“Lin Tianshu’s son?”
Lin Xiao was momentarily stunned. His father was Lin Zhantian, and he had never heard of anyone called Lin Tianshu.
“Could it be that Father’s original name was Lin Tianshu, and he only changed it to Lin Zhantian after reaching the Southeast Domain?”
Another possibility occurred to Lin Xiao.
“How could that be possible?”
Without answering Lin Xiao’s confusion, Ximen Haoyue muttered to herself in denial, utterly baffled within.
“Back then, weren’t Lin Tianshu and that infant killed on the spot? Experts from every major force were present. How could the infant possibly still be alive?”
Ximen Haoyue could not help recalling the events of that year, her mind filled with doubt. “Was there some hidden deception in what happened?”
“But so many people were there. They even carried out the blood fusion test on the infant. It could not have been faked.”
“Perhaps I am overthinking it. His resemblance to Lin Tianshu is only slight in aura. If I were not so familiar with Lin Tianshu’s demeanour, no one would likely connect the two.”
Ximen Haoyue shook her head inwardly and dismissed the notion.
“What a shame. If he truly were Lin Tianshu’s son, the continent would be thrown into chaos…” Ximen Haoyue sighed deeply in her heart, then spoke to Lin Xiao. “It is nothing. I was reminded of an old acquaintance. You share some similarity with him in aura. I mistook you. Perhaps every peerless genius possesses a comparable demeanour.”
“Elder Ximen has indeed mistaken me. Though my surname is Lin, my father was certainly not called Lin Tianshu, nor was he any supreme genius.”
Lin Xiao denied her words first, regardless of whether they held truth.
If Ximen Haoyue recognised him, he might well find himself in peril.
“Still, I am curious. For a figure like Elder Ximen to remember him, that senior Lin Tianshu must have been one of the foremost geniuses of his era, yes?”
Lin Xiao probed indirectly along the flow of conversation.
“Let us not speak of this.”
Ximen Haoyue shook her head and said no more.
This left Lin Xiao somewhat disappointed.
Yet he dared not press further, for fear of arousing her suspicion.
As for Lin Tianshu, he could only ask An Miao about it later.
“By the way, the spirit energy you refined possesses three energy attributes?”
At that moment, Ximen Haoyue changed the subject.
Lin Xiao’s heart tightened. The real topic had arrived. Ximen Haoyue was surely keen to understand his spirit energy.
Lin Xiao nodded and delivered the explanation he had long prepared. “This junior did indeed refine a peculiar spirit energy. Years ago, when I was merely a fourth-rank spirit controller, I entered a profound domain battlefield and was swept into a thunder storm. Amid the storm, spirit energy suddenly bored into my mind. With my final shred of willpower, I refined it. Thereafter, my strength advanced by leaps and bounds…”
Ximen Haoyue nodded faintly, half-believing his account, not fully accepting it as truth.
She did not pursue the matter further, as though it held little interest for her, and instead asked, “Since you possess spirit energy, do you still intend to refine the Destruction Spirit Energy?”
“My spirit energy has multiple attributes, and my sea of consciousness has become extraordinarily unique. It seems able to accommodate many kinds of spirit energy. Perhaps there is the slimmest chance of success.”
Lin Xiao revealed greed in his eyes and spoke with some caution.
“The Destruction Spirit Energy is far from easy to refine. Even I, in my current state, cannot manage it…” Ximen Haoyue sighed deeply. “Refining the Destruction Spirit Energy is exceedingly dangerous, all the more so when another spirit energy already resides in your mind. Holding two spirit energies was something even the ancient Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor could not accomplish.”
“However, I know you will not forgo such a chance. Tomorrow, I shall first take you to experience the Destruction Spirit Energy.”
At these words, hot blood surged through Lin Xiao. The Destruction Spirit Energy was one of the reasons he had come to Spirit Pool Island. Tomorrow, he would finally behold it in person.
If he could refine it, his strength would soar, and the day he rescued his mother would draw near… Naturally, Lin Xiao also understood that refining the Destruction Spirit Energy would be no simple task.
Refining the Nine Heavens Thunder Dragon Spirit Energy alone had taken him a full year.
Fusing that with the previous two energies had required yet another full year of integration.
To refine a fourth and then fuse it would doubtless double the difficulty once more.
Moreover, with his present strength, he was uncertain whether he could even draw the Destruction Spirit Energy into his mind.
After all, not even Ximen Haoyue had succeeded.
If the energy proved too terrifying, he might burn to death simply by approaching it, let alone refining it.
“Thank you, Elder Ximen!”
Lin Xiao expressed his gratitude at once, making no effort to conceal his excitement.
Pretending complete calm when discussing the Destruction Spirit Energy would only invite suspicion.
“Rest well tonight.”
Ximen Haoyue nodded and turned to leave.
“By the way, Elder Ximen, are you not curious about the matter the Ji family raised?”
Lin Xiao called her back once more.
This was surely one reason she had sought him out alone. Lin Xiao had not expected her to refrain from asking.
“Everyone has their own secrets. If you do not wish to speak of it, I shall not press you.”
Ximen Haoyue replied calmly.
Lin Xiao could not discern whether she truly wished to know.
Ximen Haoyue remained utterly inscrutable to him.
“There is no harm in telling Elder Ximen. In Yang Province lies an evil domain filled with every manner of strangeness. A year ago, a vast void rift appeared within it. Pursued by the Ji family and the Holy Heaven Gate, with Senior Brother Long unable to fully protect me, I was forced to flee inside.”
Lin Xiao explained. “Within was a peculiar stone forest possessing special binding forces that restrained two Martial Saints.”
“I, however, could move freely there only because I cultivate petrification attribute power.”
“In the end, I employed various means to slay the pair along with the forces from both sides. Afterwards, I searched for months without finding an exit, so I refined the stone material there. As I refined it, the space inexplicably drew me into a spatial tunnel.”
“Thereafter, I emerged in Holy Province, encountered members of the Wang family, and travelled with them to Spirit Pool Island.”
Lin Xiao spoke with utmost sincerity, showing no trace of deception.
Silence would only breed suspicion. Revealing the tale instead made him safer.
He did not believe Ximen Haoyue would know the place was one of the continent’s nine forbidden lands, the Death White Rock. Even the two Martial Saints who entered had been unaware.
Even if the entrance reopened and major forces battled their way in, they would likely never guess.
Had it not been for those two ancient monsters, Lin Xiao himself would never have known it was the forbidden Death White Rock.
Moreover, he genuinely possessed potent petrification power, which lent credence to his account.
Being drawn into a spatial tunnel meant there was no entrance at all. No one could extract its location from him even if they tried.
In truth, he himself could not locate it. The giant infant had broken through space to bring him out.
“Oh?”
Listening to Lin Xiao, Ximen Haoyue showed faint surprise and fell into thought.
After a moment’s reflection, she said, “A place capable of binding Martial Saints is no ordinary site. Yet the continent holds countless perils and opportunities. Such locations are not overly extraordinary. Should you ever return there, you may advance or retreat alongside Spirit Pool Island. If fortune is found, Spirit Pool Island will assuredly grant you a fitting share.”
Lin Xiao nodded. Ximen Haoyue’s words carried deeper meaning. Since she did not probe further, the matter could be considered settled.
Her conduct differed from others, or perhaps she simply held no interest in the affair.
Soon, Ximen Haoyue turned and departed. Before leaving, however, she glanced back with a reminder. “By the way, beware the Holy Spirit, that is, An Miao’s mother.”
With that, Ximen Haoyue strode away.
