Zhao Kun's overwhelming pressure, like a tangible boulder, slammed into the already thin spiritual energy barrier of Starfall Peak, pressing heavily on Lin Yuan's heart. His face instantly turned deathly pale. The gap between the Qi Induction Realm and the Breakthrough Realm was like an insurmountable chasm. The mere aftershocks of that unbridled spiritual pressure caused his blood to surge, making him almost unable to stand.
"Useless trash! Didn't you hear me?" Seeing Lin Yuan's silence, Zhao Kun's mockery deepened, his gaze greedily locking onto the jade bottle in Feng Qinghuang's hand. "Junior Sister Feng, such a Star Origin Pill is a waste in the hands of this trash! Only a genius like Senior Brother Zhao Hao deserves to enjoy it! If you switch your allegiance to Senior Brother Zhao, pills, resources, and status will be within your grasp! Why bother staying in this desolate wilderness, following someone who's not even as good as an outer disciple..."
"Noisy."
A voice as clear and cold as an icy spring interrupted Zhao Kun's incessant chatter. Feng Qinghuang, who had stood motionless like a painting, slowly raised her eyes. Her eyes, which had previously been as calm as an ancient well, now surged with a terrifying chill, as if a millennia-old glacier had suddenly shattered! A pressure far more refined, ancient, and terrifying than Zhao Kun's erupted like a slumbering ancient beast awakening!
Buzz—!
The light of the star-guiding array flowing on the stone platform suddenly dimmed, as if intimidated by this oppressive force! The air suddenly became thick and cold, and an invisible wave of energy spread outwards from Feng Qinghuang, silently turning the small pebbles on the ground into dust!
Zhao Kun's arrogance froze instantly, replaced by utter shock! He felt his spiritual energy circulation become incredibly sluggish, as if frozen by invisible ice! Peak Breakthrough Realm? No! This was definitely not the power of an ordinary mid-stage Breakthrough Realm cultivator! It was an absolute suppression that transcended realms, originating from the depths of the soul!
"You..." Zhao Kun's throat tightened, and he only managed to utter one word before feeling an overwhelming force crashing down on him!
Feng Qinghuang didn't even make any extra movements. She simply raised a slender, jade-like finger and gently pointed it in Zhao Kun's direction.
"laugh--!"
A single, perfectly condensed, icy-blue star flame silently bloomed from her fingertip! Initially only the size of a bean, the flame contained terrifying heat capable of incinerating all things and extreme cold capable of freezing the very soul! Its trajectory slightly distorted space, leaving a faint, almost scorching, icy mark that seemed capable of freezing and burning even the most discerning gaze!
Fast! Extremely fast!
Zhao Kun's pupils contracted sharply, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped him! He frantically channeled all his spiritual power, and a thick spiritual shield shimmering with an earthy yellow light instantly condensed in front of him. This was his strongest defensive magic weapon!
However--
puff!
That seemingly faint icy blue starlight, like a red-hot steel needle piercing through thin paper, effortlessly penetrated the spirit shield! The light on the spirit shield instantly dimmed and froze, then with a "crack," it exploded, covered in spiderweb-like cracks!
The starlight continued its relentless advance, piercing precisely through Zhao Kun's right palm, which he had braced against his chest, to his utter astonishment!
"Ah—!" A piercing scream shattered the silence of Starfall Peak!
There was no blood and flesh flying everywhere, only a strange, icy blue flame that instantly covered Zhao Kun's entire right hand! The flame seemed to have a life of its own, frantically devouring his flesh, spiritual power, and even... his life force! The extreme cold and the burning pain intertwined, causing Zhao Kun's face to contort, and he instantly knelt on the ground, his whole body convulsing violently, large beads of sweat mixed with tears of fear rolling down his face.
"Star... Star Fiend Soul-Burning Flame?!" Zhao Kun's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief and terror. This legendary forbidden flame had long been lost; how could she possess it?!
Feng Qinghuang withdrew her finger as if she were merely brushing away a speck of dust. Without even glancing at Zhao Kun, who was writhing in agony on the ground, her cold gaze shifted to Lin Yuan, whose face was pale but whose eyes were unusually bright.
Lin Yuan's heart was already churning with shock! Was this the Empress's might? A mid-stage Breakthrough Realm cultivator, casually pointing a finger, crushing a peak Breakthrough Realm cultivator! He even subconsciously activated his [Eye of Insight] to look at the traces left by Feng Qinghuang's attack. Countless fragmented images flashed through his mind: the runic structure of the Ice Flame core, the trajectory of the spiritual power, the faint trace of stellar law power it triggered... Although fleeting and blurry, it gave him a completely new and shocking understanding of "power"!
"Master," Feng Qinghuang's voice remained calm, yet carried a hint of probing, "this person is noisy and disturbs our cultivation. How should we deal with him?" She tossed the "decision-making authority" to Lin Yuan. This question was both a test and an observation. She wanted to see how this "Qi Induction Realm" master would respond to absolute power. Would he feign strength? Or would he be all bark and no bite?
Lin Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood and the shock in his heart. He looked at Zhao Kun, who lay on the ground groaning like a rag doll, his right hand a charred ice sculpture, his eyes filled with no pity. If it weren't for Feng Qinghuang's extraordinary strength, he himself would be lying on the ground right now! He spoke slowly, his voice still somewhat hoarse from exhaustion and the oppressive force from before, yet exceptionally clear:
"He trespassed into the peak master's dojo, spoke rudely, attempted to seize the disciples' resources, and even tried to force the peak master to sever the master-disciple relationship..." With each sentence Lin Yuan uttered, Zhao Kun's body trembled, and the fear in his eyes intensified.
"Considering this is his first offense and he is an inner disciple, he can be spared the death penalty." Lin Yuan paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Kun's completely crippled right hand. "I'll cripple your hand as a warning to others. Go back to your master and tell him—"
Lin Yuan's gaze suddenly sharpened, carrying an undeniable majesty. Although this majesty seemed somewhat strange against the backdrop of his Qi Refining Realm aura, it still caused Feng Qinghuang's eyes to flicker slightly.
"Starfall Peak is not a place the Zhao family can manipulate at will! Feng Qinghuang is my disciple, Lin Yuan's disciple. Anyone who dares to extend a claw will be chopped off! Get out!"
Lin Yuan practically roared out the final "Get out!" with a desperate, reckless force. He knew he was just using someone else's authority, but at this moment, he had to maintain the dignity of his "Master"!
Zhao Kun felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and dared not hesitate for even a moment. He endured the excruciating pain and the burning fear in his soul, crushed a jade talisman with his only remaining left hand, and transformed into a disheveled streak of light, fleeing frantically towards the inner sect without looking back, not daring to utter a single harsh word.
Silence returned to the stone platform, with only the faint hum of the Star Spirit Guiding Array resuming its stable flow.
Feng Qinghuang quietly looked at Lin Yuan, and for the first time, Lin Yuan's image was clearly reflected in her clear, cold eyes. Lin Yuan's words just now, the "majesty" he forcibly maintained despite the absolute disparity in power, his protection of her as his disciple (although it was likely for self-preservation), and that final, resounding warning... all of these caused a very subtle shift in her perception of this "useless master."
He doesn't seem... entirely useless? At least his mentality, his "spirit" in the face of dire straits, doesn't seem like that of a complete waste. Could there really be some hidden secret in those pills and formations that I haven't yet grasped?
"Ding! Detected fluctuation in the mind of the first disciple, Feng Qinghuang. Intimacy level increased: -10 → -5 (Slightly curious)."
The system notification sounded promptly, secretly delighting Lin Yuan. It worked!
Just then, Feng Qinghuang spoke again. Although her tone was still cold, it lacked some of the aloofness that kept people at arm's length and instead contained a hint of probing: "Master."
"Hmm?" Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but he tried his best to remain calm.
"Disciple... since Master is aware of the injury to your Dao Foundation and Divine Soul, do you have any good solutions?" She asked directly, her gaze fixed on Lin Yuan's face. This was her core purpose in becoming his disciple, and also her biggest test at this moment. She wanted to know if this Qi Refining Realm master, who could produce the Star Origin Pill and the Spirit Guiding Array, truly had a solution, or was he merely relying on "Master's legacy"?
Here it is! The core issue!
Lin Yuan's spirits lifted. This was exactly the question he'd been waiting for! He immediately activated his [Eye of Insight], focusing even more intently on Feng Qinghuang. This time, he wasn't satisfied with just the system's text description in the status bar. He concentrated his mind, trying to "see" deeper!
Buzz!
His vision shifted instantly! Under the [Eye of Insight]'s gaze, Feng Qinghuang's exquisite figure seemed to become transparent. Lin Yuan "saw" her vast, abyss-like dantian foundation, riddled with spiderweb-like cracks! The cracks were deep and dark, emanating an ominous aura, as if connecting to the abyss! Within her sea of consciousness, the once-brilliant divine soul light cluster now resembled shattered stars, its light dim, barely holding on. Countless tiny fragments floated around it, bound by an invisible force of law, unable to reassemble! Furthermore, an extremely subtle, dark red seal, carrying a terrifying aura of annihilation, coiled around her core, suppressing her true power!
The scene was shocking! A hundred times more shocking than any words could describe! Lin Yuan gasped, his face paling even further, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Was this the price the Empress's reincarnation had to pay?
Feng Qinghuang keenly noticed the changes in Lin Yuan's expression and aura, and her heart sank slightly. So... even he found it troublesome, even frightening? It seems this injury...
"Difficult!" Lin Yuan slowly uttered a single word, his voice heavy with a deep sense of unease. "The damage to the foundation of one's Dao is like a chasm, bottomless and unfathomable, with the power of laws entwined within, beyond the reach of brute force. The damage to the soul is like a star shattering, its fragments scattered; even with secret soul-guiding techniques, it's difficult to restore its brilliant origin. And then..." He paused, not directly revealing the dark red seal, "...layer upon layer of shackles, binding the very core."
Feng Qinghuang's eyes dimmed for a moment; she had expected this outcome. But hearing it with her own ears still left her feeling disappointed.
"But!" Lin Yuan's tone shifted abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on her, his voice resolute, "It's not a dead end! The 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue' (The Heavenly Cycle Star Technique), which draws upon the power of the heavens to nourish all things and mend the sky, is your only path to survival!"
"However, this technique is the foundation of our sect, and cannot be obtained without the core secrets," Feng Qinghuang said calmly, indicating that this was an obstacle she had long known about.
"Therefore, you need power!" Lin Yuan's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable determination. "You need power that the sect, those sleeping old fogies, cannot ignore! You need to prove that you are qualified to bear this technique, and even surpass those who came before you!"
He stepped forward, his gaze piercing, meeting Feng Qinghuang's deep eyes directly: "Three months! I require you to break through to the Tribulation Transcending stage within three months!"
"boom!"
Lin Yuan's words exploded like thunder in Feng Qinghuang's mind!
Three months? The Tribulation Transcending Stage?! From the mid-stage of the Breaking Illusion Realm to the Tribulation Transcending Stage, spanning two major realms (late-stage Breaking Illusion Realm, peak Breaking Illusion Realm, early-stage Tribulation Transcending Stage)! This is simply a fantasy! Even if she was an emperor in her previous life and reincarnated to cultivate again, with her Dao foundation and divine soul both damaged, it would still be absolutely impossible!
For the first time, obvious astonishment and disbelief appeared in her eyes! This request was utterly absurd!
However, just as she was filled with doubt and uncertainty—
"Ding! Main quest updated!"
"Mission Objective: Guide the first disciple, 'Feng Qinghuang,' to break through to the Tribulation Transcending Stage within three months!"
"Mission Rewards: Cultivation level raised to the peak of the Tribulation Transcending Realm! [Undying Star Body] (Immortal King-level Body Refining Method)! [Starfall Mountain Protection Array] (Incomplete Emperor-level Array Diagram) x1!"
"Failure Penalty: Host's cultivation level will permanently drop to the first level of the Qi Refining Realm, and the system will be dormant for 100 years!"
Looking at the generous reward and the cruel punishment, Lin Yuan's heart pounded! He had to gamble! This was his chance to defy fate!
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, but a fanatical confidence appeared on his face. He pointed sharply at the star-guiding array flowing on the stone platform, then at the jade bottle in Feng Qinghuang's hand, his voice firm and powerful, as if stating an established fact:
"This spirit-guiding array can draw upon the celestial power of the heavens to forge the foundation of your Dao!"
"This Star Origin Pill can transform primordial power to mend the deficiencies in your soul!"
"And the essential introductory points of the *Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue*..." Lin Yuan's voice carried a strange, alluring quality, "As your teacher, I can guide you!"
He met Feng Qinghuang's shocked and scrutinizing gaze, and spoke each word with resounding force:
"Using the stars as our furnace and the very essence as our fuel! Within three months, we will break through illusions and ascend to the highest realms, where tribulation is within reach! Feng Qinghuang, do you dare to fight alongside your master for this sliver of heavenly opportunity?!"
Starlight flowed, and the night wind howled. On the lonely summit of Starfall Peak, master and disciple stood facing each other. One's eyes burned with fervor, as if gambling everything; the other's expression shifted, a turbulent storm raging within. Three months—the tribulation period! This insane gamble had bound their fates together forever.