As they made their way back to the sect, Lin Chen could clearly feel the unpleasant looks Chen Hao kept throwing in his direction.
He didn't react at all. With his master right beside him, there was nothing to fear in the sect. Lan Yaoye's reputation alone was enough to make even some elders avoid provoking her.
As for Chen Hao running to the sect master to complain, Lin Chen wasn't concerned in the slightest.
The trial had been fair, their cultivation suppressed equally, and Chen Hao had forfeited on his own. There was nothing unjust about the outcome.
Even if he tried to stir trouble, what would he even say?
That he failed to obtain the opportunity while Lin Chen succeeded?
That would only make him look narrow-minded and incapable.
Compared to that trivial matter, Lin Chen's thoughts were already occupied by something far more important—the inheritance left behind by the Heavenly Sage.
His gaze turned distant as he spoke inwardly.
'Aiva, what exactly was that thing he sent into my mind?'
[It can be considered a condensed knowledge archive.]
[In simpler terms, it is like a miniature library containing the Heavenly Sage's lifetime accumulation of techniques and research.]
Lin Chen's interest rose slightly.
'Then… is there anything useful for me?'
[Most of the content revolves around arrays and formations]
He clicked his tongue softly.
'So no fighting arts.'
[Not conventional ones.]
[However, there are numerous killing arrays, illusion formations]
That made him pause for a moment.
'How strong are these arrays?'
[If deployed properly with sufficient resources, some of them are capable of devastating an area spanning several miles.]
Lin Chen's expression grew thoughtful.
'That sounds powerful, but I'm not skilled in arrays. And formations usually take time, materials, and preparation to set up.'
[That is true for traditional formation methods.]
[But the Heavenly Sage was a formation genius who specialized in breaking those limitations.]
[Instead of laying arrays on the ground with flags, stones, and spiritual materials, he refined special weapons and artifacts capable of bearing engraved array patterns.]
[By carving formations directly onto those vessels, he removed the need for setup time, materials, and large-scale preparation.]
[In his peak state, a mere flick of his hand was enough to activate pre-inscribed arrays capable of shattering mountains or sealing entire battlefields.]
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
'So he turned formations… into instant-use weapons.'
If that was true, then in large-scale battles or sudden ambushes, such tools would be terrifying. A cultivator who could deploy arrays instantly without preparation would hold an overwhelming advantage.
He thought for a moment before asking inwardly,
'Then what kind of special materials are required for that? If I could inscribe these arrays onto a weapon… it would be extremely useful in war scenarios.'
Given the current situation of the continent and the things he had heard about and cultists, he was already ninety percent certain that future conflicts were inevitable.
Aiva responded without hesitation.
[You already possess one such suitable vessel.]
'…Huh? Since when?'
He was very sure he did not own anything that valuable.
[Among the items you collected from the inheritance hall.]
His expression turned thoughtful as his spiritual sense dipped into his storage ring. A moment later, he took out a paper fan-like artifact and unfolded it casually.
The surface of the fan revealed bold, shameless characters:
"Below the heavens, none rival the Heavenly Sage in handsomeness.
Unmatched in appearance, unmatched in skill.
No one in the world can compare to me."
Lin Chen stared at the words in silence.
For a brief second, he genuinely felt the urge to snap the fan in half.
'…This guy was narcissistic to the bone.'
He turned the fan over, examining it more carefully.
'Aiva, are you sure this is the one?'
[Yes.]
[This fan is currently in a blank engraved state.]
[It was specifically refined to act as a carrier for inscribed formations. You may carve any array pattern onto it in the future and activate it instantly.]
Lin Chen flicked the fan closed with a dry expression.
He weighed it once in his hand, then casually tossed it back into his storage ring.
'Fine. I'll think about what to engrave on it later.'
***
As they returned to the sect, the flying artifact descended steadily toward their mountain peak. The familiar quiet of their residence settled around them.
Only after stepping onto the stone courtyard did Lin Chen finally speak.
"Master," he said, his tone more serious than usual, "does the sect have something called the Heavenly Stone?"
Lan Yaoye, who had been walking ahead, stopped mid-step.
She slowly turned back.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, surprise flashing across her face.
"Lin Chen," she said, her voice no longer lazy or playful, "where did you hear that name?"
"That," she added after a brief pause, "is one of the sect's core secrets."
Lin Chen's expression stiffened.
"So the sect really does have it…" he muttered, more to himself than to her.
"Yes," she replied, this time directly. "Why are you asking?"
Lin Chen exhaled slowly.
"Master… I may have some very bad news."
Lan Yaoye did not interrupt. She simply watched him in silence, her expression gradually turning colder as he explained everything in detail—his encounter with the two inner court disciples practicing demonic techniques.
Their words about stealing the Heavenly Stone, how he was forced to kill them, and the later appearance of people from the same group inside the secret realm who were clearly planning something far bigger than a simple treasure hunt.
The more she listened, the heavier the atmosphere became.
"You are saying," Lan Yaoye asked quietly, "that there are demonic cultivators hidden within the inner court?"
Her voice was calm, but the chill beneath it was unmistakable.
That was not a small matter.
"Yes, Master," Lin Chen nodded. "And from what I heard, they are willing to do anything to get their hands on the Heavenly Stone."
For a moment, Lan Yaoye said nothing.
Then her eyes turned cold.
"So rot has already grown inside the sect without anyone noticing," she murmured, more to herself than to him.
"Lin Chen," she said firmly, "you must not speak of this to anyone else."
Her gaze locked onto his.
"I will personally inform the Sect Master and have the inner court investigated. If there are spies or demonic infiltrators, they must be uprooted quietly before they realize they've been exposed."
"If they are targeting the Heavenly Stone… then this is far more serious than ordinary internal conflict."
Lin Chen nodded. "Understood, Master."
"And you," she continued, "must focus on breaking through to Pulse Convergence as soon as possible. The sect may soon face major upheavals. Staying at Essence Forging will not be enough."
Her words were calm, but the implication was clear.
Storms were coming.
"Yes, Master," Lin Chen replied.
Then, as if remembering something.
"Master… there is one more thing."
Lan Yaoye glanced at him.
"You said earlier," he continued carefully, "that I was yours. Does that mean—"
Before he could finish the sentence, a faint ripple of spiritual energy passed through the air.
Lan Yaoye had already disappeared.
Only the empty courtyard and the lingering fragrance of her presence remained behind, as if she had never been standing there at all.
Lin Chen stared at the spot for a moment, then scratched his head with a complicated expression.
"Is Master some kind of teenage girl or something?" he muttered. "One moment she is overly honest with her feelings, and the next moment she gets embarrassed and runs away."
[Maybe she lacks in the love department.]
He blinked. "You really think so?"
[Maybe.]
Lin Chen let out a quiet sigh, deciding not to dwell on it any further.
Then he remembered something and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So, Aiva, why did you stop me from talking about the array?" he asked. "I was about to mention it to Master as well."
[Because with the new knowledge obtained from the inheritance, I was considering a different approach.]
[A method that may be more effective than directly destroying that array.]
Lin Chen thought about it for a second, then gave a small nod.
"If you say so. But if that method fails, I'm telling my master everything about that blood stone and the array without hiding anything."
[Understood.]
"Then it's time to break through to Pulse Convergence,"
After all, he now had a large amount of resources gathered from the secret realm, his body had been tempered through constant battles, and his cultivation had stabilized from repeated life-and-death fights.
With his current foundation, breaking through no longer carried any real risk.
As he stepped into his residence, however, his mind drifted back to the illusion he had experienced with Bai Yuexin.
That absurd wedding.
Those three days.
He paused mid-step and suddenly spoke in a low voice.
"Aiva… do you think I'm a scumbag?" he asked. "I was just thinking about my master a minute ago, and now I'm thinking about Bai Yuexin."
[There is no need to doubt it. You are one.]
***
In the hidden depths of the Starfall Sect, a quiet lake lay sealed by layers of formation light. At the very center, a stone floated above the water, unmoving for countless years.
Then it suddenly trembled.
A faint glow leaked from its surface, causing the lake to ripple even though no wind blew. The surrounding spiritual Qi shifted subtly, as if something had been stirred awake.
At the same time, inside his residence, Lin Chen was in the middle of cultivation, circulating Essence Qi in preparation for his breakthrough.
Then—
"Chen'er… wake up…"
A soft, motherly voice echoed in his mind, distant and unfamiliar, yet strangely clear.
"How many times have I told you not to play with those things? They are dangerous."
Before he could react, another voice followed, deep and filled with pride.
"My son will rule the heavens."
Lin Chen's breathing stalled.
His Qi flow shook for a moment.
The next second, he abruptly opened his eyes.
"What the heck was that? "
*****
🔥 Author Announcement 🔥
Want to read ahead?
My Patreon is live with 25 exclusive early chapters you won't find anywhere else.
Support the story. Read first.
✨ Bonus content includes:
Character illustrations
Object & artifact illustrations
👉 patreon.com/Multiverse_lover