The Sky Won't Fall

"Sect Master, this disciple has an item to offer to the sect."

"Oh?" Lin Yan leaned back in his recliner, his gaze sweeping over the roll of beast skin. "What is it?"

Li Tianxing took a deep breath and briefly explained the origin of the treasure map.

He recounted how he obtained this map three years ago, how he was framed and hunted down by the son of the Grand Elder of the Biluo Sect, and how he fled to Cangwu County after killing his pursuers.

He recounted the events one by one, his voice steady, as if reporting something that had nothing to do with him.

Only at the very end did his tone finally show a hint of fluctuation.

"What this map records is exactly the legendary tomb of Emperor Cangwu!"

"A Titled Almighty, a Half-Step Saint. His life's inheritance, his natal divine weapon, and his ten thousand years of collections might all be inside."

Li Tianxing raised the beast skin a fraction higher, but lowered his head even further. "This disciple is untalented and dares not monopolize such a fortuitous encounter. I am willing to offer this map to the Sect Master, and to the sect."

After speaking, he prostrated himself, his forehead touching the ground again, his hands still holding the roll of beast skin high, remaining completely motionless.

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

Emperor Cangwu?

A Half-Step Saint?

He reached out, took the beast skin, unrolled it, and glanced over it.

It was densely covered with cinnabar markings, and some places were stained with dark brown blood, likely left behind by Li Tianxing during his three years on the run.

On the map, three cinnabar arcs surrounded a blood dot, marking a location that was actually right here in the Qingyun Mountain Range.

How interesting.

Lin Yan rolled the map back up, casually placed it on the stone table, and looked at Li Tianxing with a faint, enigmatic smile.

"Li Tianxing, have you thought this through? This is the inheritance of a Titled Almighty. Looking across the entire Great Qian Dynasty, even Soul Formation Venerables would turn red-eyed with greed over it. Are you truly going to offer it to the sect?"

Li Tianxing raised his head and met Lin Yan's half-smiling eyes.

Without any hesitation, he said resolutely, "This disciple has thought it through. I offer it to the sect, and to the Sect Master, without a second word."

He paused, his voice suddenly growing a little hoarse.

"Sect Master, this disciple's life was given by the Tianyan Sect! If not for the Sect Master taking me in, I would still be hiding here and there from the Biluo Sect's pursuit, and perhaps would have died long ago in some nameless ravine."

"Let alone a treasure map, even if the Sect Master were to ask this disciple to die right now, I would absolutely not frown."

He kowtowed once more, his forehead pressing against the bluestone slab, his voice muffled yet exceptionally firm. "While the inheritance of a Titled Almighty is good, without the sect, this disciple would not even be able to survive."

"If the Sect Master takes this inheritance, the sect will only grow stronger. Only when the sect is strong can this disciple live a better life!"

Lin Yan leaned back in his recliner, looking at Li Tianxing, who was kneeling motionless on the ground, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Not bad. At least he has a conscience.

He spoke slowly, his tone flat. "Li Tianxing, this is your fortuitous encounter."

Li Tianxing was taken aback. He looked up, meeting Lin Yan's calm, unruffled eyes.

"You found the map, you deduced the location, and you endured three years of being hunted. From beginning to end, this fortuitous encounter belongs to you alone."

Lin Yan picked up his teacup, blew on the tea foam, and took a sip.

"Go seek it yourself."

Li Tianxing knelt in place, his entire body seemingly frozen.

He thought he had misheard.

That was a Titled Almighty!

An existence that dominated the Eastern Region ten thousand years ago!

A treasure that even Soul Formation Venerables would covet!

And the Sect Master actually didn't want it?

Believing the Sect Master was testing him, Li Tianxing hurriedly kowtowed again, his voice even more urgent.

"Sect Master! This disciple sincerely wishes to offer this map to the sect! These are absolutely not empty words!"

"If the Sect Master obtains the inheritance of a Titled Almighty, the sect's strength will surely reach a higher level. Without the sect, this disciple would not have today, this disciple—"

"Alright, alright."

Lin Yan waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. "I appreciate your intentions, but I do not have the habit of snatching my disciples' fortuitous encounters. Do you understand?"

Li Tianxing grew anxious. "Sect Master, how can this be called snatching this disciple's fortuitous encounter? This disciple willingly..."

"Enough, enough!"

Lin Yan leaned back in his rocking chair, picked up a grape, and mumbled unclearly, "Since you've already found the location, don't waste time here. Go if you want to. Whatever you can get depends entirely on your own abilities."

Hearing this, Li Tianxing instantly stiffened in place, staring blankly at Lin Yan.

At this moment, Li Tianxing finally understood.

The Sect Master wasn't testing him.

He truly... didn't care about Emperor Cangwu's fortuitous encounter at all.

His eyes instantly turned red.

He thought back to three years ago in the Biluo Sect. Just because of a treasure map, he was framed and hunted by his most trusted elders, nearly dying in a mass grave.

Yet here, when he took the initiative to offer the treasure of a Titled Almighty, the Sect Master just waved his hand and said it was his own fortuitous encounter to take.

The contrast between the two was like heaven and earth.

A warm current surged from the bottom of his heart, instantly spreading throughout his body.

Li Tianxing took a deep breath and bowed deeply once more, his voice even firmer than before. "Sect Master, this disciple will go. If this disciple can make it out alive, everything obtained will belong entirely to the sect."

Lin Yan waved his hand without speaking, but the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.

[Ding! Detected a significant increase in Inner Disciple Li Tianxing's favorability. Loyalty +5%.]

[Ding! Detected Inner Disciple Li Tianxing's loyalty has broken through 80%! Gained Sect Master Trait Draw Chance x1.]

Whoa!

An unexpected harvest!

Lin Yan leaned back in his recliner, the curve of his mouth growing wider.

What Titled Almighty? What Half-Step Saint? Are they as fragrant as a system trait?

No matter how awesome Emperor Cangwu is, does your tomb have a Half-Step Imperial Weapon? Does it have the Left Hand of the Heavenly Demon? Does it have the Supreme Limitless Robe?

Lin Yan's heart bloomed with joy, but his face remained impassive as he waved his hand. "Alright, go on. Pay attention to your safety. If you can't win, just run. Don't force yourself."

"If the sky falls, I am here to hold it up for you!"

Lin Yan had just taken a glance; the location Li Tianxing marked should be beneath a cliff over twenty miles away.

And the sect's current territory covered thirty miles!

"Yes! This disciple obeys!"

Li Tianxing kowtowed once more, then carefully put away the map, bowed, and retreated.

As he reached the courtyard gate, he could not help but look back.

Under the old locust tree, the Sect Master was leaning back in his rocking chair, swaying leisurely.

The sunlight was perfect, and the years were peaceful.

Li Tianxing clenched his fists, his eyes incomparably resolute.

In this life, being able to follow such a Sect Master was worth it.

After Li Tianxing's figure disappeared outside the courtyard gate, Lin Yan leaned back into his rocking chair again.

He casually used his Clairvoyance to sweep a glance at the broken cliff over twenty miles away.

Before long, Li Tianxing arrived there.

He was holding the map, comparing it to the patterns on the stone wall.

Lin Yan curled his lip, withdrew his gaze, and closed his eyes to take a nap.

It was just opening a tomb. How much of a commotion could it cause?

The sky wasn't going to fall!

...

Twenty miles away, beneath the broken cliff.

Li Tianxing looked at the vine-covered stone wall before him and took a deep breath.

According to the map's guidance, the entrance to the Emperor's tomb was right here.