172: Rain breaks through the middle realm, refining the profound energy.

Gongsun Yu's Golden Core had completely healed, and her cultivation had even broken through to the Mid-stage Golden Core due to a blessing in disguise, which undoubtedly served as a strong boost for the team. The Thunder Origin within her, which had fused the Chaos Concept with Lin Xuan's Tai Chu Spiritual Energy, was far purer and more powerful than that of ordinary thunder Cultivators. With every movement, electric light flowed, and her aura became several degrees sharper.

Over the next two days, Lin Xuan did not rush to go out but instead let everyone consolidate their cultivation and adapt to their improvements within the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion. At the same time, he began to work on further strengthening the team's power.

In the quiet room of the small courtyard, Lin Xuan called Gongsun Yu to his side.

"Xiao Yu, you have just entered the Mid-stage Golden Core. Although your Foundation is stable, your control over your newly increased power still needs tempering. The 'Lightning Guiding Spirit Tempering Art' you primarily cultivate is a good foundational method, but its offensive techniques are slightly singular." Lin Xuan looked at her with a discerning gaze. "I observe that your Thunder Origin has already developed signs of Chaos; ordinary thunder techniques may find it difficult to fully display its might. I have a method that may help you reach a higher level."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yu's beautiful eyes lit up, filled with anticipation: "Big Brother Lin, what method is it?"

Lin Xuan pointed his fingers like a sword, and a ray of spiritual light containing the Concept of Primal Beginning evolution pointed toward the center of Gongsun Yu's eyebrows. "This method is called the 'Chaos Thunder Gang Seal'. It is not a fixed Move, but a method to refine the Thunder Origin and transform the Gang into a Seal. The core technique lies in drawing upon Chaos Qi, fusing it with the might of thunder, condensing it without dispersing, and exploding without Chaos. Once the Seal is released, it can evolve into myriad thunder techniques, combining hardness and softness, integrating offense and defense. How much you can comprehend depends on your own fortune."

In an instant, countless profound pieces of information regarding the essence of thunder, the evolution of Chaos, and the method of condensing the Seal flooded into Gongsun Yu's mind. This 'Chaos Thunder Gang Seal' was deduced by the System based on Gongsun Yu's Physique and Lin Xuan's own insights into the Primal Beginning and thunder. Its grade was extremely high, pointing directly to the Dao.

Gongsun Yu felt a thunderclap explode in her mind, as if a door to a new world had been pushed open. Previously, when she used the Chaos Thunder Gang, it was mostly by instinct and sheer ruthlessness, moving straight and forward. Now that she had received the orthodox method, many obscure and difficult points from before suddenly became clear!

She immediately sat cross-legged, and purple lightning involuntarily surged around her body. But this time, the lightning did not wildly shoot out as it had in the past. Instead, it began to slowly contract and condense with her breathing and intent. Between her palms, a vague, flickering prototype of a thunder Seal began to take shape! Although it was extremely unstable, flickering on and off, it had already taken initial form, emitting an aura intertwined with destruction and creation that made one's heart palpitate.

Lin Xuan nodded slightly from the side; Gongsun Yu's Comprehension Ability was indeed good, especially her affinity for thunder, which was extremely high.

He did not disturb her and turned to look at Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan.

Su Wanqing's frost silence sword technique had reached the Transcendent stage, and it was difficult to significantly improve it in a short time, but she had never slackened in her control of Taiyin Power and the tempering of her Sword Intent. Lin Xuan shared with her some of the Star insights he had obtained from the Star Palace, helping her attempt to further combine Taiyin Sword Intent with the Power of Stars, making her sword stance more ethereal and unpredictable, with the weight of starlight hidden within the coldness.

Qu Feiyan's Blood Lotus Demonic Art and yaoguang immortal sound zither were both top-tier Legacies. Lin Xuan extracted some Concepts of "evolution" and "bewitching the heart" from the all-encompassing "Primal Beginning Sword Scripture" to discuss with her, helping her combine her musical Demonic Technique with the Blood Lotus Illusory Body more perfectly. Between the shifts of illusion and reality, its power increased even further.

As for Yun Shang, she had just obtained the "Star Ancient Scroll" and was in a phase of thirstily laying her Foundation, so Lin Xuan let her contemplate it in peace, occasionally pointing out methods for guiding the Power of Stars.

For a time, Spiritual Qi surged within the small courtyard, and Dao Rhyme was faintly perceptible. Su Wanqing danced with her sword amidst starlight, cold and otherworldly; Qu Feiyan's zither music was lingering, with blood lotuses faintly appearing, naturally bewitching yet hiding murderous intent; Gongsun Yu held the thunder Seal in her palm, surrounded by electric light, her expression focused; Yun Shang was surrounded by dots of starlight, resonating with the ancient scroll.

Lin Xuan looked at the scene before him, feeling quite gratified in his heart. His women were all growing at an astonishing speed. And he himself was not idle. Besides constantly polishing the Taichu Sword Domain and deducing the next step after the Perfection of the fifth revolution of the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art, he spent more time researching that piece of phoenix blood vine root and the remnant map sent by Daoist Master Miao Dan.

He had sealed the phoenix blood vine root with layers of Restrictions and stored it in the safest place within the System space. As for the remnant map depicting the depths of Qiwu Valley, the suspected location of the nirvana flower, he repeatedly cross-referenced it with information from the star path compass.

"Qiwu Valley... depths of the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range... three 'danger' characters..." Lin Xuan's finger traced the twisted and steep mountain terrain on the remnant map, his gaze profound. Even without these three characters, he knew it was definitely not a good place. The Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range was the territory of the Yao Race, with great demons running rampant in its depths, and there might even be ancient remnants; the level of danger far exceeded the Misty Swamp. And Qiwu Valley, named after the Phoenix perching on the parasol tree, was bound to be related to the Phoenix. Such Divine Beast ruins were often accompanied by even more terrifying Restrictions and guardians.

But the temptation of the nirvana flower was too great; this was the key to thoroughly resolving the hidden dangers in Qu Feiyan's Cultivation Technique and possibly allowing her Bloodline to advance further! The danger of this trip had to be braved!

"It seems that before heading to the Ancient Ice Plains to find the Hall of All Stars, I must first take a trip to this Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range." Lin Xuan made up his mind. However, the top priority was still tomorrow's Marvelous Elixir Pavilion exchange meeting. He needed to get more definitive information about Qiwu Valley from Daoist Master Miao Dan, as well as... possible assistance.

The next day, in the evening.

Lin Xuan prepared to head to the Marvelous Elixir Pavilion. He had originally intended to go alone to avoid drawing attention, but Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were determined.

"Although the Marvelous Elixir Pavilion is an exchange meeting for alchemists, there is no guarantee that there won't be petty people. I will go with you to ensure your safety." Su Wanqing's tone was cold, yet carried an unquestionable quality.

"That's right, Junior Brother. Big Sister here also wants to see that Daoist Master Miao Dan. Maybe I can help you keep an eye out to see if anyone is playing tricks~" Qu Feiyan hooked her arm into Lin Xuan's, her charming eyes flowing with emotion.

Lin Xuan looked at the two women, knowing they were worried about him, and felt a warmth in his heart, so he no longer insisted. Gongsun Yu had just broken through and needed to stabilize, and Yun Shang's cultivation was still shallow, so it was safer for her to stay at the inn.

Thus, Lin Xuan disguised himself slightly and, along with Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan, left the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion and headed toward the Marvelous Elixir Pavilion located in the eastern district of Tianshu City.

Tianshu City at night was brightly lit. The closer they got to the eastern district, the more secluded the environment became, and the Spiritual Qi grew denser; it was clearly a gathering place for high-level Cultivators and major powers.

The Marvelous Elixir Pavilion was not the golden and jade-adorned palace he had imagined, but an elegant courtyard hidden among green bamboo and strange rocks, with white walls and blue tiles, possessing a certain otherworldly aura. There were already Cultivators waiting in front of the pavilion, and after checking their invitations, they respectfully led the three of them inside.

Passing through the winding corridors, they arrived at a brightly lit and elegantly furnished hall. There were already twenty or thirty people in the hall, men and women, old and young, all of them having extraordinary auras. The lowest among them were at the Late Golden Core Stage, and there were even several Nascent Soul Cultivators sitting in the seats of honor, conversing in low voices. The air was filled with a faint, calming sandalwood and medicinal fragrance.

The arrival of Lin Xuan and his group immediately attracted most of the attention. There was no other reason; even with her face covered by a white veil, Su Wanqing's cold and otherworldly temperament and graceful figure were hard to completely hide; although Qu Feiyan had restrained her charm, the natural allure emanating from her bones and the visual impact brought by her red dress were still eye-catching. And being able to bring such two stunning women along, the seemingly ordinary green-robed Cultivator Lin Xuan immediately became mysterious in the eyes of everyone.

Lin Xuan ignored this, his gaze sweeping calmly across the room before landing on the main seat. There, an old man wearing a simple gray robe, with a refined face and eyes as gentle as an ancient well, was watching him with a smile.

It was exactly one of the leading figures in the Eastern Region's alchemy world, Daoist Master Miao Dan.

Sensing Lin Xuan's gaze, Daoist Master Miao Dan nodded slightly, a hint of imperceptible appreciation flashing in his eyes.

The exchange meeting was about to begin. And Lin Xuan could feel that there were several gazes in the dark that, since they entered, had been locked onto him like maggots on a bone.

Tonight, it was destined not to be peaceful.