A Fortuitous Chance, and He Had Already Entered the Gate

Lin Hao smiled slyly. "How could you call it a threat? I'm your junior granduncle. Since you can help me, of course you should help me. We're family, aren't we?"

"Hmph, smooth talker. If I believed you, I might not even know the day you sold me off!" Clever as she was, Nalan Yanran was not falling for Lin Hao's trick.

Just then, a voice came from the doorway.

"What are you two talking about?"

A woman stood at the entrance.

She wore a fitted brocade robe of gold trimmed with purple. Her flowing black hair was gathered into the shape of a phoenix in flight, faintly revealing an inescapable nobility. Her face was serene and beautiful, like a clear spring hidden deep within the mountains. Though her lofty status inspired reverence, it also stirred an irresistible sense of longing.

Lin Hao stepped forward and greeted her. "Senior Sister."

"Junior Brother?" Two years had passed, and Lin Hao had changed enormously. Yun Yun was unsure whether the person calling her Senior Sister was truly her junior brother.

"Senior Sister, it's me. I'm back."

"Where have you been these past two years? Even if you went out to train, you should have at least told someone." Yun Yun reproached Lin Hao with a resentful tone.

Yun Shan had gone into seclusion and never emerged. He had left Lin Hao in Yun Yun's care.

Yun Yun was practically taking her master's place in teaching her junior brother.

Lin Hao's disappearance over the past two years had always weighed heavily on Yun Yun's mind. Unable to find him, she had not known how she could explain it to Yun Shan.

"Training." Lin Hao gave Yun Yun a simple reply.

"Training?" Yun Yun smiled and glared at Lin Hao, whom she had always treated like a younger brother. She reached out her jade-like hand and grasped his wrist. "Let me see your current cultivation. Huh? You've condensed a Dou Qi Vortex!"

Nalan Yanran was stunned. "His realm is even higher than mine!"

Yun Yun released Lin Hao's wrist. "Not only have you condensed a Dou Qi Vortex, you've also reached the cultivation of a Nine-Star Dou Zhe."

"A Nine-Star Dou Zhe?" Nalan Yanran was shocked once more.

"Your Soul Power is exceptionally pure as well—purer than I imagined. Have you mastered the Chaos Profound Art?" Yun Yun forced herself to remain calm.

"By a fortunate chance, I've already entered its gate."

"Junior Brother, remember..." Yun Yun's tone suddenly became more solemn than ever before. Staring intently at Lin Hao, she earnestly warned, "Do not reveal your current cultivation to anyone. Otherwise, it could bring you a fatal disaster!"

Nalan Yanran said dismissively, "This is the Misty Cloud Sect. Even the Gama Imperial Family has to show us some respect. Who would dare lay a hand on Junior Granduncle... Master, do you mean the imperial family?"

Lin Hao's talent was simply too exceptional.

At six years old, he had reached the fifth stage of Dou Qi, a talent far beyond ordinary people.

Now, at eleven, he had not only condensed a Dou Qi Vortex and become a true Dou Zhe.

He had even reached the realm of a Nine-Star Dou Zhe.

At eleven years old, becoming a Dou Zhe was unheard of throughout the Jia Ma Empire, save for that genius from Wutan City.

Yet Lin Hao was even more terrifying. At eleven, he was already a Nine-Star Dou Zhe.

One could imagine that within ten years at most, he would certainly become a Dou Emperor powerhouse.

During Yun Shan's era, the Misty Cloud Sect had advocated infiltration. Many disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect had become important figures throughout the empire.

Jia Xingtian guarded against the Misty Cloud Sect day and night. Although the sect had rules forbidding it from seizing imperial power, the imperial family led by Jia Xingtian had always secretly remained wary of the Misty Cloud Sect.

Yun Yun kept to herself, but that did not mean she was made of wood. She saw every action taken by the imperial family; she simply chose not to speak of it.

Now, however, things were different.

Lin Hao was so outstanding that he was very likely to break the balance between the Misty Cloud Sect and the imperial family.

If Lin Hao one day broke through and became a Dou Zong powerhouse, the imperial family would be powerless against him.

What would they do then?

Yun Yun believed that the imperial family would very likely stop at nothing to harm Lin Hao.

For Lin Hao, concealing his strength was most beneficial.

A general's daughter was no fool.

Nalan Yanran quickly thought of the "people" who might seek to harm Lin Hao.

Yun Yun nodded slightly.

Lin Hao nodded in reply. "Senior Sister, I will. Let's not talk about that anymore. Senior Sister, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

"Go ahead."

"Senior Sister, I want a pill that can cleanse the tendons and marrow!"

"A pill that cleanses the tendons and marrow?" Yun Yun did not understand. In the tone of an elder, she admonished him, "Junior Brother, your talent is extraordinary. You should be satisfied with that."

Yun Yun had clearly misunderstood Lin Hao's meaning.

She thought he wanted a pill to cleanse his tendons and marrow so that he could temper his own body.

Lin Hao explained, "It isn't for me. It's for someone else. He was born with a problem in his body, and the meridians within him are blocked. He needs a pill that can cleanse his tendons and marrow to help him step into the world of cultivation. Senior Sister, does our Misty Cloud Sect have such a pill?"

"Yes."

"Can you give me one?"

"I don't have such a pill on hand. But don't worry, Gu He can refine the Profound Opening Pulse Pill. If you ask him for one, he will certainly give it to you. However..." Yun Yun deliberately paused midway through her sentence.

Lin Hao pressed, "However what?"

Yun Yun answered, "However, I advise you not to do that. Asking someone for help means owing them a favor. Favors are hard to repay, while contribution points are easy to earn. I suggest that you complete sect missions to earn contribution points, then exchange them at the Contribution Hall for the pill you want!"

To put it plainly, Yun Yun did not want Lin Hao... or herself, to owe Gu He a favor over such a trivial matter.

There was another reason as well.

Yun Yun had always intended to avoid Gu He. Every time she met him, she felt that the way he looked at her was as scorching as a pill furnace.

Lin Hao said, "Sect missions?"

Yun Yun continued, "Junior Brother, as the former sect leader's disciple, you can enjoy many privileges within the sect. But your status draws too much attention. You and I are both Master's disciples, so we should set an example in small matters. Do you understand?"

The meaning behind her words was simple.

If Lin Hao wanted to use his status as the former sect leader's disciple to take a pill, no one in the sect would stop him.

But doing so would affect the image people had of him.

Dynasties may rise and fall, but the Misty Cloud Sect stands eternal.

Since Yun Potian founded the Misty Cloud Sect, several dynasties had already risen and fallen upon this land, yet the Misty Cloud Sect remained standing.

Why?

Because the Misty Cloud Sect rewarded and punished clearly, possessing a sound system of rules.

As long as any disciple accumulated enough contributions, they could exchange them through the Contribution Hall for the cultivation arts, Dou Techniques, weapons, pills, and other treasures they desired.

If their conduct was exemplary, they could even be appointed to important positions, hold high office, and wield real authority.

Yun Yun's meaning was simple.

If Lin Hao, as the former sect leader's disciple, casually squandered sect resources even in trivial matters, those above would set the example and those below would follow. By then, not only would Lin Hao's reputation suffer, but it might also affect the healthy operation of the entire sect.

Lin Hao nodded. "Senior Sister, I understand. Tomorrow, I'll go to the Mission Hall to accept a mission and descend the mountain to train!"