Morning sunlight slowly spilled through the windows of the seventh-floor inn room.
The moonlit peace of the previous night had vanished.
A new day had arrived.
For the first time in many months, Han Qing Li awoke feeling something unusual.
Something warm.
Something alive.
She slowly opened her eyes.
The room was quiet.
Lin Shuan sat near the window, silently cultivating.
Golden sunlight illuminated half his face.
Everything appeared normal.
Yet—
Han Qing Li's expression suddenly changed.
A strange sensation emerged from her dantian.
Her spiritual sea trembled.
A familiar connection awakened.
Her blue eyes widened.
"No way..."
She immediately closed her eyes.
Her spiritual sense entered her Storage Realm.
The next moment—
joy exploded inside her heart.
"They recovered!"
Without hesitation, she waved her hand.
Space distorted.
Blue light filled the room.
One after another—
nine figures emerged.
The room instantly became crowded.
Lei Yun Hua.
Xue Mei Yun.
Xue Han Yue.
Han Xue Long.
Lei Hao Tian.
Yan Feng Luo.
Han Lei Jun.
Lei Zhan Yu.
Tai Gu Chen.
The nine survivors of the Wanling Empire.
The nine people who had once been consumed by Void Chaos.
And now—
they stood alive.
Completely healed.
Their appearances had changed dramatically.
The black corruption that once covered their bodies had disappeared.
Their complexions were healthy.
Their spiritual auras were stable.
Even their appearances seemed younger.
Years younger.
Void Chaos had continuously devoured their vitality.
Now that it was gone—
their true vitality had returned.
For several moments—
everyone simply stared at one another.
Then their eyes landed upon Han Qing Li.
Shock appeared.
Excitement appeared.
Relief appeared.
The nine warriors immediately knelt.
"Greetings, Princess!"
"Greetings, Princess Qing Li!"
Their voices echoed throughout the room.
Han Qing Li's eyes became slightly moist.
She had truly thought she lost them forever.
Yet now—
they were alive.
All nine were alive.
"You may rise."
Her voice carried unusual warmth.
Everyone stood.
Then they finally noticed something strange.
This wasn't the Eastern Ancient Forest.
This wasn't Wanling Empire.
This wasn't even wilderness.
It was clearly a luxurious inn room.
Windows.
Furniture.
City sounds.
Everything was different.
Lei Yun Hua looked around.
"We escaped?"
Tai Gu Chen frowned.
"Where are we?"
Xue Mei Yun smiled.
"We're alive..."
For a brief moment—
the room became lively.
Then—
Yan Feng Luo's eyes landed upon another person.
Lin Shuan.
The white-robed youth quietly sitting near the window.
Immediately—
his brows furrowed.
Yan Feng Luo had always admired Han Qing Li.
Not romantically perhaps.
But with absolute loyalty.
To him—
the Princess represented Wanling Empire itself.
And now—
a strange young man was sitting inside her room.
His expression instantly darkened.
"You."
Everyone turned.
Lin Shuan slowly opened his eyes.
"Hm?"
Yan Feng Luo crossed his arms.
"I admit you saved us from that Ice Feng White Tiger."
His voice became cold.
"But..."
He glanced toward Han Qing Li.
Then back at Lin Shuan.
"Following the Princess all the way into her room?"
His eyes narrowed.
"That's crossing a line."
The room became silent.
Lin Shuan blinked.
Then blinked again.
Han Qing Li immediately realized disaster was coming.
Yan Feng Luo pointed toward the door.
"We can compensate you."
"We'll give you rare herbs."
"Spirit treasures."
"Whatever you want."
"Now leave."
Lin Shuan slowly turned toward Han Qing Li.
His expression became extremely strange.
Han Qing Li covered her forehead.
Meanwhile—
the elder Han Lei Jun already sensed something wrong.
Very wrong.
He had lived for centuries.
His intuition was sharp.
The Princess wasn't angry.
The mysterious boy wasn't nervous.
Something clearly didn't match Yan Feng Luo's assumptions.
"Feng Luo."
The elder spoke.
"Enough."
But Yan Feng Luo ignored him.
Instead—
he became increasingly confident.
"Can't you see?"
"This is the Princess's room."
His finger pointed toward Lin Shuan.
"You should leave immediately."
Then—
his eyes landed upon Lin Shuan's forehead.
The mysterious mark.
The mark that even Void Chaos feared.
Yet Yan Feng Luo knew nothing about it.
He laughed coldly.
"You think this strange mark makes you special?"
The atmosphere changed.
Han Qing Li's expression changed.
Xue Han Yue's expression changed.
Even Han Lei Jun's expression changed.
Only Yan Feng Luo remained unaware.
He slowly reached forward.
Toward the mark.
Lin Shuan sighed.
"I think..."
"You shouldn't touch it."
Yan Feng Luo laughed.
"Oh?"
"And why not?"
Lin Shuan's answer was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Nothing important."
"Except..."
"You probably won't survive."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Yan Feng Luo froze.
Then rage exploded.
The veins on his forehead bulged.
The Princess was watching.
Everyone was watching.
And this boy had openly threatened him.
"Brat!"
His aura erupted.
"I think you have a death wish!"
Han Qing Li wanted to intervene.
But then—
she saw Lin Shuan's eyes.
He had already decided.
The matter would not end peacefully.
Thus—
she remained silent.
Because she knew something.
Lin Shuan wouldn't kill Yan Feng Luo.
At least—
probably not.
Probably.
The temperature inside the room suddenly increased.
Flames appeared.
Heat waves spread.
The seventh floor rapidly became unbearably hot.
Guests throughout the inn began sweating.
Outside—
people looked upward in confusion.
"What happened?"
"Why is it so hot?"
Inside the room—
Yan Feng Luo's body became covered in crimson flames.
A fiery halberd appeared in his hand.
The fire attribute expert had moved.
At the same moment—
Lin Shuan slowly stood.
"Fine."
"You wanted this."
The next second—
cold erupted.
Absolute cold.
White frost exploded from his body.
The room instantly transformed.
Walls froze.
Tables froze.
Windows froze.
The floor became covered in ice.
The entire seventh floor turned white.
Outside—
people screamed.
"What is happening now?!"
"First fire!"
"Now ice?!"
The entire inn shook.
One side burned.
One side froze.
Two opposite powers collided.
BOOOOOOM!
Fire and frost fought for dominance.
Ice spread.
Flames melted it.
More ice appeared.
More flames answered.
The room resembled a battlefield.
Lin Shuan's eyes slowly became white.
Pure white.
Cold.
Emotionless.
The Frost Divine Heart awakened.
White lightning flashed inside his pupils.
CRACK!
The frost instantly intensified.
The entire inn became covered by a layer of white ice.
Then—
something unbelievable happened.
Xue Han Yue's expression changed.
Han Xue Long's expression changed.
Even Han Lei Jun became shocked.
Their own ice energy was trembling.
Not because they wanted it to.
But because it was being affected.
Controlled.
Pulled.
Drawn toward Lin Shuan.
The three ice cultivators stared in disbelief.
"What..."
"Impossible..."
They were Immortal Seed experts.
And yet—
a Meridian Tracer cultivator was influencing their energy.
Against their will.
Against logic.
Against common sense.
Han Qing Li wasn't surprised.
She had witnessed this before.
Whenever Lin Shuan fully released his frost power—
all frost acknowledged him.
As though he were their king.
Meanwhile—
Yan Feng Luo's confidence finally disappeared.
His flames were being suppressed.
Not defeated.
But pressured.
And Lin Shuan clearly hadn't reached his limit.
For the first time—
Yan Feng Luo understood.
This wasn't an ordinary genius.
This was a monster.
Unfortunately—
his pride refused to retreat.
"Then take this!"
ROAR!
His halberd erupted with fire.
The room transformed into an inferno.
He charged.
The halberd descended.
Toward Lin Shuan.
But—
it never arrived.
The weapon stopped midair.
Frozen.
Not by frost.
By three immense pressures.
Xue Han Yue.
Han Xue Long.
Han Lei Jun.
All three had moved simultaneously.
Their spiritual power locked Yan Feng Luo in place.
"Enough!"
Han Lei Jun roared.
The room trembled.
Yan Feng Luo froze.
His expression became ugly.
The battle ended.
Lin Shuan looked disappointed.
He slowly dispersed his aura.
The frost vanished.
The flames vanished.
The temperature returned to normal.
The inn survived.
Barely.
Han Lei Jun immediately stepped forward.
Then—
to everyone's shock—
he bowed.
Deeply.
"Friend Shuan Hao."
"We apologize."
Xue Han Yue also bowed.
Han Xue Long followed.
"Please forgive him."
"His temper is terrible."
Yan Feng Luo's face turned black.
Lin Shuan folded his arms.
"Forgive him?"
His smile became dangerous.
"I think next time..."
"It would be easier to kill him."
Everyone's expressions stiffened.
Then—
Lin Shuan smiled.
"But..."
Han Lei Jun immediately caught the opportunity.
"But?"
Lin Shuan's eyes flashed.
"I can forgive him."
"If..."
The room became silent.
"If what?"
Lin Shuan pointed at all nine of them.
"You protect me for one year."
Everyone froze.
Even Han Qing Li blinked.
A year?
That was his condition?
The old fox.
Han Lei Jun immediately understood.
Lin Shuan was collecting allies.
Strong allies.
And honestly—
after witnessing his potential—
they didn't mind.
Han Qing Li had already chosen his side.
The others quickly exchanged glances.
Finally—
they nodded.
"We agree."
Lin Shuan smiled.
"Good."
Everyone relaxed.
Except Yan Feng Luo.
His face looked terrible.
Then—
he noticed something.
Han Qing Li seemed unusually close to Lin Shuan.
Very close.
Too close.
A horrifying realization appeared.
"..."
"..."
His eyes widened.
"No way."
He looked at Han Qing Li.
Then at Lin Shuan.
Then back again.
His soul nearly left his body.
"The situation..."
His voice trembled.
"...has already progressed this far?!"
Han Qing Li's face instantly became red.
Lin Shuan nearly choked.
Everyone else looked away.
Yan Feng Luo sighed dramatically.
Like a defeated warrior.
"Fine."
"I'll protect him too."
Then he pointed at Lin Shuan.
"But I have one condition."
Lin Shuan suddenly felt danger.
"What condition?"
Yan Feng Luo grinned.
"One battle."
"Every week."
Lin Shuan's expression changed.
The others instantly glared at Yan Feng Luo.
Killing intent appeared.
Yan Feng Luo immediately surrendered.
"Fine!"
"No weekly battles!"
"Forget it!"
The room erupted with laughter.
For the first time since Wanling Empire's destruction—
the survivors truly laughed.
Then—
Yan Feng Luo looked out the window.
"Wait."
He frowned.
"What city is this anyway?"
Han Qing Li answered casually.
"Cang Yue City."
"The capital of Da Cang Empire."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
"..."
"..."
"...WHAT?!"
The entire room exploded.
"DA CANG EMPIRE?!"
Shock filled every face.
Wanling Empire ranked among the Eight Great Empires.
Yet Da Cang Empire ranked even higher.
For them—
this was foreign territory.
Powerful territory.
Han Qing Li smiled.
"We're only here because of Shuan Hao."
"There is no need to hide anymore."
Everyone looked toward Lin Shuan.
Their expressions changed.
Gratitude appeared.
Respect appeared.
Embarrassment appeared.
Especially Yan Feng Luo.
Lin Shuan only gave a bitter smile.
Then—
suddenly—
a voice appeared.
"Young Master Lin."
Everyone froze.
A man stood in the room.
No one had sensed his arrival.
Not even Han Lei Jun.
Not even Xue Han Yue.
Fear appeared in their eyes.
Who was this?
The messenger bowed respectfully.
Then spoke.
"The Empire Protector requests your presence."
Lin Shuan blinked.
"The Empire Protector?"
The messenger nodded.
Then his next words shook the room.
"There is something concerning your clan."
"Something you should know."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lin Shuan's heart suddenly accelerated.
His clan.
The destroyed Lin Clan.
After all these years—
new information?
Han Qing Li immediately stood.
The others were equally shocked.
More shocking than the message itself—
was the messenger's attitude.
Respectful.
Extremely respectful.
As though Lin Shuan possessed an extraordinary status.
The messenger bowed again.
"The Protector is waiting."
Then—
he vanished.
Just as silently as he arrived.
Leaving behind a room full of stunned cultivators.
Everyone was surprised —
"Who is Shuan Hao?"
"And he was a messenger of the Da Cang Empire whose power even we couldn't match..!"
"He was just a messenger of this empire?"
Han Qing Li slowly looked toward Lin Shuan.
"Your clan..."
Lin Shuan's eyes narrowed.
Mystery.
Expectation.
Unease.
Countless emotions appeared.
Then—
Han Qing Li stepped forward.
"I'm coming with you."
For once—
Lin Shuan didn't refuse.
Because even he had a feeling.
Whatever the Empire Protector wanted to reveal...
might change everything he believed about the destruction of the Lin Clan.