Lin Che groggily came to, propping himself up from the corner where he'd been unceremoniously deposited. Every inch of his body screamed in agony, as if he'd been trampled by a herd of primordial mammoths. He groaned, his vision swimming with stars, a persistent ringing in his ears.
"Awake?" Su Qingyao's cool voice cut through the haze, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible note of resignation.
Lin Che looked up. The three women stood before him in a row. Their faces were as cold as ice, yet their cheeks were flushed. Their gazes were complex mixtures of anger, embarrassment, and something else he couldn't quite name. Su Qingyao had her arms crossed, Luo Jiayin's hands were planted firmly on her hips, and Meng Qingcheng's lips were pressed into a thin line. Their postures differed, but the unified message was clear: One more word out of line, and we'll grind your bones to dust.
"Awake… I'm awake…" Lin Che managed a weak, sheepish smile, using the wall for support as he shakily got to his feet, his legs feeling like jelly. "That… what just happened… was an accident…"
"An accident?" Luo Jiayin's delicate eyebrows shot up, her beautiful eyes blazing. "I think you've forgotten what our fists feel like. Would you like a reminder?"
"No, no! Absolutely not!" Lin Che waved his hands frantically, wincing as the movement aggravated his injuries. "What I meant was… I was too hasty earlier. I didn't explain myself properly. I meant… we could… try it… in a more… uh… civilized way…"
"A 'civilized' way?" Su Qingyao arched an eyebrow, a faint, mocking smile playing on her lips. "Do enlighten us. What, pray tell, constitutes a 'civilized' four-person cultivation session?"
Lin Che's face reddened. He steeled himself and pressed on. "I mean… not… not so… direct. We could… first… study the technique… and then… proceed… gradually…"
"Study the technique?" Meng Qingcheng finally spoke, her voice cool but tinged with sharp annoyance. "Study those… indecent illustrations in your book?"
Lin Che: "…" My reputation is officially in ruins.
Just then, the ever-meddlesome system in his mind chimed in again, its voice taking on a strangely persuasive, almost hypnotic quality.
[Ding! Target subjects' resistance is weakening! Host, seize this fleeting opportunity! Commence "Sincere Persuasion" protocol immediately! This system will provide "Dialogue Assistance!"]
[Loading Persuasion Template…]
[Step 1: Emphasize the imminent crisis.]
[Step 2: De-emphasize the "shameful" aspect, highlight the "cultivation" essence.]
[Step 3: Promise "only this once, never again."]
[Step 4: Show sincerity, offer a compromise, propose a "modified plan."]
Lin Che: "…" Thank you so much! Dialogue assistance? Are you trying to get me killed even deader?!
But he was out of options. The system's penalty was too severe to risk.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Lin Che forcibly suppressed his fear and shame, plastering an expression of utmost "sincerity" on his face. He looked at the three women and spoke in a grave, measured tone. "Qingyao, Jiayin, Qingcheng… I know my earlier suggestion was… abrupt. Even… absurd."
The women's expressions softened slightly, though their wariness remained.
"But," Lin Che continued, his tone shifting to one of dire urgency, "the coming cataclysm is an undeniable fact. Our current strength is far from sufficient. We cannot afford to abandon any possible means of gaining power… just because of… worldly prejudices."
He paused, following the system's script. "The 'Four Symbols Unification' method described in the Nine Heavens Secret Record… while its form is… unconventional… is, in essence, an incredibly profound joint-cultivation technique. It can perfectly merge the spiritual power of all four of us, forming a 'Four Symbols Origin-Returning' state. Its effects are far beyond anything achievable through solo or even dual cultivation."
"I know it's difficult for you to accept this," Lin Che's voice grew hoarse, his eyes pleading, "but I swear, this is not a game. It is not… for the sake of personal gratification. This is purely about gaining strength, so that when the cataclysm arrives… we can allsurvive!"
His words, amplified by the system's subtle "charisma boost," clearly had an effect. Su Qingyao's brow furrowed in thought. Luo Jiayin bit her full lower lip, clearly struggling. Meng Qingcheng lowered her head, her expression hidden.
"Furthermore," Lin Che pressed his advantage, deploying the system's "compromise" tactic, "we can agree—only this once! Regardless of the outcome, we will never speak of it again! And we can modify the method. We don't have to… follow the book exactly. We can… simply merge our spiritual energies and synchronize our minds. Nothing… else."
That final sentence was the key. It struck the three women like a thunderclap, shattering their final defenses.
Su Qingyao's head snapped up, her eyes sharp and piercing as they locked onto Lin Che. "Is that true? Only spiritual merger and mental resonance? Nothing more?"
"True! I swear it on my life!" Lin Che thumped his chest, his bravado paper-thin but desperately clung to. "If I lie, may the heavens strike me down!"
Su Qingyao exchanged a long, silent look with Luo Jiayin and Meng Qingcheng. Finally, she let out a soft sigh, her voice heavy with resignation. "So be it. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We'll do it… your way. Once. But remember your promise. Spiritual merger and mental resonance only. If you dare to overstep even slightly…"
Her eyes turned to ice. She raised a hand, and a wisp of terrifying Void Refining sword energy flickered at her fingertip. "…I will make you wish you had never been born."
Luo Jiayin and Meng Qingcheng nodded in grim agreement, their warning glances speaking volumes.
Lin Che shuddered, nodding so vigorously it was a wonder his head didn't fly off. "I won't! I absolutely won't!"
[Ding! Persuasion successful! Host, immediately deploy the "Four Symbols Origin-Returning Array" and guide your three beloved companions into the cultivation state!]
Lin Che scrambled into action, relief flooding through him. He pulled a pre-prepared array disk and formation flags from his spatial ring and, following the diagrams in the secret manual, hastily set up an intricate, luminous array in the center of the chamber.
As the array activated, four pillars of light shot toward the ceiling—one cyan for Lin Che, one moon-white for Su Qingyao, one pink for Luo Jiayin, and one ice-blue for Meng Qingcheng. The pillars intertwined overhead, forming a massive, shimmering dome of four-colored light that enveloped them all.
"Enter the array!" Lin Che commanded, taking the lead and sitting cross-legged at the "Azure Dragon" nexus.
The three women exchanged one last look—a mixture of resolve, trepidation, and sheer embarrassment. Then, without another word, they stepped into the array, each taking their designated seat.
"Close your eyes, calm your spirits, relax your bodies, and guide your spiritual energy into the array!" Lin Che instructed, his own heart pounding with nervous excitement.
They obeyed. The moment their energies touched the array, the dome blazed with brilliant, ethereal light. Lin Che felt a tremendous suction force as his spiritual power surged out of him, uncontrollably merging and colliding with the three other powerful streams in the air above.
At first, the four energies remained distinct, repelling each other violently. The array flickered dangerously, on the verge of collapse. Lin Che broke out in a cold sweat.
"Be still!" Su Qingyao's voice rang out from within the array, cool and commanding. "Do not resist. Follow the flow. Unite your heart and mind!"
Lin Che started, then forced himself to relax. He stopped trying to control his energy and simply allowed it to merge with the others. Gradually, the repulsion ceased. The four streams began to rotate, slowly at first, then faster and faster, forming a colossal, swirling vortex of four-colored energy.
At the center of the vortex, a speck of chaotic, primordial gray appeared, radiating a terrifying, awe-inspiring aura.
"Now! Mental resonance!" Lin Che shouted, a flash of insight striking him. He opened the gates of his consciousness, reaching out to connect with the minds of the three women.
Their mental presences were hesitant, resistant. But guided by the array's power, the four streams of consciousness—like four separate rivers—began to flow together, merging into one.
BOOM—!
A soundless explosion rocked their shared consciousness. In that instant, Lin Che felt as if his very soul had left his body, fusing completely with the consciousnesses of Su Qingyao, Luo Jiayin, and Meng Qingcheng. He saw the millennia of waiting buried deep in Qingyao's memories, felt the loneliness and resilience beneath Jiayin's charming exterior, and understood the warmth and sorrow hidden behind Qingcheng's cool mask.
In turn, they saw his desperate, arduous search for Qingyao across mountains and rivers, the ruthless determination behind the Slaughter God Pavilion's founding, and the deep well of guilt, love, and devotion he held for each of them.
In that moment, there were no more secrets. No more barriers. Their energies, their minds, and even their emotions fused into a perfect, seamless whole—a new, far more powerful entity.
The speck of chaotic gray exploded outward, dyeing the entire energy vortex a uniform, swirling mass of primordial essence. A torrent of heaven and earth's spiritual energy flooded into the array, greedily absorbed and refined by the four.
Their cultivation bases skyrocketed at an unprecedented rate.
Late Deity Transformation… Peak Deity Transformation… Early Void Refining… Mid Void Refining… Late Void Refining!
Time lost all meaning. When the chaotic vortex finally subsided and the colored dome faded, the four of them slowly opened their eyes.
Lin Che felt the awesome, surging power within him. Late Void Refining!He had broken through multiple stages in a single session! The effects of the "Four Symbols Unification" were nothing short of miraculous.
Su Qingyao, Luo Jiayin, and Meng Qingcheng had also seen explosive growth. Su Qingyao, especially, felt as if she was brushing against the threshold of the Unity Stage.
"We… we did it…" Lin Che whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.
Su Qingyao rose slowly, a complex expression in her eyes as she assessed the unprecedented power coursing through her. She looked at Lin Che, a strange note in her voice. "This 'Four Symbols' method… is indeed… extraordinary."
Luo Jiayin and Meng Qingcheng also stood. Their cheeks were flushed, their auras still slightly unsteady, clearly not yet fully recovered from the profound resonance.
"How… how do you feel?" Lin Che asked sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
The three women looked at one another. A new, unspoken intimacy shimmered in their gazes—a mix of shyness and a deep, inexplicable closeness forged in the crucible of their merged consciousness. Their relationship had been fundamentally, irrevocably altered.
"It felt…" Luo Jiayin smiled, a truly bewitching sight, her eyes sparkling with teasing mirth, "…not bad. But if someonedares to suggest such an 'absurd' idea again… the consequences will be far worse than a simple beating."
Meng Qingcheng, though silent, gave a small, shy nod, the tips of her ears still pink.
Lin Che grinned goofily, rubbing his hands together. "I wouldn't dare! Just this once! Never again!"
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on completing the hidden mission "Unity in the Face of Annihilation!"]
[Rewards being distributed…]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Diagram for the "Four Symbols Origin-Returning Array" (Heaven Tier)!]
[Congratulations! Your team's attributes have been permanently increased by 20%!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained a "Cataclysm Survival Pack" x1!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the title "Bliss of a Harmonious Harem" (Permanent Charm +50)!]
Lin Che's heart soared with elation. This… this was worth it!The process had been harrowing, but the result was beyond his wildest dreams.
Just then, Su Qingyao's brow furrowed. She looked toward the window, her expression turning grim. "We have company. And… they do not come in peace."
Lin Che's jubilation vanished. He quickly suppressed his aura and joined the three women in looking out the window. In the distance, several streaks of light were racing toward the Slaughter God Pavilion at incredible speed. Each one radiated a powerful, menacing aura that made his blood run cold.
The cataclysm… was truly at their doorstep.