80: Before the Soul-Suppressing Monument, heroes vie for supremacy.

Beside Starfall Lake, the atmosphere was subtle. Jade Pool Saintess Meng Liuli stood gracefully, her veil fluttering slightly, her eyes like deep, cold ponds, calm and without ripples. Behind her, several Yaochi Female Disciples had their breaths connected, faintly forming an array to stand their ground against the sharp aura of Ye Lingyun and the others.

"Fellow Daoist Ye," Meng Liuli's voice was ethereal and misty, yet carried an unquestionable tone, "this 'soul suppressing stele' has a deep connection with the 'Calming the Spirit and Settling the Soul' chapter of my Yaochi's Nine Heavens Immortal Spirit Manual, and it is of great benefit to our Sect Disciples' comprehension. For now, Yaochi Immortal Palace will take over this place for three days. We ask that you all make it convenient and move elsewhere."

Ye Lingyun frowned slightly and stood with his sword in hand. Although his Sword Intent was not released, he naturally possessed a sharp edge that would rather break than bend. "Jade Pool Saintess, Heaven And Earth Treasures are obtained by those destined for them. The Remnant Realm trial is inherently based on one's own Opportunity and ability. Although Yaochi Immortal Palace is one of the leaders of the Central Region, the words 'take over' are perhaps a bit inappropriate. The star core fragments here have not yet been collected, and the Legacy inscriptions on the stele are not private property. My friends and I arrived first and were just about to study them. For the Saintess to clear the area as soon as she arrives is a bit too domineering."

Blazing Fierce, who had the most straightforward personality, snorted upon hearing this. "Exactly! This lake wasn't opened by your Yaochi family. The stele stands here, so whoever has the ability can comprehend it! Want to keep it all for yourself? Ask my fist first!"

Bright Wisdom pressed his palms together and chanted a Buddhist name: "Amitabha. Benefactor Meng, when an Opportunity is before us, building good relations is also Karma. The act of monopolizing may give rise to anger and resentment, which goes against the Heavenly Dao."

Although Blue Tide did not speak, a faint water vapor was already circulating in front of her, making her stance clear.

Meng Liuli's gaze shifted slightly, scanning the group before finally landing on Ye Lingyun. "Fellow Daoist Ye has Sword Heart Illumination and should know that 'possessing a jade attracts trouble.' This stele involves the Dao of soul suppression. For those whose Heart-Nature is not firm or whose Cultivation Technique is not compatible, forcibly attempting to comprehend it may risk damaging their Divine Soul. Our Yaochi Disciples practice the Nine Heavens Immortal Spirit Manual, which is best suited to peacefully guiding the dao rhyme within. This is for everyone's safety, not an act of being domineering."

Her tone was flat, as if stating a fact, but that hidden sense of superiority and being unquestionable only further incited the resentment of Ye Lingyun and the others.

Just then, a calm voice came from behind the group: "I'm afraid Lin Fan cannot agree with the Saintess's words." Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw Lin Fan walking slowly from behind a lakeside rock, his aura steady and his gaze clear. He had just achieved a Breakthrough to the Divine Power Realm, and his aura still had a hint of sharpness that had not been fully restrained, but what was more striking was the composure and depth gained after experiencing life-and-death battles.

"Fellow Daoist Lin!" "Brother Lin!" Ye Lingyun and the others showed looks of joy when they saw him appear and sensed his greatly increased aura.

Meng Liuli's cold eyes also lingered on Lin Fan for an extra moment for the first time, a very faint trace of surprise flashing through them. She naturally recognized this Lin Family Divine Son who had recently become famous, but in her perception, the opponent's aura was stronger than rumored, and it seemed to carry a strange fluctuation that even made her heart palpitate slightly.

"So it is Fellow Daoist Lin." Meng Liuli nodded slightly. "I wonder what brilliant opinion Fellow Daoist Lin has?"

"I wouldn't call it a brilliant opinion." Lin Fan walked to Ye Lingyun's side and stood still, meeting Meng Liuli's gaze calmly. "I just feel that the path of cultivation is about defying the heavens to fight for one's fate, and it is inherently full of risks. If one were to hand over an Opportunity or even block the path of others out of fear of the risk of 'Divine Soul damage,' then this cultivation might as well not be practiced at all. Moreover..."

He paused and looked at the half-submerged, greenish-gray stone stele in the lake. "The dao rhyme of the soul suppressing stele is desolate and ancient, indeed related to soul suppression and tranquility. But there are three thousand Great Daos, and all paths lead to the same destination. While the Yaochi Nine Heavens Immortal Spirit Manual can guide it peacefully, the sharpness of our Sword Cultivators, the compassion of the Buddhist path, the long-flowing nature of water power, and even the vastness of the stars and the tenacity of the Indestructible might not be unable to comprehend a 'Soul Suppressing' or 'Spirit Calming' Dao suitable for ourselves. For the Saintess to use 'safety' as a reason to carry out a monopoly, isn't that looking down on the heroes of the world a bit?"

These words were neither humble nor arrogant, pointing out the contradiction in Meng Liuli's words while also invoking the righteousness of the "heroes of the world." They even faintly revealed a sense of confidence—he, Lin Fan, had the confidence to use his own Dao to comprehend this stele!

Other Prodigies watching from the lakeside also nodded secretly. Although the Jade Pool Saintess had a great reputation, acting in this manner was indeed unpleasant.

The corner of Meng Liuli's lips under her veil seemed to move slightly, whether in a smile or annoyance. She gave Lin Fan a deep look. "Fellow Daoist Lin certainly has a silver tongue and great courage. Since that's the case, why don't we set the terms? The stele is right here, and the Opportunity belongs to those with the ability. But if your Divine Soul is damaged due to forced comprehension, do not blame my Yaochi for not warning you."

Her words were equivalent to a tacit agreement to no longer "clear the area," but she pushed the responsibility away while also intending to provoke him.

"That is how it should be." Lin Fan nodded. "However, star core fragments are scattered here, and we also intended to collect them. How about this: we and the Saintess's Disciples will each use our own means to collect fragments while simultaneously attempting to comprehend the stone stele. We will not interfere with each other, and each will take their own Opportunity. How does that sound?"

This proposal was relatively fair, as it avoided direct conflict and gave both sides a way out.

Ye Lingyun and the others naturally had no objections.

Meng Liuli pondered for a moment and also nodded slightly. "Fine."

The stalemate was temporarily resolved. Both parties split up with a mutual understanding and began searching for star core fragments near the lakeshore and in the shallow water. The Yaochi Female Disciples acted with elegance, their hand seals light and graceful; often, a wave of their hands would draw in starlight, making them quite efficient. Ye Lingyun and the others each had their own methods—Sword Qi crisscrossed, Buddha light shone, and fire and water shadows flickered—and they also harvested a significant amount.

Lin Fan was in no hurry to enter the lake. He first stood on the shore and quietly observed the soul suppressing stele. Under his Delusion-Breaking Divine Pupils, the twisted tadpole-like runes on the stele seemed to come alive, slowly swimming and combining into various patterns that contained the true meaning of "suppression," "tranquility," and "soul calming." What caught his attention even more was that the part of the stele in contact with the lake water, as well as the depths of the inscriptions, faintly emitted an extremely weak but exceptionally tenacious aura of time-space sealing!

"It's not just soul suppression... it also seems to involve some kind of imprisonment or soothing at the space-time level?" Lin Fan's heart stirred. This faintly formed a relationship of both opposition and complementarity with the "shattering" dao rhyme he had comprehended from the void shattering stele.

He tried to carefully extend a thread of Divine Sense toward the stone stele. As soon as his Divine Sense touched the stele, he felt a heavy, desolate Concept that seemed capable of suppressing all agitation and unease envelop him. If someone with an unsettled mind or a flawed Divine Soul were here, they would likely feel suffocated and terrified. However, Lin Fan's Divine Soul had undergone the Star Stele Dao Rhyme Baptism and had fused with a trace of the shattered space dao rhyme, making it exceptionally resilient. Combined with the protection of his Eternal Indestructible Body's Origin, he only felt a slight pressure and no discomfort.

He began trying to use the space-time dao rhyme he had comprehended to contact and understand that sealing aura.

Just as Lin Fan was immersed in his realization, a sudden cry of alarm came from the lake surface.

A Yaochi female Disciple who was relatively close to the soul suppressing stele suddenly turned deathly pale for some reason, her whole body trembling. She seemed to have fallen into some kind of illusion or Divine Soul shock and was about to collapse into the lake! Her companions beside her rushed to save her but also seemed to be affected by that invisible Divine Soul power, their movements becoming sluggish.

"It's the 'Soul Suppressing Miasma' leaking from the inscriptions!" Meng Liuli shouted. Her figure swept across the lake like a startled swan. With a light wave of her fair hand, a streak of seven-colored light coiled toward the Disciple to pull her back. However, just as the light was about to touch the Disciple, a sudden change occurred!

Beneath the lake surface, the water around the soul suppressing stele suddenly churned! Several translucent Star-Water Nether Serpents, formed entirely from dense Power of the Stars and cold water vapor, lunged out without warning. They opened their mouths filled with sharp teeth and bit toward Meng Liuli and the trapped Disciple! The aura of these nether serpents was fierce, each comparable to an Early Stage Divine Power Realm Star Beast, and they carried cold fluctuations that interfered with the Divine Soul!

Clearly, this soul suppressing stele was not unguarded. These Star-Water Nether Serpents were guardian creatures attracted or spawned by the aura of the inscriptions. They usually remained hidden, but once someone touched the inscriptions or showed a flaw in their Divine Soul, they would suddenly attack!

Meng Liuli remained calm in the face of danger. Her other hand formed a seal, and the seven-colored light around her body flared, transforming into a budding seven-colored lotus platform that protected her and the Disciple. The lotus platform rotated, its light flowing and knocking away several attacking nether serpents, but she was also momentarily hindered by this sudden assault, and her rescue movement slowed for an instant.

More Star-Water Nether Serpents surged from the lake bottom, attacking not only the Yaochi Disciples but also lunging at Ye Lingyun, Blazing Fierce, and the others who were nearby! The lake surface instantly fell into chaos!

"Watch out!"

"Form a defensive array!"

Exclamations and the sounds of battle rose one after another.

Lin Fan saw everything clearly from the shore. The attacks of those Star-Water Nether Serpents were not purely physical; they also carried strong Divine Soul shocks and cold erosion, making them extremely difficult to deal with. Although the Yaochi Disciples and Ye Lingyun's group could handle them, they were inevitably thrown into a scramble, let alone being able to continue their comprehension.

A golden light flashed in his eyes, and his thoughts raced. This was an Opportunity—an Opportunity to demonstrate his strength, gain more of a say, and even earn a favor.

He did not rush to the lake surface to tangle with the nether serpents. Instead, he took a deep breath, and the star pagoda inside his body shone brightly! His Divine Power Realm spiritual power surged, fusing with his newly comprehended shattered space dao rhyme and the vast intent of the stars.

He pointed his fingers like a sword and made a light horizontal stroke toward the area around the soul suppressing stele in the lake!

It was not an attack on the nether serpents, nor was it an attack on the stone stele. It was a variation of the Star Shattering Void Splitting Palm, a range-control version!

Buzz! With the soul suppressing stele as the center, the lake surface within a radius of ten feet suddenly rippled with visible waves! Countless silver space cracks, so fine they were almost invisible, appeared out of thin air, weaving into an invisible net! These cracks were not meant for tearing but for vibration and dispersal! It was a high-frequency and violent vibration originating from the structure of space itself!

Puff, puff, puff, puff! The Star-Water Nether Serpents swimming within the range of the crack network instantly stiffened and let out silent wails. Their bodies, composed of energy and water vapor, began to lose their structural stability and disintegrate under this pure spatial vibration! More importantly, the cold fluctuations they relied on to attack the Divine Soul were also interfered with and broken apart by the spatial vibration!

In just two or three breaths, those dozens of fierce Star-Water Nether Serpents were like bubbles in the sunlight, shattering and dissipating one after another, turning back into pure Power of the Stars and water vapor that merged back into the lake.

The lake surface returned to peace. Only those faint silver spatial ripples slowly dissipated.

On the shore and in the lake, everyone was stunned, and the battle came to an abrupt halt.

Gaze after gaze, filled with shock, suspicion, and disbelief, all turned toward the white-robed figure on the shore who had withdrawn his finger and whose aura was steady.

What kind of technique was that just now? Silent and without a grand display, yet it instantly cleared all the troublesome Star-Water Nether Serpents! With those faintly discernible spatial fluctuations, this person could actually control space to such an extent?!

The light of Meng Liuli's seven-colored lotus platform slowly faded. She supported the startled Disciple back to the shore. When her cold eyes looked at Lin Fan again, the previous indifference was completely gone, replaced by a deep sense of scrutiny and inquiry.

Ye Lingyun, Blazing Fierce, and the others also looked at each other in shock, followed by expressions of joy. They knew Lin Fan was strong, but they hadn't expected him to be this strong. His use of spatial power was simply miraculous!

Lin Fan acted as if he had done something trivial. He cupped his hands toward Meng Liuli and said, "Saintess, please do not be offended. I only saw these nether serpents disturbing the peace and cleared them out. Now that the obstacle is removed, everyone can continue their comprehension."

Meng Liuli was silent for a moment. Her veil moved slightly, as if she had let out a soft breath.

"Fellow Daoist Lin's Divine Ability is astonishing; Meng Liuli is impressed." Her voice was still cold, but her tone was completely different. "As for today's matter, consider it a favor owed to you by Yaochi. There is plenty of space before the soul suppressing stele. Fellow Daoist Lin and your friends, please feel free."

After saying that, she spoke no more and turned to lead her Disciples to the other side of the stone stele, clearly giving her tacit consent for mutual comprehension and even faintly placing Lin Fan on an equal, if not significant, level.

Lin Fan smiled slightly and did not stand on ceremony. He nodded to Ye Lingyun and the others and took the lead in walking toward the soul suppressing stele. After that display of "Star Shattering Void Splitting" to clear the area, no one dared to look down on this newly promoted Divine Power Realm Lin Family Divine Son. Many Prodigies observing in secret had already silently added Lin Fan to the list of the most untouchable people in this assembly.

The lake rippled, and the shadow of the stele was heavy.

A new comprehension was about to begin. What Lin Fan did not know was that behind a patch of hidden star mist in the distance, two figures who had completely concealed their auras were witnessing everything that had just happened.

One of them was playing with a cracked black jade pendant. It was none other than Lord Ying, who had narrowly escaped from the black hole of the void shattering stele but had lost an arm! His aura was now even more obscure and cold, with thick black energy swirling around his stump.

The other person was completely shrouded in a large cloak, their face invisible. Only a pair of eyes flashing with an eerie green light stared fixedly at Lin Fan's back, their voice dry and hoarse:

"It's him? The one who triggered the void shattering stele, killed the Young Lord, and obtained the star mark stele Legacy?"

"That's right, Green Robe Emissary." Lord Ying gnashed his teeth. "This brat's growth rate is too fast, and he has a very deep understanding of spatial power. He must have a startling secret on him! He must be eliminated as soon as possible!"

The cloaked figure known as the Green Robe Emissary gave a sinister laugh. "No rush, there's still time in the Remnant Realm trial. 'Those People' are also arriving soon. This time, we will make sure he cannot escape even if he had wings! The secrets on him and that Star Treasure will all belong to my Nether Pavilion!"

The two figures quietly retreated into the depths of the star mist as if they had never appeared.

Beside Starfall Lake, the crisis was temporarily resolved, but a larger undercurrent was still silently gathering.