“Yun Shang, I’m sorry for worrying you all this time,” Lin Yun said, taking her hand.
“You can’t use inner strength now, so it’s not safe for you to wander outside. From now on, if you go out, take me along. I’ll be your bodyguard. You protected us before, now we protect you!” Yun Shang said firmly.
“Heh, I’ll still be the one protecting you, don’t worry,” Lin Yun said, lifting her hand and gently kissing it.
“You’re about to be a father again, yet you’re still so improper,” Yun Shang said, her cheeks flushing slightly.
At that moment, Su Yan entered from outside.
“Lin Yun, you’re really back!” Su Yan’s face lit up with a smile upon seeing him.
Lin Yun had returned yesterday, but they were in seclusion and only learned of it now.
Su Yan hurried to Lin Yun, and they chatted briefly before Yu Ying, Jiang Jingwen, Zhao Ling, and Qin Shi arrived.
Also present were Lin Yun’s grandfather, Liu Zhizhong, along with Bai Sha, Gu Lang, Wei Qi, Yang Wan, and Lin Yun’s daughter, Lin Kexin.
Huo Zhen and Liang Yuan were in Dongyuan Prefecture, so they couldn’t come.
“Lin Yun, you’re finally back. You were gone for half a year, and we were all worried sick,” Qin Shi said.
“Yes, we were terrified something might happen to you out there,” the others nodded in agreement.
Lin Yun channelled his inner strength, sealing the surrounding space, then smiled and said, “I’m fine.”
“Inner strength? Brother Yun, you… you used inner strength and nothing happened?”
“Yun, what… what’s going on?”
Everyone in the room was stunned.
Lin Yun had used inner strength?
They knew that if Lin Yun used inner strength, the Soul-Breaking Toxin would flare up immediately.
Yet now, Lin Yun showed no signs of the toxin activating!
“As you can see, my Soul-Breaking Toxin is cured,” Lin Yun said with a smile.
“Lin Yun, you… you’re really cured?” Palace Master Yun Shang’s eyes shone with shock and joy.
“Yes, I’m truly cured! I was away for half a year and found an opportunity to completely expel the toxin. I called you all here to share this news,” Lin Yun said, beaming with happiness.
Sharing this news with everyone filled Lin Yun with joy.
“Haha, great! Fantastic! That’s amazing!”
Cheers and ecstatic screams filled the hall.
Yu Ying, Su Yan, Jiang Jingwen, Zhao Ling, and Qin Shi rushed to Lin Yun, tears of excitement in their eyes.
Palace Master Yun Shang stayed in place, but tears of joy slid down her smiling face.
These were tears of elation!
“Haha, I knew you wouldn’t fall like that, Brother Yun!” Bai Sha, Wei Qi, and Yang Wan were so thrilled they nearly jumped.
Gu Lang’s hands trembled with excitement.
Grandfather Liu Zhizhong wept openly, thanking the heavens.
“Daddy… Daddy’s recovered!” Lin Kexin, too, cried tears of joy.
Twenty years!
For twenty years, Lin Yun had suffered from the Soul-Breaking Toxin, told there was no cure, tormented to the point of living death.
For twenty years, how could they not grieve? How could they not despair?
They had once thought there was no hope, that in a few decades, Lin Yun would truly leave them!
Now, with Lin Yun suddenly free of the toxin, how could they not be overjoyed? How could they not be thrilled?
“Big Brother, from today, you won’t suffer anymore, and you can be that dazzling prodigy again! No one will dare call you a cripple!” Wei Qi shouted, his voice breaking with excitement.
They had seen Lin Yun’s brilliance, how he once shone across the empire, and how he fell from grace, forgotten.
Of course, this experience was invaluable to Lin Yun!
The atmosphere of joy, excitement, and elation filled the meeting hall.
“By the way, Brother Yun, why not tell Emperor Huoyun? He’d be thrilled to know!” Bai Sha said excitedly.
Yang Wan added, “Big Brother, should we announce this publicly? This news would be a bombshell, shocking the entire Xingwu Empire, even the demon clan! It’d make those who mocked you or kicked you when you were down regret it!”
“No, keep this secret for now. I plan to attempt immortality soon. Staying low as a cripple will keep me safer,” Lin Yun said.
Gu Lang’s eyes lit up. “Brother Yun, you’re planning to reach immortality first, then announce your return in a grand way! That would shock the entire continent!”
“Yes, exactly!” Everyone nodded eagerly.
They’d been suppressed for twenty years and longed for that moment.
“Lin Yun, crossing the Nine Tribulations to reach immortality is extremely difficult and dangerous. Are you confident?” Qin Shi asked, concerned.
Everyone looked at Lin Yun, knowing that without sufficient preparation, the failure rate for attempting immortality was high.
Many tried to cross the tribulations, but few succeeded.
“Don’t worry, after overcoming the Soul-Breaking Toxin, I’m quite confident,” Lin Yun said with a smile.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside.
“Master, an invitation from the palace,” the steward’s voice called.
“Everyone, until I cross the tribulations, this must not leak. I remain a cripple poisoned by Soul-Breaking Toxin,” Lin Yun said seriously.
“Don’t worry, we won’t say a word,” everyone nodded.
Lin Yun released the seal and called to the door, “Come in.”
The steward opened the door and entered the hall.
“Master, this invitation was just delivered from the palace,” the steward said, presenting it with both hands.
“An invitation from the palace? For what?” Lin Yun asked, puzzled.
“Master, this old servant doesn’t know,” the steward replied.
Lin Yun took the gilded invitation. “Alright, you may leave.”
“This servant takes his leave,” the steward said, exiting and closing the door.
After the steward left, Lin Yun opened the invitation.
“The Xingwu Empire’s millennial celebration, and they’re inviting me?” Lin Yun read the contents.
The Xingwu Empire held a minor celebration every century, a medium one every millennium, and a grand national one every ten thousand years.
This was the millennial celebration.
It was set for half a month later, at the palace.
