Chapter 430: Chapter 7: The Curtain Rises, Martial Arts Palace Ruins

Situ Island, Marketplace.

Lin Chen sat leisurely in a tea shop, sipping tea.

Cultivators and mortals alike came and went endlessly, chatting among themselves.

"Hey, have you heard? Three hundred miles south of Situ Island, an underwater ruin has appeared."

"That ruin was first discovered by a Golden Core Cultivator. It’s said the scale of the ruins is vast, filled with countless spiritual medicine, pills, magical treasures, and the like..."

"That’s not all! I heard the ruins aren’t dangerous, and anyone with Foundation Establishment cultivation can explore it."

"Even bringing back some spiritual medicine or pills can sell for thousands of spirit stones!"

"There’s even talk of ancient cultivation techniques... even Nascent Soul techniques!"

The chatter of cultivators continued to fill the air.

The news in the Meteor Islands spreads quickly.

This ruin had only been discovered just a week ago.

Yet, it has spread throughout the entire Situ Island and even hundreds of islands in the Meteor Islands.

Including the Four Great Clans, along with numerous loose cultivator forces, all forming groups to explore the ruins...

In just seven days, over a hundred cultivators have entered.

And more than seventy of them returned alive.

A survival rate of seventy percent is quite astonishing in the exploration of ruins.

Moreover, those who returned alive made a windfall.

Even those who just strolled around the outskirts of the ruins made a fortune.

This sparked a wave of ruin exploration throughout the entire Meteor Islands.

In recent days, dozens of large exploration teams have prepared to venture into the sea ruins.

Soon, a group of around ten cultivators in robust clothing approached the center of the marketplace.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are an exploration team formed by the Situ Family, personally led by the eldest lady of the Situ Family."

"We provide magical treasures and talismans, and have a set sea navigation route with very low loss rates..."

"Now recruiting five fellow cultivators at Foundation Establishment Perfection or above, to explore the ruins together... If anyone is willing to join, please register quickly."

A middle-aged cultivator with a small mustache loudly announced, quickly attracting the attention of many.

The surrounding cultivators quickly gathered around, seeking to join the excitement.

"I’ve achieved Foundation Establishment Perfection for ten years, I want to sign up!"

"I’m a half-step Golden Core, I want to sign up too!"

A dozen cultivators eagerly raised their hands, wanting to join this ruins exploration team.

After all, an expedition team from the Situ Family would surely be much safer.

The ongoing rumors about the sea ruins also tempted these Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.

Lin Chen slowly stood up and left the tea shop.

He examined the Situ Family’s team, finally resting his gaze on the eldest lady of the Situ Family.

In his mind, information about the eldest lady of the Situ Family flashed by.

"Situ Yingying, a Nine Revolutions Golden Core cultivator, not even two hundred years old. She’s the niece of Situ Wuji and the current Patriarch Situ’s direct daughter..."

"Remarkable aptitude, loves adventures..."

Lin Chen thought silently, then he too raised his hand.

"Fourth Turn Golden Core, can I join you?"

Lin Chen’s voice quickly attracted the attention of those around him.

Even in the Meteor Islands, Golden Core cultivators are not that common.

Most Golden Core cultivators have joined one of the Four Great Clans.

There aren’t many Fourth Turn Golden Cores among the loose cultivators.

Lin Chen smoothly joined this team.

Half a two-hour later, this exploration team was fully recruited and prepared to head to the sea ruins.

Upon reaching the Situ Island port, the previously mustached Golden Core cultivator said:

"Fellow Daoists, although the sea ruins aren’t very dangerous and not far from Situ Island..."

"I still ask everyone to follow instructions on the journey, board the spiritual boat... and head to the ruins according to the set route."

Upon hearing this, the recruited loose cultivators readily agreed.

The three hundred mile journey, the spiritual boat took less than half a two-hour to reach smoothly over the sea.

Soon, a deep whirlpool appeared before the spiritual boat.

The whirlpool seemed like an undercurrent, trying to pull the spiritual boat in...

Seeing this, the Golden Core cultivator from the Situ Family reminded:

"Don’t panic, everyone, right below this whirlpool is the underwater ruins. The spiritual boat just needs to enter the ruins..."

Hearing this, the cultivators on the boat felt relieved.

Lin Chen, however, remained calm as he looked at the whirlpool.

Soon, the spiritual boat was swallowed by the massive whirlpool, and after a bit of shaking, everyone on board found themselves in a vast space.

Before them was a colossal palace complex, in ruins, its age unknown.

Seaweed and various marine plants were underfoot.

A massive transparent bubble enclosed the entire ruin.

Through this transparent bubble, one could seemingly see the sea outside.

Apart from Lin Chen’s exploration team, within a few hundred meters, a dozen other exploration teams were visible.

"Fellow Daoists, please take out your Water-Repelling Pearls."

"This underwater ruin seems to occasionally let sea water flood in due to its age..."

"If anyone doesn’t have a Water-Repelling Pearl, the Situ Family can lend one temporarily."

As she spoke, Situ Yingying took out several transparent beads.

The Water-Repelling Pearl isn’t valuable in the Meteor Islands.

Most Foundation Establishment cultivators would have a few ready.

"Currently, the edges of this underwater ruin have been roughly explored, about ten miles in perimeter."

"At the core of the ruin is an ancient palace, blocked by array restriction... Set up by a Nascent Soul Array Master, it hasn’t been breached yet..."

Situ Yingying clearly had a lot of information, pointing to the palace complex ahead, she explained.

"Let’s first explore around the edges. Once the Situ Family’s array masters breach the ancient palace’s formation, we’ll explore inside..."