Chapter 257: Everyone Advances, Ying Huanhuan's Transformation!
[Ding! You patted Lin Diao and received one million Xuanyuan Pills!]
Xuanyuan Pills?
Not bad, I guess.
Lin Fan thought inwardly as he heard the system's reward.
Xiao Diao rolled his eyes. "So what if you've broken through to the Profound Life Stage? You still aren't my match. If you want to be the big bro, beat me first."
"Just wait—it won't be long," Lin Fan replied calmly, then glanced over at Lin Dong and the others. "Looks like they'll need more time. I might as well keep pushing forward."
With that, he summoned a crystal-clear spirit fruit from Elder Jiang's spatial pouch. The fruit bore star-like patterns—this was the Star Soul Fruit, known for significantly boosting spiritual power.
Xiao Diao naturally had no objections and resumed standing guard while Lin Fan cultivated.
Lin Fan sat down cross-legged and consumed the fruit.
As soon as it entered his mouth, the fruit dissolved, transforming into a rush of refined spiritual energy that surged into his Niwan Palace.
The Niwan Palace was like a miniature world. At its center floated a unique shadowy figure—Lin Fan's spiritual projection.
Boom! Boom!
A surge of refined energy flooded into that miniature world. The space inside began to expand rapidly. Wind, clouds, and lightning even began to form within.
At the same time, Lin Fan felt his spiritual power rising at an astonishing rate.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
That entire miniature world underwent a massive transformation.
The explosive growth of spiritual power and the expansion of his inner world lasted seven full days before all the energy from the Star Soul Fruit was finally absorbed.
His spiritual projection became far more condensed, almost lifelike—a Spiritual Manifestation.
As the final trace of energy was refined, Lin Fan's eyes, shut for days, snapped open.
A glint of light flickered in his deep, dark pupils, vanishing quickly into nothingness.
Lin Fan stood up. Without any visible movement, a storm of spiritual energy burst from his Niwan Palace, forming a spiritual tempest around him.
The terrifying aura it emitted was enough to make even late-stage Profound Life experts tread carefully.
"Lesser Divine Symbol Master. Not bad."
Lin Fan gave a soft chuckle as he assessed his new level of spiritual power.
Just then, dark clouds gathered in the sky, crackling with thunder.
Lin Fan frowned slightly and said to Xiao Diao, "I'll step outside for a bit."
With that, he left the confines of Xiao Diao's formation.
He didn't fear the Wind Lightning Tribulation, but he didn't want it damaging the array and disturbing Ying Huanhuan and the others during their cultivation.
Boom! Boom!
As soon as he exited, bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, striking toward him with terrifying force.
"Devour All Things."
Lin Fan activated the Devour Ancestral Symbol. A black vortex appeared behind him, swallowing the incoming lightning and converting it into energy.
With this, Lin Fan's recent Profound Life Stage breakthrough was quickly stabilized.
Not long after, the tribulation passed without much difficulty.
Once it was over, Lin Fan returned to the formation.
"Your turn now. I'll guard you while you cultivate," he said to Xiao Diao, producing a jade vial from the system and pouring out two drops of Earth Spirit Essence, which he handed over.
"This stuff's really valuable. You sure you're giving it to me?" Xiao Diao was visibly touched by the gift.
"Stop with the nonsense. Just take it. I just used it myself, of course I know how rare it is," Lin Fan replied with mock annoyance.
"Thanks, then!" Xiao Diao said sincerely, accepting the jade-green droplets and beginning his refinement.
Lin Fan sat nearby, entering a light cultivation state while keeping watch.
Half a month later, Xiao Yan successfully refined the Divine Marrow Nectar, and his strength visibly improved.
Xiao Diao also finished refining the Earth Spirit Essence, fully recovering to peak Profound Life Stage.
If he returned to his true form, he could even take on someone at the early stage of the Death Profound Realm.
Lin Dong and Ying Huanhuan, however, were still immersed in their cultivation.
Another half month passed, and Lin Dong finally finished. His Yuan Power advanced to the Seventh Yuan Nirvana Stage, and his spiritual strength reached Six Seal Divine Symbol Master level.
That left only Ying Huanhuan.
"Something seems off with her..." Xiao Diao muttered as he looked at her.
The three others turned their gazes as well.
Not far away, Ying Huanhuan sat atop a green stone platform. Her once tidy ponytail had loosened, and her pitch-black hair was now turning into a strange, icy-blue hue.
She sat silently as her long icy-blue hair flowed behind her. Glimmers of frost sparkled in the air, and a cold aura subtly spread out.
It wasn't a strong coldness—but it cut straight to the bone.
The sensation made it feel like even one's soul could be frozen and shattered.
"What's happening to her?" Lin Dong asked in shock.
Lin Fan, however, wasn't surprised—he had been expecting this.
"This girl… is far from ordinary," Xiao Diao said solemnly.
Under their gaze, a faint grimace of pain appeared on Ying Huanhuan's delicate face.
Then, her body began to rise slowly as rings of icy-blue light rippled outward from her.
Crack—crack—crack!
Where the light touched, the mountaintop was instantly frozen. Within mere breaths, the peak had become an icy-blue mountain.
As these frost rings spread, Lin Fan and the others saw something shocking:
Ying Huanhuan's hair had grown longer, fluttering wildly in the icy wind. Snowflakes danced around her like she had become a Snow Maiden—mystical and enchanting.
It was a scene both beautiful and otherworldly.
The aura grew stronger, and pain twisted her face. Then, her eyes suddenly snapped open.
Her once bright, dark pupils had turned entirely icy-blue—even the irises had crystallized, devoid of any warmth or emotion.
That gaze held no joy, no sorrow, no good, no evil—like a god looking coldly down upon all living things.
A blue light gathered on her forehead, gradually forming an ancient icy-blue sigil—a Reincarnation Mark.
"The Reincarnation Mark?" Xiao Diao gasped, his body trembling as terror flashed across his face.
"What's that?" Lin Dong asked, confused.
Xiao Diao took a deep breath, calmed himself, and explained the concept of the Reincarnation Realm and the Reincarnation Mark to the others.
"Don't tell her about this. Let her discover it naturally," Lin Fan added after Xiao Diao's explanation.
The others nodded in understanding.
Moments later, the icy-blue light in the sky began to fade. Ying Huanhuan's frozen pupils slowly closed again.
The frost rings retracted into her body, and her long hair shrank back to its original length and color.
As her transformation ended, her body dropped from midair.
Lin Fan stepped forward and caught her mid-fall. The soft touch made his heart flutter just slightly.
He looked down—only to find her staring up at him with wide, unblinking eyes.
They held each other's gaze for a long moment. Lin Fan's expression remained calm, as if this ambiguous position meant nothing.
Eventually, Ying Huanhuan broke first. Her fair, delicate cheeks flushed a deep red, tinged with both shyness and frustration…
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