Volume 1, Chapter 17: Changes in the Palm Seal, Mysteries Behind the Door

As Lin Xuan's palm touched the palm Seal on the giant bronze door, an indescribable, icy sensation washed over him. It wasn't purely cold, but possessed a texture that felt ancient, silent, and as heavy as a mountain.

Immediately after, a sudden change occurred!

The palm Seal seemed to come alive. The textures in the indentation perfectly matched every line and joint of Lin Xuan's palm in a bizarre resonance. A weak but extremely pure suction force emerged, not drawing upon his spiritual energy, but directly pulling at the Qi and blood within his body, as well as the subtle aura belonging to the Origin of the Martial Dao's extreme realm hidden deep within his Qi and blood!

Hum—

The giant bronze door emitted a low tremor, as if coming from ancient times. The pale golden light waves on the door, originally stirred by attacks, suddenly retracted inwards like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, gathering entirely within the two palm Seals! The palm Seals instantly turned into brilliant golden light sources, with the radiance spreading rapidly along the dense runic veins on the door, lighting them up!

In just a single breath, the entire giant door transformed from a silent, dark bronze color into a golden portal flowing with brilliant light and runes! That desolate pressure, which had suppressed everything for ages, not only did not weaken but became solidified and... active? It was as if a sleeping giant beast had been awakened by a familiar aura, stirring its instincts.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden change, even the crazed Blood Evil Yao Beasts showed a momentary hesitation and fear, their onslaught slowing down.

"Sure enough... it requires special Qi and blood verification! He... he really can do it!" A scorching light erupted in Han Feiyu's eyes as he stared fixedly at Lin Xuan's back and the brilliantly glowing giant door, his previous anxiety and gloom replaced by wild joy.

Su Qingyue covered her slightly parted red lips, her beautiful eyes reflecting the golden light and Lin Xuan's straight back; the complex waves in her heart turned into pure shock at this moment. Sun Miao, Chen Feng, and the others were also dumbfounded.

Lin Xuan himself felt it most profoundly. The moment his palm matched the Seal and his Qi and blood were stirred, fragments of the 'Ancient God Body Refining Technique' in his mind began to circulate on their own, resonating strongly with a part of the runes on the door! Streams of information—not a specific Cultivation Technique, but a mark of 'recognition' and 'authority'—poured into his consciousness through the point of contact. At the same time, he clearly felt that behind this door, the pure and ancient Spiritual Qi leaking out contained something highly tempting to a practitioner of the 'Ancient God Body Refining Technique', but it was also accompanied by a deeper sense of crisis that made his skin prickle slightly.

Just as the golden runes were about to spread across the entire giant door, and the light leaking from the gap between the doors grew brighter, the moment the portal seemed about to open—

Another change occurred!

The ground beneath everyone's feet—no, the entire massive underground space where the circular basin was located—suddenly shook violently! It was ten times more intense than the previous surge of Evil Qi! Rock fragments fell from the walls, and some smaller cave entrances even began to collapse.

"Roar—!!!"

Below the basin, the ocean of Evil Qi that had originally calmed down slightly was like a beast thoroughly enraged, crashing into towering waves of blood! The viscous, liquid-like Evil Qi surged upwards, rushing straight toward the dome! This eruption was no longer a periodic fluctuation, but seemed to have been completely detonated by the movement of 'opening the door'!

Even more terrifyingly, as the Evil Qi rioted, some ancient Restrictions remaining in the dilapidated training facilities on the basin walls seemed to be activated as well! Several huge metal hooks creaked, rust peeling off them, and dark red lightning began to jump faintly; on the surface of some seemingly ordinary stone platforms, distorted force field patterns emerged, emitting chaotic, heavy pressure!

"Not good! The core of the Earth Vein Evil Qi is rioting! It's triggered the ruins' defense mechanisms along with it!" Sun Miao exclaimed, "This place is going to collapse! Retreat quickly!"

"Retreat? The door is about to open!" Han Feiyu's face turned livid, a struggle flashing in his eyes before turning into ruthlessness. "We cannot retreat! All Disciples, defend against the Yao Beasts and falling rocks with all your might! Two Junior Martial Uncles, follow me to stabilize the Formation! Lin Xuan, keep opening the door! Hurry!"

He ordered Lin Xuan to continue, while he himself, along with another Foundation Establishment deacon who hadn't been poisoned, and Deacon Wu, who was barely suppressing the toxin, retreated several yards, erected the strongest spiritual energy shield, and protected a portion of the Inner Sect elite Disciples behind them, clearly intending to let the peripheral Guest Elders and some Outer Sect Disciples bear the first wave of impact.

"Shameless!" Wang Mang cursed angrily, punching away a Yao Beast that took the Opportunity to pounce, but he was helpless.

Li Dali's face turned pale as he desperately dodged into a relatively safe indentation in the rock wall.

Lin Xuan seemed unaware of the chaos behind him and Han Feiyu's schemes. All his focus was currently concentrated on the giant door under his palm. The door was indeed opening! That heavy obstacle, which seemed to isolate time and space, was slowly loosening and moving backward under the resonance of his Qi and blood. But at the same time, a massive force of destruction and chaos, originating from the riot of the Earth Vein Evil Qi core, was surging back along the door, crazily impacting his body!

If not for his solid Physical Body Foundation and the protection of [Source Martial Spiritual Energy], this backlash alone would have been enough to break the bones of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator! Even so, he felt his Qi and blood churning, his arms trembling violently, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"Open... for me!" Lin Xuan roared in a low voice, dark golden light flashing in his eyes. He pushed the 'Ancient God Body Refining Technique' to its limit, the trace of the 'Mountain Crushing' Concept merging into his full strength. He pushed forward fiercely, not just with his palm, but using his entire body as a fulcrum!

"Rumble—!!!"

It was like a deafening roar of heaven and earth collapsing!

All the golden runes on the giant bronze door erupted with sun-like brilliance at this moment, then violently contracted inwards! The heavy portal finally slid backward slowly, revealing a gap wide enough for several people to pass through side-by-side!

The moment the door opened, a torrent of energy, far purer and more ancient than the outside, yet mixed with intense Evil Qi and a strange, vital energy, surged out from behind the door like a dam breaking! Under the impact of this energy, the Blood Evil Yao Beasts near the portal let out shrill screams, rolling back as if burned, and even the rioting waves of Evil Qi were forced back for a moment!

"The door is open! Charge in!" Han Feiyu was overjoyed and could no longer care about anything else. He turned into a streak of light and was the first to rush toward the golden gap! Behind him, the two Foundation Establishment deacons and the Inner Sect elite Disciples also scrambled to follow.

Seeing this, Sun Miao had no choice but to grit his teeth and call out to Chen Feng, Su Qingyue, and the others: "Quick! Follow! Enter the Forbidden Ground to take shelter!"

In the chaos, the crowd surged toward the door gap, which symbolized life and Opportunity, like water from a broken dam.

The moment Lin Xuan pushed the door open, he was staggered several steps backward by the backlash and the torrent of energy surging from behind the door. He forcibly stabilized his figure, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and did not immediately rush inside. Instead, he scanned the chaotic battlefield and the surging ocean of Evil Qi with sharp eyes.

At that very moment, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of that familiar shadow, almost blending in with the environment. Like a maggot on a tarsal bone, it was silently approaching the portal, closely following a panicked Guest Elder. Its target was clearly Han Feiyu, who was rushing at the front! Or rather, the 'Evil-Repelling Bead' Han Feiyu was using for illumination, and the valuable Storage Pouch at his waist!

"The killer's target... is not just me? Or is it greed?" Lin Xuan's thoughts raced. This killer had extremely high concealment skills and a vicious grasp of timing. Right now, everyone's attention was on opening the door and fleeing, making it the perfect time to strike and fish in troubled waters.

He didn't raise an alarm, nor did he try to stop it. Regardless of who the killer's target was, for him, it might be an Opportunity to reduce pressure. He pushed off the ground and, mixing into the back of the crowd, also rushed toward the golden portal.

The moment he stepped into the portal, it was as if he had passed through a layer of cold water film, and the deafening roars and fighting outside were instantly cut off by more than half. Before him lay a more gloomy, yet exceptionally vast space.

This place seemed to be a huge natural karst cave that had been renovated. The dome was high, with countless stalactites hanging upside down, emitting faint, colorful fluorescence, providing dim light. Beneath his feet were hard, flat black stone slabs covered in wear marks, extending deep into the darkness. The air was filled with Spiritual Qi several times more pure than outside the door, but it was also mixed with clearer, more bone-chilling Evil Qi, as well as... a faint smell of blood and rusting metal.

Han Feiyu and the others, who had rushed in first, had already stopped and were looking around in suspicion. Behind them, Sun Miao, Su Qingyue, and other survivors poured in one after another, all disheveled and shaken. Looking back, the golden portal was slowly closing, sealing off the Evil Qi riot, the Yao Beast roars, and the desperate screams of those who didn't make it inside. Finally, the portal closed completely, turning into a dim, almost imperceptible trace on the rock wall, as if it had never been opened.

Taking stock of the numbers, the original team of over fifty people was now left with fewer than thirty, a loss of nearly half! The Guest Elders and laborers suffered the heaviest casualties, and seven or eight Yunni Sect Disciples were also lost. Everyone had lingering fear and grief on their faces.

"Is this... the inner Forbidden Ground?" Han Feiyu suppressed the irritability brought about by the losses and looked around. The light from the Evil-Repelling Bead in his hand illuminated the area several dozen yards ahead. He saw that deep in the cave, there were shadows of huge stone architectural outlines, and further away, there was a faint sound of gurgling water and... a rhythmic, low 'thump-thump' sound, as if it were a giant's heartbeat.

"Search carefully, do not scatter." Han Feiyu ordered in a deep voice, but his gaze couldn't help but glance at Lin Xuan, who had just walked in and was quietly regulating his breath, a trace of wariness and deeper inquiry flashing in his eyes. The anomaly when opening the door just now, and the specialty Lin Xuan displayed, made him realize that this Disciple's value (or rather, his potential for exploitation) might far exceed expectations.

Su Qingyue walked not far from Lin Xuan, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Are you... okay?" She saw the blood at the corner of Lin Xuan's mouth.

"I'm fine." Lin Xuan opened his eyes, glanced at her, and replied in a flat tone.

Just then, an Inner Sect Disciple responsible for scouting ahead suddenly let out a short cry of surprise: "Senior Brother Han! There... there is something ahead!"

Everyone immediately stepped forward in guard. They saw that a hundred meters ahead, the cave suddenly narrowed, forming a passage. At the entrance of the passage stood two stone statues, each three zhang tall!

The statues were not human, but two ferocious-looking exotic beasts, resembling lions and tigers, with wings on their backs! The statues were carved vividly, and although covered in dust, they still radiated an unsettling, fierce Evil Qi. In the wide-open mouths of the beast statues, each held a fist-sized, dust-covered, dim precious bead.

And between the two stone statues, on the ground of the passage, a huge, incredibly complex Formation pattern was outlined with some dark red substance that looked like dried blood! In the center of the Formation, a simple stone tray was placed, and on the tray, three items were floating:

On the left, a broken, palm-sized dark red metal disc with jagged edges and a small hole in the center, the material of which was extremely similar to the metal fragment he had previously obtained, and the fluctuations faintly echoed!

In the middle, a sealed jade box, the jade warm and moist, with cloud patterns naturally flowing on the surface. It was clear at a glance that it was no ordinary item, and it was unknown what was sealed inside.

On the right, an ancient scroll that was neither silk nor linen, dark in color, bound with a dark golden thin rope with a peculiar knot.

The three items floated quietly, emitting tempting spiritual light and an ancient aura.

And on the edge of the Formation pattern stood a stone tablet with a few lines of ancient Seal script carved on it:

"Blood Evil refines the body, only then can one enter the gate."

"Break the Formation to take the treasure, each according to their Opportunity."

"Those who act rashly will be burned by the Evil Qi."

Blood Evil refines the body? Break the Formation to take the treasure?

Everyone's eyes suddenly became hot, especially when looking at the jade box and the scroll. Things that could be placed at the entrance of the inner Forbidden Ground as 'rewards' were definitely no ordinary items!

Han Feiyu's eyes flashed with brilliance, but he didn't step forward immediately. He looked at the Formation, then at the two stone statues and the beads in their mouths, pondering: "This Formation... seems to require triggering with the power of Qi and blood? Or rather, it requires inciting the Evil Qi here, undergoing some kind of transformation to form 'Blood Evil' energy, pouring it into one's own body, and enduring the pain of refining the body to safely pass through the Formation and obtain the treasure? 'Those who act rashly will be burned by the Evil Qi'... It seems we cannot force our way through."

His gaze fell on Lin Xuan again, with ulterior motives: "Junior Brother Lin, you seem to have quite a resistance to Evil Qi, and your Qi and blood are peculiar. This 'Blood Evil Body Refining' might be a test prepared for Body Cultivators like you. Why don't... you scout the way for everyone again? If there are any gains, that metal disc will belong to you, how about that?" He pointed out the metal disc directly, appearing generous, but in reality, that disc was broken, and its value was the hardest to judge, while the jade box and scroll were obviously more attractive.

Once again, he was pushed to the front to bear the greatest risk.

Lin Xuan looked at the Formation, then at the dark red metal disc, and there was indeed a tremor in his heart. This item was very likely of the same Origin as the fragment in his hand, and perhaps more information could be pieced together.

He didn't agree immediately, but looked at Han Feiyu and said slowly: "Senior Brother Han, this place is fraught with crises, and there may be enemies lurking in the dark (he was referring to the killer, but did not make it clear). It would be better to send people to scout the surroundings first to ensure safety before attempting to break the Formation and take the treasure."

Han Feiyu frowned, just about to say something.

Suddenly, another change occurred!

It didn't come from the Formation ahead, nor from the killer in the dark.

It came from behind everyone, from the direction of the closed giant bronze door!

"Thump... thump... thump..."

That rhythmic, low, giant's heartbeat sound suddenly became clear and powerful! Moreover, accompanying this heartbeat, the entire cave floor began to tremble slightly, and an indescribable, terrifying pressure that seemed to come from the ancient primordial era, like an awakening tide, slowly permeated from the deepest part of the cave!

This pressure was far more ancient, more barbaric, and more... active than the pressure of the giant bronze door!

It was as if some unimaginable existence was sleeping in the deepest part of this inner Forbidden Ground, and at this moment, because of the intrusion of outsiders, it was slightly... disturbed?

Everyone's faces instantly turned deathly pale.

(Volume 1, Chapter 17 End)

[Next Chapter Preview]: Heartbeat revives, ancient pressure! What exactly is sleeping in the depths of the inner Forbidden Ground? Is it the guardian left behind by the ancient Body Cultivator? Or a sealed terror? What secrets are hidden in the three treasures before the Blood Evil Body Refining Formation? Has the killer 'Shadow Seven' also successfully infiltrated? Under the increasingly terrifying pressure, will the team choose to risk breaking the Formation to take the treasure, or explore the source as soon as possible? Where will the metal fragment in Lin Xuan's hand, together with the broken disc, lead? Next Chapter: Heartbeat like a drum, Evil Formation refines the body! Lin Xuan: "This heartbeat... is it a test, or a warning?"