The next day.
Dawn's first light spilled across the town.
News traveled swiftly — the kidnapped girls had all been rescued, and the rogue cultivator who had orchestrated the vile deeds was no more.
Gratitude turned into celebration. By evening, the City Lord himself had declared a banquet in honor of the deed.
The townsfolk filled the central plaza, their laughter and cheers rising with the beat of drums. Crimson lanterns swayed high above, casting a warm glow over dancers who moved gracefully to the rhythm of flutes and zithers.
For the first time in many weeks, the air was free of fear, replaced by unrestrained joy.
Even the guards of the City Lord's manor had set aside their stern vigilance, joining the revelry with smiles that spoke of long-overdue relief.
At the heart of it all sat Lin Chen, a simple wine cup in his hand.
The City Lord, radiant with delight, pressed close to him. His laughter shook the table as he clapped Lin Chen on the back with enough force to rattle his bones.
"Hahaha! Young hero, you have rendered great merit! You cannot imagine what a blessing you have brought to this city. Tonight, you must allow us to honor you properly!"
Lin Chen forced another thin smile and lifted his cup once more for toast. He had already repeated this gesture a dozen times, perhaps more, and the endless stream of well-wishers was beginning to grate upon his patience.
The endless toasts were one thing — he could endure the shallow gratitude of strangers. But the other matter was... it was far more troublesome.
"Hero Lin," an official with a round belly leaned forward, grinning broadly. "This humble one has a daughter of age. Gentle, obedient, with a fine foundation of cultivation. Surely, fate must have arranged tonight for you to meet!"
Before Lin Chen could reply, another voice chimed in.
"Hah, nonsense! Hero Lin deserves someone of true talent! My niece has already reached the second stage of Root Vien. Bright, beautiful, with a pure heart — a perfect match!"
"Bah!" snorted yet another elder, tugging forward a bashful girl clad in embroidered silk. "What good are cultivation stages when one speaks of beauty? Look — she is like a flower in bloom! Hero Lin, surely she pleases your eyes?"
The crowd chuckled and whispered.
Lin Chen's lips twitched. He raised his cup, downed the wine in one breath, and set it back down with deliberate calm. His expression remained straight, betraying nothing of the irritation simmering within.
"I thank you all for your kindness," he said flatly, the voice neither cold nor warm. "But I came here to slay a criminal, not to seek a wife."
The air grew awkward for a moment, but the officials only laughed louder, trying to smooth it over.
"Hahaha! Young men speak so proudly. But a hero needs a companion, does he not? What is a soaring dragon without a phoenix by his side?"
"Yes, yes! Even a great cultivator requires a home to return to. Hero Lin, you must consider!"
Lin Chen forced a smile that did not reach his eyes. "My path is long, my enemies are many. If I cannot guarantee my own safety, how could I take responsibility for another?"
His words silenced a few, but others merely exchanged knowing glances, mistaking his refusal for modesty. The attempts continued, wave after wave, and Lin Chen kept answering with the same indifferent calm, though his patience thinned with each exchange.
Inside, he wanted nothing more than to vanish into the night. A battlefield was simpler than this suffocating banquet.
At last, the endless parade of marriage proposals and praise dwindled into background chatter. The crowd busied themselves with wine and laughter, leaving Lin Chen blessedly alone.
He let out a quiet sigh, shoulders finally loosening. His gaze dropped to the table before him — a spread of simple but hearty dishes.
"Finally… I can eat," he muttered, almost in disbelief.
He picked up his chopsticks and reached for a plate of braised pork belly. The glossy cubes glistened under the lantern light. Fat and lean balanced perfectly. The moment he bit in, the rich, savory flavor melted across his tongue.
Next was a platter of roasted chicken, its skin golden and crisp. He tore off a piece with his chopsticks, the tender meat steaming as he brought it to his mouth. Salt and spice burst across his taste buds — simple, honest food.
This… this is the taste of food pills can never provide. Since arriving in this world, it was the first time he had eaten something truly flavorful.
Pills kept him alive, yes—but it was like living off saline in a hospital. The body survived, yet the stomach and tongue remained empty, unsatisfied.
And about the matter of Yu Feng's death, he buried the truth as deep as the shattered corpses themselves.
No one in town knew the identity of the kidnapper, nor did they ever learn that the so-called "rogue cultivator" had, in fact, been an inner disciple of the Starfall Sect.
There were reasons—many reasons—for silence.
First, he had no way to prove Yu Feng's crimes to the sect. As an outer disciple, his words would carry no weight. To accuse an inner disciple without evidence was nothing more than seeking his own death.
Second, from Yu Feng's own words, he had learned of a shadowy group, one that followed a figure called the Divine One. If they discovered Yu Feng's fate, they would surely send assassins after him.
Until Lin Chen had the strength to stand against them, revealing the truth was courting disaster.
Thus, he concealed everything
***
Four days later.
Lin Chen returned to the Starfall Sect. In the mission hall, he calmly reported the completion. The clerk glanced at the record, nodded without suspicion, and slid across a pouch filled with fifty mid-grade spirit stones—the promised reward.
After returning to his room, Lin Chen closed the door and settled cross-legged on the bed.
From his sleeve, he slipped out Yu Feng's storage bracelet. Now that he was finally alone, he could examine it properly.
He placed the bracelet on his palm, ran his spiritual sense through it, and let its contents spill out onto the bed in front of him.
First, he saw ten Essence Gathering Pills and twenty Qi Gathering Pills. At a glance, he could tell they were of decent quality. The Essence Gathering Pills were a grade higher than the Qi Gathering Pills for helping one's cultivation.
Next came a pouch filled with spirit stones. When he counted, his breath caught. One thousand mid-grade spirit stones. For someone at his level, that was an unbelievable fortune.
After that, he noticed a bundle of letters. Some were written in the common tongue, while others were in a strange script he couldn't understand. The ones he could read spoke vaguely of meeting places, trading something "precious," and one even mentioned "sacrifice for blood."
Finally, he picked up a thin manual. The moment he skimmed through it, his expression darkened.
It was a demonic cultivation technique—one that fed on the life force of young women to increase their strength. The method was described in detail, step by step, with no shame in its cruelty.
He shut the manual with a snap, disgust twisting his face.
"What kind of lunatic even thinks of something like this…?" he muttered. "And to actually use it… they must be completely rotten in the head."
Disgusted, Lin Chen didn't think twice. He used a small lightning spark to burn the manual on the spot. He also burned strange letters.
And finally, there was Yu Feng's sword. A fine weapon, no doubt, but he couldn't use it inside the sect — too many eyes, too many questions. Better to keep it hidden away for now.
As for the dagger he had taken from that nameless thug… it wasn't flashy, but it was practical. At least no one would recognize it, and it would serve him well enough.
With that done, only the truly useful items remained. Lin Chen's gaze settled on the pile of pills and the pouch of spirit stones.
"These will be enough for the next realm," he thought. His body had already endured intense physical strain, almost to the point of breaking — that also meant his foundation had been tempered. Now was the time to cultivate.
The next Realm was the Essence Forging Realm.
*****
A/N: Enjoying the story? Hit 'Add to Library' to follow Lin Chen's journey — your support means a lot!
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