Chapter 99: The Divine Weapon's Potential

"The God-Slaying Bow?"

Lin Yun drew the divine weapon from the ring, murmuring its name as he carefully caressed its surface. The bow was several feet long, and its string, woven from the sinews of the Demonic Flood Dragon and other composite materials, was incredibly tough. To draw this bow would require a force of at least five hundred dan.

If it were the Lin Yun of the past, he would have been completely unable to wield such a terrifying weapon. But now, with his strength greatly enhanced, the divine bow felt like a match made in heaven.

"It's a pity," Xu Miaoyun said with a smile, "that this bow has not yet reached its limit."

It was called the God-Slaying Bow because it truly possessed that potential. Unfortunately, the materials Xu Miaoyun had on hand were insufficient to forge it into such a fearsome divine weapon.

"If you can find any special materials in the future, I can help you upgrade the bow's quality."

By Lin Yun's estimation, the God-Slaying Bow was currently somewhere between a High-Grade Magic Artifact and a Low-Grade True Artifact, with room for improvement. This meant that, with enough of the right materials, it could one day reach the level of a Saintly Artifact or even an Emperor-Grade Weapon. Furthermore, to ensure its utility, the bow's power would grow in tandem with its user's strength.

What Lin Yun found most admirable, however, was that like his Frigid Flame Sword, the God-Slaying Bow that Xu Miaoyun had forged had no minimum cultivation realm requirement for its user.

After putting the bow away, Lin Yun turned to Duan Wuya. "Elder Duan, I heard the Sect Master has saved a spot for me in the Grand Tournament."

Duan Wuya was appraising Lin Yun with new eyes. He was astounded that the boy was still alive. Perhaps Xu Miaoyun and Jiang Zhengqing had simply been accidentally right. But what truly amazed him was the young man's strength.

The old saying was true: when you see a scholar after three days' absence, you must look at him with new eyes. Lin Yun was no longer the ordinary, reckless kid he had been. On the contrary, his entire aura was now restrained and composed, and his bright, piercing eyes were like the deep ocean, capable of swallowing everything in this world.

Duan Wuya finally understood why Jiang Zhengqing and Xu Miaoyun had placed so much faith in him.

"This time," he said, his voice grave, "the Flowing Cloud Sect has united with the Constant Sun Sect, the Marvelous Sound Sect, and the Xuan Kun Palace. They are planning to target us in the tournament. The Sect Master has always believed you would return, but given the current situation, you must think carefully. This Grand Tournament will be very dangerous."

In truth, even though Lin Yun had made it out of the Ancient Forbidden Land alive, Duan Wuya was still not optimistic. They were facing the combined might of countless experts. Lin Yun might be strong, but what were his chances against the siege of so many masters? He would be lucky to survive, let alone fight back.

Seeing the worry on Duan Wuya's face, Lin Yun thought for a moment, then smiled. "Don't worry, Elder Duan. I have my own ways. I knew that old fox Gu Xiande would not let me go. Now that he knows I'm alive, he will surely use every means possible to deal with me."

He was not surprised by this situation in the slightest. Expecting the Flowing Cloud Sect to fight fairly? That was nothing but a daydream.

Although Duan Wuya was reluctant to let Lin Yun get dragged into this mess, seeing the confidence in the young man's eyes, he thought for a moment and relented. If they didn't do something this time, the Beast Taming Sect would be finished for good.

"If you wish to go, then so be it. With you joining us, I imagine we will have no problem protecting ourselves. If we can just hold onto our position as one of the Four Great Sects, that will be good enough."

At this point, Duan Wuya was not naive enough to dream of winning first place. That was simply impossible.

Seeing the look of resignation on Duan Wuya's face, Lin Yun offered no further explanation. To make him believe he could help the Beast Taming Sect win the top prize—that was something not many would believe. But Lin Yun believed he could do it.

The news of Lin Yun's survival didn't remain quiet for long. The entire encampment was instantly abuzz. A dead man had been resurrected?

In the Flowing Cloud Sect's camp, Shangguan Wan's expression was complex. Their plan this time was to target the Beast Taming Sect. But with Lin Yun alive, it meant their primary opponent might now be this young man they had once looked down upon. She had no idea how things might change from here.

"Xiao Pingtian!" she called out, turning her gaze to him. "You know the Sect Master's intentions for this tournament. So, I want to know, how confident are you in defeating Lin Yun?"

Under her scrutiny, how could he answer? Knowing what she meant, Xiao Pingtian thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Rest assured, Elder Shangguan. I am one hundred percent confident!"

He had never once thought of giving up his rivalry with Lin Yun. His cultivation realm was higher than Lin Yun's; it was only due to special circumstances that Lin Yun had managed to escape before. This time, Xiao Pingtian would absolutely not allow it. He had come here prepared. If Lin Yun was alive, he would make him regret being born. Even if Lin Yun were already dead, he would have slaughtered all those idiots from the Beast Taming Sect anyway.

Shangguan Wan looked at Xiao Pingtian's sinister gaze and nodded. "It is best that you have such confidence. Lin Yun has already reached Hades Cave Mountain. You should hurry down and prepare as well."

Somehow, Lin Yun had become a nail in the eye and a thorn in the flesh for many people. They all focused their attention on him, as if ignoring this young man for a moment could lead to a lifetime of regret.

"This time," Lin Yun said, gnashing his teeth, "I will settle the old scores, one by one."

The only thing he found strange was that the Xuan Kun Palace and the Constant Sun and Marvelous Sound sects would choose to cooperate with the Flowing Cloud Sect. Wasn't that a classic case of asking a tiger for its skin? But then he thought about the internal state of the Beast Taming Sect, and it all began to make sense.

In the blink of an eye, the day for the opening of the Spirit Realm arrived. The elders of the great sects stood together upon the grand altar, personally opening the portal. This year's event would last for one month. All disciples could enter to search for relics and treasures. If they encountered danger, they could flee to a designated location and shout a specific phrase to be forcibly retrieved by their sect—a way to protect them.

As the members of the Beast Taming Sect approached the altar, a wave of mockery rose from the crowd below.

"Look! That's the Beast Taming Sect, the one that took in a traitor. I never thought the former number one sect would fall to such a state. They truly have no sense of honor at all."