Chapter 253: Concept (First update delivered!)

Wang Lin hesitated, glanced at the old man, and asked, "Senior, are we just going to walk over like this?"

The old man flipped his right hand, immediately producing two Straw Hats. He tossed one to Wang Lin and said, "Wear it on your head. Unless someone's cultivation is two major levels higher than yours, they won't be able to see your appearance. This is my stockpile from many years ago. You have to return it to me when you're done!"

Wang Lin took the Straw Hat and swept it with his Divine Sense, instantly feeling a shock in his heart. The Straw Hat looked ordinary, but it actually contained a universe of its own. With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he discovered that it contained countless Formations. The intricacy of these Formations was something he had never seen before; they were in no way inferior to those ancient Restrictions.

These were merely the peripheral Formations. As for the central area, Wang Lin's Divine Sense could not penetrate it in a short time. His heart stirred, and he decided that he absolutely would not return this Straw Hat, even if it meant carving a few extra wooden statues.

Seeing the old man put on the Straw Hat, his entire person was immediately enveloped in a ring of golden light. When Wang Lin swept it with his Divine Sense, he instantly felt bursts of stinging pain. The golden light was like sharp thorns, making it extremely difficult for his Divine Sense to probe.

Wang Lin took a deep breath. The idea of claiming this Straw Hat for himself grew even stronger. Without another word, he placed the Straw Hat on his head.

The old man glanced at Wang Lin, then formed a rather strange Hand Seal with his right hand. He pointed lightly toward the distant Void Realm. Instantly, a massive phantom appeared abruptly in the Void Realm. As soon as this phantom emerged, the surrounding Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth surged wildly into it in a violent and rampant manner.

In the blink of an eye, the phantom quickly solidified, forming a Golden-Armored Giant wielding a great sword. This giant had a hideous face, exuding a tyrannical Qi like a malevolent god, staring with fierce eyes at the spot pointed to by the old man's finger.

"Jinzǐ, smash it for me!" the old man roared triumphantly.

The Golden-Armored Giant, without a word, swung the great sword in its hand. Instantly, a blinding golden light, like the sun crashing down, roared across the Void Realm. Immediately, a violently flickering water ripple pattern appeared in the distant nothingness. Soon, this pattern grew larger and larger, until it finally shattered with a bang, breaking into massive fragments that scattered everywhere.

Immediately afterward, the Golden-Armored Giant let out a soft grunt, and its body slowly vanished.

The old man immediately grumbled a few dissatisfied words. Wang Lin vaguely heard that the old man seemed to be cursing the Golden-Armored Giant for being lazy and gluttonous… The moment the fragments scattered, a light and nimble Qi immediately spread out from the nothingness, surging outward in a circular wave. This power was filled with destructive might. Wang Lin's expression changed, and just as he was about to dodge, the old man waved his right hand. Instantly, a light screen appeared in front of Wang Lin, blocking the ripple impact for him.

Looking at the old man, he stood directly facing the expanding circular ripples, looking quite pleased.

As the circular ripples finished expanding, the area of nothingness suddenly changed. Towers, pavilions, and palaces, like an immortal realm, floated above white clouds. Streaks of seven-colored rays of light emanated from these structures.

This scene was several times grander than what Wang Lin had seen years ago in the State of Chu. Especially the sheer size of these pavilions, which seemed boundless. At the same time, angry shouts came from within these structures, followed immediately by over dozens of powerful auras surging out.

Wang Lin swept them with his Divine Sense. Among these auras, there were surprisingly more than thirty Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, and the remaining five individuals were all Soul Transformation Stage experts!

He took a deep breath. A Fourth-Grade Cultivation Country truly lived up to its status. A single Sect, regardless of its size, possessed strength far beyond that of a Third-Grade Cultivation Country. It was no exaggeration to say that just one Sect from a Fourth-Grade Cultivation Country could sweep across any Third-Grade Cultivation Country.

After these Cultivators rushed out, they immediately surrounded the old man and Wang Lin in a fan shape. Every one of them had a grim expression, showing hostile intent, and almost all of them unleashed their Divine Sense to sweep over the two of them.

However, in an instant, more than half of these people showed expressions of shock.

Wang Lin could clearly feel that the moment these people's Divine Sense swept over, a large amount of golden light suddenly flashed from the Straw Hat. As soon as the Divine Sense touched the golden light, it rapidly melted away, like snow encountering fierce flames.

As for the old man, he formed a Hand Seal with one hand. Simultaneously, the Straw Hat on his head emitted golden light and transformed into the phantom of a Golden-Winged Great Peng. With a flap of its wings, all the Divine Sense surrounding him was forcefully swept away with a roar.

Immediately, some Cultivators groaned a few times, their bodies swayed, and their expressions became quite unpleasant.

At this moment, a middle-aged scholar dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe flew out from among the Cultivators. This person's complexion was consistently pale and bloodless. His eyes lacked any sharp brilliance, but they were somewhat similar to Wang Lin's—clearly defined black and white, exuding an extraordinary air.

After stepping forward, he cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "The two of you broke our Bái Yún Sect's Grand Formation without cause. If you don't explain yourselves today, then you must remain here!"

The old man snorted, waved his right hand, and surprisingly conjured a Bamboo Chair, placing it right there in mid-air. He leaned back onto it, pointed at Wang Lin, and said, "I don't care. I'm just the muscle. He's the one who asked me to come, so you should talk to him."

A subtle, almost imperceptible trace of apprehension flashed in the middle-aged scholar's eyes, but the person he feared was not Wang Lin, but the old man.

Hearing what the old man said, he immediately directed his gaze toward Wang Lin and said sternly, "Fellow Daoist, has my Bái Yún Sect ever offended you?"

Wang Lin remained silent for a moment. Without a word, he slapped his Storage Pouch. Immediately, an ordinary Flying Sword flew out. He gave it a slight shake, and his Divine Sense instantly imprinted upon it. Amidst a crackling sound, the Flying Sword immediately melted into liquid, coalescing into a Silver Sphere the size of a fist.

"I have long heard that the Bái Yún Sect has many Soul Transformation Cultivators. I intend to issue a challenge today. Please forgive any offense!" As he spoke, his right hand suddenly moved, forming a Hand Seal and pointing at the Silver Sphere.

The Silver Sphere flew out instantly, emitting bursts of air-breaking sounds, as if it could tear through the very Void Realm.

The middle-aged scholar had been cautious, but upon seeing the Silver Sphere, he suddenly froze, then sneered, "Overestimating yourself!" Without taking out a Magic Treasure, he merely pointed his right hand through the air. Instantly, a streak of purple Spiritual Qi shot out from his finger.

As soon as the Spiritual Qi appeared, it immediately transformed into a Purple Dragon, roaring as it charged toward the Silver Sphere. The Silver Sphere suddenly paused. Wang Lin changed his Hand Seals with both hands and shouted softly, "Change!"

Instantly, the Silver Sphere wriggled strangely, forming a turtle-like creature. This creature was precisely the beast Wang Lin had killed in the Cultivation Devil Sea: Zhōng Gǔ!

The Zhōng Gǔ Beast formed from the Silver Sphere immediately seemed to come alive. It bared its sharp teeth and opened its mouth to let out a silent roar. Instantly, waves of air ripples boomed out from its mouth, tangling with the Purple Dragon.

The middle-aged scholar let out a cold snort, waved his right hand in front of him, formed a Hand Seal, and shouted, "Split!"

Immediately, the Purple Dragon split into two, swiftly streaking past the Zhōng Gǔ Beast and roaring toward Wang Lin. Wang Lin frowned, preparing to retreat. Just then, the old man's voice reached his ear:

"Why are you dodging? Don't move. Experience the Concept of a Soul Transformation Cultivator!"

Wang Lin hesitated slightly, placing his right hand on his Storage Pouch. If there was any danger, he would immediately take out the Restriction Banner. In fact, the reason he hadn't used his usual Magic Treasures in this fight was precisely because he was worried about his identity being recognized later.

Hearing the old man's words now, Wang Lin took a deep breath. Scenes from his acquaintance with the old man flashed through his mind like lightning. Finally, he gritted his teeth and remained motionless. In the time it takes to say it, the two Purple Dragons swiftly charged toward him.

A hint of admiration appeared in the old man's eyes. Although Wang Lin's internal struggle just now showed no outward signs, how could the old man, with his experience, fail to see it? He squinted at the two Purple Dragons, raised his right hand, and gently squeezed. Instantly, one of them was crushed with a pop, as if it were a mere air bubble.

The middle-aged scholar's expression immediately changed drastically, and the apprehension in his eyes deepened.

At this moment, the remaining Purple Dragon, carrying bursts of roars and Qi waves, pounced onto Wang Lin. Wang Lin's body immediately trembled. He felt a massive impact force suddenly rush into his body. Although this impact looked quite fierce, when it actually landed inside him, it felt like a gentle breeze, completely non-aggressive and causing him no discomfort.

However, within this gentle breeze, there was a subtle, imperceptible sense of Ruthlessness. This feeling was magnified infinitely in the blink of an eye, spreading throughout Wang Lin's entire body, not even sparing his Nascent Soul.

Wang Lin immediately understood that this sense of Ruthlessness was the trace of Concept contained within the middle-aged scholar's Spell Divine Ability. This Concept was like heavenly might, making it impossible for Wang Lin to resist.

If he had taken out the Restriction Banner at this moment, under the layers of protection from the ancient Restrictions, he might not have felt this so deeply. After all, the Restriction Banner was an essential item whenever he fought Soul Transformation Cultivators in the past.

But at this moment, in order to comprehend this Concept, he had not used any Magic Treasure. Thus, he was essentially unarmed, experiencing the Concept within the Soul Transformation Cultivator's attack firsthand.

The old man's eyes lit up. He grabbed with his right hand, and instantly a wisp of purple Qi floated out from Wang Lin's heavenly spirit, forming a Purple Sphere that drifted into the old man's hand. Wang Lin took a deep breath and recovered.

He closed his eyes. In that moment just now, he had thoroughly comprehended the opponent's Concept. This kind of opportunity was truly rare and precious.

The old man squeezed his large hand, and the Purple Sphere immediately dissipated. The middle-aged scholar looked quite displeased. Staring at the old man, he said, "Senior came here, I presume, to allow your Disciple to comprehend a Concept in order to Breakthrough from Nascent Soul to Soul Transformation, correct?"

The old man chuckled, casually pointed at a person next to the scholar, and said, "You, come out. It's your turn."

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