C387 The Heroic Spirit Reappeared!

Lin Mu was radiant with energy, and as he spoke, it seemed as if the flora within the entire Keep resonated with his presence.

Wisps of green aura, imbued with a strange power that could invigorate the heart, nourish the flesh, and soothe the soul, wafted from the mansion in Asvetaesi, from the street corners, and from the courtyards of many ancient homes.

The corner of Lin Mu's mouth curled into a sinister and fierce smile, his eyes blazing with arrogance.

He was thoroughly pleased with himself!

For decades, Qin Yun of the Midnightshields, a former heavyweight of the Crimson Sun Empire, had joined the Sunfire Emperor in numerous invasions of the Silvermoon Empire.

On several occasions, during clashes in the Moonfall Sanctuary, Qin Yun had bested and shamed him.

At that time, Lin Mu was admittedly not Qin Yun's equal in either realm or status.

The Crimson Sun Empire was more formidable than the Silvermoon Empire, and the Midnightshields more powerful than his own Lin family. No matter how hard Lin Mu strived, he could never outpace Qin Yun and reclaim his dignity.

Who could have imagined that Qin Yun would one day have a falling out with the Crimson Sun Empire, lose the Sunfire Emperor's trust, and end up here, far from home?

Now, without the backing of the Sunfire Emperor and the Midnightshields, and with his Lunar Spirit weakened, Qin Yun's combat prowess had plummeted, and Lin Mu no longer saw him as a threat. Yet, Qin Yun still had the audacity to defend Yu Yuan.

With this thought, Lin Mu's spirits soared even higher, and he longed to bellow triumphantly and deal a crushing blow to Qin Yun.

After all, what problem could there be in slaying him?

The spiritual energy of the vegetation, drawn from all around, obeyed Lin Mu's spell, infusing the thorny branches with a piercing green glow as they targeted Qin Yun's chest, neck, and lower elixir field.

He also executed another sophisticated spell, launching a soul assault that infiltrated Qin Yun's mud pellet acupoint.

At the onset of the Lunar Spirit Stage, a cultivator's combat often escalated to a Soul Battle!

A Lunar Spirit's duel, where Soul Power and Spirit Magic clashed, could decisively turn the tide of the conflict.

Physical prowess was no longer the sole benchmark of strength!

"Hu!"

Wisps of green light drifted from the nape of Qin Yun's neck, coalescing into clusters of green clouds.

After dedicating a century to gathering more than ten types of fine gold and flames, and refining them with his vitality, the Dawn Arrows, nurtured by his remnant soul and Spirit Magic, now resided within those green clouds.

Yet, of the original five arrows—lacking both bow and bowstrings—only three remained usable.

With a sizzling sound, one Dawn Arrow ignited with a green flame, transforming into a green talisman that shot out from the top of Qin Yun's head.

In the space between Qin Yun and Lin Mu, another Dawn Arrow morphed into a flurry of green butterflies, their wings shimmering brilliantly as they darted among the thorny branches.

Crack!

One by one, the sharp, sturdy branches snapped, breaking into a spray of light particles.

Qin Yun chuckled softly.

Another Dawn Arrow emerged from the Profound Gate's little world within his chest. As it appeared, the hearts of all those present pounded wildly.

It was as though an ancient deity was furiously pounding a massive drum, the sound thundering in their ears.

This tiny Dawn Arrow turned a deep crimson as it flew towards Lin Mu, resembling a volcano erupting with vitality. The overwhelming surge of life force caused Lin Mu to grunt in discomfort, his middle elixir field acupoints throbbing with pain.

"Come forth!"

The third Dawn Arrow silently left Qin Yun's brow, where the mud pellet acupoint lay.

Accompanying it was Qin Yun's Lunar Spirit—a venerable scholar with grey-white hair, dressed in a long robe, his face etched with the wisdom of ages, and his demeanor as meticulous as that of a lifelong academic.

This Lunar Spirit swiftly fused with the third Dawn Arrow.

In an instant, the third Dawn Arrow seemed to be imbued with a soul and life, vanishing from sight before the onlookers.

The next moment, those attuned to the Subtlety and Lunar Spirit realms witnessed a verdant soul tree above Lin Mu's head, its leaves and branches suddenly withering away.

A streak of green light flashed deep within Lin Mu's eyes, seemingly the vanished third Dawn Arrow, which had reached his mud pellet acupoint in an enigmatic fashion.

Simultaneously, a swarm of green butterflies gracefully adhered to Lin Mu's midsection.

Lin Mu's figure was suddenly sent flying backward, slamming heavily into the solid rock walls of the hall.

The sound of bones shattering echoed, "crack, crack, crack," as the Lin family's sole Lunar Spirit cultivator bled profusely from his mouth and nose, unable to staunch the flow.

The three Dawn Arrows were Qin Yun's lifeblood, each meticulously forged and constantly nourished with spiritual energy, vitality, and Soul Power, day and night without rest.

The Dawn Arrows were of at least heavenly tier, crafted by Qin Yun when he was still the trusted sect master of Midnightshields, using the sect's resources.

The three Dawn Arrows that struck Lin Mu had exhausted their spiritual energy, transforming into green flame butterflies, their vitality coalescing like a boiling volcano, and their remnant souls merging into a soul-obliterating lightning strike.

Even as a late-stage Lunar Spirit, Lin Mu was grievously wounded by a single encounter with the three Dawn Arrows.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Su Kui, Su Kang, and Van Xuan quickly positioned themselves beside the severely injured Lin Mu, eyeing Qin Yun as if preparing for a formidable adversary.

The three Dawn Arrows returned to hover behind Qin Yun's head, forming three green clouds akin to a trio of blossoms at the crown.

Inside the hall, Yu Cen and Zhao Zhenghao exchanged a look, both registering the astonishment in the other's gaze.

Qin Yun, contrary to Lin Mu's claims, was not gravely wounded, nor had his cultivation and combat prowess diminished.

Why, then, was he still so formidable?

They had heard tales of Qin Yun's fearsome reputation in his earlier years, known as a prodigious cultivator of the Crimson Sun Empire before the rise of High Oracle Zhou Cangmin.

Though contemporaries of Qin Yun, the disparity in their levels of cultivation was vast, and they had never had the opportunity to spar with him.

Thus, they revered Qin Yun's renowned name but were unaware of the true extent of his cultivation and combat abilities.

When Lin Mu arrogantly proclaimed that Qin Yun had weakened and sought to teach him a lesson, both had assumed Qin Yun would suffer a setback.

But the outcome...

Su Xiangtian and Yuan Lianyao were equally taken aback, finding the turn of events astonishing.

Having had previous encounters with Qin Yun, they knew he was no ordinary man. They even believed that despite any damage to his Lunar Spirit or a drop in his combat strength, Qin Yun would not easily fall in his clash with Lin Mu.

Both parties felt they were on equal footing.

Yet Lin Mu, having barely unleashed his masterful spell and not even at full strength, suffered a crushing defeat.

How could Qin Yun be so overpoweringly strong?

Among the onlookers, only Yu Yuan had unwavering faith in Qin Yun.

Back in the Moonfall Sanctuary, using the Soulforge Matrix and the sword spirit's sword spell to coerce Qin Yun, Yu Yuan had come to understand his formidable power.

Indeed, Qin Yun's Lunar Spirit had been compromised, and he had been gravely wounded and captured by the Binders of Shadows in the Crimson Sun Empire.

But Yu Yuan had witnessed Qin Yun's might in the forbidden area and deeply respected it!

Qin Yun had faced adversaries like the Star-Spawned Terror and the Stormcrowned Emperor, using the Soulforge Matrix himself!

Qin Yun's capture by the Binders of Shadows was also due to the severe injuries he had already sustained.

At his peak, Qin Yun was a force to be reckoned with!

"You, you..."

Lin Mu, now severely wounded, trembled at the sight of Qin Yun's serene demeanor, as if he were once again facing the formidable figure who had dominated his peers.

It was as if his nightmares were resurfacing.

Su Kui, Su Kang, and Van Xuan, with furrowed brows, were left to ponder in discomfort.

Qin Yun's prowess had stunned them, deterring them from making another move.

"I differ from you," Qin Yun said with a smile. "You are stuck at the Lunar Spirit level, unable to find a breakthrough to the Spirit Walk. You lack the capacity to advance. But I have long been at the pinnacle of the Lunar Spirit! I'm always ready to break through to the Spirit Walk."

"I haven't advanced because I'm aiming higher. I intend to refine the five Dawn Arrows to perfection."

"I want to build up my strength so that when I step into the Spirit Walk realm in the future, I'll have the opportunity to strive for the Solar Spirit. That's why, even though I could have advanced, I chose to hold back."

"I'm simply not on the same level as you. Even with my Lunar Spirit injured and two Dawn Arrows lost, I am beyond your measure."

Qin Yun's indomitable spirit resurfaced.

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