Over the past month, Lin Feng hadn't ventured outside Zhenhai City. Besides, his days were packed with activity, leaving him no time for excursions. During this period, he frequently inquired about external affairs from the numerous cultivators who visited him. To his slight relief, there had been no signs of activity from the Shadow Demon Sect during this time.
Seeing that the Demon Loong Island incident was gradually fading from public memory, Lin Feng slowly set aside his concerns about it. He began to focus wholeheartedly on his own endeavors. His artifact repair business flourished increasingly, becoming a veritable river of wealth. Worries about spirit stones became a thing of the past. When it came to cultivation, he spared no expense, spending spirit stones lavishly on anything that could aid his progress. Similarly, his studies in alchemy and array formation were pursued with utter disregard for cost. Countless spiritual materials were consumed daily in his practice sessions – an expenditure that would likely make any other cultivator wince in pain.
Such significant investment naturally yielded remarkable results. In terms of cultivation base, in just this short month, he had nearly reached the eighth layer of the Golden Core stage. His progress in alchemy and array formation was also substantial; he could now be considered a genuine Grade 3 Alchemist and Grade 3 Array Master. Moreover, thanks to his [Repair Technique], his proficiency in alchemy likely surpassed that of any other Grade 3 Alchemist.
However, one issue left Lin Feng somewhat frustrated. Despite repairing so many magic treasures daily, his Repair Technique still hadn't 'leveled up'. He had no idea how much longer it would take, or how many more treasures needed fixing, to reach the next level.
If life continued peacefully like this, Lin Feng estimated that within a year, perhaps even less, his cultivation could reach Golden Core Perfection. How long it would take him to successfully advance to the Nascent Soul stage after that, however, was something he couldn't predict.
Reality, however, rarely follows the expected, orderly path. Half a month later, a visitor arrived, disrupting Lin Feng's tranquil routine.
...
That afternoon, Lin Feng was, as usual, methodically repairing the treasures commissioned earlier that day. He had now established a fixed time each morning to accept commissions collectively. Cultivators seeking his services knew to come then, eliminating the need for constant, individual receptions. Therefore, when the door chime unexpectedly sounded at this hour, he rose with a puzzled frown and went to investigate.
Upon seeing the visitor, Lin Feng was taken aback once more. "Senior Yu?" he exclaimed in surprise. "What brings you here?"
The visitor was indeed Yu Ping. He smiled warmly at Lin Feng and nodded. "Fellow Daoist Lin, forgive this unannounced visit. I hope you don't mind..."
"Not at all, not at all... Please, Senior Yu, come in." Lin Feng, who held a favorable impression of Yu Ping, returned a slight bow and gestured for him to enter the cave dwelling.
Yu Ping followed Lin Feng into the main hall and took a seat casually in one of the chairs. As Lin Feng sat beside him, Yu Ping began, "To be honest, I've been meaning to visit you sooner, Fellow Daoist Lin. But lately, I've been fully occupied investigating the matters concerning Wu Luosen and that Shadow Demon Sect cultivator. Hence the delay. Heh... Fellow Daoist Lin, you've certainly become the center of attention here in Zhenhai City recently..."
"Senior Yu, please don't tease this junior," Lin Feng replied modestly. "I'm merely scraping together a few spirit stones using a minor skill..." He then steered the conversation back to Yu Ping's earlier remark. "By the way, how is the investigation into the Demon Loong Island incident progressing? Ah... if that's classified information within the Zhenhai Alliance, Senior, please disregard my question."
Yu Ping chuckled. "Heh, it's hardly a secret, and there's nothing particularly sensitive we've uncovered. Our thorough investigation revealed that Wu Luosen had secretly been practicing sinister soul arts for a decade, starting ten years ago. He concealed it exceptionally well; no one detected a thing. Had he succeeded in his scheme on Demon Loong Island, his secret might have remained hidden indefinitely."
"However, now that the mastermind has met his end, our belated discoveries are rather pointless," Yu Ping paused briefly before continuing. "As for when he colluded with members of the Shadow Demon Sect, that remains unknown. Furthermore, we've found no concrete information regarding the sect itself. The two Shadow Demon Sect members who escaped from Demon Loong Island have also vanished without a trace."
"..." Lin Feng felt a pang of disappointment. This information seemed largely irrelevant. He had secretly hoped the Zhenhai Alliance might possess valuable intelligence on the Shadow Demon Sect. Clearly, that wasn't the case.
Yu Ping could guess that Lin Feng harbored significant enmity towards the Shadow Demon Sect, but as it was a personal matter, he felt it improper to pry. While he wished he could assist, he had spoken truthfully; he genuinely lacked any actionable intelligence on the sect. Sighing inwardly at his inability to help, he changed the subject after a moment of silence. "Incidentally, Fellow Daoist Lin, my visit today actually has a specific purpose I wished to discuss."
"Oh?" Lin Feng raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued. "Please go ahead, Senior Yu."
Yu Ping asked first, "Before I proceed, may I inquire if you are truly a rogue cultivator? Or are you perhaps a disciple of a sect from the inland regions?"
Lin Feng's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. The question itself gave him a strong inkling of Yu Ping's intent. After a brief moment of consideration, he answered truthfully, "This junior has no sect affiliation. I am indeed just a rogue cultivator."
A gleam appeared in Yu Ping's eyes. He didn't beat around the bush. "In that case, Fellow Daoist Lin, would you be interested in joining our Zhenhai Alliance?"
"This..." Lin Feng thought to himself, 'Just as I expected.' He offered an apologetic expression. "I sincerely thank you for the offer, Senior Yu. However, I am accustomed to a life of freedom and currently have no intention of joining any organization..."
While having the backing of the Zhenhai Alliance would be advantageous, Lin Feng disliked the idea of constraints. His current life was comfortable, and he had no pressing needs that required attaching himself to a major power.
Yu Ping countered, "Fellow Daoist Lin, you may be overthinking it. Joining the Zhenhai Alliance wouldn't impose any restrictions. Our rules are exceedingly lenient. We would absolutely never force you to do anything against your will."
Lin Feng remained unmoved and politely declined again. "Senior Yu, please understand, my decision stands. To be perfectly honest, I do not plan to remain in the Starry Sea for an extended period. I may depart within a few years, possibly even sooner."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Yu Ping's eyes. Seeing Lin Feng's firm resolve, he didn't press further. He nodded understandingly. "Fellow Daoist Lin, at such a young age, you've already reached the late Golden Core stage and possess extraordinary opportunities. Your future potential is truly limitless. It is right that you shouldn't be confined to this small corner of the Starry Sea. Since that is your wish, I will not insist." He paused, then added, "However..."
He shifted the topic once more. "I wonder if you might be interested in participating in the Five Cities Competition next month? If so, the Zhenhai Alliance would be honored to grant you one of our participant slots."
"Five Cities Competition?" Lin Feng was momentarily stunned. "What is that?"
"You weren't aware?" Yu Ping was slightly surprised but then recalled Lin Feng's recent arrival. "That's understandable," he explained. "The Five Cities Competition is a joint event – part competition, part trial – organized by our Zhenhai City and the four other nearby cities: Black Loong City, and so on. It's held every three years. The ruling power of each city holds ten participant slots. Participants must be Golden Core cultivators under the age of fifty. The competition format is a token collection battle. All participants are transported to a designated island where they compete to seize tokens from each other. Victory is determined by whoever holds the most tokens at the end. The winner of each competition receives substantial rewards, jointly provided by the five cities. Furthermore, the ranking in this competition determines the division of certain territories and the ownership of major resource points among our five cities for the following three years."
Lin Feng listened intently, gradually understanding the significance. While most cultivators in the Starry Sea were rogues, the saying 'where there are people, there is rivalry' held true. Major powers were inevitable. Though their nature differed somewhat from inland sects, the underlying principles were similar. The existence of these powers maintained a balance within the Starry Sea's cultivation world. In this particular region, the landscape was dominated by the five cities, including Zhenhai City.
This Five Cities Competition was a form of strategic maneuvering among the five powers, but it also genuinely served as a valuable trial. It went without saying that the rewards would be significant. The powers also used it as a means to attract talented cultivators or to nurture their own promising newcomers.
Lin Feng also realized why the Zhenhai Alliance was willing to 'gift' him a slot: they clearly valued his strength and hoped he could help them win the competition and secure greater benefits. But, he thought, if I were to participate and actually win, the substantial rewards would be mutually beneficial.
"..."
Yu Ping finished his explanation and waited patiently as Lin Feng contemplated. After a moment, Lin Feng asked, "Senior Yu, if I may inquire... what exactly are the rewards for the winner of this competition?"