Inside the core layer of the Forgotten Celestial Abyss, the golden floating island had turned completely quiet.
Song Han and his ten sword disciples had already crawled off into the distance, glitter still sparkling on their robes and their minds completely shattered by the confetti-exploding bowing ceremony. The surrounding spectators had wisely fled, leaving the golden island entirely to Lu Chen and his two companions.
Lu Chen waved his sleeve, deploying a portable, high-grade Spatial Barrier Pavilion—a magnificent, array-defended structure lined with plush velvet couches, fragrant spirit incense, and glowing jade lanterns.
Inside the cozy pavilion, the spatial energy was serene and pure.
Lu Chen sat on a central lounge couch, looking at Ye Qingxian and Saintess Ji Xue, who were sitting on cushions before him.
Between them rested two pulsating, rainbow-colored Primordial Dao Fruits, radiating concentrated Dao laws and rich, golden spiritual marrow.
"Eat them, my beauties," Lu Chen smiled angelicly, his purple eyes brimming with gentle warmth. "These fruits will cleanse your meridians and elevate your cultivation foundations to the absolute limit."
Ji Xue stared at the glowing rainbow fruit in her hand, her dark eyes flickering with deep emotion. In the cultivation world, a single Primordial Dao Fruit could spark a bloody, domain-wide war between top sects. Yet Lu Chen had handed them over without a second thought, as casually as giving away sweet apples.
"Lu Chen..." Ji Xue murmured softly, her pale cheeks flushing a delicate rosy shade. "This fruit is far too precious... You won it yourself. Shouldn't you consume both?"
"Are you doubting my capacity to pamper my companions?" Lu Chen teased smoothly, leaning forward and cupping her chin, his thumb gently stroking her lower lip. "A true gentleman shares his finest treasures with his women."
Ji Xue’s breath caught in her throat. She bit her lip, her heart fluttering helplessly under his irresistible gaze. "Y-You... stop speaking like that..." she whispered flusteredly, though she leaned slightly into his hand before taking a sweet, golden bite of the fruit.
Ye Qingxian didn't hesitate. She took a bite of her fruit, her ice-blue eyes fixed on Lu Chen with total, unyielding devotion. "Thank you, Young Master."
As the liquid Dao marrow dissolved down their throats, a wave of immense, golden energy erupted inside both women’s meridians!
"Sit close to me," Lu Chen instructed gently, taking their hands.
Lu Chen channeled his own Peak Core Formation aura, guiding their surging spiritual energy. The close-contact dual-resonance caused Ji Xue’s cold frost aura and Ye Qingxian’s razor-sharp ice blade intent to blend in perfect harmony with Lu Chen’s purple-gold core energy.
BOOM! BOOM!
Both Ye Qingxian and Saintess Ji Xue’s aura spiked dramatically, breaking straight through their former bottlenecks to reach the Peak Core Formation Realm! Their skin glowed with pure, jade-like clarity, and their physical power multiplied several times over!
Simultaneously, Lu Chen swallowed the third Primordial Dao Fruit. He called up his golden System interface, spending his remaining 105,000 System Points directly into his cultivation foundation!
[Ding!]
[105,000 System Points Consumed + Primordial Dao Fruit Absorbed!]
[Cultivation Realm Breakthrough: Half-Step Nascent Soul Realm!]
[Spiritual Perception & Spatial Laws Expanded!]
BOOM!
A terrifying, majestic golden-purple halo erupted around Lu Chen! His purple-gold core expanded, hovering at the absolute threshold of transforming into a spiritual Nascent Soul infant!
When Lu Chen slowly opened his glowing purple eyes, his aura was so vast and divine that the space inside the pavilion vibrated in soft submission.
Ji Xue looked at him, completely breathless, her dark eyes shining with admiration. "Half-Step Nascent Soul... at nineteen years old... you are an absolute monster!"
"A handsome monster," Lu Chen corrected smoothly, pulling both Ji Xue and Ye Qingxian into his arms, resting them comfortably against his chest as they enjoyed the serene quiet after their breakthroughs.
Right at that sweet, intimate moment, a subtle, razor-thin shadow ripple twitched beneath the roots of the Primordial Dao Tree outside the pavilion.
Rustle...
A lithe figure clad in translucent black lace silk and fluttering crimson ribbons slipped out from the shadow of the roots like a ghost.
She possessed a breathtaking, dangerously attractive face, porcelain-white skin, sharp purple-red eyes, and a pair of tiny, adorable black velvet horns peeking through her long, raven hair.
Yao Ji held a small crystal bottle, trying to quietly gather the remaining primordial spirit dew dripping from the Dao Tree's roots.
"Hehehe~" Yao Ji giggled quietly in a silky, melodious whisper, her slender fox-like eyes curving. "Those silly right-path fools were so busy throwing glitter and kowtowing that they left the precious Dao Dew behind for this princess~"
"Is the Dao Dew tasty, little demon princess?"
A low, velvety, impossibly smooth voice whispered right beside her delicate, pointed ear!
"Eek?!"
Yao Ji gasped, jumping back three feet like a startled kitten! Her crimson ribbons fluttered wildly as she drew a pair of obsidian daggers, her eyes wide with shock.
Standing two inches away from her was Lu Chen, casually fanning himself with his silver fan, his long crimson hair catching the light, his glowing purple eyes looking down at her with playful, devilish amusement.
Behind him, Ye Qingxian and Saintess Ji Xue stepped out of the pavilion, their newly enhanced Peak Core Formation aura locking onto her!
"Y-You!" Yao Ji squeaked, her fox-like eyes scanning Lu Chen’s Half-Step Nascent Soul aura in sheer disbelief. How did he move so fast?! My Demon Shadow Steps are supposed to be invisible to anyone under the Nascent Soul realm!
Yao Ji quickly hid her daggers behind her back. She blinked her large, dark purple eyes, putting on an impossibly sweet, innocent, pitiful expression, her voice dropping into a soft, sultry whine.
"Aww... big brother~" Yao Ji purred, taking a delicate step closer, swaying her slender hips playfully as her crimson ribbons rustled in the breeze. "Are you really going to bully a weak, helpless little demon girl like me? I was just passing by to look at the pretty tree..."
Ji Xue’s eyebrows twitched, her eyes flashing with instant jealousy. "A weak demon girl? You're the Demon Princess of the Heavenly Demon Sect!"
Lu Chen didn't get angry. Instead, his smirk widened into something profoundly, delightfully villainous. He closed his silver fan, tapping it lightly against his palm.
"A weak, helpless demon girl, you say?" Lu Chen murmured, stepping right into Yao Ji’s personal space until their noses almost touched. "I love helpless girls. In fact, I have a special treat just for you."
Yao Ji’s heart gave a strange, unexpected thud under his intense, magnetic gaze, but her mischievous nature remained strong. "A treat? Is it a sweet pill, handsome big brother?"
"Even better," Lu Chen smiled angelicly, pulling out a sleek silver vial containing a glowing violet powder—the Truth-Telling To
ngue-Twister Powder. "It's an educational snack!”