One week passed after the quiet discussions beneath the World Tree.
During that time, Yuelan City continued to grow.
Trade increased.
Cultivators arrived almost daily.
And the Lin Clan itself quietly advanced to a new level of strength.
Inside the central hall of the Lin Clan residence, several elders had gathered earlier that morning.
Not for conflict.
But for celebration.
Lin Huang stood near one of the windows, calmly observing the courtyard outside while several clan members discussed the latest breakthroughs.
The first to advance had been his father.
Lin Tianyu.
After years of steady cultivation, combined with the improved resources available in the territory, his soul power had finally broken through another barrier.
Rank 93.
A Titled Douluo of the upper ranks.
Nearby, another elder laughed while speaking with Lin Yueqin.
His mother had also advanced recently.
Rank 92.
Her cultivation body, already strengthened through Lin Huang's earlier preparations, allowed her to stabilize the breakthrough surprisingly smoothly.
But the biggest advancement had come from someone else entirely.
In the center of the hall sat an old man with long white hair and sharp eyes.
Lin Zhenyuan.
The Grand Patriarch of the Lin Clan.
For many years he had stood on the threshold.
One step away from the highest level a mortal soul master could reach.
And now—
after countless accumulated advantages from the clan's rising fortune—
he had finally crossed it.
Peerless Douluo.
The hall had erupted in cheers when the news spread earlier that morning.
Even now several elders still looked excited.
One of them laughed loudly.
"With the Grand Patriarch reaching Peerless Douluo, who would dare provoke the Lin Clan now?"
Another elder nodded.
"And we now have four additional Titled Douluos among the elders."
That statement carried weight.
The Lin Clan's power had expanded dramatically in just a few years.
Combined with the territory's growing influence—
their position on the continent had changed completely.
Lin Huang remained quiet while listening.
He was pleased, of course.
But none of this surprised him.
Because the systems he had built were designed exactly for this result.
Honghong sat on his shoulder, lazily watching the elders celebrate.
"…Your family is becoming ridiculous."
Lin Huang answered calmly.
"That was the goal."
Honghong flicked one of her tails.
"…Still."
"A Peerless Douluo."
She glanced toward Lin Zhenyuan.
"…That old fox looks pleased."
Across the hall, the Grand Patriarch noticed Lin Huang watching and gave him a faint smile.
Lin Huang nodded respectfully.
The atmosphere inside the hall remained lively for some time.
But eventually the discussions shifted toward something else.
Training.
Specifically—
the training of new members.
Across the courtyard outside, several younger cultivators were already practicing.
Among them—
a familiar blue-haired girl moved rapidly through a sequence of attacks.
Wang Dong'er.
She had begun training in the Lin Clan complex only days ago.
And she had already discovered something important.
The system forced improvement.
The Reaction Rooms, Agility Rooms, and Combat Evaluation Arena pushed cultivators constantly.
Every mistake was exposed.
Every weakness tested.
And every improvement recorded.
At the moment, Dong'er stood in the center of a small training ring while another young cultivator faced her.
A signal light flashed.
The match began.
The opponent rushed forward immediately.
Dong'er sidestepped smoothly.
Her movements were quick.
Precise.
She countered with a palm strike that forced the opponent back several steps.
The match ended only seconds later.
The formation surrounding the ring dimmed.
A small projection appeared above the arena.
Evaluation Result: Victory
Several nearby cultivators nodded in approval.
Dong'er exhaled slowly.
Her cultivation had improved significantly compared to the original timeline.
Now she stood comfortably above Rank 30.
The wider availability of Soul Crystals, improved cultivation pills, and better instructors across the continent had changed the development of many young soul masters.
And the Lin Clan training system pushed that even further.
She stepped out of the ring and glanced toward the training board displaying rankings.
Su Mei leaned casually against a nearby pillar.
"…Not bad."
Dong'er looked slightly thoughtful.
"The system is very direct."
Ju Zi nodded.
"That's the idea."
"Growth through pressure."
Dong'er glanced back toward the arena.
Then toward the main hall of the Lin Clan residence.
Her gaze briefly found Lin Huang standing near the window.
For a moment—
that strange resonance flickered again.
Very faint.
Her Martial Spirit reacted slightly.
Dong'er frowned.
"…Strange."
But the sensation disappeared before she could analyze it.
Across the courtyard, Lin Huang looked toward the training ring quietly.
Honghong noticed immediately.
"…You felt it again."
Lin Huang didn't answer.
He simply watched the blue-haired girl for another moment.
Then turned his attention back to the celebration happening inside the hall.
Because despite the calm atmosphere in Yuelan—
he knew the world beyond the city
was still changing rapidly.
Later that afternoon, the activity inside the Lin Clan residence gradually settled.
The elders had dispersed after celebrating the Grand Patriarch's breakthrough, and the training complex resumed its usual rhythm.
Across the courtyard, Wang Dong'er stepped out of the training arena.
Her long blue hair, ending in soft pink tips, moved slightly with the breeze as she wiped a small trace of sweat from her forehead.
The previous match had been quick.
But the Combat Evaluation system of the Lin Clan rarely allowed anyone to relax.
Even short duels demanded precision.
Su Mei walked over and handed her a small spirit-infused drink.
"Your footwork improved."
Dong'er accepted it with a nod.
"The Reaction Room helped."
Ju Zi glanced at the evaluation board hovering above the arena.
"Your timing improved too."
The projection still displayed the result of her latest match.
Evaluation Result: Victory
Below it, her ranking had shifted slightly upward.
The system automatically updated results after every duel.
Dong'er studied the board quietly for a moment.
The structure of the training system was straightforward.
But effective.
Mistakes were immediately exposed.
Weaknesses were analyzed.
And improvement became measurable.
Nearby, another figure stepped out from one of the training halls.
Long silver hair, almost identical in tone to Gu Yuena's, flowed behind her as she walked calmly across the courtyard.
Qiu'er.
In this world, her appearance differed slightly from the original history.
Instead of golden hair, hers now carried a silver tone, reflecting the influence of the Silver Dragon lineage she had inherited.
Even standing casually, her aura carried a quiet pressure.
Her cultivation had already reached Rank 75.
Which made many of the younger cultivators instinctively step aside when she passed.
She stopped near Dong'er and glanced at the evaluation board.
"…You're adapting quickly."
Dong'er looked toward her.
Her expression remained calm.
"The system is efficient."
Qiu'er nodded slightly.
"Lin Huang designed it that way."
Nearby, Su Mei laughed.
"He designs everything that way."
At that moment, footsteps approached from the main hall.
Lin Huang walked across the courtyard, Honghong still resting comfortably on his shoulder.
He glanced briefly at the training arena.
Then at the ranking board.
"Progress looks good."
Dong'er turned slightly toward him.
Her blue-and-pink hair shifted gently as she moved.
"I'm still getting used to the system."
Lin Huang nodded.
"That's normal."
He looked toward the arena where several other clan members were preparing for their own evaluation matches.
"The system works best over time."
Honghong flicked one of her tails lazily.
"…Everyone eventually improves."
Dong'er looked back toward the arena.
The training complex remained active.
Agility drills.
Reaction exercises.
Combat evaluations.
The entire place functioned like a machine designed to produce stronger cultivators.
She spoke quietly.
"It forces people to face their weaknesses."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
"That's the point."
A brief silence followed.
Then Lin Huang shifted his gaze toward the distant mountains beyond Yuelan City.
The faint angelic trace he had sensed earlier had not disappeared.
If anything—
it had become slightly clearer.
Honghong noticed his expression immediately.
"…Still thinking about that signal?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
He turned back toward the group.
"We're leaving tomorrow."
Su Mei blinked.
"For what?"
Lin Huang answered simply.
"To investigate those ruins."
Ye Guyi, who had just arrived in the courtyard, froze for a moment when she heard that.
"…The angelic trace?"
Lin Huang nodded once.
"Yes."
Honghong stretched slightly on his shoulder.
"…Looks like we're going exploring again."
And with that simple decision—
the next step of their journey
quietly began.
The following morning arrived quietly.
A soft mist covered the outer mountains surrounding Yuelan City, and the first light of the rising sun painted the sky with faint shades of gold.
Several figures stood near the eastern gate of the Lin Clan territory.
The group was small.
Lin Huang stood at the front, wearing his usual calm expression. Honghong rested on his shoulder in her smaller form, her cerulean tails swaying lazily.
Behind him were several familiar faces.
Ye Guyi.
Su Mei.
Ju Zi.
Qiu'er.
And one more.
Wang Dong'er.
Her blue hair with soft pink tips moved slightly in the morning wind as she looked toward the distant mountain range.
She had asked to join them.
Lin Huang had not refused.
Beside her stood Qiu'er, her long silver hair reflecting the morning light faintly.
For a moment the two girls looked almost like opposites.
Blue and pink.
Silver.
Both quietly observing the world ahead.
Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"The signal is coming from the western mountains."
Ju Zi glanced at a small projection map generated by her soul device.
"The location matches the trace you detected yesterday."
Honghong yawned softly.
"…Let's hope this trip is actually interesting."
Lin Huang didn't reply.
Instead, he stepped forward.
Space folded slightly around them.
A moment later—
the group vanished.
When the world stabilized again, they stood in a completely different place.
The mountains here were older.
Darker.
Thick forests covered most of the slopes, and the air carried a faint sense of ancient stillness.
Dong'er immediately noticed the difference.
"…This place feels strange."
Ye Guyi closed her eyes briefly.
Her angelic martial spirit reacted instinctively.
"…There's light energy here."
Faint.
But unmistakable.
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"The signal is stronger."
They moved deeper into the forest.
The terrain gradually changed.
Ancient stone structures began appearing among the trees.
Broken pillars.
Collapsed walls.
Ruined stairways half-covered by moss.
Su Mei looked around quietly.
"…These ruins are old."
Ju Zi crouched near one of the stone fragments and examined it.
"The formation patterns are extremely ancient."
Honghong glanced around lazily.
"…Temple architecture."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
They continued walking until the forest suddenly opened.
Before them stood the remains of a massive structure.
Or what was left of it.
An enormous staircase climbed toward the remains of a temple carved directly into the mountainside.
Most of the upper structure had collapsed long ago.
But faint golden symbols still lingered across several surviving pillars.
Ye Guyi stopped moving.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…Angel runes."
The others immediately looked toward her.
She stepped forward slowly.
"I've seen similar patterns in ancient records."
Lin Huang observed the temple quietly.
The angelic energy here was unmistakable now.
It lingered faintly in the air like an echo from a distant past.
Honghong's tails swayed slowly.
"…So this really was an Angel Temple."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Most likely."
Dong'er stepped closer to one of the broken pillars.
Her fingers brushed lightly across a faded carving.
"…This place must be thousands of years old."
Ju Zi answered calmly.
"More than that."
"Ten thousand years, most likely."
The group began exploring the ruins carefully.
Despite the destruction, traces of the temple's former grandeur remained visible.
Large statues lay broken across the courtyard.
Fragments of golden wings carved into stone.
Ancient inscriptions.
Most of the energy had long since faded.
But something deeper still remained.
As they reached the center of the ruined temple hall—
Ye Guyi suddenly stopped.
Her breathing slowed.
"…There's something here."
Lin Huang looked toward the center of the chamber.
Half-buried beneath fallen stone—
a faint golden glow flickered.
Honghong's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…There it is."
Lin Huang stepped forward and brushed aside the remaining debris with a gentle movement of soul power.
The light became clearer.
A weapon lay embedded in the stone floor.
A slender sword.
Its blade carried faint golden patterns that resembled angel wings.
Even after ten thousand years—
a quiet aura still lingered around it.
Ye Guyi's voice dropped to a whisper.
"…The Angel Sword."
Lin Huang looked at the weapon calmly.
The divine intent inside it had weakened greatly.
But it had not disappeared.
Not completely.
The echo of the Angel God's power
still remained.
The ruined temple hall fell into silence.
Dust drifted slowly through the air as the faint golden glow illuminated the center of the chamber.
Embedded within the cracked stone floor—
the Angel Sword remained unmoving.
Its blade was slender.
Elegant.
Golden patterns shaped like angelic wings ran along its length.
Despite the ten thousand years that had passed, the weapon still carried a trace of divine intent.
Ye Guyi took a slow step forward.
Her breathing had become slightly uneven.
"…It's reacting."
The others could feel it now as well.
A faint pulse of pure light energy spread outward from the sword.
Lin Huang crouched beside the embedded blade and examined it calmly.
The energy inside the weapon was extremely weak compared to true divine power.
But the quality was unmistakable.
Honghong leaned slightly forward on his shoulder.
"…That's definitely angelic power."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Yes."
He brushed away several remaining fragments of broken stone.
Then, without any effort, he pulled the sword free.
The moment the blade left the ground—
a soft golden light spread through the ruined temple.
Ye Guyi instinctively stepped closer.
Her Angel Martial Spirit resonated strongly.
The faint outline of luminous wings briefly appeared behind her.
Dong'er watched quietly from the side.
Her blue hair with pink tips shifted slightly as the light spread across the chamber.
Even she could feel the purity of the energy.
Qiu'er stood with her arms crossed nearby, her long silver hair reflecting the golden glow of the sword.
Lin Huang studied the weapon for a moment.
Then he turned slightly.
And held it out.
"To you."
Ye Guyi blinked.
"…To me?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"It's responding to your angelic power."
"The weapon clearly recognizes you."
She hesitated for a moment.
Then slowly accepted the sword.
The instant her hand touched the hilt—
the golden glow intensified.
A gentle wave of light spread through the chamber.
Su Mei whistled softly.
"Well… that's a pretty clear reaction."
Ju Zi nodded thoughtfully.
"The resonance is extremely strong."
Ye Guyi looked down at the blade in her hand.
The energy inside it felt familiar.
Warm.
Pure.
Almost comforting.
"…It feels alive."
Honghong chuckled quietly.
"…That's because it used to belong to a god."
The group remained silent for a moment.
The atmosphere inside the ruins felt strange.
Almost reverent.
Dong'er stepped closer to examine the surrounding carvings along the walls.
Many of them were damaged.
But a few were still recognizable.
Winged figures.
Battles.
Symbols of light.
Her voice was thoughtful.
"This must have been part of the Angel inheritance."
Ju Zi nodded.
"Most likely."
Dong'er glanced toward Ye Guyi holding the sword.
Then she spoke again.
"In ancient records… it says Tang San defeated the Angel God."
Her tone carried no hostility.
Only curiosity.
"But in the stories, the Angel God was described as part of the malign Spirit Hall."
She paused slightly.
"…The organization that ruled the continent before it was destroyed."
Su Mei folded her arms.
"Yes."
"That's the version most people know."
Dong'er looked toward the broken statues around the temple hall.
"…Tang San defeated them and ended Spirit Hall."
Her voice carried a slight sense of admiration.
"He destroyed the evil organization."
For a moment—
no one spoke.
Then several eyes slowly turned toward Lin Huang.
Because if there was anyone likely to give a different perspective—
it was him.
Lin Huang looked at the ruins quietly.
Then he spoke calmly.
"It's difficult to say whether someone was a hero or a villain."
The group listened silently.
Lin Huang continued.
"In war, there is rarely a clear right or wrong."
His gaze moved across the broken temple.
The destroyed statues.
The shattered pillars.
Then he said quietly:
"There are only winners and losers."
The words hung in the air.
Dong'er blinked slightly.
Lin Huang continued in the same calm tone.
"If Spirit Hall was truly so evil…"
He glanced toward the others.
"…why did evil soul masters flourish only after it was destroyed?"
Su Mei frowned slightly.
Ju Zi looked thoughtful.
Even Dong'er seemed surprised by the question.
Lin Huang's voice remained calm.
"Historical records say there were very few evil soul masters during Spirit Hall's era."
"But after it collapsed…"
He shrugged slightly.
"…they appeared everywhere."
The ruins remained silent.
The broken temple walls offered no answer.
Honghong chuckled quietly.
"…History tends to favor the winner."
Lin Huang didn't disagree.
Instead, he simply looked toward Ye Guyi.
Who still held the Angel Sword.
The faint golden light surrounding the blade continued to glow softly.
Because even after ten thousand years—
the light of the Angel
had not completely disappeared.
For a while, no one spoke.
The ruins of the ancient temple stood silent around them, the broken pillars casting long shadows across the stone floor as the faint golden glow of the Angel Sword illuminated the chamber.
Wang Dong'er looked at the weapon in Ye Guyi's hand.
Her blue hair with pink tips moved slightly as she tilted her head in thought.
"…I never heard that interpretation before."
Su Mei crossed her arms.
"That's because most people only hear one side of history."
Ju Zi nodded thoughtfully.
"History is usually written by whoever wins."
Dong'er looked back toward the broken statues lining the walls of the temple.
Fragments of angelic wings carved in stone still remained visible even after ten thousand years.
"…Tang San defeated the Angel God."
Her voice carried a tone of reflection rather than argument.
"That part is recorded everywhere."
"But the rest…"
She looked toward Lin Huang.
"…is less clear."
Lin Huang didn't seem interested in debating history.
Instead, his attention remained on the sword in Ye Guyi's hand.
He walked closer and observed the weapon again.
The blade emitted a soft golden glow.
But what interested him more was the structure of the energy inside it.
The divine intent had faded greatly.
Yet something deeper remained.
A core imprint.
Honghong noticed his expression.
"…You're analyzing it."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Yes."
He spoke calmly while observing the sword.
"The divine power is mostly gone."
"But the concept remains."
The others looked at him curiously.
Lin Huang continued.
"This sword was once part of a divine inheritance."
"That leaves a mark."
Ye Guyi glanced down at the weapon.
"…What kind of mark?"
Lin Huang answered simply.
"A connection."
The sword shimmered faintly as if responding to his words.
Honghong flicked her tail.
"…Meaning?"
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"It could evolve again."
The group blinked.
Even Ye Guyi looked surprised.
"…Evolve?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Then he added casually,
"Actually… I could probably accelerate that process."
The girls immediately turned toward him.
Ma Xiaotao wasn't present in this group, but Su Mei raised an eyebrow instantly.
"…And how exactly would you do that?"
Lin Huang thought for a moment before answering.
"With a pill."
Honghong sighed.
"…Of course it's a pill."
Lin Huang ignored the comment.
He explained calmly.
"A specialized alchemical pill."
"One capable of creating a second External Martial Spirit."
The reaction was immediate.
Dong'er blinked.
"…What?"
Ju Zi frowned slightly.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Lin Huang shrugged.
"It's difficult."
"But not impossible."
He pointed toward the Angel Sword.
"If Ye Guyi consumed the pill while holding the sword…"
"…the weapon could become her second External Martial Spirit."
The others stared at him.
Honghong chuckled softly.
"…That's ridiculous."
Lin Huang continued as if the idea were perfectly normal.
"The principle is simple."
"If the user holds a weapon when the pill activates…"
"the weapon becomes the second E.M."
He raised one finger.
"If the user holds nothing…"
"…the second E.M becomes body-type instead."
The silence inside the temple grew even deeper.
Dong'er stared at him.
"…You're saying someone could gain a second Martial Spirit like that?"
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"In theory."
Honghong snorted.
"…Your 'theories' tend to become reality."
Su Mei looked suspicious.
"You sound like you've already figured it out."
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"I could make one."
Then he paused.
And glanced toward Ye Guyi.
"…But if I only made one for my little angel…"
His eyes moved toward the others.
"…you'd all probably get angry."
The reaction was immediate.
Su Mei narrowed her eyes.
"Oh, we definitely would."
Ju Zi adjusted her glasses calmly.
"That would be extremely unfair."
Qiu'er crossed her arms.
"…You'd deserve it."
Honghong burst into laughter.
"…You'd start a war inside your own house."
Lin Huang simply shrugged.
"Exactly."
"That's why I didn't make it yet."
Ye Guyi looked slightly embarrassed, still holding the Angel Sword.
"…You don't need to do that just for me."
Lin Huang waved it off casually.
"We'll see later."
Then his expression became slightly more thoughtful.
Because while the others were reacting to the idea—
he had noticed something else.
The Divine Seed inside his body had reacted again.
Faintly.
But clearly.
Honghong noticed immediately.
"…Something else?"
Lin Huang looked toward the distant sky beyond the ruins.
"Yes."
He could feel it.
A distant ripple.
A reaction that did not come from this temple.
But from somewhere far away.
Somewhere above the world.
Because the moment the Angel Sword had been awakened—
a certain existence in the God Realm
had felt it too.
Far above the mortal world—
beyond clouds, storms, and the thin boundary separating realms—
the God Realm remained tranquil.
Golden currents of divine energy flowed like rivers through the heavens. Vast celestial palaces floated between drifting islands of light, connected by bridges of radiant crystal.
For the gods who lived here, the passage of time was almost meaningless.
Years.
Centuries.
Even millennia passed quietly.
Yet sometimes—
something in the mortal world still caused a ripple.
And a moment ago—
such a ripple had appeared.
Inside a quiet pavilion overlooking an endless ocean of golden clouds, a tall figure slowly opened his eyes.
Tang San.
Sea God.
Asura God.
His expression remained calm as a faint disturbance spread through his divine perception.
A trace of power.
Ancient.
Familiar.
"…Angel power."
The aura was extremely faint.
Almost like a lingering echo.
But its nature was unmistakable.
Tang San closed his eyes again, extending his divine sense downward.
Through the layers of space.
Through the currents of the world's spiritual energy.
Until his perception reached the Douluo Continent.
Countless places passed through his awareness.
Cities.
Empires.
Forests.
Oceans.
Eventually—
his gaze stopped.
Ruins.
Ancient ones.
Hidden deep within the mountains.
And within those ruins—
a small group of young cultivators.
Tang San observed the scene quietly.
A young woman holding a glowing sword.
The faint golden radiance surrounding it.
The unmistakable aura of angelic power.
"…The Angel lineage…"
His gaze lingered on the weapon for a moment.
The Angel Sword.
A relic tied to the inheritance of the Angel God.
Tang San had thought most traces of that lineage had vanished long ago.
Yet somehow—
this fragment remained.
His eyes shifted slightly.
He observed the young woman holding the sword.
Her aura was pure.
Compatible with the angelic energy.
"…A new inheritor."
But then—
his perception moved further.
Across the group.
And suddenly—
it stopped.
Tang San's expression changed slightly.
Because among the group—
he saw someone very familiar.
Long blue hair with soft pink tips moved gently in the mountain wind.
A young girl stood quietly near the others, observing the ruins.
Tang San's voice softened slightly.
"…Dong'er."
His daughter.
Even across the vast distance between realms—
he could clearly recognize her presence.
Her aura had grown stronger.
More stable.
Tang San observed her for a moment.
There was no danger around her.
No threat.
Yet something still caught his attention.
His gaze shifted slightly.
Toward another figure standing nearby.
A young man.
Calm.
Composed.
Honghong resting lazily on his shoulder.
Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly.
The young man's aura was extremely unusual.
Not just soul power.
There were several layers intertwined within it.
Body cultivation.
Spiritual power.
Divine traces.
And something deeper.
Something connected to the laws of the world itself.
Tang San watched him silently.
Then he noticed something else.
A faint thread.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
A trace of resonance.
Between Dong'er…
…and the young man standing nearby.
Tang San raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…Interesting."
It wasn't romantic.
Nor hostile.
More like a faint pull of destiny.
As if their paths had intersected for a reason.
Tang San continued observing quietly.
The young man's cultivation system was extremely unusual.
But it was still incomplete.
Not yet divine.
Not yet something that threatened the balance of the world.
Tang San leaned back slightly in his seat.
"…The mortal world continues to change."
His gaze returned briefly to Dong'er.
She looked calm.
Focused.
Stronger than before.
Tang San's expression softened slightly.
"…You're doing well."
Then his perception slowly withdrew from the mortal world.
The golden clouds of the God Realm drifted quietly past the pavilion once more.
Tang San closed his eyes again.
"…Let's see where this path leads."
Far below—
inside the ancient ruins—
the young cultivators continued their discovery.
Completely unaware
that a god had just been watching them.
The ruined temple slowly fell back into silence.
Most of the dust had already settled after the Angel Sword was removed from the ancient altar, and the faint golden glow now came only from the blade resting in Ye Guyi's hand.
She looked down at it quietly.
The weapon felt… warm.
Not physically.
But spiritually.
Every time her soul power circulated through her meridians, the sword seemed to respond.
Almost like a living thing.
"…It's reacting to my circulation."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"That's normal."
He walked closer, observing the sword for another moment.
The divine power that once filled the weapon had mostly faded over the ten thousand years it had remained dormant.
But its foundation was still extraordinary.
Artifacts tied to divine inheritances were never ordinary.
Honghong glanced at the blade lazily.
"…So what do we do with it now?"
Lin Huang answered calmly.
"For now?"
He gestured toward Ye Guyi.
"Use it."
The others looked at him.
Su Mei raised an eyebrow.
"…That's it?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Ye Guyi looked slightly puzzled.
"…Just use it?"
Lin Huang explained further.
"The sword still contains traces of angelic intent."
"If you train with it regularly…"
"…your affinity with light will deepen."
Ju Zi nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
Lin Huang continued.
"There are several ways you could benefit from it."
He raised one finger.
"You can treat it as a training weapon."
A second finger.
"You could attempt to fuse its energy with your bloodline core over time."
Qiu'er's silver eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Bloodline integration."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Angel artifacts often carried fragments of their creator's lineage.
If properly refined, that energy could strengthen the user's own martial spirit.
Then Lin Huang added one more possibility.
"And there's something else."
The group looked at him.
Lin Huang's gaze returned to the Angel Sword.
"You could also use it as a medium to deepen your perception of Light Laws."
Ye Guyi blinked slightly.
"…The Laws?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"Artifacts like this were once connected to divine authority."
"Even if the power is gone…"
"…the concept remains."
Honghong flicked her tails thoughtfully.
"…Meaning the sword still carries the Angel God's understanding of light."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Exactly."
Even a faint trace of that understanding could help a cultivator grasp deeper truths about their element.
Ye Guyi looked down at the weapon again.
The sword shimmered faintly as if responding to the conversation.
"…I understand."
She tightened her grip slightly.
"I'll train with it."
Lin Huang nodded once.
"That's the best option for now."
Around them, the ancient temple remained quiet.
The broken statues.
The collapsed pillars.
Fragments of a forgotten era scattered across the chamber floor.
Dong'er walked slowly past one of the damaged carvings, her blue hair with pink tips shifting gently as she observed the ancient stonework.
"…Ten thousand years."
She spoke quietly.
"And traces of their power still remain."
Nearby, Qiu'er's long silver hair reflected the faint golden glow of the sword.
"…Divine power leaves deep marks."
Su Mei stretched slightly.
"Well, at least the trip wasn't a waste."
Ju Zi finished recording several structural details of the temple ruins.
"These inscriptions might still be useful for research."
Lin Huang gave the temple one last look.
Then turned toward the entrance.
"Let's go."
Sunlight from the outside forest spilled into the ancient hall.
The group slowly began leaving the ruins behind.
But the Angel Sword in Ye Guyi's hand continued to glow faintly.
Because even after ten thousand years—
the light of the Angel
had finally returned to the world.
Ten days after returning from the ancient Angel ruins, life in Yuelan City continued moving forward.
The discovery of the Angel Sword had already been stabilized. Ye Guyi spent most of her time training with the weapon, slowly familiarizing herself with the faint angelic intent contained within it.
Meanwhile, inside the Lin Clan Research Pavilion, another discussion was taking place.
Several people were gathered around a large table.
Weapons.
Soul tools.
Formation plates.
And a few unfinished devices lay scattered across its surface.
Lin Huang stood at the center of the table while Honghong rested lazily on his shoulder, watching the scene with mild curiosity.
Su Mei leaned against a nearby pillar, while Ju Zi examined several metal plates that had been placed on the table.
Dong'er and Qiu'er were also present.
Dong'er's long blue hair with soft pink tips rested gently over her shoulders as she observed the strange engraved plates.
Qiu'er stood quietly beside her, her silver hair reflecting the light coming through the pavilion windows.
Ju Zi lifted one of the small metal plates.
"…This isn't a full formation."
Lin Huang nodded.
"No."
He tapped lightly on the surface of the metal.
"The structure is much simpler."
The engraved lines glowed faintly as his soul power passed through them.
"This is something new."
He spoke the word clearly.
"Inscription."
The room became quiet.
Lin Huang continued calmly.
"Most equipment today has fixed potential once it is forged or assembled."
He gestured toward the weapons on the table.
"If you want to improve them, you usually have to reforge the entire object."
Ju Zi nodded.
"That's how soul tools work as well."
Lin Huang slid another metal plate across the table.
"With inscriptions…"
"…we don't need to rebuild the object."
He pointed toward the engraved lines.
"We add functions directly."
Su Mei crossed her arms.
"…So it's similar to runes?"
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Similar."
"But more flexible."
He began explaining.
"There are three primary branches."
Tool Inscriptions
Lin Huang lifted a simple sword from the table.
"These inscriptions are applied to equipment."
He traced the blade with his finger.
"They can improve energy flow, strengthen durability, or stabilize elemental power."
Ju Zi immediately understood the implication.
"…Soul engineers could integrate these into weapons."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
"They work especially well with soul tools."
Tool inscriptions could allow equipment to:
channel soul power more efficiently
enhance cutting power
stabilize elemental attacks
reduce energy consumption
They were essentially enhancement systems for equipment.
Body Inscriptions
Lin Huang placed the sword down and picked up another engraved plate.
"These affect the cultivator instead of the weapon."
Dong'er tilted her head slightly.
"…Strengthening the body?"
Lin Huang shook his head slightly.
"Not directly."
"Most body inscriptions improve efficiency, not raw strength."
He explained calmly.
Some inscriptions could:
accelerate energy absorption
improve meridian circulation
enhance elemental affinity
sharpen spiritual perception
Ju Zi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So they indirectly improve talent."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Exactly."
"They don't create talent."
"They allow the cultivator to use their potential more effectively."
But then he added an important limitation.
"The human body can only sustain a very small number of permanent inscriptions."
The others looked at him.
"Too many inscriptions will cause energy conflicts."
"Meridian instability."
"Or spiritual damage."
Su Mei frowned slightly.
"So they're dangerous."
Lin Huang shrugged.
"They can be."
"Permanent inscriptions are also extremely difficult to create."
He tapped the metal plate lightly.
"Most inscription masters below Rank Five or Six won't be capable of producing stable permanent inscriptions."
"Lower-level inscriptions will usually be temporary or attached to equipment instead."
Ju Zi nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
Medicinal Inscriptions
Lin Huang then picked up a small pill from the table.
This time, Su Mei blinked in surprise.
"…Alchemy?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
He held the pill between two fingers.
"Medicinal inscriptions are carved into the pill during the refining process."
Dong'er looked curious.
"So the pill carries the inscription?"
Lin Huang confirmed.
"Yes."
"The pill becomes a carrier for the concept."
Medicinal inscriptions could allow pills to:
stabilize meridians during breakthroughs
improve energy absorption
enhance spiritual clarity
support recovery or body refinement
Su Mei laughed softly.
"…Alchemists are going to become even more terrifying."
Lin Huang shrugged.
"Or more precise."
Ju Zi slowly placed the metal plate back on the table.
She looked thoughtful.
"…If this system spreads…"
She paused.
"…it will become a completely new profession."
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"Yes."
He said the name clearly.
"Inscription Master."
Honghong chuckled quietly.
"…You're building another profession again."
Lin Huang looked out the pavilion window toward the growing city of Yuelan.
Cultivators moved between training halls.
Soul engineers worked in their workshops.
Alchemists refined pills.
And now—
another field of knowledge had been added to the system.
Lin Huang answered simply.
"A good system should keep evolving."