Chapter 54: Breakthrough, Late Nascent Soul Stage!

At noon the following day, Lin Fan finally finished helping Su Xingyu with her breakthrough.

Su Xingyu had successfully advanced to the twelfth layer of Qi Condensation, leaving her only a single step away from Foundation Establishment.

Lin Fan walked out of the room feeling refreshed, lingering on the delightful memories of just now, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Bai Xiyue had been waiting outside early on. Seeing Lin Fan emerge, she hurried over to greet him.

"Young master, knowing you were out of seclusion, I've already had the meal prepared."

Bai Xiyue's voice was soft and gentle, tinged with a trace of concern.

Lin Fan nodded and followed Bai Xiyue into the dining hall.

The table was laden with an abundance of sumptuous dishes, exquisite in color, aroma, and taste.

They were all cooked using spiritual vegetables and spiritual fruits, emitting a faint aura of spiritual energy.

Lin Fan took his seat at the head of the table, with Bai Jie and Li Jiu standing on either side of him.

Today, Bai Jie was wearing a light cyan long dress, which perfectly set off her pure and ethereal temperament.

She picked up her chopsticks, gently placed a piece of spirit beast meat onto the small plate in front of Lin Fan, and said,

"Master, this is cooked from the meat of a second-rank spirit beast, the 'Cloud Sparrow.' The meat is tender and juicy; please have a taste."

Bai Jie's voice was sweet, carrying a hint of ingratiating warmth.

Lin Fan picked up the piece of meat and placed it into his mouth.

A rich, savory flavor permeated his mouth; the meat was delicate and melted on the tongue.

"Not bad."

Lin Fan nodded, expressing his approval.

Li Jiu was not to be outdone. She wore a light yellow long dress that made her skin look as white as snow.

She picked up a jade cup and filled it to the brim with spiritual wine.

"Master, this is the 'Hundred Fruit Brew,' fermented from spiritual fruits. It has a sweet and pleasant taste; please try it."

Li Jiu's voice was crisp and melodious, tinged with a hint of allure.

Lin Fan took the wine cup and took a light sip.

A sweet flavor spread across his mouth, accompanied by a faint trace of spiritual energy.

"Fine wine,"

Lin Fan praised.

Bai Jie and Li Jiu exchanged a glance, a trace of triumph flashing in both of their eyes.

They knew that Lin Fan loved to indulge and enjoyed the feeling of being pampered.

Therefore, they did everything in their power to please Lin Fan, hoping to win his favor.

Lin Fan enjoyed the fine food while relishing the attentive service of the two beauties.

Just as the meal ended, a slightly youthful voice suddenly rang out.

"Hmph, you certainly know how to indulge yourself. Once my breakthrough is complete, I'll send a few female cultivators with superior aptitude from the sect over to you."

The voice was crisp and pleasing to the ear like an oriole, yet it carried an undeniable majesty.

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. He was all too familiar with this voice—it belonged to the ancestor of the Acacia Sect, Ancestor Qingli!

A jolt went through Lin Fan's heart.

Putting on an outwardly calm expression, he quickly stood up and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple Lin Fan greets Senior!"

Bai Xiyue, Su Xingyu, and the others also snapped out of their surprise and hurriedly rose to bow.

"Greetings, Ancestor!"

Their voices carried a trace of nervousness and awe.

Ancestor Qingli's figure had appeared in the room without warning. She still retained the appearance of a young girl of seven or eight, dressed in a light pink silk gown embroidered with blooming peach blossoms that looked vividly lifelike.

Her stature was petite, her features exquisite, her skin as white and flawless as jade, and her lively, expressive eyes seemed capable of speech.

"No need for formalities. I am fully prepared; it's time for the breakthrough!"

Ancestor Qingli said indifferently, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

With a gentle wave of her hand, an invisible force instantly enveloped Lin Fan.

Lin Fan felt the world spin before his eyes as a tremendous pulling force seized him, propelling his body forward uncontrollably.

The next moment, he found himself in an unfamiliar environment.

This was a sealed stone chamber with walls as smooth as mirrors, densely carved with countless runes that flickered with a dim, eerie light.

Lin Fan recognized these runes; they were restrictions designed to reinforce defenses and isolate spiritual auras.

In the center of the stone chamber stood a jade bed, entirely translucent and white, emitting a faint chill.

Clearly, this was a newly excavated room within Lin Fan's immortal cave, specially designated for breakthroughs.

"The breakthrough process for a Nascent Soul stage cultivator takes longer and will also trigger heavenly phenomena."

"The Acacia Sect's grand protective array has already been activated, and combined with the restrictions of this breakthrough chamber, it shouldn't draw too much attention."

"Until my breakthrough is complete, you are not permitted to leave this place!"

Ancestor Qingli sat cross-legged on the jade bed and spoke indifferently, her tone carrying an unmistakable command.

Lin Fan nodded, though inwardly he couldn't help but complain:

"This old hag is truly cautious. But then again, considering she's breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, a bit of caution is only natural."

He muttered to himself while maintaining a respectful expression on his face.

"Senior, rest assured. This disciple will do his utmost to assist Senior in her breakthrough!"

"Very well, let us begin!" Ancestor Qingli slowly closed her eyes and began circulating her cultivation technique, evidently commencing her attempt at the breakthrough!

"System, help her break through!"

[Ding! Consumed 500,000 years of lifespan to assist Qingli in breaking through the mid-Nascent Soul bottleneck!]

[Remaining lifespan of the host: 518,608 years.]

Lin Fan inwardly let out a massive curse. He had known that breaking through the late Nascent Soul stage would consume a significant amount, but he never expected it to cost a terrifying half a million years.

More than half of his million-year lifespan was instantly depleted.

As the lifespan was deducted, Ancestor Qingli felt a warm current welling up from her dantian, rapidly coursing through all her limbs and bones.

Wherever this warm current passed, her meridians were widened inch by inch, and the speed of her spiritual energy circulation, previously somewhat rigid, suddenly accelerated.

She could clearly feel that her Nascent Soul—which had remained completely stagnant for over four hundred years—was now greedily absorbing this warm current.

The Nascent Soul, originally only the size of an infant's fist, began to expand at a visible rate.

"Rumble!"

Above the immortal cave, the previously clear sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Streaks of purple lightning crisscrossed among the clouds, emitting deafening roars.

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth began to converge frantically toward the immortal cave where Lin Fan was located, forming a gigantic vortex of spiritual energy.

"This is... someone breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage?"

"Such a massive commotion! Could it be that one of the elders is breaking through?"

"No, this is someone breaking through a Nascent Soul bottleneck!"

"What? I wonder if it's Ancestor Qingli or Ancestor Hongluan."

Within the Acacia Sect, countless disciples were startled by this sudden heavenly phenomenon. They raised their heads to look at the sky, discussing it spiritedly.

Shock and disbelief were written all over their faces.

At that moment, inside the immortal cave, Ancestor Qingli's breakthrough had reached its most crucial juncture.

Her Nascent Soul had expanded by a full circle, glowing with a dazzling golden light all over.

The spiritual energy vortex in the sky acted like a giant funnel, frantically gathering the surrounding spiritual energy and pouring it endlessly into Ancestor Qingli's body.

Lin Fan stood to one side, watching the scene with a look of utter shock.

He could clearly feel the flow of spiritual energy in the air, as if the energy of the entire world were converging on this spot.

Ancestor Qingli's body, which had appeared to be only eight or nine years old, began to change at a visible pace.

Her height shot up rapidly, and her facial contours shifted accordingly.

In mere moments, Ancestor Qingli transformed into the appearance of a young maiden of fourteen or fifteen.

Her facial features became even more exquisite, and her skin, white as jade, emitted a faint luster.

Ancestor Qingli's transformation did not stop there.

Her body continued to grow, quickly turning her into a young woman of seventeen or eighteen.

Her feminine traits became increasingly pronounced, her curves gracefully sculpted and exquisite.

A cascade of pitch-black, waterfall-like hair fell down to her waist, gently fluttering with the flow of spiritual energy.

Her figure grew more and more enchanting, exuding a breathtaking charm as powerful waves of allure emanated from her body.

Lin Fan felt his mouth go dry; he hurriedly closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing to regulate his Qi.

He chanted inwardly, "I saw nothing, I saw nothing..."

Yet even with his eyes closed, the changing image of Ancestor Qingli remained vividly etched in his mind, refusing to fade.

Lin Fan felt a sudden wave of intense heat wash over him, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Calm down, calm down!" Lin Fan repeatedly admonished himself in his heart. "This is an ancient monster hundreds of years old; don't be fooled by mere appearances!"

In truth, Lin Fan could hardly be blamed. Ancestor Qingli possessed a constitution naturally inclined toward allure, coupled with the unique cultivation technique she practiced.

With her currently undergoing a breakthrough, this innate allure leaked out naturally.

Lin Fan was merely a minor cultivator at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage; how could he possibly resist such powerful charm?