58: Star Abyss Sign-in: First Sign of Fangs

Deep within the Meteor Star Ancient Domain, clouds and mist swirled. Lin Fan walked alone among the shattered star fragments, beneath his feet was the meteorite ground that had not melted for ten thousand years, shimmering with a faint silver-gray luster. The surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, with only the occasional cry of a Yao Beast from the far distance breaking the dead silence.

Three days ago, he had accepted a task from the Family's Deacon Hall to investigate whether there was any abnormality in the production of the star crystal mineral veins in the "Falling Star Abyss" area. The task itself had no issues, but the timing and location of its issuance made Lin Fan sneer in his heart.

"Elder Fourth Elder is truly impatient," Lin Fan murmured to himself, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

Fourth Elder, the Second Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall and Lin Hong’s biological father. Ever since Lin Fan crippled Lin Hong’s cultivation during the Family competition, this Law Enforcement Elder had been enduring in silence until the start of this Meteor Star Ancient Domain trial.

On the surface, this was just an ordinary investigation task. However, Lin Fan had learned from the guard Lin Hai that over the past three days, six unfamiliar faces with cultivation at the Middle to Late Stage of the Condensing Spirit Realm had entered the Meteor Star Ancient Domain as "Loose Cultivators," acting mysteriously.

"Six people at the Middle to Late Stage of the Condensing Spirit Realm working together are enough to surround and kill an ordinary Condensing Spirit Realm Peak." Lin Fan clenched his fist, the Eternal Indestructible Body slowly circulating within him, as a nearly invisible layer of golden light shimmered around his body. "Unfortunately, you miscalculated one thing."

His current true combat strength was already far beyond what the Condensing Spirit Realm could measure.

Late last night, his father, Clan Leader, had secretly sent a message with only eight words: "Be careful of Falling Star Abyss, you may kill without mercy."

This was both a warning and an authorization. Lin Fan took a deep breath and looked into the distance. At the end of the horizon, a bottomless crack lay across the earth, stretching for hundreds of miles, like a wound torn open when a star fell—that was the Falling Star Abyss.

As the distance closed, the Power of the Stars in the air became increasingly dense, but it was also mixed with a heart-palpitating, cold aura.

["System."] Lin Fan called out in his mind.

[The Myriad Worlds Sign-in System is at your service]

["Check if the current location is available for sign-in."]

[Checking... Current location: Meteor Star Ancient Domain · Falling Star Abyss Outskirts (Site where an ancient star fell, containing residual Star Origin)]

[Sign-in Rank: Three-Star (Upgradeable)]

[Hint: Go deep into the core area of the Falling Star Abyss to trigger a four-star or higher sign-in]

A three-star sign-in was already not bad. But Lin Fan’s goal was clearly higher. He quickened his pace, his figure leaping several times among the meteorites, and arrived at the edge of the Falling Star Abyss.

Looking down, the abyss below was pitch black, with only a few scattered spots of eerie blue starlight flickering in the depths—the faint light emitted by star fragments that had settled for ten thousand years. On the steep rock walls grew some strange plants adapted to the cold environment; some were as transparent as crystal, while others were grotesque and clawed, resembling ghosts.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan leaped down, speeding along the natural protrusions and cracks on the rock wall.

After descending about a thousand zhang, the surrounding light had become extremely dim, with only the glowing plants and star fragments providing faint illumination. The Power of the Stars here was so dense it had almost condensed into substance; with every breath, he could feel the joy of the Cultivation Technique within his body.

At that moment, a warning sign suddenly rose in Lin Fan’s heart!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Six sharp sounds of breaking air attacked simultaneously from three different directions above! They were as fast as lightning, sealing off all his paths of evasion.

An ambush! A cold light flashed in Lin Fan’s eyes. Without dodging, he pushed his Eternal Indestructible Body to its full potential!

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Six crisp sounds erupted almost at the same time! These were six shuttle-shaped hidden weapons coated in eerie blue poison, accurately hitting Lin Fan's vitals such as the back of his heart, neck, and temples. However, these hidden weapons, which were enough to pierce through the protective True Qi of a Condensing Spirit Realm Peak, struck Lin Fan as if hitting a wall of divine metal. They were all bounced off, failing to even pierce his skin!

"What?!" A low cry of disbelief came from above.

Six black shadows emerged from the shadows of the rock wall, each dressed in black tight-fitting clothes and masked with black cloth, revealing only eyes filled with Killing Intent. They each held a weapon—saber, sword, hook, thorn, whip, and hammer—clearly a well-coordinated assassination squad.

"The Eternal Indestructible Body truly lives up to its reputation." The leader holding a sword said in a hoarse voice, "But today, you will certainly die. Form the Formation!" The six figures moved, instantly occupying six positions. A net of cold Killing Intent chains intertwined, trapping Lin Fan in the center. This Formation had clearly undergone special training, with their Qi connected as one, combining offense and defense; its power was far beyond a simple addition of individuals.

"Did Fourth Elder send you?" Lin Fan stood in place, his expression calm, as if he wasn't the one trapped.

"A dying man needs not ask so much," the one with the hook sneered. "Since you crippled the young master, you should have expected this day!"

Before the words fell, the six people attacked simultaneously! Sword light like a rainbow pierced toward his brow; Saber Qi swept horizontally to cut him in half; a long whip like a venomous snake coiled around his feet; a heavy hammer carrying ten thousand catties of force smashed toward his skull; while the pair of thorns and the hook attacked his ribs and the blind spot behind his heart from left and right!

The coordination was seamless, and all killing moves were unleashed, clearly intending for a certain kill in one strike!

Faced with this certain-death situation, Lin Fan finally moved.

He didn't try to dodge all the attacks—which was nearly impossible under the lock of the Formation—instead, he made a move that stunned all the assassins.

He took a step forward, facing the sharpest sword light, and threw a punch!

The first style of the Indestructible Divine King Fist—Mountain Collapse!

Boom!!! The golden fist shadow and the green sword light collided violently! The sword-wielding assassin felt an unmatched, massive force travel up the sword. His tiger's mouth instantly split open, and the long sword let out an unbearable wail, being bent out of shape by this single punch! He himself spat out blood and was sent flying, slamming heavily against the rock wall!

The Formation was broken! At the same time, the attacks of the other five people all landed on Lin Fan.

Clang! Qiang! Bang! Chi! Zheng! The sounds of metal clashing exploded! The Saber Qi dissipated, the long whip recoiled, and the heavy hammer felt as if it had struck an eternal divine mountain, numbing the arms of the hammer-wielder! As for the attacks aimed at his ribs and the back of his heart, they failed to even fully pierce his clothes!

"How is this possible?!" The saber-wielding assassin was terrified. Their full-strength attacks couldn't even break the opponent's defense?!

"It's my turn." Lin Fan’s voice was like a whisper from the God of Death.

His figure flickered, leaving an afterimage in place, while his true body appeared before the whip-wielder. The assassin retreated in horror, coiling the long whip back to protect himself, but Lin Fan grabbed the end of the whip with one hand and yanked it hard!

"Come here!" The terrifying power was not something a Condensing Spirit Realm could withstand; the whip-wielder was pulled flying toward Lin Fan. Welcoming him was a palm covered in a faint golden light, which pressed lightly against his Dantian.

Thump! In a muffled sound, the whip-wielder's entire Qi instantly withered like a deflated ball. The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and he slumped down like a broken sack—his cultivation completely crippled!

"Fifth Brother!" The hook-wielder's eyes nearly split from rage as he lunged forward fearlessly, his twin hooks drawing eerie arcs aiming straight for Lin Fan’s eyes—could this be one of the few possible weaknesses of the Eternal Indestructible Body?

Lin Fan tilted his head, and the twin hooks grazed past his cheek. He backhandedly grabbed the opponent's wrist and twisted hard!

Crack! The sound of bone-breaking was sickening.

"Ah!" The hook-wielder screamed, and Lin Fan’s other hand had already clenched into a fist, striking his chest.

Puff! Blood sprayed wildly; the second person was crippled!

The remaining four were terrified to their cores. The intelligence they received said Lin Fan’s Physical Body was strong, but at most equivalent to a Condensing Spirit Realm Peak. But what was this before them? This was clearly a human-shaped Vicious Beast!

" escape！" The sword-wielder struggled to get up and shouted hoarsely.

Escape? A cold arc curled on Lin Fan’s lips.

He stomped his foot, the rock wall shattered, and he shot out like a cannonball, instantly catching up with the hammer-wielder who was trying to climb up and escape. One punch! With just one punch, the thick hammer face was smashed into a dent, and the hammer-wielder's chest collapsed along with it!

The third person fell! Immediately after was the one with the thorns, whose movement was eerie but had nowhere to hide under Lin Fan’s Delusion-Breaking Divine Pupils. Lin Fan pointed his fingers like a sword, striking first by arriving later, hitting the man's brow. Sword Qi pierced through the brain; the fourth person died!

The saber-wielder and the last assassin using strange short blades had already fled dozens of zhang, seemingly about to rush out of the abyss.

Lin Fan stopped chasing and instead reached out his hand to grasp the air. The surging True Qi within him, mixed with the Origin power of the Indestructible body, gushed out, condensing into two giant, faint golden palms in the air!

Dragon-Seizing Hand. This was a profound martial art from the Lin Family's Scripture Pavilion, requiring extremely exquisite control over True Qi. Lin Fan had comprehended it while cultivating the Indestructible Divine King Fist, and now he used it with ease.

The two giant True Qi palms slammed shut!

"No!" A shrill scream echoed in the abyss, then stopped abruptly. When the giant palms dissipated, only two lumps of mangled flesh remained, falling from the heights and vanishing into the darkness at the bottom of the abyss.

Six assassins at the Middle to Late Stage of the Condensing Spirit Realm were wiped out. The entire process took less than thirty breaths.

Lin Fan slowly withdrew his palms, the golden light around him retracting as if that god of slaughter had never existed. He looked at the whip-wielder and hook-wielder who were the first to have their cultivation crippled and were slumped on the ground.

The two were now as pale as death, their eyes filled only with boundless fear.

"Lin Fan, you can't kill us..." the hook-wielder said tremulously, "we were only acting on orders..."

"On whose orders?" Lin Fan walked up to him, looking down from above.

"It's..." The hook-wielder's eyes flickered.

Lin Fan raised his foot and lightly stepped on the man's wrist—the very one that had been snapped.

"Ah! It's Elder Fourth Elder! Elder Fourth Elder sent us! He gave each of us a bottle of 'Star Condensing Pills' and a High Grade Spiritual Artifact, wanting us to keep you in the Falling Star Abyss forever and make it look like you were killed by a Yao Beast!" The hook-wielder cried in pain, no longer daring to hide anything.

"Evidence," Lin Fan’s voice was calm.

"I have it! Elder Fourth Elder's handwritten order. I made a copy with a shadow recording stone and hid it in the inner layer of the Storage Pouch I carry!" To save his life, the hook-wielder told everything.

Lin Fan reached out and grabbed the Storage Pouch from the other's waist, his True Qi breaking the Restriction on it with a shake. Sure enough, he found a fingernail-sized shadow recording stone in the inner seam.

Injecting True Qi, a clear image emerged: it was in the back hall of the Lin Family's Deacon Hall, where Fourth Elder handed six Storage Pouches to the six men before him, whispering the details of the task. Even phrases like "be sure to kill him, leave no one alive" were clearly recorded.

"Very good." Lin Fan Collapse shadow recording stone.

"You promised to let us go..." A glimmer of hope rose in the hook-wielder's eyes.

"When did I promise that?" Lin Fan looked at him strangely. "I only said that if you spoke, you could die a bit more quickly."

"You!"

Lin Fan pointed his fingers repeatedly, and two streaks of Qi entered their brows. Their bodies stiffened, the light in their eyes quickly dissipated, and their life force was cut off.

Toward enemies, especially those who wanted to kill him, Lin Fan was never soft-hearted. This was a truth he had understood in his past life.

After finishing all this, Lin Fan finally looked at the abyss below. Although the battle was short, the commotion was not small and might attract other things. However, his main goal was not yet complete.

He continued downward.

After descending nearly another five hundred zhang, he finally arrived at the bottom of the Falling Star Abyss.

This was a massive hemispherical space, over a thousand zhang in diameter. The dome and walls were embedded with star fragments of various sizes, emitting eerie blue, silver-white, and pale purple lights, reflecting the entire space like a dream. In the very center of the space was a natural altar made entirely of dark silver metal. Floating on the altar was a fist-sized crystal that constantly changed its nebula patterns—the Star Core!

Power of the Stars as vast as the sea emanated from it. Just by breathing, Lin Fan felt his Eternal Indestructible Body give a throb of desire.

["System, check."]

[Checking... Current location: Meteor Star Ancient Domain · Falling Star Abyss Core (Core of an ancient star remnant, containing a wisp of Star Origin)]

[Sign-in Rank: Five-Star (Rare)]

[Do you want to sign in?]

["Sign in!"] Lin Fan did not hesitate.

[Sign-in successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: star pagoda (Growth-type Origin Treasure)]

[star pagoda: Forged with Star Origin as the core, containing nine layers of space, it can evolve as the host grows]

[Current Abilities: 1. Suppression (Can suppress enemies no more than one major Realm higher than the host); 2. Storage (Contains a hundred-mile space); 3. Star Domain (Forms a Domain upon release, greatly increasing the power of the host's star-related techniques and suppressing enemies); 4. Channeling Starlight (Assists in cultivation)]

[Advancement Method: Absorb Power of the Stars, fuse with higher quality star treasures]

A palm-sized, entirely dark silver, nine-layered exquisite small pagoda appeared in the System space. The surface of the pagoda flowed with nebula patterns that seemed to have come alive, incredibly mysterious.

With a thought, the star pagoda appeared in Lin Fan's palm. As soon as it appeared, the star fragments at the bottom of the entire abyss lit up simultaneously. Countless starlight rays converged into a stream and poured into the small pagoda. The light of the pagoda became solid and bright at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"What a treasure!" Joy appeared in Lin Fan's eyes. This star pagoda integrated offense and defense, could assist in cultivation, and was a growth-type treasure; its value was immeasurable.

He withdrew the star pagoda into his body to nourish it, then walked toward the altar. He reached out to touch the Star Core.

Boom! A massive amount of Power of the Stars surged into his body through his arm! The Eternal Indestructible Body operated automatically, crazily absorbing and refining it. Lin Fan could clearly feel his Physical Body undergoing a deep-level transformation. On the surface of his bones, organs, and Meridians, spots of starlight began to emerge, merging with the original golden Indestructible radiance, forming a deeper and more powerful texture.

At the same time, his cultivation Bottleneck also began to loosen.

Middle Stage of the Condensing Spirit Realm... Late Stage of the Condensing Spirit Realm... Peak of the Condensing Spirit Realm! It soared all the way until the Condensing Spirit Realm Great Perfection, only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the Divine Power Realm, before slowly stopping.

Lin Fan opened his eyes. Within his pupils, golden light in the left eye and starlight in the right eye flashed and vanished.

"This assassination actually became my Opportunity." He looked upward, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thousand-zhang rock wall to see the grand Lin Family Estate outside the Meteor Star Ancient Domain.

"Elder Fourth Elder, I will remember this 'great gift.' The day I return will be the time for our settlement." He turned and did not stay, speeding back up the way he came. The shadow recording stone in his hand would be the sharpest knife to pierce the enemy's heart.

Meanwhile, outside the Meteor Star Ancient Domain, in the Law Enforcement Hall. Fourth Elder suddenly felt a strange palpitation. He looked toward the Ancient Domain, his brow furrowed.

"Eight hours have passed... why is there no news yet?" For some reason, the unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.