Myth Beyond Heaven

Meanwhile, within the heart of the Azure Spring Grove, Yun Lintian stood at the edge of the pool, his mind awhirl with newfound knowledge. His encounter with the primordial essence had shattered his preconceived notions about this world, opening up a realm of possibilities that both excited and terrified him.

He glanced at the setting sun, its rays painting the sky with hues of orange and crimson. The allotted time for the first stage was dwindling, and he had yet to score a single point. A faint smile played on his lips, it was time for him to get some points.

Yun Lintian turned and faced the dense undergrowth of the Azure Spring Grove, his senses attuned to the subtle energy signatures that permeated the air. The grove, a vibrant tapestry of towering trees and lush vegetation, now thrummed with a different kind of energy – the primal aura of profound beasts.

With a deep breath, he activated the Eyes of Heaven. The world before him transformed, the dense foliage becoming translucent, revealing a network of glowing pathways that pulsed with the essence of life. These were the trails of profound beasts, their energy signatures shimmering like beacons in the twilight.

The trail led him to a secluded clearing, where a massive creature stood amidst the gnarled roots of an ancient tree. It was a Shadow Leopard, its sleek black fur blending seamlessly with the shadows. Its eyes, twin orbs of emerald fire, burned with predatory intensity.

The Shadow Leopard sensed Yun Lintian’s presence and let out a low growl, its muscles coiling beneath its glossy coat. Yun Lintian met its gaze with unwavering calm, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his water sword.

“Roar!”

The Shadow Leopard lunged, its movements a blur of speed and agility. Yun Lintian sidestepped the attack with ease, his sword flashing as he countered with a lightning-fast thrust. The water blade pierced the leopard’s shoulder, drawing a snarl of pain.

“ROAR!” The beast retaliated with a flurry of claw strikes, each one aimed at Yun Lintian’s vital points.

Bang! Bang!

Yun Lintian parried the blows with effortless grace, his sword weaving a defensive web around him.

“Sorry.” Yun Lintian said gently as he saw an opening and seized it, his sword arcing through the air in a dazzling display of swordsmanship.

Puff!

The water blade found its mark, slicing through the leopard’s neck with surgical precision.

The Shadow Leopard staggered and collapsed, its life force dissipating into the air.

With a flick of his wrist, Yun Lintian retrieved the Divine Beast Core and continued his hunt, following the glowing trails that crisscrossed the grove.

He encountered a variety of profound beasts, each one presenting a unique challenge. There was the Ironhide Boar, a hulking brute with skin as tough as steel, the Swiftwing Serpent, a venomous creature that could fly at incredible speeds, and the Flamefang Spider, a monstrous arachnid that spewed fiery venom.

Yun Lintian faced each opponent with ease, his swordsmanship growing more refined with each encounter. He adapted his tactics to suit each beast’s strengths and weaknesses, utilizing the laws.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Yun Lintian stood atop a rocky outcrop, surveying the moonlit grove. The air was thick with the scent of blood and the lingering energy of the fallen beasts. He had slain dozens of profound beasts, his score on the scoreboard skyrocketing with each kill.

“This should be enough, I guess?” Yun Lintian spoke to himself.

Within the Yun Clan pavilion, the silence that had reigned supreme for hours shattered into a cacophony of gasps and exclamations. The elders, who had been on the verge of despair, jolted upright in their seats, their eyes wide with disbelief as they watched the scoreboard flicker to life.

“10 points… 20… 50… 100!” a young disciple called out, his voice trembling with excitement.

Yun Wuhan’s clenched fist relaxed, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. “I knew it,” he declared, his voice booming through the pavilion. “He will not disappoint us!”

The elders erupted in cheers, their worries replaced by jubilation.

Outside, the plaza buzzed with renewed energy. The observers, who had been whispering amongst themselves in hushed tones, now roared with enthusiasm as they watched Yun Lintian’s score climb at an astonishing rate.

“Look at him go!” an onlooker shouted, his face flushed with excitement. “He’s a monster!”

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” another chimed in, his eyes glued to the scoreboard. “He’s slaughtering those beasts like they’re nothing!”

The sight that greeted Qing Zong sent a furrow etching across his brow. The profound beasts within the grove, though not powerhouses, possessed a resilience that made eradication a tedious task. Yun Lintian’s swift and brutal extermination came as a startling surprise, hinting at a prowess far exceeding expectations.

He turned to face Su Jian and asked, “What should I do?”

“If there’s no mistake, he will be the winner. With him, the Yun Clan is bound to rise. This is the best opportunity to recruit him,” Su Jian said calmly.

Qing Zong’s frown deepened. A competition among the princes and princesses was approaching soon. It was his best chance to return to the royal clan. Initially, he planned to recruit Chen Zitao, but Yun Lintian seemed like a better choice.

Meanwhile, the group of female cultivators stared at the scoreboard in surprise. Initially dismissive of Yun Lintian as a flamboyant young man with no talent, they now realized they had clearly misjudged him. 𝐟r𝚠eno𝘃𝐥.c𝗼m

“He is indeed Senior Sister’s son,” one of them said.

If Yun Lintian were here, he would recognize their identities immediately upon hearing this. These people were none other than the disciples of the Misty Cloud Palace!

Oblivious to the commotion stirring outside the grove, Yun Lintian basked in the cool embrace of the night breeze. In such moments of quietude, his thoughts invariably drifted back to his family and the wives he dearly missed in his distant world.

A gnawing helplessness gnawed at him, the urgency to return only intensifying with every passing moment.

“Hmm?” Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught Yun Lintian’s eye. Below, a lone figure emerged from the veil of trees, her gait unsteady and halting.

A closer look revealed a woman, her face etched with pain and fear. Several broken ribs marred her torso, and her left arm hung limply at her side. Clearly, she was on the run, fleeing from some unseen pursuer.

Yun Lintian had a faint recollection of her appearance. She appeared to be a disciple of some sect, though he hadn’t paid her much attention.

“Where are you running to?”