Two days passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Li Mu immersed himself in the Lin Family's sprawling library. At first, the servants resisted—after all, he was only a mortal junk collector—but Lady Lin's authority was absolute. Soon, no one dared to obstruct him.
Book after book, scroll after scroll, his understanding deepened until it felt as though his mind could swallow the world.
And yet… a strange sensation tugged at his heart.
There's more to my ability… something hidden.No—something sealed.
Before he could explore the hunch, the day of departure arrived.
Lady Lin appeared at the library entrance, wearing a fitted black gown that accentuated her elegance and presence. Her voice drifted softly, yet carried a subtle command.
"Are you ready? The journey is a long one."
Li Mu closed his book and stood. There was something different about him now—his posture, his gaze, even the calm precision in his voice.
"I'm ready."
Outside, a massive airship dominated the sky. Golden and black engravings traced across the hull like flowing runes, shimmering under the floating island's light. The vessel radiated wealth, prestige, and latent power.
Lady Lin smirked at his reaction. With a sharp clap, the ship's doors opened, a gust of wind sweeping outward.
Inside, the vessel was a wonder. Energy conduits glowed along the walls in pulsing blue veins. Small spherical robots scuttled across the floor, performing maintenance and deliveries with precise coordination.
"System control," Lady Lin commanded.
"Yes, my Lady. How may I assist?"
"Prepare a guest room. He will be joining us. Also, set the preset coordinates for our destination."
"Understood."
She finally turned to Li Mu, her expression unreadable.
"Your room will be ready shortly. Follow the guide unit. And do not wander without my permission."
A small round bot beeped and rolled toward him. Li Mu followed silently. He had already decided: once he entered the Heavenly Insight Pavilion, he would rely on himself. Lady Lin's assistance was unnecessary.
Inside his room, he sank onto the soft bed.
The neural link… not yet. The academy might offer something far superior. I'll sell this quietly later.
He sat cross-legged, inhaled deeply, and closed his eyes.
Moments later, he slipped into a trance.
A faint, ancient mantra escaped his lips—soft, ethereal, imperceptible to mortals.
Every fragment of knowledge he had acquired since transmigrating flooded his consciousness. His Infinite Insight Ability surged forth—but unlike before, it did not offer fragmented flashes.
It offered clarity.Depth.True comprehension.
Time lost all meaning. A full month passed in silence.
In another chamber—ornate, luxurious, filled with flickering spiritual lights—a pair of eyes snapped open. Lady Lin exhaled dark, poisonous qi.
Her cultivation was neither body nor mind. She walked the Hidden Immortal Path, a lineage known only to ancient elites.
Her family's secret, the Netherworld Snake Breathing Technique, cultivated nether qi—slow, poisonous, insidious. At its pinnacle, one could even assume the form of a Netherworld Snake, near-invincible. Yet, only the founding ancestor had ever reached that stage.
Lady Lin stretched, easing stiffness from her month of meditation. With a wave of her hand, a holographic projection flickered to life.
Li Mu's figure appeared—sitting perfectly still, eyes closed, radiating a sage-like calm.
She frowned.
"He didn't leave his room even once…?"What is he cultivating? What treasure does he have?
Suspicion sharpened her eyes.
If he truly possessed a treasure, it would become hers.
She strode down the corridor, light yet decisive. Without hesitation, she pushed open Li Mu's door—
Li Mu opened his eyes at the exact moment.
Silver light flashed across his pupils—sharp, penetrating. For a heartbeat, Lady Lin felt stripped bare, exposed in a way that shook her to her core.
Then it vanished. As if it had never existed.
Suppressing the momentary fear, she crossed her arms.
"What have you been doing all this time?"
Li Mu slowly turned his head, a calm, unreadable smile curving his lips.
"Do you truly want to know?"
He reached into his robe and pulled out the neural link he had crafted himself. He forced a faint frown.
"I was studying this… trying to understand it."
Lady Lin's irritation melted into a smirk.
"A bumpkin will always be a bumpkin."
She snatched the neural link from his hands.
"Never do this without my permission. I gave you the chance to change your life. The power you gain belongs to me. This… is nothing. Don't waste it."
Without another word, she turned and left, her steps deliberate and dismissive.
Li Mu's gaze followed her, sharp and calculating.
This woman is dangerous…Time to implement the plan.
He had suspected her intentions during his month of insight—and now his suspicions were confirmed.
"She cannot be trusted."
And deep within him, something stirred… a faint, distant pulse, like a seal cracking in a long-forgotten corner of his soul.