Chapter 497 – Mu Lin: You Made a Mistake

Aristocratic Families typically possess deep reserves, which can be either powerful Spirit Tools or sealed ancestors.

For the latter, depending on their condition, Aristocratic Families have two methods of utilization. The first is straightforward: allow their ancestors to break the seal and, with their remaining strength, perish together with the enemy.

The second method is the Soul-Returning Ritual.

Through the use of certain secret arts, those sharing the same bloodline can use the bodies of young clan members as vessels, allowing their ancestors to seize their souls and descend.

Currently, the secret art employed by the Dongfang Clan is the Soul-Returning Ritual.

At this moment, Mu Lin also understood why his teacher, despite her considerable talent and distinguished family background, had remained stagnant at the stage of Condensing Gang and Refining Sha.

Clearly, she was aware of her predicament and had not cultivated diligently.

Today was the day of the Soul-Returning Ritual, and also the day Dongfang Ya’s soul would dissipate.

Fortunately, Mu Lin was not too late. The ritual had just begun when he barged in.

“Who goes there!”

His sudden and unannounced intrusion provoked a series of shouts from the Dongfang Clan members. Some even drew blades and Magical Artifacts, pointing them directly at him.

Then, with a single glance from Mu Lin, those Dongfang clansmen holding blades and Magical Artifacts collapsed to the ground.

As the wielder of Life Authority, his understanding of death was profound.

Now, he could kill with a mere look.

His actions enraged the cultivators of the Dongfang Clan.

“Audacious fool! How dare you cause trouble in the Dongfang Clan? You seek death…”

“Hmph, do you truly believe the Dongfang Clan is easy to bully?”

“Heh, it seems our long seclusion has eroded our prestige. Even stray dogs dare to barge in…”

Initially, due to Mu Lin’s youthful appearance, the Dongfang Clan members did not grasp the severity of the situation.

Their reaction to his intrusion was mostly anger, feeling deeply insulted.

Driven by such emotions, many Dongfang clansmen had no intention of conversing with Mu Lin. Instead, they attacked in fury, seeking to end his life.

And then, they all died.

With just a sweep of his gaze, their lives were extinguished, their true spirits dissipating instantly.

As he walked, he killed. Throughout this process, Mu Lin did not even raise a hand. With his eyes alone, he eliminated all who stood in his way.

Only then did the cultivators of the Dongfang Clan realize the gravity of the situation.

Meanwhile, on the Altar, Dongfang Ya, along with their Clan Head and Grand Elder, noticed the commotion and spotted Mu Lin.

A series of exclamations erupted from the high platform.

“Stop!”

“Stop, all of you, stop!”

The ones shouting were the Clan Head of the Eastern Family and Dongfang Ya.

Mu Lin could disregard the former, but he was willing to heed the latter’s plea.

Thus, he ceased his killing, but his footsteps did not halt. He strode directly toward the front of the Altar.

To Mu Lin’s surprise, the Clan Head of the Dongfang Clan did not attempt to stop his advance. Instead, his expression turned complex.

“Mu Lin, you actually came.”

Hearing his name called, Mu Lin paused briefly, but his expression quickly turned cold.

“You know of me? And yet you dare to use my teacher as a sacrifice.”

“Hah, you all show me little respect!”

Mu Lin’s words were icy cold, and they provoked anger among the cultivators of the Dongfang Clan.

“You want us to respect you? Who do you think you are?”

“Exactly! We are one of the Eight Great Aristocratic Families of the Western Wastelands. Even in our decline, we are not to be belittled by someone like you.”

“Hmph! If not for the curse of the forbidden zone, someone like you wouldn’t even be qualified to step through our gates!”

The furious rebukes from the Dongfang Clan… did not anger Mu Lin.

Instead, he was more surprised than anything.

He couldn’t understand how the Dongfang Clan dared to speak to him this way. Even if news of his inheritance of the Divine Position hadn’t spread yet, his feat of single-handedly reversing the situation in the Northern Wastelands was widely known throughout the lands of the Human Race…

“Wait, the reversal in the Northern Wastelands didn’t happen that long ago. Given the communication capabilities of this era, it’s quite normal for people in the south not to know.”

Of course, the Aristocratic Families had their own channels. Many southern cultivators had learned of Mu Lin’s victory on the very day it happened.

But that applied to normal Aristocratic Families. As for the Dongfang Clan… with their mountain gates sealed and a major Ritual underway, it was quite reasonable for them to be isolated from news.

“Losers will be losers. You haven’t even heard my name—no wonder you show me no respect.”

Realizing their isolation, Mu Lin lost all interest in conversing with them. His gaze shifted directly to Dongfang Ya on the Altar.

Observing Dongfang Ya through the perspective of the God of Life, Mu Lin discovered something else—Dongfang Ya’s body had not remained undeveloped due to a curse, but because of suppression by the clan.

They needed Dongfang Ya to maintain this physique and form to better accommodate the descent of their ancestor’s soul spirit—who was also female.

Moreover, he realized that Dongfang Ya had not neglected her cultivation.

However, all the Mana she cultivated was used to nurture her body, not to advance her realm.

The more he observed, the deeper Mu Lin’s frown became. At the same time, he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“I volunteered. This is a matter of my Dongfang Clan and has nothing to do with you.”

Dongfang Ya spoke with a cold expression, trying to drive Mu Lin away.

Yet, even as she dismissed him, she secretly transmitted a message to the Clan Head beside her. The words Mu Lin intercepted made him sigh deeply.

‘Father, this has nothing to do with Mu Lin. Let him leave. If you act against him, I will resist when the ancestor’s soul spirit descends.’

Hearing the urgency in her transmitted message, Mu Lin understood—Dongfang Ya was also behind on news about him. She believed his strength was still at Mortal Shedding or perhaps Earth Immortal.

Not wanting to involve him, she coldly drove him away.

This scene brought a bitter smile to Mu Lin’s face.

“Master, can’t you have a little more faith in me?”

“Faith? Hah, do you think you alone can resolve the affairs of our Dongfang Clan?”

“And even if you could, what then? Can you also help us deal with the curse upon us and the enemies from the forbidden zone?”

This time, it was not Dongfang Ya who spoke, but the somewhat unraveled Dongfang Clan Head.

As for the reason he broke down… Mu Lin understood it well.

As a father, he had personally used his own daughter as a human pillar, while Mu Lin, an outsider, came to save his daughter.

Such a scene that turned the natural order upside down made him, who still had some humanity left, feel utterly powerless and furious.

  Mu Lin sensed his pent-up rage and frustration, but he didn’t care.

In response to his inquiry, Mu Lin replied indifferently:

“Your Dongfang Clan is nothing but a group of failures. Dealing with you, I could suppress you with a mere flick of my hand.”

“As for your entanglement with the Forbidden Zone, I could have helped you resolve it, but that was before…”

With those words, Mu Lin ignored him and turned his gaze to Dongfang Ya.

“Did you volunteer to be this human pillar?”

“Yes. This body was born and raised by the Dongfang Clan. Since they have a need, I naturally must repay them.”

“…”

To Dongfang Ya’s surprise, upon hearing this, Mu Lin… did not refute her.

“You’re right. This body should indeed be returned to the Dongfang Clan.”

“Huh?!”

Such words left Dongfang Ya stunned.

Just as she was marveling at how agreeable Mu Lin was being, he made his move.

“Hum!”

Activating the Life Authority, Mu Lin extracted a drop of essence blood from Dongfang Ya.

At the same time, he also drew out a wisp of her true spiritual aura.

Carrying these things, Mu Lin directly descended from the altar.

Of course, before stepping down, Mu Lin swept a glance over the Dongfang Clan and said impassively, “You could have had a better ending, but unfortunately, you made the wrong choice.”

“…”

Mu Lin’s overly confident words and unique demeanor left the Dongfang Clan speechless.

Of course, the silence was only temporary. Soon, chaotic voices erupted from all directions.

“Bastard, don’t be so arrogant! You cannot decide the future of our Dongfang Clan!”

“We are one of the Eight Great Families of the Western Wasteland!”

Though the arrogant Mu Lin greatly angered the Dongfang Clan, his imposing presence and the silence of the Dongfang Clan Head kept the other clan members from taking action.

Thus, the members of the Dongfang Clan could only watch helplessly as Mu Lin stepped down from the arena and stood to the side.

After he left the arena, the Dongfang Clan Head and the other Clan Elders immediately examined Dongfang Ya’s body. Finding that her aura had hardly weakened, they dared not delay and continued with the Soul-Returning Ritual.

As for Mu Lin, he channeled Divine Power to reconstruct a new body for Dongfang Ya… that of a seven- or eight-year-old girl.

Mastering the Life Authority made this almost effortless for Mu Lin.

He could have created an adult body as well.

But he remembered Dongfang Ya’s distrust of him earlier, and this childlike body was his small act of revenge.

Once the body was complete, Mu Lin inserted Dongfang Ya’s wisp of true spiritual aura into the new vessel… and using the Substitute Paper Figure method, he also drew her consciousness over.

Thus, the dying Dongfang Ya was revived.

And as Dongfang Ya’s consciousness awakened, a voice filled with amusement sounded in her ear.

“Teacher Dongfang, for the Eastern Family that gave you life and raised you, you chose to repay them by becoming a human pillar. For me, who gave you a second life, how do you plan to repay me?”

Mu Lin’s words… made Dongfang Ya roll her eyes.

Hmm, such a gesture from a childlike body had a unique charm.

As Mu Lin admired his teacher’s expression, her helpless voice rang out.

“Before, your strength was already far greater than mine. Now, capable of such incredible feats, your power must be even stronger. As I am now, I can hardly be of any help to you.”

This made Mu Lin laugh:

“No, no, Teacher, there are still many things I need you to teach me.”

Beside the altar, the two conversed, while above the altar, the Dongfang Clan was conducting the Soul-Returning Ritual.

To their relief, although Mu Lin had taken a drop of blood, his actions did not affect the ritual. Their ancestor had revived her soul spirit within Dongfang Ya’s body.

“Excellent! The Seventh Ancestor has revived! Our Eastern Family is saved!”

“That damned curse can finally be alleviated…”

“And resources, territory—everything we lost will be reclaimed.”

The revived ancestor of the Eastern Family possessed the realm of a Celestial Master. Although she was currently very weak, and Teacher Dongfang’s body was also inadequate, a Celestial Master was still a Celestial Master. After a period of recuperation, she would have no problem supporting an Aristocratic Family.

Having a Celestial Master emerge from their own clan greatly boosted the morale and confidence of the Dongfang Clan.

At this moment, some also thought of Mu Lin.

Previously, Mu Lin could kill their clansmen with a single glance, and his entire being exuded an inexplicable aura of authority, which made many cultivators of the Dongfang Clan dare not oppose him.

But now, with their own ancestor revived, their courage instantly swelled.

Especially some Dongfang clansmen who had lost loved ones knelt before their ancestor, pleading for her to uphold justice.

“Seventh Ancestor, you’ve finally awakened! I beg you to uphold justice. During your slumber, we have been humiliated terribly—some even dared to storm our gates!”

The Dongfang clansman who had lost his child wept and complained to his ancestor.

His cries indeed drew the attention of the newly revived ancestor toward Mu Lin, whom he pointed at.

Then, the weeping clansman was delighted to see his ancestor walk toward Mu Lin.

“Good! How dare you insult our Dongfang Clan and even kill my son! Mu Lin, you deserve death!”

“Hmph, no matter who you are, today you are doomed!”

“A Celestial Master cannot be insulted! Even if our ancestor is injured, you are no match for her!”

When Mu Lin had entered, he had killed quite a few people, so many were now weeping and complaining. Seeing their ancestor approach Mu Lin, their emotions surged, as if they could already envision their ancestor avenging them.

Some even wished for Mu Lin not to die too easily.

Just as they were lost in wild thoughts and the Clan Head of the Dongfang Clan frowned deeply, Dongfang Ya’s small body also wanted to step forward to intervene.

However, the latter was easily suppressed by Mu Lin.

Pressing down on Dongfang Ya’s body, Mu Lin watched with a smile as the ancestor of the Dongfang Clan arrived, somewhat hoping she would attack him.

Unfortunately, what followed did not go as Mu Lin had wished.

—The ancestor, who was held in high regard by the Dongfang Clan, actually clasped her hands together upon reaching Mu Lin and bowed respectfully to him.

“???”

(End of Chapter)