With Qing Yun now joining the fray, the competition had instantly grown too fierce. When it came to pills and healing, Shen Yanye and Cang Li could only exchange frustrated glances. Even if they were unwilling to accept it, Qing Yun had made a logical, airtight argument. What could they do?
Force their way in? That would not go over well.
Wait outside the Earthfire Chamber? Also not ideal.
First of all, there was no telling how long Yun Jin would remain in seclusion. She would definitely emerge before the sect gathering, but that could take days.
And besides, they had entered this place only by avoiding the outer guards and sneaking in with their unique abilities.
They weren't disciples of Tianxing Sect. Barging into another sect's grounds was improper, regardless of their strength. They weren't afraid of exposure, but they weren't planning to reveal themselves just yet either. If someone spotted them loitering at the Earthfire Chamber, it would become troublesome.
Hiding around like that simply wouldn't work.
Cang Li and Shen Yanye locked eyes, quickly reaching a mutual understanding.
Before, it had been a battle between the two of them.
But now—
With Qing Yun in the mix?
He was the true threat. At this point, they had to form a temporary alliance.
Shen Yanye spoke up with a friendly smile. "Senior, although I'm not an apothecary, I do have a White Jade Worm. It's developed a healing skill that's already reached the seventh tier. Once Lin Ya finishes his recovery, I can use that skill to help reinforce his healing."
Cang Li followed up immediately. "Word is, Lin Ya will soon be facing a powerful opponent. He's a sword cultivator, and so am I. I can use my inherited techniques to help him refine his sword intent. If he breaks through, he'll be able to fight without worry."
Their message was clear—Qing Yun wasn't the only one who could be useful here.
Qing Yun's face darkened. He had hoped to secure this opportunity for himself, but these two weren't backing down. Now things had grown a little tricky.
"Honored seniors…" Yue Zhao said carefully, "My master is still waiting. Should I… go ahead first?"
He was on the verge of tears. Each of these people was someone he absolutely could not afford to offend. But his master couldn't afford any delays either.
If, because of this holdup, his master failed to absorb the pill that Junior Sister had worked so hard to refine, he might as well commit seppuku on the spot.
"This kind of matter can't be postponed," Shen Yanye declared with enthusiasm. "Come on, let's go together."
He grabbed Yue Zhao's arm with exaggerated warmth. Cang Li wasn't the type to show emotion, but even he reached out to tap Yue Zhao's other arm stiffly, as if trying to show affection.
Qing Yun saw the two of them flanking Yue Zhao on either side and felt his beard bristle with fury.
"These two punks, utterly outrageous."
He gave them both a glare and snapped, "You can come, but you're not allowed to enter the residence. You'll wait outside."
No matter what, he needed to get there first.
"Of course, of course," Shen Yanye agreed readily.
Cang Li nodded as well.
Qing Yun snorted, then suddenly grabbed the back of Yue Zhao's collar.
Before the others could react, Qing Yun and Yue Zhao vanished from sight.
Shen Yanye and Cang Li's faces twisted with frustration.
Damn it!
That was instant teleportation, a technique only available to those in the Mahayana realm.
They didn't have time to waste. They each unleashed their own movement arts and chased after him at full speed. Lin Ya's residence was at the highest peak of the sect.
To prevent his cultivation from dissipating too quickly, he spent nearly all his time in meditation, hardly daring to step outside. With the sect gathering approaching, Lin Ya had thrown himself completely into spiritual absorption.
But...
The more he absorbed, the more despair he felt. No matter how hard he tried, his damaged dantian leaked qi as fast as it gathered. One side took in qi, the other side lost it. Even when cultivating nonstop, his realm continued to decline at a slow, steady rate. By now, he had dropped all the way to the Divine Transformation stage.
Attending the sect gathering at this level would be suicide. Lin Ya took a deep breath, determination settling in his chest. He had tried everything, but there was no salvaging his cultivation.
In that case...
He would use his own life to buy one last sliver of hope for his disciples.
Lin Ya still had one final secret technique.
If activated, it would allow his cultivation to rise sharply against the natural flow.
At its peak, it could even surpass his original Unity realm strength.
But—
The enhancement would only last a few hours. After that, he would certainly die within the month.
He had already made peace with that.
With this method, he could retain his title as Peak Master. Others would be stunned by his apparent recovery, and Zhao Wuji would hesitate to strike too soon. That alone could buy them several days.
And if Yun Jin's contract forced her into a duel she could not win, then with this strength, he could take her place. Even if the contract's backlash killed him afterward, so be it. He would die either way. Might as well die protecting her.
With the time that remained, he could stall Zhao Wuji's forces long enough for Yue Zhao and the others to escape Canglan Nation. His disciples were clever. He believed they would find a way to survive.
There were so many things he didn't want to leave behind. So many regrets.
But—
This was the only path left.
After activating the secret technique, he would need some time before reaching peak power.
If he calculated correctly, he had to begin the process now.
Lin Ya drew a deep breath.
It was time.
He didn't plan to tell his disciples anything. He would come up with an excuse to send them away. By the time they learned the truth, he would likely already be gone. A flicker of longing passed through his eyes, then he steeled himself and began activating the technique—
But just as his energy began to circulate—
Suddenly—
A message talisman flew through the barrier and into the room.
Lin Ya nearly coughed up blood.
He had set up wards around his secluded chamber. Only a select few could send messages through. And all his disciples knew he was in seclusion. They wouldn't disturb him unless it was something serious. Now the technique had been interrupted. He frowned, concerned, and quickly lit the talisman.
Only for Yue Zhao to write in the vaguest, most infuriating way: he had brought a few guests to visit.
Guests? Lin Ya frowned. His first disciple was always dependable. He wouldn't say such a thing unless it was important.
So these guests... were they really that important?
Still puzzled, Lin Ya opened the barrier and stepped out personally to greet them. At the entrance of his cave dwelling, he saw Yue Zhao standing with three unfamiliar individuals. He couldn't sense the depth of any of their cultivation.
Just who had his disciple brought back?
"You must be Brother Lin?" Qing Yun greeted him with a wide smile. "I'm Qing Yun. No need to be formal. Just call me Brother."
Qing Yun?
Lin Ya's rank was too low to be familiar with a figure like Qing Yun. The name meant nothing to him.
But the man's cultivation was real, and Lin Ya was caught off guard. He quickly bowed. "Brother Qing Yun, and these are...?"
Seeing things going south, Shen Yanye stepped forward. "Brother Lin, I feel like we've known each other forever. No need for formalities. I'll call you Brother Lin, and you can call me Brother Shen. We're equals."
Cang Li stared, stunned.
"These two... how are they this shameless?"
After a long silence, Cang Li said stiffly, "I'm probably younger than you. Just call me Little Brother."
Qing Yun and Shen Yanye both turned to look at him.
So this stiff-faced man could actually be this brazen?
===
Seppuku (切腹), also known as hara-kiri (腹切り), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was practiced by samurai and other members of the warrior class in feudal Japan as a means of preserving honor, avoiding capture, or atoning for failure.
Method:
The individual would stab themselves in the abdomen with a short blade (typically a tanto or wakizashi), making a left-to-right cut followed by an upward slice. Due to the extreme pain, a kaishakunin (assistant) would often stand by to decapitate the person after the initial cut to hasten death.
Purpose:
Honor Preservation: To avoid disgrace after defeat or dishonor.
Punishment: Ordered as a death sentence for samurai who committed serious offenses.
Protest: Sometimes performed to demonstrate loyalty or protest a lord's decision.