C7 Lin Hann's Background

The next morning, Lin Hann sought out Lau Ruyan. After he recounted his experience and she was reassured that he was unharmed, Lau Ruyan became pensive.

"The body vanished after you killed him?" Lau Ruyan inquired.

Lin Hann nodded in confirmation.

"I believe I understand which organization is involved. The assassins from last night likely belong to Black Nest, the world's second-largest Assassin Organization."

"Black Nest is shrouded in secrecy. Their headquarters' location is unknown, and their leader is an enigmatic figure, a lone wolf with a superpower also named Black Nest. The full extent of this power has never been witnessed, but it's known that the leader uses it on their assassins. If they fail a mission, they're guaranteed to vanish without a trace, supposedly returning to the 'warm embrace' of Black Nest. As a result, the organization remains largely misunderstood."

Lin Hann couldn't help but admire Lau Ruyan's extensive knowledge. He felt that in the same situation, she would undoubtedly handle it better than he could, given her broader perspective.

"Why would they target me?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Lau Ruyan hesitated, torn between telling him the truth and keeping him in the dark. Revealing the truth could mean a life of constant upheaval, but withholding it would leave him vulnerable to future threats.

"Ms. Yan, you're aware of my parents' circumstances, right?" Lin Hann probed.

Hearing this, Lau Ruyan realized she had been underestimating him, not recognizing that he had grown up and was capable of standing on his own.

She nodded and spoke gently, "Hann, you lived with your parents until you moved to Hui City at fourteen. Do you know who they really are?"

Lin Hann shook his head. "No, they never mentioned anything."

"Well, listen carefully. Your father is Lin Jingtian, the eldest son of the Lin family patriarch—one of the four major families in the capital. Your mother is Liu Jingxiu, the youngest daughter of the Lau family patriarch, which makes her my aunt."

Despite his previous suspicions, Lin Hann was still taken aback by the revelation. He had never imagined his parents had such significant backgrounds.

"Why didn't they tell me? And why haven't they ever returned to the capital?" Lin Hann wondered, perplexed.

Lau Ruyan responded, "Back then, your father and my aunt were the generation's most exceptional talents. By the age of thirty, they had both reached the pinnacle of the Acquired Stage, just one step shy of the clan leaders' strength. They had a mutual admiration for each other and chose to be together. They should have been the envy of all, a match blessed by heaven, but an event occurred that changed everything."

Lau Ruyan let out a cold laugh. "Ironically, after that incident, instead of protecting them, their families cut ties and chose self-preservation. With no other option, your parents left the capital to wander."

Hearing this, Lin Hann finally grasped the hardships his parents had endured. They kept him in the dark to protect him. He silently vowed to seek justice for them once he grew stronger.

"What exactly happened to them?"

For the two major families of the capital to make such a drastic decision, it must have been an earth-shattering event!

"I'm not sure of the details. Perhaps Grandpa and the others know. But rumor has it, they found something capable of altering the world's balance of power. Of course, that's just hearsay; the true circumstances remain unknown."

Lin Hann suspected that the Dark King would know the truth. He resolved to inquire further the next time they met.

"So, many have come after me to draw out my parents? But why has no one approached me before?" Lin Hann couldn't make sense of it, knowing he would have stood no chance against them.

"There's a pact in the world of mutants; they're forbidden from attacking ordinary people. Violators face collective retribution. Mutants also require a stable world, so this pact is strongly upheld."

Lin Hann realized that Lau Ruyan had shared all she knew. He earnestly told her, "Ms. Yan, thank you! I'll be more vigilant about my safety from now on. It's not just my own affair anymore."

Lau Ruyan smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Hann. My aunt has always been fond of me, and in my eyes, you're like a younger brother. Also, it wasn't solely my decision to come here; my father, your great-uncle, is the only one in the Lau family backing my aunt. Remember, Hann, you're not alone. We're here for you too."

Lin Hann felt a surge of warmth in his heart at Lau Ruyan's words. He smiled and said, "Ms. Yan, there's still so much about the Esper Ability world that I need you to teach me."

Over the next month, Lin Hann devoted most of his time outside of cultivation to learning about the common knowledge and insights of the Esper Ability world from Lau Ruyan. Under her guidance and influence, Lin Hann underwent a remarkable transformation in temperament. He became more composed and his edge more subtle, changes that were also tied to the gradual deepening of his cultivation. Unbeknownst to him, three Spiritual Energy Balls had formed in his dantian, his consciousness space had expanded to ten cubic meters, and his Spiritual Energy had officially reached the first level.

"Hann, you're becoming more impressive by the day; your big sister here can hardly keep up with you," Lau Ruyan teased with a laugh.

"Ms. Yan, please, no more jokes. You're a grandmaster of Body Tempering Perfection!" Lin Hann thought, a hint of bitterness in his heart. The past month had been grueling under Lau Ruyan's rigorous training. Every day he would be covered in countless wounds, which Lau Ruyan would heal at night, leaving not a single mark. The following day, the cycle would begin anew. She claimed it was to enhance Lin Hann's combat skills and resilience, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Lau Ruyan was rather enjoying the process.

"Okay, your dantian is brimming with Spiritual Energy and you're in peak condition. It's time to break through to the Body Tempering Middle Period. I'll guard you," Lau Ruyan said, her smile fading into a serious expression.

Lin Hann stopped joking and nodded, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He closed his eyes and began to circulate the Spiritual Energy within his dantian, gently urging the Spiritual Energy Ball.

At the onset of Body Tempering, he had only one Spiritual Energy Ball. Through cultivation, as he absorbed Spirit Seeds and converted them into Spiritual Energy, the ball would grow until it eventually split into two, and then three, marking his progression toward the Body Tempering Middle Period. The transition from the early stage to the middle stage involved more than just an increase in the number of Spiritual Energy Balls; the structure itself changed, with each ball becoming twice as large as before, resulting in a significant difference in the total amount of Spiritual Energy between the two stages.

At that moment, Lin Hann's three Spiritual Energy Balls had doubled in size. Under his careful manipulation, one of them split into two smaller orbs. Yet Lin Hann didn't pause there. He kept breathing deeply, drawing in the Spirit Seeds from the environment and steadily feeding the energy into the smaller Spiritual Energy Balls. The dispersed Spiritual Energy within his dantian was channeled into them as well. After more than an hour, the smaller orbs had grown to their original size. Only then did Lin Hann cease his practice.

Opening his eyes, Lin Hann was greeted by Lau Ruyan's smiling face. "Congratulations, Hann," she said.

Scratching his head, Lin Hann replied with a grin, "Thanks, Ms. Yan. I'm pleased, of course, but this achievement is not enough for me. I've got to push myself even harder!"

Lau Ruyan's gaze softened with concern. "Hann, don't push yourself too hard. Cultivation isn't something you can rush. I'm worried you might injure yourself in your haste."

"Don't worry, I've got it under control," Lin Hann assured her with a nod.

Over the past month, Lin Hann had been in Lau Ruyan's company almost constantly, and the assassins from the Black Nest had been conspicuously absent.

Lin Hann surmised that they were wary of the Lau family's influence backing Lau Ruyan and thus refrained from attacking in her presence.

This thought brought him back to the night he discovered his abilities, when an assassin had targeted Lau Ruyan. "By the way, Ms. Yan, have you uncovered any leads on the person who tried to assassinate you?" Lin Hann inquired.

"Yes, there's been some progress. I was puzzled at first; my visit to Hui City was supposed to be confidential. How did the assassin find me? But now, thanks to our family's intelligence network, we've unearthed some leads. It was the Zhou family's doing," Lau Ruyan answered.

"The Zhou family? You mean the one from Hui City?" Lin Hann asked, taken aback. Lau Ruyan had filled him in on the Zhou family over the past several days.

The Zhou family had risen to prominence in Hui City only in recent years. Their patriarch, Zhou Mo, arrived in Hui City two decades ago and, in that short time, elevated the Zhou family to a status second only to the Ye family. His strategic acumen and audacity were unmistakable.

"That's the Zhou family. You've met the head before—the man with the gold-rimmed glasses at the Ye family's Exchange Conference. Everyone thinks he's a self-made man, but they're unaware that he married into the Liu family, one of the capital's four great families. With the Liu family's backing, he managed to establish himself in Hui City and rise rapidly." Lau Ruyan said with a hint of scorn.

"Did the Ye family consent to this?" Lin Hann asked, confused.

"Zhou Mo must have discussed his move to Hui City with the Ye family. I'm certain that there was some sort of agreement between the Liu and Ye families. As long as the Zhou family doesn't threaten the Ye family's preeminent status, they won't hinder the Zhou family's growth," Lau Ruyan explained the intricacies to Lin Hann.

"So, what you're saying is, the real threat to you, Ms. Yan, isn't the Zhou family, but rather the Liu family backing them!" Lin Hann had an epiphany.

"Exactly. The Liu family has always been at odds with our Lau family. We may keep up appearances, but behind the scenes, there's no holding back," Lau Ruyan stated.

"What's our next move?" Lin Hann inquired, determined not to let those targeting Lau Ruyan off the hook.

"Just watch. I'll make sure they regret ever crossing me, Lau Ruyan!"