The final 24 hours began with a deceptive calm. Fang Yuan sat behind Lin Xiao, his palms pressed against her back. To her, it felt like a surge of warmth and protection; to the System, it was a high-stakes Data Transfer.
"Lin, the Messenger's power is absolute," Fang Yuan lied, his voice a low, steady hum. "To protect you, I must grant you a portion of my 'World Breaker' essence. It will act as a shield when he tries to examine your soul."
Lin Xiao, blinded by her devotion, didn't question the agonizing pressure building in her meridians. She gritted her teeth, sweat pouring down her face as Fang Yuan forced his dark, unstable Rank 5 Qi into her life-points. He wasn't giving her strength; he was planting "Void-Charges"—dormant seeds of destruction that would only ignite when they came into contact with the Messenger's Higher-Realm Qi.
"I... I can handle it, Fang Yuan," she gasped, her body trembling under the density of his energy.
"I know you can," he whispered, a cold, predatory glint in his eyes. "You are the key to everything."
[System Status: Charge Implantation 100% Complete. Target 'Lin Xiao' has been converted into a 'Living Singularity'. Detonation will occur upon contact with Rank 1 Space-Time Weaver energy.]
As the sun began to set, the sky over the Jade Mist Realm didn't turn orange; it turned a sickly, bruised purple. The Cloud Anchor in the village square began to hum—a sound like a thousand sharpening blades.
The countdown to the Tribute Ceremony reached zero. High above the clouds, a golden rift tore open. A magnificent, white-and-gold ship, shaped like a lotus, began its descent.
"He is here," Lin Xiao whispered, her eyes glowing with a mixture of terror and the dark power Fang Yuan had hidden inside her.
Fang Yuan stood in the shadows of the hut, his internal damage stabilized just enough for one final strike. "Go, Lin. Stand at the front of the line. Show him the 'purity' of your soul."