Star Martial Era: From Mortal to Emperor

Chapter 81: The Initial Integration of the Four

It was almost dark when Lin Chen stepped out of the mission hall. The lights at the entrance were on—old-fashioned incandescent bulbs that cast long, yellowish shadows. Just as Lin Chen stepped down the stairs, an elderly man in a gray cloth robe emerged from behind a pillar and blocked his path.

The old man's clothes were faded from washing, and the cuffs were frayed, but he stood ramrod straight, his eyes clear and bright. Lin Chen recognized him—it was Qingfeng, a disciple of Daoist Xuanchen.

"Young friend Lin Chen." Qingfeng took out a communication talisman from his sleeve and handed it over, looking somewhat anxious. "Miss Su Muyue asked me to give this to you. She said that her blood poison has been temporarily suppressed by Senior Uncle Xuan Chen using his natal true energy, and she has already set off for Xingwu University. She should arrive in about three days."

Lin Chen took it, clutching it in his hand, his heart skipping a beat. The communication talisman was folded from paper into a triangle, with a layer of wax applied to the seal, and a small plum blossom imprinted on the wax. He could smell a faint medicinal scent on the paper, mixed with the unique plum blossom fragrance emanating from Su Muyue.

"Did she say how she is feeling?" Lin Chen asked.

"Uncle-Master Xuan Chen said it can only be suppressed for three months." Qing Feng sighed. "We must obtain the Star Marrow Liquid within three months to completely cure it." He looked at Lin Chen, then lowered his voice, "Uncle-Master asked me to remind you that Black Wind Ridge has been quite turbulent lately, with signs of evil race activity. When you enter the secret realm, be careful and don't go too deep."

"I understand, thank you." Lin Chen carefully put away the communication talisman, tucked it into the pocket on his chest, and solemnly bowed to Qingfeng.

Qingfeng waved his hand, turned and left. His figure quickly disappeared into the darkness beyond the reach of the streetlights.

Su Ling'er leaned closer, curiously tiptoeing and tilting her head to look at Lin Chen's pocket. "Lin Chen, who is Su Muyue? She sounds amazing, she can even cure diseases?" She blinked, her expression like a cat smelling fish.

"She's my friend." Lin Chen's tone softened unconsciously, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward. "She's a descendant of the Su family, with a very high talent for formations. You'll see when you get here."

Su Ling'er said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions. But she noticed Lin Chen's expression when he spoke—an expression she had never seen before. She secretly glanced at Chu Fan beside her; Chu Fan was already writing in his notebook. He wrote very quickly, the pen tip making a swishing sound.

Lin Chen didn't need to look to know what Chu Fan was writing. This guy had to write everything down; he came from an intelligence background.

Leng Feng stood on the outermost edge, backlit, so his expression was obscured. But his grip on his battle sword tightened.

The next morning, before dawn, the four of them met at the school gate.

Morning light crept up from behind the eastern mountain ridge, painting the horizon a pale orange. Black Wind Ridge stretched across the distance, its peaks layered upon each other, growing darker with each step, the furthest still shrouded in darkness. A thin, greyish-white mist drifted along the mountainside, flowing slowly like a great river. The air carried a damp coolness; inhaling it brought a sense of clarity and alertness.

There weren't many people at the entrance. Only a few elderly men and women were doing Tai Chi in the square, their movements slow and deliberate, like a movie in slow motion.

Lin Chen was dressed in a dark, fitted outfit, and on his feet were a pair of sneakers that had come unglued—he hadn't bought new ones yet, but the old ones were still wearable. He carried his old canvas bag on his back, bulging with a few changes of clothes, two bottles of water, and a pack of compressed biscuits. He put the task sheet in his pocket, pressed his hand against it, and checked it again.

Su Ling'er had changed into a neat short-sleeved outfit, her hair tied in a bun and secured with a wooden hairpin. She carried a bulging medicine box on her back and a small bag containing snacks and a water bottle. Chu Fan was still wearing his ironed school uniform, carrying a black backpack with a rolled-up map tucked into a side pocket. Leng Feng was the most relaxed, carrying only a knife and a water bottle on his belt. He stood at the doorway, facing Black Wind Ridge, like a stone statue.

"Let's go," Lin Chen said, taking the lead into the morning light.

The four of them walked up the mountain path and soon entered the woods. The school behind them grew farther and farther away, the path narrowed, and the trees on both sides became denser. Morning light filtered through the leaves, scattering golden light across the ground. The air in the woods became cool, and a thin mist had risen at some point, hanging from the branches like a veil.

Unbeknownst to them, two hundred meters behind them, a killer dressed in black was perched on the highest branch of a large tree. He held onto the trunk with one hand, and with the other, he held up binoculars, the lenses reflecting the backs of four people walking further and further away. The killer lowered the binoculars, pulled a communicator from his belt, and dialed a number. The communicator rang twice before connecting.

"Young Master Qin, they have already entered the mountains. As planned, they will ambush us in Valley Three."

Qin Hao's voice came from the other end of the communicator, tinged with laughter, but the laughter was cold. "Tell Scarface, this time I want Lin Chen dead, truly dead. After it's done, one million, a formal position at Xingwu University, not a penny less."

"Understood." The assassin hung up the phone, tucked the communicator back into his belt, and glanced through his binoculars again. The four men had already turned a corner and disappeared from sight. He jumped down from the tree, landing silently like a leaf drifting down, and vanished into the depths of the forest in the blink of an eye.

The fog in the mountains is getting thicker and thicker.