Lin Yuan stood quietly before the mission board of the Broken Sky Sect, his eyes scanning the list of available tasks. After the chaos caused by Elder Mu's betrayal, the sect had become even more vigilant, and disciples were encouraged to take on missions to temper themselves. For Lin Yuan, this was an opportunity—not just to complete a mission, but to explore the world, seek new opportunities, and cultivate away from prying eyes.
After a moment, his gaze settled on a mission titled:
"Investigate the Disappearance of Spirit Beasts in the Misty Cloud Forest."
The task was marked as long-term, with the estimated duration being several months. The Misty Cloud Forest was a vast and treacherous area filled with various spirit beasts, and recently, several had gone missing under mysterious circumstances. The sect wanted someone to investigate and uncover the cause.
"This will do," Lin Yuan murmured to himself, a faint smile touching his lips.
After a brief meeting with the mission elder, who seemed surprised that an outer disciple would take on such a dangerous task alone, Lin Yuan received his mission token and set off. His departure was quiet, just as he preferred. A lone figure, dressed in plain gray robes, walking down the mountain path, his presence unnoticed by most.
Once he left the sect's territory, Lin Yuan's demeanor changed. His steps became lighter, his gaze sharper. With a thought, the orb within his dantian pulsed, and faint lines of text appeared in his mind:
[Mission: Investigate the Disappearance of Spirit Beasts in Misty Cloud Forest.]
[Estimated Duration: 4-6 months.]
[Recommended Strength: Golden Core or above.]
[Warning: High risk of encountering unknown dangers.]
The orb continued to pulse, and a faint golden thread appeared in Lin Yuan's vision, a guide leading him toward the Misty Cloud Forest.
"How convenient," he muttered with a smile, following the golden thread.
Days passed in quiet travel. Lin Yuan's journey was peaceful, though he remained cautious. Whenever he rested, he cultivated, stabilizing his middle-stage Golden Core, inching ever closer to the late stage. His understanding of the Thunderfire Essence Technique grew, and the Star Shattering Palm became more refined with each practice.
Finally, the dense fog of the Misty Cloud Forest loomed before him. Tall, ancient trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves casting eerie shadows. The air was thick with mist, and an unsettling silence hung over the forest.
Lin Yuan stepped forward, his senses sharp. The orb pulsed again.
[Misty Cloud Forest: High concentration of spiritual energy detected.]
[Caution: Anomalous energy fluctuations detected deeper within.]
"Interesting," Lin Yuan whispered.
As he ventured deeper, he noticed the eerie quiet. No birds sang, and the usual rustling of small creatures was absent. Hours passed as he searched, and finally, he came upon a clearing. There, the ground was littered with the corpses of spirit beasts—each one drained of vitality, their bodies shriveled like withered leaves.
His expression darkened. "Something is draining them dry..."
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind. Lin Yuan's senses flared, and he spun around. A shadowy figure lunged at him—its form twisted and dark, with crimson eyes that glowed like embers. It was a wraith-like creature, its claws reaching for him.
"Thunderfire Essence Technique!" Lin Yuan's voice was calm, his hand glowing with crackling lightning entwined with fierce flames. His palm struck out, the fiery thunder blasting the creature apart. It let out a ghostly wail before dissipating into black mist.
But as the mist faded, a chill washed over the clearing. More shadows began to emerge from the fog, their crimson eyes locking onto Lin Yuan.
"So this is the cause…" Lin Yuan whispered, his expression remaining calm.
The battle was fierce. His hands danced with thunder and fire, each strike purging the shadowy wraiths. Yet, they seemed endless, a dark tide trying to engulf him.
Just as fatigue began to creep in, the orb in his dantian pulsed.
[Absorbed purified energy: 3000 units.]
[Spiritual energy stabilized.]
[Cultivation: Middle Stage Golden Core → Nearing Late Stage.]
Lin Yuan's aura surged, his attacks growing fiercer. He finally released a powerful Star Shattering Palm, the force of his strike ripping through the fog and annihilating the wraiths in one powerful blast. Silence returned.
Breathing steadily, Lin Yuan scanned the area. The mist seemed to thin slightly, and in the center of the clearing, a faint glow appeared—an ancient altar partially covered in vines.
The orb pulsed.
[Anomaly detected: Sealed formation linked to the shadow wraiths.]
"So that's the source…" Lin Yuan approached, his hand brushing against the altar. A faint, twisted rune shimmered beneath his touch.
With his understanding of formations, he carefully dismantled the array. As the last rune faded, a surge of pure energy erupted from the altar, washing over him.
[Absorbed purified energy: 8000 units.]
[Cultivation: Middle Stage Golden Core → Late Stage Golden Core.]
The fog in the forest dissipated, the oppressive aura vanishing.
Lin Yuan stood in the now-clear forest, a satisfied smile on his face. "Mission complete."
But instead of returning immediately, he ventured deeper into the forest, the orb's faint golden thread once again guiding him.
Over the next few months, Lin Yuan wandered from one opportunity to another. He discovered hidden caves filled with spirit herbs, ancient ruins with broken formation manuals, and even a broken sword brimming with thunder essence, which he absorbed to further enhance his Thunderfire Essence Technique.
With each encounter, his strength grew. His Star Shattering Palm became more refined, his Thunderfire Essence Technique reached new heights, and his understanding of formations deepened.
In a desolate canyon, he encountered a remnant spirit of an ancient cultivator, who, in its dying breath, shared insights into lightning manipulation.
[Thunder Affinity Enhanced.]
[Star Shattering Palm - Proficiency Increased.]
Lin Yuan's quiet journey through the world was one of quiet growth and hidden strength. He never sought trouble, but whenever it found him, he turned it into an opportunity.
As months passed, his cultivation stabilized at the late stage of Golden Core, and his combat abilities reached a frightening level.
And when he finally turned back toward the sect, his expression was calm, but his aura had become profound and unfathomable.
The sect was the same as he had left it, yet to him, it seemed smaller now, a place that no longer felt like a cage, but merely a temporary shelter.
Unseen, unknown, Lin Yuan—the quiet, low-key outer disciple—had grown into something far more terrifying.
....
Lin Yuan returned to the Broken Sky Sect under the cover of dusk. His gray robes fluttered slightly as he walked along the familiar mountain path, but his demeanor was different—calm yet resolute. His cultivation had stabilized at the late stage of Golden Core, but he masked it perfectly, radiating only the aura of an early Foundation Establishment disciple.
As he approached the outer disciple quarters, a few passing disciples cast curious glances his way, but no one seemed to recognize him. Lin Yuan's long absence had erased him from their minds, just as he preferred.
His simple wooden hut was untouched. The moment he entered, Lin Yuan activated a low-grade isolation formation he had improved during his travels. The faint light shimmered, enveloping his room and ensuring that no one could spy on him.
Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes, and the orb within his dantian pulsed with a faint glow.
[Current Cultivation: Late Stage Golden Core.]
[Thunderfire Essence Technique: Advanced.]
[Star Shattering Palm: Mastered.]
[Purified Energy: 12,000 units remaining.]
"Still plenty of energy left," Lin Yuan whispered to himself, feeling the power surging within his body. His Thunderfire Essence Technique had reached a point where he could easily manipulate lightning and fire, and the Star Shattering Palm had become a terrifying weapon.
But as he calmed his breathing, Lin Yuan's thoughts shifted to the sealed techniques he had acquired from the ancient ruins. The Star Shattering Palm had already proven its worth, but there were other techniques he had not yet unlocked.
With a thought, the orb interface pulsed.
[Sealed Techniques: Thunderfire Dragon Scripture (Partially Unlocked)]
[Requirement: Late Stage Golden Core (Unlocked)]
"Perfect," Lin Yuan whispered, and the technique's information flowed into his mind.
The Thunderfire Dragon Scripture was a powerful cultivation art that refined his body and soul using thunder and fire. As he meditated, faint sparks danced around his body, and his skin shimmered with a faint, almost imperceptible golden glow.
Yet his peaceful cultivation was interrupted by a faint knock on his door.
"Junior Brother Lin, you're back?" A familiar voice spoke from outside. It was Xia Zhi.
Lin Yuan deactivated the isolation formation and opened the door. Xia Zhi stood there, her silver hair flowing gracefully, her expression a mixture of surprise and relief.
"You were gone for so long… I thought something had happened," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Lin Yuan's gaze softened. "I took a mission that lasted longer than expected. But I'm back now."
Their conversation flowed naturally, Xia Zhi sharing her recent experiences, while Lin Yuan offered a few vague details of his travels, carefully avoiding any mention of the ruins, the Thunderfire Dragon Scripture, or his true cultivation level.
But as they spoke, Lin Yuan's gaze grew more thoughtful. His thoughts shifted to the sect's issues—the traitor Elder Mu had been dealt with, but Lin Yuan knew that darkness always lurked beneath the surface. He could never be too careful.
"I… I was worried," Xia Zhi suddenly admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lin Yuan's expression softened. "Worried? About me?"
Xia Zhi hesitated, her silver eyes meeting his. "Yes… you always seem so distant, so calm, but… I feel like you carry so much alone."
Lin Yuan was silent for a moment. In truth, she was right. He did bear everything alone—his cultivation, his secrets, his goals. But it was his choice, his path.
"I am used to it," he finally said with a gentle smile. "But thank you for caring."
Xia Zhi bit her lip, then suddenly stepped forward, her arms wrapping around him in a gentle hug. Lin Yuan's body stiffened slightly, but he did not push her away.
"Just… just promise you won't disappear again without telling me," she whispered.
Lin Yuan's heart softened. "I promise."
After a few moments, Xia Zhi pulled back, her face red with embarrassment. "I… I should go. Elder Wu is assigning a new batch of missions tomorrow, and I need to rest."
"Take care," Lin Yuan said with a faint smile, watching as she hurried away, her silver hair like a flowing stream under the moonlight.
But the moment she was gone, Lin Yuan's expression returned to its usual calm. He sat down again, his mind already shifting back to cultivation. The Thunderfire Dragon Scripture would be his main focus, and he needed to refine it further.
His time in the sect would be peaceful for now, but Lin Yuan knew that his journey was far from over. The orb's faint pulsing was a constant reminder that there were still countless opportunities and dangers in the world.
Three days later, a new mission was posted on the sect's board—an exploration task in the Endless Serpent Valley, a dangerous region known for its venomous beasts and hidden treasures.
Lin Yuan's eyes lit up as he read the mission details. It was marked as high difficulty, with the potential for rare spiritual herbs.
"Perfect," he whispered, immediately registering for the task.
The next day, as dawn broke over the Broken Sky Sect, Lin Yuan once again set out. His figure was but a shadow, blending into the mountain mist, a lone wanderer seeking strength and wisdom.
But unlike before, his aura was no longer that of an ordinary disciple. Hidden beneath his calm exterior was the power of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, his Thunderfire Essence and Star Shattering Palm perfected, and his Thunderfire Dragon Scripture beginning to reveal its true might.
The world was vast, and his path was just beginning.