C62 The Sneak Attack

"How's that possible?"

Lee Yuchan found nothing remarkable within the Mirage Water Curtain and was puzzled by the old general's abrupt remark.

"Yu Yuan has made a breakthrough," the old general announced, smiling.

"Reached the Spirit Accumulating Stage?" Lee Yuchan was slightly taken aback. "That is somewhat unexpected. But he was already at the peak of the Pulse Opening Stage. With the right opportunity, a breakthrough would be natural. Surely, it's not that significant for you to mention?"

"The true opportunity within that deep pit has been seized by him," the old general continued.

"What opportunity?" Lee Yuchan was at a loss.

"To tell you the truth, I misread the situation," the old general admitted with a hint of regret. "I had believed that the opportunity lay in the sword-shaped patterns etched into the Moon Fragment."

"It wasn't?" Lee Yuchan asked, confused.

"No," the old general replied, shaking his head gently. "The Van family members have been fixated on those sword patterns, but they're just forms. The real essence, the sword intent, the sword soul, was actually in the clusters of spiritual energy floating in the middle of the deep pit."

"It seems the young man from the Yu family either discerned their secrets or stumbled upon them by chance, capturing the most quintessential sword soul."

"Without being there, I can't fully grasp the subtleties through the Mirage Water Curtain alone. But I'm convinced that the sword souls that have merged with him will be of great benefit."

For the first time, the old general seemed genuinely intrigued by Yu Yuan.

With a slight smile, he instructed, "Keep watching him, girl. And be careful—make sure Fan Li doesn't do anything to harm him inside."

"Fan Li wouldn't dare to violate the sacred rules," Lee Yuchan said, her brow furrowed.

"That boy is crafty; he might not outright break the rules to kill Yu Yuan, but he's capable of inflicting severe injuries or even derailing Yu Yuan's path of cultivation," the old general warned.

After a moment's reflection, Lee Yuchan nodded in agreement. "He's certainly capable of such deeds."

...

"Master Li, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is fading."

"How odd. The sword patterns I was contemplating shone brightly before, but now their luster has vanished."

"Just moments ago, I could sense a hint of a vast, ancient aura. I can't explain it, but that aura has also mysteriously disappeared."

The disciples of the Van family had also picked up on the unsettling atmosphere.

Despite Fan Li's face being plastered with smiles, his eyes betrayed not a trace of mirth. His gaze remained fixed on Yu Yuan.

"Brother Yu, my congratulations! Truly a rare gem among men, breaking through upon your descent! Upon entering the Spirit Accumulating Stage, you've even managed to stir the spiritual qi of Heaven and Earth, initiating the first phase of your flesh and blood's refinement."

Fan Li expressed his wonder openly, lavishing praise without reservation.

He had witnessed Yu Yuan's cultivation breakthrough and his absorption of the spiritual qi with crystal clarity.

The other Van family youths only grasped the situation after Fan Li's explanation.

"It's all due to Big Brother Fan's generous support."

Yu Yuan, standing on the central stone steps, smiled genuinely. "It was quite unexpected. The spiritual qi here has indeed triggered a breakthrough for me, helping me shatter my previous limits."

While he spoke, he continued to discreetly channel the Glorious Heavenly Wheel.

"Hu!"

Streams of spiritual qi rushed toward him.

The engulfing qi grew increasingly sparse due to the Glorious Heavenly Wheel and his Yuan body, until it vanished completely—inhaled through his mouth and absorbed by every pore.

Before long, even the last wisp of spiritual qi was drawn into him, leaving him feeling thoroughly rejuvenated.

The qi coursing through his twelve meridians extended to his limbs and organs, cleansing his sinews and flesh.

His arms, down to the bones, bristled with numerous tiny sword lights.

Each point of light exuded an aura of vastness and antiquity, though they appeared somewhat chaotic and were not to be fully understood in haste.

"Given that my cultivation realm has advanced, I see no further need to entangle myself with the affairs below."

Yu Yuan, looking down at the diminutive figure of Van Ning and the other Van family members, cast a glance at the Moon Fragment and suddenly declared, "Big Brother Fan, I think it's time we went our separate ways."

He had previously accepted Van Ning's invitation to delve deeper, confident in his own capabilities and unafraid of Van Ning. But there was another motive.

He had been eager to inspect the sword-shaped pattern on the Moon Fragment, to unlock its secrets.

Now, he was convinced that he had internalized the greatest mystery of the Moon Fragment—the so-called hidden opportunity.

With his goal achieved and the coveted item in hand, there seemed no point in continuing the charade with Van Ning.

"That's fine, you know I only have your best interests at heart," Van Ning said with a smile, gesturing with a wave of his hand. "Now that you've successfully broken through and absorbed a significant amount of Spiritual Qi, you should find a place to properly temper your flesh and bones."

Surprisingly, he made no attempt to detain him.

The Van family members standing nearby were taken aback by this.

Yu Yuan was inwardly astonished, yet he maintained a cheerful expression. "I'll head up then."

"Take your time, there's no rush," Van Ning responded.

"Has Van Ning had a change of heart?" Han Hui had to strain to catch their conversation from a distance. She could barely make out Yu Yuan's figure, and Van Ning was out of sight.

She was aware that the two hadn't formally met. Knowing Van Ning's notoriously sinister nature, she was certain he wouldn't have let Yu Yuan leave so effortlessly. Her mind swirled with confusion.

Gao Hong and another group were equally baffled, unable to fathom why Van Ning would so readily release Yu Yuan. They were well aware of Van Ning's reputation within the city.

"Until next time," Yu Yuan said to himself, equally perplexed as he ascended the stone steps.

Below, Van Ning sat tranquilly beside the Moon Fragment, eyes closed, seemingly in meditation or perhaps just resting.

As Yu Yuan climbed, his body suddenly shook violently.

He came to an abrupt halt.

The next moment, he was shaking uncontrollably, drenched in sweat, his face drained of color.

Zhao Yafu, Han Hui, and the others above couldn't see his distress.

Nor could the Van family members below discern the true situation.

Only Yu Yuan understood the source of the problem.

He had relied on the Glorious Heavenly Wheel and his Yuan fetus to draw in the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. But among it was an alien force, unfamiliar and insidious.

This force, yielding yet resilient, was wreaking havoc within him, ravaging his flesh and vitality!

Without a second thought, he knew this force had to be Van Ning's doing.

Somehow, Van Ning had stealthily infused a sinister power into the Spiritual Qi, which Yu Yuan had ingested unknowingly.

At the Spirit Accumulating Stage, Yu Yuan could channel the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth through his twelve meridians, invigorating every limb and bone in his body!

The gentle yet insidious power that Van Ning had surreptitiously introduced into his system began to wreak havoc within his flesh and bones, threatening to ravage his life force and inflict severe internal damage. And yet, his outward appearance betrayed nothing of the turmoil within.

Should Yu Yuan succumb to this assault, no one would be the wiser to the cause of his demise. Van Ning's covert strike would remain undetected.

Even under external scrutiny, with no evidence of physical contact between them, Van Ning could easily deflect any blame. He could argue that Yu Yuan had succumbed to a sudden, fatal illness, and none would be the wiser.

Meanwhile, Van Ning, with eyes closed as if in meditation, appeared blissfully ignorant of the peril that Yu Yuan was facing just above him. A smirk crossed his lips, and a soft chuckle escaped him, as if amused by some private jest.

In stark contrast, Yu Yuan was in agony, facing the gravest challenge since his rebirth—a pain so intense he almost longed for death.

"Van Ning!"

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