Two months later.
At the western border of the Gama Empire, a massive fortress looms like a giant beast, built against the mountains, surrounded by enormous city walls that seem to stretch endlessly. The sound of synchronized drills can be faintly heard from atop the walls.
This is the fortress known as "Zhen Gui Pass." As a military stronghold of the Gama Empire designed to deter foreign powers, its defenses are formidable, guarded by one of the top three elite legions of the Gama Empire.
Among a merchant caravan undergoing inspection at the fortress, a young man dressed in a blue robe is observing the imposing gate before him.
The young man appears to be around twenty-one or twenty-two years old, with a long sword at his waist and a faint herbal scent about him. Most striking is the badge he wears on his chest, which depicts an ancient medicinal cauldron, with two silver ripples on its surface reflecting an unusual light in the sunlight.
People around him look at the badge with envy, greed, or flattery, as it represents the esteemed status of a second-tier alchemist.
"Master Xu, please!" A soldier responsible for the inspection looks at the young man with a hint of flattery, his normally rough voice unconsciously softening as he politely allows the young man to pass through the checkpoint and enter the Gama Empire.
The young man is actually Lin Yuan in disguise, using a new identity as Xu An from the Southwest Region, posing as a traveling second-tier alchemist with a strength of a five-star Battle Master.
Lin Yuan has many plans in the Gama Empire, and it is not suitable to use his real identity. Therefore, to facilitate his disguise, he specifically purchased a secret method to alter his appearance at an auction in the Black Corner Region. Coupled with his powerful soul energy to conceal his true self, he can easily operate under this alias without even needing a human skin mask.
As for Xu An, he is indeed a real person, but he was one of the unfortunate souls Lin Yuan caught while fishing during his departure from the Black Corner Region. Thinking back to those fishing trips in the Black Corner Region, Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a bit happy; the gains from those fishing activities had significantly improved his financial situation. Especially that Blood Sect Battle King, who was quite a catch; after defeating him, Lin Yuan immediately ended his fishing and flew straight to the Gama Empire.
"The Black Corner Region really is like a piggy bank for the strong; it truly is a purgatory for the weak and a paradise for the strong," Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Stepping once again into the Gama Empire, Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. When he first left the Gama Empire, he was just a child mingling among the recruitment team of Canaan Academy. Now, returning to the Gama Empire, he has become one of its few strong individuals and a high-level alchemist.
"How unpredictable the world is!" Shaking his head, Lin Yuan set aside his distractions and thought about his next actions.
After declining the invitation from the caravan leader who approached him, Lin Yuan bid farewell to the caravan. It was merely a group he had casually helped on the road, and he had no interest in deepening the conversation.
Gently pressing his right hand against his forehead, Lin Yuan pondered for a moment before flying southwest.
"First, I should go pay my respects to my parents!"
Gui Li Town, Lin Yuan's hometown, is located near the Beast Mountain Range to the southwest of "Zhen Gui Pass," a small, ordinary town in the Gama Empire.
Three days later.
In a secluded and tranquil valley within the Beast Mountain Range, a young man in a green shirt stands before a joint grave, murmuring to himself. This is Lin Yuan, who has moved his parents' remains here for burial.
Before his parents' grave, Lin Yuan speaks to himself about his experiences over the past few years. After a long while, he says:
"Mother, you once said you wanted to find a quiet place to live. I hope you like this place."
"Father, you loved Mother so much; I believe the place she liked is also the place you would like!"
"Father, Mother, thank you for giving me this life in this world. I will climb to the peak and, at that moment, I will make the name of the Battle Qi Continent resonate with your legacy."
"It's about time; I should be going."
With that, Lin Yuan bows deeply several times before leaving the valley.
Outside the valley, Lin Yuan stands face to face with a fifth-tier magical beast, the Wind Wolf King, which is the lord of this area of the Beast Forest.
"Wolf King, according to our agreement from the other day, you will guard this grave for ten years. Just ensure that no one disturbs this place," Lin Yuan says loudly.
Upon hearing this, the Wind Wolf King nods human-like, recalling the scene of their three battles and three defeats, feeling a wave of fear. The young human before him is terrifyingly strong; not only is his Battle Qi cultivation close to a six-star Battle King, but his physical strength can also match his own, and he can unleash a destructive power. Fortunately, he had deliberately missed; otherwise, he would have died on the spot. Moreover, the young man occasionally emanates a trace of supreme pressure from deep within his bloodline, making the Wolf King feel an urge to submit.
Indeed, Lin Yuan had broken through to a five-star Battle King just a week before leaving Canaan Academy while refining pills. On his way to the Gama Empire, he completed two rounds of spirit refining and ascension, making significant progress in the Hundred Beasts Spirit Refining Technique, allowing his physical body to rival that of an average fifth-tier intermediate magical beast.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan felt a surge of joy in his heart. His thoughts were indeed correct; the concept of strength being paramount among magical beasts is even more profound than among humans. Therefore, most of the time, if one needs the power of magical beasts, the best way is to establish a battle agreement and then tame their hearts by defeating them multiple times.
After some thought, Lin Yuan took out a pill and tossed it to the Wind Wolf King. The rich fragrance of the pill invigorated the Wind Wolf King. Then, under the expectant gaze of the Wolf King, Lin Yuan made a promise, "Take good care of the valley. When I return next time, I will bring you an opportunity."
"Awoo." The Wolf King accepted the agreement. Although fifth-tier magical beasts cannot speak, their intelligence is on par with that of normal humans.
"Then, see you again." Nodding, Lin Yuan took off into the sky, transforming into a streak of light as he flew away.
After the Wind Wolf King swallowed the pill and rested for a while, he digested the effects of the medicine two hours later, feeling a significant increase in strength, and let out a satisfied howl. Then, the Wind Wolf King sent two of his subordinate fourth-tier magical beasts to guard the valley before heading back to his lair.
Not far away, Lin Yuan, who was observing with his soul perception, sensed that the Wind Wolf King had arranged for the magical beasts to guard the valley and revealed a relieved smile, finally leaving the area.
At the same time, in the Xiao family of Wutan City.
With a month left until the Xiao family's coming-of-age ceremony, they are conducting a preliminary test for the ceremony.
In the tense gaze of the crowd, a young man in a black shirt confidently extends his hand and lightly touches the cold testing stone tablet.
Suddenly, the stone tablet emits a brilliant light, and the enormous golden characters cause the hearts of everyone present to stop beating for a moment.
"Battle Power... Seven segments!"
"Xiao Yan: Battle Qi, seventh segment, advanced!"
The golden characters on the stone tablet and the test administrator's voice, filled with barely concealed shock, seem to announce the return of a fallen genius.
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(End of this chapter)