Lan Qingyan hurriedly flew toward Elder Yun's quarters. The moment he landed before the courtyard, the door opened as if already expected.
"Come in, Sect Master," Elder Yun said calmly.
Lan Qingyan stepped inside without wasting a breath. He sat down immediately, his expression serious.
"Elder Yun," he said directly, "tell me more about the Forbidden Ruins."
Elder Yun paused. For a moment, hesitation flickered across his face.
After a brief silence, he spoke slowly.
"Sect Master… the Forbidden Ruins no one truly knows what they are. For centuries, cultivators have explored them, yet their origin remains unclear."
He folded his hands behind his back "However, after generations of exploration, we have deduced that it functions as some kind of legacy-selection ground."
Lan Qingyan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The outer layer is filled with minor traps and scattered rewards," Elder Yun continued. "Spirit herbs, broken techniques, fragments of artifacts. Dangerous, yes—but manageable for Golden Core experts."
He paused again before lowering his voice "As for the inner layer… almost nothing is known. Those who entered rarely returned, and those who did spoke very little."
"The only thing that is clear," Elder Yun said carefully, "is that deep inside lies a test. And if someone can pass it… massive rewards are certain to follow."
Lan Qingyan let out a slow sigh.
"It seems, Elder Yun… we will have to visit your region."
Elder Yun's expression changed immediately. He understood at once why Lan Qingyan wanted to go. It was not for disciples. Not for relocation.
It was for the test he stepped forward at once "Sect Master, no."
Lan Qingyan looked at him calmly, but Elder Yun did not retreat.
"Even though we no longer have any high–Golden Core experts," Elder Yun continued, voice firm, "our ancestor was once a peak Golden Core cultivator. His foundation was flawless, his combat strength unmatched in our region."
He paused, his tone growing heavier "Even he barely survived."
Lan Qingyan's eyes flickered slightly.
"Our ancestor entered the inner layer," Elder Yun said slowly. "He attempted the test… and abandoned it at the very first stage."
Silence fell between them.
"He escaped with his life," Elder Yun finished quietly, "but his cultivation regressed for decades. If a peak Golden Core could not endure even the beginning… Sect Master, how can you risk this?"
Lan Qingyan remained calm "Elder Yun, that Forbidden Realm may very well be our last chance."
Elder Yun's brows furrowed.
"My master will attempt the Nascent Soul tribulation in a few days," Lan Qingyan continued steadily. "If he succeeds, and if I can obtain heavenly materials from the ruins, we might at least build some resistance against the demonic realm."
His voice hardened "Otherwise… we will be utterly crushed."
The room fell silent "So instead of waiting for certain death," Lan Qingyan said, his eyes unwavering, "let us take an uncertain gamble."
Elder Yun opened his mouth to object, but Lan Qingyan added calmly,
"Do not worry. If I find it impossible, I will retreat."
His tone was composed but deep inside, he knew, He would never retreat this was the last gamble.
At that moment, a cold mechanical chime echoed within his mind.
[System Notification]
Mission issued: Help the host's master reach the Nascent Soul Realm. Reward: One realm elevation.
Lan Qingyan's pupils contracted slightly.
"It seems… even you like gambles," he murmured inwardly, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.
The cold mechanical voice did not respond Instead, its tone shifted.
[Time Limit: 28 Days]
His smile faded, a second line appeared.
[Failure Penalty: Host's Master — Death]
The air around him seemed to freeze.
For the first time since transmigrating into this world, Lan Qingyan felt something close to anger rise in his chest.
"So this is how it is…" he said inwardly, his voice no longer amused.
There was no retreat, no middle ground.
Twenty-eight days and If he failed his master would die.
Not a possibility, not a tribulation risk but a certainty.
Lan Qingyan slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were completely calm, but a terrifying resolve had settled within.
"This gamble," he said softly to himself, "I will win."
Lan Qingyan left Elder Yun's chamber and walked steadily toward the inner peaks of the sect. The path was quiet, lit only by scattered lanterns and the faint glow of spiritual veins beneath the stone. His expression was calm, but inside, his thoughts were anything but.
Twenty-eight days each step felt heavier than the last.
If he failed, his master would die, not fall in battle, not lose to tribulation.
Die.
He stopped midway along a secluded ridge and took out the jade slip Elder Yun had given him the fragment of the Formless Art. The surface of the slip was cold, ancient runes faintly flickering within it.
A concealment technique capable of deceiving higher realms, he was about to begin studying it when a thought struck him.
The system store.
Immediately, his consciousness sank inward. A translucent interface unfolded before him. Without delay, he checked his remaining points.
Points: 2789
A faint smile tugged at his lips "Good. More than enough."
He entered the store and began browsing swiftly. Pills, weapon fragments, defensive talismans—useful, but not urgent. What he needed now was efficiency.
Then he saw it Comprehension Shard — 100 Points
A miraculous treasure designed to accelerate understanding of techniques and laws he purchased it without hesitation.
The shard dissolved into a stream of brilliant light the moment he confirmed it. The light entered his sea of consciousness and exploded silently into countless streams of insight.
Lan Qingyan immediately opened the jade slip and began circulating his spiritual energy according to the Formless Art.
But this time, it was different.
Where before the meridian routes had seemed obscure and fragmented, now they unfolded clearly in his mind. Every energy reversal, every suppression cycle, every delicate thinning of aura felt natural instinctive.
It was as if he had practiced this technique in seclusion for years.
His spiritual energy gradually quieted. His presence thinned. The wind passed over him without disturbance. Even the spiritual fluctuations around the mountain failed to register him properly.
He adjusted the flow slightly first he tried to compress more than to releases a little and at last reached the perfect balance
When he finally opened his eyes, there was no wasted motion, no instability in his qi.
The Formless Art had taken root, not through time but through insight.
Then he checked his status panel.
Host: Lan Qingyan Cultivation: High golden core Techniques:
Azure Sword Arts — Major Mastery
Heavenly Palm Shatter — Major Mastery
Formless Art (Fragment) — Minor Mastery
Circulation art: Nine Revolutions Spirit Circulation (broken) — Major Mastery
System points: 2689
Then he clicked on the formless arts:
Effect: Total concealment from opponents one realm above when using low spiritual energy.
Limitation: Concealment fails while attacking.
At last he smiled with satisfaction.