Compared with the chaotic, dangerous core deep within the Necropolis of the Gods, the so-called "treasures" on its outskirts held little appeal for Lin Yinuo now. After reaching a preliminary understanding with Bluefire, he did not linger. Taking advantage of the convenience afforded by the Laws of Space, he avoided several groups fighting to the death over divine sparks and divine artifacts and quietly made his way back toward the entrance.
Along the way, he happened upon a set of ruins where powerful fluctuations of the Laws of Lightning still lingered. A battle between Deities had clearly taken place here, and wisps of destructive purple lightning slithered across the scorched earth. With a thought, he checked in there.
[Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations to the host for checking in at [Divine War Lightning Ruins]. Rewards obtained: [Laws of Lightning Fragment · Swiftness] and [Aura-Concealing Secret Art: Merging with Heaven and Earth]!]
[Laws of Lightning Fragment · Swiftness] gave him a faint, hazy insight into laws related to speed, while [Aura-Concealing Secret Art: Merging with Heaven and Earth] was a concealment technique more advanced than [Soul Concealment Technique]. It could use the surrounding environment to conceal his aura perfectly, making him extremely difficult to detect unless the observer's soul realm far surpassed his. This undoubtedly gave him more security for his subsequent actions.
By the time he returned to the vicinity of the Necropolis of the Gods' entrance, the passage was close to shutting. People from the various factions were returning one after another. Some were visibly delighted, having reaped substantial rewards; others were covered in wounds, their expressions dark. Still others had remained forever in that land of fallen gods.
Headmaster Harrington had already been waiting there with Linley and two other students. Of the two eighth-rank magi, one had lost an arm. They looked haggard, having clearly endured a bitter battle, yet a trace of relief remained in their eyes. But the change in Linley was the most striking!
He stood quietly beside Harrington, seemingly taller and straighter, his aura restrained and steady, yet faintly exuding the oppressive presence of a slumbering ferocious beast. The initial awakening of his Dragonblood Warrior bloodline had not only stabilized his warrior rank at the middle of the seventh rank and given him physical strength far beyond others of his rank. More importantly, his gaze had grown more resolute and confident. After facing life and death, he had shed much of his childishness and truly begun to show the makings of a powerhouse.
Seeing Lin Yinuo return safely, a barely perceptible trace of relief flashed through Headmaster Harrington's eyes. Linley's face lit up with joy, and he hurried over. "Brother!"
Lin Yinuo nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Linley. Sensing the Dragonblood Battle Qi surging through him like a great river, yet already brought under an initial measure of control, satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
"How was your haul?" Headmaster Harrington asked.
"I gained a little," Lin Yinuo answered vaguely before turning to Linley. "It looks like you've made considerable progress."
Linley nodded vigorously and said in an excited whisper, "Brother, I feel so much more strength inside me! And my Elemental Sensitivity to earth and wind seems clearer too!" The awakening of his Dragonblood Warrior bloodline had also brought considerable benefits to his magic cultivation.
Watching the two brothers, Headmaster Harrington was filled with emotion. One had touched upon the laws and was unfathomably mysterious; the other had awakened an Ultimate Warrior bloodline and had boundless prospects. The Baruch Clan truly was about to soar.
Before long, the spatial passage began to fluctuate violently, becoming unstable. With Deity-level powerhouses outside receiving them, the survivors swiftly withdrew one after another.
Returning to the Yulan Continent, back outside the canyon in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, felt like returning from another lifetime.
The various factions counted their people, each having suffered casualties, and the atmosphere was grave and delicate. Lin Yinuo could feel several gazes settling on him again, probing more deeply than before. Bishop Alvin of the Radiant Church in particular seemed to let his gaze linger on him a moment longer, but ultimately did not approach.
Headmaster Harrington did not linger with the Ernst Institute's group and immediately set out for Fenlai City.
Back at the institute, life seemed to return to normal, but certain changes had already taken place.
Lin Yinuo first spent several days fully digesting the gains from his journey. He had gained an initial grasp of the profound mystery of Pulsation within the Laws of Space, strengthened his foundation in the Fire Elemental Laws through Bluefire's guidance, and newly acquired the seed of the Swiftness fragment of the Laws of Lightning. His soul concealment and aura-concealing techniques had also become more refined. More importantly, he had established a tenuous channel of contact with Bluefire, a future Sovereign.
He began incorporating these gains into his own system. His understanding of spatial fluctuations gave him new ideas for optimizing the Magic Cannon's energy transmission and projectile trajectories, while his progress in the Fire Elemental Laws raised the power and controllability of Fire Condensation Finger to another level.
At the same time, he closely followed changes in the continent's situation through Ailina's intelligence network. The expedition to the Necropolis of the Gods had cost the Yulan Continent's highest ranks several Saints, but some people had also obtained divine sparks. New Deity-level powerhouses were very likely to emerge in the future, and the balance of power would inevitably be reshuffled. The O'Brien Empire's prestige had risen somewhat because of his presence and the deterrence of the Magic Cannons, but border friction with the Luo'ao Empire continued unabated.
One day, Hogg came to the institute again. His aura was more condensed, and his Dragonblood Battle Qi circulated smoothly and harmoniously. He had clearly consolidated his eighth-rank realm completely. Seeing both his sons return safely, each having made astonishing progress, filled him with profound comfort.
The father and his two sons spoke privately in the dormitory.
"Father, how has the clan been developing lately?" Lin Yinuo asked.
Hogg perked up. "Very well! With your reputation as the 'Imperial Bulwark' and my current strength, we've taken complete control of Wushan Town and the three nearby towns. The clan guard we've recruited and trained now numbers more than three hundred. They're all training according to the methods you left behind, and their strength is improving quickly. Also, following your advice, we've begun secretly working with some small and medium-sized merchant associations, entering the mineral and medicinal herb trades to accumulate wealth."
Lin Yinuo nodded. "Steady development is enough. Wealth and worldly influence are the foundation, but the true pillars are top-tier powerhouses. Father, you need to focus on cultivating and strive to enter the Saint realm as soon as possible. The same goes for you, Linley."
He looked at Linley. "Your bloodline has only just awakened, and your potential is enormous, but you mustn't be impatient. Stabilizing your current realm and honing your Battle Qi and magic are more important than blindly chasing breakthroughs."
"I understand, Brother," Linley replied earnestly.
Lin Yinuo then said to Hogg, "Father, for a while after this, I may need to leave the institute to travel and cultivate on a deeper level. I'm sorry to trouble you with more of the clan's affairs. If anything comes up that's difficult to decide, you can contact me through Ailina's channels."
Hogg's expression grew solemn. Knowing that his eldest son's ambitions were great, far beyond anything the Yulan Continent could confine, he said earnestly, "Go out and forge your path without worry. The clan will always stand behind you both!"
After seeing Hogg off, Lin Yinuo stood before the window, his gaze distant.
(Inner thoughts): The groundwork on the Yulan Continent is essentially complete. With Father overseeing the clan, it is developing steadily; Linley's bloodline has awakened, and his path is clear; the commercial intelligence network is under Ailina's management and has begun to take shape; contact with Bluefire has been established, laying the groundwork for controlling Gebados Prison in the future; my own strength has also reached a bottleneck, and I need a broader world and greater pressure to break through.
It is time to turn my gaze toward the High Planes, where gods abound and powerhouses gather in great numbers.
Before heading to the Infernal Realm, however, he still needed to make a few final preparations. For instance, more advanced Magic Cannon blueprints; ensuring that the key milestones in Linley's subsequent growth on the Yulan Continent went smoothly; and perhaps... meeting once more with that avatar of the "Sovereign of Death" hidden within the Radiant Church?
His fingers tapped unconsciously against the window frame as a clear, grand plan that reached beyond the chessboard of the Yulan Continent slowly took shape in his mind.
The Yulan Continent would serve as his secure rear base and source of talent. His true journey lay among the stars and vast seas, on the Planar Battlefield, in the struggle between Sovereigns!
From this moment on, the grand scheme entered a new chapter.
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