Chapter 123: Taking on a Protégé

If Lin Xiaobao were truly unable to clear his name in this matter, the Yun family would have no choice but to abandon him and Yun Keke. Yun Zhongtian had already discussed this with Yun Keke, and she had agreed, but regardless, the two formidable figures, Qin Feng and Cheng Yi, had to be appeased at all costs.

Inside the quiet chamber, Lin Xiaobao, completely immersed in the ecstasy of his breakthrough, felt nothing. When the spiritual energy in his dantian was compressed to its absolute limit, it suddenly burst forth with a thunderous roar. As a higher quality of spiritual energy emerged, Lin Xiaobao realized he had finally succeeded. However, upon inspecting his internal state, he was astonished to discover that he had skipped two levels in a single leap, surging directly from the fourth stage to the sixth stage of the Spirit Path.

At that moment, Lin Xiaobao began to understand why the two elders valued the fragments of the Chaos Mirror so highly. Merely through his initial refinement, the fragment had already propelled him up two full levels. What would happen if he possessed the complete mirror? What if he were to fully refine it?

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaobao’s anticipation began to grow.

Composing himself, he stood up and looked at Yun Yuefei, who had yet to wake. Placing his fingers on the young man’s pulse, he found that his condition had improved significantly. Since the fragment of the Chaos Mirror had absorbed the vast majority of the Taixu Demon Fire from within him, the remaining traces were now within his body’s tolerance. His constitution had begun a steady recovery, and it was only a matter of time before he was fully healed.

Lin Xiaobao then retrieved a jade bottle from his storage ring and poured some medicinal powder into Yun Yuefei’s mouth to help strengthen the meridians damaged during the ordeal. After all, he had swindled the man out of a demon core and absorbed the Taixu Demon Fire from his body; some compensation was only fair.

Just as he was about to leave, the door to the quiet chamber was violently smashed open. Yun Keke stood at the threshold, blocking the person behind her, her expression anxious.

Lin Xiaobao glanced at the intruder, noting the robes of the Xuanyang Palace, and immediately guessed the situation. "Keke, come and look at your brother; he is already out of danger."

Hearing his voice, Yun Keke snapped out of her trance. She looked at Yun Yuefei on the couch and saw that his complexion had indeed become much rosier and his breathing steady—a monumental change from how he had been just half a month ago.

"What? You actually cured him?" Before Yun Keke could get close, Qin Feng flashed to the bedside and grabbed Yun Yuefei’s wrist, his expression turning to one of utter disbelief. "This is impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"Young Master Lin, I must ask you to accompany me to the Xuanyang Palace!" Cheng Yi, who had initially intended to drag Lin Xiaobao away by force, saw the expression on Qin Feng’s face and realized there was something extraordinary about the youth. His tone grew more courteous. "Please forgive my earlier impetuosity, Young Master Lin!"

"Not at all. I know I must visit the Xuanyang Palace eventually. I was merely concerned for the Young Master’s health and took the time to treat him first. I hope you will not hold it against me, Senior," Lin Xiaobao said, immediately cupping his hands in a respectful salute.

Facing a behemoth like the Xuanyang Palace, Lin Xiaobao dared not be too arrogant, especially since there was no animosity between them, and he even had a personal connection with Chen Zhong.

As Lin Xiaobao performed the salute, Cheng Yi froze, his eyes widening in surprise. "Brother Lin, could we step aside for a moment?"

Yun Zhongtian, a seasoned veteran of the world, saw the look on Cheng Yi’s face and immediately intervened. "I have prepared tea and refreshments in the front hall. Why don't you and Young Hero Lin sit for a while?"

Lin Xiaobao looked at Cheng Yi, puzzled. Was this man not intending to take him away? Why had he suddenly become so polite?

"That would be excellent, excellent!" Cheng Yi replied, following Yun Zhongtian toward the front hall.

Lin Xiaobao cast a reassuring look at Yun Keke and followed. Once inside the front hall, after a few brief words, Yun Zhongtian tactfully withdrew.

"May I ask how you address Elder Chen Zhong of our Palace?" Cheng Yi cupped his hands, having caught sight of the Star Peak Ring on Lin Xiaobao’s finger during the earlier salute.

"No wonder you’ve suddenly turned so polite," Lin Xiaobao laughed. "I call him Big Brother Chen!"

"What? You call Elder Chen 'Big Brother'?" Cheng Yi was even more shocked than when he had seen the ring. He had suspected that Lin Xiaobao might be a disciple the Elder had taken during his travels, but he had never imagined that someone of Lin’s age would be on such familiar terms with Chen Zhong.

"What? You don’t believe me?" Lin Xiaobao flicked the ring on his ring finger. "This is the Star Peak Ring Big Brother Chen gave me. Are there any other questions?"

The ring was genuine, yet how could Chen Zhong possibly swear brotherhood with a youth at only the sixth stage of the Spirit Path? It defied all convention, but Cheng Yi preferred to err on the side of caution. "Elder Chen will appear at the Treasure Exchange Conference. Why don't you stay at the Xuanyang Palace for a few days? I would hate for the Elder to return and find that we treated his brother poorly."

"Naturally. To be honest, I came to Bloodwind City specifically to witness the Treasure Exchange Conference." Lin Xiaobao knew Cheng Yi was suspicious; even if he refused, the man would likely take him by force anyway. It was better to be agreeable, especially since Chen Zhong really was his elder brother.

"Then let us depart at once, shall we?" Cheng Yi urged.

"No rush, no rush. I need to collect a new subordinate first!" Lin Xiaobao said with a smile.

"A subordinate?" Cheng Yi recalled the wager Qin Feng had mentioned. He hadn't expected Lin Xiaobao to actually dare make Qin Feng his medicinal apprentice, but he realized that the youth must have extraordinary capabilities—at the very least, he had solved a problem that had left Qin Feng helpless. "Very well, I shall accompany you."

"No need, I am already here!" At that moment, Qin Feng walked through the door. Yun Zhongtian tactfully turned and left; in such a setting, a man of his standing knew that even being a spectator was a transgression.

"It seems you are a man of your word, Senior Qin!" Lin Xiaobao said with a grin. He was well aware of Qin Feng’s status in the Blood Victory Empire; having such a subordinate would be quite beneficial, and he could see that Qin Feng did indeed possess genuine talent in alchemy.

Qin Feng gave a cold snort. "I will serve as your medicinal apprentice for three years, but only in matters pertaining to alchemy. Everything else is none of my concern, including if your life is in danger—you will have to solve that yourself. Do you have any objections to this?"

"Of course not. The wager was only for you to be my apprentice, not my servant." Lin Xiaobao had no issues with this. Moreover, with Chen Zhong appearing at the conference—and given his high status in the Xuanyang Palace—Lin Xiaobao didn't mind using his brother's reputation to ensure his own safety.