Elder Mu, the newly subjugated Heavenly Immortal, moved with frantic, yet disciplined speed. He flew through the vast, luminous skies of the Immortal Cloud Continent, leading his infant master, Lin Tian, toward the arrogant Azure Sea Sect. Mu was fueled by the addictive, absolute purity he had briefly experienced, terrified of displeasing the entity who held the key to his advancement.
Lin Tian sat calmly, suspended in a carefully crafted field of pure Immortal Qi that insulated his still-adapting Divine Nascent Soul. He utilized the travel time for subtle internal work, channeling the Heaven-Shaking Soul Transformation Sutra to enforce the conversion of the surrounding Immortal Qi into a form his Divine Core could sustain.
He observed Mu's spiritual trajectory.
[Observer's Eye Activated. Target: Elder Mu. Flaw: Cultivation relies on flawed, centuries-old Wood Dao Technique. Efficiency: 45%]
Lin Tian filed the data away. Mu was a capable agent, but eventually, Lin Tian would need to dedicate time to curing the Elder's Wood Dao Flaw, ensuring his puppet was as perfect as his own body.
"Master," Mu whispered, glancing back nervously at the unmoving infant. "The Azure Sea Sect is straight ahead. Their main fortress is built upon the Azure Sea Vein-the richest Immortal Qi source in this region. Their current defense formation, the Seaborn Barrier, is powerful, but I know the exact rhythmic flaw in its energy cycle. We can breach it before their elders react."
Lin Tian was about to mentally approve the strike when his Divine Nascent Soul violently shuddered-not from internal instability, but from an external spiritual signature that defied logic.
[WARNING! Extreme Purity Anomaly Detected. Signature Purity: 100%. Source Analysis: Signature matches previously cataloged Divine Energy Source: Innate Sword Soul (Mei Lan). Status: Ascended. Conflict Level: HIGH.]
Lin Tian's mind, which rarely experienced shock, reacted with instantaneous clarity. Mei Lan. He knew she had been on the verge of ascension, but he hadn't anticipated her being here, now, in this precise region of the Cloud Heavens. Her arrival was wildly premature and deeply disruptive.
"Elder Mu," Lin Tian commanded, his voice clear in the Immortal's mind. "Report any recent, chaotic disturbances on this continent that occurred near my arrival."
Mu, terrified by the sudden mental shift, stammered out the local gossip. "Master, yes! Just yesterday, the entire Jade Spring Valley was locked down. Spiritual essence exploded outward for miles. The Jade Spring Valley is the primary resource depot for the Azure Sea Sect-where they store their Immortal Purity Pills. It was widely assumed that the Venerable Qiao's sudden terror caused the disruption, but the energy signature was... alien."
Lin Tian instantly connected the dots. Venerable Qiao's probing will (Chapter 25) had distracted the local powers, but Mei Lan, driven by the hunger of her new Divine Core, had found the nearest, richest resource-the Jade Spring Valley-and was likely engaged in a ruthless, spectacular raid.
The situation had changed. The Azure Sea Sect's main forces would already be scrambling toward the Jade Spring Valley to defend their vital resources, leaving the main Sect Fortress vulnerable. But hitting the fortress now, while the area was hot, risked exposure.
Lin Tian altered his plan instantly. He wasn't going to hit the Azure Sea Sect; he was going to hit the Chaos Mei Lan had already created.
"Change of trajectory," Lin Tian commanded. "We are no longer targeting the Azure Sea Sect Fortress. We are targeting the Jade Spring Valley. Isolate the shortest, most covert route."
Mu spun in the air, confusion battling with obedience. "But Master, the Valley is under heavy attack! It is a death trap! The Azure Sea Elders are already mobilizing their strongest forces there!"
"Precisely," Lin Tian mused internally, observing the chaotic energy signature growing stronger on the System map. "Mei Lan will draw the eyes of the entire continent, creating the perfect window for resource acquisition."
He sent the next, precise command to Mu: Mei Lan will breach the final vault. She will take the resources she needs and leave a temporary opening. You will follow her in, take the residual wealth, and seal the breach behind you. Her chaos is our cover.
Elder Mu, though sweating profusely, bowed low in the sky. "Understood, Master. I will prepare for the infiltration immediately. We will arrive in time to harvest the remaining chaos."
Lin Tian settled back into his field of purified Immortal Qi. He realized his Tier 2 saga would be defined by this chaotic counterpoint. Mei Lan was an unstoppable force of destruction, and Lin Tian was the invisible, strategic hand that would ride the subsequent wave of anarchy to success. The cost of her ascension had become his perfect opportunity.