DipNovel Chapter 48: Zhangwushan Town
Chapter 48: Zhangwushan Town
The morning after his dragon transformation, Lin Yun made a decision—to return to Wushan Town.
This thought had been swirling in his mind since last night. The Azure Spirit Fruit had purified his bloodline, granting him the ability to transform into a dragon. He had to tell his father about this, and besides, there was another urgent matter that required his attention!
Hogg had endured too much over the years: the decline of his family, the disappearance of his wife, the future of his three sons—all the burdens rested on his shoulders. When the bloodline test results came back, Linley and Lin Yun's bloodline concentrations were insufficient for dragon transformation. Although Wharton's concentration met the standard, Wharton was only twelve years old and still studying at O'Brien Imperial Academy. Although Hogg said nothing, Lin Yun could sense his disappointment. The Baruch family's dragonblood warrior bloodline, passed down for thousands of years, now had only one child with the potential to inherit it.
Now, he can finally give his father an explanation.
Lin Yun stood up from the bluestone and stretched his body. The energy of the Jade Spirit Fruit had not been fully digested yet; he could feel a warm power still lingering in his body, slowly nourishing his bloodline.
He changed into clean clothes, put on his spatial ring, and then walked back to his dormitory along the path behind the mountain.
The courtyard of Dormitory 1987 was quiet. Yale and Reno's room doors were closed; they were probably still asleep. George's room was also silent. Linley's room door was open; it was empty, the bed was neatly made, and several books on wind magic were on the table.
"He's not back yet." Lin Yun stood at the door, looking at the empty room, and frowned slightly. Lin Lei had been in the Monster Mountain Range for almost three months, a month longer than originally planned. Although he had confidence in Lin Lei's abilities, it would be a lie to say he wasn't worried.
But now is not the time to think about these things. Lin Yun left a note on the table, telling Lin Lei that he had returned to Wushan Town and that he shouldn't worry when he came back. Then he turned and walked out of the dormitory.
It would take most of the day to walk from Ernst Academy to Wushan Town. At his current speed, this distance was nothing. Moreover, he wanted to take this opportunity to properly experience the changes in his body after transforming into a dragon.
The country lanes were shrouded in a thin morning mist, and the wheat seedlings in the fields on both sides were green, with dewdrops sparkling on the leaves. Occasionally, a few early birds flew overhead, chirping sweetly.
Lin Yun was fast, yet his steps were light. His physical abilities, enhanced by the Jade Spirit Fruit, far surpassed his former self; each stride allowed him to leap several meters, yet he landed almost silently. This was a technique he learned from the secret art "Wind Spirit Movement"—infusing the power of the wind into his steps, making his body as light as a feather. The same secret art was far more powerful in the Panlong World than in Swallowed Star.
He encountered no trouble along the way. Occasionally, a few low-level magical beasts would dart out from the roadside woods, but upon sensing the aura emanating from him, they would immediately tuck their tails between their legs and flee. The mental pressure of a ninth-level mage was beyond the withstands of these low-level magical beasts.
In just about an hour, the outline of Wushan Town finally came into view.
The town was much the same as when he left—low houses, narrow streets, and distant, faintly visible mountains. The old locust tree at the town entrance was still the same, with lush foliage, and several old men were playing chess under it.
Lin Yun slowed his pace and walked into the town.
Baruch Manor is located at the very back of town, requiring one to traverse the entire town of Wushan to reach it. Along the way, many residents recognized him and greeted him.
"Young Master Lin Yun is back?"
"I heard you're studying magic at Ernst Academy? That's the top magic academy on the continent!"
"Young Master Lin Yun has grown taller again, just like your father when he was young."
Lin Yun smiled and responded to everyone, but his steps didn't falter. He could feel his heart racing. It wasn't nervousness, but a complex mix of emotions—a feeling of trepidation at returning home.
Finally, the gates of Baruch Manor appeared before him.
The manor remained the same. The weathered stone walls, the rusted iron gates, the overgrown courtyard. Everything was exactly the same as when he left, yet it seemed as if nothing had changed.
Lin Yun pushed open the iron gate and went inside.
In the courtyard, Hogg was sitting on a stone bench beneath the dragon-shaped sculpture, holding a yellowed book in his hand, seemingly studying something. He wore an old, faded robe, and his temples had more white hair than when Lin Yun left.
Hearing footsteps, Hogg looked up. When he saw Lin Yun standing in front of him, he almost dropped the book in his hand.
"Lin Yun?" Hogg stood up, his eyes filled with surprise and delight. "Why are you back today? Is the academy on holiday?"
"No." Lin Yun walked up to his father, looking at his thin face, a pang of sadness welled up in his heart. "I just wanted to come back and see you."
Hogg looked his son up and down, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "You've grown taller and stronger. Looks like you've put in a lot of effort at the academy."
He paused, then asked, "Where's Lin Lei? Didn't he come back with you?"
"My elder brother is still training in the Monster Mountain Range and won't be back for a while," Lin Yun said.
Hogg nodded without asking further questions. He had confidence in both sons. Lin Lei was steady and reliable, while Lin Yun was intelligent and gifted; neither of them were children who would cause trouble.
"Walton is at O'Brien Imperial Academy. He wrote to me last month saying he's doing very well there and has already reached the sixth level of warrior," Hogg said with a smile. "That kid has never caused us any trouble since he was a child."
Lin Yun smiled. Wharton was only three years younger than him and Linley, and was twelve this year. The three brothers grew up together and had a deep bond. Wharton was much more lively than Linley and also quite talented. When he was six, his bloodline concentration test showed he met the standard, so Hogg sent him to O'Brien Imperial Academy—the best warrior academy on the Yulan Continent.
"Have you eaten? I'll have Martha make you something." Hogg turned to walk into the house.
"Father," Lin Yun called out to him.
Hogg stopped and turned around.
Lin Yun took a deep breath and then slowly released his dragon form.
Azure-green scales emerged from beneath his skin, quickly covering his arms, torso, and legs. Sharp claws grew from his fingertips, dragon horns emerged from the sides of his forehead, and a dragon tail extended from the end of his spine. The entire process took only a few seconds, and a dragon-blooded warrior covered in azure-green scales, with two horns on his head and a spear-like tail stood before Hogg.
The courtyard was deathly silent.
The book in Hogg's hand fell to the ground. His eyes widened, his lips trembled slightly, and he stood there motionless as if frozen in place.
"Father," Lin Yun's voice came from beneath the scales, carrying a metallic quality, "I can transform into a dragon."
Hogg didn't answer. His eyes reddened, tears welled up, and then silently slid down his cheeks. He raised his hand, trembling, and reached out to Lin Yun, his fingertips gently touching the scales on his son's arm.
The scales were hard and cold, but Hogg felt as if he were touching the most precious thing in the world. His fingers traced the scales, brushing over every line and every ridge.
"Dragonization..." Hogg's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, "You really have dragonized..."
He abruptly raised his head, grabbed Lin Yun's shoulders with both hands, and stared intently at him: "When did this happen? How did you do it? Your bloodline concentration... it was clearly not high enough during the test back then..."
"Just yesterday," Lin Yun explained briefly, "I obtained a magical fruit during my training. It purified my bloodline, raising its concentration to a level sufficient for dragon transformation."
Hogg was stunned for a long time, then suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. There was ecstasy, relief, and the exhilarating release of emotions that had been suppressed for more than a decade.
"Good! Good! Good!" He said "good" three times in a row, patting Lin Yun's shoulder forcefully. "The Baruch family bloodline has not been broken! Not broken!"
Lin Yun deactivated his dragon form, and his scales, horns, and tail slowly disappeared, turning him back into an ordinary boy.
Hogg sat on the stone bench, hands on his knees, head bowed, shoulders trembling slightly. A long time passed before he finally raised his head. His tears had dried, but his eyes held a light Lin Yun had never seen before—hope.
"Lin Yun," Hogg's voice calmed, but carried an unprecedented seriousness, "What is your cultivation level now?"
"Level nine for mages, peak level eight for warriors. In dragon form, a warrior's strength can reach peak level nine," Lin Yun answered truthfully.
Hogg gasped. A fifteen-year-old level nine mage, a peak level eight warrior, and after dragon transformation, comparable to a peak level nine dragonblood warrior—this strength was among the top in the entire Yulan Continent's younger generation.
"Where's your older brother?" Hogg asked. "What level is he at now?"
"A level six mage, a level five warrior," Lin Yun said. "His progress is also very rapid."
Hogg nodded and remained silent for a long time. Then he stood up, looked at Lin Yun, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
"Lin Yun, come with me."
He turned and walked deeper into the manor. Lin Yun followed behind him, vaguely guessing what was going on.
Hogg led Lin Yun through the main house, across the vegetable garden in the backyard, and to a small stone house deep within the manor. Lin Yun had seen this stone house since he was a child, but Hogg never allowed him or Linley to go inside. The door to the stone house was a heavy iron door with a rusty padlock hanging on it.
Hogg pulled an old brass key from his pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, and with great effort opened the lock. The iron door creaked loudly, and a damp, musty smell wafted out from inside.
The stone house was dark, with only a few faint rays of light filtering through a few cracks in the roof. Lin Yun followed Hogg inside, and it took his eyes a while to adjust before he could make out the furnishings.
The stone house was small, only a dozen square meters. On the opposite wall hung a portrait of a beautiful woman with long chestnut hair, gentle eyes, and a faint smile. She held two babies in her arms, and behind her stood a young man—a young Hogg.
Lin Yun's heart clenched suddenly.
That was his mother. The woman in the portrait overlapped with the image of his mother in his memory. Although his mother "died" when he was three years old, those vague memories remained in his soul—a warm embrace, a gentle singing voice, and hair with a faint floral scent.
Hogg stood before the portrait, looking up at the woman's face, and remained silent for a long time.
"Lin Yun," he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "your mother didn't die from complications during childbirth with Wharton."
Lin Yun's body trembled slightly. He knew his mother hadn't died in childbirth, but he didn't know Hogg would reveal the truth at this moment.
"When your mother became pregnant again, we were both overjoyed," Hogg said softly, as if recounting a distant story. "However, the medical conditions in Blackhill were too poor, so your mother and I set off for Fenlay. In Fenlay, your mother safely gave birth to little Wharton. Little Wharton is adorable, and your mother and I were overjoyed."
He paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
"Shortly after Little Walton was born, your mother and I took him to the Temple of Light to pray for his well-being. Your mother and I were very happy that day, and afterwards we left the Temple of Light and stayed overnight at a hotel in Fenlai City."
Hogg's voice began to tremble.
"That very night, a group of mysterious men came to the hotel and kidnapped your mother. I was outnumbered and only managed to save Walton."
His eyes were filled with pain, as if he had returned to that desperate night more than a decade ago.
"I saw a red spider birthmark on the arm of one of the killers."
"I know that group of people are no ordinary people. The weakest among them is a level four warrior, and the strongest is even stronger than me. Fortunately, their target was only your mother, otherwise I would have been killed long ago." Hogg's voice was low and suppressed. "Anyone who can send out such a force is no small fry in Fenlai City. I dared not make a fuss. I brought Little Wharton back and told everyone that your mother died in childbirth. This secret is known to Butler Ciri and your Uncle Hillman."
Lin Yun stood there, silent for a long time.
He knew his mother was still alive. He knew she had been sacrificed to the Lord of Light by the Cult of Light, transformed into a twelve-winged angel, and became the Lord of Light's weapon of war. He knew that to save his mother, he had to kill the Lord of Light—the man who stood at the very top of the Panlong Universe.
But he couldn't tell Hogg any of this. Not that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't. Hogg had already endured too much; telling him that his mother was still alive, but had been transformed into a fighting machine without self-awareness, would only cause him more pain.
"I can't tell you this. For over ten years, I've kept this secret deep in my heart." Hogg's voice trailed off. "I dare not tell anyone... I can't even investigate on my own whether your mother is alive or dead, or who those people are. I dare not find out."
He turned around, looked at Lin Yun, his eyes filled with tears.
"I am the heir to the Dragonblood Warrior family, and at the very least, I must raise you to adulthood. I cannot allow the Baruch family line to end. I have endured this year after year, yet I cannot sleep at night. Whether your mother is alive or dead, this has been tormenting me!"
Hogg's voice suddenly rose, filled with all the pain and anger that had been building up for more than a decade.
"You and Linley make me very proud. First, you became students of the number one magic academy on the Yulan Continent, and then you became geniuses at Ernst Magic Academy. I have great confidence in you. The concentration of Dragonblood Warrior bloodline in Walton's body has also reached the required level, and he is also doing very well at O'Brien Imperial Academy. I am very proud that all three of my sons are so outstanding. I have lived up to the ancestors of the Baruch family! But even at this point, I dare not inquire about your mother's affairs, because Walton still needs a lot of money to pay the expensive tuition fees."
He paused, looked at Lin Yun, and tears finally streamed down his face.
Lin Yun stepped forward and took his father's hand. He felt sorry for the man in front of him, who had carried too much burden for the family.
When he was twelve, he obtained a large amount of gold coins and magic crystal cores in the Monster Mountain Range, but he did not give these gold coins to Hogg, because he knew that once Hogg got these money, he would investigate his mother's whereabouts without any worries, and the result was that he returned seriously injured and died soon after.
At that time, his strength was only level seven, and he could not transform into a dragon. He did not have enough strength to avenge Hogg. But now it's different. As a level nine peak dragonblood warrior, he fears no one as long as the Holy Domain does not intervene!
Hogg's hands trembled, his whole body trembled. For over ten years, this secret had weighed on his heart, and now that it was finally out, he felt no relief, but rather as if all his strength had been drained away.
"Father," Lin Yun's voice was calm yet firm, "Mother might still be alive."
Hogg suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"What did you say?"
"I have no evidence, but I can sense it," Lin Yun said. "My mother is still alive, somewhere. Those people kidnapped her not to kill her, but for some other purpose. As for what that purpose is... I don't know yet, but I will find out."
He didn't tell Hogg about the angel transformation. That wasn't a truth Hogg could bear right now.
Hogg stared at Lin Yun for a long time, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only managed to utter, "How...how did you know?"
"Intuition," Lin Yun said. "Besides, Mother is just an ordinary person. Why would those people go to such lengths to snatch her? They could have killed her on the spot. The fact that they took her means she has value to them. People with value are not easily killed."
Hogg was stunned. He had never thought about this from this perspective before. For over a decade, he had believed Lina was dead, and he only wanted revenge for her. But now, Lin Yun had given him a new possibility.
"Father," Lin Yun said, looking into Hogg's eyes, "I will definitely find the person who kidnapped Mother and bring her back. I promise you."
Hogg opened his mouth, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound. He squeezed Lin Yun's hand tightly, then let go, turned around, and faced the portrait again.
"Your mother's name was Lina." His voice was soft, as if speaking to a woman in a portrait. "She was the gentlest woman I've ever met. When she married me, the Baruch family had already fallen on hard times, but she never complained. She always said that as long as the family was together, it didn't matter where we lived."
Lin Yun stood behind his father, looking at the portrait of his mother.
Lina. This name had appeared countless times in his memory, but now, coming from Hogg's mouth, it carried a completely different weight.
"I will find her," Lin Yun said softly, as if making a promise to his father, or as if making a promise to his mother in the portrait.
Hogg didn't speak, he just stood there, looking at the portrait, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Lin Yun stood with him for a long time.
When we came out of the stone house, the sun had already set.
Hogg locked the stone house door and tucked the old brass key back into his pocket. He turned to look at Lin Yun, his gaze filled with something he had never seen before—trust, a sense of entrustment.
"Be careful," Hogg said. "Those people are quite strong, and the fact that they were able to openly steal people from the Church of Light clearly indicates they have close ties with them. If you're exposed..."
"I won't expose myself," Lin Yun said. "Father, don't worry. I won't act rashly before I'm absolutely certain. I'm just going to investigate first to see if I can find more clues."
Hogg nodded without saying anything more. He knew his son had grown up and had his own judgment and abilities.
Lin Yun stayed with his father in Wushan Town for a few days before setting off back to Fenlai City. He was going to capture someone and collect some interest first!