Lin Yuan's words, "Do you dare to fight for this slim chance with your master?" still swirled in the night wind, carrying a desperate fervor that struck Feng Qinghuang's heart.
Three months, the tribulation period?
Absurd! Utterly ridiculous!
On Feng Qinghuang's exquisite face, astonishment, doubt, and even a hint of absurdity—"Could it be that Master has suffered a cultivation mishap?"—swirled and shifted. As an empress in her previous life, she knew better than anyone the arduousness of the cultivation path. From the mid-stage of the Breaking Illusion Realm to the Tribulation Transcending Realm, there lay a vast chasm between the late and peak stages, a gap that ordinary geniuses might not be able to cross even after decades or centuries. Let alone her shattered foundation and incomplete soul! Three months? Unless the rules of the Great Dao were rewritten!
However, the almost fanatical confidence on Lin Yuan's face didn't seem fake. Pointing to the smoothly functioning Star Spirit Guiding Array and waving the priceless Star Origin Pill, he confidently declared he would introduce her to the essential introductory techniques of the *Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue*...
Where does this Qi Refining Realm master get his confidence from? For the first time, Feng Qinghuang's usually cold eyes were tinged with confusion. This feeling... was quite novel.
"Master," she spoke slowly, her voice still cold, but with a hint of barely perceptible inquiry, "to undergo tribulation in three months, this is defying the heavens. Master... what is your reliance?" She didn't directly question him, but instead asked about his "reliance," already giving this "audacious" master enough face.
Lin Yuan felt a sense of relief. There was hope! He wasn't afraid of questions, just of you turning away! He puffed out his not-so-broad chest, trying to project an image of "unfathomable mystery," but inside he was panicking. His biggest reliance? It was the system! But could he say that?
"Ahem," Lin Yuan coughed lightly, concealing his guilty conscience, and pointed again at the Starry Sky Spirit-Guiding Array and the jade bottle, "Relying on? This array, this pill, are the foundation! More importantly..." He deliberately dragged out his words, looking intently at Feng Qinghuang, "My confidence in you! And my unique 'guiding' method!"
A unique method of guiding? Feng Qinghuang's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
"The first step," Lin Yuan waved his hand, exuding an air of authority, "is to take the pill! Right in the center of this spirit-guiding array! Let the power of the stellar origin awaken the dormant starlight within you!" He imitated the demeanor of a master from a fantasy drama he had watched in his previous life, trying his best to make his words sound reasonable.
Feng Qinghuang glanced at the jade bottle in her hand, then at the spot in the center of the stone platform where the spiritual energy and star power were most concentrated. "Very well," she thought, "this Star Origin Pill is indeed beneficial to me; consider it a first step in testing the waters." Without further hesitation, she moved gracefully to the core of the formation and sat cross-legged. Her moonlit long dress billowed out, reflecting the flowing pale silver starlight, creating a dreamlike and enchanting scene.
She uncorked the bottle, and a pure, vast, and soothing stellar aura instantly filled the air. She poured out a pill as blue as a galaxy and swallowed it without hesitation.
The elixir melted instantly upon entering her mouth, transforming into a warm, powerful yet exceptionally gentle torrent of starlight that surged into her limbs and bones in an instant! This power was incomparably pure, carrying the aura of nourishing all things and repairing their origins, gently caressing the hideous cracks on her Dao foundation and nourishing the dim and shattered fragments of her divine soul in her sea of consciousness!
"Mmm..." A barely audible groan, filled with an unbelievable sense of comfort, escaped from Feng Qinghuang's lips uncontrollably. Like rain after a long drought! It felt as if a desert parched for millennia had finally received a gentle shower of stars! The shattered Dao Foundation greedily absorbed this primordial power. Although the cracks remained deep, the wisps of ominous black energy at the edges seemed to have been purified and dispelled! The fragments of her divine soul, like dust-covered stars being wiped clean, emitted a faint yet real light!
It worked! And the effect was even better than she had expected! Feng Qinghuang was shocked and immediately focused her mind, guiding this precious primordial power to repair herself. A faint, pure azure starlight began to emanate from her body, and she seemed to transform into a miniature star, faintly echoing the stars in the night sky under the blessing of the spirit-guiding array.
Success! Lin Yuan was overjoyed at the sight! The Star Origin Pill was indeed powerful! He immediately focused his mind and activated the Eye of Insight to lock onto Feng Qinghuang's condition.
Within the vision of the [Eye of Insight], Feng Qinghuang's body was no longer a shocking display of cracks and fragments, but rather a dynamic "star puzzle"! The vast stellar primordial energy transformed into countless tiny azure star points, like diligent worker ants. Some surged towards the cracks in her Dao foundation, striving to fill and glue them, dispelling the black energy representing the erosion of laws; others merged into her sea of consciousness, attaching themselves to the fragments of her divine soul, acting as gentle adhesives and polishing agents, gradually brightening and stabilizing the light of the fragments, even attempting to bring some extremely tiny fragments closer together!
Although the progress is as slow as a snail's pace, repairing only a fraction of the damage, it is indeed a repair that is visible to the naked eye! It is the first truly positive change in thousands of years!
Lin Yuan was so excited he almost jumped up! This [Eye of Insight] was simply a divine aid! Not only could it show the status, but it could also show the "construction progress"!
Just then, the flow of the Star Origin Pill Power within Feng Qinghuang's body seemed to encounter an extremely minor obstruction, its circulation becoming slightly sluggish at a very remote meridian node. This problem was so minor that, given Feng Qinghuang's cultivation level and experience, she would naturally be able to adjust and clear it later; it was practically negligible.
But at this moment, Lin Yuan, who was being seen clearly by the [Eye of Insight], seemed to have discovered a new continent!
"Now!" Lin Yuan had a sudden inspiration, remembering the [Enlightenment Starlight] reward from the system! A one-hour state of deep enlightenment! Wouldn't it be twice as effective with half the effort if used at a critical point in the repair?
He immediately selected the soft, nebula-like [Enlightenment Starlight] in the system space and used it on Feng Qinghuang without hesitation!
"Ding! [Enlightenment Star Radiance] has taken effect on the target 'Phoenix Phoenix'! Duration: One hour!"
Buzz—!
There were no earth-shattering phenomena. But Feng Qinghuang, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the formation, suddenly trembled!
Her consciousness seemed to be instantly elevated, detached from her body, and entered an incomparably profound realm! The light of the surrounding star-guiding array became incredibly clear, and every flowing star trajectory contained profound truths! The trajectory of the stellar origin pill power within her body was even more clearly visible! The tiny obstruction point from before was now magnified infinitely in her "eyes," and its formation cause, the subtle meridian pathways involved, and its connection with the surrounding stellar power... all the mysteries were presented to her "before her" with unfurled clarity, like an unfolded scroll!
Moreover, she suddenly understood seven or eight parts of the previously obscure and difficult-to-understand texts in the introductory chapter of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue" about how to draw upon star power to temper oneself and nourish one's Dao foundation, as if she had been enlightened! Many things that she previously knew but did not understand before suddenly became clear!
This...this is enlightenment?! And it's an enlightenment state of unimaginable depth!
Feng Qinghuang's heart was filled with shock! This state was extremely rare! She immediately abandoned all distracting thoughts, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and focused all her energy on circulating her cultivation technique!
Under her guidance, the stellar primordial energy within her body seemed to be infused with spirituality, precisely and efficiently sifting through that tiny obstruction point and instantly clearing it! The flow rate of the primordial energy suddenly increased by 30%, and the repair efficiency skyrocketed! Furthermore, a portion of the pure stellar energy was actively drawn by the technique, beginning to attempt to "weave" extremely slowly toward the edge of the Dao Foundation crack, as if performing the most delicate "stellar energy mending"!
Through his Eye of Insight, Lin Yuan clearly "saw" the process of the blockage being cleared, the acceleration of the flow of Dan Qi, and even the faint yet firm rudimentary form of "Star Qi patching"! He clenched his fist in excitement!
"It's done! I'm a genius!" Lin Yuan roared inwardly, a huge sense of accomplishment and joy welling up inside him! Although he only provided pills and "skill points", in a sense, this breakthrough was due to his excellent guidance as a "rookie master"!
He couldn't help but pace back and forth on the stone slab, a smug smile on his face, even humming a tuneless little tune: "We common folk are truly happy today..."
An hour passed quickly amidst Feng Qinghuang's deep contemplation and Lin Yuan's "supervisory" pacing and humming.
When the effect of [Enlightenment Star Radiance] disappeared, Feng Qinghuang slowly opened her eyes.
Those clear, cold eyes now seemed to have been washed by the Milky Way, becoming even deeper and brighter, with a hint of gentle warmth. She sensed her internal condition; although the damage to her Dao foundation and soul was still severe, the repair effects of the past hour were almost equivalent to several years of arduous cultivation! Especially her understanding of the *Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue* (a Daoist cultivation technique) had advanced by leaps and bounds!
She glanced at Lin Yuan, who was trying hard to maintain a stern face and regain his "masterly dignity," but the barely suppressed smile on his lips betrayed his true feelings.
"Master..." Feng Qinghuang's voice rang out, less cold and more... indescribably complex, even carrying a hint of... warmth? "Disciple... has fortunately fulfilled his mission, has initially stabilized the medicinal effects, and has also gained some insights into the 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue'."
She paused, looking at Lin Yuan's forcedly serious face, and added, "Master's 'guiding' method... is miraculous."
boom!
Lin Yuan felt an immense sense of satisfaction and joy surge to the top of his head! He had been praised by the reincarnation of the Empress! Although it might just be a polite gesture, the feeling... was amazing! Even better than winning the lottery in his previous life!
"Ahem," Lin Yuan cleared his throat, trying to suppress the urge to smile, and put his hands behind his back, adopting the air of a seasoned expert. "Hmm, not bad, you're teachable. This is just the beginning. The path to the stars is vast and boundless; one must not become complacent because of temporary gains."
"This disciple will remember." Feng Qinghuang nodded slightly, her attitude noticeably more respectful than before.
Just then—
"Ding! First disciple 'Phoenix Soaring Phoenix' has initially absorbed the Star Origin Pill, repair progress +0.01%, comprehension of the introductory chapter of the 'Zhou Tian Star Technique' has increased to 15%!"
"Based on the host's effective guidance, a hidden reward has been triggered: 1 box of [Starry Snacks] (containing trace amounts of star essence, which can slowly nourish the soul; with a sweet and delicious taste)!"
Lin Yuan was taken aback. Snacks as a reward? This system... is a bit cheeky! But... sweet and delicious? Sounds good!
With a thought, a palm-sized jade box, engraved with adorable star patterns, appeared in his hand. Opening the lid, he found a dozen or so translucent, bouncy, pale blue cubes that emitted a faint starlight and a sweet fragrance.
"Ahem," Lin Yuan took out one and handed it to Feng Qinghuang, trying to make his voice sound casual, "The path of cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation. This is something I made in my spare time... uh, Star Fruit preserves. The taste is alright, and it has a slight nourishing effect. Take it as a snack."
Looking at the bouncy, cute little cube that exuded an enticing sweet fragrance, and then at Lin Yuan's face, which was trying hard to maintain a serious expression, Feng Qinghuang saw for the first time a clear trace of emotion called "astonishment" and "strangeness" flash in her cold eyes.
Zero...snacks? Snacks for the Empress?
This master's way of doing things is truly...unpredictable.
She hesitated for a moment, then reached out her slender hand and accepted the "Starry Fruit." The chewy texture and sweet aroma that touched her fingertips stirred a faint ripple in her heart, which had been frozen for thousands of years. She gently put it in her mouth, and a sweet, cool taste with a hint of starlight instantly melted on her tongue, gently nourishing her soul and bringing a strange sense of comfort.
The taste... is indeed quite good.
Watching Feng Qinghuang nibble on the "Starry Night Fruit," Lin Yuan felt a surge of joy, as if even the lines of her exquisite profile had softened. He happily popped one into his own mouth; mmm, sweet and cool, truly delicious!
On the starlit stone platform, loneliness and coldness were no longer present. A novice master at the Qi Refining Realm, an empress disciple still recovering from serious injuries, one striking a pose with hands behind his back, and the other quietly savoring strange "star snacks"—the atmosphere strangely exuded a sense of... ease and harmony.
In the distance, Zhao Kun, whose right hand had been crippled, was kneeling before a gloomy-faced young man in brocade robes (Zhao Hao), weeping and pleading. Zhao Hao gazed towards Starfall Peak, his eyes as sinister as a venomous snake.
"Lin Yuan... Feng Qinghuang... Xingyun Peak..." A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. "Good, very good. This game has only just begun. I hope you... can play it for a long time."
The master and disciple atop Starfall Peak were completely unaware of this. Lin Yuan was immersed in the joy of "effective teaching" and "the delicious taste of snacks," while Feng Qinghuang was pondering the refining method of this "Star Fruit Preserves," and how many secrets her unconventional yet seemingly always "unexpectedly surprising" master was still hiding.