What happened that morning spread through the academy like wildfire, moving faster than anyone could have anticipated.
Before the sun had fully risen to its peak, the incident had already become the hottest topic of discussion in every corner of the grounds.
"Did you hear about what happened earlier today?"
"Of course I did. They say there was a clash between Teacher Lin Feng and Teacher Wu Haoxuan."
"A clash? That's putting it lightly. I heard Wu Haoxuan interrupted Lin Feng's lesson right in front of his one and only student."
Curiosity flared instantly.
Students who had not witnessed the event personally eagerly gathered around those who claimed to know more, while teachers exchanged knowing glances behind polite smiles.
With every retelling, the details grew sharper, harsher, and more biased.
"He just barged in like he owned the place."
"That's crossing a line."
"Interfering with another teacher's class? Doesn't he know that's forbidden?"
In the academy, there existed many rules written in stone, but there were also rules written in silence… understood by all yet never officially recorded.
Interfering with another instructor's lesson was one such taboo.
Doing so was seen as a direct challenge to a teacher's authority and an insult to the academy's structure itself.
As the rumors continued to ferment, Wu Haoxuan's image steadily worsened.
In the mouths of gossiping students, he became arrogant and domineering.
Among the teachers, he was viewed as impulsive and disrespectful, someone who failed to uphold the dignity expected of an instructor.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng was cast as the calm and wronged party, a victim of needless provocation.
By the time the discussions finally died down, the damage had already been done.
Inside his classroom, Wu Haoxuan stood alone, his expression dark and twisted with rage.
The moment he shut the door, his composed exterior shattered completely.
His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing thin lines of blood.
"Lin Feng…" he muttered, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.
Memories of the morning replayed in his mind, each one feeling like a fresh insult.
To be humiliated publicly, to be whispered about behind his back, to have his reputation dragged through the mud… this was something he had never endured before.
"Fuck you, Lin Feng!" Wu Haoxuan suddenly roared, smashing his fist into the nearby table.
The solid wood cracked under the impact, spiderwebbing from the center.
The hatred in his heart surged violently, burning hotter with every passing second.
To him, this was no minor dispute… it was a slap to his pride, a stain on his name, and a humiliation carved deep into his bones.
"I swear," he said coldly, his eyes filled with malice, "I will remember this for as long as I live."
And one day, he would make sure Lin Feng paid the price.
As for Lin Feng, the incident that had stirred the academy earlier that morning did not leave even the faintest ripple in his heart.
To him, the so-called conflict was laughable. He had already long surpassed the limits of ordinary cultivation, standing at a height where the rise and fall of entire worlds could be dictated by a single thought.
Compared to that, a dispute with a low-level cultivator was no different from an ant daring to bare its fangs at a dragon.
Responding to it seriously would only lower his own standing and stain the dignity of his cultivation.
Such matters were beneath him.
Thus, Lin Feng neither explained himself nor defended his actions.
He simply ignored everything and everyone, returning his attention to what truly mattered.
Wang Yuyan.
Standing before him, she felt an indescribable pressure… not the oppressive kind that crushed the spirit, but a vast, tranquil presence that made her feel small yet safe, as though she were standing before the heavens themselves.
Lin Feng's gaze swept over her calmly before he began explaining the mantra once more.
"Slow your breathing," he said lightly. "Let the words flow with your intent. Do not chase the effect… allow it to come to you."
His voice was neither loud nor commanding, yet each syllable carried a natural authority that compelled obedience.
Wang Yuyan nodded nervously and adjusted her posture, carefully aligning her breathing with the rhythm he demonstrated.
She began to recite the mantra.
The first few words felt strange on her tongue, as though they did not belong to any language she knew.
Yet, as she continued, a subtle warmth bloomed within her dantian.
The discomfort she had endured for so long stirred uneasily before slowly dissipating.
"Hahhh…"
After completing one full repetition, Wang Yuyan released a long, trembling breath.
Her body swayed slightly as a wave of lightness washed over her.
The dull pain in her chest had faded, replaced by a gentle, soothing warmth that spread through her meridians.
She widened her eyes in disbelief.
Her limbs felt lighter. Her breathing was smoother.
Even her thoughts felt clearer, as though a thick fog had been lifted from her mind.
It was not an overwhelming transformation, but the change was undeniable.
"This…" she whispered, pressing a hand to her chest.
The improvement was so obvious that denying it would have been impossible.
Looking up at Lin Feng, her eyes reddened almost instantly.
"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher," Wang Yuyan said, bowing deeply… far deeper than etiquette required.
Tears slid down her cheeks, but she made no effort to wipe them away.
"I swear on my life that I will never speak of this technique to another soul."
She was not naive.
A method that produced such results after only a single repetition was terrifyingly profound.
Even within the Golden Lotus Empire, such a technique would be considered a priceless treasure capable of overturning countless destinies.
Lin Feng merely looked at her calmly.
"It is what I should do," he said.
His tone was gentle, almost indifferent, as though curing a lifelong illness was no more significant than correcting a line of text.
"Come here every day. Practice under my supervision."
He paused briefly before continuing,
"By the seventh day, your sickness will trouble you no more."
Wang Yuyan's heart trembled.
Seven days.
What physicians and alchemists had failed to cure for years would be resolved in just seven days?
Before she could voice her disbelief, Lin Feng added casually, "As for this little technique… it doesn't matter. Tell it to anyone you wish. I don't care."
Her head snapped up in shock.
She stared at him, speechless.
Lin Feng, however, had already turned away slightly, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed and natural… like a mountain that stood unmoved regardless of wind or storm.
In truth, he could have cured Wang Yuyan completely in a single day.
With just seven perfect repetitions, her illness would have vanished without a trace.
After all, the technique he had given her was no ordinary cultivation method… it was the Chaos Mantra, a primordial chant born alongside the laws of heaven and earth themselves.
When properly invoked, it did not merely treat symptoms.
It erased sickness, corruption, and hidden afflictions at their very root.
No matter how deep or insidious the ailment, seven true repetitions were enough to cleanse it entirely.
However, knowing the words was meaningless without understanding the way to use them.
This was precisely why Lin Feng did not care whether the mantra spread.
Without a true master who understood every hidden principle… the cadence, the intent, the resonance with chaos itself… the chant was nothing more than empty sounds.
To ordinary cultivators, the words would appear profound yet incomprehensible, powerful yet utterly unusable.
Without guidance, deciphering the secrets hidden within those few lines was harder than swallowing the sun and refining it within one's dantian.
And Lin Feng knew this better than anyone.
After all, in this world, he alone truly understood the Chaos Mantra.
With that, Lin Feng dismissed Wang Yuyan.
His beautiful student bowed deeply once more, far deeper than before.
The respect in her eyes was no longer mixed with uncertainty or hesitation… it was pure and profound.
Any lingering doubts she might have harbored vanished completely after personally experiencing the mystical and unfathomable abilities of her teacher.
Only admiration remained.
Without daring to say another word, Wang Yuyan slowly withdrew.
The doors closed softly behind her, leaving Lin Feng alone in the quiet of his room.
The moment the room fell silent, Lin Feng's lips curved upward slightly.
"Hmm…" he murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I suppose it's time for me to break through to the Divine Tribulation Realm."
Rather than anxiety, excitement flickered in his eyes.
For him, a realm that others feared and prepared for over centuries was merely the next natural step.
In the very next breath, space rippled.
Lin Feng's figure blurred, then vanished completely from the room as though he had never been there at all.