The moon hung high, a pale watcher over the silent cliffs beyond the Outer Court. Ye Feng knelt shirtless on the cold stone, sweat trailing down his back like molten silver.
The air shimmered with restrained power.
[Warning: Initiating Ghost Vein Variant without proper stabilization risks spiritual backlash.]
Ye Feng exhaled slowly. "If I'm going to slap through the heavens… I can't do it with half-measures."
He drove his palm forward.
THWACK.
The strike landed on the training dummy. A faint ripple echoed inside the wooden torso, followed by a muffled crack moments later.
[Ghost Vein Pulse Activated: 1st Layer Initiated]
+10 Strength (temporary boost – lasts 15 minutes)+1 Insight into Body Cultivation+10 EXPSpiritual Resistance: -5 (Warning: Overuse may cause backlash)
[New Passive Unlocked: Slap Aftershock (Lv. 1)]– Your slaps now leave internal damage over time if executed with Iron Palm + Ghost Vein in combo.
He stood back, eyes glowing faintly.
The technique worked.
Barely.
He staggered to the side, dizzy, a single drop of blood running from his nose.
"Damn it," he muttered. "One more push, and I'll fry my meridians."
Ye Feng grinned anyway. "Perfect."
Meanwhile, within the Inner Court Pavilion...
Lin Ruyan sat before a crystalline mirror, her brows furrowed. Behind her, Wei Qingyue leaned against the window frame, arms crossed.
"You keep staring at that memory crystal," Qingyue said, voice soft. "Worried?"
The mirror replayed the scene from two nights ago—Ye Feng, walking away from the burning duel ring, his back straight even under the elders' gaze.
Ruyan's lips parted. "He shouldn't be this strong. Not this soon…"
Wei Qingyue tilted her head. "You sound… almost impressed."
"I'm not."
"You're definitely not not."
Silence stretched between them. Then Lin Ruyan finally whispered:
"I just… I didn't expect him to change."
Back at the cliff, Ye Feng sat cross-legged as moonlight poured over his frame.
[Inner World Meditation Initiated…]
[Slap Progression – 37% to next Level]
[New Quest Available: Judgment Trial Preliminaries – 3 Days Remaining]▸ Objective: Slap the top 10 competitors into next week▸ Reward: EXP + Skill Upgrade + Mystery Chest (Mid-Tier)▸ Bonus Objective: Win without getting slapped back▸ Bonus Reward: Title Upgrade — "Face-Slap Monarch (Provisional)"
The wind shifted.
A shadow stepped forward from the trees.
"Practicing late again, Slap King?" Wei Qingyue's voice was teasing—but her gaze lingered longer this time, softer, less mocking.
Ye Feng raised a brow. "You spying on me now?"
"I prefer… observing potential," she said, sitting beside him, legs swinging over the cliff edge.
Ye Feng didn't reply.
Qingyue tapped her chin. "So. Who taught you that slap within a slap?"
"Trade secret."
"Hm. I like secrets. Especially the dangerous ones."
Their eyes met—briefly.
For a moment, the silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Then the system pinged.
[Alert: Female Entity "Wei Qingyue" is experiencing emotional turbulence.]
Ye Feng chuckled softly. "Get used to being confused."
Ye Feng's Stat Update (Post Training)
Strength: 22 → 32(temporary buff active)
Agility: 17
Intelligence: 20
Charisma: 15
Reputation: 125
Infamy Level: 3
Skills:
Slap Returner (Lv. 2)
Iron Face (Passive)
Mockery Multiplier (Lv. 1)
Iron Palm Art (Lv. 3)
Ghost Vein Palm – Echoing Variant (Lv. 1)
NEW:Slap Aftershock (Passive) – Internal damage over time