Chapter 34 – Kiss of the Crimson Phoenix
Darkness.
It was the only thing Lin Chen knew as he drifted in a half-conscious state, his body numb, breath shallow. His spiritual sea was tattered, like a battlefield ravaged by storms. He could feel the lingering heat of battle in his meridians, and the weight of his wounds dragged heavily upon his mind.
But he wasn't dead.
That realization flickered in his core like a dim lantern, and gradually, warmth began to creep through him—not from outside, but within. From the deepest part of his dantian, a pulse sounded like the beat of a second heart.
Ding!
You have survived a near-death encounter and reached a point of life-and-death enlightenment.
Congratulations. Due to the fusion of pain, battle, and spiritual awakening, you are now breaking through the 9th Layer of Qi Condensation!
BOOM!
A thunderclap echoed within him. Spirit qi surged wildly, flooding every channel of his body. His skin steamed, impurities erupting from every pore, staining the cave floor black. His muscles trembled, bones cracked and reformed. This wasn't just a layer—it felt like he was tearing apart the very limits of his being.
Images of battle flashed before his mind's eye—Qin Yuyan's bloodied figure shielding him, his sword striking down assassins, the agony of poison eating away at his spirit…
And her eyes. Clear, determined, fragile.
"Qin Yuyan…" he whispered hoarsely.
Ding!
Breakthrough complete: Qi Condensation – 9th Layer.
Because you have ascended four layers consecutively within a single mystic realm session, the system has unlocked a new function:
[Dual Soul Resonance Matrix Unlocked]
You may now view compatibility, dual cultivation potential, and soul-bound synchronization with eligible partners.
Reward Unlocked:
[Heaven-Mending Yin Harmonization Sutra]
Tier: Earth-Rank (Low)
Effect: Purifies corruption, heals inner meridians, expels poisons and curses, boosts partner's cultivation recovery.
Activation Requirement: Initiate contact through lips for 5 seconds minimum. Heart synchronization required. Consent mandatory.
Lin Chen stared blankly at the floating golden characters, his breathing ragged.
"…you have got to be kidding me."
---
When he opened his eyes, the cave's dim glow had sharpened. The scent of herbs and ash filled his nostrils. Beside him, lying in pale stillness, was Qin Yuyan.
Her face was gaunt, ashen, and streaked with sweat. The silken robes she wore clung to her form, and her breath came in faint, uneven gasps. Her hand gripped his sword tightly, as if even unconscious she refused to let go of him.
"Yuyan!"
Lin Chen crawled over, wincing at the lingering pain. His fingers reached her wrist—pulse weak, erratic. Her core had collapsed inward, and her spiritual sea was barely intact.
But that wasn't the most alarming part.
With a thought, he activated the Dual Soul Resonance Matrix.
A warm golden web of light emerged, casting a grid between them, linking their souls like distant stars trying to align.
Name: Qin Yuyan
Cultivation Compatibility: 92%
Dual Resonance Potential: SS+ Tier
Danger Level: Critical – Poisoned Spiritual Sea, Core Erosion, Yin Feedback Imbalance
Recommended Method: Heaven-Mending Yin Harmonization Sutra – Immediate Application
His breath caught.
"Poisoned… all this time, she was still poisoned." His fist clenched. "And I couldn't even see it."
The pain in her chest, the way she held back in the fight… she had never fully recovered. Her escape, the torture, the betrayal—it had drained everything from her.
He looked down at her peaceful face. Even in agony, she looked serene. Like a phoenix sleeping in the ashes, waiting for the flames to awaken again.
---
He sat beside her and took a deep breath. "Forgive me, Yuyan… I'm doing this to save you."
His fingers gently cupped her chin, tilting her head toward him. Her lips were pale, cold. His heart pounded—this wasn't a kiss of desire. It was a vow.
He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Five seconds.
Her body jerked faintly as a golden light enveloped them both. Lin Chen's qi flowed like a raging river, pouring into her shattered core, weaving around the black tendrils that infested her dantian.
Ten seconds.
Her poisoned spiritual sea began to clear. The dark mist that had coiled around her cultivation base hissed, burning under the divine radiance of the Harmonization Sutra.
Fifteen seconds.
Her limbs trembled as breath returned to her lungs. Her body convulsed, and Lin Chen held her tightly, lips still pressed, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes.
He wanted to protect her.
He would protect her.
Twenty seconds.
The light flared—then shattered like a rising phoenix.
She gasped, eyes flying open, golden flame dancing in her irises.
---
She broke the kiss, eyes wide, hand on his chest.
"Lin… Chen?" she whispered, voice shaking.
"You're back," he said softly. "The poison… it's gone."
She looked down at herself, then clenched her fists. A storm of qi erupted from her pores, the very cave rumbling in response.
Foundation Establishment – late Stage!
Her core was whole. Her body radiated vitality, her meridians humming like sacred strings.
Tears welled in her eyes. "I thought… I'd lost it all."
He smiled. "You were never alone."
Without warning, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. She trembled silently, the weight of years melting under the warmth of his embrace.
"Thank you, Lin Chen. I… I don't know how to repay you."
"You already have."
---
Elsewhere...
At the collapsed ruins of the spirit spring, two cloaked figures knelt before a massive crystal orb. The image of Lin Chen and Qin Yuyan flickered within it.
"He killed all three Shadowind elites?" a cold, masculine voice echoed from the orb.
"Yes, Elder Han. Worse… he purified the Phoenix Girl. She's no longer poisoned."
Silence.
Then came the command.
"Report this to the Blackstone Crown Prince. The Crimson Lotus is no longer in our grasp… and the boy—Lin Chen—must die."
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