“Brother, it’s up to you now…”
Wang Qiang patted Chu Feng’s shoulder, then took out a pill and handed it to him. “Take… take this. It’ll help you.”
Chu Feng could tell that the pill Wang Qiang gave him was the same as the ones he’d given to Zhang Yanfeng and the others earlier.
Without hesitation, Chu Feng took the pill and swallowed it.
Even if he hadn’t seen the pill’s effects, he would’ve taken it without a second thought. It was from Wang Qiang, and the trust between brothers was absolute.
As the pill entered his body, Chu Feng felt his blood surge, as if it were boiling. His entire being became invigorated, energy coursing through him, growing stronger until it felt like he had boundless strength.
“This pill is truly a treasure,” Chu Feng remarked.
“Of course! That old thing pre-pre-prepared it with care,” Wang Qiang replied. “It’s for you guys entering the lake to fuse with the Divine Tree’s power. Alright, brother, you can start. Re-re-remember: once all four of you enter the lake, the array’s power will fully activate. It’ll help you fuse with the lake’s Divine Tree power. But the array’s time is li-li-limited—only ten hours. You must complete the fusion within ten hours, or… you’ll fail.”
Wang Qiang then turned to the valley below, addressing Zhang Yanfeng and the others. “Did you hear what I just said?”
“Lord Envoy, we’ll complete the task within ten hours!” Zhang Yanfeng and the others replied.
“Will the Blood-Devouring Demon Lord appear once the fusion is successful?” Chu Feng asked.
“Y-y-yes, exactly. Then you can channel the lake’s power into him,” Wang Qiang answered.
“Got it.” Chu Feng nodded, then turned to Zhang Yanfeng and the others. “Are you three ready?”
“Chu Feng, we’ve been waiting for you,” Zhang Yanfeng said.
Chu Feng smiled, then looked at Wang Qiang. “Brother, wait for my good news.”
*Whoosh!*
With that, Chu Feng leaped off the cliff, plunging straight into the lake below.
Seeing this, Zhang Yanfeng and the others followed, jumping into the lake one after another.
*Boom!*
As the four entered the lake, it erupted like a volcano, sending torrents of water skyward. The water crashed back down, only to surge upward again, repeating in a furious cycle, as if a raging beast had been provoked.
As the lake reacted, the interconnected stone array glowed brighter, its light shifting until it concentrated on the stone pillars surrounding the lake. The radiance then poured into the lake like a tidal wave.
This wasn’t mere light—it was the array’s power.
As the array’s energy flooded the lake, the water surged skyward again, this time remaining aloft, standing between heaven and earth like a waterfall.
Upon closer inspection, it resembled a water dragon coiled in the void.
The scene was awe-inspiring.
Yet only Wang Qiang witnessed this spectacle, as Chu Feng and the others, submerged in the lake, had to focus on sensing their surroundings.
The array and lake grew fiercer, causing the heavens and earth to tremble. Cracks appeared in the surrounding cliffs, and debris rained down like a storm. It seemed as if the entire area was on the verge of collapse.
In such a place, most would flee in fear.
But Wang Qiang showed no trace of panic. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the cliff’s edge, watching the four in the lake with keen interest.
…
Submerged in the lake, Chu Feng could sense the Divine Tree’s power more clearly. He knew exactly what was needed to fuse with the lake’s energy.
For him, this wasn’t difficult—just a matter of time.
The array’s power flooding the lake made the fusion even easier.
“It’s real!” Chu Feng’s heart surged with excitement after attempting the fusion.
As Wang Qiang had said, fusing with the lake allowed him to feel an immense concentration of heavenly energy and a profound martial dao. The energies and insights poured into him like a torrential storm, an exhilarating experience for a martial cultivator struggling to break through.
“Big Brother, Second Brother, do you feel it? Such powerful heavenly energy, such gentle martial dao!” Zhang Boyi and Zhang Shirui’s excited voices echoed.
“Felt it! It’s incredible. This energy and martial dao are far more direct than the Divine Hall’s,” they added. “This is a true cultivation sanctuary!”
Compared to Chu Feng, they were far more thrilled.
“Focus on fusing. Aim to succeed within nine hours,” Zhang Yanfeng’s voice came from within the lake.
After his words, Zhang Shirui and Zhang Boyi fell silent, focusing on sensing and fusing with the Divine Tree’s power in their own ways.
“One reminder,” Wang Qiang’s voice rang out. “Don’t just focus on fusing. If you feel a breakthrough coming, try… try to break through. Breakthroughs in the lake won’t cause phenomena or fluctuations because the… the power will be absorbed by the lake. In short, breaking through here won’t harm you—it’ll… it’ll help you fuse.”
Chu Feng and the others heard him clearly and took it to heart.
In this environment, Chu Feng’s mind became exceptionally clear. Problems he couldn’t solve before were quickly unraveled, and powers he couldn’t grasp were swiftly mastered.
It was like a scholar facing unsolvable problems. On his own, he might never find answers, or it would take a lifetime. His knowledge and perspective were limited.
But with a teacher’s guidance, pointing out the solutions, he’d have sudden clarity, solving everything quickly.
For martial cultivators, it was different. Each cultivation rank required personal insight. Even high-realm cultivators could rarely guide others to breakthroughs. At best, they could teach techniques or offer general advice, but true cultivation relied on the individual.
Thus, for cultivators, the true “teacher” wasn’t a person but the martial dao—the guide to solving cultivation puzzles, the most coveted and elusive force.
The gentler the martial dao, the more it offered.
The martial dao and heavenly energy surrounding Chu Feng now were exceptionally gentle, aiding his cultivation immensely, far surpassing solitary meditation.
Within just half an hour, Chu Feng sensed a breakthrough opportunity and succeeded.
Further breakthroughs became harder, but by the seventh hour, he broke through again.
In just seven hours, Chu Feng advanced two ranks, from First Rank Venerable to Third Rank Venerable.
