Ziyue

Lin Family's rear courtyard.

"There's no need to worry too much about the Tower Battle more than a month from now. If I can't even beat a bunch of children, I might as well smash my head against a wall. I need to hurry and break through to the Creation Stage. The Ancient Tomb Residence is getting closer and closer to emerging."

Lin Dong took a smooth, round bead interwoven with Black and White from his Cosmic Bag and placed it between his clasped palms. Forming a cultivation seal, he set the fifty meridians spread throughout his body and seven qi vortices into motion.

"Buzz buzz buzz~"

A majestic suction force immediately surged from within his body, drawing the incomparably pure yin and yang qi into him like a raging tide.

The yin and yang qi flowing into his body through the various meridians was swiftly converted into the Pure Yuan Qi unique to the Yuan Dan Stage, continuously pouring into the golden Yuan Dan within his dantian. The trace of dark gold on the Yuan Dan grew larger and larger...

"Brother Lin Dong, Brother Lin Dong..."

A familiar, crisp voice rang out, rousing the figure seated cross-legged in the room from his cultivation.

"It's Qing Tan."

The figure slowly opened his eyes, lowered his head to glance at the smooth bead that had just shattered in his palm, and smiled in satisfaction. He then rose from the bed and opened the door.

"Brother Lin Dong, Master Yan from the Talisman Master Association sent someone to find you."

The lively-looking green-clad girl spoke with a grin.

"Master Yan is looking for me? Has more than a month already passed?"

Lin Dong's gaze briefly turned dazed, prompting the green-clad girl to pout in complaint. "Exactly! The moment you came home, you went into seclusion. No one has been around to play with me, so I could only play with Little Flame."

Qing Tan's cultivation had long since reached the Peak Sky Origin Stage, just One Step Away from the Yuan Dan Stage. However, without using an Ultimate Yin Object to condense a Yin Core within her body, Qing Tan would never be able to enter the Yuan Dan Stage.

With her cultivation stalled, Qing Tan's enthusiasm for cultivating had greatly declined as well. Every day, she followed Little Flame around and played wildly to her heart's content.

"Play, play, play. All you know is how to play. Little Flame may be foolish, but are you foolish too? I've already had people keep an eye out for an Ultimate Yin Object. I believe we'll find one soon enough. Once you condense a Yin Core, if you still refuse to cultivate properly, I'll give you a good lesson."

Lin Dong knocked Qing Tan lightly on her little head in exasperation.

"Roar roar~"

Little Flame, crouching beside Qing Tan, gave an unhappy low growl. Who knew which part of Lin Dong's words it had understood?

"Hehe, Brother Lin Dong, hurry up and go. Master Yan's person is still waiting for you outside. If you don't go soon, they'll get impatient."

Qing Tan giggled as she stroked Little Flame's increasingly massive beast head, pushing Lin Dong toward the back.

"This girl..."

Lin Dong smiled helplessly and headed outside.

As Yan City's hidden fourth great power, the Talisman Master Association stood at the end of a rather bustling street and occupied an enormous area.

Master Yan had no children throughout his life, and his residence was also within the Talisman Master Association. Guided by an attendant, Lin Dong wound through several turns before arriving at a Bamboo House.

"Is that Lin Dong outside? Come in quickly."

An aged voice came from within the Bamboo House. Lin Dong pushed open the door and entered without hesitation. Master Yan sat cross-legged upon the lush grass, and seeing an empty meditation cushion before him, Lin Dong stepped forward and took a seat.

"Hehe, I heard that you became a Three Seal Talisman Master at the Pill Immortal Pool Gathering over a month ago. Congratulations."

Master Yan's eyes were not cloudy at all; instead, they appeared exceptionally profound.

"Master Yan, the official Tower Battle is tomorrow, correct?"

Lin Dong merely smiled without committing himself, not answering directly.

"Yes, tomorrow. The Talisman Masters from Skyfire City have already arrived in Yan City and are staying here, so I called you over early to explain a few matters that require attention."

"The main format of tomorrow's Tower Battle is climbing the tower. The higher one goes in the Symbol Master Tower, the more the mental pressure one must endure will multiply. Whoever can remain on a higher floor for longer will win this competition."

Master Yan nodded gently and pointed beneath them.

"But the rewards are greater as well, aren't they?"

Lin Dong blinked teasingly.

"Haha, that's right. If you have the ability, you can go straight to the Eighth Floor. There's a Qi-level Mental Secret Technique waiting for you there."

"Last time, the people from Skyfire City stayed on the sixth floor for eight days and forcibly overshadowed us Yan City Talisman Masters. This time, it will depend on you all."

Master Yan could not help but laugh heartily before carefully adding, "Although many Yan City Talisman Masters are participating this time, there are only two seeded contestants: you and my disciple, Ziyue. Ziyue is a Two Seal Peak Talisman Master, while you are a Three Seal Talisman Master."

"Skyfire City has three seeded contestants: Cao Zhu, Liu Long, and Zhou Tong. I heard all three are Two-Seal Symbol Masters, but Senior Disciple Brother Zhou Tong entered the Two-Seal Symbol Master realm two years ago. I strongly suspect that he has already entered the Three Seal Talisman Master realm."

"Therefore, you must pay special attention to Zhou Tong. Previously, I was worried whether Ziyue could defeat Zhou Tong, but now that you are holding the line, I feel much more at ease."

"A Three Seal Talisman Master is not necessarily equal to another Three Seal Talisman Master. Master Yan, rest assured. Yan City will definitely win this Tower Battle."

Lin Dong inclined his body slightly. A Four Seal Talisman Master like him bullying a Three Seal Talisman Master truly gave him... absolutely no mental burden!

"Haha, hearing you say that gives me even more confidence. Come, let me introduce my prized disciple—Ziyue."

Master Yan immediately clapped his hands.

Clap clap clap!

As Master Yan's applause fell, a graceful figure entered slowly through the side door.

The tall beauty wore a purple gown. Her skin was fair as snow, her features exquisite, and her willow-slender waist delicate. Her frosty, beautiful face lent her an additional air of nobility.

She looked around eighteen or nineteen, about the same age as Xia Zhilan and Yue Ling. Yet whether in appearance or cultivation, she faintly surpassed them both. The title of foremost among Yan City's three great beauties had not been bestowed for nothing.

"Teacher."

The young woman in purple came to a stop and gave a poised, elegant salute.

"Tsk, she's so cold she makes people shiver. Whoever marries her would probably freeze to death. She's probably frigid."

Hearing that chilly voice, Lin Dong unconsciously shuddered.

Master Yan subconsciously glanced at Lin Dong, assuming it was simply youthful ardor. After all, most young men who first met his prized disciple made fools of themselves, acting awkward and bashful.

"Ziyue, this is the Lin Dong I mentioned to you. Young Friend Lin Dong entered the Three Seal Talisman Master realm over a month ago, a full level higher than you."

Without giving it much thought, Master Yan introduced Lin Dong.

"A Three Seal Talisman Master?"

The beauty's cherry lips parted slightly, surprise coloring her voice. Master Yan's words made her finally give Lin Dong a proper look.

"My apologies. Teacher has always told me that you were the key to winning this Tower Battle, but I never believed it. You say you're a Three Seal Talisman Master, but words alone are no proof. Would you be willing to spar with me?"

Ziyue's icy eyes fixed tightly on Lin Dong, her exquisite face brimming with eagerness to try.