The atmosphere within the Silent Cloud Shrine remained thick with the energy of continuous, focused cultivation. While Lin Feng and Wanying dedicated their energy to elemental and temporal mastery, Xia Qingwu plunged into a new, highly ambitious project.
She had witnessed Siku's brief, controlled manipulation of space—the momentary stretching of the Jade's molecular structure—and the concept had ignited her mind. Her ultimate goal was to create the Three-Part Phoenix Bomb, a siege weapon powerful enough to cripple a high-level Origin Domain.
Now, she had the final piece of the theoretical puzzle: Dimensional Compression.
Her new workshop, segregated by a complex arrangement of rune seals to contain any potential explosive accidents, was cluttered with exotic minerals and diagrams.
"Feng, I need exactly ten minutes of perfect, low-intensity Void Sovereign Nexus stability around this material," Xia Qingwu requested, holding up a small, dark crystalline shard that pulsed with contained Fire Qi. "I must apply a controlled Dimensional Compression to the core without triggering a chain reaction."
Lin Feng, who was diligently monitoring Wanying's deep refinement of the Astral Jade, obliged instantly. He extended his Void Domain, wrapping the shard in the perfect, stable field of his integrated six Laws.
"Ten minutes of absolute perfection granted, Qingwu," Lin Feng stated, leaning against the doorframe, Siku still resting comfortably near his neck. "Just ensure that whatever explosion follows does not vaporize my most recent batch of recovery tonics. They were quite expensive."
Xia Qingwu glanced up, a dry, academic smirk on her lips. "If I fail, Feng, your tonics will be the least of your concerns. This is a controlled attempt to shrink the internal volume of the crystalline core by fifty percent. If the Phoenix Fire energy is successfully compressed, the output on detonation will be exponentially higher."
She focused, chanting complex formulas. She utilized a series of tiny, specialized rune brushes and focused the highly refined Phoenix Fire Qi through them. The goal was to force the Fire energy inward using the principles of spatial manipulation gleaned from Siku's earlier demonstration.
"The structural integrity must be maintained while the space collapses," she muttered to herself.
"Phoenix Seal: Dimensional Pinch!"
The crystalline shard began to emit a high, painful screech. It shrunk visibly, compressing to half its original size. The crimson energy within did not dissipate; it intensified, turning a dangerous, incandescent white. The density of the core was now catastrophic.
Lin Feng watched, intrigued. "Your theoretical application is brilliant, Qingwu. You are using the principles of the Void without having to personally control the spatial element."
"Why reinvent the wheel when I can just supercharge it?" she replied, focused entirely on the shrinking core. "Your Void Law makes the space manageable; my Fire Law provides the brute force to capitalize on the collapse. See, Feng, we are a perfect tactical partnership—you provide the foundation, and I provide the terrifying, precise overkill."
She successfully completed the compression just as the ten-minute mark elapsed. The resulting Dimensionally Compressed Core was now tiny, dense, and radiated a terrifying, focused heat that melted the stone floor around it.
Lin Feng released his Void Sovereign Nexus and whistled softly. "A success. That small core now holds the destructive power of a dozen Origin King techniques. If you ever use that in the heat of an argument, Qingwu, I'm simply retreating to the Nine Heavens Realm immediately."
Xia Qingwu laughed, the sound genuine and relieved. "It's reserved strictly for those who threaten our ascension, Feng. Like Luo Han. Or perhaps the entire Dynasty when we are ready to dismantle them."
Their collaborative work was interrupted by a quiet, subtle sound. Siku, still resting on Lin Feng, stirred and let out a curious purr.
Siku had been subtly absorbing the principles of controlled compression and focused energy from their exchange. In a playful gesture, Siku reached out a tiny, starlight paw and gently nudged a small, decorative pebble lying nearby.
The pebble did not shrink, nor did it explode. Instead, it was instantly shunted three feet to the left and immediately shunted back to its original position—a precise, controlled, instantaneous spatial teleportation.
"He controlled it!" Lin Feng exclaimed, his arrogance momentarily forgotten in favor of sheer amazement. "A stable, precise spatial jump! He is integrating the concepts of structure and focus from our exercise."
The Infant Chronos Dragon, leveraging the stability provided by the Void Sovereign Nexus, had performed his first successful, controlled spatial jump.
"And he learned it from watching you two," Wanying commented serenely from her chamber, having witnessed the event telepathically. "He is an ancient creature, Feng. He learns through observation and stability. You are his teacher of balance."
The potential was staggering. If Siku could master controlled spatial jumps, their mobility would increase a hundredfold. They could infiltrate any location, bypass any defense, and retreat from any battle instantly.
"Our pet is showing off," Lin Feng joked, scratching Siku's chin. "Very well, Siku. Your reward is the next lesson: mastering the temporal rewind. We need to learn how to fix our mistakes, not just move around them."
Lin Feng knew the work was far from over. The Dimensionally Compressed Core needed to be integrated into Xia Qingwu's Three-Part Phoenix Bomb array, and Siku's nascent temporal power needed guidance. The quiet refinement of the Silent Cloud Shrine continued, dedicated not to brute force, but to the meticulous mastery of the universe's most complex Laws.