83: The Soul Palace is undercurrent, the place of inheritance

The earth-shattering battle at the peak of the arena concluded with Xiao Chen and Liu Qing both sustaining injuries, and Xiao Chen gaining a slight edge thanks to the higher artistic conception of his Heaven Opening Axe Intent. Liu Qing personally admitted that their grievances were settled and yielded his fifth place on the strong ranking list to Xiao Chen. The news swept through the entire Jia Nan Academy like a hurricane, elevating Xiao Chen's prestige to an unprecedented peak. He truly entered the Inner Academy's top tier, with no one daring to question his status anymore.

However, Xiao Chen did not revel in the glory of victory. Although he managed to barely contend with Liu Qing in that battle by leveraging the advantage of his axe intent, it also exposed the shortcoming of his insufficient Dou Qi cultivation, and he ultimately suffered injuries due to exhaustion. He knew deeply that if Liu Qing had not held back at the last moment, or if the opponent had used a stronger trump card, the outcome would have been uncertain. The path of a true powerhouse was still long.

He politely declined all congratulations and visits, immediately entering seclusion to heal his injuries upon returning to his courtyard. Grand Elder Su Qian personally delivered sacred healing medicine and subtly reminded him that the Soul Hall's coveting had not diminished with his victory; on the contrary, it might have become more urgent due to the potential he displayed. Xiao Chen's heart tightened, and he raised his vigilance to the highest level.

During his seclusion, he simultaneously healed his injuries and fully digested the gains from his battle with Liu Qing. The domineering spear intent of a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong, like the hardest whetstone, honed his initially comprehended Heaven Opening Axe Intent, making it more condensed and pure. His understanding of the 'Intent' realm deepened by another layer, subtly touching upon the threshold of initially merging his axe intent with his soul, Dou Qi, and even the Power of Space. At the same time, the bottleneck of Peak Four-Star Dou Zong (Fighting Sect) Rank completely loosened, and after his injuries healed, he naturally broke through to Five-Star Dou Zong! Although his soul power did not break through to the Heaven Realm, it became more well-rounded, his perception range expanded to one thousand five hundred zhang, and his control over energy became exquisite.

After emerging from seclusion, Xiao Chen immediately headed to the deepest part of the Inner Academy's Scripture Repository. With the authority granted by being fifth on the strong ranking list, he finally qualified to consult the strictly sealed supreme ancient texts concerning ancient secrets and soul cultivation.

On an ancient scroll made of some unknown beast hide, he found a more detailed description of the 'Intent Realm':

"The Intent Realm transcends the confines of skill, directly pointing to the origin of the Great Dao. Initial comprehension is 'Form Intent,' capable of mimicking all forms and increasing the power of Dou Technique; deep study leads to 'True Intent,' touching upon the superficial aspects of laws, where a single thought moves heaven and earth; the supreme 'Origin Intent' is the manifestation of rules, where words become law... However, since ancient times, heaven and earth have been incomplete, and Origin Intent has become a legend, with True Intent also being as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns..."

"The Intent Realm is divided into Form Intent, True Intent, and Origin Intent..." Xiao Chen mused, "My current Heaven Opening Axe Intent is probably not even complete 'Form Intent'; it's merely touched upon a trace of its surface, yet possesses such power. If I could reach the 'True Intent' realm, or even..." He shook his head, knowing that the path was long and arduous.

At the same time, on another extremely fragmented bone shard, which seemed to have suffered erosion from some kind of power, he discovered a vague record that mentioned "Origin Qi" and the "Mystery of the Dou Di (Battle Emperor)":

"...An Emperor is the embodiment of Origin. When Origin Qi withers, the path to Emperor Realm is cut off... However, in heaven and earth, there might be remnants of Origin hidden, perhaps in ancient tombs, or concealed in secret realms. Those who obtain it may glimpse a sliver of the Emperor Realm's heavenly mystery... Yet, possessing a treasure invites trouble; the demise of the eight ancient clans all originated from this..."

This record sent a huge shock through Xiao Chen's heart, further confirming the preciousness and danger of that tiny Origin Qi seed deep within his Qi Sea. This was undoubtedly the fundamental reason why the Soul Hall relentlessly pursued him!

Just as he was immersed in the ancient texts, the Inner Academy's high-ranking officials were experiencing a silent storm.

Inside the Elder Council Hall, the atmosphere was heavy. Grand Elder Su Qian sat in the main seat, his expression grim. Seated below him were Vice President Hu Qian and several core Inner Academy elders with profound auras.

"Everyone, recently, the Soul Hall's activities around the academy, including the Black-Corner Region, have been unusually frequent," Su Qian said in a deep voice, tapping his finger on the table. A light screen appeared, marked with dozens of red dots. "According to reports from our informants, at least three Soul Hall Elder-level powerhouses have secretly infiltrated the Black-Corner Region, and their movements are directly aimed at our Jia Nan Academy. Moreover, the academy's outer warning formations have suffered no less than ten extremely covert probing attacks in the past half-month; the methods are sophisticated and definitely not the work of ordinary forces."

A hot-tempered elder slammed the table, "These lingering bastards! Do they really think our Jia Nan Academy is made of mud? Let's just activate the academy protection array and round them all up!"

Vice President Hu Qian shook his head, his tone solemn, "It's not that simple. The Soul Hall's actions this time are secretive; they haven't directly attacked the academy. If we proactively activate the grand array, it would give them an excuse. Moreover, as far as I know, the power the Soul Hall has mobilized this time is probably more than what's apparent. Behind them, there might be an even more terrifying existence planning something."

Su Qian nodded, "Vice President Hu Qian is absolutely right. The Soul Hall's target is very clear: it's Xiao Chen. This child has extraordinary talent and harbors a great secret; he has been listed by the Soul Hall as a must-obtain target. We must prepare for the worst."

"Grand Elder, what do you mean?" another elder asked.

A cold light flashed in Su Qian's eyes, "Activate the highest contingency plan for the 'Seed Project.' Open the Meteorite Platform secret realm and allow Xiao Chen, Zi Yan, Lin Xiuyai, Han Yue, and other top-tier students to enter it for seclusion, avoiding their sharp edge. At the same time, secretly contact the Pill Tower and friendly neighboring forces to request covert assistance. Furthermore..." He paused, lowering his voice, "I will personally go to the forbidden area in the back mountain to invite a clone imprint of that old ancestor, just in case."

All the elders were startled by these words. The Meteorite Platform was the Inner Academy's most core secret realm, containing a trace of stellar origin, which had miraculous effects for breaking through to the Dou Zun (Fighting Venerable) rank, but its activation came at a huge cost. And inviting a clone imprint of that Dou Zun (Fighting Venerable) ancestor, who had been in seclusion for several centuries in the back mountain, was a trump card that would never be used unless it was a matter of life and death! This showed the severity of the situation!

"Let's do it!" Vice President Hu Qian was the first to express his stance, "We absolutely cannot let the Soul Hall's conspiracy succeed!"

With the decision made, the Inner Academy's massive machinery began to quietly operate at high speed.

The next day, Xiao Chen received a secret order from Grand Elder Su Qian, instructing him to immediately go to the Dean's secret chamber. There, he met Zi Yan, Lin Xiuyai, and Han Yue, who had also been summoned. The four of them were the most prominent geniuses in the Inner Academy at that time.

Su Qian did not conceal anything, informing the four of them about the Soul Hall's threat and the academy's arrangements, his expression serious: "Children, the academy has reached a critical moment. The Soul Hall's desire to destroy us is unwavering, and their primary target is you, our future hope. The academy has decided to open the Meteorite Platform, allowing you four to enter it for seclusion, to improve your strength as much as possible. It is one of the safest places in the academy, protected by ancient formations; even if the Soul Hall launches a strong attack, it can hold out for a period."

Xiao Chen was moved, knowing that the academy was doing its utmost to protect them. He glanced at Zi Yan beside him, seeing her small face taut, yet her eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit, clearly harboring deep hatred for the Soul Hall. Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue also had solemn expressions and determined eyes.

"Thank you, Grand Elder! We will not fail the academy's high expectations!" The four responded in unison.

"Good! Without further ado, let's depart immediately!" Su Qian waved his hand, and complex teleportation array patterns lit up on the secret chamber floor. With a flash of light, the five vanished.

The next moment, they appeared on an ancient platform suspended in the clouds, constructed from countless stellar fragments—the Meteorite Platform. In the center of the platform, there was a dilapidated altar, and above the altar, a stellar light sphere, constantly contracting and expanding, emitting a soft starlight, was suspended. This was the core of the Meteorite Platform, the location of the stellar origin.

"The flow of time here is different from the outside world, approximately three to one. You have three months... which is one month in the outside world, to cultivate here. How much you gain depends on your individual fortune." Su Qian instructed, then activated the guardian formation, and his figure slowly dissipated.

On the platform, only Xiao Chen and the other three remained, along with the vast stellar power.

"Let's begin." Lin Xiuyai took a deep breath of the air filled with stellar energy and was the first to walk towards an area rich in stellar power, sitting down cross-legged. Han Yue also chose a quiet spot and closed her eyes to cultivate.

Zi Yan, on the other hand, hopped and skipped to the bottom of the stellar light sphere, opening her small mouth as if wanting to take a bite. After realizing she couldn't bite it, she pouted and sat down, circulating the Ancient Void Dragon's origin cultivation technique, devouring the stellar power.

Xiao Chen did not rush to absorb energy. He walked to the altar, his gaze falling on the stellar light sphere. The tiny Origin Qi seed deep within his soul slightly stirred. He vaguely felt that this Meteorite Platform seemed to have some peculiar connection with the Origin Qi within him and his Heaven Opening Axe Intent.

"Perhaps, this place is not only a haven but also a crucial location for me to fully master axe intent, and even... touch upon the mysteries of Origin Qi." A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He sat down cross-legged beside the altar, and his Spirit Realm Soul slowly probed towards the stellar light sphere, beginning a deep level of seclusion.

However, just as Xiao Chen and the other three entered the Meteorite Platform for seclusion, outside the Jia Nan Academy, a shocking conspiracy targeting Xiao Chen had already begun. The Soul Hall's net was quietly tightening... The true storm was about to arrive.