The atmosphere atop Dragon Yuan Mountain was heavier than it had been in decades.
Within the highest peak of the Lin Family, the ancient Council Hall stood completely sealed by several isolation formations.
Normally, this place only discussed matters affecting the future of the entire clan.
Today...
The emergency bells had been rung.
Around the enormous circular table sat every elder who possessed the authority to decide the family's course of action.
The same faces from previous meetings were present.
Yet none wore their usual calm expressions.
The deaths of multiple Purple Palace elders had shaken the entire surrounding provinces.
The hall remained silent for several breaths before one elder finally spoke.
"We've already lost a Purple Palace experts."
"He died before they could even protect the younger generation."
His expression darkened.
"Should we... notify the Ancestor?"
The moment those words left his mouth, several elders looked toward him.
Another elder immediately frowned.
"You should know better."
"The Ancestor's secluded cultivation concerns the future of the entire Lin Family."
"If his breakthrough is interrupted..."
"The consequences would be immeasurable."
He looked directly at the first speaker.
"A mere Rank Four Flood Dragon is not sufficient reason to disturb him."
The first elder was about to argue—
"Enough."
A cold voice echoed throughout the council hall.
The Head Elder slowly stood from the highest seat.
Her sharp eyes swept across everyone present.
Instantly, the hall fell silent.
She slowly walked toward the center of the room.
"The matter before us is already strange enough."
Her gaze turned toward the reports laid across the table.
"When the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm appeared..."
"Our formation masters personally verified its level."
"It was undoubtedly a Secret Realm only capable of accommodating Foundation Establishment cultivators."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Under normal circumstances..."
"There should never have been a Rank Four Flood Dragon imprisoned within it."
"Something..."
"...doesn't add up."
Several elders nodded solemnly.
This was the greatest mystery.
How had such a terrifying creature remained hidden for so many years?
The Head Elder continued.
"Our response must therefore be measured."
She unfolded another intelligence report.
"It appears the Flood Dragon did not flee randomly."
She pointed toward a route drawn across the map.
"Its trajectory has remained astonishingly consistent."
"It is heading..."
"...directly toward Dragon Yuan Mountain."
The room immediately became restless.
"Impossible."
"A beast would naturally flee away from powerful cultivators."
"Why would it charge toward us?"
The Head Elder calmly replied,
"Exactly."
"A Rank Four Flood Dragon possesses intelligence no weaker than an experienced cultivator."
"It should understand that escaping through the province's outer boundary offers the highest chance of survival."
She lightly tapped the map.
"The entrance to the Secret Realm was actually much closer to the provincial border."
"Yet instead of escaping..."
"It deliberately altered its course."
"It ignored the nearest route."
"And came here."
Her voice gradually became colder.
"There is only one explanation."
"Someone..."
"...is directing it."
Silence once again filled the council hall.
Even the elders who initially believed the beast had merely gone berserk began reconsidering.
A Rank Four beast acting against its own survival instincts...
It truly was suspicious.
At that moment...
Old Man Liang slowly rose from his seat.
He calmly clasped his hands.
"I have already contacted the Grand Elder."
Immediately—
Several elders frowned.
"You what?"
"Old Liang!"
"How could you make such a decision without discussing it?"
"The Grand Elder is handling matters beyond the province!"
"You've overstepped your authority!"
Several voices rose one after another.
Old Man Liang remained completely unmoved.
His aged face showed neither guilt nor regret.
He waited until everyone finished speaking before calmly replying.
"Indeed."
"The circumstances are suspicious."
"Precisely because of that..."
"...I informed him."
He slowly swept his gaze across everyone present.
"The Flood Dragon has already destroyed five Rank Two cities."
"It has crossed several mortal kingdoms."
"The number of civilian casualties is already impossible to calculate."
His voice grew heavier.
"Purple Palace cultivators have fallen."
"Countless mortals have died."
"And now the beast is advancing toward Dragon Yuan Mountain."
He looked directly at the Head Elder.
"If this still isn't sufficient reason to notify the Grand Elder..."
"Then tell me..."
"What is?"
No one answered.
The hall gradually became quiet again.
The Head Elder remained silent for several moments before finally nodding slightly.
"You made the correct decision."
Old Man Liang bowed respectfully before sitting back down.
The Head Elder turned toward another intelligence jade slip.
"I've also received reports from our scouts."
Her expression became increasingly grave.
"Several neighboring provinces have begun mobilizing their experts."
"They are using the Flood Dragon incident as an excuse to move large numbers of cultivators near our borders."
The elders immediately understood what she meant.
One elder's face darkened.
"They're testing us."
Another clenched his fist.
"If Dragon Yuan Mountain suffers heavy losses..."
"They'll immediately seize territory."
The Head Elder nodded.
"Exactly."
"Whether or not they truly intend to help hunt the Flood Dragon is irrelevant."
"They only care about one thing..."
She slowly looked around the hall.
"The balance of power."
"If our Lin Family is weakened..."
"They will not hesitate to benefit from it."
Her voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"So from this moment onward..."
"No elder is permitted to act alone."
"Strengthen every defensive formation."
"Recall every Purple Palace expert stationed outside the main territory."
"And prepare..."
Her eyes became ice-cold.
"Because I have a feeling..."
"This Flood Dragon..."
"...is only the beginning."
---------
Within the quiet courtyards of Dragon Yuan Mountain, the atmosphere had become unusually oppressive.
The cheerful atmosphere that normally followed the return from a secret realm had completely disappeared.
Servants moved hurriedly.
Formation masters strengthened defensive arrays.
Patrol teams increased severalfold.
Every cultivator in the mountain had received the same order—
Remain vigilant.
---
Inside his immortal abode, Lin Sheng sat cross-legged upon a cultivation cushion.
The Bright Sun Yang Stone rested quietly before him, continuously releasing faint strands of pure Yang essence that were absorbed into his body.
Deep within his Sea of Consciousness—
The magnificent Yellow Origin Diagram revolved steadily.
95%.
The remaining five percent seemed close, yet every increase demanded an enormous amount of Yang essence.
Lin Sheng did not rush.
Instead, he calmly circulated the Starry Sky Visualization Method while allowing the Chip to optimize every cycle.
Outside...
He could hear hurried footsteps echoing across the mountain.
The entire Lin Family was preparing for war.
A few moments later—
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in."
The stone door slid open.
Lin Yan walked inside.
Unlike her usual relaxed appearance, her expression was unusually serious.
"Little Sheng."
"I just received news."
Lin Sheng slowly opened his eyes.
"What happened?"
"The Flood Dragon..."
"...is heading straight toward Dragon Yuan Mountain."
Silence filled the room.
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
His heartbeat accelerated.
For a brief instant...
Only one thought appeared inside his mind.
Tribulation.
Ever since learning the truth from the Heaven Seal Gate's Formation Spirit, every major incident instinctively made him think of the Heavenly Dao.
His fingers unconsciously tightened.
Could this...
...be another Human Tribulation?
The Chip immediately began countless calculations.
[Analyzing...
Probability that current incident directly targets host: 21%.
Probability of large-scale regional disaster: 83%.
Probability of Heavenly Dao influence: Unknown.]
Lin Sheng slowly closed his eyes.
"No..."
He forced himself to calm down.
The Formation Spirit had already warned him.
Not every disaster was his Human Tribulation.
Sometimes...
The Heavenly Dao merely allowed the world's natural course to continue.
This Flood Dragon had affected the entire surrounding province.
Countless sects.
Countless families.
Countless mortals.
Even Golden Core experts had been mobilized.
This was no longer something revolving solely around him.
After several breaths, his tense muscles gradually relaxed.
He looked toward Lin Yan.
"The family should already have preparations."
She nodded.
"The Elders' Council has already gathered."
"I heard the Grand Elder has also been informed."
Lin Sheng slowly exhaled.
"If even the Grand Elder knows..."
"Then matters should no longer be something we can interfere with."
Golden Core affairs...
...were still unimaginably distant from him.
No matter how talented he was...
No matter how monstrous his foundation had become...
Strength was absolute.
Between Xuan Gang and Golden Core lay realms that could not be crossed by talent alone.
Still...
A faint uneasiness remained deep inside his heart.
As though an invisible shadow had quietly settled there.
He silently hoped...
That this feeling was merely his imagination.
---
Elsewhere within Dragon Yuan Mountain—
Lin Jinxing sat quietly inside his own courtyard.
His eyes remained tightly shut.
Beside him rested the black turtle yao beast.
Unlike before...
The turtle's shell now carried faint streaks of dark azure patterns.
A trace of draconic aura quietly lingered around its body.
Within the turtle's bloodline...
The Flood Dragon's essence was slowly being refined.
Boom!
A powerful wave of spiritual energy erupted.
Lin Jinxing's aura suddenly climbed.
Mid Foundation Establishment...
...Peak Mid Foundation Establishment.
His cultivation stabilized rapidly.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Only one more step..."
"I'll enter Late Foundation Establishment."
He could already vaguely sense the bottleneck leading toward Purple Palace.
That barrier...
Had become noticeably looser.
His gaze shifted toward the turtle.
The beast slowly opened its eyes.
Its pupils seemed sharper than before.
Even the pressure surrounding it had become much stronger.
Lin Jinxing's eyes lit up.
"As long as you completely absorb the remaining Flood Dragon essence..."
"...your bloodline will evolve again."
"And once you advance into Rank Three before me..."
"My own cultivation speed will increase dramatically."
"The Purple Palace bottleneck should loosen even further."
He gently stroked the turtle's shell.
A confident smile gradually spread across his face.
The trip to the secret realm...
Had been far more rewarding than he had ever imagined.