Mu Lin’s plan was to identify the magical artifacts these Westerners relied upon, find their commonalities, and once he uncovered the characteristics of the artifacts these people ultimately depended on, that would be the moment for him to act.
That’s why he studied these two hard-won magical artifacts so meticulously. If the first level space of the cross functioned like an amplifier formation, then the second level of the cross must be a protective formation.
Mu Lin re-carved a formation he had just obtained from the cross onto the necklace he had made himself. He left some true yuan energy inside the necklace and reactivated its protective formation. Then he used his newly made long sword and slashed downward, approaching the necklace. Just as the sword neared, it was blocked by the protective formation on the necklace. Even when he increased the output of his true yuan energy, the necklace still blocked his sword. It seems this formation for amplifying true yuan energy was indeed effective. Humans really were clever creatures; when their strength was insufficient, they always found ways to be resourceful and find shortcuts.
Mu Lin’s idea was to find the magic weapons these Westerners relied on and identify their commonalities. Once he discovered the characteristics of these ultimate weapons they depended on, it would be time for him to take action.
That’s why he studied these two hard-won treasures so meticulously. If the first layer of the cross was an amplifying formation, then the second layer must surely be a defensive one.
Mu Lin carved a newly acquired formation from the cross onto the necklace he had crafted, infusing it with his true essence energy and reactivating its defensive array. When he swung his newly forged sword at it, the necklace’s defensive formation immediately blocked the strike. Even when he increased the output of his true essence energy, the formation still held firm against his sword. It seemed this amplifying formation was indeed effective. Humans were truly adaptable creatures—when their strength fell short, they always found clever shortcuts.
Haha, success! Mu Lin jumped for joy. The two formations he had researched seemed even more effective than the original cross. So these Westerners’ magic weapons weren’t all that impressive—they were just suitable for his current level of ability. Now, Mu Lin could study the cross without any reservations.
Channeling his true essence energy, Mu Lin forcibly broke into the formation inside the cross. The residual energy within was minimal and was quickly dispersed by his own power. However, the already damaged cross shattered completely under the force of his true essence energy.
No matter—Mu Lin felt no regret. He picked up the broken pieces and casually tossed them into his ring, effectively covering his tracks.
By the time Mu Lin emerged from his second meditation session, the sky was already bright. Stretching lazily, his thoughts turned to how he could assist the town of Lorient. Looking out the window, he realized he had been here for nearly four months with no news of his family. A pang of worry and longing struck him.
Now that his body had fully recovered and he had forged a weapon suited to his current abilities, Mu Lin decided it was time to begin his revenge. This time, he would force the current Y government and royal family to bow their proud heads.
Picking up the phone on the table, Mu Lin dialed the Douglas Law Firm in Boston. He wanted to inquire about his family’s situation and the Y government’s reaction after their failed attempt to stop him. After all, they had paid a heavy price—especially with the loss of five warships—and would surely need to justify it to the parliament and the public.
Since the lighthouse phone was essentially a public line, Mu Lin placed a collect call, requiring the recipient’s approval before the connection could be established. Months of isolation had left him uneasy—he had no idea whether his family back in U was safe.
Soon, the call was accepted. “Hello! How may I help you? Do you have an appointment? The boss isn’t in right now—is there anything I can do for you?” The secretary on the other end sounded cautious, clearly instructed by Douglas to handle such calls carefully.
Hearing the connection, Mu Lin’s tension eased slightly. “I’m a friend of your boss. I’m currently in France and facing some trouble. Please notify him immediately—tell him I need his help.”
Unsure whether the secretary was part of the family, Mu Lin kept his words vague. Still, the fact that they took an international collect call seriously suggested things back home hadn’t changed drastically. But he’d have to wait for Douglas’s response to be sure.
Soon enough, Douglas called back. “Hello! Young Master! Is that you? Are you alright?” Douglas blurted out excitedly, without a trace of restraint.
A weight lifted from Mu Lin’s heart. “Yes, Douglas, it’s me. I’m fine. How is everything at home?” His voice carried a hint of emotion.
“Everything’s fine! But we lost contact with you so suddenly, and for so long—everyone’s been worried sick! What kind of trouble are you in, Young Master? What can I do?” Douglas regained some composure as he pressed for details.
“Listen, Douglas, my situation is complicated. For now, just let the family know I’m safe—don’t tell them anything else. I need to handle some things alone, and it might be a while before I return. There’s nothing you can do to help directly. Pass on my orders: no one is to leave Boston during this time. The family’s safety is your priority—have the allied families monitor any suspicious individuals trying to approach them. If anything seems off, report them to the police immediately. Remember, we’re legitimate businessmen now. Keeping the family safe so I don’t have to worry about them is the best thing you can do for me.
“Also, send someone from your French branch to Lorient to find me. Make sure it’s someone sharp, reliable, and who’s met me before. And I repeat—no one from the family or the allied factions is to come here. For everyone’s safety, no reckless moves.
“I’ve had some trouble recently, so your agent must operate discreetly—no drawing attention. I just need a plausible excuse to leave this place.”
Mu Lin waited for Douglas’s response, testing whether they still thought independently and whether his control over them had weakened.
“Young Master, with your abilities, can’t you just leave on your own? Why involve our French branch? Have you lost your mobility? If so, I’ll gather men immediately to protect you!”
Mu Lin chuckled. His influence hadn’t waned, and they still had their own judgment.
“Douglas, do you doubt my words now? I don’t need your concern—just follow orders.” Without giving Douglas a chance to reply, Mu Lin hung up.
He extended his true yuan energy into it and forcefully broke into the formation. The energy remaining inside the cross was only a trace and was quickly dispersed by Mu Lin’s true yuan energy. However, the already damaged cross was further shattered by Mu Lin’s energy.
Broken? So be it. Mu Lin didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret. He picked up the debris from the ground and casually stuffed it into his ring, effectively destroying all evidence.
When Mu Lin awoke from meditation the second time, it was already bright daylight. After stretching lazily, he began thinking about how to help the town of Lorient. Looking out the window at the scenery, he realized he had been here for nearly four months already and had no idea how his family was doing back home—he felt both worried and homesick.
Now that his body had fully recovered and he had refined magical artifacts suitable for his current cultivation level, Mu Lin decided it was time to begin his revenge. This time, he would make sure the Y country’s current government and royal family would bow their proud heads.
He picked up the telephone on the desk and began dialing the Douglas Law Firm in Boston. He wanted to first learn about his family’s situation and find out how the Y government had reacted after their attempt to stop him. After all, they had already paid a huge price for him, especially regarding the incident with the five warships—they would certainly have to explain themselves to the parliament and the general public.
Since the lighthouse phone was essentially a public phone, Mu Lin dialed a collect call, which required the recipient’s acceptance before the call could go through. Months without news had made Mu Lin somewhat anxious; he had no idea whether everything was still okay back home in country U.
Soon, the other party accepted the charges, and the call connected. “Hello, may I ask what you need? Do you have an appointment? The boss is out at the moment. Is there anything I can do for you?” The secretary at Douglas’s office answered cautiously, clearly aware of the collect call’s nature and that Douglas had given her specific instructions.
Mu Lin’s heart steadied slightly with the connection. “I am a friend of your boss. Right now I’m in France and have encountered some trouble. Please notify your boss immediately—I need his help!”
Mu Lin wasn’t sure whether the secretary was a family member or not, so he couldn’t be too explicit. However, at least one thing was clear: his family’s situation must not have changed significantly, or else they wouldn’t be paying attention to an international collect call. Still, it all depended on how quickly Douglas would call back.
Soon, as he waited, the call from Douglas finally came through. “Master! Is that really you? Are you okay?” Douglas shouted excitedly into the receiver, without any restraint.
A weight lifted from Mu Lin’s heart. “Yes, it’s me, Douglas. I’m fine. Is everything okay at home?”
“Everything at home is fine! But we suddenly lost contact with you for such a long time, which caused great concern among the family. No one knew what had happened to you. Master, what trouble have you encountered? What do you need me to do?” Douglas, now somewhat calmer, began asking questions.
“Well, Douglas, my situation is complicated and hard to explain quickly. For now, just let the family know I’m safe. Don’t tell them anything else about my current circumstances.
Right now, I need to handle some things on my own, and it might take quite a while before I can return home. You wouldn’t be able to help with this matter at all. Just tell the family it was my order that no one is to leave Boston during this period. You and the other families should assign people to monitor the family’s safety. If any suspicious individuals or strangers try to approach them, immediately report them to the police. Remember, we are now legitimate businessmen. Ensuring the family’s safety and preventing me from worrying about them will be the best service you can provide me.
Additionally, arrange for someone from your French branch to come to Lorient town to find me. Send someone clever, reliable, and who has seen me before. Let me remind you again: neither the family nor you people from the more noticeable families are to take any independent action or come here recklessly—for your safety and mine.
Recently, I’ve encountered some trouble, so the person you send must not act ostentatiously on behalf of the company. Everything must be done discreetly. I just need a suitable excuse to leave this place.”
After Mu Lin finished speaking, he waited for Douglas’s response. He wanted to see whether they still had independent thinking abilities and whether his influence over them had weakened.
“Master, with your abilities, couldn’t you just leave directly? Why do you need someone from our French branch to come find you? Could it be that you’ve already lost your ability to act independently? If that’s the case, Master, I’ll come immediately to protect you!”
After hearing Douglas’s words, Mu Lin smiled slightly. It seemed his influence had not weakened, and they still retained their independent thinking abilities.
“Douglas, are you doubting my words now? You don’t need to worry too much about how I handle things. Just follow my orders!” With that, Mu Lin hung up the phone immediately, not giving Douglas a chance to speak further.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage