Between Life and Death

Zhong Yue had already vanished into the darkness. If she chased further, she'd likely end up in the Men's Court. Yu Feiyan stopped, turning back with a cold snort. "You've got some nerve..."

Beside her, Tao Daier exclaimed indignantly, "Junior Sister Ting, how could you bring a man in here? And your little man is a scoundrel, peeking at us while we bathe!"

Ting Lanyue quickly explained, "Junior Brother Zhong only recently entered the Upper Court and doesn't know our rules. He didn't mean to see you bathing. Senior Sister Tao, please don't tell your father. Last time in the Demon Ruins, it was thanks to Junior Brother Zhong that we escaped. He accidentally wandered into the Women's Court, and I naturally had to protect him to prevent you all from beating him to death..."

Tao Daier chuckled, "Look how worried you are. Don't worry, I wasn't bathing when he saw me, so I won't tell my father. Only those who were seen completely naked would be so enraged."

Ting Lanyue smiled faintly, secretly glancing at Yu Feiyan.

Yu Feiyan's expression was icy. "Junior Sister, call your man out, and then have another spar with me. I won't pursue the matter of him seeing me bathe!"

Ting Lanyue found it both amusing and exasperating. She knew Yu Feiyan, unable to keep Zhong Yue there, had become competitive. After all, the senior disciple of the Women's Court hadn't gained an advantage over a male disciple for the first time. How could she easily let this go?

She blinked, thinking to herself, Junior Brother Zhong's abilities are becoming more astonishing by the day, progressing at an incredible pace. He's not much slower than Junior Sister Shui Qingyan! The two of them are quite a match. No wonder they hit it off. But why did Junior Sister Shui have a falling out with him? And Junior Brother Zhong looked so glum when he left...

Zhong Yue walked rapidly through the darkness, weaving through the dense forest. His Sea of Consciousness erupted, waves crashing like a tidal wave. Shui Qingyan's plight still shook his heart, leaving his Sea of Consciousness unable to calm down!

"Xin Huo, this matter..."

"You intend to tell the Qi Refiners of the Sword Gate about this?"

The Kindling Child stood in mid-air, surrounded by the surging waves of the Sea of Consciousness. He shook his head. "The key is, what grounds do you have for anyone to believe you? What's your status? You're just a mere disciple in the Outer Court of the Upper Court of the Sword Gate. Who would believe you? Furthermore, if you speak of this, your death won't be far off!"

Zhong Yue's heart grew solemn, and he suddenly realized, "You're right. I didn't consider it thoroughly. Heavenly Phenomenon Mother being able to emerge from the Demon Ruins indicates there's a traitor among the higher-ups of the Sword Gate. And Senior Sister Ting mentioned that Junior Sister Shui was summoned by a Qi Refiner of the Shuitu Clan, making the Shuitu Clan's Qi Refiners highly suspect. The Shuitu Clan is one of the ten great clans of the Great Wilderness. If they colluded with Heavenly Phenomenon Mother, not only would no one believe me, but it would be incredibly easy for the Shuitu Clan to kill me."

As he spoke, the waves in his Sea of Consciousness gradually subsided, becoming calmer and calmer.

"Very good. Although you lost your composure earlier, you were able to regain clarity quickly. That already surpasses countless ordinary people."

Xin Huo praised, "However, I can still sense your killing intent. Are you planning to kill Heavenly Phenomenon Mother?"

Zhong Yue slowly nodded. He then thought of the girl who always called him "Brother Yue," and a wave of sadness washed over him. "Shui Qingyan" was still there, but that girl was no longer the same.

"If I can kill Heavenly Phenomenon Mother, I will have avenged Junior Sister Shui. It won't be a wasted acquaintance!"

"Then you need to work hard! Although Heavenly Phenomenon Mother is a crude demon god, even a crude demon god is not to be trifled with. Her soul still exists. After possessing a host, she is essentially born with sentience. Even a hundred of you at your current level wouldn't be her match!"

The Kindling Child said, "The only reason she hasn't become a Qi Refiner yet is her lack of integration with this body. Once she merges with this body and becomes a Qi Refiner, it will be a natural progression! As for you, your soul is still too weak, with a vast difference compared to a demon god's soul. Even if you cultivate to become a Spirit and achieve soul unity, you will still be inferior to her!"

"Xin Huo, you must know how to defeat Heavenly Phenomenon Mother, right?" Zhong Yue's heart stirred, and he quickly asked.

"Naturally. Heavenly Phenomenon Mother is, after all, just a crude demon god. I'll tell you when you possess sufficient strength to become a Qi Refiner."

The Kindling Child said seriously, "However, you are also crude, a crude descendant of the Fuxi Divine Clan. Therefore, you need not only to put in a hundredfold effort but also to build a foundation more solid than anyone else's! I have a training method that can make your cultivation twice as effective and your foundation incredibly solid! I just don't know if you can endure the hardship..."

Xin Huo yawned. "I've been awake for too long and need to sleep. Wake me up when you get your Feather Spirit Pills, and I'll guide your cultivation..."

His form gradually changed, becoming a pure flame, without a sound.

"Hmm? Xin Huo isn't going back to sleep in that bronze lamp this time?"

Zhong Yue was a bit puzzled. He saw the small flame floating quietly in the sky above his Sea of Consciousness, not leaving. The last time Xin Huo slept, it was on that tattered bronze lamp.

I wonder when I'll become a Qi Refiner, leave the Great Wilderness, and accompany Xin Huo to find a pure-blooded Kindling inheritor?

Zhong Yue closed his eyes, visualizing the Dragon Totem Body Coiling Art. Thunder rumbled low, transforming into lightning dragons that coiled around him. "The Sword Gate is showing signs of unrest, giving me a feeling of impending doom, like dark clouds pressing down on the city. It's as if a monster is lurking in the darkness, waiting to devour people..."

The area below Sword Gate Mountain had already fallen into complete darkness. However, the golden peak of the Sword Gate still shone brilliantly. The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the golden peak. After a moment, the sun's radiance gradually faded, and the golden peak of the Sword Gate also fell into darkness.

This sacred land of the Great Wilderness was completely shrouded in darkness.

Two days later, Ting Lanyue excitedly rushed to the Men's Court and called out for Zhong Yue from the entrance, attracting the attention of many male disciples who looked on with envy. Male disciples were strictly forbidden from entering the Women's Court, but female disciples could freely enter the Men's Court, and some women often came to see their beloved.

"Junior Brother Zhong, here are nine hundred and twenty Feather Spirit Pills."

Zhong Yue invited her in. Ting Lanyue took out ten jade bottles and said with a smile, "Each jade bottle contains a hundred pills, and this small bottle has twenty. You, me, and Senior Brother He each received nine hundred and twenty Feather Spirit Pills, enough for a long time of cultivation."

Zhong Yue was overjoyed and quickly thanked her. He thought, Finally, I can continue cultivating the Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization!

Ting Lanyue left. Only after exiting the Men's Court did she remember something. "Oh no! I forgot to tell Junior Brother Zhong that Senior Sister Yu and Senior Sister Tao are looking for him and told him not to go out..." Hmm, Senior Sister Yu and the others plan to find Junior Brother Zhong and see who is more skilled. If I tell Junior Brother Zhong, he'll definitely ask Senior Sister Yu how they knew it was him that night. Then he'll know I sold him out...

Ting Lanyue blinked and quickly left. "It has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me!"

In the courtyard, Zhong Yue visualized his Sea of Consciousness and woke Xin Huo.

"To build a foundation more solid than anyone else's, you first need a formidable physique, second, a formidable soul, and third, formidable Spiritual Power!"

The Kindling Child spoke eloquently. "Your cultivation of the Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization can strengthen your soul and enhance your Spiritual Power. Your cultivation of the Dragon Totem Body Coiling Art can strengthen your physique. However, these only improve you; they don't make your physique, soul, and spirit formidable!"

"To become formidable, you need explosive power. Visualize Suihuang of the Fire Epoch Palace while exploding!"

"This courtyard is too small and can't withstand such exertion. Go outside, to the cliffside. I'll tell you how to unleash your physique, soul, and Spiritual Power without reservation!"

Zhong Yue walked out of the courtyard and headed towards the Horse Watering Platform of the Upper Court of the Sword Gate. The Horse Watering Platform was a cliff face overlooking a lake where some exotic beasts came to drink.

Zhong Yue looked down and felt a bit dizzy. The cliff was incredibly steep, as if an unparalleled giant had cleaved it with an axe!

The canyon below was estimated to be thousands of feet deep, with wisps of clouds faintly visible.

"Good, this is an excellent spot."

The Kindling Child said, "To cultivate a formidable physique, soul, and spirit, you need to do as I say. Now, take three Feather Spirit Pills."

Zhong Yue obeyed and took three Feather Spirit Pills. Immediately, he felt a powerful medicinal force erupt, making his body, soul, and Spiritual Power feel intensely hot!

The medicinal power of one Feather Spirit Pill was already potent; how much more so with three taken together?

Too much of a good thing could be bad. If he couldn't digest the medicinal power of three Feather Spirit Pills, it would place an immense burden on his body, soul, and spirit, causing his cultivation to regress instead of advance, and even leaving hidden ailments!

"Now, jump!" Xin Huo said coldly.

"What?" Zhong Yue exclaimed.

"Jump!"

Xin Huo's voice seemed devoid of emotion. "After you jump, immediately visualize Suihuang of the Fire Epoch Palace. Between life and death, there is great terror, but also great potential. I want you to unleash your potential in that moment between life and death! When I give the order to unleash, you will unleash your physical strength, spirit, and soul with all your might, so that you don't get yourself killed by the fall!"

Cold sweat streamed down Zhong Yue's forehead. He looked down, and Xin Huo sneered, "What? You're scared? I suppose not. After all, you're not a pure-blooded Fuxi Divine Clan. It was right of me not to choose you as the Kindling inheritor. With you, you still want to defeat the Heavenly Phenomenon Mother?"

Zhong Yue leaped forward and jumped off the Horse Drinking Platform!

His body immediately lost control, plummeting down the cliff. His speed increased, and the whistling wind in his ears grew increasingly shrill.

At this moment, Zhong Yue felt an endless, overwhelming terror surge through him, consuming his mind!

His Sea of Consciousness also began to shake. The instant he leaped off the cliff, his Sea of Consciousness distorted. The sea formed by his Spiritual Power changed, transforming into all sorts of terrifying demons according to his will, harassing his soul and leaving him disoriented!

Inner Demons!

The great fear between life and death would manifest as Inner Demons in the Sea of Consciousness, plaguing oneself. This great fear would then turn into great terror.

"Visualize immediately!" Xin Huo shouted, his voice deafening.

Zhong Yue gritted his teeth until his gums bled, doing his utmost to stabilize his spirit and soul, suppressing the trembling in his body, and began to visualize!

Boom--

It was as if thunder exploded in his ears. Then, all sounds vanished, all senses disappeared. Only Suihuang, standing tall and mighty in his Sea of Consciousness, remained.

He did not visualize the Fire Epoch Palace or the Fire Tree. Instead, he focused solely on Suihuang, doing everything in his power to make Suihuang perfect!

As soon as this towering Heavenly Sovereign, this Heavenly Emperor, appeared, the Inner Demons in his Sea of Consciousness melted away like snow!