A Contest of Speed

Ten years later, at the entrance to the canyon, the pale yellow Array Light Curtain rippled faintly.

Lin Yan stood outside the light curtain, looking over the Community Members before him one by one—Lin Er, Lin San, White Horn, Zhi Nan, Jin Ji, Qing Xin, as well as the seven enormous Earth Dragons lying on the ground in a line, and the rest of the Community Members.

After absorbing the Enlightenment Fire Seed, Lin Si through Lin Shi had not only become more intelligent, but their bodies had also grown more robust. Their fine scales glimmered beneath the sunlight, while the halos above their heads had nearly solidified. Clearly, their foundations had improved considerably.

At that moment, seven massive heads stared at Lin Yan in unison, their eyes filled with dependence and reluctance.

"Alright, stop looking like someone died," Lin Yan said first. "Xiao Mo and I are just going out for a while. It's not as if we're never coming back. Guard the home well and strive to undergo Transformation soon. When that happens, I'll take you outside to see the world."

He walked over to Lin Er. "Second brother, after I leave, you'll be the eldest at home. Not only do you need to take good care of your younger brothers and sister, but you also need to help third brother with more things. Most importantly, use your head more often. Don't always rely on brute force."

Lin Er scratched his head and said rather foolishly, "Don't worry, Boss. I'll definitely keep them in line and help Third Brother with his work. Besides, I've grown a lot more brains now. Even Lin Si said I've become smarter."

Lin Er's words made everyone want to laugh, immediately lightening much of the heaviness of parting.

Lin Yan smiled and patted Lin San on the shoulder. "Third Brother, I'll leave the home to you. I've taught you how to control both the Wutu Zhenhuang Great Array and the Nine Palaces Earth Vein Great Array. If a powerful enemy attacks, remember to activate the arrays first. Protecting everyone is what matters most."

Lin San took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Boss. I'll guard our home well. I'll never let anyone rob us."

Ever since his Transformation, his bearing had become increasingly capable, and he handled matters steadily. He usually managed Canyon Home in perfect order. Lin Yan was fairly at ease leaving the home in his care.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Yan took out five thumb-sized jewels of different colors from his robes—crimson red, golden yellow, water blue, jade green, and earth yellow. They were the mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Five Elements Beads rewarded to him by the system.

"I'm leaving this set of Five Elements Beads with you." Lin Yan placed the jewels in Lin San's hand. "Each of these treasures contains extremely pure Five Elements Origin Power. Used individually, they can enhance the power of spells of their corresponding attribute. Used together, the five beads can form the Five Elements Rotation Array, combining attack and defense. Third Brother, refine them later and use them to protect yourself."

Lin San stroked the five radiant beads in his hand, warmth stirring within him. He said nothing more and merely nodded heavily at Lin Yan, as though making some kind of promise.

Lin Yan turned to look at his younger brothers, stroking each of their large heads as they stretched them toward him. Tears already filled the small eyes of Lin Jiu Lin Shi.

"You lot should cultivate properly and strive to undergo Transformation soon. While I'm away, you must listen to Lin Er and Lin San. Don't cause trouble, and don't bully others whenever you please."

His younger brothers lowered their heads and said dejectedly, "Boss... come back soon."

After soothing his younger brothers, Lin Yan gave White Horn and the other transformed leaders instructions one by one. He told them to assist Lin San in managing the Earth Dragon Community, to look after the Community Members whose intelligence had only recently awakened, to ensure they cultivated properly, and to strive for Transformation as soon as possible.

White Horn and the others naturally agreed without hesitation. However, with both the community leader and the community's Chief Guest Elder and strongest expert about to leave, they could not help feeling a little uneasy.

"Hey, hey, hey, why do all of you look like this is a final farewell?" Mo Xuan had already grown impatient from waiting nearby. He pawed heavily at the ground with his hoof. "We're just going out for a stroll! With this Young Master around, would I let Lin Yan lose even a single hair? Besides, you're all so reluctant to part with Lin Yan, but why don't any of you seem reluctant to part with me? Be careful, or I won't bring you any gifts when I come back."

Mo Xuan's words slightly diluted the sorrow of parting in the air.

Lin Shi hurriedly said ingratiatingly, "Senior Xiao Mo, we'll definitely miss you. Please don't forget to bring us gifts."

Lin Qi also shouted, "Senior Xiao Mo, remember to bring me back more weapons."

"Idiot Lin Qi, what do you need weapons for? It would be more worthwhile to have Senior Xiao Mo bring back more Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures!"

"Fourth Brother, I'm warning you. Don't call me an idiot again, or I'll beat you up."

"If you've got the ability, come at me."

Watching the chaotic scene, Lin Yan could not help giving a bitter smile inwardly. These fellows' intelligence and foundations had improved greatly, but their personalities had not changed in the slightest.

He cast one final look at the lush, verdant canyon overflowing with Spirit Qi. Though he felt some reluctance to leave, he held even greater anticipation for the road ahead.

"Xiao Mo, let's go. The rest of you should head back too. Cultivate well and wait for my return." Lin Yan said no more and turned, speeding off into the distance.

Mo Xuan let out a clear, long howl. Seven-colored rosy clouds surged around him as his four hooves rose into the air, and he chased after Lin Yan in a carefree, elegant posture.

The two of them had both reached the Heavenly Immortal realm, so their speed was naturally much faster than before. In only a few shichen, they had flown tens of thousands of miles.

Although they had already traveled tens of thousands of miles from the canyon, this place was still within the Earth Dragon Community's sphere of influence. After many years of effort, the ecological environment here had improved greatly. Yet farther away, the horizon remained shrouded in desolation and silence, carrying even the aura of bloodshed and destruction.

The two traveled northeast, their destination being the location of Mo Xuan's home—Qilin Cliff. Before setting out, they had already agreed that Lin Yan would first accompany Mo Xuan back to Qilin Cliff for a look, then the two would travel together to Buzhou Mountain, a landmark of the Prehistoric World.

The Prehistoric World was boundless. So-called Qilin Cliff was not a specific cliff, but the collective name for the Qilin Clan's core sphere of influence. It lay on the outskirts of Buzhou Mountain, and even at the speed of Heavenly Immortals, traveling there from Lin Yan's Canyon Home would take quite some time.

"Haha, Lin Yan, your flying technique is far too slow. At your speed, we wouldn't reach Qilin Cliff even after flying for a thousand years." Mo Xuan drifted leisurely through the sky, while Lin Yan had to fully circulate his mana just to barely keep up with him.

All along, Lin Yan's greatest weakness had been his flying ability. The Earth Dragon Clan was naturally poor at flight. Even after his Transformation, flying had remained his weak point.

What Lin Yan considered a speed like wind and lightning looked as slow as a Crimson Water Black Tortoise crawling across land in Mo Xuan's eyes.

"Xiao Mo, don't get cocky. When it comes to flying, I may indeed be inferior to you. But when it comes to traveling, I might not necessarily lose to you." Lin Yan spoke somewhat unwillingly.

"Oh? Faster than flying would be your Earth Escape Technique, right? How about we have a race?" Mo Xuan wore an expression that said he had long known Lin Yan's trump card, but it still would not be enough.

"Fine, let's race. I remember there's a Black Mountain a million miles away, with an old pine tree on it. You remember that place, right? Whoever gets there first wins. How about it?"

The Black Mountain Lin Yan spoke of was essentially the outermost edge of the Earth Dragon Community's sphere of influence. Xiao Mo had once accompanied him there to clear out ferocious beasts and Malevolent Qi.

"Alright, we'll settle it there. Whoever arrives first wins. I'll give you three breaths." As he spoke, the Golden Flames beneath Mo Xuan's four hooves blazed brightly, signaling that he was ready and the contest could begin at any moment.

"No need." The instant Lin Yan finished speaking, his entire body seemed to melt into the sandy ground like a drop of water, vanishing without a trace.

Mo Xuan froze for a moment and released his Divine Sense, but he caught only an extremely faint yet absurdly swift fluctuation of Spirit Power. It raced toward the distance along certain veins deep underground. Its speed was more than ten times faster than the Earth Escape Technique he had expected.

"Interesting." After recovering, Mo Xuan no longer dared to underestimate him. With a sharp howl, he drove force through his four hooves. The Golden Flames beneath him exploded, and his body streaked through the sky like a seven-colored meteor, chasing into the distance.