Spring Wind Blows and Grows Anew

"The tea is getting cold."

The aged voice sounded once more, pulling Lin Feng back from his thoughts.

Lin Feng dared not dally; he gently took Tang Ya's hand and stepped onto the stairs one by one.

The pavilion doors were already open, revealing a thin, frail old man reclining on a lounge chair. His appearance was ordinary, yet his eyes were as deep as the stars.

"Junior Lin Feng pays his respects to the Senior."

"Junior Tang Ya pays her respects to the Senior."

The two bowed in unison.

"Sit and have some tea." The old man gestured to the tea table beside him, where two cups of clear tea were swirling with steam.

"Thank you, Senior." Lin Feng respectfully accepted a teacup and probed, "May I ask for your honorable name?"

"I am Mu En." The old man took a light sip of his tea. "Your Dean Yan is my direct disciple."

Lin Feng's expression turned blank; this name was far too distant for him.

Tang Ya, however, had a flicker in her eyes, as if she had recalled something.

"It is normal that you do not know," Mu En sighed leisurely. "There are not many left in this world who still remember me. However..."

He turned his gaze to Tang Ya. "I summoned you here today because the Blue Silver Grass within this girl has gone awry."

Seeing the two tense up, he continued, "That cup of tea has temporarily suppressed the dark power within her; she will be safe until she reaches level forty."

"Thank you, Senior, for saving me." Tang Ya bowed, her voice filled with sincere gratitude.

"Lin Feng," Mu En shifted his gaze to him and asked suddenly, "do you know of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?"

"This junior has heard Xiao Ya mention it," Lin Feng said, his expression solemn. "It was a sect secret realm controlled by the Tang Sect for nearly ten thousand years. Unfortunately, after the sect's decline, the maps and records regarding it vanished."

"It is precisely for this reason that I sought you out." Mu En nodded slightly, and a piece of ancient parchment slid from his sleeve. "Since you are a member of the Tang Sect, the powerful soul beasts in the secret realm will not attack you on sight. They once made a pact with the ancestor Tang San. To my knowledge, the last traces of the Blue Silver Emperor are within that Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. What you must do is enter, find the Blue Silver Emperor, and use its bloodline power to fully awaken Tang Ya. Only then can the dark power within her be eradicated at the root."

He paused briefly, his gaze burning like a torch. "Your Fire Lotus martial soul harbors a fire of ultimate yang and rigidity, which may be able to suppress the heavy toxic miasma on the outskirts of the secret realm. But to force your way through... you will need at least the cultivation of a Soul King. This means Lin Feng must break through to level fifty before Tang Ya reaches level forty."

At this moment, Tang Ya was already a level thirty-five Soul Elder, not far from the threshold of level forty.

For Lin Feng, also a Soul Elder at level thirty-three, breaking through seventeen levels in such a short time to become a Soul King was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

"Rest assured, Senior."

Lin Feng did not hesitate. His gaze was steady as he reached out and firmly took the ancient map.

"Since this junior has accepted, I will give it my all."

Mu En stared at him for a moment, deep emotions hidden within his aged eyes. "The path ahead is treacherous, far beyond what you imagine. If you regret this now and do not wish to take it on, I will not blame you."

"No..." Tang Ya spoke softly, her eyes turning slightly red. "This is the fate of the Tang Sect and me; there is really no need for Xiao Feng to risk himself like this for me..."

"Although I do not practice Tang Sect techniques, I am still half a member of the Tang Sect. This is what I should do." Lin Feng interrupted her, tucking the map into his robes. His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

He had good intentions, of course, but he also had significant selfish motives.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was one of the three great treasure basins. Legend had it that the Water Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King, two of the Nine Great Dragon Kings, had fallen and been buried there, giving birth to countless opportunities.

Lin Feng was destined to venture there eventually, especially for the origin beast fire of the Fire Dragon King, which he was determined to obtain.

Having the identity of a Tang Sect member made entering the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well much easier. This was the primary reason Lin Feng had chosen to join the Tang Sect in the first place.

Aside from the Blue Silver Emperor that Tang Ya needed, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower required by Ma Xiaotao was also very likely to be there.

As for whether the Tang Sect could be revitalized, Lin Feng truly did not care; he had no desire to clean up this mess left by Tang San.

Cultivating the Flame Mantra meant he could not practice other techniques, so he did not owe the Tang Sect anything.

The main issue was that Tang Ya's desire for revenge was too heavy, which was why she was so obsessed with revitalizing the Tang Sect.

If he could help her take revenge on the Iron Blood Sect, perhaps she would let go of her obsession with the Tang Sect.

Mu En waved his hand, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes. "It is I who have failed the Tang Sect, and failed you... After healing for a hundred years, I never imagined the Tang Sect would decline to this extent."

He looked up at the boundless sea of Blue Silver Grass outside the window, his voice growing lower. "The time is nearly up. It was not easy for me to wake this time, and I must return to my slumber. I hope that when I wake next, I will hear good news from you both..."

As his voice faded, golden light swirled, and the two were sent back to the sea of Blue Silver Grass.

"Take care, Senior!" On the sea of Blue Silver Grass, the two bowed solemnly toward the Golden Ancient Tree.

A final sigh drifted faintly on the wind: "Ten thousand years... the Blue Silver Grass here is still as lush as ever..."

Lin Feng made no further promises; he simply wrapped Tang Ya's slightly cool hand tightly within his own palm.

All words were already understood without being spoken.

Tang Ya leaned into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

The evening breeze brushed across the sea of Blue Silver Grass, and faint soul power gathered in silence, flowing toward the young couple, carrying an ancient blessing...

"Let's open a small shop; at least give the Tang Sect the appearance of a home."

"Mm, we have a home again..."

Time passed as usual.

"Goodbye, Teacher!"

Just after walking out of the classroom, Ning Tian suggested, "Let's go to the academy's east gate for barbecue. My treat!"

"That's perfect, we can go show some support for the new shop Xiao Ya opened," Lin Feng added.

Ning Tian immediately pouted, "Suddenly I've lost my appetite. I don't want to go anymore."

"Then I'll invite Wu Feng instead. Wu Feng, you don't have any objections, right?"

"Fine, as long as you're paying, I have no objections."

"...You're annoying! I'm going too!"

The three of them soon arrived at the barbecue shop that Tang Ya had just opened.

The entire capital for opening this shop had been provided by Yan Shaozhe through private support.

Behind the scenes, this was the result of Lin Feng's repeated negotiations.

After all, if not for Tang San and the Tang Sect he founded back then, there would not have been the glory that Shrek Academy had sustained for ten thousand years.

This funding was less of a subsidy and more of a long-overdue compensation from the academy to the Tang Sect.

Over the past four thousand years, with the emergence and impact of the Sun Moon Empire's soul tool technology, coupled with the withering of talent within the Tang Sect, the sect—having relied too heavily on hidden weapons—had gradually fallen into its current predicament.

Constrained by the pressure from various empires and its own neutral stance, Shrek Academy really hadn't been able to help the Tang Sect much.

"Sister Xiao Ya, is it just the three of you in the shop?"

"We can't afford to hire staff for the time being, so we have to make do for now."

Lin Feng looked around the slightly cluttered shop and laughed, "Ning Tian, come over and help tidy up."

He wanted to let this young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect experience the taste of housework.

"Why are you only calling me? What about Wu Feng?"

"She already started helping to wipe the tables a long time ago, while you're still over there admiring yourself in the mirror."

"Hmph! I'll clean, then!" Ning Tian picked up a rag clumsily, drawing chuckles from everyone.

Two hours later, the shop finally looked brand new.

Tang Ya had already prepared the ingredients, and the five of them sat around the grill.

The charcoal crackled, the meat skewers sizzled with oil over the fire, and the aroma filled the air.

"The first toast," Lin Feng raised his drink, "to Sister Xiao Ya's new shop opening, may business be booming!"

"Cheers!" everyone shouted in unison.

"This second toast," Tang Ya's eyes shone with a warm light, "I offer to everyone. Thank you all for your help, especially Xiao Feng."

"Cheers!" everyone shouted in unison once more.