Chapter 2095 : Pan Huang

The most crucial reason was that Eldrin was the direct lineage successor of the Dao Ancestor of the Immortal Cosmos.

That former Dao Ancestor of Immortal Cosmos was once the foremost expert in the Blaze Central 100 Domains, half-step from Dao Union. Should such a figure reawaken, it would inevitably reshape the landscape of the Blaze Central 100 Domains to a certain extent.

1 more top-tier Half-Step Unity expert would inevitably mean 1 more competitor vying for resources.

Suppressing Eldrin might just delay the awakening of the Immortal Cosmos Dao Ancestor—for them, it would be a matter of seizing the opportune moment.

"Let's move."

At that thought, the Crimson Phoenix Saintess and the Chaos Dragon Lord instantly took action, joining forces to besiege Eldrin (Person Name).

As for Saintess Cangyan, Saint Qingyang, and Celestial Saint Thunder Halberd, they all charged towards the Primordial Ape-Demon and Sub-Saint Black Abyss, seeking to force the 2 supreme powerhouses into retreat.

A great battle was imminent, and in the blink of an eye, the 2 sides had already exchanged hundreds of moves.

Thus, the great battle instantly escalated to its climax. Eldrin, fighting alone against 3 powerful foes, immediately felt immense pressure.

The 3 great Heavenly Emperors joining forces to challenge the heavens—even if they couldn't unleash the full might of the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Treasure—should have brought their combat prowess close to 80 percent of the Primordial Chaos Heavenly Emperor's own strength.

With the augmentation of the Chaos Spiritual Treasure, their offensive prowess alone had reached a level comparable to the Chaos Heavenly Emperor.

At the critical moment, Eldrin pushed the sole divine form of his physical body, the chaotic divine form of the Great Dao, and the limitless power of the Self-Sacrifice Dao to their absolute limits, elevating his combat prowess almost to the realm of the Heavenly Emperor.

Even so, Eldrin found himself gradually falling at a disadvantage as he fought 1 against 3.

Since the 3 of them possessed formidable power, each having attained nearly 60 to 70 percent of the Chaos Celestial Emperor's level, their strength—augmented by Chaos Spiritual Treasures—could almost rival that of a newly ascended Chaos Celestial Emperor.

As the saying goes, 2 fists are no match for 4 hands when facing the combined might of 3 beings whose power nearly rivals that of the Celestial Emperor.

Even with Eldrin's utmost combat prowess, unleashing every technique at his disposal in an all-out assault, he would likely be unable to defeat the 3 opponents joining forces. Moreover, unless absolutely necessary, Eldrin was unwilling to commit to such exhaustive measures.

At this rate, Eldrin had no choice but to retreat in defeat.

But at that very moment, the vast Abyssal Heaven trembled violently as an indescribable power erupted from the cauldron.

Everyone present instantly paled, their gazes snapping toward the Abyssal Cauldron.

But before the massive Abyssal Cauldron, a towering figure drenched in blood strode forward, step by step, into the depths of the Abyssal Cauldron.

With each step he took, the pressure around him surged dramatically, and the injuries covering his body grew increasingly severe.

As time flowed on, the man's body began to fissure, covered in terrifying crimson cracks as if on the verge of shattering.

Pan Huang (Person Name)

Eldrin's face abruptly shifted, revealing a trace of solemnity.

Everyone present ceased their movements. The Primeval Ape glanced over and couldn't help but reveal a trace of admiration as it said.

Stepping into the Abyssal Cauldron, he confronted the boundless abyssal power of the Abyssal Heaven.

"Pan Huang seeks to break through and then establish anew, taking that final step."

The expressions of everyone present varied greatly. Chi Yang Fen Jin sneered coldly and declared, "The Abyssal Cauldron is a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Artifact, further empowered by the boundless force of the Endless Abyssal Heaven."

"This is the very place where the Chaos Celestial Emperor of the Flesh Sanctification lineage tempered his physical form. The pressure within this cauldron rivals that of a primordial domain—even beings of our caliber would find it nearly impossible to break free once suppressed."

"This Pan Huang has yet to cultivate his 1 True Form, yet he dares to step into it in the flesh. Truly, he knows not life from death."

However, the Crimson Phoenix Saintess slightly furrowed her brow before speaking, "The Abyssal Colossus Cauldron was once the cultivation ground of the Primordial Chaos Celestial Emperor. Now, Pan Huang has fully activated the formation arrays here."

"It seems we must suspend our grand battle for now."

All those present nodded in agreement. According to the rules established by the Sky Crucible Grotto-Heaven, this situation signified that the Heavenly Emperor of the realm was in seclusion—a circumstance that absolutely must not be disturbed.

If we dare to seize the treasure at this moment, or engage in battle near the Abyssal Cauldron, we would be seen as obstructing the cultivation of the Chaos Celestial Emperor and face suppression from the Abyssal Cauldron.

Thus, until Pan Huang either breaks through successfully or meets his demise, they would be unable to retrieve the treasures within the cauldron, nor could they engage in further combat.

With this thought in mind, Chiyang Fenjin cast an indifferent glance at Eldrin (Person Name) and suppressed the killing intent rising within him.

Eldrin paid this no mind, his gaze calmly fixed upon the Abyssal Cauldron as he watched Panhuang begin his cultivation.

Pan Huang mobilized all 9 of his True Spirit Divine Forms, resisting the crushing weight of the Abyssal Cauldron at any cost.

But how could the power of 9 great True Spirit manifestations possibly withstand the Abyssal Cauldron that had tempered the Celestial Emperor?

"Crack—"

A series of cracking sounds echoed as fissures snaked across Panhuang’s body, leaving it resembling porcelain on the verge of shattering.

"The Way of Extreme Strength, too rigid and it breaks."

Azure Sun Sovereign murmured softly, a trace of regret coloring his words, "Pan Huang (Person Name) will likely fall."

As his voice fell, Pan Huang's body abruptly shattered, like a piece of porcelain exploding completely, transforming into a mist of blood that scattered in all directions.

All those present witnessed this scene, their expressions shifting with varied emotions.

"Overestimating your own capabilities." Chi Yan Fen Jin sneered.

The Crimson Phoenix Saintess shook her head, a trace of regret in her voice as she said, "Pan Huang's talent isn't lacking, but it's a pity he chose a path of no return."

"Fools, they seek death of their own accord."

The Chaos Dragon Lord let out a derisive sneer, a cold smirk playing across his face.

In his view, both ultimate power and ultimate defense were dead ends with far too obvious weaknesses.

Take Elder Buli for example, who had ventured into the Sky Furnace Ruins over a dozen times in the past, yet never once managed to obtain any precious treasures.

His offensive capabilities were insufficient to seize the truly precious treasures, making it difficult for him to claim even a share of the spoils. Moreover, many of those present who dared challenge Quasi-Sages completely disregarded his assaults.

"It seems the Path of Extremes is, in the end, a road to ruin."

The crowd present let out a soft sigh, a trace of regret flashing across their faces as they all prepared to make their move and begin the battle.

But just at that moment, Eldrin shook his head and said, "It's done!"

"Bzzz—"

As Eldrin's voice fell, the Abyssal Cauldron trembled violently with a sudden jolt.

But within the vast expanse of crimson mist, 9 divine forms of the Great Dao of Strength slowly rotated, ultimately coalescing into a single azure lotus blossom.

Then, the lotus throne continuously absorbed the vast sea of blood and filth, completely drawing in Pan Huang’s shattered physical body.

When all the blood mist had been absorbed, the azure lotus bloomed gracefully, transforming into an exquisite cyan lotus throne.

Upon that lotus throne sat a powerfully built man, radiating an invincible aura as if he had battled through the heavens.

Unique Divine Form: Chaos Azure Lotus.

Suddenly, the Thunder Halberd Semi-Saint spoke, a trace of astonishment flashing across his expression as he said.

Tai Gu Moye was also quite astonished, unable to resist remarking: "Break to rebuild, greater destruction brings greater renewal."

At the final moment, he sacrificed his mortal form and cultivated the unique divine form—the Chaos Azure Lotus. Using this as his foundation, he gestated a new body. His combat prowess had likely stepped into some unimaginable realm.

Boom—

In that very instant, the Abyssal Cauldron erupted with a light that shook the heavens.

Pan Huang abruptly rose to his feet. The Abyssal Armor beside him suddenly trembled violently before dispersing into countless fragments that descended upon his body like falling leaves.

Everyone present was stunned. They never expected the Sunken Abyss War Armor they had been desperately seeking would willingly acknowledge Pan Huang as its master.

Thereupon, Pan Huang calmly broke free from the Abyssal Giant Cauldron's pressure and stepped out of it with unshaken composure.

From this day forth, I am Pan Emperor.

Slowly, Panhuang spoke, then gazed calmly at Chi Yan Fen Jin and the others. "Come forth and battle!"

In an instant, Panhuang (Person Name) unleashed a sudden strike. An unimaginable divine force tore through the Chenyuan Heaven (Location), violently cleaving apart the vast chaotic heavy waters as it surged toward the Chi Yang Fen Jin (Cultivation Technique).

Chi Yang Fenjin raised his Chaos Scorching Sky Spear in a desperate block, yet was instantly sent flying with a spray of blood, violently slammed into the depths of the Cang Abyss.

"A direct disciple of the Unity Path is nothing more than this."

With a single move, he defeated Chi Yang Fen Jin. Emperor Pan’s expression remained unperturbed as he strode through the air, his tone laced with a hint of mockery, yet his countenance was as calm as ever.

"Bang—"

At that very moment, Eldrin barely managed to stagger forward, his eyes blazing with a mixture of shock and fury as they fell upon the Emperor.

In the next instant, he suppressed the rage in his heart and said, "With your strength, you are indeed qualified to wield the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss."

"Since you have obtained this treasure, you should depart swiftly. We shall let bygones be bygones."

Let bygones be bygones.

With a cold sneer, Panhuang did not immediately respond to Chiyang Fenjin’s words. Instead, he turned back and reached into the depths of the Abyssal Cauldron.

He unleashed a boundless divine power that shook the heavens and eclipsed all ages, forcibly seizing the Primordial Chaos Qi, the Abyssal God-Iron, and the Chaos Mother Spring before casting them all into Eldrin's hands.

Eldrin received the 3 treasures, a flicker of astonishment flashing across his face.

The Emperor of Pangu, however, shook his head and spoke calmly, "The debt of saving my life, the grace of attaining the Dao—both are beyond repayment."

"These 3 treasures shall serve as repayment for the debt of gratitude."

"You wouldn't dare."

Seeing Panhu directly take 3 treasures, everyone present instantly revealed looks of furious indignation.

Furious beyond measure, the Blazing Inferno Monarch immediately summoned the Chaos Scorching Sky Spear and charged toward Pan Huang.

At almost the same moment, the Chaos Dragon Lord and the Crimson Phoenix Celestial Maiden, among others, also sprang into action, wielding their divine weapons as they charged toward Emperor Pan.

"You all claim that the Path of Extreme Dao is a dead end."

Facing the onslaught of the crowd, Emperor Pan remained unmoved. Instead, he spoke calmly, "Today, I shall let you witness what true Extreme Dao entails."

"Boom—"

As the words fell, Emperor Pan erupted with his full power, unleashing boundless supreme might to strike down the assembled heroes. Though the gathered experts all claimed strength rivaling the Celestial Emperor, scarcely a soul among them could withstand a single blow.

"What formidable power."

Watching Emperor Pan wreak havoc across the battlefield, the Black Abyss Demigod could not help but exclaim in astonishment.

Eldrin had anticipated this to some extent, yet he remarked with evident astonishment, "The power of Panhuang surpasses that of an ordinary Chaos Heavenly Emperor by over 50 percent."

"Although these individuals claim to rival the Celestial Emperor, their offensive capabilities reach at most 70 percent of the Chaos Celestial Emperor's prowess."

Even wielding Chaos Spiritual Treasures, they were unable to harness their full power, making them far from a match for Emperor Pan.

At this point, Eldrin shook his head again and said, "Of course, the reason Pan Emperor possessed such combat prowess was also greatly related to that Abyssal Battle Armor."

Hearing this, the Black Abyss Demi-saint also nodded in agreement.

The power of the Heavenly Emperor Pan surpassed that of most Chaos Heavenly Emperors, yet his defensive capabilities were merely on par with an average Primordial Paragon.

This was a significant weakness. Without the Abyssal Armor, even if both sides fought on with mutual injuries, Emperor Pan would find it difficult to stand unrivaled above all others.

However, once Pan Huang obtained the Abyssal Battle Armor, the situation changed dramatically.

This Abyssal Battle Armor possesses no offensive capabilities, yet it can drastically mitigate damage.

Even an ordinary Chaos Emperor-level attack would be weakened by 80 percent with the Abyssal Armor.

Even if figures like Chiyang Fenjin erupted with their full power, their strongest attacks would barely manage to approach the level of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor.

In such circumstances, Panhuang could unleash his full power without the slightest restraint, and his combat prowess was by no means as simple as 1 plus 1 equals 2.

"Fellow Daoist Pan Huang's strength is truly remarkable, but we cannot simply stand by and watch."

Watching Emperor Pan dominate the battlefield, Eldrin spoke up with a faint smile.

He instantly soared into the sky astride the Chaos Heavenly Halberd, intercepting his formidable foe, the Thunder Halberd Celestial Sage.

The Black Abyss Demi-Saint and the Primordial Ape of Antiquity each intercepted the Misty Azure Saintess and the Solarflame Sage Lord.

Pangu alone battled the Crimson Phoenix Saintess, the Chaos Dragon Lord, and Chi Yang the Blazing Ashes, yet never yielded even a fraction of advantage.

By this point in the battle, Eldrin had finally grasped the truth—beings like the Thunder Halberd Celestial Sage who dared challenge the Celestial Emperor possessed overall combat prowess equivalent to roughly 60 percent of the Chaos Celestial Emperor's power.

The group led by Chi Yang Fen Jin, armed with their Chaos Spiritual Treasures, possessed overall combat prowess that was somewhat superior, yet roughly equivalent to about 80% of the Chaos Celestial Emperor's level.

They wielded Chaos Spirit Treasures suited for achieving sainthood through physical cultivation. These treasures required no magical power to activate—they could be fully mastered through sheer physical strength alone.

Yet precisely because of this, such a Chaos Spiritual Treasure required sufficient power to unleash its immense might.

Yet their cultivation realms and power were insufficient, allowing them to unleash only a fraction of the Chaos Spiritual Treasure's full might.

Taking the Chaos Scorching Heaven Spear as an example, should this supreme treasure fall into the hands of the Ant Emperor, it would likely shatter Emperor Pan’s physical form in a single encounter—not even the Abyssal Battle Armor could offer protection.

"With insufficient personal strength, even possessing a Chaos Spiritual Treasure, 1 could hardly unleash much of its power."

In contrast, Chaos Spiritual Armor-type treasures can passively unleash nearly their full power, providing immense benefits even to those at lower cultivation realms.

Eldrin's thoughts flickered, then he maintained his physical combat power consistently at 80 percent of its peak.

With Panhuang standing in front, he was more than happy to conceal his true strength, saving it for a future opportunity to catch his opponents off guard.

Yet even if he were to unleash only 80 percent of his power, Eldrin's strength would still far surpass that of the Thunder Halberd Celestial Sage.

This Thunder Halberd Celestial Sovereign was a quintessential challenger to the Celestial Emperor, having cultivated speed, defense, and strength in equal measure. In every aspect, he possessed 60 percent of the Chaos Celestial Emperor’s prowess.

At his peak, Eldrin's combat prowess was in no way inferior to the Chaos Heavenly Emperor. Even unleashing merely 80 percent of his strength was nothing short of extraordinary.

After merely tens of thousands of exchanges in their fierce battle, the Thunder Halberd Celestial Sovereign could no longer hold his ground.

He saw that Eldrin (Person Name) remained unperturbed throughout, and witnessing the successive defeats of figures like Chi Yan Fen Jin, he finally understood that the tide had turned irreversibly.

"Whoosh—"

Without the slightest hesitation, Thunder Halberd Celestial Sovereign directly traversed the vast Chasmic Abyssal Heavens through divine teleportation, vanishing into the boundless expanse at the edge of the Void Heaven.

Seeing the Thunder Halberd Celestial Sage flee, the others finally realized the tide had turned against them, scattering like startled sparrows into the distant horizon.

After the crowd had dispersed, Eldrin turned his gaze to Panhuang and cupped his hands in salute. "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist. Having now achieved the Unique Divine Form and gained the protection of the Sunken Abyss War-Armor, you shall henceforth be beyond compare to your former self."

With a solemn expression, Pan Huang bowed respectfully to Eldrin (Person Name) and said, "Had you not intervened earlier, I would most likely have perished completely."

"If not for your intervention, Fellow Daoist, I would never have stepped into the Abyssal Cauldron."

"And this time, I was able to take the risk of breaking through and rebuilding myself, all thanks to your guidance earlier, Fellow Daoist."

At these words, Pan Huang bowed deeply once more and said, "Such grace, I shall never forget for as long as I live."

"Rise, quickly."

Eldrin quickly helped Pan Huang to his feet, then couldn't refrain from expressing heartfelt admiration: "These were but trivial efforts. That you could break through and attain new heights owes more to your own perseverance."

Pan Huang, however, shook his head and spoke with solemn gravity, "What may seem a mere trifle to you, for me represents both a life-saving grace and the very foundation of my path to enlightenment."

Seeing this, Eldrin (Person Name) said nothing more.

He reached out and gathered the 30-3 portions of chaos treasures from the cauldron, then handed over a dozen or so to the Primeval Devil Ape, saying, "You contributed greatly to this battle, Fellow Daoist. These are your share."

The Primeval Demon Ape did not decline, directly accepting this dozen or so Chaos Treasures without showing any dissatisfaction with the quantity.

After all, Panhuang contributed the most in this battle, and Eldrin (Person Name) demonstrated combat prowess second only to Panhuang, making it only fitting that they receive the largest share.

After storing the treasure, he turned his gaze to Eldrin and remarked, "Though we have cooperated today, in the end, this is merely a 1-time collaboration."

"On that day above the Celestial Abyss, we shall hold nothing back."

"Very well."

Eldrin (Person Name) gave a slight nod, his gaze following the departing Primordial Demon Ape until it vanished from sight.

After the Primeval Ape departed, Emperor Pan also spoke up, "Since the treasure has been found, I shall not linger here any longer."

"1 day, we shall meet again above the 3 Heavens."

"Very well. 1 day, above the 3 Heavens, we shall meet again."

Eldrin (Person Name) cupped his hands in a farewell salute, bidding farewell to Emperor Pan then and there.

After Pan Huang had also departed, Eldrin retrieved the various rare treasures and began distributing them with the Black Abyss Demi-Saint.

This time, he—they—had obtained numerous treasures, the most precious among them being 3 Chaos Spiritual Treasures: the Abyssal God-Iron, the Primordial Chaos Spring, and the Primordial Chaos Origin Qi.

Among these 3 Chaos Spiritual Treasures, the Abyssal God Iron and the Primordial Chaos Qi naturally need no elaboration.

The Chaos Mother Spring was the most unique of all, a rare chaos spiritual treasure that served as the progenitor of infinite Chaos Heavy Water. A single drop contained the weight of hundreds of millions of celestial cycles within.

This treasure can be used for alchemical refinement, forged into Chaos Spiritual Artifacts, and also serves as a Chaos Artifact for cultivating Chaos Divine Abilities.

It is said that those who achieve sainthood through physical cultivation, if they refine this object while consolidating their unique divine form, can even enhance their latent potential by a small margin.

Eldrin gazed at the several treasures before finally handing the Chaos Primordial Spring to Dark Abyss Demi-Saint. "Having already cultivated the Chaos Divine Form, refining this Chaos Primordial Spring should allow you to enhance your potential slightly further."

"In this way, the certainty of breaking through to the Supreme Unity Realm in the future will increase by at least 10 percent."

Seeing this, the Black Abyss Demi-Saint hastily shook his head and said, "You should keep it. It will be of great use to you as well."

Eldrin shook his head, yet still spoke: "Given my foundation and accumulated reserves, by the time I cultivate the 9 Great Divine Forms, this object will likely be of little use."

"And you have contributed greatly to Erlang's affairs as well, so please do not decline this time."

Seeing this, the Black Abyss Demi-Saint did not refuse further and accepted the Chaos Mother Spring.

Eldrin withdrew his gaze upon seeing this, then turned his attention to the massive Abyssal Cauldron before him and said, "The profundity of this Ancient Abyssal Cauldron lies in its ability to converge the entire power of the Abyssal Heaven."

"This is a supreme cultivation sanctuary for achieving sainthood through physical body refinement. Should we set foot within to cultivate, we might just make further breakthroughs."

Chapter 1 The biting mountain wind whipped across the cliffside, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Lin Feng tightened his coarse hemp robe, his breath misting in the chill air. Before him stood the weathered gates of the Cloudy Heaven Sect, their dark wood etched with countless generations of wind and rain. "Name and purpose," a bored voice intoned. A disciple in blue robes sat at a registration table, barely glancing up from the jade slip he was inscribing. "Lin Feng. Here for the disciple selection," Lin Feng replied, his voice steady despite the nervous flutter in his chest. The disciple finally looked up, his eyes sweeping over Lin Feng's threadbare clothing. "Cultivation base?" "First level of Qi Refining," Lin Feng answered, his gaze unwavering. A snort came from behind him. "First level? And you dare to come to the Cloudy Heaven Sect? Don't you know they only accept those at the third level or above?" Lin Feng didn't need to turn to know the speaker was the young master from the Wang family, Wang Tao, who had been making his life difficult since they'd met on the mountain path. Dressed in fine silks, Wang Tao stood with an air of superiority, 2 family guards flanking him. Ignoring the provocation, Lin Feng kept his eyes on the registration disciple. "I may be at the first level, but I have determination." The registration disciple sighed, pointing toward a stone monument nearby. "Place your hand on the Testing Monument. It will reveal your true cultivation level and spiritual root aptitude." Wang Tao pushed forward. "Let me go first! I want to see this beggar's face when he fails." He placed his palm on the cold stone, which immediately glowed with a vibrant green light. Characters emerged in the air: "Third level of Qi Refining, Wood Element Spiritual Root, Middle Grade." The surrounding aspirants murmured in admiration. Middle Grade spiritual roots were respectable, certainly enough to enter a sect like Cloudy Heaven. Wang Tao smirked, stepping aside with a flourish. "Your turn, beggar." Lin Feng approached the monument, his heart pounding. This was the moment of truth. Years of secret cultivation, of hiding his abilities, all led to this. As his palm touched the rough surface, a brilliant golden light erupted, so bright that disciples had to shield their eyes. The characters that formed in the air drew gasps from the crowd: "Fifth level of Qi Refining, Metal Element Spiritual Root, Heaven Grade." Silence fell upon the cliffside. Even the registration disciple stood up, his mouth agape. "Heaven Grade..." someone whispered in awe. "The last Heaven Grade spiritual root appeared 3 100 years ago!" Wang Tao's face paled. "Impossible! This must be a mistake! He's just a beggar!" The registration disciple quickly composed himself, his attitude shifting to 1 of respect. "Young master Lin, please accept my apologies for the earlier discourtesy. A Heaven Grade spiritual root... The sect elders will surely take you as a direct disciple!" Just as the commotion peaked, an ancient voice echoed from above. "What is all this noise?" An elder descended on a massive sword, his white robes fluttering despite the lack of wind. His presence seemed to still the very air around them. The registration disciple and all other sect members immediately bowed deeply. "Elder Mingzhen!" Elder Mingzhen's eyes, deep as starry nights, fell upon Lin Feng. "A Heaven Grade Metal Spirit Root... Interesting." He floated down from his sword, which shrunk to the size of a hairpin and tucked itself into his bun. "Young man, how would you like to become my direct disciple?" The gathered crowd erupted in fresh astonishment. Elder Mingzhen hadn't taken a disciple in over a century! Lin Feng's mind raced. This was beyond his wildest expectations. But he remembered the warning from the mysterious old man who had given him the cultivation manual: "Trust no 1 until you reach the Foundation Establishment stage." Bowing respectfully, Lin Feng replied, "This junior is unworthy of such honor. I merely wish to enter the sect as an ordinary disciple and build my foundation steadily." Murmurs spread through the crowd. Someone had actually refused Elder Mingzhen? The elder's eyes narrowed slightly, then crinkled with amusement. "A cautious 1, I see. Very well. Start as an outer sect disciple. But remember, my offer stands." He tossed a jade token to Lin Feng. "This will grant you access to the basic cultivation grounds and the Scripture Pavilion." As Elder Mingzhen departed on his sword once more, Wang Tao approached Lin Feng, his previous arrogance replaced by a calculating smile. "Brother Lin, it seems I misjudged you earlier. The Wang family would be honored to have such a talented cultivator as a friend..." Lin Feng merely pocketed the jade token, his expression unreadable. "I prefer to walk my path alone." He turned toward the sect gates, where a senior disciple waited to guide new entrants. As he stepped across the threshold, he couldn't help but glance back at the world he was leaving behind. The mortal world where he'd been an orphan, starving on the streets. The world where he'd found that mysterious cultivation manual in a cave, completely by accident. The senior disciple assigned to guide him, a young woman named Yan Ruyu, smiled warmly. "Welcome to the Cloudy Heaven Sect, Junior Brother Lin. Let me show you to the outer sect disciples' quarters." As they walked along the stone path winding through mist-shrouded peaks, Yan Ruyu pointed out various landmarks. "That's the Training Grounds where disciples practice martial techniques. Over there is the Alchemy Hall, and beyond those peaks lies the Scripture Pavilion where you can exchange contribution points for cultivation methods." Lin Feng listened attentively, storing every piece of information. In this den of tigers and wolves, he would need to be careful. The secret of his Heaven Grade spiritual root was already out, making him both a prized asset and a target. They arrived at a simple wooden building nestled against a cliff face. "This will be your residence," Yan Ruyu said, handing him a key. "The gathering bell rings at dawn for morning exercises. Don't be late on your first day." As the senior disciple left, Lin Feng entered the sparsely furnished room. A wooden bed, a meditation cushion, and a small desk were all it contained. But to him, who had slept in alleyways and under bridges, it was paradise. Sitting on the meditation cushion, he finally allowed himself to relax. From his chest, he pulled out a simple jade pendant - the very 1 the mysterious old man had given him along with the cultivation manual. "Remember, boy," the old man had said with his dying breath, "this pendant contains a secret that could shake the very foundations of the cultivation world. Guard it with your life." Lin Feng clutched the pendant tightly. He had come to the Cloudy Heaven Sect not just to cultivate, but to uncover the truth about the pendant and the old man's mysterious death. Outside, the moon rose over the misty peaks, its silver light filtering through the window and illuminating the determined set of Lin Feng's features. His journey had just begun.