The search for Lady Mei Lin and the missing Origin Crystal lasted three full days.
The entire Lin clan turned itself inside out. Guards combed every corner of the compound. Elders questioned servants, disciples, and branch family members until their voices grew hoarse. The Head's trusted attendants personally inspected the vault and Mei Lin's pavilion over and over again.
But they found nothing.
No evidence.
No trace of Lin Feng anywhere near the vault.
No sign of struggle in the pavilion.
No body.
No clues.
On the morning of the fourth day, the Family Head called everyone to the main hall. The atmosphere was heavy, thick with frustration and suspicion. Lin Hao and Lin Wei stood at the front, faces dark. The elders lined the sides, murmuring among themselves.
The Head sat on the raised platform, his expression cold as stone.
Elder Duan stepped forward and bowed low.
"My lord," he said, voice heavy, "we found no evidence linking Lin Feng to Lady Mei Lin's disappearance or the theft of the Origin Crystal. The pavilion shows no signs of struggle. The vault's array was disabled cleanly from the inside, but there is no trace of his mana. Nothing."
Lin Wei slammed his fist into his palm.
"That's impossible! He was the last one seen near her pavilion!"
Elder Wei shook her head.
"We checked everything, young master. The boy is clean… at least on the surface."
The Head remained silent for a long moment, his eyes narrowed.
"Release him," he finally said. "For now. But watch him closely. If he makes one wrong move, bring him to me."
The elders bowed and dispersed.
Lin Feng, who had been kept under watch in a side hall, was finally allowed to leave. No one spoke to him as he walked out. No one dared. But he could feel their eyes on his back — suspicious, hateful, afraid.
He didn't look back.
Instead, he went straight to his mother's courtyard.
Su Ling was waiting for him by the window, sewing quietly. When he entered, she looked up with that same gentle, warm smile.
"Feng'er," she said softly, setting her needlework aside. "You look like you've had a long morning."
Lin Feng closed the door behind him.
"Mother," he said quietly, "I'm leaving the clan."
Su Ling's smile didn't fade. She simply tilted her head.
"Oh? So soon?"
He nodded.
"The Head is suspicious. The Wang family is watching me. I can't stay here anymore. I need to get stronger… somewhere they can't reach me easily."
Su Ling stood up gracefully and walked over to him. She gently adjusted his collar, her touch light and caring.
"You've grown up so fast," she whispered. "My clever boy. Always thinking ahead."
She looked into his red eyes for a long moment.
"Be careful out there," she said. "The world is much bigger and crueler than this little clan. And remember… some secrets are better kept close."
Lin Feng felt that familiar pull — the warmth, the love, the subtle manipulation. But this time he pushed it down.
"I will," he said. "I'll come back when I'm ready."
Su Ling smiled again, soft and understanding.
"Go then. Mother will be here when you return."
He hugged her briefly, then turned and left without another word.
As he walked out of the courtyard, a servant who had been watching from the shadows hurried away to report to the Head.
"Master," the servant whispered later in the main hall, bowing low, "the bastard Lin Feng has left the clan. He took nothing but a small bag and headed toward the outer forest."
The Head's eyes narrowed.
"Follow him," he ordered quietly. "Discreetly."
_______________________________________
Lin Feng walked through the main gates of the Lin clan for the first time in his life as a free man, a small travel bag over his shoulder and a quiet determination in his red eyes.
The mysterious mountain range known as the Shadow Peaks lay two days' journey to the east. It was a dangerous place where rogue cultivators and ambitious young talents went to seek opportunities — rare herbs, ancient ruins, hidden treasures, and sudden breakthroughs. Many entered. Few returned unchanged.
Lin Feng walked steadily along the dusty road.
By evening, he reached a small village market at the foot of the mountains. The streets were crowded and noisy — cultivators haggling over pills, weapons, and artifacts. Street vendors shouted their wares. The smell of grilled meat and spirit wine filled the air.
He pushed through the crowd and entered a modest inn called the Resting Blade.
The place was loud and lively. Tables were full of travelers and rogue cultivators swapping stories. Lin Feng ordered a bowl of noodles and a cup of wine, then took a seat in the quiet corner near the window.
He ate slowly, listening.
At the next table, a group of rough-looking cultivators were talking loudly.
"…heard the Lin clan is in total chaos. Lady Mei Lin just vanished. No body, no trace. Some say the bastard son did it."
Another man laughed.
"Yeah, and now the Origin Crystal is missing too. That family's falling apart. Good riddance."
A third voice chimed in.
"Speaking of rising stars — the Wang family genius, Wang Xue, just stepped into Card Resonance Realm. They're throwing a big celebration. That girl's going to be a monster soon."
Someone else snorted.
"And don't forget that lone cultivator who appeared last month — the one they call the Shadow Blade. Took down a Card Dominion beast alone. People say he's from nowhere, but his sword arts are insane."
The conversation shifted to the Shadow Peaks.
"Anyone going up the mountain tomorrow? The inner zones have been spitting out rare spirit herbs lately. But it's dangerous. Lots of beasts. Some say there's an ancient ruin deep inside, but no one who goes past the third zone ever comes back the same."
Lin Feng finished his noodles and wine.
He stood up and walked to the counter.
The inn manager, a middle-aged man with a scarred face, looked up.
"Need something, young master?"
Lin Feng placed a small pile of spirit coins on the counter.
"Information about the Shadow Peaks," he said quietly. "Routes. Dangers. Opportunities."
The manager counted the coins, then leaned in.
He pulled out a simple map and slid it across the counter.
"Main path is marked here," he said. "First zone is safe enough for low-level cultivators. Second zone has stronger beasts — you'll need decent cards to survive. Third zone… that's where things get nasty. Ancient traps, high-level spirit beasts, and rumors of something much worse. Don't go deep if your cultivation is low, kid. You look strong, but the mountain doesn't care."
Lin Feng took the map and nodded.
"Thank you."
The manager gave him a serious look.
"I mean it. Stay in the outer zones. Plenty of herbs and small opportunities there. Going deeper is suicide for someone at your level."
Lin Feng just smiled — small, calm, and a little mysterious.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He turned and walked out of the inn into the night.
The village market was still buzzing behind him, but his mind was already on the dark silhouette of the Shadow Peaks in the distance.
He adjusted the bag on his shoulder and started walking toward the mountain.
The game was no longer confined to the Lin clan.
It was time to see how big the board really was.
As Lin Feng started his journey he had no idea he was being followed.
He continued down the road toward the Shadow Peaks, his mind focused on the journey ahead — the Origin Crystal he still needed, the breakthrough to Card Resonance Realm, and the bigger world waiting beyond the Lin clan's walls.
He didn't look back.
He didn't sense the cold, patient presence trailing him from the treeline.
The shadow kept its distance, red eyes glowing faintly in the dark for just a moment before vanishing again.