In the underground space of the island where An Miao resided.
Ximen Haoyue stood outside the spirit domain room, calmly watching the woman ahead sip tea in profile.
“Spirit Saint, do you believe there truly exists a method to fuse spirit energies in this world?”
Ximen Haoyue asked in a flat tone.
“Do you believe it?”
Miao Ling did not turn around. She continued sipping her tea as she spoke.
“Logically, it should be impossible, but I believe it does.”
Ximen Haoyue said, “Back then, the Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor sought the method to fuse spirit energies…” “Ximen Haoyue, I know your ambitions, but you had better not set your sights on Lin Xiao.”
Miao Ling interrupted him.
“My affairs are my own to decide. There is no need for the Spirit Saint to concern yourself.”
Ximen Haoyue replied calmly, “If I am not mistaken, he is the one you have chosen, is he not?
I wonder how many of the Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor’s techniques and methods will reappear in the world?”
“My affairs are none of your concern. However, I must still warn you to be cautious, especially when choosing sides. Over a thousand years ago, the Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor rose step by step, sweeping away countless geniuses of his generation, and ultimately defied the heavens to become an emperor.”
Miao Ling said, “They all shared one common trait. They were spirit controllers who had refined spirit energies.”
“On this continent, a spirit controller capable of refining spirit energies appears perhaps once in a millennium. Moreover, what Lin Xiao cultivates is not merely spiritual power.”
“Are you saying he may become another Swallowing Heaven Spirit Emperor in the future?”
Ximen Haoyue asked.
“At the very least, he dared to step into the spirit domain. You did not.”
Miao Ling replied.
Ximen Haoyue frowned slightly and said, “What if he dies?
He has no shortage of enemies.”
“Geniuses exist in every era, but why is it that only in times of chaos do truly rising geniuses emerge?”
Miao Ling countered with a question.
Ximen Haoyue smiled and said, “Rest assured. I, Ximen Haoyue, have endured patiently for so many years. The time is not yet ripe, so naturally I will not choose sides recklessly.”
“Spirit Saint, I shall visit again another day.”
With that, Ximen Haoyue turned and quickly flew out of the spirit domain.
“Ximen Haoyue, it is precisely because of your ambitions that I keep an eye on you. But I hope your ambitions do not force me to deal with you.”
Miao Ling thought to herself.
…
On a guest island of Spirit Pool Island, Lin Xiao entered his residence, closed the door, sat cross-legged on the floor, and took out a high-level seventh-grade Spirit Rush Pill.
“This pill is certainly no ordinary one. I hope it can help me break through one level of spiritual power.”
Lin Xiao swallowed the pill and began refining it.
The medicinal power of the pill was not as ferocious as he had imagined, but it was enormously beneficial to the mind. A single pill was remarkably enough to sustain him for a full month.
In the month that Lin Xiao spent in seclusion refining the pill, his fame, under the name Mu Haoran, had already spread to every corner of Sacred State.
In every region, every city, every street and alley, every family and sect, the name Mu Haoran was on everyone’s lips.
First genius of the Nine Provinces, champion of the Spirit Controller Grand Competition. The name Mu Haoran became a hot topic of conversation before and after meals, an inspirational figure for countless youths.
Like a comet rising, the name Mu Haoran shook Sacred State. Countless young people began to idolise him.
News had not yet spread as quickly to the other eight provinces beyond Sacred State.
…
In Yang Province, tens of thousands of li beyond a certain mountain range.
A gaunt elder in brown robes stood atop a mountain peak, gazing ahead. Behind him stood a dozen or so people.
At that moment, a dignified middle-aged man flew towards the peak, bowed respectfully, and reported steadily to the brown-robed elder, “Reporting to Elder Ji Gan, our Shangguan family has thoroughly searched all villages within a thousand li radius. There is no trace of Lin Xiao’s family.”
“Not a single one missed?”
The brown-robed elder named Ji Gan asked.
“None overlooked.”
The middle-aged man replied.
“Shangguan family, continue advancing.”
Ji Gan said expressionlessly.
“Yes.”
The middle-aged man turned and flew forward.
This middle-aged man was none other than Shangguan Rui of the spirit controller aristocratic family, the Shangguan family, father of Shangguan Tong.
Since his father Shangguan Xiong’s death, Shangguan Rui had taken over the family, becoming the new patriarch.
Not long after Shangguan Rui left, another figure, a black-haired elder, flew towards the peak and reported, “Reporting to Elder Ji Gan, the Ouyang family has searched all villages within a thousand li to the west. We confirm there is no trace of Lin Xiao’s family.”
This black-haired elder was Ouyang Yi, formerly the second elder of the Ouyang spirit controller aristocratic family, cousin of Ouyang Kuo. After Ouyang Kuo’s fall, he had assumed leadership, becoming the new patriarch.
His intelligence was scarcely inferior to Ouyang Kuo’s.
“Continue advancing forward.”
Ji Gan said indifferently.
“Yes.”
Ouyang Yi hurriedly withdrew.
After Ouyang Yi left, others came one after another to report.
“Elder Ji Gan, Lin Xiao was chased into a void rift by two Martial Saint elders. He must be dead. Is the family making too much of a fuss by sending us to search like this?”
One youth asked, somewhat wearily.
This youth was named Ji Mao, a prefecture-level genius of the Ji family. His cultivation had reached the sixth-layer Martial Emperor realm, making him one of the main forces in this operation besides Ji Gan.
“Though the chances of him surviving are slim, the boy is cunning. He might have escaped from the void rift. We must prepare for every possibility.”
Ji Gan said steadily, “Furthermore, who can guarantee that the Lin family, or the power behind it, will not produce a second figure like Lin Xiao?”
Ji Mao wanted to object but said nothing. A second figure like Lin Xiao was almost impossible.
Yet it truly could not be guaranteed.
Years ago, there had been a Long Tutian. Now there was Lin Xiao. In twenty years, perhaps another like them would appear.
“But we have already advanced tens of thousands of li and found no trace of Lin Xiao’s family.”
Ji Mao said with some resentment.
For over a year, the Ji family had been investigating Lin Xiao’s whereabouts. They had traced his past movements, followed the trail back to the earliest points where he had been discovered by the Shangguan and Wen families, reaching the very beginning.
The place where the Wen family first discovered Lin Xiao was the mountain range tens of thousands of li behind them.
The Ji family had dispatched them here, mobilising Spirit Phoenix Valley, the Shangguan family, the Ouyang family, the Wen family, and all major and minor powers in the entire region. They formed a line thirty thousand li wide, searching forward systematically.
After advancing tens of thousands of li, even without personal labour, they all felt somewhat weary.
“Could Lin Xiao have come from the Southeast Domain on the other side of the sea?”
Ji Mao asked suspiciously.
“That possibility cannot be ruled out. There are restrictions over the sea. If he truly came from the Southeast Domain, this trip may be in vain.”
Ji Gan frowned slightly.
Lin Xiao posed too great a threat. Even with this suspicion, they had to advance to the sea’s edge, searching village by village. They could not miss any opportunity.
At that moment, two thousand li from the Ji family group, nine youths flew swiftly towards them.
“Another village. Let us go and ask.”
Zi Ling spoke as she flew down towards the signs of habitation ahead.
From the sea to here, they had travelled hundreds of thousands of li, encountering many villages and scattered powers along the way.
But the people there were weak and knew only of their local area. They had no knowledge of broader news from Central Province. Information was extremely isolated; they did not even know of some powers in Central Province.
They had guessed that this was likely a remote part of Central Province.
Of course, on their journey, human habitation was sparse. In some places, there was a village every thousand li. In others, only every ten thousand li.
After asking all along the way, they had learned nothing, let alone any news of Lin Xiao.
However, this time they had travelled ten thousand li before seeing signs of settlement, so naturally they would go down to inquire.
The group flew down to the village entrance.
