The Wu Pavilion was as quiet as ever.
Rows upon rows of wooden shelves stretched deep into the building, carrying countless books and manuals accumulated by the Lin Family over generations. The scent of old paper and sandalwood drifted through the air, mixing with the faint fragrance of incense burning somewhere in the hall.
Near one of the inner shelves, Lin Sheng sat calmly with a thick book opened before him.
At first glance, he looked no different from any ordinary youth reading quietly.
But if anyone observed carefully, they would notice something strange.
He flipped pages too quickly.
Far too quickly.
A normal person would need several breaths to read a single page thoroughly.
Lin Sheng barely paused before turning another.
And another.
And another.
His eyes swept across the text with terrifying speed.
Inside his vision, translucent blue lines floated silently.
•[Recording in progress...]•
The chip's updated functions were now fully operational.
Ever since his breakthrough into Entering Samadhi, the quantum chip had undergone another evolution. Its scanning and storage capabilities had expanded dramatically.
Previously, Lin Sheng needed direct focus to record information efficiently.
Now?
Anything within the range of his mental field could be scanned, categorized, and stored automatically.
To outsiders, he appeared to be reading one book.
But in reality, his mental field had already enveloped the surrounding shelves.
Dozens of books were being scanned simultaneously.
Medical theory.
Meridian diagrams.
Martial history.
Herbal identification.
Acupoint structures.
All of it flowed rapidly into storage.
The terrifying part was that Lin Sheng no longer felt much strain from this process.
His breakthrough into Entering Samadhi had increased both his mental capacity and processing speed tremendously.
A few moments later, the chip responded again.
•[Recording Process Complete]•
•[Categorizing information...]•
•[File Name Created: Martial Path]•
Lin Sheng's eyes flickered slightly.
Then another notification appeared.
•["Task 1: Medical Knowledge Input"]•
•["Time Taken: 7 Hours"]•
•["Energy Usage: Low"]•
Lin Sheng lightly tapped the page with his finger.
The new energy settings were honestly far more useful than he expected.
The chip could now prioritize between efficiency and speed.
If he increased energy output, tasks would complete much faster.
But the drawback was equally obvious.
Mental strain.
Too much output could overload his spirit and Sea of Consciousness.
Especially now that the chip was using his own mental energy as its primary power source.
Lin Sheng closed the book quietly.
"That means the stronger my spirit becomes…"
"The stronger the chip becomes as well."
It was a terrifying synergy.
One strengthened the other continuously.
While he was still lost in thought, soft footsteps echoed from outside the shelf area.
A pavilion assistant walked over respectfully before bowing.
"Young Master Lin."
Lin Sheng raised his head slightly.
The assistant spoke carefully.
"Information has arrived from the family elders. All martial pupils are to gather within one week."
"The convoy heading toward Cloud Mist Market will depart then."
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed faintly.
Finally.
Training time had arrived.
He had expected it sooner or later, but hearing the exact timing still caused subtle emotions to stir within him.
Cloud Mist Market.
That place was not simply a mortal town.
It was a true cultivation market.
A gathering place for cultivators, martial artists, rogue cultivators, merchants, and even wandering experts.
Compared to Dragon Yuan Mountain, it was far more dangerous.
But also filled with opportunity.
Lin Sheng nodded calmly.
"I understand."
The assistant bowed again before leaving quietly.
After the assistant disappeared, Lin Sheng remained seated for several moments.
Then he slowly stood up.
His robes shifted lightly as he walked out from the library shelves and headed toward the inner courtyard.
The moment he stepped inside—
he paused slightly.
Old Liang was not alone today.
Another person stood nearby.
A young man.
At least, he appeared young.
Probably around thirty years old.
He wore dark blue robes with silver cloud patterns embroidered along the sleeves. His hair was tied carelessly behind his back, giving him a somewhat lazy appearance.
But the moment Lin Sheng saw him—
his instincts screamed.
Pressure.
An invisible suffocating aura pressed down on the surroundings naturally.
Not intentionally.
Just existing near him felt dangerous.
The chip immediately reacted.
•[Warning...]•
•[Threat Assessment: Extremely Dangerous]•
•[Recommended Action: Immediate Distance]•
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted slightly.
Another monster.
Then Old Liang casually waved his sleeve.
The pressure vanished instantly like smoke.
"Hmph."
"Stop teasing my disciple."
The young man laughed lightly.
His voice sounded relaxed and carefree.
"So you finally decided to teach again?"
His gaze landed on Lin Sheng.
The moment their eyes met, Lin Sheng felt as though he was being completely seen through.
The young man suddenly stepped forward and patted Lin Sheng's shoulder.
"Excellent root bone."
"Amazing foundation."
Then he turned toward Old Liang with visible amusement.
"Old Liang, you've hit the jackpot again."
Old Liang immediately stroked his beard proudly.
"Of course."
"I only teach the best."
Then his expression became slightly regretful.
"Though he'll be leaving for training soon."
Lin Sheng finally found the opportunity to speak.
"Master."
"Information has arrived that we will depart for training in one week."
Old Liang nodded calmly before glancing toward the young man beside him.
"In a week, hm?"
"No wonder you're here."
Then he spoke casually.
"Don't forget to take care of my disciple."
The young man grinned.
"Relax."
"If he slacks off, I'll personally straighten him up."
Lin Sheng's mouth twitched slightly.
The man clearly enjoyed teasing others.
The young man waved lazily.
"Anyway, I'll leave you two to your conversation."
Then, without another word—
he turned and walked away.
Lin Sheng watched his departing figure carefully.
Even his footsteps seemed strangely natural.
Like every movement perfectly blended with the environment.
Only after the man completely disappeared did Lin Sheng finally ask,
"Master… he is?"
Old Liang leaned back slightly.
"He's one of the guards stationed at Cloud Mist Market."
"You'll be heading there soon."
Lin Sheng's eyes flickered.
Cloud Mist Market guards…
That meant the man was at least a Xuan Gang expert.
Only people at that level possessed the strength necessary to maintain order within cultivation markets.
Which also led to another realization.
If even a Xuan Gang expert spoke casually with Old Liang…
Then what exactly was his master's true realm?
Lin Sheng had wondered about it for a long time already.
The pavilion keeper identity was clearly fake.
Or at least incomplete.
Someone capable of effortlessly suppressing a Xuan Gang expert was definitely not ordinary.
Old Liang suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
"Show me your stance."
Lin Sheng immediately obeyed.
He stepped forward and lowered his center of gravity.
One foot shifted slightly backward.
His fists tightened naturally.
Vajra Fist stance.
At the same time, subtle rhythm flowed through his footing from the Eight Step Cicada movement technique.
Old Liang observed silently for several moments.
Then he smiled slightly.
"You've been trying to reach momentum, haven't you?"
Lin Sheng paused before nodding honestly.
"Yes."
Old Liang suddenly burst into laughter.
"Arrogant brat."
"Just like your sister."
Lin Sheng coughed lightly.
Old Liang continued while smiling.
"Momentum is normally something Innate Realm martial artists comprehend."
"Though some geniuses can touch its threshold earlier."
"But…"
He pointed at Lin Sheng's body.
"You still lack qi."
"Without internal energy, your forms are incomplete."
Lin Sheng nodded inwardly.
That was also the chip's conclusion.
Momentum required resonance between form and qi.
Without qi circulation, it was impossible to fully achieve.
Old Liang folded his arms behind his back.
"Still…"
"Understanding artistic concept early is beneficial."
"It helps with bottlenecks."
"Breakthroughs."
"And fighting opponents stronger than yourself."
His gaze became deeper.
"That's why I taught you."
"I hope that during your training… you'll eventually grasp your own momentum."
Lin Sheng felt slight warmth in his chest hearing that.
Old Liang rarely spoke so directly.
Then Old Liang suddenly added,
"Of course, even if you somehow forcefully achieve momentum now, your body would probably suffer severe qi and blood depletion."
"That would be troublesome."
As he spoke, he casually tossed something toward Lin Sheng.
Lin Sheng caught it instinctively.
It was a folded parchment.
The material felt strangely smooth.
Almost cold.
Lin Sheng looked at it curiously.
Old Liang immediately warned,
"Don't open it until after reaching Innate Realm."
"It's a little surprise."
Lin Sheng blinked slightly.
Then he bowed seriously.
"Thank you, Master."
Old Liang waved dismissively.
"It's nothing."
"You're my disciple after all."
For a brief moment, silence filled the courtyard.
The evening sunlight slanted through the trees, casting long shadows across the stone ground.
Lin Sheng suddenly realized something.
These peaceful moments…
might not last much longer.
Once he left Dragon Yuan Mountain, the world ahead would become truly dangerous.
Cloud Mist Market.
Martial training.
Cultivators.
Conflict.
Perhaps even death.
The cultivation world was never peaceful.
Old Liang seemed to notice his thoughts.
The old man suddenly spoke calmly.
"Afraid?"
Lin Sheng paused briefly.
Then he answered honestly.
"A little."
Old Liang laughed loudly.
"Good."
"If you aren't afraid, then you're just stupid."
The old man's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the distant mountains.
"The cultivation world eats people."
"Never forget that."
Lin Sheng quietly memorized those words.
Then Old Liang waved his hand impatiently.
"Alright, enough talking."
"Get lost already."
Lin Sheng smiled faintly.
This old man really ruined serious atmospheres quickly.
Still—
he bowed respectfully one final time.
"Disciple takes his leave."
Then he turned and left the courtyard.
As he walked down the stone pathway, the folded parchment remained tightly held within his sleeve.
His master's gift.
Something only usable after reaching Innate Realm.
Lin Sheng's eyes flickered slightly.
For the first time in a long while he actually felt anticipation.
The road ahead was dangerous.
But perhaps…
that was exactly why it was worth walking.