Pleasing to the Eye

"I have never seen a breathing technique that can amplify power. Can you demonstrate it first?"

Gu Chengyin froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright."

He agreed decisively.

In fact, Gu Chengyin himself was quite curious whether the amplification breathing technique would be effective on a Golden Core cultivator.

This cultivation method had shown remarkable results on Cui Yidao, allowing an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to completely suppress a mid-stage Foundation Establishment opponent throughout their entire fight.

If even an invincible Golden Core existence like Lin Qingyan could be amplified, how terrifyingly strong would she become?

Gu Chengyin gathered his thoughts and began to circulate the amplification breathing technique.

The true qi and spiritual energy within his body began to flow along specific meridian pathways.

The destination of this route was his palm.

Gu Chengyin guided that surge of energy into his palm and channeled it toward Lin Qingyan's hand.

It was a very subtle process.

Lin Qingyan keenly sensed the change.

A warm, gentle energy transmitted from Gu Chengyin's palm, slowly seeping through her skin and into her body.

This energy was peculiar; it was neither pure spiritual energy nor pure true qi.

Rather, it was a hybrid energy somewhere in between.

Lin Qingyan did not resist.

Not only did she not resist, but she also proactively lowered her defenses, allowing this energy to flow in freely.

This was a highly dangerous move. For a cultivator, allowing foreign spiritual energy into one's body was tantamount to handing their life over to the other party.

But Lin Qingyan did it anyway.

Because she was curious.

Because she wanted to see for herself just what this amplification Gu Chengyin spoke of really was.

After that cluster of hybrid energy entered her body, Lin Qingyan began to observe it closely.

It was indeed profoundly mysterious.

Unlike the Nine Heavens Thunder Art, which was violent and overbearing with an edge that could tear through anything.

Moreover, it was entirely whole, just like the flawless immortal path Gu Chengyin had displayed.

It possessed a profundity that pointed directly to the origin of the Great Dao.

It wasn't incomplete, nor fragmented, nor something severed and forcibly stitched back together.

It was as natural as the world itself.

It was self-consistent and perfect.

The hybrid energy flowed slowly through Lin Qingyan's body. Wherever it passed, her muscles, bones, meridians, and even her cells seemed to be coated with a faint golden halo.

The halo was faint, but Lin Qingyan could feel it—the sensation of being nourished, optimized, and elevated.

Then, the change occurred.

Lin Qingyan's pupils dilated slightly.

She felt her strength climbing.

It wasn't one-sided.

It was holistic.

Just as Gu Chengyin had said.

A multifaceted, comprehensive, omnidirectional enhancement without any blind spots.

The circulation speed of Lin Qingyan's true qi increased by about forty percent.

When her spiritual energy flowed through her meridians, the resistance lessened, making the flow much smoother.

The explosive power of her muscles surged, her bone density increased, and the elasticity of her meridians improved.

Even her divine sense, that incredibly esoteric perception, became sharper, capable of detecting farther distances and subtler changes.

For a Golden Core cultivator, this kind of enhancement was nothing short of terrifying.

After all, the higher one's realm, the smaller the margin for improvement.

A look of absolute astonishment appeared in Lin Qingyan's eyes.

Since she began her cultivation journey, she had seen countless cultivation methods, secret arts, and rare treasures.

But a method like this, which could elevate one's overall strength and even ignore the limitations of their realm, was completely unheard of.

This had already surpassed the scope of auxiliary cultivation.

This was a true combat amplification.

Imagine two cultivators of equal strength engaged in a life-and-death struggle, and one of them suddenly received a comprehensive boost in power—what kind of concept was that?

Even more frightening was that this amplification seemed to have no side effects.

At least, not yet.

As that cluster of hybrid energy flowed through her, it was as gentle as a part of her own spiritual energy, causing no rejection or discomfort whatsoever.

Just as Lin Qingyan prepared to study this hybrid energy more deeply, wanting to figure out its principles and try to integrate it with her Nine Heavens Thunder Art...

A strange emotion suddenly welled up inside her.

It came without warning, catching her entirely off guard.

The feeling was delicate and hard to describe.

How to put it...

It was as if Gu Chengyin suddenly became much more pleasing to the eye.

Lin Qingyan was stunned.

She had looked at Gu Chengyin's face many times.

But never once had it looked like this...

So pleasing.

Not handsome, not good-looking, but simply pleasing to the eye.

The sensation was like staring at a word for too long and suddenly feeling that it looked strange, unlike how it was supposed to look.

But when you look away for a moment and look back, you feel that it was always meant to be this way, perfectly reasonable and natural.

The feeling Gu Chengyin gave her right now was exactly this kind of rationality and naturalness.

It was as if he was meant to sit beside her, meant to hold her hand, meant to transmit this peculiar energy to her.

It felt as if this overly intimate distance between them, this skin-to-skin contact, and this state of blending energies were all completely justified.

And no matter how long she stared, she only found him more and more attractive, making her want to get even closer.

Lin Qingyan's breathing hitched for half a beat.

This wasn't a physiological reaction; it was psychological.

She wanted to look away, to redirect her attention back to studying the energy inside her body, to use rational analysis to dispel this inexplicable sense of fondness.

But Lin Qingyan couldn't do it.

Her gaze was as if glued, firmly locked onto Gu Chengyin.

Just as Gu Chengyin was about to ask Lin Qingyan if the amplification was having any effect on her.

He suddenly realized something was wrong.

The way Lin Qingyan was looking at him was a bit strange.

It wasn't her familiar cold aloofness, nor was it the obsessive, bewitching gaze from when she had her heart demon.

Instead, it was brimming with emotional fluctuations.

Wait, emotions?

Gu Chengyin felt a strong sense of foreboding.

It had been so long since he last used the amplification breathing technique that he had forgotten this thing could magnify emotions.

So what emotion was Lin Qingyan feeling right now?

Gu Chengyin desperately tried to recall.

But a second later, he got his answer.

Lin Qingyan suddenly leaned in, her eyes turning misty.

She raised her hand and gently pressed it against Gu Chengyin's cheek.

Her touch was ice-cold.

Her fingertips started at Gu Chengyin's cheekbone and slowly slid down, tracing his jawline before stopping near the corner of his mouth.

"Gu Chengyin... I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Chengyin immediately cut her off.

"Little Aunt!"

If Lin Qingyan were to say something earth-shattering while her emotions were magnified.

Gu Chengyin didn't even dare to imagine what would happen once she regained her senses later.

So he had to interrupt her.

And he had to wake her up immediately.

"Little Aunt, wake up!"

Gu Chengyin tried to rouse Lin Qingyan with his voice:

"This amplification breathing technique magnifies emotions!"

But it was as if Lin Qingyan hadn't heard him at all.

Her eyes remained misty, her pupils unfocused.

Gu Chengyin's heart sank, knowing that relying on his voice alone was useless.

Lin Qingyan's emotions had already drowned out her rationality. Under these circumstances, words were pale and powerless.

He had to use a stronger stimulus.

"Little Aunt, forgive me."

As his words fell, Gu Chengyin grabbed Lin Qingyan by the shoulders.

Then, he took the initiative to lean in.

Eye to eye, nose to nose, mouth to mouth.