The third day of Lin Feng's residency began with formation practice that showed measurable improvement over the previous session. His defensive barrier deployment had accelerated to 1.5 seconds—still not truly instant but approaching combat viability. Elder Fengxue acknowledged the progress with a minimal nod that apparently constituted high praise given her usual stern demeanor.
"You're adapting faster than most students. Void manipulation provides natural advantages for formation work despite philosophical contradictions." She demonstrated an offensive formation—spiritual energy arranged in geometric pattern that created freezing blast. "Today we add attack formations to your repertoire. Same principle as defensive deployment but requiring more precise control since offensive arrays must target specific locations rather than surrounding self."
The morning session was predictably intense. Offensive formations required simultaneous void template creation and target tracking—significantly more complex than static defensive barriers. Lin Feng's first dozen attempts either missed targets entirely or deployed formations too slowly to be tactically useful.
"Your void manipulation is trying to be too flexible," Elder Fengxue criticized. "Offensive formations need rigid structure at deployment moment. Maintain flexibility in positioning but absolute precision in execution. Again."
By session's end, Lin Feng could deploy a basic ice-blast formation in approximately three seconds with reasonable accuracy. Not impressive by Elder Fengxue's standards but functional for combat usage.
"Adequate foundation. Practice this formation two hundred times before tomorrow's session. Muscle memory must become reflexive—in real combat, you won't have time for conscious calculation." She paused at the pavilion's exit. "And Lin Feng—I hear you've arranged sparring sessions this afternoon. Good. Formation deployment under pressure is different from practice in controlled environment. You'll discover that today."
After the morning session, Lin Feng grabbed quick meal then headed to the designated combat arena where Yun Qingxue had arranged his first sparring match. The arena was one of several practice facilities used by inner disciples for training—smaller than tournament grounds but properly equipped with safety formations and monitoring arrays.
Yun Qingxue waited at the arena entrance along with three inner disciples. "Lin Feng. These are your sparring partners for today—Wei Bing, Liu Xue, and Chen Shuang. All Divine Domain Level 4, all ice-element specialists, all volunteered for cross-training opportunity against void cultivation."
The three disciples studied Lin Feng with expressions ranging from curiosity to skeptical challenge. Wei Bing, a young man with sharp features, spoke first: "So you're the guest disciple who somehow became the Ice Goddess's Dao Companion. We've been curious about your actual capabilities versus evaluation performance."
"Evaluation was genuine demonstration, not inflated performance," Lin Feng replied mildly. "But I appreciate the opportunity to train with experienced ice cultivators. I need exposure to techniques I'll face in the tournament."
"Then let's begin," Liu Xue, a woman with calculating eyes, gestured toward the arena. "We'll rotate—thirty-minute matches with ten-minute breaks between. That gives you two hours of continuous combat experience against different styles."
The first match was against Wei Bing, who proved immediately that inner disciples were qualitatively different from tournament opponents Lin Feng had faced previously. Wei Bing's ice techniques were refined through years of specialized training, his spiritual energy control precise, his tactical awareness sophisticated.
"Frozen Domain: Endless Winter!"
The domain manifested within seconds—temperature plummeted, ice formations sprouted across arena floor, ambient spiritual energy became hostile to non-ice cultivators. Within that domain, Wei Bing's power effectively increased thirty percent while Lin Feng faced constant environmental pressure.
This is what Elder Fengxue meant about formation deployment under pressure. Need to counter his domain advantage immediately.
Lin Feng activated the defensive barrier formation he'd been practicing—using void template for instant deployment. The barrier manifested in 1.5 seconds, creating protected space where Wei Bing's domain effects were significantly reduced.
Wei Bing's eyebrows rose. "Formation deployment at that speed? Impressive for Divine Domain Level 4. But let's see how long you can maintain it."
What followed was intensive pressure as Wei Bing attacked the formation with ice techniques designed to exploit structural weaknesses. Lin Feng defended while also attempting counter-attacks, trying to find rhythm between formation maintenance and offensive action.
The match lasted the full thirty minutes with neither fighter achieving decisive advantage. Wei Bing's ice techniques were powerful but Lin Feng's void manipulation and instant formation deployment provided effective counters. When time expired, both were breathing hard and genuinely challenged.
"You're better than I expected," Wei Bing acknowledged as they exited the arena. "Formation deployment speed is remarkable. Though your offensive formations are slower—that's exploitable weakness in real combat."
"I know. Only started learning instant deployment two days ago. Still developing the skill." Lin Feng accepted water that Yun Qingxue offered. "Your domain application is sophisticated. How long did it take to achieve that level of refinement?"
"Three years of specialized training. Domain mastery is what separates competent Divine Domain cultivators from elite ones." Wei Bing's expression showed grudging respect. "We should spar again later in your residency. See how much you've improved."
The second match against Liu Xue was different challenge entirely. Where Wei Bing favored direct power assault, Liu Xue employed deceptive techniques—ice constructs that appeared in unexpected locations, attacks that struck from impossible angles, domain effects that created disorienting sensory distortions.
Lin Feng struggled initially to adapt to her style. His formations deployed adequately but targeted wrong locations—Liu Xue's attacks came from directions his defensive positioning didn't anticipate. She exploited his offensive formation's slow deployment by dodging then counter-attacking during his vulnerable moments.
Twenty minutes into the match, he was clearly losing. Not decisively but measureably—accumulated minor wounds, depleted spiritual energy from constant defensive reactions, tactical positioning disadvantaged by her superior environmental control.
Need to change approach. Can't out-technique someone with years more specialized training. Need to use void cultivation advantages more creatively.
He stopped trying to match her technique-for-technique and instead focused on what void cultivation did best—spatial manipulation and unexpected positioning. Using Void Step not just for evasion but for aggressive repositioning that disrupted her tactical planning. Employing Shadow Veil to create genuine uncertainty about his location rather than just blocking vision.
The approach worked better. Last ten minutes were more competitive—Lin Feng's void advantages began compensating for his inferior ice-technique experience. The match ended without clear winner but with both fighters recognizing improvement in Lin Feng's adaptation.
"You learn fast," Liu Xue observed as medical disciples checked them for injuries. "First twenty minutes you were clearly outmatched. Last ten minutes became genuinely competitive. That kind of mid-combat adaptation is valuable skill."
"Had to recognize I can't beat ice specialist at ice techniques. Need to leverage what makes void cultivation unique rather than trying to match your specialization directly."
"Smart thinking. That awareness will serve you well in tournament." She paused. "Though be warned—tournament opponents will be stronger than us. We're typical inner disciples. The tournament favorites are Level 5 and 6 cultivators with exceptional refinement and resources."
The third match against Chen Shuang revealed yet another combat style—defensive specialist who created layered ice formations that made approaching him nearly impossible. Every attack Lin Feng launched was absorbed or deflected by protective barriers that Chen Shuang refreshed faster than they could be damaged.
It was frustrating experience—thirty minutes of assault that accomplished minimal actual damage while Chen Shuang weathered everything with patient defensive technique. The match ended in draw that felt more like defeat given Lin Feng's offensive inability to penetrate defenses.
"You need anti-formation techniques," Chen Shuang advised afterward. "Your offensive power is adequate but useless if you can't breach defensive structures. Elder Fengxue should teach void-based formation disruption methods—that's natural counter to defensive specialists like me."
After the sparring sessions concluded, Lin Feng was exhausted but educated. Two hours of continuous combat against specialized opponents had revealed both strengths and weaknesses in his capabilities more effectively than days of solo practice could have.
Yun Qingxue walked with him back toward the cultivation areas, analyzing his performance with instructor's perspective.
"Wei Bing match was competitive—you handled direct assault well. Liu Xue exposed your adaptation speed requirements—solid but improvable. Chen Shuang demonstrated that defensive specialists are your current weakness—lack formation disruption capability." Her assessment was clinical but not unkind. "Overall, you performed adequately for someone with minimal ice-element exposure. But tournament in ten days will require significant improvement."
"I know. Need formation disruption techniques from Elder Fengxue. Need faster offensive formation deployment. Need better domain warfare strategies against ice-specific environments." Lin Feng catalogued deficiencies systematically. "Achievable in ten days with intensive focus but requires prioritizing tournament preparation over general advancement."
"Not entirely. Your dao companion synchronization sessions enhance combat capability indirectly through improved spiritual energy control and dao comprehension depth." She smiled slightly. "So evening training serves dual purpose—relationship development and combat preparation."
They reached the cultivation tower where their evening synchronized session would occur. Before entering, Yun Qingxue stopped him with hand on his arm.
"Lin Feng, I want you to understand something important. These sparring matches, the tournament preparation, the constant pressure to perform—it's intense and will only increase. But you're not alone in this. I'm here, supporting you, training alongside you. When tournament comes, you'll have my knowledge and resources backing your efforts."
"Thank you. That means more than you know."
"I know exactly how much it means. I can feel your emotions through the Dao Thread." Her ice-blue eyes held warmth. "Now let's cultivate. You need spiritual energy recovery after those matches, and synchronized practice accelerates healing alongside advancement."
Their evening session was particularly effective given Lin Feng's depleted state from afternoon combat. The dao resonance not only enhanced spiritual energy recovery but also helped consolidate combat lessons learned—his body internalizing defensive patterns, his mind processing tactical adjustments, his cultivation foundation strengthening through stress and subsequent recovery.
By session's end, he felt better than before the sparring matches—not just recovered but actively improved through the cycle of stress, damage, and enhanced healing.
"The text mentioned this effect," Yun Qingxue explained as they concluded cultivation. "Dao companions can accelerate each other's recovery from combat stress. Makes sustained intensive training more viable since recovery periods compress dramatically."
"So I could spar daily without accumulating damage that would normally require rest days?"
"Theoretically, yes. Though I'd recommend at least one rest day weekly to avoid spiritual energy pathway strain that even accelerated healing can't prevent." She stood, preparing to leave. "Tomorrow Elder Fengxue will teach formation disruption. After that session, we'll arrange more sparring matches—this time against Level 5 opponents to simulate actual tournament difficulty."
After she departed, Lin Feng spent late evening practicing formations as Elder Fengxue had instructed. Two hundred repetitions of the offensive formation—drilling until deployment became reflexive rather than requiring conscious attention.
The repetition was tedious but necessary. Formation mastery came through muscle memory developed over countless practice cycles. By the two hundredth deployment, his formation manifested in 2.5 seconds—still slower than defensive barrier but measurably improved from afternoon's three-second baseline.
Progress is measurable. Defensive formation at 1.5 seconds. Offensive formation at 2.5 seconds. Need to reach sub-one-second deployment for true combat viability, but improvement trajectory is solid.
Ten days until tournament. Based on current advancement rate, could achieve one-second deployment for defensive formations, 1.5 seconds for offensive. Combined with void techniques and dao companion enhancement, might be competitive against Level 5 opponents.
Might be. No guarantees. But possible with continued intensive focus.
Through his window, the Frozen Sky Sect was quieter now—late night hours when most disciples rested or engaged in personal cultivation. Lin Feng could see lights from cultivation tower where others practiced their arts, formation pavilion where advanced disciples studied under Elder Fengxue's demanding instruction, even the distant glow from Frozen Palace where sect leadership managed continental politics.
This is what major sect life means. Constant training, constant improvement, constant competition for resources and recognition. Everyone advancing together, pushing each other toward higher realms.
I've only been here three days and already feel the pressure's weight. Six months of this will either forge me into something extraordinary or break me trying.
Probably the former. Failure isn't an option—too much at stake, too many people believing in me, too many opportunities that can't be wasted.
Lin Feng settled into final evening cultivation, drawing on the Inverse Void Dao one last time before allowing himself actual sleep. The Heart of Void pulsed with steady rhythm, as if recognizing the intensive advancement pace and approving of the commitment.
Day three complete. Formation combat tested. Weaknesses identified. Sparring experience gained. Recovery accelerated through dao synchronization.
Tomorrow brings formation disruption instruction. More archive study. Additional sparring against stronger opponents. Evening cultivation with Qingxue.
Nine days until tournament. Nine days to transform adequate capabilities into genuinely competitive performance.
Ready or not, the days count down. And I'll use every hour to maximum effect.
He cultivated through the remaining night hours, preparing for tomorrow's challenges, grateful for progress made and determined to accelerate advancement further.
The journey toward Cloud Transformation and tournament success continued, one intensive training day at a time.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 42: DISRUPTION AND ADVANCEMENT