Chapter 371

Chapter 371: The Beginning of Transformation Advancement

“So it was the East Sea King’s third heir who did this. Never expected that.”

“Actually, it makes sense. Ji Yu’s maternal clan lacks influence, giving him slim chances for the throne. Marrying into Prince Liang’s family was his only shot. Mu Lin’s union with Ji Ling Sha destroyed his last hope. If I were him, I’d have acted too. Succeeding would solve everything, and even if failing, would the East Sea King really let Mu Lin kill his own son?”

“…True. Passively waiting for death was far worse than fighting with all one’s might.”

While some understood Ji Yu’s actions, others disagreed: “Foolish move. There’ll be consequences. Given Mu Lin’s temper, he won’t let this slide.”

“What’s he gonna do? Storm the East Sea Kingdom to murder Ji Yu?”

“We respect Mu Lin for his talent and potential. But potential isn’t current power. His cultivation time’s too short – he only outshines peers, not true powerful beings. Compared to established experts, Mu Lin’s still weak.”

Most doubted Mu Lin’s retaliation would succeed.

Even supporters thought:

“He can’t beat Ji Yu now, but maybe later. With Ji Yu’s resources, he’ll live long enough to see Mu Lin become strong. Then he’s done for.”

“Bet he’s suffering already. Sudden death isn’t scary – the dread beforehand is. Being hunted by such a genius? He’ll have daily nightmares, can’t eat or sleep.”

“Exactly! If Mu Lin targeted me, I’d never sleep again.”

“Think Ji Yu will reconcile?”

As Yuzhou City youths’ current idol, Mu Lin’s assassination attempt became hot gossip.

Every youngster in town debated the incident.

Opinions split into two camps:

One believed the stubborn East Sea King would keep attacking Mu Lin to eliminate the threat.

The other predicted the king would send resources to make peace.

Arguments raged between factions, but neither side thought Mu Lin could retaliate successfully.

Even Mu Lin’s staunchest supporters only believed he might rival the East Sea King someday, not now.

Unknown to Mu Lin, not just humans discussed this – demons and monsters chimed in too.

Unlike humans who mostly hoped Mu Lin survived, the non-humans watched eagerly, wanting bloodshed:

“Typical human internal strife.”

“Fight! Fight harder! A proper Killing spree would secure our safety.”

“Clan elders, should we fuel the conflict?”

“…No. This is human territory. Getting caught means both sides crushing us. Just observe.”

Some spectators grinned knowingly. The nine-tailed Fox Demon Tu Su nodded: “Talent alone isn’t enough. Only someone combining power and talent deserves to wed me and protect the Qingqiu Fox Tribe.”

…

Mu Lin remained oblivious to these discussions, wholly focused on merging high-level resources. At midnight, he’d begin his Transformation advancement.

Just as Mu Lin closed his eyes to cultivate, someone came looking for him again.

To his surprise, it wasn’t the northern aristocrats but… Ji Ling Sha.

"Her? Not interested."

Mu Lin harbored no goodwill toward the source of his assassination troubles. To him, this incident was nothing but an unjust calamity that disrupted his cultivation peace.

Given this, it’d be stranger if Mu Lin felt any warmth toward Ji Ling Sha.

Though unwilling to meet her, the girl forced her way in anyway.

Neither Si Ye nor Yan Yunyu made any real effort to stop her.

This made Mu Lin frown.

Setting aside the situation for now, Mu Lin studied Ji Ling Sha – and recognized the willful young mistress he’d encountered at the Grave Lord’s tomb.

His demeanor turned frostier.

"What brings you here, County Princess?"

Mu Lin’s voice carried winter’s chill, making Ji Ling Sha flinch. Yet she wasn’t some simple-minded spoiled brat. Their previous clash at the tomb had stemmed from her mistaken belief that Mu Lin had proposed marriage.

That misunderstanding had weighed on her conscience. Now she bowed deeply, sincerity dripping from every word:

"I came to apologize… I never imagined this would bring you such danger."

Her genuine remorse softened Mu Lin’s stance slightly. From Yan Yunyu and others, he’d learned Prince Liang’s residence truly intended marriage rather than using him as pawn. This knowledge kept blame at bay, though he still wanted distance.

"Save your apologies. This stems from my own weakness – how easily the East Sea King’s Third Heir thought he could strike without consequence. Hah…"

"Eh?"

Mu Lin’s laugh held no mirth, only ice.

Before she could respond, he cut in: "Your apology’s noted, County Princess. You may leave."

"I can’t!" Blush creeping up her neck, she stood firm. "Fu Bo says you’re still in danger. The Yan, Chu and Ge families may stand with you, but Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo are merely legitimate daughters with low-status parents. Blood Cherry’s from a collateral branch too. They can’t fully protect you – the East Sea King knows this!"

"But I’m different! Father would never let me die, which means… he won’t let you die either!"

Crimson-faced now, she suddenly slammed the table: "Don’t misunderstand! I’m only repaying the disaster I caused! That’s all! Stop imagining nonsense!"

‘…You’re the one putting ideas in my head.’

After a moment of reflection, Mu Lin found himself drawn to the idea.

This didn’t mean he’d abandoned revenge—rather, with the powerful beings from Prince Liang’s residence backing him, the Yan, Chu, and Ge families would likely join his cause. While the Yan and Chu families wouldn’t dare oppose the East Sea King alone, they’d gladly lend support if others took the lead. With their backing, Mu Lin wouldn’t face any overwhelming forces in the East Sea Kingdom, avoiding dimensional strikes.

He also realized why Yan Yunyu and Si Ye hadn’t stopped Ji Ling Sha from joining. Having her in his team offered clear advantages. Still, the debt felt too great. “Are you certain?” he pressed. “Once in my team, there’s no leaving. Don’t regret this later.”

“Hmph! This county princess doesn’t regret things,” Ji Ling Sha shot back instantly. Nearby, Yan Yunyu giggled.

Leaning close, Yan Yunyu whispered to Mu Lin, “Brother Mu, you’re clueless about your own charm, aren’t you?”

“???”

“What charm?”

Mu Lin never saw himself as interesting. His life revolved around cultivation and battle—hardly thrilling. But this mindset blinded him. As Yan Yunyu explained with amusement, he slowly grasped the truth: this world wasn’t his past life. Here, social norms differed entirely.

In ancient feudal times, scholars reigned supreme. Now, danger lingered everywhere, making people crave heroes who crushed evil—much like Heracles of Greek myths. That legendary hero, forever battling, still won hearts despite his roughness. Stories even claimed fifty princesses fought over him.

Mu Lin mirrored this. His unmatched strength in the Southeast Province, his defiance against evil gods in the Grave Lord’s tomb, his victories when southern aristocrats faltered—all made him a modern Heracles to the youth. In this hero-worshipping world, admiration followed naturally.

“So that’s it…”

Seeing the hope in Ji Ling Sha’s eyes, Mu Lin relented. He needed allies for his revenge, and he’d ensure her future thrived.

…

After accepting Ji Ling Sha, Mu Lin delegated communications to Yan Yunyu and Si Ye. His focus returned to merging the high-level resources.

“Buzz!”

At midnight’s peak yin hour, the fusion succeeded—marking the start of Mu Lin’s advancement.

“Hiss… Aoo!”