24: Chapter 24 Moving Spiritual Power

Three days later, early morning.

At the northern entrance of Black Wind Forest, a thick morning mist lingered, enveloping everything in the woods in a damp, cold whiteness.

The wind swept through the forest, kicking up layers of withered leaves on the ground and creating a continuous rustling sound.

This sound was not solitary but came from all parts of the forest, as if countless hidden creatures were quietly peering out, using the mist and the noise as cover.

Lin Yue, dressed in ink-black tight-fitting clothes, stood silently in the mist, his form straight as a spear.

Behind him, Lin Hu and ten carefully selected members of the Guard Team also held their breath, standing solemnly.

At their waists, silver-patterned daggers concealed their sharp edges; on their backs, the Spirit-breaking awls that Lin Shi had worked day and night to complete glinted with a cold, hard black light.

Their breathing was steady and their spiritual power was contained; they had already been waiting here for half an hour.

Lin Cang had long since slipped into the depths of the forest to set up the Maze Array and Mist Cloud Powder according to the plan.

At this moment, a subtle fluctuation of spiritual power that only Lin Yue could perceive arrived; everything was ready.

"Clan Leader, the hour of Si is approaching, but there is no sign of the Green Robe Hall members."

A young guard couldn't help but speak in a low voice, his palms sweating slightly from gripping his dagger tightly.

Lin Yue's gaze was like a cold pool in an ancient well, piercing through the churning mist ahead to land on the faintly visible forest path.

"Stay calm. The longer they delay, the less confidence they have."

His fingertips brushed against the cool silver patterns on the hilt of his silver-patterned dagger, clearly sensing the sharp and peerless Golden Edge Qi contained within the blade.

After days of bitter practice and coordination, the Guard Team's control over these daggers had reached the basic level. Combined with the Spirit-breaking awls specifically designed to pierce protective spiritual light, they were capable of contending with those at Late Stage Qi Refining.

Just as he finished speaking, a series of cluttered but deliberately lightened footsteps came from deep within the mist.

Immediately after, over a dozen green-robed figures broke through the mist, surrounding a single person.

The leader was the Tall, Thin Cultivator who had been spying outside the town that day. He no longer concealed his Early Stage Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure, which swept over Lin Yue and his group like a cold wind.

The green-robed Cultivators behind him were at least at Middle Stage Qi Refining, and three of them had exceptionally deep auras, their spiritual power surging faintly, having reached the state of Late Stage Qi Refining Perfection.

"Clan Leader Lin is quite anxious, arriving so early."

The Tall, Thin Cultivator stopped, his triangular eyes sharp as needles, scanning Lin Yue's party with blatant contempt.

"Sunset Town is indeed a backwater. After all that effort, you could only scrape together this many people? And you dare to come to this meeting with my Green Robe Hall?"

Lin Hu was furious and took a step forward, his blood and Qi surging.

"Arrogant! You people do not work for a living and only focus on plunder. Aren't you afraid that if word gets out, the Fellow Daoists of Black Stone City will laugh at you?"

"Laugh?"

The Tall, Thin Cultivator sneered, and his Foundation Establishment Divine Sense pressure suddenly intensified, pressing down on the guard members like an invisible mountain.

The faces of several Middle Stage Qi Refining guards turned pale, and their breathing hitched.

"Within a hundred miles of this Black Wind Forest, the words of my Green Robe Hall are the Law! Clan Leader Lin, a wise man submits to circumstances."

His tone turned cold, carrying an unquestionable threat.

"Obediently hand over the map of the companion spirit iron ore vein and offer thirty percent of the monthly output. This Deacon can then guarantee the safety of your Sunset Town."

"And if..."

Lin Yue faced that Divine Sense pressure and took a steady step forward.

His own Early Stage Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure also rose. Although it wasn't violent, it was exceptionally solid and resilient, forcefully resisting the pressure that covered the field and tearing an opening in it.

"And if I do not agree?"

His voice was calm, but his gaze was like an unsheathed blade, piercing straight into the Tall, Thin Cultivator's eyes.

"Not agree?"

The Tall, Thin Cultivator's face suddenly turned as dark as water, and killing intent was revealed in his eyes.

"Then you are seeking your own death! Take them! Pry the location of the ore vein out of their Divine Souls!"

"As you command!"

The three Late Stage Qi Refining green-robed Cultivators responded in unison and lunged forward!

They did not charge directly at Lin Yue, but instead moved in a triangular Formation, their target clearly being the flank of the Guard Team, which appeared to have weaker cultivation.

One of them formed hand seals and shouted, "Wind Bind!"

Several pale green wind ropes composed of spiritual power shot out from his sleeves, coiling toward the two guards at the very front.

Another person sacrificed a small black flag. The flag's surface billowed, shooting out three streaks of black light aimed at the guards' lower bodies, carrying an effect that could corrode spiritual power.

The third person was the fastest. The green light on the long saber in his hand flared up, trailing over a장 of Saber Qi as he slashed horizontally, attempting to shatter the Guard Team's Formation in one go.

The offensive was fierce and the coordination seamless; they were clearly accustomed to killing.

"Form array, engage the enemy!"

Lin Hu roared, stepping forward simultaneously with two guards at the Peak of Middle Stage Qi Refining.

They did not meet the wind ropes and black light head-on. Instead, their bodies shifted rapidly, narrowly avoiding the spiritual power binding and corrosion.

The silver-patterned daggers in their hands traced three tricky silver arcs. They were not blocking the heavy Saber Qi but were instead piercing directly at the spiritual power circulation nodes of the Cultivators performing the Wind Bind technique and controlling the black flag.

The Qi Sea below the ribs and the Spiritual Hub at the wrist!

*Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!*

The Golden Edge Qi flowed at the tips of the silver-patterned daggers, easily tearing through the protective spiritual light the opponents had hastily condensed.

The three Late Stage Qi Refining green-robed Cultivators groaned. Their control over their Spells and Magical Artifacts simultaneously became sluggish, and their offensive couldn't help but slow down, their faces filled with shock.

They never expected that these rural guards would not only react so swiftly but that the daggers in their hands would be so eerily sharp, able to break through spiritual power defenses so easily!

"Strike!"

Lin Yue's command rang out like a clap of thunder.

The rest of the guard members moved instantly, forming simple but practical Three-Yuan Arrays in groups of three.

One person held a Spirit-breaking awl in front, pouring in spiritual power. The black light at the tip of the awl flared brightly, emitting a low hum as it boldly stabbed toward the strongest point of the enemy's protective spiritual light;

Another person moved along the flank with a silver-patterned dagger, waiting for an opportunity;

The third person was responsible for cover and support, and using a special technique, was ready to throw the Mist Cloud Powder at any time.

For a time, spiritual light flashed brilliantly in the forest, as the sounds of clashing metal, groans, and screams intertwined.

With the enhancement of the Golden Edge Qi, the silver-patterned daggers possessed extreme penetrative power against the protective spiritual light of the Qi Refinement Stage.

The Spirit-breaking awls were even capable of briefly vibrating and weakening spiritual power defenses.

A Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivator from Green Robe Hall swung his saber to block a silver-patterned dagger, only to have his arm go numb from the shock. In the next instant, a Spirit-breaking awl slammed hard into his spiritual power shield.

The shield fluctuated violently and momentarily dissipated. A silver flash followed, and he was soon stumbling back while clutching his shoulder, drenched in blood.

In just a few moments, four or five green-robed Cultivators had been wounded and fallen. The others lost their nerve, and their Formation began to scatter.

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Seeing this, the Tall, Thin Cultivator's face turned ashen.

He hadn't expected this group of rural Cultivators to possess such combat strength and peculiar Magical Artifacts.

"All of you, get back!"

He gave a sharp shout, and his Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure erupted with full force, slightly forcing both sides of the melee apart.

The long sword in his hand unsheathed with a *clang*, green light flowing over the blade as it emitted a clear sword hum.

"Green Azure Sword Technique, Strike!"

With a flick of his wrist, three streaks of solid, ribbon-like green Sword Qi shot out from the sword. They did not disperse to attack multiple targets.

Instead, as if they possessed a life of their own, they curved in mid-air and struck toward Lin Yue from three different angles with extreme ferocity!

Before the Sword Qi even arrived, a grim Sword Intent had already enveloped Lin Yue, locking onto his aura.

This was a technique of externalizing and shaping spiritual power that only a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could perform; its power was far beyond what those at the Qi Refinement Stage could compare to.

"Clan Leader, be careful!"

Lin Hu and the others were both shocked and angry, but they were desperately held back by the remaining green-robed Cultivators and could not return to help in time.

Lin Yue's eyes were sharp as a hawk's. Facing the three streaks of Sword Qi that were powerful enough to shatter stone, he actually neither dodged nor avoided them.

The spiritual power within his body surged rapidly according to the route of the modified Gathering Qi Art. His Meridians, long nourished by the spirit river water of the Grotto-Heaven, were tough and broad, providing a massive and stable output of spiritual power.

"Flowing Cloud Steps!"

The steps beneath his feet changed mysteriously, his form becoming like drifting clouds in the wind at the critical moment.

Moving continuously by a hair's breadth, he perilously allowed two streaks of Sword Qi to brush past him, leaving deep gouges in the ground behind him.

At the same time, the silver-patterned dagger in his hand hummed and vibrated. The Golden Edge Qi was pushed to its limit, and a point of blinding cold starlight condensed at the tip of the dagger.

"Point Breaking a Thousand Catties!"

He gave a low shout, and the silver-patterned dagger transformed into an extremely condensed silver line. He did not meet the attack head-on but instead precisely struck the weak node in the power flow of the third streak of Sword Qi!

*Pop!*

With a light sound, that seemingly powerful green Sword Qi actually burst like a bubble, transforming into chaotic Spiritual Qi that scattered in all directions.

The Tall, Thin Cultivator's pupils shrank in disbelief.

The opponent could actually use skill to overcome force, seeing through the spiritual power hub of his Sword Qi at a single glance?

Just at the moment when his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet risen—when his mind was momentarily open due to shock—

Lin Yue's left hand brushed his waist, and three pitch-black Spirit-breaking awls silently appeared between his fingers.

With a flick of his wrist, the Spirit-breaking awls were not shot straight but were thrown in a spiral trajectory, their black light contained within.

Yet they carried a sharp, piercing whistle as they flew through the air, sealing off the Tall, Thin Cultivator's left, right, and retreat in a triangular Formation!

The speed was so fast and the angles so tricky that it was impossible to guard against.

The Tall, Thin Cultivator's hair stood on end. Ignoring his image, he frantically swung his sword to block and parry.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Two crisp sounds rang out as one Spirit-breaking awl was knocked away and another was deflected by the sword blade.

But the third Spirit-breaking awl flew almost right past his neck. The fierce wind scraped his skin painfully, and there was even a strange vibrating force attempting to invade his protective spiritual field.

Although he wasn't injured, it gave him a cold sweat and caused his body to momentarily freeze.

"Now is the time!"

A sharp light exploded in Lin Yue's eyes as that wisp of aura he had always kept restrained—the one obtained from the plane's Origin—

He deliberately simulated a higher level of pressure, nearly that of a Golden Core Cultivator, and mixed it into his Divine Sense, suddenly thrusting it toward the Tall, Thin Cultivator!

The Tall, Thin Cultivator had just parried the Spirit-breaking awl and his mind was not yet steady when he was suddenly struck by this terrifying "suspected Golden Core" aura, though it lasted only an instant.

Yet it caused his Divine Soul to shake violently, leaving his consciousness blank, and even the circulation of spiritual power within his body experienced a moment of disorder and stiffness.

"Formation, rise!"

Lin Yue seized this fleeting opportunity and fired a spiritual light signal toward a specific location in the forest.

Lin Cang, who had been lying in wait for a long time, immediately exerted his full strength to activate the core of the previously buried Formation Plate.

"Buzz—!"

Beneath the ground, streaks of pale gray formation patterns suddenly lit up, rapidly spreading and connecting to form a Formation covering a radius of ten zhang.

The mist, drawn by the power of the Formation, instantly became as thick as milk, churning and gathering.

The light distorted, and the scene changed drastically!

In the eyes of the Tall, Thin Cultivator and the remaining Green Robe Hall Cultivators, the surrounding ancient trees and strange rocks suddenly shifted positions.

They transformed into layers of ghostly shadows and endless thorns; the familiar forest path vanished without a trace, and Divine Sense sent out was like a clay ox entering the sea, with all sense of direction completely lost!

"Soul-Bewildering Illusion Formation?!"

The Tall, Thin Cultivator had just recovered from the shock when he fell into the Formation. He was horrified, realizing he had walked into a trap.

He hurriedly circulated his spiritual power, sweeping his sword light wildly in an attempt to break the Formation by force, only to find that the Sword Qi vanished into the thick fog, causing only a few ripples. The Foundation of the Formation was stable and definitely not something that could be broken in a short time.

"Scatter the Rosy Clouds!"

Lin Yue ordered coldly.

Lin Hu and the others had already tacitly broken contact with the remaining enemies. Upon hearing the command, they quickly pulled out several small beast-hide bags containing fine dark-red powder.

Using spiritual power to drive it, they vigorously scattered it toward the panicked and flustered Green Robe Hall Cultivators trapped in the Formation.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

The powder touched the air and immediately exploded into large clouds of crimson smoke.

This smoke was fishy and sweet, pungent to the nose. It ignored ordinary protective spiritual light and went straight into the nose and mouth, even attaching itself to Divine Sense, bringing a strong sense of dizziness and nausea, seriously interfering with the condensation of spiritual power and Divine Sense perception.

"Cough, cough... My head..."

"I can't bring up my spiritual power!"

Coughing and panicked voices immediately rang out from within the Formation. The Green Robe Hall Cultivators, already flustered by the Formation's confusion, now had their combat strength greatly reduced, like headless flies.

"Finish this quickly!"

The Guard Team's spirits were greatly lifted. They all took the heart-clearing pills prepared in advance and held their breath as they rushed into areas where the smoke and Formation's influence were relatively weak.

The cold light of silver-patterned daggers flashed occasionally in the red mist, accompanied by short screams and the sound of bodies hitting the ground.

Having lost effective command and suffering from the dual effects of the Formation and the smoke poison, the Green Robe Hall Cultivators no longer had any power to resist. They were soon subdued one by one, knocked unconscious, their spiritual power sealed, and bound with special ropes.

Before long, the red mist was gradually guided away under Lin Cang's control, and the range of the Soul-Bewildering Formation was reduced to only trapping the Tall, Thin Cultivator alone.

On the forest clearing, the Green Robe Hall captives lay scattered about, firmly bound.

Only that Tall, Thin Cultivator was still fruitlessly hacking at the illusory thorn bushes formed by the Soul-Bewildering Formation. His clothes were torn, his hair was disheveled, and he looked wretched, his eyes filled with anger and a trace of fear.

Lin Yue waved his hand to let Lin Cang temporarily stabilize the Formation, then walked slowly to the edge. Through the distorted light and shadow, he looked at the crazed-looking Tall, Thin Cultivator inside, his voice calm and steady:

"Now, do you think the ore vein is more important, or your life and the lives of these subordinates of yours?"

Hearing the voice, the Tall, Thin Cultivator stopped his movements abruptly and "looked" toward the sound. Although he couldn't see Lin Yue's face clearly, he could feel the cold killing intent beneath those calm words.

His Divine Sense swept outside the Formation (the Formation did not completely block internal Divine Sense perception), and seeing that his subordinates had all been captured, each injured and unconscious, the last trace of hope in his heart was completely extinguished.

His face instantly turned as pale as paper, and the pride of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator vanished completely.

"Lin... Clan Leader Lin! It was I who was blind and offended your prestige!"

His voice was dry, carrying a plea.

"Mercy! Spare our lives! Regarding the matter of the ore vein, the Green Robe Hall... no, I personally, will never mention it again! I am willing to swear a Heart Demon Oath!"

Lin Yue remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his options.

He waved his hand, signaling Lin Hu and the others to take the captives a certain distance away for guarding.

Then, he walked into the Formation alone. For him, who knew the Gate of Life and the formation eye, the Soul-Bewildering Formation naturally posed no obstacle.

Seeing that Lin Yue could treat the Formation as if it were nothing, the Tall, Thin Cultivator's heart grew even colder.

Seeing Lin Yue approach, he thought the other party was going to personally cripple his cultivation or take his life. In despair...

A flash of ruthlessness and madness crossed his eyes. His remaining spiritual power secretly surged toward a certain secret technique node in his Dantian; he actually wanted to fight to the death and blow himself up, taking Lin Yue with him!

However, Lin Yue seemed to have anticipated this.

At the instant his spiritual power was about to ignite, Lin Yue's figure closed in like a ghost, pressing a palm lightly against his Dantian Qi Sea.

This palm did not contain fierce destructive power, but rather an extremely exquisite and complex sealing spiritual power that instantly invaded, forcibly smoothing out and locking down his violent spiritual power.

Furthermore, a deep, vast, and indescribably strange power followed the palm's force, silently imprinting itself deep within his body and Divine Soul.

The Tall, Thin Cultivator felt his Dantian stiffen as all his spiritual power seemed to be frozen, unable to be mobilized in the slightest.

Immediately after, an irresistible suction came from Lin Yue's palm. The scene before his eyes spun, and space seemed to be folded and distorted.

Before he could even let out a cry of surprise, his consciousness fell into endless darkness, and his figure vanished into thin air in front of Lin Yue's palm, leaving no trace.

Outside the Formation, no one noticed this spatial fluctuation, which was extremely brief and obscured by the Formation's mist.

Lin Yue withdrew his palm with a normal expression and walked out of the Formation, saying to Lin Hu and the others waiting outside:

"I have sealed this person with a secret technique and will imprison and interrogate him separately. Take all these captives back, detain them separately, and inspect them carefully. Do not leave any hidden dangers."

"Yes! Clan Leader!" Although everyone was curious about where the Clan Leader had taken that person, no one asked more and followed the orders.

Back in Sunset Town, inside the secret room of the ancestral hall.

After confirming that the surrounding isolation Formation was intact, Lin Yue's thoughts moved slightly, and his figure disappeared from the secret room.

Within the Plane Space, spiritual energy was dense, and the world tree sapling stretched its tender branches and leaves, flowing with a hazy glow.

The Tall, Thin Cultivator sat slumped not far from the sapling, his face gray and defeated, his eyes hollowly gazing at this completely unfamiliar small world with entirely different Laws.

With the spiritual power in his body sealed, he was no different from a Mortal. The ubiquitous pressure originating from the World Tree's Origin in the Plane Space made him tremble and feel insignificant from the depths of his Soul.

"Where... where is this? Who exactly are you?" Seeing Lin Yue appear, he asked in a raspy, hoarse voice.

Lin Yue walked up to him, looking down from above, his gaze as cold as if looking at a blade of grass:

"You do not need to know where this is. From this moment on, your only value is to contribute your spiritual power to this tree."

He pointed to the world tree sapling nearby, which looked fragile yet emitted a profound vitality.

"Infuse your spiritual power into it every day until it is exhausted, then meditate to recover, and repeat the cycle. If you dare to show the slightest slack or make any suspicious moves..."

Lin Yue's thoughts moved slightly, and the plane's rules responded accordingly.

The Tall, Thin Cultivator suddenly felt the air around him turn into shackles. An invisible force began to squeeze his internal organs, not violently...

...but it brought a continuous and clear sense of pain and suffocation, as well as a warning from the Soul level, making him understand that here, his life and death were entirely at the whim of the person before him.

"Ugh... I... I'll do it! I'll do it!" He nodded hurriedly, fear overwhelming everything.

When he tremblingly followed the method instructed by Lin Yue to slowly infuse that part of his pure spiritual power that he was allowed to mobilize into the world tree sapling, a strange scene occurred.

The sapling's branches and leaves swayed gently, as if cheering, and a soft suction emanated from the roots.

The Foundation Establishment Stage spiritual power was like a stream merging into the sea, quickly absorbed by the sapling.

Subsequently, the sapling grew a tiny bit at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye; its leaves became more emerald and translucent, and the patterns on its branches seemed to deepen slightly.

Even the spiritual energy of the entire Plane Space seemed to become more active and dense.

Lin Yue watched this scene quietly, a trace of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

A living, sustainably exploitable Foundation Establishment Stage "spiritual power source" was far superior to Spirit Stones or ordinary spiritual items.

This would not only accelerate the growth of the World Tree but might also bring some unexpected changes.

His consciousness returned to his body. Outside the secret room's window, the sun was already shining brightly.

In Sunset Town, the faint cheers of the clansmen could be heard as the Guard Team returned in victory, sounding relaxed and joyful.

Lin Yue pushed open the door of the secret room, sunlight falling on his shoulders.

The appointment in the Black Wind Forest had not only successfully repelled the greed of the Green Robe Hall and verified the combat strength and preparation of the Guard Team, but more importantly, it had found a precious "nutrient" for his plane world.

There might still be storms ahead, but the path of Sunset Town and his own Dao were already extending firmly beneath his feet.