NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 7: Removed from sect
The day after the battle with the demonic cultivator, he had a goal and mind to resolve. He would go to the sect to be expelled. While Yanluo was cultivating, he left.
Lin Huang calmly walked along the path that led back to the Divine Cloud Sect. After the recent events, he had made his decision: he would abandon the mission and accept the consequences. As an outer disciple, he knew that his position was insignificant. Outer disciples were disposable, constantly replaced by new recruits, and failing a mission was practically a sentence of expulsion.
Upon crossing the sect gates, he went to the registration hall to report the result of the mission. There stood Gao Moyun, the inner disciple in charge of the counter. Gao was a middle-aged man with a calm expression, but marked by the fatigue of years of administrative work. He wasn't an elder or someone with great power in the sect, but his position as the person in charge of records made him a well-known figure among the outer disciples.
When Lin Huang entered the hall, Gao looked up from a scroll he was reading and sighed as he recognized him.
"Lin Huang…" he said in a neutral tone, already anticipating the reason for his visit. "Have you come to report the mission result?"
Lin Huang nodded calmly and handed over the mission token.
"Yes, Brother Gao. I couldn't complete the task. I failed the mission and although there is still some time left, I would rather abandon it."
Gao took the token and looked through the records for a few moments. He sighed again, but his face showed no surprise or anger. For him, expelling outer disciples was a routine matter; dozens were removed every day.
"You know what this means, right?" Gao asked without any judgmental tone.
"I see," Lin Huang replied calmly.
Gao nodded and extended his hand.
"Then hand over your sect token. Your stay here ends today."
Lin Huang took out the sect token from his belt and placed it in Gao's hand without hesitation. He felt no regret or shame; his decision had already been made before he even returned.
Gao observed the token for a few seconds before putting it away in a small box beside the counter. He sighed once more, as if he was sorry for Lin Huang's situation, but didn't say anything more than necessary, '
'Good luck out there.''
Lin Huang nodded his thanks slightly and before leaving, he whispered to Gao,
''Brother Gao, before you leave, there's a deal I'd like to make with you. Despite failing out there, I had a chance and got a technique that I'd like to trade.''
Gao Moyun looked up, surprised by Lin Huang's statement. He didn't expect an outer disciple, especially one who was about to be expelled, to have something of value to trade.
''A technique?'' Gao asked, arching an eyebrow. ''What kind of technique did you find?''
Lin Huang took out an ancient scroll and placed it on the counter.
The scroll exuded a faint aqua aura, indicating its nature.
"It's a cultivation technique meant for those with an affinity for water or ice," Lin Huang explained. "I found it while searching for the demonic cultivator. Unfortunately, I realized that my affinity for those elements is low, so it doesn't make sense to me. I thought it might be more useful to you."
Gao Moyun carefully picked up the scroll and began to analyze it. His eyes lit up as he realized the profoundness of the technique. It was something that clearly far surpassed the ordinary techniques available to inner disciples.
"This is… an extremely high-level cultivation technique!" Gao exclaimed in surprise.
He glanced to the side in fear that someone was watching and then pulled Lin Huang into a private room.
"Something like this would only be accessible to core disciples or sect elders. Are you sure you want to exchange it?"
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"I'm sure, Brother Gao. I have no use for it and would rather trade it for something that can help me on my path. My affinity with water is very low and even trying to cultivate the technique has not been successful."
Gao Moyun looked at Lin Huang with a mixture of disbelief and respect. He knew that a technique like that could completely change his cultivation path, perhaps even give him a chance to make up for lost time and reach new heights.
"What do you want in return?" Gao asked, trying to maintain his composure.
Lin Huang smiled slightly.
"I don't want anything grand. Just some low-level techniques and some basic resources. I want to explore different paths and find the one that suits me best. I would also like an encyclopedia on beasts and insects. Since I will be expelled, I can deal with humans, but beasts are a mystery to me."
He mainly wanted the encyclopedia to find new animals for the beast system.
The answer left Gao even more surprised. He had expected Lin Huang to demand something equivalent to the value of the technique, but asking for only basic techniques was unexpected.
"Are you sure about that?" Gao asked again, still suspicious. "This technique is worth much more than that…"
"I'm sure," Lin Huang replied firmly. "I prefer quantity over quality right now. I want to try different paths before deciding which one to follow."
Gao Moyun pondered for a moment before finally nodding. He needed this technique for himself. It was a perfect match with the water affinity he had. He could become a core disciple with this technique and rise even higher within the sect. He would do his best to obtain the technique.
"Very well. I have some basic techniques accumulated over the years, as well as some resources that I can offer. I'll go get them right away."
After a while, Gao Moyun came back with a small storage bag. He looked at Lin Huang with a mix of anxiety and excitement. It was clear that he was nervous, but also excited about the opportunity to obtain such a valuable technique.
"Brother Lin, here are the items I managed to gather," Gao said, placing the bag on the table. "As you requested, they are low-level techniques and some basic resources."
Lin Huang took the bag and started inspecting its contents. Inside, he found:
• 13 Qi Condensation level techniques for different elementary aptitudes.
• 3 Foundation Establishment sword techniques
• 4 Grade 2 spiritual pills, useful for accelerating cultivation.
• 3 Encyclopedias of the State of Yunzhou. One on insects and another on beasts. There was a third one on plants
Lin Huang nodded, satisfied with what he saw. He knew that the items were not equivalent to the value of the technique that was offered, but that did not matter to him. His priority was to accumulate a variety of techniques to explore the sect's system. By handing it over to Yanluo, he could have powerful techniques.
"This is more than enough, Brother Gao," Lin Huang said with a faint smile. "I hope this technique will help you reach new heights in cultivation."
Gao Moyun held the scroll carefully, as if it was a priceless treasure. He looked at Lin Huang with sincere gratitude.
"Brother Lin, I really… don't know how to thank you for this. This technique… it can change my life. And what I gave you doesn't even come close in terms of level. If you ever need anything, please look for me."
Lin Huang just nodded, keeping his expression calm.
"Don't worry, Brother Gao. Consider this a fair exchange. Now it's time for me to go my own way."
Gao Moyun also understood something. One's treasure could become the reason for one's downfall. Now that he was going to be expelled, if he was found with such a level technique, Lin Huang would not have a good end. He assumed that this was also the reason why he had exchanged the high-level technique for lower-level ones. Gao felt that he was being taken advantage of, but since Lin Huang didn't seem to mind or show any dissatisfaction, he just accepted the situation.
"Thank you again, Brother Lin. I hope you have a safe journey out there. And remember, if you need anything, you can still come find me."
"I'll count on you if necessary, Brother Gao."
With that, he stood up and left the private room, carrying the bag with the exchanged items with him. As he walked through the sect's corridors for the last time, he felt a slight sense of relief. He had closed this chapter of his life and was ready to move on.
He looked up at the sky and sighed.
"In this world now, there are only me, Yanluo, and Xiao Tian."
Lin Huang left the Divine Cloud Sect with light steps, carrying the storage bag with the new techniques and resources with him. The weight of being expelled did not bother him; his decision had been made with his disciple and Xiao Tian in mind.
When he arrived home, he found Yanluo exactly as he had left him, still absorbed in the process of refining spiritual energy. A soft smile appeared on his face when he saw the young disciple's dedication. The boy was sitting in a meditation position, a gentle spiritual aura circulating around him as he continued to refine the energy from the last transmission.
Lin Huang sat quietly in a corner of the room, taking the opportunity to organize the new materials he had acquired. The basic techniques and encyclopedias would be useful in expanding his knowledge and, most importantly, in feeding the sect's system that would benefit Yanluo in the future.
His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar vibration; it was time for Xiao Tian to wake up from his hibernation.
An intense vibration emanated from the system space where Xiao Tian was resting. Lin Huang quickly summoned the bird back. The Titanic Falcon materialized in midair, its body enveloped in a bright metallic aura.
Its eyes slowly opened, revealing a much deeper and wiser glow than before. The falcon let out a soft cry in response, and Lin Huang immediately noticed the change in its power. The bird's aura had intensified drastically, where it had previously been at the first level of Nascent Soul, it now radiated the power of the third level. '
Xiao Tian's soft, sharp cry resounded through the room, disrupting the flow of spiritual energy around Yanluo. The young disciple opened his eyes, confused and slightly irritated at having his cultivation process interrupted.
"Master, what's wrong?" Yanluo asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
Lin Huang smiled and pointed at the hawk hovering in the air, emanating a powerful aura. "Yanluo, this is Xiao Tian, my companion. He just woke up."
Yanluo's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the bird. He had never seen a spirit beast up close, much less one that radiated so much energy. Xiao Tian, sensing the young man's interest, flew towards Yanluo, hovering a few meters away.
The hawk tilted its head, studying the young disciple with its piercing eyes. Yanluo felt a chill run down his spine under the creature's gaze, but at the same time, he felt an inexplicable sense of connection.
"He… he's beautiful!" Yanluo exclaimed, completely forgetting his earlier irritation. He hesitantly extended his hand towards Xiao Tian, as if asking for permission to approach.
Lin Huang watched the interaction with satisfaction. It was important for Xiao Tian and Yanluo to develop a good relationship since they would share many journeys together in the future.
"Master, I can feel… he is very strong!" Yanluo commented, still in awe of the falcon's presence. "What kind of spirit beast is he?" "Xiao Tian is a Titanic Falcon, one of the rarest spirit beasts. He is at the third level of the Nascent Soul realm," Lin Huang explained, noticing the look of admiration on his disciple.
"Nascent Soul?!" Yanluo exclaimed, his eyes widening even further.
Yanluo tried counting on his fingers but got lost after 7 or 8.
"But that is… way above my level!"
Lin Huang nodded. "Yes, and he will be a great protector for the both of us. Even I, his master, am not as strong as him."
Xiao Tian let out a soft cry of approval, as if he understood that they were talking about him. The hawk then flew to Mo Yanluo's shoulder, assuming a dignified and proud posture that matched its new strength.
Lin Huang watched the interaction between Yanluo and Xiao Tian, pleased with the connection that seemed to be forming between the two. He knew that the hawk would be a powerful guardian to protect them in times of need. After a few moments, Lin Huang took out one of the encyclopedias he had acquired from the trade with Gao Moyun and handed it to Yanluo.
"Yanluo, this is an encyclopedia about spirit beasts from the Yunzhou State. I want you to study it. Knowing about spirit beasts can be as important as cultivating. It might save your life one day," Lin Huang said as he handed over the book.
Yanluo took the book carefully, his eyes shining with curiosity. "Thank you, master! I will study all of it." I have always wanted to know more about these incredible creatures."
The moment Yanluo held the book, Lin Huang felt a familiar vibration in his mind, and a notification sounded inside the system space.
[Ding! Encyclopedia delivered to disciple. 10,000 times return activated. You have received: "Complete Compendium of Beasts of the Qiankun Continent". Includes details on abilities, habitats, and bloodlines of all known spirit beasts.]]
Inside the system space, a golden light shone brightly, and a new item appeared floating there. Lin Huang immediately noticed that it was a book much larger and thicker than the original encyclopedia. Its cover exuded an ancient and mysterious aura.
Lin Huang kept his expression calm so as not to draw Yanluo's attention, but inside he was surprised and excited about the return. He accessed the system space mentally and inspected the new book. As he flipped through it quickly in his mind, he realized that it was a priceless treasure: each page contained detailed information about all the known spirit beasts in the vast Qiankun Continent, from their unique abilities to their weaknesses to their habitats.
"Master! What's wrong?" Yanluo asked as he noticed the faint smile on Lin Huang's face.
"Ah, nothing," Lin Huang replied casually as he turned his attention back to his disciple. "Just keep studying the encyclopedia I gave you. There's a lot of knowledge in it that will be useful to you."
Yanluo nodded excitedly without suspecting anything, hugging the book as if it were a precious treasure. Meanwhile, Xiao Tian let out a low cry, as if he was silently approving of the new developments.
Lin Huang, pleased with Yanluo's progress, decided it was time to help his disciple advance further in his cultivation. He walked over while Yanluo was still holding the spirit beast encyclopedia, clearly excited about learning.
"Yanluo," Lin Huang called out, attracting the young man's attention. "You have already completely refined the energy from the last transmission. It's time to receive more power to continue your journey."
Yanluo nodded enthusiastically, immediately sitting down in a meditation position, ready to receive the spiritual energy. Lin Huang placed his hand on the disciple's head and activated the system.
[Ding! You have transmitted 23 days of Foundation Establishment Cultivation to your disciple Mo Yanluo. The disciple has received 7 days of Cultivation. The disciple is at Qi Condensation level 4. After refining all the Spiritual Energy, he will reach Qi Condensation level 5. Refining time: 2 days.
72-fold return activated. You have received 1,656 days of Foundation Establishment Cultivation.]
As soon as the transmission was completed, Lin Huang felt a wave of energy return to him through the system.
Lin Huang closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the vast amount of energy flooding his body. He felt his foundation stabilize even further, and his internal strength increase significantly. When he opened his eyes again, Yanluo was already immersed in the refining process, a stable and surging aura enveloping the young man.
"Keep cultivating well, Yanluo," Lin Huang muttered to himself as he looked at his disciple with pride.
Lin Huang then turned his eyes to the dense book in the system. Removing it, he quickly felt its weight. It was a veritable encyclopleth. It could easily be used as a weapon if thrown at a normal person's head.
Since the Taoist physique mainly helped with comprehension and understanding, Lin Huang read through the entire book quickly and understood about every beast in the Qiankun territory.
But he encountered a problem. He now wanted to strengthen his own soul, and the few animals that could do so were so far away from him that it would be an even more dangerous journey than anything else.
But he was a man who, if he couldn't find a way, could create a shortcut himself.
"System, is there any recorded beast in the book in front of me that, if multiplied, has a chance of becoming a soul-protecting beast?"
[Ding, on page 3621, you can find one]
Lin Huang quickly searched and found an animal called the "Illusion Butterfly." It was a common butterfly that, when it developed spirituality, its wings could glow, creating the illusion that it had four wings. But other than that? It was a useless animal that was hard to find.
Because for it to develop spirituality, it needed to grow in a place where the energy wasn't too high.
Lin Huang smiled, he knew of such a place.
Lin Huang saved the book into the system after finding the information about the "Illusion Butterfly." He knew that in order to reach the next level, he would need to strengthen his soul, and this little bug could be the key. However, before he went after the butterfly, he decided to clear two of the three remaining great opportunities that the system had identified: the Alchemy Master's Fall and the Swordsman's Rest.'
Lin Huang stood up and looked at Yanluo, who was still immersed in refining spiritual energy. A stable aura surrounded the young man, indicating that he was progressing well. Xiao Tian, meanwhile, was lying on a beam above them, observing everything with his attentive and bright eyes.
"Yanluo," Lin Huang called after a while. His master's steady voice brought the young man back to reality. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling refreshed by the spiritual energy flowing through his body. "Get ready. Let's go on a journey."
Yanluo blinked a few times in confusion. "Master? Where are we going?"
"There's a place called 'Alchemy Master's Fall'. It's an opportunity that can bring us valuable resources. I want you to accompany me to learn more about the world outside." Lin Huang paused and looked at Xiao Tian. "We could fly with Xiao Tian, but that would draw too much attention. Let's go on foot."
"Master, Xiao Tian is so small, how could we fly with him?"
"Yanluo, this is his reduced form, once we're out of the city I'll show you his full form."
Yanluo nodded readily, excited at the thought of exploring something new and seeing the falcon's full form. He quickly put away his belongings and checked his simple sword, an item that Lin Huang had given him earlier.
"I'm ready, master!" Yanluo said with determination.
Lin Huang smiled slightly and gave a nod of approval. Yanluo really valued that simple sword. He knew that this journey would be a good opportunity for Yanluo to learn more about the world beyond cultivation. Furthermore, it was important to keep a low profile; flying with Xiao Tian would attract unwanted glances.
The two of them set off at dawn, with Lin Huang leading the way and Yanluo following closely behind with Xiao Tian sitting at the head.
The journey to Alchemy Master's Fall was long and required crossing a mountainous region full of uneven terrain and dense forests. Along the way, Lin Huang took the opportunity to teach Yanluo about survival in the wild and how to identify some animals he had seen in the encyclopedia
"Master," Yanluo said as they walked along a narrow forest trail, "is this place… dangerous?"
Lin Huang glanced at him over his shoulder. "We won't know for sure until we get there. But remember: always keep a calm mind and be prepared for anything. The world is full of hidden dangers."
Yanluo nodded seriously, absorbing every word like a devoted disciple.
"Yanluo, when I told you about the Xiao Tian level, you seemed confused. I'll explain how the levels work."
"Okay, master."
"You are now in what we call Qi condensation. Imagine that inside your body there is a special place, like a magic bag called dantian. It is there that you store an invisible energy called Qi, which is spread throughout the world. The first step to becoming strong as a cultivator is to learn how to gather this energy and store it in your bag.
In the beginning, you can only collect a little bit of Qi, because you are still learning. This first level is called Qi Condensation. It is like when you start practicing something new. The more you train, the more Qi you can store and use.
This energy serves to make your body stronger and faster, as if by magic! But that's not all: it also helps to cleanse the bad things in your body, making it healthier. When you become very good at gathering Qi, you will be able to move on to the next level, which is the Foundation Establishment level.
Whenever I, your master, transmit energy into your body, it will be scattered within your body and then you will refine it into your dantian. Making my energy yours. And strengthening yourself.''
Yanluo then asked
''But if in order to strengthen yourself, it is necessary to accumulate Qi, when master gives it to me, doesn't that mean you are weakening yourself?'' He asked with a worried expression, afraid that he was harming Lin Huang
''You are right, disciple, when a person transmits their own Qi to another, it is indeed harmful. But I, your master, am different and can do this and still continue to strengthen themselves. But other people could indeed be harmed. Therefore, this will be our secret and you cannot tell anyone about it.''
Yanluo's eyes shone with admiration as he knew that his master had something special, and he felt grateful as he knew that he might be hindering Lin Huang in some way, but his master was still strengthening him.
As they talked, they had moved away from the city and were now in the forests. After finding a relatively spacious place with fewer trees, Lin Huang spoke.
"Now that we're far away, I'll show you Xiao Tian completely."
Xiao Tian, who was on Yanluo's head, let out a cry and then proudly flew up and began to grow
1 meter, 2 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters, until finally settling on a 16 meter wingspan. Yanluo felt like an ant next to Xiao Tian, who was huge and had a certain ferocious face. The bird's entire body was bluish black with red eyes. But he didn't feel afraid
"Wow, Xiao Tian is so big!!"
"Master, can I fly with him?"
Yanluo asked with eyes shining with anticipation.
Lin Huang also wanted to experience the sensation and so he approved. "Let's fly, but not for too long so as not to attract attention."
It was normal for cultivators to have demonic beasts, but whether in old Lin Huang's memories or in the few days he had been in the city, he had not seen any beast as beautiful as his and was sure that it would attract envy.
They then climbed onto the bird's back and it easily took flight.
As Xiao Tian flapped its huge wings and began to soar, Yanluo felt the strong wind blow against his face, messing up his hair. His eyes shone even brighter, now filled with excitement and admiration.
He held tightly onto Xiao Tian's feathers, which were incredibly soft but at the same time tough as steel. The feeling of being so high in the sky for the first time was indescribable.
"Master! This is amazing!" Yanluo shouted, his voice filled with joy and surprise as he looked down and saw the trees in the forest become as small as toys. "It's like I'm a bird too! I never imagined flying would be like this!"
Lin Huang, sitting behind him, smiled faintly as he saw the expression of pure happiness on his disciple's face. "Enjoy this feeling, Yanluo. The sky is the limit for those who have the courage to challenge the world."
Xiao Tian let out a powerful shout, as if he was proud to carry the two of them on his back. He made smooth and steady movements, flying in circles above the forest before soaring even higher. The air here was cooler, almost freezing, but Yanluo didn't mind. He spread his arms for a moment, feeling the wind pass through him as if he were part of the sky.
"Master! I want to learn how to fly by myself one day! I want to be as free as Xiao Tian!" Yanluo said with determination in his voice.
Lin Huang chuckled lightly. "With effort and cultivation, you can do that and more."
As they flew, Yanluo observed everything around them, the distant mountains covered in mist, the rivers shining like silver ribbons under the sunlight, and even some smaller birds that seemed insignificant compared to Xiao Tian's majesty. He felt his heart fill with gratitude for his master and for the opportunity to experience something so grand.
After a few minutes of flying, Lin Huang lightly tapped Yanluo on the shoulder. "It's time to descend. We can't attract too much attention."
Despite wanting to stay up there forever in the sky, Yanluo nodded obediently. "Yes, master." He stroked Xiao Tian's feathers affectionately as the large bird slowly began to descend towards the forest again.
When they finally landed, Yanluo climbed down from Xiao Tian's back with slightly wobbly legs but a wide smile on his face.
"Thank you, Master! And thank you too, Xiao Tian! This was the best day of my life!"
Lin Huang simply nodded with a faint smile before patting the giant bird's head. "This is just the beginning, Yanluo. You will experience much greater things than this."
They then headed towards the location indicated by the system