Chapter 98
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Chapter 98: Fifty-Fifty Division
When Yan Yunyu spoke of her circumstances, she was filled with envy and jealousy toward Chu Lingluo.
Not every parent treats their child like a treasure.
The Yan family, a merchant clan, cared most about profit, and the relationships between its members were distant.
If she failed, she would be thrown away without hesitation—something she could never accept.
…
In her final words, Yan Yunyu spoke plainly to get sympathy.
It half-worked. Hearing her "miserable" fate, even Chu Lingluo, who had always resented her, softened the frustration in her eyes.
But while Chu Lingluo’s heart softened, Mu Lin remained unmoved.
Instead of pitying her, her story made him even more determined to stay out of it.
"I’m sorry for your troubles, but I can’t get involved. The fights between powerful clans are too vicious. I’m not qualified to join, nor can I afford to."
Mu Lin valued himself highly, convinced he’d rise to greatness someday.
Because of this, he wanted no trouble—only to focus on his cultivation.
With this mindset, even when Chu Lingluo’s mother caused problems, his first thought was to get rid of the issue and return to training. Yan Yunyu, who had clashed with him, was even less of a priority.
As for her "tragic" life? Hah. Countless others suffered far worse.
She only risked an arranged marriage—her food, clothes, safety, and comfort were guaranteed.
In this harsh feudal world, commoners froze, starved, or were sacrificed by the thousands.
Compared to them, Yan Yunyu lived in luxury. Her complaints didn’t make Mu Lin feel sorry for her at all.
…
Mu Lin’s detached attitude made Yan Yunyu clench her jaw.
But unlike Chu Lingluo, she’d grown up in cutthroat competition. She wasn’t naive and had planned for this.
Staring straight at Mu Lin, she said lightly,
"You’ll help. This involves you too."
"No, it doesn’t—"
"It does. You’re desperate for Spirit Stones, aren’t you?"
Mu Lin’s eyes narrowed.
"What are you implying…?"
"If I join the assessment, the Yan family will give me Spirit Stones to use. Passing means even more. The further I go, the more I control. Help me win first place, let me have the glory, and I’ll give you Spirit Stones—mountains of them."
This made Mu Lin pause.
Spirit Stones were his weak spot.
His soul’s strength was tied to his mind. As his cultivation realm improved, so too would his mental state.
But mana differed from the physical body—it was a tangible substance.
Both this world and Mu Lin’s proficiency panel obeyed energy conservation. Even when Mu Lin’s cultivation realm advanced, he still needed external energy absorption to gradually elevate his mana and physical strength.
His mediocre talent meant slow progress through cultivation alone.
Though bottleneck-free, his early-stage growth remained sluggish. Only in later stages could he potentially match true prodigies.
But early weakness carried risks in this perilous world. A dead genius remained merely a corpse.
Unwilling to gamble, Mu Lin scoured for Spirit Stones to accelerate his growth.
Spirit Stones proved hard to obtain.
Yan Yunyu now offered Mu Lin an early-boost opportunity through stone-funded cultivation.
He hesitated.
Noticing this, Yan Yunyu pressed her advantage:
"My situation isn’t that dire. Had I targeted becoming Yan family’s sole Legitimate Son, we’d drown in enemies. But with Level 2 Spiritual Roots, I’ve no chance for the top position. I merely seek to clear more trials, gain resources, and control my fate. Fewer enemies, less danger for you."
This reasoning worked.
"Deal. Split?"
"Seventy-thirty."
Mu Lin: "My seventy?"
"Impossible. Yan family won’t permit such external resource allocation."
Mu Lin: "Their opinion matters less than yours. Cooperate, keep thirty percent. Refuse, get nothing."
"Seventy’s too obvious. Family would notice."
"Fifty-fifty then."
"…Agreed."
Mu Lin: "Good. After class, fetch me thousand-year Sui Mu paper and a quality talisman brush."
Yan Yunyu’s fists clenched at his demands, but she countered:
"After you help me clear the trials."
"Materials first. I decide when we attempt them."
Their staredown ended with Yan Yunyu yielding—Chu Lingluo’s mother’s threats left her desperate. Mu Lin remained unfazed; he could cultivate with or without the paper.
Securing leadership, Mu Lin offered explanation:
"Tower of Illusions wastes time. Cultivation matters most. We’re all Awakened Realm—able to clear fourth floor, but fifth floor’s Spirit Pool Realm enemies? Impossible. Strengthen foundations first."
This wasn’t mere placation. Mu Lin coveted the Taoist Palace’s top spot—that Level 2 Spiritual Root upgrade was too precious to lose.
Teacher Dongfang Ya’s warnings rang clear: Yuhu Academy’s influence meant facing formidable rivals. Spring Fountain Realm was the minimum requirement.
"Reaching Spring Fountain Realm in months? Brutal. But Palace’s top five demands nothing less. Difficulty proves the prize’s worth."
Even Spring Fountain might only qualify him. Hence his relentless cultivation and art of puppetry studies—all preparation for the Southeast Province League Examination.
