Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 133, Third Test

When the white light faded, Lin Yun found himself standing in a completely unfamiliar space.

The space was small, only a few hundred square meters, and circular in shape. Its surrounding boundary was a cyan light wall, inscribed with runes of the Law of Wind. These runes emitted a faint cyan light, flickering like breathing. In the center of the space was a massive vortex of storm, within which howled winds and blades of wind sharp as knives. The deafening roar of the wind, like a stampede of ten thousand horses, unsettled the mind.

Lin Yun looked around; he was all alone. There were no other trial participants, no bystanders, only himself and the storm before him. The rest of the space was empty, the ground made of hard, cold, bluish-gray rock. The air was filled with intense fluctuations of the laws of wind, several times more concentrated than in Windwhistling Canyon.

"Independent assessment space," Lin Yun thought to himself. "Everyone is tested in their own space, without interfering with each other. This is fair, prevents cheating, and protects everyone's privacy—no one knows who passed and who failed."

He remembered what Xiao Lan had said before—the second trial was life-threatening. Failure meant death; there was no turning back. It was either persevere for an hour or die in the storm. Those who had passed the first trial were now facing the same storm in their respective spaces. How many would survive? He didn't know. But he knew he would be one of them.

"There is no way out." Lin Yun took a deep breath and stepped into the storm vortex.

The moment he entered the storm's vortex, Lin Yun's body suddenly sank.

The gale, almost tangible, pressed against his body from all sides. It wasn't ordinary wind, but wind imbued with the power of the laws of wind—each gust was like an invisible blade, relentlessly cutting his skin. His clothes were instantly torn in several places, and small wounds appeared on his body. Blood seeped from these wounds, scattered by the gale, turning into fine blood mist that vanished without a trace.

But Lin Yun didn't panic. He activated his Wind Domain to keep the gale at bay.

A cyan light emanated from his body, forming a spherical domain several meters in diameter. Gale-force winds crashed against the domain, emitting a piercing howl, but could not penetrate it. Lin Yun's Wind Law had already crossed the threshold of the Origin Laws, and with the blessing of the Light and Storm Realm, its power was greatly amplified. Although the storm was fierce, it posed little threat to him, who had already reached the threshold of the Wind Laws.

"The strength is acceptable," Lin Yun assessed in his mind. "It's stronger than Wind Sound Canyon, but far from my limit. If it were an ordinary Wind Domain, I probably wouldn't last more than half an hour. But I've already stepped into the threshold of the Origin Laws, so an hour shouldn't be difficult."

He stood still, letting the storm batter his domain. His domain remained unmoved, as stable as a rock. His understanding of the Laws of Wind had reached the level of fundamental laws; dissolving these wind blades and pressures was almost instinctive and effortless. He didn't need to consciously think; the Laws of Wind would automatically operate, deflecting, dispersing, and neutralizing the storm's power.

"No wonder Xiao Lan said that only those who have comprehended the Wind Domain have any hope of passing this test," Lin Yun thought to himself. "Those who don't have the Wind Domain are just throwing their lives away. Even if they have the Wind Domain, if their comprehension isn't deep enough, it's hard to last even an hour. Those whose domains are only at the fifth or sixth level probably won't last even a quarter of an hour."

He closed his eyes, immersing his consciousness in the ocean of the Wind Laws. While the storm posed no threat to him, it provided an excellent environment for cultivation. The fragments of the Wind Laws here were dozens of times clearer than outside, each gust containing the mysteries of the Wind Laws. He could clearly perceive the flow of the wind, its cutting power, its drifting grace, and its pressure. Those fragments of the laws that were elusive in ordinary cultivation became readily accessible here.

Lin Yun began to actively perceive the patterns of the storm.

In his perception, the storm was no longer a raging, chaotic frenzy, but a sophisticated system. The eye of the storm was as calm as a mirror; it was the center of the storm, from which winds surged in from all directions and then surged upwards. The wind walls surrounding the eye were where the storm's energy was most concentrated, with the fastest wind speeds and the densest wind blades. Further outwards, the wind speeds gradually decreased, but the area covered a larger range, encompassing the entire space.

These winds are not random; they follow their own paths. Some winds rotate, converging towards the eye along spiral lines; some rise, rushing into the high altitude from the eye; and some descend, falling back to the ground. These winds, moving in different directions and at different speeds, intertwine to form a massive storm system.

"The flow of wind is essentially a transfer of energy," Lin Yun realized. "It flows from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas, and from high-speed areas to low-speed areas. The formation of storms is an extreme manifestation of this energy transfer. When a large number of fragments of the laws of wind gather in space, they will spontaneously form vortex structures, and that is a storm."

His mental power merged with the wind force within the storm, continuously expanding his sensory range. He could perceive the trajectory of every gust of wind, the direction of every wind blade, and every subtle change in air pressure. This information converged in his mind, forming a complete map of the storm.

"I see." Lin Yun's lips curled up slightly.

He no longer passively endured the storm, but began to actively guide its power. He adjusted the shape of the wind domain, transforming it from a sphere into a streamlined spindle shape. The tip of the spindle pointed towards the eye of the storm, while the tail pointed outwards. As the gale glided across the domain's surface, resistance was greatly reduced, and the domain's energy consumption decreased accordingly.

This is a technique he gleaned from the Laws of Wind—not to fight the wind, but to go with it. When you move with the wind's trajectory, the damage it inflicts is minimized. Similarly, when you shape your domain to align with the wind's flow, the domain's energy consumption is minimized. It's like a fish swimming in water; a fish's streamlined body reduces water resistance. The same applies to the Wind Domain—following the wind's flow, not fighting against it.

As time went on, the storm gradually intensified.

In the first quarter of an hour, the wind speed doubled. Lin Yun's domain remained stable, and his expression remained calm. He even had the energy to observe the trajectories of the wind blades within the storm. The wind blades weren't random; they flew along specific curves that coincided with the wind's streamlines. This meant that by understanding the wind's streamlines, one could predict the trajectory of the wind blades.

"This is an important discovery," Lin Yun thought to himself. "In battle, if you can predict the trajectory of your opponent's attacks, you can dodge or block them in advance. Cultivating the Law of Wind can not only increase attack power, but also improve perception and predictive ability."

In the second quarter of an hour, the wind speed increased again. Clusters of wind blades began to appear in the storm, dozens of wind blades slashing in simultaneously from different directions. Their trajectories intertwined, forming a net of death. If it were an ordinary star-level being, it probably wouldn't even have a chance to react to such an attack.

But Lin Yun merely adjusted the shape of his domain slightly, causing all the wind blades to slide off its surface. He didn't deliberately dodge; instead, he made the domain's surface extremely smooth. When the wind blades struck the domain, they didn't penetrate it but instead slid along its surface. It was like water droplets falling on a lotus leaf—they wouldn't wet the leaf but would roll off.

"This is the inspiration I got from the profound mystery of refraction in the Law of Light," Lin Yun thought to himself. "Light can refract, and so can wind. When a wind blade strikes a domain, as long as the surface of the domain is smooth enough, the wind blade will be refracted instead of being penetrated."

He applied the principle of refraction from the Law of Light to the Wind Domain, and the results were unexpectedly good. Wind blades grazed the surface of the domain, but none could penetrate it. The domain's energy consumption was almost zero.

At the third quarter of an hour, wind pressure appeared within the storm. The air pressure in the entire space suddenly increased, as if an invisible hand was squeezing his body from all directions. That pressure didn't act on his skin, but on every inch of his muscle and every bone. Lin Yun's Wind Domain trembled slightly, but quickly stabilized.

"This level is not enough," Lin Yun thought to himself.

His Wind Law had already stepped into the threshold of the fundamental laws, so this level of wind pressure was only slightly strenuous for him. He even had the energy to comprehend the mysteries of wind pressure—the pressure of wind is not determined by speed, but by density. When wind is compressed to its limit, its pressure increases exponentially. This pressure is more terrifying than wind blades because it cannot be avoided; it can only be endured.

However, Lin Yun's domain was stable enough that the wind pressure could not shake it. He pushed the Law of Wind to its limit, and the wind power within his domain began to resist the external wind pressure. It was not a head-on collision, but a clever resonance—making the domain's vibration frequency match the frequency of the wind pressure, thereby absorbing, dispersing, and dissolving the power of the wind pressure.

By the fourth quarter of an hour, the storm had reached three times its initial intensity.

Lin Yun's domain finally showed a slight fluctuation, but he only slightly increased the output of his mental energy, and the domain stabilized again. His wind law remained more than capable even in a storm of this intensity.

He began to try new things—not using any domain, but just using his body to feel the storm.

He withdrew part of his domain, allowing the gale to act directly on his body. Wind blades sliced ​​through his skin, leaving tiny wounds; the wind pressure compressed his bones, making it difficult to breathe. But his body, strengthened by the laws of life, had reached a 50-fold increase in its life gene level, granting it exceptional regenerative abilities. Wounds, nourished by the life source, began to heal within seconds; his bones became more resilient under the pressure, and his muscles, torn and reformed, grew even stronger.

"This is the power of the wind." Lin Yun felt the stinging pain of the wind blades cutting his skin, and the heaviness of the wind pressure squeezing his bones. "It's not pain, but tempering. Only by experiencing this tempering can one truly understand the essence of the wind."

His understanding of the laws of wind is progressing at a visible pace through this direct refinement. He no longer merely comprehends the theory of wind, but truly "feels" it—its fury, its gentleness, its sharpness, its allure. All of this has left a profound mark on his body and soul.

His wind domain was also changing. It was no longer simply isolating the wind, but beginning to interact with it. The wind power within the domain began to mimic the flow of the external storm, forming a miniature vortex. This miniature vortex resonated with the larger vortex outside, and Lin Yun felt that his domain was no longer passively enduring the storm, but actively merging into it.

"I see." A sudden realization dawned on Lin Yun. "The highest level of the Law of Wind is not to control the wind, but to become a part of it. When your domain resonates with the storms outside, the storms are no longer your enemies, but your partners."

He reclaimed all his domain, using only his body and understanding of the laws of wind to combat the storm.

His body moved through the storm, each movement following the wind's trajectory, each dodge perfectly timed. Wind blades grazed past him, some brushing his ears, some his sides, some sweeping over his head, but none struck a vital spot. He wasn't dodging the wind blades; he was dancing with the wind.

His movements became increasingly fluid and natural. It was as if he wasn't avoiding the storm, but dancing with it. The wind was his companion, not his enemy. His steps were as light as a swallow, his body as supple as a willow, moving freely through the storm.

"This is the true essence of the Law of Wind," Lin Yun realized. "It's not about controlling the wind, but about becoming a part of it. When you truly understand the wind, you can become one with it. Wherever the wind goes, that's where you are."

His body became one with the storm, his spirit resonated with the laws of wind. Within the storm's core, he felt no longer an outsider, but the storm itself. Every gust of wind was an arm, every blade of wind a manifestation of his will. He didn't need to consciously control the wind; it flowed automatically according to his will.

By the fifth quarter of an hour, the storm had reached five times its initial intensity.

Lin Yun's body was covered in tiny wounds, but each one was healing rapidly. His muscles trembled, but each tremor deepened his understanding of the wind. His breathing was rapid, but each breath strengthened his connection with the storm.

His mastery of the wind laws is undergoing a qualitative leap during this hour of tempering. He no longer merely "understands" the wind, but "becomes" the wind. His body, his soul, and his will are all integrated with the wind. The wind is his extension; he is the master of the wind.

At the sixth quarter of an hour, the storm's intensity reached six times its initial strength.

Lin Yun had completely adapted to the rhythm of the storm. His movements became faster and more precise. Wind blades grazed past him, and wind pressure slid over his body, but nothing could truly harm him. His body moved through the storm like a fish swimming in water, free and unrestrained.

He began to try to actively guide the storm's power. He stretched out his hand, and a wind blade separated from the storm, landing in his palm. The wind blade danced in his palm like an obedient child. He gently pushed it, and the wind blade flew out, striking the distant light barrier with a crisp sound.

"I can control the storm now." A surge of excitement welled up in Lin Yun's heart.

Although he only controlled a small wind blade, it meant that his understanding of the laws of wind had reached a new level. He was no longer the bearer of the storm, but its controller.

An hour has passed.

The storm abruptly ceased. The gale dissipated, the wind blades vanished, and the space returned to calm. The azure light barriers also dimmed, as if they had exhausted their energy. Lin Yun stood there, bearing dozens of small wounds, most of which had already healed. Though his clothes were tattered, his eyes were bright, and his breathing was steady. His Wind Domain had unknowingly improved considerably, bringing him one step closer to the Lesser Completion stage.

"Second test passed." Xiao Lan's voice rang in his ears, calm and indifferent. "Prepare for the third test."

Lin Yun took a deep breath and stretched his somewhat stiff body.

"An hour was easier than I expected," Lin Yun murmured. "Although the storm was fierce, it was just a test for me, who had already stepped into the threshold of the Law of Wind, not a threat."

He looked around. The space was beginning to dissipate; the azure light barrier was gradually blurring, and the ground was cracking, turning into specks of light that vanished into the air. Ahead, a bluish-white light gate was slowly opening—the path to the third trial.

Lin Yun didn't know how many others had passed the second test, or how many would survive. A thousand? Eight hundred? Or even fewer? He didn't know. But he did know that he was one step closer to inheriting the legacy of the Lord of the Radiant Realm.

"The third test: mastering the secret technique of blending scenery and nature," Lin Yun murmured. "Three months to master a top-tier secret technique. This is the real challenge."

He stepped into the portal of light.