Chapter 84: Reinforced Secret Seal

As the formation shifted, a streak of crimson-gold appeared on the sprout of the Bloodsun Secret Bud and soon began to spread relentlessly. Watching this transformation, Chen Zhong had to suppress his doubts, focusing all his attention on the Bloodsun Secret Bud, for according to the information he had painstakingly gathered, it was on the verge of ripening.

All three pairs of eyes were fixed on the Bloodsun Secret Bud. Although Lin Xiaobao possessed an understanding of this rare herb that surpassed others, even he had never witnessed its full maturation process. The crimson-gold hue continued to creep across the sprout, and in less than an hour, it had pressed the purple-red shade to the other half, so that the entire Bloodsun Secret Bud seemed cleaved in two by an invisible line—one half blazing with crimson gold, the other still cloaked in purple red.

This was the sign that the Bloodsun Secret Bud had fully matured. Lin Xiaobao hurriedly picked up a mid-grade spirit stone that Chen Zhong had brought out earlier. “Quick, hollow out the spirit stone and carve a Condensing Yin formation into it!”

Just as there were formations to draw spiritual energy, so too were there formations to absorb yin energy. Though Lin Xiaobao could have managed this himself, working with a mid-grade spirit stone was quite taxing at his present cultivation level. Besides, he was eager to see how accomplished Chen Zhong truly was when it came to formations.

At Lin Xiaobao’s urging, Chen Zhong sprang into action, his full attention still on the Bloodsun Secret Bud. Forming a sword-finger with his right hand, an invisible current of spiritual power surged forth, and the hard mid-grade spirit stone yielded like tofu under his touch, hollowed out in the blink of an eye. With a flick of his left hand, the stone hovered in midair, and a series of incantations from both hands sent runes dancing over the hollowed stone.

The entire process took less than ten breaths. As Lin Xiaobao admired Chen Zhong’s mastery of formations, he couldn’t help but marvel at his profound cultivation as well.

With the jade box fashioned from the spirit stone in hand, Lin Xiaobao spared not a moment to study the formation upon it. In a flash, he was at the Bloodsun Secret Bud’s side. Focusing his mind, he converted his inner spiritual power to the gold attribute. Although the art he cultivated, the Supreme Flame Technique, was fundamentally fire-based, it was not difficult to imitate the properties of another element for a simple task such as this. If it came to combat, the effect would be much diminished, but it was more than sufficient for harvesting the Bloodsun Secret Bud.

His right hand wreathed in golden light, Lin Xiaobao carefully reached for the sprout. The spiritual power he wielded carried no offensive intent, but the moment the crimson-gold energy made contact with the Bloodsun Secret Bud, the stem connecting it to the earth snapped cleanly, and the bud fell into his grasp.

He did not let it touch his palm, instead cradling it carefully with spiritual power and swiftly placing it inside the jade box, sealing it and handing it to Chen Zhong.

Though the Bloodsun Secret Bud was a fourth-grade medicinal herb, it held little practical use for Lin Xiaobao. Witnessing its maturation was merely an opportunity to broaden his horizons, nothing more.

Chen Zhong received the jade box with utmost caution, not immediately putting it into his storage ring. Instead, he frowned slightly, as if lost in thought. The technique Lin Xiaobao had used to harvest the Bloodsun Secret Bud had seemed simple, but Chen Zhong had noticed that as his spiritual power touched the sprout, he had executed a particular seal—one that ensured the bud retained its full potency upon being picked. This was a method Chen Zhong himself had only discovered after great effort, yet Lin Xiaobao had performed it so effortlessly. Could this youth truly be capable of refining Yin Pills?

Chen Zhong felt a stir of desire; if not for concerns about Lin Xiaobao’s age and level of cultivation, he would have asked for his help without hesitation.

“Senior, may I take a look at the ancient seal?” Lin Xiaobao had spent much effort currying Chen Zhong’s favor for this very request. Even if he could not unravel the seal himself, at least it would be an invaluable experience, not to mention the unpredictable presence of Elder Wu within him. Though they claimed they would not act unless he was in danger, if there were great resources hidden beneath the seal, he doubted they would let such a chance slip by.

“Of course, of course!” Chen Zhong, still in high spirits after acquiring the Bloodsun Secret Bud, was happy to oblige. “That ancient seal isn’t mine, after all. You’re free to examine it. But though your skill with formations is remarkable, I fear unraveling this ancient seal may prove beyond your reach.”

He spoke honestly. He had studied that ancient seal for four hundred years, and only now had he begun to glimpse its mysteries. To truly break it, however, was still a task of immense difficulty. If even he, the continent’s preeminent master of formations, could not succeed, how could this youth hope to?

With Chen Zhong’s permission, Lin Xiaobao walked toward the ancient seal, with Si Mengling close behind. Though she understood little of formations, observing such a marvel at close range might inspire her and aid her cultivation.

As Lin Xiaobao neared the ancient seal, he sent his spiritual sense sweeping out, but found that the moment his mind touched the seal, a powerful force shredded his perception to tatters.

“Your spiritual sense is not yet strong enough to probe this seal. Best leave it to this old man.” At last, Elder Wu, long silent, spoke up.

“I quite agree this is a task only you are suited for, Elder!” Lin Xiaobao replied flatteringly, discreetly relinquishing control of his body to Elder Wu.

Elder Wu, now in command, released Lin Xiaobao’s spiritual sense. Perhaps out of caution for Chen Zhong’s presence, the strength of this sense was no greater than Lin Xiaobao’s own, but something extraordinary occurred: as the sense touched the ancient seal, Lin Xiaobao felt its frequency shifting, in the blink of an eye matching that of the seal and slipping inside. Instantly, a complete pattern appeared in his mind, and Elder Wu withdrew his control.

The pattern consisted of five overlapping nine-palace formations. Each nine-palace array was divided into nine squares, each square containing a formation, except for one empty spot in each grid.

The Fivefold Encrypted Seal!

This was not unfamiliar to Lin Xiaobao. Such encrypted seals were like logic puzzles: eight formations were given, and one had to deduce the ninth based on their interrelations. With five overlapping nine-palace arrays, the five missing formations must satisfy not only their own grid’s requirements but also those of all the others.

The complexity was staggering. As Elder Wu had once said, such a fivefold encrypted seal far surpassed the world’s current understanding of formations. Little wonder that Chen Zhong, the continent’s greatest master, had failed to break it after nearly four centuries.

Moreover, Lin Xiaobao sensed that these five layers concealed a pattern of the five elements, adding yet another layer of difficulty. “Elder Wu, it seems this matter will require your intervention after all.”

Though he had some confidence in his own abilities among his peers, in the face of such a formidable seal, Lin Xiaobao was at a loss. He had no choice but to call upon Elder Wu’s formidable expertise.