36: The Home of Protectors of Kyushu!

Atop the Altar of Heaven in the Central Province Imperial City.

The Emperor's decree, words of gold and jade, resonated with heaven and earth!

The three were ranked together as Champions, bestowed with lavish rewards, and further granted the supreme honorific of "family protecting the nine provinces" to the Lin Family!

At this moment, the glory belonged to the Lin Family, and the shock spread throughout the Nine Provinces!

The vast and majestic golden Luck, containing the orthodox will of the Central Province Imperial Dynasty, fell like the Milky Way from the Nine Heavens, precisely dividing into four streams.

Three thinner streams poured into the bodies of Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun respectively, while the thickest one crossed endless space and descended directly upon the main residence of the Lin Family of Qingzhou!

"Boom—!!!"

The bodies of Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun shook violently as they felt a pure, noble, and grand power surge into their limbs and bones, washing through their Meridians, nourishing their Divine Soul, and elevating their Origin!

With the blessing of this Imperial Dynasty Luck, their cultivation base skyrocketed at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Sixth level of the Tongtian Realm! Seventh! Eighth! Ninth!!!

It continued to rise until the Peak of the ninth level of the Tongtian Realm, just one step away from the Life Soul Realm, before slowly coming to a halt!

Not only that, but their spiritual power quality, Divine Soul strength, and even their comprehension of their own Dao were greatly enhanced and consolidated!

This was not a forced growth like pulling up seedlings, but the Imperial Dynasty Luck's recognition and reward of their potential—a genuine elevation of their Foundation!

Feeling the surging power within them, the three were too excited to contain themselves and bowed together toward the direction where the Emperor's phantom had vanished: "We thank the Emperor for his bounty!"

Meanwhile, at the Lin Family of Qingzhou.

That thickest stream of Imperial Dynasty Luck crashed down, rapidly merging with the Lin Family's own deep purple Family Luck!

The entire Lin Family estate shook violently, Spiritual Qi soared wildly, and even condensed into spiritual rain that fell upon them!

Every member of the Lin Family, regardless of their cultivation base, felt a lightness throughout their body at this moment; their Bottlenecks loosened, and their cultivation base advanced!

Above the estate, the deep purple Luck canopy expanded wildly, its color deepening even further, with a faint golden halo even beginning to shimmer at the edges! It was a magnificent and noble sight!

[Ding! Received blessing from the orthodox Luck of the Central Province Imperial Dynasty! Family Luck quality improved! Advanced to 'Pale Gold'!]

[Ding! All Family members' cultivation speed, Comprehension Ability, Breakthrough probability, and fortune have received a massive boost!]

[Ding! Family influence recognized by the Imperial Dynasty; hidden prestige has reached its Peak!]

[Ding! Received an unprecedentedly massive feedback! Triggered infinite critical strike!]

Inside the Quiet Room, Lin Dao, who had just broken through to the Peak of the first level of the Dao Tribulation Realm, hadn't even had time to carefully experience the mysteries of the new Realm before a torrent of feedback—far more majestic and pure than any before, containing the orthodox intent of the Imperial Dynasty—exploded from the deepest part of his body like the Big Bang at the beginning of the Universe!

Driven by this power, his newly stabilized cultivation base once again began an unimaginable and frantic surge!

Second level of the Dao Tribulation Realm! Third! Fourth! Fifth! ...Unstoppable, breaking through all barriers!

Finally, it forcefully broke through the barrier of the ninth level of the Dao Tribulation Realm and directly reached the Peak of the ninth level!

He was now only one step away from the legendary Nirvana Realm!

At this moment, he felt as if he had become a part of the Laws of heaven and earth; with a slight thought, he could mobilize the power of the Laws within ten thousand miles—his words were Law, and none dared disobey!

His Divine Soul strength had undergone a qualitative leap, enough to divide into thousands and travel through the Great Void!

[Ding! Host's cultivation base has risen to the Peak of the ninth level of the Dao Tribulation Realm!]

[Ding! Comprehension of Chaos Law has significantly deepened!]

[Ding! Successfully resisted the assimilation of the Imperial Dynasty Luck, maintaining Family independence!]

[Ding! Achieved the hidden achievement 'Protector of the Nine Provinces'! Reward: Special Item 'invincible experience card' x1!]

[invincible experience card]: After use, for one hour, obtain the cultivation of an invincible Realm (surpassing the current world's limit), immune to all techniques, untouched by Karma, absolutely invincible! One-time use item.

Lin Dao slowly opened his eyes, the light of Chaos swirling within them as if he could see through eternal time and space.

He felt the terrifying power within him, enough to overturn heaven and earth, and looked at the golden card in the System warehouse emitting a transcendent aura; the corners of his mouth curled slightly.

"Invincible for one hour... a decent trump card indeed."

With a thought, his figure appeared above the Lin Family estate.

Overlooking the magnificent Family below shrouded in pale gold Luck, and watching the clansmen who were ecstatic and cultivating hard due to the Luck's blessing, a sense of pride welled up within him.

Only now could the Lin Family truly be said to have gained a firm foothold on the Nine Provinces continent, possessing the solid Foundation to become an eternal Family!

A few days later, Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun returned to Qingzhou aboard the Mount-Suppressing Sky-Ship, carrying supreme glory and lavish rewards from the Imperial Dynasty.

The Lin Family held a grand celebration that lasted for several days.

After the celebration, inside the Ancestral Hall.

Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun stood respectfully before Lin Dao.

"Old Ancestor, we have reached the Peak of the Tongtian Realm, and the blessing of the Imperial Dynasty Luck has been fully digested."

Lin Hao spoke up, "However, the Life Soul Realm cannot be broken through by closed-door Cultivation alone; one must enter the Mortal World to experience life, to see one's true nature amidst the vast waves, and to condense the Life Soul. We humbly request to go out and travel to find the Opportunity for a Breakthrough."

Ye Chen scratched his head and grinned honestly, "Old Ancestor, home is great, but I feel my fists are getting a bit itchy. I want to go further away to beat... uh, to see more of the world."

Lin Yun also said softly, "My Pupil Technique also seems to have hit a Bottleneck; I need to find special stellar power or a Soul Power Secret Realm."

Lin Dao looked at the three grandsons before him, who had grown into towering trees yet still maintained their pure hearts, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. The path of the Great Dao lies beneath one's feet. Your wings are now full; it is time for you to go out and forge your own world."

With a flick of his finger, three Jade Slips containing a wisp of his own Chaos Law imprint and a vast amount of information flew toward the three.

"These are several locations of Opportunities and route maps that I have deduced which may be suitable for your Breakthrough to the Life Soul Realm, for your reference only. The journey is perilous; be careful in all things."

"Thank you, Old Ancestor!" The three took the Jade Slips and scanned them with their Divine Thought, their eyes showing surprise and gratitude. The information within these Jade Slips would undoubtedly save them from countless detours.

"Remember," Lin Dao's tone turned serious, "the Lin Family will always be your strongest backing. If something cannot be done, prioritize your life; I will naturally back you up."

"Yes! Old Ancestor!" Their hearts warmed, and they bowed deeply.

The next day, the three bid farewell to their clansmen and each embarked on their journey.

Lin Hao, dressed in green, headed west with his sword, intending to go to the legendary "Sword Tomb" forbidden land to temper his Sword Soul amidst ten thousand swords.

Ye Chen laughed heartily, riding his newly acquired exotic beast mount, heading straight for the chaotic lands bordering the Demon Domain; he wanted to sustain war with war and fight his way to the pinnacle of power.

Lin Yun's whereabouts were the most elusive; he quietly disappeared, following the guidance of the Jade Slip to search for the ethereal "Starfall Secret Realm."

Watching their departing figures, Acting Clan Head was somewhat worried:

"Old Ancestor, now the Nine Provinces seem calm, but undercurrents are surging. The Calamity Demon Kingdom has not given up its evil designs. If the three of them go out..."

Lin Dao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep as if he had seen through the endless future: "A young eagle must eventually spread its wings and fly high. How can one truly grow without experiencing wind and rain? As for those petty scoundrels..."

His tone was calm, yet it contained unparalleled confidence and dominance: "If there really are those who are blind enough to reach out, I will cut off their hands; if they poke their heads out, I will cut off their heads."

With the three children of destiny out on their travels, the Lin Family's development did not stall; instead, it entered another period of rapid expansion.

The title of "family protecting the nine provinces" and the public rewards from the Emperor acted as the best possible advertisement. Every day, a large number of Cultivators came from all over the Nine Provinces, drawn by the name, wanting to join the Lin Family or its subordinate forces. The threshold of the Lin Family's main house was nearly trampled down.

Lin Dao ordered the entry standards to be raised, prioritizing quality over quantity, but for true talents and those with special gifts, he opened the doors wide.

Meanwhile, relying on the massive resources rewarded by the Imperial Dynasty and the privilege of "choosing any three items from the Imperial Secret Treasury," the Lin Family exchanged for several vital Legacy treasures and a seed for a mobile "Grotto-Heaven," causing the Family's heritage to surge once again.

Their sphere of influence centered on Qingzhou and radiated out to surrounding provinces like a rolling snowball.

The number of subordinate cities and Sects doubled again! Resource points were spread across several provinces!

The entire Lin Family was like a precise and efficient war machine, frantically devouring resources and strengthening itself under Lin Dao's remote command.

[Ding! Family sphere of influence expanded to three provinces!]

[Ding! Received a large amount of high-quality fresh blood; Family potential improved!]

[Ding! Pale gold Luck stabilized; feedback efficiency improved!]

[Ding! Received continuous feedback: cultivation base +1000...+800...+1200...]

Although the direct feedback from Lin Hao and the others being away had decreased, the frantic expansion of the Lin Family's overall base still brought in massive amounts of feedback, pushing Lin Dao's cultivation base toward the limit of the ninth level of the Dao Tribulation Realm.

He sat at the center, cultivating while remotely directing the Family's development through the System, all while silently monitoring the movements of Lin Hao and the others.