As Qiu Heng made his way back to his quarters, a foreboding presence swept through the corridor, thick with tension. Turning, he found himself face-to-face with Shen Liang, one of the sect's most ruthless core disciples, a cultivator at the high ranks of Spirit Condensation Realm. Despite his confidence, Qiu Heng couldn't help but bow respectfully.
"Senior Shen Liang," Qiu Heng greeted, his voice wary. Shen Liang's reputation as a ruthless cultivator preceded him.
The core disciple wasted no time on pleasantries. "I heard about your life-and-death duel with that new Qi Refining brat, Lin Tian." He held out a dark jade slip, etched with foreboding red symbols. "Take this. It contains the Soul-Burning Mantra, a powerful technique that can push you to break through your limits during battle. It will overdraft your potential—using it will come at a cost, but it will grant you power beyond your current level."
Qiu Heng's eyes widened. He knew the reputation of the Soul-Burning Mantra. Though dangerous, its power was undeniable. "Senior… this is—"
Shen Liang cut him off, eyes cold. "If you use it, your victory is assured, but you'll also pay for that strength. I'm not interested in excuses, Qiu Heng. You will defeat him."
With an intimidating aura, Shen Liang handed him another scroll. "And this is the Corrosive Qi Technique. Use it to disrupt his meridians. Together, these techniques will leave him defenseless." Shen Liang's gaze sharpened. "You understand, yes?"
"Yes, Senior," Qiu Heng responded, swallowing his doubt. The insidious aura emanating from Shen Liang was impossible to ignore.
But Shen Liang's plans didn't stop there. "Here, take these Qi Refining Pills as well. With these, you'll be able to reach the 4th level of Qi Refining before the duel."
As Shen Liang left, Qiu Heng looked down at the dark jade slip and the pills, his mind racing with a mixture of ambition and fear. He realized he had no choice; failure would have severe consequences.
Meanwhile, Lin Tian returned to his quarters, eager to begin his preparation. But as he sat to meditate, he suddenly felt an intense warmth pulsing in his chest. Looking down, he noticed a faint golden glow emanating from his chest.
It was the Celestial Vein, his mysterious "gold finger," which had been dormant until now. Curious, Lin Tian focused his spiritual sense on the warmth, and he felt his consciousness drawn into a mysterious realm.
In an instant, he found himself in an otherworldly space, filled with an overwhelming abundance of spiritual Qi. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt, and a realization dawned on him—this was the Celestial Realm, a hidden treasure connected to his Celestial Vein.
"This place… it feels like time is slowed here," he muttered, awestruck by the profound silence and stillness of the realm. Testing his intuition, he observed that each day spent here would be the equivalent of only a fraction in the outside world. This advantage was rare beyond measure. He knew instinctively that many cultivators would go to great lengths—even betray their own sects—to obtain such a treasure.
"I must be careful," Lin Tian murmured, steeling himself. "The Celestial Vein is a priceless gift, but it also makes me a target if others discover it. I have to keep it hidden, no matter what."
Eager to test his abilities, Lin Tian began practicing his martial techniques. To his surprise, a faint, shadowy figure appeared before him, mirroring his every move but executing each technique with flawless precision. Every time he repeated a form or stance, the phantom would adjust, showing him subtle improvements.
His understanding of the Shadow Step technique deepened rapidly. In this place, where time passed ten times slower, he perfected his movements, moving with such speed that he could almost vanish into shadows. The phantom figure even demonstrated hints of a wind force that subtly enhanced each step. While Lin Tian couldn't yet fully grasp this power, he realized that mastery of elemental forces lay within reach.
"Could it be… the force of wind?" he whispered, feeling exhilarated. Though his Shadow Step was still a low-level technique, he saw potential for it to evolve into something extraordinary.
The longer he trained, the more he saw improvement. After days of intense practice, his Shadow Blade technique neared perfection. Each slash was smoother, each flicker sharper, and he could leave behind an afterimage that lingered with a chilling intensity. He knew that in the upcoming duel, these techniques would give him an edge.
But even as he grew stronger, Lin Tian kept caution in his mind. The Celestial Realm and the Celestial Vein were his greatest secrets, and their existence could shift the power dynamics of entire sects if revealed. "I have to be cautious. If anyone finds out about this treasure, I'll be hunted."
After what felt like seventy days in the Celestial Realm, Lin Tian returned to the mortal world, feeling renewed and powerful. Only seven days had passed outside, but his skills had transformed.