Black Water Pavilion.

Wei Qiuling and Shen Chongzhen had just reached the floating bridge over the pond when they saw Shen Yuan and Shen Li walking leisurely out of the pavilion.

"Third Aunt, is that celestial phenomenon because Third Uncle is about to break through?"

As soon as they met, Shen Li was visibly excited and looked at Wei Qiuling.

Beside Wei Qiuling, Shen Chongzhen politely clasped his hands toward the two people in front of him.

"Grandfather, Sister Li’er."

Wei Qiuling also hurriedly called out, "Father, this is the letter Wen’an left before he went into seclusion, please take a look."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan was somewhat curious.

Why leave a letter just for going into seclusion?

Taking the letter, Shen Yuan opened it and glanced at it, and his eyes suddenly became grave.

"Underworld..."

Closing the letter, he looked at Wei Qiuling.

"Did Elder Jiang ever mention this when he broke through the Golden Core?"

Wei Qiuling shook her head slightly.

She had never heard of the "Underworld" either.

In the years when Jiang Xiuqi went into seclusion to break through to Golden Core, the disciples of Luoxia Mountain were only warned not to enter the back mountain where Jiang Xiuqi was in seclusion and not to recklessly use their divine sense.

Wei Qiuling and many disciples of Luoxia Mountain only understood this as a measure to avoid disturbing Jiang Xiuqi’s breakthrough, with no knowledge of any Underworld people.

"Wen’an would not joke about such matters."

"Go immediately to find your elder brother and have him spread the word."

"No cultivators or common people in Yunshui City should go near Wen’an’s secluded area, nor should anyone recklessly use their divine sense."

Hearing this, Wei Qiuling quickly nodded and left.

"Li’er, go to the clan’s storeroom and fetch some Spirit Crystals, and activate the Ren Water Concealing Spirit Array to its maximum!"

"From today until your Third Uncle successfully breaks through, Yunshui City is off-limits to everyone."

Upon hearing these words, Shen Li solemnly nodded and hurried off.

On the floating bridge, Shen Yuan looked once more at the letter in his hand, slowly raised his head, and gazed into the sky above the Ren Water Concealing Spirit Array.

Underworld...

This was also the first time he learned of the existence of this special force.

A force dedicated to plundering the Golden Nature of Golden Core cultivators, hindering their breakthroughs...

Is this a force arranged by humans, or a manifestation of the natural order of the world?

If it’s a manifestation of the natural order, it’s quite understandable.

A cultivator achieving a Golden Core, becoming Immortal, is tantamount to disrupting the balance. The Dao is just, so obstructing cultivators from achieving the Immortal Golden Core is perfectly logical.

But if the Underworld is not an embodiment of order and is instead a mysterious organization created by humans, then it’s truly terrifying.

A force that dares to specifically target the Golden Core, making Golden Core cultivators afraid, must have unimaginably strong backing.

At this moment, Shen Yuan suddenly thought of the results of the divination a few days ago.

He vaguely guessed that the "crisis" hidden in the hexagram likely originated from the Underworld.

...

Outside the Ren Water Concealing Spirit Array, two figures stood silently in the void, unnoticed by the many cultivators of Yunshui City below.

At the forefront was a young figure with a Heaven-Reaching Crown adorned with two pieces resembling ink jade gems at the front, looking with great interest at the terrifying Sword Qi piercing through the Ren Water Concealing Spirit Array and shooting into the clouds.

"How many years has it been..."

"I can no longer remember how long it’s been since I last saw such a ’Heaven-Opening Gate’ phenomenon."

After a low murmur, he turned to look at Fu Yang, who stood beside him, dressed in the same black attire but with only a cloth turban.

"This is your first trial, witnessing a ’Heaven-Opening Gate’ phenomenon is your good fortune."

The old aura about Fu Yang had vanished entirely, replaced by a more youthful appearance, looking merely middle-aged.

"Master, should we act now?"

His voice was indifferent, devoid of any emotion.

The young man waved his hand slightly and chuckled, "No need to hurry, our target is the Golden Nature bestowed by Heaven."

"Now that the Celestial Gate has opened, the Golden Nature needs time to brew."

"When the Golden Nature emerges, I will act to seize it, and your duty is to slay the one who opposes us."

Fu Yang respectfully clasped his hands without continuing to speak.

In a secret chamber within the city below.

Shen Wen’an sat cross-legged on the mat, his whole body radiating a gentle yet sacred golden light.

Above his head, the Divine Three Flowers, as if forged from pure gold, hovered quietly three inches above, rotating slowly.

And in his Dantian, the shadow of the three-inch Lifebound Magical Sword also flickered with a blue Sword Aura.

At this moment, the Supreme Profound Sword Qi had completely gathered on the three-inch Magical Sword, turning what was originally a golden Dragon Soul Magical Sword entirely blue.

On the Magic Sword, the peculiar mark formed by the Yin Qi also emitted a faint ghostly light, seemingly about to undergo some transformation.

"Two traces of Yin Qi..."

Deep within the Sea of Consciousness, Shen Wen’an’s Divine Spirit stood with hands clasped behind him on the Spirit Platform, quietly watching the distance.

His current state was very peculiar, and all aspects of breaking through the Golden Core Dao had reached their limits.

If he wished, he could at any time activate the Divine Golden Wheel within his body, connecting with Heaven, and allow that thread of Immortal Golden Nature to descend.

However, before this, he had sensed that the mark formed by the Yin Qi on the Sword Embryo was still somewhat incomplete.

He had an inexplicable realization that if he could complete the mark formed by the Yin Qi, his Sword Dao would undergo some qualitative change.

This was why, although he could have quickly broken through the Golden Core before the Underworld people arrived and attracted the Golden Nature,

he chose to suppress the breakthrough progress, thus entering the "Heaven-Opening Gate" stage.

The "Heaven-Opening Gate" is a rather risky and challenging approach when a cultivator breaks through to the Golden Core Realm.