Lin Yi once again channeled his mental energy, this time not as a force, but as a guide, meticulously tracing the patterns that the Talisman had provided. This process was agonizingly slow, each line of the ancient Symbol demanding absolute, unwavering focus.
Minutes stretched into hours. Sweat poured from his brow, though his body remained perfectly still. His soul felt stretched thin, like silk about to snap.
Finally, as the last line of the complex array was etched, a silent, cosmic BOOM echoed only in the depths of his consciousness.
The first layer of mental array was complete. It wasn't the shimmering gold of a high-tier Soul Symbol; it was a swirling, opaque vortex of black and white, the invisible chaos origin symbol perfectly overlaid upon the Primordial Chaos Stone Talisman.
First Seal, Symbol Master Achieved.
Second Seal, Symbol Master Achieved.
Third Seal, Symbol Master Achieved.
Fourth Seal, Symbol Master Achieved.
...
After a while,
Lin Yi opened his eyes. The light of the cave seemed distant. He felt exhausted, but the sensation was instantly replaced by a feeling of profound, unshakable stability.
The origin symbol had not only condensed, but it had instantly unified his mental energy with his Yuan Power, creating a perfect symbiosis between his Yuan Dan Late Stage physical path and his Fourth Seal Symbol Master path.
'The foundation is complete. My Symbol Master path is anchored to the primordial chaos stone talisman. I will not need to hunt for auxiliary symbols or Symbol Master techniques. The Talisman is the source of all the symbol's power.'
Lin Yi thought then he glanced at the direction of the ordinary stone embedded in the cave wall front of him.
Swish!!!
Next moment, the stone emerged out and flew in front of him, as if held by the invisible hands, then amidst the Lin Yi shrinking gaze, a symbol materialized in front of his forehead and the stone started creaking,
Its uneven surface began to smoothen up, slowly it transformed into a round shiny stone as if polished by countless scrubbers.
'My mental power is now extremely stable and hard, although I am now at fourth seal symbol master rank, the mental power is already reaching high level fifth seal, soul symbol master rank. Anyway, it will take a while to explore the benefits of the chaos origin symbol… I will do it slowly.'
Just as he was about to experiment more, a notification appeared in front of him, disrupting his actions.
[Target Character, Lin Qing Tan has found the Scarlet Sun Grass (1st Grade)]
[100x achievement return Initiated.]
[You have gained the Mysterious Sun Grass (3rd Grade)]
'Scarlet sun grass, looks like the plotline has begun… It seems she understood my assignment.'
Lin Yi thoughtfully glanced at the scarlet sun grass in the notification, then he remembered something, his pupils flashed. The next moment, his figure flickered and disappeared.
On the other hand,
Lin Qing Tan, wrapped in a thick, simple linen cloak, nervously trotted along a seldom-used trail near a shallow, rocky stream. She was clutching a small, sealed earthen jar with trembling hands.
Inside the jar was the Scarlet Sun Grass, a rare spiritual herb known for its ability to temper the body's meridians and aid in the formation of the Yuan Power Seed.
She had overheard her mother, Liu Yan, mention its properties and had secretly spent the last three days searching for it, desperate to help her brother.
'Brother Dong will be so happy! This will definitely help him form his Yuan Power Seed quickly! I overheard brother Yi saying that brother Dong requires treasure for breakthrough.' she thought, clutching the jar tighter.
As she rounded a bend, the path opened into a small, secluded clearing. Three figures blocked her way.
The leader was a handsome, yet sneering youth named Lin Shan, a direct disciple from the main branch of the Lin Family in Qingyang Town. He was backed by two loyal followers, both clearly older than Qing Tan and radiating the power of the Third Layer Tempered Body Stage.
Lin Shan, currently at the Fourth Layer Tempered Body Stage, looked down on the pale, white-haired girl with undisguised contempt.
"Look what we have here," Lin Shan drawled, crossing his arms. "The little stray from the Lin Xiao family. What do you have there, trash?"
Qing Tan immediately backed away, instinctively shielding the jar with her body. "It's… none of your business, Lin Shan. Let me pass."
Lin Shan's sneer widened, his eyes catching sight of the earthen jar. "Oh? Seems like the poor branch clan is scavenging for spiritual herbs. Hand it over."
"No!" Qing Tan cried out, her small voice filled with anxiety.
Lin Shan's patience snapped. "I didn't ask, I ordered you to hand it over." He took a quick step forward, his hand darting out to snatch the jar.
Qing Tan resisted fiercely. In the ensuing, uneven struggle, Lin Shan roughly pushed her aside. She stumbled, falling hard against a sharp rock, and the earthen jar shattered, spilling the precious Scarlet Sun Grass onto the dirt.
A sharp, piercing pain shot up Qing Tan's arm. She looked down to see a deep gash on her elbow, already weeping blood. Her eyes filled with tears, not from the injury, but from the sight of the ruined herb.
Lin Shan merely laughed, wiping his hand on his pants. "Serves you right. Now scream before I teach you another lesson."
Just as Lin Shan raised his hand, intending to strike her again, a cold, clear voice cut through the air.
"Drop your arm, Lin Shan, or I will break it."
Lin Shan froze, recognizing the calm, dangerous tone. He slowly turned to see Lin Yi standing a few paces away.
Lin Yi was completely still, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his pupils devoid of emotion, yet radiating a profound, absolute stillness that seemed to suck the noise out of the clearing.
'Lin Yi, why is this guy here?' Lin Shan's expression became ugly, trying to regain his composure.
Today he finally found the opportunity to bully Qing Tan as she was alone, and didn't expect Lin Yi to show up at a critical moment. If it was Lin Dong, he would have bullied him also, but Lin Yi is different… even his elder brother Lin Hong warned him to avoid any conflict.
...
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