86: As the protective aura rises again, resentment begins to arise.

At the bottom of the deep sea in the Azure Water Realm, the pressure was immense, and light could barely penetrate, leaving a realm of eternal deep blue and darkness.

However, at this moment, this place of dead silence was violently disturbed by the arrival of Lin Yang.

Like a meteorite, he pierced through layers of seawater and precisely located the world core hidden at the heart of the undersea mountain range—a light orb about the size of a baby, entirely azure, resembling a pulsing sapphire.

The extremely pure Origin power of the water element emanated from it, gentle yet boundless.

There was no need for words; the chaos star core was already restless.

Lin Yang reached out his right hand and pressed it directly onto the Azure Water Realm's core.

"Heaven Swallowing Art, refine!"

More skilled than he was in the Blazing Fire Realm, the devouring power of the chaos star core erupted with a roar!

The azure water-type Origin surged into Lin Yang's body like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, turbulent and powerful.

This time, the process was smoother.

After the baptism in the Blazing Fire Realm and consecutive battles, his Meridians were tougher, and the operation of the Star Moon Vein Nurturing Art and Clear Heart Art was more fluid and natural.

The massive water-type energy was rapidly refined and merged into the Chaos Gang Qi.

That gray-gold Protective Aura, which was originally slightly restless and carried the violent factors of the fire element, became more condensed and calm after being neutralized and nourished by the pure water-type Origin, its quality improving once again!

Its color also changed slightly, presenting a deeper, more restrained dark gold, with what seemed to be blue, glowing water light flowing within it.

Crack!

It felt as if another invisible barrier within his body had been broken through.

The barrier between the Early-stage Gang Qi Realm and the Mid-stage Gang Qi Realm was pierced through like bamboo under the impact of this massive amount of Origin!

Lin Yang's aura surged again, stabilizing at the Mid-stage Gang Qi Realm!

Furthermore, due to devouring two completely different Origins—water and fire—at the same time, his Chaos Gang Qi underwent a wondrous Fusion, combining hardness and softness, possessing both the explosive power of fire and the endurance of water, increasing its might to a higher level.

On the chaos star core within his Dantian, the crimson and azure patterns shone upon each other, becoming clearer and deeper.

He did not drain the world core's energy as he had in the Blazing Fire Realm; after devouring nearly half of the Origin and stabilizing his cultivation at the mid-stage, he stopped at an opportune moment.

The Azure Water Realm's core's light had dimmed significantly, but the core remained, and it had not collapsed.

On one hand, he did not want to excessively damage this realm; on the other hand, he sensed that if he continued to forcibly devour it, the faint world will contained within the remaining energy might launch a fierce counterattack, and the loss would outweigh the gain.

When he rushed out of the sea, the situation outside was already clear.

The starship hovered in the air, its secondary cannons glowing slightly, guarding the sea surface below.

Bai Wanqing and the other members of The Four Women stood at the bow of the ship, looking over with concern.

As for the people from the Misty Immortal Palace, they were gathered on a slightly damaged blue flying vessel, with Elder Mu sitting cross-legged at the bow, her face pale as she circulated her Qi to heal her injuries, her gaze toward the starship filled with resentment and unwillingness.

The rest of the Disciples were all injured, and their morale was low.

Seeing Lin Yang break through the water, his aura clearly having ascended to a higher level, the faces of the Misty Immortal Palace members became incredibly ugly, and fear uncontrollably emerged in their eyes.

Mu Yao stood alone in a corner of the flying vessel, head lowered, not daring to look at her mother or Lin Yang, her hands nervously twisting the corner of her clothes, appearing isolated and helpless.

Lin Yang swept his gaze over them and understood.

He flew back onto the starship.

"Are you alright?" Bai Wanqing stepped forward, and seeing his aura at Perfection, she felt relieved.

"A smooth Breakthrough." Lin Yang nodded, his gaze casting toward the Misty Immortal Palace flying vessel, lingering for a moment especially on Mu Yao.

Just then, Elder Mu forcibly suppressed her injuries and opened her eyes, her voice hoarse but filled with bone-deep hatred: "Lin Yang! The humiliation of today, my Misty Immortal Palace has noted it! One day, we will return it a hundredfold!"

She then turned her head abruptly, staring fixedly at Mu Yao, "And you, rebellious daughter! Betraying your own, after we return to the Palace, you will be dealt with according to Palace rules!"

Mu Yao's delicate body trembled, and she looked up, her eyes already brimming with tears, but she stubbornly bit her lip: "Daughter does not feel that I am wrong! It was Mother and the others who first..."

"Shut up!" Elder Mu interrupted sharply, obviously not wanting to listen any further, "Let's go!"

She forcibly urged the flying vessel, turning into a blue streak of light, and escaped into the sky in a rather wretched state, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

From beginning to end, she did not look at Mu Yao again, as if this daughter no longer existed.

Mu Yao watched the direction the flying vessel disappeared, and tears finally fell.

She knew that her actions today had completely angered her mother and might have even violated Palace rules; returning to the Misty Immortal Palace would certainly not lead to any good outcome for her.

A sense of grievance and bewilderment at being abandoned welled up in her heart.

Lin Yang saw all of this, and his heart stirred slightly.

He steered the starship, slowly flying in front of Mu Yao.

"You..." Mu Yao looked up, gazing at Lin Yang at the bow of the ship with teary eyes, her mood incredibly complex.

There was fear for the future, resentment toward her mother, and also curiosity about this mysterious and powerful young man before her, as well as a trace of... dependence that even she had not yet realized.

"Why did you help me?" Lin Yang asked, his voice calm.

Mu Yao wiped her tears and whispered: "I... I just felt it wasn't right. What Mother and the others did, it wasn't right. You... you are very powerful, but you don't seem like a bad person."

Her reasoning was simple, even somewhat naive, but it came from her heart.

Lin Yang was silent for a moment.

He could see that the young girl's thoughts were pure and not a disguise.

"You probably cannot go back to the Misty Immortal Palace," Lin Yang said indifferently, "Even if you go back, the outcome is unpredictable."

Mu Yao's face turned pale; how could she not know?

"If you have nowhere to go, you may temporarily follow us." Lin Yang extended an invitation.

This young girl had acted at a critical moment; although her ability was limited, it was a favor.

Furthermore, her status was special, and she might be useful in the future.

Of course, her own Aptitude and Heart-Nature were also worth saving.

Mu Yao looked up abruptly, surprise, hesitation, and struggle flashing in her eyes, finally turning into a trace of determination.

She looked at the direction her mother had departed, then looked at the mysterious starship before her and the unfathomable young man on the ship, and nodded forcefully: "Okay! I... I will go with you!"

Her figure leaped, and she landed lightly on the starship deck.

Bai Wanqing and Su Qingyue looked at each other and did not object.

The Chu Sisters curiously sized up this new, specially-identified companion.

The starship set sail again, leaving the Azure Water Realm.

On the ship, there was now one more young girl with a complex mood who had broken ties with her Sect.

And Lin Yang's team had added a new strength, as well as... a deeper entanglement with the Misty Immortal Palace.

Mu Yao gazed at the passing starlight outside the window, then secretly glanced at Lin Yang's back, her eyes becoming increasingly complex.

She knew that she had stepped onto a path of no return.