The journey to the Fallen Sect of Tranquility was a masterclass in stealth, courtesy of Yin Xiu. The Shadow Thief's knowledge of concealed paths and illusionary arts was unparalleled. They moved through the high mountains and valleys, constantly avoiding patrols of the Violet Flame Dynasty, which were actively searching for the pair that had humiliated Commander Luo Han.
Lin Feng spent the transit time attempting to stabilize his nascent Origin Domain. He realized that while Xia Qingwu's Fire Qi provided immediate stability, the true key to control was intellectual comprehension—something the Essence of Transcendent Insight promised.
"You are forcing the space," Yin Xiu remarked one night, observing Lin Feng's frustrated attempts to channel the Void Cutter Finger silently. She was wrapped in her silver fox form, resting near a small, contained fire Xia Qingwu maintained. "The Origin Domain should be an extension of your thought, not a physical weapon. Too much muscle, not enough finesse. You rely on power, like the Dynasty."
Lin Feng bristled at the comparison, but he knew she was right. His aggressive, rapid cultivation path had left him weak in mastery.
"She has a point, Feng," Xia Qingwu conceded, stirring a medicinal broth. "The Fire Laws of my Domain are stable because they reflect my passion. Your Void reflects the chaos of the breakthrough. You need insight, not strength."
They reached the Archive, nestled in a remote, mist-shrouded valley that radiated a palpable sense of historical decline. The air was thick with ancient, stagnant Qi, and the very structure seemed to be dissolving back into the earth.
Yin Xiu took point, her silver eyes scanning the perimeter. "The main entrance is protected by a powerful Illusory Formation. It won't harm us, but it will lead us in circles for weeks. I can bypass the illusion, but the true danger is deep inside."
She led them through a barely visible fissure in the ancient wall, and the world immediately shifted. They were inside a vast, silent library. Scrolls lined endless shelves, yet every scroll was covered in centuries of dust, and the silence was unnerving.
"The Sect of Tranquility valued meditation and formation mastery," Yin Xiu explained softly. "Their true treasure isn't guarded by beasts, but by the memories of their fallen masters."
As they moved deeper, Lin Feng suddenly halted. He sensed a profound displacement in space, not chaotic like his power, but perfectly ordered and rigid—a residual Spatial Lock left by a master far exceeding the Origin King realm.
"An Origin King cannot step here," Lin Feng whispered, pointing to a spot on the floor that appeared normal. "The space here is collapsed. It would shear a body into pieces."
"A protective layer," Yin Xiu nodded. "The Archive's master was clearly powerful. We must be very precise. The Essence is in the central repository, ten layers down."
As Yin Xiu began expertly dismantling the first layer of simple traps—small, intricate illusionary arrays designed to confuse—Lin Feng felt a flicker of energy that made his heart ache.
"Qingwu, do you feel that?"
Xia Qingwu concentrated, and her face tightened. "It's… the imprint of a Divine Soul. Faint, and heavily restricted. The energy signature is cold."
Lin Feng recognized the signature instantly. It was the icy, elegant resonance of the Ice Spirit Physique—the very same type of energy Su Wanying wielded.
"The Sect of Tranquility had ties to the ancient Ice Spirit Clans," Lin Feng deduced, his voice hushed. "This isn't just an archive. This is where Wanying's clan might have hidden their secrets."
This realization injected a new urgency into the mission. The Essence of Transcendent Insight was not only necessary for his own survival, but might also hold the key to understanding his beloved's power and potential vulnerabilities before he faced the Dynasty.
Yin Xiu finally bypassed the first array, revealing a secret passage. But as they stepped inside, a new, far more dangerous formation activated.
It was a Phantom Manifestation Array. A figure solidified directly in their path—a spectral, semi-transparent projection of a Peak Origin King master from the Sect of Tranquility's past, wielding a heavy, shimmering staff.
"Intruders. This knowledge is not meant for outsiders," the phantom master boomed, his voice echoing with ancient authority.
The core conflict was revealed: they had to fight a high-level master, but not a physical one. This was a mental and spiritual test.
"I will handle the spiritual assault!" Yin Xiu declared, transforming partially back into her silver fox form, her illusions ready.
"No, wait," Lin Feng said, stepping forward. He had to stabilize his Domain now. "This is a formation manifestation. It is rigid, based on rules. If I can perceive the spatial rules of his attack, I can break the projection."
The phantom master raised his staff, gathering terrifying, stable Origin Qi. The Qi was so firm and complete that it pressed against Lin Feng's unstable Domain like a fist against glass.
Lin Feng closed his eyes and summoned the image of Mu Qingxue in his mind—the memory of her icy command and the chaotic refinement they shared. He needed that cold, detached clarity.
He opened his eyes and activated his Void Domain. Instead of attacking, he allowed the phantom master's attack to approach, analyzing the spatial coordinates of every movement.
The attack, a massive, spiritual wave, seemed to move slowly in his perception.
"Now, Qingwu! Disrupt the stability!"
Xia Qingwu understood instantly. She channeled her fire, not at the master, but at the edges of Lin Feng's Void Domain, causing a minute, controlled spatial turbulence.
The turbulence was just enough. Lin Feng found the perfect, infinitesimal weak point in the master's rigid spiritual projection—the exact spatial coordinate where the manifestation formed.
Void Cutter Finger!
The resulting spatial tear was tiny but surgically precise. It didn't destroy the projection, but instantly broke the connection between the spiritual master and the formation's core.
The phantom master flickered violently and vanished, the silence returning instantly.
Lin Feng staggered, clutching his head. He had won, but the complexity of the Origin King realm was crushing. He realized that the six-month deadline was simply the beginning of a lifetime of struggle.
"We have to be faster," Lin Feng urged, pulling himself together. "The next formation will be even stronger. Yin Xiu, lead the way. We need that Essence now."
Yin Xiu looked at Lin Feng with a new respect. He was arrogant, but his spatial sense was truly unique. "Follow my shadow, Origin King. But remember, the deeper we go, the more dangerous the memories become."