Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Back to Yun Ding Peak

After obtaining the South Sea Academy Admission Token, Lin Zhao rested only briefly before leaving the Lin Family at dawn the next morning.

Only after she’d gone did Lin Mang receive news from the You Lan Empire. He handed the message to his wife, the thin slip of spirit-ink seeming heavier than it should.

Yao Yun took the Spirit Message Slip and sighed. “Tell me… were we too harsh on that child, Wen Gui, back then?”

When it came to the broken engagement, both children had been innocent.

If the Lin Family had paid more attention over the years, Wen Gui might not have been framed and crippled. The You Lan Empire wouldn’t have cut off contact with the Lin Family for ten years. They were only restoring ties now because Lin Zhao had helped.

With the You Lan Empire’s financial support, it was good news—stabilizing the Lin Family, strengthening their foundation. At the very least, for the next ten years, the Lin Family’s position among the Noble Houses wouldn’t be in danger.

Lin Mang shook his head. He was moved by what Lin Zhao had done for the clan—and he was also developing a headache over his daughter’s love troubles. “The engagement with Yao Chi Sacred Land still isn’t fully settled. And the Holy Son of Penglai Sacred Land sent word that he has interest in Zhao Zhao.” He hesitated, then offered the message. “Take a look.”

Yao Yun pressed her palms together and refused even to glance at it. “Use the unfinished engagement with Yao Chi Sacred Land as an excuse and decline. Yu Er and Yi Er were taken away by people from another plane because of that so-called dragon soul. I just hope my daughter won’t face more disaster.”

—

Lin Zhao, of course, had no idea that among the four Sacred Lands, there was still a Holy Son who couldn’t forget Nian Nian. Even if she’d known, she would’ve declined without hesitation.

She took out the Heavenlink Mirror Yao Yun had given her before she left.

Heavenlink Mirror was a magic tool cultivators used in the Cultivation World to communicate and share information. Yao Yun had thought Lin Zhao was too young to buy one for her back then. Later, after Lin Zhao went to Yun Ding Peak, Immortal Venerable Yun Ding hadn’t cared enough to provide even that.

Only now did Lin Zhao finally have her own.

After setting up her Heavenlink ID, Lin Zhao entered Heavenlink Plaza.

Messages flooded past in a dazzling stream, nearly blinding her.

And then she saw it—a circle dedicated to “Wang Shu the Immortal Maiden.”

A bad feeling crawled up her spine.

Granny floated beside her, curious, and nudged her spirit power into the circle.

Yun Yi: “Wang Shu the Immortal Maiden is going to the South Sea Academy. I’m going too, to chase my goddess. Goddess, wait for me! I’ll definitely treat you better than the Turtle Wretch Shen did!”

Eight Wastelands I’m the Handsomest: “No mirror, huh? Go piss and look at your reflection. If Wang Shu the Immortal Maiden likes you, that’ll be a miracle. Turtle Wretch Shen at least has looks and a good background—what do you have? I heard from Lin Family insiders that Wang Shu the Immortal Maiden has already reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, so you have no chance! Heh, I’m already at the South Sea Academy. I’m all packed and ready, just waiting for the immortal maiden to arrive!”

Lin Dong Dong: “But the Young Lord didn’t go to the South Sea. She went to Yun Ding Peak.”

Eight Wastelands I’m the Handsomest: “What?!”

Lin Zhao shut the circle at once and let out a long breath.

Granny teased, “Didn’t expect you to be so popular. Looks like the broken engagement didn’t hurt you much.”

Lin Zhao smiled bitterly. “That’s only among kids. Among the higher-ups of the Heavenly Phoenix Continent, I don’t have much face at all.”

Granny nodded. “Good. You can see that far. The face you lost can only be taken back by you.”

It took three days to reach Yun Ding Peak. When Lin Zhao finally arrived and saw the familiar mountains, the familiar cloud banks, the familiar path carved into stone, her gaze sharpened little by little.

Back then, she and the Lin Family had fled down this mountain in disgrace because of Immortal Venerable Yun Ding and Chen Luo Luo.

Today, she had come to take something back.

The Ten Thousand Swords Sect disciples didn’t stop her. The seven peaks had never gotten along. The other six peak masters had long disliked Immortal Venerable Yun Ding, and as long as Lin Zhao didn’t disgrace the sect itself, they were more than happy to watch Yun Ding Peak’s drama unfold.

So Lin Zhao entered easily and reached the foot of Yun Ding Peak.

The disciples guarding the mountain gate had already learned from Heavenlink Mirror that she was coming. They exchanged uneasy glances.

Lin Zhao only acted strange around Chen Luo Luo’s group. Toward ordinary disciples, she had always been decent. She never threw her weight around as a personal disciple, and she had guided many of them in cultivation.

On Yun Ding Peak alone, at least half the disciples had benefited from her help. Her influence among the lowest ranks was stronger than Immortal Venerable Yun Ding’s.

Lin Zhao looked at the two boys and sighed. “Little An, Little Ning—you’ve both reached Foundation Establishment.”

The two bowed. “Senior Sister, we hope you’re well.”

Lin Zhao shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her mouth. “I’m not your Senior Sister anymore.”

The boys’ faces tightened. Pain showed plainly in their eyes, the kind that couldn’t be hidden.

“You can’t stop me,” Lin Zhao said. “And I have no intention of making things hard for you. Step aside.”

They hesitated, then slowly opened a path.

As Lin Zhao walked past, they spoke again, voices low but steady. “On Yun Ding Peak, among the 864 disciples at Foundation Establishment and below, 451 plan to join other peak masters tomorrow—including us. Senior Sister… those who cultivate the Dao are not people who forget favors.”

Something warm and sharp twisted in Lin Zhao’s chest.

She understood. Immortal Venerable Yun Ding had encouraged a culture of worshiping the strong and trampling the weak. Yet this… this was real.

“I know Ao Lai Peak’s senior disciple, Xiao Le Le,” Lin Zhao said. She tossed them a Spirit Message Slip. “If you’re lost, go find her. Show her this. She’ll understand.”

Back then, Ao Lai Peak’s peak master had wanted to take Lin Zhao as a disciple too, but Lin Zhao had been forced under Immortal Venerable Yun Ding with no freedom to choose.

Lin Zhao climbed the mountain path.

The rows of disciples lining the way looked almost like an escort. She passed through them like a blade moving through a corridor of eyes, and her thoughts settled into something quiet and cold.

“Today,” she murmured, “Chen Luo Luo and I finally settle this.”

At the summit, a black-haired youth appeared before her. Lin Zhao’s hand tightened on her Bone Sword without thinking.

“Old bastard Yun Ding!”

Then she saw the faint shimmer around him.

Not a real body.

A projection.

“Lin Zhao,” the projection said, calm and cold, “don’t think that joining the South Sea Academy lets you act however you want. Luo Luo holds three parts of Phoenix Fortune. In the end, you will never be her match.”

Lin Zhao’s laugh was sharp. “Phoenix Fortune you stole?”

The projection’s gaze turned disdainful. “I’ve said all I can. If you want to die, then come.”

Lin Zhao narrowed her eyes.

Yun Ding was actually letting her in.

Was he… going to let her and Chen Luo Luo fight it out?

Knowing Yun Ding, the answer was obvious. He didn’t want two. He wanted one.

Lin Zhao pushed the thought down and leaped upward. She followed memory through winding paths and familiar stones until she reached Chen Luo Luo’s cave dwelling.

“Chen Luo Luo,” Lin Zhao called, voice cutting through the air, “get out here.”

A breeze stirred. Sunlight cast sharp shadows across the mountain, outlining Lin Zhao’s brows and eyes while leaving the rest of her face in cool darkness.

At the cave entrance, a pale-yellow figure appeared.

Chen Luo Luo descended gracefully on Sword Flight, holding the hand of a delicate, doll-like little boy. Her aura rolled outward like a tide.

Lin Zhao felt danger instantly.

“Enlightenment?” She stared, disbelieving.

With Chen Luo Luo’s lazy cultivation and resource-swallowing, how could she reach Enlightenment so quickly?

Granny’s voice sounded in Lin Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness, calm and knowing. “Spiritual Empowerment Infusion. Someone’s extremely pure spirit qi pushed her up. Lucky… and foolish.”

Infusing a junior with spirit qi wasn’t rare, but it demanded purity and patience. Turning one’s own spirit qi into something another could absorb was inefficient, and the results were never guaranteed.

That was why few did it.

And if the recipient’s talent was poor, at best it could push them into Enlightenment—while cutting off their future growth.

Only then did Lin Zhao’s breathing steady.

Chen Luo Luo smiled, contempt dripping from her gaze. “Senior Sister… are you here to deliver the final part of Phoenix Fortune?”