The miraculous and completely unexpected recovery of Xu Lin, who had been on the verge of death from severe injuries, left everyone present utterly astonished. The wind howled across the summit, as if whispering this unbelievable tale to all who would listen. The servants of the Xu Family, who had believed their young master was beyond saving, stared in disbelief as he stood before them once more, rising like a phoenix from the ashes.
A resolute light gleamed in Xu Lin’s eyes. Though his frame remained slender, the previous weakness was entirely gone. The once-ghastly wounds on his skin had vanished; were it not for the tears and bloodstains on his garments, one would think he had never taken part in the battle nor suffered any harm at all. Only his ruined clothes bore witness to the agony he had endured.
The members of the Xu Family looked at one another in amazement before instinctively gathering around him, their faces a mixture of awe and curiosity. Awe stemmed from fear of the unknown, while curiosity drove their wonder at how their young master had miraculously transformed into this state. Some murmured in low voices while others spoke louder, but almost all of them discussed how Xu Lin could have possibly achieved this feat.
Xu Lin’s own mind was filled with questions as he stood quietly, pondering the current situation. He lightly touched the torn fabric of his clothing; beneath it, his skin bore only a faint white scar, smooth as a newborn's. He clearly remembered the utter brutality of the earlier skirmish. Relying on the terrain's advantage against an onslaught of hundreds, he had first fought alongside Zhang Gan before holding the line entirely on his own. He had resisted for a long time until his strength finally failed, and he had felt as though he had died. Then, it seemed as though a cool, clear stream had entered his body from somewhere outside, coursing through his entire being, leading to his present condition. Could it have been that mysterious current? But what exactly was it? Xu Lin found himself completely at a loss.
The members of the Xu Family had witnessed with their own eyes the terrifying injuries Xu Lin had sustained during the fight against General Li and his soldiers—wounds that should have been fatal beyond a doubt. Yet now, Xu Lin stood before them completely unscathed, like a phoenix reborn from the fire. Amidst their shock, they also felt an inexplicable surge of hope, as if his mere presence ensured their survival.
Xu Fu stood a little apart, equally lost in deep contemplation. He looked at his son as countless thoughts churned in his mind. He felt that Xu Lin’s current state closely resembled the effects of taking the Elixir of Immortality. According to theory, the Elixir possessed miraculous healing properties capable of curing the dying and restoring flesh to bones. Yet, he had clearly handed the Immortal Pill to General Li. How could it be that Xu Lin was the one exhibiting the effects of having consumed it? He could not help but wonder what on earth his son had experienced.
Coming out of his reverie, Xu Fu walked up to Xu Lin and asked, "Liner, how do you feel right now? Is anything uncomfortable? Do you know what happened, and how you recovered so completely in such a short time?"
Faced with his father's inquiries, Xu Lin did not know how to reply. He shook his head and said, "Father, I don't know what happened either. I only remember blocking General Li at the access path up the mountain until my strength gave out, and after that, I lost consciousness. In a daze, I felt something moving through my body, but otherwise felt nothing. The next time I was fully awake, I found myself lying upon the Pill Furnace Shard, and then I recovered."
His father furrowed his brows, pondering Xu Lin's words. *Where on earth did this power come from? Could it truly be related to the Elixir of Immortality?* A flash of doubt and astonishment crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by deep anxiety.
Xu Lin shook his head, his gaze clear and resolute. "Father, I have never taken the Elixir of Immortality. Besides, it was always in your possession—how could I have taken it without you noticing? Even if I had managed to get it, I would never have dared to swallow it blindly. Mother, my younger brother, and my younger sister are still waiting for us to bring the Immortal Pill back!"
His father sighed, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes. "This matter is far too bizarre; we must tread carefully. If outsiders learn of your condition, it will likely invite unnecessary trouble." His words carried a profound worry, as if he could already foresee the storms brewing in the future.
Xu Lin nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "Rest assured, Father. I will be careful."
Father and son fell silent for a moment, their hearts heavy with anxiety for the future, still unaware whether the miracle that had saved Xu Lin was a blessing or a curse.
"Liner, no matter what happens, you must protect the Xu Family," his father said firmly, his gaze resolute, as if sensing that a great upheaval awaited their household.
Xu Lin clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. "Yes, Father. I will protect everyone." His words were simple, yet filled with immense power, as though he were fully prepared to face any challenge.
At that moment, a servant hurried over in a panic. "Master! Young Master! This is terrible! General Li is bringing his men up the mountain!" The servant's voice was filled with deep terror, as if a catastrophic disaster were already at hand.
The expressions of Xu Lin and his father turned grave in an instant. They knew that a new battle was about to begin. "Father, let me go and deal with them."
His father hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "Be careful, Liner."
Xu Lin turned and strode toward the foot of the mountain, his figure standing tall and straight against the wind. The servants watched his retreating back with a mixture of reverence and anticipation, knowing that Xu Lin was their hope and the guardian of the Xu Family.
Arriving at the base of the mountain, Xu Lin saw General Li leading a group of soldiers marching aggressively toward the summit. General Li's eyes burned with anger and frustration; he could not accept the current reality, unable to comprehend why the Immortal Pill had yielded no effect whatsoever.
He marched his men angrily toward the summit until he suddenly caught sight of a figure—a figure that had no business being here, or rather, one who should already have been dead.
"Xu Lin, you are actually still alive!" General Li said coldly, his voice laced with intense fury. "It seems the Immortal Pill your father gave me was a fake, and the real pill was consumed by you! You truly harbor rebellious intentions and dared to embezzle the Qin Emperor's elixir. You are courting your own destruction and deserve to die a thousand deaths!" To outsiders, he appeared a loyal and patriotic subject, but only he knew the truth: he had been tricked. Without having ingested the Immortal Pill, he could never achieve immortality, nor could he live to see the Qin Emperor die or his deep vengeance fulfilled. He had completely lost control of his emotions.
Xu Lin smiled faintly, his gaze unruffled and confident. "General Li, stop talking nonsense. My Xu Family has always been utterly loyal to the Qin Emperor. Besides, do you really think you can defeat me now?" His words were simple, yet brimming with self-assurance.
General Li roared, "Soldiers! The Xu Family has consumed the Qin Emperor's Immortal Pill and sought to destroy us! We failed to bring back the Elixir of Immortality and cannot report back to the Qin Emperor, which means our families will surely be implicated as well! Now that the elixir is gone, we will take the corpses of the Xu Family back with us; perhaps the Emperor will show mercy and spare our lives! Soldiers, for our own sakes and for our families, kill them!" With a wave of General Li's hand, the soldiers behind him rushed forward like madmen. Knowing that further explanation was useless, Xu Lin felt no fear; he met them head-on and plunged into a fierce battle.
Compared to before, Xu Lin's movements were far more agile and his strength vastly superior. The soldiers were simply no match for him. Moving through the crowd like a ferocious tiger, every strike and stance he executed carried lethal force. In no time at all, the soldiers fell one by one, until only General Li remained standing.
General Li's expression turned grim, his eyes blazing with fury as he stared at Xu Lin. "Xu Lin, you may have attained immortality, but your family and your clan will be wiped out for your greed! Given the Qin Emperor's nature, he will never let you go. Now, let me truly test your martial arts!" With a frantic expression, General Li charged straight at Xu Lin.
Xu Lin replied calmly, "General Li, believe it or not, I truly did not take the Immortal Pill. What happened to my body remains a mystery even to me."
Hearing this, General Li paused for a fraction of a second before roaring in rage, "You still expect me to believe your lies? I just swallowed the pill your father gave me, yet not the slightest change occurred within my body! That was when I began to suspect the pill your father handed me was a fake. Seeing you now confirms it beyond a doubt—you are the one who swallowed the real pill! You people have truly lost your minds! Hahaha... But perhaps this isn't so bad after all. Even though I won't get to see the Qin Emperor die with my own eyes, knowing that he can never attain immortality is satisfaction enough for me! Hahaha..."
With those words, General Li stopped speaking. He raised his sword and charged at Xu Lin. Having resolved to die, he abandoned all defense in his attacks, intent only on slaying the man before him.
Xu Lin maintained his calm and confident composure. "General Li, I told you—today, you cannot kill me. Moreover, I genuinely did not take the Immortal Pill. Believe it or not, the truth remains unchanged." With that, he raised his spear and charged toward General Li.
True to his reputation as a renowned general in the Qin State's army, General Li wielded his sword with lethal mastery, forcing Xu Lin onto the defensive under a relentless storm of blows.
Spotting an opening, General Li slashed his longsword across Xu Lin's waist. Xu Lin winced in pain and took a step back, but within the span of a single breath, the blood at the wound stopped flowing entirely. Seeing this, General Li roared again, "And you still dare claim you didn't take the Immortal Pill!" Driven to the brink of madness by fury, General Li's form faltered slightly in his frenzy. Seizing the opening, Xu Lin thrust his spear fiercely forward, plunging the blade straight through General Li's chest.