Gong Heshan was stunned.!!
The grandmaster aura signifying his genius … the timing... the supernatural power…!!
If he could just confirm Lin Haoran's age and the exact timing of when this scroll was send—
Then…
Then he could say it with confidence.
Everything else matched. The supernatural power, the casual mastery of martial force, the calm that made even Grandmasters hesitate. That sense of unreachable dignity, like he was born above the world.
This boy… no—this child, was likely…
"Stop!" Lin Haoran's voice cut in like a blade.
Sharp. Sudden. Alarmed.
His eyes narrowed—not from confusion, but realization. He understood exactly what this block head was thinking.
And it terrified him.
No matter who the saint was it must definitely not be associated to him!! the entire world plunging into chaos because of one child? oh my god!! just how much trouble can a single person caused???
No matter what he must definitely not admit to him being any saint of some kind, nor must he be associated with the title. even immortal inheritance pale in comparison to that title.
In truth Lin haoran personally thinks that many of the clues match him, if he had not known from where his abilities came form, he would have also think that he was the saint!!
But unfortunately, Thank God he was not the saint.
"Don't even think it," Lin said.
"My lord," Gong stammered, "if I could just—"
"No. Absolutely not." Lin leaned back in his chair. "I am not the Saint."
Gong looked devastated. "But… but your great supernatural power… this place ... your age..."
"Coincidence," Lin replied flatly.
"Your martial realm at such a young age—"
"Genetics and hard work."
"Your supernatural power—"
"Diet and meditation."
Gong hesitated. "But then what about—"
Lin sighed. "Look, even I almost believed it for a second. If I hadn't known myself clearly, I might've stood in the mirror and bowed to myself too."
He pointed a finger.
"But I do know. And I am not the Saint. Don't say the word. Don't think it. Don't even dream it."
Gong Heshan gulped. "Understood…"
There was a long pause.
Then Gong frowned faintly.
"…But if one really was the Saint… would they admit it?" he than thought
Lin Haoran gave him a deadpan look.
"Would a chicken admit it's an egg before the farmer shows up with a cleaver?"
There was silence.
Gong Heshan stared at Lin Haoran. Blinked once.
Twice.
Then something clicked.
His eyes widened. His breath hitched.
"…Of course," he whispered.
"What now?" Lin Haoran asked, a dangerous note creeping into his voice.
"It all makes sense," Gong said with growing excitement. "To reject the title, to push it away—that's exactly what a true Saint would do!"
Lin Haoran stood up, very slowly.
"Don't you dare."
"You must protect yourself!" Gong said, nodding so hard it looked like his head might fall off. "If word got out—if the world knew—you'd be hunted by all the race in the world! A Saint must walk unseen until the heavens reveal them!"
"I literally just said I am not a Saint."
"Exactly!" Gong declared, pointing as if he had caught Lin red-handed. "Your modesty only confirms it! Only a real Saint would deny being one! It's all so clear now!"
Lin Haoran rubbed his forehead, muttering to himself.
"Why do people only hear what they want to hear? If I told him I was a dog, would he nod and bark?"
"I understand, my lord," Gong continued, lowering his voice and giving him a serious, meaningful nod. "You are not the Saint."
He winked.
Lin Haoran stared at him.
"I will kill you."
"I was never here," Gong whispered, bowing deeply. "I never saw anything. I shall take this secret to my grave."
Lin Haoran opened his mouth, considered trying again, then just closed it and sighed.
There was no winning against this kind of blind devotion.
"Sighed**"
Lin Haoran sighed, his eyes lingering coldly on Gong Heshan.
What should he do with this man?
He couldn't allow him to leave the mountain alive.
He couldn't even afford to set him free.
The old man already knew far too much. And now, he even suspected him—Lin Haoran—might be one of the Saints.
That was far too dangerous.
Just as Lin Haoran was still deep in thought, there was another knock.
He turned to see Mu Qinglan, carrying a wrapped bundle in both arms.
"My lord, I sorted through the battlefield. These were the valuable gains," he said simply, placing the bundle down on the floor.
Lin Haoran crouched down and slowly unwrapped it. Inside were weapons, coins, pouches, martial techniques, and a few odd items Lin Haoran couldn't identify. Gold, mostly. A few sharp blades of decent make.
Nothing remarkable.
Suddenly, Lin Haoran thought of something and looked at Gong Heshan- it was time to test whether this old man was worth keeping or not.
"You" Lin Haoran said calmly, without looking at him, "come identify them."
Gong Heshan jump in fright for a moment then- quietly approached, eyes scanning over the contents.
"My lord....This is the Pristine Sword Style of the Su family… To think young master Su would have brought it with him… and… the Thousandfold Sword too… and this… Immortal Artifact!!!"
He paused.
Lin Haoran followed his gaze.
Indeed, it was the Immortal Artifact that Su Zheyan had used against him. But now it seemed completely spent, like a broken sword.
As much as Lin Haoran was interested in it, it looked like a one-time-use weapon.
The gains were laid out in front of him and all were counted— it was a great yeild -39 gold coins, mostly from young master Su, a few martial techniques including the main style of the Su family, the Thousandfold Iron Sword… and—
Finally, something caught Lin Haoran's attention.
It was a small fruit nestled between a bloodstained pouch and a broken bowstring. It was round and gave off an alluring smell.
Lin Haoran's brows furrowed. He had never seen this type of fruit before.
And the moment he laid eyes on it, the passive field of [Fortune Teller] reacted, giving the fruit a faint white aura.
It felt… alive.
"What is this fruit?" Lin Haoran asked, his voice flat.
Gong Heshan squinted at it. "Spirit fruit! An actual spirit fruit… My lord, these are really rare. Martial artists use them to support internal cultivation. They're a good tonic… Unfortunately, I don't know which specific spirit fruit it is."
Lin Haoran remained silent—but intrigued. The spirit fruit gave him a familiar feeling… but from where?
He first activated [Yin-Yang Eye], since life was the strongest sensation he had felt from the fruit.
No change. The fruit didn't show any signs of life or death.
Next, [Spectral Vision].
Still nothing. Just a solid fruit.
Finally, he focused and invoked [Astral Sight]. His pupils twisted into the swirling dual spiral of chaos, and the air around him dimmed.
He saw a hazy vision:
A mountain glade. A barefoot herb-picker. The fruit being plucked gently from a tree.
The vision faded.
Everything — past, environment, action — suggested it was just a normal spirit fruit.
But the feeling didn't go away.
It was buried… deeper.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
He opened the Wheel of Heaven and Earth interface and entered the Gifting function — something he hadn't touched in a while.
The fruit shimmered faintly.
And then—
A flash. A flicker. A pulse.
In the center of the fruit, a tiny void appeared.
Lin Haoran's eyes sharpened.
A fruit can be given an ability?
Lin Haoran was confused.