A Young Man Leaves the Northern Spiritual Realm

The next morning.

Thanks to Jiu You's hypnosis the night before, Lin Suchou slept quite well and rose early.

After getting dressed and stretching, Lin Suchou went out to bid Mu Feng farewell.

He did not immediately set off for the Tian Luo Continent. Instead, he returned to the Hong Domain.

Lin Suchou entered the Hong Domain's main city and arrived before the City Lord's Mansion.

"Could you trouble yourself to go in and..."

Before Lin Suchou could finish speaking to the guard, Mu Chen came out.

"Brother Lin!? Why are you..."

"Hehe, I stayed at your home last night. I came specially today to bid you farewell."

Looking at the smile that had returned to Mu Chen's face, Lin Suchou explained his purpose.

"I failed to host you properly last night. Since Brother Lin is leaving, how about we go to a restaurant together?"

Mu Chen walked down the steps, slung an arm around his shoulder, and headed toward the largest restaurant in the city.

"Waiter, bring us your finest food and wine."

After calling out to the waiter, Mu Chen led Lin Suchou upstairs and chose a window seat.

"Is Brother Lin returning home this time, or..."

"No. I plan to take advantage of the time before reporting to Northern Cang Spirit Academy to gain some experience abroad."

Lin Suchou smiled, then had Jiu You investigate Mu Chen as well.

She discovered that he currently possessed only one of the Eight Spirit Meridians, which further confirmed that he was not Qing Yan Jing's bloodline. The Eight Spirit Meridians were probably the result of the extraordinary fortune surrounding him.

To confirm it once more, Lin Suchou had Jiu You investigate again. Even after discovering the Mysterious Black Paper in his Qi Sea, she found no other Spirit Meridians.

This also gave Lin Suchou a question.

He had only transmigrated at this point. Logically speaking, he should not have become the butterfly flapping its wings.

Then why...

After thinking for a while, Lin Suchou suddenly understood the reason.

The system!

Right, what he possessed was the Goddess Contract System. It must have been the system's doing...

But since it had already become reality, Lin Suchou did not dwell on it any further.

Once the waiter had served the food and wine, Lin Suchou and Mu Chen drank and chatted happily once more.

"Hehe, Brother Lin, you said just now that you're going to Northern Cang Spirit Academy. My goal is Northern Cang Spirit Academy as well."

Mu Chen clinked cups with Lin Suchou and said with a smile.

"Then let's meet at Northern Cang Spirit Academy in a year!"

Lin Suchou drank with him and offered his congratulations. "Now that you've reunited with your family, I hope Brother Mu will continue cultivating diligently and earn a place at Northern Cang."

"Mm, I will!"

Mu Chen nodded heavily, longing surfacing in his eyes. "Yu Qing is still waiting for me. She also intends to go to Northern Cang Spirit Academy."

"Then I wish Brother Mu rapid progress and great success in cultivation!"

"Haha, a true man's aspirations should be like rivers rushing into the sea. I also wish Brother Lin endless opportunities during your travels and countless treasures!"

The two raised their cups again, their words filled with blessings.

But Lin Suchou said those things because he had stolen Mu Chen's opportunity and feared that Mu Chen might fail to obtain a place at Northern Cang.

Unlike Mu Chen, who was entirely sincere.

"This Spirit Art was obtained after I wiped out Mang Yin Mountain. Consider it a gift for visiting your home."

Lin Suchou placed a Spirit-tier Spirit Art from Yang Gui's secret chamber before Mu Chen.

"What? Brother Lin wiped out Mang Yin Mountain!?"

Yet Mu Chen paid no attention whatsoever to the Spirit-tier Spirit Art. He was utterly shocked by Lin Suchou's words instead.

"Mm. When I first arrived in the Northern Spiritual Realm, I traveled through the Mang Yin Mountain Range. Who knew they would stop me? So I struck and wiped them out."

Lin Suchou told a lie, but as long as the result was right, that was all that mattered.

"Hehe, then on behalf of the people of West City in my Mu Domain, I thank Brother Lin for taking action."

Mu Chen said gratefully to Lin Suchou, "Mang Yin Mountain often invaded West City of my Mu Domain, but their headquarters was located atop a mountain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It left Uncle Xiong furious yet helpless. Brother Lin's actions have rid the people of a great evil."

"Oh?"

Only then did Lin Suchou recall that, in the original novel, Mang Yin Mountain had indeed killed one of the Mu Domain's city lords. It seemed he had repaid a favor.

"Hehe, though it happened by chance, I'm glad I could help Brother Mu."

Lin Suchou continued drinking and eating with Mu Chen.

Only after the plates were empty and the jars drained of wine did the two leave the tavern.

Mu Chen even saw Lin Suchou off beyond the city walls.

"After this parting, we won't meet again for another year."

Reluctance showed on Mu Chen's face. After all, Lin Suchou had helped him tremendously.

Yet he, on the other hand...

"I'll be waiting for you in the Northern Heavens!"

Lin Suchou waved at him, then summoned Jiu You, mounted her, and headed into the distance.

"Tsk, that big bird looks so majestic. If only I also... Forget it. I should go back and cultivate my Spirit Art as soon as possible. I still have to face Liu Yang in the arena."

Mu Chen suddenly laughed at himself, then turned and returned to the City Lord's Mansion, beginning his arduous cultivation.

As for Lin Suchou, riding Jiu You felt far better than riding the little mare. Not only was he much faster, but he looked far more impressive as well.

Flying through the sky, Lin Suchou felt the damp mist brush across his face. The distant sun warmed him all over, lifting his spirits considerably.

"Does Sister make you feel good?"

Jiu You, who was speeding along beneath him, heard Lin Suchou's shout from her back and teasingly transmitted her voice to him.

"It feels amazing!"

Lin Suchou spread his arms as though he wanted to embrace the sky.

"In a while, I'll give you a Jiu You Fire seed. That way, your spiritual energy will become even more powerful."

"Thank you in advance, Sister Jiu You."

Warmth rose in Lin Suchou's heart. Contracting Jiu You had indeed been the right choice.

Unlike other Spirit Beasts, she would not try to possess a human body. Instead, she took on the role of an elder sister and looked after those around her.

Thus, the Youth left the Northern Spiritual Realm, riding the Jiu You Nether Sparrow as he ventured into that dazzling, chaotic world!

One month later, after a long journey that had taken them across dozens of continents, Lin Suchou and Jiu You had finally completed half the distance.

Blazing Flame Continent.

Upon a mountain peak, a handsome Youth sat side by side with a woman dressed in a purple cheongsam.

"Are you ready?"

"Phew, I'm ready."

"It's fine. This is my first time too, so I'm a little nervous as well."

"Then take it slow, Sister Jiu You. I'm a little excited—I'm afraid I won't be able to take it later."

"Fine, but excited as you are, don't go moving around."

On the grass, Lin Suchou watched as Jiu You suddenly sat cross-legged before him, feeling both excited and afraid.

Could a Heaven Fusion Realm cultivator like him truly absorb a Jiu You Fire seed?

"You're a grown man. Don't be so timid when you do things."

Jiu You rolled her eyes at him, then gathered immense spiritual energy between her hands and spat out a ball of Purple Flame.

Seeing the flames distort even the air around them, Lin Suchou's expression tightened. He opened his mouth as well and drew it into his Qi Sea.

"Hold on. As long as you can absorb this Fire seed of mine, your spiritual energy will possess more spirituality than that of any cultivator below the Supreme realm."

Seeing Lin Suchou suddenly put on a mask of agony, Jiu You encouraged him aloud.

"I feel so hot inside. No, I need to speed up the absorption."

Lin Suchou's body temperature was rapidly soaring. It felt as though his meridians were about to be burned through by the Fire seed.

Dragon Phoenix Town Spirit Bell!

With no other choice, Lin Suchou condensed the embryonic form of a great bell above his head.

Although the bell was only in its initial form and had yet to fully take shape, dragon and phoenix patterns covered its surface.

At that moment, they shone with light, directly illuminating the surroundings.

A dragon-and-phoenix pressure descended, causing the Fire seed to become less violent and gradually settle down.

Feeling the bloodline suppression emanating from the bell, Jiu You covered her rosy lips with a jade-like hand, her Pretty Face filled with shock.

"This is... the pressure of a True Dragon and True Phoenix!?"