163: I will seek justice for you.

"Junior Sister Lu."

True Person Jing Yu's smile faded slightly, and she returned the greeting with a bow.

She naturally perceived the true focus beneath Lu Yuchan's seemingly calm gaze, and could not help but sigh inwardly.

Lu Yuchan did not say anything more to the others and said directly to Lin Feng, "Follow me back to the Peak."

Lin Feng replied in a low voice, "Yes, Revered Master."

He bowed slightly toward the direction of Senior Sister Xiao and True Person Jing Yu, then quietly walked behind Lu Yuchan, his posture submissive.

At this, all the Disciples saw it clearly.

Martial Uncle Lu had come in person, and her primary purpose was not to offer congratulations, but to take Senior Brother Lin Feng away immediately.

Looking at Senior Brother Lin Feng again, he had been exceptionally silent from his appearance until now, his aura so restrained it was almost obscure, forming a sharp contrast to the scene of Senior Sister Xiao condensing her Golden Core and shining with boundless radiance.

Some sharp-minded Disciples had already begun to exchange glances secretly, guessing that some unknown major event must have occurred during these three years, and it was certainly not a simple matter of coincidence.

Xiao Qinghan watched the figure of Lin Feng silently following Lu Yuchan away.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but under the burning gazes of her Revered Master, Martial Uncle Lu, and many fellow Disciples, she ultimately did not speak.

Only a complex, indescribable emotion of wanting to speak but holding back flashed through her cold, clear eyes, which she quickly masked by lowering her eyelids.

Lu Yuchan gave a slight signal to True Person Jing Yu, then took Lin Feng and transformed into a beam of clear light, returning directly to Yunmiao Peak.

The clear light landed on the summit of Yunmiao Peak.

With a wave of Lu Yuchan's sleeve, layers of spiritual light rippled out like water waves, instantly shrouding the Cloud Vast Pavilion so tightly that it was impenetrable, isolating it from all outside prying.

Lu Yuchan turned around, her gaze locking onto Lin Feng immediately.

She did not speak right away, only watching him quietly.

Her eyes, usually as cold as a deep, frigid pool, now seemed to have transformed into invisible probes, as a thread of extremely pure and gentle, yet irresistible, Divine Sense force slowly probed toward Lin Feng.

She was carefully sensing the circulation of spiritual energy within Lin Feng's body, the fullness and emptiness of his Dantian, the resilience of his Meridians, and the most fundamental aura of his life's Origin.

As the inspection deepened, a trace of imperceptible fluctuation finally appeared on Lu Yuchan's calm face.

She furrowed her brows, her fingertips curling unconsciously.

Foundation Establishment Mid-stage...

His spiritual energy was floating and restless, far less condensed and thick than it had been three years ago.

More importantly, the aura of his life's Origin actually revealed a faint sense of "depletion."

This was by no means a simple case of excessive consumption, but rather damage to his dao foundation.

This result far exceeded her expectations, and it also far exceeded the scope of that understated phrase, "perhaps needing Nephew Lin to assist in guiding, consuming a little Origin Qi," when True Person Jing Yu had come to discuss matters with her for the Spirit Beast Exchange Ceremony at Hundred Beasts Mountain.

A wave of emotions, mixed with shock, heartache, and anger at having the truth concealed from her, instantly rushed to Lu Yuchan's heart.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her churning emotions, but her voice involuntarily carried a few degrees of chill, breaking the silence in the courtyard:

"When your Senior Martial Uncle Jing Yu came to seek me out, she mentioned that Nephew Qinghan's Cultivation Technique had a flaw, and a mass of Yang-evil Qi was congested within her body.

She needed a Disciple with a solid Foundation and pure spiritual energy to assist from the side, to harmonize and guide it.

Although she said that while this matter would cause some loss to you, it would not be entirely without benefit to your cultivation, and that you would be fine after resting for a few days...

but look at your condition now, your cultivation level has fallen..."

Lin Feng felt the surging emotions suppressed beneath his Revered Master's seemingly calm exterior, feeling a little warmth in his heart, but also some bitterness.

He did not hold anything back, recounting in detail, from the beginning to the end, everything: the discovery of the houtu blood marrow, the encounter with Jueqing Valley and the guardian Yao Beast, being forced to break into the absolute array, Xiao Qinghan's Yang-evil Qi completely spinning out of control and her being in critical danger inside the array, and finally, for the sake of seeking a glimmer of survival, having to take a risk and pour all his strength into helping her guide it, ultimately leading to his own exhaustion, unconsciousness, and the fall of his cultivation level.

He omitted the details of the two of them engaging in Dual Cultivation for a month, but he emphasized the extreme urgency of the situation at the time and that there was no other choice.

Lin Feng let out a soft breath: "This Disciple also did not expect that guiding that out-of-control Yang-evil Qi would consume such a massive amount of Origin spiritual energy."

He paused, looking up at his Revered Master, "But there was no choice at the time.

Senior Sister Xiao was about to be unable to hold on.

The situation was urgent, I could only bite the bullet and go for it."

Lu Yuchan listened quietly, the chill on her face gradually replaced by a complex heaviness.

She imagined the dangers within that ancient absolute array, the terror of the Yang-evil Qi eruption, and the difficulty of the choice Lin Feng had to make in that desperate situation.

Matters having reached this point, blaming Lin Feng's "rashness" was meaningless; he truly had no better choice at the time.

However, compared to the cruel result before her, True Person Jing Yu's "understated" estimate from back then seemed so pale and powerless, and even... somewhat hateful.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and after a long while, slowly opened them.

"Revered Master knows of this matter now."

Her voice returned to its usual calmness, "You have done your best, and... you did the right thing.

The way of fellow Disciples, the righteousness of a desperate situation, must not be easily abandoned."

She looked at Lin Feng's pale face, her tone turning firm: "Do not overthink it, and there is no need to blame yourself.

The most important thing right now is to rest assured, stabilize your Realm, and make up for the loss of your Origin.

As for the rest..."

Lu Yuchan shifted her gaze toward the direction of Beast Taming Peak, her eyes slightly cold.

"Revered Master will naturally seek justice for you."

As her voice fell, her figure flickered and she had already vanished from the Cloud Vast Pavilion, leaving behind a silent pavilion and Lin Feng, whose heart was beginning to ripple with waves.

At the same time, at Beast Taming Peak, True Person Jing Yu stood quietly on the summit, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds.

There was no joy on her face; instead, it carried a trace of lingering gravity.

When she sensed that familiar, cold, clear aura penetrating the Restriction, she turned around slowly.

Lu Yuchan was already standing silently to the side, her expression calm, but those eyes looking at True Person Jing Yu were colder than a frigid pool.

Before Lu Yuchan could speak, True Person Jing Yu sighed softly, her tone complex: "Junior Sister Lu, you have come... Qinghan has already told me everything."

She took a step forward, her gaze filled with deep shame amidst its honesty, "It was my insufficient estimation back then.

I never expected that Nephew Lin's Foundation would be so thick and pure, far exceeding those of the same stage, and I certainly did not expect... that Qinghan would be able to use this Opportunity to leap across the Late Foundation Establishment Stage Bottleneck in one go and become a Core Formation Cultivator."

Speaking to this point, a trace of confusion that even she herself had not fully understood flashed in her eyes, and her tone became increasingly heavy:

"Logically speaking, even with Nephew Lin's all-out assistance in guiding the Yang-evil Qi, being able to help Qinghan stabilize at the Peak of the Middle Stage and impact the Late Stage would already be a stroke of great fortune.

For her to directly undergo Core Formation... it really exceeded the common principles recorded in the 'Wanling Tongxin Jue'.

It is precisely because of this Breakthrough that far exceeded expectations, the required Origin spiritual energy consumed was likely... sigh, causing Nephew Lin's dao foundation to be damaged, and his cultivation level to fall to this state.

This is the fault of my Beast Taming Peak, and it is also a massive favor that Qinghan owes.

If you have any anger in your heart, Junior Sister, please feel free to speak directly."

Lu Yuchan listened quietly, the chill around her body growing heavier.

She looked at True Person Jing Yu, her voice as clear and cold as ice: "Senior Sister Jing Yu, back then when you and I spoke of assisting in guidance, you said the loss would be controllable.

Now, Lin Feng's cultivation level has fallen, and his Origin is depleted.

The gap between this and your words can no longer be understated with a simple 'insufficient estimation.'

As for Nephew Qinghan's Breakthrough..."

She paused slightly, "There may be some Opportunity in it that we have not yet perceived, but the price was borne entirely by my Disciple."