43: Chapter 43 The Sea of ​​Return to Nothingness

Deep within the ice mountains of the Northern Plains, in the Icy Spiritual Cave.

This place was a naturally formed spiritual aperture deep within the ten-thousand-year profound ice. Although located in an extremely cold region, because it was deep within the earth veins, it actually accumulated dense, pure, and relatively gentle ice and water Spiritual Qi, with wisps of earth vein Qi seeping through. It was an excellent place for secluded cultivation of water and ice attribute Cultivation Techniques.

Lin Wan sat cross-legged on a profound ice platform that was as smooth as a mirror in the center of the spiritual cave. His eyes were slightly closed, and his breath was long and steady. In front of him, the guixu sword floated quietly, its chaotic dark silver blade emitting a faint, restrained glow that seemed capable of devouring light. On the blade, silver light spots resembling stars slowly flowed, faintly resonating with the dense ice and water Spiritual Qi around it, breathing in and out on its own.

Three months had passed since that thrilling, bloody battle in the Beiming Abyss.

During these three months, he had not taken a single step out of this spiritual cave. All his time was spent digesting the gains from that battle, consolidating his skyrocketing cultivation, and... completely mastering and breaking in this newly restored and completely transformed guixu sword.

The battle with Elder Hanyue seemed brief, but it was actually dangerous to the extreme, pushing him into an unprecedented desperate situation. Yet, it was precisely in that desperate situation that he made a Breakthrough in the face of danger, forcibly fusing three rare Materials to repair the guixu sword, and initially comprehended and unleashed the 'Void Cleaving' strike, which contained the true meaning of Five Elements Returning to Ruins, void annihilation, and even a trace of stellar rotation.

That strike not only killed Elder Hanyue, who was in the Late Stage of Golden Core, but also sliced open a crack leading to a higher hall of the Dao of the sword.

At this moment, within his Dantian, the five elements sword core, which exhibited a 'chaotic dark silver' luster, had completely stabilized at the Peak of the Mid-stage Golden Core, even showing a faint sign of an impending Breakthrough to the Late Stage. His core essence was condensed and majestic; as it circulated, a supreme Dao rhyme of Five Elements rotation, Void Realm containment, and Guixu annihilation naturally flowed. The newly formed silver-gray meridians made the grand cosmic circulation more efficient and resilient, allowing him to automatically absorb and refine Spiritual Qi of any attribute in heaven and earth, converting it into his own chaotic core essence.

The 'Void Dao Seed' at his brow, after clashing with the Ice Flood Dragon's black Qi and being stimulated during the repair of the guixu sword, also seemed to have grown slightly. The silver imprint was clearer, and his comprehension and control of the Laws of space became deeper. He could even faintly feel that he had touched some higher-level, mysterious boundary between 'existence' and 'nothingness'—the deeper, true meaning of the Dao of 'Guixu'.

And his connection with the guixu sword had reached an unprecedented level of closeness. Within the blade, the sleeping sword spirit, though not yet fully awake, transmitted increasingly clear waves of spirituality. It was like a newborn baby, full of curiosity about the outside world, yet possessing a natural dependence and closeness to him, its master. He could clearly perceive every minute change in the blade, command the forces of Guixu, the Void Realm, and the stars contained within the sword as easily as his own fingers, and even blend his mind with the sword spirit during battle to unleash the sword techniques' power to their absolute limit.

"It is time."

Lin Wan opened his eyes. A silver-gray light flowed within them, deep as an ancient well, yet seemingly harboring a Universe where stars were born and destroyed.

A docile, affectionate thought came from the blade, and its chaotic dark silver luster brightened slightly.

"Repairing you was only the first step. Next, the place we are going is your true 'home' and the key to my path of Dao," Lin Wan murmured, his gaze seemingly penetrating the thick profound ice to look toward the distant southern horizon.

The Guixu Sea.

The ultimate Legacy site of the Five Elements Sect, the destination guided by the void five elements token, and a place he had to go, destined to go.

He took out the void five elements token, which had fused three fragments. At this moment, the token presented a deep chaotic color, with what seemed like flowing nebulae and phantom mountains inside. The map patterns on it had become extremely clear. The light dot representing the fourth fragment was still deep in the distant Northern Plains, but its light was extremely faint, as if it were very far away or within some powerful Seal, making the sensation blurry. Meanwhile, the light dot of the fifth and final fragment pointed to the southernmost end of the map, the area shrouded in gray mist and labeled 'Guixu Sea,' which was currently emitting a strong, calling spiritual light.

At the same time, the final words of the phantom of the Senior who had left behind the 'Void Dao Seed' at the ruins of the Bishui Palace surfaced in his mind: '...Go to the Guixu Sea, seek the Five Elements Hall, complete... the unfinished business...'

The Guixu Sea, the Five Elements Hall.

All the answers lay there.

"It's time to set off."

Lin Wan stood up, putting away the guixu sword and the void five elements token. With a wave of his hand, the layers of Restrictions set up in the spiritual cave silently dissolved. Taking a step forward, his figure appeared outside the ice mountain. The biting cold wind and ice crystals rushed at him, but they could not penetrate within three feet of his body.

After discerning the direction, he did not choose to fly. Instead, he executed the 'Void Escape' once more, his figure turning into a distorted phantom that merged into space, speeding toward the south.

With his cultivation greatly improved, the guixu sword repaired, and his control over the Void Dao Seed deepened, his current Void Escape far surpassed his past self in terms of distance, speed, and stealth. Unless a Nascent Soul True Monarch specifically scanned an area carefully with their Divine Sense, it would be extremely difficult to detect his tracks.

Like an invisible ghost, he shuttled through the snowy plains, mountains, and valleys of the Northern Plains, avoiding cities of all sizes and the territories of various Sects, as well as several waves of Ice Soul Palace Cultivators who were clearly searching and inspecting. The current Ice Soul Palace had likely erupted into Chaos due to the death of their Elder Hanyue, and was frantically searching for him, the 'killer,' so he naturally had to be even more careful.

Taking half a month, he crossed the vast Northern Plains and entered the border region between the Central Plains and the Southern Region. Here, the ice and snow were gone, replaced by a warm and humid climate, and the Spiritual Qi became more peaceful and dense. Lin Wan slowed down slightly, switching to flying with the escape light of an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator while gathering the latest news about the 'Guixu Sea' through markets and teahouses along the way.

As expected, the news that the Guixu Sea was about to open had swept through the cultivation world of the Tiannan Continent like a hurricane, even drawing intense attention from the top forces of various great domains, including the Central Plains, the Eastern Wastelands, the Western Desert, and the Northern Plains.

As it turned out, the Guixu Sea could not be entered at any time. This mysterious sea region had been sealed with extremely terrifying Restrictions by the ancient Five Elements Sect using supreme power combined with heaven and earth. Normally, the entire sea region was shrouded in a chaotic, violent, and all-devouring gray mist known as the 'Guixu Mist.' Once any living being, Magic Treasure, or even Divine Sense entered deep into it, they would get completely lost, torn apart, and devoured by the chaotic spatial and Guixu forces, with absolutely no chance of survival.

Only once every three hundred years, when the Qi of heaven and earth interacted, would the Restrictions of the Guixu Sea enter a brief period of weakening. The 'Guixu Mist' shrouding the sea would thin out, and several relatively stable pathways known as the 'Gates of Guixu' would appear, allowing Cultivators to pass through and enter the interior of the Guixu Sea. And this period of weakening would occur—in one year!

One year from now, the Gates of Guixu will appear!

At that time, countless Cultivators and forces from the five great domains and even the Central Plains will gather at the 'Tiannan Ruins' outside the Guixu Sea (a giant Cultivator gathering place located at the border of the Southern Region and the Guixu Sea) to compete for slots to enter the 'Gates of Guixu' and explore the legendary Guixu Sea, which holds the ultimate Legacy of the Five Elements Sect and countless ancient treasures!

"The Guixu Sea... the Five Elements Hall... the Void Dao Seed... It seems everything is pointing toward that grand event one year from now," Lin Wan understood in his heart. The void five elements token in his hand and the Void Dao Seed at his brow might be the key 'keys' to enter the Five Elements Hall or obtain its Legacy. And if he wanted to get what he desired when surrounded by rivals and where Nascent Souls or even Soul Transformations might appear, strength was his only guarantee.

"One year... I need to raise my cultivation to the Late Stage of Golden Core as quickly as possible, and even... attempt to form a Nascent Soul!" Lin Wan's gaze was firm. He had the Xuanming True Water Origin, the remnants of the astral deep silver, and the Ice Flood Dragon's demon core (which, although corrupted by black Qi, would still be of great use once refined), along with many other accumulated resources. Combined with the terrifying boost to cultivation from the Void Dao Seed, breaking through to the Late Stage of Golden Core within a year was not impossible. As for the Nascent Soul... that required Opportunity, comprehension, and an even vaster accumulation; it could not be rushed.

"I should first return to the vicinity of the Qingyun Sect to see Ruyan and the others, and also learn about the recent situation of the Sect, especially the movements of Daoist Ghost Hand and Elder Liu of Tianquan Peak," Lin Wan pondered. Having been away from home for many years, his wife and child were his deepest concerns. Moreover, judging from the news overheard on the qingming boat, Daoist Ghost Hand's faction was still acting in secret, perhaps even targeting Han Lingtian and himself (though they believed he was dead). He needed to confirm his Family's safety and also gather more secret intelligence about the Guixu Sea and the Five Elements Hall through Sect channels.

Having made up his mind, Lin Wan delayed no further. Discerning the direction of the Tianyun Mountain Range where the Qingyun Sect was located, he rushed there with all his might.

A few days later, on the outskirts of the Tianyun Mountain Range, in a Mortal town named Sunset Town.

This town was about a thousand miles away from the mountain gate of the Qingyun Sect. Most of the town's residents were descendants of cultivation families or Mortal relatives affiliated with the Qingyun Sect. The local customs were simple, and because it was close to the immortal Sect, low-level Cultivators could occasionally be seen passing through, though high-level Cultivators were rarely seen.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Lin Wan restrained all his aura, like an ordinary traveler, and stepped into the small town.

He did not go directly to find Liu Ruyan and Chu Qingyao (they should be living in the Inner Sect Disciple Family area, protected by a Formation), but instead first stayed at an inn that looked clean, then quietly probed the town with a weak Divine Sense, while also paying attention to the conversations of passing Cultivators.

The town was not big, and soon he "heard" the news he wanted to hear.

"...Have you heard? That Junior Martial Uncle Lin Wan, who shone brilliantly at the Tianque City Centennial Grand Competition and later mysteriously disappeared, seems to have news!"

"What news? Wasn't it said that he met with a mishap in the Tianqiong Secret Realm?"

"That was the previous theory. Recently, rumors have spread from the Inner Sect that someone saw a Cultivator suspected to be Junior Martial Uncle Lin at the border of the Central Plains. His aura was powerful, his sword technique was divine, and it was extremely similar to the rumored Five Elements Sword path! Moreover, it is said that the faction of Grand Junior Martial Uncle Ghost Hand has been moving frequently recently, seemingly investigating something in secret, which might just be related to Junior Martial Uncle Lin!"

"Really? If Junior Martial Uncle Lin is still alive, that would be a big deal! He was a Genius who even defeated Saint Son Yan Wuji back then!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! You can't just talk nonsense about this. As for Grand Junior Martial Uncle Ghost Hand's side... I heard they have been very close to Elder Liu of Tianquan Peak recently, seemingly plotting something. Even Senior Brother Han Lingtian of the Law Enforcement Hall seems to have been targeted by them. A few days ago, I heard that Senior Brother Han encountered an unknown attack while training outside, and it was only thanks to his strong cultivation that he repelled the powerful enemy..."

"Sigh, the interior of the Sect is not peaceful either..."

Listening to these fragmented conversations, Lin Wan frowned slightly. As expected, the faction of Daoist Ghost Hand had not given up and was still causing trouble in the dark, and might have even attacked Han Lingtian. Moreover, the news about him "suspected to have appeared" was likely a smokescreen deliberately released by some people, with the purpose of probing, or perhaps wanting to lure him out.

As for the news about Liu Ruyan, Chu Qingyao, and his son Lin Jingyun, there were not many rumors in the town. It was only known that they had been living in the "Tingyu Pavilion" of the Inner Sect, staying indoors and rarely appearing. With the care of Peak Master Yue Lingyun, their safety should be secure.

"It seems I need to find a way to contact Ruyan to let her know I am safe and put their minds at ease. But I cannot go directly to the Sect; it is too dangerous," Lin Wan pondered.

He took out a special transmission talisman that Liu Ruyan had given him back then. This talisman could transmit short, one-way messages within a thousand miles and was extremely secretive.

A flash of spiritual light appeared on his fingertip, and he left the words "Safe, do not worry, the time is not yet right, do not search" in the talisman. Then, with a flick of his finger, the transmission talisman turned into an imperceptible stream of light and flew towards the mountain gate of the Qingyun Sect, automatically searching for the corresponding sub-talisman on Liu Ruyan.

After doing this, he pondered for a moment and took out another transmission talisman. This one was given to him privately by Han Lingtian when he left the Sect, stating that if there was an emergency, he could use this talisman to contact him.

He hesitated for a moment, but still left a message in it: "Senior Brother Han, beware of Ghost Hand and Liu of Tianquan. The Guixu Sea is about to open. Take care. Lin."

He did not immediately activate this transmission talisman. Han Lingtian might be under surveillance or in danger right now, and rashly sending a message might bring him trouble. He needed to wait for a more suitable Opportunity, or personally confirm Han Lingtian's situation.

Just as he was contemplating his next move, a commotion came from downstairs in the inn.

"Move aside! Everyone move aside! The Law Enforcement Hall is handling a case, all idlers stand back!"

Several Cultivators dressed in the attire of the Qingyun Sect Law Enforcement Hall, with auras at the Foundation Establishment Stage, swarmed into the inn, their cold eyes scanning the guests in the lobby.

The middle-aged Cultivator in the lead, who was at the Late Stage Foundation Establishment, held a bronze mirror flickering with spiritual light in his hand, shining it on everyone one by one.

"Are they investigating something? Or... are they looking for me?" Lin Wan felt a slight tremor in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged, and he continued to drink tea with his head lowered.

At this moment, his aura was restrained, disguised as a Qi Refinement Stage Loose Cultivator, and with the Void Dao Seed spontaneously concealing him, ordinary detection Magic Treasures would find it hard to see through him.

When the light from the bronze mirror swept over Lin Wan, it paused for a brief moment, and weak ripples seemed to ripple on the surface of the mirror, but it quickly returned to normal.

The middle-aged Cultivator glanced at Lin Wan, saw that he was only at the Qi Refinement Stage, and that his appearance was unfamiliar (Lin Wan had slightly adjusted his face using the Mind Splitting Technique), so he moved his gaze away and continued to check others.

A moment later, the Law Enforcement Hall Cultivators who had found nothing left, and the inn returned to calm, but the atmosphere was much more oppressive.

"It seems that the search within the Sect is even stricter than I imagined. This place is not suitable for staying long." Lin Wan left the tea money, stood up, left the inn, and walked towards the outskirts of the town.

He needed to find a safer, more secluded place to hide temporarily, while Cultivating, waiting for the Opportunity for the Guixu Sea to open, and finding ways to learn more about the faction of Daoist Ghost Hand and the Guixu Sea.

The Tianyun Mountain Range was vast and boundless. Besides the Qingyun Sect mountain gate, there were many desolate, uninhabited deep mountains and marshes, suitable for hiding.

Lin Wan chose a desolate valley located in the southeast of the mountain range, where the Spiritual Qi was acceptable, but the terrain was complex and there were many poisonous miasma swamps. He opened an temporary Immortal Cave in the mountainside, set up layers of Restrictions, and began his closed-door cultivation again.

Time flowed slowly amidst cultivation, deducing sword techniques, and researching the Void Dao Seed and the guixu sword.

Occasionally, he would use special concealment methods to sneak into some markets on the outskirts of the Qingyun Sect, or Immortal Cultivation Families connected to the Sect, to inquire about news.

Rumors about the opening of the Guixu Sea were becoming more and more rampant, and discussions about the "Void Dao Seed" and the "mysterious Sword Cultivator" were increasing.

The faction of Daoist Ghost Hand seemed to have increased their external activities, seemingly colluding with some Demonic Path and evil Cultivator forces in the Southern Region, plotting something big.

On this day, Lin Wan was in his Immortal Cave, trying to refine the Origin of Xuanming True Water and integrate it into his own Water-element spiritual power and Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent, when suddenly, the warning Restriction he had set up a hundred miles outside the Immortal Cave transmitted an extremely slight fluctuation.

It was not a Yao Beast, nor was it a Cultivator passing by by chance. The fluctuation was extremely secretive, swift, and carried an aura that deliberately imitated the surrounding environment, yet could not hide its sharpness.

Someone was approaching! And their cultivation base was not low, at least at the Mid-stage Golden Core or above, and they were good at concealment and tracking.

Lin Wan's heart stirred, and he immediately restrained all his aura, merging himself with the rocks of the Immortal Cave, while simultaneously spreading his perception "field" outward.

He saw a blurry figure as faint as green smoke, almost merging with the surrounding mountain forest mist, traveling through the mountain forest a hundred miles away at a strange speed, and the direction was pointing directly at the valley where his Immortal Cave was located!

What made Lin Wan's heart sink even more was that the aura of this figure gave him a feeling that was extremely familiar, yet filled with cold murderous intent.

It was... the aura of Daoist Ghost Hand! Although it seemed a bit weaker than when he was chasing him in the Tianqiong Secret Realm back then, and more elusive and strange, he would never mistake the cold Death Qi originating from the "Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Soul" Cultivation Technique, and that resentful intent that was like a maggot on a tarsal bone!

Daoist Ghost Hand! He actually came to his door himself?! How did he find this place?!

Lin Wan's thoughts turned like lightning. Did he leave traces when he returned to the vicinity of the Qingyun Sect? Was the transmission talisman sent to Liu Ruyan intercepted and tracked? Or... did Daoist Ghost Hand master his general location through other means, such as Heavenly Mystery calculation, or collusion with Elder Liu of Tianquan Peak?

Regardless, at this moment, the crisis had already arrived.

With his current strength, facing Daoist Ghost Hand (Early Stage Nascent Soul) in his prime, even with the guixu sword and the Void Dao Seed, his chances of winning were still slim. But looking at the other party's aura, it did not seem to be in its prime, and might even just be an Incarnation, or... was it the main body that had not fully recovered from serious injuries?

Moreover, the other party did not seem to have fully determined his specific location, but was only searching and approaching.

To fight, or to flee?

Lin Wan's gaze was cold, and his right hand slowly gripped the hilt of the guixu sword. The chaotic dark silver sword body transmitted a gentle and firm Battle Intent.

Fleeing might temporarily avoid the sharp edge. But Daoist Ghost Hand was like a venomous snake; since he had already set his sights on him, if he was not eliminated, there would be endless trouble. Moreover, this place was far from the Qingyun Sect, which was a good place to settle private grievances.

More importantly, his strength had greatly increased, the guixu sword was initially repaired, and he had the Void Dao Seed with him, so he might not lack the power to fight! Even if he was not a match, relying on the Void Escape and the sharpness of the guixu sword, escaping should not be difficult.

"Since you have come, then... let's make an end of it."

The silver-gray sword glow in Lin Wan's eyes slowly lit up. He no longer hid, but instead released a trace of his own aura, like a candle in the dark night, clearly pointing to the location of the Immortal Cave.

Since he couldn't hide, he would take the initiative to lure him here!

A hundred miles away, the figure as faint as green smoke suddenly paused, and then, let out a hoarse, resentful cold laugh like the cry of a night owl:

"Found you... little bastard... This time, let's see where you can run!"

Before the words fell, the green smoke suddenly accelerated, turning into a gray-black stream of light tearing through space, carrying monstrous ghost aura and murderous intent, rushing madly towards the valley!

The great battle was on the verge of breaking out.