Chapter 228: It Seems It's Time!

Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai were forced to retreat repeatedly by this terrifying energy fluctuation. It was the first time they had seen their benefactor display his methods so seriously. That momentum, which was nearly world-destroying, made them realize just how powerful their benefactor truly was.

Finally, after a earth-shattering collision, the will originating from the Three Lights Divine Water began to slowly recede. It seemed to acknowledge Lin Xuan's strength and began to submit to him of its own accord. The essence of the Three Lights Divine Water flowed continuously into Lin Xuan's body, causing his momentum to climb step by step.

When the last trace of the divine water's essence was absorbed, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes. At this moment, his entire body was shrouded in a faint halo, giving people a feeling of being transcendent and refined. His temperament became even more profound, as if he had merged with some kind of supreme principle of heaven and earth.

Lin Xuan hovered in the center of the divine water, his body shrouded in a faint, ethereal halo. After a long period of confrontation and taming, the power of this heaven-and-earth wonder finally submitted to him. However, the real test had only just begun.

"It is time," Lin Xuan whispered to himself, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

He circulated his Inner Elixir True Qi and began to guide the Three Lights Divine Water to flow through his entire body's meridians. This process was like laying down rivers within his body, requiring extremely precise control. If there was the slightest carelessness, the violent power of the divine water would shatter his meridians, causing irreversible damage.

Wherever the divine water passed, Lin Xuan could clearly feel an unprecedented pain. It was the excruciating pain produced when his meridians were being reforged; even with his level of cultivation, he could not help but break out in a cold sweat. But Lin Xuan's gaze remained firm; he knew that only by enduring this pain could he achieve a true breakthrough.

"Benefactor..." Xiao Qing, beside the spring, heard the faint muffled groans coming from the water and was frantic with worry. "He seems to be in great pain..."

Xiao Bai held her hand and comforted her softly, "This is the only way. Benefactor chose the most difficult but also the most correct method to completely integrate the power of the Three Lights Divine Water into himself." She paused, "Although this approach is dangerous, once successful, the benefits will far exceed imagination."

Just then, the entire stone chamber suddenly shook violently. Countless rays of light erupted from the spring, weaving into mysterious patterns in the air. These were the phenomena formed when the Three Lights Divine Water resonated with Lin Xuan's inner elixir. Within the light, the shadows of the sun, moon, and stars were vaguely visible, as if the entire heaven and earth were resonating for this moment.

Lin Xuan felt his consciousness enter a peculiar realm. In this realm, he seemed to see the origin of the Three Lights Divine Water—those were the three purest types of radiance between heaven and earth: the scorching heat of the sun, the gentleness of the moon, and the profundity of the stars. These three powers intertwined and merged within his body, finally converging into an unprecedented force.

"So that's how it is..." Lin Xuan suddenly realized, "The Three Lights Divine Water is not just a power, but an manifestation of the supreme principles of heaven and earth."

This epiphany gave him a brand-new understanding of how to use the divine water. He began to adjust his method of absorption, no longer simply channeling the power into his meridians, but allowing the three forces to form a perfect cycle within his body.

The power of the sun tempered his muscles and bones, the Yuehua refined his soul, and the power of the stars nourished his meridians. The three forces cooperated with each other, allowing Lin Xuan's body to constantly transform amidst the pain.

When the last trace of the divine water's essence was absorbed, Lin Xuan's aura had undergone a earth-shaking change. He slowly opened his eyes, and stars seemed to rotate within them. The moment he rose from the spring, the air in the entire stone chamber stagnated.

"Benefactor!" Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai hurried forward, but they couldn't help but freeze when they saw Lin Xuan's current state.

At this moment, Lin Xuan exuded an indescribable temperament from his entire body. That temperament contained both the majesty of the sun and the gentleness of the Yuehua, and even more so, it contained the profundity of the stars. Especially his gaze, which seemed to be able to look directly into the depths of a person's heart.

"This harvest is indeed unexpected," Lin Xuan said softly, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. He could feel that after merging with the Three Lights Divine Water, not only had his cultivation advanced greatly, but he had also gained some special abilities. Although these abilities still needed time to explore and master, his intuition told him that this would become one of his major trump cards.

Meanwhile, in the camp at the mouth of the valley, the atmosphere had become increasingly tense.

Ilya sat by the campfire, fidgeting irritably with the Qi Gun in his hand. Three days of waiting had caused even this experienced mercenary to begin losing patience. But what worried him more was that he always felt as if a pair of invisible eyes were watching them in the dark.

"Damn it," he cursed in a low voice, "this ghost of a place is too abnormal."

The guide, Liu Mingyuan, stood to the side, his eyes flickering, "Wait a little longer, I have a premonition that others will come very soon."

"What exactly do you know?" Kate couldn't help but question, "You've been acting very strange from the beginning, as if you know everything about this place like the back of your hand."

Liu Mingyuan revealed a mysterious smile, "Just wait. Believe me, for the sake of the treasures in the valley, the entire Outsider world will not be able to sit still."

Inside the top-floor suite of a luxury five-star hotel, the crystal chandelier illuminated the entire space with brilliant colors.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the distant Qinling Mountains were vaguely visible, shrouded in a layer of mysterious mist. Zhang Chulan looked quietly at those mountains, his eyes profound.

"What are you thinking about, so intently?" Wang Zhenqiu's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Zhang Chulan withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the sofa area. Wang Zhenqiu and Heiguan'er were leaning lazily on the leather sofa, while Feng Baobao was focused on dealing with the snacks in front of her. Beneath this seemingly relaxed atmosphere, a hint of tension was hidden.

"Thinking about a question," Zhang Chulan walked back to the sofa area, "Why didn't Lao Meng come?"

This seemingly casual question caused the expressions of Wang Zhenqiu and Heiguan'er to change slightly. The two looked at each other, seemingly weighing what to say.

"Not sure," finally it was Wang Zhenqiu who spoke, his tone carrying a hint of caution, "The Company's transfer order this time came very suddenly, there wasn't even enough time for a handover."

"Speaking of which," Wang Zhenqiu suddenly sat up straight, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes, "You kid actually surprised me. I told you not to act rashly, and you really stayed put honestly? That doesn't sound like your style."

"That's right, that's right," Feng Baobao, who was holding snacks to the side, interjected, "Zhang Chulan has been so well-behaved lately."

Zhang Chulan couldn't help but smile upon hearing this. He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window of the suite, his gaze once again cast toward the distant mountains: "The gun hits the bird that sticks its head out; I still understand that principle." He turned around, his expression becoming serious:

"What is your mission objective this time?" Zhang Chulan asked suddenly.

Wang Zhenqiu and Heiguan'er looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously: "Not sure, the Company just told us to stand by."

"Interesting," a sharp glint flashed in Zhang Chulan's eyes.