Mist Canyon (Part 2): Saint Realm!

Lin Qin's actions were undoubtedly dancing on the edge of a blade, and even more so, a total provocation to that Saint Realm elemental lifeform!

"ROAR!!"

The elemental lifeform let out a roar that shook the soul. It completely abandoned attacking the others, focusing all its rage and killing intent on Lin Qin. Its massive body erupted with astonishing speed, churning the entire lake of liquid Earth Element. A giant palm, composed entirely of highly compressed Earth-style laws, reached out toward Lin Qin like a shroud covering the sky! Wherever the giant palm passed, space itself twisted slightly, emitting a groan of unbearable strain.

"Stop it!" Herbert roared hoarsely, understanding that this was their only chance. He held nothing back; the tip of his staff erupted with blinding red light as a giant flame dragon, condensed entirely from the Tier 9 magic "Flame Dragon Break," roared toward the elemental lifeform's back. The other two mages also gave their all, unleashing their strongest restrictive spells. Countless giant rock arms erupted from the ground, attempting to seize the elemental lifeform's legs.

The five armored warriors also knew that life and death hung in the balance. They roared, linking their remaining Battle Qi together to form a massive Battle Qi war-axe, which they hacked fiercely at the elemental lifeform's side. The female archer fired arrows like a continuous string, each one aimed at the nodes where the elemental lifeform's energy flowed. Although they couldn't cause substantial damage, they provided a modicum of interference. Even the mysterious black-robed figure finally made a move. With a wave of his sleeve, a grey, corrosive energy beam reeking of decay struck the elemental lifeform's rock arm, actually causing its movements to falter for an instant!

The combined attacks of all the experts present finally had an effect! Although the Saint Realm elemental lifeform was powerful, it lacked high intelligence and, having been enraged by the familiar aura of laws on Lin Qin, had ignored the threat of the other "ants." While these attacks couldn't severely wound it, they had effectively hindered it for a split second!

That split second was all it took!

The yellow streak of light that Lin Qin had become had already reached the center of the lake, right before the pulsing, heart-like mass of yellow light! Up close, he could feel the terrifying energy contained within and the near-perfect rhythm of the Earth laws—this was the heaven-sent treasure, the "Earth Element Heart"!

Behind him, the terrifying palm of laws was already upon him. The destructive force made his bones creak and his skin begin to crack!

There was no time to hesitate!

A flash of resolve crossed Lin Qin's eyes. He abandoned all defense, spread his arms, and allowed the "Earth Element Heart," radiating endless temptation and danger, to merge into his chest!

"BOOM—!!!!!"

An indescribably vast, pure-to-the-extreme source of Earth energy erupted within Lin Qin like billions of volcanoes detonating at once! This energy was so vast and so violent that it instantly shattered his newly broken-through Tier 8 Battle Qi, tore through his meridians, pulverized his bones, and began to annihilate his flesh and soul!

Pain! Pain beyond the limits of endurance swept through every inch of Lin Qin's perception!

Had it been anyone else, even a peak Tier 9 warrior, they would have instantly exploded and died under the impact of this energy, their soul scattered to the winds!

But Lin Qin was different!

He possessed "Heaven Rewards Diligence"! The core effect of this talent—"Effort must be rewarded, no bottlenecks, no attenuation"—displayed its most heaven-defying aspect at this very moment!

That massive, violent energy, capable of destroying everything, encountered Lin Qin's incredibly resilient soul core and physical foundation as if it had found its final destination and furnace, being forcibly constrained, tamed, and transformed!

The billions of drops of sweat he had shed over countless days and nights, the billions of sword swings he had performed, the billions of times his magic power had been exhausted... all the "growth potential" and "foundational depth" accumulated through "effort" and settled in the deepest parts of his body and soul were ignited and detonated by the terrifying energy provided by the "Earth Element Heart"!

Quantitative change led to the final qualitative change!

"CRACK!"

It was as if some shackle existing between the essence of life and the laws of heaven and earth had been broken!

His destroyed physical body, under the infusion of endless Earth-style source energy, reorganized and was reborn at a speed visible to the naked eye! It became tougher and more perfect, every cell containing vast energy and an affinity for Earth-style laws!

His soul underwent rapid metamorphosis and sublimation under the scouring of the energy. His mental power surged at an unprecedented speed, his sensory range instantly covering the entire cavern and even extending outward! His comprehension of the mysteries of the "Earth Element" surged like a burst dam, rapidly advancing toward deeper realms!

Energy accumulation? Under the combined effect of the "Earth Element Heart" and "Heaven Rewards Diligence," this process, which would normally require a long time to accumulate, was shortened to an instant! The energy level of a Tier 8 warrior skyrocketed like a rocket, crossing Tier 9 and rushing directly toward the boundary between the mortal and the transcendent—the Saint Realm!

"HUM—!!!"

A vast, majestic Saint Realm aura, as thick and boundless as the earth itself, erupted from Lin Qin! This aura was pure and powerful, even faintly suppressing that of the Saint Realm elemental lifeform!

He was surrounded by tangible yellow light. Beneath his tattered clothes was a reborn Saint Realm body flowing with the radiance of laws! He hovered in mid-air, his eyes opening to reveal scenes of mountains, rivers, and the shifting of the earth!

Saint Realm! Through diligence, heaven is rewarded; today, it is finally achieved!

The descending palm of laws, upon contacting the Saint Realm force field naturally formed around Lin Qin, shattered inch by inch like melting snow, turning into the purest Earth Element and being absorbed by Lin Qin instead!

For the first time, a clear emotion called "fear" appeared in the scarlet eyes of the Saint Realm elemental lifeform! It felt a pressure from this newborn Saint Realm human that was of the same origin but higher and purer in its Earth laws!

Lin Qin slowly raised his hand; he didn't even need his broadsword. With a mere thought, the Earth Elements in the entire surrounding cavern obeyed his command!

"Suppress."

He uttered the word softly.

His word became law!

Countless chains condensed from Earth-style laws appeared out of thin air, instantly binding and imprisoning the massive Saint Realm elemental lifeform! The elemental lifeform struggled frantically and roared repeatedly, but it could not break free from these shackles containing a higher level of law power!

Lin Qin waved his hand again.

"Dissipate."

The imprisoned Saint Realm elemental lifeform's massive body began to collapse and disintegrate from the bottom up, returning to the purest liquid Earth Element and flowing back into the lake below. Its core consciousness let out a cry of unwillingness under that irresistible power of law before dissipating completely.

With a wave of his hand, he had suppressed and annihilated a Saint Realm elemental lifeform!

This was the power of the Saint Realm! This was the power of having initially mastered the mysteries of the laws!

Inside the cavern, there was dead silence.

Herbert, the three mages, the five armored warriors, the female archer, and even the mysterious black-robed figure all stood frozen in place, as if petrified, looking in disbelief at Lin Qin, who hovered in mid-air like the master of the earth.

Saint Realm... he actually... just broke through to the Saint Realm like that?! And he had so easily killed the Saint Realm elemental lifeform that had filled them with despair?

This was completely beyond their scope of understanding!

Lin Qin slowly descended from the air and stood on the shore of the lake. He felt the surging, seemingly endless Saint Realm Earth Battle Qi within him, as well as the soul power that had an incomparable affinity with the Earth Elements of the world. With a slight thought, the injuries he had sustained during the battle healed instantly, and his consumed power was replenished in an instant.

He looked at the stunned crowd on the shore. His gaze was calm, but the invisible pressure belonging to a Saint Realm expert made everyone feel their breath hitch, and they couldn't help but lower their heads, including the mysterious black-robed figure.

"The matter here is concluded," Lin Qin said, his voice peaceful yet carrying unquestionable majesty. "This Earth Element Heart is of great use for my breakthrough, so I shall take it. As for the remaining liquid Earth Element essence in this lake, you may collect it yourselves; consider it a reward for your assistance in pinning it down just now."

He did not monopolize all the benefits. At the Saint Realm level, although this liquid Earth Element essence was precious, it was of little use to him. It was better to leave it to these people to build a good relationship and save himself the trouble.

Upon hearing Lin Qin's words, the group was stunned for a moment, followed by wild joy! Although the most precious Earth Element Heart was gone, this entire lake of liquid Earth Element essence was also a priceless treasure! For those among them who had yet to break through to the Saint Realm, it was enough to boost their strength by a significant margin!

"Many thanks, my lord!" Herbert was the first to react, bowing respectfully. The others also bowed and offered their thanks, their tones filled with awe. In a world where strength was king, a Saint Realm powerhouse held absolute authority.

Lin Qin nodded, saying nothing more. He glanced at the cavern, particularly at the Earth Element lake that was gradually calming down. This trip to Mist Canyon had yielded results far exceeding his expectations. Not only had he broken through to the long-desired Saint Realm, but he had also directly comprehended the profound mystery of the Earth Element, stepping across the threshold of cultivation into the laws.

He knew it was time to leave. The Yulan Continent was vast, and the Saint Realm was merely a new starting point.

Ignoring the group as they frantically collected the elemental essence, he moved his body, merging into the earth as if he were a part of it, and vanished silently from the spot, leaving behind the valley that had changed his destiny.

Outside the canyon, sunlight pierced through the thinning mist. Lin Qin stood upon a mountain peak, looking back at the canyon still shrouded in fog, then turned and cast his gaze further north.

The O'Brien Empire was a place where martial arts flourished and powerhouses were as numerous as the clouds. That was his next destination.

He took a single step, his figure blurring, and when he reappeared, he was already miles away. In the Saint Realm, he was already capable of flight, but he preferred this feeling of having his feet firmly planted on the earth.