699: Chapter 699 Lu Xueqi and Biyao (78)

Inside the quiet room of the courtyard.

Venerable Ziyang dismissed everyone, leaving only Core Disciple Ye Lingxiao, Lin Qingxue, and others outside to act as Protectors.

He had Su Han sit cross-legged on a meditation cushion and said in a deep voice: "Su Han, focus your mind and guard your star palace. I will use Ziyang True Fire to help you refine the power of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed. This process may be painful, so you must firmly guard your mind and not falter!"

"Yes, Revered Master." Su Han nodded, closed his eyes, and circulated the Primal Star Power technique.

Within his star palace, Star Power flowed, and the phantom of his Sword Intent cast a clear radiance to protect his mind.

Venerable Ziyang formed seals with both hands, and a wisp of pure purple flame rose from his fingertips.

The flame was not scorching; instead, it exuded a neutral and peaceful warmth, yet the supreme Yang and righteous power it contained caused the temperature in the quiet room to rise, and the dark corners seemed to brighten.

"Go!"

Venerable Ziyang pointed at the wound on Su Han's left rib, and the wisp of Ziyang True Fire turned into a thin stream, drilling into Su Han's body.

"Hiss—!"

As if cold water had been dripped into boiling oil, Su Han's body trembled violently.

At the wound on his left rib, the dark red power of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed erupted into fierce resistance the moment it touched the purple true fire.

Black smoke mixed with dark red aura steamed out from the wound, making a "hissing" sound, and an indescribable, sharp pain spread from the wound.

The pain not only acted upon his Physical Body but also pierced directly through his Soul, as if countless tiny poisonous insects were gnawing at his mind.

Su Han let out a muffled groan, cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead, and his face turned even paler.

However, he gritted his teeth, and the Primal Star Power in his star palace circulated frantically, coordinating with the Ziyang True Fire that had invaded his body to attack from both inside and out, refining and expelling the insidious and stubborn power of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed.

Time passed bit by bit.

Outside the quiet room, Ye Lingxiao, Lin Qingxue, and the others waited anxiously.

Lin Qingxue bit her lower lip tightly, her hands clenched until they turned white.

Ye Lingxiao paced back and forth, looking at the tightly closed door from time to time.

One hour, two hours...

The sun gradually slanted to the west.

Finally, on the evening of the third day, the door of the quiet room opened with a "creak."

Venerable Ziyang walked out with a weary look, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes.

"Revered Master, is Junior Brother Su..." Ye Lingxiao hurriedly stepped forward.

"The power of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed has been suppressed and refined by more than eighty percent through our combined efforts with his Star Power. The remaining traces are rooted very deep and have become entangled with some of his Meridians; forcibly removing them might damage his foundation, so he must rely on his own Cultivation Technique to grind them away in the future."

Venerable Ziyang said slowly, "However, it has finally been suppressed. It will not affect his combat strength in the short term, nor will it erode his mind. It's just..."

He paused, his brows furrowed slightly: "This Heart-Corroding Demon Seed is indeed strange; the remaining part has the ability to lie dormant and is difficult to detect normally. For some time in the future, Su Han needs to frequently flush it with Star Power to prevent it from reviving. Additionally, before it is completely eradicated, he must not suffer intense mental shocks, nor can he indulge in negative emotions like slaughter or resentment for long periods, otherwise, it may trigger a backlash from the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but the worry in their hearts did not completely dissipate. The remaining roots of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed were, after all, a hidden danger.

"Revered Master, then what about the upcoming competition..." Lin Qingxue couldn't help asking.

Venerable Ziyang looked into the room, where Su Han had finished adjusting his breath and walked out.

His face was still a bit pale, and the wound on his left rib had been bandaged, but his aura was still steady, and his eyes were clear.

"This Disciple is fine and can continue to participate in the battle." Su Han said calmly.

The hidden pain and discomfort brought by the remaining roots of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed in his body were indeed present, but they were still within a tolerable range.

Primal Star Power had a natural restraint against this dark and evil power, and with the help of Ziyang True Fire, he was confident he could suppress it.

Venerable Ziyang looked at him, was silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "Since you insist, then go. But remember, if something cannot be done, you must retreat when you should. You have already proven yourself; no one in the Sect will blame you."

Su Han bowed: "This Disciple understands."

Just at this moment, a stream of light flew from afar, landed in the courtyard, and turned into a deacon Disciple, who respectfully handed over a Jade Slip: "Junior Martial Uncle Ziyang, Senior Brother Su, the next round's matchup list is out."

Ye Lingxiao took the Jade Slip, swept it with his Divine Sense, and his expression changed slightly.

"The seventh round, Su Han's opponent is..." He raised his head, looked at Su Han, and slowly spat out a name:

"Xuantian Sect, Zhao Jinglei. Ranking, fifteenth."

There was a moment of silence.

Xuantian Sect was one of the upper Sects, known for their thunder techniques, with offensive power that was peerless among the same rank.

Zhao Jinglei was a standout among the current generation of True Disciples of the Xuantian Sect, with a cultivation at the Late Stage of the Star Sea Realm, possessed the "Jinglei Dao Body," and had already grasped the essence of the "Nine Heavens Controlling Thunder True Technique."

His combat power was formidable, and he once had the record of wounding a newly advanced Star Palace Realm Cultivator head-on. Ranking fifteenth was well-deserved.

If Yin Kui was the representative of the insidious and treacherous nature of the Heart-Corroding Sword Sect, then Zhao Jinglei was the model of magnificent heavenly might and using strength to break through skill.

Moreover, the Xuantian Sect and the Qingyun Sect had no grievances, so this battle would be a pure, head-on confrontation of strength.

"Zhao Jinglei..." Su Han repeated the name in a low voice, with no fear in his eyes, but rather a hint of burning heat.

After successive fierce battles, especially the battle with Yin Kui, although he was infected with the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed, it also gave him a clearer understanding of his own strength and a deeper understanding of the Star Moon Sword Intent.

He felt that he had touched the Bottleneck of the Middle Stage of the Star Sea Realm; perhaps a hearty, unadorned, all-out battle was the opportunity to break the shackles and advance to the Late Stage!

"When does the battle start?" Su Han asked.

"Tomorrow at the Chen hour, at the No. 1 main arena." The deacon Disciple replied.

Su Han nodded and looked toward the western horizon, where the sunset glow dyed the clouds golden-red.

"Zhao Jinglei... Nine Heavens Controlling Thunder..."

He whispered to himself, his hand pressing on the hilt of his starfire sword, the scabbard slightly warm.

The night passed without incident.

Su Han adjusted his breath in the quiet room, using Primal Star Power to continuously flush the wound on his left rib, engaging in a tug-of-war with the stubborn remaining roots of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed.

At the same time, he also repeatedly replayed the battle with Yin Kui during the day in his mind, summarizing his experience and pondering the deeper changes of the Star Moon Sword Intent.

Venerable Ziyang sent a few Medicinal Pills to nourish his mind and eliminate evil filth, helping him stabilize his injuries.