After all, the Golden Monarch had already made himself perfectly clear. There was no point in Lin Yun pressing further.
“Golden Monarch, where are you headed now? With your current strength, travelling far would probably be difficult. I can take you there,” Lin Yun offered proactively.
“Indeed, this lord’s body is far too frail at present. I shall trouble you to escort me part of the way, to the Ancestral Heart Realm,” the Golden Monarch replied.
With his current cultivation, reaching the Ancestral Heart Realm alone would be too difficult and far too dangerous.
Letting Lin Yun take him certainly carried risks. After all, they had never met before. If Lin Yun coveted the wealth he had hidden away and decided to strike, he would have no means to resist in his present state.
Yet he still chose to trust Lin Yun. Given his circumstances, trusting Lin Yun was the only viable option left.
“Very well. We set off now.”
With that, Lin Yun took the Golden Monarch into the sky and flew straight towards the Ancestral Heart Realm.
One and a half months later.
“Stop here,” the Golden Monarch said.
Lin Yun halted immediately. Below them lay a desolate wilderness in the Ancestral Heart Realm.
The Golden Monarch looked at Lin Yun. “Many thanks for bringing this lord here. Your assistance has truly been a lifeline in the snow.”
“You are too polite, Golden Monarch,” Lin Yun replied with a courteous smile.
“Leave me your name and address. Once this lord has restored his realm, I will come find you personally to guide your cultivation,” the Golden Monarch said.
“Golden Monarch, it is inconvenient for me to give my address. How about this: we each keep one half of a communication jade slip. When you have recovered, crush your piece, and I will come to you,” Lin Yun proposed.
The hidden location of the Immeasurable Heavenly Palace was an absolute secret. Lin Yun could not reveal it to anyone.
With those words, Lin Yun produced a pair of communication jade slips and handed one to the Golden Monarch.
He had obtained many such slips from storage rings taken as spoils of war in the past and kept plenty for his own use.
“Fine,” the Golden Monarch accepted the slip.
“Then I shall take my leave, Golden Monarch.”
Lin Yun turned and departed.
With this mission completed, it was time to visit Dong Jian.
Although this task had not yet yielded any immediate rewards, gaining the friendship of a Supreme and the promise of personal guidance from one was reward enough.
That was worth far more than any direct monetary payment. Guidance from a Supreme was something money simply could not buy.
Though the Golden Monarch had only just recovered his memories and had yet to regain his strength, it was, as he said, merely a matter of time.
…
Ancestral Heart Realm, in front of an ancient temple.
Lin Yun landed here. This was Dong Jian’s residence. He had visited before, so he knew the way well.
“Senior Dong Jian, this junior has come to disturb you,” Lin Yun called towards the temple.
A moment later, Dong Jian’s disciple emerged from the main gate.
“My master is waiting for you at the back mountain. Please follow me,” the disciple said politely.
He then led Lin Yun through the temple and straight to the mountain behind it.
At the back mountain, inside a pavilion.
Dong Jian was seated within. Seeing Lin Yun approach, he rose with a warm smile to greet him.
“Friend Beichen, it has been over a thousand years since we last parted. I thought you had decided not to come,” Dong Jian said with a broad grin.
After returning from the beastman territory last time, Dong Jian had invited Lin Yun to visit anytime for sword instruction.
Lin Yun smiled. “How could I refuse Senior Dong Jian’s kind offer to teach me? I simply delayed because I was in secluded cultivation, busy comprehending my realm.”
“Comprehending your realm? Don’t tell me your realm has risen again?” Dong Jian asked in astonishment.
“Yes. This time in seclusion, I broke through directly to the Harmony stage,” Lin Yun replied with a faint smile.
“You really… actually broke through?” Dong Jian’s eyes widened.
When Lin Yun first came here, he had only been at the Heaven Connecting Realm. By their last meeting, Lin Yun had already stepped into the Void Dao Realm and reached the Transformation stage, which had shocked Dong Jian greatly.
And now, in such a short time, he had reached Harmony?
Was this guy cheating somehow?
“It was mostly good fortune. The process of comprehending the Harmony stage went unusually smoothly,” Lin Yun explained with an embarrassed laugh.
