Lin Ming stared at the crimson and gold sphere spinning in his palm.
He could feel the terrifying power contained within it, a perfect, volatile balance of pure vitality and primal strength. It was the combined blessing of his ancestors, a power far beyond anything his Qi Refining realm should be able to handle.
His [Deathmatch State] combined with the ancestral awakening had created something unexpected.
Realizing Quynh Nhu was staring at him with the look of someone who had just seen a ghost give birth to a supernova, he quickly willed the sphere to disperse.
The energy obediently retreated from his palm, sinking back into the swirling vortex within his dantian. The [Dragon's Seed] settled quietly, while the newly refined [Fairy Qi] circulated through his body, filling him with an incredible sense of well-being.
"It's... a new technique I'm working on," he said, offering her the weakest excuse he could think of. "A little unstable."
"'A little unstable'?!" Quynh Nhu practically shrieked, her voice a mix of awe and terror. "You were just a pile of broken bones! Your chest was caved in! And now you're fine, and you're holding... holding a mini-sun! What kind of 'technique' heals you and creates a miniature star?!"
Lin Ming stood up, brushing dirt from his clothes. He felt better than ever. Stronger, cleaner. His perception of the world was even sharper. He could feel the life force in every leaf and blade of grass, and a primal, reptilian strength thrummed deep within his bones.
He knew he couldn't explain what had happened. 'I died for a minute and met our national founding deities who gave me a power-up' wasn't going to fly, even for her.
He looked her straight in the eye, his expression turning serious. "Quynh Nhu. What you just saw... what I am... you cannot tell anyone. Not Agent Hien, not Central Command. No one."
His tone was not a request; it was a command. The sheer weight of his newfound presence, the lingering aura of the Ancestors, silenced her protest. She saw the gravity in his eyes, the absolute seriousness of the situation. This wasn't just some secret technique. This was something world-altering.
She took a deep breath, her own professionalism as a Blacklight operative taking over. "Secrets are my business, Scrawny. But this one... this one feels different. Heavier." She finally gave a single, sharp nod. "Your secret is safe. For now. But you owe me an explanation. One day."
"I will give you one," Lin Ming promised. "When the time is right."
Just then, Su Quyen and the old monk came rushing into the clearing, drawn by the sudden silence. Su Quyen stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the devastation—the bisected boulder, the uprooted trees, and the massive tiger tracks.
"What happened?! Are you two alright?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear.
"We're fine," Lin Ming said, stepping in front of the area where he had been slammed to conceal the signs of his 'death'. "The Guardian was... persuaded to calm down."
The old monk's gaze, however, was fixed solely on Lin Ming. He walked forward slowly and bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the ground.
"The Guardian's song has changed," the monk said, his voice filled with reverence. "It sings of gratitude. It sings of the Fairy's breath and the Dragon's fire. You have done more than heal it, young hero. You have renewed a covenant as old as the mountains themselves. This land is in your debt."
With that, he said no more, simply turning and heading back towards the temple, leaving the three youths in a state of confused silence.
Their field trip was cut short. They reported that a "large, unidentified aggressive animal" had been dealt with and that the area was now secure. It was a vague report, but coming from Quynh Nhu, a top Blacklight agent, it was accepted without much question. The true events of that day were sealed between the three of them—a shared secret that bound them together.
On the journey back, the atmosphere in the jeep was completely different. Su Quyen was burning with a thousand questions about the "unidentified animal," while Quynh Nhu was unnaturally quiet, occasionally glancing at Lin Ming in the rearview mirror as if trying to see the lingering aura of his ancestral encounter.
The moment they returned to Hanoi, Lin Ming excused himself. He needed to find a place to test his new power and, more importantly, to finally break through to Foundation Establishment.
He found a secluded, abandoned construction site on the city's outskirts. It was the perfect place.
He sat down in a meditative posture, reviewing his status.
[Name: Lin Ming]
[Age: 16]
[Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining - High Stage]
[Battle Will Points: 9860 / 10,000 to advance (Foundation Pill required).]
He was so close. He only needed 140 more points. It was an agonizingly small number. Where could he get a quick fight?
As if the universe was answering his call, he heard rough voices from a nearby alley. He crept closer, using his enhanced senses to listen.
"...the new guy, the one who took over Snake-Neck Gao's turf, he wants double the protection money from the noodle stall."
"He's crazy! That old man barely makes ends meet!"
"He doesn't care. Says he wants to make an example of him tomorrow."
Lin Ming smirked. The criminal underworld was a gift that kept on giving. A new bully had taken the place of the old one. It was time for some more "neighborhood watch."
He strode into the alley, startling the two low-level thugs. "Tell your new boss that the Noodle Stall is under new, new management. And that he has an appointment with me. Right now."
The thugs, recognizing the calm, terrifying teenager who had taken out Snake-Neck's crew, paled and scattered like rats.
Less than ten minutes later, a large, muscle-bound brute with a scar over his eye and four of his cronies appeared at the construction site.
"You the one causing trouble?" the new boss snarled.
[Scanning Target: "Scar-Eye" Thang]
[Threat Level: Marginally Tougher Gnat.]
[System Suggestion: Please wrap this up quickly. The Host has more important things to do than slum-level pest control.]
Lin Ming didn't waste words. He charged. With his new Fairy Qi-enhanced speed and strength, the fight was a complete joke. He moved like a blur, weaving between the five thugs, delivering precise, non-lethal strikes to their joints and nerve clusters with his bare hands. He didn't even need Thuan Thien.
The entire "fight" lasted fifteen seconds and ended with all five thugs groaning on the ground, incapacitated.
[Flawless Victory. Pest Control Complete.]
[+250 Battle Will Points.]
[Total Battle Will Points: 10110!]
[Requirement for Foundation Establishment met!]
Lin Ming's heart pounded with excitement. The time had come.
He looked at his System Store. He could buy the pill for 8000 points. It was the safe, logical choice. He made the purchase.
[-8000 Battle Will Points deducted. One Foundation Pill has been deposited in your inventory.]
A small, perfectly round, jade-green pill appeared in his hand. It smelled of fresh rain and old earth.
He didn't hesitate. He tossed the pill into his mouth and swallowed.
A torrent of pure, gentle energy exploded within him, spreading through every Qi channel, every organ, every cell. His High-Stage Qi Refining dantian, already swirling with power, began to compress under the pill's influence.
The chaotic vortex of Qi was being forged, compressed, and solidified. It was the most crucial step in a cultivator's journey—the transition from a gaseous state of Qi to a liquid, foundational one. This was the moment he would truly leave the mortal coil behind.
The world around him faded away as his entire being focused on this single, monumental task: building his foundation.