"Stop..."

Within a residence near the Alchemist Guild in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital, Lin Feng gazed at the energy sphere slowly rising and falling in his palm.

"Sure enough, it was still too early. Nalan Jie had suffered from the Burning Poison for no more than half a year, so there was still too little Dou Qi assimilated by it. Never mind. It was free gain anyway, and this amount should be more than enough to break through to a Four-star Dou Spirit."

"Besides," after absorbing the sphere of energy into his body, Lin Feng slowly walked to the window. After watering a Seven-Colored Spiritual Herb with some nutrient solution, he murmured, "there's also this spiritual item that enhances Soul Force."

That was right, it was a rare treasure capable of strengthening Soul Force. Perhaps Xiao Yan Yao in the Original Work had also known of its effects, but after weighing his options, he had still decided to use it to awaken Yao Chen. After all, Yao Chen's role in Xiao Yan Yao's early growth had truly been irreplaceable.

"Unfortunately, my Soul Force has already reached the Seventh Grade. At most, it can only improve by a minor realm. Still, something is better than nothing. After all, for quite some time, Soul Force will remain far ahead of my alchemy."

After sorting everything out, Lin Feng went to Qing Lin's room to check on her condition. After a night had passed, Qing Lin's soul fluctuations had nearly stabilized. Even Fa Ma predicted that she would awaken within two days.

"Xian Er, I plan to enter Secluded Cultivation this time. I'll have to trouble you to take care of Qing Lin," Lin Feng said to Xiao Yi Xian, who was tending to Qing Lin nearby.

"Brother Lin Feng, there's no need to be so formal with me. We've long been family." Xiao Yi Xian stood and gently embraced Lin Feng, burying her head against his chest.

"Xian Er..." Lin Feng gently stroked Xiao Yi Xian's soft, silky hair.

Inside the Secret Chamber, Lin Feng sat cross-legged as the energy sphere before him slowly rose and fell.

"Let me see just how much this Burning Poison, purified by the Five Elements Sealing Technique, can improve me!"

He opened his mouth, and a powerful suction force immediately drew the energy sphere into his body.

"Boom..."

The instant the energy sphere entered Lin Feng's body, it exploded apart, transforming into streams of energy that surged chaotically through him.

"Heh, just a defeated foe. Submit already."

Dou Qi erupted wildly from Lin Feng's Dantian, driving those disobedient purified energies toward the meridians through which the Five Elements Art circulated. Some of the energy remained unruly, so Lin Feng immediately used his Dou Qi to smash it apart before guiding it onto the proper path.

As time passed, all the energy was finally guided onto the circulation path of the Five Elements Art.

"Hmm..."

Suddenly, Lin Feng, who had been fully focused on his Secluded Cultivation, let out a muffled groan and had no choice but to halt his rhythm of cultivation.

"Just as I thought. Although five completely different cultivation methods can operate under the suppression of the Five Elements Physique, when a large amount of external energy floods in like this, there will still be a momentary lag. Luckily, I discovered it now. If I had only found out during battle, then..."

At that thought, a cold bead of sweat trickled down Lin Feng's face.

It seemed he had to find an Earth Tier cultivation method as his main method as soon as possible, one capable of suppressing the rest. As for fully merging them into one complete cultivation method, Lin Feng could only say that he was merely a small Dou Spirit. It was beyond his ability.

"I should continue my Secluded Cultivation, but I'll have to slow the circulation of my Dou Qi," a faint regret flashed through Lin Feng's mind. Looks like I won't be able to see Qing Lin the moment she wakes up.

Slowly closing his eyes, Lin Feng resumed his Secluded Cultivation and breakthrough.

Dou Qi flowed steadily through his body. Though its circulation had been slowed, everything had at least returned to the right track.

Finally, at a certain moment, Lin Feng's long-silent aura suddenly began to surge violently, as though it was about to undergo some major breakthrough.

His Dou Qi began circulating rapidly on its own in an instant. This time, there was no lag, and it only grew faster and faster before finally crashing fiercely into his Dantian.

"Boom..."

With a thunderous explosion, Lin Feng's aura began rising without end.

Late Three-star Dou Spirit, Four-star Dou Spirit... As his aura continued to rise, its speed gradually slowed.

Finally, after reaching the peak of the Four-star Dou Spirit realm, the upward trend seemed to have completely stopped. Yet Lin Feng's hand seals abruptly changed, and the Five Elements Art began circulating faster and faster, completely disregarding the occasional stagnation whenever it reached certain points.

"Without madness, there is no life! Five-star Dou Spirit, break through for me!"

As Lin Feng shouted, the aura that had nearly stopped rising suddenly leaped upward, instantly breaking into a new realm.

"Phew..."

Once his aura gradually stabilized, Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long-banked breath of turbid air.

"Finally, a Five-star Dou Spirit. It's not very stable yet, but a few battles should solve that. I can also take the chance to become more familiar with the Five Elements Sealing Technique."

After slowly rising to his feet, Lin Feng stretched, and his bones crackled all over.

"I wonder how much time has passed. It would be great if I could get back before Qing Lin wakes up."

Remembering how, when he was young, he had once entered Secluded Cultivation and unexpectedly found an opportunity for breakthrough, leaving him no time to tell Qing Lin, only for the girl to wake up and anxiously bounce around everywhere, a trace of nostalgia flashed through Lin Feng's eyes.

"Without realizing it, so much time has already passed..."

Pushing open the door to the Secret Chamber, a ray of dazzling sunlight shone in, making Lin Feng raise a hand to shield his eyes.

"Looks like I was in Secluded Cultivation for quite some time." Feeling the slight discomfort in his eyes, Lin Feng sighed. "A mere breakthrough through a minor Dou Spirit realm took this long. I wonder whether, in the future, a single session of Secluded Cultivation will see countless years pass."

After sighing, Lin Feng followed the corridor toward the courtyard where Qing Lin was staying, wondering whether she had already awakened.

When Lin Feng arrived outside Qing Lin's courtyard, he heard waves of hissing. He secretly found it strange—why were there so many snakes in Qing Lin's courtyard?

Suddenly, Lin Feng's pupils contracted sharply. "Could it be?"

"Who is peering from outside the gate?" Suddenly, a somewhat seductive voice came from within the courtyard, carrying a hint of interrogation.

Upon hearing her words, coupled with the unfathomable power he sensed through his Soul Force, Lin Feng already knew who she was.

Still, being questioned by an outsider at his own doorstep was quite the rare experience, and Lin Feng could not help but laugh in disbelief.

Slowly pushing the gate open, he saw three beautiful women, each possessing a different kind of charm.

Of the two figures dressed in green, one was mature and seductive, stirring heat in one's heart. The other was like a budding lotus, radiating youthful vitality that made one's spirit feel invigorated.

The third figure, dressed in white, differed from the first two. She appeared pure and flawless, especially that slender waist one could encircle with a single hand, making people unable to resist wanting to savor it carefully.

"Brother Lin Feng..."

Before Lin Feng could carefully compare the differences between the three beauties, the small figure in green had already impatiently rushed forward and slammed into his arms.

"Brother Lin Feng, Qing Lin almost never got to see you again."

Lin Feng hurriedly wrapped both arms around the little girl in his embrace. Just as he was about to say something, he felt the clothes over his chest gradually becoming wet. The words on his lips paused, his expression softened, and he gently stroked Qing Lin's head.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian also stepped forward and took Qing Lin's arm, silently comforting her.

Meanwhile, the other person present rubbed her forehead in distress. Looking at the three people who were so close, she sighed, "Honestly, this is difficult..."

The mature green-clad figure was Lu Man, a Dou Emperor expert of the Heavenly Snake Manor. At this moment, she recalled the day when she and Bai Ya had tried to forcibly take Qing Lin away, only to be obstructed by numerous powers of the Jia Ma Empire.

There had been several Dou Wangs alone. Of course, if that were all, Lu Man and Bai Ya could have brought back the Saintess without the slightest effort.

But just as they were about to succeed, a Dou Emperor aura shot into the sky from the direction of the Imperial Family. In the blink of an eye, it arrived at the scene, its aura firmly locking down Lu Man and Bai Ya.

"Lu Man, that Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast of the Imperial Family has awakened!" Bai Ya's hoarse voice rang beside her, making Lu Man even more uncertain.

Moreover, Lu Man's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked toward the Misty Cloud Sect. From there, another aura was rapidly approaching.

"Lu Man, make your decision quickly. It's not like we can't forcibly bring the Saintess back. This Emperor refuses to believe that the people of the Jia Ma Empire truly dare to clash head-on with our Heavenly Snake Manor."

At that moment, Bai Ya's mouth reeked of blood, and his snake-like face was full of disdain. It seemed that, with a single command from Lu Man, he would immediately start a massive fight.

"This idiot..."

Lu Man gritted her teeth, rendered speechless by Bai Ya, that fool who could not read the situation.

Sure enough, the moment Bai Ya finished speaking, the auras of the many Dou Wang and Dou Emperor experts present paused, then surged into the sky at high speed.

"Damn it, Bai Ya. Now, even if we don't want to fight, we have to..."

Just as everyone's expressions tightened and they were about to decide victory and defeat, a figure that had remained silent for a long time suddenly raised his head.

"Stop..."