Chapter 311: Look at Me—Have I Become Ugly?

Mo Yu's visit was like an unpredictable wind, leaving behind a few profound words before vanishing without a trace. But the information in his words, and Qin Feng's phrase "starting tomorrow," made Xia Wan understand that the peaceful routine was about to end, and the true trial was coming.

That night, Xia Wan slept uneasily. The warnings of "Yun Ge," Jing Yi's entrusted words, Mo Yu's teasing, and Qin Feng's calm yet weighty "be ready" echoed repeatedly in her mind. The fact that half of the five truckloads of resources were actually "historical leftovers" from the mysterious elder "Mo Yu" filled her with absurdity and made her even clearer about the unfathomable depth of Qin Feng's circle.

The next morning, before dawn broke, Xia Wan rose. She washed carefully, changed into a clean, neat training suit, and adjusted her state to peak condition. When she arrived at the door of Qin Feng's Quiet Chamber, she found the door already open.

Stepping into the Quiet Chamber, the sight inside made her pause slightly.

Compared to her last visit, the room was still empty, but on the floor at its center, a complex circular array, roughly five meters in diameter, had been carved—when, she did not know. The array's lines were not painted, but drawn from powders of rare materials mixed with some kind of energy liquid, glowing with faint yet pure hues—the clarity of Kunlun Dew, the deep blue of Xuan Ice Core, the sharp golden sheen of Geng Metal Essence, the purple halo of Earth Vein Purple Crystal Orchid… variously attributed energies achieved a mysterious balance and cycle within the array.

At the eight directions of the array, core materials—Thunderstruck Wood Heart, North Sea Cold Iron, and others—were placed as array focal points. The entire array radiated a vast, ancient aura, as if connected to some distant spacetime.

Qin Feng stood beside the array, as calm as ever.

"Enter, stand at the center of the array," he instructed.

Xia Wan obeyed, stepping into the array and standing at the convergence point of the energy lines. The moment she entered, she immediately felt her pores open involuntarily; her Origin Contract and Bloodline Power activated spontaneously, resonating fiercely with the array's energy, as if parched earth met sudden rain.

"Close your eyes, focus your mind, release all constraints on your power, and guide it to resonate with the array," Qin Feng's voice sounded beside her, carrying an odd soothing force. "The process may be uncomfortable—just keep your Spirit clear."

Xia Wan took a deep breath, closed her eyes as instructed, and sank all her attention inward. She stopped deliberately controlling the surging power, instead trying to guide it—like streams merging into rivers—connecting with the vast, gentle ocean of energy beneath her feet.

At first, it was only a warm, comfortable immersion, as if her entire body soaked in a hot spring, every cell joyfully absorbing the pure external energy.

But soon, this sensation began to change.

Within the array, the diverse energies began to flow into her body, classifying themselves like precise scalpels!

Kunlun Dew's clear energy washed through her meridians, expanding energy channels, bringing a stinging, itching pain of tearing followed by rapid healing. Xuan Ice Core's chill pierced to her marrow, forging her sinews, bones, and flesh—freezing and thawing her body repeatedly, purging minute impurities. Geng Metal Essence's sharpness was like countless tiny needles piercing her acupoints, delivering piercing pain yet making her energy flow smoother and sharper. Earth Vein Purple Crystal Orchid's purple energy nourished her Spirit, nurturing the Origin Contract, while also stirring waves of illusions in her mind, testing her will. The Thunderstruck Wood Heart's embedded life-and-destruction thunder intent stimulated her heart—each beat like a drum, pumping blood that was continuously purified and strengthened… North Sea Cold Iron's extreme-cold forging intent… Vermilion Bird Feather (Forged)'s rebirth-fire intent…

These utterly different, even conflicting energies, under the array's mysterious influence, were forcibly sorted, harmonized—like countless rivers merging into the sea—with a brutally precise method, scouring, reshaping, and elevating her body and soul!

This was no longer mere energy infusion—it was a reshaping and sublimation of her very life!

Intense pain and exquisite comfort intertwined, like ice and fire, assaulting Xia Wan's senses and will. Her body trembled uncontrollably; beads of sweat formed on her forehead; her face alternated between blood-red and snow-white.

She clenched her teeth tightly, guarding a sliver of Spirit clarity, letting the violent energy tide rage and reshape within her. She clearly felt something dormant deep in her Bloodline awakening; the long-standing bottleneck, under this unstoppable energy assault, emitted faint cracks.

Time lost meaning at this moment.

After an unknown duration, the surging energy tide finally began to slowly subside. The array's colored lights dimmed gradually; the spiritual essence of the rare materials seemed largely depleted.

Xia Wan slowly opened her eyes.

In an instant, two tangible bolts of lightning seemed to flash within the Quiet Chamber! Her eyes were deeper and brighter than ever; deep within her pupils, tiny starlight flickered. She felt her body lightened manyfold, yet brimming with explosive power—her internal energy flowed like a docile river, responsive to her slightest thought, as if an extension of her limbs. Her Spirit power surged dramatically; her perception range expanded several times, allowing her to perceive energy flows around her with exquisite detail.

Most importantly, she felt a more ancient, more vast power awaken deep within her Bloodline! This was not merely quantitative growth—it was a qualitative leap! Her understanding of the Origin Contract deepened another layer; the coordinates and information regarding the Final Trial in her mind became far clearer.

She had broken through!

Not just a realm breakthrough—but a transcendence of her very life's essence!

Wild joy surged through her heart; she instinctively wanted to feel her current state. She raised her hand, gazing at her skin—now more lustrous, fairer, seemingly brimming with infinite power—and touched her cheeks.

At that moment, an unexpected, girl-like instinctive thought surfaced without warning—

After such violent energy cleansing and bodily reshaping… had her appearance changed? Had she… become ugly?

The thought made even her laugh at its absurdity. How could she think of this at such a crucial breakthrough moment?

But the urge to confirm it refused to fade.

She lifted her head, looking at Qin Feng, who had stood silently beside her, as if he had merely done something trivial.

After hesitating, Xia Wan's face still flushed from her breakthrough and tinged with lingering pain, she, almost against her will, with uncertainty and a touch of maidenly embarrassment, softly asked:

"Master… look at me… have I become ugly?"

No sooner had she spoken than she regretted it—her cheeks instantly burned! Oh my god! What had she just said?! Asking such a question before Master?! Had the energy surge fried her brain?!

Qin Feng clearly hadn't anticipated this question. On his eternally impassive face, an almost imperceptible flicker of surprise appeared.

His gaze settled on Xia Wan's face—still calm, yet lingering a fraction longer than usual.

Then he withdrew his gaze, his tone flat and emotionless, as if stating an objective fact:

"Physical appearance is irrelevant."

He paused, then added, still in that same flat tone:

"Acceptable."

Xia Wan: "..."

Acceptable…

Those two words spun in her mind.

So… it meant she hadn't become ugly? Perhaps… even a little pretty?

This realization made her already flushed cheeks burn even hotter, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly lowered her head, refusing to look at Qin Feng again, scolding herself a thousand times inside.

But Qin Feng seemed not to care about her minor lapse. His gaze swept over the array materials, now depleted of spiritual essence, and he said calmly:

"Foundation is solid. Bottleneck is broken. Within three days, familiarize yourself with your new power. Three days hence, depart."

With that, he said no more and turned toward the Quiet Chamber's exit.

Xia Wan stood where she was, feeling the surging, yet fully controlled new power within her, touching her still-warm cheeks, her emotions complex and indescribable.

The joy of breakthrough, anticipation for the path ahead, and that faint, inexplicable ripple stirred by the single word "acceptable"—all intertwined.

She shook her head firmly, casting aside those distractions.

Now was not the time to think of such things.

Familiarize yourself with the power. Prepare to depart.

Final Trial. Starfall crisis…

The true journey had only just begun.