Chaos Pearl appears, is it good fortune or a trap?

The sermon at Yuxu Palace finally concluded amidst auspicious signs.

Xuanwei felt like he'd just been released from a pressure cooker, feeling much lighter. He didn't dare linger, blending in with his fellow disciples from the Intercepting Sect, who wore various expressions, and followed Daoist Duobao, practically fleeing the area enveloped in the Jade Purity Immortal Light that made him so uncomfortable.

Back on Golden Ao Island, the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet (even though he was still floating) made him heave a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, from now on, if I can avoid these 'high-end academic conferences,' I will. They're too terrifying!" He patted his chest (with his mind) with lingering fear, "I almost got 'purified' on the spot by Uncle-Master Yuanshi as a negative example!"

However, although listening to the sermon this time was perilous, the gains were not small. Not only did he gain a deeper understanding of the Supreme Pure Immortal Method, but more importantly, the passive circulation of the body-tempering chapter of the Chaos Heaven-Opening Art had indeed condensed his Immortal Qi origin by a sliver. That sense of clarity after impurities were removed was tangible.

[Overall evaluation for attending the sermon at Yuxu Palace: B+]

[Rewards issued: Jade Purity Dao Charm Fragment x1 (can be used to briefly simulate the aura of Jade Purity Immortal Light, confusing specific restrictions); Body-tempering chapter of the Chaos Heaven-Opening Art efficiency permanently increased by 5%.]

"Not bad, it wasn't a wasted trip," Xuanwei felt slightly more balanced. He shifted his attention back to his "base" – the Medicine Garden behind the mountain.

After a few days of growth, the Spirit-Nourishing Grass and Qi Gathering Flowers were thriving, a lush green expanse emitting faint spiritual energy fluctuations. Although they were just basic spirit grasses, seeing this plot of land that he had personally cleared and cultivated filled Xuanwei with the satisfaction of an old farmer.

"I need to find a way to get some higher-grade seeds," he mused, "If I keep planting these common varieties, when will I ever become rich and win the 'hearts' of the core disciples?"

He decided to go to the Outer Sect Affairs Hall to use the authority given to him by Senior Brother Duobao to exchange for some higher-grade spiritual medicine seeds.

Just as he was preparing to leave, a slightly slick voice sounded behind him:

"Junior Brother Xuanwei! Wait, wait!"

Xuanwei turned around and saw a Daoist with a sharp mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and darting eyes, descending on a crooked, auspicious cloud. This Daoist's cultivation was not high, only late-stage Earth Immortal, but his attire was colorful, like a walking palette.

"Who are you?" Xuanwei looked at him warily. This guy didn't look like a good person.

"Heh heh, this humble Daoist is an outer sect disciple, with the Daoist name 'Bàishìtōng' (Know-it-all)," the Daoist approached, lowering his voice, "I heard Junior Brother is managing the Medicine Garden behind the mountain and has quite some skill, even Senior Brother Duobao acknowledges it? Truly young and promising, with boundless prospects!"

Xuanwei remained impassive, "Senior Brother overpraises. May I ask what guidance you have?"

"Guidance is too much to ask," Bàishìtōng rubbed his hands and chuckled, "This humble Daoist happens to have a great opportunity I wish to give to Junior Brother!"

"Opportunity?" Xuanwei raised an eyebrow, his internal alarm blaring. When pie falls from the sky, it's usually a trap.

"That's right!" Bàishìtōng mysteriously pulled out a dull, unremarkable, and even somewhat damaged piece of jade from his robe, "Does Junior Brother know what this is?"

Xuanwei scanned it with his spiritual sense. He didn't detect any special energy fluctuations; it was just an ordinary... scrap of jade?

"This is a fragment of an incredibly powerful treasure from the ancient era!" Bàishìtōng began to boast, spittle flying, "It is said to be related to that legendary primordial treasure of chaos! It contains the supreme Great Dao. If one can comprehend it, becoming a saint instantly is not a dream! I see that Junior Brother has natural spiritual talent and is fated with this treasure, which is why I reluctantly part with it..."

Xuanwei: "..." I believe you're lying! You old scoundrel are up to no good! This scamming tactic is even lower than those who sell fake antiques in my past life!

Just as he was about to wave the swindler away, the System in his consciousness suddenly emitted a prompt sound, unlike its usual tone, with a hint of urgency:

[Warning! Detected extremely high-priority unknown energy field approaching!]

[Energy Source: Target jade fragment.]

[Energy Level: Incalculable! Essence surpasses current database recognition! Suspected to contain... Chaos Core Law?!]

[Extremely dangerous! Extremely... Opportunity?! Recommend host... acquire immediately!!!]

The last four words were almost "shouted" by the System!

The words of refusal Xuanwei had on the tip of his tongue were instantly swallowed, and his heart (core of consciousness) pounded wildly!

The System had never been so flustered! Even when facing a Saint, it only gave a "high risk" assessment, but for this broken piece of stone, it used words like "incalculable," "surpasses recognition," and "Chaos Core Law"?! And it told him to "acquire immediately"?

Could it be... that this swindler really had something extraordinary in his hands?!

He forcibly suppressed the storm raging in his heart and put on a look of disbelief, "Oh? A fragment related to a primordial treasure of chaos? Senior Brother, are you joking? How could such a divine object be left lying around?"

Seeing that he hadn't immediately refused, a hint of cunning flashed in Bàishìtōng's eyes, and he continued to up the ante, "Junior Brother may not know, but this divine object conceals itself. Only those with great destiny and fortune can recognize it! My obtaining it was also by chance, but my fortune is shallow. After years of contemplation, I have gained nothing, and I fear the treasure will be tarnished, which is why I want to find a worthy master for it. If Junior Brother doesn't believe me, this humble Daoist is willing to swear by my Dao heart that this item's origin is absolutely extraordinary!"

He even brought out a Dao heart oath? Xuanwei sneered inwardly. This swindler was really going all out to trick people. However, with the System vouching for it, this "scrap of jade" was probably not simple.

"Since Senior Brother is so sincere..." Xuanwei pretended to ponder, "What does Senior Brother wish to exchange for this item?"

A flash of ecstasy crossed Bàishìtōng's eyes, and he quickly said, "Not much, not much! I've heard Junior Brother is skilled at nurturing spiritual plants. You just need to help this humble Daoist cultivate three... no, five 'Dragon Saliva Grass' plants that are five hundred years old!"

Dragon Saliva Grass? And five hundred years old? Although not top-tier, this plant was an important ingredient for refining various elixirs. Five plants that were five hundred years old were worth quite a bit! This swindler had a big appetite!

If it were any other time, Xuanwei would have turned and left. But now...

He put on a pained expression and, after struggling for a moment, gritted his teeth, "Alright! Let's consider it making a friend! However, I don't have mature Dragon Saliva Grass on hand right now, only seeds. If Senior Brother trusts me, give me the fragment, and I will write an IOU. Within three months, I will definitely deliver five five-hundred-year-old Dragon Saliva Grass plants!"

Bàishìtōng's eyes darted around. Seemingly thinking that Xuanwei couldn't run away, he readily (pretended to be) agreed, "Deal! Junior Brother is clearly trustworthy!"

The two drew up a simple IOU (using divine sense as proof) and completed this "one dares to sell, one dares to buy" transaction.

Holding the dull gray jade fragment, Xuanwei suppressed the urge to study it immediately and sent the overjoyed Bàishìtōng on his way.

Back in the Medicine Garden, after setting up a few simple warning restrictions, Xuanwei impatiently infused his Immortal Qi into the jade fragment.

At first, it was still silent and unresponsive.

"System, what's going on? Did you misjudge?" Xuanwei was somewhat doubtful.

[Energy field is in a state of absolute dormancy, requiring specific conditions for activation. Recommendation: Attempt to inject Chaos-attribute spiritual power or... host's origin essence blood (if available).]

Chaos-attribute spiritual power? He had it! The body-tempering chapter of the Chaos Heaven-Opening Art could indeed draw out a trace!

He immediately circulated the cultivation technique, carefully guiding that almost imperceptible, yet fundamentally extremely high, trace of Chaos Qi towards the jade fragment.

The moment the Chaos Qi touched the fragment--

Boom!!!

A deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were being split apart, exploded within Xuanwei's consciousness! The dull gray jade fragments suddenly erupted with indescribable, brilliant light! Within the radiance, countless chaotic runes flickered in and out of existence, earth, water, fire, and wind surged, as if a miniature chaotic universe was evolving!

A vast, ancient, supreme Dao rhythm, transcending all things, instantly engulfed Xuanwei's immortal qi essence!

[Warning! Encountered high-intensity chaotic energy impact!]

[Detected innate indestructible spiritual light reaction! Matches... matches characteristics of a fragment of the supreme chaotic treasure "Chaos Bead"!!!]

[Chaos Bead: Ranked as a top-grade supreme chaotic treasure (incomplete), it contains an unformed chaotic world within, shielding heavenly secrets and evolving all things. It is the embodiment of the "One" that escapes!]

[Attempting to establish initial connection... Connection successful! Initiating master recognition program...]

Chaos Bead?! That supreme chaotic treasure, said to be on par with the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, the Chaos Green Lotus, and the Jade Plate of Creation?! Even if it's just a fragment, it's still a supreme chaotic treasure!

Xuanwei felt like he had been struck senseless by immense fortune! This wasn't just an opportunity; it was like winning the universe's grand prize!

However, before he could bask in his joy for long, the System's warning sounded again, this time with unprecedented urgency:

[Warning! Master recognition program has triggered the Chaos Bead fragment's instinctive resistance! The chaotic laws contained within are beginning to erode the host's origin!]

[Warning! Energy imbalance! Host's immortal qi structure is about to collapse!]

[Emergency plan activated: Expend all reserve energy to forcibly stabilize the connection! Guide chaotic energy to temper the host in reverse! Success rate: 15%!!!]

"What?!" Xuanwei's face drained of color in shock!

He watched as the Chaos Bead fragment's light turned violent. Countless chaotic energy streams, like rampaging beasts, fiercely impacted and tore at his immortal qi origin! His immortal qi, which had only recently been tempered into a more solid form, was like paper in the face of this power, instantly riddled with holes!

The intense pain far surpassed anything he had experienced before! It was the agony of disintegration originating from his very core!

"This is a rip-off!!!" Xuanwei let out a silent wail in his consciousness, "I knew it! What falls from the sky isn't pie, it's a meteorite!!!"

He felt his consciousness being assimilated and devoured by the chaotic energies, as if he were falling into an endless, chaotic abyss!

Just as he was about to lose consciousness completely, his immortal qi origin on the verge of being torn to shreds--

[Energy depleted! Initiating final emergency protocol: Forcefully bind using the host's "anomaly" soul essence as an anchor point!]

[Binding successful! Chaos Bead (fragment) master recognition program forcibly completed!]

[Host status: Near death! About to enter dormancy for self-protection and repair...]

Xuanwei's last sensation was of his shattered immortal qi origin being drawn by a gentle yet irresistible force into a cold, dark place that seemed to contain nothing, yet also contained everything...

After an unknown period, which felt like both an instant and an eternity.

Xuanwei's consciousness, like a candle in the wind, slowly revived.

He "opened his eyes" and found himself in an incredibly strange space.

There was no up, down, left, or right; no concept of time or space. Only endless, hazy chaotic energy flowed slowly. Occasionally, the origins of earth, water, fire, and wind would manifest, only to quickly annihilate. Here, he felt no external laws, as if he were beyond the Primordial World itself.

[Welcome to... the internal space of the Chaos Bead (fragment).]

[Current space range: Three-mile diameter (in an extremely incomplete state).]

[Functions: 1. Absolute shielding of heavenly secrets (difficult for even Saints to probe). 2. Time flow adjustment (maximum 1:10, requires significant energy consumption). 3. Chaotic energy nourishment (requires host tolerance). 4. ??? (Unlocked)]

[Host status: Origin severely wounded, recovering. Energy level: 5% (extremely weak).]

Looking at the information on the System panel, Xuanwei's feelings were as mixed as a chaotic stew.

Chaos Bead! It really was the Chaos Bead! Even as a fragment, its functions were heaven-defying! Especially the shielding of heavenly secrets and time flow adjustment – these were practically custom-made cheats for an "anomaly" like him!

But the price... was far too steep! He had almost kicked the bucket! And his energy level had dropped to 5%, all those decades of hard work gone in an instant!

"What kind of master recognition is this? It's clearly signing a contract of servitude, the kind that almost gets you killed!" he grumbled, trying to find humor in the situation.

Still, being alive was good. And with this Chaos Bead space, his future cultivation and troublemaking would be much safer!

He tentatively absorbed a wisp of the chaotic energy within the space. The pure and domineering energy sent a wave of comfort through his severely wounded origin, noticeably accelerating his recovery.

"Looks like this is a blessing in disguise?" he cautiously observed this nascent, his own chaotic miniature world, "Even though it's just a bare shell right now, its potential is limitless!"

He pondered how to utilize this space to speed up his recovery and cultivation. Should he hide in here until the end of time, or...

However, a sudden, faint, telepathic call, as if from a distant time and space, like a stone dropped into an ancient well, rippled through this silent chaotic space, creating an almost imperceptible disturbance.

"Save... save me..."

Xuanwei jolted in surprise, "Who?!"