64: The Trial of the Samsara Realm

Qingzhou, the Lin Clan's main residence.

More than half a month had passed since the Promotion Ceremony.

The pure golden Canopy of Luck had stabilized, like a giant golden bowl inverted over the Lin Clan, radiating an aura of peace and majesty.

The clan disciples were still immersed in the joy of the surging Spiritual Qi and Realm Breakthroughs, and various new regulations were being implemented methodically. The entire Lin Clan presented a scene of prosperity and gradually solidifying Foundation.

Inside the Ancestral Hall's Quiet Room, Lin Dao was discussing important matters with Acting Clan Head Lin Xuan and several core Lineage Masters.

"Old Ancestor, according to your instructions, the cleanup of the remaining forces of the Western Regions' Sand Puppet Clan and the Southern Border's Witch Barbarian Clan is basically complete. The seized resources are currently being inventoried and stored."

The War Hall Lineage Master reported in a deep voice, his tone carrying the satisfaction that followed a decisive purge.

"The Foreign Affairs Hall has received alliance requests submitted by various forces, including several established Earth-Grade Families, and even two reclusive Heaven-Grade Families have expressed goodwill."

The Foreign Affairs Hall Lineage Master added.

Acting Clan Head Lin Xuan, however, looked slightly worried: "Old Ancestor, the Shadow Hall recently discovered several extremely hidden Divine Thoughts, far exceeding the Nirvana Realm, that briefly swept over our Lin Clan territory. Although they vanished instantly, still..."

Lin Dao sat upright in the seat of honor, his fingers gently tapping the armrest, his expression calm.

He naturally sensed those probes.

The potential and strength displayed by the Lin Clan's promotion were too astonishing, especially his final move of "Drawing a Boundary into the Void Realm," which must have attracted the attention of true Magnates.

These Divine Thoughts were merely testing the waters.

"No matter."

Lin Dao said lightly, "The tree desires calm, but the wind will not cease. Since my Lin Clan has established itself in this world, we are not afraid of others' scrutiny. Simply strengthen the vigilance; there is no need to overreact and become a laughingstock."

Before his voice fell, an unexpected change occurred!

It did not come from the outside world, but originated from the depths of the Lin Clan's main residence, in the direction of the Back Mountain, which was considered a Forbidden Ground!

A vast and ancient will, like a Dragon that had slept for eons, slightly opened a sliver of its eye.

A wisp of Divine Thought, subtle to the extreme yet carrying an indifference to life and Reincarnation that transcended all things, silently swept across the entire Lin Clan territory like an invisible ripple, then extended towards a specific direction deep within the endless Void Realm.

This wisp of Divine Thought was too obscure; besides Lin Dao and a very few individuals with extraordinary perception, even Acting Clan Head Lin Xuan and others failed to notice it.

But the moment this wisp of Divine Thought swept past—

In the endless Void Realm, in an unknown location.

A figure, whose body was wrapped in Chaos Qi currents, whose face was blurred, and whose aura had clearly reached the second stage of the Samsara Realm, was concealed within layers of Spatial Rifts.

He came from an extremely ancient Saint-level Force, having been ordered to investigate the reality of this newly promoted Lin Clan, especially the true strength of that Lin Ancestor.

"Strange, the aura is restrained, the Laws are harmonious, and the Lin Clan's Luck is so stable... Is Lin Dao truly only just entering the Samsara Realm?"

He pondered internally, his Divine Thought like the most delicate tendril, carefully probing towards the Lin Clan's Core Area, attempting to bypass the Luck perception and glimpse something.

Just as his Divine Thought was about to touch the Formation surrounding the Lin Clan's main residence!

"Buzz—"

He felt as if he had crashed into an invisible, intangible, yet indestructible wall, imbued with endless years and the Concept of Reincarnation!

No, not a wall, it was more like a... gaze?

A cold, indifferent gaze, seemingly originating from the Primordial Era and transcending his understanding, instantly locked onto his hidden true body along his Divine Thought!

"What?!"

This existence at the second stage of the Samsara Realm paled in horror; his Soul was trembling!

He felt like a mouse peeking around outside a Dragon's nest, casually glanced at by the sleeping Dragon deep inside the lair!

The invisible oppression brought by just this one "glance" caused the Chaos Qi currents around his body to instantly dissipate, and the layers of hidden Spatial Rifts shattered!

He felt his Samsara Dao Foundation, cultivated over ten thousand years, violently shaking, and his Divine Soul seemed about to be directly frozen and crushed by the indifferent will contained within that gaze!

"Pfft—!"

He didn't even have time to react before he violently spat out a large mouthful of essence blood containing his own Samsara Origin, his face instantly turning deathly pale!

The wisp of Divine Thought he had sent out was instantly severed and annihilated, like spider silk scorched by raging flames!

"Unbeatable! Flee!"

Boundless terror instantly drowned out all curiosity and mission objectives!

Only this one thought remained in his mind!

Burning his essence blood, he desperately tore open the Void Realm and fled wildly, not even daring to look back!

Lin Clan, Ancestral Hall Quiet Room.

The ancient Divine Thought originating from the Back Mountain receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

Lin Dao's finger, which was tapping the armrest, paused slightly, and a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.

He naturally sensed everything that happened outside, and he also "saw" the embarrassed retreat of that Samsara Realm second-stage Cultivator.

"Old Ancestor, just now..."

Acting Clan Head Lin Xuan seemed to vaguely feel an unusual spatial fluctuation, but it wasn't clear, and he looked at Lin Dao in confusion.

Lin Dao waved his hand, his expression still calm: "It's nothing, just a mouse that didn't know the rules and got scared away."

His heart was clear as a mirror.

The one who acted was naturally one of the two Samsara Realm Peak Dao Protectors rewarded by the System.

Just a wisp of Divine Thought, across the endless Void Realm, could damage the Dao Foundation of a Samsara Realm second-stage existence and force a panicked retreat... Such strength was already close to the Peak of this world.

With them guarding the Lin Clan, unless those legendary Xiaoyao Realm experts made a move, the Lin Clan would be as stable as Mount Tai.

A secluded courtyard somewhere in the Lin Clan.

Lin Yun, who was currently deducing the changes of the stars, felt the star river flow within his Dual Pupils suddenly pause. He abruptly looked up towards the depths of the Void Realm. Although he couldn't see anything, his keen Pupil Technique captured the fleeting, supreme will that made his Soul tremble.

"What... was that?"

Lin Yun muttered to himself, frowning slightly, "It's older, deeper... than Revered Master's aura... What kind of existence is hidden in our Lin Clan's Back Mountain?"

He was deeply shocked, but this also increased his awe for the Lin Clan's heritage.

Back Mountain, deep within the Forbidden Ground.

In a place shrouded in Chaos mist, two indistinct figures sat opposite each other, seemingly having been there since eternity.

One of the figures slowly withdrew the wisp of Divine Thought it had released, its voice ancient and indifferent: "Ants dare to probe the Master's clan's Luck."

The other figure did not open its eyes; only the Yin and Yang Qi faintly circulated around its body. Its voice was equally ancient: "The Master has not commanded, so we only need to observe quietly. There are few in this world who can threaten the Lin Clan."

The two figures fell silent again, merging with the surrounding Chaos, appearing like two cold Guardian Statues.

Deep within a distant Saint-level Force.

The Samsara Realm second-stage Cultivator who had fled appeared in a sorry state in a great hall covered with ancient Star Trajectories, his aura weak and his face still bearing lingering fear.

"Elder, why are you in such a sorry state? That Lin Clan..."

An existence with an equally powerful aura inside the hall asked in surprise and doubt.

"Terrifying... Behind the Lin Clan, there is... there is an unimaginable existence!"

The escapee's voice was hoarse with lingering fear, "Just a wisp of Divine Thought... I... I almost didn't make it back! Lin Dao is definitely not as simple as he appears! The Lin Clan must not be easily made an enemy of!"

...Following this incident, most of the gazes secretly probing the Lin Clan instantly withdrew.

Although there were still those unwilling to give up, their actions became much more cautious, no longer daring to easily cross the line.