Chapter 25: Return Home

The scorching sun blazed high in the sky, mercilessly baking the earth.

In a valley, a young man in a green robe was casting spells, with the sword formation wreaking havoc throughout the valley.

The entire valley was in ruins, with large swathes of forest and grasslands collapsing, and hundreds of boulders shattered into gravel. The valley was devastated, a scene of utter desolation.

Fortunately, in this world of spiritual energy, the land had an amazing ability to heal and regenerate. The valley's current devastated state would be covered in vegetation within six months. Nature's power was indeed remarkable.

Lin Tianming had been practicing the sword formation in this valley for nearly half a month. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the anniversary of his departure from the family's residence on Green Bamboo Mountain.

In the past year, Lin Tianming had grown significantly, not just in cultivation, but also in his mental and spiritual maturity.

Before this, Lin Tianming had never left the family's residence, never been out of his family's sight for so long.

Now, Lin Tianming was training alone and bearing the responsibility of protecting the lives of over a hundred thousand commoners. He had grown from a fledgling bird to one that could fly independently. Although he didn't fly very high or far, he had taken the first step, which was no easy feat.

Time was pressing. After half a month of relentless practice, Lin Tianming had made significant progress. From initially taking three breaths to deploy the sword formation to now executing it smoothly in half a breath, his improvement was considerable.

Apart from Lin Tianming's hard work, the Golden Eagle also played a significant role.

At this moment, the Golden Eagle was covered in more than ten wounds, its head drooping, and its demeanor subdued, looking utterly miserable.

For the past ten days, the Golden Eagle had been Lin Tianming's sparring partner. Initially, the Golden Eagle relied on its speed and easily dodged the attacks, often teasing Lin Tianming by flying overhead.

However, in the last few days, under Lin Tianming's full effort, the Golden Eagle found it increasingly difficult to escape. Each time it was trapped, it ended up battered and bruised, looking pitiful.

Seeing the Golden Eagle's dejected appearance, Lin Tianming couldn't help but laugh heartily, feeling immensely pleased. He took out a piece of the Spiritual Snake's body from his storage bag and tossed it to the Golden Eagle.

The Golden Eagle eagerly grabbed it and devoured it, its previous sense of loss quickly forgotten.

After diligent practice, the Earth Fiend Sword Formation had reached a small success level, providing Lin Tianming with a sense of security in combat, no longer leaving him defenseless.

The tireless practice had paid off. Lin Tianming was very satisfied and decided to halt his training and prepare to return to Green Bamboo Mountain.

After a brief rest, the man and the bird took to the sky, circling Qingfeng Town and surveying the surroundings. Since he would be away for nearly a month, a thorough patrol was necessary.

At dusk, standing in the plaza before the main hall, Lin Tianming looked around. Having patrolled the area around Qingfeng Town and eliminated some wild beasts, he and the Golden Eagle returned to Qingfeng Town.

Lin Shan, who was in charge of receiving instructions, stood respectfully beside him.

Lin Tianming instructed, "The year-long period for my family visit has arrived. Tomorrow I will leave for Green Bamboo Mountain. I will be away for half a month to a month. The wild beasts within a hundred miles outside the town have been cleared, so there should be no danger."

Lin Shan was overjoyed and sincerely thanked Lin Tianming on behalf of the people of Qingfeng Town for his protection, ensuring a peaceful year with few fatalities.

Before Lin Tianming's tenure, the previous responsible clan members either weren't diligent enough or lacked his level of cultivation. Each year, dozens of commoners died due to wild beasts, with even hundreds dying in some instances.

After giving instructions for his departure, Lin Tianming turned to leave, leaving Lin Shan behind.

Inside the pavilion's main hall, Lin Tianming lay on the stone bed, finally able to relax his taut nerves. Before long, the soft sound of his breathing indicated that he had fallen into a deep sleep.

Over the past half month, Lin Tianming had practiced his divine abilities day and night, resting properly only three nights. The extensive use of spiritual power and divine sense had left him exhausted, and now he could finally sleep soundly, drifting into dreamland.

The next morning, a gentle breeze wafted through the window.

Lin Tianming slowly opened his eyes, stretched comfortably, and felt rejuvenated after a night of deep sleep.

In the peaceful and serene morning, with most commoners still asleep, Lin Tianming climbed onto the Golden Eagle's back and flew westward, disappearing silently into the horizon.

Sitting on the Golden Eagle's back, Lin Tianming felt exhilarated and kept urging the bird to fly faster.

After a year of living independently, he missed his family greatly. He longed for his grandfather's nagging, his father's stern teachings, his mother's gentle concern, and his sister's chatter while holding his arm.

The Golden Eagle seemed to sense its master's current mood and, without mischief, flew as fast as it could, faster than ever before. The man and the bird became a small black dot, swiftly flying across the sky, quickly disappearing from sight.

Setting off at dawn and flying all day with only two short breaks, they finally reached the outskirts of Green Bamboo Mountain just before sunset.

By then, the sun was almost level with the horizon, the afterglow of the sunset spreading across the land, creating a scene of tranquility.

At this time, the patrol team of the Lin family's Law Enforcement Hall was changing shifts, with more than a dozen Lin family cultivators gathered at the mountain gate. Among them was a young man named Lin Tianfeng, the highest-ranking member of the Tian generation.

Lin Tianfeng, twenty-five years old, with three spiritual roots, was at the sixth level of Qi Refinement. Previously, he had always been the highest-ranking member of the Tian generation in terms of cultivation. Due to his decent talent, hard work in cultivation, and love for training and combat, he served as an enforcer in the Law Enforcement Hall and was currently in charge of the patrol.

Among the many family cultivators, a young woman in a red robe stood out, with clear and spirited eyes, waist-length hair, and jade-like skin. She was Lin Tianming's sister, Lin Tianyue.

A year had passed, and the now-thirteen-year-old Lin Tianyue had changed significantly. Besides her cultivation reaching the third level of Qi Refinement, her appearance had transformed from a girl to a young lady, destined to become a great beauty.

At this moment, Lin Tianyue wore a worried expression. Her brother's one-year term as a guardian had ended, and he was supposed to return yesterday. She had waited for him all day but to no avail. Now, it was already dusk, and he still hadn't returned. She couldn't help but worry that something might have happened to him.

Seeing Lin Tianyue's concern, Lin Tianfeng comforted her, "Ninth sister, our sixth brother had reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement before he left. His divine abilities are impressive. With his talent, it's highly likely he's broken through to the sixth level. Maybe something delayed him. Don't worry, I'll notify you as soon as he returns."

"Thank you, big brother. It's not too late yet. I'll wait a bit longer for my brother."

Just as she finished speaking, Lin Tianfeng's expression lit up with joy. He had sensed Lin Tianming's presence, quickly flying towards Green Bamboo Mountain!

Seeing Lin Tianfeng's reaction, the others guessed what was happening, though they couldn't be certain.

In just over ten breaths, a dark figure appeared on the horizon, moving unbelievably fast through the sunset.

As the shadow approached, it transformed from a sesame-sized dot into a massive flying beast.

A group of family members stared in shock at the fierce-looking beast, full of disbelief.

It was Lin Tianming, standing on the back of the Golden Eagle, exuding an air of elegance and composure, though his heart was racing with excitement.

After a year away and a day of nonstop travel, from dawn to dusk, he had finally returned to the long-awaited family residence.