A brilliant rainbow streaked across the vast blue sky, moving so quickly that the clouds beneath it were torn apart by the force of its passage, leaving behind a long trail of turbulent air that slowly dispersed over the distant mountains.
Within the rainbow light, Lin Sheng stood calmly with his hands behind his back, while Lou Feng remained beside him, protected by the invisible force surrounding his body.
They had already passed through the spatial passage.
The journey that had lasted three hours had finally brought them back to the Immortal Continent.
However, they had not appeared at the exact location Lin Sheng had originally intended.
Instead, they had emerged above an island in the Southern Archipelagos.
Lin Sheng's divine sense swept across the surroundings.
The first thing he saw was devastation.
The island beneath them had once clearly been inhabited, but nine years ago, it had become one of the casualties of the battle between two Nascent Soul-level experts.
Mountains had been flattened, the earth had been torn apart, and enormous cracks extended from the coast deep into the island. Some places had sunk beneath the sea, while others had been transformed into barren stretches of blackened earth.
Even after nine years, the traces left behind by a Nascent Soul battle had not completely disappeared.
The remaining spiritual energy was chaotic, and faint traces of powerful laws still lingered in some areas, making it extremely dangerous for low-level cultivators to approach.
Lou Feng stared down at the ruined island.
"So this is the Immortal Continent?"
"Yes."
Lin Sheng nodded.
"This is the Southern Archipelagos."
His eyes moved towards the distant horizon.
"The Thousand Isle Archipelago."
Lou Feng looked around curiously, but Lin Sheng did not stop.
He had not returned after nearly nine years merely to admire the scenery.
He needed to go to the Eastern Region first.
His family, his friends, and the people he had left behind were all there.
He wanted to know how they had developed during his absence.
He also wanted to know what had happened to the Immortal Continent during those nine years.
The rainbow light suddenly accelerated.
The surrounding clouds were instantly pushed aside, and Lin Sheng and Lou Feng became a streak of light that disappeared towards the horizon.
---
Qian Family Mountain
Several thousand kilometres away, within the Qian Family's mountain residence, the atmosphere was considerably less serious.
Qian Feng was lying comfortably on a sedan chair beneath the shade of an ancient spiritual tree.
Two servants were carrying the sedan chair slowly around the courtyard, while Qian Feng held a spirit fruit in one hand, biting into it lazily.
His eyes were half closed.
The spiritual energy contained within the fruit circulated through his body, but instead of using it to cultivate, he simply enjoyed the taste.
"Life should be enjoyed."
Qian Feng sighed comfortably.
"Why make things difficult for yourself?"
His peaceful afternoon lasted only a few breaths.
"Qian Feng!"
A loud voice suddenly came from outside.
Qian Feng's eyes opened.
Before he could even react, the courtyard door was pushed open.
A figure strode inside.
Lin Shou.
Qian Feng's expression immediately changed.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
Lin Shou walked directly towards the sedan chair.
"Where are you going?"
"To rest."
"You've been resting for three days."
"That's because cultivation is exhausting."
Qian Feng's excuse had barely left his mouth when Lin Shou grabbed him by the collar.
"Hey!"
Qian Feng's body was dragged out of the sedan chair.
"Lin Shou, I'm warning you, I'm a member of the Qian Family!"
"I know."
"You can't treat me like this."
"I can."
"Wait, I haven't finished my fruit!"
Qian Feng looked desperately towards the spirit fruit that had fallen onto the ground.
Lin Shou ignored him completely.
He dragged Qian Feng towards the training grounds.
The servants carrying the sedan chair looked at each other.
Neither dared to interfere.
Qian Feng's voice gradually disappeared into the distance.
"Lin Shou!"
"Let go!"
"I said I'm not training today!"
"You said that yesterday."
"And the day before."
"Exactly."
Soon, they arrived at the training grounds.
Lin Shou finally released him.
Qian Feng staggered several steps before stabilising himself.
Lin Shou gave him a cold look.
"You're already at the mid stage of Xuan Gang, yet you spend most of your time lying around."
Qian Feng dusted off his robes.
"What can I do? I don't have much motivation."
Lin Shou's eyes narrowed.
"You don't have motivation?"
"Not really."
Qian Feng shrugged.
"What's the point of cultivating so desperately? We're already Xuan Gang cultivators."
Lin Shou sneered.
"You're satisfied with mid stage?"
"Of course."
Qian Feng said confidently.
"It's already pretty good."
Lin Shou stared at him as though he had just heard something ridiculous.
His own Xuan Gang cultivation was already approaching the peak stage.
The difference between the two of them had become increasingly obvious over the years.
They had started from similar positions, but their attitudes towards cultivation were completely different.
Lin Shou cultivated almost every day.
He refined his True Qi, tempered his body, practised martial techniques, studied combat methods and repeatedly pushed himself through battles.
Qian Feng, meanwhile, was talented enough that even his relatively lazy cultivation had allowed him to reach the mid stage of Xuan Gang.
But talent could only carry someone so far.
Lin Shou's eyes became cold.
"Have you looked outside recently?"
Qian Feng's smile faded slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"The entire province is becoming chaotic."
Lin Shou folded his arms.
"The Lin Family is already dealing with its own troubles, the Qian Family has received reports almost every day, and several cultivation families have already been attacked."
Qian Feng's expression gradually became serious.
Lin Shou continued.
"You think you can keep sitting on that sedan chair when the fighting reaches us?"
Qian Feng remained silent.
"At some point, we'll have to fight."
Lin Shou's voice became heavier.
"And when that happens, your cultivation won't care whether you were motivated or not."
Qian Feng's expression changed.
He knew Lin Shou was right.
The situation across the Eastern Region had indeed become increasingly unstable.
Reports had been arriving continuously.
Rogue cultivators with ordinary backgrounds were disappearing.
Some were young cultivators who had displayed astonishing comprehension, others had suddenly broken through bottlenecks far faster than expected, while some had simply demonstrated unusual talent during expeditions.
They disappeared without a trace.
No bodies.
No witnesses.
No explanation.
It was almost as though they had never existed.
Everyone knew who was responsible.
The assassin organisation that had once terrorised countless geniuses within the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm had returned to the shadows.
Except now, they were operating on an even larger scale.
Qian Feng's expression became grim.
"Those bastards."
Lin Shou nodded.
"Exactly."
He looked towards the distant mountains.
"They aren't only targeting major families anymore."
Qian Feng's fingers tightened.
"The golden runes."
Lin Shou glanced at him.
"Yes."
The appearance of the golden runes had changed the entire situation.
A rogue cultivator could stumble upon one and suddenly improve their cultivation speed, their comprehension could rise dramatically, and a bottleneck that had trapped them for decades could disappear.
Such a person could become a threat.
And the Seven Star Palace and its associated forces had begun searching for them.
The assassin organisation was merely one of the blades operating in the darkness.
Qian Feng sighed.
"Things really have become troublesome."
Lin Shou looked at him.
"Now do you still want to rest?"
Qian Feng hesitated.
"...I'll cultivate."
Lin Shou nodded.
"Good."
Qian Feng glanced at him suspiciously.
"For how long?"
"Until I say stop."
Qian Feng's expression immediately collapsed.
"That's not what I meant."
Before Lin Shou could respond, footsteps suddenly came from the entrance.
Both men turned.
Two figures walked into the courtyard.
Lin Xiaolu and Lou Han.
The two young martial artists were walking side by side, their hands intertwined naturally.
Their relationship was no longer something they attempted to hide.
Qian Feng stared at them for a moment.
Then he immediately clicked his tongue.
"Can't you two show some restraint?"
Lin Xiaolu raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?"
"Some of us are single."
Qian Feng pointed at himself.
"Have some consideration."
Lou Han's face reddened slightly.
Lin Xiaolu merely rolled her eyes.
"You're just jealous."
"Who said I'm jealous?"
Qian Feng snorted.
"I'm perfectly satisfied with my life."
Lin Shou, however, showed no reaction to the teasing.
He simply nodded towards the two of them.
"Lou Han, Xiaolu."
"Lin Shou."
The two greeted him.
Their relationship had begun developing after they arrived in Jade Haven City.
At first, they had merely accompanied one another during training outings.
Then one outing became another.
They hunted Yao beasts together, explored dangerous regions, fought against hostile cultivators, helped each other when injuries became serious, and gradually became accustomed to having the other person beside them.
There had been battles where Lou Han had been surrounded and Lin Xiaolu had fought her way through several Yao beasts to reach him.
There had also been moments when Lin Xiaolu had been injured and Lou Han had stayed beside her until she recovered.
Through repeated life-and-death experiences, something that had initially been nothing more than companionship slowly became affection.
Eventually, neither of them needed to say much.
They simply understood one another.
And somewhere along the way, their relationship had become official.
Qian Feng looked at their joined hands again and sighed dramatically.
"Another one."
Lin Shou ignored him.
"How is the training?"
Lin Xiaolu smiled.
"Fine. We've both reached the mid stage of Xuan Gang."
Qian Feng immediately pointed at Lin Shou.
"See? They're only at mid stage too."
Lin Shou looked at him.
"You're comparing yourself to them?"
Qian Feng's finger slowly lowered.
"That was unnecessary."
Lin Xiaolu laughed.
Lou Han covered his mouth, unable to hide his smile.
For a brief moment, the tension that had surrounded the cultivation world seemed distant.