C62 The Sneak Attack
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Lee Yuchan couldn't discern anything extraordinary within the Veil of Illusions. She was puzzled as to why the old general would make such a sudden remark.
"Yu Yuan has made a breakthrough," the old general announced, smiling.
"Into the Soul Awakening realm?" Lee Yuchan was slightly taken aback. "That is somewhat unexpected. But considering he was already at the peak of the Spirit Channel realm, a breakthrough following a fortunate event doesn't seem worthy of such acclaim, does it?"
"He seized the true fortune hidden in that deep pit," the old general continued.
"What fortune?" Lee Yuchan was at a loss.
"I must admit, I was mistaken," the old general reflected with a hint of regret. "I had assumed the sword-shaped engravings on the Moon Shard were the key to the opportunity."
"They weren't?" Lee Yuchan asked, perplexed.
"No," the old general gently shook his head. "The Van family members were merely contemplating the physical forms of those engravings. The genuine essence, the sword's will, and the sword spirit, were actually mingling within the clusters of spiritual energy suspended in the middle of the pit."
"It seems the young man from the Yu family either deciphered the mystery or stumbled upon it by chance, capturing the most quintessential sword spirit."
"Without being there in person, I can't fully grasp the intricacies through the Veil of Illusions. But I'm convinced that the sword spirit that merged with him will be greatly advantageous to his development."
For the first time, the old general seemed genuinely intrigued by Yu Yuan.
With a slight smile, he instructed, "Keep your eyes on that situation. And be vigilant—ensure that scoundrel Van Le doesn't harm him within those confines."
"Van Le wouldn't dare to violate the rules of the forbidden area," Lee Yuchan said, her brow furrowed.
"That young man is crafty; he might not outright break the rules to harm Yu Yuan, but he's certainly capable of inflicting severe injuries or potentially derailing Yu Yuan's path of cultivation," the old general cautioned.
After a moment of contemplation, Lee Yuchan nodded in agreement, "He certainly has the means to do so."
...
"Master Li, the divine force is fading away."
"How odd. The sword-shaped patterns I was studying shone dimly before, but now they've lost their luster."
"Just moments ago, I could sense a vast and ancient ambiance. I can't explain it, but that ambiance has vanished without a trace."
The Van family's disciples also picked up on the fact that something was amiss.
Van Le's face remained a mask of smiles, yet his eyes betrayed not a hint of mirth.
His gaze was fixed on Yu Yuan.
"Yu, congratulations are in order. Truly, you stand out as a paragon among your peers. To think you managed to break through upon your descent! Upon entering the Soul Awakening Realm, you incited a surge of spiritual energy, initiating the first round of tempering your flesh and blood."
Van Le marveled, lavishing praise without reservation.
He had observed with clarity Yu Yuan's breakthrough and how he drew in the spiritual energy.
The rest of the Van family's youth finally caught on after Van Le's explanation.
"It's all thanks to your generous support, Brother Van."
Yu Yuan, standing on the stone steps, smiled genuinely. "It was quite the unexpected boon. The divine force that envelops this place has indeed triggered a breakthrough, helping me overcome my previous limits."
As he spoke, he continued to subtly channel the Nine Glories Wheel.
"Hu!"
Streams of spiritual energy swirled towards him.
The spiritual energy that had once enveloped him grew increasingly sparse due to the Nine Glories Wheel and his Primal Body, until it vanished completely.
He inhaled it, drawing it into his body through every pore.
Before long, even the last wisp of spiritual energy was drawn into him.
He felt a profound sense of ease.
The spiritual energy coursing through his twelve meridians extended to his limbs and organs, purifying his sinews and flesh.
His arms, and the bones within, now harbored an abundance of sword light.
Each glint of sword light radiated an aura of antiquity and vastness, though they appeared somewhat chaotic and not easily decipherable.
"You know, now that my cultivation has advanced, I don't see the need to delve any further underground."
Yu Yuan, eyes cast downward, regarded the diminutive figure of Van Le and the other members of the Van family. After a glance at the Moon Shard, he spoke up: "Brother Van, I believe this is where we should part ways."
He had accepted Van Le's invitation to descend earlier, confident in his own abilities and unafraid of Van Le, but there was another motive.
He had been eager to examine the sword-shaped pattern on the Moon Shard, to unlock its secrets.
Now, he was convinced that the most profound secret of the Moon Shard had been assimilated into his very being.
Having secured what he desired, there seemed to be no further need for deception with Van Le.
"Alright, you know I only have your best interests at heart," Van Le said with a smile, gesturing with his hand. "Now that you've successfully advanced and absorbed a significant amount of spiritual energy, you should find a place to properly temper your corporeal body."
Surprisingly, he made no attempt to detain him.
The Van family members nearby were taken aback.
Yu Yuan was inwardly astonished, yet his face remained beaming with smiles. "I'll be on my way up then."
"Take your time, there's no rush," Van Le responded.
"Has Van Le changed his ways?" Han Hui strained to overhear their exchange. Due to the distance, she could only make out Yu Yuan's figure, unable to see Van Le.
But she was aware that the two had not had a formal encounter.
Knowing Van Le's malicious nature, she was certain it wouldn't be so simple for him to just let Yu Yuan leave.
This left her brimming with suspicion.
Gao Hong and others were equally perplexed, unable to fathom why Van Le would let Yu Yuan leave so readily.
Living in the same city, they were well aware of Van Le's reputation.
"Until next time."
Yu Yuan, equally baffled, continued his ascent up the stone steps.
Below, Van Le sat tranquilly next to the Moon Shard, eyes closed, as if he were meditating or gathering his strength.
As Yu Yuan climbed, his body suddenly shook violently.
He came to an abrupt halt!
Moments later, he began to shake uncontrollably, drenched in sweat and ashen-faced.
Zhao Yafu, Han Hui, and the others atop could not see his distress.
Nor could the Van family members below discern what was happening.
Only Yu Yuan himself understood the source of the issue.
Previously, he had harnessed the power of the Nine Glories Wheel and his Primal Body to draw in the divine force, but among it lurked an alien power.
This power, gentle yet resilient, was now rampaging through his body, ravaging his flesh and vitality!
Without a second thought, he knew this power had to be Van Le's doing.
Somehow, Van Le had managed to covertly infuse a subtle force into the spiritual energy, allowing it to enter Yu Yuan's body undetected.
In the Soul Awakening Realm, he could draw spiritual energy into his body and distribute it to his limbs through the twelve meridians!
The gentle force that Van Le had infused into his body began to wreak havoc within his flesh and bones, threatening to destroy his life force from within. He was on the verge of sustaining severe internal injuries.
Moreover, there were no visible signs on his face.
Even if he were to die suddenly, it would go unnoticed.
No one would realize that Van Le had stealthily struck a deadly blow.
Should there be any inquiries from the outside world, the lack of any physical contact between the two would allow Van Le to claim that Yu Yuan had succumbed to a latent illness, and his death would raise no suspicions.
Van Le, with his eyes closed in meditation, appeared oblivious to the peril that Yu Yuan was facing above him.
As if recalling something amusing, a smile crept across his lips, and he let out a soft chuckle.
Meanwhile, Yu Yuan was in such agony that he wished for death, facing the greatest challenge since his rebirth.
"Van Le!"
