blogombal Chapter 286 The Three Old Men Help
Chapter 286 The Three Old Men Help
The guests had all left, and the night was deep and quiet.
Lin Yan sat alone on the terrace, the night breeze caressing his face, but unable to dispel the determination in his eyes. Eighteen years old signifies adulthood in this world, but for him, it also means that the threshold to the Golden Core path is now clearly visible.
With a slight thought, his figure vanished from his original spot and reappeared in the space. Without lingering, he took a step and arrived at the courtyard near the Starshine Tower, which was always filled with the fragrance of herbs and the light of spiritual runes—the herbal medicine hut where the masters, Elder Dan, Elder Fu, and Elder Zhen, usually meditated and discussed.
The three elders seemed to have sensed his arrival and were waiting around the stone table in the courtyard. When Lin Yan appeared, their eyes showed relief and understanding.
Lin Yan cupped his hands in a respectful bow: "Teachers, I am preparing to break through to the Golden Core stage."
He got straight to the point: "Currently, I have comprehended seven of the eight basic artistic conceptions: water, fire, wood, earth, wind, thunder, and ice. I am only missing the final one, the artistic conception of 'metal.'" His tone carried a hint of regret. "Unfortunately, this space is a self-contained world, isolated from the external Heavenly Dao. I cannot comprehend the artistic conceptions, nor can I trigger the Heavenly Tribulation. I must go to the outside world to find an opportunity and a place to transcend the tribulation."
He took a deep breath, his expression becoming solemn: "Moreover, I have a strong premonition that with such a foundation, the Heavenly Dao... will probably not let me off easily, and the tribulation lightning that descends will be no ordinary matter. Therefore, the quantity and quality of pills, talismans, defensive magical artifacts, especially composite defensive array plates that can be used in combination, need to be prepared far beyond the ordinary. This time, I will have to trouble the teachers to take care of things."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Elder Dan spoke first, his voice booming: "Young Master, what are you saying! From ancient times to the present, I have never seen a prodigy like you, who has condensed his core with the Eight Intentions and possesses such profound foundation! To be able to contribute to your Golden Core Tribulation is an opportunity I have longed for!"
The old talisman holder, stroking his beard, chuckled, "Indeed. Young Master's appearance is the greatest ray of dawn we have seen after ten thousand years of silence. Even if I exhaust my entire stockpile of talismans needed for the mere Golden Core Tribulation, and inscribe them until my soul is weary, I will certainly prepare enough for Young Master to withstand the wrath of heaven!"
The old man, who had been deducing the trajectory of a certain array, also looked up, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and said, "Young Master, rest assured! Leave the matter of the defensive composite array plate to me. Even if we have to turn the Myriad Evolutions Mountain Range upside down, we will find the finest spiritual materials and precious jades to set up a series of interconnected arrays that can withstand the heavenly tribulation for you!"
The three elders exchanged a smile, and a powerful and confident aura rose from their aged bodies as they unanimously assured their successor, on whom they had placed such high hopes:
"Young Master, please focus on your cultivation and seek the essence of metal. We will take care of these external preparations!"
Seeing the unwavering support and soaring spirit in the eyes of the three teachers, Lin Yan's last lingering concerns vanished. He bowed deeply once more:
"In that case, Lin Yan thanks all the teachers!"
Lin Yan's divine sense entered Lin Yi's sea of consciousness downstairs:
"Lin Yi, I will begin preparing for my Golden Core Tribulation. Immediately dispatch two reliable Golden Core cultivators to search the South China Sea and the depths of the Pacific Ocean, respectively. The target is an uninhabited deserted island, which must meet two conditions: first, it must be far from the mainland and shipping lanes to ensure that the tribulation will not affect innocent people; second, if there are any living beings on the island, they must be properly relocated to other suitable islands."
Lin Yi's divine sense responded immediately, filled with concern: "Young Master, how dangerous is this tribulation?"
Lin Yan's response was unequivocal and resolute:
"How can one not face danger when contending with the heavens? But the path of cultivation is inherently about going against the current. If one hesitates because of fear of obstacles, the path will end here. There is no need to worry. Elder Dan and Elder Zhen are already preparing a foolproof plan for me. Once everything is ready, I will initiate my tribulation. You only need to find me a 'clean' place to undergo the tribulation."
"Understood! I will take care of it immediately and will find the most suitable place for you."
New York International Airport, December 22
The waiting area was bustling with people, filled with the festive cheer. Tom and Mike, like two puppies on their first long trip, pressed themselves against the huge glass window, watching the planes take off and land on the runway, almost jumping for joy. For them, this was not only their first time on an airplane, but also their first time stepping out of the country.
Daniel's parents, on the other hand, appeared much more composed. With polite smiles, they led their son to Lin Yan. Mr. Li said sincerely, "Lin, thank you so much. We know you waived all our airfare; it's really too much trouble for us."
Lin Yan smiled and waved his hand, explaining calmly, "Mr. Li, Mrs. Li, you're too kind. It's not that I specifically requested a discount; it's just that I happen to dislike the noise of regular passenger planes, so I had my butler charter a jet and the entire crew. There are plenty of seats on the plane, so there's no need for you to incur any extra expense."
He spoke casually, as if chartering a plane were as common as calling a taxi.
Tom and Mike, who happened to be standing nearby, overheard these words. Their eyes widened instantly, and their jaws nearly dropped to the ground.
"Charter...charter an entire plane?!" Tom stammered, repeating himself, feeling his understanding of "being rich" being refreshed once again.
Mike let out a strange yell and lunged at Lin Yan, trying to give him a bear hug: "Lin! You're an angel sent by God!"
Lin Yan smiled and nimbly dodged to the side, reminding him, "Alright, let's get ready to board. Our 'private vehicle' is waiting for us."
Amidst the curious and envious gazes of the surrounding passengers, this special group, guided by their dedicated flight attendants, headed towards the jet aircraft that required no waiting in line.
As they stepped onto the plane via the dedicated jet bridge and into the cabin, the group froze at the doorway as if under a spell.
"My God..." Tom murmured to himself, everything before him was beyond his entire imagination of "airplanes".
The spacious interior, the soft leather seats that you can sink into, the gleaming wood trim, and the warm lighting... it all feels like a dream.
"W-Is this really an airplane? Lin! This is even more comfortable than my living room!" Mike finally found his voice and let out a suppressed exclamation. He touched this and looked at that, carefully stroking the smooth wood grain, and curiously studying the complicated buttons next to the seat, trying to figure out the function of each one—adjusting the backrest, raising the footrest, and even the button to call the flight attendant all made him very happy.
"Look! Press this button and the chair turns into a bed!" Tom roared excitedly at Mike, as if he had discovered a treasure. The two were completely immersed in the new experience of first class, as excited as children who had received the best Christmas present.
In contrast, Daniel's family appeared much more restrained, but their excitement was equally evident. Mr. Li, supporting his wife's arm, murmured, "This is a jet airliner...it's like two different eras compared to the propeller planes we used to fly in."
The propeller planes they had flown on before were deafeningly noisy, turbulent, and had only simple side-by-side seats with no concept of "class." Here, however, the quiet, smooth, and luxurious atmosphere gave them their first direct experience of what "first class" truly meant. Although they maintained polite smiles, the novelty and admiration in their eyes were impossible to conceal.
In stark contrast to the excitement of these three men, Charles, Lin Gang, and Wang Yuling remained extremely calm.
Charles skillfully hung Lin Yan's light jacket in the closet and gently confirmed with the flight attendant the young master's preferred drink temperature and snack texture for the flight. Lin Gang sat quietly in his seat, his gaze calmly sweeping across the window. Wang Yuling had already taken out her embroidery, and under the soft reading light, her fingers flew across the paper.