'My mental power has reached the initial level of an Earthly Soul Symbol Master. It's time to expand the Yi Pavilion's branches and influence. The Symbol Master Guild will soon be knocking on my door, eager to exploit my resources. I wonder how they will react if I reveal my fifth seal, symbol master realm.'
He stood up, the charcoal robe falling perfectly around him, concealing the immense power beneath. He heard the sound of the final hammer striking below, signaling the end of the auction. Lin Yi gave a small, satisfied smile. His path was clear: consolidate the power of the Yi Pavilion, establish absolute dominance in Yan City, and prepare the perfect training ground for his brother's inevitable arrival.
He turned from the window, the image of the departing Yan City powerhouses fading from his mind. He was about to sit down again when a sharp, familiar spiritual tremor, distinct from his own breakthrough, raced through his consciousness.
[Target Character, Lin Dong has successfully acquired the Spiritual Movement Chapter (1st Layer, Mental Exercise)]
[10,000x achievement return Initiated.]
[You have gained the Five Phase Spiritual Exercise (5th Layer, Mental Exercise)]
Lin Yi's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his habitual calm. 'The Spiritual Movement Chapter? It's already begun.'
He hadn't expected the plot to advance this quickly. Lin Dong must have already arrived in Yan City and, more importantly, encountered Master Yan inside the mysterious item shop, receiving the initial mental exercise.
He instantly grasped the full implication. The acquisition of the Spiritual Movement Chapter meant Lin Dong was on the precipice of his next major breakthrough: unlocking his Niwan Palace and officially stepping onto the Symbol Master path. Following this, the Ancestral Stone Talisman would naturally assist him in forming his Heavenly Yuan Seed, accelerating his entry into the Heavenly Yuan Realm… a period that would inevitably put him into direct conflict with the Blood Cloth Sect.
Lin Yi smiled faintly. 'This is Lin Dong's stage. I have done my part by establishing the Yi Pavilion and consolidating the territory. Now, he needs the pressure and the struggle to grow into the master of his own fate.' He decided, firmly, to maintain his distance for a while, allowing his brother to fully endure this crucial growth period without interference.
He then shifted his attention to the return he received. A ten thousand times return on a mental exercise was considered a low multiplier compared to the Origin Level returns he'd grown accustomed to, yet the result was phenomenal.
The Five Phase Spiritual Exercise unfolded in his mind: a superior, multi-layered mental cultivation technique comprising five distinct chapters, each aligned with an elemental phase, far exceeding the single, foundational chapter Lin Dong had acquired.
Lin Yi analyzed the technique, running the spiritual pathways through his refined soul space. 'It's potent, but entirely incompatible with my foundation.'
He mused, observing the ethereal structure of the Five Phase Exercise. He had neglected to note it before, but his primary cultivation, the Nine Sun Art, was already a supreme dual-path technique. It wasn't just a Yuan Power art; it also provided an ultimate-level spiritual cultivation method.
As he contemplated, his consciousness shifted inward, observing the intricate foundation of his spiritual path. At the Fifth Seal Symbol Master realm, his soul space was no longer a simple cavity; it was a cosmic landscape dominated by the Primordial Chaos Stone Talisman and Chaos Origin Spiritual Symbol at its core.
The Nine Sun Art had created three hundred and sixty perfectly refined meridians across his physique. Each meridian now glowed with the compressed intensity of a miniature sun, filled with sealed, pure Yang essence. This Yang essence perfectly complemented his soul space, acting as a constant, potent spiritual furnace.
Meanwhile, his Pure Yin Holy Physique anchored the other extreme, providing a stable, chilling counterbalance to the Yang, ensuring his Chaos Origin Rune… the symbol he had formed imitating the Primordial Chaos Talisman… remained in perfect, destructive balance.
'The Five Phase Exercise would only muddy the waters. The Nine Sun Art already provides the ultimate Yang spiritual anchor, complementing the Origin Symbol stability. I don't need to practice these mid-tier exercises.'
After concluding the analysis, he decided to transfer the Five Phase Spiritual Exercise to Lin Dong. It was the perfect complement for his brother, whose Ancestral Stone Talisman required diverse spiritual input to grow.
'I will ensure he receives this anonymously. A small act of assistance, disguised as an opportunity, will accelerate his progress dramatically, reinforcing his belief in his own luck and destiny.' Lin Yi planned, already formulating the untraceable method to transmit the superior mental exercise.
Lin Yi was about to settle down again when a sharp, unfamiliar commotion from the lower floors disturbed his thoughts. His brow furrowed slightly. The Yi Pavilion had strict rules; such a blatant disruption was unacceptable.
He moved silently, gliding to the entrance of his private room, and stepped into the small, secluded corridor. His Form Creation Peak Stage power, though tightly sealed by the Force Camouflage, pulsed slightly.
On the third floor below, the scene was tense. Elder Mu, a stern but outwardly calm figure who managed the Pavilion's daily operations, stood across from a group of muscular men wearing vests embroidered with a vicious-looking scarlet wolf… the insignia of the Blood Wolf Gang.
The leader of the group, a burly man with a scarred face, was shouting, his voice echoing aggressively across the marble floor.
"I told you, old man! This Rank Three Fire Lotus Leaf we bought here was defective! It crumbled into ash upon consumption, nearly shattering my cultivator's meridians! Your 'Yi Pavilion' is selling shady, useless products! Call your master! Why is he hiding upstairs like a coward?!"
Elder Mu maintained a humble, calm posture, despite the internal anxiety caused by the man's aggressive behavior. "Leader Yue Shen, please calm yourself. The Yi Pavilion operates on strict principles of quality. Every item is verified before sale. If there is a dispute, we can process a formal investigation…"
Yue Shen, sensing the old man's apparent nervousness and mistaking his composure for fear, immediately raised his tone once again. He spat on the ground. "Investigation?! I demand to see the owner! You think a shady operation like this can run in Yan City without consequences? Let him show his face and give an explanation! Or does he fear the reputation of my Blood Wolf Gang too much to come down?!"
...