The entire Lin Clan felt unusually tense as word spread through the courtyards. Servants hurried along the stone paths, and elders stepped out from their halls with tightened expressions. Even the air seemed different—heavy, waiting, charged with something only the old generation truly understood.
Lin Tian walked at the center of the gathering, just behind the clan leader. His heart beat faster with each step toward the main gate. He had not seen his grandfather in years. The old master rarely returned unless something demanded his presence—something great or something terrible.
He swallowed, trying to steady himself.
'He must have heard the news… about the engagement still standing.'
Bai Xueya followed a short distance behind him. She didn't speak, but the quiet way she watched him made the air feel steadier. Her steps were calm, composed, though there was tension in her fingers where they held her sleeve.
The crowd parted as the heavy wooden doors of the main gate opened.
A lone figure stood there.
Lin Haoyang wore plain traveling robes, dust on his sleeves and boots, as if he had rushed back without rest. His hair was silver-white, tied simply, but nothing about him looked fragile. His posture was straight, his presence impossible to ignore, even though he released no aura at all.
Lin Zhaotian stepped forward and bowed. "Father."
Lin Haoyang lifted a hand lightly, signaling him to rise, but his eyes were not on the clan leader.
They were fixed on Lin Tian.
The old master took a single slow breath, and the crowd went silent.
Lin Tian stopped several paces away. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He didn't know how to greet the man who had once taught him to hold a brush, who had carried him on his shoulders as a child, who vanished into long seclusions after Lin Tian's parents died.
Lin Haoyang closed the distance and raised a hand.
Then he pulled Lin Tian into a firm embrace.
The courtyard seemed to freeze.
Lin Tian stiffened, startled. The old master's arms were strong—warmer than he remembered, trembling slightly as if holding back years of worry.
"You've grown," Haoyang murmured against his shoulder. "And I wasn't here to see it."
Lin Tian swallowed, unsure whether to speak or simply cling to the moment. His hands came up slowly, returning the embrace.
A few elders exchanged quiet glances. They had not seen the old master show emotion like this in decades. Bai Xueya lowered her gaze respectfully, her lips tightening with something between relief and warmth.
Lin Haoyang finally pulled back, his hands still on Lin Tian's shoulders. His voice dropped. "I heard the engagement still holds. That alone eased my heart."
Lin Tian nodded. "It does… and I'm grateful."
Lin Tian inhaled. There was no point delaying it. He met his grandfather's gaze and said clearly, "Grandfather… I can cultivate now."
The courtyard fell silent.
For a moment, Haoyang simply stared. The lines on his face froze, as if the words couldn't reach him. When they finally did, his breath caught in his throat.
"Really? Show me," he said softly.
Lin Tian nodded. He centered his breathing, guided qi into his meridians, and let it rise. A soft glow wrapped around his hands and shoulders. The faint aura expanded several inches from his skin.
Elementary Spirit Realm. Third Level.
Haoyang's lips parted slightly.
"This…This… shouldn't be possible," he whispered.
He reached out with trembling fingers, not using any spiritual sense—just touching Lin Tian's arm, feeling the qi flow, the living proof that the body once sealed and cripple was now fully functional.
Lin Tian stood still, letting him feel what he needed to feel.
When Haoyang finally exhaled, it sounded like a man releasing a weight he had carried for years.
Lin Zhaotian stepped closer, bowing his head slightly. "This is something that I was not expecting. Tian'er showed his aura just this morning."
Around them, the elders remained quiet. Their expressions held surprise, confusion, and a subtle shift in how they viewed Lin Tian—but nothing disrespectful.
Instead, they murmured:
"The direct bloodline awakens again."
"Our clan's decline may slow after all."
"Such fortune… it feels like a blessing from the heavens."
A few elders looked uneasy, unsure how this miracle would change future clan structure, but even they kept their voices low. The Lin Clan was a proud clan, even in decline. They would not behave aggressively before the old master.
Lin Haoyang turned to them, expression firm. "There will be no wild speculation. His awakening is a matter for the family to understand first."
The elders bowed respectfully and stepped back.
Haoyang placed a hand on Lin Tian's back. "Come, walk with me."
The courtyard parted as they left. Bai Xueya hesitated, watching them go, then gave a small bow and stayed behind. This was a private moment.
Haoyang and Lin Tian walked along a quiet stone path lined with bamboo. The sound of leaves brushing in the wind softened the world around them.
For a long time, Haoyang said nothing. He simply watched Lin Tian. Eventually, he placed two fingers on Lin Tian's wrist—checking his body and qi flow.
His brow furrowed slightly.
"Your channels…" he murmured. "They move too cleanly for someone who is cripple from birth."
Lin Tian tensed, unsure how to respond. His heart beat faster.
'He can't know about the system… he can't sense it. No cultivator should be able to.'
Haoyang didn't press. Instead, a small smile appeared on his face.
"This is a blessing," he said quietly. "A miracle given to you when every door should have been closed."
He released Lin Tian's wrist and looked up at the sky. His voice grew gentler.
"Every healer said your condition could never be undone. Your parents already accept it as a fact that cannot be changed. Even I… I stopped hoping."
Lin Tian felt his throat tighten. "I didn't think it would ever change either."
"And yet it did." Haoyang chuckled weakly, shaking his head. "The heavens finally showed mercy to our lineage."
He placed both hands on Lin Tian's shoulders, steady and warm.
"Tian'er… whatever allowed this, cherish it. Such fortune does not come twice, and this is also the opportunity for you to make your parent prouder in heaven."
Lin Tian nodded. "I will, Grandfather. I will definitely make them proud."
Haoyang looked at him again, deeper this time. Almost as if seeing a new person.
"Your foundation," he whispered, "it's cleaner than any natural awakening I've seen in all my years."
He exhaled—a sound somewhere between awe and a trembling laugh.
"I don't know how this happened… but Tian'er, the heavens truly changed your fate."
The bamboo leaves rustled around them, carrying the moment into silence.
End of Chapter 10