The serpents struck in a wave, bursting from the mist with fangs aimed at Su Qingyao. Lin Chen sensed them a heartbeat early and pushed her behind him. "Bind the leaders while I roar!"
He charged the alpha serpent, his Dragon Fury Roar building to a controlled crescendo—sonic waves exploding outward, stunning the front line with draconic suppression that cracked scales and dispersed illusion cloaks. His movements were ruthless and precise, a fusion of special forces tactics and legacy power—dodging venom sprays with agile twists, his claw shadow tearing through one serpent's core in a golden flash.
Su Qingyao's resolve shone brilliantly as she wove her Frost Phoenix Bind into expansive veils, ice chains lashing out with gentle yet deadly accuracy, encasing multiple serpents mid-strike and freezing them in place. Her eyes focused intently, breaths steady despite the chaos—her nurturing spirit turned the art into one of mercy, restraining without immediate kill, allowing Lin Chen clear openings for finishing blows. "Flank sealed—your turn!"
Together, they dismantled the nest: His roar stunned groups, her binds immobilized, their qi blending in mid-air bursts that shattered the beasts' illusions and cores alike. Pain from a glancing venom hit seared Lin Chen's arm, but he ignored it, his protective drive pushing him to end the threat swiftly—palm strikes exploding the final serpents in qi shards that they absorbed jointly, the energy surging through their linked channels like a healing tide.
Breathing steady amid the dispersing mist, he turned to her immediately, concern etching his calm features as he inspected her for harm. "That venom—targeted you specifically. Huo Yan's doing, no doubt. Are you alright?"
She nodded, her gentle care turning to him as she applied a healing herb to his arm, her touch soothing the burn with ice qi. "Unharmed, thanks to your roar. But this is escalating—we need to report it."
When the last beast fell, they caught their breath and checked each other for injuries. "Your strength pulled me through," she said.
He held her close, his protective arm around her waist. "And yours is my anchor. We'll expose him—together."
They completed the harvest, gathering the remaining Frostfire Herbs from a revealed nexus point—the plants pulsing with hot-cold essence, a perfect symbol of their unity. With full count and pristine quality, they returned to the entrance ahead of schedule.
Elder Yun inspected their yield, his wise eyes widening in approval. "Exemplary—twenty perfect herbs, no injuries. Your harmony sets a standard for others."
Huo Yan arrived much later, his pair disheveled and short five herbs, faces pale from exhaustion. His arrogant facade cracked at the sight of their success, fury twisting his features. "Impossible—those valleys were beast-infested today. How did you avoid them all?"
Lin Chen's cold gaze met his, protective edge sharp as a blade. "Avoid? Or confront. Your 'lures' failed—next time, scheme better, if you dare."
Huo Yan paled, but blustered. "Accusations? Prove it!"
Elder Yun's scholarly poise turned stern, intervening with authority. "Harmony is sect law. If sabotage is proven, expulsion follows. For now, Huo Yan—your marks are low; reflect on your discord."
The mission concluded with rankings posted: Lin Chen and Su Qingyao top, earning extra legacy refinement sessions. Huo Yan bottom, resentment simmering like banked coals.
Evening at the caves brought celebration: The disciples visited, Lin Feng bursting through the entrance with his trademark hot-blooded energy, face flushed from outer sect triumphs. "Young Master! We ranked first in a team herb mission—earned double points for a basic sword manual! My strike felled a vine beast pack leader!"
Lin Xue followed, bubbling with ancient mischief, her eyes sparkling as she demonstrated a small frost chain variant. "And I assisted perfectly—froze the roots so we could harvest safely! Big Sister, your veil technique inspired me—teach the phoenix extension next time?"
Su Qingyao hugged her maternally, her warm eyes filled with genuine pride. "Of course, my little snowflake. You're both advancing so swiftly—keep that fire burning bright."
Lin Chen nodded approvingly, his brotherly care evident as he sparred lightly with Lin Feng, correcting his strikes with gentle precision and offering tips on qi flow. "Good form, but anticipate ambushes—outer sect has its shadows too. If any bullying or schemes arise, report immediately. We'll handle it."
The disciples nodded eagerly, sharing more outer tales: "The ranking board has us in top 500 already! Some big-family kids are jealous, but our Lin group is strong— we even froze one prankster's boots solid!" Lin Xue added playfully, giggling at the memory.
After the disciples departed with promises of more visits, Lin Chen and Su Qingyao unwound in the cave's private garden, sipping essence tea under the twilight skies. The mist valleys below glowed faintly with residual qi, a reminder of the day's risks and triumphs. "The imprint... it feels so alive now," she said softly, leaning into him with gentle trust, her head resting on his shoulder.
He wrapped an arm around her protectively, his voice low and sincere as he traced patterns on her hand. "Yours too. Our qi blends like fate itself—dragon and phoenix rising together through any storm."
They shared a quiet kiss as gold and frost flickered between them. For a moment, the sect's rivalries faded.
But in the shadows of Blazing Peak, Huo Yan rallied a small group of like-minded candidates in a dimly lit cave, his arrogant voice laced with venom and desperation. "That dragon-ice pair thinks they're untouchable after one lucky mission. Spread the rumors wider—unstable bloodline, overreliant on harmony. And in the next joint trial... we'll isolate them completely, force a real 'mistake' deep in the valleys where deacons can't interfere."
One ally hesitated. "But if caught—expulsion?"
Huo Yan's smirk darkened. "Caught? We can blame it on the illusions. The ice girl will learn what happens when flame consumes all."