Lin Dong: Only I Decide My Future!

Xiao Yan did not urge him, merely waiting quietly. Little Sable hesitated as if he wanted to say something, then, after struggling for a moment, flashed straight into the Stone Talisman embedded in the flesh of Lin Dong's palm.

"Eldest Brother, I've made up my mind!"

"Since we're destined to meet, I'll go to Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace and pursue her in the future! As for now, as a martial cultivator, I must naturally hold my fate in my own hands! I will never wait for some so-called future!"

"Only I get to decide what my future will be!"

Before long, Lin Dong raised his head, his eyes incomparably resolute.

The future was illusory. Only the present could be grasped.

If one knew what would happen in the future, one might fear affecting its course, fear this and that while waiting around. Wouldn't that make one a pawn and puppet of fate?

Knowing Heaven was easy, but defying Heaven was difficult?

If one knew fate and changed it, why couldn't it be done?!

"Then let's set off!"

The Tianyan Mountain Range lay at the border where Yan City and two nearby cities met.

This mountain range was immensely vast, stretching across nearly half of Tiandu Commandery. Calling it the foremost mountain range of Tiandu Commandery would not be an exaggeration.

The Tianyan Mountain Range covered a vast area and was home to countless ferocious Monster Beasts.

It was said that if one ventured too deeply, even experts who had entered the Three Realms of Creation would find it difficult to escape if they were careless. Thus, under normal circumstances, aside from professional adventure teams that hunted Monster Beasts, few people ventured deep into the Tianyan Mountain Range.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Two young figures charged into the woods of the Tianyan Mountain Range, one after the other.

The moment they entered the forest, the sky seemed to darken considerably, and a faint oppressive feeling settled over their hearts.

"Eldest Brother, we've reached the Tianyan Mountain Range. Should we invite Senior out to join us?"

Hearing the distant, faint roars of beasts, Lin Dong slowed his pace slightly, his expression growing cautious.

In such deep mountains and ancient forests inhabited by Monster Beasts, losing one's life through carelessness was nothing unusual.

Throughout history, quite a few Three Realms of Creation experts had perished in the Tianyan Mountain Range. How much less were they, one a Dou Master and the other at the Heavenly Origin Realm?

If they encountered even a Monster Beast at the Great Perfection of Core Formation Realm, both of them would die here!

"It is a good thing for young people to know caution."

"Next, you two little fellows can wait here. This Old Man will search for traces of the Tomb Mansion."

Old Yao's lightly chuckling voice, carrying a hint of approval, sounded beside them. Then he appeared out of thin air, floating in midair. His powerful Soul Power spread in all directions like a tide, while his Soul Body continuously darted about.

The Tomb Mansion had not yet emerged. If they wanted to locate it, they could only use the clumsy method of searching inch by inch with Soul Power.

Fortunately, Old Yao's Soul Power had recovered considerably. Moreover, after cultivating the improved Talisman Master System, his Soul Power had become more condensed, and his soul perception had improved significantly.

Therefore, even searching the entire Tianyan Mountain Range would not take much time, nor would it place much strain on Old Yao.

As Old Yao's Soul Power spread, the beast roars that had risen and fallen throughout the mountains instantly vanished. All the ferocious beasts in the mountain range lay prostrate and trembled beneath this aura comparable to that of a Nirvana Realm Expert.

The experts who had entered the Tianyan Mountain Range to seek Natural Treasures or hunt Monster Beasts also changed expression one after another, then fled madly outward.

"Senior truly possesses stunning talent. Although he has only condensed two Heavenly Talismans, with the unique nature of the Bone Spirit Fire Talisman, his mental fluctuations are already comparable to those of a Four-Seal Heavenly Talisman Master."

Little Sable also emerged from Lin Dong's body, his eyes sweeping across the surroundings.

If any Monster Beast was startled and charged in their direction, he could act in time to protect Lin Dong and Xiao Yan.

"Found it!"

Before long, Old Yao's figure slowly drifted down from the sky, a smile appearing on his face. Then, with a light wave of his right hand, Soul Power wrapped around the two of them and carried them toward the depths of the forest.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The fierce wind howled beside their ears. Xiao Yan and Lin Dong were carried by Old Yao for half a quarter-hour before finally passing through a seemingly natural forest barrier and arriving outside a massive mountain peak.

The mountain had no pointed summit. Lush greenery spread throughout it, yet faintly visible atop the Mountain Top, beneath the thick foliage, were several ancient structures resembling enormous stones.

Such structures did not resemble a Tomb Mansion at all. Instead, they looked somewhat like the ruins of a sect.

"A Nirvana Tomb Mansion? I'm afraid it isn't merely a Tomb Mansion. It should be where this Nirvana Realm Expert lived in seclusion during his lifetime, shouldn't it?"

Glancing at the scattered ancient structures, Xiao Yan stroked his chin and spoke softly.

The Tomb Mansion contained Pure Yuan Pills, Demon Spirits, Talisman Puppets, Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Treasures... all kinds of resources. Yet the grades of these resources were far too low for a Nirvana Realm Expert, making them seem more like preparations for younger generations.

Pure Yuan Pills condensed by Core Formation Realm cultivators, Mid-Grade Talisman Puppets with the combat strength of the Form Creation Realm, the unfinished Sky Scale Ancient Halberd comparable to an Intermediate Spiritual Treasure... to a Nirvana Realm Expert, they were not even toys.

Moreover, judging from the scale of these buildings and some remaining traces, quite a few people had once lived here.

It was simply unknown what had happened here after this Nirvana Realm Expert passed away, leaving behind only architectural ruins.

"He should have been a solitary cultivator. He did not establish a sect or clan, but he had close relatives and disciples. Thus, he occupied this place in the Tianyan Mountain Range, where Heaven and Earth Origin Energy was fairly dense, and lived in peace in a secluded corner."

"Senior, how do we break the seal next?"

Little Sable nodded, then asked Old Yao.

He actually felt that, with Old Yao's current strength, he did not need his help at all.

"This Old Man will try first. You only need to stand guard."

Old Yao stroked his beard, appearing quite confident.

That made sense. Forget that only a Formation Seal remained; even if the Tomb Mansion Master were still alive, whether he could defeat Old Yao in his current state would be questionable.

Judging by the fact that the entire Tomb Mansion could not even produce a single Nirvana Pill, the Master of the Tomb Mansion had not gone very far in the Nirvana Realm during his lifetime.

"Alright."

Little Sable nodded, his expression turning serious as well.

"Bone Spirit Fire Talisman, go!"

Old Yao gave a low shout. Two pale-white Fire Talismans shot out from his eyes, drawing in and devouring the surrounding Heaven and Earth Origin Energy before transforming into two thirty-meter-long white Fire Pythons that descended upon the sealed Light Screen atop the Mountain Top.

Screech, screech, screech...

The Fire Pythons landed, yet no explosion occurred.

The pale-white flames covered the surface of the Formation Light Screen like liquid, continuously releasing two extreme powers—icy cold and blazing heat—in alternation. The Light Screen flashed and distorted without end, emitting groans of unbearable strain.

Ka Cha, Ka Cha... Boom!

Before long, under the corrosion of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, the Formation Light Screen completely shattered.

"It's broken!"

Lin Dong's face was filled with wild delight.

"Eh!"

At that moment, Xiao Yan gave a startled cry. He sensed the Dou Qi within his body becoming active, even beginning to circulate along the path of the Fen Jue on its own.

It was as though something inside the Cave Mansion had caused the Fen Jue to stir.