I. The Aftermath of Defiance
Three days had passed since the battle with Xiao'er. The ruins of Black Heaven Academy's western courtyard still bore the scars of their conflict—Leng Xueyi's glacial barriers stood like jagged monuments, Mei Ling's poison pits bubbled ominously, and the air carried the metallic tang of Luo Ying's phoenix flames.
Xiao Chen sat cross-legged atop a broken pillar, cycling his Qi through damaged meridians. His Abyss-Shell Predator floated lethargically in his inner space, its shell still cracked from the battle.
"Qi Condensation Realm, Peak Stage 9," he muttered, sensing the thick, molten quality of his spiritual energy. He was close—so close—to Foundation Establishment, but something held him back.
Below him, his harem tended to their wounds:
Leng Xueyi meticulously sharpened her sword, her frost serpent coiled around her shoulders
Mei Ling hummed as she distilled new poisons from the battlefield's remains
Luo Ying trained relentlessly, her phoenix's flames burning hotter each day
Shā and Lian stood silent sentinel, watching the horizon
The peace was shattered when Lin Ya emerged from the forest, her golden eyes grave.
"They're coming," she said simply.
II. The Crimson Sage's Arrival
A tremor ran through the earth as an ancient oak at the forest's edge split apart, revealing a wizened figure clad in tattered scholar's robes. His long white beard brushed the ground as he leaned on a staff carved from a phoenix feather, and at his side floated an SS-rank Celestial Tortoise, its shell inscribed with glowing runes.
Character Introduction: Elder Hong
Cultivation: Core Formation Realm (Peak Stage)
Age: 487 years (last survivor of the Pre-Fiend Era)
Genome: Celestial Tortoise (SS-rank, predictive defense type)
Background: Former Imperial Archivist who fled when the Vermilion Bird Emperor began sacrificing scholars
"Ah, the so-called Sovereign's heir," Elder Hong mused, eyeing Xiao Chen. "I expected... taller."
Leng Xueyi's blade was at his throat in an instant. "Who are you?"
The old man chuckled, unfazed as the Celestial Tortoise's eyes glowed—predicting Xueyi's strike three seconds before it happened.
"Your only hope of surviving what comes next."
III. The Path to Foundation Establishment
That night, Elder Hong initiated Xiao Chen's true cultivation training:
1. Meridian Reconstruction
The old man forced Xiao Chen to submerge in an icy mountain spring while circulating his Qi in reverse.
"Your energy pathways are like a warped blade," Hong admonished. "No amount of tempering will help if the base shape is flawed."
2. Qi Compression Technique
Using the Celestial Tortoise's gravity domain, Hong made Xiao Chen:
Lift boulders with pure Qi
Walk upside-down along cave ceilings
Balance spinning plates of elemental energy
"Foundation Establishment isn't about more power," Hong explained. "It's about making your Qi dense enough to build upon."
3. Genome Resonance Training
Elder Hong revealed the shocking truth:
"Your Abyss-Shell Predator isn't evolving because you keep forcing it. Genomes are living concepts—you must listen to it."
After three days of meditation, Xiao Chen finally heard his Genome's voice—a deep, rumbling patience that mirrored tectonic shifts.
BREAKTHROUGH: By chapter's end, Xiao Chen achieves:
Foundation Establishment (Early Stage)
Abyss-Shell Predator evolves to A-rank
Demon-arm control improves (now 22% stable)
IV. The Harem's Trials
Elder Hong didn't neglect the others:
Leng Xueyi's Revelation
The old man forced her to confront her Frostbone Scripture's fatal flaw—it was never meant for humans.
"This technique was created by Ice Fiends," Hong revealed. "Every time you use it, you become less human."
Mei Ling's Poison Control
Hong taught her to weave venom into musical notes, creating:
Healing lullabies
Area-denial symphonies
Targeted assassination sonatas
Luo Ying's Phoenix Awakening
Through brutal fire-walking trials, Luo Ying discovered her phoenix was actually a dormant Vermilion Bird—a royal bloodline trait.
V. The Coming Storm
As the chapter closed, Elder Hong unveiled a map etched on the Celestial Tortoise's shell:
"The Fiend God moves. In seven days, the Blood Moon Convergence will begin—and the Emperor plans to sacrifice the entire capital to awaken it fully."
Xiao Chen studied the map, then his harem—now stronger, but still unprepared.
"Then we have seven days to become something beyond human," he declared.
The Celestial Tortoise's eyes glowed ominously in response.
Chapter 15 End