Month Nine, Day Twenty-Six
The final fifteen days of breakthrough preparation began with a shift in training methodology. Grand Elder Bingxin had designed the last phase to simulate actual breakthrough conditions as closely as possible without triggering the real advancement.
"You've built physical stamina, mental discipline, and system coordination," Bingxin explained as she prepared the advanced formation array. "Now you need to experience what twelve continuous hours of peak intensity actually feels like—not in segments with rest periods, but as sustained ordeal."
The formation she activated was unprecedented in complexity. It created a time-dilated space where Lin Feng would experience twelve subjective hours while only four real hours passed outside. Within that space, he would maintain peak spiritual circulation while facing constant combat scenarios and psychological pressure that intensified gradually rather than remaining stable.
"This simulates the escalating difficulty of actual breakthrough," Bingxin continued. "The first hour feels manageable. By hour six, your body is screaming for rest. By hour nine, your consciousness is fragmenting from exhaustion. The final three hours test whether you have the determination to continue despite every instinct telling you to stop."
"And if I fail during simulation?" Lin Feng asked.
"You collapse from exhaustion, wake up four hours later, and try again tomorrow. Simulation failure is educational. Actual breakthrough failure is death. That's why we simulate."
Lin Feng entered the formation with his nine consciousness streams already divided, his spiritual circulation at ninety-five percent capacity, his mental state prepared for sustained ordeal.
The first simulated hour was exactly as Bingxin described—difficult but manageable. Combat constructs attacked in coordinated patterns, psychological pressure manifested moderate anxiety about failure, his body handled the physical demands adequately. This was intensity he'd trained at for weeks.
By simulated hour three, the cumulative fatigue was becoming significant. His meridians ached from sustained high-capacity flow. His muscles burned from continuous combat movement. His consciousness felt stretched thin from maintaining perfect coordination across nine streams plus combat awareness.
Hour five brought the first serious warning signs. Spiritual circulation developed slight turbulence in his secondary meridians. His combat responses slowed fractionally as exhaustion affected coordination. The psychological pressure intensified to the point where his fears about failure felt viscerally real rather than abstractly acknowledged.
Lin Feng recognized he was approaching the edge of his current capacity. Six hours was his tested limit. Everything beyond would be pushing into unknown territory.
He continued.
Hour six. The turbulence in his secondary meridians spread to primary channels. His nine consciousness streams struggled to maintain perfect coordination—one stream dedicated entirely to preventing spiritual circulation collapse, leaving only eight for combat and psychological management. His body moved on pure trained instinct, too exhausted for conscious combat planning.
This is what actual breakthrough feels like, Lin Feng realized. Not a test where you can stop when it gets too hard. An ordeal that continues regardless of your fatigue, that demands perfect performance when you have nothing left to give.
Hour seven. His spiritual energy reserves dropped to seventy percent—not from technique usage but from the sheer effort of maintaining circulation. His consciousness fragmentation became severe enough that his nine streams were operating semi-independently, their coordination degraded to barely functional cooperation. The combat constructs landed hits he would normally have avoided easily.
Hour eight. Everything hurt. His meridians felt like they were being torn apart from internal pressure. His muscles were beyond exhaustion into a state where movement itself seemed impossible. His consciousness was fracturing—two of his nine streams had effectively shut down from mental fatigue, leaving only seven still functioning.
The psychological pressure reached its peak: You're going to fail. Your body can't sustain this. Your consciousness is falling apart. Stop now before you cause permanent damage.
But stopping meant simulation failure. Stopping meant he wasn't ready for actual breakthrough. Stopping meant another day, another attempt, more time before he could achieve Divine Domain Level 8.
Lin Feng continued.
Hour nine. He had no idea how he was still maintaining circulation. His conscious direction of spiritual energy had largely failed—only trained muscle memory and instinctive pattern recognition kept the flow stable. His combat responses were purely reactive, no tactical planning possible. His consciousness had fragmented to the point where he could barely distinguish between combat constructs and psychological manifestations.
Not going to make it, some distant part of his mind observed clinically. Three more hours is impossible in this state.
But another part—the stubborn core that had driven him from invisible servant to this moment—refused to accept impossibility.
Hour ten. Lin Feng's awareness narrowed to a single point: maintain circulation. Everything else—combat, psychological pressure, physical pain—became background noise his consciousness no longer processed. He existed purely as conduit for spiritual energy, his personality reduced to bare determination to continue despite complete exhaustion.
Hour eleven. Time lost meaning. He couldn't distinguish between seconds and minutes. Reality consisted only of spiritual energy flowing through meridians, combat constructs appearing and disappearing, pain that had transcended sensation into abstract awareness of damage being accumulated.
Hour twelve. Some part of his consciousness recognized the simulation was ending. The combat constructs faded. The psychological pressure released. The time dilation collapsed, returning him to normal time flow.
Lin Feng's spiritual circulation finally stopped—not by choice but because his consciousness simply couldn't maintain it any longer. He collapsed immediately, his body completely depleted, his mind fragmenting into unconsciousness.
He woke four hours later to find Yun Qingxue sitting beside him, her expression showing mixture of pride and deep concern.
You did it, she conveyed through their dao companion bond. Twelve full hours. You maintained circulation through the entire simulation.
Barely, Lin Feng responded, his consciousness still recovering from fragmentation. The last three hours I was operating on pure instinct and determination. If that's what actual breakthrough feels like, I understand why ten percent fail catastrophically.
But you didn't fail, Qingxue emphasized. You pushed through conditions designed to match actual breakthrough difficulty and survived. That means you're ready.
Grand Elder Bingxin arrived shortly after, conducting thorough assessment of his physical and spiritual condition.
"Simulation success on first attempt," she noted with approval. "Most cultivators require three to five attempts before completing twelve-hour duration. Your training foundation was more robust than I anticipated."
"My body feels destroyed," Lin Feng said honestly. "How am I supposed to attempt actual breakthrough in fourteen days if I'm this damaged from simulation?"
"You're not damaged—you're adapted," Bingxin corrected. "Your body just experienced intensity it's never encountered before. Over the next fourteen days, it will integrate that experience, building capacity to handle similar stress more efficiently. When breakthrough day arrives, you'll be stronger than you are now precisely because you pushed to this limit."
"And if the simulation was harder than actual breakthrough?"
"It wasn't. Actual breakthrough is worse because spiritual energy surges actively resist your control rather than following predictable patterns. The simulation prepared you for what you can prepare for. The rest requires adaptation in the moment."
Month Nine, Day Twenty-Eight
Two days after the simulation, Lin Feng repeated the attempt. The second try was still brutally difficult, but noticeably more manageable than the first. His body had begun integrating the adaptation Bingxin described—meridians handling high-capacity flow with slightly less strain, consciousness maintaining coordination under extreme fatigue with marginally better stability.
He completed the twelve-hour simulation again, this time remaining conscious afterward rather than collapsing immediately. Progress was measurable.
Yun Qingxue underwent the same simulation training in parallel, her experience similar to Lin Feng's. Through their dao companion bond, they shared insights about managing specific challenges—which consciousness division strategies worked best during different fatigue stages, how to recognize warning signs early enough to take corrective action, ways to maintain determination when exhaustion made stopping seem rational.
"We're learning from each other's suffering," Qingxue observed after her second successful simulation. "That's probably the most romantic thing about dao companion bonds—shared agony creating mutual improvement."
Lin Feng laughed despite his exhaustion. "If that's romance, we have very different standards than most people."
"Most people don't attempt synchronized cultivation breakthroughs that could kill them both simultaneously."
"Fair point."
Month Ten, Day One
With ten days remaining until breakthrough attempt, Grand Elder Bingxin shifted training focus from pushing limits to consolidation and refinement.
"You've proven you can survive twelve-hour ordeal," she explained. "Now we ensure you can do it safely. The difference between successful breakthrough and catastrophic failure often comes down to subtle technique adjustments during critical moments. We're going to drill those adjustments until they're instinctive."
The new training involved repeated short sessions—two-hour durations where Lin Feng practiced recognizing and responding to specific warning signs. Meridian turbulence patterns that indicated circulation was becoming unstable. Consciousness fragmentation symptoms that meant he was approaching dangerous limits. Physical exhaustion signs that required temporary circulation reduction rather than pushing through.
"Think of these as combat techniques for cultivation crisis," Bingxin said. "Just as you have defensive formations for external attacks, you need defensive protocols for internal cultivation threats. When your meridians show turbulence pattern three, you immediately adjust circulation pattern to configuration seven. When consciousness fragmentation reaches threshold two, you consolidate streams temporarily rather than maintaining full division."
Lin Feng practiced these responses hundreds of times over the next several days. The repetition made them instinctive—his body and consciousness developing automatic responses to crisis conditions without requiring conscious decision-making.
"This is what separates cultivators who survive dangerous breakthroughs from those who die," Bingxin explained. "Conscious decision-making fails under extreme stress. Instinctive response protocols save lives when consciousness is too fragmented to plan."
Month Ten, Day Five
Five days before breakthrough attempt, Patriarch Cloud Heaven requested private meeting with Lin Feng to discuss sect implications of the upcoming advancement.
"If you successfully break through to Divine Domain Level 8, you'll be among the youngest cultivators on the Eastern Continent to achieve that level," Cloud Heaven said. "Your reputation is already significant. This advancement will amplify it considerably."
"Which creates additional pressure around Hollow Peak Sect founding," Lin Feng recognized.
"Exactly. Level 8 cultivator founding new sect at age twenty-one will attract attention from every major faction. Some will see opportunity for alliance. Others will see threat requiring suppression. You need to be prepared for that political intensity."
"We've been planning for attention," Lin Feng replied. "Alliance backing from Frozen Sky, Azure Sky, and Celestial Dawn provides protection. Central Valley coordination framework establishes diplomatic credibility. The question is whether those preparations are adequate."
"They're adequate for normal circumstances," Cloud Heaven said carefully. "But Divine Domain Level 8 at your age creates abnormal circumstances. You'll be comparable to sect leaders of major organizations—not in total resources, but in personal cultivation. That level of individual power at such young age attracts both extreme respect and extreme hostility."
"What are you advising?"
"Caution without paranoia. Maintain your alliance relationships carefully. Don't make unnecessary enemies through arrogance or overconfidence. And most importantly, remember that personal cultivation level doesn't make you invincible. Sovereign Monarch cultivators like your late opponent could still crush you despite your advancement."
Lin Feng absorbed this counsel, his nine consciousness streams analyzing political implications. Cloud Heaven was right—Level 8 would change his position fundamentally. He would no longer be promising young cultivator protected by powerful mentors. He would be recognized power in his own right, with all the political complications that entailed.
"I'll maintain careful relationships and avoid unnecessary conflict," Lin Feng confirmed. "But I won't compromise Hollow Peak Sect's independence to avoid political pressure. If major factions demand submission as price of tolerance, we'll face that conflict rather than surrender autonomy."
"That's the balance you'll need to maintain," Cloud Heaven agreed. "Diplomatic when possible, firm when necessary, and sophisticated enough to recognize which situation requires which approach."
Month Ten, Day Eight
Three days before breakthrough attempt, all active training stopped. Grand Elder Bingxin had designed the final phase as complete rest and recovery—allowing body and consciousness to consolidate all the adaptation from fifty days of brutal preparation.
"Further training at this point would be counterproductive," Bingxin explained. "Your body needs time to integrate the changes. Your consciousness needs rest. Your spiritual energy reserves need to return to full capacity. The next three days are about optimal readiness, not additional preparation."
Lin Feng found the forced rest almost more difficult than the brutal training. His instinct was to continue pushing, to use every remaining moment for final preparation. But Bingxin was adamant that recovery was preparation—arriving at breakthrough attempt with depleted reserves would be catastrophic regardless of training quality.
He spent the time in light meditation with Yun Qingxue, their dao companion bond deepening through shared anticipation of the upcoming ordeal. Through the bond, they reviewed their preparations, shared concerns, and reinforced mutual commitment to supporting each other through the breakthrough attempts.
Are you afraid? Qingxue asked through the bond.
Terrified, Lin Feng admitted. Ten percent historical failure rate means one in ten cultivators attempting Level 8 breakthrough dies or is permanently crippled. We're both attempting simultaneously, which means statistical probability that at least one of us suffers catastrophic failure is significant.
Nineteen percent probability at least one of us fails, Qingxue calculated. Assuming our individual risks are independent and your five percent estimate plus my seven percent are accurate.
That's horrifyingly high odds when failure means death or crippling, Lin Feng observed.
But eighty-one percent probability we both succeed, Qingxue countered. And we have advantages most cultivators lack. Perfect preparation from Immortal Emperor level teacher. Dao companion bond allowing mutual support during attempts. Perfect meridians in your case providing superior foundation. Our odds are better than average.
Still terrifying.
Would you want to do this without fear? Qingxue asked. Fear means we respect the genuine danger. That respect drives careful preparation and cautious execution. Cultivators who aren't afraid of breakthrough are the ones who die from overconfidence.
Inverse Void Dao principle again, Lin Feng recognized. Accept the contradiction—be afraid and proceed anyway. Both states existing simultaneously.
Exactly. We're terrified and determined. Anxious and prepared. Both truths valid.
Through their bond, Lin Feng felt the depth of her commitment—she would face this dangerous threshold with him, trusting their preparation and mutual support to overcome the statistical dangers.
Together, he conveyed.
Always together, she confirmed.
Month Ten, Day Ten
Two days before breakthrough attempt, Lin Feng received visits from various friends and allies—people recognizing the genuine danger of what he was about to attempt and wanting to express support beforehand in case the worst occurred.
Zhao Hai arrived first, his expression showing carefully controlled anxiety.
"I've known you for almost two years now," Zhao Hai said. "Watched you advance from invisible servant to Divine Domain Level 7 cultivator preparing to found new sect. You've made impossible things possible repeatedly. But this breakthrough genuinely scares me because it's the kind of impossible that kills people regardless of talent or preparation."
"It scares me too," Lin Feng admitted. "But fear without action is paralysis. Fear that drives careful preparation is wisdom. I'm attempting this breakthrough because I'm afraid but prepared, not because I'm fearless."
"Just promise me you'll abort if conditions become too dangerous," Zhao Hai said. "Hollow Peak Sect can wait. Your life can't be replaced."
"I promise. If warning signs indicate catastrophic failure is imminent, I'll abort rather than push to death."
Xiao Ling arrived next, carrying comprehensive documentation updating him on all organizational preparations that would continue during his breakthrough recovery period.
"Central Valley coordination is stable, dimensional infrastructure construction is on schedule, alliance relationships are maintaining expected communication frequency, and resource management is tracking within projected parameters," she reported with characteristic precision. "All organizational elements are positioned to continue functioning if you're... unavailable... for extended period."
The euphemism was deliberate—Xiao Ling's way of acknowledging the possibility of death without stating it explicitly.
"Thank you for ensuring organizational continuity," Lin Feng said. "If the worst happens, the work we've done together won't be lost."
"The worst won't happen," Xiao Ling replied firmly. "Because you're too stubborn to fail and too smart to push past actual limits. You'll succeed because you understand the difference between productive risk and suicidal recklessness."
Mei She appeared that evening, materializing in his cultivation chamber with characteristic lack of announcement.
"Fifty days of preparation under Bingxin's protocol," she said without preamble. "That's more thorough readiness than ninety percent of cultivators achieve before breakthrough attempts. Your probability of success is substantially higher than statistical average."
"But not guaranteed," Lin Feng noted.
"Nothing worthwhile is guaranteed. You're attempting cultivation advancement that requires risking death to achieve. That's the nature of pursuing excellence—sometimes survival itself becomes gamble."
"Encouraging," Lin Feng said dryly.
"I'm not here to encourage," Mei She replied. "I'm here to remind you of something you already know but might forget under extreme stress: breakthrough success isn't about never encountering crisis. It's about responding appropriately when crisis occurs. You've trained crisis response protocols for fifty days. Trust that training when the moment comes."
After she departed, Lin Feng sat in meditation, processing the visits and their underlying message: people believed in his capability but recognized the genuine danger. Their confidence mixed with anxiety created pressure—not to succeed for his own sake, but to not let down people who had invested in his potential.
That's additional motivation, he recognized. Not just personal advancement, but responsibility to people supporting me.
Through his dao companion bond, he felt Qingxue's presence—she had received similar visits, similar expressions of support mixed with anxiety. They were in this together, facing danger that frightened everyone who cared about them.
Tomorrow, Qingxue conveyed through the bond.
Tomorrow we rest completely, Lin Feng confirmed. Then the day after, we attempt breakthrough.
Whatever happens, we face it together.
Always together.
Month Ten, Day Eleven
The day before breakthrough attempt was surreal. Lin Feng and Yun Qingxue spent it in complete rest—no training, no organizational work, no diplomatic coordination. Just meditation, light conversation, and mental preparation for the ordeal approaching.
Grand Elder Bingxin conducted final assessment of their physical and spiritual condition.
"Both of you are at optimal readiness," she confirmed. "Spiritual energy reserves at full capacity, meridians clear and stable, consciousness coordination functioning perfectly. Your preparation has been exemplary. Tomorrow, you'll have every advantage that can be provided through systematic training."
"And advantages we can't train for?" Qingxue asked.
"Luck, adaptability, and determination. Some cultivators encounter spiritual energy surges that resist control more aggressively than expected. Others face psychological challenges that preparation can't fully address. When those unexpected elements appear, success depends on adapting in the moment and refusing to surrender to difficulty."
"We're ready," Lin Feng said with more confidence than he entirely felt.
"You're as ready as preparation can make you," Bingxin corrected. "The rest is about who you are under extreme stress—and based on your record of making impossible things possible, I believe you'll succeed."
That evening, Lin Feng and Qingxue sat together in their cultivation chamber, watching sunset through the windows. Tomorrow they would begin breakthrough attempts that might kill them. Tonight they had this moment of peace before the ordeal.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," Qingxue said quietly, "I want you to know that these past two years have been the best of my life. From our first unconscious dao companion resonance to now—every moment has been worth it."
"Even the parts where I nearly died fighting Sovereign Monarch level cultivators?" Lin Feng asked with slight smile.
"Especially those parts. They proved you're exactly who I thought you were—someone who makes impossible things possible through intelligence, preparation, and absolute refusal to accept defeat."
Through their dao companion bond, Lin Feng felt the depth of her feelings—love mixed with pride, anxiety mixed with confidence, fear mixed with determination. They had built something profound together, and tomorrow they would risk it all for advancement that would enable their shared vision of Hollow Peak Sect.
"I love you," Lin Feng said simply.
"I love you too," Qingxue replied. "Now let's rest. Tomorrow we become Divine Domain Level 8 cultivators, or we die trying."
"Hopefully the first option."
"Definitely the first option."
They settled into meditation together, their dao companion bond creating shared awareness that transcended individual consciousness. Through the bond, they could feel each other's presence absolutely—grounding reassurance that neither would face tomorrow's ordeal alone.
The final day before breakthrough had ended.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
One way or another.
Month Ten, Day Twelve
Dawn arrived with unusual clarity—the kind of perfect morning that felt almost supernatural in its serenity. Lin Feng woke to find Yun Qingxue already in meditation, her consciousness calm and focused despite the ordeal approaching in a few hours.
They ate a light breakfast together in silence. What was there to say? They had prepared everything that could be prepared. Reviewed every protocol, practiced every crisis response, consolidated every advantage. Words would add nothing useful.
Grand Elder Bingxin arrived as they finished eating.
"The breakthrough chambers are prepared," she said. "Separate rooms to prevent sympathetic spiritual energy interference, but positioned close enough that your dao companion bond can maintain connection. I'll be monitoring both of you constantly, ready to intervene if catastrophic failure becomes imminent."
"Can you actually stop cultivation deviation once it begins?" Lin Feng asked.
"Sometimes. Not always. But I can prevent you from dying immediately, which gives slightly better odds of eventual recovery than letting deviation run unchecked."
The brutal honesty was somehow reassuring. Bingxin wasn't offering false comfort or impossible guarantees. She was being realistic about what support she could provide if things went catastrophically wrong.
They walked to the breakthrough chambers together—two specially prepared rooms within Celestial Dawn's deepest meditation facilities. The chambers were lined with formations designed to contain spiritual energy surges and protect surrounding areas if breakthrough attempts created dangerous discharge.
Lin Feng entered his assigned chamber. The space was simple—meditation cushion in the center, formations inscribed on every surface, ambient spiritual energy enhanced to support cultivation but not so dense it would interfere with personal control.
Through the walls, he could sense Yun Qingxue entering the adjacent chamber. Their dao companion bond immediately flared with mutual awareness—they were physically separated but spiritually connected, able to sense each other's condition throughout the attempts.
Grand Elder Bingxin addressed them both through formation-linked communication: "Standard breakthrough protocol applies. Begin cultivation at comfortable pace, gradually increasing spiritual energy circulation until you reach critical threshold where advancement becomes possible. At that point, push through the threshold and maintain maximum circulation for approximately twelve hours while your cultivation stabilizes at new level. If you encounter severe complications, abort immediately and I'll extract you. Questions?"
"None," Lin Feng said.
"I'm ready," Qingxue confirmed through the formation link.
"Then begin when you're prepared. Take your time reaching critical threshold—rushing increases risk. You have all day."
Lin Feng settled onto the meditation cushion and began cultivation at his standard comfortable pace. His spiritual energy circulated through meridians in familiar patterns, his nine consciousness streams coordinating the flow with practiced ease. This was routine—thousands of cultivation sessions had built these patterns into instinctive behavior.
Gradually, deliberately, he increased the circulation intensity. From comfortable baseline to eighty percent capacity. Then to ninety percent. His meridians began warming with increased energy flow, his consciousness expanding slightly to accommodate the enhanced spiritual perception that came with intensive cultivation.
Through his dao companion bond, he felt Qingxue following similar progression. Her circulation was intensifying in parallel with his, their patterns unconsciously synchronizing despite physical separation.
Ninety-five percent capacity. Lin Feng's body heated noticeably as spiritual energy surged through his system. This was approaching the intensity he'd trained at for fifty days—manageable with concentration but demanding sustained focus.
One hundred percent capacity. His comfortable maximum, the highest intensity he could maintain indefinitely without strain. He held this level for thirty minutes, allowing his body to adjust fully before pushing higher.
Then he began exceeding normal limits.
One hundred five percent. One hundred ten percent. His meridians protested at the increased flow, generating heat that made his skin feel like it was burning from inside. His consciousness stretched to manage circulation that was becoming turbulent—no longer smooth and stable but choppy with irregular surges.
One hundred fifteen percent. Warning signs emerged—his secondary meridians developing slight turbulence patterns that could cascade into dangerous instability if pushed too far. Lin Feng immediately implemented crisis response protocol three, adjusting circulation pattern to configuration that distributed pressure more evenly.
The turbulence stabilized. He continued pushing.
One hundred twenty percent. This was beyond anything he'd experienced during training. Spiritual energy felt almost alive, actively resisting his control rather than flowing passively. His nine consciousness streams coordinated frantically to maintain stability against pressure that wanted to explode outward.
And then he felt it—the critical threshold. A membrane of spiritual resistance that separated Divine Domain Level 7 from Level 8. Breaking through required gathering all his spiritual energy, all his willpower, and forcing through that resistance in single decisive push.
But timing mattered. Push too early and he'd fail to break through, wasting energy and requiring another attempt. Push too late and his body would be too exhausted to maintain stability during the twelve-hour consolidation period.
Lin Feng felt for the optimal moment, his consciousness analyzing his spiritual state, his physical condition, his mental readiness. Through his dao companion bond, he sensed Qingxue reaching similar threshold—they were advancing in parallel, approaching breakthrough simultaneously.
The moment crystalized. His spiritual energy peaked at exactly the right combination of power and control. His body was pushed to limits but not past them. His consciousness was strained but functional.
Now.
Lin Feng gathered his entire spiritual energy reserve and slammed it against the critical threshold.
The membrane resisted. For one heart-stopping moment, he thought he would fail—the resistance was stronger than expected, his power insufficient to break through.
Then the membrane fractured.
Spiritual energy exploded outward and inward simultaneously. Lin Feng felt his meridians expanding to accommodate flows that would have torn them apart seconds ago. His consciousness fragmented under the surge, his nine streams temporarily losing coordination as reality itself seemed to shift.
Divine Domain Level 8.
But the breakthrough had only begun.
Now came the twelve-hour ordeal of consolidation.
End of Chapter 89
Next: Chapter 90 - The Breakthrough Ordeal