24: Chapter 24 Void Temple

Three days of rest passed, and Tianque City was filled with undercurrents.

Lin Wan's battle on the Asking Dao Platform, where he defeated Saint Son Yan Wuji and revealed the power of the Five Elements Divine Light, not only shocked the entire audience but also pushed him into the spotlight.

Praise, recruitment, espionage, and hostility surged in like a tide.

The threshold of the Qingyun Courtyard was almost worn down by the endless stream of Cultivators coming to visit.

Some represented major powers from the Central Plains, offering great benefits to invite him; some were old acquaintances from the Southern Region and Eastern Wasteland, coming to reminisce or probe; others were malicious, testing him with their words, intending to uncover his secrets.

Lin Wan found it annoying, so he simply went into closed-door cultivation, refusing all visitors.

He needed time to digest the gains from the battle with Saint Son Yan Wuji, stabilize the Dantian and Divine Soul depleted by the forced use of the Five Elements Divine Light, and plan for the subsequent journey into the Secret Realm.

Although he won the battle against Saint Son Yan Wuji, it had exposed the existence of the Five Elements Divine Light and exhausted the strongest means he could use at the time.

After entering the Secret Realm, facing a more complex environment, unknown dangers, and numerous powerful enemies eyeing him covetously, relying solely on the Five Elements Divine Light was clearly not enough.

He needed to improve his strength in other areas as soon as possible, especially his comprehension of Sword Intent and the nourishment of his Lifebound Treasure, the five elements sword.

In the quiet room, Lin Wan sat cross-legged with the five elements sword across his knees, slowly breathing in and out his Dantian energy.

The sword body was chaotic dark gold, and the five hair-thin, interconnected sword-shaped patterns on the surface faintly shimmered under the nourishment of his Dantian energy.

During his battle with Sword Master Jian Wuming, he touched the threshold of Sword Intent; during his battle with Saint Son Yan Wuji, using the great Divine Ability of the Five Elements Divine Light, he gained a deeper understanding of the combination of "Five Elements" and "Sword".

"Five Elements rotation, mutual generation creates power, mutual overcoming creates the edge, Returning to Ruins creates intent... Is this the embryonic form of my five elements sword Intent?" Lin Wan closed his eyes, his mind immersed in his comprehension of the five elements sword core and the five elements sword.

Within his Dantian, the five elements sword core rotated slowly, and the Dantian energy flowed, implicitly following a certain mysterious trajectory, resonating with the five elements sword on his knees.

On the sword body, those five sword patterns seemed to come alive, turning into five tiny, multicolored swimming dragons, circling, chasing, and merging on the surface of the sword, sometimes separating, sometimes uniting, evolving the scene of Five Elements mutual generation and overcoming, and rotation Returning to Ruins.

A trace of strange "intent"—faint, yet incomparably condensed, carrying the rotation of the Five Elements, inclusive of all things, yet containing the edge of extinction—began to germinate in Lin Wan's heart and flowed slowly into the five elements sword along with the Dantian energy.

The five elements sword vibrated slightly, emitting a clear sword hum.

The radiance of the sword body was restrained, but it quietly permeated with an invisible sword momentum that seemed capable of suppressing the Five Elements and opening up Chaos.

The embryonic form of Sword Intent was gradually taking shape.

Although it was still very weak and far from the true "five elements sword Intent," this was undoubtedly a huge improvement.

With the addition of Sword Intent, the power of the five elements sword would increase several times, and it would be better able to unleash the mysteries of the Five Elements Divine Ability.

At the same time, Lin Wan also divided a strand of his Divine Sense to communicate with the System.

Although the Five Elements Divine Light was powerful, the consumption was too terrifying.

With his Early Stage Golden Core cultivation, using it once at full power would drain nearly half of his Dantian energy and Divine Soul power, making it difficult to use again in a short time.

He needed other means of dealing with enemies or treasures for quick recovery.

"System, bring up disposable treasures suitable for the Golden Core Stage that can quickly restore Dantian energy or Divine Soul, or serve as a trump card."

The System store refreshed.

[Five Elements Returning Origin Pill (Fourth Rank High Grade): Can quickly restore Five Elements attribute Dantian energy and also has a nourishing effect on the Divine Soul.

One pill can restore thirty percent of an Early Stage Golden Core Cultivator's Dantian energy.

Requires Fortune Points: 1000 points/pill.]

[Sword Intent Talisman (Disposable): Seals a full-power Sword Intent attack equivalent to a Middle Stage Golden Core Cultivator.

Requires Fortune Points: 1500 points/piece.]

[Substitute Puppet (Third Rank): Can withstand one fatal attack and randomly teleport the user to a safe location within a hundred miles.

Requires Fortune Points: 2000 points/piece.]

[Minor Teleportation Talisman (Fourth Rank): Can instantly teleport to a designated location within a thousand miles (needs to be marked in advance).

Requires Fortune Points: 2500 points/talisman.]

Lin Wan looked at his remaining Fortune Points: 22,000 (20,000 from the Core Formation reward, and 2,000 from daily accumulation and previous remainder).

It was still quite abundant.

After a little thought, he exchanged for three Five Elements Returning Origin Pills, one Sword Intent Talisman, one Substitute Puppet, and one Minor Teleportation Talisman.

It cost 8,500 points in total, leaving 13,500 points in reserve.

The Five Elements Returning Origin Pills were for recovery at critical moments.

The Sword Intent Talisman served as a surprise trump card.

The Substitute Puppet and Minor Teleportation Talisman were for life-saving.

In the Secret Realm, safety comes first.

After the exchange was completed, Lin Wan took out the "void five elements token" fragment and the five elements token.

The two tokens were placed together, still faintly resonating, and the blurry map phantom appeared again.

This time, he looked more carefully.

On the map, the light spot at the junction of the Southern Region and the Eastern Wasteland (suspected to be a new Five Elements Secret Realm) was the brightest.

The light spot in the unknown land of the Central Plains was second.

There were also three extremely dim, almost imperceptible light spots located in the Western Desert, Northern Plains, and... an area at the edge of the map completely shrouded in gray mist, marked as "Guixu Sea".

"Five fragments, scattered in various places.

The second one is in the core of the Five Elements Secret Realm... Must obtain it." Lin Wan's eyes were firm.

This not only concerned the control of the "Five Elements Returning to Ruins" cave dwelling but might also be related to the ultimate secret of the Five Elements Sect and Mo Xuan's entrustment.

The three-day period expired.

In the morning, at the center of Tianque City, the majestic Asking Dao Platform became the focus again.

However, this time it was not a ring, but above it, a huge light gate—the entrance to the Tianqiong Secret Realm—a hundred feet high, colorful, and filled with starlight, slowly opened!

The sixty-four Prodigies who had obtained the qualifications gathered in front of the light gate under the leadership of their respective team leaders or elders.

The atmosphere was murderous, their eyes crossed, and there were faint sparks.

Lin Wan stood in front of the Qingyun Sect team, wearing a green shirt, carrying the five elements sword on his back, his aura steady, and his gaze swept calmly across the crowd.

He saw Saint Son Yan Wuji, whose face was still a bit pale but stared at him with resentment; he saw Liao Chen, who was closing his eyes and pressing his palms together, his aura becoming more magnificent; he saw Holy Maiden Xue Jian, who was as cold as the moon and surrounded by cold air; he saw You Quan, who was hidden in the shadows with a strange aura; he also saw a young man beside the Great Xia Dynasty envoy, wearing a bright yellow python robe, with a face somewhat similar to Xia Wushang but with a more stable and heavy aura, who must be the true trump card of the Imperial Dynasty.

Besides these, there were many more figures with obscure auras that could not be underestimated.

Zhuge Ming stood in the Heavenly Secret Pavilion team and nodded slightly to Lin Wan.

Sword Master Jian Wuming stood alone holding his sword, looking at Lin Wan with burning eyes, his Battle Intent undiminished.

"The Tianqiong Secret Realm is open, with a time limit of one month.

In the Secret Realm, killing is not prohibited, no means are forbidden, and you are responsible for your own life or death.

The opportunities obtained belong to the individual.

Finally, the ranking will be comprehensively assessed based on the quantity and quality of 'Tianqiong Crystals' obtained and the value of the explored area.

The top ten in the ranking can enter the 'Five Elements Cave Dwelling Fragment' to explore.

Now, enter the Secret Realm!"

As the voice of the presiding Nascent Soul True Monarch fell, the light gate shone brightly.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Figures shot into the sky without hesitation, shooting into the light gate and disappearing.

"Be careful." Han Lingtian said to Lin Wan, Senior Sister Su Qing, Xu Feng, and three other Qingyun Sect Disciples in a deep voice, "Try to act together.

If you get separated, prioritize survival.

Junior Brother Lin, your target is too big, especially be careful."

"Understood." Lin Wan nodded and cupped his hands to Senior Sister Su Qing, Xu Feng, and others, "Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, Junior Brothers, Junior Sisters, take care."

After speaking, he did not hesitate, his figure turned into a five-colored sword light, and he threw himself into the light gate.

The world spun, and space shifted.

When he appeared again, he was already in a completely strange world.

Beneath his feet was soft, strange soil with seven colors.

The air was filled with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi so rich it was almost liquid, and its attributes were extremely pure and active, far exceeding the outside world.

Looking up, the sky was not blue, but a deep, dark purple dotted with countless brilliant stars.

Those stars seemed within reach, yet they were extremely far away.

In the distance, mountains rose and fell, rivers meandered, and forests were lush, but everything was shrouded in a faint, dreamlike starlight, appearing somewhat unreal.

"Is this the Tianqiong Secret Realm?

It really lives up to its reputation; the concentration of Spiritual Qi is comparable to the core blessed lands of some major Sects." Lin Wan took a deep breath, feeling comfortable all over, and his five elements sword core became a bit more active.

His Divine Sense instantly expanded, covering a radius of three hundred feet.

He did not find traces of other Cultivators; the teleportation was clearly random.

He took out the special token issued when entering the Secret Realm for recording "Tianqiong Crystals" and exploration progress, and also took out the five elements token and the void five elements token fragment.

The five elements token heated up slightly here, transmitting a faint guidance, pointing to a direction deep in the Secret Realm.

And the void five elements token fragment produced a stronger resonance with the guidance of the five elements token.

Clearly, the second fragment was in the direction indicated by the five elements token, which was the core area of this Secret Realm.

"Explore first, collect Tianqiong Crystals, and look for other opportunities.

At the same time, move towards the core area." Lin Wan made a decision.

Tianqiong Crystals were an important basis for ranking, and they were also good Materials for Artifact Refining and formation setting, containing the power of stars.

He needed enough Tianqiong Crystals to ensure a top-ten spot.

He chose a direction, and his figure flew across the seven-colored land like lightning.

At the same time, his Divine Sense was highly concentrated, alert to possible dangers and enemies.

In the Secret Realm, there were not only Spiritual Qi and beautiful scenery.

After traveling less than a hundred miles, Lin Wan encountered the first wave of attacks.

It was a group of Yao Beasts that lived under the seven-colored soil, shaped like pangolins, but covered with starlight scales and having sharp mouthparts—the "Star Whirl Beasts".

Each one had the strength of the Late Stage Foundation Establishment, and they could spit corrosive rays containing the power of stars, and were good at digging underground, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

Lin Wan did not want to entangle, so he drew the five elements sword, and the sword light divided.

Dozens of pale golden Geng Metal Sword Qi shot down like a rainstorm, instantly nailing the dozen Star Whirl Beasts to the ground.

He quickly collected the most valuable "Star Whirl Scales" and inner cores from the Yao Beasts, and found several fist-sized, transparent, nebula-containing "Tianqiong Crystals (Low Grade)" near their lair.

Continuing forward, he encountered several waves of Yao Beasts along the way, all of which were easily resolved by him.

He harvested some Tianqiong Crystals and a few rare star-attribute Spiritual Plants.

He also met a few other Cultivators; some avoided him from afar, while others tried to ambush him, only to be killed by him, and he seized their Storage Pouches.

In the Secret Realm, the law of the jungle was vividly displayed.

Three days later, Lin Wan had penetrated thousands of miles into the Secret Realm, with a bountiful harvest.

He had obtained nearly a hundred pieces of Tianqiong Crystals (Low Grade) and unexpectedly found a small amount of "Star Sand," a top-grade auxiliary material for refining star-type Magic Treasures.

He also met two Qingyun Sect Disciples, a female Cultivator from Danxia Peak at the Late Stage Foundation Establishment, and a male Cultivator from the Divine Weapon Peak at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

The three of them traveled together, and the safety factor increased greatly.

On this day, the three of them traveled to the edge of a massive, bottomless canyon. Within the canyon, thick, grayish-white mist swirled, from which faint, shrill wind sounds and spatial fluctuations emerged. Across the canyon, the outline of a dilapidated, towering, and massive palace could be vaguely seen, appearing and disappearing under the starlight, emitting an ancient, desolate, yet incomparably majestic aura.

"That is... the Void Temple?!" the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak exclaimed, a look of fanaticism appearing in his eyes. It was rumored that the Void Temple would occasionally manifest in the Tianqiong Secret Realm, containing countless treasures and even ancient Legacies.

"It does not look like the real Void Temple; it might be a projection, or perhaps a shattered side hall." The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak was relatively calm, though she could not hide her excitement. "But even so, the Opportunity within must be astonishing. It is just that the 'Void Turbulence' and 'Bone-Eroding Yin Wind' in this canyon are extremely dangerous; ordinary Golden Core Cultivators would not dare to venture here lightly."

Lin Wan stared at the palace outline across the canyon, his heart stirring. The void five elements token fragment in his embrace was trembling slightly in this place, transmitting an extremely subtle, yet exceptionally clear guidance—pointing towards the depths of that dilapidated palace across the canyon!

The second fragment was actually not in the core of the Five Elements Secret Realm, but in this suspected projection of the "Void Temple"? Or could it be that this palace itself was connected to the core of the Five Elements Secret Realm?

"Let us go over and take a look," Lin Wan said in a deep voice. He was determined to obtain the second fragment.

"Senior Brother Lin, this Void Turbulence..." the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak hesitated.

"It is fine, stay close to me." Lin Wan said no more. He circulated his five elements sword core, and a faint layer of five-colored spiritual light enveloped him—it was the protective spiritual light of his Five Elements Spirit Body. He took the first step, stepping into the grayish-white mist above the canyon.

The moment he entered, he felt his body sink. Countless tiny, sharp "Void Fragments" carrying the power of spatial cutting, along with the bone-chilling "Bone-Eroding Yin Wind" that could corrode spiritual power and Divine Souls, surged toward him like a tide, frantically battering his protective spiritual light.

The five-colored spiritual light fluctuated slightly, blocking and neutralizing most of the attacks. However, Lin Wan could feel that his spiritual power was being consumed extremely quickly. He dared not delay, speeding up as he flew toward the opposite bank. Behind him, the female Cultivator from Danxia Peak and the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak also unleashed their own methods, gritting their teeth to keep up.

The canyon was a thousand zhang wide. Traveling through the Void Turbulence and Bone-Eroding Yin Wind was like sailing against the current; every step was difficult. From time to time, even more violent turbulence would erupt, knocking the three of them off balance. Lin Wan had to strike frequently, using his five elements sword to slash open the turbulence and protect the two people behind him.

It took a full half an hour for the three of them to cross the canyon without incident, landing on the opposite bank. Looking back, the grayish-white mist was still swirling, causing one's heart to palpitate.

"We finally made it!" The male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak breathed a sigh of relief, his face pale; clearly, he had consumed a significant amount of energy.

The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak also felt lingering fear, and her gaze toward Lin Wan held a bit more admiration. If Lin Wan hadn't paved the way, the two of them would never have been able to cross this canyon.

Lin Wan did not say much, his gaze turning toward the palace before them.

This was a massive palace hundreds of zhang tall, constructed entirely from a grayish-white stone that was neither metal nor jade, covered in the mottled marks of time and cracks. The palace gate had long since collapsed, revealing a pitch-black entrance that resembled the open mouth of a giant beast, emitting an eerie, ancient, and mysterious aura. Scattered around the palace were some broken statues and stone pillars, on which star charts, Divine Beasts, and some unrecognizable ancient characters could be vaguely seen carved.

The sensing from the void five elements token fragment was becoming stronger and stronger, and the direction it guided them to was precisely the depths of the palace.

"Let's go in," Lin Wan gripped his five elements sword tightly and stepped into the palace first.

The interior of the hall was incomparably vast and dimly lit, with only some lusterless crystals embedded in the walls emitting a faint fluorescence. The floor was covered in thick dust, and the air was filled with the smell of decay and dust. However, the concentration of Spiritual Qi was higher than outside, and it carried a peculiar fluctuation that seemed capable of distorting space.

The three of them proceeded with caution. The internal structure of the palace was complex, with corridors crisscrossing and countless rooms. Most of the rooms were empty or had already been looted, leaving behind only some useless ornaments. However, there were some rooms that still had Restrictions, or were inhabited by Yin-attribute Yao Beasts and ghosts that had adapted to the environment here. The three of them dealt with them one by one, also obtaining some gains, such as a few broken ancient treasures, several bottles of unknown Medicinal Pills (which had already lost their efficacy), and some stone slabs inscribed with ancient characters.

The deeper they went, the stronger the sensing from the void five elements token fragment became, and at the same time, the aura of danger grew thicker. Lin Wan felt that there seemed to be gazes spying from the shadows, carrying greed and malice.

"Someone is following us," he transmitted his voice to the two people behind him. The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak and the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak immediately became vigilant, each gripping their Magic Treasure.

"Hehe, your perception is quite sharp," an insidious laugh came from behind a broken stone pillar ahead. Immediately after, three figures slowly walked out, forming a triangular formation, blocking their path.

The leader was a Cultivator wearing a black robe, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, and his aura as cold and sinister as a poisonous snake—he was actually an Early Stage Golden Core! The two people behind him were at Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, both holding bone Magic Treasures, their eyes fierce and ruthless.

"People from the Xuanyin Sect!" The male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak's expression changed. The Xuanyin Sect had always been at odds with the Qingyun Sect; meeting in the Secret Realm meant a life-and-death struggle was inevitable.

"Lin Wan, hand over the Five Elements Legacy and that Divine Ability secret technique that can sweep away heavenly fire, and this seat can leave your corpse intact and spare these two companions of yours. Otherwise, I will extract your soul and refine your spirit, ensuring you never reincarnate!" The black-robed Golden Core leader's voice was hoarse, carrying undisguised killing intent. Clearly, they had come specifically for Lin Wan, and might even have been tailing them the entire way.

"Just by relying on you?" Lin Wan's gaze was cold, and he slowly raised his five elements sword, the Chaos dark-gold light flowing on the sword body. "If you want my Legacy, come and trade your lives for it."

"You don't know what is good for you! Form the array!" The black-robed Golden Core shouted sharply. The three of them struck simultaneously, instantly setting up a simple "Three Yin Soul-Locking Array." Thick Yin-evil Qi permeated the area, transforming into countless wailing ghosts that pounced toward Lin Wan and the others, while invisible chains coiled toward the three's Divine Souls.

"Insignificant tricks!" Lin Wan snorted coldly. He circulated his five elements sword core, and a vast, grand, and all-suppressing embryonic five elements sword Intent rose from his body. Combining this with the protective spiritual light of his Five Elements Spirit Body, he completely shattered and repelled the Yin-evil ghost Qi and the Divine Soul chains.

At the same time, his figure moved like lightning, charging straight at the black-robed Golden Core! The five elements sword transformed into a streak of light, the tip of the sword concentrating five-colored brilliance, carrying the Sword Intent of the Five Elements circulating and turning into sharpness, stabbing straight at his chest!

"Well done!" The black-robed Golden Core did not dodge or retreat. A pitch-black soul-summoning banner flew out from his sleeve. As the banner unfurled, countless fierce ghosts and vengeful spirits screamed as they rushed out, forming a thick ghost wall to block in front of him. Furthermore, a pitch-black, single-horned giant python ghost king crawled out from the banner, spitting foul-smelling poisonous mist as it bit toward Lin Wan.

"Five Elements, Suppress!" Lin Wan pressed his left hand into the air, and the five-colored spiritual light transformed into a wheel of light, suppressing and dispersing the poisonous mist. His right hand continued the sword's momentum, stabbing fiercely into the ghost wall.

"Ch—!"

Where the Chaos sword light passed, the ghost wall melted like snow, easily pierced through! The embryonic five elements sword Intent had an extremely strong restraining effect on such Yin-evil things. The sword light penetrated the ghost wall, its momentum undiminished, and struck the shaft of the soul-summoning banner.

"Crack!" The shaft of the soul-summoning banner snapped in response! The black-robed Golden Core groaned; his Magic Treasure was damaged, and since it was connected to his mind, he was heavily injured. A look of shock flashed in his eyes; he had not expected Lin Wan's Sword Intent to be so sharp, and its suppression of the ghost path to be so strong.

Before he could react, Lin Wan's sword style changed again. The five elements sword traced an arcane arc, and the five-colored Sword Qi of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth rotated, transforming into a five-colored sword wheel, sealing off all his retreat paths!

"Ten Thousand Ghosts Devour the Heavens!" The black-robed Golden Core was shocked and angry. He bit his tongue, spraying out essence blood, which sprinkled onto the broken banner shaft. The banner shaft burst with bloody light, suddenly exploding and transforming into countless bloody ghost shadows that frantically pounced toward Lin Wan, attempting to perish together with him.

"Be careful!" The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak and the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak, who were also fighting the other two Great Perfection Foundation Establishment Xuanyin Sect Disciples, exclaimed upon seeing this.

Lin Wan's expression remained unchanged. With a thought, the wisp of initially condensed five elements sword Intent within his five elements sword core erupted, merging into the five elements sword. On the sword body, the five sword patterns shone brilliantly, the five colors flowing and vaguely transforming into a tiny Chaos vortex.

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins, Sword Intent—Slash!"

With one sword strike, there was no longer any dazzling Sword Qi, only a grayish, chaotic sword mark that seemed capable of devouring all light and annihilating all existence, flashing past in an instant.

"Puff..."

Amidst a soft sound, the sky full of bloody ghost shadows was instantly wiped away as if by an invisible eraser, vanishing into nothingness. The black-robed Golden Core maintained a look of utter horror, a blood line as thin as a hair appearing between his brows, and then his body silently split into two, collapsing to the ground with a thud, his Divine Soul completely annihilated by the chaotic sword mark.

One sword strike, and he killed an Early Stage Golden Core! And it was a Golden Core from the Xuanyin Sect, who practiced ghost path secret techniques and was skilled at self-preservation!

The other two Xuanyin Sect Foundation Establishment Disciples were scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, turning to flee. They were caught by the female Cultivator from Danxia Peak and the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak, who joined forces to kill them.

The battle ended in no more than ten breaths.

The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak and the male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak looked at Lin Wan, who stood with his sword sheathed, their eyes filled with shock and awe. They knew Lin Wan was strong, but they hadn't expected him to be this strong. Killing a Golden Core of the same stage had been so clean and efficient.

Lin Wan quickly cleared the battlefield, collecting the Storage Pouches of the few and the damaged soul-summoning banner (the Materials might be useful). The sensing from the void five elements token fragment seemed to have become clearer after the black-robed Golden Core died.

"Let's continue moving forward; be careful of other ambushes," Lin Wan said in a deep voice, walking first in the direction where the sensing was strongest.

After passing through several more dilapidated corridors, a tightly closed, crack-filled bronze gate appeared ahead. On the gate leaves were carved the sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers, and some incomprehensible runes. The sensing from the void five elements token fragment had become so strong that it was trembling; clearly, the second fragment was behind the gate.

Lin Wan stepped forward and tried to push open the bronze gate. The gate was incomparably heavy and was locked by a strange spatial force; with his Early Stage Golden Core strength, he was actually unable to budge it in the slightest.

"Does it require a specific key, or... opening it with Five Elements power?" Lin Wan pondered, taking out the five elements token and attempting to press it onto a recessed pattern on the gate that matched the shape of the five elements token.

"Click..."

A slight mechanical sound rang out, and the runes on the bronze gate lit up one by one, emitting a faint five-colored radiance. The gate slowly opened inward, revealing a bottomless staircase extending downward. A purer, more ancient Spiritual Qi carrying spatial fluctuations surged out from below the staircase.

"I will go down; you two stay here and keep watch. If there is any unusual movement, sound the alarm immediately," Lin Wan said to the two people behind him. The situation below was unclear, and he did not want to let them take risks.

"Senior Brother Lin, be careful." The two nodded, each occupying an advantageous position and keeping a vigilant watch on their surroundings.

Lin Wan did not hesitate any longer; holding his five elements sword, he walked down the stairs step by step.

The stairs wound downward, seemingly without end. On the surrounding walls were embedded strange crystals emitting a soft white light, illuminating the path ahead. The further down they went, the stronger the spatial fluctuations became, and the Spiritual Qi grew richer, carrying a strange "Void Realm" attribute.

Descending about several hundred zhang, the path ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a massive underground hall.

The hall was circular, with a diameter exceeding a hundred zhang. The dome hung high above, inlaid with countless star-like crystals arranged in a mysterious trajectory, resembling a miniature starry sky that slowly rotated, casting down cold starlight.

In the center of the hall was a circular stone platform that stood three feet above the ground. Hovering above this platform was a palm-sized, pitch-black token covered in cracks—it was precisely the second fragment of the "void five elements token"!

The fragment rotated slowly, emitting intense spatial fluctuations and Five Elements spiritual power, resonating violently with the fragment and five elements token in Lin Wan's hand. The starlight throughout the entire hall seemed to flow subtly with it as the center.

However, sitting cross-legged around the stone platform were five figures! These five figures were not living people, but rather five Puppets—covered in star armor, wielding different weapons, with blurred faces, yet exuding terrifying auras! Or more accurately, they were "Star Dome Guardians"!

These five Puppets sat according to the Five Elements directions, their armor appearing in gold, cyan, black, red, and yellow respectively, corresponding to the Five Elements. Their auras had remarkably reached the Early Stage Golden Core, and their energies were connected to one another, subtly forming a Five Elements battle formation that guarded the stone platform firmly in the center.

To obtain the second fragment, one must break through these Five Elements Star Dome Guardians!

"Those who trespass into the Forbidden Ground of the temple shall die!" A cold, emotionless voice issued simultaneously from the mouths of the five Puppets. In their five pairs of hollow eye sockets, star-like lights ignited simultaneously, locking onto the intruder, Lin Wan.

The next moment, the gold-armored guardian moved first. With a flick of the golden long spear in its hand, it transformed into a brilliant golden meteor, stabbing straight at Lin Wan's face! The speed was extreme, and at the tip of the spear, the Geng Metal Qi was condensed into substance, capable of piercing through mountains.

At the same time, the cyan-armored guardian formed hand Seals, and countless thick cyan vines instantly surged from the ground, winding around Lin Wan's legs like venomous pythons. The black-armored guardian opened its mouth and spat out a black water dragon, which swept over, carrying bone-chilling cold and corrosive power. The red-armored guardian ignited with raging flames, transforming into a giant fire bird that dove down from the air. The yellow-armored guardian pressed its hands to the ground, causing it to bulge and transform into several thick earthen walls, sealing off Lin Wan's retreat.

The Five Elements attacks were launched simultaneously, perfectly coordinated, with heaven-shaking power, instantly sealing off all of Lin Wan's space for evasion!

These five Puppets, each with the strength of an Early Stage Golden Core, had their power multiplied when forming a battle formation, enough to threaten a Middle Stage, or even Late Stage Golden Core Cultivator!

Facing this sudden, flawlessly coordinated, lethal Five Elements attack, an unprecedented brilliance erupted in Lin Wan's eyes.

"Five Elements? A battle formation? Perfect, just what I need to hone my five elements sword Intent and verify my Five Elements Dao!"

"Well come!" He let out a long shout and advanced instead of retreating. His five elements sword core spun madly, and his Dantian energy surged like a bursting river into his limbs and bones, and into the five elements sword! Inside his Dantian, that nascent wisp of five elements sword Intent, under immense pressure, became increasingly condensed and sharp, like a sword being tempered!

"Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—the Five Elements rotate, generating and overcoming each other. Controlling them with the sword—this is my Dao—Five Elements Sword Domain, open!"

Following his shout, with him as the center, within a radius of ten zhang, the Spiritual Qi of the Five Elements suddenly became violent. Phantoms of golden weapons, vines, water waves, flames, and mountains appeared, intertwined, yet operated, generated, and overcame each other in a mysterious trajectory, subtly forming a miniature "Domain" that belonged solely to him—a crude yet infinitely potential Five Elements Sword Domain prototype!

Although the range was small and extremely unstable, within this Domain, his control over the Spiritual Qi of the Five Elements reached a whole new level. His Five Elements attacks were amplified, while the enemy's Five Elements attacks were naturally suppressed and interfered with.

The golden spear light pierced into the sword Domain, its speed suddenly decreasing, and it was entangled and cut by countless fine Geng Metal Sword Qi. The cyan vines touched the edge of the sword Domain and were inversely eroded and absorbed by the Yi Wood Sword Qi within. The black water dragon rushed in and was guided and divided by the Gui Water Sword Qi. The giant fire bird crashed into it and was burned and assimilated by the Li Fire Sword Qi. The earthen walls bulged and were suppressed and disintegrated by the Wu Earth Sword Qi.

The five Five Elements attacks, the moment they entered the Five Elements Sword Domain prototype, had their power greatly reduced, and were controlled by Lin Wan's exquisite five elements sword Intent, guiding them to clash and cancel each other out.

Seizing this Opportunity, Lin Wan moved.

His figure transformed into five afterimages, simultaneously pouncing toward the five Puppets! Each afterimage held the five elements sword, executing sword moves of different attributes.

His main body lunged straight at the gold-armored guardian. The five elements sword transformed into a chaotic sword rainbow, using the counter-logic of Earth generating Gold and Gold overcoming Wood, forcibly shaking away the golden long spear, and stabbing a sword into its chest core!

One afterimage faced the cyan-armored guardian, the sword move switching to Water generating Wood and Wood overcoming Earth. The Sword Qi transformed into a gentle spring rain, penetrating the vines and shattering the crystal in the center of its brow.

One afterimage met the black-armored guardian, using Fire overcoming Water and Water nourishing all things. The sword light was like a fire dragon emerging from the sea, burning up the water dragon and piercing through its Dantian.

One afterimage struck at the red-armored guardian, using Water overcoming Fire and Fire refining true gold. The sword momentum was like a heavenly river inverted, extinguishing the flames and severing its neck.

The final afterimage faced the yellow-armored guardian, using Wood overcoming Earth and Earth carrying all things. The Sword Qi was like an ancient tree taking root, shattering the earthen walls and piercing its spirit pivot.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!" With five muffled sounds that were almost simultaneous, the five Star Dome Guardians stiffened at the same time, the star-like light in their eyes extinguished, and they collapsed with a bang, turning into piles of broken parts and lusterless crystals.

Five Star Dome Guardians at the Early Stage Golden Core, forming a Five Elements battle formation, were actually... instantly killed in front of Lin Wan, who had realized the Five Elements Sword Domain prototype!

It was not by brute force, but by using more exquisite, higher-level five elements sword Intent and control to find their flaws and kill them in one strike! This was the crushing power of "Dao".

Lin Wan retracted his sword, panting slightly, his face somewhat pale. Controlling five afterimages simultaneously, executing sword moves of different attributes, and maintaining the Five Elements Sword Domain prototype consumed a massive amount of mental energy and Dantian energy. But the gains from this battle were even greater. His understanding of five elements sword Intent, the generation and overcoming of the Five Elements, and the "Domain" had all improved significantly.

He did not delay any longer and walked quickly to the stone platform, reaching out to grab the hovering void five elements token fragment.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the fragment, a sudden change occurred!

The fragment suddenly erupted with dazzling five-colored light, transforming into a stream of light, and actually actively flew into the five elements token in his embrace! The two fragments, along with the five elements token, instantly fused together, turning into a slightly larger token—with nearly half the cracks gone, a chaotic luster throughout, and clearer map patterns appearing on its surface—a new token!

At the same time, a massive, mysterious flow of information regarding the "void five elements token" and the "Five Elements Returning to Ruins" grotto-heaven forcibly surged into Lin Wan's Sea of Consciousness.

"Gathered two fragments, unlocking partial permissions. You may use this token to sense the approximate location of other fragments within a hundred miles. You may preliminarily activate the token's 'Void Escape' ability; each teleportation distance does not exceed a thousand miles, with a cooldown of three days. You may use this token to obtain partial Restriction immunity in the outer areas of the 'Five Elements Returning to Ruins' grotto-heaven."

"Reward for obtaining the second fragment: Fortune Points ×5000, 'Void Escape' (Low Grade Earth Rank) Introductory Chapter ×1, Fourth Grade 'star gold' ×1 block." The System's notification sound also rang out at the right time.

Lin Wan endured the dizziness brought by the information impact and looked at the new fused token in his hand. The token's chaotic luster was richer, and on the map, the light spot representing the third fragment appeared remarkably... in the direction of the Western Desert, and it was extremely distant and dim.

"Void Escape... star gold... Void Escape..." Lin Wan was pleasantly surprised. He had gained another Divine Ability for life-saving and traveling, as well as a precious piece of Artifact Refining Materials. This trip to the temple was worth it.

He was just about to put away the token when suddenly, the entire underground hall began to shake violently! The star crystals on the dome flashed chaotically, and cracks appeared on the walls, as if this temple projection was about to collapse because the core fragment had been taken away!

"Not good! The temple is going to collapse! Run!" Lin Wan's expression changed. He didn't have time to look closely, so he put the token away, his figure moving like lightning, rushing up the stairs he had come from.

The moment he rushed out of the stairs, returned to the upper corridor, and reunited with the two Cultivators from Danxia Peak, a deafening roar came from behind. The bronze gate, along with the stairs behind it, was instantly submerged by the collapsing rubble, and dust filled the air. The entire dilapidated palace was shaking violently, with giant stones constantly falling from the dome.

"Go!" Lin Wan shouted in a low voice, taking the two of them and flying rapidly in the direction they had come from.

The journey was fraught with danger. Avoiding the constantly falling giant stones and the collapsing corridors, the three finally rushed out of the palace and returned to the edge of the canyon.

Looking back, they saw the towering palace rapidly collapsing and disintegrating under the starlight, finally turning into countless light spots and dissipating into the void, as if it had never existed. Only the bottomless canyon and the churning void turbulence remained as they were.

"The Void Temple projection... has disappeared." The male Cultivator from Shenbing Peak murmured, his face full of lingering fear. The female Cultivator from Danxia Peak was also shaken and looked at Lin Wan: "Senior Brother Lin, are you alright? Down there..."

"I'm fine, I got some things." Lin Wan did not want to say much and took out some Materials he had obtained in the palace that he didn't need and shared them with the two. "This place is not suitable for a long stay. Let's explore in another direction." The two accepted them, knowing that Lin Wan must have had a great harvest, but they were sensible enough not to ask more.

Just as the three were preparing to leave, Lin Wan's heart stirred, and he took out the fused void five elements token. On the token, the light spot representing the third fragment was still dim, but at this moment, at the edge of the token, there was a tiny, constantly flickering red light spot, which was rapidly approaching in their direction!

At the same time, a familiar, cold, and obscure aura, carrying intense Death Qi and killing intent, pressed in from the distant sky like dark clouds!

"Ghost Hand Daoist!" Lin Wan's eyes turned cold suddenly. He was truly a lingering ghost! Moreover, it seemed the other party could lock onto his location? Was it because of killing the Xuanyin Sect Golden Core Cultivator earlier, or because of... this void five elements token?

"Go!" Lin Wan did not hesitate, put away the token, and taking the two with him, flew with all his might in the opposite direction of the red light spot.

However, the speed of that red light spot was astonishingly fast, far exceeding the Early Stage Golden Core, and even surpassing the ordinary Middle Stage Golden Core! In just over ten breaths, it had caught up to ten miles behind them, and a terrifying aura at the Nascent Soul level, like the sky collapsing, descended with a bang, locking the three of them firmly in place!

"Junior, you killed my people and took what I had my eye on, and you still want to leave? Stay here for me!" Ghost Hand Daoist's hoarse, venomous voice, as if coming from the Nine Netherworlds, exploded in the hearts of the three like thunder.

A Nascent Soul old monster, personally hunting them down! A true life-and-death crisis had arrived!