C28 Leaving

Lin Xuan stepped out of the bedroom and immediately noticed a tall figure in the courtyard.

It was Lin Qiyuan.

"Greetings, Third Elder!" Lin Xuan quickly approached, a touch of embarrassment in his voice.

But Lin Qiyuan's face bore a grave look.

A sense of unease gripped Lin Xuan's heart.

He pressed on, "Please be assured, my feelings for Shiyun are genuine. I will never disappoint her!"

"To think Shiyun would do so much for you..." Lin Qiyuan's voice was heavy with seriousness as he sighed.

What could this mean? Lin Xuan felt a pang of confusion.

"As long as Shiyun is happy, I certainly won't stand in your way. But my approval doesn't matter," Lin Qiyuan added, his words tinged with melancholy.

Lin Xuan's confusion deepened.

He glanced around.

"There's no need to search. Shiyun has already left," Lin Qiyuan informed him.

"She's gone?" Lin Xuan was bewildered.

"She's left both Green Jade City and Cangyuan Country," Lin Qiyuan's voice came again, shattering the last sliver of hope in Lin Xuan's heart.

"Why?" Lin Xuan's urgency surged.

Just yesterday, he and Lin Shiyun had solidified their relationship. Why would she leave today?

Lin Qiyuan let out a sigh before continuing, "I expected as much from you. Have a seat, let's talk it over."

Lin Xuan settled onto a nearby stone bench.

Lin Qiyuan began his tale.

He had been just an ordinary disciple of the Lin Family in Green Jade City, with no prospects of becoming the patriarch and unwilling to harm his brother, so he left.

Years went by.

Lin Qiyuan achieved a breakthrough to the Qi Transformation Stage.

On one adventure, he came across a severely injured woman.

Her beauty was striking, and Lin Qiyuan was captivated from the first glance.

He brought her home to nurse her back to health.

Before long, they fell in love and had a daughter, Lin Shiyun.

But then, a formidable martial artist appeared at their doorstep.

It was only then that the woman revealed to Lin Qiyuan that she was the Holy Maiden. She had been gravely wounded in a conflict with another Holy Maiden and had fled through a spatial rift to their world.

Having been discovered, she could no longer keep her secret. She instructed Lin Qiyuan to return with their daughter to Green Jade City.

She went back to the influential power she belonged to, determined to secure a future for her daughter.

She promised to send for her daughter on her sixteenth birthday.

So, Lin Qiyuan took Lin Shiyun back to the Lin Family in Green Jade City and raised her himself.

Years slipped by, and even Lin Qiyuan began to believe it had all been a dream.

However, this morning, as Lin Shiyun turned sixteen, her mother truly sent someone to fetch her, without a single word about Lin Qiyuan.

The envoy was immensely powerful, having torn through the Void to arrive.

Moreover, as the emissary of Lin Shiyun's mother, Lin Qiyuan found himself unable to intervene, nor did he have any reason to. Thus, he allowed the envoy to take Lin Shiyun away.

He had barely finished recounting the events when a heavy silence fell.

A wave of sorrow permeated the air.

"I knew it, I'm just too weak!" Lin Xuan thought, fists clenched.

If only he were stronger, he would never have let Lin Shiyun be taken. It didn't matter to him if the person was her mother or not.

His power was insufficient. He hadn't even been aware of the moment Lin Shiyun was taken.

"Third Elder, please tell me the name of that powerful nation. And what level of cultivation is required for me to bring Shiyun back?" Lin Xuan asked Lin Qiyuan in a somber tone.

Despite his anger, he remained rational.

He wasn't in a position to challenge this individual yet.

But he wouldn't let them off the hook.

Just because he couldn't act now didn't mean he wouldn't be able to in the future.

"Once you've reached the Martial King Stage, come to me. I'll tell you everything then," Lin Qiyuan replied, moved by Lin Xuan's resolve.

"Understood! I will achieve the Martial King Stage! Thank you for sharing this with me," Lin Xuan said, taking a deep breath and bowing respectfully.

He had never heard of the Martial King Stage, so its power was unknown to him. Yet, he was confident he could achieve it, thanks to the system he possessed, which made such challenges surmountable. After bidding farewell to Lin Qiyuan, Lin Xuan gathered his belongings and strode away from the Lin Family, heading towards the City Lord's Mansion.

With Lin Shiyun gone, there was nothing left in the Lin Family or Green Jade City to hold his affection. His priority was to elevate his cultivation to the Martial King Stage, a feat he knew he couldn't accomplish if he remained in Green Jade City. His path would inevitably lead him to the Drifting Cloud Sect.

Far more formidable than Green Jade City, the Drifting Cloud Sect wielded control over twelve major counties, including Qingyu County, and stood as one of the four great sects of Cangyuan Country. Even the Cangyuan Country's royal family could only stand on equal footing with these sects, not above them.

He soon reached the outskirts of the City Lord's Mansion. Zhao Quxin, Zhang Wenyong, and other influential figures had also gathered there. They congregated in the open space outside, and Lin Xuan's arrival drew many eyes. Several people considered approaching him, but his icy demeanor deterred them from extending greetings.

Not far off, a massive black condor, over ten meters tall, commanded attention.

"Demonic Beast: Black Feathered Eagle."

"Grade: High-grade Rank 4."

"Talent: High-grade Bloodline Talent, Substandard Strength Talent, Low-grade Speed Talent, Middle Grade Violent Wind Attribute Talent."

Lin Xuan's eyes scanned the creature, and the attribute panel for the Black Feathered Eagle materialized before him. He was taken aback; he hadn't expected to access a Demonic Beast's attribute panel. This feature could indeed serve as a useful alert.

Time passed, and as eight o'clock arrived, everyone except Lin Shiyun had assembled.

"We should head out," Zhao Quxin announced, gesturing for the group to approach the Black Feathered Eagle. He made no further comment on Lin Shiyun's absence, clearly already apprised of the situation.

Although the rest were baffled, they held their tongues since Zhao Quxin hadn't brought up the matter.

The Black Feathered Eagle dipped slightly, and Zhao Quxin, with the nine others in tow, climbed onto its back.

"Blacky, time to head back."

Zhao Quxin gave the Black Feathered Eagle's back a gentle pat.

In an instant, the majestic bird took flight.

As the onlookers from Green Jade City watched, the group swiftly vanished from sight.

With heavy hearts, the crowd dispersed.

The Black Feathered Eagle's wings spanned an impressive twenty meters.

Zhao Quxin, Lin Xuan, and the rest settled cross-legged on its broad back, enjoying the ample space.

Sensing Lin Xuan's sour mood, everyone, including Zhao Quxin, refrained from disturbing him.

"1000 energy points expended. Replication successful. You have acquired the [Middle-Grade Violent Wind Attribute Talent]."

"500 energy points expended. Replication successful. You have acquired the [Low-Grade Speed Talent]."