Lin Jing crossed her legs again, and Fang Yuan's figure became clearer and clearer in her mind. In the midst of her distracted thoughts, her true essence suddenly surged wildly through her meridians, and a bloody, sweet taste surged up her throat.
This was a sign of going astray in cultivation!
"Focus your mind and calm your energy, guide the essence back to the sea."
A cold, clear voice fell like moonlight, carrying an irresistible authority. The wild essence in Lin Jing's body immediately transformed into a docile stream.
Moreover, the previously stagnant bottleneck was unexpectedly cleared effortlessly. When she came to her senses, she had successfully broken through to the fourth realm!
However, Lin Jing couldn't be bothered to check her cultivation level. She immediately opened her eyes and saw a figure standing beside her.
The young man stood with his hands behind his back, his wide sleeves hanging like clouds, and his eyes, as dark as ink, were quietly looking at her.
He was already at the peak of semi-Martial Saint, yet he had reined in all his pressure to the point that it was undetectable, as if he were still the young man who had come to ask her for guidance at the martial arts academy all those years ago.
Lin Jing understood. This was Fang Yuan deliberately sheathing all his sharpness.
The candlelight in the great hall suddenly dimmed by a third. It wasn't because the lights were running out, but because the mere presence of that person drained all the light in the room.
"Congratulations, Lin Pavilion Master, on your breakthrough," Fang Yuan's lips curled slightly.
"Thank you..." She replied absentmindedly, her peripheral vision catching sight of Qin Hai and the others still discussing Fang Yuan's great accomplishments, but they seemed oblivious to Fang Yuan's sudden appearance.
It must be some technique of a semi-Martial Saint.
Unconsciously, Lin Jing twisted her sleeve between her fingers and softly said, "You're becoming... more and more unreachable."
"Yes..." Even Fang Yuan couldn't deny this. He nodded and changed the topic, "Has your cultivation been going smoothly?"
"Better than ever." Lin Jing showed an overly radiant smile, though her throat felt blocked, and despite having a thousand words to say, in the end, she could only ask dryly, "I heard you're going to the Western Continent soon?"
"Yes."
"Come back safely."
Lin Jing replied, swallowing the words "Take me with you" back into her heart. She knew very well that with her level of cultivation, she probably wouldn't even qualify to be a companion to a Martial Saint about to embark on a journey to the West.
Fang Yuan observed Lin Jing's expression, fell silent for a moment, and noticed the slight tremor in her fingertips. Suddenly, he spoke:
"Why belittle yourself, Lin Pavilion Master? To me, you have never been someone dispensable."
Hearing this, Lin Jing's eyes suddenly warmed, and she quickly lowered her eyelashes, afraid of revealing the emotions swelling within her.
"The path of cultivation is long; there's no need to rush," Fang Yuan gently patted Lin Jing's shoulder, his voice warm and firm. "No matter how big the gap in our cultivation, this friendship will never change."
Lin Jing stared at Fang Yuan's profile, her eyes softening, and the corner of her mouth slowly lifted into a real smile. "Hmm..."
---
On the Western Continent, high in the sky.
A massive object resembling a dark iron coffin was floating amidst the clouds. This colossal star fortress, extending several kilometers, was an airborne stronghold built by the Iron Spine Kingdom using the full strength of the nation. It served as both a transport vessel and a national treasure.
As the second-largest power on the Western Continent, the Iron Spine's star fortress was a marvel of the age. Today, the fortress was unusually lively.
Several luxurious flying boats arrived one after another on the deck, each representing different nations from across the continent.
Looking closely at the flags flying on the flying boats, it was easy to discern which forces they belonged to: the Federation, Long Zhen, Mist Court, and others...
The major powers of the Western Continent had gathered at the Iron Spine today.
At this moment, in a conference room aboard the star fortress, the atmosphere was so tense it felt suffocating.
An elderly man with graying hair, dressed in a white robe, sat at the head of the table, lightly tapping his bony fingers on the surface.
As he did, several figures exuding an air of authority took their seats, quickly filling both sides of the long table.
With a muffled "bang," the door to the conference hall automatically closed, isolating all external noise.
After a brief silence, the elderly man's voice reverberated in the quiet room:
"I assume everyone has heard that the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom is about to visit our Western Continent."
His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. "I have invited all of you, the leaders of the nations, to gather here today to discuss a proper response."
As the head of the Iron Spine's Elder Council, the old man's appearance was unremarkable, but in his eyes, there was a deep, calm wisdom that spoke of great experience.
"There really isn't much to discuss," the first to speak was a golden-haired man in a nine-patterned saint robe, the top disciple of the Federation's Pope: White.
"At this point, the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom's intentions are clear. His visit to our Western Continent is nothing more than a prelude to his invasion!"
"I hope that you can all set aside past grudges and unite to resist the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom."
"Why should we ally with you, the Federation? The Emperor of the Summer Kingdom is visiting you, not us!"
The Royal Knight Commander, Akmond, slammed his fist on the table, representing Mist Court's objections.
His gaze was sharp, openly hostile toward White, as the recent invasion by the Federation's Pope had cost the Royal Knights half of their elite force.
Now, with both nations already at odds, they would never sit at the same table were it not for the huge threat posed by the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom.
White faced the accusations with a cold smile: "Why deceive yourselves? Who here doesn't know the purpose of the Summer Kingdom's Emperor?"
He scanned the room, emphasizing his words: "The Federation is the first target of the Summer Kingdom's Emperor, because everyone knows that we, the Federation, are the strongest country on the Western Continent!"
White's voice carried a hint of pride: "If the Federation falls, who will be able to resist that Summer Kingdom's quasi-Martial Saint?!"
His words struck like a stone dropped in water, causing ripples through the room. The representatives of the various nations changed their expressions, and the hall fell into dead silence.
Everyone knew that the countries that had already been "visited" by the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom had ultimately been absorbed into the Summer Kingdom's empire.
"Now is not the time for old grudges!" White raised his voice, "With the external threat, if we continue to fight amongst ourselves, we will only be doomed!"
Despite the irony in White's words, given the background of the Federation's recent invasion of Mist Court, the representatives of all the nations had to admit that White was right.
The Emperor of the Summer Kingdom's ambition to conquer the world was obvious, and if the nations of the Western Continent wanted to survive, they had no choice but to unite and resist the Summer Kingdom!
"I think the same," the Iron Spine Elder's deep voice rang out, and he swept his gaze across the room.
"Everyone understands the principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.'"
His tone wasn't passionate, but it carried undeniable weight. "If the Federation falls, it will be too late for us to resist the Summer Kingdom..."
"So, our top priority is to come up with a feasible plan before the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom sets foot on the Western Continent—"
"Unite and kill him!"