Leaving the venue.
“Hero!”
A voice called behind Lin Yun, he turned to see Clan Leader Zhu and his son—fellow lotus contenders against Mo.
“Are you calling me?” Lin Yun asked, puzzled.
“Of course! I’m Zhu Gui, head of Dongyuan’s Zhu Clan, this is my son Zhu Xu, you just slapped the Mo duo’s faces at the contest—brilliant!” the stout Clan Leader Zhu chuckled.
He shifted tone, “But your move’s surely riled the Mo Clan, they’re petty and vengeful, they might come after you.”
He continued, “I said in there, if you’re willing, my Zhu Clan can help, if you don’t mind, stay at our estate, we’re weaker overall than Mo, but not by much—they wouldn’t dare storm us.”
Lin Yun sensed Zhu’s genuine offer.
“Clan Leader Zhu, if I went to your estate, I’d drag trouble your way, souring things with Mo,” Lin Yun said.
“Ha, everyone in the city knows we’re at odds with Mo, no difference,” Zhu laughed.
“I appreciate your kindness, Clan Leader, but I don’t like being tied down,” Lin Yun smiled politely, declining.
“Well… fair enough, I won’t push, if Mo gives you grief you can’t handle, come to us anytime, here’s our token,” Zhu handed him a plaque.
Lin Yun accepted it.
“I’ll take my leave then,” he clasped his fists and departed.
Elsewhere.
The Mo duo emerged.
“Father, that guy’s cocky, unfazed by our threats, splashing over ten million spirit crystals shows he’s got cash, an outsider too—could he have a big backing?” the Mo heir said.
“Dig into him, even if he’s got clout, in Dongyuan, dragons coil, tigers crouch!” Clan Leader Mo’s gaze chilled.
…
Lin Yun headed straight to his inn, eager to use the Origin Water Lotus and Fire-Repelling Spirit Grass to master Water Mystery.
Back in his room, he entered the One Thought Clarity Tower for retreat.
He consumed the grass, forgot Fire Mystery, then took the lotus and began comprehending.
Ten-odd days later.
Lin Yun opened his eyes.
He raised a hand—a stream appeared, coiling into a water snake, flowing around his palm.
His control felt rusty.
With another wave, it vanished.
“Water Mystery rudiments, grasped!” He smiled.
Next, the Coffin of Mysteries would perfect it—only a matter of time, no doubt.
He tossed Xiao Bai some spirit crystals, then resumed retreat with the coffin.
…
Eight months passed.
In the tower.
Lin Yun’s eyes snapped open.
“Full Water Mystery, done!” His gaze gleamed.
Eight months with the coffin, from rudiments to mastery.
Seamless progress.
Tribulation drew nearer!
“Just Light and Dark Mysteries left,” he murmured.
These were trickier than the prior five.
He exited the tower.
Eight months inside, just over a month outside.
Next goal: master Light and Dark.
Success meant Tribulation soon.
Other cultivation could wait—these were key.
“Grasping these will be a hassle,” he mused.
Mutually opposing, mastering one made the other tougher.
He had no leads yet.
“Been cooped up long, time for a breather.”
He left the tower, back to the inn room.
He pulled Xiao Bai from the Green Vine Gourd space.
The tower held one at a time, so he’d stashed Xiao Bai there during retreat.
“Xiao Bai, you’ve grown a bit,” he patted its head.
“Gugu! Gugu!”
Xiao Bai nuzzled his hand, chirping, thrilled to see him after so long.
“Back to the tower for a nap, go on.”
He stroked its head, sent it in with more crystals.
Xiao Bai gorged, then slept soundly.
Lin Yun stepped out to the inn’s bustling lobby, ordered a pot of wine, and unwound.
Though eight months inside was a month outside, he’d felt every bit—exhaustion lingered.
The lobby buzzed with drinkers chatting.
Amid the din, a startling exchange caught his ear.
“Heard? A town in Yuan’an County, Dongyuan, wiped out overnight, they say beasts did it.”
“What? Beasts? Dongyuan borders the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, but it’s been years since beasts dared hit human settlements, even a town!”
“Aye, borders are heavily guarded, demonkind’s stayed holed up, not even leaving the range—why slaughter a town now?”
“My mate in the guard says the prefecture checked, it’s a fluke, not range demons, but some stragglers hiding in Dongyuan.”
“Oh, still creepy, those beasts in our mountains and lakes haven’t dared leave for human turf in millennia—odd!”
“Come on, drink up, why fret? A one-off, if the sky falls, tall folks’ll hold it—we’re worrying for nothing!”
