Chapter 10: Three years have passed since spring turned to autumn; death row has been transformed into a celestial paradise!
Cultivation knows no time; a thousand years pass in the world.
Three full years have passed since Lin Yuan’s cultivation was crippled and he was thrown into the Demon Suppressing Death Prison.
The Taixuan Dao Sect outside has been on edge during these three years. Ever since Sect Head Immortal Master Qingxu issued the strict order of "a hundred-mile absolute restricted zone around the death prison," not even a fly in the entire Sect dared to fly toward the death prison. All Disciples who passed nearby held their breath, fearing they might disturb that "Ancient Sword Immortal experiencing life in the death prison."
However.
Inside the Demon Suppressing Death Prison, which the outside world viewed as the eighteen levels of Hell and a place of peerless danger, a completely different scene was unfolding.
"Whew—"
In the deepest part of the death prison, the Nine Nether Sword Tomb, which was originally pitch black with rolling nine netherworld malevolent qi, was now filled with a white spiritual mist so thick it almost couldn't be dispersed!
On the ground, those once eerie and terrifying withered bones had long been cleared away. In their place was a lush green lawn stimulated by Spiritual Qi. In the center of the lawn, a pond with a circumference of two zhang had even been artificially carved out with Sword Qi. Flowing in the pond was liquid spiritual spring water that had been forcibly reversed and purified by the "Tai Shang Yin Yang Grand Array"!
Beside the spiritual spring, the ancient ominous sword [zhutian], which once radiated dark gold light and struck terror into the entire Shenhuang Continent, was now being stuck into the soil with a pitiful air.
Tied to its hilt... was a fishing line, acting as a top-grade fishing rod.
"Splash."
The sound of water rang out as a fair, jade-like, slender hand gently delivered a peeled, crystalline spiritual fruit to the mouth of the youth on the lounge chair nearby.
"Young Master, this is a Thousand-Year Vermilion Fruit just stimulated by the spiritual spring. Would you like to taste if it's sweet?"
The woman speaking was dressed in red as bright as fire, with peerless beauty. However, the coldness and killing intent of the past had faded from between her brows, replaced by a tenderness like water and even a hint of flattering obedience.
Although she still had eight Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Iron Chains locked onto her body, her range of movement was already quite wide. Those heavy iron chains, rather than making her look pathetic, seemed like a strange decoration that made her appear even more enchanting.
She was none other than the former peerless demoness, now the exclusive maid of the death prison—Tantai Jinyue.
"Hmm, your skills have improved."
Lin Yuan lay on the lounge chair carved from Thousand-Year Red Sandalwood, swallowed the Vermilion Fruit in one bite, and narrowed his eyes comfortably.
In these three years, Lin Yuan had perfectly interpreted what it meant to be a "top-tier survivalist."
He hadn't stepped foot out of the death prison. His daily routine consisted of: sleeping, signing in, watching the demoness dance, and casually using the "Tai Shang Yin Yang Grand Array" to convert the Evil Qi in the death prison into Spiritual Qi.
He had forcibly transformed a Shura Hell into an Immortal Grotto-Heaven with a Spiritual Qi concentration ten times higher than that of the Taixuan Main Peak!
And his cultivation...
"Buzz—"
Lin Yuan simply took a casual breath of the Spiritual Qi-rich air.
In the next second, the terrifying black vortex Dantian inside his body shook violently, and a pressure so immense it was suffocating erupted from him as the center, crashing outward! But after spreading only half a meter, it was exquisitely restrained back into his body.
The Golden Core shattered, and the Nascent Soul took form!
No Heavenly Tribulation, no Bottleneck, no earth-shattering phenomena.
With the 24/7 automatic idle-level support of [Max-Level Comprehension], [Eternal Immortal Sword Body], and the "Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art," Lin Yuan stepped into the Nascent Soul Stage—a Realm sufficient to start a Sect in the Shenhuang Continent—as naturally as drinking water!
"Congratulations to the Young Master on another Breakthrough!"
Beside him, Tantai Jinyue’s beautiful eyes sparkled with brilliant light, filled with fanatical admiration.
She couldn't see through Lin Yuan's current specific Realm at all, but the pressure that leaked out for a moment just now made even her, a former Demon Sect Head, feel a shiver from the depths of her Soul.
"The Young Master's Cultivate speed... I'm afraid even a banished immortal from the Nine Heavens couldn't hope to match it..." Tantai Jinyue was secretly shocked in her heart.
In these three years, she had Cultivated the modified "Blood Lotus Demonic Scripture" from Lin Yuan. Not only had her internal injuries healed, but her cultivation had also recovered to the Core Formation Peak. She thought her progress was rapid, but in front of her Young Master, she wasn't even worthy of carrying his shoes.
"Early Stage Nascent Soul, it's so-so."
Lin Yuan stretched and sat up from the lounge chair.
After staying in this death prison for three years and looking at Tantai Jinyue’s peerless face every day, he was almost used to it. Although life was as comfortable as being on vacation, now that his cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul Stage, the nine netherworld malevolent qi originally stored in the death prison was no longer enough for his domineering "Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art" to absorb.
Just as Lin Yuan was wondering whether he should cause some commotion to get those "kind-hearted people" of the Taixuan Dao Sect outside to send in some top-grade Evil Qi or Heaven And Earth Treasures.
Suddenly.
On the outskirts of the death prison, the profound iron giant door that had been sealed for three years let out an extremely faint vibration.
"Thump... Thump-thump..."
Someone was knocking?
Moreover, it wasn't a sneaky assassination attempt, but rather the fluctuations of an extremely arrogant and unscrupulous door-breaking Formation!
Lin Yuan's brows twitched slightly as he looked deeply toward the entrance of the death prison.
In mid-air, Tantai Jinyue’s gaze instantly turned cold, and the once tender face regained the chilling killing intent belonging to a peerless demoness.
"Young Master, it seems those fools from the Taixuan Dao Sect have forgotten the pain once the wound healed."
She bowed slightly, her left hand grasping at the Void Realm, and a ball of dark red Karmic Fire erupted in her palm. "How dare they disturb the Young Master's quiet Cultivation. This servant will go and burn them to ashes to use as fertilizer for you!"
"No rush."
The corner of Lin Yuan's mouth curled into a playful arc. "After three years of secluded Cultivation, it's time to see what new show the clowns outside have rehearsed."
...
At the same time.
Outside the Demon Suppressing Death Prison, the Taixuan Dao Sect was holding its decennial [Prodigy Great Competition].
And the Saint Chu Tiankuo, who had just been released from the Cliff of Reflection and was full of resentment, was leading several grim-faced Sect old-timers, staring fixedly at the gate of the Demon Suppressing Death Prison, his eyes flashing with the pleasure of mad revenge!
"Senior Martial Uncle Sect Head was deluded by evil spirits, but I, Chu Tiankuo, will never believe there is some Senior expert in this death prison! Today, I will tear off this disguise and make that trash surnamed Lin show his true colors!"
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(Shenhuang Continent Realms: Body Refining, Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Returning, Mahayana, Undergoing Tribulation. The Nascent Soul Stage already belongs to the level of a powerhouse Old Ancestor.)
Lin Yuan
Current Cultivation: Early Stage Nascent Soul
Physique: [Eternal Immortal Sword Body] (Immune to ten thousand swords, sword Dao power increased tenfold)
Cultivation Technique: "Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art" (Devours all energy for own use, ignores Evil Qi and toxic gas)
Mastered Divine Abilities:
"Heaven-Slaying Draw-Sword Technique" (Supreme sword Dao, nurtured for three years, a sure kill once the sword is drawn)
"Netherworld Demonic Pupil" (Divine Soul attack, sees through illusions, instant kill on lower Realms upon eye contact)
"Nine Netherworld Karmic Fire Red Lotus" (Burns all Souls)
"Tai Shang Yin Yang Grand Array" (Divine-Grade Formation attainment, can convert energy)
Divine Sharp Weapon: [zhutian] Ancient Ominous Sword
Peerless Demoness · Tantai Jinyue (Current Cultivation: Core Formation Peak)