Three days had passed since Lin Shen fell unconscious, when he awoke he found his sister Lin Shu asleep on a chair and next to her Sun Rong slept
He smiled and placed both of them on the bed he got up and wore a set of spare robes he found on the bedside table
It fit him perfectly though he already knew his mother had them made when his got destroyed along with his EXOSUIT
The mechs would have retrieved what was left of it so he did not have to worry about it falling in the wrong hands.
As he was walking down the hallway whispered followed him and passing cultivators stepped aside and bowed in deep respect he eventually made it to the courtyard where Hell Bringer and Heaven Breaker were sparring ARCHON was just sitting and analyzing the battle the other cultivators where present and watched the battle.
As soon as he walked in the three figures stopped what they were doing and greeted him casually
The cultivators around them whispered again
"Lin Shen there you are" Madam Feng's voice carried across the courtyard "What are you doing here you are supposed to rest not move around
"Mother do not worry as you can see I am fine" Lin Shen replied
"NO YOU ARE NOT GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM" Madam Feng said in that tone mothers use when they tell their children to rest when they are sick
"I am fine I just need to get my medicine from my base and I will be back to full health" Lin Shen replied
"And how are you doing that" asked madam Feng
"When I was asleep did any flying construct come to me" Lin Shen asked
"What did it look like" madam feng asked raising one brow
"It had a flat body but from its body it had four junctions and at the top of those junctions where rotating blades" Lin Shen asked
"Yes we did see one of those it gave me a vial with unknown liquid upon further analysis we realized that it was a very potent healing elixir" madam Feng replied
"That Elixir of yours is what I made to fix my wounds in case I ended up in a state like this. Now please hand it over I know you have it" Lin Shen said with a grin
Madam Feng showed a slight smile before handing over a small vial
Lin Shen popped open the cork and chugged it down in one go
He then sat cross legged on the floor and began meditating
A strong burst of medicinal QI pushed outward but was soon suppressed by Lin Shen
He sat like that for an hour before Sun Rong and Lin Shu found him Madam Feng explained everything to Sun Rong and Lin Shu before they decided to wait
Then four more hours passed and all the damage within Lin Shen's Mind, Body and Soul mended and it became even stronger than before
Lin Shen finally got up and Sun Rong was the first to hug him followed by Lin Shu
"Dummy do you know how worried I was when I did not see you in the infirmary," said Lin Shu
"I thought something bad happened to you" Sun Rong said
The two of them finally got off him and madam Feng cleared her throat
"Lin Shen the other leaders of the murim alliance wants to meet you" Madam Feng said
Sun Rong was pouting like a child while Lin Shu and madam Feng went with him
They reached the meeting hall were various elders sat around a round table there the leaders present where from the nine great sects and five noble families
There was
Madam Feng of theGolden Azure sect
Abbot Fang Zheng the leader of Shaolin temple
Heo San from the Wudang sect
Hyun Jong from Mount Hua
Hong Qigong from the beggar's Union
Abbess Miejue from the Emei Sect
He Zudao from the Kunlun sect
Yu Canghai from the Qingcheng sect
Even the five elders of the Kongtong sect where present
The room fell silent as Lin Shen stepped forward.
"Amitabha... so you are Lin Shen. Your actions on the battlefield have shaken many." Abbot Zhang Feng spoke
"Young man, defeating Ascendant cultivators at your age... that is no small feat." said Heo San
"Hmph. Feat or not, we still don't know how he did it." said Hyun Jong arrogantly
"I can show you but don't complain if you lose your limbs later" Lin Shen replied matching his tone
"Haha! He is a firm one and Straight to the point, I like that." Hong Qigong in a cheerful laid back tone
"Power without clarity is dangerous. We must understand what we are dealing with." Said Abbess Miejue
"Getting afraid of what you can't control is an entirely different story" Lin Shen replied
"Those... constructs you used. They are not orthodox techniques." said He Zudao
"They are neither demonic nor righteous. That makes them... unpredictable." Said Yu Canghai nervously
A brief silence fills the room
"My son fought to defend the alliance. That much should be clear." Madam Feng Said trying to defend Lin Shen
"No one denies his contribution. But power of unknown origin—" Hyun Jong said before Lin Shen cut him off
"If I intended harm, I wouldn't be standing here, neither would I appear on the battlefield" Lin Shen stated calmly
Another silence fills the room this time it was longer
"Then explain it to us. What exactly are those... 'mechs'?" Heo San asked
"They are companions, nothing more they were originally built to protect myself but enemies kept appearing SO I had to improvise." Lin Shen stated calmly "Each mech can think and act on its own but they are still young and have not yet seen the world"
"Tools capable of thinking and acting while also rivaling high-level cultivators are not something that can be dismissed" Yu Canghai said narrowing his eyes
"Let the boy speak. You're all acting like he's already an enemy." Hong Qigong said with a grin
"Then speak clearly. Are these methods something others can learn?" Abbess Miejue asked out of curiosity
Lin Shen thought about it for a moment and replied:
"If it is just building the gadgets and the mechs yes they can but it will take a lot of time, on top of that if you want to add an AI it would take even longer"
The hall went into chaos
"If such power spreads, it could disrupt the balance of Murim." He Zudao said his face showing concern
"Or destroy it entirely." Hyun Jong said his face showing fear
"It can also protect it." Replied Madam Feng firmly
"Peace." The moment that word left Abbot Fang Zheng's mouth the entire room settles then he looks directly at Lin Shen and asked the one question that was on everyone's mind "Lin Shen, what is it that you seek?"
There was a long pause before Lin Shen finally spoke "Progress."
"at what cost?" Heo San asked
"That depends on whether the world chooses to stand with me... or against me." Lin Shen replied
There was another long silence though you could hear Hong Qigong laughing softly
"Well said! I like this one." Hong Qigong said trying to hide a smile
"Bold words for someone so young." Yu Canghai replied coldly
"Then treat them as a warning, not arrogance." Lin Shen said meeting Yu Canghai's cold gaze
There was another silence, heavier this time it was so heavy that everyone almost choked on it
Then Abbot Fang Zheng spoke:
"...Then let us proceed carefully."