Chapter Fifty-Four: The Ring of Chaos

“Why do I suddenly feel as though an overwhelming force is guiding me?” Lin Yanghao could not comprehend what this power was, but it seemed capable of steering his very thoughts. A profound sense of loneliness and desolation welled up within him. Gradually, his consciousness weakened under the drain of this divine intent, his vision blurred, and soon Lin Yanghao lost all awareness.

...

“Where am I?” Lin Yanghao slowly awakened, blinking his eyes in confusion. His head was heavy, foggy, and it took him a long moment to recall what had happened. A shock ran through his heart, and he hurriedly turned to look around.

He was surrounded on all sides by thick white mist—nothing but mist, endless and impenetrable. Lin Yanghao surmised he must be trapped within some kind of space, eerily silent, and for reasons unknown, a chill crept into his heart as he surveyed his surroundings.

“Is anyone there?” Lin Yanghao couldn’t help but call out.

“Ah... I have waited nearly ten thousand years. My soul is on the verge of fading into oblivion, yet today, at last, the inheritor has arrived. Old Master, I have not failed your expectations.” A hoarse, sorrowful voice, tinged with solitude, echoed faintly.

“Who are you? Where are you? And how did I end up here?” Lin Yanghao was startled. There was no sign of a person anywhere—nothing, not even a hair. He immediately adopted a defensive stance, wary, searching for the source of the voice.

“No need to be anxious. You are the inheritor of the Chaos Ring, and I am its spirit, who has guarded it for nearly ten millennia. My days are numbered, and I have lingered on for far too long. Because I exist as a soul now, your current cultivation cannot perceive me. So listen, and that will suffice.” The voice spoke again, tinged with barely contained excitement.

“Why were you waiting for me? What is the connection between us?” Lin Yanghao asked in confusion.

“My time is short; my soul will soon vanish. Let me be brief, and you need only listen.” The voice had grown older, raspier.

“The place we are in is called the Chaos Ring—within the space of the very ring you have worn on your hand. My name is Cang Xuan, once one of the Immortal Lords under the Old Master. In the Immortal Realm, my master was known far and wide as the Dao Yuan Holy Emperor.

Years ago, after attaining sainthood through the Dao, the Old Master governed the Immortal Realm. Yet unexpectedly, several Holy Ones from other realms joined forces to invade. Of course, the Old Master would not let them succeed; he rallied the other Immortal Lords to resist the three Invaders with all their might. But the disparity in strength was vast, and one by one, we fell. The Old Master, gravely wounded, used his last trace of divine will to send me and the Chaos Ring away, so that it would not fall into enemy hands. In the end, the Old Master perished, his Dao extinguished.” As he spoke, the voice seemed to age even further.

“My soul has been anchored in the Chaos Ring, drifting across the endless stars for untold years. By chance, it landed on your planet, then passed into your family’s possession. Because your world was devoid of spiritual energy, I could not restore my strength, and my immortal essence was slowly drained away. Knowing my days were numbered, at the moment of your death, I used my final reserves to bring you to the Longwu Continent outside the Spirit Realm. Here, I drew upon spiritual energy to recover, and only today have we finally met.” Cang Xuan’s tale continued.

“A Holy One who ruled the Immortal Realm must have left behind many treasures. What would they be? Immortal artifacts? Elixirs that grant ascension? Or all kinds of magical items?” Lin Yanghao, though moved by the story, could not help but imagine. Was this the legendary stroke of fortune? Who would have thought the ring he’d worn since childhood was such a divine relic?

“Let me ask you: are you willing to seek revenge for the Old Master one day? To eliminate those three Holy Ones? As long as the Chaos Ring is in your possession, even if you do not seek them out, they will surely come for you. Accepting the Chaos Ring means accepting the Old Master’s legacy.”

“I am willing!” Lin Yanghao replied at once. Not for any other reason, but because the Chaos Ring had saved him so many times; he resolved to help Cang Xuan defeat those three Holy Ones.

“Good, good!” Cang Xuan’s voice was still faint, but joy could clearly be heard. He had waited far too long for this day; now that his wish was fulfilled, how could he not be overjoyed?

“We must make haste. I will now impart to you the Old Master’s cultivation method, the ‘Divine Chaos Art.’ Guard your mind, focus on your dantian—lest you risk deviation!”

Suddenly, Lin Yanghao’s head throbbed with pain. Countless golden characters appeared in his mind.

“This ‘Divine Chaos Art’ is miraculous. It requires absorbing the primal chaos energy between heaven and earth to progress. The method is divided into nine layers; even the Old Master only managed to comprehend six. Yet with just those six, he was already invincible in the Immortal Realm. Imagine the strength of this art! The Old Master speculated that it had surpassed even god-level methods. Practicing it will elevate your state of mind and can serve as your main cultivation technique. My soul will soon dissipate; from here on, you must rely on your own understanding!”

“What? It even exceeds god-level methods!” Lin Yanghao was stunned. He knew that in the world of cultivation, techniques were divided into four ranks: mortal, earth, immortal, and god-level. Earth-level techniques were already considered top-tier; his own Seven Luminaries Sect had risen to prominence thanks to the Supreme Celestial Light Art, an earth-level technique. Immortal-level arts were almost unheard of, let alone god-level ones—and this was one that surpassed even those. The shock and awe Lin Yanghao felt were indescribable.

“Besides this art, I can also give you the Thunder God Sword, which was wielded by the Old Master. This sword was unmatched in the Immortal Realm, but was damaged in that great battle, its power greatly diminished. I doubt it can ever be fully restored, but even broken, it far outstrips ordinary immortal artifacts. With your current strength, you cannot wield it, but let me help you one last time.” Cang Xuan’s voice grew weaker and weaker. Lin Yanghao watched as a faint green light shot into his body, accompanied by a black longsword. Moments later, the space fell silent once more.

“Ah! Ah! The pain!” As the green light entered him, a familiar sensation of tearing overcame Lin Yanghao. He suddenly realized—it was identical to the feeling he’d experienced when Master Muyu tried to seize his body!