Eternal Supreme

Chapter 55: The Chiyan Family

Long Bo took out a palm-sized crystal jade.

The jade was transparent with a faint luster on its surface. Inside the crystal, scenes of mountains and rivers were contained, as if an entire region had been captured within it. Lin Mo immediately recognized that this was not a man-made object but a rare stone formed naturally by heaven and earth.

"Ancient runes have existed since antiquity. The ancient ancestors believed that all things in the world were shaped by runes. This is a Rune Crystal, containing the power of ancient runes. You may begin to decipher it," Long Bo said, handing the Rune Crystal to Lin Mo.

After receiving the Rune Crystal, Lin Mo examined it carefully.

By focusing his mind, the rivers within the crystal began to flow slowly, and the trees on the mountains exuded a unique verdant hue. The marvelous scenes of heaven and earth were vividly reflected in Lin Mo's eyes. It was as if an entire world had been sealed within the crystal.

Of course, it was not truly a sealed world but rather a scene created by the power of the ancient runes.

As Lin Mo observed the scene within the Rune Crystal, a sense of familiarity arose in his mind, similar to the strange intuitive feeling he had when he first saw the rune chessboard. This instinctive feeling had resurfaced.

The power of ancient runes within this Rune Crystal was not very strong. With that intuitive feeling, Lin Mo had already found a clue to deciphering it. However, he did not rush to solve it but continued to immerse his mind in the Rune Crystal, experiencing the changes in the power of ancient runes within. He found that as he absorbed the runic power, his own true essence not only flowed naturally but also began to undergo refinement.

The power of ancient runes refining true essence...

This was an ability possessed only by those who had immersed themselves in the study of ancient runes for decades. It was the starting point of the path of ancient runes.

This ability seemed innate to Lin Mo, as if he had learned it long ago and just forgotten it. Now, as he re-engaged with ancient runes, that latent instinct deep within him had been reactivated.

Lin Mo was certain that he had not come into contact with ancient runes when he met Feng Tianxing.

The power of ancient runes within the crystal was very weak, and the process of refining true essence was exceptionally slow. Lin Mo was not in a hurry because he knew that refining true essence was a gradual process. This ability would improve with a deeper understanding of ancient runes.

This was the drawback of cultivating ancient runes: progress was slow, but it accumulated over time. A practitioner of ancient runes at the same level of cultivation, especially one who mastered a single ancient rune, would far surpass others of the same level in terms of power.

An hour had passed.

Lin Mo remained motionless.

"Young lady, I still think we should give up," Long Bo said.

"Let's wait a bit longer."

Nan Mingwu shook her head slightly and said, "Even Elder Feng takes about two days to decipher a Rune Crystal. As far as I know, Elder Feng usually requires around two days to solve a rune crystal. It's only been an hour, so it's still early."

"That's true, but he's been motionless for an entire hour. If it were someone else, they would have figured something out by now," Long Bo said coldly, glancing at Lin Mo.

"Perhaps he's figuring out how to solve it," Nan Mingwu said with a slight smile.

At this moment, Lin Mo's eyes moved slightly as he withdrew his gaze from the Rune Crystal.

"How is it?" Nan Mingwu asked.

"Deciphering it shouldn't be a problem. Give me two days," Lin Mo said.

"Shouldn't be a problem? That's quite a bold statement. If there really is no problem, shouldn't you start solving it now?" Long Bo snorted.

"Deciphering ancient runes is not something that can be done quickly. The power of the runes within the Rune Crystal forms a miniature world. The intricacies inside need to be carefully comprehended and resolved one by one. Otherwise, hasty attempts might not only damage the Rune Crystal but could also result in injury from the runic power," Lin Mo rebutted.

Long Bo's eyes widened, and he was about to speak when Nan Mingwu stopped him. "Long Bo, let Lin Mo study it for two days."

Since Nan Mingwu had said so, Long Bo grumbled but agreed, "Kid, I'm giving you two days on account of the young lady. This Rune Crystal is valuable, so don't lose it, or you'll have to pay for it."

"I'll come to get it in two days," Lin Mo said, then left with Leng Wuyan.

...

As Lin Mo and Leng Wuyan returned to the Tianxing Branch, they encountered Senior Sister Chi Honglian.

"Hello, Senior Sister," Lin Mo greeted with a smile.

This time, Chi Honglian was dressed in a purple-red cultivation robe. Her previously sharp demeanor had softened somewhat, giving her a more feminine grace. Chi Honglian was already very beautiful, and with her mature appearance compared to her peers, she had a strikingly attractive figure.

"Don't call me Senior Sister anymore," Chi Honglian said with a stern face.

"Mm?" Lin Mo looked puzzled.

"In Tianxing Academy, the seniority is based on strength. You are now the strongest among the younger generation of our Tianxing Branch, so you don't need to call me Senior Sister anymore. I can't accept that."

Chi Honglian looked at Lin Mo with a complex expression and then handed him a jade bottle. "This is the reward from the last bet you won. It contains a Transformation Pill."

"Thank you, Senior Sister... No, thank you, Junior Sister," Lin Mo said with a smile as he accepted it.

"Don't call me Junior Sister..."

Chi Honglian's cheeks flushed, and she gave Lin Mo an annoyed look. His playful demeanor was so irritating that she almost wanted to punch him. Of course, that was just a thought; with Lin Mo's strength, she might not succeed.

Seeing Chi Honglian's blushing face, Lin Mo felt as though he had discovered something new. It was no wonder, as Chi Honglian had always been stern and disapproving since their first meeting. Lin Mo had never seen her like this before.

"If I can't call you Senior Sister or Junior Sister, then can I call you Honglian?" Lin Mo asked with a grin.

"Don't..."

Chi Honglian's face turned even redder. After giving Lin Mo a fierce glare, she said, "You two should stay put for now. I just received news that the Liao family is preparing to make trouble for you."

"Have they come to Tianxing Branch?" Lin Mo's smile faded.

"Although the Tianxing Branch is becoming almost obsolete, it is still one of the four major branches of Tianxing Academy. The Liao family has significant influence in Linzhou City, but they still have their reservations. They wouldn't dare to cause trouble at Tianxing Academy. Moreover, Linzhou City is not only home to the Liao family," Chi Honglian said with a snort.

Chi Honglian's reminder made Lin Mo realize something. Over the years, many cultivation families had appeared in Linzhou City. While only a few had survived to this day, there were still dozens of them. Of course, many of these families were inconsequential. Apart from the Liao family, there was another cultivation family in Linzhou City comparable to them: the Chiyan family.

The Chiyan family had a history older than the Liao family. It was said to have existed even before the era of the Cataclysmic Disasters, with a history of over eight hundred years, making it the oldest cultivation family in Linzhou City.