C5 Who Said That the Vrabouton Empire Doesn't Have Any Geniuses?

"Ding dong! Congratulations to the host for successfully checking in at the eleven and a half zhang mark outside the imperial mausoleum. You have been rewarded with a supreme grade Ascension Pill."

An Ascension Pill!

And not just any, but supreme grade!

This was a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure capable of allowing an ordinary person to instantly embark on the Path of Immortal Cultivation, skyrocketing their cultivation without any adverse aftereffects.

In the past, Soong Lin would have been ecstatic.

But now, his mind was elsewhere.

"Five days already? Is there really no one in the Vrabouton Empire who can win even a single match?"

His gaze towards the Palace of Vrabouton was laden with gravity.

Five days had passed since the Envoys of the Netherworld arrived in the capital and established the Arena of Life and Death.

In that time, the late-stage Foundation Building elder from the Fei family fell to the Fourth Prince of the Evilkind by a hair's breadth.

The Liu family's once-in-a-century prodigy, the youngest Foundation Building cultivator in the Vrabouton Empire, was slain in the blink of an eye by the Evilkind's genius before he could even find his footing in the arena.

...

Over these five days, the Envoys of the Netherworld have been insufferably arrogant.

Every household in Newcliff donned mourning attire, the sounds of lamentation filled the air, and grief was palpable.

The Libationer, witnessing no Vrabouton cultivator able to best the formidable Evilkind, was consumed with rage.

In a fit of fury at the palace gates, he hurled invectives before dashing his head against the Arena of Life and Death in a final act of protest.

With his dying breath, he decreed: If no one in the Vrabouton Empire could overcome the Evilkind, then let his body lie unburied!

Upon hearing this, Soong Wang erupted in thunderous anger.

His wrath left ministers and royal kin unable to lift their heads in his presence.

Yet, it was clear to all that the chasm between the cultivators of the Vrabouton and those of the Evilkind was vast and deep.

Stepping into the arena was tantamount to embracing death.

Soong Lin mulled over these thoughts in silence, his face growing increasingly grim.

Just then, Su Lang entered the imperial mausoleum with a young girl, about five or six years old.

Soong Lin's heart clenched at the sight of Su Lang's grave demeanor.

"What's this about?"

Without a word, Su Lang knelt and solemnly bowed his head three times before Soong Lin.

"The Evilkind have overstepped. Hundreds of our Imperial Guards have fallen, with no victories to claim. It's a disgrace to the Vrabouton Empire, a disgrace to our people."

"As a member of the Imperial Guards, under a secret order from Soong Wang, I've volunteered to face the Evilkind's prodigies in a series of battles."

Su Lang's voice quivered slightly as he spoke, yet his gaze held an indescribable firmness.

"Should I fall, I entrust my daughter, Yingying, to your care, Your Highness."

With those final words, Su Lang departed without a backward glance.

Yingying, with her delicate and endearing features, was utterly charming.

Yet the vacant look in her eyes pierced Soong Lin's heart.

"The citizens of the Vrabouton Empire stand united for our land! I cannot stand idly by."

He sighed softly, turning a tender gaze upon Yingying.

"Do you understand what your father has set out to do?"

"Yes, Daddy's going to fight the Evilkind. He told me they're wicked through and through, stealing our spirit ore and medicinal gardens, and setting up arenas to mock us. They deserve to be punished!"

Hatred for the Evilkind flickered in Su Yingying's eyes.

Before Soong Lin could respond, she continued, "Your Highness, I want to help my father defeat the Evilkind. Please grant me your blessing."

Soong Lin's brow creased with concern.

Su Lang had entrusted his daughter to him, a gesture laden with profound responsibility.

Allowing Yingying to leave would be a betrayal of that trust.

After a brief silence, Soong Lin managed a gentle smile.

"Yingying, you're still very young. You're not yet a cultivator, so you wouldn't be able to assist your father. Why not stay here and play for now? There will be time enough to join the fight once you've embarked on the Path of Immortal Cultivation."

Su Yingying nodded, her spirits dampened, and turned to leave without a word. But Soong Lin, without changing his expression, flipped his hand and deftly tossed an Ascension Pill at Su Yingying's feet. The pill, smooth and lustrous, exuded a pure and potent fragrance. Even Su Yingying, with no knowledge of such things, recognized it as a genuine treasure.

"Wow, Your Highness, I think I've found something amazing," Su Yingying exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Soong Lin couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Perhaps it's a piece of candy. Why don't you give it a try, Yingying?"

"It's not sweet... it's not candy... Huh?" she puzzled, as the pill's pure medicinal power began to diffuse throughout her body.

Su Yingying, who lacked any innate talent for cultivation, felt her meridians widening as the spiritual energy from heaven and earth converged rapidly towards her, centered around the imperial mausoleum. In mere moments, her meridians expanded to a staggering count of 64. The immense spiritual energy surged smoothly through her channels, propelling Su Yingying's cultivation level to soar swiftly. She advanced from the early stages of Qi Refining to the early stages of Core Formation in no time at all. Even Soong Lin marveled at the speed of her progress.

"The supreme grade Ascension Pill truly lives up to its reputation," Soong Lin mused.

Meanwhile, the extraordinary event Su Yingying had initiated did not go unnoticed. Soong Wang was astounded, and the State Preceptor was equally taken aback. The Envoys of the Netherworld, however, sneered with derision.

...

Su Lang, having just stepped out of the imperial mausoleum, felt an overwhelming aura and his expression shifted dramatically. "Such formidable pressure... could it be that Prince Soong Lin has made a breakthrough?" he wondered, his face lighting up with hope.

He hurried back to the mausoleum and was met with a sight that left him utterly astonished. Su Yingying stood there, radiating the fearsome pressure of someone in the early stages of Core Formation. Her 64 meridians were pulsating rapidly, channeling a torrent of spiritual force into her power core. Su Lang was dumbfounded.

"A Pure Genius? My own daughter?" he gasped in delight.

Su Yingying, with her 64 meridians, was a cultivation prodigy, a rarity even among the Evilkind, and now she was a cultivator at the early stages of Core Formation.

Su Yingying, at this moment, was still an early-stage Core Formation cultivator.

Though she hadn't faced the thunder tribulation,

the early stage was still the early stage,

far surpassing those Foundation Building Evilkind on the Arena of Life and Death.

"The heavens truly favor the Vrabouton Empire!"

Su Lang's eyes brimmed with excited tears.

But he quickly regained his composure,

casting a puzzled glance at Soong Lin.

"Your Highness, is it possible that you're responsible for the changes in Yingying?"

"How could I possess such power? Yingying is simply fortunate. She stumbled upon an unknown pill and advanced to Core Formation. I spend my days in the imperial mausoleum, lacking such fortune," Soong Lin said with a tinge of regret.

Su Lang kept silent, but his heart swelled with joy.

"Dad, can I join you in battling the Evilkind now?"

Su Yingying's lively black eyes sparkled with clarity and earnestness.

"Absolutely! Let's go, I'll take you to fight the Evilkind. The Vrabouton Empire's chance to redeem our honor rests on your shoulders."

With that, Su Lang eagerly led Su Yingying away.

Watching the elated pair, Soong Lin's brow furrowed slightly.

"The Envoys of the Netherworld have erected the Arena of Life and Death right at our palace gates, clearly with ill intent. Even if Yingying defeats those provocateurs, the Vrabouton Empire won't find peace."

Soong Lin sighed softly,

his gaze heavy as he looked northwestward toward the distant horizon,

where the formidable Demon King Palace, renowned among the Evilkind, stood tall.

After a moment's contemplation, Soong Lin withdrew his gaze.

"Only by thoroughly subduing the Demon King can we deter the Evilkind from trifling with the Vrabouton Empire. Alas, I'm not yet strong enough... I must continue to bide my time in the imperial mausoleum."

He paused, a flicker of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"When I achieve the Nascent Infant Stage, that will be the day the Demon King falls. Evilkind, your days of arrogance are numbered!"