Chapter 3: Aunt Ling

Chapter 3: Aunt Ling

"Form Realm, Minor Success!"

A deep, resonant voice erupted from Lin Langtian's body, and a fierce, powerful black light surged in his eyes, brimming with sharp authority.

"Hah!"

As Lin Langtian's gaze swept around, an intense aura emanated from him, far stronger than ever before.

"Form Realm!"

He could barely contain his joy as he realized that simply by forming a bloodline link with the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow, he had gained this benefit. Beneath the Nirvana Realm, there were the Three Realms of Creation, which meant he had now entered the league of powerful figures in the empire.

Originally, it would have taken him at least several months to break through from the peak of the Yuan Dan stage and reach the Form Realm. But this sudden opportunity had drastically shortened that timeframe. If this news got out, his reputation as the Lin Clan's top prodigy would be solidified, and his authority would greatly increase.

As for the spirit just devoured by the black flames, Lin Langtian suspected it was likely the mysterious Master Mu. In his memories, Master Mu was a secretive yet powerful figure who had greatly aided Lin Langtian's rise as the top talent in the clan.

If the previous Lin Langtian had seen Master Mu destroyed, he would have been shocked and angered, given the role Mu had played in his development. But the reborn Lin Langtian knew that Mu was not a noble character; their relationship had been one of mutual exploitation. The Nine Nether Fire Sparrow had clearly sensed Mu's deceit and removed him without hesitation—though it was also possible that the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow simply needed energy to restore itself.

In any case, Lin Langtian felt no regret at the destruction of Mu's spirit. Without the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow, he might have kept playing along with Mu, using him for resources. But now that he had a bloodline link with the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow, Mu was irrelevant.

"What's your name? Aren't you curious about my identity and this bloodline link?"

As Lin Langtian pondered, the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow, slowly regaining its strength, spoke in a cool, detached tone, fixing its gaze on him.

With a respectful bow, Lin Langtian replied, "I am Lin Langtian. My strength is insignificant compared to yours, and I know that your power is far beyond my understanding. If you wish to share your origins, I would listen intently. If not, I will respect your silence. As for this bloodline link, though I don't fully understand its mystery, I can sense that it creates a unique bond of mutual benefit. With it, you won't harm me, and I won't do anything against you. This way, we both gain."

"Smart…"

The Nine Nether Fire Sparrow's eyes flashed with a hint of appreciation at Lin Langtian's calm and thorough response.

"In that case, I'll tell you: I am the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow, of the noble Nine Nether Fire Sparrow Clan. Our clan resides far from here, so the rest is beyond your need to know," it said with a hint of pride.

Lin Langtian feigned surprise, nodding in awe. Though he knew plenty about the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow Clan, he let the beast assume his ignorance. Despite the bloodline link, the power gap between them was substantial, so caution remained wise.

"As for how I arrived here…" the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow's gaze darkened with anger. "On a distant continent, I found an invaluable treasure, but a powerful warrior from the Ancient Sky Eagle Clan contested it, and we fought. But that warrior was no easy opponent, and in the end, I chose mutual destruction. I thought I would perish, yet I drifted to this realm and merged with you by chance. Given our shared fate and the imminent dissipation of my spirit, I chose to establish this bloodline link with you, binding our lives."

A flicker of discomfort crossed the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow's face. For such a proud beast, creating a bloodline link with a human was slightly degrading. However, desperate circumstances required it, as the link provided essential life energy, preventing its spirit from disappearing completely. At this point, it could only accept the outcome and hope to sever the bond once fully restored. In the meantime, Lin Langtian would have to be compensated.

Hearing this, Lin Langtian was somewhat taken aback. From his perspective, his soul had entered the Great Thousand World and somehow fused with the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow's spirit, then arrived in the Tianxuan Continent, taking over Lin Langtian's body. However, it seemed the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow had been unaware of this process, assuming him to be the real Lin Langtian of the Tianxuan Continent. Lin Langtian's eyes flashed slightly, deciding not to correct this misunderstanding.

As far as anyone was concerned, he would now simply be the true Lin Langtian.

"Oh, and that spirit I devoured in your body—are you angry about it?" the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow asked.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Lin Langtian chuckled, "Of course not. That spirit was called Master Mu, a powerful figure I happened upon. Though he helped me a lot, I could see that he was using me for his own gain. Since you destroyed him, you must have sensed his ill intentions. I bear no grudge."

"Hmm. If you could see his motives, why work with him? Didn't you fear the danger of dealing with a treacherous spirit?" the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow questioned.

"With risk comes reward," Lin Langtian replied firmly. "Coming from humble beginnings, I have to take chances. The world is vast, and for a glimmer of hope, I'm willing to be a mere pawn in the game."

The Nine Nether Fire Sparrow gave Lin Langtian a surprised look. As a member of the noble Nine Nether Fire Sparrow Clan, it had seen countless prodigies, yet this youth felt… different.

Perhaps this young man from a lower realm would bring it some surprises?

Shaking off these fleeting thoughts, the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow continued, "Since you seek to see the world beyond, I can help you. Now that we're linked by bloodline, you can use some of my abilities, enough to dominate at your level, and even fight above it. However, in return, you must assist me—I am severely injured and in need of certain supplements."

"What kind of supplements?" Lin Langtian asked.

"Essences. The higher the beast's level, the better," the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow replied, its tone growing faint as exhaustion overtook it. "My injuries are too serious. I'll need to go into a deep sleep. The essence of a high-level beast would be best obtained as soon as possible."

Lin Langtian nodded quickly, then asked, "How should I address you?"

"Just call me… Aunt Ling," the Nine Nether Fire Sparrow murmured before its aura faded, and it slipped into a deep slumber.

(End of Chapter)