Lin lan returned to the immortal formation in high spirits.
The moment he stepped inside, Shen Daolun froze.
His eyes widened.
Then widened some more.
For a long second, he just stared—silent, stunned, like someone who'd been struck dumb.
"…Deep white?"
Shen Daolun swallowed.
Back when he had cultivated, his progress was considered freakish by any standard. Even then, it had taken him more than half a year to push his soul flame to deep white.
And this kid?
Less than a month.
This wasn't talent anymore.
This was outright sabotage.
Jealousy flared—hot, bitter, uncontrollable.
The heavens were blind. Absolutely blind.
Muttering under his breath, Shen Daolun's gaze slid downward—and landed on the bone blade.
His expression changed instantly.
"Wait." He lunged forward and snatched it up, turning it over again and again. His tongue clicked in awe. "I knew it. I knew it. Your luck really is outrageous."
Lin lan raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt.
"This blade," Shen Daolun continued, voice lowering, "is called the Blood-Slaughtering Bone Blade. It was forged from the withered remains of an ancient ferocious beast. After tens of thousands of years, it absorbed the most Yin, most vicious energies between heaven and earth."
He paused.
"And that killing intent?"
"That didn't come from the world. That came from the beast itself."
Lin lan listened quietly.
"Among magical treasures," Shen Daolun went on, "this one barely makes it into Earth-grade, third-tier."
Cultivators classified treasures into five tiers: Earth, Heaven, Holy, Divine, and Immortal—each divided into three grades. In this era of depleted resources, an Earth-grade, third-tier artifact was enough to drive cultivators mad with greed.
Lin lan snorted.
"Luck?" He shook his head. "I got struck by lightning and turned into a skeleton. If that's luck, I'd hate to see bad fortune."
He flicked the blade lightly. "This is just compensation. Heaven got tired of me cursing it."
Shen Daolun laughed—awkwardly—and decided not to pursue that topic any further. Anyone who'd survived Heavenly Tribulation tended to have… opinions.
"You test its power yet?" he asked.
Lin lan nodded. "Yeah. One swing. Five skeletons."
He grinned.
Shen Daolun nearly choked.
Five?
With an Earth-grade, third-tier Blood-Slaughtering Bone Blade?
He forced a smile. "You… haven't unlocked its true power yet. As your strength improves, the blade will respond."
The words were polite.
The meaning wasn't.
You're still too weak.
Lin lan caught it immediately.
Without warning, he snatched the blade back and flicked it upward in a sharp flourish—right in front of Shen Daolun's face.
Cold rushed down Shen Daolun's spine.
His soul almost jumped out of his body.
One slip.
One twitch.
He'd be done.
"I'll unlock it," Lin lan said calmly, glancing sideways at him. "Soon."
The warning was obvious.
"Yes—of course," Shen Daolun said quickly, wiping cold sweat from his brow. Loose mouth, he cursed himself. This is what you get.
After the tension eased, he hesitated—then cleared his throat.
"About our agreement… thirty percent of the soul flames. Where are they?"
Lin lan scoffed. "You hid in the formation and refused to come out. Soul energy doesn't wait around. I absorbed it all so it wouldn't get stolen."
Shen Daolun twitched.
You swallowed everything and still sound righteous doing it.
But he couldn't refute it. He had chosen safety.
"…From now on," he said slowly, "I'm coming with you."
Lin lan glanced at him but didn't object.
An old immortal soul with experience was still an asset.
The outside world, someone once sang, was dazzling—and frustrating.
For Lin lan, anything beyond endless skeletons was dazzling.
As for frustration?
What could be worse than being trapped in the Nine Nether Immortal Realm?
He wanted out.
Even one second would be enough.
But to do that, there was only one path.
The Archer Chieftain.
The Piercing Void Divine Ring.
Lin lan made the decision without hesitation.
Archer's Hill.
The journey ahead was brutal.
Undead filled every stretch of land. Dangers lurked where instinct failed. One mistake meant annihilation.
For Lin lan, it was a trial.
For Shen Daolun—whose vital essence was still severely depleted—it was a gamble with his existence.
Stay in the immortal formation and fade away slowly…
Or follow Lin lan and stake everything on that thirty percent.
After a long silence, Shen Daolun clenched his teeth.
His smile returned—polite, careful—but his eyes were serious.
"Brother Lin," he said softly, "my entire future is riding on you. Don't let me down."
Lin lan waved a hand. "Relax."
Too relaxed.
Shen Daolun's unease deepened. Why does this kid never promise anything properly? If danger struck and Lin lan ran—he'd be finished.
Still…
Opportunities like this didn't come twice.
After centuries of waiting, this was the only path left.
He stepped out of the immortal formation and followed Lin lan toward Archer's Hill.
Some gambles, you only got to make once.