Crack!
A crisp sound echoed in Lu Bingxuan's mind as his dantian's spiritual energy surged wildly. The surrounding spiritual energy was drawn in at an alarming rate, even catching Luo Lingmiao's attention as she practiced her sword techniques on the beach.
She looked up, startled. Spiritual energy was rushing toward a single point as if drawn by an insatiable vortex. The phenomenon persisted for a full quarter-hour until the energy in Lu Bingxuan's dantian fully liquefied.
"Senior Brother should have reached Foundation Establishment… All that's left is the Heart Demon Trial. I wonder how long it will take him," Luo Lingmiao murmured, her curiosity piqued.
The Heart Demon Trial was no respecter of talent. Even the most gifted cultivator could falter if plagued by inner demons. Luo Lingmiao herself felt the weight of her past and doubted she could easily overcome her trial, despite Senior Brother's earlier encouragement.
Meanwhile, in the secluded chamber, Lu Bingxuan had successfully opened his Spiritual Palace. A soundless resonance echoed in his mind, and he felt as if he stood at the threshold of creation itself.
The sensory deprivation of the chamber, combined with the birth of divine sense, magnified the sensation. For the first time, his awareness extended beyond sight, sound, and touch into a realm of primordial clarity.
But such clarity came at a price. As his mind opened to this new state, illusions began to seep in—subtle at first, but increasingly vivid. Fleeting thoughts and memories took form, creating a world so real it was hard to distinguish it from reality.
"Senior Brother… did you succeed?"
The familiar voice of Luo Lingmiao rang in his ears. Lu Bingxuan instinctively opened his eyes, only to find himself no longer in the chamber.
"Did I… succeed? I broke through? Something feels off…"
His surroundings seemed almost too vivid, too perfect. And then, he noticed Luo Lingmiao.
"Senior Brother… do you think I'm beautiful?"
Her voice was soft and teasing, and Lu Bingxuan was stunned. Luo Lingmiao's usual disciple robes had vanished, replaced by a translucent azure gown that clung to her figure. Her slender legs, wrapped in sheer white thigh-high stockings, glimmered faintly in the ethereal light.
"Wait… My Heart Demon Trial is lust? That's surprisingly reasonable. So this is my true self, huh."
Lu Bingxuan felt his body react instinctively, but his mind remained calm. Two lifetimes and five years of hardship had tempered his resolve. He wasn't so easily swayed by temptation, no matter how alluring the illusion.
But seeing his heart's desires laid bare amused him. If anything, it reaffirmed his humanity.
"Still, why would thigh-high stockings exist in this world? That seems oddly out of place," he muttered to himself, his gaze lingering on her legs.
As his focus narrowed, the illusion faltered. The scene collapsed, and Lu Bingxuan found himself back in the icy confines of the secluded chamber.
"Is that it?"
He opened his eyes, unimpressed. A divine light flickered in his gaze as he took in the frost-covered chamber.
With divine sense newly awakened, the world around him unfolded in unprecedented clarity. No longer bound by the limitations of sight, his awareness encompassed every corner of the chamber.
The benefits of Foundation Establishment were undeniable. His liquefied spiritual energy was several times more potent than before, and his lifespan had extended to 200 years.
Even at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, Lu Bingxuan's power surpassed many mid-stage cultivators. Still, the trade-off was a slower cultivation pace due to the increased energy requirements of his enhanced body.
Having fully adjusted to his newfound abilities, Lu Bingxuan retracted the cold aura from the chamber and suppressed the divine light in his eyes. He stepped out into the open air, where Luo Lingmiao awaited him.
"Senior Brother, you've succeeded!" Luo Lingmiao's voice was filled with joy. But her enthusiasm made Lu Bingxuan freeze momentarily. He glanced at her outfit—it was her usual black robes. Relieved, he nodded.
"Barely."
Thank the heavens, he thought. If the Heart Demon Trial had involved that accursed system, he might not have made it out.
"By the way, have you ever worn thigh-high white stockings?" he asked abruptly.
"Thigh-high stockings?" Luo Lingmiao blinked, confused. She shook her head. "No, I've never worn anything like that. Why does Senior Brother ask?"
"Nothing. Just curious," he replied, waving off her concern. "Carry on with your cultivation."
He left her puzzled and made his way to the beach to test his newfound abilities.
Unbeknownst to him, Luo Lingmiao's mind was already racing with conjectures.
"White thigh-high stockings…"
Luo Lingmiao sat cross-legged in her room, sifting through the storage in her identity token.
"Could Senior Brother have been hinting at something? But I've never seen such stockings before…"
"Wait—could this be related to his Heart Demon Trial? Did I appear in his trial wearing those stockings? But… isn't that a little too strange?"
Her thoughts spiraled. If she had indeed appeared in his trial, what could it mean?
"Still… I've been wearing these black robes for too long. Maybe it's time to change my attire," she murmured.
"As for those white stockings… Perhaps I should ask Senior Sister Qianhua."