The Origin Connected

"Well--!"

The moment the medicine slid down his throat, Lin Xiao tensed up completely.

The pain wasn't from physical wounds, but from a dull ache that seemed to explode deep within his Soul Power's Origin, like red-hot hooks churning inside his internal organs. He gritted his teeth, veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat instantly soaked through his undershirt.

Lu Yuan placed his hand on his back, his Blue Silver Soul Power as steady as a mountain. "The medicinal power is protecting you. The pain is because you've hit the 'door'."

"Door?"

"The connection point between the Martial Soul Origin and the Soul Power cycle." Lu Yuan's voice was low, but every word was clear. "Your cultivation method has built walls around these 'doors,' leaving only a few gaps they specified. Now, tear down the walls, open the doors, and connect to our own path."

Lin Xiao understood.

He pressed his tongue against his palate, forcing his consciousness to focus. In his inner vision, three gray-black stubborn stones blocked his vital points, their surfaces covered with rough, branded patterns—all marks forcibly etched by his family's martial arts techniques.

The Soul Power threads he had condensed, as thin as spider silk, were trembling as they reached out towards one of them.

Touch.

Boom!

A sharp pain exploded, and his vision went black. A violent resistance came from the depths of his Martial Soul, as if a caged beast was roaring. Lin Xiao felt a sweet taste in his throat and turned his head to spit out a mouthful of dark red blood.

"Don't confront it head-on." Lu Yuan's command was cold and precise. "Deflect it three-tenths to the left, bypassing the most stubborn pattern on the front."

Lin Xiao did as instructed.

The Soul Power threads moved to the left, clinging to the edge of the stubborn rock. The pain lessened slightly, but the resistance of the Martial Soul was like a layer of sticky glue, wrapping around the threads, and every inch forward required tremendous effort.

Sweat trickled into the corners of his eyes, stinging them and making him squint.

Lu Yuan stared at the fluctuations of the illusory cat image in his palm. The dark purple mist churned violently, and the vertical pupils flickered uncertainly within. "Reduce the power by thirty percent. It's adapting."

The thread output slowed slightly. The resistant adhesive did indeed loosen for a moment.

"Now!" Lu Yuan quickened his pace, "Go around to the back! There's a natural crack there!"

Lin Xiao unleashed his Soul Power.

The silk thread, like a swimming fish, swiftly slipped through the crevice and circled around to the back of the stubborn rock. The texture changed—warm and smooth, with a faint pulsation.

This is the real "door".

"Apply it, don't rush to break it." Lu Yuan's Soul Power transmitted a gentle pushing force. "Use Natural Breathing Technique to feel its rhythm, and then... synchronize."

Lin Xiao closed his eyes, forcibly ignoring the pain throughout his body, and recalled the rhythm Qingzhu had taught him. Inhale, long and deep; exhale, gentle and slow. His consciousness sank into that warm and gentle place.

At first, it was chaotic. The barrier throbbed rapidly and urgently, filled with panic.

But gradually, I began to follow his rhythm.

One, two...

"Good." Lu Yuan's voice held a hint of approval. "The rhythm of the first 'door' has been captured. Now, 'brand' the ends of the Soul Power threads onto it, leaving a mark of the new path. Be steady, be precise."

Lin Xiao held his breath.

The silk threads gently touched the barrier, like the tip of a brush touching rice paper. He controlled his Soul Power and slowly "drawn" the circuit symbols designed by Lu Yuan —a mark representing the starting point of a brand new network.

In that instant, the stubborn rock in my heart trembled violently!

Click.

A faint cracking sound came from within. The gray-black shell cracked open with the first line, and a faint but clear aura of new life seeped out, instantly connecting with the newly imprinted mark.

It's done.

Lin Xiao felt a wave of relief wash over him, almost collapsing. He had spent nearly half an hour on just this one spot, leaving him with depleted Soul Power and utterly exhausted.

"We can't stop." Lu Yuan's hand pressed firmly, channeling a peaceful Soul Power. "The medicine's effects can only last for an hour. If we slow down now, there won't be enough time for the next two treatments."

"... I know." Lin Xiao took a breath, licking his dry lips with his tongue, tasting the blood and the saltiness of sweat.

He refocused his mind, and a second strand of his Soul Power split off, reaching towards his brow.

Even more troublesome.

This is the intersection of spiritual and Martial Soul perception. Not only is the "gate" blocked, but a large amount of stagnant and accumulated Soul Power residue is also lurking around it. As soon as the silk thread gets close, it's like sinking into Mire, making it impossible to move an inch.

Lu Yuan frowned.

The vertical pupils of the phantom cat in Lin Xiao's palm were somewhat unfocused, a sign of excessive mental exertion.

"The medicinal power of the Clear Heart Jade Marrow Lotus is slightly weaker for nourishing the area between the eyebrows," he quickly assessed. "We can't force our way through. Spread the threads out into a thin mist, and glide along the surface of the residue. Find an opening."

Lin Xiao did as instructed.

The threads of Soul Power struggled to disperse and spread, transforming into a thin purple mist. This operation required an absurdly high level of control; his temples throbbed, and his vision blurred.

But it works.

The mist clung to the edges of the debris, seeping forward little by little. Like mercury spilling onto the ground, it penetrated everywhere. Its speed was agonizingly slow, yet it avoided the most direct conflict.

Lu Yuan remained silent, focusing intently on sensing every change within his body, offering only the briefest corrections at crucial moments.

"There's a seam in the upper right corner."

"The residue in the lower left corner is moving; wait for it to pass."

"Wear!"

Time loses its meaning in intense focus. The only sounds in the cave are heavy breathing, the occasional scratching of charcoal pencils as they jot down notes, and the soft murmur of sand flowing through an hourglass.

When the warm barrier between his brows was finally touched and the mark was successfully made, Lin Xiao's second mouthful of blood surged into his throat. He forced it down, his mouth filled with the taste of rust.

Only one place remains: the dantian.

The largest and most stubborn one.

Lu Yuan glanced at the hourglass. Only a thin layer of sand remained at the bottom; at most, it would last for a quarter of an hour.

"The last place," he said hoarsely, "The dantian is the central hub of Soul Power, the 'gate' here is the thickest, and the imprint of the old techniques is the deepest. There's not enough time; we can't use clever tricks anymore."

Lin Xiao opened his eyes, his pupils were bloodshot, but his gaze was frighteningly bright.

"Then let's go for it."

"It's not about brute force," Lu Yuan shook his head. "It's about 'prying.' See that diagonal crack in the lower right corner of the 'door'? That's a weakness left by the internal conflict of the old technique. Condense your Soul Power into a cone, aim it at that spot, and while rotating it, 'drill' inwards, and at the same time 'pry' outwards."

He paused.

"This will hurt a lot. And once we start, we can't stop until we've pried it open, branded it, and connected it. The effects of the medicine are wearing off, and we don't have a second chance."

Lin Xiao laughed. The claw marks on his face looked somewhat ferocious as his muscles twitched.

"We've been waiting for this."

He took a deep breath, suppressing all discomfort and fatigue, and mobilized all his remaining Soul Power, condensing it into an extremely solid purple Soul Power cone in his dantian.

Align with the crack.

Drill!

"Ugh--!"

A suppressed roar of pain burst from his mouth. Lin Xiao's body convulsed violently, his back arched, and his hands dug into the cracks in the ground, his nails breaking and bleeding. The phantom of the Mind Cat in his palm let out a sharp hiss, and the dark purple mist churned wildly, almost breaking free.

Sweat beaded on Lu Yuan's forehead. The palm he placed on Lin Xiao's back shone brightly with Blue Silver light, his Soul Power being unleashed without reservation. He had to stabilize the other's heart meridian while guiding the Soul Power cone to precisely execute the "drilling and prying" maneuver.

Rotate, go deeper, feel the point of greatest resistance... then, exert force outwards!

Click, click...

A series of teeth-grinding cracking sounds rang out. The gray-black stubborn stone in the dantian trembled violently, and cracks spread across its surface like a spider Spiderweb. The imprints of the old cultivation method emitted a dim light, as if in a final struggle, before breaking apart inch by inch.

The last layer of warm, moist barrier is exposed.

"Brand it!" Lu Yuan shouted sternly.

Lin Xiao's consciousness was already somewhat blurred, and he was only holding on with a fierce determination. The Soul Power cone instantly dispersed, transforming into his last bit of spiritual power, and fiercely imprinted the final return route mark on the barrier.

The moment the mark was completed--

Boom!!!

The air inside the stone chamber froze for a moment, then was violently torn apart by an invisible force!

Lin Xiao's body trembled violently. An indescribable sense of freedom and surging power erupted from his heart, brow, and dantian, surging wildly along the newly constructed Soul Power network! All the stagnation, blockage, and accumulated residue were completely washed away and cleansed at this moment!

Unable to contain itself any longer, the shadowy phantom of the spirit cat rose from his palm, solidifying almost into a physical form! Its elegant, flowing lines, fur as deep as night, and amber vertical pupils gleaming with sharp light, exuded an innate arrogance and agility. It raised its head and let out a clear, long howl, the sound waves echoing in the stone chamber, causing the stone walls to shed dust.

Lin Xiao's Soul Power fluctuations surged!

The level 34 barrier crumbled at the slightest touch, the level 35 was crossed in an instant, and finally it came to a steady stop at --

Level 36!

Breaking through two levels in a row!

He opened his eyes, a purple light swirling within them, his vertical pupils clearly visible. His previous arrogance remained, but the restrained restlessness was gone, replaced by a calm and controlled sharpness.

Lu Yuan withdrew his hand, staggered back a step, and steadied himself by holding onto the stone platform. His face was pale, but his eyes shone with an uncontainable light.

It was a success.

Theoretical verification, path confirmation, and a leap in Soul Power —the most difficult part of the bet has been overcome.

However--

Before the echo of the spirit cat's long howl had faded, outside the stone chamber, the night sky of the valley seemed to be violently stirred by this sudden and undisguised powerful fluctuation of Soul Power!

The chilling, probing fluctuations that had been lingering in the distance suddenly became crystal clear! Immediately afterward, a sharp, urgent Soul Power signal, carrying a clear warning and summons, resembling a metallic whistle, pierced the silent night sky of Qingzhu Valley without warning!

It came from afar, yet its clarity was chilling.

The joy on Lu Yuan and Lin Xiao's faces froze instantly.

Outside the cave, in the herb garden, Qingzhu paused in his watering. He looked up in the direction from which the signal came, his gray eyebrows slowly furrowing.

Further out at the edge of the valley, Seventh Master Lin suddenly opened his eyes from his meditation, a fierce glint flashing in them, and his figure vanished from the spot.

Inside the stone cave, the surging Soul Power that had just completed its breakthrough was still surging, yet it seemed to have become the most dazzling torch in the dark night.

It's been exposed.