Little Eunuch Little Anzi

Beneath his aged skin, streak after streak of Golden-red Meridians suddenly lit up.

His once shriveled muscles swelled visibly, like withered vines meeting spring.

His hunched spine let out a series of crisp crackles, straightening inch by inch.

He opened his mouth and exhaled a wisp of white smoke. The saliva in his mouth instantly vaporized.

His graying beard and hair stirred without wind, their tips beginning to take on a dark golden sheen.

Most shocking of all were his eyes—his once-clouded pupils had completely vanished, replaced by two flickering miniature suns!

Golden-red radiance flowed and burned within them. Even his eyelashes seemed to have turned into dancing flames, blazing with an oppressive heat.

"So this is the power of an Earth-tier cultivation technique at Great Perfection..." Chen Lin muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief.

He slowly spread open his palm. The skin, once covered in age spots, had vanished, replaced by golden-red patterns that flowed like magma.

He could clearly feel an unprecedented power surging through his body. Even more astonishingly, he discovered that he could instinctively sense the faint sunlight beyond the window and draw a certain pure energy from it, like parched earth receiving sweet rain.

Within his body, a sapling seemingly condensed from pure True Sun Fire quietly emerged. It greedily absorbed this newborn power, madly tempering his flesh, blood, tendons, and bones. Every tempering brought piercing agony, yet was accompanied by the exhilaration of being reborn.

The process was terrifying and mystical!

An Earth-tier cultivation technique at Great Perfection was a rarity even across the Ten Provinces of the Martial Dao Great Evolution Imperial Dynasty.

Most exceptionally gifted Prodigies at his age were likely still stuck at the Great Accomplishment stage of an Earth-tier cultivation technique.

He silently felt the tremendous changes brought by the True Sun Fire within him, and his gaze gradually became resolute.

He sensed that as long as the True Sun Fire continued tempering him, given enough time, his constitution would undergo earth-shaking changes. When that day came, he would dare fight even an Expert at the first level of the Core Formation Realm!

Yet at this moment, his heart remained utterly calm.

Because he knew that after the Sun Nerve reached Great Perfection, his path of cultivation had completely changed.

Now, he only needed to absorb the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth as simply and instinctively as breathing. The cultivation technique would circulate on its own and advance automatically; no bottleneck could ever stop him again!

If supplemented with a cultivation technique that could improve his aptitude, this speed would become even faster!

With that thought, Chen Lin no longer delayed.

He took a deep breath and swiftly returned the few books he had just sorted to their places, his movements carrying an unprecedented swiftness.

Then, without lingering, he flashed out of the Sixth Floor and arrived outside the Scripture Repository, concealing all of his changes at the same time.

He resumed sitting in the Rocking Chair, swaying back and forth in utter laziness.

Several more hours passed. Only when the afterglow of sunset began gilding Tianyan City in gold did Ling Xiao slowly emerge from the Scripture Repository.

His steps were much lighter than when he had arrived, and a trace of unconcealed contemplation rested between his brows.

His gaze casually swept over Chen Lin, who had remained quietly seated in the corner, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. Strange. This old man... seems a little different.

He tried hard to sense him, attempting to find the precise change, yet discovered that he could detect nothing at all.

"Elder Lin," Ling Xiao said after steadying himself, his expression returning to normal as he cupped his hands. "I have finished comprehending it."

Hearing this, Chen Lin immediately rose to his feet, his face breaking into a warm smile. "For Your Highness to comprehend it so quickly shows that your talent is unparalleled. With Your Highness's insight, before long, another Prodigy renowned throughout the land will surely be born."

Ling Xiao secretly felt pleased at the praise, and a smile appeared on his face as well. "Elder Lin flatters me. With my paltry skills, how could I dare accept the title of 'Prodigy'? I shall take my leave first."

He saluted Chen Lin once more to express his thanks, then turned and left.

Chen Lin showed not the slightest reaction as he watched him depart. After recording it once more, he continued lying in the Rocking Chair, slowly absorbing Sun Essence and the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.

Time slipped away silently, and several hours swayed past in Chen Lin's light sleep.

Suddenly, a chill aura mixed with Dragon Saliva Incense and the smell of blood approached, jolting him awake.

As soon as he lifted his eyelids, he saw a eunuch in a Bright Red Robe standing before him with a trembling Little Eunuch.

A red-robed eunuch?

Chen Lin's heart tightened.

Red-robed eunuchs held extraordinary status within the palace, and this man before him was none other than Cao An, the Director of Ceremonial of the Directorate of Ceremonial!

This man's cultivation was unfathomably deep.

Why had he come here?

Chen Lin could not guess his purpose, but he did not dare show the slightest neglect. Even as the Guardian Elder, he had to restrain himself somewhat at this moment.

"Lord Cao has honored us with his presence. May I ask what instructions you have?" Chen Lin hurriedly rose and respectfully stepped forward to greet him.

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and several large-denomination Gold Notes quietly appeared in it. This was palace custom, as well as the means by which a marginal figure like him maintained connections.

Cao An's gaze swept over the Gold Notes, and an imperceptible trace of satisfaction flashed through his eyes. His tone softened slightly as well. "Lord Lin worries too much."

"It is merely that His Majesty thought you were too lonely guarding the Scripture Repository here alone, so he specially instructed this old servant to bring over a Little Eunuch to keep you company and handle some minor chores."

Though the Gold Notes were useless to him, who would dislike having more money? It was the thought that counted.

As he spoke, he nudged the Little Eunuch named Little Anzi at his side forward.

The Little Eunuch immediately straightened his back. Although fear still lingered on his face, he respectfully called out, "Lord Lin."

Cao An added, "Little Anzi once served the Crown Prince. He is quick with his hands, clever-minded, and especially skilled at serving others."

"He served the Crown Prince?" Chen Lin was jolted inwardly, and his thoughts began racing.

A close attendant of the Crown Prince had been sent to the Scripture Repository?

It seemed the conflict between the Imperial Lord and the Crown Prince ran far deeper than he had imagined. It had likely reached the point where even those close to them had to be dealt with.

"Lord Cao has gone to great trouble," Chen Lin said without betraying anything on his face, though inwardly he became more vigilant.

Yet he said aloud, "I have long been used to peace and quiet, but having someone to talk to would not be bad. Young Brother, follow this old man from now on."

After saying that, he flipped his palm again, and a warm, lustrous jade pendant appeared in his hand. He offered it to Cao An.

This time, Cao An finally revealed a genuine smile. As his Orchid Finger pinched the treasure, his fingernail gave Chen Lin's palm an intimate scrape.

If those above cannot receive anything, how would those below dare accept anything?

If those below cannot receive anything, how can servants like us establish ourselves in the palace, much less serve the future ruler?

I cannot remember clearly who gives me things.

But whoever does not give me anything—I remember that perfectly clearly!

That fingernail made Chen Lin feel sick. What the hell was that?

He nodded, accepting the favor. "Since Lord Lin does not find him troublesome, Little Anzi is yours."

The Red-robed Figure had long sensed that Chen Lin cultivated another technique, but said nothing. After all, as an elder of the Scripture Repository, it was not impossible for him to cultivate.

Once the Red-robed Figure vanished at the end of the palace road, Chen Lin slowly straightened his back.

"Can you brew tea?" Chen Lin suddenly asked.

"Yes!" Little Anzi replied, trembling.

Chen Lin nodded. "Good. Then do not make trouble."

This Little Eunuch was not simple.

Would someone from the Crown Prince's side truly be this timid?

And there was another force within his body.