Awakening

Time lost all meaning deep beneath the earth.

Lin Ye was like a forgotten stone statue, merging into the very fabric of this subterranean cavern.

Su Muxue's Ice-Sealing Rejuvenation Technique had sealed a sliver of Lin Ye's vitality within his Stone Heart. Guided by the secret art, the ley line energy flowed into the true qi seed within his dantian.

His consciousness sank into boundless darkness.

He saw countless stars born, only to be silently extinguished; he saw a vast, boundless brown earth, harboring endless power and vitality.

The cold, deathly silence of the stars and the heavy, violent nature of the earth intertwined and fused deep within his consciousness.

As his consciousness was repeatedly torn apart by these two diametrically opposed forces, amidst the extreme pain and conflict, that dormant dark-gold seed slowly began to transform.

A delicate balance quietly took shape on the edge of destruction and rebirth.

"It's already been three days."

Chen Feng leaned against the cave wall, his eyes bloodshot. "Brother Lin is still the same."

"The effects of the Ice-Sealing Rejuvenation Technique are still holding, but his injuries are too severe; recovery takes time," Su Muxue said in a calm tone.

"We can't afford to wait." The disciple on watch suddenly whispered, "The ley line energy fluctuations outside are becoming increasingly chaotic, and I can hear the sound of a massive swarm of claws crawling."

A chill ran through everyone's hearts, and they immediately leaned in to listen.

"Prepare for battle."

"Chen Feng, take Lin Ye and retreat as far into the depths of the cave as you can. The three of us will block the entrance!"

"No! Senior Sister Su, your injuries haven't healed, and the two of us won't be able to hold them off."

"There is no choice!" Su Muxue cut him off. "We must buy time for Lin Ye! Go!"

Chen Feng did not hesitate; he picked up the ice-encrusted Lin Ye and retreated toward the depths of the cave.

"Clatter—!"

A sound like a rushing tide surged in from the fissure entrance!

Countless black shadows poured madly from the crack, instantly filling the entire cavern.

"It's the Gold-Devouring Iron Beetles."

"Kill!"

Without further ado, Su Muxue struck first. Her sword qi transformed into icy spikes, shooting into the swarm.

The shells of the Iron Beetles were exceptionally hard; her sword qi spikes could only force them back.

The others also brandished their weapons, blades and shadows flickering amidst the swarm.

Before long, all three had sustained several wounds, and their movements began to slow.

The Iron Beetles were extremely sensitive to energy fluctuations, and in an instant, they locked onto Lin Ye.

They bypassed the group's interception and surged toward the depths of the cave!

"Stop them!" Su Muxue shouted sharply.

Just then, Lin Ye's body trembled violently.

An invisible force field expanded from Lin Ye as the center, the surrounding air instantly solidified, and the swarming Gold-Devouring Iron Beetles froze in unison.

The pitch-black shells of those Iron Beetles rapidly turned dull and gray.

Even the active ley line energy seemed to become much more docile as it approached the edge of that force field.

"This is..." Chen Feng was dumbfounded.

"I see. The path he carved out in his desperate situation was always related to devouring. When faced with a threat, this instinct was fully triggered, combining with the ley line energy to form a prototype of a 'Devouring Domain'."

After a brief moment of panic and chaos, the insect swarm stopped trying to attack Lin Ye and shifted all their desire to kill toward the others.

"Hold on!" Su Muxue gritted her teeth.

The battle fell into a brutal stalemate.

Lin Ye could not see the slaughter outside, but he could feel many faint energies transforming into nutrients to nourish his true qi seed.

Not far from him, several faint points of light flickered like candle flames, yet they refused to be extinguished.

One of these "points of light" shared a strange connection with him, continuously transmitting energy imbued with vitality to help him maintain his balance.

"Su Muxue?"

The ice crystals covering Lin Ye's entire body emitted a faint, crisp sound.

"Crack... crack..."

The sound of shattering grew increasingly dense.

Su Muxue sliced a Gold-Devouring Iron Beetle that had lunged at her in two, then suddenly felt something and whipped her head toward Lin Ye, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise.

"Is he waking up?"

"Hum—"

A low, terrifying roar erupted from the depths of the earth!

"Pfft!"

Struck by this sudden soul-shaking impact, everyone spat out blood in unison, their faces turning as pale as paper.

Even the true qi within their bodies became chaotic and impossible to circulate.

The Gold-Devouring Iron Beetles that had been attacking frantically all stopped in their tracks.

All madness and greed faded away, leaving only extreme fear and submission.

They lowered their bodies one after another and retreated deep into the fissures.

"It has awakened..."

Su Muxue endured the intense pain and looked toward the exit of the fissure. A massive wave of malice was permeating from that darkness, shrouding the entire cavern.

"Oh no! The earth vein has been corrupted!" Su Muxue's expression changed drastically.

"Crack—"

The sound of shattering ice crystals intensified suddenly, and large swaths of ice crumbled away, revealing the body of Lin Ye.

Lin Ye's face showed signs of agony, and he appeared to be on the verge of being eroded by that will.

"Lin Ye! Guard your mind!"

"Boom!"

A terrifying power suddenly erupted from within Lin Ye's body!

Caught off guard, Su Muxue was blasted away by this force, stumbling back several steps.

"Roar—!"

Another terrifying roar, now close at hand, echoed from the darkness at the fissure's exit.

"It's over... it's here... we're all going to die..."

Su Muxue gritted her teeth, her hands moving rapidly to form seals before her chest as she chanted a spell.

She was burning her origin, preparing to unleash a secret technique to fight for a final glimmer of hope.

Lin Ye suddenly opened his eyes.

He slowly raised his right hand toward the churning darkness.

He made a "grasping" motion and gently clenched his fist.

"Hum—!"

The churning darkness collapsed inward as if a balloon had been pricked, and at its center appeared a "point" that devoured everything, swallowing the massive will contained within it!

"No—!!!"

A soul-shaking roar filled with disbelief erupted from the center of the collapsing darkness.

The darkness vanished completely.

Su Muxue's secret technique, which was burning her origin, was interrupted, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, her eyes fixed on Lin Ye in utter shock.

The others were like statues, their mouths agape.

What just happened?

That terrifying existence was just... gone?

How was that possible?

Lin Ye slowly lowered his right hand, his eyes returning to a state of calm.

He looked down at his palm, curling and uncurling his fingers, feeling the brand-new power within his body.

The dark-gold seed in his dantian was now covered in profound, mysterious patterns.

Inside the seed, an exceptionally stable energy structural framework had been constructed.

Had the core of this framework merged with his own will, becoming a "talent" he could initially control?

He raised his head and looked at the others, who were still in a state of extreme shock.

"Su Muxue, thank you."

Su Muxue snapped out of her shock and looked at Lin Ye, an inexplicable chill suddenly rising in her heart.

"Are you alright?" She suppressed the strange feeling in her heart.

"For now."

"This place is not suitable for staying long. The earth vein has been corrupted, and the commotion just now might have attracted other things. Furthermore..."

He paused, looking toward the exit of the fissure, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"That thing was only forced back."