Volume 1, Chapter 144: Master Tripod, Business is Here!

The struggles within Spirit Mountain are extremely brutal. While every warrior who emerges from it reaps great rewards, these gains are built upon the lives of those who perish inside. It is said that in each entry to Spirit Mountain, at most three out of ten warriors survive—a count considered lucky. Sometimes, fewer than one in ten make it out. 

Fortunately, this time Lin Yu will lead the way. With his strength, he will surely ensure that fewer of the Great Han royal family's prodigies die. 

"Second Brother, when will Spirit Mountain open?" Lin Yu nodded slightly. Spirit Mountain held countless opportunities, and he had just been worrying about finding something for Master Tripod to devour. The timing of Spirit Mountain's opening was perfect—he would never miss such a chance. 

The Second Prince smiled. "In three months, at the裂天峡谷 (Heaven-Splitting Gorge) at the center of the Divine State Continent. Calculating the time, you should depart at most a month from now. I will select royal prodigies to accompany you to Heaven-Splitting Gorge, and they will follow you then." 

"Good, but let me make one thing clear: after entering Spirit Mountain, I cannot care for them. If I happen to meet them, I will naturally lend a hand, but if not, they must fend for themselves." Lin Yu had no intention of being a nanny to these royal prodigies, so he clarified this upfront to avoid future misunderstandings with Lin Shuo. 

"Of course. Once inside, you need not worry about them. Flowers in a greenhouse never grow strong." The Second Prince nodded and hurried off. Selecting royal prodigies and preparing for the journey to Heaven-Splitting Gorge would keep him busy for a month. 

"Finally, I know where the Divine State's Spirit Mountain portal is. Humph! Once I recover, I'll head to Spirit Mountain first. If that guy happens to be in danger there and I just so happen to meet him, I'll save his life as repayment for the medicine." 

Neither Lin Yu nor the Second Prince noticed the white fox under the eaves pricking up its ears, listening to their conversation. Finally, a傲娇 (coquettish) glint flashed in the fox's eyes. It stretched out a paw, gently nudging the pill Lin Yu had placed before it, then stole a glance at him. When Lin Yu wasn't looking, it swallowed the pill in one gulp. 

Ying-ning! The medicinal power in the pill healed its wound rapidly, and it purred in comfort. 

"Lad, I was just worrying about where to find powerful demon beasts to devour so you can gain enough spiritual power to advance to Void Transformation!没想到 (Unexpectedly), Spirit Mountain is opening—this is a heaven-sent opportunity we must not miss!" After the Second Prince left, Master Tripod suddenly spoke, clearly excited. 

"Master Tripod, do you know what exactly Spirit Mountain is?" Lin Yu asked curiously. 

"You know there are many blessed lands on the Divine State Continent with abundant spiritual power, suitable for warriors to live and cultivate, right?" Master Tripod chuckled. "Relative to the entire Canglan Domain, Spirit Mountain is a blessed land. In essence, it's a small-scale realm that collided with your Canglan Domain, causing fusion in some areas and forming portals—similar to how the Myriad Demon Domain once collided with your realm." 

"Master Tripod, so Spirit Mountain is actually an ownerless realm?" Lin Yu恍然大悟 (suddenly realized). 

"Correct. Since no cultivators were born in Spirit Mountain, all its natural treasures, spiritual herbs, and immortal fruits remain untouched. The demon beasts there merely consume some herbs and fruits at most—it's a natural treasure trove." 

"I see." Lin Yu nodded, growing more curious about Spirit Mountain. 

Days later, Lin Yu emerged from his room as usual, intending to continue his cultivation on the lounge chair, only to find the white fox that had been lying under the eaves for days was gone. 

"It seems the little fox has recovered." Lin Yu smiled wryly. The fox had kept him company under the eaves, and its sudden departure left him slightly unaccustomed. But the fox was spiritual—if fate willed, they would meet again. 

"Where is she? Listen up, all in the city! Where have you hidden that girl? Why isn't she here? I warn you: hand over the girl immediately, or don't blame me for being harsh!" 

Just as Lin Yu sat down, a voice like rolling thunder resounded throughout the imperial city. He looked toward the sound and saw a group of mysterious warriors shrouded in black cloaks above the city. The aura emanating from these robed warriors was extremely powerful. Even from a distance, Lin Yu could tell that the weakest among them was likely at Myriad Phenomena Realm. 

"Where did these warriors come from?" Lin Yu wondered, frowning. After the Profound Heaven Immortal Sect backed down and he slew the First Prince and the Han Emperor, there should be no such formidable enemies left. Moreover, these people had come to the imperial city demanding a girl, clearly not targeting him. 

"Lad, go check them out! These are Myriad Phenomena Realm warriors, and there's even a First Rank Void Transformation among them!" Master Tripod's voice rang in Lin Yu's mind. Lin Yu could imagine Master Tripod drooling over these mysterious robed warriors. 

"First Rank Void Transformation!" Lin Yu's eyes lit up, and he hurried toward the imperial palace hall. If these guys were indeed here to cause trouble, Lin Yu had no qualms about slaying them all. He had been stuck at Ninth Rank Myriad Phenomena for too long—if Master Tripod炼化 (refined) these warriors, his cultivation would surely advance. Even if he couldn't fully reach Void Transformation, he would likely step halfway into that realm. 

In the imperial palace hall, the Second Prince stood on the steps with his ministers, gazing up at the robed warriors in mid-air. 

"Your Majesty, I have sent word to the Prince of Qin. He should arrive soon," the Chief Minister said respectfully. After Lin Shuo ascended the throne, he continued to trust the Chief Minister, who was now a veteran of three reigns. The "Prince of Qin" he mentioned was, of course, Lin Yu. 

After taking the throne, Lin Shuo first vindicated the Southern Expedition Army, erected a monument, and rewarded their families. The second thing he did was enfeoff Lin Yu as the Prince of Qin, the most honored title among princes. 

"Third Brother won't stand by. Even if no one通知 (informs) him, he will come." The Second Prince smiled, full of confidence in Lin Yu. Initially, the ministers had felt apprehensive upon seeing the imposing robed warriors, but upon hearing the Second Prince and Chief Minister, they relaxed. With Third Prince Lin Yu here, the Great Han imperial city was impregnable—no rabble could run amok here.