Incense smoke curled lazily toward the carved wooden beams of the Lin clan's council chamber. Seven elders sat in high-backed chairs, their faces lit by the soft glow of spirit stones set into the walls. At the chamber's heart, Clan Leader Lin Jian presided from a raised dais, his silver hair glinting under the flickering light. His piercing gaze silenced the room as he leaned forward.
"This debate wastes time,"Lin Jian said, his voice deep and commanding."Lin Tian's display at the competition demands answers. Speak facts, not guesses."
Third Elder Lin Zhong's face twisted with indignation."Facts? A worthless youth with broken spiritual roots doesn't just conjure power overnight! It's trickery—or worse!"
The room had buzzed for hours, dissecting Lin Tian's shocking victory over Lin Feng, the clan's golden prodigy. A waste, long scorned, had humiliated a cultivator three levels above him.
Second Elder Lin Mei, the only woman among them, spoke calmly."I watched closely. His spiritual energy was raw but real. No trick could mimic that."At seventy, her sharp mind and Foundation Establishment cultivation commanded respect.
"Could it be an artifact?"Fifth Elder mused, stroking his beard."Some talismans grant temporary power, even to mortals."
Lin Jian's hand rose, and silence fell."Three truths guide us. First, Lin Tian wielded genuine spiritual power. Second, it appeared suddenly. Third, his supposedly damaged spiritual roots function."He turned to the clan's physician, Elder Feng, seated apart."You examined him at five. What did you find?"
Elder Feng bowed, his voice steady despite his age."His spiritual pathways were collapsed, Clan Leader. Cultivation was impossible."
"Could you have erred?"
The old man's eyes flashed with pride."My century of service speaks for my skill. The diagnosis was sound."
Lin Jian nodded."Then we face an anomaly."His gaze swept the elders."Lin Tian will undergo a full examination. Until then, observe him closely. If external forces are at play, we will know."
Third Elder's jaw tightened."And if he resists?"
"He is Lin,"Lin Jian said coldly."He has no choice."
Unseen in the chamber's shadows, a tiny spirit insect clung to a beam, its gossamer thread of energy stretching to its master a kilometer away.
Lin Tian's eyes snapped open as the spirit insect dissolved, its task complete. He sat cross-legged in his cramped cottage, the faint hum of spiritual energy lingering in his mind.
"Eavesdropping successful,"the Destiny System's cold voice intoned."Information acquired."
"They want to probe my spiritual roots,"Lin Tian muttered, rising from his meditation mat. Three days had passed since his triumph at the competition, and he'd spent them honing his new powers, particularly the Spiritual Perception ability. It let him sense spiritual signatures, from the pulse of spirit stones to the unique aura of each cultivator.
"Warning:Host's Qi Condensation Second Level cannot withstand a Core Formation cultivator's examination,"the system cautioned."Recommendation:Accelerate cultivation."
Lin Tian's lips twitched. His suspicions about Third Elder Lin Zhong had deepened after detecting a familiar energy in his spiritual seal—a match to the elder's aura. But why would Lin Zhong cripple him? And was he acting alone?
"System, show my status."
A blue screen flickered into view:
Name:Lin Tian
Age:17
Cultivation:Mid-Stage Qi Condensation(2nd Level)
Spiritual Roots:Dual-Attribute(Fire/Wind)-85%Sealed
Skills:Basic Energy Manipulation, Advanced Elemental Fireball, Spiritual Perception
Quests:
[Active]Secrets of the Forbidden Scroll:Seek spiritual root sealing knowledge in the clan library
Reward:5%Seal Removal
Lin Tian's eyes lit up at the quest."The library? That's…tricky."
The Lin clan's ancestral library was a fortress of knowledge, accessible only to those with rank or merit. As a former"waste,"Lin Tian had never set foot inside.
"Alternative entry methods detected,"the system noted."Analyzing guard patterns and structural weaknesses."
"No need for sneaking yet,"Lin Tian said, a plan forming."I'll use my new status."
He donned a fresh disciple robe—deep blue, embroidered with the Lin clan's cloud emblem, a stark upgrade from his old rags. Stepping outside, he activated Spiritual Perception. The world shifted:spiritual energy shimmered like colored streams, distant cultivators glowing like lanterns, spirit stones pulsing faintly.
A new signature approached—light green, unfamiliar. Moments later, a young woman in green medical robes appeared, carrying a basket of herbs. Her braid swung as she stopped, eyes widening.
"Lin Tian?"Her voice held uncertainty, as if addressing him respectfully was foreign.
He bowed slightly."And you are?"
"Lin Alis, Elder Feng's apprentice,"she replied, returning the bow."I've been sent to…assess your condition."Her cheeks flushed, betraying her discomfort.
"To investigate the anomaly,"Lin Tian said dryly.
She nodded."Elder Feng is concerned. Sudden spiritual changes can be unstable."
"Where was this concern when I was struggling?"His tone carried a sharp edge.
Lin Alis met his gaze."I wasn't here then. But I'm here now, and I mean no harm."
Her energy was steady, free of deceit. Lin Tian relented."I'll visit Elder Feng tomorrow. I'm stabilizing my cultivation today."
She hesitated, then nodded."I'll tell him."As she turned to leave, she added,"Not everyone doubts you, Lin Tian. What you did was…incredible."
The sincerity caught him off guard, but he pushed it aside."Subject Lin Alis:87%probability of genuine admiration,"the system noted.
"Focus on the library,"Lin Tian muttered, heading toward the Second Elder's residence.
Second Elder Lin Mei's garden was a marvel, its spirit herbs and blossoms radiating faint energy. Lin Tian followed a servant through rows of glowing plants, his Spiritual Perception cataloging their properties.
Lin Mei sat under a spirit peach tree, its pink petals drifting lazily. Despite her seventy years, she looked no older than forty, her eyes sharp as she set aside a scroll.
"Lin Tian,"she said without preamble."I expected you sooner."
He bowed."Elder."
"Sit."Her gaze dissected him."You're not the timid boy who skulked in shadows anymore. Victory suits you."
"Circumstances change people,"he replied, taking the offered seat.
"What do you want?"she asked bluntly.
"Access to the clan library."
Her brows arched."Bold. The library's for those who've earned it."
"Beating Lin Feng wasn't enough?"
She laughed, a warm, unguarded sound."One win doesn't erase years of…obscurity."
"Then name your price."
She studied him, fingers tapping her chair."What do you seek there?"
"Historical texts on cultivation anomalies."
"Smart, but risky. The elders are circling you."
"I can't answer their questions without answers of my own,"he said smoothly.
Lin Mei's eyes gleamed."Very well. Tonight, under the full moon, fetch five stalks of Midnight Lunar Grass from the northern mountains. For my research."She pointed to a map on the wall.
Lin Tian saw her game—sending him away during the elders'scrutiny. But the library access was worth it."I want a month's permission, in writing."
She smiled, inscribing a jade token with spiritual energy."Deal."
He took the token and bowed."Quest update:Alternative path identified,"the system chimed."Herb collection may enhance cultivation."
"First, the library,"Lin Tian murmured, turning toward the clan's heart.
The ancestral library loomed like a pagoda fortress, its eaves curling under protective runes. Guards scrutinized Lin Tian's token, their suspicion palpable.
"Historical section only,"one grunted, stepping aside.
Inside, shelves towered with scrolls and jade slips, the air thick with ancient ink and preservation magic. Guided to the second floor, Lin Tian dove into the historical section, scanning for clues.
"Search:spiritual root sealing, dual-attribute suppression, forbidden techniques,"the system suggested.
Hours yielded little—vague theories, faded texts. Frustration crept in until Spiritual Perception caught a faint energy pulse behind a shelf. A hidden compartment revealed a slim, dark leather book:On the Forbidden Art of Spiritual Root Suppression.
Lin Tian's pulse quickened. The text detailed a brutal ritual to seal a cultivator's roots before age five, requiring a Foundation Establishment practitioner. Third Elder Lin Zhong had been at that level when Lin Tian was a child.
A diagram confirmed it—the spiral energy pattern matched his seal exactly. Then, a bombshell:the name Lin Wei—his father—scrawled in a note. On the final page, a partial signature:"Lin Zh—"
Lin Zhong.
"Quest completed,"the system declared."5%seal removal pending next meditation."
Lin Tian replaced the book, his mind reeling. His father was tied to this. And Third Elder was no mere bystander.
Under a full moon, Lin Tian climbed the northern mountains, the system humming."Seal reduction in progress. Spiritual root access:20%."
His energy flowed freer, sharper. At the summit, a clearing glowed with blue flowers—Midnight Lunar Grass. But he wasn't alone.
Lin Alis knelt among the blooms, her green robes catching the moonlight. She looked up, relief softening her face."Lin Tian. I knew you'd come."
"Following me?"he asked, stepping into the clearing.
"Not quite. Elder Feng sent me for these herbs, but I waited for you."
"Why?"
She stood, voice low."There's something you need to know—about your father, and why Third Elder fears your awakening."
Before she could elaborate, their Spiritual Perceptions flared. Three black-robed figures emerged from the shadows, bone-white masks gleaming.
"Lin Tian,"the leader's voice rasped, warped by some technique."Your recovery has drawn eyes. Some find your existence…inconvenient."
Lin Tian stepped in front of Lin Alis."Who sent you?"
"Names don't matter. That seal was meant to hold forever. You've broken it—and that cannot stand."
A blade of energy sliced toward Lin Tian's chest."Emergency:Temporary seal reduction to 30%authorized,"the system blared.
Power surged through him. Answers about his father and the seal's truth hung just out of reach.
He had to survive to seize them.