But what if it's not?
A cautious voice whispered in Lin Yun's mind. What if the Market was just a local shop, selling only the basic items the system itself generated? Or worse, what if it was completely broken, a relic of the game that no longer functioned?
The "Unlocked At Level 3" tooltip was clear but it took time.
He stared at the grayed-out icon, a complex knot of anticipation and frustration in his chest. That tab represented a potential shortcut to power, a way to bypass his mediocre talent entirely. But it was locked, its secrets unknown.
"Level 3…" Lin Yun muttered to himself. With the current rate, it would take him a long while to reach level 3. He had to find a better way to earn EXP.
Before he could find an answer, the door slid open. His mother, Mu Qiuxue, stepped inside, carrying a large wooden tray laden with covered dishes. A rich, savory aroma immediately filled the room, effortlessly overpowering the lingering scent of herbs and spiritual energy from his earlier alchemy session.
"You haven't eaten properly, Yun'er. I brought you some of your favorite dishes," she said, her voice warm and gentle. But as she took another step, she paused, her delicate nose twitching slightly. Her gaze swept the room and landed on the two jade bottles he had left on his desk.
Her eyes widened a fraction in surprise.
"This scent... Yun'er, were you... refining pills?" she asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and disbelief as she set the tray down on a low table.
Lin Yun offered a calm smile and nodded. "Yes, Mother. Just some basic practice."
Mu Qiuxue's expression immediately shifted to one of deep concern. She hurried over, her hands fluttering as if to check him for injuries.
"You just recovered from that terrible accident at the academy! You shouldn't be in such a hurry to get back to it! What if you overexert yourself? What if something goes wrong again?"
The worry in her eyes was so genuine and fierce that Lin Yun felt a pang of guilt. He couldn't explain the system or his newfound precision. He simply bowed his head slightly in a placating gesture.
"I was careful, Mother. I promise."
Seeing he was unharmed, her worry slowly receded, though a trace of maternal exasperation remained. He deftly changed the subject, gesturing to the tray. "That smells incredible. What did you bring?"
A smile returned to Mu Qiuxue's face.
"Come, sit. Eat while it's hot." She began uncovering the dishes, revealing a feast of spirit beast meat stew, glazed vegetables shimmering with energy, and a bowl of pearlescent spirit grain rice.
As they ate, the comfortable silence was broken by Lin Yun's casual question. "Mother, will Eldest Brother be returning for the celebration?"
Mu Qiuxue's eyes lit up at the mention of her firstborn. "He is on his way back now. He should arrive by tomorrow morning."
Lin Yun nodded, taking a sip of soup. "That's good."
"He has to return," Mu Qiuxue added, her tone taking on a slight edge. "There will be a competition during the celebration event. As the leader of our Lin Clan's younger generation, his presence is essential, even with his secret realm preparations."
Lin Yun's chopsticks paused mid-air. "A competition? What kind of competition?"
Mu Qiuxue waved a hand dismissively, though her eyes held a glint of something harder. "It's nothing for you to trouble yourself with, dear. Just the usual political posturing between the clans. A show of strength for the younger generation to determine some resource allocations. It happens at every major gathering."
Lin Yun raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't press further. He understood the subtext. It was a dick-measuring contest, a way for the major clans to subtly jostle for position and prestige under the guise of a friendly tournament.
His lack of cultivation talent meant he had never been involved in such things, and his mother clearly wanted to keep it that way, to shield him.
After the meal, Mu Qiuxue fussed over him for a few more minutes, making sure he was truly alright, before taking the tray and leaving with a final, "Get some proper rest, Yun'er."
Once she was gone, the room felt large and quiet again. Lin Yun didn't feel like resting. The news of the competition and the sheer scale of his "home" sparked a different kind of restlessness.
He stepped out of his bedchamber and into the private courtyard attached to it. The moon was high, casting a silvery light on the small rock garden and the carefully pruned spirit plants. It was peaceful, but it felt like a gilded cage.
He needed to move. He needed to see more.
Pushing open the gate of his courtyard, he stepped out into the wider manor grounds. He had no destination in mind; he simply started walking, following the winding stone paths that snaked between pavilions, through arched gateways, and across tranquil courtyards.
The memories of the original Lin Yun provided a basic map, but experiencing it firsthand was humbling. The Lin Clan manor wasn't just a house; it was a fortress, a campus, a small city.
He passed training grounds where the echoes of daytime practice seemed to linger in the air. He walked by libraries, alchemy workshops larger than his entire academy residence, and ancestral halls that radiated a solemn, ancient aura.
Servants and clansmen bowed respectfully as he passed, their expressions a mix of deference and, he noticed, a hint of pity or dismissal. He was the third young master, but he was also the one who didn't matter.
He didn't let it bother him. His programmer's mind was cataloging everything. The layout, the security, the flow of people. This was his new base of operations. He needed to know its terrain.
He walked for what felt like hours, and still, he knew he had only seen a fraction of the territory. The manor stretched on, encompassing artificial lakes, small forests, and even what looked like a private mountain slope in the distance.
According to the memories, over 70% of this land was unexplored by the original Lin Yun, containing restricted archives, closed-off training valleys, and the private residences of the most powerful elders.
Standing on a high bridge overlooking a vast, moonlit garden, Lin Yun let out a soft, incredulous sigh. "It's... unbelievably huge."
"Third Young Master?"