Their fists collided.
A blinding explosion of qi tore through the cave, stone shattering and air roaring like thunder.
In the final instant before impact, Lin Yun's left arm—previously unused—ignited with sky-blue light. The energy first gathered in his right fist, then surged outward, rapidly spreading across his entire right arm like liquid flame. Veins of brilliant sky-blue energy lit up beneath his skin, pulsing with raw power. A heartbeat later, the same sky-blue light flared in his left arm, covering it completely in a radiant, flowing aura that made the air around his limbs shimmer and crackle.
The sky-blue energy surged brighter, hotter, and both fists slammed forward in unison.
The beast's crimson qi-fist met Lin Yun's dual Immortal Punch head-on. The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, cracking the cave walls and hurling dust and debris in every direction.
When the haze finally settled, Lin Yun lay sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. His right arm was blackened like charcoal, flesh burned beyond recognition from the recoil of the first Immortal Punch. His left arm—still trembling from the second strike—remained mostly intact, though scorched at the edges.
Not far away, the half-transformed bull beast was in far worse shape.
A gaping, fist-sized hole had been blasted clean through its chest. The edges were charred black, ribs exposed and cracked, heart visible and still beating weakly beneath shredded muscle. Blood poured in thick streams from the wound, pooling beneath its massive form.
"Impossible…" the beast rasped, voice wet and broken. "How can a human rat… injure me like this?"
Its crimson eyes burned with madness and disbelief.
"I burned my essence blood… just to kill you!"
Dragging its ruined body forward, the beast seized Lin Yun by the throat with its remaining claw.
"Even if I die… you come with me!"
Lin Yun choked, vision spotting black at the edges. His burnt right arm dangled uselessly; his legs kicked weakly. Darkness crept in, cold and final.
Is this the end?
No.
I still have one chance.
He clenched his teeth against the pain.
I've never tried this on a living creature… but I have no time left.
With his last strength, Lin Yun grabbed the beast's wrist.
A blinding white light erupted from his palm—pure, raw vitality from the Mysterious Land.
"What is this?!" the beast roared, eyes widening in terror. "You cunning bastard—what did you do?!"
Lin Yun gave a faint, bloodstained smile.
"Die… without knowing."
The world twisted.
In the next instant, the bull beast vanished—dragged screaming into the Mysterious Land.
Inside that strange space, the beast stared in shock at the unfamiliar sky and rich soil beneath its claws.
"Teleportation?!" it bellowed. "If I ever escape, I'll tear you apart!"
But the land itself turned hostile.
The ground softened like quicksand. Invisible force seized its legs, pulling downward. The more it thrashed, the faster it sank.
"No—this place is devouring me!"
Its body and soul were torn apart, absorbed layer by layer. Essence blood, qi, even its lingering hatred—all fed into the Mysterious Land, nourishing its soil, expanding its borders.
Back in the cave, Lin Yun collapsed.
A faint wave of vitality returned to him—enough to dull the worst of the pain, to slow the bleeding—but his right arm remained shattered and charred. With one final, exhausted breath, he lost consciousness.
He awoke the next day.
Sunlight filtered weakly through the waterfall's mist, painting faint rainbows across the cave floor. Lin Yun groaned and pushed himself up, cradling his ruined arm with the other. Every movement sent fresh fire through his nerves.
He staggered deeper into the cave until he reached the source.
A spirit vein—thin, pale, barely a trickle compared to the white rhino's massive one from that other world.
Disappointment flickered in his eyes.
"So small… not even close."
Still, he mined the surrounding low-grade spirit stones until he reached the core: a dull crystal node pulsing weakly at the heart of the formation.
Lin Yun placed his blackened hand on it.
The node trembled.
Then—pure white light flooded into the Mysterious Land.
The crystal vanished, consumed entirely.
Vitality surged back like a broken dam.
His shattered bones realigned with soft cracks. Charred flesh sloughed away, replaced by smooth new skin. In moments, his arm was whole again—stronger than before.
But the vein's heart was gone.
Lin Yun exhaled slowly.
"All that's left are a few thousand low-grade spirit stones. Enough to awaken one or two more Immortal Cells… or to push my cultivation forward. Better to raise my realm first."
He collected every remaining stone, stored them in his spatial space, and limped out of the cave.
The waterfall roared behind him as he returned to Stoneheart City.
Madam Li had spent the day in quiet panic.
She searched the streets, asked merchants and passersby, even stood outside the inn gates for hours. No one had seen him. No one cared.
By dusk she sat in a shadowed corner of the market, knees drawn up, eyes red and swollen.
He must have left.
He's a cultivator. I'm only a mortal. I slowed him down.
She hugged herself tighter, tears gathering again.
Suddenly, a cold, familiar voice spoke behind her.
"Since when did I become someone who leaves without saying goodbye?"
She froze.
A hand—warm, steady—rested gently on her head.
Madam Li spun around.
Lin Yun stood there, robes torn and stained with dried blood, but alive. Whole.
Her breath caught.
She threw herself into his arms without thinking, face buried against his chest.
"I thought you were captured by the imperial army… or that you abandoned me…"
Lin Yun stiffened for a heartbeat—surprised by the sudden embrace.
Then he relaxed slightly. One hand rose and lightly tapped her forehead.
"Fool," he said quietly. "Don't overthink. If I wanted to leave, I wouldn't sneak away like a thief."
He pulled back gently and handed her a small bundle of clean clothes.
"Go change. You've been wearing the same ones for days."
She smiled through tears and hurried inside.
When she returned, dressed in fresh robes, hair loosely tied, she looked younger—brighter—almost radiant.
She stood before him shyly, hands clasped in front of her.
"How… how do I look?"
Lin Yun glanced once—brief, calm.
"Good."
Then his tone shifted, serious.
"Now tell me… why do you think the imperial army would capture me?"
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