Several hours later...
A gentle knock echoed through the quiet meditation chamber.
Lin Sheng slowly opened his eyes, the last traces of the Emptiness State fading from his pupils.
"Come in."
The stone door slid open.
Standing outside was Qian Feng.
Unlike his usual composed appearance, there was a trace of reluctance on his face.
Lin Sheng immediately understood.
"You're leaving."
Qian Feng nodded.
"My father still doesn't know about the Shadow Ghost Hall."
"I have to return and warn him."
Lin Sheng wasn't surprised.
The Shadow Ghost Hall's infiltration had already extended beyond a single sect or family.
If Qian Feng's clan remained ignorant, they could very well become the next target.
"You should go."
"The sooner they prepare, the better."
Qian Feng clasped his fists.
"I'll remember your kindness."
"If fate allows..."
"We'll meet again."
Lin Sheng smiled faintly.
"There will be another chance."
At that moment, two more familiar figures approached.
Lou Han.
Lin Xiaolu.
The two also carried travel packs on their backs.
Lou Han laughed.
"It seems we're all leaving today."
Lin Xiaolu nodded.
"Our one-year assignment is almost over."
"The Secret Realm allowed us to earn far more merit points than we expected."
Qian Feng smiled.
"With the rare herbs, scriptures, and treasures we submitted..."
"We've accumulated enough merit."
Lou Han's expression brightened.
"The higher-ups have already approved our transfer."
"We'll both be stationed in Jade Heaven City."
"As guards."
Although merely a guarding position, everyone present understood its significance.
Jade Heaven City...
One of the largest cultivation cities under Dragon Yuan Mountain's jurisdiction.
Countless cultivators gathered there every day.
The opportunities available far exceeded those of ordinary assignments.
Lin Sheng clasped his fists toward the three of them.
"Then..."
"I wish you all a safe journey."
"And may fortune accompany your paths."
The three returned the salute.
"Take care."
Without lingering any longer...
Qian Feng, Lou Han, and Lin Xiaolu departed Dragon Yuan Mountain together.
Watching their retreating figures, Lin Sheng couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic.
Everyone had obtained their own opportunities within the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm.
Now...
Their paths would gradually begin diverging.
Some would return home.
Some would continue cultivating.
Some would pursue official positions.
The cultivation world was vast.
Meeting again...
Would depend entirely upon fate.
---
Just as Lin Sheng turned around...
He suddenly noticed someone standing several dozen meters away.
An old man.
Hands folded behind his back.
Quietly watching him.
Old Liang.
The corner of Lin Sheng's mouth twitched slightly.
"Elder Liang..."
Before he could finish speaking—
Whoosh!
A fist suddenly appeared before him.
No warning.
No fluctuation.
Pure physical speed.
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted.
Instinct took over.
His right arm immediately rose.
Bang!
His forearm blocked the incoming fist.
The impact forced him back half a step.
A smile had barely appeared on his face—
"You blocked it."
Old Liang's calm voice sounded beside him.
"But..."
"You only blocked the first move."
Lin Sheng's heart skipped.
When?!
Before he could react—
A palm gently landed upon his Gang Qi barrier.
It appeared soft.
Almost casual.
Yet—
Crack!
The Gang Qi barrier surrounding Lin Sheng shattered instantly.
The palm continued forward without losing any momentum.
Boom!
Lin Sheng was blasted backward like a cannonball.
His body smashed directly through the entrance of the immortal abode before crashing into the courtyard wall.
Dust filled the air.
Several disciples nearby stared in shock.
"What just happened?"
As the dust slowly settled...
Lin Sheng walked out.
Apart from slightly disheveled robes, he was unharmed.
His eyes had already entered the familiar state of absolute calm.
The Emptiness State.
Spiritual qi throughout the courtyard immediately surged.
The surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy began converging toward him.
His Gang Qi circulated violently.
Without hesitation—
He stepped forward.
The Third Form of the Zen Heaven Technique erupted.
"Zen Strikes Heaven!"
Wind and thunder intertwined around his fist.
Unlike before, the two intents no longer clashed violently.
Instead...
They complemented one another, producing an even more terrifying destructive force.
Boom!
The fist slammed directly toward Old Liang.
Yet...
Just before making contact...
It stopped.
Not because Lin Sheng withdrew it.
But because an invisible barrier stood before Old Liang.
The violent wind and lightning dispersed against it like waves crashing upon an immovable mountain.
Lin Sheng looked at the transparent barrier surrounding the old man.
His eyes shone with curiosity rather than disappointment.
"So..."
"This is the Gang Essence Barrier of the Astral Gang Realm?"
Old Liang smiled approvingly.
"It is."
He looked Lin Sheng up and down before nodding with satisfaction.
"You've grown considerably since we last met."
"You've not only reached the Xuan Gang Realm..."
"You've even comprehended Martial Intent."
He chuckled.
"And here I was..."
"Worrying about your safety.
-----------
Old Liang's courtyard remained just as Lin Sheng remembered it.
The same ancient pine tree stood quietly in one corner.
The same stone table rested beneath its shade.
Even the weathered wooden training posts, scarred by countless fists and palms over the years, remained exactly where they had always been.
For a moment, Lin Sheng became absent-minded.
It had only been a few years...
Yet it felt as though an entire lifetime had passed.
Back then, he had merely been a youth learning the basics of martial cultivation.
Now...
He had stepped into the Xuan Gang Realm, comprehended Martial Intent, and even survived the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm.
Old Liang noticed his expression and smiled faintly.
"Remembering old times?"
Lin Sheng nodded.
"This courtyard hasn't changed at all."
Old Liang laughed.
"Why should it?"
"A martial artist should always remember where he first tempered his fists."
The two sat opposite one another.
Lin Sheng quietly prepared a pot of spiritual tea before pouring a cup for the old man.
Old Liang accepted it without ceremony before suddenly asking,
"How is your senior brother?"
Lin Sheng naturally knew who he meant.
"Guardian Zhao is doing well."
"He has become much stronger than before."
Old Liang took a sip before giving an approving nod.
"Hmmm..."
"I heard he recently battled a pseudo Rank Three yao beast."
"That must have been quite the fight."
As he spoke, excitement flashed across the old man's eyes.
Lin Sheng smiled inwardly.
That expression...
He had seen it countless times before.
It was the instinctive battle lust possessed by true martial artists.
The stronger the opponent...
The greater their desire to fight.
Old Liang was no exception.
Lin Sheng poured himself another cup of tea before beginning to recount the events that had occurred within the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm.
From the competition among the younger generation...
To the discovery of the Heaven Seal Gate ruins...
To the appearance of the Shadow Ghost Hall.
Naturally...
He omitted everything related to the inheritance trials, the Formation Spirit, the Heavenly Dao, and several other matters that absolutely could not be revealed.
Even so...
Old Liang listened with complete attention.
When Lin Sheng finished mentioning the Shadow Ghost Hall, the old man slowly placed down his teacup.
"Shadow Ghost Hall..."
He repeated the name thoughtfully.
After several breaths, he shook his head.
"I've never heard of them."
"If such a power truly exists..."
"Then they've hidden themselves extremely well."
He looked toward the distant mountains.
"But..."
"A hidden organization dedicated to hunting geniuses..."
"...has never ended well."
Lin Sheng raised an eyebrow.
Old Liang continued calmly.
"The cultivation world has seen many such organizations throughout history."
"Some envied the younger generation."
"Some feared future experts."
"Others simply wished to plunge the world into chaos."
"So they hunted talented disciples."
"They assassinated promising cultivators."
"They attempted to cut off the future of countless sects and families."
He paused before letting out a faint chuckle.
"And every single one of those organizations eventually disappeared."
Lin Sheng asked,
"Destroyed?"
Old Liang nodded.
"Completely."
"They may kill ten geniuses."
"A hundred."
"Even a thousand."
"But..."
"All it takes..."
"...is one."
He slowly raised a single finger.
"One genius survives."
"One genius escapes."
"One genius grows strong enough."
His voice became firm.
"And when that day comes..."
"The hunter becomes the hunted."
"The entire organization is uprooted."
"Not a single branch remains."
Lin Sheng silently contemplated those words.
Old Liang leaned back in his chair before smiling.
"The cultivation world has always been like this."
"No force remains undefeated forever."
"No hidden organization can remain hidden for eternity."
"As the saying goes..."
He looked directly at Lin Sheng.
"Every dog has its day."
"The Shadow Ghost Hall may believe itself hidden now."
"But if they continue making enemies of the world's geniuses..."
"The day will eventually come when one of those surviving geniuses knocks on their door."
"And on that day..."
"They will understand what true despair feels like."
The courtyard gradually fell silent once more.
A gentle breeze stirred the pine branches overhead.
Lin Sheng quietly drank his tea, committing the old man's words to memory.
In the cultivation world, strength was important.
But patience could be just as deadly.