Chapter 24 – The Road Toward the Sun and Moon
Two months passed quietly.
Spring faded into early summer, and the Lin Clan's inner courtyard slowly changed with the season. The air carried the faint scent of medicinal herbs and fresh wood shavings, remnants of Lin Huang's recent experiments with soul tools. The mornings were no longer cold, and the nights were filled with the low hum of cultivation chambers operating in unison.
During these two months, Lin Huang's growth was anything but subtle.
His cultivation had stabilized at Rank 25.
Although he could have pushed himself higher, he chose to compress his soul power carefully, refining it again and again. His breathing techniques had improved further, and the digestion efficiency of spiritual energy had risen to nearly forty percent. This alone explained the steady rise in his level.
More importantly, his external spirit bone had finally entered a stage of basic control.
The faint crown of condensed spiritual energy could now appear and fade at will, no longer leaking pressure unconsciously. It was still imperfect, still unstable, but it responded to his intent. When he circulated his spiritual power in a specific rhythm, the crown would form for a brief moment, then sink back into his spiritual sea.
There was no pain.
Only a faint warmth at his brow, and a subtle discomfort that reminded him the power was still foreign.
Within his spiritual sea, the seventh tail of his martial spirit had fully condensed.
He still could not control it properly, and the sense of pressure and weight it brought was unfamiliar. Yet, instead of pain, there was only mild discomfort. The foundation of his spiritual origin had stepped into its final stage, and the purity of his spiritual power had deepened once more, shifting toward a richer orange-crimson hue.
Even without intentionally releasing his aura, younger disciples of the Lin Clan felt an instinctive pressure when standing too close to him.
The elders, on the other hand, could not hide their pride.
This was their Young Master.
His temperament had also changed subtly.
It was not arrogance, nor coldness.
There was simply a quiet composure to him now, an air of restraint that made others instinctively treat him with more respect. Even when he laughed and joked, there was a faint nobility to his presence that had not been there before.
His instructors noticed this change more than anyone.
In the training courtyard, Lin Huang wiped the sweat from his brow after a long sparring session. His body shimmered faintly with residual bestial essence as the transformation receded, leaving only the faint outline of veins glowing beneath his skin.
"You can maintain partial bestialization for hours now," Instructor Han said, arms crossed, his expression complicated. "At your age, that's absurd."
Instructor Mu let out a low laugh. "Absurd is one word for it. Terrifying is another. If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't believe a child could push his body this far without collapsing."
Lin Huang stretched his shoulders lazily. "I'm still far from done. I can feel the second soul skill responding sometimes… just barely. I think I'll be able to use it internally soon, without external manifestations."
Instructor Han's brows rose. "You're already using your first soul ring skill without visible signs. Don't rush the second. Control comes before power."
"I know," Lin Huang replied with a grin. "That's why you're still needed. If I leave too early, who's going to scold me when I mess up?"
Instructor Mu snorted. "You're leaving for the Sun and Moon Academy, not running away from discipline."
Han stepped forward and placed a hand on Lin Huang's shoulder. "You've outgrown what we can teach you here. That doesn't mean you no longer belong here."
For a moment, the courtyard fell quiet.
Then Lin Huang laughed softly. "You're making it sound like a farewell already. I'm just going to study for a few years. I'll come back stronger and make you all regret going easy on me."
Instructor Mu waved him off. "Brat. Don't get yourself killed before that happens."
That evening, the main hall of the Lin residence was filled with warm light.
Dinner was a simple but carefully prepared spread. The atmosphere was relaxed, the kind of calm that only came when danger felt distant.
Halfway through the meal, Su Mei suddenly straightened in her seat, her eyes bright.
"Father! Matriarch! Patriarch! Brother Lin Huang!" she said excitedly. "I reached Rank 20 today!"
The chopsticks in Lin Huang's hand paused mid-air.
His mother looked up in surprise. "Already?"
Su Mei nodded quickly, unable to hide her excitement. "And I've already researched my second soul ring. I won't rush it. I know what kind of soul beast I want, and it's over a thousand years old."
Her father laughed, pride evident in his eyes. "You've been cultivating while cooking every day. It would be strange if you didn't improve."
Su Mei glanced at Lin Huang. "It's thanks to Brother Lin Huang's method. Turning cooking into cultivation… I didn't think it would work so well."
Lin Huang smiled back at her. "You're the one who made it work. I just gave the idea."
His father nodded thoughtfully. "Your method of refining soul power into essence through daily actions… it helped me as well. I finally advanced one level in the Soul Emperor not long ago."
Su Mei blinked in surprise. "Really?!"
"Yes," her father said with a small smile. "Experience matters. But sometimes, a new perspective is what pushes you past the bottleneck."
Lin Huang's mother reached out and gently patted Su Mei's hand. "Just don't pressure yourself too much. You'll catch up in your own way."
Su Mei nodded earnestly.
The conversation drifted naturally toward Lin Huang's upcoming departure.
"You'll go ahead first," his grandfather said calmly. "By the time Su Mei obtains her second soul ring, you'll already be settling into the academy."
Lin Huang nodded. "It's better that way. The road is safer if we don't move together."
His mother hesitated, then sighed softly. "You're still so young…"
Lin Huang leaned back in his chair, smiling playfully. "Mother, don't look so sad. I'm just going to study. Besides—" he glanced between his parents with a mischievous grin, "while I'm gone, don't forget to give me a little brother or sister to come back to."
The room froze for half a second.
Then Su Mei choked on her soup.
His father coughed awkwardly, nearly spilling his tea.
His mother's face flushed red as she raised a hand to smack his shoulder. "You brat! Watch your mouth at the dinner table!"
His grandfather burst into rare laughter, the sound deep and unrestrained. "At least he has ambition in all things."
The tension eased, replaced by warmth and quiet laughter.
Later that night, Lin Huang stood alone in the courtyard.
The moonlight spilled over the stone tiles, and the world felt unusually quiet.
His thoughts drifted unconsciously.
The silver-haired girl he had met before…
He still didn't know her name.
He only remembered her eyes, and the strange promise he had made without fully understanding what it meant.
Would he see her again at the Sun and Moon Academy?
He shook his head lightly, exhaling.
There was no use dwelling on things he couldn't control.
At the edge of the courtyard, his grandfather watched him silently.
"You've learned to stabilize the consciousness within your soul rings," the old man said quietly. "That is no small feat. Even some adults cannot do this."
Lin Huang nodded. "It's not perfect yet. I can only calm them, not truly communicate. But it feels… different. Less like suppression. More like coexistence."
"That path is dangerous," his grandfather warned. "But it is also powerful. Walk it carefully."
"I will."
The next morning, the preparations were complete.
Lin Huang wore plain clothes, his aura fully restrained. Several soul tools were hidden beneath his outer garments, layered armor and concealed mechanisms ready to activate at a moment's notice.
His instructors gathered to see him off.
Instructor Han clasped his hands behind his back. "Don't embarrass us."
Instructor Mu snorted. "If you cause trouble, at least make it impressive."
Lin Huang bowed slightly. "I'll come back alive. That's my promise."
His parents stood close, saying little.
His mother finally stepped forward and adjusted his collar. "No matter how far you go, this is still your home."
"I know," Lin Huang replied softly.
As he boarded the carriage, he glanced back one last time.
The Lin Clan stood quietly behind him.
The road ahead stretched long and uncertain.
The Sun and Moon Academy waited in the distance, unseen beyond the horizon.
And somewhere along that path, destinies were already beginning to move.