The morning sun rose over the abandoned valley.
Lin Kai sat cross-legged near the small stream, refining the high-grade spirit stones he had obtained from the Li Clan.
Pure energy flowed into his Void Core, making it spin faster and stronger.
[Current Stage: Early Stage 6] [Progress to Mid Stage 6: 61%] [Void Energy: 5,420 units]
After two hours, he opened his eyes.
His body felt lighter and more powerful.
The injuries from the fight with Elder Li Hong had completely healed.
Wang Bo walked over while chewing on a piece of dried meat.
“Brother Kai, what is the plan today?”
Lin Kai stood up.
“Today we start building our own force. With the money we have, we can attract people who hate the big clans or who simply need a place to belong.”
Ye Chen, who was sharpening his sword nearby, nodded.
“I already contacted three lone cultivators I used to know. They will arrive this afternoon.”
Su Mei added, “Han Wei also sent a message. He found five people who are willing to join if we offer protection and fair payment. Two of them are Stage 5, and the other three are Stage 4.”
Lin Kai thought for a moment.
“Bring them all. I will test them myself.”
By afternoon, eight people arrived at the valley.
The first three were Ye Chen’s old acquaintances:
A tall and quiet man named Bai Shan.
He was Stage 6 and used dual daggers.
His face always looked calm.A fat but surprisingly fast man named Cao Hu.
He was Peak Stage 5 and used a large iron shield.A young woman named Mei Ling.
She was Stage 5 and specialized in poison and hidden weapons.
The other five came through Han Wei:
Two brothers, Zhou Feng and Zhou Yun, both Stage 5, who used spears.A scarred middle-aged man named Old Scar, Stage 6, who used a heavy axe.A quiet young man named Qin Yu, Stage 4, who was good at formations and arrays.And a cheerful girl named Xiao Hong, Stage 4, who used a whip.
Lin Kai stood in front of them and spoke clearly.
“I am Lin Kai. If you join me, you will receive resources, training, and protection. In return, you will follow my orders and fight when needed. I will not force anyone to stay. If you want to leave, you can leave now.”
No one moved.
Old Scar stepped forward and cupped his hands.
“I heard you made the Li Clan lose face. That is enough reason for me to join. Those big clans have bullied small cultivators for too long.”
The others also agreed one by one.
Lin Kai nodded.
“Good. From today, you are part of my group. We will call ourselves the Void Shadow Team for now. Train hard. I will give you resources based on your performance.”
He distributed some spirit stones, pills, and low-grade weapons to everyone.
The new members looked happy and motivated.
In the following days, the abandoned valley became busy.
Qin Yu started repairing the old formations.
Bai Shan and Old Scar trained the weaker members.
Wang Bo taught basic strength techniques, while Ye Chen taught sword skills.
Su Mei handled the daily needs and information.
Lin Kai spent most of his time cultivating and testing the new members.
He also used the high-grade spirit stones to push his cultivation further.
Five days later, he successfully broke through to Mid Stage 6.
[Current Stage: Mid Stage 6] [Void Energy: 7,800 units] [New ability unlocked: Void Domain (Small) – Can create a small area where enemy energy is weakened]
The day after his breakthrough, Han Wei sent an urgent message through Su Mei.
“The Li Clan has hired three powerful rogue cultivators. All of them are at Stage 8. They are searching the mountains around Azure Cloud City. Also, the Cloud Mountain Sect entrance test will start in five days. Many young geniuses from nearby cities are arriving.” Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Lin Kai read the message and looked at his growing team.
“We cannot stay hidden forever,” he said.
“In three days, we will leave this valley and move closer to the city again. I want to see the Cloud Mountain Sect test with my own eyes.”
Wang Bo laughed.
“Finally some action again!”
Ye Chen remained calm.
“The more people who see your strength, the more enemies and allies you will attract.”
Lin Kai looked toward the direction of Azure Cloud City.
“I know. But I am not the same weak trash who was thrown into the Dark Forest anymore.”
Far away in the city, Lin Feng was standing in the Lin Clan training ground.
He had just broken through to Early Stage 7.
His aura was sharp and powerful.
An elder approached him and reported, “Young Master, Lin Kai has formed a small group and is still active in the mountains. The Li Clan is getting more desperate.”
Lin Feng smiled coldly.
“Let the Li Clan waste their strength. When the time is right, I will deal with that trash myself. The wedding is getting closer… and so is the day I will crush him in front of everyone.”
In another courtyard, Zhao Rong received the same news.
He smiled while playing with his folding fan.
“Void Shadow Team… interesting. Lin Kai is moving faster than I expected. I should visit him again soon.”
The game in Azure Cloud City was becoming more complicated.
And Lin Kai was no longer playing alone.
End of Chapter 13