2025-10-10 20:39:41Morning unfurled fully across Qingyang Town, and with it came the murmurs.
By the time the sun touched the marketplace roofs, word had spread like smoke: something had shaken the western ridge a burst of light, a flare of power no one could explain. Some said it was a rogue cultivator testing forbidden arts. Others whispered that the Lin Clan had unearthed an ancient treasure. But beneath all those rumors lay the same trembling curiosity: the balance between clans might be shifting again. At the Lin estate’s training yard, the younger disciples were restless. Wooden swords clacked, laughter rang too loud, and every conversation circled back to the same question. “Did you hear? They say a spirit beast was born out there.” “Nonsense. I heard it was the Lei Clan trying to probe our borders again.” “No, my cousin said a talisman lit up in the woods” The chatter died the moment Lin Langtian stepped into the yard. Tall, calm, and unbearably composed, Langtian was everything Lin Dong wasn’t the clan’s prodigy, already a first-level Yuan Dan stage cultivator at seventeen. His robes barely stirred as he walked; the air seemed to bend around him. He looked over the group once, eyes cool. “If you have time to gossip, you have time to train,” he said, his voice low and cutting. Instant silence. Langtian’s gaze swept the horizon for a moment — toward the western ridge and something flickered behind his eyes. Curiosity. Or perhaps… warning. He turned away without another word. But as he passed through the courtyard arch, he murmured quietly to his companion, Lin Ke’er: “If there was a surge, we’ll know soon enough. And if it came from within the clan… the elders won’t tolerate it unsupervised.” Ke’er nodded softly, her delicate features shadowed by concern. “You think it’s an outsider?” Langtian didn’t answer. His fingers flexed absently feeling, beneath the calm, a faint ripple of energy still hanging in the air. Elsewhere, in a quieter courtyard surrounded by peach trees, Lin Dong sat cross-legged. The morning wind brushed his hair as sunlight spilled over the small table beside him a simple meal, untouched. The mark on his palm pulsed faintly, like it was alive beneath the skin. He couldn’t stop staring at it. “If I can control it,” he whispered to himself, “I can change everything.” He remembered his father’s bowed figure in the clan hall, the whispers about their “fallen branch,” the sneers. He could still hear Langtian’s voice from months ago,calm, cold, absolute: “Power decides worth, cousin. Without it, you’re dust beneath our feet.” A soft thud pulled him back. Qingtan appeared at the gate, breathless. “Brother! Father’s been summoned to the council chamber. They said the patriarch demands answers.” Lin Dong’s blood went cold. “Answers about what?” “About… what happened this morning.” At that same moment, inside the ancestral hall, Lin Xiao stood before the gathered elders. The air was thick with incense and scrutiny. Zhentian’s gaze rested on him. sharp, unyielding. “Lin Xiao,” the patriarch said, “the disturbance began near your territory. I trust you have nothing to hide?” Lin Xiao bowed, fists clasped tight. “Father, I swear I know nothing. Perhaps it was a passing cultivator, or—” “Enough excuses.” Elder Lin Mu cut in, voice rough as stone. “We all felt the fluctuation. That wasn’t the work of a passerby. If something dangerous is festering within our lands, it must be found.” Zhentian’s gaze darkened. “Send scouts. Search the western ridge. I want the truth before nightfall.” Lin Xiao hesitated, pulse pounding. Because he already knew the truth and it was no beast. It was his son.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter thirty-five: The BloodWood Grove
The Wilderlands stretched endlessly before Lin Dong — a scarred expanse of wild growth, desolation, and mist. The air was thick with ancient energy, heavy enough to make the lungs ache. He had been walking for hours, following the faint pull of the Spirit Talisman, the heirloom his father had left him. Its faint glow led him onward through cracked stone and whispering grass until the land itself seemed to bleed into shadow. Before him loomed the Bloodwood Grove — a forest not touched by time, but fed by it. The trees rose like titans, their bark deep crimson as if they had drunk centuries of blood. The canopy hung low and oppressive, veiling the stars. A faint red mist coiled between the roots, luminous and alive. Every breath Lin Dong drew carried a taste of iron, decay, and something older — something divine that had gone wrong. He paused at the treeline. Even the wind seemed to hesitate there. “So this is where it begins…” he murmured. For days now, he had been chasing whisper
Chapter thirty-four: The Cloaked Challenge
The forest air was still — unnaturally still. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. Lin Dong’s pulse thudded in his ears as the cloaked figure stepped into the clearing. The man’s robes were tattered but bore faint traces of an old sect insignia, long faded and half-burned away. His aura was heavy — not wild like a beast’s, but sharp, deliberate, honed from years of fighting and surviving without rules. Li Yan’s bow creaked softly as she drew it back. “That’s no mere wanderer,” she whispered. “His energy… it’s unstable. He’s a fallen cultivator.” The man tilted his head, his voice deep and cold. “Dao Sect disciples in the Wilderlands?” he asked with a mocking grin. “You’re far from your master’s protection, boy. Hand over your Spirit Seal and I might let you crawl away.” Lin Dong’s expression hardened. “You talk too much.” The rogue chuckled, then vanished. A blur of motion sliced through the clearing. Lin Dong barely twisted aside as a curved blade slashed the air where he’d
Chapter thirty-three: Beyond the Mountains
The morning sun cut through the mist that hung over the Dao Sect like a veil of silver. Lin Dong stood atop a ridge, gazing down at the sprawling forests and jagged cliffs that stretched beyond the mountains. The Dao Sect lay behind him, silent and majestic, its towers glinting in the light. Ahead, the world awaited — untamed, wild, and dangerous. Li Yan walked beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Beyond these mountains,” she said softly, “lies the Wilderlands. Beasts, bandits, and rogue cultivators roam freely. Even someone of your skill must remain vigilant.” Lin Dong tightened his grip on the jade blade, golden light of the Spirit Seal pulsing faintly against his chest. “I’ve grown stronger,” he said quietly. “The Seal, the trials… they’ve prepared me. But I know the path ahead will be harder. I have to keep rising… or I won’t survive.” The first stretch of the Wilderlands was deceptive. Lush greenery covered the hills, the sound of distant waterfalls and birdsong masking
Chapter thirty-two: The Sect’s Hidden Trial
The Dao Sect courtyard had quieted after the Martial Assessment. Students returned to their practice, the echoes of strikes and energy dissipating into the mountains. Yet Lin Dong felt an unease in the air, a subtle pulse that tugged at his senses. Master Ling Xuan approached, his expression inscrutable. “You have passed the assessment,” he said. “But there is one final trial — hidden from ordinary disciples. Only those who demonstrate potential to rise above the rest are granted this challenge.” Lin Dong’s chest tightened. He had survived the Stone Circle, the Trial of the Elements, and the Martial Assessment… but Master Ling Xuan’s words carried weight. “What must I do?” he asked. “Follow me,” the Master said. They walked through a narrow corridor that descended into the depths of the Dao Sect. The air grew cooler, damp, and charged with faint energy. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long shadows that danced like spirits. Lin Dong felt the Seal respond, golden light pu
Chapter thirty-one: The Dao’s Sect Martial Assessment
The sun hung high above the Dao Sect courtyard, casting long shadows across polished stone and glistening ponds. The atmosphere vibrated with anticipation, as dozens of disciples gathered, eyes sharp and bodies tense. Today was the Martial Assessment — a test of combat skill, agility, and tactical acumen. For Lin Dong, it was not merely a trial; it was a stage to measure how far he had risen from the weak boy who once stumbled through Yan City. Master Ling Xuan’s gaze swept across the courtyard. “Today, you will spar not with beasts, but with equals,” he announced. “The trials you’ve completed have shown mastery of the Seal and the elements. Now, we will see how you apply them in combat.” Disciples stepped forward, their stances radiating energy. Some wielded swords with lightning speed, others channeled elemental forces through their fists. Every motion shimmered with cultivated energy, precise and fluid. Lin Dong’s chest pulsed with the golden light of the Spirit Seal, his hands g
Chapter thirty: Trial of the Elements
Beyond the Stone Circle of Balance, a wide arena opened, carved into the mountainside, surrounded by jagged cliffs and swirling mists. At its center floated nine elemental pillars, each radiating raw energy: fire that seared the eyes, water that churned with an unnatural depth, wind that tore at the ground, earth that shifted beneath one’s feet, and more — a full spectrum of elemental forces that seemed alive.Master Ling Xuan’s voice carried across the arena:“The Trial of the Elements will test your adaptability, speed, and control. Each pillar will unleash its power against you. One misstep, one hesitation… and you will be expelled from the Dao Sect.”Lin Dong stepped forward, jade blade in hand. His chest pulsed with the Spirit Seal, golden light coiling across his skin like liquid fire. He had survived Yan City, the mountain beast, and the Stone Circle. But this — this was different. Each pillar radiated energies beyond anything he had felt. The air around him shimmered with dang
You may also like
The Overpowered Grass Magician
Shame_less00743.6K viewsAgainst Heaven'S Destiny
Djisamsoe 27.6K viewsTHE FUTURE IS BEHIND.
Jaydee14.8K viewsThe Tribrid
Author Wonder18.1K viewsDeath of an Arrogant Prick; I Reincarnated as a Skeleton?
GREAT1.9K viewsKilling Grimm; Graveyard of Gods
Swirling inc1.6K viewsKey To The New World
Marie Mer2.2K viewsSilent Circle: The Vow of an Heir
ansus67733 views