wore a blood-red robe, had a sinister face, and his aura had reached the Late Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm! Behind him were two old men in the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, one fat and one thin, both with greed and Killing Intent in their eyes.

And all around the immortal boat, they had been surrounded by dozens of Cultivators in uniform black tight-fitting clothes. These Cultivators were at least in the Late Stage of the Earth Immortal Realm, and among them were more than a dozen powerhouses in the Early and Middle Stages of the Heavenly Immortal Realm! They formed a battle Formation, blocking all escape routes for the immortal boat, with the light of their Magic Treasures flashing in their hands, full of Killing Intent.

"Blood Fiend Sect!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's face changed, and she recognized the identities of the people who had come. The Blood Fiend Sect was a notorious Demonic Path Sect in the Beichen Immortal Domain. They acted ruthlessly, were vindictive, and were adept at Blood Dao and assassination techniques. They were one of the mortal enemies of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace.

"Hehe, Palace Master Xuè, didn't expect us to be waiting for you here, did you?" The blood-robed man in the lead laughed sinisterly, his gaze sweeping greedily over Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's exquisite body, and finally landing on Lin Wan. "It seems this is the legendary Senior Lín Fēng who displayed such Divine Might in the Chaos Ruins? Tsk tsk, to be able to come out of the depths of the Chaos Ruins alive and without a scratch, you really have some ability. However... today, I'm afraid you will have to stay here."

"Xue Ming! Your Blood Fiend Sect dares to intercept the flying boat of my Ice and Snow Divine Palace? Do you want to start a war?!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén shouted sternly, her Ice Soul Divine Sword already drawn, cold air overflowing.

"Start a war? Hahaha!" Xue Ming laughed wildly. "Palace Master Xuè, do you think you can still go back alive? Kill you all, seize your gains from the Chaos Ruins, and then frame the resentful spirits in the Chaos Ruins or other forces. Who would know it was our Blood Fiend Sect? Even if they knew, without evidence, what can your Ice and Snow Divine Palace do to me?"

"Despicable!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén was furious, cold light flashing in her beautiful eyes. She did not expect the Blood Fiend Sect to be so bold as to openly intercept them outside the Chaos Ruins!

"Stop talking nonsense! Hand over the treasures you obtained in the Chaos Ruins, especially that chaos crystal! Then destroy your own cultivation, and perhaps I can consider leaving you a whole corpse!" Xue Ming sneered, his Killing Intent exposed. He had received inside information that the Ice and Snow Divine Palace group had had a miraculous encounter in the Chaos Ruins and obtained a chaos crystal. That was why he had spared no cost to come out in full force to set up an ambush here. The chaos crystal was a legendary divine object that would be enough to allow him to break through to the Peak of the Heavenly Immortal Realm and even touch the threshold of the Golden Immortal Realm! As for Palace Master Xuè Wúhén and the others, they had to die, otherwise the news would leak and cause endless trouble.

"You want the chaos crystal? Then let's see if you have the ability!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén shouted, and the Ice Soul Divine Sword turned into an icy blue rainbow, striking directly at Xue Ming! She knew that today's matter could not be resolved peacefully, and the only option was to fight!

"Stubborn! Kill! Leave no one alive!" Xue Ming sneered, unfolding his blood robe. A monstrous blood-red Killing Intent filled the air, turning into giant blood-red pythons that bared their fangs and brandished their claws, welcoming Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's sword light. The two old men in the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm behind him also attacked at the same time, one on the left and one on the right, killing the others of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace.

The Bald Giant roared, his blood and Qi surging. A golden giant phantom reappeared, and he punched the fat old man. Fairy Shuiyun and Liu Qingqing formed a sword Formation, struggling to resist the attacks of the other thin old man. Other Ice and Snow Divine Palace Disciples also fought with the Cultivators of the Blood Fiend Sect.

The great battle erupted instantly!

On the immortal boat, spells roared, Sword Qi crisscrossed, and blood light and coldness intertwined. Screams were incessant. The Blood Fiend Sect had many people and was well-prepared, quickly gaining the upper hand. The Ice and Snow Divine Palace group fought to the death, but the gap in strength was huge, and people were constantly injured and falling.

Palace Master Xuè Wúhén fought Xue Ming alone, using her Ice Soul Divine Sword to the extreme. The sky was filled with icy blue Sword Qi, and the cold was piercing. But Xue Ming's Blood Fiend Demonic Technique was incredibly strange. The Blood Fiend Qi could not only corrode Magic Treasures and immortal essence but also affect the mind. Palace Master Xuè Wúhén gradually fell into a disadvantage, her pretty face pale, and a wisp of blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth.

"Elder Xuè, why resist? Just surrender obediently, and perhaps I can still pity the fragrant and cherish the jade, and let you die a bit more painlessly." Xue Ming laughed lecherously, and the Blood Fiend Qi turned into a giant blood-red hand, grabbing at Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's chest.

"Shameless!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén was both ashamed and angry. The Ice Soul Divine Sword turned back to slash at the giant blood-red hand, but her blood and Qi surged, her sword light dimmed, and it looked like she was about to be defeated.

Just at this moment, a sigh sounded on the battlefield.

"Sigh..."

The sigh was not loud, but it clearly entered everyone's ears. Then, everyone felt the surrounding space stagnate slightly.

Lin Wan had appeared in front of Palace Master Xuè Wúhén at some point. He stretched out a finger and tapped lightly at the incoming giant blood-red hand.

"Break."

The giant blood-red hand shattered silently like a bubble, turning into a mist of blood and dissipating in the air.

Xue Ming's face changed, and his body retreated violently, his eyes showing suspicion and uncertainty. That grab of his just now, although not using his full strength, was enough to severely injure an ordinary Late Stage Heavenly Immortal. How could it be broken by the other party with just a light tap?

"You are Lín Fēng? You really have some tricks." Xue Ming stared at Lin Wan with a gloomy gaze, his Divine Sense sweeping over him, but he found that the other party was like an abyss, unfathomable. "However, do you think you can turn the tide by yourself? Attack! Kill him first!"

At Xue Ming's order, the two old men in the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm gave up their respective opponents and attacked Lin Wan from left and right. At the same time, more than a dozen Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators in the Early Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm also formed a battle Formation, blocking Lin Wan's retreat, and all kinds of spells and Magic Treasures poured down like a rainstorm!

"Senior Lin, be careful!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén exclaimed, wanting to step forward to help, but was entangled by Xue Ming.

The Bald Giant, Fairy Shuiyun, Liu Qingqing, and others were also anxious, but they were struggling to protect themselves and could not break away to help.

Facing the attacks coming from all directions, Lin Wan's expression was calm, and he didn't even look up. He just raised his right hand, opened his five fingers, and then, gripped lightly.

"Freeze."

Time stopped again.

The flying spell lights in the sky solidified in the air. The incoming Magic Treasures froze halfway. The two old men in the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm who were attacking Lin Wan maintained their charging posture, the sneers on their faces frozen. The surrounding Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators who had formed the battle Formation were like statues, motionless.

Only Lin Wan, as if taking a leisurely stroll, walked to the fat old man, reached out, and tapped lightly on his forehead.

"Extinguish."

The light in the fat old man's eyes dissipated instantly, and his body fell softly like a broken sack, with no aura left.

Lin Wan turned and walked to the thin old man, tapping him the same way.

"Extinguish."

The thin old man followed in his footsteps.

Lin Wan did not stop, like the Grim Reaper walking, and with one tap of his finger, a Blood Fiend Sect Cultivator fell silently. Whether it was the Early Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm or the Late Stage of the Earth Immortal Realm, there was no difference under his finger.

After ten steps, more than a dozen Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators were completely wiped out.

Lin Wan withdrew his finger and looked at Xue Ming, who was fighting fiercely with Palace Master Xuè Wúhén.

"Release."

The solidified time and space returned to flow.

"Die!" Xue Ming sneered, his Blood Fiend Demonic Claws grabbing at Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's throat, but he suddenly discovered that his two subordinates, as well as more than a dozen elites, had disappeared. No, not disappeared, they had turned into corpses on the ground.

"This... how is this possible?!" The sneer on Xue Ming's face froze, and his eyes were filled with boundless fear. He didn't even see what happened, and his subordinates were all dead? This... what kind of demonic art is this?!

Palace Master Xuè Wúhén was also stunned. She clearly saw Xue Ming's demonic claws about to grab her, but they suddenly stopped, and then Xue Ming was as pale as a ghost, trembling all over. She followed Xue Ming's gaze and saw the corpses of the Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators on the ground, and the grey figure standing with his hands behind his back.

It was like this again! Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's heart was shaken greatly. Although she had expected it, seeing Lin Wan kill more than a dozen Heavenly Immortals and Earth Immortals, including two in the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, with a flick of his finger, still caused stormy waves in her heart. This could no longer be described as powerful strength; this was simply... unfathomable!

"You... who exactly are you?!" Xue Ming's voice trembled, pointing at Lin Wan, his eyes full of fear. He regretted it, regretted being greedy for that chaos crystal, regretted coming to provoke this star of calamity.

"The dead do not need to know." Lin Wan said indifferently, took a step, and appeared in front of Xue Ming, his index finger tapping lightly on his forehead.

"No! I am the Young Sect Master of the Blood Fiend Sect! My father is the Blood Fiend Old Ancestor, the Sect Master of the Blood Fiend Sect! You cannot kill me! If you kill me, the Blood Fiend Sect will not let you go! My father is a Golden Immortal..." Xue Ming screamed wildly, burning his essence blood, trying to escape. But the surrounding space seemed to have turned into a quagmire, and he could not move an inch. He could only watch helplessly as that slender finger magnified infinitely in his eyes.

"Extinguish."

A light word, like the verdict of the Grim Reaper.

Xue Ming's scream stopped abruptly. The light in his eyes faded rapidly, and his body withered as if all the moisture had been drained from it, eventually turning into a mummy, falling to the ground with a bang, and shattering into powder.

Body and spirit destroyed!

Silence.

Deathly silence.

The remaining Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators looked blankly at Xue Ming who had turned into powder, their brains blank. Their Young Sect Master, a powerhouse in the Late Stage of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, just died like this? Died from a single finger tap?

"The Young Sect Master... is dead?"

"Run! Run quickly!"

I don't know who shouted, but the remaining Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators immediately scattered like birds and beasts, crying and wailing as they fled wildly in all directions. They were already scared out of their wits, how could they dare to stay?

Lin Wan did not pursue. He swept his gaze over the fleeing figures and waved his hand lightly.

"Disperse."

An invisible spatial fluctuation spread out, and those fleeing Blood Fiend Sect Cultivators, as if hitting an invisible wall, fell from the air one after another, fell to the ground, and fainted. Lin Wan did not kill them, but he also abolished their cultivation, which could be considered a small punishment.

After doing all this, Lin Wan turned and looked at Palace Master Xuè Wúhén and the others who were still in shock.

"Let's go."