Broken Rock Zone

Outside the Yang Yuan Stone mine.

Lin Chen hurried along with the Lin Ken brothers and several other members of the Lin Family. In just a few minutes, they arrived before the mine where the Yang Yuan Stone Vein was being excavated.

At that moment, Lin Chen's hands hung clenched at his sides, excitement faintly visible on his handsome yet youthful face. Even his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

"Have the person who discovered the anomaly lead the way..."

Hearing Lin Chen use such a stern tone for the first time, Lin Ken and Lin Mang both stiffened. Neither dared to be careless, and they immediately called over the person who had been waiting there for some time—the one who had discovered the mine's abnormality—to lead the way.

Naturally, the worker employed by the Lin Family did not dare voice any objections.

Although the Lin Family was nothing worth mentioning in the broader Great Yan Dynasty, in the eyes of ordinary people within Qingyang Town, they were an unattainable existence.

Seeing that Lin Chen intended to personally follow the man into the mine to investigate, Lin Ken recalled some of Lin Zhentian's deliberate instructions. He hurriedly waved a hand, and more than a dozen capable guards immediately gathered around before following behind Lin Chen.

Lin Chen said nothing about it. Although Lin Ken's actions were somewhat unnecessary, there was no need for him to deliberately reject the gesture of goodwill.

"Lead the way..."

Following Lin Chen's command, the worker briskly led the way, while Lin Chen and the group behind him closely followed.

After nearly half a year of excavation by the Lin Family, the Yang Yuan Stone Vein had become exceptionally spacious. Even if dozens of people entered at once, it would not feel crowded.

Moreover, because this place had once been a volcano long ago, the mountain was filled with countless fissures and passageways. There were so many that even workers who had excavated here for half a year could not fully count them.

Thus, even with someone guiding them, Lin Chen and the others traveled deep into the mine, following winding tunnels with countless forks for a full ten-odd minutes.

When Lin Chen finally stopped at the end of the mine tunnel, a fissure only wide enough for one person to enter appeared before him. Judging from the excavation marks around it, it was obvious that this fissure had only been dug open recently.

"Reporting to you, sir, yesterday I accidentally dug through a passage here. Out of curiosity, I went inside, but the heat rushing at me forced me back out."

"That gas was extremely scorching. I couldn't endure it for even a few breaths..."

After respectfully glancing at Lin Chen, the man leading the way spoke cautiously.

"Alright, all of you withdraw. This gas can burn the skin in mild cases and kill in severe ones. With your strength, it is best not to enter."

Lin Chen glanced at the fissure and spoke calmly. He then ignored the members of the Lin Family. With a step forward, he entered the narrow fissure.

About two or three minutes later, the narrow fissure suddenly opened up. Immediately afterward, a crimson Broken Rock Zone appeared in Lin Chen's sight.

From afar, the Broken Rock Zone looked as though lava were flowing through it. Scorching heat rose from the ground, warping the air throughout the entire space.

Before Lin Chen could look any further, he felt his body become blazing hot in an instant. An exceptionally scorching and violent gas entered his body through the pores of his skin, finally pouring into his dantian. At once, an unusual heat surged from within it.

Sensing the changes in his dantian, Lin Chen's eyes flashed rapidly, and a trace of delight flickered within them.

This place was exactly as he had initially expected, with no great difference. The scorching gas entering his body was precisely the High-grade Yang Gang Energy he had coveted for so long.

Perhaps outsiders could not directly absorb this scorching gas, but he could, thanks to the Stone Talisman's gentle purifying power.

"As expected of High-grade Yang Gang Energy. If I cultivate here while absorbing the Yin Sha Energy within the Yin Bead, breaking through to the Lesser Core Formation Realm will likely take no more than a month."

Although there was still a long distance between the initial Heavenly Origin Realm and the Lesser Core Formation Realm, because of his unusual constitution, Lin Chen possessed absolute confidence.

Lin Chen pondered silently, but his gaze did not remain fixed in one place. Instead, he carefully surveyed the entire space.

"There are countless kinds of demonic beasts on the Tianxuan Continent. I wonder what species this demonic beast was in life..."

Lin Chen's gaze swept across the Broken Rock Zone before involuntarily turning toward its center. He muttered to himself.

There stood a massive, bone-white beast skeleton dozens of zhang tall.

Such an enormous skeleton was the largest creature Lin Chen had seen in all his years. Though this colossal being had been reduced to nothing but white bones, Lin Chen could still sense the extraordinary aura seeping from its remains.

Behind the beast skeleton, there was a stretch of rock formed from lava that had surged up from underground and solidified.

At that moment, atop those rocks bloomed a crimson flower so red it was almost bewitching. Faint mist lingered around it...

"Blood Ancestor Demonic Flower..."

"And Master Diao wants the remains of this demonic beast too..."

As Lin Chen sank into thought, the sharp voice that suddenly sounded by his ear made him smile. He tilted his head slightly and glanced at Little Marten, who had appeared on his shoulder at some unknown time.

Lin Chen was not surprised by Little Marten's request. Unlike in the original world, the awakened Little Marten now desperately craved strength, so naturally he would not miss any opportunity to improve himself.

Even if that improvement was extremely limited.

"Although the Blood Ancestor Demonic Flower offers some benefit to Spiritual Power cultivation, its effects are quite limited. It can only be used during the beginning stages. With my current Spiritual Power as a Low-level Spirit Talisman Master, using it or not makes little difference."

"As for the demonic beast, do as you please..."

"If you want them, take them yourself."

As he spoke, Lin Chen paused before changing his tone, giving Little Marten reassurance.

"Hehe... then Master Diao won't stand on ceremony!"

"Once Master Diao extracts and refines the essence of this Blood Ancestor Demonic Flower and these demonic beast remains, my strength can recover to the Form Creation Realm. When that time comes, it will benefit you too, brat."

Little Marten waved his claws as he spoke, gesturing animatedly like a human. His tiny eyes were filled with intense greed.

At the height of Little Marten's strength, much less the Blood Ancestor Demonic Flower, he might not even have spared a glance for higher-grade spiritual medicine.

However, a tiger fallen to the plains was at the mercy of dogs. The current Little Marten truly no longer had the right to be picky. Only by recognizing reality could he survive better.

"Go refine them..."

"I should cultivate my Origin Energy properly as well. The High-grade Yang Gang Energy here is dense, just as I wish."

Lin Chen nodded at Little Marten and casually mentioned his next plans.