299: Initial formation of Hunyuan, late stage of King Wu

Three days and three nights.

Within the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion, time seemed to lose all meaning.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged before the Wordless Stone Tablet, cyan-gold brilliance circulating endlessly around his body. That brilliance would sometimes condense into a Taiji pattern and sometimes scatter like a sky full of starlight, profound and unpredictable.

The golden characters on the stone tablet had all entered his glabella, imprinted deep within his Soul. The complete Legacy of the lower scroll of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art was blending seamlessly with the upper scroll's True Essence in his body, merging into one.

This Fusion was not a simple addition, but a qualitative change.

The upper scroll emphasized 'Primordial Unity Qi'—transforming Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into the purest, most primal Hunyuan True Essence.

The lower scroll emphasized 'Dao Follows Nature'—allowing the Hunyuan True Essence to resonate with the Laws of Heaven and Earth, evolving into infinite wondrous uses.

When the upper and lower scrolls merged, Qin Feng truly understood the terrifying nature of this Cultivation Technique.

"Buzz—"

The True Essence in his body surged like the Yangtze River, and his cultivation level climbed at a visible rate.

The Bottleneck of the Peak Mid-stage Martial King was broken through at midnight on the first day.

The threshold of the Late Stage Martial King was easily crossed on the morning of the second day.

And now, at dusk on the third day, his cultivation had stabilized at the Late Stage Martial King, even steadily advancing toward the Peak!

More importantly, the True Essence in his body had undergone an essential change—

The original Hunyuan True Essence was pure, but it was ultimately just 'Qi'. Now, a kind of 'Intent' had been added to the True Essence—the supreme Concept of the Daoist 'Doing nothing, yet leaving nothing undone'.

The external manifestation of this Concept was the phantom image of the Taiji Diagram around his body.

"Taiji Primordial Chaos, Protective Aura..."

With a slight thought from Qin Feng, the Taiji Diagram rotated slowly, and an invisible force field expanded with him as the center. This force field seemed gentle, but it was actually incredibly tough, capable of deflecting, reflecting, and neutralizing force.

Although he had just reached the entry level, he could feel that even the attacks of an ordinary Peak Martial King would likely find it difficult to break through this Taiji Protective Aura!

"Phew..."

Exhaling a long breath of turbid air, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

A cyan-gold light flashed and vanished in his eyes. His entire temperament was more restrained, yet it possessed a more unfathomable charm.

With a thought, he pulled up the System panel.

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Age: 19 years old]

[Rank: Late Stage Martial King (Stabilized)]

[Talent: Sword Heart (Advanced · Perfect), Sword Bone (Advanced · Perfect)]

[Cultivation Technique: Daoist Primordial Chaos Art (Full Text · Initial Level), Primordial Unity Qi Art (Merged)]

[Martial Skill: Finger Sword Among Flowers (Earth Rank Advanced), Hundred Flowers Sword Technique (Earth Rank Advanced), Wind Spirit Illusion Steps (Earth Rank Advanced), Xuanyuan Dragon Slaying Art First Style 'Start-Hand Startling Waves' (Proficient)]

[Special: Sword Intent Embryo · Thunderfire (Minor Achievement), Tai Chi Primordial Chaos Body Protection Aura (Initial Level)]

[Equipment: ink plum sword (Reforged) Earth Rank High Grade]

[Armor: heavenly silkworm jade thread garment Sky Price Low Grade]

[Status: Peak, Abundant True Essence]

Looking at the new panel, a look of satisfaction flashed in Qin Feng's eyes.

But he knew the real changes were still below.

[Daily Intelligence Refreshed] (zi hour):

1. [Yellow Intelligence]: Cultivating the full text of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art to the initial level has doubled the total amount of True Essence in your body and increased the True Essence recovery speed by fifty percent. This means you can continuously perform more high-consumption Martial Skills, and your endurance in battle has been greatly enhanced.

2. [Green Intelligence]: The 'Endless Life' characteristic unique to Hunyuan True Essence has been activated, doubling the recovery speed of injuries. Combined with the treatment from Xiao Chun's Myriad Medicine Body, as long as it is not a fatal injury, you can recover in a short time. This is an important trump card for saving your life.

3. [Black Intelligence]: Scouts of Noble Consort Lin (Heavenly Demon Sect Saintess Shen Jiuming) have discovered that you left the Hundred Flowers Pavilion for the Ascending Cloud Temple and have been monitoring the vicinity for three days. Shen Jiuming has developed a strong interest in you and plans to find an opportunity to personally test you. Warning: Her test is no joke and is extremely dangerous. A slight mistake could expose all your trump cards or even lead to severe injury.

Seeing the third piece of black intelligence, Qin Feng's gaze turned cold.

"Hmph, this consort really does have designs on me."

A personal test from a Half-step Martial Saint... this pressure was too great.

With his current strength, even with the Tai Chi Primordial Chaos Body Protection Aura, it was absolutely impossible to fully contend with a Half-step Martial Saint. If the opponent got serious, they could probably severely injure him in a single move.

"I can't go head-to-head," Qin Feng quickly made a judgment, "I'll find an opportunity to slip away first."

He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff body.

He hadn't eaten or drunk for three days and nights, focusing entirely on comprehending the Cultivation Technique; his companions were likely worried.

"It's time to go out."

Qin Feng took one last look at the Wordless Stone Tablet. At this moment, the tablet had returned to its original state, its brilliance restrained, as if it were just an ordinary stone.

But he knew that part of Ancestral Master Cui Hu's Legacy was sealed within, and perhaps there would be an opportunity to further comprehend it in the future.

He turned and walked toward the stairs.

The light gate still existed; he stepped out and returned to the third floor.

Hurried footsteps came from downstairs as Abbot Yan Qi rushed over.

The moment he saw Qin Feng, the old Daoist's eyes lit up, his voice trembling with excitement: "Benefactor Qin... you, you succeeded?"

He could clearly feel that Qin Feng's aura was several times stronger than it had been three days ago! That unfathomable Dao charm was precisely the mark of the Ancestral Master's Legacy!

Qin Feng cupped his fists: "Thank you for the fulfillment, Abbot. This Junior was fortunate enough to obtain the Ancestral Master's Legacy."

"Good! Good! Good!" Yan Qi said 'good' three times, his eyes slightly red. "Three hundred years... the Ancestral Master's Legacy finally has a successor!"

He took a deep breath and said solemnly: "Benefactor Qin, the Ancestral Master left instructions back then—the one who obtains the Legacy must promise two things."

"Please speak."

"First, if you achieve success in your cultivation in the future, you must protect the Daoist lineage of the Ascending Cloud Temple from being extinguished."

"Second," Yan Qi looked deeply at Qin Feng, "you must take upholding justice as your responsibility, using the power in your hands to slay demons and protect all living beings."

Qin Feng said solemnly: "This Junior will keep it in mind. As the Old Ancestor commanded, on the day my Cultivation Technique reaches Major Achievement, I will surely uphold justice and help the Ascending Cloud Temple pass on the Great Dao."

This was not perfunctory. Since Ancestral Master Cui Hu had passed him such a precious Cultivation Technique, he naturally had to take on the corresponding responsibilities, and the tablet inscription had also clearly stated this; Yan Qi was merely emphasizing it.

Furthermore, he was already set on opposing demonic forces like the Yin Demon Sect and Heavenly Demon Sect, so this did not conflict with the Ancestral Master's instructions.

"Good! Good!" Yan Qi's eyes filled with old tears as he knelt on the ground and kowtowed toward the fourth floor. "Grandmaster, did you see? Your Legacy has not been broken!"

Qin Feng helped him up: "There is no need for this, Abbot. Since I have received the Legacy, I have formed a Karma with the Ascending Cloud Temple. If there is a need in the future, as long as it does not violate morality, I will certainly do my best."

Yan Qi wiped away his tears and took out an ancient jade pendant from his robe: "This was something the Ancestral Master carried with him back then, called the 'heart clearing pendant'. It has the effects of calming the mind, breaking through illusions, and assisting in cultivation. I give it to Benefactor Qin today as a small token of the Ascending Cloud Temple's gratitude."

Qin Feng took the jade pendant; it felt warm in his hand, and a cool aura indeed entered his body, making his mind even clearer.

"Thank you, Abbot."

The two talked for a while longer before Qin Feng took his leave.

It was already late at night when he walked out of the Scripture Pavilion.

Moonlight like water spilled over the ancient temple.

Qin Feng was in no hurry to return to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Instead, he activated the Wind Spirit Illusion Steps, silently leaping onto the temple wall and blending into the night.

Sure enough, on an ancient tree a hundred yards outside the Ascending Cloud Temple, he sensed an obscure aura.

Although the other party was well-hidden, Qin Feng's perception was keen now, and he still caught that trace of faint coldness—an aura unique to demonic Cultivation Techniques.

"Noble Consort Lin's scout..." Qin Feng's gaze was icy.

He did not alert the enemy but took a large detour, quietly leaving from another direction.

The threat of a Half-step Martial Saint was too great; now was not the time for a direct confrontation.

The priority was to consolidate his cultivation as soon as possible, improve his strength, and simultaneously find clues for the middle and lower parts of the Xuanyuan Dragon Slaying Art.

As for Noble Consort Lin... "I'll deal with you sooner or later." Qin Feng looked toward the imperial palace, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

But he knew that would have to be after he broke through to Martial Emperor or even mastered more trump cards.

In the night, Qin Feng's figure flitted like a ghost, quickly disappearing into the depths of the streets and alleys.

The scout on the ancient tree remained completely unaware, still staring at the main gate of the Ascending Cloud Temple.

He did not know that the target he was supposed to monitor had long since fled far away.

Even less did he know that from tonight on, the winds and clouds of the Imperial Capital would quietly change direction because of this young man's Breakthrough.