"Congratulations, Host! Your cultivation technique, Ben Yuan Heart Sutra, has improved in quality and is now ranked as a mid-tier Heaven Grade technique. Keep up the good work, and achieving a top-tier Heaven Grade technique is within reach."
"Congratulations, Host! You have successfully refined a Supreme Dao Pill. Your path to immortality is bright. Stay determined, and ascension to immortality will no longer be just a dream."
"Congratulations, Host! You have successfully transformed your spiritual energy into Yuan Qi, breaking free from the limitations of relying on external spiritual energy. Now, ordinary Destruction Stones will no longer be able to absorb your energy."
As Lin Xiao opened his eyes, he hadn't even had time to fully process the changes in his body when a series of system notifications began to chime in one after another.
After a moment of contemplation, it all made sense to him.
To think that his spiritual energy, when fused with his soul, could generate what was now referred to as Yuan Qi.
Now, his dantian was brimming with Yuan Qi, and with just a brief internal assessment, Lin Xiao could clearly perceive that this Yuan Qi was far superior to the spiritual energy he had once wielded.
Not only did he have far greater control over Yuan Qi compared to spiritual energy, but the energy contained within each unit of Yuan Qi was many times stronger!
In fact, his body now held the equivalent of compressed spiritual energy. A single unit of Yuan Qi could replace at least ten units of spiritual energy. This clearly demonstrated the immense power of Yuan Qi.
Lin Xiao even felt that, if he were to face Wei Hai again, he wouldn't need to rely on external formations like the Two Extremes Killing Array. He could handle the matter himself with ease.
He looked down at his hands, quietly clenching them into fists.
As his strength grew, so too did his awareness that he must remain grounded in his original purpose.
He was cultivating immortality for longevity, for freedom, and for the ability to act when the weak required his help.
Although the cultivation world was ruthless—full of power struggles and deception—he reminded himself that weakness was not a sin. It was simply a fact of survival, a principle that even animals followed.
But as humans, he believed they must aspire to something higher, something more meaningful. Otherwise, humanity's evolution would be pointless.
One day, he vowed to be the one to establish new rules. He would strive to change the world and rewrite the laws of nature through his efforts.
Exhaling deeply, Lin Xiao sat for a while longer, consolidating his new cultivation level. After running through his heart technique once, he sensed movement near the entrance of the sealing formation.
A group of people had entered—twenty in total, including three Nascent Soul cultivators and seventeen Golden Core cultivators.
The allied forces hadn't dispatched an entire army, but instead sent some of their strongest warriors. Speed was of the essence, and sending the bulk of their troops could leave their base camp vulnerable.
Given that Lin Xiao had opened the formation for them, it didn't take long for the group to locate him and quickly approach.
Spotting his Lingxian Sect robes, one of the leading cultivators, who had been in contact with Lin Xiao through transmission talismans, stepped forward and respectfully asked, "May I ask if you are the fellow Daoist from Lingxian Sect?"
Lin Xiao rose to greet them and, with an air of humble politeness, responded, "I am Lin Xiao from Lingxian Sect. Greetings, fellow Daoists."
The group was visibly surprised to see such a young boy, no older than a teenager. Despite their astonishment, they returned the greeting with the appropriate courtesy.
Some of the cultivators whispered to each other in private, marveling at how such a young disciple had already reached the Golden Core stage. However, they weren't entirely certain if his youthful appearance was the result of advanced retention techniques.
Lin Xiao deliberately refrained from revealing his identity as the sect leader. He wanted to avoid unnecessary shock and courtesy, particularly at a time like this when reducing needless formalities was crucial.
He briefly explained the current situation to the group, including the recent encounter with Zhao Yunzong, the new king of Huan You Kingdom, and Yuan Jinsheng, who was searching for his son.
Many in the group were familiar with both figures and had heard of Yuan Jinsheng's son being captured by the remnants of the Destruction Stone group.
Since Golden Core cultivators weren't overly common, and Yuan Jinsheng was one of the stronger ones, many from the allied forces admired him for his strength and loyalty to the Zhao royal family.
Upon hearing that Yuan Jinsheng had already entered the Destruction Stone Mines, the group grew anxious.
"The remaining remnants are holed up in those mines, and they likely won't come out again anytime soon. If we want to eradicate them, we'll have no choice but to enter the mines ourselves," a Nascent Soul cultivator who appeared to be the leader of the group said. "Does anyone have a method to counter the effects of the Destruction Stones?"
Though he held a high cultivation rank, the man remained respectful in the presence of the others, avoiding any display of arrogance. This was a crisis, and the allied forces knew better than to engage in petty power struggles.
Yet, when the question was asked, the group collectively furrowed their brows in silence.
It wasn't that they were unwilling to share their knowledge; the truth was, none of them had a way to counter the stones. If they did, they wouldn't have pursued the Destruction Stone remnants so aggressively, expending vast amounts of resources in the process.
A voice from the back of the group spoke up, soft and hesitant:
"Actually... our sect might have a method that could help..."
Everyone turned to look, their eyes falling on a young woman named Jiang Sisi from Green Lotus Sect in Jinyuan Kingdom.
She appeared to be in her twenties, wearing a flowing green robe with a jade-like elegance. However, many knew that the Green Lotus Sect's cultivation techniques granted its members longevity and a youthful appearance, so her true age could not be accurately judged by her looks alone.
Blushing under the sudden attention, Jiang Sisi quickly explained, "Our sect's leader gave me an ancient artifact passed down through our lineage before I left. We've never been sure of its purpose, but there are ancient records suggesting it may be related to the Destruction Stones."