"Early Heavenly Immortal?"
"Isn't that cultivation a little low?"
Wen Zhong's gaze fell on Lin Yuan, and he frowned slightly.
As the Grand Preceptor of Great Shang and one of Golden Spirit Holy Mother's most renowned disciples, he spent years fighting abroad. His bearing was clearly different from the Immortals on Golden Turtle Island who devoted themselves to cultivation.
A divine eye rested upon his brow, and righteous energy filled his body.
Simply standing there, he carried an austere killing intent honed in military formations.
Lin Yuan had merely been swept by his gaze when his Innate Spiritual Perception reacted on its own.
Strong.
And strong in a way that came from genuine life-and-death battles.
His consecutive victories over opponents above his realm on the minor tournament stage had indeed made him stand out among disciples of his generation, but compared with a veteran powerhouse like Wen Zhong, who had led armies in battle for years, he was still far too green.
Golden Spirit Holy Mother, however, saw no issue with it.
"His cultivation is a little low, but his brain works well enough."
She spoke calmly.
"In this sect tournament, he defeated two Heavenly Immortals in succession while at the Earth Immortal Peak. He even used a disciple at the Heavenly Immortal Peak to temper himself, breaking through in the midst of battle."
"Just now, Master also bestowed the Qingxuan Sword and the Supreme Clarity Immortal Scripture upon him."
Wen Zhong had still been assessing Lin Yuan.
But upon hearing that last sentence, his expression visibly changed.
"Master noticed him too?"
"Yes."
Jin Ling nodded.
Wen Zhong immediately understood.
For his own Grandmaster to personally bestow treasures upon Lin Yuan meant that his performance this time was far more than merely decent.
But the battlefield and the tournament ring were ultimately two different things.
On the ring, fellow disciples and elders were watching.
If real danger arose, someone would stop the fight.
On the Shang-Zhou battlefield, Elucidation Sect disciples would not truly stop just because someone shouted, "Senior Brother, wait a moment, I'm out of mana."
Thinking of this, Wen Zhong raised a hand. "You two, go make your preparations first. I have a few words to say to Junior Brother Lin."
The other two selected disciples cupped their hands and withdrew.
Lin Yuan remained where he was.
Wen Zhong looked at him.
"Junior Brother."
"Going down the mountain is not sightseeing."
"The situation throughout the realm is growing more chaotic by the day. West Qi already harbors rebellious intentions, and Elucidation Sect members have appeared repeatedly on West Qi's side. If you come with me this time and encounter a spell battle, no one can guarantee that they will be able to protect you."
"I'll ask you just one question."
"Are you afraid of death?"
Lin Yuan had originally thought Wen Zhong would ask some grand question about the Dao.
Hearing this, he smiled instead.
"I am."
Wen Zhong's brows rose slightly.
That answer was somewhat unexpected.
The young disciples on Golden Turtle Island, especially those who had just made a name for themselves in the sect tournament, all possessed a certain youthful pride.
Wen Zhong had thought Lin Yuan would say something like, "Why should cultivators fear death?"
Instead, this junior brother had answered with remarkable honesty.
Afraid.
Without the slightest mental burden.
"If you're afraid, why go?"
Wen Zhong asked.
Lin Yuan looked at him.
"Being afraid of death and whether I should go are two different matters."
"If I truly run into a situation where death is certain, I'll definitely run. I'll run as fast as I can."
"But some people should not have to die."
"If I can clearly lend them a hand, yet hide behind everyone else because I'm afraid..."
Lin Yuan paused for a moment.
"Then when it's my turn to face a calamity someday, what right would I have to expect my fellow disciples to lend me a hand?"
Wen Zhong's eyes shifted slightly.
But Lin Yuan was thinking of Biyun and Shiji.
Of course, he had a system.
Saving people came with rewards.
There was nothing noble about pretending otherwise.
But after what happened at Chentang Pass, Lin Yuan had also come to understand more clearly that the reason he was willing to remain in the Intercepting Sect was not solely because of system rewards.
When Shiji was in trouble,
he called for help.
Jin Ling truly came.
When he was injured during the sect tournament,
Duobao gave him extra pills.
When he fought well, Tongtian was genuinely willing to bestow treasures upon him.
This sect would suffer a terrible defeat in the future.
The people within it each had their own flaws as well.
But at least for now, these senior brothers and sisters truly treated him well.
Wen Zhong watched Lin Yuan for a while before suddenly smiling.
"I heard that at Chentang Pass, the moment you saw Taiyi being protective of his own, you immediately sent word to Master."
"Now it seems the rumors were true."
"There's no shame in calling for help when you know you can't win."
"Only by staying alive can you fight the next battle."
Lin Yuan immediately felt that this senior brother was very much to his liking.
"Great minds think alike."
Wen Zhong's eye twitched.
"I praise you a little, and you don't hold back at all."
As the two spoke, Jin Ling sent a jade slip floating before Wen Zhong.
"News from West Qi. Take a look first."
Wen Zhong swept it with his divine sense.
The ease on his face quickly vanished.
Standing nearby, Lin Yuan keenly sensed the shift in atmosphere as well.
"Senior Brother, did something happen?"
"More and more Qi Refiners are gathering in West Qi."
Wen Zhong put away the jade slip.
"If it were only a battle between two mortal armies, Great Shang would naturally have nothing to fear."
"The trouble lies with the immortal sects."
"West Qi has the Elucidation Sect behind it."
"Once their disciples begin descending the mountain one after another, the existing Qi Refiners in Great Shang's army will find it difficult to hold them back."
Having said this, Wen Zhong looked toward Jin Ling.
"Master, I intend to first ask several fellow Daoists for assistance."
Jin Ling did not stop him.
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Kowloon Island."
Wen Zhong replied.
"Wang Mo, Yang Sen, Gao Yougan, and Li Xingba—the four fellow Daoists and I go way back, and their combined strength is not weak."
At the mention of those four names,
Lin Yuan's heart immediately began beating faster.
Here they were.
It really was as if he had just mentioned them, and the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island came charging right at him on four mounts.
The Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island.
The four "great cards" he had just ranked in his mind.
And now they had delivered themselves right to his door.
Lin Yuan kept his expression calm on the surface, but his eyes shone a little too brightly.
After finishing the matter at hand, Wen Zhong was just about to lead everyone away when he noticed Lin Yuan was still standing there.
And for some reason, his gaze toward Wen Zhong was unusually fervent.
"Junior Brother?"
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
Lin Yuan hurriedly reined in his expression.
"I just wanted to ask, when are you going to Kowloon Island, Senior Brother?"
"Right away."
Wen Zhong replied strangely.
"Why?"
Lin Yuan stepped forward.
"Senior Brother."
"Take me with you."
Wen Zhong frowned.
"You just agreed to accompany me down the mountain. There is no need for you to follow me around everywhere already. Go back to your residence and pack up. In a few days, you can join the other disciples."
How could Lin Yuan possibly agree to that?
What a joke.
Four Fate Reversal targets were right ahead of him.
And Wen Zhong wanted him to go back and pack his cave dwelling?
What was there to pack in that cave dwelling of his?
There was only a stone bed and two bottles of pills.
Even a thief who broke in would have to tearfully leave behind two spirit stones.
"Senior Brother."
"I have nothing to prepare."
Lin Yuan patted the Qingxuan Sword at his waist.
Then he touched the Thick Earth Sword.
"I'm carrying all my possessions."
Wen Zhong: "..."
This poor?
No wonder Master had just given him both a cultivation technique and a sword.
Wen Zhong thought it over.
Kowloon Island was not part of the actual battlefield.
There was no danger in taking Lin Yuan there to meet a few people.
"Fine."
"Then come with me."
The corners of Lin Yuan's mouth instantly rose.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Jin Ling glanced at him, feeling that Lin Yuan's eagerness was not simply because he admired the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island.
But this boy had always liked making connections with fellow disciples.
That was not a bad thing either.
Wen Zhong bade Jin Ling farewell.
Lin Yuan followed behind him and had only taken a few steps when he suddenly turned back.
"Master."
"This disciple may be gone for some time on this descent from the mountain."
Jin Ling nodded slightly.
"I know."
"Remember what I told you before."
"If you run into something you can't handle, don't force yourself."
"Yes."
Lin Yuan bowed.
Wen Zhong had already summoned his escape light.
Lin Yuan hurried after him.
Two streaks of light left Golden Turtle Island one after the other, racing toward Kowloon Island.
On the way.
Wen Zhong looked back at Lin Yuan's speed.
"Too slow."
Lin Yuan: "..."
That hurt.
Unfortunately, it was also true.
In the earlier sparring match, he had indeed relied on Innate Spiritual Perception to deal with an opponent skilled in escape arts.
The problem was, that had been an arena.
When it came to actual travel.
His escape speed was still a weakness.
Wen Zhong raised a hand and swept it out.
Lightning enveloped Lin Yuan.
The next instant, their speed increased by more than tenfold.
Lin Yuan watched the surrounding sea of clouds blur in an instant and fell silent for a moment.
"Senior Brother."
"When I get the chance, teach me that technique."
Without turning his head, Wen Zhong said,
"First master the Supreme Clarity Immortal Scripture."
"Trying to learn too much will get you nowhere."
Lin Yuan agreed aloud.
But his thoughts had already flown to Kowloon Island.
The system had remained quiet ever since Shiji's death tribulation was settled.
But just as Wen Zhong led him across a boundless sea.
Something deep within his consciousness suddenly trembled.
That familiar notification appeared once more.
[Detected multiple predetermined death-tribulation targets approaching.]
Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed at once.
At the distant point where sea met sky.
Four powerful auras slowly rose from a massive island.
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