Chapter 107
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Chapter 107: Successful Advancement, Preparing to Challenge the Tower
“Hadn’t he succeeded in breaking through? As expected, miracles are rare. Mu Lin’s limit might truly be master-level… In that case, I should find a way to drive Chu Lingluo away…”
“A master-level Mu Lin would still be manageable…”
Just as Chu Lingluo raised her hand to command her maid Xiaoxue, Mu Lin—who’d been receiving her consoling words—spoke with a bitter chuckle.
“Enough tears. I’m neither upset nor disappointed. Besides, I never said my breakthrough failed.”
“Huh?!”
Mu Lin’s words froze Chu Lingluo mid-action. After a long pause, she tilted her head and mumbled, “S-succeeded? But Brother Mu Lin… why the gloomy face?”
The bitterness on Mu Lin’s face intensified.
“A breakthrough is good news, but I’d hoped needing fewer resources as I grew stronger. Instead, higher realms and better cultivation methods only demand more.”
He sighed heavily.
“Even before my closed-door training, I noticed the excess—Sui Mu paper, Moonlight Essence, Essence Stones. These aren’t meant for ordinary Qi Practitioners. I’d been relying entirely on Spirit Stones.”
“Of course, I could’ve avoided using such resources. But with Level 3 Spiritual Roots, reaching full awakening would’ve taken one to three years like any common cultivator. Don’t mistake that for slowness—the hundred days of awakening alone takes 60-90 days for most. Advancing from early awakening to full awakening requires dozens of times more spiritual energy. Finishing in three years would’ve been impressive.”
“True, I burned through resources. But the reward was reaching the Spring Fountain Realm in mere months. After tasting such swift progress, who’d want to crawl?”
His expression darkened.
“Now that I’ve advanced to Spring Fountain, my power grows—but so do the costs. Maintaining this training speed demands twice as many Spirit Stones. Take Moonlight Essence: stronger meridians let me refine more faster. Sounds ideal, right?”
“Yet after practicing, I found the Moon-Devouring Toad—a premium magic item—couldn’t produce enough Moonlight Essence overnight for half a day’s use by me and my paper figure. I either abandon the Essence and slow down, or buy more Spirit Stones I can’t afford.”
As Mu Lin sighed, laughter chimed beside him.
“Giggle! Just a resource shortage? Fear not, Young Master Mu—I’ll procure everything, even if it ruins me.”
Yan Yunyu curtsied gracefully, determination flashing in her eyes.
“While I breathe, your cultivation won’t stall!”
Mu Lin stayed silent. Though open to sponsorship, he kept mental scales: Yan Yunyu’s value hinged on reaching first place in the Taoist Palace. Her current provisions—Sui Mu paper and Essence Stones—already matched that worth. Until achieving their goal, he’d ask no more.
Greed can easily lead to trouble.
A debt of gratitude isn’t easy to repay.
These words described Yan Yunyu, whose thoughts Mu Lin couldn’t decipher. As for Chu Lingluo, he was prepared to repay her kindness tenfold—no, a hundredfold—in the future.
When Mu Lin refused Yan Yunyu’s offer of money, her fan-gripping hand tightened, and her expression stiffened.
But she soon regained her composure, adopting a gentle yet faintly mournful tone. “Don’t you trust me, Young Master Mu?”
As she spoke, she wrapped both arms around his, pressing her chest against his arm.
Chu Lingluo’s eyes widened, her cheeks flushing.
“Shameless…”
Mu Lin, however, remained unruffled.
“No. You’ve already given enough. Taking more would make me greedy.”
This wasn’t what Yan Yunyu wanted. She *wanted* him to be greedy.
The more he owed her, the tighter their bond would grow.
She clung tighter to his arm, her voice tinged with hurt. “Young Master Mu, I know I erred in the past, and you’re guarded against me. I also know you’re noble and principled—unwilling to accept more Spirit Stones before completing your task. But this isn’t the time for pride. I’ve already spent countless Spirit Stones to secure first place for our Taoist Palace. What’s a few more? Our priority must be victory. If claiming the top rank requires more resources, I’ll gladly—”
She aimed to sway him with duty, to bind him deeper in debt. But Mu Lin cut her off with a nod. “You’re right. First place is essential. Let’s head to the training ground. After final preparations, we’ll challenge the tower.”
“Now?!”
“Now. My power has stabilized—this is the optimal time.”
He strode toward the training ground without looking back. Chu Lingluo hurried after him, leaving Yan Yunyu no choice but to follow.
The trio soon arrived at the training ground, where Mu Lin frowned at the tense atmosphere. Unfamiliar youths lounged nearby, their laughter clashing with the grim silence of Anping Taoist Palace disciples.
“What’s happening? Who are they?”
Chu Lingluo piped up, “Students from Qianyang Taoist Palace. They’re here to discuss collaboration for the Southeast League Examination.”
When her explanation proved sparse, Yan Yunyu stepped in. “Yuhu Academy always dominates the Southeast League Examination. While we don’t seek first place, finishing last would mean penalties for our Mountain Elder and teachers. Longyou and Heshan—founded by the same master—always ally during exams. To counter them, Anping and Qianyang must cooperate.”
She nodded toward the newcomers. “That’s Qianyang’s core team. Officially, they’re here to ‘exchange ideas.’ In truth, they’re vying for leadership of the Southeast League alliance.”
Mu Lin studied the sullen faces around them. “So our classmates lost. Does Qianyang have someone stronger than Ji Xue?”
His gaze lingered on the distant group of five, wariness flickering in his eyes.
Mu Lin acknowledged Ji Xue’s strength after she soloed the Fifth Floor of the Tower of Illusions. Defeating her proved these five weren’t weak.
But he soon realized he’d overcomplicated things.
Yan Yunyu explained: "No single person here surpasses Ji Xue. But she fights alone while they have five."
"They won through numbers? No wonder our classmates are both furious and unconvinced."
As Mu Lin listened, his arrival drew stares from the Qianyang Taoist Palace group.
Yan Yunyu – determined to claim Mu Lin after his advancement – had latched onto his arm first. This provoked even shy Chu Lingluo to grab his other arm rather than be left behind.
The returning Mu Lin now stood with both girls clinging to him – a sight that turned heads. Everyone knew these two noble ladies from influential families. Their open rivalry over one boy made him impossible to ignore.
A Qianyang disciple burned with jealousy. Earlier, this youth named Cai Tian had approached the girls after their victory, oozing false confidence… only to be scolded off like a stray dog. Seeing them now pressed against Mu Lin made Cai Tian’s face twist.
"Who’s that trash? Why do they fawn over him?"
A girl who’d inquired about Anping Taoist Palace answered: "Mu Lin. Level 3 Spiritual Roots."
"Level 3?!" Cai Tian spluttered. "Are those noble ladies blind? Why grovel before some third-rate-"
"Hardly third-rate," the girl interrupted. "He topped the Taoist Palace and entered the Hidden Dragon Rankings first. His weak Spiritual Roots just dragged him down later."
"Why don’t they dump him then-"
"Enough."
Cai Tian’s rant died as their team captain cut in. Wan Yangyu had no interest in provoking Anping’s disciples – not with his own proud girlfriend beside him. The captain’s warning carried authority: "We need Anping’s cooperation for rankings. Cause no trouble."
Cai Tian shut his mouth, but resentment simmered. Though Wan Yangyu wanted peace, storms often brew unexpectedly – and Cai Tian’s twisted grin soon returned when opportunity arose…
