In Martial Universe, Signed in at the Start with Yao Lao's Ring

A punch was thrown, and the terrifying force surged forward like a tidal wave.

Although Lin Yan's punch was aimed at empty space and did not hit any physical object, the sheer strength of it created a buzzing sound, causing the air to tremble violently.

"Eight Extremes Collapse, perfected!"

Seeing this scene before him, Lin Yan couldn't suppress the joy that spread across his face.

This martial art had been the first powerful technique he had learned after arriving in the Martial Universe.

It had witnessed his growth! And today, he had finally perfected it!

The accumulation of eight layers of force could now rival an Earth Tier Martial Art!

This alone was enough to make Lin Yan overjoyed. The grin on his face lingered for a long time.

"Congratulations, little friend."

Yao Lao chuckled, offering his congratulations.

He, too, felt a wave of emotion. It was hard to believe how much Lin Yan had grown in such a short period.

He was in awe of Lin Yan's talent and found himself growing more curious—just how far could this young man go in the future?

"It's all thanks to Senior Yao Lao's guidance!"

Lin Yan smiled in response.

Then, without wasting time, he resumed his training in Spiritual Arrays. This was another massive undertaking.

After all, his previous training had already taken over a month. So, estimating cautiously, Lin Yan figured it would take him at least another month before he could quickly form twenty Spiritual Seals.

Thus, he settled his mind and continued his cultivation.

----

On the other side—in Qingyang Town, within the Lei Family estate—from an outsider's perspective, the Lei Family had remained eerily silent.

But in reality, they had been preparing many things in the shadows.

For instance, they had been secretly working with Grand Master Gu from Yan City. Additionally, they had been building up their forces, preparing for a final war against the Lin Family.

And today, the Lei Family received news that caused a wave of excitement throughout their ranks.

Their Family Head, Lei Bao, had successfully broken through!

Inside the Lei Family estate—an overwhelming pressure erupted from the training chamber, and the expressions of the Lei Family members lit up with joy.

Lei Pi, who had been waiting outside, was ecstatic, his eyes brimming with excitement. "This aura... could it be? Has Father successfully broken through?"

A moment later, Lei Bao stepped out. His complexion was ruddy, his aura surging powerfully. Seeing this, everyone around him was thrilled.

"Father, did you succeed?" Lei Pi asked excitedly.

"Indeed, I did! And I have condensed a Four-Star Yuan Dan!" Lei Bao laughed heartily. Before Lei Pi could even ask, he proudly revealed the quality of his Yuan Dan, his tone filled with satisfaction.

"A Four-Star Yuan Dan! As expected of Father!"

Hearing this, the Lei Family members were utterly stunned. From their perspective, a Four-Star Yuan Dan was already an extraordinary achievement.

Thus, the group was awestruck, and Lei Pi, in particular, was filled with admiration.

Lei Bao laughed heartily, relishing the praise. Then, turning toward Lei Pi, he asked, "What news of the Lin Family during my training?"

"Lin Zhentian has also begun attempting his breakthrough to Yuan Dan Realm, but as of now, he has yet to exit seclusion." Lei Pi quickly reported what he had gathered.

Lei Bao's gaze sharpened. Having just experienced a breakthrough himself, he was well aware of the incredible power boost it provided.

He would not allow Lin Zhentian to succeed!

A cold smirk formed on Lei Bao's face. "Lin Zhentian hasn't come out yet? That is truly a stroke of luck for us."

"Among the Lin Family, the most formidable fighter is Lin Zhentian. And now he is still in seclusion? Then we can't be blamed for taking advantage of the situation!"

His voice turned icy as he barked an order to Lei Pi: "Lei Pi! Prepare some gifts and go invite Master Gu!"

"This time, we will completely eradicate the Lin Family!"

Lei Pi immediately responded with a solemn nod before setting off toward Yan City.

Lei Bao watched as Lei Pi left, his eyes flashing with a chilling gleam. A moment later, his gaze turned ice-cold, and a sinister smile crept onto his face.

"Heh… Lin Family, this time, you're finished."

---------

Meanwhile—Lin Family.

Lin Yan had been focused entirely on cultivation these past few days.

As a result, he was completely unaware that the Lei Family was already preparing to march against them.

He continued his training as usual, but suddenly, he entered a profoundly mysterious state.

In this state, Lin Yan's perception of Spiritual Energy and Spiritual Seals became unparalleled.

Moreover, when setting up formations, he realized that he no longer needed to rely on his eyes—he could now construct arrays purely with his mind!

His array-setting speed increased dramatically.

Spiritual Seals flowed effortlessly, his Yuan Power surged, and in just a few breaths, Lin Yan had successfully deployed the Rank-Two Spiritual Array—Nine Heavenly Lightning Spiritual Array, which he had obtained from his sign-in reward.

Instantly, the ground ahead lit up with a deep purple glow. Within the glow, intricate inscriptions formed, weaving a mysterious and powerful array.

Lin Yan formed hand seals, channeling Yuan Power into the array, and immediately—Lightning surged forth, a violent burst of thunderous energy erupted, and a massive crater was left in the courtyard.

Lin Yan winced slightly at the sight.

Previously, he had assumed that Rank-One Spiritual Arrays were only effective against mid-stage Earthly Yuan Realm warriors and below.

And so, he had believed that Rank-Two Spiritual Arrays would only be useful against Heavenly Yuan Realm practitioners.

But now, Lin Yan realized—he had been completely wrong.

Judging by the raw destructive power of this array, even a Yuan Dan Realm expert would struggle to escape unscathed.

This realization filled Lin Yan with excitement.

Because now—having mastered the Nine Heavenly Lightning Spiritual Array and officially become a Rank-Two Spiritual Array Master, his strength had once again advanced by leaps and bounds!

"Little Friend, did you notice? A moment ago, you seemed to have entered a special state. And during that time, your array-setting speed increased drastically."

Yao Lao observed Lin Yan with curious eyes.

He had been watching Lin Yan train the entire time, and thus, he had noticed the strange phenomena that had just occurred.

"Yes, I definitely noticed it. And actually, I already know exactly what it was."

Lin Yan nodded in response. Based on his understanding of Spiritual Array Masters, he quickly provided Yao Lao with an answer.

"The state I entered just now is known as the Heart Array State. Normally, only Rank-Three Spiritual Array Masters can successfully comprehend this ability."

"But I was lucky enough to grasp it early. Not only has my perception of Spiritual Seals and Spiritual Energy been greatly enhanced—more importantly, I have now mastered the ability to construct arrays using only my mind!"

Yao Lao quickly understood the situation after hearing Lin Yan's explanation. Then, as he looked at Lin Yan, his eyes revealed a trace of shock.

Of course, he didn't believe Lin Yan's excuse about it being mere luck. To him, it was simply a testament to Lin Yan's unparalleled talent.

After all, the Heart Array State was something that only Rank-Three Spiritual Array Masters could typically comprehend.

Yet, Lin Yan had grasped it ahead of time. If that wasn't a sign of extraordinary talent and strength, then what was?

"In that case, Little Friend has become even stronger. At this point, I doubt that ordinary Yuan Dan Stage practitioners would even be able to match you."

As he thought about this, Yao Lao let out a sigh of amazement.

Lin Yan, however, remained silent, neither confirming nor denying the statement.

After all, while he was indeed strong, his ability to fight opponents beyond his level was largely due to his superior cultivation methods and martial techniques.

Against opponents with weaker techniques, he could easily overwhelm them. But if he ever encountered someone with equally formidable skills, the outcome would be far from certain.

Because of this, Lin Yan always maintained a sense of caution and respect for strength. He had never allowed his growth in power to turn into arrogance.

Just as he was about to dismantle the Spiritual Array he had set up—a loud commotion suddenly erupted outside Steel Wood Manor.

Lin Yan's brows furrowed, and he quickly headed outside.

But before he could even take a few steps, he saw Lin Dong, Lin Xiao, and several others approaching in a hurry, fully armed.

They were accompanied by a large number of Lin Family disciples, all of whom wore grim expressions filled with cold determination.

Lin Yan immediately realized that something serious was happening.

If this weren't an emergency, there was no way the Lin Family would be mobilizing in such a large formation.

He quickly stepped forward to meet them.

Looking directly at Lin Xiao and Lin Dong, he asked in a firm voice,

"Uncle Xiao, Lin Dong, what's happening outside?"

Lin Xiao and Lin Dong did not hesitate to tell Lin Yan the truth. After all, at this moment, Lin Yan was undeniably the strongest fighter in the Lin Family.

With Lin Zhentian in seclusion, he was the only one who could take charge of the situation.

"The Lei Family has come to destroy us!"

Lin Xiao's expression was grim as he spoke to Lin Yan.

"They must have somehow discovered that Father is in seclusion. And from what we've gathered, Lei Bao has completed his breakthrough and entered the Yuan Dan Stage."

"Because of this, he has gathered a massive army and is now leading an assault on our Lin Family—claiming that he is here to avenge the Xie Family."

"The battle has already begun."