Chapter 55: Ling Quan
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. When the morning of the third day arrived, Lin Langtian and Lin Mo's group left the inn early.
News of the two cities' Symbol Master Guilds competing for the Symbol Master Tower should have spread widely, but surprisingly, Lin Langtian hadn't heard much talk about it in Huangpu City. Most likely, both sides had intentionally kept it quiet. Besides a few high-profile figures, common folk had no idea that an intense Symbol Master showdown would take place today.
Following Lin Mo and the others deeper into the guild's grounds, Lin Langtian finally saw the enormous black Symbol Master Tower, shrouded in an intense aura of spiritual energy, looming into view.
As he gazed at the towering black structure, Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed. The sheer amount of spiritual power emanating from it was overwhelming, greater even than Lin Mo's own power.
The area beneath the tower was a vast open space, which was now packed with a dense crowd. Seeing this, Lin Langtian raised an eyebrow; it seemed as though every Symbol Master in Huangpu City had come to watch.
Scanning the crowd, Lin Langtian quickly noticed several strong presences among Huangpu's Symbol Masters that drew his attention. As Lin Mo's group entered, all eyes turned toward them, including a few unfriendly ones. Although the Tower Battle wasn't a life-and-death confrontation, it was still a fierce rivalry, so relations between the guilds were far from amicable.
There was a stir among Huangpu's Symbol Masters, and a group of figures stepped forward, led by an elder with gray-white hair and a stern face.
"That's Huangpu Nuo, the Guild President of Huangpu City's Symbol Master Guild. He's also an advanced Spirit Symbol Master," Jin Xing explained coolly from beside Lin Langtian, who nodded, sensing that Huangpu Nuo's spiritual power was indeed on par with Lin Mo's.
"Hmm?" Lin Langtian's gaze shifted past Huangpu Nuo and settled on a younger man standing just behind him. The man was handsome, with a calm expression, and the other Symbol Masters around him showed him great respect. Lin Langtian could sense a powerful, profound aura emanating from him—a particularly tricky opponent, it seemed.
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and his eyes narrowed. "Is that…Ling Quan?"
"It's him. Huangpu City actually managed to bring Ling Quan in for this. They must've paid a heavy price to recruit him," Jin Xing said, a hint of frustration in her voice. "This makes things tough for us. Only by giving my all can I hope to counter him, but Huangpu City still has another low-level Spirit Symbol Master, Huangpu Yun."
"Two Spirit Symbol Masters…" Lin Langtian's gaze sharpened. With Ling Quan on their side, Huangpu's Symbol Master Guild now had the clear advantage over Lin City. It seemed Huangpu City, having lost two years in a row, was pulling out all the stops this time.
As the two exchanged words, Huangpu Nuo led several prominent Symbol Masters forward to greet Lin Mo's group. Despite their polite smiles, it was clear that the stakes of the Tower Battle weighed heavily on their minds, and the tension was palpable.
After a few pleasantries, Huangpu Nuo's gaze shifted to Lin Langtian. His eyes lit up with surprise as he recognized him. "It seems President Lin is intent on winning the Symbol Master Tower this time, to the extent of inviting Lin Clan's top prodigy, the famed Lin Langtian," he remarked.
His words caused a stir among the crowd. Lin Langtian—the Lin Clan's Lin Langtian—had actually come to compete in the Tower Battle?
Everyone's gaze turned toward him, and they quickly spotted the tall, refined figure in his blue robe. There was no mistaking him.
The Symbol Masters from Huangpu City glanced at each other, whispering as they took in the news. Lin Langtian's fame was indeed immense, and he was known to be an exceptional fighter, yet he'd never been prominent in Symbol Master circles. To them, it was like seeing a weightlifting champion suddenly enter a swimming competition—it left them scratching their heads.
"Ling Quan, why do you think Lin City would send Lin Langtian here? Is he their secret weapon?" a man in yellow robes beside Ling Quan whispered.
This man was Huangpu Yun, Huangpu City's top young Symbol Master, though even he regarded Ling Quan with deep respect.
Ling Quan's brows furrowed slightly before he shook his head, replying nonchalantly, "Don't worry. I took the offer to defend the tower for you, and I'll make sure it stays in Huangpu City. As for Lin Langtian, I've heard of him in the capital. Apparently, he's recently started cultivating spiritual power, but it hasn't even been a full year. Even if he's talented, he can't be that strong yet."
As Ling Quan's eyes settled on Lin Langtian, a cold smirk appeared on his face. Lin Langtian was beginning to be called the top prodigy of the Da Yan Dynasty, and as the top prodigy in the Symbol Master field, Ling Quan was eager to crush him in his own domain to boost his own reputation.
"Well, President Huangpu," Lin Mo said coolly, glancing pointedly at Ling Quan, "I only brought Langtian here to observe, not to make any bold claims. But I must say, your guild went to great lengths, even recruiting Hegu Master's disciple. However, whether it'll be enough to break your two-year losing streak is another question entirely…"
Huangpu Nuo's face darkened at the reminder of their recent losses. "That's enough concern from you, President Lin. This time, Huangpu City will emerge victorious!"
Turning away abruptly, he addressed the crowd. "Everyone, the Tower Battle is fairly straightforward. The competitor who climbs the highest and lasts the longest will be declared the winner. That said, I urge everyone to know your limits and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Of course, keep in mind that while competition is fierce, restraint should be exercised."
Both Lin Mo and Huangpu Nuo were fully aware of the private confrontations likely to occur within the tower, yet they maintained a show of formality in their advice.
With the announcements over, Lin Mo, Huangpu Nuo, and their guild members all turned toward the imposing Symbol Master Tower.
It was time…
"Open the Symbol Master Tower!"