Chapter 27: The Vein Fortress Trial
The training ground outside the inn was a wide expanse of packed earth. Lin Xuan sat cross-legged, the silver-blue flame flickering as he mastered the Vein Fortress Body technique. His blood hardened beneath his skin, a faint red glow seeping through his pores.
He summoned Liu Yue and Liu Yang. "Today, we master Vein Fortress Body," he announced. Liu Yue's Icy Skin merged with the technique, her blood crystallizing into an icy armor. Liu Yang's crystalline shield expanded to cover his body, its red hue deepening. Their arts clashed briefly, but Lin Xuan mediated, their auras syncing into a balanced flow.
A Hei Clan ambush emerged, led by a 4th Layer Qi Transformation cultivator. "The Scriptures are ours!" the leader snarled. Lin Xuan dodged the qi storm with Abyssal Lotus Step and unleashed Internal Fracture Wave—a shockwave from his crystal veins that repelled the attack.
Liu Yue's icy skin froze the disciples' qi, her spikes piercing one's leg. Liu Yang's blood shield absorbed a retaliatory strike, his sword slashing the other's arm. Lin Xuan closed in, Starlit Void Fist shattering the leader's guard, followed by Crimson Lance Burst. He devoured their residual qi with Energy Devour, pushing him toward the 4th Layer. The ambush retreated.
Bloodshade Abyss scouts observed from the shadows, their interest palpable. Back at the inn, Lin Xuan strengthened his Vein Fortress Body. Liu Yue's snowflake mark pulsed, hinting at deeper power. "Senior Brother, we're growing stronger," she said softly.