C2 Counterattack!

In the blink of an eye, another month had slipped away.

On this particular day, the Great Barbarian City was abuzz with its grand annual event, the Meeting of Three Mansions. Within the city walls, three prominent Martial Cultivator families held sway—the Mu Mansion, Su Mansion, and Lee Mansion. They reigned over the lands for a hundred miles around and held the fates of hundreds of thousands in their hands.

The Meeting of Three Mansions, a collaborative affair among the three families, was a time to deliberate on the governance of the Great Barbarian City, to allocate resources fairly, to smooth over conflicts, and even to amend laws.

Nestled in the remote southern reaches of Star Moon Country, the Great Barbarian City was left to its own devices, with the royal family opting not to administer it directly. Thus, the three families were the pillars of order in the city.

For the Mu Mansion, today was of significant importance. Servants scurried about, their hands full, while the occasional haughty young master or miss in lavish attire strutted by.

For six years running, the Mu Mansion had played host to the Meeting of Three Mansions, a testament to their unrivaled strength among the families.

"The President of the All States Chamber of Commerce has arrived, presenting the Mu Mansion with a Purple Exquisite Pendant!"

"The Vice Leader of the Sharp Sword Mercenary Group is here, bringing with him three Level One Beast Cores!"

The who's who of the Great Barbarian City had gathered. Within half an hour, the Reception Hall was nearly at capacity, with the Mu Mansion's Elders greeting each arrival with warm smiles.

Meanwhile, as the Meeting of Three Mansions commenced within the Mu Mansion, a young man in ragged attire stood atop a cliff. His limbs bore a network of scratches, some fresh and bleeding, others crusted over with scabs. Fastened to his chest was a copper piece no larger than a fingernail cap.

This was Chu Lin.

"I'm back," he declared, gazing at the Mu Mansion, his eyes alight with unwavering resolve and confidence.

Chu Lin himself had scarcely believed he would emerge alive from the recent calamity.

A month prior, he had stumbled upon a spring whose waters, rich in Spiritual Energy, had miraculously mended his shattered bones and veins. Further investigation led him to the Broken Copper wedged in the rock crevice, the source of the spring's power.

"This spring, transformed by the Broken Copper, has become a Spiritual Spring—a treasure indeed."

Chu Lin adjusted his collar to conceal the Broken Copper. Having been unable to cultivate, he had devoted himself to study, amassing knowledge far beyond his peers. He understood the value of the Spiritual Spring, which not only quenched hunger but also provided Spiritual Energy that was gentle and readily absorbed, requiring no refinement. For a fledgling cultivator, it was more precious than any pill.

With the Broken Copper, Chu Lin had access to an inexhaustible Spiritual Spring, absorbing daily an amount of Spiritual Energy that dwarfed that of other warriors.

In all of Great Barbarian City, none could match the boundless Spiritual Energy at his disposal.

Over the month, a pale golden Martial Crystal had formed in Chu Lin's Spirit Sea, and his body and veins had strengthened significantly under the Spiritual Spring's nourishment.

Possessing a Martial Crystal signified Chu Lin's entry into the Body Tempering Stage, the first rung on the ladder of cultivation, which ascended from Body Tempering to Spirit Martial, Black Tortoise, Earth Martial, Celestial Martial, and culminated in the Undead Stage, each divided into nine levels.

"Mu Rui, would you ever have imagined I'd reach Body Tempering Level Two? I will personally restore my father's memorial tablet to its rightful place."

Chu Lin's heart ached as he recalled his father's status within the Mu Mansion, lower even than that of a servant. With renewed determination, he hastened toward the Mu Mansion.

Having attained Body Tempering Level Two, Chu Lin's very aura had transformed.

Upon arriving at the Mu Mansion, he was met with cold stares from guards and servants alike. Accustomed to their disdain, Chu Lin paid them no mind and retreated to his room to change. He then made his way to the Reception Hall.

The Meeting of Three Mansions was underway, and tradition held that afterward, the family head, Mu Hee, would lead guests to the ancestral hall to offer incense. It was then that Chu Lin, with his modest standing, would inevitably become the subject of whispered gossip.

Mu Hee seemed to relish the spectacle of Chu Tian's disgrace, and as Chu Tian's son, Chu Lin was subjected to the mockery of his peers each year on this day.

The root of it all lay with Mu Hee, the Mu Mansion's patriarch. Clenching his fists, Chu Lin felt a surge of hatred. With age, he had begun to piece together clues, suspecting there was more to his father's death than met the eye.

As he set out, a gray-clad figure walked ahead—a servant of the Mu Mansion, exuding an air of opportunism.

When this individual encountered the disciples of Mu Mansion, he would bow with deference and lavish them with praise. Yet, as he passed by Chu Lin, he stepped back and blocked his path.

"Isn't this the renowned Young Master Chu? You seem to be in quite a hurry. Is it because you're headed to the Reception Hall?" Chu Lin was abruptly met with a mocking sneer. A figure loomed before him, gazing down with disdain.

It seemed that for a lowly servant, a sense of worth could only be mustered in the presence of Chu Lin, who was scorned by all.

"What is it that you want?" Chu Lin asked, his brow furrowed yet his tone remaining even.

Chu Lin recognized the man before him as Liu San, Mu Rui's henchman.

Liu San was always irked by Chu Lin's composed demeanor. Therefore, he took every opportunity to ridicule him. With a scornful laugh, Liu San taunted, "The esteemed guests in the Reception Hall are of high standing, and they'll soon head to the ancestral hall. Chu Lin, your presence there would only invite ridicule."

"Have you finished? If so, step aside!" Chu Lin's response was curt. He had no time to waste on this underling.

Liu San involuntarily retreated under Chu Lin's icy stare, but he quickly caught himself, his eyes flashing with malice.

Narrowing his eyes, Liu San spat out venomously, "Do you still fancy yourself the young master? You're nothing but unwelcome refuse, a wretch unfit to bear the name of Mu Mansion! Why not pay homage at your father's spirit tablet instead?"

Chu Lin's response was a swift slap, silencing Liu San's biting words. A glacial intent to kill flickered in Chu Lin's eyes. He would not tolerate any insult to his father. Liu San had clearly crossed the line.

"Should this happen again, I'll end you," Chu Lin stated coldly. Without another word, he made his way to the Reception Hall.

In a world that held martial prowess in the highest regard, the common man garnered no respect. No longer the cultivation-incapable outcast he once was, Chu Lin was determined to live freely. He would not be commanded by a mere servant.

Time passed, and Chu Lin had vanished down the corridor. It was then that Liu San bellowed, "Chu Lin, Young Master Rui won't let this slide!"

In his mind, Chu Lin resolved, "I'm going to give Mu Rui's lapdog a thrashing he won't forget."