Hogg's secluded cultivation in the clan's secret chamber lasted three full days.
When the chamber's stone slab was pushed open from within once more, the Hogg who emerged seemed an entirely different man.
His back, once slightly stooped from lingering injuries and toil, stood perfectly straight, and even his frame seemed more imposing. The gloom and exhaustion that had hung over his features for years had vanished, replaced by a sharp, vigorous spirit. His eyes were deeper and brighter, with a faint gleam flowing through them as he opened and closed them. When he looked around, he carried a subtle air of authority without anger-the presence of someone truly powerful.
The most obvious change was his aura. Though Hogg deliberately restrained it, Lin Yinuo could clearly sense that the Dragonblood Factor within his father, once as feeble as sparks, had now grown into a vigorously burning flame! His Battle Qi cultivation had leaped straight from the peak of a sixth-level warrior, breaking through the seventh-level barrier and settling firmly at the early stage of an eighth-level warrior!
His lingering injuries were gone, his bloodline revived, and his strength had soared!
"Father!" Sensing the powerful aura that inspired both reassurance and awe, Linley rushed toward his father in delighted surprise.
Hogg scooped his younger son into his arms, his face alight with a freer smile than ever before. His voice rang out, "My good boy! I'm fine! Better than ever!"
He looked at Lin Yinuo, who stood quietly to one side with a smile. His gaze was complicated, filled with gratitude, relief, and a trace of indescribable awe at his eldest son's almost prophetic abilities. He knew that without Yinuo's guidance, he might never have found this chamber in his entire life, much less gained the power to change his fate.
"Yinuo." Hogg set Linley down and walked over to Lin Yinuo, pressing his large hand firmly onto his shoulder. His tone was utterly solemn. "The Baruch Clan has been reborn because of you!"
Lin Yinuo shook his head slightly and said modestly, "It was your years of unwavering perseverance that moved our ancestors' spirits, Father. I merely happened to be there."
Father has successfully awakened his bloodline and reached the eighth level. The clan now has a true pillar of support. Next, it's time to expand the clan's influence beyond this place. Wushan Town is too small.
Hogg laughed heartily and said no more. Some things only needed to be kept in his heart. Feeling the power surging within him and his completely renewed body, he was filled with a heroic ambition he had not felt in years.
"Lina will certainly be astonished when she sees me now." Anticipation shone in Hogg's eyes, then his expression turned serious. "But before that, the clan's affairs need to be reorganized. Increasing our strength is fundamental, but the clan's revival cannot depend on me alone."
He looked at Lin Yinuo questioningly. "Yinuo, what do you think?" Without realizing it, he had already come to regard his eldest son as a decision-maker with whom he could discuss the clan's future as an equal.
Lin Yinuo already had a plan in mind. He spoke calmly. "Your tremendous increase in strength is the greatest blessing for the clan, Father. Our immediate priority is for you to stabilize your cultivation, then gradually reveal your strength to restore the Baruch Clan's prestige. Wushan Town's defenses can be strengthened further to attract more promising young people to our side. At the same time, you can begin making contact with higher circles, such as... certain nobles and military figures in Fenlai City."
He paused before continuing, "Linley and I will also work hard to improve ourselves at the academy. The academy itself is a vast network of connections. Linley in particular has outstanding talent and a tenacious character. He will surely become another pillar of the clan in the future."
Hogg nodded repeatedly as he listened. Lin Yinuo's thinking was clear and far-reaching, nothing like that of a child.
"Good! We'll do as you say!" Hogg was brimming with confidence. "I'll go put the town's affairs in order right away and give your mother a surprise when she returns! As for Fenlai City..." A sharp gleam flashed through his eyes. "It's time certain people remembered the name Baruch."
Just as the Baruch Clan was being revitalized by Hogg's transformation, and undercurrents began flowing toward a wider world, Lin Yinuo also welcomed the check-in he had long awaited.
Rather than choosing the ancestral residence in Wushan Town, he went beneath the Ancient Locust Tree outside town, where he had first gained affinity with all elements. This place marked the beginning of his destiny, and perhaps it could bring him a special reward.
"Check in."
[Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations, host, on checking in beneath the [Ancient Locust Tree], where your destiny began. A special resonance has been triggered. Rewards obtained: [Art of War] and [Simplified Magic Cannon Blueprint (Type I)]!]
A vast amount of information instantly flooded his mind! [Art of War] contained knowledge covering every aspect of basic military training, formation deployment, terrain utilization, logistical support, and even psychological maneuvering. Though only elementary, its concepts and approaches far surpassed this era! Meanwhile, [Simplified Magic Cannon Blueprint (Type I)] detailed the manufacturing methods for a ranged weapon powered by magicite, with a relatively simple structure but enough firepower to threaten warriors and mages below the seventh level. It included the core energy-conversion magic array and the material requirements for the cannon's body!
The Art of War? Magic cannons? Is the system... pushing me toward becoming a warlord? Combined with the commercial intelligence network Ailina was already building...
He immediately thought of the war between the O'Brien Empire and the Luo'ao Empire that would soon erupt in the original story. That war was a crisis, but also an enormous opportunity! It was Linley's chance to make a name for himself early on, and it could likewise become a springboard for Lin Yinuo to step onto a greater stage!
It seems I can't be content with merely protecting them from behind the scenes. This coming war may be the best opportunity for Lin Yinuo to establish his own power and obtain the title of "Imperial Bulwark"! Magic cannons and tactics ahead of their time will be his greatest assets.
He stood beneath the Ancient Locust Tree, his gaze seeming to pierce through space to a distant future battlefield. The fires of war raged everywhere, and with the knowledge and power in his hands, he would stir the tides within it.
The clan's internal dangers had been eliminated by Hogg's rise, while external opportunities emerged with the approach of war. Lin Yinuo knew he could no longer remain confined to the academy and this little corner of the world in Wushan Town.
He needed greater personal strength, and he also needed to begin positioning his pieces in advance for the coming age of turmoil.
An invisible pressure and drive lingered in his heart at the same time.
The wind rose from Wushan Town and would eventually blow across a wider world. And Lin Yinuo was already prepared to spread his wings into it.
Before you continue