Significant Enough to Go Down in History

Half an hour later.

Yun Huang changed into clean clothes, her damp hair left untied and casually draped over her shoulders, not having had time to dry it properly.

She walked to the door of Su Qi’s temporary resting quarters.

Before she could even raise her hand to knock, the door swung open from the inside.

It was Liu Yuan who answered.

Upon seeing Yun Huang, her eyes curved into crescents.

"Sister Yun Huang, you’re here? Brother’s waiting for you."

Yun Huang nodded in response and stepped inside.

The room’s furnishings were simple—a bed and two chairs.

Earlier, Su Qi had been told there were no designated daytime resting areas within the Source Realm.

In truth, this was Lin Xiao deliberately making things difficult for him.

While military discipline demanded obedience, it didn’t mean its members lacked personal opinions.

Imagine—on the very first day, abandoning his own team to come asking if there was a place to sleep?

If not for duty binding him, Lin Xiao would’ve cursed him out on the spot.

Great Xia had poured its heart and soul into organizing this competition. To earn a spot and then take it for granted was unacceptable.

So he’d replied, "Resources within the Source Realm are limited. We don’t typically designate daytime resting areas, but I can arrange nighttime accommodations for you."

……

Su Qi sat at the table, his face still pale.

When Yun Huang entered, he merely lifted his chin slightly, signaling her to close the door.

"Sit."

Yun Huang remained standing, her gaze steady and calm.

"What is it?"

Su Qi leaned back in his chair, his posture languid, even frail.

"If you’re doing this to help me, there’s no need to push yourself so hard."

"Unless, of course, you truly meant what you said about breaking your limits. In that case, forget I said anything."

His voice was quiet, yet it sent a faint tremor through Yun Huang’s chest.

"Truth is, this competition is just for show."

"No matter how you perform in the initial rounds, no matter your ranking, the final outcome won’t change."

He paused, lifting his eyes to meet hers.

"Because I’m already the predetermined champion."

This statement hit harder than his earlier "clean yourself up and come find me."

Yun Huang’s pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Predetermined champion?

She kept her composure, watching Su Qi silently, waiting for him to continue.

Just then—

Knock, knock, knock.

Liu Yuan hurried to open the door, revealing Wu Gong standing outside.

Wu Gong wore a practiced smile, but the moment his eyes landed on Yun Huang inside the room, his expression faltered, twisting into something odd.

"Brother Su, hope I’m not interrupting?"

His gaze flickered between Su Qi and Yun Huang, his tone laced with cautious probing.

"Something up, Old Wu?"

Su Qi remained unruffled.

Wu Gong cleared his throat, masking his discomfort. He’d come precisely because he was worried something might be amiss.

"Ah, yes. Elder Feng asked me to relay a few words."

At the mention of Elder Feng, Wu Gong’s demeanor instantly turned grave.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Elder Feng said he’s been keeping a close eye on developments here. He wants you to take this seriously—no room for slip-ups. The old man places great importance on this matter."

Wu Gong delivered the message verbatim.

Yun Huang stood quietly, listening.

Wu Gong’s arrival, along with his reference to "Elder Feng," confirmed what the woman who bore her had once told her about the weight those two words carried.

It all but verified Su Qi’s earlier claim.

He was no ordinary participant.

"Also, Elder Feng wanted to ask you about your thoughts on the next steps," Wu Gong continued relaying the message. "He’s already prepared to pave the way for you in advance."

As he spoke, the balding man took out his phone and played a recording.

"I’ll be visiting Elder Feng later to act as a messenger for you all."

Su Qi pondered for a moment. "I have a general idea in mind."

"I’ve given it more thought," he said.

"The Sourceflow Construction Method isn’t actually suitable for widespread adoption."

"You can start by selecting a group of low-level transcendents with both talent and the right temperament, then test the consumption using the 'Sourceflow Construction Method'..."

He glanced at Wu Gong, as if also explaining to Yun Huang.

"That’s why I demanded a thousand Source Crystals in the meeting earlier."

"If you ask me, we should set a threshold."

"For example, those who’ve made significant contributions to Great Xia or accumulated enough merit could earn the right to learn this cultivation method."

"As for the specifics, you can handle the arrangements."

Wu Gong was stunned.

He had imagined many possibilities, but never expected Su Qi to propose such a plan—a completely new incentive system for Great Xia’s transcendent hierarchy.

"If needed, give me some time to refine it, and I should be able to come up with a simplified version of the Sourceflow Construction Method."

Wu Gong’s mind buzzed. For a moment, he thought he’d misheard.

A simplified version of the Sourceflow Construction Method?

Could something like this really be mass-produced?

He stared at Su Qi, whose matter-of-fact tone left him momentarily speechless.

This cultivation method, capable of overturning Great Xia’s entire transcendent system—

Stumbling upon it by accident was already an incredible stroke of luck.

Yet when Su Qi spoke of it, it sounded as casual as discussing what to eat for dinner.

"The simplified version is just the most fundamental part of the Source Essence cultivation framework. I’ve already mastered it completely."

Su Qi’s tone was calm. "No big deal."

"I... I understand."

Wu Gong took a deep breath. "I’ll relay your proposal word for word to Elder Feng."

"This isn’t something I can decide on my own. Give me a moment—Elder Feng should respond soon."

With that, he bowed solemnly to Su Qi before turning to leave.

The room was quiet again, with only Su Qi, Yun Huang, and Liu Yuan—who sat quietly playing with her fingers—remaining.

Su Qi stood up from his chair, swaying slightly from the abrupt movement.

Yun Huang instinctively reached out to steady him but stopped halfway.

"Now, do you understand?" Su Qi asked, steadying himself as he looked at her.

"Why I dared to demand a thousand Source Crystals."

Yun Huang was silent for a moment.

Then, she nodded faintly.

"Now, it’s your turn," Su Qi said. "Take off your top."

Yun Huang’s head snapped up.

She thought she’d misheard.

"Don’t misunderstand." Su Qi waved a hand, his expression entirely serious. "The core of the Sourceflow Construction Method lies in the 'flow.'"

"And it’s just the outer layer, not the undergarments..."

"Traditional cultivation treats the body as a vessel, constantly filling it with Source Essence energy. Once full, the goal is to expand the vessel and continue filling it."

He stepped closer to Yun Huang, extending a finger to hover just above her collarbone.

"What I'm going to teach you is to carve out a new 'channel' within your body. To turn the stagnant source essence into flowing water."

"This process requires precise stimulation and guidance. I need to observe the initial trajectory of your source essence flow to calibrate it for you. Understand?"

His explanation was clear and direct, devoid of any ulterior motives—purely technical.

Yun Huang's expression shifted uncertainly.

She could sense that Su Qi wasn’t lying.

"Big Brother is telling the truth."

Liu Yuan, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke.

Those words were the final straw.

Yun Huang gritted her teeth and turned around, her back facing Su Qi.

After a brief silence, she undid the buttons of her top.

The garment slipped down, revealing smooth, toned skin.

Years of rigorous training had sculpted her back into a landscape of lean muscle, marked by a few lingering scars that hadn’t fully healed—adding a sharp, almost fierce beauty.

Su Qi’s expression didn’t waver.

"First, I’ll teach you the so-called Sourceflow Construction Method."

"The other team members have already learned it."

"But yours is an optimized version."

"Theirs is different."

He didn’t bother with warnings like "don’t spread this around."

Yun Huang should know better.

Of course, this "optimized version" wasn’t the original method he used either.

The original was too profound and difficult to grasp.

Even he didn’t know how to rephrase it in simpler terms.

"Listen carefully to what comes next."

Then Su Qi began his explanation.

"Blah blah blah."

"Yada yada yada."

"This and that."

"Alright, now you’ve got the Sourceflow Construction Method down."

"Try it out."

His fingertip lightly pressed against the center of Yun Huang’s back.

The touch was cool.

"Start building the core point from here."

Yun Huang’s body stiffened momentarily, but she followed Su Qi’s instructions, summoning the energy within her.

A small stream of source essence gradually gathered beneath his fingertip.

"Good." Su Qi’s voice remained steady. "Now, don’t think about absorbing it or controlling it. Imagine it as a droplet of water, then let it roll along this line."

His finger traced a slow path down her spine.

The motion carried no hint of desire—like a meticulous craftsman etching lines onto his work.

Yun Huang held her breath, focusing intently as she tried to guide the unruly energy.

It was difficult.

This completely defied the principles of cultivation she’d spent over a decade mastering.

The energy was like a wild horse, the moment it slipped free, it threatened to scatter into her limbs and meridians.

"Don’t lose focus." Su Qi’s voice murmured near her ear. "Remember, it’s about 'guiding,' not 'controlling.' Water flows downhill. You just need to give it direction."

Yun Huang’s mind jolted.

Guiding…

She abandoned the idea of forcing control and instead, with a gentler approach, gave the energy a subtle nudge in her consciousness.

Hmm—

The small stream of source essence actually moved.

No longer erratic, it followed the path Su Qi’s finger had drawn, forming a faint current that trickled downward.

Though slow and uneven, it was truly flowing.

"Good. Keep going."

Su Qi's fingers continued their downward path, guiding that current of energy through areas no ordinary cultivator would dare to touch.

Yun Huang felt her body transform into a map being redrawn in real time.

A brand-new path—one she had never even imagined—was being carved out inch by inch.

As the energy flowed through, she could vividly sense the cells in those regions awakening, devouring and refining the passing essence with an efficiency beyond anything she’d known.

No deliberate refinement was needed at all!

This "channel" itself was an automated refinery!

Her breathing grew ragged.

This was no longer a matter of superior or inferior cultivation techniques.

This was a dimensional leap!

If her previous method had been boiling water over a clay stove, what Su Qi had just taught her was the equivalent of building a nuclear reactor!

As Yun Huang drowned in this revelation, Su Qi’s fingers came to rest at the base of her spine.

"Phase one, complete."

He withdrew his hand, his voice laced with exhaustion. "Now, try circulating the energy through this channel yourself. Remember—start slow. Haste will only hinder you."

Yun Huang didn’t respond.

She closed her eyes, pouring her entire focus into the warm current of energy now flowing inside her.

She willed more essence to gather and merge into this newly forged pathway.

This time, the process was a hundred times smoother.

The essence cycled through her body, each revolution leaving behind traces of purified energy for her flesh to absorb, while the rest continued its flow, drawing even more energy into the loop.

A self-sustaining cycle.

The energy density in the room began to ripple visibly.

Threads of essence, drawn by the strange rhythm of her internal cycle, drifted toward her of their own accord.

She wasn’t even actively absorbing them!

"This…"

Yun Huang’s eyes flew open, her usually cool gaze now alight with disbelief.

Just then—

Creak—

A knock sounded at the door.

Startled, Yun Huang hastily pulled her clothes back on.

Only after seeing this did Su Qi call out, "Come in."

Elder Feng stepped inside.

The old man’s gaze immediately locked onto Yun Huang, who stood with her back to him, her body wreathed in peculiar energy fluctuations.

Then he noticed Su Qi beside her—pale, swaying, as if on the verge of collapse.

Elder Feng froze.

His murky eyes blazed with startling intensity as he studied the faintly visible energy current tracing through Yun Huang’s form.

"You’ve improved it again?"

His voice trembled uncontrollably.

He stared, transfixed, at those living, flowing threads of energy.

This wasn’t mere circulation through meridians!

This was genesis!

A forced excavation of a brand-new energy canal, using flesh and blood as its foundation!

He’d only ever glimpsed such concepts in fragmented, half-mad theories spouted by otherworldly beings—all later dismissed as suicidal delusions.

Yet here it was, alive before him!

And this energy canal wasn’t just stable and efficient—it hummed in resonance with the surrounding space, actively drawing stray essence into its flow.

"Improvement" didn’t begin to cover it.

This was divine craftsmanship!

Elder Feng paid Su Qi no further mind.

He took a few steps to stand behind Yun Huang, extending his withered hand, only to stop just an inch from her back.

His fingers trembled slightly—not from excitement, but from fear.

He feared that his touch might shatter this fragile yet perfect balance, destroying a masterpiece worthy of being recorded in history.

"A prodigy... no, a genius... a demonic genius!"

Elder Feng muttered to himself, his clouded eyes alight with a mix of fervor and awe.

Yun Huang could feel the immense pressure of that gaze on her back. She could even hear the frantic pounding of her own heart.