Chapter 18: Journey to the Imperial Capital

At dusk in the Zilian Mountain Range, the miasma is particularly thick.

"Crunch!"
"Crunch!"

Inside the cave on the mountainside, the sound of chewing never ceases. The ground is covered with precious Tier-2 Spirit Jades, and the little sapling sits there, stuffing them into its mouth as if they were nothing more than candy. It is fortunate that its teeth are sturdy enough to crush the jades directly; anyone else would likely have shattered their teeth in the attempt.

"All gone. Are there any more?" The little sapling suddenly reaches out, grabs nothing but air, and realizes it has finished them all.

Lin Chen sighs and tosses a few more over.

"Lin Chen, you are so stingy," the little sapling says, looking at him with disdain. "Don't you have Tier-3 Spirit Jades? Why won't you take those out for me to eat?"

"If you eat all the Spirit Jades, we won't even have travel money left for the road," Lin Chen retorts, glaring at him.

Although this creature has a powerful digestive system capable of converting consumed spirit jades into spiritual energy for cultivation, there must be a limit. When out in the world, a single coin can baffle a hero. If they don't keep some spirit jades in reserve, they will surely find themselves constrained at every turn.

"Little Chen, have you given your phantom beast a name yet?" Lin Ning'er sits to the side, watching the scene with a smile, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents.

"Not yet," Lin Chen replies with a smile.

These past few days have been spent in constant danger. Every time he opened his eyes, it was all about cultivation and becoming stronger; where would he have the time to think about anything else?

Lin Ning'er picks up the little sapling and says with a grin, "How about I name him? Since he can eat so much, how about calling him 'Tun-Tun' (Swallow-Swallow)?"

"Tun-Tun?" Lin Chen laughs upon hearing this. "Sister, call him whatever you like. Even if you name him 'Rice Bucket,' I wouldn't have any objections!"

"You're the rice bucket!" The little sapling glares, the green leaves atop his head trembling. Then, he nods as if it were a serious matter. "This name... hmph, it's not bad. From now on, Brother Tree shall be called 'Tun-Tun'!"

Clearly, he has internalized the word "eat" into his very bones. Heaven and earth are vast, but eating is the most important thing of all. "Tun-Tun" certainly fits his temperament.

That night, after consuming over twenty Tier-2 Spirit Jades and seven Tier-3 Spirit Jades, Tun-Tun finally breaks through his cultivation level!

Man and tree together, they surge into the fifth level of the Earth Spirit Realm!

As soon as the sky brightens, Lin Chen carries Lin Ning'er on his back and walks out of the Zilian Mountains. He had originally intended to return to the clan to kill that old dog, Lin Hongbin, but upon reflection, he realizes that carrying his sister makes things inconvenient. If, by some chance, the aftermath of a battle were to injure her, it would be a disaster. His sister cannot cultivate; her body is frail and cannot withstand the shock of spiritual energy.

After leaving Fanyun City, Lin Chen spends money to hire a carriage and travels along the main road. In half a day, they will reach the Imperial Capital. Along the way, he chats idly with the coachman.

"Looking at you, young master, are you heading to the Imperial Capital to seek medical help?" the coachman asks with a grin.

"Indeed," Lin Chen replies with a nod. The man is not from Fanyun City and does not recognize him.

The coachman laughs heartily. "The Imperial Capital is truly extraordinary. Our Great Cang is becoming more prosperous every day... By the way, you know Princess Xue, right? She only entered the Wind Sword Sect three days ago, and Wind Bumie has already taken her as his closed-door disciple! I heard even the Lihuo Sect has extended an olive branch to her!"

Hearing the news about Su Huanxue, Lin Chen's expression turns cold. The temperature inside the carriage drops instantly.

"Little Chen, relax..." Lin Ning'er quickly pats Lin Chen's shoulder, signaling him not to give in to anger.

The coachman seems completely oblivious. He sighs and continues to lament, "It’s just a pity about the former number one genius of our Great Cang, Lin Chen, who has now been reduced to a cripple... The Wind Sword Sect claimed he cheated on the Spirit Path, but I believe there must be a hidden story. Although I have never met Lin Chen, I know his character! He fought for the clan and the country for five years, dedicating his entire heart to cultivation. A man of such pride would never cheat, even in death!"

"Even a commoner like me understands this logic; why wouldn't the Imperial Capital? It’s truly strange. Why must they devalue a former genius to nothing? Is what the Wind Sword Sect says always right?" The coachman, being cynical, cannot help but speak his mind.

Lin Chen keeps his head down, his face devoid of expression. Ever since experiencing such extreme highs and lows, Lin Chen no longer cares about how the outside world perceives him. Good or bad—it no longer matters. He has already determined the path he will take next.

The carriage arrives at the Imperial Capital. Lin Chen pays the fare and looks up at the city gates. It is a majestic ancient city, nestled among the mountains, exuding a sense of antiquity and vicissitudes.

Lin Chen's gaze is calm. "Sister, the last time you were here, you carried me out of these gates on your back."

He had been judged in the Imperial Plaza by the City Lord, Zhao Wuji. He had stripped Lin Chen of all honors and left him as miserable as a stray dog. He had even issued an order that no one was to rent a carriage to his sister. Lin Ning'er, already physically frail, had carried him on her back for three days and three nights just to return to their clan.

The bloody hatred is something Lin Chen will never forget.

"Little Chen, promise your sister you won't be impulsive." Lin Ning'er's beautiful eyes are filled with worry. "Your cultivation was crippled once. Even if you have re-awakened a phantom beast, you are still not quite a match for true geniuses... We are like duckweed without roots now. Even if you hold hatred in your heart, you must be patient. We have no backing; we cannot afford to offend those great powers!"

Lin Chen nods and says softly, "Sister, don't worry. I won't be impulsive."

Beside them, Tun-Tun stands on Lin Chen's shoulder and curls his lip. Let this kid be patient? What a joke! With his personality, he wouldn't even let a grudge last overnight.

Lin Chen puts on a bamboo hat and carries Lin Ning'er. He finds an inn to settle down in temporarily while inquiring about the news of the Lihuo Sect's arena. As expected, he has arrived at the perfect time.

The Lihuo Sect set up an arena in the Imperial Plaza yesterday, with forty or fifty youths signing up. After several rounds of screening, they have reached the finals. Zhao Long, the son of the City Lord Zhao Wuji, and Su Cheng, the seventh prince of Great Cang and younger brother of Su Huanxue, are set to engage in the final showdown in an hour. After all, there is only one spot in the Lihuo Sect. Everyone is filled with ambition for it!

If one can enter the Lihuo Sect, even as an outer disciple, it symbolizes leaping to become a person above others in these five nations. After all, it is the strongest sect in this region!

Once Lin Ning'er falls asleep, Lin Chen puts his bamboo hat back on and heads downstairs. "Prepare some food and bring it up for my sister when she wakes," he says, handing a spirit jade to the waiter.

"Yes, sir! Don't you worry!" The waiter's eyes light up at the sight of the spirit jade.

"Lin Chen, you must think this through. Once you reappear in the Imperial Capital, you will inevitably become a target for everyone again," Tun-Tun reminds him.