After keeping Great Immortal Yang Mei's warning in mind, Lin Yue devoted himself even more intently to cultivation. He tried to fuse the vitality of the Spiritual Root Fragment, the Law of Space, and Chaos Qi. Progress was slow at first; the three energies kept repelling one another. Only when he followed Pangu's earlier advice to "follow the patterns of the laws" and used the vitality of the Spiritual Root as a "binder" did the three gradually form a stable cycle. Chaos Qi provided the base energy, the Law of Space guided it, and the Spiritual Root's vitality repaired the meridians damaged during the fusion. His efficiency increased several times over.
One afternoon, Lin Yue was condensing a Space Barrier when he suddenly felt the Qi vortex in his dantian tremble. A moment later, the Chaos Airflow around him grew unusually active, as if responding to some kind of summons. He opened his eyes and saw Pangu standing not far away. The golden light around Pangu was denser than before, and a wisp of pure Chaos Origin Qi floated above his palm, slowly drifting toward Lin Yue.
"Senior, what is this?" Lin Yue hurriedly stood and accepted the wisp of Origin Qi. It felt warm in his hand, and was purer than any Chaos Qi he had absorbed before. The instant it touched the Qi vortex in his dantian, it triggered a violent resonance. The vortex changed from pale green to deep green, and its rotation speed doubled.
Pangu said nothing. He simply pointed at the Space Leaf in Lin Yue's hand, then toward the depths of chaos. Lin Yue immediately understood: Senior wanted him to use the Origin Qi to strengthen the Law of Space, so he could face the coming upheaval. He quickly sat cross-legged and slowly poured the Origin Qi into the Space Leaf. The leaf instantly blazed with dazzling green light, its surface patterns as clear as if carved in solid matter. Space energy surged out, forming a Space Barrier ten feet tall in front of him—more than ten times sturdier than before.
"That's incredible!" Lin Yue couldn't help exclaiming. He could feel that the Origin Qi had greatly improved his control over the Law of Space. He could even condense Space Blades on the barrier—tiny Spatial Rifts like blades that could easily slice through Chaos Rock.
Watching this, Pangu's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. He had lived for endless ages and seen countless Chaos Creatures cultivate, but he had never seen anyone like Lin Yue. Though Lin Yue lacked a Chaos Origin, he had mastered Chaos Qi, the Law of Space, and the Law of Life in a short time, then fused them perfectly. With the Origin Qi's aid, he had even broken through rapidly. Such comprehension and adaptability far surpassed the limits of Chaos Creatures.
"Remarkable," Pangu silently judged. At first, he had taken notice of Lin Yue only because the junior lacked the "bloodlust" of Chaos Creatures. His eyes were clear, unlike those of other beings, whose gazes brimmed with the urge to fight. But as they spent more time together, Pangu discovered that Lin Yue was not only strong-willed, but also possessed a rare "compatible" constitution that could accommodate laws of different attributes. Such a constitution was exceedingly rare in chaos. Perhaps... it could serve an unexpected purpose in the World Creation to come.
Lin Yue didn't notice what Pangu was thinking. He was immersed in the joy of his newfound strength. He tried cutting a hard chunk of Chaos Rock with a Space Blade. The blade flashed, and the rock split in two, its cut surface as smooth as a mirror. He also tried teleporting, and this time managed to move fifteen feet, while using half as much Chaos Qi as before.
"Thank you, Senior!" Lin Yue thanked Pangu excitedly, his eyes full of gratitude. If Senior hadn't repeatedly given him precious resources, he could never have progressed so quickly.
Pangu only gave a slight nod, then turned and walked back to the massive boulder, where he sat quietly again. As he watched Lin Yue bustling about, he pondered: Lin Yue's constitution was special. Perhaps he could withstand the energy impact of World Creation. But the process was too dangerous; even Pangu himself had no absolute confidence. Would this junior... survive?
Lin Yue gave it no further thought and continued honing the Law of Space, occasionally trying to condense Chaos Qi. With the help of the Origin Qi and the Spiritual Root Fragment, he could condense more Chaos Qi than before, and it now contained a trace of the Law of Space. Absorbing it also improved his control over the law, giving him an extra measure of protection.
During this time, he encountered several low-level Chaos Fierce Beasts, including the Earth-Splitting Lizard he had seen before. This time, he wasn't as helpless as he had been then. He dodged their attacks with Spatial Teleportation and countered with Space Blades, easily driving the beasts back. Each battle made him more proficient in using the Law of Space and steadily enriched his combat experience.
One evening, as Lin Yue was sorting the ores he had gathered, he suddenly heard Pangu speak. "Chaos Core. Seven days. Chaos."
Lin Yue froze for a moment, then understood that Senior was telling him exactly when the Demon Gods would gather. He quickly set down the ore and listened intently.
"Stay hidden." Pangu said only two words, but they carried an unquestionable authority.
Lin Yue nodded firmly. "This junior understands. I won't leave without permission."
Pangu said nothing more. He simply closed his eyes, and the golden light around him began to slowly contract, as if he were gathering strength. Watching Senior's back, Lin Yue felt a complex wave of emotion. He knew Senior would likely have to face the chaos of the Demon Gods' gathering, while Lin Yue was nowhere near strong enough to help. All he could do was hide somewhere safe and avoid causing Senior trouble.
He gripped the Space Leaf in his hand and silently vowed that no matter how chaotic things became outside seven days from now, he would keep calm and continue cultivating until Senior returned. At the same time, he had to grow stronger as quickly as possible, so he could one day fight alongside Senior instead of always hiding under his protection.
For the next seven days, Lin Yue cultivated almost without pause. He absorbed all the Origin Qi Pangu had given him, and the Qi vortex in his dantian stabilized completely at a deep green. His Spatial Perception expanded to twenty feet, he could condense three Space Blades at once, and his teleportation range reached twenty-four feet. He also gathered a large supply of Chaos Qi and ore to sustain himself through the seven days of turmoil, ensuring that he could continue cultivating somewhere safe.
At dawn on the seventh day, rumbles rolled from the depths of chaos, like thunderclaps. Even the massive boulder where Pangu sat trembled slightly. Following Senior's instructions, Lin Yue hid in a concealed cave behind the boulder. He sealed the entrance with a Space Barrier, leaving only a narrow crack through which he could watch what was happening outside.
He saw the golden light around Pangu flare, turning into a golden rainbow that vanished into the depths of chaos in an instant. Then came the Demon Gods' howls from afar, followed by the deafening clashes of laws. Chaos Qi churned violently, and black Spatial Rifts appeared everywhere. It was as if all of chaos were trembling.
Lin Yue clenched his fists, his palms slick with cold sweat. He knew Senior was fighting desperately up ahead, while he could only hide here, unable to do anything. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. This was no time to panic. Only by growing stronger as quickly as possible could he help ease Senior's burden in the days to come.
He sat cross-legged, took out a piece of Chaos Qi, and began absorbing its energy. Outside the cave, the battlefield raged; inside, Lin Yue's heart was exceptionally calm. Every breath carried his longing for strength, and with every absorption of energy came hope for the future. He knew this turmoil was only the beginning, and his path of cultivation still stretched far, far ahead.
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