After leaving the main hall, Lin Yun returned to the Bamboo Garden alone. As for Zhong Lin, he had gone to investigate the theft of the Space Ring.

Lin Yun had just sat down in the bamboo pavilion, his seat not even warm yet, when Qin Feng, Li Tian, and the others arrived.

"Brother Lin, you’re finally out!" Qin Feng shouted excitedly from a distance. Beside him, Li Tian just smiled and shook his head. ’This Qin Feng really idolizes Lin Yun.’

As the group approached, Lin Yun’s gaze froze when he saw the two graceful figures behind Qin Feng and Li Tian. After several years, Lin Yun finally saw Lan Xi again.

She was as beautiful as ever, but compared to her days in the small mountain village, Lan Xi now possessed the confidence and charm befitting a true beauty.

"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue just from seeing a pretty girl?" Lu Bingning said, a hint of jealousy in her voice, noticing Lin Yun staring blankly at Lan Xi.

"Er... haha, no, not at all. It’s just our first meeting, so I lost my composure for a moment," Lin Yun replied sheepishly. ’Now is not the time to reveal that I know Lan Xi.’

The arrival of the four made Lin Yun very happy, and he immediately invited them to sit in the bamboo pavilion.

"Brother Lin, you’ve wasted half a year. If you don’t start working hard, I’m afraid I’m going to leave you in the dust," Qin Feng said with a smile as soon as he sat down.

Everyone knew that Celestial Net Peak was a place unsuitable for cultivation. After half a year in there, Qin Feng naturally assumed Lin Yun’s strength hadn’t improved at all.

"That confident, are you? Alright then, let’s see how much you’ve grown in the last six months." Lin Yun smiled faintly, not taking offense. Their friendship was casual enough that no one would get upset over such words.

"Alright! Then I’ll let Brother Lin see the fruits of my labor from the past six months," Qin Feng said confidently.

Over the past six months, under his master’s tutelage, Qin Feng was like a piece of raw jade being carved. Not only had his Cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, but his Combat Power had also multiplied several times over.

The two walked to the center of the Bamboo Garden. Qin Feng immediately revealed his progress: the Elemental Power fluctuations of the Ninth Layer of Opening Realm.

"Not bad. It seems you’ve made great progress in the last six months," Lin Yun said, nodding with a smile. He was genuinely happy for Qin Feng’s significant improvement.

"And that’s not all! Brother Lin, try not to be too surprised," Qin Feng chuckled, then executed a Body Technique Martial Skill and charged fiercely at Lin Yun.

As a student of the Genius Class, he could obtain Martial Skills and Cultivation Techniques from the Martial Arts Hall for very few Merit Points. The Body Technique Martial Skill Qin Feng was currently using was one he had acquired from the Martial Arts Hall, and it was of the Profound Level Middle Tier.

Lin Yun chose not to counterattack, simply dodging continuously. He wanted to see just how much Qin Feng’s Combat Power had truly increased.

And it was truly impressive. The current Qin Feng was a completely different person from who he was back in the small town. His Combat Power had more than tripled, to the point that even a Martial Artist at the First Layer of Qi Sea Realm would likely not be his match.

"Black Steel Tyrant Fist!" Qin Feng executed the Qin Family’s Black Steel Tyrant Fist. In his hands, the technique already held a faint trace of True Intent, though he had yet to fully grasp it.

Lin Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly. He could also sense the trace of True Intent within Qin Feng’s Black Steel Tyrant Fist, and his estimation of Qin Feng’s progress rose even higher.

"Not bad. You’re touching the threshold of True Intent. I’ll help you with the final step. Qin Feng, watch carefully." Wanting to help Qin Feng, Lin Yun also used the Black Steel Tyrant Fist.

As a Martial Skill of the Qin Family, Lin Yun’s current Black Steel Tyrant Fist was not much weaker than even Qin Shitian’s. The version he executed at this moment radiated a thick, domineering aura.

"Qin Feng, the essence of the Black Steel Tyrant Fist is dominance! You must strike with overbearing force and a tyrannical aura," Lin Yun instructed while sparring with Qin Feng.

During his bout with Qin Feng, Lin Yun suppressed his Elemental Power to the Sixth Layer of Opening and didn’t circulate his two great Cultivation Techniques.

With Lin Yun’s direct instruction and demonstration, Qin Feng’s Black Steel Tyrant Fist, which was already on the threshold of True Intent, began to improve rapidly. Although it was impossible for him to grasp it completely in a short time, it wouldn’t be long before he fully comprehended the True Intent within the Black Steel Tyrant Fist.

After a quarter of an hour, Lin Yun had shown Qin Feng everything he could. The rest was up to Qin Feng to comprehend on his own.

"Qin Feng, I’m getting serious now," Lin Yun chuckled. As he spoke, the Elemental Power fluctuations of the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm surged from him.

Sensing the might emanating from Lin Yun, Qin Feng was stunned for a second. It wasn’t just that Lin Yun had broken through to the Eighth Layer of Opening; it was the sheer aura erupting from him now that sent a chill down Qin Feng’s spine.

Without any surprises, a serious Lin Yun easily defeated Qin Feng.

Back in the bamboo pavilion, Qin Feng had a bewildered look on his face. He had broken through two layers in half a year, yet Brother Lin had also broken through two layers while on Celestial Net Peak.

"So, Qin Feng? Feeling humbled now?" Li Tian said with a faint smile, taking a sip of tea.

"Hmph. You go fight him if you’re so tough. I knew Brother Lin wasn’t that simple," Qin Feng retorted petulantly.

Seeing Qin Feng act this way, everyone burst into laughter. Sometimes, Qin Feng was really quite adorable.

"Me? I haven’t been cultivating for the past six months, just reading books," Li Tian said, showing no intention of sparring with Lin Yun. His master at the Academy was the most unique of them all, and by following such a teacher, Li Tian’s strengths naturally did not lie in combat.

No one knew that while Li Tian’s Cultivation had also reached the Eighth Layer of Opening in the past six months, his greatest progress was actually in the Qimen Bagua Technique.

The Qimen Bagua Technique covered many things: Arrays, Treasure Hunting, Feng Shui, Strategy, and more. These were the areas Li Tian focused on.

Reunited after half a year, drinking was naturally in order. With a flash of Li Tian’s Space Ring, several bottles of fine wine appeared before them.

"Come, let’s drink," Lin Yun said, raising his cup first.

Reuniting with his brothers was a happy occasion. That day, the three men drank a lot, and even Lu Bingning and Lan Xi had quite a bit. With their faces flushed and rosy, they looked even more stunning, and even the usually composed Lin Yun found himself staring, captivated.

"Am I beautiful?" Lu Bingning teased Lin Yun, emboldened by the wine. Her every glance and smile was enough to make him lose himself completely.

Completely unable to resist Lu Bingning’s beauty, Lin Yun sighed to himself, ’Even a hero is no match for a beautiful woman. But it’s a good thing this beauty is mine.’

While Lin Yun and his friends were drinking joyfully, in Tang Wushuang’s courtyard, he was speaking to a student before him. "Go. Tell the Yang City Yue Family about Yue Xiuchuan’s death."

The student nodded in acknowledgment. As Tang Wushuang recalled the torment Lin Yun had inflicted on him, a savage look reappeared on his face. He muttered coldly, "Lin Shan, I will make sure you die without a proper burial."