142: Chapter 142 Spiritual Vein Advancement: An Invitation to an Impending Storm

The Meditation Room deep within the Spiritual Vein was completely different from the dungeon where Sect Master Tie Kuang and his companion were imprisoned.

There was no sense of oppression here. On the contrary, because it was located at the core of the subterranean lava, the Spiritual Qi was so dense it was almost tangible. Warm fire-attribute energy flowed through the air, and every breath felt like inhaling pure spiritual liquid.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged on the fire jade meditation cushion in the center of the Meditation Room, his aura as calm as an abyss.

He was not in a hurry to analyze the demon blood that had been sealed layer by layer; instead, he was reviewing and consolidating his gains after the battle.

Previously, in order to force out that drop of Golden Core heart blood and forcibly raise Lin Haoyu's cultivation, he had suffered a certain loss to his Origin.

At this moment, he was operating his Cultivation Technique, using the subterranean fire energy to slowly repair that slight deficit.

The Chaos Golden Core rotated slowly within his Dantian Qi Sea. With every rotation, it swallowed and refined the surrounding fire-attribute energy, converting it into the purest Chaos spiritual power to nourish his Meridians and Divine Soul.

Just then, the silent transmission Jade Slip in his Sea of Consciousness flickered slightly.

The information transmitted by Qin Ruowei unfolded in his mind like a clear scroll.

From Cave Master Yue Ji's transaction to Sect Master Tie Kuang's frantic attempts to drag others down, to Qin Ruowei's clever response of using both soft and hard tactics to lure the snake out of its hole—not a single detail was missed.

"Very good. Ruowei's methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated."

She had not been blinded by the immediate benefits of the "Hundred Herbs Valley" offered by Cave Master Yue Ji; instead, she had exploited her desire to survive to turn her into a pawn that could be used by my Family.

At the same time, she used this to successfully pry open Sect Master Tie Kuang's mouth, digging out a deeper conspiracy.

The righteous Sects... the alliance... the discarded pawn...

A trace of cold mockery flashed in the depths of Lin Chen's eyes.

He knew that things would never be as simple as they appeared on the surface.

The True Blood Temple was certainly damnable, but if anyone claimed they had the courage and ability to touch the "World-Devouring Demon" that even ancient mighty figures found troublesome, Lin Chen absolutely would not believe it.

Behind this, there must be a much larger force pushing and testing.

Now, Sect Master Tie Kuang's confession had completely confirmed his conjecture.

The waters of the Xuanling World were far murkier than he had imagined.

If he wanted to protect this house of light, relying solely on a Golden Core Stage Early Stage cultivation was far from enough.

As he was pondering how to use these two clues to lay out his plans, the System interface, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly unfolded in his Sea of Consciousness without warning.

A cold and familiar mechanical voice boomed in his mind.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the Host has successfully defended the Family, repelled the invasion of a Golden Core Stage enemy, deterred surrounding petty villains, and successfully subdued the two affiliated forces: Black Wind Stronghold and Blood Bat Cave...]

[Family prestige within the Black Mountain Corner Region has greatly increased; cohesion and centripetal force have reached an unprecedented peak.]

[Comprehensive judgment: The Family's development has reached a critical turning point.]

[Triggering one-time special reward: "Family Cornerstone" promotion!]

Lin Chen's mind tightened abruptly.

It's here! This is exactly what he needs most right now!

As the System prompt faded, three options emitting different halos floated in the center of his Sea of Consciousness like three brilliant stars.

Each option represented a completely different direction of development.

[Option A: Ancestral Shrine Spiritual Elevation.]

[Description: Inject a mysterious spiritual Luck into the Lin Family Ancestral Shrine. When all blood-related Lin Family members Cultivate or comprehend Cultivation Techniques within the Ancestral Shrine's range, their Comprehension Ability will be permanently increased by 10%. This effect can be enhanced as the Ancestral Shrine's grade increases.]

Lin Chen's gaze lingered on the first option for a moment.

Improving Comprehension Ability was undoubtedly a top-tier attribute that any Family dreamed of.

It represented the acceleration of clan members' cultivation speed, easier Breakthroughs of Bottlenecks, and infinite possibilities for the future.

The birth of a Genius might be accidental, but a group of clan members with "improved Comprehension Ability" would inevitably give rise to more elites with high probability.

He then looked at the second option.

[Option B: Spiritual Vein Promotion.]

[Description: Forcibly extract a trace of the Earth's Origin to carry out a transformative promotion for the "Black Wind Valley" Spiritual Vein beneath your feet. The Spiritual Vein grade will be promoted from "Medium Grade Tier 2" to "Quasi-Tier 3". The concentration, purity, and recovery speed of Spiritual Qi will surge across the board, and the Foundation of the Mountain Protecting Formation will be more solid.]

This option was simple and unadorned, yet it pointed directly to the root.

The Spiritual Vein was the lifeblood of an Immortal cultivation Family.

Without a Spiritual Vein, everything was a castle in the air.

The Medium Grade Tier 2 Spiritual Vein of Black Wind Valley was enough to support the Lin Family's development in the past, but with the increase in Family population and the emergence of high-level Cultivators, it was gradually becoming stretched thin.

Especially for himself, the requirements for Golden Core Stage cultivation were almost about to drain this Spiritual Vein dry.

A Spiritual Vein promotion meant that the cultivation environment of the entire Family would undergo a qualitative leap.

Finally, he looked at the third option.

[Option C: Weapon Repository Homology.]

[Description: Extract a wisp of the Host's "Chaos Golden Core" Origin characteristics and attach it to the Family Weapon Repository. All standard Magical Artifacts and Magic Treasures forged by the Weapon Repository will automatically carry a trace of "Law-Breaking" and "Resilience" attributes. When facing Cultivators of the same rank, they will possess a slight suppression effect.]

This was an option that could quickly improve the overall combat power of the Family.

It could allow every Lin Family member's equipment to be superior to Loose Cultivators of the same rank, gaining the upper hand in direct confrontations.

In large-scale Family wars, the accumulation of this overall slight advantage would be the key to deciding victory or defeat.

The three options represented "future potential," "current Foundation," and "immediate combat power," respectively.

Lin Chen had almost no hesitation.

Comprehension Ability was important, but that was a vague future; combat power was indispensable, but Magical Artifacts were ultimately external objects.

Only this land beneath his feet, this Spiritual Vein, was the true cornerstone for the Family to settle down, allowing him to remain unmoved regardless of the wind and rain from the outside world!

One must first survive before talking about the future!

"I choose, B, Spiritual Vein Promotion!" Lin Chen made his decision in his heart.

[Selection confirmed... "Family Cornerstone" promotion starting!]

The moment he made his choice, a magnificent will that could not be described in words seemed to cross endless time and space, descending with a boom!

This will ignored the Formation of the Meditation Room, ignored the thick rock layers, and acted directly on the core of the Spiritual Vein deep beneath the entire Black Wind Valley.

"Boom—!"

A muffled throb, like the heartbeat of a giant, came from the deepest part of the earth.

This sound was not loud, but it clearly transmitted to the heart of every Lin Family member in Black Wind Valley.

At that moment, whether they were meditating in the Meditation Room, tending to spiritual plants in the medicine garden, or sparring on the martial arts field, everyone stopped in their tracks and cast their gaze toward the ground beneath their feet in unison.

Immediately after, the entire Black Wind Valley began to shake violently!

Rocks rolled, trees rustled, and streams surged backward, as if the earth dragon was turning over!

"What's going on?!"

"Is it an enemy attack?!"

Some young clan members' faces changed drastically, and they subconsciously wanted to summon their Magical Artifacts.

But those experienced clan members who had been through bloody battles pressed down on their shoulders, feeling the changes around them with uncertain expressions.

No! This was not an enemy attack!

The light curtain of the Mountain Protecting Formation lit up on its own for the first time, light flowing, enveloping the entire valley.

But unlike when it was attacked, the light of the Formation at this moment was not resisting outward, but shrinking inward, as if it were trying its best to gather and lock in something within the valley.

"Look! Spiritual Qi! It's Spiritual Qi!" A clan member who was cultivating in the medicine garden pointed at the mid-air and let out an incredible exclamation.

They saw that the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the valley was becoming dense at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Originally just thin white mist, it now looked like clear water injected with thick ink, rapidly becoming viscous, and even at some Spiritual Qi nodes, spiritual liquid droplets the size of rice grains began to condense!

Everyone felt that their speed of absorbing Spiritual Qi had increased by more than 20% out of thin air!

That Spiritual Qi, which originally required strenuous effort to guide into the body, was now like a wanderer who had found a home, rushing into their bodies one after another.

A young man who had been stuck at the Bottleneck of the Qi Refining seventh layer for months subconsciously circulated his Cultivation Technique for two cycles within this dense Spiritual Qi, only to feel that rock-solid Bottleneck suddenly loosen. With a soft "click," a surging Spiritual Qi instantly washed through him, and he actually broke through on the spot in this brief moment!

"I... I broke through?!" The young man felt the surging, more powerful magic power within his body, his face filled with wild joy and disbelief.

And his Breakthrough seemed to be just the beginning.

Throughout the valley, flashes of spiritual light from Breakthroughs lit up one after another.

Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment... all the clansmen who were Cultivating felt an unprecedented smoothness!

In the Spiritual Vein Meditation Room, Lin Chen clearly felt that the fire-attribute Spiritual Vein beneath his feet, originally only a Medium Grade second-tier one, was being forcibly remodeled, widened, and purified by a tyrannical yet vibrant force!

New, more refined tributaries were being opened up, intertwining and merging with the original main vein.

The mass of Earth Fire Essence at the core of the Spiritual Vein had expanded in volume by more than thirty percent, and the heat and spirituality it emitted had reached a whole new level.

Quasi-third-tier!

Although it had not yet truly crossed the threshold of a third-tier Spiritual Vein, the quality and quantity of its Spiritual Qi had already far surpassed any peak second-tier Spiritual Vein!

This was the true Foundation for an eternal legacy!

Lin Chen slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, a long-lost, heartfelt smile appearing on his face.

However, just as the Lin Family was jubilant, immersed in the joy of their skyrocketing strength, the storm outside had only just begun to brew.

The news of Venerable Xueli's fall and the capture of the Golden Core Old Ancestors, Sect Master Tie Kuang and Cave Master Yue Ji, at Black Wind Valley could not be kept under wraps forever. Within a mere three days, it swept through the entire Black Mountain Corner Region like a magnitude twelve earthquake and rapidly spread toward even wider areas.

Every Cultivator who heard this news felt that the first reaction was absurdity.

How could a Foundation Establishment Family that had only risen to prominence for a few decades, and didn't even have any Golden Core Cultivators, possibly achieve all this?

But as more and more details leaked out—Sect Master Tie Kuang's Lifebound Treasure destroyed, Cave Master Yue Ji's Disciples fleeing in panic, and the True Blood Temple's Black Mountain Corner Region branch becoming a ghost town overnight—people had to believe this cruel fact.

The Lin Family, this obscure little Family, had truly used thunderous means to annihilate a long-renowned medium-sized Sect and even crippled two Golden Core Old Ancestors in the process!

For a time, all the powers in the entire Black Mountain Corner Region were struck dumb with fear, and no one dared to harbor any covetous thoughts toward Black Wind Valley.

However, to everyone's surprise, the True Blood Temple, as the biggest victim, displayed an eerie calmness.

They neither sent stronger experts to retaliate nor publicly denounced the Lin Family, as if they had accepted this bitter defeat.

But beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging more and more violently.

Teams of mysterious envoys set out from the True Blood Temple's main altar and began frequently visiting major Sects and Families.

They did not bring declarations of war, but Jade Slips recording the "truth."

"The Lin Family colludes with the Demonic Path and Cultivates evil techniques, and their Clan Chief, Lin Chen, even keeps a terrifyingly powerful Outer Realm Heavenly Demon in captivity!"

"A massive blood sacrifice Formation is hidden beneath Black Wind Valley; Fellow Daoists Sect Master Tie Kuang and Cave Master Yue Ji unfortunately perished while trying to stop the Lin Family's conspiracy!"

"That so-called 'Wu Earth True Source' is merely bait used by a demonic entity to disguise itself; the Lin Family has long since become a Puppet of the demonic entity, plotting to overthrow the entire Xuanling World!"

These sensationalist remarks spread quietly among the upper echelons of the major Sects.

Although most people scoffed at this, the word "demonic entity" ultimately touched the most sensitive string in everyone's heart.

It is better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't.

For a time, countless gazes, whether overt or covert, were all cast toward that originally inconspicuous Black Wind Valley.

Just in this eerie atmosphere of an impending storm, three days after the Lin Family upgraded their Spiritual Vein, an uninvited guest arrived outside the mountain gate of Black Wind Valley.

It was an old man with white hair, dressed in a green Daoist robe and holding an ancient Bagua compass.

He had the air of an immortal, a gaunt face, and as his eyes opened and closed, it was as if stars were revolving within them; his aura was as deep as the sea, and he was actually also a Golden Core Immortal Master.

He did not force his way in, nor did he put on any condescending airs; he simply stood a hundred zhang outside the mountain gate, bowed to the mountain-protecting Formation from afar, and said in a loud, clear voice: "Tianji Pavilion Elder Wu Qinian requests an audience with the Lin Family Clan Chief."

His voice was gentle yet contained a peculiar penetrating power, easily passing through the barrier of the Formation and echoing clearly within the valley.

Tianji Pavilion!

As soon as this name was mentioned, the Lin Family Disciples responsible for guarding the mountain gate all changed color.

That was a transcendent force spread throughout the entire Xuanling World, famous for deducing heavenly secrets and selling information, and they never easily got involved in any disputes.

Qin Ruowei received the news immediately and personally came to the mountain gate.

Separated by the thick curtain of light, she looked at the old man who called himself Wu Qinian and bowed neither servilely nor overbearingly: "Junior Qin Ruowei of the Lin Family greets Elder Wu. May I ask what brings you here, Elder?"

Wu Qinian smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over Qin Ruowei, a trace of imperceptible appreciation flashing in the depths of his eyes.

To be at the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection at such a young age, with a condensed aura and a solid Foundation, and more importantly, this steady Heart-Nature of remaining calm even when Mount Tai collapses before one's eyes.

"Manager Qin is too polite." Wu Qinian spoke slowly, his voice still gentle, "I have no ill intentions in coming here. It is just that the recent abnormal movement of the Black Wind Valley Spiritual Vein and the Spiritual Qi tide have affected the stability of the surrounding thousand li; coupled with the fact that the matter of Venerable Xueli involves a great deal, my Tianji Pavilion has been entrusted by several Sects in the Southern Region to express our concern and would like to consult with the Lin Family Clan Chief in person to put everyone's heart at ease."

There was not the slightest fluctuation on Qin Ruowei's cold face. She bowed again, her tone respectful yet firm: "Thank you, Elder, and all Fellow Daoists for your concern. It is just unfortunate that my husband... the Clan Chief is at a critical juncture of seclusion to consolidate his cultivation and cannot receive guests. Moreover, the Family's mountain-protecting Formation has just merged with the newly upgraded Spiritual Vein and is not yet stable, so it is really not suitable to open the mountain gate. I hope Elder will understand."

These words were watertight, simultaneously pointing out Lin Chen's identity as a Golden Core Immortal Master and using the instability of the Formation as a reasonable and logical excuse to refuse the other party's request to enter the valley.

Hearing this, Wu Qinian stroked his long beard, his face showing no sign of displeasure, as if he had long expected this result.

He nodded and said: "Since Clan Chief Lin is in seclusion, I will not disturb him. However, some things are ultimately unavoidable. If the Lin Family wants to gain a foothold in this Xuanling World, there are some voices that must be heard in person; there are some scenes that must be personally attended."

As he spoke, he took out an invitation from his sleeve, its entire body covered with red-gold gilded patterns, and the edges branded with the emblems of several different Sects.

"This is a Dao Discussion Invitation jointly signed by seven major Sects, including the Southern Region's Azure Cloud Sect, Purple Cauldron Mountain, and Heavenly Sword Sect." Wu Qinian flicked his finger, and the gold-stamped invitation turned into a stream of light, floating lightly through the Formation's light curtain and hovering steadily in front of Qin Ruowei.

"Three months from now, at the Central Plains Dao Discussion Platform, a Profound Gate Assembly will be held, aimed at clarifying recent rumors and discussing the calamity of the Ink Abyss together. At that time, every reputable Sect and Family in the Southern Region will send representatives to attend. This invitation is for the Lin Family Clan Chief."

Wu Qinian looked at Qin Ruowei deeply, his tone becoming meaningful: "Whether to go or not, the Lin Family had better make a decision soon. After all, sometimes, silence is not golden, but an admission."

As his voice fell, he said no more, bowed to the mountain gate from afar once again, then turned and transformed into a green rainbow, drifting away, leaving only the gold-stamped invitation that radiated a scorching aura, hovering quietly in front of Qin Ruowei.

Qin Ruowei reached out with her slender fingers and pinched the heavy invitation, which was comparable to a declaration of war.

The material of the invitation was ice-cold to the touch, but the dragon-and-phoenix-like Sect signatures on it seemed to carry a scorching heat, making her fingertips slightly numb.

Without any hesitation, she turned and walked quickly toward the depths of the Spiritual Vein.