Ultimate Path to Heaven

Chapter 24 A Fatal Fate?

As dusk deepened and seeped into the canyon, the silhouette of the wooden cabin was gradually swallowed by the mountain shadows.

The oil lamp hanging under the eaves suddenly lit up, its dim yellow light trembling on the pine window frame like a tired butterfly.

To avoid any issues, Lin Yan arranged a relatively secluded place of residence for Xiao Jin and the others.

[System notification: Strength +1...]

The system had already given a notification the moment the Blood Guards knelt down. And the instant Xiao Jin stepped into his resting cabin, his strength points finally reached 100.

Overjoyed, Xiao Jin only glanced at the system and saw that the unknown had turned into spiritual power value before he paid no attention to anything else, as Xiao Muyu followed him into the wooden house.

They hadn't sat down inside yet.

"Jin'er!" After a moment's hesitation, Xiao Muyu slowly asked, "Don't you have anything you want to say to your mother?"

Damn it!

Xiao Jin's deepest fears have come true...

Fortunately, the original owner's memory fragments included the matter of a full moon, and Xiao Jin had repeatedly thought about this issue. After Wang Suiyue's explanation, Xiao Jin actually came up with a set of explanations.

"I'm sure Mother still remembers every full moon..."

Since the fog enveloped the land, there has been a full moon every month in the Divine Land Kingdom. Each full moon reveals spiritual energy to varying degrees, and Xiao Jin experiences some strange occurrences during each full moon.

Xiao Muyu, as an observer, saw this even more clearly than Xiao Jin.

"Before I fell into a coma from the whipping, during each full moon, I was unaware that the pain originated from spiritual energy entering my body..."

"Looking back now, it must have been that the spiritual energy that entered my body tempered my flesh and bones, but after the spiritual energy left my body... it was not only as if my essence and spirit were being drained, but it also seemed to stimulate my soul, making me feel a certain fear..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Muyu unconsciously looked at Xiao Jin.

In fact, the original owner of Xiao Jin was always physically robust and not skinny. He just lacked energy, had a sickly complexion, and his eyes were dull and lifeless.

Everything seemed to be just as Xiao Jin had said.

"But...but why can't Jin'er use her cultivation technique to draw spiritual energy into her body?"

Just as Xiao Muyu was thinking this, Xiao Jin continued, "During the process of being unconscious from the whipping wound, it seems that something stimulated my body when I was on the verge of death. The feeling inside... was as if it came from the depths of my soul."

Seeing Xiao Muyu's stunned expression, Xiao Jin thought that his mother must have believed his lies, since he had fabricated the story based on the original owner's situation.

At this point, Xiao Jin suddenly had a thought: "While my son was unconscious, he had a very long dream, and just before he woke up... he seemed to dream about his father as well."

The sudden mention of the word "father" made Xiao Muyu, who was in a daze, look at Xiao Jin abruptly, making Xiao Jin think that he shouldn't have mentioned the word "father."

In fact, the original owner of the body, Xiao Jin, never mentioned the word "father" even when he was young.

Xiao Muyu, who was sensitive to the word "two words," withdrew her gaze from Xiao Jin and seemed to be talking to herself, lost in thought. Xiao Jin was puzzled and became even more curious about his father.

"So, Jin'er's abnormality really is related to his bloodline..." This time, Xiao Muyu's mutterings were heard by Xiao Jin.

Bloodline?

Is that your father?

Hearing the word "bloodline" from Xiao Muyu's mutterings, Xiao Jin finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Father, he..."

Somewhat he hesitated to speak, but seeing that his mother was no longer so sensitive, Xiao Jin continued, "What kind of being is it?"

"Very strong!"

Xiao Muyu seemed to have thought about something, her expression clearly fluctuating, but she only said "very strong," perhaps intentionally avoiding some sensitive topics.

"Very strong?"

Xiao Jin didn't understand why she used those two words, but at least he got a response from his mother.

"How do they compare to Commander Wang and his men?"

"We are all ants before him!" As she said this, Xiao Muyu unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes, and a certain resentment was hard to hide in her eyes.

"..."

Xiao Jin had intended to use those two words to start a conversation, but his mother's response was so shocking that he didn't notice Xiao Muyu's actions and expression at all.

The reason for the shock was that Wang Suiyue mentioned the ninth rank and above, which seemed to be a rumor... and probably not even existed in the entire Divine Continent.

But compared to an ant, isn't a mother...?

"etc!"

Suddenly realizing something, Xiao Jin immediately looked at the system. What was originally unknown was not spiritual energy value, but spiritual power value.

Recalling Wang Suiyue's explanation, after gathering spiritual energy in the dantian and transforming it into something controllable, it would form the so-called spiritual power... above the ninth rank?

Realizing this, Xiao Jin wanted further confirmation: "Does Father possess spiritual power?"

Regardless of whether Xiao Muyu knew about spiritual power, Xiao Jin tentatively asked a question.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Muyu, who had been pondering something, reacted strongly: "How did you know?"

Perhaps realizing she had been too emotional, Xiao Muyu calmed herself down and slowly continued, "It should be Wang Suiyue, but it's one thing to say those two words, but once..."

She stopped there, and Xiao Muyu looked at Xiao Jin very seriously: "If one day my son is able to touch upon those two words, remember to inform your mother immediately!"

"Why is this?" Regardless of whether she could access spiritual power, her mother seemed quite sensitive to these two words.

After a long silence and much thought, Xiao Muyu ultimately did not respond to Xiao Jin.

"Perhaps things will be different tonight at midnight." For some reason, Xiao Muyu stood up at this moment. "I will have the two commanders stand guard outside to ensure that Jin'er is not disturbed by anyone."

After saying that, Xiao Muyu walked straight out of the wooden house, seemingly in a hurry.

Immediately after leaving, Xiao Muyu headed straight for the wooden house where Wang Suiyue was.

"Small......"

"Lie down quickly, no need for formalities!"

Despite the aid of medicine and martial arts techniques, Wang Suiyue's complexion was still very poor. It was unclear why Xiao Muyu would still send such a Wang Suiyue to keep watch at night.

"Recount the entire process to me again, without missing a single detail."

As an "ordinary woman," Xiao Muyu knew far more about spiritual power than a ninth-rank expert like Wang Suiyue. However, she couldn't be sure how it applied to Xiao Jin.

She wasn't 'doubting' her son, but rather worried about his spiritual power; 'fearful' would be a more accurate description.

"So, Jin'er is unable to draw spiritual energy from heaven and earth into his body?"

"That should be it."

Although it is unknown how powerful the young master is, Wang Suiyue can still be certain that he has a special physique, as he cannot draw spiritual energy from heaven and earth into his body.

Wang Suiyue, who had been a ninth-rank official for over twenty years, truly couldn't understand it.

At this moment, Xiao Muyu fell silent. "A fatal disaster?"

Even the most heartless person wouldn't harm their own flesh and blood...

Having reached this point in her thoughts, Xiao Muyu, seemingly conflicted, made a difficult decision: "Before midnight, you and Commander Ye will guard outside Jin'er's room... During this time, if any unusual spiritual energy movements exceed your comprehension, you must immediately stop Jin'er..."

"This..." Wang Suiyue was clearly agitated, his emotions running high as he endured the pain to sit up. "Why is this happening?"

The unusual fluctuations in spiritual energy are beyond our comprehension, which means it must be above the ninth rank. Why try to stop something so desirable?

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise." Her tone softened, and Xiao Muyu sighed with some reluctance. "There are some things I can't explain yet... At least for now, we can't let Jin'er put herself in danger!"