Chapter 47

Chapter 47: First Arrival at the South Sea

Back in her courtyard, Lin Zhao turned her parents’ words over in her mind.

She didn’t rest.

She sat, steadied her breathing, and began circulating Phoenix Pulse Art.

The spiritual power she had gained from Chen Luo Luo filled her body, pressing against the edge of breakthrough.

Foundation Establishment Great Perfection might be impressive among the younger generation of the Noble Houses, the Three Sects, and the four Sacred Lands.

But among new students at the South Sea Academy, it wouldn’t be enough to command respect.

Lin Zhao suppressed the urge to break through immediately. She wanted to use the evolution of Phoenix Pulse Art—and the power her brother left behind—to leap straight into the Enlightenment realm.

As the stolen Phoenix Fortune fused fully with her own, the faint blue aura around Lin Zhao deepened, thread by thread, into a clearer, richer blue.

It didn’t feel like her spirit qi was simply increasing.

It felt like spirit qi was nourishing her—remaking her, bone by bone, into something sharper.

When all of her spiritual power had turned blue, the change finally settled.

Night had deepened.

Lin Zhao opened her eyes and couldn’t hold back her delight.

“It evolved into a Sixth Grade cultivation art.”

A Fourth Grade cultivation art and a Sixth Grade cultivation art were worlds apart. At least until she reached Nascent Soul, she wouldn’t have to fear her spirit qi draining too fast in battle.

Now, with a Sixth Grade cultivation art supporting her, Lin Zhao was eager to see how far the absorbed power could push her.

She closed her eyes again and guided the force into her inner core.

As the power fused, the dragon-shaped jade pendant at her neck swayed slightly. A golden light rose from it and sank into her skin.

The transformation lasted nearly half a day.

By noon the next day, Lin Zhao finally opened her eyes.

Her pupils constricted.

She had stepped straight into the first level of Enlightenment.

Normally, after reaching Foundation Establishment, you couldn’t simply jump into Enlightenment. You had to pass through the Tempering Stage—refining your inner core, building spirit qi, and learning to control the inner glow freely.

Talented cultivators might spend months in Tempering Stage. Slower ones could take decades.

The Chen Luo Luo she’d fought was newly in Enlightenment, not even stable at the first level. If she had been, Lin Zhao’s victory would have been far more difficult.

As for Lin Yuan, he hadn’t truly counted at all—only forcibly pushed up with outside help, gaining scraps of Enlightenment methods.

Now Lin Zhao felt the difference in her bones.

One punch from her current self could shatter her former self.

“That’s because your body was already strong,” Granny said in her Sea of Consciousness. “Your inner core was tempered long ago.”

Granny’s tone sharpened with anticipation. “Now that you’ve entered Enlightenment, your physique should rise again. I know the South Sea Academy well. In the New Student Grand Tournament, the top ten can choose rewards. There’s one that suits you.”

Lin Zhao smiled helplessly. “Master, you’re too confident. At first level Enlightenment, I’m only average among the new students.”

“Granny knows,” Granny said sweetly, which meant something cruel was coming. “That’s why during the tournament, Granny will train you hard.”

Even Lin Zhao shivered.

But eagerness burned brighter than dread.

She had gotten her spot through Noble Houses influence. Across the continent, people were waiting to see the Phoenix Maiden become a joke.

If she wanted respect, there was only one way.

Grow stronger.

She stepped outside and saw Su Bai waiting. Lin Zhao waved. “Goodbye, Little Bai.”

Su Bai blinked. “Aren’t you going to say goodbye to the clan? They all want to see you off.”

“If I go,” Lin Zhao said, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave.”

She lifted a hand to block the harsh sunlight and smiled back at him. “Little Bai, cultivate well. Maybe one day your family will find you.”

Bone Sword slid free. Lin Zhao stepped onto it and flew away on Sword Flight.

Su Bai watched the blue figure recede into the distance. He lowered his eyes and whispered, not quite to anyone, “Little Bai hasn’t had a family for a long time.”

—

To avoid drawing attention, Lin Zhao maintained Disguise Art. After seven days and seven nights—taking a spirit boat partway—she finally reached South City on the far shore from the island where the South Sea Academy stood.

It was the day before registration.

Exhaustion weighed down her limbs until her eyes burned.

Lin Zhao found a nearby inn, rented a room, and was about to collapse into sleep—

When a rough voice carried up from the lobby.

“We fought like hell in the assessments to earn a spot at the South Sea Academy, but those Noble Houses disciples can get in with nothing but a recommendation letter.” A burly man with a face full of meat stomped in with his companions, grumbling. “Fine, for other Noble Houses disciples, whatever. But what is that Lin Zhao? A piece of trash thrown away by Holy Son Shen on her wedding day, and she still gets to enter the South Sea Academy!”

He had three men and one woman with him. A youth said cautiously, “Brother Chen, watch your mouth. She also earned that spot through the Lin Family’s internal tournament.”

Chen De Le sneered. “Lin Family is a fallen Noble House. Their Clan Grand Tournament champion was only at the eleventh layer of Foundation Establishment—it’s hilarious! In my opinion, Lin Family should’ve been kicked out of the Noble Houses long ago. All they do is make people laugh!”

The woman frowned. “Immortal Maiden Wang Shu went back up Yun Ding Peak and defeated Chen Luo Luo, who entered the Enlightenment realm. Ten Thousand Swords Sect covered up whatever happened afterward, so no one knows the details. But a fellow daoist in the sect told me this: even though she’s in Foundation Establishment, when she erupts, she’s not weaker than some Enlightenment cultivators stuck in Tempering Stage.”

Chen De Le’s face twisted.

Because he was exactly an Enlightenment cultivator stuck in Tempering Stage.

“That Chen Luo Luo is a useless glutton who steals other people’s resources,” he spat. “Her cultivation is hollow. What’s impressive about beating her? If that trash fought me, I’d make her beg under my crotch in three moves.”

The youth and the woman frowned. The other two men laughed in agreement.

The other guests in the lobby saw the South Sea Academy admission marks on them and didn’t dare speak.

Chen De Le touched the ugly scar on his face—earned fighting for his spot. Jealousy burned hotter.

“If that trash had any shame, she’d kneel and beg Holy Son Shen, then obediently become a man’s toy. Heaven’s Chosen Phoenix Maiden? Bah! She can only act tough in a garbage clan like Lin Family.”

“Then what kind of garbage pit did a dead dog like you crawl out of?”

A maiden walked down the stairs.

Her face looked plain under Disguise Art, but her air was cool and moonlike. Even with exhaustion in her eyes, her gaze was bright—sharp as a blade as it pinned Chen De Le in place.

People sighed, thinking she was just another supporter of Immortal Maiden Wang Shu stepping forward to defend her.

These days, Lin Zhao’s reputation in South City had been dragged through mud. People argued about her constantly.

But the ones who hated Lin Zhao were either new students about to enter the South Sea Academy or rejected candidates hoping to try again through the New Student Grand Tournament. Their strength and background made them dangerous.

Most defenders ended up badly.

No one knew how this girl would end up.

Chen De Le’s face darkened. “Bitch, you want to die?”

The maiden was, of course, Lin Zhao.

She was exhausted and had wanted to ignore him.

But after that last line, she couldn’t.

“You dare insult Lin Family,” Lin Zhao said quietly. “Who do you think you are?”