Chapter 280: Profound Life Stage Great Completion, Walking With Beauty!
[Ding! You patted Burning Heaven. Obtained 10 million Xuanyuan Pills!]
Now that was an unexpected delight.
Hearing the system's notification, Lin Fan's heart stirred slightly, but he didn't show it outwardly.
After handing the cauldron over to Lin Fan, Old Man Burning Heaven paused for a moment, then stretched out his hand. A dense vitality gathered in his palm, eventually condensing into a pure white pill, the size of a longan.
From within that pill, an astonishing vitality radiated.
"Refine this, and it should boost your strength quite a bit," the elder said.
Lin Fan looked at his weathered face, which had become even more ashen after expelling that vital essence. A rare warmth rose in his heart.
"Thank you, senior. I will never forget this favor," he said earnestly.
"There's no need for such words," the elder chuckled. "I only ask one favor in return."
As he said that, Old Man Burning Heaven glanced over at Ling Qingzhu.
The moment Ling Qingzhu noticed his gaze, a certain memory flashed in her mind—an embarrassing moment from the tomb in the Great Yan Dynasty. She forced herself to remain composed.
"I'll take a walk," she said calmly, then turned and left swiftly—as if fleeing.
After she left, Old Man Burning Heaven asked Lin Fan to look after Ying Huanhuan, and mentioned a few things about her previous life.
"Senior," Lin Fan said after a moment, "if I one day reach the Reincarnation Stage, could I help restore your sanity?"
The old man smiled, slowly closing his eyes.
"When you comprehend reincarnation… return here and we'll see."
Lin Fan bowed again, then found a quiet place to sit. He took out the white vitality pill.
"Let's see how far this can push me."
He sat cross-legged and placed the pill in his mouth.
BOOM!
The moment the pill entered his mouth, Lin Fan's face flushed red. He could feel an incredibly vast and vigorous energy erupting within his body.
He didn't dare slack off, and immediately began refining and absorbing it.
RUMBLE!
The power rampaged through his body like a flood. A scorching heat surged within him, like steam rising through his limbs and bones.
As the energy coursed through his meridians, Lin Fan gradually refined it into pure Yuan Power, which then flowed into the phantom of his nascent spirit within his dantian.
Hiss—!
As soon as the refined energy touched his nascent spirit, a white glow shimmered and swiftly merged into it.
With the continued infusion, his nascent spirit became increasingly solid.
Simultaneously, Lin Fan's Yuan Power reserves continued to skyrocket, and his aura grew stronger by the minute.
This pill was formed from Old Man Burning Heaven's final remnants of life force—it contained an overwhelming amount of energy.
Moreover, perhaps by design, it harmonized perfectly with Lin Fan, showing no resistance or wild surges that might have caused instability.
As Lin Fan focused entirely on cultivation, five days passed in a flash.
He remained seated atop a rock, emanating waves of majestic energy that rolled through the air.
In front of him stood a cold, elegant woman—Ling Qingzhu.
Her long, narrow eyes gazed quietly at the meditating Lin Fan, and behind the veil covering her face, faint emotions flickered.
"He really has changed…" she murmured.
Alone, facing the youth in quiet meditation, she finally allowed herself to reveal her heart's turmoil.
Perhaps no woman could truly remain unaffected by a man who had once taken her purity—not even Ling Qingzhu.
She gently touched her flawless cheek, her gaze colored by memory.
That young boy… had now become a soaring eagle known across the heavens.
Even she couldn't help but smile faintly.
Huh?
Just as her lips curved slightly, her expression changed.
She looked up and saw Lin Fan—now awake—smiling at her with open eyes.
Their gazes locked.
For a moment, Ling Qingzhu was stunned. Meeting his eyes so directly threw her off completely.
"Charmed by me?" Lin Fan teased playfully.
Ling Qingzhu snapped out of it. A flush bloomed beneath her veil.
"I was just thinking. You broke through to Profound Life Stage Great Completion?" she asked, trying to sound calm.
Lin Fan rose to his feet with a smile. "Sharp eyes."
In truth, if he'd kept cultivating for a few more days, he likely would've reached Profound Life Stage Perfection.
But time was short, so he had chosen to stop.
The energy from the vitality pill still lingered in his body—sealed and waiting.
"Looks like most of the gains from this trip went to you," Ling Qingzhu said, glancing at him.
Lin Fan chuckled without denying it. "How long was I cultivating?"
"Five days."
"Not too long, then," Lin Fan nodded. Then he turned to Ling Qingzhu and asked, "Why didn't you leave?"
"There are many ancient remnants here. I stayed to investigate," she said lightly, avoiding his eyes.
"Is that so?" Lin Fan smiled knowingly but didn't push the point. "Thanks."
Neither said it outright, but Lin Fan understood that she had stayed to protect him.
Ling Qingzhu gave no reply.
"If you're done cultivating, let's go," she said instead.
Lin Fan nodded, bowed once more toward the direction of Old Man Burning Heaven, and then took to the sky alongside Ling Qingzhu, heading for the last remaining spatial vortex.
…
In the crimson basin, space twisted—and two figures flew out from the vortex.
Lin Fan hovered in the air, scanning the area. The crowd had long since dispersed.
"Looks like everyone's gone," he said. Then he turned to Ling Qingzhu. "What now? Are you heading back to the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace?"
"Wu Qun has some leadership skills. He can manage for now. Su Rou is strong enough. Unless something major happens, they'll be fine."
Her eyes shifted to Lin Fan. "But your Dao Sect has a deep grudge with Yuan Gate. Aren't you worried about what might happen in your absence?"
"Yuan Gate's Three Little Kings are all dead. With Chen Kui and Qingtan on our side, even if something flares up again, Dao Sect will win," Lin Fan said with a faint smile.
Ling Qingzhu remembered his battle with Yuan Cang and couldn't help but feel a bit shaken again.
"Want to travel together?" Lin Fan offered, noticing her silence.
"No. I have something else to do," Ling Qingzhu said, shaking her head. Her gaze turned toward a deeper part of the Domain of Annihilation.
"That direction… it's the area with the strongest demonic presence. What are you going there for?" Lin Fan asked casually.
"According to ancient texts, there's a Taiqing Immortal Pool hidden deep in the Domain."
Ling Qingzhu hesitated briefly but chose to be honest.
"Then we part ways here. See you at the teleportation array. Take care."
With that, she turned into a streak of green light and shot off into the distance.
But a moment later—the light halted.
She turned back in surprise and saw Lin Fan following behind her, wearing his usual warm smile.
"Letting a girl go alone to such a dangerous place… I wouldn't feel right. Let me tag along."
"Consider it a chance to repay a favor."
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