Cultivation chamber.
The stone door slowly closed, sealing off every sound from outside.
Lu Chen sat cross-legged atop a meditation cushion, his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing.
He did not immediately take out the Dragon Marrow Spirit Crystals, nor did he begin cultivating. He simply sat there in silence, replaying everything that had happened over the past two days in his mind again and again.
Emperor Xia's unfathomable gaze. Yun Qingyue's soft warning: "Be careful."
Xiao Jinghong's words before he was taken away: "Why do you think His Majesty wants to support you? Why do you think the Shadow Council has set its sights on you? Why do you think the Undead Monarch is determined to kill you?" Xu Polu's secret letter. The Shadow Council probing into the movements of the Demon Suppression Army. Ye Qingtian's challenge forty-nine days from now. And—that faint, ever-present scrutiny cast from the Western Wasteland.
He opened his eyes.
His gaze was tranquil, like an ancient well too deep to fathom, without the slightest ripple.
"Forty-nine days..." he murmured.
Enough.
He took out a cluster of Dragon Marrow Spirit Crystals from his Sumeru Ring.
In the dim spiritual glow of the cultivation chamber, the crystal cluster refracted a gentle yet profound pale golden radiance.
The crystal pillars stood tightly packed together like a blossoming golden lotus. Every single pillar contained essence enough to drive Supernatural Power cultivators mad.
This time, he took seven.
The seven pale-gold crystals were lined up before his knees. Faint golden light flowed across their surfaces, illuminating his calm face.
He raised a hand and grasped the first one. The crystal pillar felt warm and smooth in his palm. A subtle heat flowed up his arm and into his body, resonating with the dragon essence within him.
His cultivation