285: Chapter 292 Sleep

Lu Yang's sleep was no ordinary faint, but a deep self-repair that reached into his marrow and Divine Soul. For the first three days, he felt as if he were in a deathly silent, gray space. This was his Sea of Consciousness, which now resembled a parched and cracked wasteland, with fissures crisscrossing everywhere, each one exuding a lifeless, gray rot. The "heart-blood crystal" he had exhausted himself to refine had not only drained his Spiritual Qi but had also depleted his Divine Soul Origin. Even the thought of maintaining basic consciousness felt like a luxury; he could only let his awareness drift in the boundless darkness, threatening to dissipate completely at any moment.

Just as Lu Yang's consciousness was about to sink entirely into the darkness, the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art, which had long been dormant in his body, suddenly began to operate on its own. He had obtained this Cultivation Technique during an ancient ruin exploration; although it was a Dual Cultivation Technique, its core Profound Truth was "the mutual aid of Yin and Yang, the rotation of life and death." The last time he was heavily injured in a Secret Realm, this technique had automatically protected its master, absorbing the Pure Yin Qi of a passing female Cultivator to barely save his life. Now, as Lu Yang's vitality dropped to the freezing point, this overbearing technique awakened once more.

"Boom—"

Within Lu Yang's Meridians, a sudden roar like the surging tide echoed, as if a slumbering Dragon had let out its first low growl. A warm current, as gentle as jade yet possessing a hint of overbearing power, surged from the depths of Lu Yang's Dantian. This power did not appear out of thin air; rather, the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art had sensed the stray Spiritual Qi in the surrounding Heaven and Earth and forcibly drawn it into his body, acting like an invisible bridge between the world and himself.

Xiao Qingqing stood by the bedside, watching Lu Yang's deathly pale face with deep concern; even his fingertips were tinged with an abnormal greenish-gray. Suddenly, she was surprised to find that the Spirit Stones around the secret room, originally intended only to stabilize the Formation, were turning gray and shriveled at a speed visible to the naked eye, before shattering into powder with a "crack." The dense Spiritual Qi was instantly sucked dry, making even the air feel somewhat thin.

"This is..."

Xiao Qingqing's eyes widened, looking at the scene before her in disbelief.

Lu Yang's Physical Body seemed to have turned into a bottomless pit, as the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within a hundred-zhang radius converged toward him like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. This Spiritual Qi did not need a Cultivator to guide it as it usually did; instead, it directly penetrated his pores, even ignoring the barrier of his clothing, to surge frantically into his limbs and bones. A faint layer of greenish-black appeared on the surface of Lu Yang's skin—a sign that the stagnant dead blood and Impurities within his body were being forcibly expelled.

Xiao Qingqing could clearly perceive that the Meridians within Lu Yang's body were undergoing a reshaping process of "destruction before creation." Those Meridians, which had become fragile and riddled with cracks due to the overextension of his life force, began to welcome the spring flood under the washing of this gentle Spiritual Qi. Everywhere that warm current passed, it not only filled the cracks but also tempered the walls of the Meridians to be tougher and broader, faintly shimmering with a jade-like luster.

What Xiao Qingqing found even more incredible was the change in Lu Yang's flesh and blood. The cells that had died due to the overextension of his life force were now regaining vitality under the nourishment of the Dragon Qi. On the surface of Lu Yang's skin, a faint phantom of golden Dragon scales emerged; this was the "Dragon" Profound Truth within the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art repairing his Physical Body. Every inch of muscle trembled and reorganized slightly, as the once loose muscle fibers became as tight as steel wires, filled with explosive power.

By the fifth day, Lu Yang's breathing had finally become long and powerful, with every inhalation and exhalation seemingly resonating with the pulse of Heaven and Earth. The Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art within him was running at its limit, forming a small but high-speed Spiritual Qi vortex around him, devouring all the surrounding Spiritual Qi.

Xiao Qingqing watched this scene with both shock and joy. She could feel that although Lu Yang's aura was still weak, compared to the candle flame that could have been extinguished at any moment three days ago, he was now like a volcano accumulating strength, containing an astonishing amount of energy that could erupt at any time.

"Brother Lu, just how many secrets do you have..." Xiao Qingqing murmured softly, a flash of complex emotion in her eyes—both worry for Lu Yang's safety and amazement at the various fortuitous encounters he possessed.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

As the speed at which Lu Yang absorbed Spiritual Qi increased, the concentration of Spiritual Qi within the secret room could no longer satisfy the nearly greedy demands of the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art. That overbearing suction actually penetrated the secret room's Formation and acted directly upon Xiao Qingqing, who was guarding him by his side.

Xiao Qingqing felt a warm current within her body surge uncontrollably toward Lu Yang. This was the Pure Yin Wood Spiritual Qi she had condensed by cultivating the Green Wood Longevity Art; it was gentle and full of life, exactly the nourishment Lu Yang needed most right now.

"Not good!" Xiao Qingqing's expression changed. She wanted to retreat, only to find that her hand had been grasped by Lu Yang at some unknown point. Although Lu Yang's palm was weak, the suction from the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art was like the irresistible momentum of the world, as if it wanted to uproot the Spiritual Qi within her body.

"Don't... don't resist..." Although Lu Yang had not awakened, his subconscious seemed to have sensed the abnormal movement of the technique. His brow furrowed as he let out a blurred mumble, his voice hoarse and weak.

Xiao Qingqing froze for a moment, then remembered how Lu Yang had previously risked his life for her. Her heart softened, and she gritted her teeth, giving up her resistance.

"Fine, my Spiritual Qi was yours to begin with."

She simply sat cross-legged and operated her technique, actively transferring her Spiritual Qi into Lu Yang's body, continuously supplying him with life force.

As this Pure Yin Qi flowed in, the originally somewhat violent and scorching Dragon Qi within Lu Yang's body instantly became docile. Yin and Yang converged, water and fire harmonized, and the previously turbulent repair process became even smoother.

On the surface of Lu Yang's body, golden and green light reflected off each other, forming a perfect Taiji pattern. Golden Dragon shadows and green Phoenix shadows flickered around him, eventually turning into a phantom Taiji diagram that slowly sank into his Dantian, stabilizing his newly reshaped Foundation.

At this moment, the repair speed of Lu Yang's Physical Body doubled. Within his previously depleted Dantian, a crystal-clear, heavy golden liquid drop condensed once more. This drop not only contained vast Spiritual Qi but also a hint of the Dragon-Phoenix True Intent, as if it were gestating a miniature life.

"Hoo—"

Lu Yang suddenly snapped his eyes open. A streak of dark-golden light flashed deep within his pupils, carrying a pressure that looked down upon the world, before quickly fading away as he regained clarity.

He opened his mouth and spat out a breath of turbid Qi. That Qi was as black as ink and carried a nauseating stench; it condensed into a black pill in mid-air before shattering with a "pop," dissipating into the air as spots of spiritual light.

Lu Yang felt his entire body become transparent and clear, as if a ten-thousand-jin burden had been lifted. Every inch of bone and every muscle cheered in joy. Feeling the power refilling his body and his Physical Body, which was now tougher than before as if he had been reborn, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "This Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art is truly overbearing. It saved my life once before when I was only at the Qi Refining Stage 3, and now again..."

Lu Yang turned to look and saw Xiao Qingqing's face was as pale as paper. Clearly, her Spiritual Qi consumption was not small; she was leaning weakly against the bedside, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

"Qingqing!" Lu Yang was startled and quickly supported her swaying body. The weak pulse coming from her palm made his heart ache.

Xiao Qingqing forced a smile, her eyes full of relief: "Brother Lu, you're awake... That's good, you're finally awake."

Seeing her sacrifice so much for him, Lu Yang felt an indescribable surge of gratitude and guilt. He took a deep breath and squeezed Xiao Qingqing's cold hand, his gaze as firm as iron: "Qingqing, don't worry. Since I have awakened, this 'heart-blood crystal' should be used by you. I will use my life to protect you as you Break through your realm; I will never fail the kindness you showed me today!"