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When Lin Zhong revealed his terrifying Heaven Ascension cultivation, the ambushers immediately retreated without hesitation.

Lin Xun could not help but feel somewhat disappointed.

He had genuinely wanted to see how powerful the famed White Casanova Shen Jinglun was. After all, he was the man who had taken third place in the national exam sixty years ago and whose name had once shaken the entire Forbidden City.

Lin Zhong did not give chase, seemingly worried that they were trying to lure him away.

When he returned, the silver spear had disappeared, and he had returned to his hunched and honest-looking appearance.

Lin Xun opened his mouth to ask something but was stopped by Lin Zhong. “Young Master, this old servant will tell you the reason when there’s a chance in the future.”

Lin Xun did not give up. “Uncle Zhong, will you act if I ask you to in the future?”

Lin Zhong sighed and displayed a bitter smile. “Young Master, my job is to protect you. I will move when I have to.”

He paused slightly before he said in a low voice, “Of course, I will not attack anyone from the Lin Clan. That’s what I promised master all those years ago.”

Lin Xun looked deeply at Lin Zhong and smiled. “That’s enough.”

After returning to Mind Cleansing Peak, Lin Xun passed Spirit Vulture the thirty thousand gold coins, putting him in charge of this small fortune.

Lin Xun climbed to the summit alone and sat on a protruding rock on the cliff's edge.

The bright moon hung above a sea of clouds as it bathed the surroundings in its soft glow. The mountain breeze blew past and gently shook the old pines along the cliff, creating a breezy, rustling noise that could only be described as nature’s sound.

Lin Xun was dressed in moon-white clothes with his black hair casually tied behind his head. His handsome, defined face appeared exceptionally serene under the moonlight.

In another twenty plus days, he would personally head to the North Light Lin Clan and have a duel with the genius disciple Lin Xuefeng.

By then, the other party would be at the Spirit Sea stage.

The difference between them was evident. Although Lin Xun’s cultivation had reached the Heaven Dipper stage, an entire greater cultivation stage separated him from his opponent.

It was a single step but the gap was as wide as heaven and earth.

Lin Xun had exchanged blows with Chi Cangfeng before and thus understood how powerful the Spirit Sea stage was.

However, the duel was already set in stone, and Lin Xun could not lose!

Hence, he could only channel all of his focus onto raising his strength and preparing for the duel to the best of his abilities.

Lin Xun was lost in thought as he sat alone on the peaceful cliff. In the end, he let out a carefree laugh, took out a jar of liquor, and began drinking.

……

From that day, Lin Xun would spend all his time on the summit alone.

In the morning, he would observe the sea of clouds. At night, he would hug the rose-colored clouds to sleep.

At times, he would practice his blade techniques on old trees, boulders, and the waterfall, his dancing blade flowing like water and drifting clouds amidst the howling wind.

Later on, he would sit alone while holding his blade like an unmoving cicada as he observed the stars in the sky, the rising sea of clouds, and the rivers meandering down the mountain.

Such sessions would often stretch across several days. Lin Xun would be lost in a strange, dazed, and muddleheaded state while ignoring the cold, the heat, and the cycle of day and night. He didn’t even take shelter from the wind and rain.

He would at times become still and dignified like a buddha statue, blending with the world around him as he meditated upon the mysteries of heaven and earth.

This was cultivation.

It was the act of abandoning unnecessary thoughts, cutting off the worries of society, merging oneself with nature, tempering the heart, or achieving inner peace.

It was to behold the beauty of the world, the variables of time, the unpredictability of the wind, the randomness of the clouds, the flow of light and space, the trajectory of fireflies, the gorgeous brilliance of the morning rays…

It was to feel the wonders of the universe that encompassed all matter!

It was to merge the mind and body with the earth!

It was to hear the birth of dao from nothingness!

The Heaven Dipper stage sought to understand the grandness of the world and the scriptures of the heavens.

It was to seek a sound the ear cannot hear and a form the eye cannot see.

It was to seek the most beautiful sound and the most elegant form.

Time flowed as Lin Xun continued his solitary life like an existence that had cut himself off from the world.

He would meditate, practice the blade, observe the land and sky, have a happy drinking session, or sometimes blankly stare off into space.

His hair gradually grew longer, turning him shaggy and unkempt. The marks of hardship slowly took root on him, making him appear less like a youth but instead more like a man in dire straits who had experienced the many ups and downs of life.

Throughout this period, Lin Xun remained undisturbed by anyone or any matter.

However, Lin Zhong, Xiaoke, and Spirit Vulture were observing Lin Xun in secret.

From the first day, they already knew that Lin Xun was cultivating or, to be more precise, he was comprehending the dao!

Walk the path of dao and not the path of the commons. It was a concept that was both deep and mysterious. When a cultivator reached a certain level, the cultivator would begin to shift focus from the internal to the external. They would start to seek a deeper understanding of the world around them and comprehend the power of nature.

For example, the dao Lin Xun was trying to understand at the Heaven Dipper stage was the essence of the world around him. Only by truly comprehending the changes of the world around him would he be able to control the wind and clouds and gain the powerful ability of flight when he advanced to the Spirit Sea stage.

Xiaoke was worried that Lin Xun was rushing to advance his cultivation but would instead become stuck due to his haste.

After all, they knew that Lin Xun would have to soon fight a Spirit Sea expert and it was unavoidable for them to worry that the pressure was getting to him.

Spirit Vulture was also worried in the beginning, but after silently observing for a few days, he was certain that Lin Xun had not succumbed to the pressure.

In fact, Spirit Vulture suspected that Lin Xun had already forgotten about everything else and entered a deeper state of immersion.

Lin Zhong also gave his view, believing that even if Lin Xun failed to advance to the Spirit Sea stage, his cultivation would surely progress by leaps and bounds.

Regardless, the fact that nothing had gone wrong during Lin Xun’s cultivation made them secretly breathe sighs of relief.

The pressure on Lin Xun was huge, and the burdens he carried were heavy. Sometimes, they would feel that they would not be able to do any better even if they took Lin Xun’s place.

Time passed, and there were soon only three days left before the appointment with the North Light Lin Clan. However, Lin Xun’s cultivation session showed no signs of coming to an end.

Several big things happened in the Forbidden City during this period.

Stone Cauldrons Alms held an auction that drew everyone’s attention. The auctioned items were all rare and precious treasures that were fiercely fought over by numerous top factions.

It was rumored that after the auction was over, the total value of the treasures hit an astronomical price that would make anyone go crazy!

The success of the auction also elevated Stone Cauldron Alms’ reputation to the next level, making them begin to appear unmatched among their rivals.

The most interesting part was that the auction had been entirely managed and organized by Fortune God Shi’s third son, Shi Yu.

This greatly increased his influence in Stone Cauldron Alms, and many people began to think more highly of him.

Besides this, Little Sword Lord Xie Yutang and Yinian from Fullmoon Kingdom had their duel in Qinglu Academy.

The end result was a draw!

The young monk, Yinian, instantly became the focus of the city, causing his name to spread far and wide.

As for Little Sword Lord Xiao Yutang, his reputation did not suffer but instead grew as well after the battle because his cultivation advanced to the next stage. The news caused quite a commotion, and countless people gasped in amazement.

Of course, none of these events were as sensational as the national exam, especially because it was truly a gathering of powerful experts this year.

When the appointed time arrived, several thousand younger generation cultivators began a series of spectacular duels.

When it finally ended, only a hundred cultivators had passed and became the victors of this year’s national exam.

First place was awarded to Song Yi, a young heaven pride from the Song Clan of the seven high clans.

Second place was Chi Cangfeng, who was also from the Chi Clan of the seven high clans.

Third place was Bai Lingxi, Marquis Jinghai’s granddaughter, whose prestigious status was no less than Song Yi and Chi Changfeng.

All top three spots were monopolized by the descendants of the empire’s noble class, a result that made many people sigh. The noble clans continued to prosper because their wealth, power, and influence had indeed reached unimaginable heights.

There were a number of people who talked about Lin Xun, believing it was a waste for the southwest provincial exam champion to have missed out this year.

However, such talk was limited to the minority while the majority was still more concerned about the top three.

It was said that when the exam ended, the top three and several other passers had not only been summoned to meet the great emperor but were also received by people from Qinglu Academy after they left the royal palace!

This was an unbelievably rare honor.

Qinglu Academy was the empire’s number one academy and a supreme power that had nurtured countless talents for the empire.

Despite all this, Qinglu Academy had reached out to scout Song Yi, Chi Changfeng, and Bai Lingxi. It was a treatment that many people were deeply envious of.

Of course, Lin Xun remained unaware of all this.

The day before the North Light Lin Clan appointment, Lin Zhong could not help but approach the summit again.

Like always, Lin Xun was seated on a boulder protruding from the cliff, his thin figure silent and lonely like a tree.

His body was covered in leaves and dust, his unkempt long hair and beard hanging from his head. A haggard aura seemed to spread from his brows, making him look like someone who was down on his luck.

“Should I wake the Young Master up?”

Lin Zhong hesitated.

The duel with Lin Xuefeng was tomorrow. If Lin Xun continued to cultivate, he would definitely miss the appointment.

In turn, this would hamper the progress in resolving the clan’s internal problems.

Most importantly, the North Light Lin Clan was currently not overly resistant toward Lin Xun like the other three branch clans.

If Lin Xun missed this chance, the consequences would be troubling to say the least.

Rumble!

A strong, indescribable aura suddenly surged out and rapidly swirled around Lin Xun.

Eh?

Lin Zhong’s heart shook. Lin Xun had opened his eyes at some unknown time. A stormy vortex seemed to churn in his deep and black eyes as they shone with an intimidating and harsh light.

He was like an unparalleled sword that had been tempered thousands of times and was finally emerging from the fire!