How About We Fight Our Way Out Together?

In that old forest deep within the secret realm, sunlight falls from the highest point, filtered and shattered by the layers of branches, casting dappled patterns of light across the forest clearings.

Chen Lingxi sat right in the center of that patch of light.

His eyes were slightly closed, and deep within his Consciousness Sea hung the array diagram he had obtained from the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror.

The array seemed extremely simple, its essence lying only in the two words "gathering" and "binding," but when Chen Lingxi traced her consciousness inch by inch across the array, she realized just how complex the obstacles within were.

The formation diagram is divided into seventy-two array eyes, and each array eye needs to be filled with an independent energy source.

Those seventy-two streams of energy were not taken from heaven and earth, nor from Law Treasure, but from the cultivator's own Dao Origin, which was divided into two, four, and eight, thus creating seventy-two streams.

Chen Lingxi slowly opened her eyes.

His consciousness returned to the Dragon-Stripping Dao Platform within his body.

The Dao Platform was as still and deep as an abyss, with two Profound Root standing together within it.

A Thunder Prison plant, Weiji Thunderlight, flows slowly along the veins of its leaves.

A Heavenly Law, its color warm and lustrous, with its pale gold veins now much clearer and brighter than before.

At the very center of the Dao Platform, the Dao Origin that had been slowly accumulating since he stepped into the Dao Foundation Realm was like a bottomless still pool of water, its surface undisturbed, yet beneath it flowed immense power.

Chen Lingxi a deep breath.

With a thought, the Dao Origin slowly rose from the depths of the Dao Platform, like a green dragon swimming out of a deep pool, flowing upwards along the meridians and surging into his chest and abdomen.

Then, he slowly extracted the first strand of energy from within his Dao Origin.

Time slips away quietly like this.

The sunlight in the woods slowly shifted from the west, and the light of day changed from bright to dark, and then from dark to bright again.

As the first day drew to a close, more than thirty streams of energy hovered around him, densely packed and slowly flowing around him, like a swarm of fireflies that could not find their way home.

By noon on the second day, the number of those energy streams had reached sixty.

Chen Lingxi's face was now slightly pale, and a layer of sweat was seeping from her forehead.

But he was extremely surprised.

"Dividing the Dao Origin into sixty parts isn't too difficult."

His eyes flickered, and he immediately recalled his extraordinary swordsmanship.

Whether it's the Heavenly King Wields Thunder Sword or the Jade Tiger Sea-Reversing Sword Light, both require extremely high control over Dao Origin. Unknowingly, Chen Lingxi developed an extremely strong ability to control Dao Origin within this Thunder-Hiding Sword Canon, which actually came in handy at this moment.

"It's a pleasant surprise. It seems that mastering this formation is simpler than I imagined."

However, to fully unleash the power of this formation, it will likely require a considerable amount of practice.

With that thought in mind, he continued to try and find opportunities.

Chen Lingxi slowly opened his eyes as the seventy-second strand of energy separated from his Dao Origin.

He raised his hand, gazing at the seventy-two slowly rotating streams of energy around him, his eyes clear and serene.

Then, he moved.

He no longer used Dao Origin as a guide, but instead used Divine Sense as a brush and himself as the array plate.

The light from the array diagram in his palm gradually shone brighter deep within his Consciousness Sea.

The first array eye corresponds to the first energy flow, the second array eye corresponds to the second energy flow...

They are not arranged in sequence, but rather interconnected and mutually reinforcing: the first path is linked to the seventy-second path, the second path to the seventy-first path, and the dozens of paths of energy in between settle down one by one according to the fluctuations shown in the array diagram.

Chen Lingxi's Divine Sense was extremely precise.

Since he mastered the [Fine Thought] Mystery Mechanism and possessed the wondrous tree Mystery Mechanism of the Thunder-Prison Immortal Eye, his control over Qi had reached a level where even the finest hairs could be discerned. At this moment, he used his Divine Sense to guide the seventy-two strands of Qi to settle one by one, just as a person held seventy-two extremely fine threads and wove an extremely intricate net in the Void.

The net grew denser and denser.

Chen Lingxi remained unmoved.

With a slight thought, the Abyssal Heaven Spirit Sword was drawn from its sheath.

The Jade Tiger Sea-Reversing Sword Light burst forth from the blade of the Abyssal Heaven Spirit Sword.

The sword rainbow did not stretch across the sky, but was forcibly Chen Lingxi with his Divine Sense, transforming into a cyan-gold Sword-Ray no more than three feet long, which fell straight into the center of the net formed by the seventy-two qi.

The key to victory lies in one's life.

In an instant!

The net of seventy-two qi that was originally flowing slowly suddenly tightened!

The seventy-two streams of energy trembled simultaneously, each emitting a sharp edge that flowed out from the array eye along the array patterns. Wherever they passed, the flow of energy changed abruptly, transforming into Sword Qi!

Chen Lingxi sat amidst the patch of light, all seventy-two strands of energy around him transformed into Sword Qi.

The seventy-two Sword Qi flowed slowly around him, each no more than the length of a palm, a bluish-gold color, with lightning patterns surging on them, the Sword Qi contained within, its sharpness not revealed.

Chen Lingxi looked down at the ring of marks and slowly exhaled.

This is the Seventy-Two Qi Origin-Holding Formation.

"I nurture it with Sword Qi, and this formation is a sword formation."

If I nurture it with lightning, this formation will become a lightning-based formation... Thinking about it this way, this formation is quite extraordinary."

Chen Lingxi slowly stood up.

He withdrew the array from his body, and the seventy-two Sword Qi retreated into the Dao Platform like a tide, still transforming into seventy-two streams of energy, which hung peacefully above the Dao Platform.

He was quite satisfied and nodded slightly.

In just three days, he was able to learn this formation to such an extent, which was due to a combination of factors, including his swordsmanship, the Suspended-Qi Fruit Projection, and his Spirit Aperture.

"However, there is still much room for improvement."

Chen Lingxi silently recited a sentence in her heart, without being impatient.

He then took out the True Person Xiang Shu Beholding Heaven's Fortune from the Hongdong Bag.

Twin Luminous Mirrors in the sky, and this place is still within the realm of Total Perception's Divine Sense.

Chen Lingxi, being in the mortal world, dared not easily use the Heaven-Viewing Audience Talisman to enter the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror. Now, in this Divine Chamber, he could give it a try.

Chen Lingxi channeled Dao Origin from his fingertips, tracing the runes with each stroke, outlining the entire talisman.

A pale golden light shone from the talisman.

He then bowed deeply with that talisman and paid homage to the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror.

A few breaths passed.

Chen Lingxi's brows twitched slightly.

The talisman in his palm remained suspended, its golden light fading and its Daoist aura emanating from it. The surrounding sunlight fell upon it, and it remained the same clear, bright light in the forest, unchanged in the slightest.

He bowed again.

The talisman remained unresponsive.

Chen Lingxi slowly straightened up and examined the talisman he Beholding Heaven's Fortune several times. He confirmed that the Sect Secret Talisman on the talisman was exactly the same as the method he had used with Dao Origin to activate it, and that it was identical to the one he had used every day for the past two years.

"It's definitely impossible to get in."

He put the talisman back into his sleeve and slowly sat back down on the ground.

He pondered slowly in his heart.

He once secretly recorded the Heaven-Viewing Audience Talisman during his Sight-Roaming, and without anyone knowing, he offered many sacrificial items to obtain Great Luo Dark Qi, several times in total.

The talisman he used at that time was a talisman used by Rogue Cultivator.

When the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror first manifested itself in front of him, a line of Daoist script appeared deep within its surface—[Rogue Cultivator Chen Lingxi].

This means that the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror has already revealed his identity, imprinting the identity of "Chen Lingxi, the Rogue Cultivator" within it.

The Beholding Heaven's Fortune of the Dragon-Offering Sect in his hand now bears the Sect Secret Talisman. If this is used in the mirror, then the identity of "Primordial Spirit Bearer, disciple of the Dragon-Offering Sect" and the previous "Chen Lingxi, a Rogue Cultivator" are two different people.

But the Great Luo Heaven-Observing Mirror only recognizes one person.

Chen Lingxi thought of this and slowly shook her head.

"That is a problem..."

"If it arouses the suspicion of True Person Xiang Shu, and he finds out that I have not been affected by the Life-Concealing Violet Radiance, then it will be terrible."

"Never mind, let's not think about it for now."

Chen Lingxi shook her head, stood up, and looked towards the depths of the secret realm.

"It's time to go and see Brother Lin."

Clouds rose spontaneously beneath his feet, skimming the treetops.

He did not unleash his full power; the Concealed Edge Method flowed silently within his body, hiding all his energy within it. As he moved through this secret realm, he was like a floating cloud slowly drifting across the sky.

--

The secret realm isn't very large.

Chen Lingxi got up from the old forest, crossed two mountain ridges, bypassed a mountain valley with rich Spiritual Qi, and then walked along the cliff for dozens of miles. The blue stone in front of him was now close.

There is a person on the rock.

Lin Suri sat cross-legged, dressed in a Dark Daoist Robe embroidered with cloud patterns representing the lineage of the Chi Po Dao-Below Academy the Pool-Soul Institute Lineage.

He wasn't cultivating at the moment; he was just sitting there quietly, gazing at the western sky. A layer of mysterious spiritual light slowly circulated around him, locking all his Dao Origin, qi, and essence within.

Chen Lingxi landed several feet below the bluestone.

He dispelled his Concealed Edge Method, slowly releasing a sliver of the extremely well-controlled aura surrounding his body.

Lin Su, sitting on the blue stone, seemed to sense something and suddenly opened his eyes.

In an instant!

Lin Suri's eyes narrowed, his brows furrowed, and the mysterious spiritual light around him tightened slightly, like a beast awakened from its slumber!

For the past few years, he has been in this secret realm, surrounded by more than twenty Dao Foundation Realm cultivators outside the fog, so he naturally has to be on guard.

But in the next instant, all his wariness vanished, his gaze suddenly went blank, and then Lin Suri slowly stood up.

"Chen... Chen Lingxi?"

A slight smile appeared on Chen Lingxi.

"Brother Lin Dao."

The two then sat cross-legged on the blue stone and talked for a long time.

I thought you died in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

He spoke slowly, his tone sincere and without a trace of pretense. "That year, the Cave Heaven was about to shatter, and the people of all Rebirth Realm scattered and fled. I awoke from the Rebirth Pool, thinking that when the Great Sage Luo Yuan descended, he crushed you and that Cave Heaven together."

Chen Lingxi stood still, listening quietly, and bowed to Lin Suri.

Thank you for your concern, Brother Dao.

He only said this one sentence, and then said, "My journey to the Cave Heaven is somewhat complicated, and I can't finish explaining it in a short time. Please sit down first, and I will tell you slowly, fellow Daoist."

Lin Suri took out a jade pot from his sleeve and poured two cups in one go.

The pot did not contain spiritual tea, but rather a kind of pure dew secretly brewed by the Dao-Below Academy. It was slightly cool upon entry, but as it traveled through the meridians, it transformed into a wisp of warm and mellow spiritual energy.

The two then talked, and Lin Suri asked Chen Lingxi where he was now. Chen Lingxi was very frank and said that he had joined the Dragon-Offering Sect. Lin Suri immediately frowned.

"The Dragon-Offering Sect Great Xuanzhuo Realm Cleansing Realm, why don't you come to my Dao-Below Academy?"

Chen Lingxi simply shook her head, but in her heart she was thinking...

"If I were to leave Dragon-Offering Sect now, I wonder if True Person Xiang Shu would notice?"

With these thoughts in mind, the two continued their conversation. Lin Suri also mentioned many past events, as well as what happened after he returned to the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

Until the sun began to set in the west.

Lin Suri suddenly stopped talking.

He looked up at the distant western part of the secret realm, shrouded in spiritual mist, and remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"Fellow Daoist Chen."

"I have something I need to discuss with you."

Chen Lingxi said, "Brother Dao, please speak."

Lin Suri raised his finger and pointed to the small sun above his head.

The fortuitous opportunity that lay above my head was called the Sun-Slaying.

He said, "This fortuitous opportunity is hidden in this secret realm. It is a secret of heaven and earth that has been sealed by time for countless years. Taking it can change a cultivator's flesh and Root Bone, causing his meridians, bones, Qi and Blood and internal organs to transform in a direction that is more in line with the Great Dao."

If this fortuitous opportunity is fully utilized, it may allow one to transform into Treasure Body!

Chen Lingxi listened quietly.

Lin Suri continued, "This fortuitous opportunity is now within me, but I have not yet fully refined it."

He paused.

"But after thinking about it carefully for a few days, I realized that I still have a master in the Dao-Below Academy, the Pool-Soul Institute, and the Daoist Master and six True Person. If I don't seize this fortuitous opportunity, there will always be a chance to meet again in the future."

But Fellow Daoist Chen, you came alone from the Weiji Grotto-Heaven to this Great Xuanzhuo Realm, and now you are in the place where demons and ghosts of the Dragon-Offering Sect are fighting. You need this fortuitous opportunity more than I do."

Chen Lingxi's expression shifted, and she was about to speak.

Lin Suri had already raised his hand to stop him.

I'm not trying to be polite with you.

He looked at Chen Lingxi and said, "I'm giving you this fortuitous opportunity as a way of repaying you for saving my life several times in the past."

When the secret realm opens, you can quietly slip out.

As for those cultivators in the secret realm, I will stop them for you.

Chen Lingxi sat there, speechless for a moment, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "I schemed against Brother Lin Suri before, but I never expected that Brother Lin would be so mindful of past kindness."

The Sun-Slaying Fortuitous Opportunity can change Root Bone and broaden Dao Path, making it even more valuable than the Suspended-Qi Fruit Projection.

But Lin Suri was now handing over this fortuitous opportunity to him. In the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, where he had no relatives or close friends, Lin Suri's actions warmed Chen Linxi's heart.

Then, he slowly frowned.

He looked up at Lin Suri.

"Brother Lin Dao."

He said, "There's something I don't understand."

Lin Suri said, "Ask away."

What is your current cultivation level?

Lin Suri calmly replied, "When I returned from the Weiji Grotto-Heaven and my memories returned, my Dao Foundation Realm had already been established, but it had not yet formed the Profound Root Tree. It has taken me fourteen or fifteen years to rebuild the foundation, which can barely be considered the Dao Foundation Early Stage."

"It's just that the Profound Root hasn't yet grown into a tree."

Chen Lingxi looked at him and said, "Brother Lin, within this secret realm, I have seen four or five Dao Foundation Middle Stage auras in just a few days, and more than twenty auras have been guarding it for several years."

"I truly don't understand, fellow Daoist, with your Dao Foundation Early Stage cultivation, what... do you intend to use to stop these people?"

Lin Suri remained calm upon hearing this.

He simply shook his head slowly, raised his hand to take out the jade pot from his sleeve, poured himself a cup, and took a sip.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, don't worry about me."

He said, "I, Lin Suri, am not the kind of person who would risk my life for fortuitous opportunity. If I truly had no other options, I should have willingly given up this fortuitous opportunity to save my life long ago, rather than being besieged here for years."

"Since I dared to stay, I must have some leverage."

Chen Lingxi looked at him.

Lin Suri sat on the blue stone, dressed in a Dark Daoist Robe, with a mysterious spiritual light slowly flowing around him, his face still calm and expressionless.

He seemed to have a complete plan.

Chen Lingxi stared at him for a few moments.

Then, a surge of intense pride, which he didn't know where it came from, suddenly welled up in his heart.

He stood up.

"Brother Lin Dao."

"Since you have this to rely on, why don't we join forces and fight our way out?"