As Railin advanced toward the ice-bound upper peaks of Ice Mystic Peak, the mountain air grew progressively sharper, mistier, and frozen with a bone-chilling cold. After completely vaporizing those six Dark-Assassins along the Frost-Mist Trail, there was not the slightest slackening in Railin's movement speed. Not a single speck of dust or stray drop of blood stained his dark blue Dark Navy-Blue Inner-Disciple Robe. No sound echoed beneath his feet as he traversed the snow-covered stone ledges, moving toward the cave like an elusive shadow slipping over the snow-bound paths.
After traveling a short distance, his private, secret cultivation ground—Frost-Heart Cavern—emerged from behind the dense blanket of pure white mist. This cavern was not merely a sanctuary reserved for the high-ranked disciples of Ice Mystic Peak; it was built directly atop a deep Natural Meridian Node of the mountain, from which Ice-Type and Spatial Elemental Energy naturally seeped forth.
Carved into the massive stone gate outside the cave was an ancient protective array—Frost-Shield Inscription. Railin drew a gleaming, ice-transparent token from within his sleeve. The moment the token brushed against the runes, a faint blue light burst forth, and the massive twin stone doors ground aside into the adjacent rock walls with a resounding rumble.
The instant Railin stepped inside, the heavy stone gate behind him slammed shut with a heavy thud. The eerie wind outside, the howling blizzard, and all the chaotic noise of the section were instantly cut off into total silence.
The interior of the cavern was eerily serene, illuminated by the gentle blue glow of natural jade. Cold light radiating from the crystals sprouting along the walls cast a mysterious ambiance over the entire atmosphere. Resting at the absolute center of the cave was a massive Cold-Jade Meditation Platform. This specialized platform had been extracted from thousands of feet beneath an ancient ice valley, crafted from a rare blue stone designed to reduce a cultivator's Dantian energy pressure and heat while refining Spiritual Qi.
Railin walked straight up to the platform and sat down in the Lotus Position. Tucking back the sleeves of his deep blue robe and resting his legs straight, he slowly closed his eyes.
SHOOSH—!
The moment his eyes closed, his inner spiritual consciousness—or Inner View—fully activated. Looking inside his Dantian, a massive storm of golden and violet energy could be seen raging within!
In the dark depths of the Ancient Sun-Moon Abyss, Railin had been forced to hastily execute a breakthrough into Early-Stage Four Foundation Establishment. Although he had emerged completely unharmed, shocking every challenger in the outside world, no one knew his true internal condition except himself.
Due to the violent friction between the corrosive Void Energy inside the Abyss and the intense royal power of his innate Golden Aptitude, the inner walls of his meridians had sustained slight damage. Because he had been forced into that urgent breakthrough, the overwhelming surge of Spiritual Energy had not fully settled into his newly formed Stage 4 Dantian.
'My Dantian is now nearly ten times more spacious than it was back in Stage 3...' Railin thought to himself, observing the inner spirals of energy. 'However, if I don't immediately refine and compress this rushed breakthrough using the Cold-Jade, my meridians will burst and collapse before I can ever reach Stage 5 or higher.'
Railin took a deep, prolonged breath.
From the depths of his chest vibrated a low rumble, sounding like the roar of an ancient cosmic dragon! From every pore of his body, a dual aura of golden and pure ice-blue light slowly began to emanate. That light formed a formidable protective barrier enveloping the entire Cold-Jade Platform.
In his drifting memories, Railin returned to that final battle at the bottom of the Sun-Moon Abyss.
At the very bottom of the Abyss's ruins, where space and time were shattering into pieces, he had to confront an ancient, terrifying beast—the Stage Four Void-Erosion Behemoth. With every swipe of the beast's claws, dark blood and toxic Spatial Gas burst forth from cracks in space-time. Any ordinary Stage 3 or inexperienced Stage 4 cultivator would have suffered immediate soul collapse just standing before it.
On that day, Railin was forced to unleash his hidden power to its absolute limit. When the ancient royal bloodline surging within him fully awakened, a massive sword of pure golden light manifested in his palm—the Emperor's Golden Blade!
With a single swing of that blade, he cleaved the terrifying beast's body in two. Yet, the impact of that catastrophic energy was so immense that the Abyss's Spatial Core began to implode, forcing Railin to navigate through collapsing rifts to escape with his life.
It was precisely from that violent collision that toxic Void-Erosion Qi had seeped into his body.
Seated upon the Cold-Jade Platform, Railin ignited the golden flame—the Emperor's Golden Fire—within his Dantian. From the core of his Dantian, an invisible, intense golden flame burst to life, slowly incinerating the pitch-black Void Residue clinging to the walls of every single meridian, turning it into ash bit by bit.
CRACKLE-CRACKLE—!
Pore by pore, toxic black smoke oozed from Railin's skin, dispersing and vanishing into the freezing air of the cavern. As each particle of black smoke purged, his body's meridians grew tougher, clearer, and as resilient and flexible as pure crystal.
His acquired Early-Stage Four Foundation Establishment was no longer merely a theoretical or temporary breakthrough; it was becoming permanently embedded into his bones, flesh, and blood as an unshakeable, invincible foundation.
Meanwhile, as Railin was completely isolated in his secret cave refining his cultivation, news of the shocking event that occurred at the Central Sun-Moon Plaza spread through the entire section like wildfire!
Within the main Power Assembly Halls of the Inner Section, Sword Peak, Shadow Moon Peak, and the internal offices of the Central Council, one piece of news circulated wildly—Out of over two hundred Inner Direct Disciples who entered the Sun-Moon Abyss, Railin was the sole survivor to emerge alive! And he did so without any severe injuries or damaged weapons, carrying a powerful breakthrough directly into Stage Four Foundation Establishment!
Inside the grand main hall of Sword Peak, a heavy, tense, and threatening environment prevailed.
Standing under a massive stone arch was Sword Peak's number one genius, Railin's half-brother, Hao-Lin. He wore a luxurious, magnificent dress woven with golden and red threads, but his face was contorted into a dark, flushed red from humiliation, jealousy, and sheer fury. His fists were clenched so tightly that his long fingernails pierced his palms, drawing blood.
"How is this possible?!" Hao-Lin roared furiously, his voice trembling with unrestrained rage and jealousy. He slammed his fist down hard onto the massive marble table in the center of the hall!
BANG—!
The century-old marble table split down the middle, shattering into a thousand pieces across the floor!
"He's just the son of a lowly servant girl! A disgusting parasite!" Hao-Lin cursed through grit teeth. "How could he possibly reach Stage 4?! I've used so many expensive family resources and received guidance from the peak's senior elders, yet I'm still trapped at the boundary of Green-Rank talent! How did he cross me within a single month in the Abyss without any resources?!"
Standing beside him in a calm, yet lethal and calculative manner was his cousin, Shu-Lin. This cunning young woman from Shadow Moon Peak wore a purple silk robe. Her eyes held a shrewd, ice-cold spark.
"Don't expose your own weakness by throwing a tantrum, Hao-Lin," Shu-Lin said in a low, razor-sharp voice. "Mother's secret message has already arrived. All spiritual contact with the six Dark-Handymen sent to the Frost-Mist Trail has been completely severed."
Hao-Lin gasped and turned to Shu-Lin. "What are you saying?! Six highly skilled assassins... two of whom were Stage 4 peak combat masters... couldn't finish off a kid who just broke through?!"
"The power source of their Six-Directional Blood-Lock Array was completely shattered, and nothing was recovered from the bottom of the ravine except pieces of one assassin's armor," Shu-Lin replied coldly. "The implication is simple—Railin hasn't just reached Stage 4; his actual combat power is far more dangerous than we calculated. He must have obtained some royal secret manuscript or ancient treasure inside the Abyss."
Hao-Lin's eyes burned red with envy and fear. "Then are we supposed to just sit back and do nothing?! If he fully stabilizes his foundation inside Ice Mystic Peak, the Central Council will declare him this year's Assembly Champion! And if the family's Patriarch gets word of his rapid progress, the main family resources and succession claims will be transferred directly to him!"
A distorted, malicious smile crept onto Shu-Lin's lips.
"Who said anything about sitting back?" Shu-Lin stepped forward slowly, standing beside Hao-Lin. "Mother's directive is crystal clear. If we cannot eliminate him directly or covertly, we will utilize the section's official rules. Next month marks the section's largest event—the Grand Assembly Trial. There, top disciples from all four peaks must face each other in open combat."
"The Grand Assembly Trial?!" Hao-Lin narrowed his eyes.
"Yes," Shu-Lin whispered. "We will use our allied elders in the Central Council to manipulate the trial's match brackets, forcing Railin to face the master disciples of the strongest peaks. Furthermore, the background families of Senior Brother Xiang's private team from Sword Peak who perished in the Abyss are now furious at Railin. If we spread word that Railin betrayed and slaughtered them inside the Abyss, public sentiment across the entire section will turn against him."
A cruel ray of hope gradually lit up Hao-Lin's face. "Excellent! We'll use public outrage and the official trial ring to drag him into the spotlight. Once he steps onto that trial ring... orchestrating an 'accidental strike' during a duel to kill him will be effortless!"
At the exact same time, a highly confidential, closed-door meeting was taking place inside the section's Central Intelligence Hall.
The Third Elder of the Central Council—Elder Lu—was reading aloud from a long light-scroll. Seated before him were four other high-tier members of the Central Council.
"The spatial energy readings from inside the Sun-Moon Abyss indicate," Elder Lu stated in a grave tone, "that the Spatial Core within the Abyss was destroyed by a single strike from a cultivator. Furthermore, that destructive force emanated from an aptitude not documented in our section's official cultivation records."
"What are you implying, Elder Lu?" another senior elder asked, frowning.
"I am implying that Railin didn't just make a standard Stage 4 breakthrough," Elder Lu adjusted his glasses and said. "His true talent exceeds our expectations. His cultivation speed and combat energy frequency suggest he might possess the legendary ancient Golden Aptitude. If this news is true, the internal blood feud within that powerful family will drag the entire section into turmoil."
"Then what should our stance be?"
"We observe from a distance," Elder Lu sneered subtly. "Hao-Lin and Shu-Lin's family is already putting pressure on the council. During the upcoming Grand Assembly Trial, we will see just how much power Railin truly holds. If he crushes all schemes and survives, the Central Council will step in to protect him directly. But if he loses or dies... the section will simply move on and forget a fallen genius."
Inside the main ice palace of Ice Mystic Peak, intense discussions were also underway.
Seated inside the main Throne Room was the master of Ice Mystic Peak—Peak Master Bing Lian. Floating before her was an open crystal screen displaying the energy graph from the moment Railin exited the Abyss, along with reports on the recent destruction and bloodstains along the Frost-Mist Trail.
Standing beside her with hands clasped respectfully was a senior elder of the peak. "Peak Master... Railin eliminated the Dark-Handymen sent by Hao-Lin and Shu-Lin's mother all by himself on the Frost-Mist Trail. The boy showed no mercy to his attackers. His energy foundation is truly incredible."
Peak Master Bing Lian closed her ice-blue eyes and remained silent for a moment. Then, in a frigid voice, she said, "Those Dark-Handymen were dispatched in direct violation of section law. What Railin did was a clear act of self-defense. However, Hao-Lin and Shu-Lin will not stop easily. With the Grand Assembly Trial approaching... they are plotting to drag Railin onto the official trial ring."
"Should we step in to protect Railin or remove his name from the trial roster?" the elder asked anxiously.
"No," Peak Master Bing Lian shook her head calmly. "An eagle meant to soar in the highest heavens must face the storm. In the depths of Railin's eyes, I saw more than just the light of an ordinary disciple... deep within his soul burns royal blood and an unquenchable flame of vengeance. If he wishes to reach his ultimate goal in the future, these petty schemes from Hao-Lin and his allies will merely serve as whetstones to sharpen his blade."
"But Peak Master, what if the elders of Sword Peak and Shadow Moon Peak alter the bracket rules?"
"If they cross the line, I will not remain passive," Frost-Qi flared around Bing Lian, causing the temperature throughout the Throne Room to plummet well below freezing in an instant. "No one in this section has the right to unfairly corner an Inner Disciple of my peak."
Day turned into night, and three more suns rose and set. Inside the Frost-Heart Cavern, time seemed to stand still.
Seated upon the Cold-Jade Platform, the golden and pure ice-blue light radiating from Railin had grown more intense, dense, and completely serene. Deep within his Dantian, the Golden Spiritual Core was gradually refined into a flawless, smooth, and brilliant sphere.
His internal Golden Aptitude was now fully stabilized. The Stage 4 Early-Foundation of the boundless power and royal bloodline he was born with was now 100% refined and as solid as crystal.
SWISH—!
Railin slowly opened his eyes.
A sharp flash of golden light flared within his pitch-black eyes before fading in an instant. The heavy Spatial Pressure emanating from his body completely vanished—he once again looked like an ordinary, calm young cultivator. Yet, his internal combat energy was now twice as powerful as before!
He stepped down from the Cold-Jade Platform. As he lightly clenched his fingers on his right hand, a subtle spatial ripple shimmered through the cave air!
'Stage 4 Early-Level is now 100% stable...' Railin thought, looking down at his hand. 'My Spiritual Sense can now extend far beyond the mountain. I can hear the whispers floating on the wind across the entire section.'
Extending his Spiritual Sense slightly, he caught the hushed voices of lower-ranked disciples near the base of Ice Mystic Peak. They were already eagerly discussing the toxic rumors spread by Sword Peak and the upcoming Grand Assembly Trial.
A cold, razor-sharp smile touched the corners of Railin's lips.
'Hao-Lin, Shu-Lin... You think you can use public pressure and the section's trial to drag me onto the ring?' Railin walked calmly toward the cavern entrance.
'You have no idea that the very ring you are preparing will become the stage where your pride and existence are shattered. I will use your schemes to test the sharpness of my blade. And once I push past these steps to reach the Quasi-Saint (Half-Saint) level—on that day, your toxic family's stronghold will crumble into dust before my royal power.'
BOOM—!
The moment Railin touched his token to the runes, the heavy stone gate of Frost-Heart Cavern swung open. The freezing, snow-laden wind outside brushed against his robe.
Standing atop the misty mountain peak, he looked toward the distant section Assembly Hall. Within his eyes burned the unyielding, prophetic gaze of a master predator.
SEE YOU IN NEXT CHAPTER!