To understand the scene Xiao Lin stepped into, one must look back three days—to the second day of the expedition.
The moment Xiao Lin triggered the first floor's array, the Formation Pavilion had "awakened." A soft, rhythmic emerald luminescence began to pulse across its weathered wooden surface. This was the building's ancient defense mechanism, designed by Zhen Lao eons ago to protect students from outside interference.
In a ruin crawling with thousands of treasure hunters, a glowing nine-story tower was like a flare in the dark.
Initially, the presence of two Kings—Xiao Lin and the Luo Yan Royal veteran, Yan Bohong—had kept the "small fry" at bay. Even other Dou Wangs had preferred to split up rather than risk a bloody confrontation over a single building when the rest of the sect was still unlooted.
But as the days passed, the easy pickings were gone. The outer pavilions had been stripped bare, and the Central Sovereign Hall was a meat grinder where the Dou Huangs were currently clashing. Naturally, the eyes of the masses turned back to the glowing tower on the side path.
"It's still glowing... there must be a Tier 6 inheritance inside!" "Look at that light! It's been three days. Whoever went in hasn't come out yet." "Maybe they died? If the defense is weakening, it means the 'master' inside is gone!"
By the fifth day—the day Xiao Lin mastered the Nine Foundations and said goodbye to his teacher—the pavilion was surrounded by "three inner circles and three outer circles" of people. Thousands of Da Dou Shis and Dou Lings stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their eyes red with envy.
Some had tried to force their way in. One overconfident Dou Ling had struck the glowing surface with a heavy warhammer, only for the force to be reflected back with double the intensity. The man was nearly vibrated to death by his own blow. After that, the crowd settled into a predatory patience. They noticed the glow was fading—just like the main sect seal had. They were waiting for the "door" to unlock so they could rush in and scavenge the remains.
Word had even reached the Central Hall. It was rumored that at least one Dou Huang had taken an interest and was heading toward the pavilion to investigate the anomaly.
Suddenly, the wait was over. The last shimmer of emerald light vanished as Zhen Lao's soul dissipated.
"The light is gone! Charge!" "The treasure is mine!" "Move aside, you lot! The Luo Yan Empire claims this tower!"
The crowd surged forward like a tidal wave. But before the first person could touch the wood, the entire structure groaned. A sound like thunder erupted from the ninth floor, and a section of the wall exploded outward.
A silhouette leaped from the dust, trailing starlight-colored Dou Qi as it descended gracefully toward the earth.
"Someone... someone was already inside?" "Impossible! The seal just broke!" "Wait... look at his speed. Is he a Dou Wang?"
The realization hit the crowd like a cold bucket of water. If the person coming out was a King, the "scavenging" plan was dead. Most people there were Da Dou Shis; they could swarm a Dou Ling, but a Dou Wang could slaughter hundreds of them before they could even blink.
The Two Camps
The crowd split into two distinct national blocks: the Jia Ma Coalition and the Luo Yan Vanguard.
Among them, several Dou Wangs narrowed their eyes. They remembered that two Kings had entered this area on Day 1. Now, only one was coming out.
The Luo Yan Dou Wangs looked for their Royal Elder, Yan Bohong. The Jia Ma Dou Wangs, including the Nalan and Mu elders, looked for the "New Star" of the Xiao Clan.
"If it's our man, we protect him," was the silent consensus on both sides. "If it's their man... we kill him and take what he found."
As Xiao Lin landed, the massive Formation Pavilion behind him finally gave up the ghost, collapsing into a mountain of rubble with a deafening roar. In the settling dust, Xiao Lin stood alone, his azure robes spotless, his hand subtly resting on the storage ring that held the azure fragment of his master.
He looked at the thousands of greedy faces surrounding him and let out a soft, cold breath.
"I see," Xiao Lin murmured, his public One-Star Dou Wang aura flaring just enough to make the front row of people stumble back. "The welcoming committee is a bit larger than I expected."
"Ah! That—that's Xiao Lin! It's really him!"
As Xiao Lin's figure descended through the settling dust of the collapsing tower, the Jia Ma coalition erupted. No one was more animated than Nalan Jie. As Xiao Lin's lifelong best friend, he recognized that azure silhouette before his boots even touched the soil.
"I knew it!" Nalan Jie laughed, his voice full of relief. "I was wondering where the hell you went while the rest of us were picking through the scraps. You actually managed to sneak into that glowing fortress!"
Nalan Jie had arrived at the pavilion two days prior. When he didn't see Xiao Lin among the crowds, he had feared the worst—that the Luo Yan "vultures" had ambushed him. Seeing his friend emerge not just alive, but seemingly the victor of the pavilion's secrets, filled him with genuine pride.
The rest of the Jia Ma contingent shared the sentiment. While many were envious, the sour, dark expressions on the Luo Yan side made their victory taste all the sweeter. If a treasure was to be taken, it was better in the hands of a countryman than a rival empire.
Xiao Lin landed, the ground still trembling from the Formation Pavilion's demise. He blinked, genuinely startled by the thousands of eyes tracking his every move.
"Nalan Jie? Why is everyone... standing around here?" Xiao Lin asked, looking at the "inner and outer circles" of people.
Inside the tower, time had been a distorted ocean of study. He had been so immersed in the Nine Foundations and his Spirit Seal that he hadn't spared a single thought for the outside world. He didn't know that his "secret" trial had become the main attraction of the border zone.
As Nalan Jie filled him in on the events of the last few days, Xiao Lin realized how lucky he had been. If he hadn't possessed the Basic Guide, Zhen Lao would have opened the pavilion to everyone as a general trial. He would have had to fight thousands for the inheritance. Instead, his "trash" purchase had bought him a private audience and the title of the world's only Spirit Array Master.
The reunion was cut short. The Luo Yan contingent, led by a Four-Star Dou Wang, marched forward with dark, murderous intent.
Mu Chen stepped forward immediately, his hand on his blade. "What's the matter? The treasures of this ruin belong to those with the fate to find them. Do you plan to play the bandit now?"
"Bandit? Such ugly words," the Luo Yan King sneered, his eyes locked on Xiao Lin's storage ring. "In this realm, treasures belong to those with 'virtue.' And in our empire, 'virtue' is measured by strength."
"Strength? Don't make me laugh," Mu Chen retorted. "I wouldn't call a man who lacks basic shame a 'friend,' but I'll certainly call him a target."
This was the new reality of the Jia Ma Capital. The Xiao, Nalan, and Mu clans had moved past their petty rivalries. They were a unified front. Anyone trying to pluck a feather from the Xiao Clan would have to face the claws of the Nalan and Mu families as well.
The Luo Yan Dou Wang's face turned several shades of purple. A Four-Star King being mocked by a One-Star "Newbie" like Mu Chen? It was an insult he couldn't swallow. But he hesitated. Behind Mu Chen stood Nalan Jie and hundreds of Jia Ma's elite.
"I didn't come here to trade insults with you," the Luo Yan King barked, turning his gaze back to Xiao Lin. "I want to talk to the one who actually came out of that tower."
Xiao Lin patted Mu Chen's shoulder, offering a grateful nod to both him and Nalan Jie. "Brother Mu, Brother Nalan... thank you. But since he's looking for me, let me handle the 'processing' of this guest."
"Don't hold back, Xiao Lin," Nalan Jie added loudly, ensuring the whole crowd heard. "This is no longer a personal matter. This is a clash between empires. If they want to start something, the whole of Jia Ma stands behind you!"
Nalan Jie's words were a warning to any "internal" spies who might have had ideas about betraying Xiao Lin for a share of the loot. To betray Xiao Lin now was to betray the Empire—and the memory of the traitorous Intel Clan was still fresh in everyone's mind.
Xiao Lin stepped forward, crossing the invisible line into the "No Man's Land" between the two factions. He stood directly in front of the Four-Star Luo Yan King, his expression as calm as a deep well.
The air between them crackled. A One-Star King against a Four-Star veteran—on the surface, it looked like a slaughter. But the "Lao Liu" of the Xiao Clan was already calculating exactly how many Spirit Seals it would take to turn this arrogant King into a memory.