He considered going into an inn to ask around, but a question lingered in his mind—should he expose himself as a cultivator or not?
If he kept it hidden, he would retain the element of surprise in case of a fight. But on the other hand, mortals might see him as an easy target, trying to trick or rob him. However, openly revealing his cultivation risked drawing the attention of other cultivators, and that was something he wanted to avoid for now.
In the end, he decided to keep it hidden. But if any foolish mortal thought they could take advantage of him, he would make sure they regretted it—permanently. He hadn't endured months of hardship and training just so mortals could speak to him as if they were his equals.
After entering the inn, Lin Shu walked straight to the man running it and ordered a meal and a drink.
The innkeeper gave him a skeptical look and asked, "You got money for that, kid?"
It was a reasonable response. After months in the wild, Lin Shu's clothes were worn and slightly torn—only the bag he carried was still intact. Without a word, he placed a few copper coins on the counter. The innkeeper, satisfied, took them without hesitation.
As Lin Shu ate, he glanced at the man and casually asked, "Is there a martial institute here? Or a place where cultivators gather?"
The innkeeper smiled knowingly and said, "Listen, kid, don't even think about going there. Just because you're a child doesn't mean they'll go easy on you. Annoy them, and you'll get beaten half to death—if not worse."
Lin Shu was about to respond when a man who had been watching him since he entered suddenly stepped closer.
"I can take you to them, kid," the man said with a smirk. "But a service like that isn't free."
Lin Shu scoffed, his voice laced with disdain. "Do you take me for a fool, old man? Your clothes are ragged, and you reek of alcohol. If someone like you could take me to cultivators, then a merchant could take me to an emperor. Get out of my sight before I make you regret it."
The innkeeper's eyes flickered with caution. He caught the way Lin Shu used the word mortal—a term only cultivators used when speaking of those without power. Whether the boy was truly a cultivator or just arrogant, the innkeeper had no intention of getting involved. He took a quiet step back, deciding to let things play out.
The old drunkard, however, was too intoxicated to think. Enraged by Lin Shu's words, he lunged forward, as if intending to teach the boy a lesson.
Lin Shu saw it as nothing less than an offense.
Before the drunkard even realized what had happened, his body was already crashing to the ground. His head buzzed, his vision blurred—and then a sharp, agonizing pain shot through his arm.
Crack!
Lin Shu had broken it effortlessly, the power of his Ivory Dominion skill making the act as easy as snapping a twig.
But he wasn't finished.
Grabbing the man by his hair, he slammed his head into the ground. Blood trickled from the drunkard's forehead as he groaned in pain.
Lin Shu made sure not to use too much force. He didn't know what the consequences of killing a mortal were—would the authorities send cultivators after him, or would they simply not care? He had no desire to test his luck.
While all that happened, everyone in the inn was left in shock. No one had expected a beggar-looking child to be a cultivator—there was no other explanation for strength like that.
Lin Shu calmly got up and walked back to his food as if nothing had happened. The inn was deathly silent, even the innkeeper frozen in place.
Lin Shu took another bite before glancing at the man. "You still haven't answered my question."
The man answered as fast as he could, his earlier carefree attitude completely gone.
"There is a martial institute it's called the Stone Path Hall, but their recruitment period hasn't started yet. They only accept new members through a competition held once a year, and there's still a month and a half left before it begins. The institute isn't far from here—just walk left from my inn and keep going straight, and you'll reach it."
Lin Shu listened, noting the fear in the man's voice. The shift in his demeanor was almost amusing. A moment ago, he spoke casually, even dismissively. Now, after witnessing Lin Shu's strength, he wouldn't even dare meet his eyes.
This only made one thing clearer—power was everything in this world. Power determined seniority and inferiority, ruler and subject.
After finishing his food, Lin Shu left for the institute. He wanted to ask some questions and, if possible, see the students train or fight. More than anything, he needed to understand his standing in the world of cultivation.
Upon reaching the institute, he was stopped by a boy who looked a little older than him. Lin Shu immediately recognized him as a cultivator and could tell he was at the middle stage of Rank 1 since the boy didn't bother concealing his aura.
The boy looked at Lin Shu with confusion before asking, "You're a cultivator, so why are you wearing those worn-out clothes?"
Lin Shu smiled slightly. "I was training alone in a forest for a long time and didn't bring any spare clothes. But may I ask you something?"
The boy nodded.
"Are you a student of this institute?"
"Yes, I am," the boy replied.
Lin Shu then said, "My name is Lin Shu. I'm here to ask how I can apply to join the institute."
"You need to be at the early stage of Rank 1 or higher," the boy answered. "But there are cases where people from the institute test children in the town, and if their talent meets the requirements, they would be accepted."
To that, Lin Shu asked again, "What is the level of talent needed for that option?"
The student answered without hesitation, not bothered by the questioning. One of his duties as a gatekeeper was to handle inquiries, especially from those interested in joining. However, he despised it when mortals came, hoping to try their luck. He had initially intended to chase Lin Shu away until he noticed that Lin Shu was actually a cultivator.
"A Rank 3 talent would be accepted," the boy explained. "But keep in mind, this only applies to smaller institutes like ours. Larger institutes might require a Rank 4 talent for someone to be accepted without a test."
Lin Shu asked if anyone could enter the institute to watch the students train or observe their practice, but the boy immediately denied him.
"You'd need a special permit from the dean of the institute," he said. "And that's far beyond your reach."
Lin Shu nodded, thanked the boy, and left. Though disappointed that he didn't get to witness a cultivator's true strength firsthand and compare it to his own, he had still gathered a lot of useful information.
After leaving, Lin Shu planned to continue his training—and his killings—outside the town for another month. He decided to return a week or two before the competition. He made sure to leave without following any of the main routes leading to the town. He didn't want them to send cultivators after him.
Lin Shu reached the forest, careful to avoid dangerous areas where high-ranked bloodbeasts roamed. He deliberately took a route that didn't lead to Greenwood Hollow—he had no desire to make enemies in the town he planned to join. A smaller martial institute meant fewer monstrous talents to compete with, increasing his chances of getting in. He didn't need to test himself against prodigies who could kill him in one strike.
The first week passed in relentless training. By the second, an opportunity presented itself—a lone cultivator, close to Lin Shu's age. The boy was careless, his aura unrestrained, clearly an early-stage Rank 1. Whether it was arrogance or simple inexperience, Lin Shu didn't care. Under the bright morning sun, the boy likely thought himself safe from both demonic cultivators and bandits alike.
Big mistake.
Lin Shu lurked behind a tree, his entire body encased in bone armor, his face covered by a seamless bone mask that melded with his skin, leaving only his cold, predatory gaze visible. His hands bore clawed gauntlets, each sporting two viciously curved bone blades protruding from the back. He had crafted all of this in advance to conserve Qi, leaving himself just enough to restore broken parts mid-fight if needed.
It's now or never.
Lin Shu exploded forward with all his speed. His target barely had time to react before bone blades slashed toward him. The boy, wide-eyed, hastily drew his sword, intercepting the strike just in time. Steel and bone clashed with a metallic shriek, the sheer force sending cracks through the ground beneath them.
The boy didn't waste time asking questions—he would get his answers after he crushed this masked attacker. He pushed back, his sword flickering with blue light. Lin Shu didn't hesitate. That's a battle skill. He had no intention of gambling whether his armor could withstand it. He surged forward, aiming to cut the boy down before the technique fully activated.
Too late.
The boy swung, his sword wrapped in blinding blue energy. Lin Shu's bone blades met the strike head-on. A thunderous impact rang out, sending dust and debris flying. When the dust settled, Lin Shu stood with a deep, jagged wound carved across his chest. His armor had shattered in several places—his chest and stomach were exposed, his bone blades destroyed, and cracks ran through his mask, revealing part of his bloodied face.
His opponent was in no better shape.
Unlike Lin Shu, the boy had no armor to absorb the shock. He staggered back, his body riddled with wounds. Blood dripped from torn flesh, his breath ragged. Gritting his teeth, he shoved a pill into his mouth, forcing himself upright. He couldn't afford to let Lin Shu recover.
The difference between them was clear now.
The boy relied on Qi and techniques to bridge the gap. But Lin Shu… his monstrous strength and speed were natural, a permanent gift from his body refinement bonus effect. Even with his Qi drained, his power would remain. If the battle dragged on he would win.