For now, Lin Li set aside his worries and asked gently, "Zheng'er, where is your mother?"
"Mother?"
Lin Zheng hesitated for a moment before replying, "Mother is in the palace, assisting Grandfather with political affairs."
"Good."
Lin Li nodded and then said, "I've been in seclusion for a long time and have some things to discuss with your mother. Go play by yourself for now."
"Yes, Father!"
Lin Zheng responded obediently. Afterward, Lin Li looked up at the sky and flew into the air.
In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from sight! Having successfully formed his Nascent Soul and with the Skyborne passive skill, his speed in flight had greatly increased, moving so fast that even ordinary cultivators would struggle to catch sight of him.
...
In the palace of Hailan Kingdom, within the main hall, the king of Hailan sat on his throne, with the Ninth Princess seated beside him.
Several other princes and a few high-ranking officials were also present, discussing state affairs.
Suddenly!
A gust of wind swept through the hall, alarming everyone. The guards cried out to protect the king!
But in the next moment...
Everyone was stunned to see Lin Li abruptly appear in the hall!
"… Your Highness, the Ninth Prince Consort?!"
The once-nervous guards and officials were taken aback.
Meanwhile, the expressions of the other princes fluctuated.
While Hailan Kingdom had experienced tremendous growth thanks to Lin Li's influence, it was precisely because of him that the Ninth Princess, who once had little power in court, had become the second most powerful figure in the kingdom, just after the king.
As a result, the princes eyeing the throne saw Lin Li as a thorn in their sides.
The Second Prince, in particular, sneered and said, "Lin Li! What's the meaning of your sudden appearance? Don't you think it's inappropriate to enter the main hall without notice?"
"Silence!"
The king of Hailan Kingdom reprimanded.
Unlike the other princes, the king knew that without Lin Li, Hailan Kingdom wouldn't have risen to become the most prosperous and influential nation in the Baixing Kingdom alliance.
In the commercial conflicts with neighboring countries, Hailan Kingdom would not have fared well without Lin Li.
It could be said that the kingdom's current prosperity was entirely due to Lin Li's repeated military achievements in the Baixing Holy War, which earned them the favor and support of the king of Baixing.
Moreover...
Even more importantly!
The king knew that Lin Li had returned to the kingdom for the sole purpose of forming his Nascent Soul!
Now.
Lin Li's sudden appearance...
Could it mean that...
"Lin'er! Have you successfully formed your Nascent Soul?!"
The king of Hailan asked excitedly.
A bright smile spread across the Ninth Princess's face as she immediately stood up from her seat next to the king. Without any regard for the formal setting of the court, she rushed to Lin Li and threw herself into his arms. Ever since the Baixing Holy War began, although she had gained much power due to Lin Li, they had been apart more often than not, and she missed him dearly.
With the soft, warm embrace of the Ninth Princess, Lin Li smiled confidently and replied, "Indeed!"
"Father, I've come to share the good news with you!"
After speaking, Lin Li gently stroked the Ninth Princess's hair and said warmly, "My dear, I'm sorry for neglecting you these past years."
"It's okay~"
The Ninth Princess looked up, her eyes glistening with affection, and said softly, "For you, everything is worth it."
Lin Li was touched, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "The Baixing Holy War is not yet over."
"I came back to break through the Core Formation stage. Now that I've reached the Nascent Soul stage, I must return to the front lines."
"Don't worry."
Lin Li said seriously, "I will make sure Hailan Kingdom becomes the sixth great kingdom in Baixing!"
Lin Li had not forgotten the words of the palace elder who had once spoken to him.
Upon hearing this, the king of Hailan was visibly moved. "Lin'er, is that true?"
"A gentleman's word is his bond!"
With that, Lin Li turned and began walking out of the main hall. "There's no time to lose. I'll depart immediately."
"Husband…"
The Ninth Princess was reluctant to part, but she was sensible and said, "Be careful in all things!"
"Mm!"
Lin Li replied, and then, without another word, he flew into the sky from outside the main hall!
Now a Nascent Soul cultivator, with the combined powers of Like a Fish in Water and Skyborne, Lin Li's speed far surpassed that of any ship.
...
Half a month later.
In Baixing Kingdom!
Lin Li, now fully aware of the situation, knew that Baixing Kingdom was an alliance of countless smaller nations.
The massive island on which the king of Baixing resided was a hub for the commerce of these hundreds of nations.
The current king of Baixing was the ruler of the most aggressive of the Five Great Kingdoms, the Kingdom of Violent Thunder.
When the Violent Thunder King saw Lin Li, he was visibly shocked.
"You've already formed your Nascent Soul?!"
"Thanks to Your Majesty's support, yes."
Lin Li nodded.
"Gasp!"
In an instant, everyone in the palace gasped in awe!
People were astonished beyond words!
"What kind of cultivation speed is this?"
"Unbelievable!"
"It hasn't even been that long since he formed his core!"
"Lin Li truly is a once-in-a-millennium prodigy for Baixing Kingdom!"
"More than that!"
"Now that Lin Li has stepped into the Nascent Soul stage, he is at the level of a revered elder!"
As murmurs of amazement spread, the Violent Thunder King said, "Lin Li, now that you've successfully formed your Nascent Soul, you and I can speak as equals."
"Baixing Kingdom has always had only five great kingdoms. However, if you want Hailan Kingdom to become the sixth, you may have a chance."
"What chance?"
Lin Li hadn't expected the Violent Thunder King to directly address the issue that weighed most on his mind!
"Make even greater contributions in the Baixing Holy War!"
The Violent Thunder King continued, "Your title as Blood-handed Butcher is already well-known across the seas. But your achievements thus far—any Nascent Soul cultivator could have accomplished the same."
"Now, the war between Baixing Kingdom and the Sacred Boundless Alliance is nearing its final stage."
"The lower-level battles no longer have much impact on the outcome of the war."
"Now is the time for the Nascent Soul cultivators to fight!"
"Although Baixing Kingdom has been victorious in the lower-level battles, we've fallen behind in the Nascent Soul stage war."
"This is because the Sacred Boundless Alliance has far more Nascent Soul cultivators than we do! And the upper limit of our ancient puppets is at the Core Formation stage…"
"If we lose the Nascent Soul stage battles, then no matter how much we've won on the lower-level battlefields, it will all be in vain!"
"Because any one Nascent Soul cultivator can decisively impact the mid- and low-level battles."
"While Baixing Kingdom does have more Nascent Soul cultivators than either the Boundless Empire or the Holy Empire individually, their alliance has more Nascent Soul cultivators than we do!"
"Now that you've reached the Nascent Soul stage, it's a huge boost to our strength!"
"You are one of the few cultivators who excels in actual combat!"
"If you can slay three enemy Nascent Soul cultivators in battle, your achievements will be enough to elevate Hailan Kingdom to become the sixth great kingdom in Baixing!"