The Avatar Enters the World, Seclusion in the Demon Abyss

Within Wuzhuang Temple, Lu Chen and the other two recuperated and regulated their breathing.

Three days later, their injuries had basically healed.

"Little friend, what are your plans next?" Zhen Yuanzi asked. "Though the Demon Clan has temporarily withdrawn, they will never let this go. Di Jun is a deeply calculating man. His retreat today must mean he has another move prepared."

"I know." Lu Chen nodded. "That is why I should 'disappear' for a while."

"Disappear?"

"That's right." Lu Chen took out an object—the Chaos Bead he had obtained from the core of Treasure Distribution Cliff.

The bead was the size of a fist. Chaos Qi Flows swirled within it, as though it contained an unopened world.

"This bead can be used to refine an external avatar, and its aura will be completely different from that of the main body. Even Saints would find it difficult to see through it," Lu Chen said. "I plan to refine an avatar and have it move about outside, drawing everyone's attention. My main body will hide away and focus on cultivation, striving to break through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm."

"Excellent idea!" Hongyun praised. "Make a feint in one direction while attacking in another!"

Zhen Yuanzi nodded as well. "This method is feasible. However, refining an external avatar requires a vast quantity of heavenly treasures, and the process is dangerous..."

"I have the materials." Lu Chen smiled. "What I picked up in the Chaos and on the Three Clans battlefield, combined with what I swiped from Treasure Distribution Cliff, is more than enough. As for the danger—with the Chaos Brick suppressing it, it should not be a major problem."

No sooner said than done.

Lu Chen opened a cave dwelling in the back mountains of Wuzhuang Temple, set down layer upon layer of restrictions, and began refining his avatar.

Main materials: Chaos Bead (core), Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood (to shape the form), Primordial Phoenix Heart Core (to grant spirituality), Qilin Skeleton (to stabilize the foundation).

Supplementary materials: three hundred and sixty-five kinds of Xiantian Spiritual Material, corresponding to the number of the celestial cycle.

Refinement method: the Chaos Brick as the furnace, Three Lights Divine Water as the catalyst, and Sky-Opening Merit as the flame.

The entire process lasted forty-nine days.

On the forty-ninth day, dazzling chaos light erupted within the cave dwelling.

A figure slowly emerged from the radiance.

His features were seventy percent similar to Lu Chen's, yet more sharply defined, with eyes as keen as blades. He wore a chaos-colored Daoist Robe, and his aura was unmistakably that of an early Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

"From today onward, you shall be called Chen Ying," Lu Chen's main body said.

The avatar Chen Ying nodded. "Rest assured, main body. I know what to do."

The two exchanged a glance and smiled at the same time—sharing thoughts and synchronized memories, the avatar was another version of himself.

Lu Chen's main body handed most of his treasures to Chen Ying, including the Chaos Brick—a replica refined from scraps, possessing thirty percent of the original's power—several Innate Spiritual Treasures, and a large quantity of materials.

"You will travel the Primordial World as an independent cultivator. Be as conspicuous as possible and draw everyone's attention. When necessary, you may leak clues about 'Lu Chen stealing treasures,' but do not reveal the main body's true location."

"Understood." Chen Ying accepted the treasures. "Where does the main body intend to enter seclusion?"

"The Demon Abyss." Lu Chen uttered two words.

The most dangerous place was the safest place. Luohu needed him to retrieve the remaining half of the Primordial Violet Qi—though he had already taken it, Luohu did not know that—and would not move against him lightly. Moreover, the Demon Abyss blocked the Heavenly Dao's scrutiny, making it the perfect place for seclusion.

"Take care."

"Take care."

Avatar Chen Ying transformed into a streak of light and flew out of Wuzhuang Temple toward Buzhou Mountain—he intended to "accidentally" show himself in Witch Clan territory and let the Demon Clan know that "Lu Chen" had gone there.

Lu Chen's main body quietly left Wuzhuang Temple instead. Guided by the Demon Abyss Ring, he entered the Demon Abyss once more.

Luohu was not surprised by his arrival.

"You brat, you caused quite a commotion." Luohu's remnant soul smiled without smiling. "You even got your hands on the Chaos Brick. It seems you took all three items from the core of Treasure Distribution Cliff?"

"As expected, Senior is well informed." Lu Chen did not hide it. "I used the Chaos Bead, gave the diagram to the Queen Mother of the West, and the brick is in my possession."

"Clever." Luohu praised him. "You know what to keep and what to give up. The Queen Mother of the West's favor is far more valuable than a diagram."

He paused. "You came this time to borrow the Demon Abyss for seclusion?"

"Precisely. I ask Senior to grant me this convenience."

"Agreed." Luohu readily consented. "In the depths of the Demon Abyss lies a Chaos Spring Eye, where time flows differently from the outside world. One year outside is a hundred years within the spring eye. You may cultivate there, but you must agree to do one thing for me."

"Please speak, Senior."

"Within a hundred years, break through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. Then help me do something."

"What is it?"

"Kill someone." A cold glint flashed through Luohu's eyes. "Jieyin."

Lu Chen's heart jolted.

"Jieyin has already pledged himself to Senior. Why..."

"He did not pledge himself to me. He was planted with a Demonic Seed." Luohu sneered. "But recently, who knows what opportunity he obtained—he actually forced out thirty percent of the Demonic Seed, and there are faint signs that he may escape my control. That child is deeply calculating. If he completely frees himself from the Demonic Seed, he will become a great threat to me."

He looked at Lu Chen. "You bear a grudge against him, so killing him would be entirely justified. Once it is done, I will give you the God-Slaying Spear Refinement Method, as well as... a full list of every hidden agent of the demonic path within the Daoist Tradition."

Lu Chen fell silent.

Killing Jieyin would create far too great a karmic consequence. Jieyin was a future Saint; killing him meant defying fate itself.

But the God-Slaying Spear Refinement Method and the list of hidden agents were temptations too great to ignore.

"This junior needs time to consider."

"Very well. Give me your answer within a hundred years." Luohu raised a hand and pointed, sending out a streak of demonic light to indicate the way. "The Chaos Spring Eye is over there. Go."

Following the guidance, Lu Chen arrived at the deepest part of the Demon Abyss.

There truly was a spring eye here. What surged from it was not water, but Chaos Qi condensed into liquid form. Time flowed abnormally around it, making it indeed suitable for seclusion.

He sat cross-legged beside the spring eye, took out the remaining half of the Primordial Violet Qi, and began refining it with all his strength.

The hundred years of seclusion had officially begun.

Meanwhile, the outside world became even livelier due to avatar Chen Ying's activities...

Three months later, on the outskirts of Buzhou Mountain.

Chen Ying "inadvertently" revealed his whereabouts and was discovered by Demon Clan scouts.

A pursuit broke out. Chen Ying "fled in disarray" into Witch Clan territory, where Ancestor Witch Zhu Rong saved him.

The Demon Clan army pressed toward the border and confronted the Witch Clan.

The shadow of the Primordial World's great calamity grew ever darker.

And Lu Chen's main body, still in seclusion, knew nothing of any of this for the time being.

He was at the critical moment of breaking through to the Grand Unity realm...

More than half of the hundred years of seclusion had passed. Just as Lu Chen was about to break through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, the Demon Abyss suddenly shook!

Luohu's remnant soul urgently summoned him. "Brat, come out of seclusion! That bastard Jieyin has gone mad—he actually joined forces with Zhunti, Minghe, and Kunpeng to set up an 'Immortal Slaying Sword Formation (replica)' and force their way into the Demon Abyss to seize the remaining half of the Primordial Violet Qi!"

Even more terrifyingly, outside the Immortal-Slaying Formation, a faint and concealed Saint's pressure flickered in and out of existence...

Dao Ancestor Hongjun was watching too?!