A quiet interlude followed the announcement of the Ancient Orchid City Ruins expedition for the next three days.
Long Chen did nothing but immerse himself in his Inner World, the Spiritual Ancestral World, to reap the fruits of his increasing power.
The resources there, as always, were abundant and each more valuable than the last. However, the dangers were equally vast. In an audacious attempt, he tried to force a teleportation bridge through the spatial void that separated him from Xiao Xue, trying to reach her based on his feelings of her direction.
Unfortunately, the distance was an insurmountable abyss. His soul force, vast as it was, was depleted like a river in a desert before Long Chen even felt he had covered half the distance. The result was instantaneous and merciless: the space around him collapsed, and he died, his body crushed to nothing. An opportunity to become stronger, lost in a desperate longing.
His other incursions were not much smoother. He was reborn in the nests of Gold-Rank demon beasts, in the middle of poisonous swamps, or on the edge of cliffs guarded by winged creatures of terrifying power.
Hell! In six rebirths, death was a constant companion. He had no doubt he had encountered one or more Legendary-Rank demon beasts in those days.
Still, with each failure, each drop of blood spilled, he managed to get up and leave for the next, even stronger. By the end of the three days, his progress was modest but solid. He had ascended two levels, solidifying his position as a Three-Star Gold-Rank Demon Spiritualist.
"My cultivation should be slow? Sorry, Nie Li, but I'm still advancing very fast!"
---
The day of the expedition to the ancient and mysterious Orchid City Ruins arrived under a clear sky.
In his quarters, Long Chen took a quick inventory, storing a few changes of clothes and essential supplies in his spatial ring. But before leaving, a thought led him on a detour.
"How is she? I haven't seen her in three days. She's probably isolating herself to further increase her cultivation." Long Chen sighed, thinking of the icy goddess Ning'er.
With a flick of his hand, a purple rift silently opened in his room, and he stepped into it, reappearing an instant later in the secluded training field, the same spot where the grass still held the memory of Xiao Ning'er's diligent cultivation.
He had already gotten used to this ability, so he no longer felt uncomfortable with constant use. Furthermore, his Soul Sea had increased several times since last time. Now crossing this distance was like child's play for him. Very simple.
He left a small, discreet purple spatial ring there, overflowing with elixirs, spiritual herbs, and demon cores of the same Wind and Lightning attributes that would exponentially accelerate her cultivation.
As he placed the ring on the stone where she used to train, Long Chen murmured, "This should be enough for a few days... Take care, Ning'er."
With a sigh, he disappeared again, beginning his walk to the meeting point in the city library.
Upon arriving, he noticed that the group was almost entirely gathered.
"Brother Chen, you're here! Quick, come closer!"
Chen Linjian, the leader, greeted him with a nod, calling him to his side, but Long Chen merely smiled and chose to stand alone.
Chen Linjian simply nodded and didn't insist.
Ye Ziyun offered a curious glance. Her curiosity increased even more when she saw Nie Li approaching, hands behind his head, as if strolling in a park.
"He came too?" This expedition was organized by Chen Linjian. Since when did Nie Li and Long Chen get in touch with Chen Linjian? It seemed she had underestimated Nie Li's group.
On the other hand, upon seeing Nie Li approach, Shen Yue's face grew even darker. Earlier, when he tried to find Ye Ziyun to explain about the fight with Nie Li, he was coldly rejected by her. She now kept a distance of five to six meters from him, which depressed him.
It's all Nie Li's fault! If Nie Li hadn't appeared, Ye Ziyun wouldn't be so cold to him!
He called one of his lackeys and whispered something, making the lackey silently disappear into the middle of the group, heading towards the Sacred Family. No one noticed this, except for Long Chen, who was attentive to every movement.
"It seems we are all here," Chen Linjian said, in his leader's voice. "Before we depart, I'd like to formally introduce our newest member. This is Brother Long Chen. He doesn't belong to any noble family, but I ask that you do not underestimate his strength."
The place immediately erupted in murmurs and questions. What was a commoner doing on an expedition meant only for nobles?
The contempt was palpable in the air, especially coming from the circle of servants and guards. It was Chu Yuan who voiced the general skepticism.
"No family? Chen Linjian, why are we bringing a commoner with us? He'll only slow us down," he sneered, arms crossed.
Before Chen Linjian could reply, Huyan Lanruo's melodious voice cut through the air, her gaze sparking with interest as she sized Long Chen up and down. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. A man who earns a place on this expedition through his own merit seems far more interesting to me than those who are here only because of their parents' names."
Chu Yuan, feeling hit, shrugged before trying to defend himself: "Lanruo, what are you implying? Since when do I depend on my parents?"
Long Chen, who had remained silent until then, took a step forward. His calmness was a stark contrast to the growing tension. "Don't worry, I have no intention of being a burden to any of you."
Chen Linjian smiled, deciding to put an end to the discussion with a shocking fact.
"He certainly won't be. You may not have noticed, but Brother Long Chen is already a Five-Star Bronze-Rank Demon Spiritualist. If you still think he's insufficient to participate in this expedition, then I can only cancel this, because most of you here aren't sufficient either."
"What!?"
Absolute silence fell over the group. The arrogance on Chu Yuan's and even Shen Yue's faces froze, replaced by pure disbelief. Even the noble and composed Ye Ziyun widened her eyes, turning to Nie Li, who had just arrived at her side, for confirmation.
"Five-Star Bronze-Rank?" she whispered. "Is that true? Why did no one in the class know about this?"
Nie Li, whose eyes gleamed with understanding as he looked at Long Chen, merely nodded. "Indeed. He acquired an ancient pill that greatly elevated his strength. Remember your spirit form when I gave you that cultivation technique? Well, it seems Long Chen's soul form is even more special."
Ye Ziyun nodded, unsure if she truly understood or not. But in her mind, she decided she should report this to her father.
Chu Yuan, on the other hand, was frozen.
His voice stammered, his face turning a crimson red, filled with envy. "Im-Impossible! It's a trick! He must have used some forbidden method! Such a foundation is unstable and useless in real combat!"
"Hm?"
Long Chen slowly turned his head, his eyes meeting Chu Yuan's. A slight smile, mocking and devoid of any warmth, touched his lips.
"You seem very concerned about the stability of my Soul Realm, Brother Chu," he said, his voice calm. "If you're so curious, why don't we test it? A little 'real strike,' as you yourself suggested. Just to clear up any doubt."
He didn't raise his voice, nor did he make a single threatening gesture, but the offer hung in the air like a sentence.
A deep, ancient purple glow flickered in his pupils for an instant. It wasn't killing intent, but the overwhelming pressure of someone who was 100% confident in his own strength.