Chapter 224: Condensing the Desolate Seed in Moments, Stirring the Crowd!
The Desolate Hall was vast, its dozens of towering peaks piercing into the clouds, enshrouded by mist like an immortal realm.
From some of these mountains, the sounds of martial training echoed faintly, with vigorous energy filling the sky.
Under Lin Dong's guidance, about twenty minutes later, the group landed atop a massive peak near the center of the Desolate Hall.
At the summit stood an enormous, ancient stone tower—this was the Martial Arts Hall.
Many Desolate Hall disciples were coming and going. Upon seeing Lin Fan's group, they gave them curious looks.
By now, Lin Fan and Lin Dong had become famous within the Desolate Hall.
Lin Fan paid no mind to the attention and walked straight toward the tower's entrance.
There, an elderly man in gray robes gently swept away fallen leaves. His eyes were clouded white, with no visible pupils—he was clearly blind.
"Greetings, Elder Mo," Lin Dong respectfully cupped his fists.
Having interacted with him before, Lin Dong knew that this old man was Gu Mo, a figure whose status surpassed even Chen Zhen and Wudao within Dao Sect.
He had also guided Lin Dong in martial arts, earning his deep respect.
Gu Mo nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then turned his cloudy gaze toward Lin Fan.
Lin Fan felt a faint, elusive fluctuation sweep across his body. His heart trembled slightly as he cupped his fists. "Disciple Lin Fan greets Elder Mo."
Gu Mo nodded again. "Go on in."
Lin Fan bowed politely and entered the tower.
What greeted him was a vast stone hall that stretched beyond the eye's reach. An ancient air filled the space, and soft, flickering flames danced like spirits along the walls.
Instead of bookshelves, there were numerous stone steles, large and small, each radiating a faint glow.
"These steles all record the martial arts of the Desolate Hall," Lin Dong explained.
"Take me directly to the Desolate Stone," Lin Fan replied calmly.
Lin Dong nodded and led the way deeper into the hall.
About ten minutes later, they arrived before a massive gray stone about a hundred feet wide.
The stone was spherical, dark gray, and covered with patches of moss and tiny cracks.
"This is the Desolate Stone," Lin Dong said solemnly.
"I'll give it a try," Lin Fan nodded and stepped up to a nearby gray stone stele.
On its surface were ancient characters:
Desolate Force.
At the top of the stele, these two archaic characters glowed faintly. Lin Fan's expression didn't change as his gaze slid downward, absorbing the full contents.
The stele recorded the cultivation method of the Desolate Force, and at the end was its true name: Desolate Art.
With his heaven-defying comprehension, Lin Fan quickly mastered the Desolate Art to perfection, then walked straight toward the Desolate Stone.
Many disciples in the hall paused their training and turned their eyes toward Lin Fan.
Because of Lin Dong's previous example, no one stepped forward to stop him.
The entire platform grew eerily quiet. Only Lin Fan's footsteps echoed—and with each step, hearts beat faster.
At some point, Gu Mo had silently appeared inside the hall, standing behind the steles, his blank gaze locked on Lin Fan.
Under everyone's tense gaze, Lin Fan slowly approached the Desolate Stone. His skin even began to dry out slightly.
Unperturbed, Lin Fan activated his Devouring Power, absorbing the invading Desolate Force and refining it with the Desolate Art.
While refining, he walked steadily forward and soon reached the Desolate Stone.
He gently extended his fingers and pressed them to its surface.
And then—the system's familiar voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! You touched the Desolate Stone and received: Ancestral Stone Purification Power! Note: Effective against evil energy, demonic corruption, etc.]
Without a change in expression, Lin Fan channeled five strands of Devouring Power from his fingertips, injecting them into the stone and swiftly breaking through its resistance.
Buzz!
The Desolate Stone erupted with a surge of violent Desolate Force, trying to repel Lin Fan's Devouring Power.
"Suppress."
Lin Fan calmly activated a soft white light from his fingertips, pacifying the resistance instantly.
In the next moment, waves of powerful Desolate Force surged into his body, rushing toward his dantian.
Under this nearly berserk infusion, a gray mass in his dantian quickly condensed—until it suddenly trembled and solidified into a gray orb the size of a fist.
This orb was the Desolate Seed, formed upon cultivating the Desolate Art to its third stage!
"This guy is insane!"
"I thought Lin Dong was already monstrous—but Lin Fan's even more terrifying!"
"One moment to condense the Desolate Seed?! What are the rest of us supposed to do?"
...
All around the Martial Arts Hall, disciples stared at each other in stunned silence. A deep sense of helplessness washed over them as hushed murmurs spread.
Even Gu Mo's ancient face showed a hint of surprise. Then he smiled. "Desolate Hall got lucky this time."
After forming the Desolate Seed, Lin Fan paused his cultivation and stepped down from the stone platform.
"I suppose your goal is one of the Four Great Martial Arts. Come with me."
Gu Mo silently appeared beside him, offering a faint smile.
"Thank you, Elder Mo," Lin Fan replied, bowing respectfully.
Gu Mo led him deeper into the Martial Arts Hall, to an area where a light barrier curved down like an inverted bowl. Inside were four silent stone steles.
Gu Mo raised his hand, tearing open a gap in the barrier, and stepped through with Lin Fan and Lin Dong.
Everyone else could only wait outside.
Gu Mo asked, "Lin Dong must've explained the Four Techniques. Which one do you intend to learn?"
"Desolate Demon Eye," Lin Fan replied without hesitation.
Gu Mo warned calmly, "This art is risky. A mistake could cost you your sight—just like mine."
"I understand," Lin Fan nodded. His eyes focused on the eerie black eye carved into the stele. Soon, he had a basic grasp of the Desolate Demon Eye.
He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and extended his spiritual power from his Niwan Palace, wrapping it around the eye on the stele.
"An Eighth Seal Symbol Master..." Gu Mo sensed Lin Fan's spiritual level and couldn't help being moved.
With his age, Yuan Power, and spiritual power—Lin Fan surpassed nearly every peer.
Combined, he was already considered top-tier even in the entire Eastern Xuan Region.
While Gu Mo, Lin Dong, and all the gathered Desolate Hall disciples observed, Lin Fan sat motionless.
Gradually, streaks of blood appeared at the corners of his eyes.
Just as Gu Mo was about to intervene, the bleeding stopped, and faint white light wrapped around Lin Fan's eyes, quickly healing them.
However, a strange gray aura slowly began to appear on Lin Fan's face.
Gu Mo paused, then quietly waited beside him.
Meanwhile, news of Lin Fan entering the Martial Arts Hall quickly spread throughout the Desolate Hall—and even across the entire Dao Sect…
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