Yun Youzi's Secret

An hour has passed.

The abandoned storage room was located in the middle level of the ruins, consisting of only a few rows of rotten wooden shelves. Lu Yuan chose this location because there was only one main passage, making it easy to defend.

Lin Xiao crouched on the high wooden frame, his amber pupils fixed on the entrance. Su Yan was hidden in the shadow of the collapsed side passage. Shen Moxin and Mo Chen stood a little further behind Lu Yuan.

Footsteps came from deep within the passage.

Light, steady.

A figure appeared at the entrance, his outline blurred against the dim light of the rock wall. He paused, glanced around the room, and then stepped inside.

He was an old man.

His hair and beard were all white, his face was gaunt, and what was most striking were his eyes, which were frighteningly bright. His simple gray robe was covered in dust, and he had completely concealed his aura, but just by standing there, the air seemed to sink.

"Soul Douluo, upwards," Lu Yuan judged in his mind.

The old man's gaze fell on Lu Yuan, then swept over Lin Xiao and Su Yan's positions, and his lips twitched slightly. "Well arranged."

The voice was old yet strong; it belonged to the person opposite the pile of stones.

"You flatter me," Lu Yuan said calmly. "Your coming alone as promised demonstrates your sincerity."

Yun Youzi smiled but didn't reply. He stopped three zhang away from Lu Yuan. "I am Yun Youzi, a scholar of ancient ruins and a researcher of ancient runes. I specialize in seeking out corners buried by history." He got straight to the point, "You can call me Elder Yun."

Lu Yuan nodded. "Lu Yuan."

Without introducing anyone else, Yun Youzi didn't ask any questions, his gaze scrutinizing. "Young man, your Soul Power is quite special. Although it's weak, its trajectory... is different from ordinary Soul Master. And that ' Source Seed ' fluctuation, I could vaguely sense it even through the pile of stones."

Lu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

"Elder Yun is pursuing the ' Source Seed ' and the 'Gate,' so he must know their origins." He cut straight to the point.

Yun Youzi remained silent for a moment.

The storage room was quiet, with only the distant ruins pulsating with life.

"It's a long story," the old man began slowly, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "It happened in ancient times, much earlier than any sect or empire today. Back then, there was a group of sages—or rather, madmen—who were not content with just using Soul Power. They wanted to understand where Soul Power came from, how the world revolved, and why life was divided into different classes based on Martial Soul and Innate Soul Power."

He paused.

They believe that there is a fundamental set of 'rules' governing the universe. Soul Power, Martial Soul, Soul Ring, and even cultivation systems are merely manifestations. Outside, or rather inside, these rules exist as invisible 'barriers' that limit the limits that life and energy can reach. They call these barriers... ' Shackles '.

Shackles!

Lu Yuan's breath hitched.

"And what about the ' Key '?" he pressed.

Yun Youzi gave him a deep look. "A special existence or method that can perceive, understand, and even pry open the barriers of rules is called a ' Key.' The sages believed that finding the ' Key ' would unlock the ' Shackles,' allowing life and energy to break through their limits."

The old man's voice lowered.

"They built some special facilities, such as this ruin, to conduct various experiments. One of them was to try to cultivate ' Source Seed' —creations that Simulation the crystallization of the world's Origin Energy. According to their theory, ' Source Seed ' can assist the growth of ' Key ' or stabilize a certain 'channel'."

"Aisle?"

"Yes." Yun Youzi nodded. "They call it a 'door.' In their conception, a 'door' is a 'node' or 'interface' connecting different levels of rules and different energy domains. Through a 'door,' one might be able to glimpse the essence of the rules, or even... touch the root of the ' Shackles.'"

He sighed.

"But the experiment seems to have failed. The facilities are abandoned, the people are nowhere to be found, and most of the knowledge has been lost. Over the years, I have traveled far and wide, and in many ancient ruins I have found similar rune arrays, experimental remains, and scattered records. By piecing them together, I have come to know this outline."

Lu Yuan's mind raced.

Ancient sages, Rule Shackles, Key, Source Seed, doors... these concepts subtly echo his theories from his previous life, but are even grander.

"Why is Elder Yun pursuing these things?" he asked.

Yun Youzi's eyes dimmed. "Curiosity. And... regret." His voice was soft. "The sages explored the fundamental nature of the world. Their wisdom, limitations, and failures are all worth remembering. I want to piece together that lost history, to know where they went, and why they stopped."

He looked at Lu Yuan.

"As for you... I sensed the fluctuations of the ' Source Seed ' and also realized that some of you might possess the ' Key ' qualities, so naturally I'm paying extra attention." He paused. "Of course, there's also a personal motive. I'm getting old, and my ability to explore alone is no longer sufficient. If you are truly related to the ' Key,' perhaps... you can help me verify my conjecture."

He spoke frankly.

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment.

The other party possessed a wealth of information, the truth of which was difficult to discern. However, judging from their mastery of runes, their methods of handling energy Tide, and their cultivation level, their identity as a "relics scholar" was likely genuine.

As for the "Key"... Lu Yuan didn't consider himself special. His advantage came from his past life's memories and research mindset. But the resonance between the "Source Seed" and his Martial Soul was real.

Information must be exchanged before further probing can proceed.

"I have some research on the essence of Soul Power and the Shackles Martial Soul," Lu Yuan said slowly, his words carefully chosen. "Soul Power is not simply energy; it's more like a medium between matter and rules. Martial Soul is a specific 'structure' or 'mark' that appears when a living being interacts with this medium. The Innate Soul Power level may reflect the initial 'resonance intensity' between an individual and this medium."

Yun Youzi's eyes suddenly lit up.

"As for the ' Source Seed '..." Lu Yuan took out a grayish-white crystal from the leather pouch at his waist and held it in his palm. "Its internal energy is pure, but its structure is unstable, easily triggering resonance and energy Tide. I've noticed that it has a slight attraction to certain types of Martial Soul, especially... a mutated Blue Silver Grass like mine."

He channeled a wisp of his Soul Power, and the Blue Silver Grass appeared in his palm. The silver buds swayed gently, and a faint halo appeared on the surface of the crystal.

Yun Youzi stared intently at the halo of light, holding his breath.

"The younger generation is truly formidable..." he murmured, his voice trembling. "Your line of thinking... is clearer than anything described in the vague ancient records! Where did you learn that?"

"I figured it out myself." Lu Yuan put away his Martial Soul and the crystal. "Some conjectures, still need to be verified."

Yun Youzi shook his head and nodded repeatedly. "Incredible... truly incredible." He took a deep breath, his eyes burning. "Young friend Lu, how about we make a deal?"

"Speaking."

"I have partial structural diagrams of this ruin, as well as some methods for deciphering security runes. I can share them with you to help you establish a foothold and conduct research here," Yun Youzi said, his pace quickening. "In exchange, I hope... that I can conduct limited research on those three ' Source Seed.' You don't need to take them away; it can be done under your supervision. We will share the research results."

Lu Yuan did not answer immediately.

The structural diagrams of the ruins and knowledge of the runes are crucial for their survival and exploration. With professionals like Yun Youzi involved in the research on the "Source Seed," the mystery might be solved more quickly. However, risks exist.

"Okay." He finally nodded, "But the research must be conducted in a designated area, and our people must be present. All findings must be synchronized immediately."

"Deal." Yun Youzi without hesitation.

The atmosphere eased somewhat.

The old man took out a roll of old parchment from his robes and handed it to him. "This is a simplified map of the middle level of the ruins, marking several relatively safe zones and known danger points. I'll compile the rune-breaking method into a booklet for you later."

Lu Yuan took the map and quickly glanced at it. The map was meticulously drawn, and many areas were areas they had not yet explored.

Thank you.

Yun Youzi waved his hand and turned to leave. But when he reached the entrance of the passage, he stopped and looked back.

"Oh, right," he said casually, as if suddenly remembering something, "There's something I need to remind you of."

Lu Yuan looked up.

"We're not the only ones seeking these secrets," Yun Youzi said in a low voice, his voice particularly clear in the empty storage room. "Some ' Secret Keepers ' believe this knowledge is too dangerous and should be buried forever. They... may have already noticed the abnormal energy here."

Having said that, he didn't linger, his figure disappearing into the darkness of the passage.

The storage room fell silent.

Lin Xiao jumped down from the wooden frame, his brow furrowed. "The Secret Keepers? What the hell?"

Shen Moxin adjusted his glasses, his gaze serious. "Does that mean... besides the Cloud Mist Sect and the Stone-Splitting Sect, we might have to face another group of enemies?"

Lu Yuan gripped the parchment map tightly in his hand.

The newly established easing of tensions was completely shattered by this statement.