From the balcony of a tea shop, a middle-aged man quietly gazes at the Lin family estate, and from the collar of his robe, a small, colourful snake lifts its head.
A low female voice flows from the snake, saying, "The Lin family estate is being watched."
Xiao Yun does not answer, and the snake continues, "They are safe for now, and before they catch you, they will not dare harm your sister or cousin."
His voice finally comes, heavy with sorrow, "I know."
His gaze darkens with guilt, for in his heart he blames himself—if he had not challenged Nalan Yanyue, his father would still live, and most of the Xiao family would not have perished.
The Xiao family remained hidden for centuries, yet because of him, their enemy dragged them into the light and slaughtered them.
He clenches his fists so tightly that his nails pierce his palms, blood dripping as he whispers, "Huang Family, I will not let you go."
Turning his eyes back to the Lin family estate, his voice softens with longing, "I want to see them before I leave here."
The snake shifts slightly, its voice calm yet curious, "Your friend is formidable—he has arranged a top-ranked defensive and shielding array around his estate, and I wonder, how did he cultivate to Six Rings with a Heavenly-ranked spiritual body and master arrays at such a level while staying in this small place?"
Xiao Yun answers with a faint sigh, "Grandma Yao also spoke highly of Lin Yu, saying he carries the demeanour of a Saint-rank cultivator."
The snake replies sharply, "But now he cannot break through Saint-rank."
Both of them freeze when a sudden voice cuts through the air behind them, "Is the Saint-rank after Dao Casting rank, and why can I not break through?"
A crushing pressure stops their aura from flaring, yet when Xiao Yun recognises the voice as Lin Yu's, his heart steadies.
Xiao Yun draws back his aura and turns with a bitter smile, "Lin Yu, when did you arrive?"
Merin rises slowly from his chair and moves to sit across from them, tea cup in hand, taking a calm sip before answering, "The moment you entered the city—I followed you."
Xiao Yun stiffens and asks, "How?"
Merin sets the cup down with a faint clink. "When I arranged the array around the city wall two weeks ago, I added a blood recognition array."
The snake hisses, its tongue flickering in and out, "So now, whenever any member of the Xiao family enters the city, you will know."
Merin nods once and takes another sip, the taste of tea unhurried in his mouth.
Xiao Yun's muscles tighten, suspicion darkening his gaze as he wonders if Lin Yu has sided with his enemies, and he asks, "Why?"
Merin looks straight at him, his tone even, "What do I know about you? You would return to see your city, and if they caught you entering my estate, my family would be implicated—I won't allow that."
The tension in Xiao Yun's shoulders loosens slightly, and he mutters, "So, you did not join them."
Merin leans back with a faint smile, "Should I? Is there any benefit to joining them?"
Xiao Yun answers after a pause, "To break through Saint-rank."
Merin's eyes narrow as he asks, "Is there some exclusive resource needed to break through Saint-rank that only the Huang family holds?"
Xiao Yun lowers his voice, "Saint stones."
Merin tilts his head, "And how did the Huang family come to occupy them?"
Xiao Yun's expression darkens, "They arranged an array near their family lands—the array absorbs all the saint energy in the world, and beneath it lies a saint stone mine."
Merin taps the rim of his cup lightly, "The Huang family may be the strongest, but the other families and forces let them arrange the array?"
Xiao Yun sighs, bitterness in his voice, "They claimed it was to keep evil energy from corrupting the saint energy, and they offered quotas to top and middle-rank families and forces to break through inside the stone mine."
Merin studies him with sharp eyes, "Then by that reasoning, you should not be able to break through—unless you have another way."
Xiao Yun lifts his gaze, steady and resolute, "The founder of our family was an Emperor-rank cultivator, and by awakening the emperor blood, I can generate saint energy inside my body."
Merin listens in silence, not disheartened by the revelation, for he is only at the sixth rank, and before even thinking of Saint-rank, he must still advance through nine more steps.
In his heart, he does not believe there will be a path forward, because unlike them, he has seen many cultivation systems, and his goal is not merely Saint but Demigod, a rank equal to it in this world yet beyond in meaning.
He convinces himself that he will eventually discover a way, for his knowledge is vast and his experience deeper than any who live here.
After ensuring Xiao Yun remains hidden, he leads him back to his estate and arranges for him to meet his sister and cousins, who had already taken shelter within.
There, while conversing, Merin seizes the chance to inquire about the advancement of Spiritual Body cultivation.
He learns that the next step is called the Saint-rank Spiritual Body, and those who achieve it may step into the Saint rank even without spiritual energy.
However, the advancement of the spiritual body itself demands saint energy, leaving Merin temporarily blocked, for he does not yet possess such power.
The following day, after resting and ensuring no one has tracked them, Merin personally escorts Xiao Yun out of the city, choosing a path shrouded in concealment arrays.
Before parting ways, Xiao Yun hands him a precious gift—a top-rank celestial master technique along with a martial art technique.
One is the Black Lightning Body Technique, a movement art infused with violent speed, and the other is the Nine Turn Blood Refining Technique, a body refinement method that tempers flesh and blood to terrifying extremes.
For the first time, Merin finally obtains a lightning-attribute top-rank celestial master technique, and his heart stirs with excitement. For now, he can aim at breaking through the seven-ring celestial master rank.
But the key resource, the Lightning Stone, does not exist within or near the empire, forcing him to venture toward the Wild Lands if he wishes to obtain it.
The thought makes him reluctant, for unless his cultivation reaches Dao-Casting rank, his survival in those desolate and savage regions cannot be guaranteed.
In contrast, the Winter God Body technique requires only Ice Stones, a resource found within the empire itself, making its cultivation far safer.
As if heaven itself approves his path, the season turns to deep winter, and at that very moment, a fierce winter storm rages over the city.
Merin stands at his window, snow and lightning flashing in the skies above, and a thought strikes him—perhaps he does not need to choose only one.
If he can merge both techniques, he may harness the best of lightning's fury and winter's stillness.
He enters a closed-door retreat, and for three long months, he studies the Black Lightning Body technique and the Winter God Body technique, dissecting, comparing, and weaving their laws into harmony.
In the end, he transforms them into a single path unique to himself, one that no other cultivator in this world has ever walked.
He disperses his old spiritual body, for it no longer matches the new method, and with unwavering determination, he begins anew.
From destruction rises creation, and he directly forms the Blizzard Roc Spiritual Body, a mythical bird born of winter storms and thunderous gales, and he achieves this at Heavenly rank.
A few days later, the city bustles with activity under a gentle spring rain, until the roll of deep thunder and fierce lightning sends everyone rushing indoors, fearing a torrential downpour.
Yet instead of warm rain, the air grows unnaturally cold, and snowflakes begin to fall from the darkened sky.
The rain turns into a blizzard, blanketing the rooftops in white and burying the city in a storm more suited to midwinter than spring.
On the roof of the unfinished four-gates building, Bai Lan and Shi Yu—both top-ranked celestial masters—stand guard over what will become the heart of the newly named Mulin Prefecture.
Shi Yu gazes at the raging storm, awe in his voice, "What a vision for breaking through the seven rings?"
He narrows his eyes and adds, "I thought his spiritual body would fall in rank after changing techniques."
Bai Lan shakes his head, frowning, "It doesn't look like the Winter God Body technique—there shouldn't be lightning."
"Yes," Shi Yu agrees, but his words falter as their eyes lock on the sky.
From the depths of Lin Estate, a colossal bird with wings of snow and arcs of lightning bursts forth, soaring into the storm.
With a thunderous cry, it collides with the clouds above, shattering the blizzard and scattering the snow into silence.
Then, just as suddenly, the bird descends and disappears back into the Lin Estate, leaving the city trembling in awe.