A Promise and a Deal

Seventh Master Lin's cry of "My family's people!" echoed in the fog.

The tall, thin Soul Saint of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion froze at his waist. His face was pale, and his cheeks were clenched tightly.

Lei Qingyue didn't even glance at them again.

The old man turned around, his gaze falling on Lin Xiao, pausing for five breaths. His eyes were complex, scrutinizing, weighing, and filled with barely suppressed astonishment.

Lin Xiao stood ramrod straight and didn't flinch.

His Soul Power was at level thirty-six, flowing smoothly and seamlessly without any stagnation. Lei Qingyue could clearly sense that smoothness even from a distance of ten feet—it was unlike any Soul Power fluctuation he had ever seen from any other member of the Lin Clan. It was wilder and more vibrant.

The old man took a deep breath.

"... You've won." His voice deepened, revealing a hint of weariness. "Xiao'er, I will no longer stand in your way."

Lin Xiao's pupils contracted slightly.

Lu Yuan didn't speak, and he stopped tapping his thigh lightly with his index finger.

Lei Qingyue changed the subject, glancing at the three from the Hundred Refinements Pavilion: "As for the grudges... I can intervene and have them leave for now."

The tall, thin Soul Saint's expression grew even more grim.

"But the condition is," Lei Qingyue stared at Lu Yuan, enunciating each word clearly, "That you must give me a copy of your research notes."

Lin Xiao suddenly turned his head.

Lu Yuan's face remained expressionless.

"Furthermore," Lei Qingyue added, turning his gaze back to Lin Xiao, "Xiao'er still needs to return to the family with me—not to confine him, but to formally inform the family of his choice and resolve any subsequent troubles. For example," he glanced in the direction of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion, "His connection with the Hundred Refinements Pavilion."

His words were perfectly watertight.

Lin Xiao pressed his tongue against his canine teeth, looked at Lu Yuan, and asked in his eyes.

Lu Yuan's mind raced.

Trading partial knowledge for security, and Lin Xiao's return to his family for "legal freedom." It sounds like a deal, but in reality, Lei Qingyue is controlling the pace—the old man wants both face and substance.

But there's no other choice right now.

In the mist, the silhouette of the Qingzhu stirred. The bamboo staff tapped the ground, and several vines silently retreated underground. The old man didn't speak, his posture making it clear: The matter outside is for you to discuss yourselves.

The three from the Hundred Refinements Pavilion were still standing there, the outline of the Soul Tool at the Soul Saint's waist faintly visible.

Lu Yuan finally spoke.

"I can provide a copy of the notes," he said calmly, "But it only includes basic theories and the general analytical framework for Martial Soul Mutation. Core derivations and unverified conjectures will not be included."

Lei Qingyue frowned. "Kid, do you think I'm a beggar?"

"What you need, senior, is the mold of the ' Key,' not the ' Key ' itself." Lu Yuan met his gaze. "Given the mold, you can see the approach and verify the direction. But to truly create a ' Key ' suitable for the Lin Clan, you still need your own people to adjust it according to the specific circumstances of the Lin Clan."

That's absolutely true.

Lei Qingyue stared at him for a long while, then snorted, "Continue."

"As for Lin Xiao returning to the family..." Lu Yuan paused, "... that's fine. But a timeframe needs to be agreed upon, and I need to ensure he can leave at any time."

"Time limit?"

"Three months," Lu Yuan said. "If he wants to leave after three months, the family will not stop him."

"Insolence!" Lei Qingyue roared, "How dare you leave the Lin Clan so easily?!"

Lin Xiao suddenly smiled.

The laughter was soft, tinged with mockery. "Seventh Grandpa, am I still considered a ' Lin Clan member'? I've abandoned the family's cultivation techniques, changed my Soul Power path, and my Martial Soul... you've seen it too, it now recognizes my own path."

He paused, his amber vertical pupils gleaming in the dim light. "You just said you wouldn't block my path anymore. Does that still stand?"

Lei Qingyue was speechless.

The old man's face was etched with deep nasolabial folds, his chest heaved twice, and finally he let out a heavy sigh.

"... Fine." His voice held a hint of helplessness. "It's your decision. If he wants to leave in three months, the family won't stop him."

The fog seemed to have lifted a little.

Lu Yuan's anxiety eased slightly. But he didn't let his guard down— Lei Qingyue's compromise was too quick; something was wrong.

Sure enough, the old man turned to the tall, thin Soul Saint of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion, his tone hardening again. "Did you hear me? I'm taking him away. I'll relay the message to the Hundred Refinements Pavilion myself. He must not be touched again for three months."

The tall, thin Soul Saint's face was ashen. "Elder Lei, this is against the rules! This man killed my Hundred Refinements Pavilion's steward and robbed my goods, how can this be..."

"Rules?" Lei Qingyue interrupted him, his eyes turning cold. "Are the rules of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion more important than the face of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

The tall, thin Soul Saint choked.

Lei Qingyue took a step forward, his Soul Power surging silently, with faint crackling Lightning echoing in the air. "Go back and tell Jin Laowu that I, Lei Qingyue, am protecting him. Three months from now, you can settle accounts however you like, but during these three months—" He paused, his voice lowering even further, "Anyone who touches him is touching the Lei Clan."

These words carry significant weight.

Cold sweat beaded on the forehead of the tall, thin Soul Saint. He stared intently at Lei Qingyue, then glanced at the figure of Qingzhu in the mist, and finally gritted his teeth, squeezing out a single word. "... Fine."

He waved his hand, and the two Soul King behind him, as if granted a pardon, quickly retreated.

The three figures disappeared into the mist.

The crisis has been temporarily averted.

But Lu Yuan's unease only intensified. There was clearly some tacit understanding between Lei Qingyue and the Hundred Refinements Pavilion —or to put it more bluntly, an exchange of interests. The old man traded Lin Xiao's three months of "safety" for the Hundred Refinements Pavilion's temporary concession, and also for Lu Yuan's research notes.

Lei Qingyue didn't lose out on this deal.

"Seventh Grandpa," Lin Xiao suddenly spoke up, "You agreed so readily, are those old fogies in the family up to something again?"

Lei Qingyue glared at him. "You have no manners!"

But he did not deny it.

The old man was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "The commotion you've caused this time is too great. You broke through three levels of Soul Power, eradicated the stagnation, and even came up with this... unorthodox approach. The old fogies in the family can't sit still anymore."

Lin Xiao scoffed, "Are you afraid that my unorthodox methods might actually make a name for me and prove them wrong?"

"Xiao'er," Lei Qingyue's tone turned serious, "The family has its own considerations. Whether your path will bring fortune or misfortune to the Lin Clan remains to be seen. But for now, you should go back, clarify things, and clear your name. This will benefit you, and you, your 'guide'..." He glanced at Lu Yuan, "... it will be beneficial for everyone."

There's a hidden meaning in those words.

Lu Yuan understood. Lei Qingyue was reminding him, and also warning him: the Lin Clan's attitude towards Lin Xiao's "mutation" was complicated. Some wanted to control him, some wanted to use him, and some... might want to destroy him.

Going back is a statement of stance, and also a sign of taking sides.

Lin Xiao clearly understood. He paused for a few seconds, then licked his canine teeth. "Alright, I'll go back with you. But only for three months."

"Three months." Lei Qingyue nodded, then turned to Lu Yuan, "When can I have the notes?"

"Before leaving the valley," Lu Yuan said, "I need time to sort things out."

"Alright." Lei Qingyue gave him a deep look. "Kid, I admire your courage and intelligence. But there are some things I need to say first—your theory is too shocking. If it gets out, it will cause a lot of trouble."

Lu Yuan didn't reply.

He certainly knew that knowledge was both Key and a source of trouble.

"Let's go." Lei Qingyue turned and walked out of the mist. "We'll leave the valley before dawn. I'll thank Senior Qingzhu myself."

Lin Xiao looked at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan nodded slightly.

The two followed. As they passed through the maze of vines, the figure of Qingzhu became clear for a moment in the mist. The old man, leaning on his bamboo cane, nodded slightly to them.

In that look, there was a reminder, and also a farewell.

As we emerged from the valley, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. The morning mist was thin, and birdsong gradually rose.

Lei Qingyue walked ahead, his back straight, but his pace was slower than before. The old man suddenly spoke, his voice low but clear enough to reach Lu Yuan's ears:

"Young man, I will carefully examine your theory. If it truly works... the Lin Clan might have another path forward."

Lu Yuan paused in his tracks.

Lei Qingyue didn't turn around, and continued, "But this road is not easy. Protect yourself, and protect Xiao'er. Three months later, if he still wants to go with you... I won't stop him."

That was abrupt.

Lu Yuan looked up at the old man's back, his hair as white as needles, and suddenly understood.

Lei Qingyue is not compromising.

He was placing a bet.

Using Lin Xiao's three months of freedom, the Hundred Refinements Pavilion's temporary concession, and an incomplete copy of the notes, they gambled on a potentially existing, entirely new path.

This old man is much smarter than he looks.

Lin Xiao clearly understood as well. He turned his head to look at Lu Yuan, his amber vertical pupils narrowing in the morning light, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

That smile held both relief and anticipation.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the gradually brightening sky ahead.

The crisis has been temporarily averted, but the real trouble may have just begun.

The Hundred Refinements Pavilion will not let this go easily. There are undercurrents within the Lin Clan. Once Lei Qingyue takes his theory back, no one can say for sure how much trouble it will cause.

And the exposed locations in Qingzhu Valley, those lurking scouts...

The next game has already begun.

But this time, what he held in his hands was no longer just Trash Martial Soul and half-level Soul Power.

They had the confidence to back up their theory with successful validation, the living example of Lin Xiao breaking through constraints, and Lei Qingyue's subtle "investment."

The road ahead is long.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath of the cool morning air, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the side of his leg.

It looks like they're doing calculations.

Ahead, Seventh Master Lin's figure gradually disappeared into the morning mist. Lin Xiao followed beside him, occasionally glancing back.

Lu Yuan followed.

It's almost dawn.