Hidden Threats Stir

The fluctuation of Soul Power on Lu Yuan's palm suddenly stopped. He withdrew his hand and gestured for Lin Xiao to be quiet.

The stone chamber was so quiet that only the faint sound of burning incense could be heard.

Lin Xiao frowned, his pupils contracting in the dim light. He didn't say a word, but his shoulders and back tensed, like a leopard that had sensed danger.

After a short while, the chilling, probing fluctuations disappeared.

Lu Yuan walked to the cave entrance, his fingertips touching the vine barrier. A pale green light membrane rippled, carrying a vague sense of the outside world— Qingzhu was still tending to the herbs in the corner of the herb garden, her movements slow and deliberate. But the old man's bamboo cane was planted three inches off-center from the ground as usual.

"I didn't wander in by mistake," he said softly.

Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth with the tip of his tongue. "To be able to touch this, you're quite skilled."

What is the purpose?

"We're looking for someone," Lin Xiao said firmly. "Either you find me, or you find me."

Lu Yuan didn't reply. Several possibilities flashed through his mind: other factions within the Lin Clan? Further investigation by the Hundred Refinements Pavilion? Time was of the essence.

"Never mind that for now." He turned and spread out the drawings, punctuating the heart area with charcoal. "Stopping now would be telling them there's a problem. Besides, time is running out."

These words were so calm they bordered on cold-blooded.

Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then forced a smile. "Okay, whatever you say."

Outside the fence of the medicinal herb garden, Seventh Master Lin stood under an old pine tree. The mountain breeze made the sleeves of his purple-patterned robe flutter slightly.

"Seventh Master," the square-faced guard on the left said in a low voice, "Just now..."

"I can feel it," said Seventh Master Lin in a deep voice, "It smells like the gutter."

Should I search?

Seventh Master Lin squinted at the entrance to the valley. There, vines intertwined, the fog was thicker than usual, and the birdsong was sparse.

After a long pause, he snorted.

"Search my ass. Go, remove half of the hidden sentries on the outer perimeter and replace them with visible sentries. Every half hour, send someone to patrol the valley entrance."

The guard was puzzled. "This is..."

"Let's stir up trouble," said Seventh Master Lin. "Tell that Haozi there are guards here. He'd better think twice before he tries to force his way in."

The guards obeyed and left.

Seventh Master Lin remained standing in the same spot, his gaze shifting to the stone cave hidden deep within the herb garden by vines. His face was expressionless, but a hint of irritation flickered in the depths of his eyes.

Those old fogies in the family are getting their hands on things more and more.

Or is it... not the Lin Clan?

Inside the cave, Lu Yuan was finalizing the plan.

The charcoal pencil drew three thin lines on the paper, connecting the heart, the space between the eyebrows, and the dantian. Next to each line were marked the strength of the Soul Power, the angle of entry, and the estimated duration of the impact.

"These three points are the core anchor points of your Martial Soul Origin." He pointed to the blueprints. "Previously, your Soul Power avoided them because the family's cultivation method believed that direct impact would damage the foundation. What we need to do now is to drive the new path deep into the origin like tree roots, establishing a direct connection with Origin."

Lin Xiao sat cross-legged opposite him. "What about the risks?"

"Very serious." Lu Yuan didn't mince words. "A slight misstep could lead to chaotic Soul Power, or even damage to the Martial Soul and a regression in cultivation."

"Success rate?"

"Take it slow, step by step, that'll get us to 70%. But now..." Lu Yuan glanced towards the cave entrance, "We don't have time."

Lin Xiao remained silent.

The incense burned out, the smoke dissipated, and a bittersweet smell lingered in the air.

"It's your decision," Lin Xiao said finally. "Anyway, this life should have ended at the hands of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion long ago. Living these extra days is a bonus."

Lu Yuan looked up at him.

The boy's face showed no sign of tragedy; he simply stated the facts calmly. The claw mark on his left cheek appeared even deeper in the dim light.

"I won't let you fail here." After saying that, Lu Yuan lowered his head and continued to revise the blueprints.

He had to recalculate the medicinal ratio. Of the three Clear Heart Jade Marrow Lotus petals that Qingzhu had given him, he had already used one, leaving two. The original plan was to use them in two doses, three days apart.

That won't work now.

The two medicinal pills needed to be concentrated and used at once. Relying on the powerful soothing properties of the Clear Heart Jade Marrow Lotus, they could withstand the Soul Power backlash from the simultaneous impact of the three nodes.

The index finger tapped faster and faster on the knee.

In the herb garden, Qingzhu stood up, leaning on her bamboo cane.

He slowly walked to the fence, bent down and touched a cluster of pale blue flowers. As his fingers brushed over them, a few almost invisible particles of shimmering green light drifted out from the flower stamens and silently dissolved into the air.

After finishing that, he went to another corner and watered a dark green vine with some morning dew.

The vines and leaves trembled slightly, and a few aerial roots quietly burrowed into the soil, extending outwards towards the valley.

Qingzhu walked around the herb garden, tending to seven or eight inconspicuous herbs, leaving a small mark on each one.

When they returned to the bamboo house, the atmosphere of the Soul Power in the entire valley had subtly changed. The fog was thicker, the light was dimmer, and the sound of the wind became unpredictable.

He looked up at the sky.

As the sun began to set, the shadows in the woods started to lengthen.

"The weather's about to change," the old man muttered to himself, pushing open the door to the bamboo house.

Three miles outside the valley, in a crevice in the rocks.

A figure, almost blending into the shadows, lay silently. A dark gray bodysuit and a matching mask revealed only a pair of narrow, light brown eyes.

He had maintained this posture for two hours, his breathing weak, and his body temperature suppressed to the same level as the rock by a special Soul Skill.

The probe Soul Power I just released returned vague information: the entrance to the valley is concealed by an array, and there are several powerful auras inside. One is as solid as a mountain, one is gentle and unfathomable, and two relatively young ones are hidden deep within.

Of the two younger ones, one in particular caught his attention.

Its Soul Power attribute is very special; it is deep and mysterious, as if it can devour light, and it is also mixed with an unruly and sharp spirit.

"The Hell Spirit Cat... a mutated species." Beneath the mask, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. "Found it."

The task is half completed.

He silently withdrew his probing Soul Power, shrank deeper into the crevice, and prepared to act again at night.

However, in the instant when vigilance was relaxed—

"Whoosh!"

A nearly invisible pale green filament hung down from the treetop above, brushing past his ear.

The gray-clad man's hair stood on end, and without a second thought, he rolled to the side.

It's too late.

The moment the fine thread touched the fabric of the shoulder, it snapped taut, and a numbing sensation exploded, instantly spreading across half of the arm.

"Poison?" His heart skipped a beat, and his Soul Power surged wildly, forcibly expelling the numbness from his body. At the same time, his right hand swept across his waist, and a dark light slashed towards the source of the thin thread.

"Sizzle!"

The tree crown was cut open, and a few leaves drifted down. But the fine threads had long since disappeared.

The man in gray squatted in the crevice of the rock, catching his breath. Looking down at his shoulder, he saw a tiny hole, no bigger than a pinhead, in his clothing, the surrounding fabric slightly blackened.

It's not poison. It's a paralyzing secretion from some kind of plant Soul Beast.

"We've been discovered." His eyes darkened.

This place is more troublesome than expected. Not only are there experts from the Lin Clan stationed here, but the valley itself seems to have come alive.

He hesitated.

The mission is to confirm the target's location and status. The location is now basically confirmed, and the status... judging from the stability of those two youthful auras, they should be in seclusion cultivating.

Should we delve deeper?

The man in gray glanced at the darkening sky and touched the cold metal token in his arms. On the front of the token was engraved the word "hundred", and on the back were crossed hammers and swords.

The Hundred Refinements Pavilion's kill order has not been withdrawn.

"Wait a little longer," he finally decided. "After nightfall, I'll find a chance to sneak in and take a look. As long as I confirm that the kid is still alive, the mission will be complete."

As for the other target—that kid named Lu Yuan —the order from the cabinet was "capture him alive if possible, and execute him on the spot if he cannot be captured."

The man in gray licked his chapped lips, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

Capturing them alive is troublesome; execution is simple.

Inside the cave, Lu Yuan put down his charcoal pencil.

Lin Xiao leaned closer to look at the blueprints. "Three places at once?"

"Hmm." Lu Yuan took out a small jade box and opened it. Inside lay two translucent pale purple petals, their edges shimmering with a lustrous sheen. "I will activate the medicinal power, forming three protective layers within your body to safeguard your heart meridian, the sea of consciousness between your brows, and your Origin. However, the effects will only last for one hour."

He looked up at Lin Xiao.

"In other words, you must simultaneously connect these three nodes within one hour to complete the final connection between the new path and the Martial Soul Origin. If you exceed the time limit, the medicinal effects will dissipate, and the backlash of your Soul Power will directly impact your Origin."

Lin Xiao stared at the petals for a while. "If we fail, what's the worst that could happen?"

"His Martial Soul shattered, his cultivation completely destroyed." Lu Yuan paused, "He might... die."

The cave fell silent again.

Faint footsteps could be heard outside the cave; it was the Lin Clan guards changing shifts. In the distance, there were also a few short bird calls, which sounded rather unnatural.

Lin Xiao suddenly laughed. He grabbed the water pouch, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp, then wiped his mouth.

"Then let's go." He said decisively, "Dawdling isn't my style."

Lu Yuan nodded.

"Sit down, close your eyes, and adjust your breathing." As he spoke, he placed two petals into the stone mortar and ground them with a jade pestle. The petals quickly turned into a small pool of pale purple liquid, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

"Remember, no matter how much it hurts or how intense the Soul Power impact is, you must remain conscious. Once you pass out, the medicine's effects will wear off."

Lin Xiao sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. "I know."

Lu Yuan stopped speaking. He poured the ground paste into a porcelain bowl, added a few drops of auxiliary medicine, and tapped the rim of the bowl lightly with a faint Blue Silver Soul Power emanating from his fingertips.

"Buzz--"

Ripples spread across the surface of the slurry, its color changing from pale purple to a deep purplish-gold.

He picked up the bowl and walked over to Lin Xiao.

"I drank it."

Lin Xiao opened his eyes, took the drink, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. The liquid was icy cold as it entered his throat, but it quickly turned into a warm current that spread throughout his body.

"Let's begin." Lu Yuan crouched down, placing his palm on the back of the boy's body. "Follow the path guided by my Soul Power. Remember, one hour."

Lin Xiao took a deep breath, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes completely disappearing, leaving only a resolute determination to go all in.

"Come."

The Blue Silver Soul Power probed into the body, guiding the surging medicinal power into three streams, which slowly flowed towards the heart, the space between the eyebrows, and the dantian.

The air inside the stone chamber seemed to freeze at that moment.