Volume 3: Global Vanguard & The Advanced Pinnacle
Chapter 275
Convergence of Six Grand Star Seas, Peerless Divine Majesty
The piercing cold wind atop the Heavenly Pillar shrieked like a spectral wail, driving razor-thin ice shards against the precipitous cliffs of Kunlun and producing a harsh, rattling cadence. Standing over eight thousand meters above sea level, the peak was perpetually shrouded in dense white mist and a bitter frost capable of freezing the magical energy of ordinary mages. In this extreme and treacherous realm, the air was so thin that every inhalation felt like swallowing slivers of glass, yet the heaven-and-earth spiritual Qi condensed into tangible crystalline filaments drifting aimlessly through the void.
By the banks of the Kunlun Divine Spring, two aged figures clad in Daoist robes spun from ancient snow-peacock down stood motionless as millennial stone statues.
They were Elder Chang and Elder Gu—the two supreme Guardians of Kunlun Sacred Mountain. Any prominent figure in the Huaxia magic community would bow in profound respect upon hearing their names, for both were giants who had stepped into the Super Level Peak realm over half a century ago, separated from the threshold of the Forbidden Curse by merely half a step. Over the past several centuries, they had witnessed countless peerless prodigies arrive seeking fortuitous encounters, yet not a single one had ever generated a portent that left them as restless and unsettled as the youth currently resting at the bottom of the Divine Spring.
“It has already been eighteen double-hours,” Elder Chang murmured, his long white beard brushing his chest and trembling slightly with the swirling vortex of wind. “Ever since that brat surnamed Lin plunged into the bottom of the pool to fuse the Ice God Marrow with the Dragon Blood, the magical fluctuations emanating from below have grown increasingly abnormal. Brother Gu, do you feel how the space around the Heavenly Pillar is beginning to sway?”
Elder Gu tightened his grip upon a scepter carved with a White Tiger holding a pearl, his expression solemn as he stared fixedly into the eerily tranquil mirror-like surface of the lake.
Normally, the Kunlun Divine Spring churned furiously with billowing plumes of pure cryogenic Qi. Yet at this very moment, the entire body of water—spanning hundreds of zhang wide—was as calm as a mirror forged from pitch-black jade. Not a single ripple stirred; not a single bubble broke the surface. This eerie, deathly stillness was identical to the suffocating calm right before a category-twelve tempest swept across the coast.
“He is not merely absorbing divine artifacts to temper his mortal shell,” Elder Gu said in a deep voice, his gravelly tone laden with unspeakable shock and suspicion. “The force at the bottom of the pool is congregating, resembling an ancient behemoth compressing its final breath before devouring heaven and earth. This brat... his ambition is altogether insane! He already possessed four awakened magic elements, with Lightning and Fire having reached the Advanced Second Tier, while Shadow and Summoning had already transformed into Star Seas. For an ordinary person to shoulder four Star Seas is already defying the heavens, yet old me can distinctly perceive traces of Dimensional Rules undulating from beneath!”
“You mean... Space and Chaos?!” Elder Chang started, his rheumy eyes widening in profound astonishment. “Impossible! Breaking through to the Advanced Tier in these two most profound mysterious elements is ten times more arduous than ordinary elemental magic! If one forcibly triggers them simultaneously, the sea of consciousness will be torn into shredded fragments. How could the human flesh withstand the backlash of six great Star Seas erupting concurrently?!”
Within the traditional cognition of the magical community spanning thousands of years, the human body was a “vessel” of finite capacity. The greater the magical energy, the greater the pressure upon the vessel’s walls. Countless premature geniuses fell not from a lack of cultivation resources, but because their overwhelming spiritual might crushed their meridians and caused their seas of consciousness to burst. For a mage to possess six magic elements was already an unheard-of absurdity throughout history, let alone turning all six of those elements into Advanced Star Seas!
That was not a breakthrough; that was suicide!
In the sky above the Heavenly Pillar, the drifting white clouds abruptly shifted to a deep indigo-purple. Billowing black clouds gathered from all four directions, pressing down upon the peak as if determined to flatten the ten-thousand-zhang snow-capped ridge. The invisible pressure caused the defensive barrier erected by the two elders to emit harsh, cracking groans.
Simultaneously, hundreds of zhang deep at the bottom of the Kunlun Divine Spring.
Far removed from the tranquil surface above, the spot where Lin Feng sat cross-legged was the eye of a violently churning magical tempest.
Following the flawless tempering of the Dragon God Physical Body into the “Divine Weapon Bodyguard” state, his physique had transformed into an indestructible divine cauldron. Every muscle fiber and every bone was encased in the fluorescent radiance of true dragon blood and millennial ice marrow. His natural magic resistance and meridian capacity had long since surpassed the parameters of humankind, rivaling that of top-tier Commander-grade Demon Beasts!
And at this moment, all the power accumulated over time within his body roared in unison, surging straight toward the depths of his sea of consciousness.
Within the boundless spiritual universe of Lin Feng.
This realm was no longer a small, pitch-black space like that of ordinary mages, but had expanded into a brilliant, illusory microcosm. Nebulae glittered across tens of thousands of miles in all directions, with magical energy flowing like winding milky-way rivers.
At the four corners of the microcosm, four great Star Seas blazed with dazzling brilliance, suppressing the four cardinal points:
The first Star Sea emitted a brilliant purple-blue mingled with golden light—the Lightning Star Sea (Advanced Tier 2). Rampant lightning dragons roared amid thunderous storm clouds, every flashing electrical arc carrying a terrifying Annihilation will, ready to grind any obstacle into dust.
The second Star Sea burned with a blazing crimson glow—the Fire Star Sea (Advanced Tier 2). Surging waves of Vermilion Bird Divine Flames billowed outward, scorching the surrounding spiritual space until it warped and fractured, radiating a supreme yang pressure capable of incinerating all things.
The third Star Sea was plunged into profound, secluded darkness—the Shadow Star Sea (Advanced Tier 1). The abyss of shadows stretched infinitely, with strands of dark silk undulating like invisible phantoms, swallowing all encroaching light and concealing a bone-chilling killing intent.
The fourth Star Sea overflowed with mystical silver moonlight and ancient totems—the Summoning Star Sea (Advanced Tier 1). The dimensional gate stood majestic and solemn at the center, its turquoise contract chains binding myriad realms, constantly resonating with the souls of powerful ancient battle beasts.
These four great Star Seas had forged a formidable equilibrium. Yet that equilibrium was now being completely shattered by the awakening of the two remaining supreme forces!
“Crack... Crack... CRACK!”
Crisp, shattering sounds echoed throughout the sea of consciousness.
In the western sector of the spiritual microcosm, the purely silver Space Star River whirled at a dizzying speed. The three hundred and forty-three spatial stardust particles that had previously aligned into seven stellar orbits merged into a brilliant silver sphere of light. Driven by the pure spiritual Qi of the Kunlun Divine Spring and his newly enhanced physical power, the invisible barrier separating the Intermediate and Advanced Tiers of the Space element shattered into billions of luminous fragments!
“BOOM!”
The Space Star River detonated with a deafening roar and rapidly expanded outward to a scale ten times greater than before!
A cold, lustrous, and profound silver Milky Way emerged, claiming an entire corner of the spiritual sky! Dimensional ripples propagated outward, slicing across the layers of spiritual space and creating tiny vacuum tears imbued with terrifying destructive might.
Space Star Sea (Advanced Tier 1) — Officially condensed successfully!
As the Space Star Sea took shape, the ashen-gray Chaos Star River in the opposing direction likewise entered its ultimate explosive phase.
The power of Chaos was the most untamable among all types of magic. It represented primordial chaos, the overturning of order, and the ability to bend all established rules. At this moment, the Chaos Star River acted like a colossal millstone, devouring the surrounding spiritual Qi into its core. The ashen-gray hue shifted ceaselessly between black and white, between nothingness and reality.
“Break for me!”
A resonant, deep voice echoed from the very depths of Lin Feng’s soul. His iron-clad will crashed directly into the center of that ashen-gray fog.
“CRASH!”
The final boundary wall collapsed into ruins!
The ashen-gray mist billowed wildly, transforming into a bottomless chaotic ocean. Within that Star Sea, ordinary magic laws appeared entirely neutralized: directions inverted, light bent, and order reversed.
Chaos Star Sea (Advanced Tier 1) — Perfectly accomplished!
The instant the Chaos Star Sea took form, Lin Feng’s entire sea of consciousness trembled violently!
Six great Star Seas!
Lightning, Fire, Shadow, Summoning, Space, and Chaos!
Six colossal stellar domains with six brilliant hues: Purple-blue, Crimson, Pitch-black, Turquoise, Silver radiance, and Ashen-gray shone brilliantly in unison, illuminating the entire realm of consciousness! Every single Star Sea contained two thousand four hundred and one glowing stardust particles, totaling nearly fifteen thousand stars dancing to the rhythm of Lin Feng’s breath!
A magnificent, awe-inspiring spectacle that no human language could adequately describe! This was no longer the sea of consciousness of an ordinary Advanced mage, but a complete microcosm, a miniature magical world operating independently under its own laws!
Magical energy surged tumultuously like tidal waves across a boundless ocean. If an ordinary Advanced mage possessed a single Star Sea whose magical energy volume resembled a lake, then at this moment, the magical energy within Lin Feng’s body was equivalent to the merger of six vast seas!
Not only in sheer quantity, but the quality of his magic power—having undergone the refinement of the Ice God Marrow and Dragon Blood—had condensed into something akin to liquid mercury, so pure it lacked a single grain of mortal dust.
Yet, the convergence of six great Star Seas also brought a terrifying hazard: the mutual conflict between the magic elements.
Lightning and Fire were inherently rampantly volatile; Shadow and Space repelled one another; Chaos constantly threatened to devour all order. The six colossal energy sources began to grind against one another, generating furious magical energy whirlwinds that swept across the boundaries of his consciousness, threatening to tear Lin Feng’s soul into six pieces!
At that very moment of extreme peril, a profound hum resonated from his chest:
“HUM... M... M...!”
Lodged at the very center of the sea of consciousness, hovering directly above the six great Star Seas, the ancient dragon-shaped jade pendant—the Primordial Dragon Pendant—suddenly erupted with ten thousand rays of resplendent golden radiance!
An illusory, colossal Primordial True Dragon phantom coiled around the Star Seas, descending with the supreme majesty of the lord of all creatures from the primordial era. A warm golden breath overflowed across every Star Sea, akin to the hand of a creator god soothing rebellious children.
Under the miraculous harmonization of the Primordial Dragon Pendant, the fierce conflict among the six energy sources instantly dissipated like snow meeting the spring sun.
The six great Star Seas began to move along predetermined orbits, arranging themselves into a flawless hexagonal array. Lightning engendered Fire, Fire nourished Chaos, Chaos nurtured Space, Space sheltered Shadow, Shadow assisted Summoning, and Summoning guided Lightning! An endless cycle of mutual generation was established, with magical energy automatically transforming and regenerating endlessly among the elements, forging a perpetual energy engine within Lin Feng’s body!
The sensation of swelling agony vanished entirely, replaced by boundless, inexhaustible power surging through his limbs and bones.
Outside, atop the Heavenly Pillar.
The two Guardian Elders still held their breath in extreme tension. The pitch-black sky above had begun to spawn colossal spiral clouds, with lightning crashing down against the surrounding mountain walls like the end of days.
“This is bad! Brother Gu, quickly reinforce the barrier! If the conflicting energy below erupts, this entire Heavenly Pillar will be leveled!” Elder Chang roared, his hands flinging outward to weave a complex Super Level Earth magic diagram.
“Agreed! Kunlun Divine Domain, seal the firm...”
Elder Gu’s words were cut short as the pupils of both men simultaneously contracted to the size of pinpricks!
“RUMBLE!”
A muffled explosion erupted abruptly from the bottom of the Kunlun Divine Spring!
The mirror-flat surface of the lake suddenly split apart!
Yet the water did not splash upward; instead, it was cleaved in two by an invisible force, forming two vertical walls of water hundreds of zhang high on either bank, revealing the strangely dry lakebed below!
Right in the center of that space, a slender figure in pitch-black attire slowly stood up.
The moment Lin Feng opened his eyes...
The entire world seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second!
It was a pair of eyes possessing an enchanting and breathtaking majesty. The pupil of his right eye burned with deep crimson Vermilion Bird flames intertwined with violent purple-blue lightning arcs; the pupil of his left eye was as profound as a cosmic black hole with spinning trails of silver spatial radiance. Between his brows, a golden Dragon God marking faintly manifested before sinking deep beneath his skin.
The majestic aura erupting from his body was entirely unconstrained, resembling a volcano suppressed for millions of years suddenly erupting!
“BOOM — WHOOSH!”
A colossal pillar of light comprising six blended colors shot straight from the bottom of the pool into the nine firmaments!
The beam was so dense it condensed into substance, tearing the eternal mist enveloping the Heavenly Pillar for millennia into countless fragments. The swirling black clouds above were swept clean in an instant without a trace, revealing a boundless, crystal-clear sky as the brilliant sunlight beamed straight down upon the snowy peak!
Nor did it stop there!
The earth beneath the Heavenly Pillar trembled violently, and thousand-jin boulders on the cliffs tumbled into the abyss. A terrifying anti-natural phenomenon unfolded before everyone’s eyes: the entire layer of white snow blanketing the slopes of the Heavenly Pillar, instead of falling, flew upward into the high heavens! Millions of tons of white snow transformed into a heaven-defying avalanche, surging into the air to encircle the six-colored pillar of light, creating a magnificent spectacle akin to a divine miracle descending upon the mortal world!
“What... What kind of formation is this?!”
Elder Chang stood on the lakebank, his entire body rigid. The Super Level magic defense he had just erected failed to exert its effect before being swept by the pressure and shattering like a fragile pane of glass!
Yet the most terrifying aspect was the spiritual coercion crashing directly down upon the souls of the two elders!
It was the combination of supreme primordial Dragon Might and the sovereign aura of the six converged Star Seas! This coercion far surpassed even the might of ordinary Super Level Peak powerhouses. It resembled the breath of an archaic Demon God newly awakened from a millennial slumber, coldly gazing upon all living beings like ants beneath its feet!
Within the seas of consciousness of Elder Chang and Elder Gu, four resplendent Super Level Star Palaces suddenly shook violently. The magical energy in the two grandmasters’ meridians stalled completely, freezing and unable to circulate! Their souls trembled violently, and a sense of submission born from the instinct for survival surged overwhelmingly.
“Crack!”
The perennial ice beneath the two elders’ feet fractured under the invisible crushing weight.
“Thud!”
“Thud!”
Two muffled sounds echoed through the silent expanse.
Before the towering, god-and-devil-like might of the black-robed youth, the two supreme Guardians of Kunlun Sacred Mountain—former giants of the Super Level Peak who had once roamed unhindered—felt their knees suddenly grow weak, unable to withstand the mountain-crushing spiritual pressure, and simultaneously collapsed onto one knee upon the icy ground!
Elder Gu’s hand trembled as he planted his White Tiger scepter into the ground to keep his body from collapsing flat. His eyes were filled with extreme horror, and cold sweat drenched his inner robes:
“Six... Six Star Seas?! How is it possible... How could a human accomplish this?!”
Elder Chang beside him likewise panted heavily, his gaze fixed upon the figure at the bottom of the pool filled with profound reverence.
This was no longer the category of a prodigy.
This was a monster! A living legend stepping out of myth! Six complete Advanced elements, perfectly accommodating both Space and Chaos, with a magical energy reserve as deep as the ocean... The moment this youth stepped out of Kunlun Sacred Mountain, the entire order of the global magical community would have to rewrite its rules from scratch!
At the bottom of the dry lake, Lin Feng exhaled a breath of stale air.
He slowly raised his steps.
Without borrowing a wing magic tool, nor executing Wind Track or Lightning Escape, every step Lin Feng took into the void caused the space beneath his soles to ripple with sparkling silver waves, lifting his body step by step up an invisible staircase in the sky.
The Divine Spring water on either side roared turbulently but dared not touch a single thread of his robes, automatically parting like subjects respectfully bowing to welcome their sovereign back to the throne.
Within a few breaths, Lin Feng had ascended to the bank, standing imposingly atop the Heavenly Pillar.
The cold wind whipped his black robes frantically, and his shoulder-length hair swayed gently, revealing a sharply defined face of extraordinary, resolute features. When he retracted all his coercion deep into his body, his demeanor instantly grew as calm as a bottomless deep pool. Yet that very calmness made those facing him feel all the more suffocating, for beneath that serene exterior lay world-destroying power capable of leveling an entire city in the blink of an eye.
Lin Feng glanced at the two elders kneeling on one knee upon the ice, the corners of his lips curving into a faint, measured smile of royal courtesy:
“Two seniors, many thanks for guarding this junior over the past eighteen double-hours. This divine spring truly lives up to its reputation.”
His voice was calm and warm, yet echoing in the ears of the two elders like a bronze bell tolling in the stillness of night, vibrating directly into their consciousness.
Hearing Lin Feng’s voice, the invisible pressure blanketing the peak gradually dissipated.
Elder Chang and Elder Gu let out long sighs of relief as if escaping the gates of hell, hurriedly supporting themselves with their staves as they stood up. The two exchanged glances, seeing profound reverence mirrored in each other’s eyes. Their centuries of bitter cultivation, standing before this youth under twenty years of age, seemed like a mere grain of sand.
“Lin... Lin little friend...” Elder Gu opened his mouth, his tone still tinged with hard-to-suppress trembling: “You... have you truly broken through all six elements to the Advanced Tier?”
Lin Feng did not reply, merely gently opening his right palm.
“Whoosh!”
A bizarre six-petaled magical lotus suddenly bloomed right upon his palm!
Each petal possessed a completely distinct color and attribute: a purple-blue lightning petal, a deep crimson flame petal, a pitch-black shadow petal, a turquoise summoning petal, a silver spatial petal, and an ashen-gray chaos petal! The six petals rotated rhythmically, emitting magical energy so pure and condensed it warped the surrounding air into a spiral shape.
Witnessing this scene, the last trace of skepticism in Elder Chang’s heart vanished entirely. He bowed deeply, clasping his hands in a respectful formal salute:
“Unprecedented throughout history and antiquity! The legendary Versatile Archmage has finally appeared... This old man had eyes yet failed to recognize Mount Tai, paying respects to Your Excellency Lin!”
Elder Gu likewise hurried to bow, his expression solemn to the extreme. In the magical world, strength reigned supreme. The Lin Feng of today, with his foundation of six great Star Seas and the True Dragon bodyguard physique, possessed a true explosive combat power likely sufficient to slay Lord-grade demons and directly contend with Super Level Peak powerhouses without falling into a disadvantageous position!
“Two seniors need not stand on ceremony.” Lin Feng flicked his sleeve gently, and a gentle spatial gale lifted the two elders upright. His gaze turned toward the rolling snow-capped mountain ranges behind the Heavenly Pillar, where an ancient, pitch-black tower pierced straight into the purple clouds. “The purpose of my trip to Kunlun Sacred Mountain, aside from borrowing the divine spring to breakthrough, is precisely that trial.”
The gazes of Elder Chang and Elder Gu instantly followed his line of sight, their expressions shifting profoundly.
“Bloodline Divine Tower... The supreme Trial Secret Realm of Kunlun...” Elder Gu muttered, his voice laden with terror passed down from ancestral antiquity. “That place is the most perilous forbidden zone since primordial times. Legend has it that it imprisons the remnant soul of a world-destroying Demon God while concealing the secret of humanity’s magical origins. Over a millennium, seven Forbidden Curse Mages have entered seeking the truth, yet not a single one has ever returned alive...”
“Is that so?”
The corners of Lin Feng’s mouth curved into an arrogant arc, and a blazing fighting spirit ignited within his deep eyes. He clenched his fist, feeling the magic power of the six great Star Seas flowing tumultuously through every meridian while the Primordial Dragon Pendant on his chest emitted a burning warmth as if urging him forward.
“Those seven Forbidden Curses could not do it, does not mean I cannot.”
With that, Lin Feng’s figure trembled slightly. A silver trail of afterimages tore through space, and his silhouette vanished from the Heavenly Pillar, hurtling straight toward the pitch-black Divine Tower piercing the purple clouds.
Simultaneously, deep within the pitch-black abyss beneath the Bloodline Divine Tower, as if sensing the aura of the Six Star Seas drawing near, a pair of colossal crimson eyes resembling two blood moons slowly opened within the endless darkness, accompanied by an archaic roar that shook the entire Kunlun mountain range...