C5 The Girl Called Su Qian

After departing from the House Mu, Chu Lin followed a narrow trail to the hills behind the estate, where a grand building stood amidst the rolling landscape.

This was the ancestral shrine of the House Mu, a sacred place where the departed ancestors were venerated. Guards stood watch over the shrine at all hours, ensuring its sanctity.

From a distant hilltop, Chu Lin gazed at the shrine, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "Father, today I have been cast out of the House Mu. I cannot foresee when I will be able to return to this shrine to honor you. Mu He is a vile man. He has abused his power to distort the truth, subjecting you to wrongful accusations and ridicule. At last, I've begun to uncover the truth about the past. Father, you never should have spared Mu He's life."

Kneeling down, Chu Lin bowed his head several times toward the shrine, his gaze hardening with resolve. "One day, I will come back to the House Mu to retrieve your spiritual tablet and reveal the entire truth to everyone."

Chu Lin found himself in a precarious position. The House Mu was fortified with numerous guards and presbyters, and Mu He was a formidable Spiritual Martial master, a force to be reckoned with throughout Ironhold.

Chu Lin had suffered great indignities that day. His unyielding counterattack had irrevocably severed his ties with Mu He and Mu Rui. Seeing the murderous intent in Mu He's eyes, Chu Lin realized that if he remained in Ironhold, his life would be in imminent danger.

He was acutely aware that Mu He, a man of limited generosity, would not easily forgive and forget. Despite Mu He's public declarations to the contrary, Chu Lin was under no illusions about his hypocrisy.

"Brother Chu Lin." A soft, familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, and a figure in light green emerged behind him.

"Qian?" Chu Lin turned, his eyes reflecting mild surprise before softening. He looked at the familiar, comforting presence before him, and a warmth spread through his chilled heart.

The young woman was Su Qian, Chu Lin's lifelong friend and the only person in Ironhold who faithfully honored his father's memory each year. Her unwavering dedication was borne of her bond with Chu Lin.

As Su Qian matured, she became the shining star of the Su family. The disparity in status and strength between her and Chu Lin grew ever more pronounced. After a year apart, they met again, with Chu Lin feeling somewhat estranged from Su Qian.

Gazing at the beautiful young woman before him, Chu Lin couldn't help feeling disheartened. He said with self-mockery, "I've been cast out of House Mu. I've lost the privilege of calling you Qian. Why have you come to see me?"

"Brother Chu Lin, you should lift your spirits," Su Qian said, her delicate, snow-white face breaking into an enchanting smile. "I remember you once vowed to always protect me, to never let me suffer any hardship. Are you considering going back on your word now?"

Chu Lin coughed awkwardly and touched his nose. He had always been the first to defend Su Qian when she was bullied by older kids, despite always ending up worse for wear himself. Yet, he had always assured her with a pat on his chest that he would protect her.

"You're the Su family's most treasured prodigy. You certainly don't need a 'nobody' like me for protection," Chu Lin said with a bitter smile, shaking his head.

Su Qian's slender eyebrows knitted together as she looked at the somewhat dejected young man before her. She handed him an envelope, saying earnestly, "I know you're leaving Ironhold today. This is my parting gift to you. Open it once you've left Ironhold."

As she spoke, a blush tinted Su Qian's lovely face. She rose on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on the corner of Chu Lin's mouth. The fresh scent of her lingered as she whispered, "You're destined to be strong. I'll wait for your triumphant return to Ironhold."

Chu Lin stood frozen, but Su Qian had already turned and dashed away, leaving only the sight of her graceful green silhouette and the blush on her neck. With Su Qian out of sight, Chu Lin shook his head, smiling. He caressed the envelope in his hand before tucking it away in his pocket.

Chu Lin glanced back at the ancestral hall several times, pausing in silence before turning to leave. He needed to depart from Ironhold before the Three Houses Convocation concluded.

Between the rolling hills outside Ironhold, a young man dashed swiftly through the darkness, his speed undiminished by the night.

"The Martial Academy is revered as the Sanctuary of Cultivation in the Southern Region!" he shouted as he ran, clutching a document in his hand.

The characters on the document glowed with a faint golden hue, with wisps of spiritual energy flowing through them. At the top, in small letters, it read "Admission Papers."

"Qian, you actually gave up your spot in the Martial Academy for me," the young man said, his face a mix of emotions. He furrowed his brow and sighed deeply. After a while, he carefully tucked the document back into his pocket.

This young man was none other than Chu Lin.

Chu Lin hadn't expected the envelope from Su Qian to contain the Martial Academy's admission papers. With these papers, he could become a disciple at the Martial Academy—a tremendous honor and opportunity for a young martial cultivator from the Southern Region.

Only the elite families of the Southern Region were entitled to these admission papers. In a smaller city like Ironhold, they had to resort to either buying or stealing to obtain them.

Nonetheless, admission papers were an invaluable treasure to Ironhold's three families. Those who studied at the Martial Academy could potentially become Profound Martial experts—a monumental honor for any family.

The status of a Profound Martial expert in Ironhold was exceedingly high. Everyone knew that the leader of House Mu, Mu He, was only at the Spiritual Martial stage.

Suddenly, Chu Lin halted and looked back towards Ironhold, his expression resolute. "Qian, wait for me. I will not disappoint you!" he declared.

With that, Chu Lin resumed his rapid pace. He was not one to dwell on sentimentality. Despite the gift's value, he wouldn't return it to Su Qian. Especially since Mu He had his sights set on these very admission papers. Returning to Ironhold now would place Chu Lin in grave danger.

Chu Lin held Su Qian's kindness close to his heart, vowing to one day return to Ironhold and repay her generosity.

A month flew by in what seemed like a moment.

By now, Chu Lin had long since departed from Ironhold and was drawing ever nearer to the Martial Academy. Throughout this month, he hadn't paused for a moment. In the initial two weeks, fearing that Mu He might send assassins after him, he rested by day and traveled by night. For the latter half, he stuck to the main roads.

Whenever hunger struck, Chu Lin would sip from the Wellspring of Life infused with Broken Copper, sustaining his vigor for three to four days at a time. He marveled anew at the Wellspring's value and the enigmatic properties of Broken Copper.

Yet, despite consuming over a hundred drops of the Wellspring in a month, with every drop fully absorbed by his body, Chu Lin noticed only an increase in his strength and speed, while his Crystal of Valor remained unchanged.

"Even with an inexhaustible Wellspring of Life, my body seems like an endless abyss. At this rate, reaching the third level of Body Tempering could take an eternity," Chu Lin mused.

After three months of rigorous training, Chu Lin had uncovered peculiarities in his physique. It wasn't that he couldn't cultivate; rather, he required several times more spiritual energy than the average person.

Then, one day, a vast mountain range came into view, with a sprawling city nestled at its base.

"At last, I've reached the Redband Martial Academy!" exclaimed Chu Lin.