As Lin Sheng approached his parents' abode, he unexpectedly encountered Lin Yan, who was accompanied by a group of Lin family cultivators. They had apparently just returned from dealing with the recent unrest, and their condition was far from reassuring. Their robes were torn and stained with blood, several bore visible wounds, and even those who appeared relatively unharmed carried unstable auras, their spiritual energy fluctuating irregularly as though they had only recently escaped a dangerous battle.
Lin Sheng's gaze swept across them before settling on Lin Yan.
The moment she noticed him, her expression changed. The tension that had been weighing upon her face disappeared almost immediately, and she released a long sigh before offering him a smile that contained considerably more relief than she probably intended to show.
"Lin Sheng!"
She hurried towards him, her eyes carefully examining his appearance as though she needed to confirm that he was truly standing before her. Although she had tried to maintain her composure, the worry she had experienced during his prolonged absence was evident in the way she looked at him.
Lin Sheng couldn't help smiling faintly.
It seemed that his sudden departure had worried her more than he had expected.
Before he could say anything, Lin Yan extended her divine sense towards him, carefully examining his body from head to toe. She paid particular attention to his aura, his breathing, and the condition of his spiritual energy, apparently determined to discover whether he had suffered any injuries during his absence.
After several moments, her tense expression finally relaxed.
"You seem fine," she murmured, clearly relieved.
Then her eyebrows drew together, and the relief on her face gave way to irritation.
"But why did you leave without saying a word? Do you have any idea how worried I was? You disappeared so suddenly that I couldn't even find out where you had gone, and you didn't leave a message explaining when you would return!"
Her voice was not particularly loud, but the displeasure within it was unmistakable.
Lin Sheng coughed lightly.
"I had something important to attend to, so I had to leave in a hurry. I didn't have much time to make arrangements, and I didn't expect to be away for so long."
It was not a particularly convincing explanation, but it was the truth, at least in the broadest sense. His affairs on the Immortal Continent had developed in unexpected directions, and the time he had spent in seclusion had exceeded what he had originally anticipated.
Lin Yan stared at him for a moment longer before finally shaking her head.
"You should at least tell someone next time."
"I will."
Lin Sheng answered readily, although neither of them had any guarantee that circumstances would allow him to keep that promise.
He then looked at the cultivators accompanying her, several of whom were receiving assistance from their companions, before returning his attention to Lin Yan.
"What about you? Are you injured?"
Lin Yan immediately waved her hand.
"It's nothing serious. I was only slightly shaken during the battle, and I'll recover after resting for a while."
She spoke casually, as though the matter truly were insignificant.
Lin Sheng did not expose her lie.
His perception had already examined her condition, and he could clearly sense that the injuries she had sustained were considerably more serious than a little shock. Although her spiritual energy had not collapsed, there were several irregularities in its circulation, and the subtle fluctuations around her meridians suggested that she had suffered internal damage. Her breathing was also slightly restrained, a small indication that she was suppressing the discomfort rather than allowing her injuries to affect her movements.
She had probably suffered a backlash while defending herself against an opponent whose strength exceeded her own, and although she had managed to escape without suffering a fatal injury, the damage would require more than a brief rest to heal completely.
Lin Sheng understood why she had concealed it.
She did not want him to worry immediately after his return.
Rather than questioning her further, he smiled and changed the subject.
"Then tell me something. Do you know what happened recently? The entire region seems to be in chaos, and even the protective formations around the family have been activated."
Lin Yan's expression changed.
She glanced at the surrounding cultivators before looking back at him, and the remaining irritation in her eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a more serious expression.
"Let's go inside first."
Without waiting for his response, she led him towards the abode. Once they had entered, she immediately activated several restrictions around the building, causing faint ripples of spiritual energy to spread across the walls and ceiling. The formations overlapped, forming a concealed barrier that not only blocked external divine sense but also disrupted any probing that attempted to penetrate the abode, making it difficult for outsiders to determine what was being discussed inside.
Only after confirming that the restrictions were functioning properly did Lin Yan turn towards him.
Her expression became grave.
"I heard about it from my master. The conflict in the Eastern Region has escalated, and two True Monarchs have actually clashed."
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So the shock wave came from their battle."
Lin Yan nodded.
"According to what my master told me, the disturbance spread across an enormous area. Several protective formations were damaged, and many cultivators in the surrounding territories felt the impact. Some weaker cultivators were even injured by the residual force, although I don't know exactly how far the shock wave travelled or how much damage it caused elsewhere."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"However, my master also said that this confrontation was merely the major powers testing each other. It doesn't necessarily mean that a full-scale battle between the True Monarchs has begun, so there's no need to worry too much."
Lin Sheng remained silent.
Merely testing each other?
He found that explanation considerably more troubling than reassuring.
Two Nascent Soul True Monarchs had exchanged blows, and the resulting shock wave had travelled far enough to shake the protective formations surrounding his secluded abode. Even after crossing such a vast distance, the residual force had been sufficient to uproot trees, scatter rocks, and destabilise the surrounding spiritual energy.
If that was what happened when the major powers were merely testing each other, what would happen when they genuinely decided to fight without restraint?
Lin Sheng slowly exhaled.
The conflict was developing faster than he had hoped.
He had known that the war between the Orthodox Alliance and the Seven Star Palace would eventually reach a decisive stage, but he had originally expected the Nascent Soul True Monarchs to remain cautious for considerably longer. After all, the consequences of allowing experts at that level to fight directly were too severe to ignore, and even a victorious faction could suffer enormous losses if the surrounding spiritual veins, resource points, and important territories were destroyed in the process.
Yet the recent confrontation suggested that the restraint among the highest-ranking cultivators was beginning to weaken.
Perhaps the two True Monarchs had merely exchanged a few attacks to test their opponents' abilities, or perhaps the confrontation had been triggered by something that forced them to act before either side was fully prepared. Without more information, Lin Sheng could not determine which possibility was correct.
Nevertheless, he understood the implications.
The war had reached a stage where even a relatively minor confrontation between the strongest experts could produce consequences that spread across the entire region.
And when those at the top began fighting seriously, the people below them would be the ones who suffered first.
Lin Sheng had seen similar situations before.
The stronger the cultivators involved, the less they needed to concern themselves with the lives of ordinary people. A Nascent Soul True Monarch might only need to release a divine ability to destroy an entire settlement, while the cultivators living there could do nothing but watch the approaching disaster, hoping that their formations were strong enough to withstand the aftermath.
The difference between the powerful and the weak was simply too great.
Even if the major powers had no intention of deliberately harming smaller cultivation forces, the consequences of their battles could still destroy everything those forces had spent generations building.
Lin Sheng shook his head inwardly.
'It has always been like this. When those at the top clash, even the slightest disturbance can become a disaster for everyone beneath them'
He did not consider himself a particularly compassionate person, nor did he believe that the cultivation world could be changed through a few words about fairness. Strength determined influence, and influence determined how much protection a person or faction could obtain when disaster struck.
That was the reality of the Immortal Continent.
If he wanted to survive, he needed to become strong enough that the consequences of other people's conflicts would no longer determine his fate.
Lin Sheng's thoughts gradually settled.
The war might not reach its most dangerous stage immediately, but he suspected that the next century could bring enormous changes to the Eastern Region. A century was a relatively short period for Nascent Soul True Monarchs, whose cultivation and lifespan allowed them to plan over much longer timescales, and if the present confrontation was genuinely a test of strength, then the major powers might still require years or decades to prepare for a decisive struggle.
However, a century was not a particularly long time for Lin Sheng either.
He had already accumulated an extraordinary foundation, and his Golden Body had reached the middle stage of Rank 4, while his Shen had advanced to the peak of the Spiritual Platform Realm. If he could continue strengthening himself at a steady pace, he might be able to reach another major threshold before the conflict escalated beyond control.
At the very least, he hoped to become strong enough to protect himself.
He did not need to participate in the war, claim territory, or compete with the major powers for resources. He merely wanted the freedom to pursue his cultivation without being dragged into a conflict that could cost him his life.
Unfortunately, even that modest ambition required sufficient strength.
Lin Yan noticed his silence and misunderstood the reason for his concern. She stepped closer, reached for his hands, and held them gently, her expression softening as she looked at him.
"Don't worry too much," she said. "The situation may be serious, but it hasn't reached the point where everyone needs to panic. The Lin family is still a Rank 4 cultivation family, and although we cannot compete with the major powers, we possess enough strength to protect ourselves from most of the chaos."
Lin Sheng looked at her.
She was clearly trying to reassure him, and the sincerity in her expression made him smile.
"I understand."
Lin Yan studied his face for another moment, apparently making sure that he was no longer worrying, before finally releasing his hands.
"I should go and heal my injuries. I don't want to leave them untreated for too long."
"Go ahead. I'll be fine."
She nodded, then walked towards her meditation chamber. Before entering, she glanced back at him once more, and only after seeing his relaxed expression did she finally close the door behind her.
The abode gradually became quiet.
Lin Sheng remained where he was for a while, listening to the faint fluctuations of the formations surrounding the building before turning his attention towards the Lin family itself.
Now that he thought about it, he had spent surprisingly little time examining the family's position within the Eastern Region.
He knew that the Lin family possessed a long history and considerable influence within Dragon Yuan Province, but most of his knowledge concerned its internal affairs, its cultivation resources, and the strength of the elders he had encountered personally. His prolonged seclusion had prevented him from gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the family maintained its influence across the wider region.
With the war worsening, that information was becoming increasingly important.
Lin Sheng settled into a chair and began organising what he knew.
Outwardly, the Lin family was a Rank 4 cultivation family, possessing three Golden Core-level cultivators: the Grand Elder, the Head Elder, and the mysterious Patriarch. Their existence provided the family with a powerful foundation, allowing it to maintain control over its territory and protect the resources accumulated by generations of ancestors.
However, the family's strength did not rest entirely upon those three people.
A substantial portion of its influence came from the numerous False Core cultivators who were stationed at the family's various Rank 4 resource points. Although False Core cultivators could not match genuine Golden Core experts in a direct confrontation, they were far stronger than peak Purple Palace cultivators and served as the first line of defence for the family's holdings throughout the province.
These people were responsible for maintaining order at the resource points, supervising the collection of spiritual materials, protecting the cultivators working under the family's authority, and responding to disturbances before they developed into threats that required the intervention of a Golden Core elder.
Without them, even a family possessing several Golden Core cultivators would struggle to maintain control over a large territory.
After all, a Golden Core expert could not be expected to remain at every market, mine, herb garden, and spiritual vein. Their time was valuable, and sending them to deal with every minor dispute would be an inefficient use of the family's strongest combatants.
The False Core cultivators filled that gap.
They allowed the Lin family to maintain its influence across multiple locations while reserving its Golden Core experts for matters that genuinely threatened the family's survival.
The recent unrest had undoubtedly placed considerable pressure on this arrangement, especially with robber cultivators becoming more active and the smaller powers struggling to maintain order. The family had been forced to dispatch additional manpower to escort merchants, reinforce its guards, and suppress disturbances at its markets, leaving fewer cultivators available to protect the inner territory.
Even so, the Lin family remained considerably stronger than most ordinary cultivation clans.
Its greatest advantage, however, lay in something that outsiders might not fully appreciate.
The family had managed to establish a stable succession of Golden Body experts.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered this point.
The Grand Elder was currently the family's principal Golden Body expert, and based on what Lin Sheng knew of his cultivation, he should be approaching the integration of his fifth and final divine ability seed. Once that seed had been successfully incorporated into his Golden Body, his physical foundation would become considerably more complete, bringing him closer to the upper limits of Rank 4 body refinement.
That alone would have been an impressive achievement.
Yet the Grand Elder was not the only person capable of supporting this lineage.
There was also Old Liang, Lin Sheng's master.
Old Liang had already reached the extreme of Astral Gang, and his comprehension of the relevant principles was sufficiently compatible with the Grand Elder's method that he could potentially follow the same path into the Golden Body realm. If he acquired the necessary resources and completed the integration process successfully, the Lin family would possess another expert capable of maintaining its external cultivation inheritance.
Then there was Lin Shou.
He had also chosen a cultivation path that shared similar attributes, giving him the potential to follow the same general method if his future progress remained steady.
The significance of this arrangement was considerable.
Cultivation lineages were not established merely by producing a single powerful expert. A family might occasionally give birth to a genius capable of reaching an extraordinary realm, but if nobody else possessed the necessary talent, inheritance, or resources to follow the same path, that achievement could become an isolated incident rather than a stable foundation for future generations.
The Lin family had managed to avoid that problem, at least to some extent.
The Grand Elder had already demonstrated that the method could work, Old Liang possessed the cultivation and compatibility required to attempt it, and Lin Shou had the potential to continue along the same path in the future.
For a family operating within the Eastern Region, that was an exceptionally fortunate situation.
Even if the three of them did not advance at the same pace, the existence of multiple potential successors meant that the family was not entirely dependent upon a single individual.
Lin Sheng could not help but marvel at the family's luck.
Maintaining a single cultivation lineage was already difficult enough, yet the Lin family had managed to produce several individuals with compatible foundations, allowing it to preserve the possibility of having Golden Body experts for generations to come.
Of course, potential was not the same as certainty.
Old Liang still needed to complete his breakthrough, and Lin Shou had a long road ahead of him before he could be considered a reliable successor. The Grand Elder's own advancement was also not guaranteed to proceed without complications, especially when integrating the final divine ability seed into a Golden Body could demand considerable resources and careful preparation.
Nevertheless, the foundation was there.
That alone placed the Lin family in a favourable position compared with many cultivation families of similar rank.
Lin Sheng then shifted his attention towards the family's internal Immortal Dao cultivation.
The Lin family possessed several Golden Core cultivators, but there were also quite a few people whose foundations and accumulated resources gave them the potential to reach that realm in the future. They might not all succeed, and some could remain trapped at the peak of Foundation Establishment or the False Core stage for the rest of their lives, but the number of promising candidates was still noteworthy.
With suitable guidance and sufficient resources, the family could potentially strengthen its Golden Core lineage over the coming decades.
That would be especially important if the Eastern Region war continued to escalate, because the survival of a cultivation family depended not only on the strength of its current elders but also on its ability to replace them when they grew old, suffered injuries, or perished in battle.
A family that possessed several powerful experts but no promising successors could appear formidable for a time, only to decline rapidly after a single disaster.
The Lin family had not reached that point.
Its foundation was still developing, and the combination of its Golden Body lineage, its existing Golden Core cultivators, and its numerous False Core experts gave it a degree of resilience that many smaller forces lacked.
Still, one person remained difficult to account for.
The Patriarch.
Lin Sheng's expression gradually became thoughtful.
As far as he knew, the Patriarch had not emerged from seclusion for roughly a century. Such a long period of isolation was not particularly unusual for a Golden Core cultivator, especially one who had reached a major bottleneck, but it inevitably encouraged speculation among the family's elders and the wider cultivation community.
The last time the Patriarch had personally intervened in a major conflict, he had moved with astonishing speed, completely overwhelming a demonic force that had threatened the Lin family's interests. Among that force had been a genuine Golden Core cultivator, yet the Patriarch had dispatched the opponent with such ease that the battle had ended before most observers could properly understand what had happened.
The feat had established his reputation throughout the surrounding territories.
He was not merely an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
He belonged among the strongest figures of that realm.
Over the years, many people had speculated that the Patriarch had entered seclusion to pursue the peak of Golden Core cultivation, believing that he intended to refine his foundation to its utmost limits before attempting another breakthrough.
That was the most common explanation.
Even several elders within the Lin family appeared to believe it.
Lin Sheng, however, knew better.
His gaze slowly sharpened.
The Patriarch was not simply attempting to reach the peak of Golden Core.
He was preparing for the breakthrough to Nascent Soul.
The difference between those two goals was enormous.
Reaching the peak of Golden Core meant continuing to refine one's existing foundation, strengthening the Golden Core, and preparing the cultivation base for the next major transformation. Breaking through to Nascent Soul, on the other hand, required a cultivator to overcome a far more demanding bottleneck, one that involved the transformation of the Shen and the formation of the Nascent Soul itself.
It was not a step that could be taken lightly.
The preparations could require decades or even longer, and a single mistake might damage the cultivator's foundation, leaving them unable to advance for the remainder of their life.
The fact that the Patriarch had remained in seclusion for approximately a century therefore made sense.
He was likely devoting nearly all his time to refining his foundation, resolving the remaining deficiencies in his cultivation, and preparing the conditions necessary for the breakthrough.
Lin Sheng's expression became increasingly contemplative.
The most interesting part was not simply that the Patriarch was preparing to reach Nascent Soul, but that almost nobody outside the innermost circle of the Lin family appeared to have discovered the truth.
Even among the family's own elders, the prevailing belief was that the Patriarch was pursuing the peak of Golden Core.
That suggested the Lin family had been exceptionally careful about concealing the matter.
A cultivator preparing for a Nascent Soul breakthrough would inevitably attract attention from rival factions, especially if those factions believed that the breakthrough could alter the balance of power within the province. Some might attempt to establish friendly relations with the Lin family, while others could decide that eliminating the Patriarch before his breakthrough was completed would be the safest way to prevent a new True Monarch from emerging.
The danger was even greater during the current conflict.
If the major powers of the Eastern Region learned that the Lin family might soon produce a Nascent Soul True Monarch, they would inevitably reassess the family's position, and depending on their interests, that knowledge could attract both allies and enemies.
The Lin family's secrecy was therefore entirely reasonable.
Lin Sheng leaned back in his chair, a faint smile appearing on his face.
The family was considerably more complicated than its outward reputation suggested.
On the surface, it was a Rank 4 cultivation family with three Golden Core-level experts, numerous False Core cultivators, and several resource points spread throughout Dragon Yuan Province. Beneath that surface, however, it possessed a developing Golden Body lineage, multiple promising candidates for future Golden Core breakthroughs, and a Patriarch quietly preparing to step into the Nascent Soul realm.
That was a far more substantial foundation than most outsiders realised.
And if the Patriarch succeeded, the Lin family's position within the Eastern Region would undergo a dramatic transformation.
Of course, the breakthrough had not yet occurred, and Lin Sheng had no intention of treating it as a certainty. The path from Golden Core to Nascent Soul was notoriously difficult, and even a cultivator who had prepared for a century could still fail when the final moment arrived.
Nevertheless, the possibility was real.