The Third Iron Box

"You worthless thing, catching one fish and you think you're something special?"

Qi Ruming had no idea what was happening before Zhao Qingshan was already scolding him from head to toe.

"Look at your little junior brother—what's he doing? And what are you doing? A good-for-nothing wasting time on trifles."

Qi Ruming stood there, dumbfounded.

He had absolutely no clue what was going on.

How had he suddenly become the junior brother?

Hadn't the apprenticeship ceremony not even happened yet?

And besides, it was barely dawn—what were all of you doing here?

There wasn't even the smell of breakfast, was there?

With a string of questions in his head, Qi Ruming looked to Lin Chen for help.

Lin Chen immediately stepped in to smooth things over. "Third Senior Brother, give me the fish quickly. We're having Spirit Fish Porridge this morning—I guarantee you won't get enough of it."

"Uh... alright, alright, Little Junior Brother, I'll help you take the fish inside. This little thing is fierce." Qi Ruming quickly took the out and walked into the courtyard.

As he walked side by side with Lin Chen, he dared to whisper, "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later." Lin Chen was a bit puzzled. "Third Senior Brother, what were you up to all day and night?"

"Pfft! Don't even mention it. I thought I'd find a lively spot to show off a bit, but I ran into an old acquaintance and ended up drinking.

Who would've thought those bastards would try to trick me out of my fish? We ended up fighting, and I barely managed to chase the fish back..."

After hearing Third Senior Brother's explanation, Lin Chen couldn't help but want to laugh.

He never imagined that even in a cultivation world, something like this could happen.

Soon, breakfast was ready.

The Spirit Fish Porridge was soft, sweet, and savory—everyone ate to their satisfaction.

Especially Qi Ruming, who nearly swallowed his own tongue, exclaiming how delicious it was.

Everyone insisted they wanted fish again for lunch.

Lin Chen nodded in agreement.

After the meal, Zhao Qingshan didn't rush to leave.

Instead, he led everyone into a room.

As soon as they entered, they saw a portrait of the Ancestor Master hanging on the opposite wall.

On the offering table in front of the portrait were fruits and an incense burner.

Zhao Qingshan walked in, lit a stick of incense, placed it in the burner, and then sat down on a chair nearby.

"Lin Chen, kneel to the Ancestor Master and kowtow." Zhao Qingshan's expression was serious. "Bufan, go brew some tea."

"Disciple obeys." Ming Bufan went off to brew tea with a delighted expression.

Lin Chen knelt as instructed.

Even if he were dense, he understood what was about to happen.

The apprenticeship ceremony!

Then, Lin Chen performed the Apprenticeship Ceremony, offered tea, and officially became Zhao Qingshan's fourth Inner Disciple.

The ritual was solemn and dignified.

When it was all over, Zhao Qingshan was beaming.

"Good, good, good. From now on, you are my fourth Inner Disciple. Go greet your senior brothers and sister."

It was clear he was very satisfied with this disciple.

Lin Chen greeted them one by one. "Junior Brother Lin Chen greets Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, and Third Senior Brother."

He had used these titles before, but there had always been a sense of distance.

Now, saying them again, Lin Chen only felt smooth and warm.

Like they were truly family.

"Old Fourth, this is your master's gift to you—the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle."

Hiss, hiss, hiss...

As soon as Zhao Qingshan finished speaking, gasps filled the air.

Seeing the shocked looks on his senior brothers and sister, Lin Chen knew this treasure was undoubtedly extraordinary.

He quickly replied, "Master, isn't this too precious?"

"You little brat, when you asked for Spirit Stones, you didn't hesitate. Just take what your master gives you." Zhao Qingshan tossed it over, and a palm-sized Silver Shuttle appeared in Lin Chen's hand.

It felt fine and cool to the touch.

Lin Chen could sense a powerful force of spatial control hidden within.

No time to dwell on it—he quickly bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Master!"

"Mm. Just drip blood to bind it, and you'll know what it is then."

With that, Zhao Qingshan stood up. "You all chat. I need to go organize the Soul Forging Art."

"We see Master off."

The four of them bowed.

Only after Zhao Qingshan had left did Ming Bufan and the other two crowd around Lin Chen.

They snatched his Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle to examine it.

"What a fine treasure, Fourth Junior Brother. This is a top-grade Spirit Artifact—you've stepped in dog shit." Qi Ruming stroked the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle, unable to let it go.

The other two wore looks of envy as well.

Lin Chen was a bit confused.

Going by the ranking of magic treasures:

Magic Artifact, Spirit Artifact, Treasure Artifact, Spiritual Treasure... by that measure, a top-grade Spirit Artifact wasn't the highest tier.

"You don't know a good thing when you've got it, kid."

Qi Ruming handed the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle to Jian Rushuang and continued explaining.

"This isn't just a top-grade Spirit Artifact—it's a rare spatial-type treasure.

When its master is in deep danger, it can instantly devour all the spiritual energy within ten thousand zhang and transform into a streak of escape light, carrying its master a thousand li away."

Hearing Qi Ruming's explanation, Lin Chen was also taken aback.

He finally understood his master's thoughtful intention.

This was giving him another life!

"Fourth Junior Brother, the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle isn't just for fleeing—it's also an extremely powerful flying treasure, even more advanced than Senior Brother's Five-Colored Auspicious Cloud!"

Qi Ruming added another line.

Lin Chen immediately grew fond of this Spirit Artifact.

Jian Rushuang reluctantly handed it back to Lin Chen, watching as he dripped blood to bind it.

Lin Chen's playful side surged. He ran outside, a streak of escape light flared, and he had already vanished from the spot.

Whoo-hoo!

Lin Chen's joyful laughter rang out from midair.

The three of them exchanged smiles. This little junior brother was finally showing his childlike side.

Quite endearing, actually.

Up in the sky, Lin Chen circled the Sect Leader Peak more than a dozen times.

He discovered that the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle was more than ten times faster than a Flying Sword.

And this thing could automatically absorb the surrounding heaven-and-earth spiritual energy for its own use.

At such breakneck speed, the drain on him was negligible.

"What a treasure!"

By the time he returned to the courtyard, his three senior brothers and sister had already left.

"Time to fish!"

In high spirits, he shouldered his fishing rod and headed to the back mountain.

His touch was especially good today. In just half an hour, he'd caught over a dozen Spirit Fish.

"Last cast—one more fish."

Lin Chen cast his line again. This time, there was no bite for a long while.

Just as he was about to reel in and leave, the float finally stirred.

He gave a sharp yank—and it felt like nothing at all.

The hook shot out of the water with a swoosh. There was no fish on it, only a clump of black, slimy waterweed.

But when the waterweed hit the ground, it made a clang.

Lin Chen found it strange. He stepped forward and kicked it, and inside was wrapped a black iron box.

"Oh? A treasure?"

He unhooked the line, stripped away the waterweed, and finally got a clear look.

The iron box inside was extremely similar to the one his father had left behind.

He immediately picked up the iron box and washed it by the water's edge.

Once he could see the box's true appearance, Lin Chen's face darkened.

He took out the one his father had left from his storage ring, along with the one he'd gotten from Lord Qin's treasury, and added this iron box to the pile.

There were three in total.

They were completely identical.

He didn't know what these iron boxes carved with dragon and phoenix patterns represented.

But he did know they were absolutely connected to the massacre of the Lin Family.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Chen pressed down with both hands. With a click, he opened the iron box he'd fished out of the deep pool.

The iron box was tightly sealed, and the inside was still dry.

What disappointed him was that aside from a palm-sized Small Bronze Mirror, there was nothing else.

Next, he opened his family heirloom iron box.

The Black Token inside still lay quietly in place.

Lin Chen picked up the sealed envelope beneath it.

He let out a long breath, channeled spiritual power to his fingertip, and pressed it against the envelope's seal.

The seal on the envelope rippled like water, but did not open.

Lin Chen frowned. He was already at Qi Condensation Layer 9 Peak.

Yet his own spiritual power still couldn't break the seal.

What kind of secret was hidden in this letter?

After trying without success, Lin Chen packed up his things and returned to the mountaintop.

At noon, there was another full fish feast.

When evening came, Lin Chen sat in a recliner in the courtyard, gazing at the moon.

On the table lay the iron box he'd fished out of the water.

The Small Mirror rested on the box lid, precisely reflecting the moonlight onto the opposite wall.

At first, Lin Chen didn't think much of it.

Until the corner of his eye caught the moonlight on the wall—it was showing a flickering shadow.

Lin Chen shot upright, staring at the shadow on the wall.

Then, that shadow actually walked out from inside the wall.

Following the reflected moonlight, it drifted toward Lin Chen.

When he made out the shadow's features, his eyes flew wide. "He Yiliang?"

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