Volume 1

Chapter 15: Gathering at the Core, Undercurrents Surging

When the left-wing team retreated to the assembly area in the plaza near the ruins entrance, disheveled and still carrying the lingering aura of slaughter, the middle and right-wing teams had already returned.

The atmosphere in the plaza was several times heavier than when they had left.

Han Feiyu stood in the center of the plaza with his hands behind his back, his moon-white brocade robe immaculate. No joy or anger could be discerned on his handsome face, save for his phoenix eyes, which were slightly upturned and occasionally flashed with scrutiny and impatience. Behind him, over a dozen elite Inner Sect Disciples stood in two rows, their auras condensed and faintly forming a formation, creating a stark contrast to the slightly disorganized and mostly injured left and right-wing teams. Two Foundation Establishment deacons stood behind and to the side of Han Feiyu, their gazes sweeping over the entire scene, carrying the unique pressure of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The right-wing team, where Su Qingyue was located, had also returned; their numbers seemed to have decreased by one or two. The Disciples' faces bore exhaustion and lingering fear, clearly having also experienced battle. Su Qingyue herself had a slightly pale face, with a few spots of dark red on her sleeves; it was unclear if it was the blood of a Yao Beast or something else. Seeing Sun Miao and the others return, especially seeing Lin Xuan unharmed, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, then immediately returned to her cold demeanor, though her gaze lingered on Lin Xuan for a moment longer.

"Junior Martial Uncle Sun, why are you so late, and... in such a sorry state?" Han Feiyu's voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying an air of condescension.

Sun Miao's expression was somewhat ugly. He stepped forward and reported the general situation of the left-wing exploration, the discovery of the earth-fire sha crystal and three-leaf soul-clearing grass, the encounter with the gathering place of sha spirits, and the ambush by three suspected "Shadow Sha" assassins on the way back. He presented the black iron plaque and finally pointed to the assassin's corpse carried over by the Disciples.

"Assassins? 'Shadow Sha'?" Han Feiyu took the iron plaque, rubbing the twisted patterns on it with his fingertips, a mocking curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Junior Martial Uncle Sun, are you saying that in this relic exploration organized by the Sect, assassins specifically targeting the Guest Elders of our Yunni Sect have infiltrated? And, it happened right after you made some gains?"

The tone was flat, but the hidden questioning and sarcasm were audible to anyone. It was as if he were saying that either Sun Miao and the others were negligent, or Lin Xuan had attracted this trouble, implicating the team.

Sun Miao took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Junior Martial Nephew Han, the assassin's ambush was sudden. Their cultivation was not weak, and they were well-coordinated; it was clearly premeditated and not something ordinary Loose Cultivators could do. As for who they were targeting, the goal was clear—Lin Xuan was the primary target. This matter concerns the safety of the exploration team and the reputation of the Sect; it must be thoroughly investigated!"

"Thoroughly investigated?" Han Feiyu tossed the iron plaque lightly in his hand before throwing it back to Sun Miao casually. "Junior Martial Uncle Sun, exploring ruins is inherently fraught with danger. Encountering desperate scoundrels driven by greed, or the ruins' own guardians and mutated Yao Beasts, is perfectly normal. To conclude they are 'Shadow Sha' assassins based solely on a dubious iron plaque and a corpse that cannot speak is perhaps being overly sensitive. Perhaps they were just some petty villains who knew they had no hope of competing for the core of the ruins and turned to robbing others of their gains instead."

He paused, his gaze turning to Lin Xuan, who had been standing silently behind Sun Miao, his eyes becoming sharp. "However, this young friend Lin Xuan, I heard you first showed your skills at Black Wind Ridge and then took the top spot in the Outer Sect competition. Now, in these ruins, you were even able to kill one of the assassins while facing an ambush, remaining unscathed... This level of strength and adaptability is truly impressive. I wonder what Sect young friend Lin hails from, or which master you studied under? Or perhaps... you obtained some incredible 'Opportunity'?"

These words sounded like praise, but every sentence was sharp. First, he casually characterized the assassination incident as "petty robbery," downplaying the potential conspiracy and targeting behind it; then, he shifted the focus to Lin Xuan, questioning his origins and the source of his power, implicitly pointing out the word "Opportunity" to stir up greed and curiosity in many people present.

A slight commotion broke out in the plaza. Many Inner Sect Disciples and Disciples of the right-wing team looked at Lin Xuan with complex gazes. Sun Miao had not hidden the harvest of the earth-fire sha crystal and three-leaf soul-clearing grass, so everyone knew the left-wing team had achieved this great merit, and Lin Xuan was clearly the key figure. Now, hearing Han Feiyu say this, many people's minds became active: Why could a Martial Artist without a Spiritual Root repeatedly perform miraculous feats? Why could he kill an assassin at the ninth level of Qi Refining (they automatically inflated the assassin's strength)? There seemed to be no better explanation than an "Opportunity." And in the cultivation world, the word "Opportunity" often meant fortune, but it also meant... harboring a treasure and inviting trouble.

Lin Xuan met Han Feiyu's gaze, his expression calm and waveless, as if the sharp edge in the other's words was just a breeze brushing his face. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying a strange penetrating power. "Senior Brother Han is too kind. I am merely a Loose Cultivator who happened to obtain the Legacy of a predecessor and explored some shallow Body Refining methods to protect myself. As for the matter of the assassins, I was also a victim. It was only thanks to Elder Sun and the fellow Disciples coming to my aid in time that I was able to escape. As for their origins and motives, just as Senior Brother Han said, perhaps they were petty villains driven by greed, or perhaps... there is another story. I believe the Sect and Senior Brother Han will be discerning and will clarify the truth."

He was neither humble nor pushy. He admitted to having a "predecessor's Legacy" (blocking some of the gossip) and attributed the credit to Sun Miao and the team (indicating he was not acting alone). Finally, he gently kicked the problem back to Han Feiyu, pointing out the possibility of "another story," implying that this matter was not that simple.

A flash of surprise passed through Han Feiyu's eyes; he seemed not to have expected Lin Xuan to respond so calmly. He looked at Lin Xuan deeply and suddenly smiled, but that smile did not reach his eyes. "Young friend Lin is indeed humble. Very well, this matter can be investigated in detail later. The priority is the core of the ruins."

He no longer dwelled on the assassination incident, turning to face the depths of the plaza, towards the deep corridor leading to the stone hall where the stone tablet had been discovered last time, his expression turning solemn. "According to the report from Junior Sister Su's right-wing exploration, as well as the results of the deep exploration led by myself, it has been basically determined that the core of this ruin is not just a single Legacy stone tablet."

As soon as he said this, it immediately attracted everyone's attention.

"Junior Sister Su, you tell us about the findings of the right-wing team." Han Feiyu signaled.

Su Qingyue stepped forward, her cold voice ringing out. "In the right-wing direction, we mainly discovered a large number of dilapidated ancient Cultivation meditation rooms, warehouse ruins, and a fairly large site of a 'Martial Training Grounds.' Around the Martial Training Grounds, there are strong traces of combat left, as well as... a small number of relatively well-preserved ancient weapon fragments. On the wall of one meditation room, there are incomplete murals that seem to depict ancient Body Cultivators using a special ceremony to trigger the earth vein's Evil Qi to perform some kind of collective 'Body Tempering' or 'sacrifice' scene. Based on a comprehensive judgment, the right-wing area is likely the daily cultivation and living area on the periphery of this ruin."

Han Feiyu took over. "And the middle-wing team I led went straight to the stone hall where we found the stone tablet last time. Behind the stone hall, there is another world. After passing through a hidden corridor behind the stone hall and descending about a hundred zhang, we discovered the entrance to a giant underground palace sealed by a powerful Restriction! There are ancient seal inscriptions at the entrance, although incomplete, they can be identified as — 'Ancient God Martial Training Grounds · Inner-Field Forbidden Ground'!"

"Inner-Field Forbidden Ground!" Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. The external "Martial Training Grounds" were already so astonishing; what kind of Opportunity and danger must the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground hide?

"The Restriction is extremely powerful; with our strength, it is difficult to force it open." Han Feiyu continued, "But based on the remaining information of the inscriptions and the surrounding environment, the Restriction at the entrance of this underground palace seems to be related to the tidal fluctuations of the earth vein's Evil Qi. Every once in a while, when the surge of Evil Qi weakens, the Restriction will show a brief loosening, and we may be able to find a gap to enter. According to the investigation of Junior Martial Uncle Sun's left-wing team, they discovered a source of extremely strong earth vein Evil Qi, which is likely one of the keys affecting the Restriction here."

His gaze swept over Sun Miao and Lin Xuan again. "Therefore, to explore the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground, we need to combine the information from all three routes and use the Evil Qi source discovered by the left-wing team; perhaps we can find the pattern and weak points of the Restriction's loosening. Junior Martial Uncle Sun, did the left-wing team record the characteristics and fluctuations of that Evil Qi source in detail?"

Sun Miao suppressed the unhappiness caused by Han Feiyu's previous attitude, knowing that exploring the core of the ruins was the priority now, so he described in detail the scale of the Evil Qi pit, the situation of the surrounding sha spirit guards, and the rough cycle of the Evil Qi eruption.

After listening, Han Feiyu pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers on his palm, as if calculating. "According to this, the next window of time when the Evil Qi surge is relatively gentle is about... six hours later."

He raised his head, his eyes scanning the crowd, regaining the unquestionable authority of a team leader. "Order! Everyone rest on the spot, heal your wounds, and recover your spiritual power! Six hours later, gather here, combine all three routes, and go all out to explore the 'Inner-Field Forbidden Ground'! Junior Martial Uncle Sun, please be responsible for drawing the safe path map to the Evil Qi source and mark the possible risks. Junior Sister Su, the right-wing team is responsible for external vigilance and organizing all the murals and inscription rubbings found to see if we can find more clues about the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground. Everyone else, rest and build up your energy, ready to welcome the real challenge!"

"This exploration is far more dangerous than the last, but the Opportunity may also be unprecedented! Anyone who makes a contribution will certainly be rewarded by the Sect! But if anyone flees in the face of battle, harbors malicious intent, or acts without authorization — they will be severely punished!"

The order was given, and the team acted quickly. The Yunni Sect Disciples had decent discipline and each found a place to meditate. The Guest Elders and warriors also gathered into small groups, whispering about the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground, both excited and uneasy.

Lin Xuan found a broken pillar a little far from the crowd and sat down, closing his eyes to meditate. The short and dangerous exchange with the sword-wielding assassin, especially the last long-range punch containing the "Mountain Crushing" Concept, gave him a new understanding of his control over his own strength. At the same time, Han Feiyu's attitude made him even more vigilant. This elite Inner Sect Disciple seemed fair but was actually targeting him at every turn and was very interested in "Opportunities." In the upcoming exploration of the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground, I am afraid he will not only have to face the dangers of the ruins themselves.

Wang Mang and Li Dali came over. Wang Mang cursed in a low voice, "That pretty boy surnamed Han speaks with such Yin and Yang! Clearly, Brother Lin, you killed the assassin and made a contribution, but in his mouth, it sounds like you caused trouble!"

Li Dali was more vigilant. "Brother Lin, be careful. I always feel that Han Feiyu's eyes on you are wrong, and those Inner Sect Disciples around him also look at us Guest Elders like we are fat sheep. Once we enter the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground, there will be many people and complex terrain, and any accident could happen."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly. "Thanks for the reminder, I will keep it in mind."

His gaze swept over Sun Miao, who was whispering to Chen Feng not far away, passed over Su Qingyue, who was sitting alone with a cold expression but a slightly furrowed brow, and finally landed on Han Feiyu, who was surrounded by others and discussing details with two Foundation Establishment deacons.

Inner-Field Forbidden Ground...

Evil Qi source...

Assassins watching in the dark...

And this team that is cooperating on the surface but surging with undercurrents...

Six hours later, the real storm might have just begun.

He needed to adjust his state to the best before that, and restore as much [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] as possible. That Evil Qi pit... perhaps in addition to taking risks, it could also become an Opportunity for him to recover quickly or even improve.

Lin Xuan closed his eyes, and the Ancient God Body Refining Technique and Basic Martial Dao Spirit-Transformation Art operated quietly at the same time, while absorbing the rich ancient Spiritual Qi around him to slowly recover, while reminiscing about the "Mountain Crushing" Fist Intent, tempering his spirit and will.

The plaza gradually quieted down, with only suppressed gasping and the occasional sound of Medicinal Pill bottles clinking. The glowing rocks on the dome of the ruins seemed to have dimmed as well, signaling the passage of time.

In the dark, a gaze more hidden than the shadows watched the team resting in the plaza from afar, especially lingering on Lin Xuan for a long time, and then, like mercury pouring onto the ground, silently retreated into the deeper darkness, sneaking towards an unknown corner of the ruins.

Six hours passed in a flash.

When Han Feiyu stood up again, his moon-white brocade robe seeming to flow with clear light in the dimness, everyone's eyes were focused on him.

"The time has come." His voice was clear, breaking the silence. "Target — Inner-Field Forbidden Ground! Let's go!"

The assembled three-route teams, although their numbers had decreased due to casualties, still had their core strength remaining. Under Han Feiyu's leadership, they turned into a torrent and headed towards the deep and unknown corridor behind the stone hall again.

And this time, what awaited them would no longer be sporadic gains and testing on the periphery, but the real core trials and secrets of this ancient Body Cultivator "Martial Training Grounds" that had been sealed for who knows how many years.

(End of Volume 1, Chapter 15)

[Preview of Next Chapter]: The gate of the Forbidden Ground, the surge of Evil Qi! The three teams converge and go deep into the core of the ruins. At the entrance of the Inner-Field Forbidden Ground, what challenges and opportunities will the powerful ancient Restriction and the periodic Evil Qi tide bring? How will Han Feiyu's calculations and the shadows of the assassins in the dark intertwine during the exploration of the Forbidden Ground? Can Lin Xuan use the Evil Qi source to go further? What choice will Su Qingyue make when facing the interests of the Sect and her inner waves? Next chapter: Evil Qi Tide, the Restriction Opens! Lin Xuan: "Forbidden Ground? It's just another, bigger arena. The rules are written by strength."