“Get away from our convoy at once, or don’t blame us for getting rough!” a middle-aged man in a mink coat barked at Lin Yun, his wary tone laced with a third-rank Mahayana aura.
“I mean no harm, just asking for directions, could you kindly point the way?” Lin Yun lowered his stance.
A young girl lifted a carriage curtain, leaning out to say, “Big brother, four thousand eight hundred miles left is Taifeng City, we’re heading there too, if you’re lost, you can tag along.”
“Bailu, hush!” the mink-clad man shot her a glare, clearly displeased.
He turned back to Lin Yun, “Four thousand eight hundred miles ahead-left is Taifeng City, you’ve got your answer, now leave!”
“Thanks.”
Lin Yun clasped his fists to the man, then to the girl, and turned to go.
…
Taifeng City.
A border town in the Fire Cloud Empire, the closest to the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, though ‘close’ still meant over six thousand miles in a straight line.
Upon entering, Lin Yun’s first stop was Xiaoyao Tower, spending coin to send word through their network to the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Wanderer in Xingwu, reporting he was safe, easing their worries.
He could imagine their anxiety, likely assuming he’d perished.
He also bought intel on the Fire Cloud Empire’s basics and a map from the tower.
Leaving Xiaoyao Tower, he checked into a random inn.
Next, he planned to push his realm to third-rank Mahayana and master other mysteries, prepping for the Tribulation Realm breakthrough.
Going from Mahayana to Tribulation was notoriously tough.
A blessing in disguise—losing the chance to join Zhuang Song couldn’t dim Lin Yun’s drive!
…
Xingwu Empire.
Heavenly Sword Sect.
The sect, compared to when Lin Yun joined, now looked bleak, faded.
Its disciple count had plummeted by a third.
Simple reason: disciples faced threats and ambushes from the Zhutian Alliance outside, some dying.
Thus, a third of the outer disciples quit, and new recruits dwindled fast!
Old blood left, new blood stalled, in just over a year, the sect slid downhill at an alarming pace, decaying.
In the cultivation continent, sects rose and fell routinely, yet the Heavenly Sword Sect’s decline felt tragic, lamentable.
For the Gu family and Zhutian Alliance sects, it was a joy, they hadn’t crushed the sect outright, but had doomed it to a slow death, and with Lin Yun presumed dead, they saw themselves victorious!
Sect’s back mountain.
The Sect Leader trained tirelessly here, swinging his sword!
Everyone knew Lin Yun’s ‘death’ in the range gnawed at him (with no sign after entering, all assumed he’d died there).
He also knew the sect’s dire straits, he could only train relentlessly, pushing himself to protect and revive it.
“Sect Leader! Sect Leader! Good news, massive news!”
The Great Elder rushed in, shouting, his aged face creased with a wide grin.
“What good news?” the Sect Leader paused, looking over.
“Sect Leader, word on Lin Yun!” the Great Elder’s voice quaked with excitement.
At ‘Lin Yun,’ the Sect Leader’s heart jolted.
Though over a year had passed since the Zhutian Alliance’s assault, it remained a wound, especially Lin Yun’s ‘death’!
“What’s happened? Speak!” he pressed.
“Sect Leader, Master Hong just sent a secret letter, Lin Yun’s alive, he messaged from Fire Cloud Empire, he’s made it there,” the Great Elder beamed.
The Sect Leader’s mind exploded, his sword clattered to the ground.
“Lin Yun’s… not dead?” his voice trembled as he sought confirmation.
“Not dead! That lad crossed the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, told us not to worry, he’ll return when he’s strong enough, said to wait for him!” the Great Elder said, elated.
“Haha, good! Great!”
The Sect Leader roared with laughter, his voice echoing through the sect.
Sect square.
“The Sect Leader’s laughing?”
“Since that battle, he hasn’t smiled, just trained in the back mountain, what’s happened to make him so happy?”
Disciples gaped at the sound, stunned.
“Has he broken through?”
Speculation buzzed.
Back mountain.
The Sect Leader calmed after a bout of excitement.
“Great Elder, this hasn’t leaked, has it?” he asked urgently.
“It’s top secret, only I know in the sect, not even the other elders,” the Great Elder assured.
“Good! Keep it quiet, just me knowing is enough, if the Zhutian Alliance hears and hunts Lin Yun in Fire Cloud, it’ll be trouble,” the Sect Leader said gravely.
“Right, it must stay hushed, they think he’s dead, won’t bother checking, as long as it doesn’t spread, they’ll stay clueless!” the Great Elder nodded.
The Sect Leader gazed skyward.
“Heavens have mercy, just wait! When Lin Yun returns, the Zhutian Alliance will pay for their deeds…”
Hope glimmered in his deep eyes.
He knew Lin Yun’s talent and unyielding spirit, even in Fire Cloud, he’d shine.
When he returned, he’d rule supreme!
Xingwu would tremble!
He awaited that day!
…
The Wanderer got the news too, shocked and overjoyed to learn Lin Yun lived and reached Fire Cloud, he shared it with his close friend Du Yuanzi.
He too longed for Lin Yun’s triumphant return, crushing all who’d wronged him in Xingwu!
…
Fire Cloud Empire.
Lin Yun stayed in Taifeng City for ten days.
Heavy rain poured nonstop, the sky dark.
Though midday, it felt like dusk, oppressive.
Lin Yun pushed open his inn window, peering at the horizon.
“That’s… thunderclouds?” he gasped.
Beyond the city, thunderclouds gathered—a rare natural phenomenon.
