99: Secret Realm Healing
The Sword Heart Secret Realm is the most core and mysterious place for healing and enlightenment in the Tianfeng Academy. Rumor has it that it contains a wisp of Immortal Sword Intent left by the Founding Ancestral Master, which can nourish the Divine Soul and repair the Dao foundation. It is off-limits unless the Sect faces a crisis of survival or someone performs a monumental service.
At this moment, deep within the Secret Realm, in a pool constructed from Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade, milky-white Spiritual Liquid steamed, emitting a refreshing fragrance and a majestic vitality. Ye Chen’s eyes were tightly closed, his face still pale, as he soaked quietly in the Spiritual Liquid. His body was like a bottomless pit, greedily absorbing the pure energy contained in the Spiritual Liquid, repairing his Physical Body and Meridians that had nearly collapsed due to the forced mobilization of his Origin.
Yun Canghai and Liu Qingfeng stood guard by the pool, their expressions grave. They had used all the top-tier Sacred Healing Medicines preserved by the academy and even spared no expense in consuming their own Origin Protective Aura to guide the medicinal power for Ye Chen and stabilize his injuries.
"Broken Meridians, an exhausted Dantian, and a dim Divine Soul... What's more troublesome is the backlash from the Guixu Origin, which is like a maggot in the bone, constantly eroding his vitality." Liu Qingfeng withdrew his probing Divine Sense, his voice heavy. "If it weren't for his Physical Body being tempered many times and the protection of that mysterious Chaos Origin, he would have long ago..."
Yun Canghai remained silent, merely channeling more pure and gentle spiritual power into Ye Chen's body. He could feel the mysterious broken sword (Guixu) within Ye Chen emitting faint fluctuations, struggling alongside the Chaos Origin to resist the backlash and slowly repair the damage.
"His current situation is beyond the immediate reach of ordinary Medicinal Pills and spiritual power." Yun Canghai spoke slowly, his gaze sweeping across the Secret Realm. "He can only rely on the Immortal Sword Intent of this Sword Heart Secret Realm, along with his own fortune and will."
Just then, an anomaly occurred.
Deep within Ye Chen's Sea of Consciousness, the long-dormant chaos primordial fetus, seemingly stimulated by the external Immortal Sword Intent and majestic vitality, suddenly began to rotate slowly and autonomously. Strands of extremely pure Chaos airflow diffused from the fetus. They were no longer violent, but instead carried a maternal warmth and inclusiveness, flowing toward his shattered Meridians and exhausted Dantian.
A trace of nearly imperceptible Immortal Sword Intent, originating from the same source as this Sword Heart Secret Realm, was drawn by the chaos primordial fetus and quietly merged into it.
The originally rampaging Guixu backlash power, in the face of this gentle force that combined Immortal Sword Intent and Chaos Origin, actually seemed to have met its nemesis, being slowly neutralized and dissolved!
Ye Chen's aura, which had been like a flickering candle in the wind, finally stopped its decline and began to climb at an extremely slow but incredibly firm pace!
His shattered Meridians began to reconnect and widen, and within his exhausted Dantian, a faint but vital Protective Aura seed quietly condensed. His dim Divine Soul also gradually regained its luster under the nourishment of the Chaos airflow.
"It's working!" A flash of joy appeared in Liu Qingfeng's eyes.
Yun Canghai also breathed a sigh of relief, but his brow remained tightly furrowed. "This is only the beginning. His injuries are too severe. Even with the help of the Secret Realm and the Chaos Origin, full recovery will not happen overnight. Moreover... the Dark Hall will not give us much time."
As if to confirm his words, a rapid Sword Talisman Message streaked through the air outside the Secret Realm and landed in Yun Canghai's hand.
With a sweep of his Divine Sense, Yun Canghai's face instantly became extremely grim.
"What happened?" Liu Qingfeng's heart sank.
"The Dark Hall... has begun their general offensive." Yun Canghai's voice was dry. "They aren't attacking the academy directly, but rather... blood-sacrificing Liuyun City!"
He took a deep breath and continued, "The Dark Hall has deployed a large number of experts, cooperating with cultists who have long been lurking in the city, to simultaneously activate over a hundred small Blood Sacrifice Formations throughout Liuyun City! They are forcibly extracting the blood Qi and souls of the million living beings in the city! Looking at this posture... they intend to use Liuyun City as a sacrifice to forcibly tear through the spatial barrier and summon the true body of the Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable!"
"What?!" Liu Qingfeng's expression changed drastically. "Are they insane?! A Blood Sacrifice of a million lives—such a monstrous sin will not be tolerated by the Heavenly Dao!"
"To those lunatics in the Dark Hall, what does the Heavenly Dao matter?" Yun Canghai's eyes were filled with rage and powerlessness. "We must stop them immediately! Otherwise, once the Demon Venerable's true body descends, not just Liuyun City, but the entire Tianfeng County will be turned into demonic land!"
"But the academy right now..." Liu Qingfeng looked at the still-unconscious Ye Chen in the jade pool, then at the dim Zhou Tian Star Sword Formation outside that desperately needed repair. His face was full of struggle. The academy could barely protect itself; how could it rescue Liuyun City?
"The academy must be held!" Yun Canghai said decisively. "Ye Chen is healing here; there must be no mistakes! The Zhou Tian Star Sword Formation must be repaired as soon as possible! I will personally lead a group of elite Elders to Liuyun City to do my best to obstruct them and save as many as I can! Elder Liu, you stay at the academy and ensure the safety of Ye Chen and the formation!"
"Principal!" Liu Qingfeng said urgently. "It's too dangerous for you to go personally! The Dark Hall's move must be an ambush!"
"I can't worry about that anymore!" A flash of determination crossed Yun Canghai's eyes. "The million lives of Liuyun City cannot suffer such a catastrophe because of my Tianfeng Academy! Otherwise, how are we any different from the Demonic Path? My mind is made up; there's no need to persuade me further!"
He took a deep look at Ye Chen in the jade pool and said solemnly, "When he wakes up, tell him... the hope of the academy, and even the entire Liuyun City, may rest on him."
Having said that, Yun Canghai no longer hesitated. With a flicker of his body, he disappeared from the Secret Realm.
Liu Qingfeng watched the direction where Yun Canghai had disappeared, then looked at Ye Chen, whose aura was slowly recovering in the pool. He sighed heavily and sat down cross-legged, operating his Cultivation Technique with all his might. He guarded Ye Chen while guiding the Secret Realm's Sword Intent to accelerate his recovery.
Inside the Secret Realm, time seemed to lose its meaning.
Ye Chen's consciousness sank into a warm Chaos. He felt as if he had returned to the Origin before the world was created, surrounded by endless warmth and inclusiveness. Broken memory fragments flickered and reorganized like stars in the Chaos—his parents' expectations, the sacrifice of his clansmen, the academy's protection, the battle with the Dark Hall, the Sword Venerable's fate... various experiences transformed into the most fundamental insights, settling in his heart.
He gained a deeper understanding of "Extinction," "Guixu," and "Protection."
Extinction is not the end, but the ultimate transformation of energy forms; Guixu is not about devouring, but a hub of inclusion and evolution; protection is not merely resisting, but preserving that precious spark of "life" amidst destruction.
His Sword Heart, through this sinking and enlightenment between life and death, was washed increasingly pure and firm.
No one knew how much time had passed—perhaps a moment, perhaps several years.
The milky-white Spiritual Liquid in the jade pool had become crystal clear, its majestic vitality entirely absorbed by Ye Chen.
He suddenly snapped his eyes open!
A flash of Chaos color passed through his eyes before they returned to clarity, yet they were deeper and more restrained than before. An aura far more refined and heavy than before slowly awakened within his body.
Earth Fiend Realm, Third Level Peak!
Furthermore, his Protective Aura was no longer just simple Ice Void Extinction, but carried a Concept of the beginning of Chaos and the inclusion of all laws, its quality reaching a higher level! His Meridians and Physical Body, having been rebuilt after destruction, also became tougher, enough to withstand even more powerful impacts!
He looked down at his hands, feeling the surging power within him that contained infinite possibilities, and slowly clenched his fists.
"Principal Yun... Elder Liu... Liuyun City..." he whispered to himself. Although he had been unconscious, he wasn't entirely unaware of everything that had happened outside.
A strong sense of urgency and responsibility welled up in his heart.
He stood up and stretched his limbs, his body making crisp popping sounds. Although his injuries were not fully healed, they had recovered by seventy or eighty percent, enough to handle a major battle.
"It's time to go out."
He stepped out of the jade pool. Sensing its master's awakening, the guixu sword emitted a joyful chime and landed in his hand. On the blade, the dark blue light was more restrained, and the Concepts of Ice Void and Guixu merged perfectly, as if ready to erupt with world-destroying power at any moment.
He walked out of the Secret Realm, and Liu Qingfeng, who had been waiting outside, immediately came forward.
"Ye Chen! You're awake! How do you feel?" Liu Qingfeng's face was full of surprise and concern.
"I'm mostly fine." Ye Chen nodded, his gaze sweeping over the somewhat dim but slowly repairing sword formation barrier above the academy. He asked in a heavy voice, "Elder Liu, what is the situation in Liuyun City? The Principal..."
Liu Qingfeng's face darkened, and he quickly informed him of Yun Canghai's departure for the rescue and the Dark Hall's Blood Sacrifice.
After hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes instantly became as cold as knives, and uncontrollable killing intent diffused around him, causing the surrounding temperature to drop abruptly!
"Blood-sacrificing a million... What a Dark Hall! What a Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable!" His voice was ice-cold, carrying a towering rage. "They are seeking their own destruction!"
He delayed no further and said to Elder Liu, "Elder Liu, I'll leave the academy to you. I'm going to Liuyun City to lend the Principal a hand!"
"I'll go with you!" Liu Qingfeng said immediately.
"No!" Ye Chen shook his head, his tone resolute. "The academy needs someone to stay, and the formation needs time to be repaired. Besides..."
He looked up toward Liuyun City, his gaze seemingly piercing through the Void Realm to see the blood light and resentment soaring into the sky.
"This slaughter began because of me, and it should be... ended by my own hands!"
Before his voice had even faded, he had already transformed into a dark-blue streak of light tearing through the sky, carrying towering killing intent and determination, heading straight for Liuyun City, which had already turned into a blood-colored Hell!
The final decisive battle was about to begin!