154: Chapter 154 A magical phrase, a high-stakes gamble that decides the fate of the world.

That dry, strange lingering sound rippled through the magnificent dark gold hall, as if even the air had been drained of its temperature by this single word.

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming, a dignified peak Late Stage Golden Core Cultivator of the Sky Patrol Division, turned deathly pale in an instant.

The pure, evil intent bursting from Shadow Erosion's remains, though only an extremely faint wisp, felt like a cold, venomous snake that bit fiercely into his Divine Sense.

Unable to control his body's instinctive reaction, he stumbled half a step backward, his hard official boots screeching harshly against the mysterious ice floor.

His usually sinister eyes were now filled with undisguised terror.

In that instant, he felt he wasn't facing a dying assassin, but a terrifying god slowly opening its single eye from the endless abyss; the mere aftermath of its gaze had nearly frozen his Golden Core.

Standing in front, the Incarnation of Senior Xuanjizi, though still illusory, had unprecedented turbulent waves rising in his usually calm eyes.

This Nascent Soul Late Stage powerhouse, who had lived for nearly a thousand years, stared fixedly at the pile of nothingness on the ground that couldn't even be called ash, as if under a binding spell.

Ignoring Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's loss of composure, he merely trembled his lips, unconsciously chewing over that strange syllable repeatedly.

Each time he chanted it, the profound clear light circulating around him fluctuated violently, as if the word itself possessed some demonic power that desecrated the Heavenly Dao Laws.

Lin Chen stood silently to the side, enduring the tearing, burning pain radiating from his left thumb.

Forcibly simulating the aura of Geng Metal Law just now had almost drained the last shred of Chaos spiritual power in his Dantian; his Meridians felt like a parched, cracked riverbed, and every breath was accompanied by the metallic scent of blood.

Yet he stood with his back straight, coldly observing the reactions of these two high-ranking figures.

He knew that by sheer Luck, he had forced out a shocking secret capable of chilling the hearts of the entire Central Continent's upper echelons, and even the entire Xuanling World.

"Xu… Gui Xu…" Senior Xuanjizi's voice suddenly became extremely dry, as if his vocal cords had aged hundreds of years in an instant.

He slowly turned around, his gaze passing over Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming and landing on Lin Chen, his tone carrying a suffocating heaviness, "In the legends of the God-Slaying Era… the 'Gui Xu Demon Lord'. This old man thought it was just an absurd myth fabricated in ancient texts to exaggerate the ancient catastrophe. I never expected… that He truly exists."

Hearing this name, Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's body shuddered violently again, his voice even changing pitch: "Senior, are you saying… that taboo existence from the ancient era who triggered the world-ending disaster, rumored to feed on the Origin of a world's Heavenly Dao? That's impossible! Ancient records state that the Demon Lord was thoroughly banished and suppressed in the deepest part of the spatial turbulence at the end of that catastrophe by the joint efforts of the few remaining Mahayana and even Undergoing Tribulation Ascension powerhouses of the Xuanling World! How could He still have the power to interfere with reality?"

"Time is meaningless to such extraterrestrial beings who have leaped out of Reincarnation and feed on realms." Senior Xuanjizi's gaze seemed to pierce through the hall's dome, looking into the desperate darkness of the endless Void Realm, "We always thought that Mo Yuan was just a malignant, foul Qi born from the exhaustion of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, a natural disaster that could be slowly purified through Formations and Seals. But now it seems, we were all wrong. Terribly wrong!"

Senior Xuanjizi clenched his withered fist tightly, and due to the excessive force, fine cracks even faintly appeared on the arm of his Incarnation.

"Mo Yuan is not a natural disaster at all, but a feeding tentacle extended into our Xuanling World by that Gui Xu Demon Lord from within the endless spatial turbulence! It is a precursor to His attempt to reopen the realm channel and descend upon this world! Those Yao Beasts infected by Mo Yuan's power, those assassins lurking in the shadows, are nothing more than digestive fluids He uses to corrode the Heavenly Dao barrier of the Xuanling World!"

This shocking secret hit Lin Chen's Sea of Consciousness like a ten-thousand-ton thunderbolt.

He had originally thought he was facing merely an evil force attempting to subvert the Central Continent, but he hadn't expected that the end of this crisis would be a terrifying Demon Lord who viewed the entire world as food on a plate.

No wonder the backlash force just now was so bizarre and domineering; that wasn't a Cultivator's method at all, but the absolute suppression of a low-dimensional ant by a high-dimensional life form.

"Since it is feeding, there must be an anchor point." After a brief moment of horror, Senior Xuanjizi's eyes quickly condensed into an extremely resolute killing intent, "He is banished in the spatial turbulence; to descend across realms, these infiltrated Mo Yuan foul Qi are far from enough. In the heartland of this Central Continent, or even some hidden corner of the entire Xuanling World, a core altar for receiving the Demon Lord's descent must have already been quietly built by these dark pawns enslaved by Mo Yuan. That Heaven-Sealing and Earth-Isolating Formation at Dragonfall Gorge is merely a smokescreen they released to cover the altar's aura, or rather, a small branch of the altar network!"

Senior Xuanjizi took a deep breath, and the originally dim clear light around his body erupted with blinding radiance again. He looked directly at Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming and said word by word: "Transmit my decree, immediately report to the Grand Elders of the Tianshu Pavilion. We can no longer rely on passive defense. Since the geng metal true spirit fragment has appeared, this is the only sliver of hope left to us by the Heavenly Dao. I propose that we utilize this fragment, using its indestructible Origin Law as a 'Boundary-Breaking Beacon' to take the initiative before Mo Yuan's erosion completely assimilates the Heavenly Dao barrier and the altar is fully closed! We must track the source of that devouring power in reverse, locate and completely destroy the core altar for His descent into this world!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming screamed loudly, losing his composure like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, not even caring about the reverence due to a Nascent Soul powerhouse.

His face flushed red, and he waved his arms violently, "Senior Xuanjizi, have you gone mad?! That is the Gui Xu Demon Lord! Even a sliver of His will that has infiltrated is not something our current Era of Dharma Decline can contend with! Take the initiative? Actively seek out that receiving altar? This is no different from throwing an egg against a rock; it's like a moth flying into a flame!"

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming panted rapidly, spittle flying, desperately trying to stop this crazy plan that he viewed as near-suicidal: "Not to mention that we have no idea what kind of dangerous, forbidden land the altar is hidden in, even if we found it, it would definitely be a dragon's den and tiger's lair with the thickest Mo Yuan power and the tightest defense by the dark pawns! Taking a step back, if the operation fails and alarms the Demon Lord's main body in the spatial turbulence, causing the channel to open prematurely, the entire Central Continent, and even the entire Xuanling World, will be doomed! Our only way to survive now is to hold our ground! Immediately contract our defensive lines, gather the strength of the entire world, requisition all Formation Grandmasters and spiritual materials, and establish a ten-thousand-year Great Formation centered on the Tianshu Pavilion to resist the erosion! As long as we can hold out and wait until the Demon Lord shifts his attention to other realms, we can survive!"

"Utterly foolish!" Senior Xuanjizi laughed out of extreme anger, and with a violent wave of his illusory wide sleeve, a massive spiritual power directly knocked Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming back several steps, "Hold your ground? Do you think this is resisting a beast tide? That is digestive fluid! Locking yourself in a tortoise shell only makes the Demon Lord's meal slightly harder to chew! Once the Heavenly Dao barrier is completely corroded, your so-called ten-thousand-year Great Formation will be no stronger than paper in front of the Demon Lord's main body!"

"But Senior, once the proactive attack fails, even our last line of defense will collapse! We cannot afford this risk! Furthermore, the geng metal true spirit fragment is a world-protecting divine object; if it is lost in the Mo Yuan forbidden land while searching for the altar, that would be the true crime of the ages!" Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming refused to retreat, his bureaucratic nature making him instinctively reject any massive risk.

In his view, as long as they hunkered down and defended, even if the world ended, it would be Heaven's will. But if taking the initiative caused the defensive line to collapse, he, as the Deputy Chief of the Sky Patrol Division, would definitely be the first scapegoat pushed out to appease public anger.

The two high-ranking figures of the Central Continent, one advocating for war and the other for defense, erupted into an extremely fierce argument in the empty hall.

The auras of the Nascent Soul Stage and the peak Late Stage Golden Core collided, kicking up a violent vortex of spiritual power in the hall.

Lin Chen was on the edge of this vortex, feeling as if his body were a lonely boat in a stormy sea, his bones creaking under the unbearable pressure.

But he did not retreat, nor did he even frown.

His deep gaze swept back and forth between the furious Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming and the enraged Senior Xuanjizi, his brain racing amidst the intense pain.

He knew better than anyone that Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's theory of holding one's ground was nothing more than slow suicide.

The Lin Family was a living example; when the Qingmu Sect declined, if the Lin Family had chosen to cower and hold their ground on that barren Spiritual Vein in the Southern Region, they would have been devoured by surrounding forces sooner or later.

Only by seeking a turning point in a desperate situation and substituting offense for defense could one carve out a bloody path.

More importantly, Senior Xuanjizi's plan to take the initiative allowed him to see an unprecedented, heaven-shaking opportunity that could allow the Lin Family to leap into becoming the top immortal clan in the Xuanling World.

Wealth and honor are sought in danger. If one is about to lose their life, what is the point of guarding those jars and pots?

"Two Seniors, please hear this Junior out."

A voice, extremely calm yet permeated with an undeniable, resilient strength, abruptly cut into the violent vortex of Spiritual Qi, forcibly interrupting the argument between the two high-ranking figures.

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming glared at Lin Chen, just about to scold this Junior who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, but he saw that Lin Chen had already dragged his exhausted body forward half a step, meeting Senior Xuanjizi's gaze directly.

"Holding your ground—you can hold it for a moment, but not for a lifetime. My Lin Family of the Southern Region is the perfect example."

Lin Chen's voice was not loud, hoarse and carrying a trace of the scent of blood, but it was resounding, "If one blindly retreats and cowers, it will only bring the enemy's blade closer and closer until there is nowhere left to hide. Facing this kind of monster that attempts to devour the entire world, any sense of wishful thinking is a death warrant."

He ignored Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's eyes that were about to spit fire and looked straight at Senior Xuanjizi, putting forward the chips he had long calculated in his heart: "Senior Xuanjizi, although your plan is dangerous, it is the only path to survival. However, Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming was right about one thing just now: the geng metal true spirit fragment is too violent. If an ordinary Cultivator carries it deep into the hinterlands of the Moyuan, they will be torn to pieces by the power of Law before they can even find the altar."

Lin Chen paused, his tone becoming extremely solemn, every word like a nail hammered into black ice: "This Junior is untalented and not a genius, but my Physique is unique. During the battle at Dragonfall Gorge, you all saw that I could barely endure and guide the Geng Metal Qi without dying. If Senior trusts me, please use your name and the name of the Wanfa Pavilion to bypass the complicated rules of the Sky Patrol Division and secretly form an elite team, named the 'Demon-Slaying Guard,' which I will have full authority to command."

Speaking of which, Lin Chen's tone shifted: "However, I have a condition."

He did not beat around the bush at all and straightforwardly put forward his price, which could be called a lion's share: "I, Lin Chen, can risk my life, but the Lin Family behind me must receive the highest level of resource allocation and absolute security guarantees from the Tianshu Pavilion. During my absence, if anyone or any force dares to touch a single hair on my Lin Family, the Tianshu Pavilion must raze them to the ground for me. I want the top-tier Cultivation Techniques, the purest Medicinal Pills, and the sturdiest Formation Plates of this Central Continent to be sent to my Lin Family's gates like flowing water."

This was an extremely lucid transaction.

Lin Chen did not sing any high-sounding tunes about saving the common people of the world; he made no secret of his selfishness.

For his wives and children, and for the System's rule that could convert Family Luck into his own strength, he was willing to put his head on the line to arm-wrestle with the legendary Demon Lord, but the prerequisite was that the buyer must provide a deposit enough to move him.

The great hall fell into a deathly silence once again.

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming looked at this Golden Core Early Stage Cultivator, mouth agape, as if looking at an unreasonable madman.

How dare he?

How dare he treat the great cause of saving the Central Continent as a transaction with a marked price in front of an old Nascent Soul monster?

Senior Xuanjizi fell silent.

Those eyes containing the vicissitudes of time stared fixedly at Lin Chen's eyes, as if wanting to look directly through his Soul.

He saw the unmasked greed in the depths of Lin Chen's eyes, but he also saw the madness and determination to face death to protect his Family.

This was not simple recklessness; this was an extremely rational gambler betting his only chips in a desperate situation.

And the Tianshu Pavilion right now happened to need such a madman who was not afraid of death and could suppress the Geng Metal Qi.

After a long time, Senior Xuanjizi's tense face suddenly relaxed a little.

He did not get angry, but instead nodded slowly, with a trace of extremely complex admiration revealing itself in the depths of his eyes.

"What a Lin Family, what a protective Clan Chief. Not talking about illusory righteousness, only seeking the continuation of the Bloodline—it is a rare and clear Dao Heart indeed."

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation waved his large sleeve, paying no heed to Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's expression, which was uglier than crying, and directly grabbed a token from the Void Realm, made entirely of some unknown black jade, with complex golden runes flowing on it.

The moment this token appeared, the massive Luck Formation in the great hall belonging to the Tianshu Pavilion produced a strange resonance, emitting a low hum.

"Catch."

Senior Xuanjizi tossed it casually, and the token turned into a stream of light, landing steadily in Lin Chen's palm.

It was extremely heavy in his hand, almost causing Lin Chen's arm to sink.

That was not the weight of the material itself, but the terrifying power it carried, which made one's heart palpitate.

On the front of the token, two ancient Seal script characters exuding a biting pressure were carved in a dragon-flying and phoenix-dancing style—'Wanfa'.

"This is the Tianshu Secret Order, the highest level of the Wanfa Pavilion."

Senior Xuanjizi's voice echoed in the empty great hall, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness, completely setting the tone for this heaven-shaking gamble, "With this order, you can freely mobilize 30% of the strategic resources of the entire Central Continent without needing to report to the Sky Patrol Division. The 'Demon-Slaying Guard' you form will not be subject to any Sect or Family, and you only need to be responsible to me alone. Seeing this order is like seeing my true self. Within the Central Continent, all Cultivators at the Golden Core stage and below are subject to your command. If there is any resistance, you may execute them first and report later."

Senior Xuanjizi stared at Lin Chen, his tone becoming incomparably solemn: "Lin Chen, the resources and guarantees you want, I will give them all to you. As long as I am not dead, and as long as the Wanfa Pavilion has not collapsed, no one will dare to touch your Lin Family. However, you must remember your promise today. The future of the entire Xuanling World, as well as the life and death of the hundreds of millions of living beings in the Central Continent, are resting on your shoulders and the shoulders of this team."

Lin Chen gripped the cold and heavy black jade token tightly, his knuckles turning pale from the force.

30% of the Central Continent's resources!

Command over all Golden Core Cultivators!

This price far exceeded his initial psychological expectations.

With these resources, coupled with the feedback mechanism of the 'More Children, More Blessings System' in his body, it was no longer empty talk for the Lin Family to experience an explosive leap in strength within a very short period.

He did not say another word of nonsense, but extremely solemnly put the token into his storage ring, and then bowed deeply to Senior Xuanjizi until his back was parallel to the ground.

The transaction was concluded.

From then on, he was no longer just the Clan Chief of a fallen Family in the Southern Region, but a key chess piece on the chessboard of this chaotic Xuanling World that could decide the outcome.

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming stood to the side, his face ash-gray; he knew the overall situation was settled. Once a Grand Elder at the Nascent Soul Late Stage like Senior Xuanjizi made a decision, it was not something a mere Deputy Chief like him could change.

In the eyes with which he looked at Lin Chen, besides wariness, there was a trace of deep awe.

This young man, whom he had previously regarded as an ant, now possessed special authority sufficient to make even a Deputy Chief of the Sky Patrol Division like him feel fearful.

Senior Xuanjizi ignored Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's thoughts; his Incarnation flickered slightly, obviously, this temporarily condensed body was about to reach its limit.

"Follow me."

Senior Xuanjizi turned around and waved his large sleeve, and the dark golden wall at the back of the great hall, carved with the stars of the universe, slid open to both sides with a rumble.

A surge of Spiritual Qi, far purer than in the outer hall and even carrying a trace of Immortal Qi, rushed towards his face.

Outside the door, it was no longer solid ground, but a vast, white, and endlessly rolling sea of clouds.

And in the depths of that sea of clouds, a massive floating palace emitting seven-colored rays of light could be vaguely seen, appearing and disappearing.

That was the true core of the Tianshu Pavilion, the pinnacle of the Central Continent's highest power, where even ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators could not easily set foot.

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation stepped into the sea of clouds first.

Lin Chen took a deep breath, suppressed the churning blood and Qi in his body, and without hesitation, lifted his foot and followed behind Senior Xuanjizi, walking towards the depths of that unknown sea of clouds.

Waiting for him would be the core secret of this world-destroying crisis, as well as that geng metal true spirit fragment capable of deciding the life and death of the Xuanling World.