8: Ye Chen! He has achieved the Soul Realm!

Inside the Quiet Room, Lin Dao's aura was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea, having already reached the absolute Peak of the Tongtian Realm.

That Barrier leading to the Life Soul Realm became increasingly clear, yet it remained impregnable, like a Chasm separating mortals from immortals.

The required Authorization Points for those Soul-Attracting Treasures in the System Treasure Vault, which would drive the outside world mad, were astronomical, making him feel the stagnation in his cultivation for the first time.

【Ding! Host Reminder: Breaking through with external aids is ultimately inferior and harms one's Foundation. The core of the Myriad Ancient Strongest Family System lies in 'Family'. The Family is the Host's Dao Heart Foundation; if the Family is strong, the Host is strong. If the Family's Luck is prosperous and its Bloodline flourishes, the feedback power is enough to crush all Bottlenecks, making it the fastest and most stable path.】

The System's prompt was cold and objective, yet it resonated in Lin Dao's heart like a Great Bell.

"Family... Dao Heart Foundation..."

Lin Dao murmured to himself, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.

Indeed, his previous Breakthroughs, whether to the Tongtian Realm or straight to the Nine Heavens, all stemmed from the feedback brought by the expansion of his Family's influence and the Breakthroughs of its members.

Relying on the Treasure Vault's resources, on the contrary, was a lesser approach.

"Working behind closed doors is indeed slow."

He rose to his feet, "Perhaps, it's time to go out and explore. In this vast Kyushu, there might still be Family Bloodlines scattered outside, yet to be discovered."

With his mind set, he didn't alarm anyone. His figure flickered, and he vanished from the Quiet Room like a wisp of smoke. The next moment, he had already appeared high above Qingfeng County.

His cultivation at the Ninth Heaven of the Heaven-Reaching Realm made flying an instinct, and his speed was extreme, with mountains and rivers beneath him rapidly receding.

He had no specific direction, simply following his heart, his Divine Thought spreading out like an invisible net, sensing the Qi and Blood Fluctuations and potential Karma in the vast sea of people below.

One day, two days... He passed through bustling cities and remote villages, but found nothing special.

His Family Bloodline seemed to have no abnormal resonance.

On the evening of the third day, he passed over a desolate mountain range and vaguely heard intense fighting and beast roars coming from below, with rather chaotic energy fluctuations.

He originally didn't intend to interfere, but as his Divine Thought swept over, his heart stirred slightly — the intensely struggling Qi and Blood of the youth below, who was about to be surrounded by several fierce demonic wolves, actually evoked an extremely faint sense of resonance in him!

It was the sensation of a common Bloodline! Although extremely faint, it was absolutely unmistakable!

Lin Dao's figure flickered, appearing above the battlefield as if by teleportation.

Below, a tattered, approximately fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth, wielding a rusty Iron Sword, was fighting a bloody battle against three demonic wolves whose eyes glowed green, comparable to Innate Realm Martial Artists.

The youth's cultivation was only at the Acquired Realm Seventh Level, and he was already wounded in multiple places, blood staining his worn clothes. The situation was precarious, and he was on the verge of being devoured by the wolves.

However, what made Lin Dao's gaze slightly condense was that the youth's eyes were fierce and stubborn, like a trapped cub. Even in this desperate situation, he showed no intention of giving up.

Every sword swing was with all his might, and though his footwork was chaotic, he always managed to avoid fatal attacks at the crucial moment.

Even more peculiar was that deep within his body, there seemed to be a hidden, extremely obscure but unusually tenacious and powerful force, like a beautiful jade encased in rough stone, faintly glimmering in this life-and-death crisis.

【Ding! Strong Heaven's Mandate Fluctuations detected! Far exceeding Lin Hao! Scanning in progress...】

【Scan complete! Target: Ye Chen (suspected to be a distant branch of the Lin Family through his maternal line, separated due to circumstances, uses mother's surname), age fifteen, current cultivation: Acquired Realm Seventh Level.】

【Talent Judgment: Possesses the 'Ancient Desolate Sacred Body' (unawakened, in an extremely dormant Seal state). This Physique is one of the strongest battle Physiques of ancient times, with an invincible Physical Body and boundless Qi and Blood. However, its Awakening requires immense energy, and every major Realm Breakthrough requires enduring Heavenly Tribulations far beyond ordinary people. Current state: suppressed by an ancient Seal, only a trace of aura instinctively overflows.】

【Heaven's Mandate Judgment: Possesses a 'Heaven-Defying Fate' level Protagonist's Destiny (highly dormant), with a difficult fate, extraordinary encounters, and potentialbreak out in desperate situations far exceeding ordinary people.】

【Recommendation: Bring him back to the Family at all costs and cultivate him with full effort! Once he grows, the feedback will be immeasurable!】

"Ancient Desolate Sacred Body? Heaven-Defying Fate level destiny?"

Even Lin Dao's state of mind couldn't help but stir at this moment.

This youth's potential was actually far more terrifying than Lin Hao's!

The System actually used the phrase "at all costs"!

Just then, a Demonic Wolf found an opening and pounced fiercely at the youth's back, its fangs bared!

The youth was already exhausted, a flicker of unwillingness and despair in his eyes.

Lin Dao no longer hesitated, flicking a finger.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The three fierce demonic wolves, without even letting out a scream, had their heads explode into pieces as if they were ripe watermelons, and their headless bodies fell limply to the ground.

Saved from certain death, Ye Chen froze in place, clutching his Iron Sword, staring blankly at the bizarre scene before him. Then he suddenly looked up, vigilantly gazing at the white-robed figure that had suddenly appeared in the air.

Lin Dao slowly descended, standing before the youth.

He looked at the youth's dirt-streaked face, which couldn't hide his delicate features, his stubborn and wary eyes, and the faint sense of Bloodline resonance. His heart was already certain.

"What is your name? Who else is in your Family?"

Lin Dao spoke, his voice calm, carrying an inherent reassuring authority.

Ye Chen gripped his Iron Sword tightly, his eyes still wary, but the opponent's unfathomable aura and his act of saving him just now made him relax slightly, and he said hoarsely:

"My name is Ye Chen... My mother passed away last year, leaving only me."

"Ye Chen..." Lin Dao nodded slightly, "Did your mother ever mention her maiden Family, surnamed Lin?"

Ye Chen's body trembled violently, his eyes showing shock:

"You... how did you know? My mother did say before she died that she was originally from the Lin Family of Qingfeng County in Qingzhou, and left for some reason... Who exactly are you?"

"This Venerable One, Lin Dao."

Lin Dao looked at him, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible complexity, "By seniority, you might have to call me Old Ancestor."

"Old Ancestor?"

Ye Chen was completely stunned, looking at Lin Dao's young and handsome face, his eyes filled with disbelief.

His mother had indeed mentioned the Lin Family of Qingfeng County before she died, but she also said the Lin Family was just a small Family. How could it possibly have such a terrifying... Old Ancestor?

"The Lin Family's blood flows within you."

Lin Dao's tone was firm, "Come back to the Family with me. Your talent should not be buried in such a desolate mountain wilderness."

Ye Chen stared blankly at Lin Dao, then looked at the Demonic Wolf corpses on the ground, and then sensed the opponent's unfathomable yet benevolent aura. The wariness in his eyes gradually transformed into a complex emotion.

He was silent for a moment, then finally nodded heavily.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Lin Dao flicked his sleeve, and a gentle force lifted Ye Chen, turning into a streak of light that instantly vanished into the sky.

Upon returning to the Lin Family, Lin Dao directly brought Ye Chen to the Deliberation Hall and summoned Lin Zhen.

When Lin Zhen saw the Old Ancestor bring back a tattered but bright-eyed youth, and was told that this was also a lost Bloodline of the Lin Family, and that his talent was exceptionally astonishing, he was both shocked and excited. He immediately made arrangements for Ye Chen to bathe and change clothes, and prepared the best room and resources.

Lin Dao personally examined Ye Chen's body and found that the Seal on the 'Ancient Desolate Sacred Body' was extremely ancient and powerful, beyond his current means to undo. He could only temporarily provide a large amount of resources for Ye Chen to absorb on his own, slowly nourishing it and waiting for an opportunity.

He directly exchanged all his remaining Authorization Points in the System Treasure Vault for a large quantity of Medicinal Pills that fortified the Foundation and strengthened Qi and Blood, as well as a Cultivation Technique, the 'Archaic Savage Bull Art' (Earth Rank High-Grade), also from ancient times and specifically for Body Refining, which he handed to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen had never seen such a display before. Looking at the mountain of precious Medicinal Pills and the profoundly mysterious Cultivation Technique, he was completely bewildered.

Sensing Lin Dao's seemingly indifferent yet caring actions, the young man, who had been orphaned since childhood, felt his eyes slightly redden, and for the first time, a strong sense of belonging to 'Family' arose in his heart.

【Ding! Recovered a lost Family member possessing a Heaven-Defying Fate and special Physique, Family Bloodline integrity improved, latent potential greatly enhanced! Family Luck significantly increased!】

【Ding! Family Luck has advanced from 'Pale Green' to 'Deep Green'!】

【Ding! Received massive cultivation feedback! Ten Thousand Times Critical Strike triggered!】

Boom—!!!

The instant the System's prompt faded, an unprecedented, immeasurably vast and majestic energy, like the Nine Heavens Galaxy bursting its banks, erupted from the deepest part of Lin Dao's body, instantly surging through his limbs and bones, pouring into his Sea of Consciousness and Soul!

That incredibly solid Barrier to the Life Soul Realm, which had blocked countless Peak Tongtian Realm powerhouses, rapidly melted and disintegrated like ice and snow in the sunlight before this torrent of feedback from the Family's surging Luck!

His Soul felt as if it had been cleansed and sublimated, his perception became incredibly clear, and the invisible LawVeins of heaven and earth seemed within reach.

A phantom and mysterious bridge slowly condensed from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, communicating with the ethereal and connecting heaven and earth!

Life Soul, condensed!

Heaven and Earth Soul Bridge, initially formed!

Lin Dao's aura surged madly at a terrifying speed, breaking through one limit after another, finally stepping into a brand new, profoundly mysterious Realm!

Above the entire Lin Family mansion, the weather suddenly changed, Dao Sounds rumbled, and various phenomena appeared, as if a deity had descended!

All Lin Family members, no matter where they were, felt it in their hearts, a reverence and joy from the depths of their Bloodline surging endlessly!

After a long while, the phenomena gradually subsided.

Inside the Quiet Room, Lin Dao slowly opened his eyes, as if rivers of stars flowed and the Universe was born and destroyed within them.

He gently clenched his fist, feeling the earth-shattering changes within his body, and the powerful sensation of controlling his own destiny and initially touching the Laws of heaven and earth.

Life Soul Realm, First Heaven!

"Family... Dao Heart Foundation..."

He whispered softly, feeling the increasingly close connection with the entire Lin Family, and finally a genuine smile curved his lips.

This path, he had chosen correctly.