During these ten years of seclusion, Lin Xun hadn't taken a single step outside. Xia Zhi had also remained by his side the whole time.

“In three months, I will certify eternity.” Lin Xun put down the chopsticks and looked at Xia Zhi who was sitting opposite him. “When that time comes, stay inside the Origin World and guard it with Jingxuan and the others.”

Xia Zhi was puzzled. “Why can't I guard you?”

Lin Xun laughed. “I never need protection during my tribulation. Just do as I say, okay?”

Xia Zhi did not insist anymore and continued eating. Lin Xun, on the other hand, retrieved a pot of wine and drank it.

During the ten years in seclusion, he had focused on only one thing: tempering his mind. To do this, he had combed through all of his past experiences and battles one by one. In the process, he hadn't suppressed any feelings that had arisen, quietly reliving everything he had gone through since he was little, from the time he set foot on the road of cultivation to the present day.

Ten years didn't allow him to gain much visible advancement, but Lin Xun knew that his state of mind was now without a weak spot.

Inexplicably, he thought of the saying: Sharpen your heart like a blade, temper it as smooth as jade.[1]

“That senior with supreme attainments in the sword dao...used only a few words to pierce through all the mysteries about the state of mind...”

He couldn't help lamenting, now that he had finally understood deeply what it meant to have a dao heart like a blade and also jade at the same time! It was a fully broad and fulfilled state of mind. It could be as free as a blade of wind gliding across the sky but also as concealed and refined as the beauty within a piece of jade.

Suddenly, Xia Zhi asked, “Lin Xun, why do you have to wait three more months to certify eternity?”

Lin Xun smiled. “Because there is still one thing I need to do before that.”

“What thing?”

Lin Xun's gaze was profound as he slowly replied, “I need to first draw out the opportunity to eternalize my dao.”

Xia Zhi was curious. “How do you plan to do that?”

Lin Xun thought for a moment and said, “Use myself as bait.”

He pointed up. “Others wait for their chances, whereas I will actively seek mine, which is beyond the heavens.”

A stunned Xia Zhi shook her head. “I don't understand.”

Lin Xun chuckled. “It’s okay if you don’t.”

......

Time passed, day by day. At the end of the last minute of the three month period, Lin Xun and Xia Zhi exited the cave haven.

“Why is there no one?” Lin Xun was dumbfounded as his spirit sense picked up a completely empty Origin Clarity Mountain. Apart from him and Xia Zhi, there wasn't a single silhouette.

“Let's check out Origin Sky Mountain.” He teleported away.

Soon, he found a group of old monsters including Xuan Feiling and Fang Daoping at the destination.

“You brat, you finally came out.” Xuan Feiling and the others flocked over the moment they noticed him. “How prepared are you? How certain are you about success?”

Lin Xun laughed. “We'll know when we get there. By the way, where are the rest of the sect?”

Xuan Feiling said, “The last of them were moved to the Heavenly Origin Secret Realm half a month ago. Currently, we're the only ones here in the sect.”

Lin Xun was stupefied. Quickly realizing that he had made a blunder, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “Seniors, I don't intend to conduct my Eternal tribulation in the Origin World.”

What he said caught Xuan Feiling’s group off guard.

They had all thought that he was going to certify eternity in the Origin World. Worried that the sect's Divine Rank law would be suppressed, they had moved everyone else into the Heavenly Origin Secret Realm beforehand. The reason was that the origin power of the Divine Rank law, which couldn't be damaged easily by the enemy, was there.

Who had expected that Lin Xun was not going to certify his Eternal dao in the Origin World?!

“Where are you going to do it, then?” asked Fang Daoping.

“The Thousand Star Sea is as good a place as any.” Lin Xun nonchalantly said, “When the time comes, we only need to withdraw the law power over the Thousand Star Sea back inside the Origin World.”

This was his plan. Back then, when You Beihai had certified eternity, the descent of his Eternal tribulation had subjected the entirety of the sect's Divine Rank law to a suppression that prevented it from working.

Lin Xun didn't want to leave everyone in the Origin Sect unprotected because of his own tribulation.

“Out of the question!” Xuan Feiling was the first to object. “Certifying eternity is a serious matter. If the enemy comes, then your tribulation will definitely be disturbed out there at the Thousand Star Sea. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how fatal a lapse in your state of mind will be.”

The other old monsters also chimed in to dissuade Lin Xun. However, the latter shook his head. His attitude was resolute. “The only thing in this world that can affect my state of mind is the safety of you and everyone else in the sect. As long as all of you are safe, I am without worry.”

The expressions of Xuan Feiling and the others were gloomy as they shifted for a while.

“Do you know that once the Eternal tribulation descends, it will definitely be noticed by the Shaman Sect, the Zen Sect, and even the Eternal Divine Clans of the Ninth Heaven Domain? If they disregard everything and send Eternal figures to hinder you, it will be disastrous!” Fang Daoping looked dead serious,

“That’s exactly why all of you must stay inside the Origin World where you'll be protected by the Divine Rank law,” said Lin Xun without thinking. “As for me... Heh, even if Eternal characters come, do they truly dare to act recklessly within the scope of an Eternal tribulation?”

Seeing that nothing could talk him out of it, the old monsters could only agree to his plan. Lin Xun in turn was relieved. He had really been scared that he wouldn't be able to persuade them.

On that day, he exited the Origin World alone. As usual, at the top of the Absolute Sunder City, he stood casually, his moon-white clothes fluttering among the clouds. In the distance was the magnificent Thousand Star Sea under the spilling of dreamlike starlight.

When You Beihai had crossed his Eternal tribulation, Lin Xun had stood in this spot and guarded this place. Today, he was here again all by himself, except that this time, he was the one who was going to cross his Eternal tribulation!

Glug~ Glug~

Lin Xun retrieved a wine gourd and drank to his heart's content. Then, he gazed deep into the sky, his eyes as sharp as lightning.

His handsome figure suddenly released a shocking unrivaled aura. It was like a divine sword that had been sealed away for infinite years suddenly unsheathed and stabbed up, piercing through all layers of clouds and shaking the void beyond.

His entire cultivation base was also unleashed in full at this moment.

Rumble!

The surrounding sea suddenly tumbled, lifting roaring dragons of waves. Drizzling light of the great dao filled heaven and earth. It was as though there was a great furnace trying to melt the skies.

At Lin Xun’s back, the Immortal Halo was clearly visible. It resembled an obscure abyss, surging with the vast power of his Immortal law that rattled the heavenly law of the region, causing the latter to buzz and creak as if under immense pressure.

In the Origin World, Xuan Feiling’s group was witnessing everything through the power of the Divine Rank law, and they were stupefied.

His Immortal law is so strong that it caused the heavenly principles to tremble?

This completely toppled their imaginations because in their cognition, only Eternal characters were capable of such a thing! The most incredible part was that in the following time, Lin Xun's aura kept climbing and climbing...

Boom! The boundless sea boiled up. The heavenly law quaked and exploded. Billions of dao light drifted out from Lin Xun, beautiful, brilliant, and immeasurable. Like a sword, his qi shot through the skies to the very depths, giving people the feeling that he was fighting a great enemy outside the heavens.

Such a state continued for the next period of time, but two whole hours later, the Eternal tribulation that Xuan Feiling’s group had been anticipating was slow to show up...

“Is it really impossible for the energy of an Eternal tribulation to appear during the preceding period of the epochal calamity...?” They were dazed and unable to remain calm.

Unlike them, Lin Xun seemed blissfully unaware of the outside world. He was releasing the entirety of his power, cultivation, body, soul, dao, and state of mind...all without reservation. He was using himself as bait to fish for the heavenly opportunity!

The fish was bound to bite, it was only a matter of when. How long it would take could no longer affect his mental state. He had achieved what was preached by that supreme being to sharpen one's heart like a blade and temper it as smooth as jade!

Six hours later...

Suddenly, a hint of stifling tribulation energy silently appeared in the depths of the sky. It gradually coiled into a shadow, and then, the world abruptly darkened, as if day had fallen into night over a split second.

1. Anyone remember this? It’s from Chapter 2315 & 2418 respectively. ☜