News spread like wildfire. Whether it was the empire's doing or someone else's didn't matter—what mattered was that people were now hunting those involved in the heist. Whether it was Lin Shu or anyone else, it made no difference.
"We'll leave this damned place tomorrow. I don't want to go anywhere near that auction. I'll just stay here for now, and I'll make sure Xie Lang isn't with his grandfather when I meet with the others. I don't want to run into anyone stronger than me right now. I only escaped because of luck—whoever placed that mark on me probably didn't think I could replace my own bones.
I want to check what I got from the trade, but that'll have to wait. I also need to find a way to destroy any tracking marks on the items. Maybe they'll disappear with time, but I can't count on that. I'll figure it out later."
Lin Shu sat in the rented room, staring at the ceiling. The building housed cultivators at his level—he had deliberately avoided a mortal inn. A cultivator staying in a place meant for ordinary people would attract unnecessary attention, and right now, he wanted none. In fact, he wished no one in this town would ever see him again.
He couldn't leave immediately, not when the streets were filled with rumors and Rank 2 cultivators had already set their sights on this place. That alone made his blood boil.
"This isn't even a city," he muttered in frustration. "What the hell do a bunch of Rank 2 cultivators want from this tiny town?"
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. At the very least, he had obtained a peak-tier Rank 1 body refinement technique. He hadn't checked it yet—if it didn't align with his plans, it would be useless to him.
"I need a neutral technique. I don't care about special powers or flashy effects like those high-tier techniques offer. I just want raw speed, strength—and most importantly, stronger bones. If my bones are unbreakable, my attack and defense will naturally surpass others."
A flicker of ambition crossed his mind.
"Maybe I can enter a sect this year."
But he quickly dismissed the thought. It was too dangerous. Drawing attention now could get him killed. "It's safer to wait until next year."
His thoughts shifted to Han Yi.
"She'll probably enter the Stormbreak Sect this year. With her talent, that's expected. Even though I got a peak-tier skill, it might not be enough to match her. Her master, the dean, is a Rank 2 cultivator. He might have already given her a peak-tier skill."
He frowned, recalling the rumors. It was said that even Rank 2 cultivators usually had only one peak-tier battle skill. But he wasn't sure. What he did know was that Lu Zhenhai was powerful and respected—and that he had once been a member of the Stormbreak Sect.
The Stormbreak Sect. A place known for its thunderous sword arts.
"Their sword techniques are useless to me since I don't use a sword... but I have no choice. It's still better than staying a rogue cultivator. I'm sure they have martial arts that suit my fighting style."
His mind drifted to the Tan Clan member he had killed.
"His fighting style was good, but he used a sword. I want that level of technique—but without relying on a weapon. Ivory Dominion is my weapon."
With that final thought, Lin Shu closed his eyes, planning his next move.
Morning came. Lin Shu stepped outside and immediately noticed the presence of numerous imperial soldiers patrolling the area, along with several Chi Clan members. He recognized them by the emblem on their robes—an unmistakable symbol, as the clan was renowned for taming and raising bloodbeasts. But beyond that, their identity was obvious from the creatures accompanying them.
Various bloodbeasts sat beside their masters, ranging from fierce-looking lizards to a sight that made Lin Shu's stomach churn—a massive Infernoheart Salamander. The moment his gaze landed on the beast, memories of the previous day crashed into him like a tidal wave.
"I don't want to see that damned lizard again," he muttered under his breath, quickly turning away, careful not to draw any attention.
As he moved through the streets, he soon arrived near the town gates. There, imperial guards stood watch, their presence impossible to ignore. Their mere aura revealed their strength—high-stage Rank 1 cultivators. A long line of people stretched toward the exit, while another group steadily made their way inside. The entire town was abuzz with one topic—the Chi Clan incident and the rumored appearance of a King Infernoheart Salamander.
"Wait… was that a King's egg?"
Lin Shu froze. A chilling realization dawned upon him.
Yesterday, he had been holding something that could grow into a Rank 2 bloodbeast—a monster capable of leveling villages with ease and even wiping out towns at full maturity. A normal Infernoheart Salamander already stood at three meters in height and stretched ten meters long upon reaching adulthood. But a King Infernoheart Salamander? That was an entirely different beast. Five meters tall, twenty meters long.
No wonder it was called a King.
Lin Shu felt no regret for not getting more out of the trade. Now, he understood that he could have demanded far greater compensation, but in the end, he had obtained the most precious thing—his life. If he had hesitated, weighing better offers, he would have been caught sooner or later. He had survived because no one had managed to track him down in time, and by the time they did, he was long gone. He also suspected that some had assumed he was one of the golden room guests, given that he had been in possession of something so valuable.
"I don't regret a single thing. Keeping my life is the greatest gain I could have asked for," he muttered to himself.
Soon, it was his turn at the town gates. The imperial guards stationed there demanded identification, and Lin Shu calmly handed over his Stone Path Hall institute token. After confirming its authenticity, they allowed him to pass.
Outside the town, he spotted his group waiting near a tree in the distance. The twins, Yan Bai and Yan Hei, were present, along with Xu Jin—but Xie Lang was nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, Lin Shu! Did you finish your business in town?" Xu Jin asked.
"I did. Thanks for asking," Lin Shu replied. "Where's Xie Lang?"
"We don't know," the twins answered in unison, their synchronized voices still making Xu Jin uneasy.
"He's late, I guess. But we have no choice but to wait for him," Xu Jin said before continuing, "Let's put that aside for now. Did you guys hear about what's happening in town? The Chi Clan got their things stolen months ago, but we're only hearing about it now. And then, just yesterday, they somehow bought an Infernoheart Salamander egg— and not just any egg, but a King's egg. A literal King! From what I've heard, they even bought it for less than what it's worth,but the seller didn't disclose the full details of the deal now did they. But seriously, what kind of idiot sells a King's egg in a small town like this? And cheaply at that?"
Xu Jin was ranting about how inexperienced and foolish the seller must have been, boasting that if he had gotten his hands on it, he'd be walking on a mountain of gold right now. Of course, he had no idea that the person he was ridiculing was standing right next to him.
Lin Shu smiled on the outside, even letting out a short chuckle. But in his mind, he was thinking, "Although everything he said about me is true… I really want to smash his skull in for those 'foolish and idiot' words."
Still, he resisted the urge.
Just then, Xie Lang suddenly landed near them, his usual savage air about him, a wide grin on his face. Next to him stood an old man—white-haired, with only a few strands of black remaining.
"I hope I'm not late," Xie Lang said, his tone casual.
A firm smack landed on the back of his head.
"Please excuse my disciple," the old man said with a calm but amused voice. "He's talented in fighting, but unfortunately, a little lacking in intelligence."
"Did you just call me an idiot?!" Xie Lang shouted, turning to glare at the old man.
The two immediately started arguing, the older man easily shooting sharp remarks at Xie Lang, while the younger one shouted and cursed back. However, no one else in the group found their exchange amusing.
They were frozen in place.
"T-This… This is a Rank 2 cultivator…!"
Xu Jin, the twins, and Lin Shu all exchanged brief glances. They didn't know what to do or say—standing before them was a man who could crush them like ants without a second thought.
Xu Jin's mind was racing. "Why the hell did this barbarian bring his grandfather here?! And why didn't he tell us he was a Rank 2 cultivator?! If I had known, I wouldn't have even waited for this bastard to arrive—I would have just hidden until I was sure his grandfather was gone!"
The old man let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, don't be so nervous, hahaha!"
They're gonna piss their pants if you keep pressuring them, old man," Xie Lang muttered.
Another smack landed on his head.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me 'Master,' you ungrateful little runt!"
Xie Lang grunted but held his tongue. He didn't want another strike—he could never dodge or stop them, no matter how much he tried.
"Anyway, no need to be nervous, young ones," the old man continued, his expression softening. "I'm just here to see off my disciple and meet his companions." His sharp gaze moved between them.
"I assume you two are Yan Bai and Yan Hei? He told me quite a bit about your strength—impressive."
Then, his eyes landed on Lin Shu.
"And you must be Lin Shu. Xie Lang mentioned that you're someone who fights with strategy but also holds his own in direct combat. Not bad, kid."
Finally, he turned to Xu Jin.
"And you… must be Xu Jin. Hah! He didn't say much, just that you're fat—but I can tell this is the effect of some kind of cultivation art, isn't it?"
Xu Jin immediately nodded. He didn't care about being called fat—not by someone like this man. He cherished his life too much. But later… Xie Lang was going to hear some 'nice' words about calling him fat.