Chapter 961: Forty Years in the Blink of an Eye

Secret Realm Sixth Layer!

Lin Chen stood silently for a long time, then suddenly unleashed a punch!

Where the punch traveled, ripples visibly spread out. These ripples were the terrifying pressure of the sixth layer, which now spread under Lin Chen’s fist.

One punch, two punches…

A simple Warm Sun Fist technique, yet in the sixth layer of the Secret Realm, it erupted with endless power.

Pure physical strength!

After finishing the fist technique, Lin Chen withdrew his fist, clearly sensing that every inch of his flesh contained a terrifying strength that could lift mountains.

This is the might of the fourth layer of the Immortal Body.

Though he doesn’t know how strong his physical body truly is, Lin Chen is certain that if he encounters Yun Ye again, he can crush him with sheer physical strength.

It’s not arrogance, but confidence in the growth of his physical strength.

The time flow in the sixth layer is fifteen times that of the outside, while in the seventh layer, it’s twenty times.

Standing at the entrance of the seventh layer, Lin Chen stepped in without hesitation.

Pressure several times more terrifying than that of the sixth layer suddenly fell, yet Lin Chen only swayed slightly before stabilizing.

This is the benefit of honing oneself.

A month later, Lin Chen acclimated to the pressure of the seventh layer, began to sit cross-legged, and operated the Immortal Technique, while also taking pills from the storage box.

These pills were bought before he and Yin Yue came to the Entropy Race, at Thousand Forging City.

He does not lack Flame Coins.

From Lu Feng and the Lotus Island’s Island Master, he had harvested enough wealth, then purchased enough Tidal Pills for decades of training at Thousand Forging City.

Tidal Pills are most commonly used by martial artists in the later period of the Innate Third Realm.

The Innate Third Realm is about liquefying the Innate Crystal, while the Innate Fourth Realm is about layering the Innate Liquid like tides, thus it’s also known as the Heavy Waves Realm.

Layering just once means stepping into the Fourth Realm, and Tidal Pills can induce the layering of Innate Liquid, but the amount required varies from person to person.

One certainty is that the more Innate Liquid internally, the more Tidal Pills needed.

Yin Yue once told Lin Chen that the richness of his Innate Liquid would require several times, even ten times, the amount for others.

So many Tidal Pills, yet even with the help of the City Lord of Thousand Forging City, Lin Chen couldn’t gather enough.

But insufficient Tidal Pills doesn’t mean breakthrough is impossible.

What pills lack, time compensates.

Others take one Tidal Pill every three days, but he takes one every ten days.

After swallowing a Tidal Pill, moments later, Lin Chen felt his Innate Liquid surge, though it dissipated after a quarter of an hour. Fortunately, propelled by the Tidal Pill, his subsequent operation of the Immortal Technique made his Innate Liquid more active.

The first pill, the second pill…

Lin Chen was like a meditative monk; if not for the occasional energy fluctuations around him, he might be mistaken for a statue.

…

…

Entropy Race.

The Cloud Race sent people several times, but after half a year, they sent no more, believing Lin Chen had left the Thousandfold Secret Realm.

The Secret Realm has been opened many times, and people have stayed for long periods, but those few were celestial prides rare across many generations among major remnant races.

Lin Chen is far from reaching such a level.

Half a year, one year, two years…

Two years usually means little to the Flame Dynasty, but these two years witnessed several significant events.

For ancient remnant races, the biggest event was the Moon Soul Race princess using her race’s treasure to quash rebellion, regaining control of the Moon Soul Race.

Externally, the biggest event was the battle between the Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect.

The war began with the belief it would last years with no victor, eventually halting.

Unexpectedly, the battle intensified, with neither side showing intent to cease.

…

…

Moon Soul Race.

Yin Yue faced two elders, both having been elders of the race, but like her father, entrapped by traitors and sealed away.

Upon reclaiming the Moon Soul Race and quelling the rebellion, she released the elders.

“Princess, there’s no sign of movement from the Thousandfold Secret Realm on the Entropy side. Perhaps Young Master Lin has left?”

Yin Yue shook her head; if Lin Chen had left, he’d certainly find a way to inform her, even if he can’t come personally, he could send word through the Entropy Race.

“Princess, concerning your investigation of the Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect battle, I found something amiss,” another elder spoke, “Innate Martial Artists from the Eight Desolates Sect have increased recently.”

“Are the elders certain?”

Yin Yue’s pupils suddenly contracted. Innate Martial Artists are not created out of thin air. The Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect have been at war for so long, and both sides have a clear idea of how many Innate Martial Artists each has. If the Eight Desolates Sect suddenly has many more Innate Martial Artists, there can only be one reason—some other force has joined them.

“Without a doubt.”

“Continue to monitor the Canglan Sect’s side, and if possible, secretly send people into the battlefield.”

“Princess, you mustn’t!”

Hearing Yin Yue’s words, the faces of the two elders changed dramatically, advising, “This is a battle between the Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect. Our Moon Soul Race cannot become involved.”

The other elder echoed this sentiment, “I know that Young Master Lin has been a great benefactor to both you and our race, but his kindness is not the Canglan Sect’s. Our race has just experienced a rebellion; we should be recuperating and resting now.”

The two elders were already aware of how their princess obtained the tribe’s treasured artifact.

Both the princess and the entire Moon Soul Race do indeed owe a significant favor to Young Master Lin. For the Princess to repay this favor, the two elders did not object, but in their view, this favor should be returned to Young Master Lin, not to the Canglan Sect.

For example, if the princess sent them to the Entropy Race to prevent Young Master Lin from being retaliated against by the Cloud Race, the two found it appropriate. But intervening in the battle between the Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect would mean dragging the entire Moon Soul Race into this conflict.

Seeing the elders’ persuasion, Yin Yue fell silent.

The Moon Soul Race originally had two Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouses: her father and the traitor. With her father’s fall and the traitor suppressed by the tribe’s treasured artifact, the race no longer had any Myriad Phenomena Realm experts.

She could, by using the tribe’s treasured artifact, temporarily bring her strength to the Myriad Phenomena Realm, but ultimately, it was not true Myriad Phenomena Realm power. After this rebellion, only about five hundred Innate Realm tribespeople remained.

“Princess, do not be anxious. The Canglan Sect has existed for many years and must have its contingencies. This battle will not be decided so quickly.”

Listening to the elders’ comforting words, Yin Yue nodded, choosing not to continue the discussion.

What she needed to do now was fully absorb the energy of the Moon Soul Crown and truly reach the Myriad Phenomena Realm.

With the chaos of the Flame Dynasty revealing itself, whether for the sake of her tribe or for other reasons, one had no voice without reaching the Myriad Phenomena Realm.

…

…

Entropy Race.

Qianshan and Qianlang emerged from seclusion together, heading toward the elders’ residence.

“Elder, has Lin Chen come out yet?”

The two had been in seclusion for a full year and did not know if Lin Chen had come out.

“Not yet.”

“It’s been so long; could something have gone wrong?”

Qianshan and Qianlang were both surprised by how long Lin Chen had stayed inside; it had been two and a half years. According to the time flow in the sixth layer of the Thousandfold Secret Realm, it should have been thirty years inside.

Even if Lin Chen could endure for that long, would he have enough cultivation resources on him?

It’s impossible for Lin Chen to have gone in with decades’ worth of pills; that’s simply unrealistic.

Lin Chen was already at the peak of the Innate Third Realm, and the pills he used were not ordinary. To prepare thirty years’ worth of pills would be of terrifying value.

“The only danger in the Thousandfold Secret Realm is the time storm, but time storms don’t erupt suddenly; there are always signs beforehand.”

The second elder of the Entropy Race shook his head, thinking the chances of Lin Chen encountering an accident inside were very small.

“Could it be that Lin Chen deliberately stayed longer inside? But that wouldn’t be particularly meaningful, as even without pills, the different time flow inside doesn’t compensate for the slow cultivation speed relying solely on oneself…”

Qianshan was puzzled, and just then, a gleam suddenly flashed in the eyes of the Entropy Race’s second elder.

He’s out!

“What?”

Qianshan and Qianlang hadn’t reacted yet, but they saw their elder’s figure flicker and disappear. They subsequently realized and immediately moved toward the opening of the Thousandfold Secret Realm.

In mid-air, a figure appeared from the clouds, concealing its radiance, looking just like an ordinary person.

“Greetings, Second Elder, Brother Qianshan, Brother Qianlang.”

Lin Chen looked at the Entropy Race’s second elder, along with Qianshan and Qianlang, and took the initiative to greet them.

The Entropy Race’s second elder squinted as he assessed Lin Chen, and Qianshan and Qianlang did the same. However, they both felt something odd about Lin Chen now, as they couldn’t perceive any Innate Martial Artist aura from him.

Innate Martial Artists, regardless of their realm, invariably exude innate qi in their movements, but they could not sense it in Lin Chen.

It couldn’t be that Lin Chen’s realm had fallen below the Innate after a trip to the Thousandfold Secret Realm; such a situation was impossible.

A decline in realm is accompanied by a deterioration in realm, yet in Lin Chen’s case, they couldn’t see a decline in qi blood.

“Lin Chen, do you know how long you’ve been in the Thousandfold Secret Realm?”

Lin Chen shook his head. “Inside, I didn’t keep track of time and don’t know how long it’s been.”

“It’s been two and a half years outside, meaning you spent at least thirty years in the sixth layer of the Thousandfold Secret Realm.”

Qianshan provided the answer, and Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. Based on the time flow in the sixth layer of the Thousandfold Secret Realm, he had indeed stayed for thirty years, yet he later reached the seventh layer, making his actual cultivation time close to forty years.

Forty years!

It felt like a long dream.