After leaving the secret realm, Lin Yue and Su Qingyan stood amid the Chaos Airflow, looking at the familiar scenery in the distance. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Though the trip through the secret realm had been fraught with danger, it had brought them rich rewards—Lin Yue had obtained a Metal Law Fragment and a Space Law Fragment containing Space Folding, while Su Qingyan had obtained a Fire Attribute Law Fragment and a Space Law Fragment containing Space Acceleration. They had also exchanged Chaos Ice Crystals and Innate Mysterious Iron Essence.
"See you in Rock Valley in three months." Su Qingyan looked at Lin Yue, her eyes shining with a competitive gleam. "I'll show you that my comprehension is no worse than yours."
Lin Yue smiled and nodded. "I look forward to it. I hope you'll surprise me."
Neither said anything more. They turned and headed in opposite directions. Watching Su Qingyan's retreating figure, Lin Yue thought, Su Qingyan really is talented. Having a rival like her might help me grow faster.
He didn't hesitate any longer and quickened his pace toward the cave where Pangu was. He was eager to tell Pangu about what he had gained during the trip, and he also wanted to benefit from Pangu's guidance as he comprehended the Space Law Fragment.
By the time he returned to the cave, night had fallen. Pangu was still seated beside the Innate Spirit Spring, meditating with his eyes closed, like a statue unchanged since time immemorial. Lin Yue approached quietly, afraid of disturbing him.
"Senior, I'm back," Lin Yue said softly.
Pangu slowly opened his eyes. His gaze swept over Lin Yue before finally settling on the Space Law Fragment in his hand. A trace of approval flickered in his eyes.
"You've gained quite a bit," Pangu said, his voice deep and resonant. "This Space Law Fragment contains the Chaos Origin and will greatly aid your cultivation. Study it well and strive to master the essence of the Law of Space as soon as you can."
Lin Yue nodded and briefly told Pangu about the trip, including how he had slain the Mysterious Iron Lizard, fought for the Space Law Fragment, and made an agreement with Su Qingyan.
Pangu listened in silence without interrupting. When Lin Yue mentioned their agreement to compete in three months, Pangu gave a slight nod. "Competition gives you motivation, and that's good for your growth. But remember, on the path of cultivation, you can't focus only on winning or losing in the moment. You must also pay attention to building a solid foundation."
Lin Yue's heart stirred. He understood that Pangu was reminding him not to rush for quick results because of the competition and neglect the strength of his foundation. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior. I'll remember."
"Mm." Pangu's gaze shifted to the Space Law Fragment in Lin Yue's hand. "The Law of Space Folding contained in this fragment has something in common with the Dao Rhyme Fragment you comprehended before. You can cultivate with the two together. You may find that it brings unexpected results."
Lin Yue's eyes lit up. He hadn't thought of that before. The Law of Stability in the Dao Rhyme Fragment might help him better control the fluctuations of Space Folding and avoid getting hurt by the law's backlash.
"I understand, Senior," Lin Yue said respectfully.
Pangu said nothing more and closed his eyes again, clearly leaving Lin Yue to cultivate on his own. Lin Yue didn't disturb him further. He went to sit cross-legged beside the Innate Spirit Spring and took out the Space Law Fragment and Dao Rhyme Fragment, placing them in front of him.
He took a deep breath and, following Pangu's advice, circulated his Chaos Energy as he sensed the aura of both fragments. He soon discovered that the fluctuations of the Space Law Fragment really did resonate with the Law of Stability in the Dao Rhyme Fragment. With the Law of Stability supporting it, the once obscure and difficult patterns of Space Folding became much clearer.
It really works! Lin Yue was overjoyed and focused even more intently on his comprehension.
Days passed. Lin Yue immersed himself in the world of the Law of Space, oblivious to everything around him. Following the steps of "sense—simulate—apply," he first simulated the process of Space Folding in his mind, memorizing every detail. Then he used a small amount of Chaos Energy to try to form "miniature spatial ripples" in his palm.
At first, his attempts failed again and again. Spatial energy was extremely violent, and the slightest mistake could make it run wild. Not only would he fail to form the ripples, but the backlash would also injure him, sending waves of pain through his palm. But he didn't give up. After every failure, he reviewed what he had learned and adjusted how he released the energy and the path along which he condensed it.
With the help of the Law of Stability in the Dao Rhyme Fragment, Lin Yue progressed faster and faster. On the morning of the seventh day, when the first ray of Chaos light shone through a crack in the cave, he finally managed to condense a faint spatial ripple in his palm.
The ripple swayed gently like a wave on the surface of water. It lasted only three breaths, but it marked his first step onto the path of the Law of Space. Lin Yue excitedly opened his eyes and looked at the ripple in his palm, his heart full of accomplishment.
"Not bad," Pangu's voice suddenly rang out. "You managed to condense a spatial ripple within seven days. Your comprehension is decent. But this is only the beginning. You still have a long way to go before you can truly master the Law of Space Folding."
Lin Yue quickly gathered himself and said respectfully, "Please guide me, Senior."
Pangu extended a fingertip and lightly tapped beside the spatial ripple in Lin Yue's palm. A stream of pale golden energy flowed into the ripple. The ripple, which had lasted only three breaths, immediately stabilized, and its duration extended to ten breaths.
"The core of the Law of Space is 'control,' not 'force,'" Pangu said slowly. "You focused too much on the energy output and overlooked your control over the fluctuations of the law. Remember: using the least energy to achieve the most precise control—that is the essence of the Law of Space."
Lin Yue suddenly understood. He really had made the mistake of rushing for quick results, only increasing his Chaos Energy output without taking the time to sense the fluctuations of the Law of Space. Following Pangu's advice, he adjusted how he channeled the energy and devoted more effort to sensing the law's fluctuations.
Sure enough, after adjusting his approach, he condensed spatial ripples faster, and they lasted longer and longer. By the tenth day, he could keep them stable for half an incense stick's time. He could even briefly hide a fragment of mysterious iron inside one.
Meanwhile, in her temporary cave abode, Su Qingyan was also diligently comprehending the Space Law Fragment. She discovered that the Law of Space Acceleration could combine with her Law of Time to create a "Spacetime Superposition" effect—using Space Acceleration to shorten the distance she needed to travel while using the Law of Time to slow her own perception, effectively increasing her reaction speed.
To better merge the two laws, Su Qingyan used the Chaos Ice Crystal Lin Yue had given her to temper the violent Flame Law and calm her mind. She tried to infuse the Law of Space Acceleration into her flames, making the trajectory of her fiery attacks harder to predict.
After ten days of effort, Su Qingyan successfully integrated the Law of Space Acceleration into the flame core in her dantian, and her cultivation advanced from "Mid-stage High-level Chaos" to "Late High-level Chaos." Her flame attacks were nearly twice as fast as before, and she could create "Space-Time Afterimages" within the flames, making it difficult for enemies to distinguish the true trajectory of her attacks.
Pangu's perception extended over a vast area. Sensing Su Qingyan's breakthrough, he nodded to himself. Though he didn't intervene directly, he left a faint trace of Chaos Aura near her cave abode to prevent other high-level beings from ambushing her. He knew that only by allowing Lin Yue and Su Qingyan to compete under fair conditions could he best bring out their potential.
Time passed quietly, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by. Lin Yue had grown increasingly proficient in the Law of Space Folding. He could now condense a layer of spatial ripples around his body. Though he couldn't become completely invisible, he could greatly weaken his own aura and make it harder for enemies to detect him.
Su Qingyan was no less impressive. She had fused the Law of Space Acceleration and the Law of Time even more perfectly. She could even perform a "Spacetime Jump" over short distances, instantly moving several dozen zhang away. This greatly improved her mobility.
They both knew that three months would pass in the blink of an eye. To gain the upper hand in the competition, they would have to work even harder. Neither slacked off for a moment. They devoted all their energy to cultivation as they awaited the competition three months later, which would decide who had first choice of the Law Fragments.
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