C21 The Major Event in the Capital!

On the elevated platform, the second elder exhaled deeply, a weight lifting from his heart. The three elders beside him also released sighs of relief.

"It's truly a Great Purity Cultivator..." Liu Linxiang whispered, his gaze fixed on the young man standing with his hands behind his back, the atmosphere around them growing quiet.

"Hong Yuyu, you have cheated in the examination. In accordance with the academy's rules, you are hereby expelled and barred from reentry!" the great elder announced with authority.

A hush fell over the field. Hong Yuyu's punishment was just; he had brought it upon himself, and no one felt sympathy for him. Instead, the crowd's interest was more keenly focused on Lin Xi. They wondered what extraordinary experiences he must have had in the Dark Void Abyss to have his cultivation advance so dramatically.

"The examination will continue!" the great elder stated calmly, his eyes settling on Lin Xi, confident in his assessment.

Lin Xi's gaze swept leisurely over the field, causing anyone who met his dark eyes to shy away.

His eyes briefly passed over Princess Jinger, who had been intently watching him. Turning to address the group of unqualified tribespeople, Lin Xi asked with a light smile, "Does anyone else wish to challenge me?"

The previously astonished youths quickly clamped their mouths shut, feigning deep contemplation, with none daring to step forward as the next one to face defeat.

Observing the young boys' feigned ignorance, Lin Xi shrugged nonchalantly and walked away.

Lu Hao, sitting beside Lin Xi, spoke softly, "Young Master Lin, you command such respect now. They certainly didn't regard you this way before..."

"That was in the past... They used to see me as nothing more than a wastrel. But it doesn't really matter to me," Lin Xi replied with a bashful grin, though inwardly he was quite pleased. Back on Earth, he seldom encountered such reverence from others, and now he understood the true value of power.

Princess Jinger inwardly scoffed with disdain. Her meticulously crafted plan had crumbled to dust, and she seethed with anger. "So, Lin Xi has reached Great Purity," she thought bitterly. "But he's just a Great Purity Cultivator. I have countless ways to deal with him. I'll let the examination go for now. Within the academy, I'll have ample opportunity to get my revenge."

Unbeknownst to Lin Xi, he had been blacklisted by Princess Jinger, and a relentless barrage of schemes awaited him.

"Lin Xi may not even be worthy to be my rival," Liu Linxiang mused to himself, his gaze drifting away.

After Hong Yuyu's failed attempt to challenge Lin Xi, no one else dared to step forward. The unqualified clansmen had to seek other targets, and after several bouts, only three individuals managed to leverage their adept techniques and a dash of luck to best their opponents and qualify.

As the field settled, the great elder rose and declared the end of the Profound Examination. "Today, the noble class's Profound Examination at the College concludes with satisfactory results. In three days, the Theory Examination will commence. Students, please prepare accordingly and strive for excellence. This session is now adjourned," he announced, and the elders departed.

Before leaving, the second elder covertly flashed Lin Xi two fingers in encouragement, to which Lin Xi responded with a smile.

As Lin Xi was about to leave, a sweet-scented breeze caught his attention, and he looked up to find Su Yan approaching.

"Lin Xi, congratulations," Su Yan greeted him with a smile.

"Miss Su, were you looking for me?" Lin Xi asked, nodding slowly.

"You promised to take me on an adventure; have you forgotten?" Su Yan inquired gently.

"I haven't forgotten, Miss Su. When the time comes, I will surely take you on that adventure," Lin Xi assured her, recalling their time in the Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion.

"By the way, Miss Su, here are two petals of the Pure Fragrance Flower for you to keep," he said, discreetly producing the petals from his Storage Ring. These were the ones he had saved before consuming the flower.

Su Yan blushed slightly, her demure charm shining through. "You were right about the Pure Fragrance Flower being in the Ancient Vast Mountain," Lin Xi said, feeling a surge of emotion.

Su Yan gasped, her eyes wide with astonishment. She hadn't expected her information to be accurate, and yet Lin Xi had risked his life to prove it.

"Here, take this... I promised to take you on an adventure. Surely, you're not too scared to accept this, are you? Later on, don't say I never gave you anything good," Lin Xi said gently, noticing Lu Hao approaching with an important matter to discuss.

"Who says I'm scared? I've never been afraid of anyone!" Su Yan snatched the Pure Fragrance Flower from Lin Xi's hand with gusto.

"Academy Theory Examination!" Su Yan beamed at Lin Xi, lighting up his world. She seemed to him like a flower in full bloom, presenting a scene of stunning beauty that momentarily captivated him.

Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Young Master Lin, do you know that female student?" Lu Hao inquired with a knowing look.

"Yes, we met at the Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion," Lin Xi replied, still unaware of who was behind him. He waited for Su Yan to walk away before turning around, only to find himself smeared with grease.

"Lu... Hao, I completely forgot about you. You mentioned there was something very important happening in the Celestial Enlightment Empire that you needed to tell me. Go ahead and spill it," Lin Xi said, his tone shifting. He was aware of Lu Hao's curiosity about his interaction with Su Yan and his penchant for gossip. Lin Xi knew all too well that Lu Hao might blow things out of proportion, which wouldn't be good for Su Yan. He was also mindful of Princess Jinger's watchful eye on him and the potential schemes she could concoct. The current situation alone was enough to make Lin Xi anxious.

"Look, Young Master Lin, I won't spill the beans about you and Su Yan. The recent events in the Celestial Enlightment Empire were quite alarming. Let's head back to the dorm first, and I'll fill you in on everything there," Lu Hao assured him, proving himself a true friend by quickly grasping Lin Xi's concerns.

"Excellent, let's head to the dorm," Lin Xi said, giving Lu Hao a reassuring pat on the shoulder. His exchange with Su Yan had been brief, and it was only in the anonymity of the crowd that he had managed to approach her and discreetly hand her the Pure Fragrance Flower. Even if someone had noticed, they wouldn't have any reason to be suspicious.

The sports field slowly emptied as Lu Hao led Lin Xi to the student apartments and into his dorm room.

A faint sound echoed, and Lin Xi was greeted by a purple glow darting towards his chest, enveloping him in a Profound Beast Aura.

"A Purple Ripple Lion cub?" Lin Xi attempted to push away the purple shadow but was met with a familiar and affectionate presence.

"Young Master Lin, you may not realize it, but you saved the Purple Ripple Lion cub. It's extremely grateful to you and has grown more attached to you than to me, its former master," Lu Hao remarked with a hint of nostalgia.

"I see. Lu Hao, make sure you take good care of the Purple Ripple Lion cub from now on. We can't afford to have it fall into the wrong hands again; it could pose a real threat," Lin Xi advised.

"Don't worry, Young Master Lin. I'll keep a close eye on the Purple Ripple Lion cub. It won't get away," Lu Hao assured him, his voice filled with affection.

"That's reassuring!" Lin Xi could feel the cub's strong attachment to him.

"Lu Hao, recount to me everything that happened in the days leading up to my disappearance. I need to know every detail," Lin Xi commanded, settling onto a plush cushion, his eyes gleaming with determination. He was aware that if someone had managed to lure him to the Dark Void Abyss, they likely had further schemes in play—those were the truly terrifying prospects. A sense of foreboding washed over Lin Xi; he couldn't shake the feeling that the Lin family was on the brink of calamity.

"Young Master Lin, brace yourself for what I'm about to tell you. No matter what, you must stay calm and not act rashly," Lu Hao cautioned, concern lacing his words. In the past, he would have scoffed at Lin Xi's interest in state affairs, seeing him as nothing more than a spoiled young master better suited to a life of luxury. But things were different now. Since Lin Xi had aced the Profound Examination and demonstrated the formidable power of a Great Purity Cultivator, Lu Hao saw a transformation in him. Lin Xi was no longer the frivolous youth of before; he had become someone entirely new, someone deserving of understanding the weighty matters of the nation. Perhaps, with Lin Xi's intellect, he could even unravel the peril facing the Lin family.

"Speak," Lin Xi said with a chilling indifference that made Lu Hao feel as though he had stepped out of a harsh winter.

Lu Hao cleared his throat, composed himself, and began to recount the events of Lin Xi's disappearance over the past several days. After Lin Xi had plummeted into the Dark Void Abyss, Lu Hao had spent days scouring the forest behind the Academy. On the brink of dehydration and starvation, he finally found an escape.

Upon his return to the Academy, Lu Hao grabbed a quick bite before slipping away to the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital. But before he could reach the Empire Capital and inform Great General Lin Sen about Lin Xi, rumors of Lin Xi's death were already circulating. A member of the Imperial Army, in possession of Lin Xi's jade pendant, had delivered the grim news to Great General Lin Sen.

By the time Lu Hao made it back to the capital, several days had passed. Upon hearing the devastating news, General Lin Sen, unable to contain his grief, sounded the Battle General Drum in a frenzy. This drum, a legacy of Lin Xi's from Great General Lin Sen, had not been sounded in ten years. Its call demanded the immediate assembly of all military officials in the capital to heed the General's command.

Great General Lin Sen then led his forces on a relentless search through the capital, seeking any trace of Lin Xi. The city was engulfed in a metaphorical blood rain, with the civil officials who opposed the military suffering immense losses. While their core strength remained intact, their familial influence was significantly depleted.

During this time, Great General Lin Sen received a mysterious imperial edict from the Shadow Guard, the contents of which were known only to him. Under his command, the army swept through the capital, leaving the populace in a state of dread. Great General Lin Sen seemed to have lost all reason.

The military's relentless pursuit lasted throughout the night, marking it as one of the most harrowing times the capital had ever faced.

The following day, during the imperial court session, Great General Lin Sen boldly challenged the civil and military officials, nearly coming to blows. It was only through the Emperor's intervention that the situation was defused. The Emperor disciplined your old father with a temporary dismissal from his post. However, given the need for a strong military presence on the frontier, Great General Lin Sen was ordered to depart for the border within ten days to assume command.

Lu Hao spoke for several hours, meticulously recounting every detail of the events to Lin Xi—details he had learned from his own grandfather.

He also brought Lin Xi up to speed on the various incidents that had occurred in the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital during Lin Xi's absence.

It was only after Lu Hao relayed Lin Xi's message that Great General Lin Sen truly found peace. At that moment, the Great General's eyes glistened with moisture.

"Young Master Lin, that's the extent of my knowledge," Lu Hao concluded. He then quietly observed Lin Xi's reaction, waiting for a response.