The group rested on a small knoll for the night. Lin Yun, however, did not sleep. His heart was filled with boundless yearning for the Green Hero Venerable List, a stage where all the world’s Demon Fiends competed.

"The Green Hero Venerable List... Interesting." With a slight smile, Lin Yun closed his eyes and began his daily cultivation.

Early the next morning, everyone awoke. Lin Yun needed to continue on to the Mysterious Forest, while Wu Tianyuan had to return to the Academy for a period of secluded cultivation to prepare for the Green Talent List in a year’s time.

"Lin Xuedi, Monk and Daoist, we part ways today. Let’s meet again at the Green Talent List," Wu Tianyuan said with a smile, cupping his fist toward Lin Yun and the others.

"Senior Brother Wu, thank you for the fine wine last night. See you at the Green Talent List," Lin Yun replied.

There were no drawn-out goodbyes. Both Lin Yun and Wu Tianyuan were decisive men, and after a simple farewell, they went their separate ways.

Iron Gate Pass was not far now; he could reach it in half a day. As he prepared to return to the place where he grew up, Lin Yun’s heart was filled with a turmoil of emotions.

He longed for his parents, but he was also afraid that exposing his identity would endanger them.

Sighing deeply, Lin Yun decided he wouldn’t stay long in Iron Gate Pass. But since he had come all this way, he had to see his parents. He would be content with even a single glance from afar.

As the silhouette of Iron Gate Pass came into view in the distance, the look in Lin Yun’s eyes shifted, but he quickly concealed his feelings.

After showing his Identity Token from Yanhuang Academy’s Genius Class to a guard, Lin Yun entered Iron Gate Pass with ease. Within Yanhuang Country, the status of a Genius Class student was practically an all-access pass.

Walking through Iron Gate Pass, he found it was just as he remembered. Soldiers were everywhere, far outnumbering the civilians.

"You two find a tavern and wait for me. I have some things to take care of," he said to the Monk and Daoist.

Hearing this, the two were overjoyed. They’d get to drink again...

Ignoring their cheeky grins, Lin Yun took only Little Ape with him and headed for the Iron Gate Pass training grounds. At this hour, his father was usually there.

Positioning himself on a distant rooftop outside the training grounds, Lin Yun focused his gaze. With his current cultivation, he could see things with perfect clarity from a kilometer away.

The training on the grounds was in full swing, but what Lin Yun couldn’t tear his eyes away from was the figure upon the high platform.

Dressed in black martial attire, the man sat with an imposing air, his face stern and majestic as he watched the soldiers below.

"Father..." he murmured. It had been several years. Seeing his father again today, Lin Yun was startled to realize that he had aged.

’There are streaks of white at his temples now. He still looks powerful, but I know he’s truly aged these last few years,’ Lin Yun thought. ’Because of me, Father must have endured unimaginable pressure.’

’Facing the threats and house arrest from the Royal Family, facing Mother’s tears and pleas... Father could only bear it all alone.’

’It wasn’t just Mother who worried about my sudden disappearance. As my father, he worried just as much, if not more.’

’But he could never speak of his pain. He wasn’t like Mother. No matter how much he suffered, no matter how exhausted he was, Father would just grit his teeth and bear it. He even had to suppress his own grief to comfort Mother when she cried.’

"Halt...!" With a booming shout, Lin Xiaotian rose to his feet.

"Is that the Tiger Roar Fist or the Sick Cat Fist you’re practicing?" he boomed. "Watch closely! The Tiger Roar Fist must have the ferocity of a true tiger!" Then, on the high platform, Lin Xiaotian began to personally demonstrate the technique for the soldiers.

Soon, with every punch Lin Xiaotian threw, the sound of a tiger’s roar echoed through the air.

Hiding dazedly in the shadows, Lin Yun didn’t realize when his eyes had grown moist. It was just like years ago; in that moment, it felt as though he had returned to the days when his father first taught him the Tiger Roar Fist.

"It’s just like before... Father’s Tiger Roar Fist hasn’t improved at all," Lin Yun murmured with a faint smile. Though he smiled, tears welled in his eyes.

Forcibly suppressing the urge to reunite with his father, Lin Yun turned with resolve and vanished from the rooftop in a flash.

’The Green Talent List... I must get on the Green Talent List!’ Lin Yun vowed to himself. ’When that happens, not even the Yanhuang Royal Family will dare to touch me. And then, I can finally reunite with my parents.’

After leaving the training grounds, Lin Yun made his way back to his family home. With his current power, it was child’s play for him to sneak in undetected; no one below the Primordial Ocean Realm could possibly discover his presence.

Everything was exactly the same, without the slightest change. Lin Yun was intimately familiar with every inch of this house.

He moved cautiously toward the rear garden. From a great distance, he could see a gaunt figure sitting in the pavilion by the lake.

’Mother...’ At a single glance, Lin Yun nearly lost control and rushed forward. In just a few short years, Zhang Jingxiang had wasted away.

’Mother, your son has failed you...’ Lin Yun murmured. Seeing his parents had only strengthened his resolve. He had to get his name on the Green Talent List one year from now.

’As long as I make it onto the Green Talent List and get noticed by one of the great powers of the Eastern Domain, the Yanhuang Royal Family won’t dare to move against me. Then I can finally reunite with my parents openly.’

"Little Ape..." Forcibly suppressing his emotions, Lin Yun handed a stalk of Anti-Aging Grass and a letter he had written to Little Ape.

Understanding Lin Yun’s intent, Little Ape took the letter and the Anti-Aging Grass, transformed into a streak of blood-red light, and instantly appeared before Zhang Jingxiang.

Zhang Jingxiang, who had no cultivation whatsoever, was shocked to suddenly see a palm-sized monkey appear on the stone table beside her. She stared at the little creature in stunned silence. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

However, Little Ape simply placed the letter and the stalk of Anti-Aging Grass on the stone table before once again transforming into a streak of blood-red light and disappearing.

How strange. A small monkey had suddenly appeared, left a letter and an Anti-Aging Grass, and then vanished. Stranger still, in its eyes, Zhang Jingxiang had seen a glimmer of intelligence that seemed almost human.

Not understanding what was happening, Zhang Jingxiang casually picked up the letter from the table. The moment she opened it, her entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.

She shot to her feet, her tear-filled eyes scanning the surroundings, brimming with hope.

"Yun’Er, is that you? Why won’t you come out and see your mother...?" she cried, her voice choked with sobs.

For a long time, there was no answer. At last, Zhang Jingxiang collapsed to the ground. The letter was indeed from Lin Yun. It was brief, merely assuring her that he was safe and telling her that in one year’s time, he would return home with his head held high.

"Yun’Er... Yun’Er is safe... My Yun’Er is still alive..." Two maids rushed forward to help Zhang Jingxiang to her feet as she murmured to herself. The letter was all the proof she needed that Lin Yun was alive and had not met with disaster.

After a brief moment of sorrow, Zhang Jingxiang’s mind cleared. ’Yun’Er didn’t show himself because the time isn’t right yet,’ she realized. ’He wrote this letter just to put my mind at ease.’

’But this news absolutely cannot get out. Otherwise, it won’t just be Yun’Er; my husband and I will be in danger as well.’

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