28: Ice Heart Secret

A powerful Qi Refining Seventh Layer Spiritual Pressure swept across, instantly shattering the already fragile 'Spirit Concealment Formation'.

Lin Feng's body shook violently as the spiritual power within him suddenly spiraled out of control. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, which was instantly washed away by the waterfall.

His face turned as pale as paper, and a tearing pain surged through his Meridians.

The Breakthrough had failed.

A mean-looking middle-aged Cultivator wearing the attire of the Enforcement Hall descended from above the waterfall with two followers, looking down at the disheveled Lin Feng from a superior height.

"Hmph, I wondered who it was. Turns out it's just an Outer Sect Disciple who doesn't know the rules." Gao Yu sneered, his gaze sweeping over the broken, crude Formation Flags.

"A mere Fourth Level of Qi Refining, yet you dare to set up a formation privately and disturb the peace of the mountains? Greedy for progress and ending up with Qi Deviation—you truly brought this humiliation upon yourself."

With a wave of his hand, his Disciples immediately stepped forward and uprooted all the Formation Flags Lin Feng had painstakingly crafted, confiscating them.

"Violating mountain patrol regulations, the evidence is conclusive. Considering you've already suffered a backlash, I won't drag you to the Punishment Hall to suffer for now. But I, Gao Yu, will remember this matter. You'd best watch yourself." He dropped these words and led his men away.

In the waterfall, Lin Feng endured the piercing pain and bouts of dizziness, struggling to crawl back to the shore. Drenched to the bone, he collapsed on the ground.

'Gao Yu... Enforcement Hall...' He gritted his teeth and spat out another mouthful of blood.

'I must heal quickly to stabilize my Foundation... otherwise, the consequences will be endless... Who should I find? Luo Linger? The distance is too great; in this state, I probably won't make it to Hundred Flowers Peak.'

He suddenly remembered that this place seemed not far from Yunxia Peak.

That Inner Sect Fairy who had once given him pointers on the Silk Winding Hand—the one who appeared cold but seemed willing to guide a Junior.

At the foot of Yunni Peak, hidden under the green shade.

Lin Feng dragged his heavily injured body here almost entirely by willpower. He could no longer hold on; his vision went dark, and he fell forward.

However, the pain of hitting the ground never came. A gentle yet irresistible force lightly caught him.

He struggled to look up. In his blurred vision, a familiar cloud-patterned white robe appeared.

Fang Lingyao had appeared before him at some unknown moment, looking at him with a slight frown.

"Lin Feng?" Her voice remained calm, but it was slightly softer than usual. "How did you end up in such a state?"

Lin Feng managed to steady himself. "This Disciple... had a mishap during cultivation. I have disturbed Senior Sister Fang..."

He briefly explained how he was interrupted by a mountain patrol Disciple and suffered a severe backlash.

After listening, Fang Lingyao's frown deepened. She glanced in the direction he had come from, seemingly understanding something.

"Those people under the Enforcement Hall... hmph." She gave a light hmph without further comment, her gaze returning to Lin Feng. "Your spiritual power is restless from the backlash, and your Meridians are injured. Ordinary Medicinal Pills will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

She pondered for a moment, appearing to make a decision. "I have a set of the 'Ice Heart Art'. It is not a profound Cultivation Technique, but it is exceptionally effective at calming restless spiritual power and stabilizing the mind. Watch closely."

She extended her slender jade finger and tapped in the air. A faint blue glimmer of spiritual power flowed from her fingertip, clearly demonstrating the key circulation pathways of the 'Ice Heart Art'.

Lin Feng endured the intense pain and focused all his concentration. Within his Sea of Consciousness, the heaven-stealing vine vibrated with unprecedented speed.

Furthermore, this time, the leaves of the heaven-stealing vine had grown to five.

Fang Lingyao finished the demonstration and looked at Lin Feng. "Can you remember even a part of it?"

Lin Feng closed his eyes and did not answer, as if savoring the technique.

After a few breaths, he suddenly followed the insights fed back by the heaven-stealing vine and began to circulate the 'Ice Heart Art' crudely yet precisely.

A trace of coolness rose from his Dantian, like a sweet spring flowing through his burning Meridians. Wherever it passed, the restless spiritual power miraculously calmed down significantly.

Although his face remained pale, his aura stabilized at a visible rate.

In Fang Lingyao's cold eyes, a flash of shock flickered uncontrollably once again.

While this Ice Heart Art was not top-tier, it was certainly not something an Outer Sect Disciple should be able to understand and circulate instantly.

'This boy's Comprehension Ability is actually so terrifying... Every time we meet, he is surprising...'

Fang Lingyao suppressed the ripples in her eyes. "Since you have memorized it, go back and Cultivate it well. Your injuries will naturally heal without issue."

Having said that, she turned to leave.

But her steps paused slightly.

She turned her face halfway, the moonlight falling on her long eyelashes, casting a small shadow.

"If you have nothing to do recently... the sunset at the back of Yunni Peak is quite pleasant to the eye."

She paused for a moment. In the distance, there was the slight sound of a night bird brushing past the treetops.

"If you want to improve that Silk Winding Hand," she continued, her gaze not on Lin Feng but on the hazy mountains in the distance, "working behind closed doors will ultimately make it hard to grasp the true essence. The mountains are quiet; they are a good place for practice."

As her voice fell, she stayed no longer. Her figure suddenly vanished into the clouds and mist, as if she had never appeared.

Lin Feng stood in place, the Ice Heart Art still slowly circulating within him, repairing his injuries.

He looked in the direction where Fang Lingyao had disappeared, lost in thought.

Shaking his head, he suppressed a hint of strange feeling in his heart and quickly left.

A few days later, his injuries were fully recovered. Moreover, due to the Ice Heart Art and that near-death experience, he felt his spiritual power was even more pure and condensed.

This time, he chose a hidden spot for secluded cultivation.

There was no suspense.

His spiritual power flowed naturally, easily breaking through that final barrier.

Qi Refining Fifth Layer, achieved!

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes. The last trace of turbulent Spiritual Qi was drawn into his body, returning to tranquility.

Subconsciously, he pressed his fingers together like a sword and made a casual swipe forward.

Ssh! An inch-long pale white Qi blade actually shot out from his finger, flying about a foot away before slowly dissipating.

'Spiritual power externalization... Although it's only an inch, it was absolutely impossible to do it so easily before.'

With a slight thought, the swirling vortex of spiritual power in his Dantian accelerated at his command. A force far more abundant and condensed than before instantly surged to his fingertips.

Previously, there was always a bit of sluggishness when mobilizing spiritual power, but now it was as smooth as moving his own arm.

He stood up and casually stretched his muscles and bones. A series of faint but crisp 'crackling' sounds came from within his body.

His Meridians, which had been faintly aching due to the forced Breakthrough and backlash, were now comfortable and full of resilience.

Lin Feng stood outside the Spirit Pill Pavilion, his gaze scanning the passing Disciples.

'tongmai powder...'

There was no way to inquire about Senior Sister Su Sizhu's Immortal Cave. His only hope seemed to be coming here to try his luck and see if he could encounter her by chance.

He lingered outside for a while, but not seeing that expected elegant figure, his heart sank slightly.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a fat figure swayed out from the side hall, blocking his path.

It was Steward Han.

Fatty Han habitually narrowed his eyes, sizing up Lin Feng.

However, when his perception swept over Lin Feng, the fat on his face suddenly froze.

"Qi Refining Fifth Layer?! You... how is that possible..." He almost cried out in shock, pointing a finger at Lin Feng, trembling slightly.

He had been stuck at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining for over ten years and knew how difficult it was. Lin Feng's promotion speed seemed utterly inconceivable to him.

If it weren't for the peiyuan pill Lin Feng gave him before, he wouldn't have been able to break through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer at all.

He took a step forward, a fierce and ruthless light flashing in his eyes: "Kid. You definitely have a secret. Hand over the Pill Formula. Otherwise, don't think about leaving today."