Breakthrough to the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage

"What difficulty is that? From this day onward, our Patrol Team will take the initiative and help you eliminate all the fierce beasts in the surrounding area." What Elder Xuan Yue feared most was Concentric Valley asking nothing of him. Since they had requested help, there was naturally no reason to refuse. It was also a good opportunity to strengthen ties with Concentric Valley.

"Besides, I see that Concentric Valley's outer formation is rather crude. Its defensive power is ultimately too weak and can only deal with small groups of fierce beasts. If a large beast tide came, or some powerful fierce beasts launched a surprise attack, I fear you would face utter destruction. I wish to set up the Nine Bends Mountain Array here to strengthen your defenses. What do you think?"

The old Hoof Spirit Clan leader and the Stone Armor Clan elder were naturally overjoyed. They hurriedly thanked him again and again.

Lin Yan's heart stirred as well. He had heard Mo Xuan mention the Nine Bends Mountain Array before. It was an extremely powerful defensive formation that relied on Earth Veins. Once completed, even Mysterious Immortal Level fierce beasts would find it difficult to breach. For settlements like theirs, it was no different from gaining a sturdy shield that could save their lives.

Elder Xuan Yue continued, "This array must draw upon the Earth Veins and connect the mountains and rivers. During its construction, you will need to cooperate by providing the necessary manpower and resources. You must also familiarize yourselves with its operation, so that you can maintain it on your own in the future."

"We're willing! We're willing!" The old clan leader and elder were beside themselves with excitement as they voiced their agreement. Any price was worth paying to add such a powerful safeguard to their homeland.

They immediately got to work. Elder Xuan Yue did not waste a moment. Over the following days, he sent Patrol Teams out in every direction while personally surveying Concentric Valley's terrain and designing the Formation Diagram according to the trends of the mountains and rivers.

With his keen perception of the Earth Veins and his Earth Vein Resonance divine ability, Lin Yan volunteered to help. Having experience setting up the Wutu Wasteland Suppression Great Array, he offered Elder Xuan Yue many excellent suggestions during the process, causing the elder to regard him even more highly.

When the living beings of Concentric Valley learned that the Kirin Clan was setting up a great defensive array for them, ensuring they would no longer fear surprise attacks from fierce beasts, young and old alike rushed to help. Under Lin Yan's direction, they split mountains, carved Mu Jins, excavated Array Bases, and reinforced Array Eyes, all of them working with great enthusiasm.

The process of setting up the array was also an improvement to the settlement's environment. In order to draw upon even greater Earth Vein Power, Elder Xuan Yue and Lin Yan took the opportunity to sort out the Spirit Veins throughout the valley, clear blockages, and guide Spirit Qi to circulate more smoothly. The concentration of Spirit Qi within Concentric Valley rose another level, and the overall environment improved even further.

By the time Shi Yue, Mo Xuan, Ao Ye, and the others returned from sweeping away the surrounding fierce beasts, the Nine Bends Mountain Array was essentially complete.

The moment the great array activated, the entire valley trembled slightly. A heavy earthy yellow barrier extended along the winding mountain trends, forming an irregularly shaped Defense Barrier.

The instant the Defense Barrier closed, every living being in the valley could feel a deep, solid power rising from beneath the ground, firmly protecting the entire valley. The valley's inhabitants immediately felt much safer, and their gratitude toward the Kirin Clan and Lin Yan became beyond measure.

Elder Xuan Yue taught part of the formation's control incantations to those in charge of Concentric Valley, allowing them to activate it for self-protection in times of crisis. Naturally, some necessary backdoors were still retained. The living beings of Concentric Valley noticed nothing, but Lin Yan saw it all clearly from the side.

Lin Yan understood Elder Xuan Yue's practice of holding something back. The Kirin Clan had its own selfish interests, and there was no reason for them to show others unconditional kindness. If they insisted on being benevolent fools, the Kirin Clan would never have grown into one of the major powers of the Primordial World.

The moment the great array was completed, everyone cheered in unison and began singing and dancing in celebration. For a time, the scene was exceptionally lively.

Yet a system notification suddenly rang out in Lin Yan's mind.

[ Ding! Detected that the host has successfully guided and assisted in establishing multiple civilized symbiotic settlements, including 'Concentric Valley,' 'Azure Water Peninsula,' 'Sandwalker Oasis,' and 'Thunder Pattern Mine Fortress,' and has enabled them to gain the recognition and proactive protection of a major local force, the Kirin Clan, thereby forming a sustainable model of healthy development. ]

[ Ding! Comprehensive evaluation: Task Two: 'Promote the "Earth Dragon Community" civilization model outward, influencing and improving the ecological environment of three regional areas,' has been completed beyond requirements! ]

[ Task reward settlement in progress... ]

[ Rewards issued: cultivation realm shackles removed, Heavenly Immortal Late Stage advancement channel opened; three each of the innate Five Elements Spirit Crystals—Lihuo Spirit Crystal, Guishui Spirit Crystal, Gengjin Spirit Crystal, Yimu Spirit Crystal, and Earthen Spiritual Crystal; Earth Vein Travel divine ability upgraded to high level. ]

The instant the notification ended, an energy even more vast and pure than when he had broken through to the Heavenly Immortal Middle Stage erupted without warning from the depths of Lin Yan's dantian, within his meridians, and even from the Kun Yuan Life and Death Dao Seed in the void.

This surge of energy was fiercer than any he had experienced before. Lin Yan could even clearly "hear" the cracking sounds of some invisible shackles within him breaking apart layer by layer. His bones, flesh, and meridians began to undergo deeper restructuring and strengthening beneath the cleansing force of that power.

Within his dantian, the Earth Spirit Seal and the Primal Chaos Plate hummed joyfully at the same time, actively absorbing the surging pure energy. The light on their bodies became increasingly restrained and profound. The patterns on the Disc Body of the Primal Chaos Plate in particular seemed even more intricate and mysterious, while the glow of the Primal Chaos Seed at its center grew more solid.

The transition from the Early Heavenly Immortal stage to the Heavenly Immortal Middle Stage was an accumulation of quantity and an initial qualitative change. The transition from the Heavenly Immortal Middle Stage to the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage, however, was a deeper alignment with one's own path. His perception and control of the Heaven and Earth Laws were no longer like trying to see flowers through mist.

This breakthrough happened as naturally as water flowing into a channel, without the slightest resistance.

Having broken through to the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage, he was now only a single step away from the True Immortal Realm.

"Y-you broke through again?" Mo Xuan, who had been guarding Lin Yan's side, nearly had his jaw hit the floor. He had thought he was already used to Lin Yan's rate of breakthroughs, but seeing him reach the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage in such a short time still left him utterly stunned. Lin Yan's cultivation speed kept challenging the limits of his understanding as a top divine beast.

Ao Ye's dragon eyes widened, and his dragon whiskers moved without wind. Clearly, his heart was far from calm. He considered himself a Dragon Clan prodigy, and his cultivation speed was among the best of his generation. But compared to Lin Yan... he felt as though he had spent the past few thousand years living like a dog.

The two proud top divine beasts felt an unprecedented sense of crisis at that moment.

"I can't take it anymore! Lin Yan is too monstrous. Xiao Ye, once we return to Qilin Cliff, I'm going to find a way to break through to the True Immortal Realm. I absolutely can't let Lin Yan reach it before me. What do you think?"

For once, Ao Ye did not bicker with Mo Xuan. "What else can I think? Xiao Mo, when we return to Qilin Cliff, can you lend me a place? I want to break through with you. If we don't, we'll have to call Lin Yan Senior. This dragon prince can't afford to lose that much face."

"Fine, no problem. My Cave Dwelling at Qilin Cliff is large enough for both of us to break through. This time, we absolutely can't lose to Lin Yan again." Having found a like-minded companion, Mo Xuan readily agreed.

The two exchanged a glance, and each saw blazing fighting spirit in the other's eyes.

Elder Xuan Yue witnessed their reactions and found them somewhat amusing, though he felt even more gratified. Mo Xuan had finally begun to take cultivation seriously.

As a Seven-Colored Qilin, Mo Xuan was naturally one of the Kirin Clan's favored children. From the moment he was born, he had received the clan's attention. Even the Old Ancestor, Ancestor Qilin, had personally taught him. Yet Mo Xuan had never cared much for cultivation. Now, stimulated by Lin Yan, he had finally begun to put his heart into it.

As for that Little Golden Dragon, he also appeared to be a rare genius among the Dragon Clan. However, he was somewhat lazy and rather fond of treasures. One look was enough to tell that he had not devoted all his attention to cultivation. It seemed he would now have to be spurred on by shame as well.

Young people loved competing and refusing to admit defeat. Still, that was not a bad thing. Competition created pressure, and pressure allowed one to grow faster. Lin Yan was the catalyst for these two to mature.

However, Elder Xuan Yue did not think highly of Mo Xuan and Ao Ye's chances in their competition against Lin Yan. On the contrary, he believed Lin Yan had better odds of winning. He could tell that Lin Yan's foundation after this breakthrough was incomparably stable, and his Dao aura was naturally formed. It was absolutely not comparable to forcibly raising one's cultivation through pills or secret arts.

Ever since Lin Yan had proven those plans he had spoken of, Elder Xuan Yue had regarded him even more highly. This youth possessed outstanding temperament, comprehension, strategy, and much more. If he could make up for his weakness in cultivation, then his future achievements would surely be limitless.