Then, another realization struck him.
Wait. Lin Wei's already in the late stage?! A flicker of disbelief passed through him. It's only been a year! He was at the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm the last time we met. Just how good is this pyramid for cultivation?
Leyvi couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and curiosity. This place clearly wasn't just a tomb. It was probably some kind of high-level cultivation haven.
Looking at the glowing altars and the surrounding murals, Leyvi considered the possibility. This place definitely enhances their cultivation, but how? The structure was man-made; that much was obvious. So it's probably an array formation… but if it's capable of boosting Lin Wei's realm this fast, then this formation might be far more advanced than any he had encountered before.
Then another person came to him. Oh right. What about Bellion? I should take a look while I still have time. I'm curious to see how he's using that formation talent he was given.
But before Leyvi could shift his awareness, something unexpected happened.
Lin Wei's eyes snapped open.
"Hmph! Who is it? Show yourself!" he barked, suddenly alert. The surge of killing intent caught even the two women off guard, both of whom quickly paused their cultivation.
Without hesitation, a series of beautifully crafted swords shot out from Lin Wei's glabella—each sword morphing in size mid-flight, shifting from miniature to full length in a blink as they surged toward a point above him.
What?!
Leyvi's heart skipped a beat. His instincts screamed at him to dodge, but then he remembered that he wasn't actually there. This was just his spiritual awareness, fixed and immaterial. The swords passed through him harmlessly and swiftly returned to Lin Wei, merging back into his glabella.
"Husband!" Angela and Lana rushed to his side. "Is there an enemy?" Lana asked, eyes scanning the ceiling warily.
"…Hmm. I'm not sure," Lin Wei murmured. "My sense told me something was spying on us from that direction, but now it's gone."
In reality, it was his supreme treasure that warned him about the presence.
"Did someone else enter the pyramid?" Angela asked cautiously, eyes scanning the chamber walls.
"Impossible," Lin Wei said firmly. "I've already taken over this pyramid. I'm the master now. With formations that far surpass anything from our planet, no one can enter this place without my permission. Not even undetected."
Lana tilted her head slightly. "Then… just now?"
"…Hmm. Let's forget it. Maybe I was mistaken." Lin Wei dismissed the thought aloud, but his furrowed brow said otherwise.
Angela and Lana exchanged a brief glance, then returned to their respective altars without another word. They knew Lin Wei well enough to recognize when to press and when to leave things be.
Left alone in silence, Lin Wei remained still for a moment longer. His eyes narrowed.
Did the tree begin to notice me?
Hopefully not… I'm not ready yet.
He sighed inwardly. If only Brother Leyvi had agreed to travel with me… I could have brought him here too. We could've grown stronger together. A flicker of regret crossed his face before it hardened again.
If he helped me complete my mission later, I wouldn't even mind bringing him to the galaxy's heart as one of my subordinates. What a pity he refused.
After scanning the pyramid one last time with his spiritual sense, ensuring nothing else lingered in the shadows, Lin Wei finally closed his eyes again and resumed his cultivation.
---
Meanwhile, right after the sword passed through Leyvi.
Phew… I forgot I wasn't physically here. That scared me. But how did he even notice—ugh…
Just as he was finishing his thought, Leyvi felt a strange disturbance ripple through his consciousness, followed by a powerful pulling force.
His vision flickered violently.
Scenery flashed by even faster than it had during his initial spiritual scan. Moments later, Leyvi's spiritual sense abruptly returned to its normal range, once again covering the bamboo forest and the nearby land.
The worldwide spiritual sense had ended.
Before he could even gather his thoughts, still reeling from the sudden shift and a touch of dizziness, Leyvi felt his core stirring.
The soft blue light that had wrapped around his body faded away, replaced by the radiant glow of gold.
Outside the formation, the seven pandas noticed the change and began chirping excitedly.
"Look, look! Our Panda God is glowing a different color again!" "Is this the power of Panda God?" "I want to glow too!"
Then it happened.
Leyvi's transparent core pulsed once, and waves of Miracle Qi burst forth in rhythmic pulses. The energy radiated outward, sweeping through the land encompassed by his spiritual sense.
Every demonic beast in range stirred. Those slumbering were awakened. Those moving paused. Each one instinctively recognized the miraculous nature of the Qi. And then, as if receiving a divine boon, they all rejoiced—cheering, howling, roaring, or chittering in joy—as their strength surged.
The seven pandas, closest to Leyvi, received the greatest share of the blessing.
"Panda God is blessing us!" "Amazing!" "We thank Panda God!"
And with that, the seven pandas began dancing in celebration, performing silly, wobbly moves that looked like a mix of tribal ritual and childlike play.
While the blessing was in progress, Leyvi finally recovered from his dizziness. Clarity returned to him, and with it, awareness of the scene around him: demonic beasts all across the bamboo forest, basking in the Miracle Qi and joyfully embracing the sudden surge in power.
Since this was the second time such a blessing had occurred, Leyvi wasn't alarmed. If anything, he was mildly curious and a bit amused.
With his spiritual hearing, he began picking up the voices of the demonic beasts as they cheered, offering praise not to him, but to their surroundings.
"Great Bamboo Forest, your benevolence strengthens us!" roared a majestic stag with antlers like branches.
"Thank you, sacred forest, for this divine power! One day we will fly again!" chirped a flock of brilliant green birds jumping between the trees.
"Oh, mighty forest, your gift makes us invincible!" bellowed a massive bear as it thudded its chest with delight.
Leyvi blinked. What the heck? Come on, guys! I'm the one who caused the blessing! Why are you thanking the forest?
He sighed inwardly. They don't even know it was me… There goes my plan to earn another time extension.
Shaking his head, Leyvi turned his focus inward.
His transparent core was glowing steadily in his dantian, and once again, it was depleting his Qi at an astonishing rate, sending it out in powerful, golden pulses. Just like the last time, the waves of Miracle Qi flowed from him, giving strength to everything within range.
Halfway through the blessing, something curious began to unfold deeper within the bamboo forest.
Leyvi's spiritual smell suddenly picked up a shift in the air—a surge in the forest's natural fragrance. The already calming and rejuvenating scent intensified, becoming more vivid and refreshing. His attention drifted from the demonic beasts to the forest itself.
All around, young bamboo shoots began to emit a soft, gentle glow, casting an ethereal light across the forest floor.
"Legendary Bamboo Shoots!" "So many, so many!" "Panda God has blessed us again!" "Quick! Take them, take them all!"
The seven pandas erupted into excited chaos. They scampered through the glowing bamboo groves, harvesting every shimmering shoot in sight. Their paws moved fast, driven by a joyous panic, as if afraid the miracle might vanish at any moment.
Since they were closest to Leyvi, the bamboo shoots had appeared most abundantly in their area, turning their surroundings into a glowing paradise.
So these are the Legendary Bamboo Shoots they mentioned... Leyvi thought as he watched.
Looks like my Miracle Qi doesn't just bless animals, it affects the plants too.
He chuckled inwardly. They said only a few appear from time to time, but now? Thousands! All over the forest!
Hahaha! Come on, if this doesn't earn me another time extension, I don't know what will!
As the Miracle Qi swept through the bamboo forest, the effects became increasingly dramatic.
Ordinary animals trembled as they crossed a crucial threshold, transforming into true demonic beasts. Meanwhile, many low-level demonic beasts roared as they broke through to the intermediate level, filled with new strength and excitement.
But the most spectacular changes came from the few intermediate-level demonic beasts scattered through the forest. One by one, they began to evolve into high-level demonic beasts. And unlike the others, these evolutions shone brightly—literally. Their bodies radiated a strong, visible glow as they exuded dense energy into the surroundings.
Throughout the forest, clusters of light lit up the night where each high-level evolution took place, like small beacons flaring to life beneath the canopy.
The transformation and celebration continued for nearly ten minutes before Leyvi's Qi was finally depleted. The golden glow that had enveloped him faded out, and with his energy spent, he fell backward, exhausted.
"The glow's gone!" "What happened?" "Panda God! Are you okay!?"
The seven pandas called out in alarm, dropping the Legendary Bamboo Shoots they had collected into a big glowing pile and rushing to the edge of the formation.
Before Leyvi could even groan in response, his Daily Qi Refill triggered. A warm current filled his dantian, and his strength returned in a heartbeat.