Binding Su Xing

Lin Yu's breath caught, his heart slamming against his ribs. Eighty-eight. The number glowed above the stranger's head, a beacon of potential in the dim light of the Orchid Pavilion. His hands trembled as he gripped the edge of the table, his mind racing. This had to be Su Xuan—the fugitive cultivator, the protagonist-like figure who'd defeated a higher-stage opponent and survived the Bai family's wrath. Without hesitation, Lin Yu silently commanded the Binding System: Bind with him.

A crystalline chime rang in his mind, followed by the system's cold, mechanical voice:

[Successfully Binded Su Xuan]

Lin Yu's eyes widened, a surge of triumph flooding his chest. It was Su Xuan. He'd found him, the key to his cultivation dreams, sitting just across the inn. His excitement was tempered by caution—he couldn't afford to draw attention, not with Su Xuan so wary. Lin Yu forced himself to stay calm, his fingers steadying as he reached for his tea. He needed to understand the system's capabilities now that the binding was complete. Mentally, he pulled up the system's interface, eager to explore its features beyond the initial introduction he'd received.

The system's panel shimmered in his mind, revealing a detailed breakdown. The first feature, which he already knew, was the ability to share Su Xuan's cultivation progress. Every step Su Xuan took along his cultivation path would flow to Lin Yu, granting him strength without the need for spiritual roots or grueling training. It was a cheat code, a lifeline for a mortal scholar in a world ruled by cultivators.

The second feature was even more enticing: Lin Yu could share Su Xuan's spells, techniques, and even his talent. This meant access to the skills and innate potential that made Su Xuan a prodigy, a man capable of fighting above his realm. Lin Yu's heart raced at the thought. With Su Xuan's talent, he could wield techniques that would otherwise be beyond his reach, transforming him from a powerless scholar into a force to be reckoned with.

The third feature introduced something called karma points. By aiding Su Xuan in meaningful ways—whether through protection, resources, or guidance—Lin Yu would earn these points. Karma points could be used to amplify the spells and techniques he received from Su Xuan, enhancing their power or refining their execution. More intriguingly, they could also boost the cultivation feedback he gained from Su Xuan's progress. This was a game-changer. Even if Lin Yu's cultivation eventually surpassed Su Xuan's, karma points would ensure he continued to benefit from their bond, amplifying the system's effects to match his higher realm. And if their cultivation levels remained close, the points would still accelerate his progress, pushing him further and faster than Su Xuan alone.

Lin Yu leaned back in his chair, his mind buzzing with possibilities. The system was more powerful than he'd imagined, a tool that could not only secure his survival but propel him to heights he'd never dreamed of in his past life. He pulled up Su Xuan's status panel to examine the details:

[Su Xuan]

[Talent - 1st Grade Spiritual Root (+)]

[Qi Refinement Level 1 - Clear Meridian Flow Technique]

[Flowing Leaf Sword Form - 3rd Stage (+)]

Lin Yu's breath hitched. Su Xuan's talent was a first-grade spiritual root, the rarest and most coveted in the Xu Dynasty. Even a third-grade spiritual root was enough to draw the attention of prestigious sects, but a first-grade root was the stuff of legends, marking its bearer as a genius destined for greatness. The Clear Meridian Flow Technique, a foundational cultivation method, explained Su Xuan's steady progress at Qi Refinement Level 1. But it was the Flowing Leaf Sword Form, at its third stage, that caught Lin Yu's attention. For Su Xuan to defeat Bai Wuqing, a cultivator two stages higher, with only this technique suggested one of two things: either the Flowing Leaf Sword Form was an exceptionally advanced skill, or Bai Wuqing was simply incompetent. Lin Yu leaned toward the former. A protagonist like Su Xuan wouldn't rely on a mediocre technique.

His gaze drifted back to Su Xuan, seated across the inn, his bamboo hat still shielding his face. Lin Yu's eyes narrowed as he noticed a glint of metal on the young man's finger—a plain ring, unremarkable to most but striking to Lin Yu. His heart skipped a beat. A ring? In the novels he'd read, such rings often housed powerful spirits or ancient masters, guiding their owners to greatness. Could this be Su Xuan's legendary "grandpa ring," the kind of artifact that marked a true protagonist? Lin Yu quickly averted his gaze, realizing he'd been staring too long. Staring could draw suspicion, and Su Xuan was already on edge, his posture tense as he scanned the room.

Lin Yu resumed eating, his chopsticks moving mechanically as he processed the implications. A first-grade spiritual root was extraordinary, but it raised questions. In the Xu Dynasty, children were tested for spiritual roots at age ten, a free service offered by sects and organizations eager to recruit talent. The prospect of becoming a cultivator was too enticing for any child to resist, and Su Xuan, at his age, would have been no exception. 

So why hadn't his first-grade root been discovered? 

Lin Yu's mind churned through possibilities. Perhaps the assessment had been flawed, the testers' methods unable to detect a root of such caliber. Or maybe there was foul play, a deliberate arrangement to keep Su Xuan from rising, a classic trope of a protagonist suppressed by those fearing his potential. However, he would've been killed in that case. No one would want a 1st grade spiritual root child to grow. Either recruit or kill them.

He shook his head slightly, dismissing the speculation. The details of Su Xuan's past mattered little in the face of the opportunity before him. Binding with a first-grade spiritual root meant Lin Yu could share that talent, cultivating at a pace that would rival the empire's greatest prodigies. The Flowing Leaf Sword Form, too, was now his to learn.