A week passed, and Lin Shu spent his time in silence, cultivating and attending public lessons on beasts and other topics. He could feel it — the edge of a breakthrough. The mid stage of Rank 1 was almost within his grasp. Once he reached it, better missions would open up to him, ones that required stronger cultivators and offered higher rewards.
Yet something gnawed at him. The waste from the pills he'd been consuming was building up. It hadn't hardened yet, but it was only a matter of time. Each pill brought him closer to power, but also closer to a future where his body would rebel against him.
"If only I'd won that competition… I could've gotten the Crimson Flow Pill." His fist clenched under his robes. "Without it, all I can do is gamble that I'll find one before it's too late."
Still, there was progress. His Lightning Steps was now fully mastered. His movements had become sharper, faster — he was certain that if he faced Han Yi again, he could have dodged at least a few of her arrows. The thought made his teeth grind.
"Why did she even take that test? Someone with her talent shouldn't have needed to prove herself. Was it for the rewards?" He frowned. "The Stone Path Hall is affiliated with the Stormbreak Sect — they wouldn't just hand out techniques because of talent alone. Even she would have to earn them through missions and competitions like everyone else… or maybe her master had something to do with it." Lin Shu's eyes narrowed. "Could he have given her something privately? No… if it was a technique from the institute, the dean would probably be bound by an oath. But personal techniques, ones passed down through bloodlines or acquired outside the institute — those could be handed out freely."
His grip tightened around the hilt of his bone blade. "No matter the reason, I still lost an opportunity because of her. If I'd won, I might have received a battle skill. I might have gotten the Crimson Flow Pill. Instead, I'm stuck clawing my way forward while she basks in the spotlight."
He scowled beneath his mask. "Damn her. She's lucky she has her master. Otherwise, I'd kill her the same way I killed those Tan Clan worms. Why fight someone stronger when you can make others do the dirty work for you?" He smirked coldly. "I wonder if they can track me… I've never met anyone with a technique for tracing killers or spying across long distances."
Lin Shu scoffed.
"Of course. I've got no reason to get close to her or anyone like her. People with talent and backing… they're untouchable unless you're willing to throw your life away. I'll stay in the shadows and grow stronger. When the time comes, I'll strike from where they least expect."
He glanced down at his hands, fingers curling into fists. "Until then… I'll keep my head low and take what I need, piece by piece."
Lin Shu slipped the Lightning Steps manuscript out of his storage ring, its worn pages resting cold against his fingers. He flipped through them slowly, eyes narrowing in thought.
"I could trade this for something better… a new battle skill, or even the Crimson Flow Pill if my luck holds. This technique came from that dead man's ring — it shouldn't be tied to any clan or institute. If it were, he wouldn't have been able to carry it around freely. Techniques bound by oath have to be returned once mastered. That means it's mine to use as I please."
His gaze darkened as he carefully tucked the manuscript back into his ring. "But Ivory Dominion… no one else can be allowed to touch it."
He clenched his fists, the bone-deep cold of his technique pulsing faintly beneath his skin. "If someone else got their hands on the manuscript, they might discover weaknesses I haven't seen yet. Or worse, what if a true monster of cultivation found it? Someone with power and knowledge far beyond me… They'd see the art's value instantly. They'd uncover its secrets, push it further than I ever could. And once they understood its full potential, what's to stop them from hunting me down to ensure no one else wields it?"
A flicker of rage burned in his chest. "No. The art is mine. Mine alone. I'll burn the manuscript if I have to. Let the knowledge die with me."
His fingers traced the edge of his gauntlet, the bone-cold steel digging into his palm. "Power is everything. If I want to survive — no, if I want to dominate — then I can't leave behind any trail. No one can know what I'm cultivating. No one can prepare for me."
A cold smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Let them wonder. Let them fear what they don't understand."
Lin Shu held the Ivory Dominion manuscript in his hands, staring down at its weathered pages. Every stroke of ink, every carefully inscribed character, was etched into his mind. He had already pushed the art further, crafting Ivory Monolith — a creation entirely his own. The manuscript had served its purpose. Now, it was a liability.
Without hesitation, he ignited a flicker of Qi in his palm, and the parchment caught fire. The flames devoured the pages hungrily, curling the edges into ash. Lin Shu watched silently, his expression unreadable. Each word that turned to smoke was a secret carried to the grave.
As the last embers faded, he ground the ash beneath his boot, scattering it to the wind. "Now, no one else will ever touch this art. It belongs to me alone."
He turned and walked away, leaving nothing behind.
Lin Shu left the quest hall, his steps silent as always, thoughts swirling in his mind. The mountain mission had been easy enough. The herbs weren't difficult to find as long as he stayed near the outer edges and avoided the deeper regions where high-ranked bloodbeasts lurked. Another 100 gold coins in his pocket — barely a drop in the ocean compared to what he needed.
His cultivation had progressed faster than expected, but not without consequence. The low-tier pills he relied on were growing weaker, their effects dulling with each dose. Worse still, the waste they left behind was slowly accumulating inside him. If he didn't find a Crimson Flow Pill soon, that waste would harden, clogging his meridians and crippling his future.
Lin Shu frowned. He'd already spent 100 gold coins on pills, leaving him with 4,618. A decent sum, but not enough. Mid-tier pills would be necessary once he reached the next stage — and they were costly. Over 400 gold coins for a single month's supply, and the price would only rise as his cultivation advanced.
His thoughts turned dark. "If I can't find a Crimson Flow Pill… no, I have to. I'll tear anyone apart if I have to." He clenched his fists, the faint creak of his bone armor shifting under his skin a reminder of the path he'd chosen.
He briefly considered buying the pill from Han Yi. "Would she even sell it?" He scoffed. "Even if she did, buying from her would be like painting a target on my back. Everyone would know I have enough wealth to throw around for rare pills. That's an invitation to get robbed — or killed."
No, that wasn't an option. As much as the thought infuriated him, he needed to be patient. The black market was his best bet. He'd find it eventually. And when he did, he'd get the pill, no matter the cost.
For now, all he could do was endure. Cultivate. Grow stronger. The mountain of gold he needed would come, one way or another. Whether by mission, trade… or taking it from someone who didn't deserve it as much as he did.
A week passed, and Lin Shu's training reached its peak. The Qi in his dantian surged like a restless tide, pushing against the invisible barrier that separated him from the next stage. He sat cross-legged, eyes shut, breath steady, as he guided the refined Qi through his meridians. Each pulse of energy scoured his body, strengthening his bones and tempering his flesh. The final push came like a storm breaking through a dam — his Qi condensed, deepening in quality and quantity, and his aura shifted. His eyes snapped open.
"Finally," Lin Shu whispered, a sharp grin curling his lips. The cold night air felt sharper against his skin, and his senses were sharper still. Rising to his feet, he clenched his fists, bone-deep power thrumming beneath his flesh. He could feel the difference immediately. The flow of Qi through his body was smoother, faster — he had reached the mid stage of Rank 1.
Testing his newfound strength, Lin Shu activated Lightning Steps. His body blurred, the technique coming to him effortlessly now. His speed had increased, his movements smoother, more precise. The rush of Qi barely made a dent in his reserves. "I can sustain this longer now," he thought. "No wasted energy."
Next, he summoned his bone gauntlets. Ivory claws erupted from his knuckles, razor-sharp and deadly, their weight familiar and comforting. He flexed his fingers, feeling the raw strength behind each movement. The gauntlets alone barely strained him, but now it was time for the real test.
He gathered Qi, channeling it into his bones, and the Ivory Monolith armor bloomed across his body. Bone-white plates encased him, heavier and denser than before. The armor clung to his form like a second skin, cold and unyielding. He moved, testing his balance. With this much Qi, he could now create his armor twice in a fight — once it crumbled, he'd only have enough energy to summon it once more.
"Two mid-tier battle skills before each armor breaks," he noted. "Anything higher would tear me apart."
The weight of his new power settled in his mind. He wasn't invincible, but he was stronger — faster. More dangerous. The next mission would be different. He'd take something short to get used to his new strength. As for the Crimson Flow Pill… Lin Shu's expression darkened. He couldn't waste any more gold on low-tier pills. If he didn't find the Crimson Flow Pill soon, the accumulating waste in his body would cripple him. He'd have to search the black market himself.
But first, he wanted to see if something happened in the town while he was training. Stepping into the courtyard, Lin Shu moved through the institute, eavesdropping on the conversations around him. It didn't take long before he caught something worthwhile.
"Hey, did you hear? The merchant caravan's coming."
"Really? That means there'll be an auction."
"You planning to buy something? Most of you don't even have a thousand gold coins."
"So what? Sometimes you get lucky and find something no one else wants."
"Tch, dream all you want. I'll be taking missions while you waste your time."
Lin Shu watched the group split up, their words lingering in his mind.
"An auction," he mused. "With over four thousand gold coins, I might be able to get something useful… but the Crimson Flow Pill…" His fists clenched. "Even if they have it, it could go for over five thousand gold. No guarantee I'll get it."
Still, this was his best chance. One way or another, he wouldn't leave empty-handed.