A passing traveler through the heavens

Late at night, Ji Lin, who was diligently cultivating in bed, suddenly heard a commotion outside the window. He got up and went to the window, and through the crack, he glimpsed a scene that made him both laugh and cry.

Under the moonlight, Duan Yu's mother, Dao Baifeng, Zhong Ling's mother, and Mu Wanqing's mother were locked in a fierce battle in the courtyard. Their figures intertwined, their moves sharp and powerful, as if it were a life-or-death duel.

Meanwhile, Duan Zhengchun, Mu Wanqing, and Zhong Ling stood by, frantic like ants on a hot plate, shouting at the top of their lungs, "Stop! Stop hitting them!"

Seeing this, Ji Lin had no interest in getting involved in their feud, but who could have imagined that Ye Erniang and Yue Laosan would suddenly appear from afar, carrying Duan Yu hostage. After uttering a few harsh words, they swaggered away.

Duan Zhengchun, who was standing nearby, was extremely anxious when he saw Duan Yu being taken away. His heart tightened, and he quickly circulated his inner strength. In a flash, he arrived in front of the three people who were fighting.

With a wave of his hands, a powerful surge of internal energy erupted, forcefully separating the three. Then, with lightning speed, he struck their pressure points, rendering the three, who had been locked in a fierce battle, instantly immobile.

Meanwhile, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling anxiously helped their mother up. Looking at her pale face, their eyes were filled with concern and worry.

Ji Lin had already quietly followed behind Ye Erniang and the others, his steps as light as a ghost, making no sound. Before long, the group arrived outside Dali City.

A man holding a cane had been waiting for a long time ahead. He stood there quietly, his body hunched over, as if the weight of time had made it difficult for him to straighten his back.

His weathered face was etched with deep wrinkles, each telling a story. His cloudy eyes held a hint of wariness and ruthlessness, as if he were always ready to face any potential threat.

At the same time, the man seemed to sense something, turned around abruptly, stared intently in the direction where Ji Lin was hiding, and shouted loudly, "Who goes there? Get out here!"

Before the words were even finished, the other person, holding a cane, picked up a rock beside him and hurled it fiercely towards where Ji Lin was hiding. The rock whistled past, carrying a sharp wind, as if it wanted to destroy everything in its path.

However, Ji Lin reacted with extraordinary speed, easily dodging the attack with a swift movement. The rock struck the tree behind him, snapping the trunk in two, demonstrating its immense force.

After regaining his footing, Ji Lin slowly spoke, his tone calm and profound: "Outside Tianlong Temple, under the Bodhi tree, a disheveled beggar, Guanyin with long hair... I wonder if the former Crown Prince Yanqing, now the leader of the Four Evils, is still familiar with these places?"

Upon hearing this, Duan Yanqing's body jolted, and the cane in his hand froze in mid-air. He stared wide-eyed at Ji Lin, as if trying to see right through him.

After a moment of silence, Duan Yanqing finally spoke, asking, "Who are you? How do you know these things?"

Ji Lin smiled slightly and replied, "I am merely a passing traveler from the heavens, but I have been fortunate enough to learn some secrets about Crown Prince Yanqing. I have come here today simply to discuss a deal with the Crown Prince."

Crown Prince Yanqing frowned, a hint of doubt in his eyes regarding the deal and the so-called "traveler from all the heavens" that Ji Lin had mentioned.

A sly glint flashed in Ji Lin's eyes as he chuckled, "Besides Guanyin from back then, do you know of any other person who bore you a child? Of course, knowing this comes at a price."

Duan Yanqing's face instantly turned extremely ugly, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He gripped his cane tightly, his voice cold yet urgent as he asked, "What do you know? Tell me now! If you can tell me the truth, I will give you whatever you want without hesitation!"

Ji Lin chuckled dismissively and replied casually, "I don't ask for much. You just need to teach me the One-Finger Divine Skill. Then I will naturally tell you everything."

“Alright, I can teach you.” Duan Yanqing didn’t hesitate at all and immediately took out a tattered manual from his pocket and handed it to Ji Lin. Ji Lin took the manual, carefully opened it, and sure enough, it was the manual for the One-Finger Divine Skill.

Ji Lin couldn't help but laugh heartily with satisfaction, and replied, "Very good, Crown Prince Yanqing is indeed straightforward. In that case, let's find a safe place first, where I can chat with you while you personally demonstrate the power of this One-Finger Divine Skill."

Duan Yanqing's eyes flickered, as if he was considering the feasibility of the suggestion. Finally, he gritted his teeth, determined to take the risk, and warned fiercely, "Fine, but if you dare to deceive me and refuse to tell me the truth, I will make sure you die a horrible death!"

After exchanging a few words with Ye Erniang and the others, Duan Yanqing watched as Ye Erniang and the others quickly left with Duan Yu, and then followed Ji Lin away.

Ji Lin led Duan Yanqing to a secluded cave. Upon entering the cave, Duan Yanqing immediately used his One-Finger Divine Skill, pointing it at the cave wall, and several deep holes instantly appeared in the stone wall.

Ji Lin looked at Duan Yanqing's energy cultivation process and found that it was no different from what was written in the book.

Ji Lin immediately clapped his hands in praise, then smiled and said to Duan Yanqing, "Crown Prince Yanqing, this is how the world is, no wonder we act like villains first and then like gentlemen."

Then Ji Lin took a deep breath and slowly recounted a long-forgotten story.

After hearing the story, Duan Yanqing finally understood the whole story and burst into tears.

It turns out that back then, Duan Yu's mother, Dao Baifeng, deliberately had a relationship with Duan Yanqing, who was severely injured and disfigured, in order to avenge Duan Zhengchun's philandering, and became pregnant with Duan Yu.

After finishing his speech, Ji Lin looked at Duan Yanqing with a complicated expression and asked, "Do you feel like you've gotten your revenge? After all, according to the succession, Duan Yu will definitely become the emperor of Dali in the end, so it can be said that you have regained the throne."

"After all, it doesn't matter whether your son or you are the father."

Seeing that Duan Yanqing remained unmoved, Ji Lin stopped bothering him and went outside to practice his One-Finger Divine Skill.

The next day…

After a night of contemplation, Duan Yanqing emerged from the stone cave and looked at Ji Lin, who was still practicing. He seemed to be witnessing an unbelievable scene: "Just one night, and your One-Finger Divine Skill has become so proficient!"

"Perhaps I am the legendary martial arts prodigy."

Seeing Duan Yanqing's relieved expression, Ji Lin couldn't help but ask, "What are you planning to do now?"

"I plan to visit Duan Yu, and then I plan to become a monk at Tianlong Temple."

Ji Lin followed Duan Yanqing into Wanjie Valley, where he saw Duan Yu being imprisoned, with Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling by his side.

The room where the three were being held was in a mess, with clothes scattered everywhere.

Upon seeing the scene before him, Ji Lin couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, "Holy crap! I remember those two women were still at the Dali Royal Palace last night!"

"Without a doubt, it was Duan Yanqing who arranged it on purpose."

"However, Duan Yu seems to be even more powerful than he was in the original story..."

In the original novel, Duan Yu was like a saint, doing nothing. But now, not only has he not become a saint, he's become two!

After all, Duan Yu was captured last night and probably didn't have time to know that Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling were his nominal sisters, so he couldn't withstand the aphrodisiac.

Looking at the three people who were still unconscious.

Ji Lin stepped forward and patted Duan Yu awake, while Duan Yanqing watched silently from the side. When Duan Yu woke up and saw the two people in front of him, he was momentarily dazed.

Ji Lin briefly explained the situation, and Duan Yu was astonished upon hearing it, his expression one of disbelief. He had never imagined that his background was so complicated, and that Duan Yanqing, the leader of the Four Evils, was actually his biological father.

Duan Yanqing looked at Duan Yu, a hint of guilt and affection flashing in his eyes. He decided to pass on all his martial arts skills to Duan Yu as compensation.

Duan Yu did not accept Duan Yanqing's kindness and seemed completely dazed.

"It seems he still can't accept it. You should leave first," Ji Lin said softly to Duan Yanqing beside him.

Shortly after Duan Yanqing left, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling also woke up one after another.

When they saw their current situation with Duan Yu, they both let out a terrified scream. This sudden turn of events gave Ji Lin a headache, and he quickly stepped forward to try to stop them from screaming any longer.

And tell them to get dressed quickly…

At the same time, Duan Yu regained his senses and realized what had happened the night before. Filled with remorse, he apologized to Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling, expressing his willingness to atone with his death.

Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling were at a loss for words due to Duan Yu's sudden behavior.

Ji Lin looked at the three people in front of him, feeling somewhat helpless. So, he walked to Duan Yu's side and said softly, "Young Master Duan, you three should pack up first. We still need to get back to Dali City; your parents are probably looking for you everywhere."

Upon hearing Ji Lin's words, Duan Yu seemed to snap out of a daze. He quickly looked down at his, Mu Wanqing's, and Zhong Ling's disheveled appearance and hurriedly pulled them to tidy their clothes. After everything was ready, the three of them followed Ji Lin on their journey back to Dali.

Along the way, Duan Yu tried his best to cheer up Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling, hoping to help them forget their troubles. He told jokes, performed funny actions, and even gave them some small trinkets.

Gradually, Mu Wanqing's attitude began to change. She was no longer as cold to Duan Yu as before, and would occasionally be amused by his humor. Zhong Ling, on the other hand, seemed to become more and more dependent on Duan Yu, always sticking to his side and sharing all sorts of interesting things with him.

Finally, the group returned to the Dali Royal Palace. However, what happened next plunged Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling into immense grief after they saw their mother.

It turned out that Duan Zhengchun had revealed a shocking truth to them—they were all his daughters. Faced with this reality, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling found it hard to accept, their hearts filled with conflict and pain. They had originally thought they could be with Duan Yu, but now they discovered they were related by blood. This blow plunged them into despair, leaving them unable to find peace for a time.

Looking at the scene before him, Ji Lin couldn't help but mutter to himself, "I've seen fathers who ruin their children, but I've never seen a son who ruins his own. If Duan Yu hadn't found out about his true parentage, every woman he liked would really be his sister!"

As Ji Lin thought about it, he mentally counted the daughters of Duan Zhengchun who had not yet appeared: "Wang Yuyan, Azhu, Azi..." The more he thought about it, the more interesting it became, and he couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"It seems that Duan Zhengchun can only have daughters. His only son is actually someone else's child. Tsk tsk tsk..." Ji Lin shook his head and sighed, with a look of bewilderment on his face.

However, Duan Yu stayed by Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling's side, constantly comforting them and telling them that even though they were siblings, it couldn't change the deep affection between them. He whispered a secret in their ears that only he knew.

Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling stared wide-eyed as they listened to Duan Yu's words, their faces gradually showing surprise and emotion.

Because Duan Yu spoke very softly, his parents nearby did not hear him.

At this moment, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling gradually calmed down, and they held Duan Yu's hands tightly. Seeing this, Ji Lin nodded with satisfaction, secretly sighing, "This is so sweet."

After the festivities ended, Duan Yu secretly found his mother, Dao Baifeng. He also learned the truth about his origins from her.

In the days that followed, Duan Yu and his companions remained outwardly good siblings, but in private, they were still a loving couple.

While Duan Yu and Ji Lin were enjoying their loving time together, Ji Lin traveled extensively in Dali. One place he frequented was Tianlong Temple.

Duan Yanqing, who had become a monk at Tianlong Temple, constantly instructed Ji Lin in martial arts. Through continuous practice, Ji Lin's One-Finger Divine Skill was now on par with Duan Yanqing's.

This allowed Duan Yanqing to witness Ji Lin's extraordinary talent once again.

One day, Ji Lin, who was diligently cultivating at Tianlong Temple, heard from a young monk that the Tibetan national teacher, the Great Wheel King Kumārajīva, had come to discuss the Dao.

Upon hearing this news, Ji Lin decided to go and see for himself, hoping to use this opportunity to examine just how much his strength had improved. Kumārajīva, the Heavenly Dragon King, was a suitable opponent.

When Ji Lin arrived, he saw several high-ranking monks from Tianlong Temple fighting with Kumārajīva. Seeing Duan Yu trying to quickly memorize the Six Meridians Divine Sword manual, Ji Lin immediately and silently approached him, also memorizing the moves of the Six Meridians Divine Sword.

By the time Duan Yu reacted, Ji Lin had already memorized the Six Meridians Divine Sword technique. Before Duan Yu could speak, Ji Lin leaped up after seeing the Tianlong Temple monks defeated.

When Ji Lin arrived at the main hall and slowly stood still, he faced Kumārajīva. Kumārajīva clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "This humble monk has come today to discuss Buddhist teachings and martial arts with the eminent monks of your esteemed temple. I hope you will enlighten me. May I ask who you are from in Dali, young brother?"

Ji Lin returned the greeting and said, "Although I am neither a Buddhist disciple nor a Dali native, I have some knowledge of martial arts and would like to exchange skills with you, Master."

After speaking, the two began to fight. Kumārajīva unleashed his Flaming Blade, a fierce attack aimed at Ji Lin. Ji Lin dodged the attack, then retaliated with his One-Finger Divine Skill.

The two exchanged blows, neither giving an inch. Ji Lin gradually gained the upper hand, skillfully using the Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique), his punches as swift as the wind, leaving Kumārajīva unable to keep up.

Finally, Ji Lin seized the opportunity and struck Kumārajīva in a vital spot with a punch. Kumārajīva staggered back several steps, spitting out blood.

Ji Lin clasped his hands and said, "You flatter me, Master." Kumārajīva sighed, "Your martial arts are superb, I admire you." Thus, the debate ended in Ji Lin's victory.

Everyone rushed forward to congratulate Ji Lin on his victory. The Emperor of Dali personally bestowed upon him a generous reward.

However, Kumārajīva, standing in the crowd, revealed a barely perceptible smile. He thought to himself, "This young man is indeed remarkable. It seems that the martial arts world of the Central Plains is still full of talented individuals."

That night, Ji Lin arrived at Kumārajīva's residence and proposed a deal. He was willing to exchange his One-Finger Divine Skill for Kumārajīva's Flaming Blade.

Ji Lin had long heard of the power of the Flaming Blade, and from the way the martial arts used internal force, it could be seen that Kumārajīva was also a genius.

As for the character of Kumārajīva, a genius who collects countless manuals, the only certainty is his greed. He wants every divine skill manual he sees. As the saying goes, "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

This is somewhat similar to Ji Lin, but Ji Lin was able to achieve this only after being empowered by the system.

After careful consideration, Kumārajīva decided to accept the deal. The two made a vow and each received the martial arts manual they desired.

After Ji Lin left, Kumārajīva looked at the One-Finger Divine Skill manuals on the table with satisfaction. Although he hadn't obtained the Six Meridians Divine Sword on this trip to Dali, he had unexpectedly found the One-Finger Divine Skill.

Meanwhile, Ji Lin did not return to the Dali Palace. Under the cover of night, he continued his journey with his newly acquired martial arts skills.