Though the lightning sea within these thunderclouds offered a phenomenal chance to grasp the Mystery of Lightning, Lin Yun’s body had hit its limit!
Under the relentless flood of thunderous power, his organs, flesh, and meridians began to shatter!
His vision blurred, faint sparks of lightning danced in his eyes.
“Just a bit more! One last push!” Lin Yun gritted his teeth, his resolve unyielding as stone.
*Boom! Boom!*
Thunder roared, the lightning’s might still pouring into him.
His sight blackened, his body plummeted uncontrollably, crashing at the mountain’s base.
“It’s done! The embryo of the Lightning Mystery, it’s mine!”
A faint, joyous smile broke across his pale face, blood seeping from his gums, staining his teeth red.
Then, his consciousness faded completely.
…
Inside an antique bedroom.
Lin Yun’s eyes fluttered open.
“Hiss…”
A fiery sting surged through him, so sharp he gasped.
Probing his condition, he found grievous injuries—meridians wrecked, faint traces of lightning lingering, hindering recovery.
That lightning’s power was ferocious!
Even with his formidable physique, he couldn’t withstand it, a lesser body would’ve never dared try.
“I overdid it this time,” Lin Yun gave a helpless, bitter smile.
At the end, he’d known his limit was breached, he should’ve fled the lightning sea.
But so close to grasping the mystery’s embryo, he couldn’t bear to quit, holding on just a bit longer.
Still, having secured it, he felt it was worth it.
“These injuries are a problem now,” he muttered weakly.
His body refinement mastery usually meant swift healing, but this was too severe—near fatal, organs and meridians in ruins, residual lightning stifling recovery.
Trying to channel inner energy, he found it impossible, his meridians were in tatters.
Rummaging through his storage, he had no suitable healing pills left, the good ones depleted crossing the range through countless injuries.
Unable to channel energy, he couldn’t even heal with spirit crystals—quite a bind.
“Wait, where am I?”
Enduring the pain, he scanned the unfamiliar room, where was this?
How’d he end up here?
He clearly recalled crashing at the mountain’s base.
Had someone saved him?
He checked his storage pendant—it was still there!
Just then, the door creaked open, a pretty young girl entered with a bowl of medicinal broth.
“Big brother, you’re awake?” she exclaimed, surprised.
“You?” Lin Yun recognized her delicate, charming face.
He remembered, after leaving the border camp, he’d met a caravan, asking directions, a girl had peeked out, guiding him to the city.
It was her.
“Big brother, drink this first,” she stepped lightly to him, offering the broth.
“Thanks.”
Lin Yun sniffed it, then downed it in gulps.
For his grave wounds, it wasn’t a miracle cure, but it helped a bit.
“How’d I end up here?” he asked, handing back the bowl.
“We found you at the foot of Baize Mountain as we passed, so we brought you back,” she explained.
“Thank you,” Lin Yun managed a smile on his pale face.
“When we found you, my uncle said your injuries were fatal, no chance of survival, yet here you are—a miracle!” she said with a grin.
“Is that so?” Lin Yun smiled back.
He knew his survival hinged on his body refinement mastery.
“By the way, I’m Bailu, what’s your name?” Her clear, innocent eyes met his.
“Lin Yun,” he replied.
She seemed pure, guileless.
“Big brother Lin Yun, you’ve been out for fifteen days, it’s sunny out today, why not step outside, soak up some sun, stretch a bit? Might help your injuries,” Bailu suggested kindly.
“Alright,” Lin Yun nodded, rising.
Standing, he felt his weakness keenly, pain still coursing through him.
He’d grown used to injuries in the range—how many times had he been battered there?
Outside, he found a grand, spacious courtyard.
“Miss Bailu, this gentleman’s awake?”
A maid sweeping the yard glanced at him.
“Sir, while you were out, Miss Bailu fed you medicine daily, you owe your waking to her,” the maid said.
“Miss Bailu, thank you! I, Lin Yun, will never forget this kindness,” he clasped his fists.
“Bailu, the corpse you dragged back actually woke up?” a sharp voice cut in.
Lin Yun turned to see a tall, striking woman approach.
“Cousin Bailian,” Bailu curtsied.
“If he’d died, fine, but now he’s awake, what’s your plan?”
The woman, Bailian, strode up to Lin Yun.
“I hear you were second-rank Mahayana, quite the powerhouse, pity your injuries, even surviving, you’re a cripple now, can’t muster a shred of inner energy, a waste like you has no place in Fire Cloud!” she crossed her arms, exuding arrogance.
Had Lin Yun still been a hale second-rank Mahayana, she might’ve held her tongue, but a broken man? No qualms.
Then, her tone shifted, “Since you’re up, get lost.”
Bailu interjected, “Cousin Bailian, he’s just woken, still badly hurt, let him stay and recover, Baijia Fort’s far from the county city, bandits roam out there, in his state, leaving now would… would be dangerous.”
