Deep in the back mountain, a waterfall hung like a silver curtain.

  Lin Chen stood by the pool, feeling the moist spiritual energy wash over his face. This was the edge of the Azure Cloud Sect Outer Sect’s forbidden area; ordinary disciples avoided itrumors said a demonic beast’s nest lay behind the waterfall, one that had swallowed three Condensation Stage peak disciples decades ago.

  But with Stellar Eye activated, Lin Chen saw a different reality.

  The waterfall’s flow was dense with water?attribute Source Spirit Qi, almost condensing into faint blue points of light. Deeper, at the pool’s bottom, Chaos Qi leaked faintly, resonating weakly with his own Chaos Star Vortex.

  “This is the place.”

  He shed his outer robe and leaped into the pool.

  Icy cold pierced his bones, but Lin Chen circulated the Chaos Stellar Scripture; the Chaos Star Vortex spun, ravenously drinking in the water?attribute essence.

  His true cultivationCondensation Stage Level 9was suppressed by the shackles’ runes, able to exert only about Level 5. But here, in this water?rich environment, the suppression loosened a thread.

  Lin Chen sank to the pool bottom.

  He sat cross?legged on a blue stone, letting the waterfall’s torrent pound his head. Each impact was like a hammer blow, but with it came a rush of water?attribute Source Spirit Qi, scouring his meridians and strengthening his body.

  He began seclusion.

  Three days. He needed to “break through” to Condensation Stage Level 4the cultivation he would show the world.

  In truth, he aimed to advance from Level 9 to the peak, consolidating his power and preparing for Zhao Wuji’s schemes.

  The Chaos Star Vortex rotated in his dantian, nine?colored light flowing. Water?attribute Source Spirit Qi poured in, gradually throwing the other eight attributes out of balance.

  A core tenet of the Chaos Stellar Scripture: nine?attribute equilibrium. A single attribute too strong could destabilize the vortex, even cause collapse.

  Lin Chen had to absorb other attributes simultaneously.

  He took out the jade slip Liu Ruyan had given him and pressed it to his brow. Information flooded inthe Azure Cloud Sect’s foundational heart method, detailed but too shallow for his Chaos Stellar Body.

  “Not enough.”

  He needed a more violent approach.

  Lin Chen bit his tongue tip, spat a mouthful of essence blood into the pool, and fully activated the Chaos Star Vortex. Using the blood as a guide, he forcibly pulled nine?attribute Source Spirit Qi from heaven and earth.

  Boom!

  The pool water exploded into a whirlpool.

  Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darknessnine?colored radiance surged from all directions, wildly injecting into Lin Chen’s body.

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  His meridians screamed with tearing pain.

  The Chaos Star Vortex spun frantically, trying to balance the nine violent energies. But the attribute conflict was too fierce; cracks appeared on the vortex’s surface.

  “For me suppress!”

  Lin Chen’s eyes crimson, the Star Pattern between his brows erupted with piercing silver light. Ancient, mysterious power emerged, forcibly suppressing the attribute conflict and guiding them orderly into the vortex.

  Time flowed.

  Sunset, moonrise. Another day passed.

  Lin Chen sat unmoving at the pool bottom. His body was covered with a layer of pale blue ice crystalsan external sign of excessive water attribute. Inside him, the Chaos Star Vortex was undergoing astonishing change.

  Cracks repaired; the vortex’s volume slowly expanded. Nine?colored radiance gradually ordered itself from chaos, like nine swimming dragons orbiting the vortex.

  Late on the second night, Lin Chen opened his eyes.

  Deep in his pupils, nine?colored stellar glints flashed and vanished.

  Condensation Stage Level 9consolidated at the peak.

  And his outwardly displayed cultivation had “smoothly” broken through to Condensation Stage Level 4a simulation created with stellar power, enough to fool detection below Spiritual Light Realm.

  Lin Chen exhaled a turbid breath.

  Three days of seclusion, advancing his true power to the peak of Level 9. If this speed became known, it would shake the entire Azure Cloud Sect.

  But he knew it still wasn’t enough.

  Spiritual Light Realm was the true threshold. And eighty?seven days from now, on the day of nine?star alignment, he would need at least Spiritual Light Realm strength to compete with other Star Pattern bearers.

  He rose and left the pool.

  The assessment was tomorrow morning. He needed to return to his residence and adjust his condition.

  But before leaving, he looked once more at the cave behind the waterfall.

  Stellar Eye fully activated, penetrating the stone?wall crack, faintly seeing the outline of a stone chamber. At its center, a stone table; on the tablea jade slip.

  “A predecessor’s abode, indeed.”

  Lin Chen’s heart quickened.

  But he suppressed the urge to explore immediatelywith the assessment so close, it was unwise to branch out. Besides, deeper caves might hold more dangerous demonic beasts.

  “I’ll return after the assessment.”

  He turned and left with the twilight.

  Back at his Outer Sect residence, he washed, changed into clean green robes, and sat quietly adjusting his breath, bringing his condition to its peak.

  Deep night.

  Lin Chen suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes to look outside.

  A black shadow had landed soundlessly in the courtyard.

  Stellar Eye instantly locked onthe figure was shrouded in black robes, aura concealed extremely well, but on the sleeve’s hem the emblem of the Netherworld Palace was faintly visible.

  Someone from the Netherworld Palace had come early.

  Lin Chen gripped the short blade and quietly left the bed.

  But the shadow didn’t approach the house; instead, it crouched somewhere in the courtyard, seemingly setting something up.

  A formation? A trap?

  Lin Chen held his breath and watched. The shadow took out a black crystal, buried it in the soil, then scattered a handful of crimson powder. Finished, it left quickly.

  The whole process took less than ten breaths.

  Lin Chen waited a quarter?hour, confirming the other had left, then quietly went out.

  Walking to where the shadow had buried the object, Stellar Eye probedthe black crystal emitted sinister demonic qi; the crimson powder contained potent poison. Once triggered, demonic poison would erupt instantly, corroding all life within range.

  “Such ruthless methods.”

  This was clearly an “accident” prepared for tomorrow’s assessment. If Lin Chen cultivated or rested here, he’d certainly be hit.

  He sneered, took out the crystal and powder, and stored them in his Star Pattern space. These demonic?path items might prove useful later.

  Back inside, he had no more sleepiness.

  Zhao Wuji and the Netherworld Palace’s killing intent was now bare, undisguised.

  Tomorrow’s assessment was destined to be a life?and?death battle.

  But in Lin Chen’s eyes there was no fearonly fighting spirit.

  He had climbed out of the abyss. He was born for battle.

  The Chaos Stellar Body was an ancient sacred body. It did not fear mere schemes.

  “Come, then,” he whispered. “Show me what else you have.”

  Outside the window, the moon hid behind clouds.

  Night, ink?black. Killing intent seethed.

  And the Star Pattern between Lin Chen’s brows glimmered with almost?imperceptible silver light in the dark.