The bluish light rippled from his fingertips like waves spreading across a tranquil lake, carrying a faint yet utterly pure spiritual energy that poured into Lin Tian's meridians through his palm. In that instant, his heartbeat seemed to align with some ancient rhythm; his blood roared within him, and every bone in his body felt as if it were being cleansed by a warm current of light.
"Your bloodline… it truly still exists."The voice came again—clearer than before—deep and unhurried, like someone recognizing a long-lost kin.
Lin Tian's brows furrowed. He was about to ask a question when he suddenly felt the current at the end of the tunnel being violently reversed by an overwhelming force. Waves churned wildly, and the oppressive pressure almost robbed him of breath. It was the aura of the Violet-Lightning Demon Python—wounded, yet still ferocious enough to force its way into the tunnel!
Gritting his teeth, Lin Tian tightened his grip on the bluish glow, attempting to draw upon its strength to break through. Suddenly, a slender hand reached out from the heart of the light, seizing his wrist with a firm yet cool grasp. In the next heartbeat, Lin Tian's entire body was pulled into the light; the water and darkness vanished, replaced by a vast, serene, cyan-hued space.
At its center stood a man in white, his back to Lin Tian. The figure was tall and slender, long hair cascading down, a faint spiritual radiance lingering about him like morning mist on a mountaintop. Upon hearing the sound, the man slowly turned, and a pair of eyes as clear as the stars met Lin Tian's gaze.
Lin Tian's heart trembled—those eyes were both unfamiliar and inexplicably familiar, as if he had seen them countless times in dreams.
"You… are?" Lin Tian couldn't help but ask.
The man in white smiled faintly, though there was a trace of wistfulness in it. "My name is Lin Mu. By seniority… you should call me 'Uncle.'"
"Uncle?" Lin Tian froze, his mind going blank. Never had his parents mentioned such a person.
Lin Mu regarded him with a gaze that seemed to pierce the river of time itself, as though studying a destined junior. "Your father was my most proud elder brother. The fact that you stand here means that what he left for you… has begun to awaken."
Lin Tian opened his mouth to ask more, but the cyan space suddenly trembled, as if some great beast were roaring beyond its walls. Lin Mu's expression sharpened. With a wave of his hand, the void rippled, revealing an image of the water pool—the Violet-Lightning Demon Python had shattered the tunnel, and Zhao Xipei and the others were closing in on the pool's edge.
"There's not much time," Lin Mu said solemnly. "I cannot remain in this world for long, but I can send you back—and give you something."
He raised his right hand, and a small cyan bead slowly floated forth, its surface glimmering with star-like specks. At a glance, Lin Tian could feel the vast, surging spiritual power within—purer than all the spiritual treasures he had ever obtained combined.
"This is the Azure Spirit Pearl. Your father once used it to seal away a part of my power. Now, I entrust it to you," Lin Mu said, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "With it, you will have the means to face a Xiantian-level opponent… but in return, you must do something for me."
Lin Tian's heart surged, but he did not shrink back. Meeting Lin Mu's eyes, he asked, "What is it?"
"Find a certain person and bring him to me," Lin Mu said, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. "Like you, he carries my bloodline."
The moment the words fell, Lin Tian felt a gentle yet irresistible force lift his body. In the blink of an eye, he was back in the water pool. In his palm lay the Azure Spirit Pearl, glowing faintly.
The waters roared—the gaping maw of the Violet-Lightning Demon Python was now only an arm's length away. Lin Tian tightened his grip on the bead, his gaze turning razor-sharp.
This time, he was not merely running for his life.He was ready to strike back.