A few days later, Lin Sheng finally emerged from seclusion.
The moment he stepped out of the room, he noticed several familiar figures sitting within the courtyard.
Lou Han, Lin Xiaolu, Lin Shou, and Qian Feng had apparently arrived some time ago, and judging from the cups of tea sitting on the table and the relaxed atmosphere between them, they had clearly been waiting for him for quite a while.
The instant Lin Sheng appeared, Lou Han was the first to notice him.
"You're finally out!"
His voice immediately drew the attention of the others.
Lin Xiaolu turned around, and her eyes brightened when she saw her elder brother. Lin Shou and Qian Feng also stood up, their faces revealing genuine happiness.
The quiet courtyard immediately became lively.
"Haha, I was beginning to wonder whether you planned on staying in seclusion for another few years," Qian Feng laughed.
Lin Sheng shook his head with a smile.
"I've only been gone for a few days."
"A few days is already long enough for us," Lou Han complained. "You disappeared after returning, and we didn't even get the chance to properly talk to you."
Lin Sheng looked at the four of them and felt a faint warmth spread through his heart.
Nearly thirteen years had passed since he had last seen them.
Although the cultivation world moved quickly, the bonds between people did not necessarily weaken with time.
They sat down together, and before long, the conversation naturally turned toward what everyone had experienced during the years Lin Sheng had been away.
There had been changes within the Lin Family, changes within the Qian Family, changes throughout Dragon Yuan Province, and even greater changes across the Eastern Region.
Lin Sheng listened quietly at first, occasionally asking questions about people he remembered and the events that had occurred after his departure.
Lou Han spoke the most enthusiastically, occasionally exaggerating certain events until Lin Xiaolu interrupted him and corrected his version of what had actually happened.
Qian Feng laughed several times at Lou Han's expense, while Lin Shou occasionally added a few words when the conversation touched upon matters concerning the Qian Family.
After nearly thirteen years, they had all changed.
Their cultivation had advanced considerably, their experiences had accumulated, and their dispositions had become more mature, yet when they gathered together like this, there was still something familiar about them.
Eventually, Lou Han could no longer suppress his curiosity.
He leaned forward and looked at Lin Sheng.
"Enough about us. What about you?"
Lin Sheng raised an eyebrow.
"What about me?"
"What realm are you in now?"
Lou Han's eyes were filled with curiosity.
The others also turned toward him.
Even though they had heard some information from Lin Yan, none of them knew Lin Sheng's exact cultivation.
Lin Sheng smiled.
"Peak Xuan Gang."
The courtyard became quiet.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Lou Han's eyes widened.
"Peak Xuan Gang?"
Lin Shou's expression also changed slightly.
Qian Feng stared at Lin Sheng for several breaths before letting out a low whistle.
Lin Xiaolu was the only one who seemed slightly less surprised, but even she had clearly not expected him to advance this far.
They had all known that Lin Sheng was extraordinarily talented.
They had also known that someone like him would eventually surpass them.
But they had never imagined that the gap would become this large so quickly.
When Lin Sheng left the Lin Family all those years ago, his cultivation had been far lower than theirs.
Now, after nearly thirteen years, he had returned and stood at the peak of Xuan Gang.
Lou Han couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
"I knew you would become stronger, but this is ridiculous."
Lin Shou nodded slowly.
"Peak Xuan Gang in thirteen years..."
He shook his head.
"Your cultivation speed is truly frightening."
Lin Sheng smiled but did not immediately explain.
Instead, he picked up his cup of tea and took a sip.
"I didn't spend most of those years cultivating my internal realm."
Everyone's attention immediately returned to him.
"Then what were you doing?" Lin Xiaolu asked.
"Training my physique."
Lin Sheng placed his cup down.
"I spent most of my time in the Western Wastelands."
The expressions of the others changed slightly.
They had all heard of the Western Wastelands.
It was one of the most dangerous regions surrounding the Eastern Region, a place notorious for violent spiritual storms, unstable spiritual energy and harsh environments that made ordinary cultivation extremely difficult.
For most cultivators, the Western Wastelands was not a place to seek opportunities unless they possessed sufficient strength.
Lin Sheng had actually spent years there refining his body.
Lin Shou looked at him carefully.
"How far did your physical body advance?"
Lin Sheng smiled.
"Luckily, I reached Rank 3."
The courtyard became silent again.
Lin Xiaolu's expression twitched.
"Luckily?"
She looked at him with an expression that clearly said she did not believe him.
"How does luck have anything to do with cultivating your physical body?"
Lin Sheng laughed.
"There were some opportunities."
"That's what I thought."
Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes.
Qian Feng suddenly burst out laughing.
He turned toward Lou Han.
"I told you."
Lou Han frowned.
"Told me what?"
"I told you Lin Sheng would be above you in cultivation when he returned."
Qian Feng's grin widened.
"So pay up."
Lou Han's face darkened.
The others immediately realised what had happened.
Lin Sheng looked between the two of them.
"You made a bet?"
Qian Feng nodded proudly.
"Of course."
Lou Han snorted.
"It's not like I thought he would actually return at peak Xuan Gang."
"That's your problem."
Qian Feng stretched out his hand.
"Pay."
Lou Han slapped his hand away.
"Get lost."
Qian Feng's smile disappeared.
"Are you trying to cheat?"
Lou Han looked at him coldly.
"Do you want a beating?"
Qian Feng's expression immediately stiffened.
He glanced at Lin Xiaolu.
Then he quietly moved half a step behind her.
"Xiaolu, control your man."
Lin Xiaolu's face reddened.
"Why are you involving me?"
"Because he looks like he's about to hit me."
Lou Han took another step forward.
Qian Feng immediately retreated another step.
Lin Sheng watched the exchange with amusement.
Thirteen years had passed, but apparently some things had not changed at all.
He finally raised his hand.
"All right, enough."
Lou Han and Qian Feng stopped.
Lin Sheng looked at Lou Han and Lin Xiaolu, his smile becoming warmer.
"Congratulations to both of you."
Lou Han blinked.
Then he understood what Lin Sheng meant.
Lin Xiaolu also realised it, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Thank you, Big Brother."
Lou Han scratched his head awkwardly.
"Thank you."
Lin Sheng nodded.
He had already noticed the subtle change between the two.
Their relationship was no longer the awkward affection of younger cultivators who had just begun to understand their feelings. After thirteen years, they had clearly gone through enough experiences together for that relationship to become stable.
Seeing that they were happy, Lin Sheng naturally had no reason to object.
Lin Xiaolu soon recovered from her embarrassment and looked at him expectantly.
"Did you bring us anything from the Western Wastelands?"
Lin Sheng stared at her for a moment before laughing.
"I was wondering when someone would ask."
He reached into his storage treasure and waved his hand.
Four storage bags appeared on the table.
He pushed one toward each of them.
"One for each of you."
Lou Han immediately picked his up.
Lin Xiaolu also smiled as she accepted hers.
Lin Shou and Qian Feng exchanged glances before taking their own storage bags.
Lin Xiaolu's divine sense entered the bag.
Her expression immediately changed.
"Big Brother..."
Lin Sheng waved his hand.
"Keep it. There should be enough things inside to be useful to you."
He had spent years in the Immortal Continent and had accumulated resources far beyond what these younger cultivators could easily obtain.
Naturally, he would not give them anything that would destabilise their foundations, but the resources inside the bags were still valuable enough to save them years of searching.
After all, cultivation was not simply about talent.
Sometimes the right resources could save decades of effort.
The conversation continued for a while before Lin Sheng suddenly asked,
"Have you begun preparing for the Astral Qi you plan to assimilate?"
The atmosphere became slightly more serious.
Astral Qi was an extremely important step for cultivators approaching Astral Gang.
The quality of the Astral Qi one assimilated would directly affect the foundation of the resulting Astral Gang.
Lin Shou nodded first.
"I already have one in mind."
Qian Feng also nodded.
"So do I."
Lin Sheng was not surprised.
Lin Shou was the successor of the Lin Family's Grand Elder, and there was no doubt that the Grand Elder would already have begun preparing something suitable for him.
As for Qian Feng, he was the young master of the Qian Family and had access to the family's treasury.
With the resources accumulated by a family that had existed for generations, finding suitable Astral Qi was naturally much easier than it would be for ordinary cultivators.
Lin Sheng looked toward Lou Han and Lin Xiaolu.
"What about the two of you?"
Lou Han shook his head.
"We plan on reaching Xuan Gang Perfection first."
Lin Xiaolu nodded.
"There's no need to rush."
Their reasoning was simple.
The current Eastern Region was becoming increasingly dangerous.
The Seven Star Palace was secretly preparing for war, powerful sects were moving, demonic cultivators had begun appearing in places where they previously would not have dared to act, and assassins were targeting talented younger cultivators.
Going outside at such a time was considerably more dangerous than before.
Neither Lou Han nor Lin Xiaolu lacked opportunities.
What they lacked was a reason to take unnecessary risks.
Lin Sheng nodded in agreement.
"That's sensible."
He had no intention of encouraging them to chase opportunities simply because cultivation speed was important.
The foundation mattered more.
If they could reach Xuan Gang Perfection before searching for suitable Astral Qi, they would have a much stronger foundation when they eventually made the breakthrough.
The four of them continued talking.
One hour passed.
Then another.
The conversation gradually moved away from cultivation resources and toward martial arts.
Lin Sheng naturally took the opportunity to share some of the insights he had accumulated during his years of travelling.
He did not reveal anything related to the Immortal Dao or the true experiences he had undergone on the Immortal Continent.
Instead, he spoke about Martial Dao.
He explained how different martial artists interpreted the same Martial Intent differently, how some people focused too much on the surface characteristics of a concept, how others became trapped by the techniques inherited from their predecessors, and how Martial Will ultimately required a martial artist to transform comprehension into something that belonged to themselves.
Lin Shou listened with complete concentration.
Qian Feng occasionally asked questions.
Lou Han frowned as he thought about certain points, while Lin Xiaolu quietly absorbed everything Lin Sheng said.
Lin Sheng did not directly tell them how to comprehend their Martial Will.
That would be counterproductive.
Martial Will was ultimately their own path.
What he could do was point them toward certain directions and allow them to avoid some of the mistakes he had seen other martial artists make.
The conversation eventually reached the matter of domains.
Lin Sheng deliberately kept his explanation simple.
"Martial Will isn't just about making your attacks stronger," he said. "The deeper you comprehend it, the more it becomes connected to your understanding of the world. Don't treat your Martial Will as another technique. If you do, you'll eventually reach a point where you can no longer advance."
Lin Shou's eyes flickered.
He immediately understood that these words were directed toward the next stage of their cultivation.
Qian Feng also fell into thought.
Lin Xiaolu quietly nodded.
Lou Han remained silent for several breaths before finally asking,
"Then what should we do?"
Lin Sheng smiled.
"Understand yourselves first."
He tapped his finger lightly against the table.
"Your Martial Will should come from your own path. Don't force it to become something simply because someone else became powerful through that path."
The four of them remained silent.
They knew that these few words were more valuable than many ordinary cultivation manuals.
Lin Sheng had experienced too much during the past thirteen years.
His Martial Dao comprehension had already reached a level far beyond theirs, and even a few casual insights from him could save them years of wandering.
They continued discussing Martial Dao for several more hours.
By the time Lou Han, Lin Xiaolu, Lin Shou and Qian Feng finally prepared to leave, the sky outside had already darkened.
Lou Han stood at the entrance and looked back.
"Next time, don't disappear for thirteen years."
Lin Sheng laughed.
"I'll try."
Qian Feng immediately said,
"You'd better not. Otherwise, by the time you return, I'll already be stronger than you."
Lou Han snorted.
"You?"
Qian Feng glared at him.
"What do you mean, me?"
The two immediately began arguing again.
Lin Xiaolu sighed helplessly and dragged Qian Feng away, while Lin Shou followed behind them with a helpless expression.
Lin Sheng stood at the entrance and watched them disappear into the distance.
A faint smile remained on his face.
Only after they had completely disappeared did his expression gradually become thoughtful.
He returned to the courtyard and sat beneath the old tree once more.
His mind returned to his own cultivation.
The external path had temporarily reached a bottleneck.
His internal cultivation was approaching mid-stage Astral Gang, but he could not advance freely while remaining inside Dragon Yuan Mountain.
His Martial Domain had only just begun to take shape.
And the most troublesome matter remained his Golden Body.
He needed suitable resources and, more importantly, divine abilities that could be transformed into divine ability seeds.
Lin Sheng's fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
Originally, he had planned to use his Grandmaster-level formation attainments as leverage.
Formations were valuable.
A Grandmaster-level formation master could command considerable respect within the Eastern Region, and major powers would naturally be willing to exchange certain information for his services.
He could use that identity to gradually obtain knowledge concerning Rank 4 resources and minor divine abilities.
But after thinking about it carefully, Lin Sheng realised that there might be a simpler path.
His gaze became contemplative.
The unknown Golden Core expert.
That identity had already been established naturally after he saved Guardian Zhao.
No one knew who he was.
No one knew which sect he belonged to.
And, more importantly, no one knew exactly how powerful he was.
Lin Sheng could use that identity.
The Lin Family possessed two ancestors.
Both had lived for a very long time.
Their cultivation might not be at the absolute peak of the Eastern Region, but their years of experience were far greater than his.
They had undoubtedly encountered Golden Core cultivators before.
They would know which places allowed cultivators at that level to exchange resources.
They would also know which hidden markets existed, which ancient ruins were open to Rank 4 experts, which loose cultivators possessed rare treasures, and which factions were willing to conduct private transactions.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
Major powers might deliberately seal away knowledge concerning Rank 4 matters and above.
They would never casually allow outsiders to learn about their resources, inheritances and secret exchanges.
But that did not mean every Rank 4 cultivator was willing to obey those rules.
There were always cultivators who needed something.
A person might possess a treasure they could not use and want another resource in exchange.
Someone might have obtained a fragment of a divine ability but lacked the means to cultivate it.
Another person might need a rare spiritual material to refine an artifact, while someone else desperately required a healing treasure.
Cultivators at that level were not isolated from one another.
They simply operated within a smaller and more secretive circle.
Information could always be exchanged.
The problem was finding the door.
Lin Sheng slowly leaned back against the tree.
"If I ask the ancestors directly as Lin Sheng, there will be too many questions."
His eyes narrowed.
"But if I approach them as the unknown Golden Core expert..."
That would be different.
He could present himself as someone who had no interest in revealing his identity and simply wanted to know where Rank 4 cultivators gathered to exchange resources.
The ancestors might even be more willing to help.
After all, if they believed they were assisting an unknown Golden Core expert, they would naturally treat the matter with a certain degree of caution and respect.
Lin Sheng's lips curved slightly.
He had originally intended to solve the matter slowly.
But now, perhaps he could save himself a considerable amount of time.
His gaze shifted toward the distant mountains where the two Lin Family ancestors were secluded.
"Looks like I'll have to have a conversation with them."
Lin Sheng closed his eyes.
He did not immediately act.
There was no need to rush.
If he wanted to approach the ancestors using his hidden identity, he first needed to consider exactly what he should reveal and what he should conceal.
The most important thing was to make the identity believable.
He could not appear too powerful.
He could not appear too weak.