51: Chapter 51 Spiritual Vein Resonance, Killing Intent Returns

On the third day of the Mineral Exhibition Fair, as the morning light flooded over the stone walls of Sunset Town, the sound of dense footsteps already echoed on the bluestone roads of the market.

Lin Yue stood on the stone steps of the courtyard, gazing at the pale dawn in the east, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing his sleeve.

Last night, while inspecting the Grotto-Heaven, the total output of the six "Mobile Spiritual Power Sources" had stabilized at 99 points per day.

The main trunk of the World Tree had grown slightly thicker, and the gold-red spiritual patterns between the branches and leaves flowed in the morning light, like countless tiny dragon shadows swimming about.

"Clan Leader, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion has sent the deposit for the Glow Crystal Short Blades, one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Lin Laosan's voice sounded outside the courtyard gate, filled with joy.

"Also, three merchants from out of town want to order Spirit Stream Fish; they're willing to trade fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones for ten fish."

Lin Yue turned and opened the door, taking the heavy bag of Spirit Stones.

The crisp sound of clashing came through the cloth bag, reminding him of the tapping sounds from the dragon pattern jade vein in the Grotto-Heaven.

"Sell only five Spirit Stream Fish; keep the rest for the clan's younger generation to nourish their bodies."

He paused.

"Tell Lin Zhong to keep a close eye on the spiritual fields. The Spiritual Plants sown yesterday should grow their second leaves today."

Lin Laosan acknowledged and left.

Lin Yue did not return to the house; he looked toward the back mountain, and with a slight thought, his figure quietly merged into the air, vanishing without a ripple, like a gust of wind sweeping over the stone steps.

This was a secret method he used to control the Grotto-Heaven; requiring no medium, he could travel between the two worlds with a single thought.

When he opened his eyes again, the morning light of the Grotto-Heaven had already spread across the eastern plains.

The leaves of the World Tree condensed Spiritual Qi into dewdrops, which splashed against the light barrier of the Binding Array as they fell, scattering tiny specks of light.

The six Spiritual Power Sources maintained a circular sitting posture.

The newly captured scout was locked at the northernmost side, the runes on his chains showing a stable output of 17 points per day.

After a night of rest, the Blood Shadow Tower assassin's output had rebounded to 29 points per day; combined, the two of them almost equaled the sum of the other four.

"Clan Leader Lin."

The Tall, Thin Cultivator was the first to sense his presence, his voice sounding stronger than yesterday.

"At the third quarter of the Hour of the Tiger, the World Tree suddenly dropped three leaves into the spiritual fields. Those Spiritual Plants seemed to be stimulated, instantly growing half an inch taller."

Lin Yue walked to the edge of the spiritual fields.

The edges of the Low Grade Spiritual Plants' leaves indeed shimmered with gold, and several strands of silver-white roots were wrapped around their bases—those were nutrient lines extended from the World Tree.

He leaned down and plucked a leaf; a vitality richer than yesterday's emanated from his fingertips.

"These Spiritual Plants can not only be used for Alchemy but also as Spiritual Seeds. Keep some seeds after they mature to expand the planting."

The scene by the Spirit River was even more surprising to him.

In the waters where he had caught fish yesterday, over a dozen new Spirit Stream Fish were swimming.

The golden light on the bellies of several fish had already condensed into a crescent shape, clearly about to gestate Spirit Pearls.

Lin Yue did not fish again; he crouched by the shore, watching the school of fish chase the fallen leaves of the World Tree, recalling Lin De's words that the Spirit Pearls of the Spirit Stream Fish could calm the mind and settle the soul.

If they could be mass-produced, they could be provided as standard equipment for the guards on duty.

Proceeding to the central mountain range, the miner Puppets had already widened the excavation face of the dragon pattern jade vein by half a zhang.

Among the newly dug pile of jade, a fist-sized piece of dragon pattern jade shimmered with a pale gold-red luster, and the cloud-mist patterns inside actually entwined a strand of spiritual pattern from the same source as the World Tree.

Lin Yue picked up the jade, and as soon as his fingertips touched the stone surface, a slight vibration came from within the jade, resonating with the dragon jade inside his body.

"So that's how it is."

He laughed softly in realization.

"After the dragon pattern jade absorbs the spiritual power of the World Tree, it can actually correspond with the dragon jade."

This discovery stirred his heart; if he used this resonant jade for Artifact Refining, he might be able to add a layer of secret connection to the weapons in Sunset Town, allowing them to borrow the power of the Grotto-Heaven in times of crisis.

When he returned to the World Tree, he saw the Blood Shadow Tower assassin scratching at the chains with his fingernails, blood seeping from his nail beds, yet it only made the runes glow even more blindingly.

"Don't waste your effort."

Lin Yue spoke indifferently.

"These chains are formed by the rules of the Grotto-Heaven; unless you can shatter this entire world, you will never escape."

The assassin looked up sharply, his eyes bloodshot.

"Who exactly are you? What kind of place is this hellhole?"

"You don't need to know."

Lin Yue walked to the roots of the tree. The newly condensed Spirit Marrow Crystal there was now the size of a human head, emitting a milky white glow.

"You only need to remember: for every extra point of spiritual power you output, you can live for one more hour."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, dousing the assassin's arrogance.

He stared intently at Lin Yue's back, no longer resisting.

The output rune on the chain quietly jumped to 30 points per day, clearly fearing that his life force would truly be stripped away.

Lin Yue did not look back.

His fingertips lightly touched the Spirit Marrow Crystal, and a surge of pure spiritual power flowed through his arm into his Dantian, the rotation speed of his Qi vortex nearly half as fast as yesterday.

He could clearly feel the World Tree's spiritual patterns seeping into his Meridians along with the spiritual power, forming tiny gold-red specks of light within his Dantian—a sign that his spiritual power was deeply bound to the Grotto-Heaven.

"In five more days, the spiritual patterns will be able to cover the entire Grotto-Heaven."

Feeling the increasingly thick spiritual power within him, he already had a plan.

"At that time, I will take a small piece of the Spirit Marrow Crystal to refine a new sword for Lin Shi; with the resonance of the dragon pattern jade, it will be enough to deal with a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator."

When he left the Grotto-Heaven, the market in Sunset Town was already bustling.

Just as Lin Yue appeared in the courtyard, Lin Hu hurried over, holding a blood-stained cloth.

"Clan Leader, this was found at the east end of the market; it has the aura of blood-fiend on it. I'm afraid the Blood Shadow Tower is up to no good again."

Lin Yue took the cloth. A familiar cold sensation came from his fingertips, from the same source as that assassin's aura in the Grotto-Heaven, but even more dense.

"It seems their main force has arrived."

He gripped the cloth, and as his spiritual power quietly circulated, the cloth turned into fly ash.

"Order the Sharp Soldiers Camp to increase the density of the warning arrays by three layers. If anyone with the aura of blood-fiend is found, take them down immediately—no need to ask for instructions."

"Yes!"

Lin Hu took the order and left. Lin Yue walked toward the Ancestral Hall.

The clan elders were gathered around a Sand Table discussing matters.

Wooden plaques representing various forces were stuck on it; the plaques for the Mountain Breaking Hall and the Blood Shadow Tower were circled on the west side, with a note beside them: "Five Foundation Establishment Cultivators."

"Young Yue, you've come at the right time."

Lin Cang saw him enter and pointed at the Sand Table.

"We just received news that the Shadow Master of the Blood Shadow Tower has arrived in Black Stone City; he's said to have brought the 'Blood Shadow Guards,' all of whom are tough characters at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage."

Lin Yue looked at the markings on the Sand Table and suddenly smiled.

"They've come at the right time."

He picked up the wooden plaque representing Sunset Town and stuck it in the center of the Sand Table.

"Let them see that the territory of Sunset Town isn't a place where just anyone can act wildly."

In the afternoon, a small commotion broke out in the market.

A grey-robed Cultivator deliberately knocked over a display stand in front of the Luoxia Workshop, smashing three Glow Crystal Short Blades and grumbling that the items were of poor quality.

However, after Lin Shi took out an identical short blade and split a bluestone with it, he stammered and couldn't say a word.

When Lin Hu led his men forward to question him, the Cultivator suddenly lashed out, a Bone Blade piercing straight toward Lin Hu's heart, only to be entangled by the chains of the prepared Sharp Soldiers Camp and taken away.

"It's the technique of the Blood Shadow Guards."

Lin Hu wiped the blood from his blade as he walked over.

"A token was found in his possession, just like the one from yesterday's scout."

Lin Yue took the token. It felt icy to the touch, and the character for 'Shadow' engraved on it shimmered with a bloody light.

He didn't speak, tucking the token into his sleeve; he had already made a decision—this was another high-quality "Spiritual Power Source," perfect for accelerating the growth needs of the World Tree.

When dusk fell, Lin Yue entered the Grotto-Heaven with his mind again.

Another figure had been added to the Binding Array—it was the grey-robed Cultivator captured in the afternoon.

The runes on the chains showed that his output was as high as 22 points per day, even stronger than the new scout.

The total output of the seven Spiritual Power Sources reached 121 points per day.

On the main trunk of the World Tree, a new gold-red spiritual pattern was slowly taking shape.

"It seems the people sent by the Shadow Master are higher in cultivation one by one."

The Tall, Thin Cultivator looked at the newly joined grey-robed man and said in a low voice.

"At this rate, maybe their Shadow Master himself will come."

Lin Yue did not respond.

He walked to the roots of the World Tree, looking at that head-sized Spirit Marrow Crystal, and suddenly felt that if the Shadow Master really dared to come, it might not be a bad thing.

A Spiritual Power Source at the Half-Step Golden Core level would be enough to raise the World Tree's Rank by another level.

When he left the Grotto-Heaven, the lanterns of Sunset Town had been lit one by one.

Lin Yue stood at the entrance of the Ancestral Hall, watching the moving figures in the direction of the market, the Low-Grade Spirit Stones in his sleeve clinking against each other.

He knew that tonight would certainly not be peaceful.

But as long as the Spiritual Power Sources in the Grotto-Heaven operated stably and the World Tree continued to grow, he would have the confidence to face any storm.

As the night deepened, the footsteps of the Sharp Soldiers Camp patrols echoed in the streets.

Lin Yue looked up at the starry sky and suddenly thought of the Spirit Stream Fish chasing fallen leaves in the Grotto-Heaven, the Spiritual Plants in the spiritual fields stretching their new leaves, and the spiritual patterns of the World Tree gradually covering the 28.6 square kilometers of land.

This was the Foundation he protected—secretive and resilient, like the quietly flowing night, seemingly calm, yet harboring power enough to overturn any wave.