Chapter 28: A Heaven-Defying Root Bone
Time seemed to lose its meaning as Lin Yuan held Bai Qingyue, their lips locked in a deep, lingering kiss that communicated all the words they did not need to say. Her delicate hands gripped the fabric of his robes, anchoring her fragile body to him.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathing slightly heavier. Bai Qingyue’s eyes were glazed with a profound, misty affection, her cheeks burning with a brilliant crimson. She rested her forehead against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
Just as Lin Yuan raised a hand to gently stroke her hair....
[Ding!]
[Host has invested: Time spent kissing Dao companion and sharing a deep romantic exchange.]
[Triggering critical multiplier... calculating...]
[Congratulations to the Host! You have triggered a 3000X Return!] [Congratulations to the Host! You have triggered an Attribute Upgrade Return!] [Reward: +180 Points added to Root Bone!]
Boom!
If his previous Root Bone upgrade had elevated him to a supreme heavenly talent, this additional 180 points shattered the very limits of human potential. His Root Bone score skyrocketed to a monstrous 500 points!
Lin Yuan took a slow breath. He could feel the peak of his Foundation Establishment cultivation trembling, the spiritual Qi in his dantian compressing, boiling, and begging to solidify into a Golden Core.
He was truly a peerless genius now! A breakthrough that would typically take an elite cultivator centuries of bitter, secluded cultivation and mountains of rare resources was now entirely within his immediate grasp. He could step into the Core Formation realm in no time at all.
Lin Yuan gently pulled back, cupping Bai Qingyue’s face with both hands. His pupils were incredibly soft, yet they carried a weight of profound determination.
"Qingyue," Lin Yuan began. "My cultivation has reached a critical tipping point. The spiritual qi in my dantian is overflowing, and the needs are calling."
Bai Qingyue’s eyes widened in realization. "You are breaking through? To the Core Formation realm?"
To jump from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation so rapidly was unheard of, but after witnessing him casually forge a Dao-infused sword and shatter a Core Formation attack, she had learned to stop applying logic to her husband.
"Yes," Lin Yuan nodded. "But this is not just about gaining power for the sake of it. I told you I would find a way to break the Soul Transformation restriction in your body. However, to wield any method required to heal your meridians and allow you to cultivate again, I absolutely must form my Golden Core and eventually condense a Primordial Spirit. Remaining at Foundation Establishment is no longer enough."
Tears of profound emotion pricked the corners of her eyes. He was ascending to the heavens, yet his only true motivation was to pull her up alongside him.
"I must enter closed-door cultivation to safely bridge this gap," Lin Yuan explained, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "I will need to leave the courtyard for a short time."
Bai Qingyue swallowed hard, a flicker of anxiety crossing her features, though she quickly masked it with a brave smile. "I understand. I will wait for you, Husband. Even if it takes years, I will be right here."
"It will not take years," Lin Yuan chuckled softly, confident in his talent thanks to his 500 point Root Bone. "Just a few days. But before I leave, I must ensure you are the absolute master of this domain."
He raised his right index finger. A brilliant, concentrated droplet of his Dao intent materialized on his fingertip. He gently pressed his finger against the center of her forehead.
A cooling sensation washed over Bai Qingyue’s mind as the Dao seal seamlessly fused with her soul.
"I have placed my Dao seal upon you," Lin Yuan told her, pulling his hand back. "You already know of the Barrier that protects this house, and the Eye of Heavenly Retribution that watches from above. With this seal, the barrier recognizes you as its master. You may freely enter or leave the courtyard without resistance. Though," he added with a protective smile, "I would strongly prefer you remain inside where it is safe."
"I will not take a single step outside," Bai Qingyue promised fervently, touching her forehead where the invisible seal rested. "I will wait for your return."
"Bai Chen is stationed just outside the barrier," Lin Yuan added. "If you need anything—food, water—simply call for him. The barrier will allow his voice to pass, and his seal will allow him entry if you permit it."
After sharing another kiss, Lin Yuan finally pulled himself away from the warm comfort of the bed.
He walked out of the bedroom, crossing the main hall, and stepped out into the courtyard. Through the translucent Barrier, he could see Bai Chen sitting cross-legged, diligently cultivating and standing guard.
With a thought, Lin Yuan allowed his voice to pass through the barrier.
"Bai Chen."
The Bai Chen’s eyes snapped open. He instantly scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply toward the courtyard. "Lord Lin! Your subordinate is here!"
"I am departing to undergo closed-door cultivation. I am breaking through to the Core Formation realm," Lin Yuan announced flatly, watching the young man’s jaw practically hit the dirt in sheer awe. "I have placed the master seal upon my wife. She can leave the barrier, though I have told her not to. You are to remain here. Watch over her. Answer her calls. If any blind fools attempt to test the barrier while I am gone, memorize their faces."
"I swear upon my soul, Lord Lin!" Bai Chen declared, pounding his fist against his chest. "Even if the heavens fall and the earth shatters, I will not let a single speck of dust harm Cousin Qingyue!"
"See that you don’t," Lin Yuan replied coolly.
With his affairs perfectly in order, Lin Yuan had nothing left to tie him down.
He immediately invoked the Immortal Cloud Step.
His physical form dissolved into a wisp of mist, phasing effortlessly through his own Barrier.
Lin Yuan flash stepped for hundreds of miles, the wind whipping past him, until he found himself in an untamed, primordial wilderness.
Eventually, his pupils locked onto a destination in the far distance.
Piercing through a thick layer of rolling clouds was a jagged mountain peak. It was incredibly desolate, completely devoid of human presence, yet it radiated a thick, untamed spiritual qi that swirled around its summit like a vortex. The sheer altitude and isolation made it the perfect stage for a breakthrough.
"There," Lin Yuan murmured to himself, the misty form of his body accelerating toward it. "That mountain will bear witness to my Golden Core."