(MC POV)
"How are they?" I asked Brendan, dusting my hands on the side of my pants.
He blinked before turning to the rest of his currently unconscious classmates.
"Oh… Err… Yeah, they're fine. They'll live. Not sure about their mental state though…"
Oh yeah, forgot that normal people like them aren't used to seeing monsters like these.
When you've already seen giant, black, oozing, slimy, multi-legged, hundred-eyed tentacle monsters summoned from the depths of the abyss, everything else just seems so tame.
And if you're wondering, those tentacle monsters aren't the worst things I've seen. I have been to the Abyss briefly before, not of my own volition of course, and the things I've seen in there are better left unsaid.
Oh well, nothing a bit of counselling couldn't heal, I'm sure they'll be fine.
Speaking of which, where the hell is everyone else? I even had time to go check my own courtyard before coming here and beat the crap out of the Wendigo, why aren't Sect Master Qing and the Elders here yet? Did they stop for ice cream or something?
Ah, maybe they also thought the 'garden' was the Peach Tree garden? That would explain it.
And since I doubt any of them could teleport, they would take some time to get from that place to here after seeing that flash of light. I guess we just need to wait for them to arrive for now.
"So… Who are you, really?" Brendan asked, wariness in his voice.
I suppose since we've already reached this point in time, there's no need to hide it anymore.
"I am Master Lin."
He laughed, like actually bellowed out in laughter.
"Ahahahaha! Good one! I did not see that coming! Hahahahaha! Master Lin! Oh, my stomach! Hehehe! You really know how to make someone laugh, Mark!"
I shrugged, I suppose it's not that easy for people to believe you when you claim to be the supposed strongest Practitioner in the continent.
That, and also I'm currently in this younger body.
"Thanks bro, I needed that," Brendan chuckled, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye. "I didn't actually want to say anything but… That Wendigo scared me more than I am willing to admit. Watching the two of you fighting like that didn't help either."
I nodded, "Anytime… Er… Bro."
He grasped my shoulder with a hand, "I mean it. I came here half expecting most of the people here to be like Tekiteh actually. I didn't expect I could meet someone as nice as you are."
I shrugged, "Heaven Sect is not like other Sects."
"I know. I'm still curious though. From how Sylphy was acting, I assumed that you would be from one of the Major Families and she from a Minor one that is serving yours. It's not too much to ask who you really are right?"
Technically, he's not wrong, considering how I'm actually a son of the Lindulf House. But I've already cut off ties with them despite how much Elaria wants to bring me back.
I suppose I could just use them for now, "I'm from the Lindulf House."
"Lindulf?" Brendan gasped, his eyes widening. "You mean the Lindulf House that is currently ruling over the new Ahkeehar Barah town?"
What.
Wait what?
Since when?
"My family's doing business with you guys too, what a coincidence!" Brendan patted me on the back, laughing heartily. "At first I thought the Lindulf House might be doing some dangerous things since they basically organised a coup on the town's governor. But if you're one of them, I suppose they shouldn't be too bad."
My sisters did what?! I've barely left there for a week! How did I not know about this?!
Not noticing my shock, Brendan continued, "I thought this might trigger a civil war of some sort but apparently they showed how corrupt and evil the previous governor was and the Royal Bei Family just gave them a free pass for their actions. Between you and me, I think they only got that pass because of the potential trade value you guys have."
Well… There's no denying that. The things that my sisters are producing right now can only be found there after all. It would be a hundred percent beneficial to the Bei Family if my sisters were to spread their goods around.
But for my sisters to also engage Brendan's family to facilitate the trade, what were the chances?
"So. I guess you're Mark Lindulf eh?" He nudged me. "I'll just go ahead and guess Sylphy belongs to one of the Minor Houses of your town, right?"
I shook my head, "No… She… She kind of mistook me for someone else and I have no idea how to correct her."
That revelation shocked him, "What? Then aren't you taking advantage of her?"
I think I've dug the hole deep enough.
"Listen, Brendan. I really am Master Lin ok? Syphy realised that I was a Master earlier than you guys so that's why she's respectful to me, she just doesn't know that I am actually Master Lin."
He frowned at me, "You're taking advantage of her aren't you? I thought you were different… Turns out you're not much better than that Tekiteh guy after all."
I face palmed, "Ok, ok. Just wait for the Elders to come, everything will be clear then."
Right on cue, Sect Master Qing and a group of Elders appeared from around the corner.
"Master Lin! Are you alright?!"
I waved my hand, "I'm fine, everybody's fine. I'm guessing you guys went to search at the Peach Tree garden?"
"Unfortunately yes…" Sect Master Qing admitted with a sheepish smile. "We couldn't find anyone and thought the Wendigo might have abducted all of you. But when we saw that flash of light, we rushed here as fast as we could."
"Well, it's over now," I sighed. "Wendigo's dead, students are all safe, just make sure they get their heads checked for mental trauma just in case."
At this point, I could see from the corner of my eye that Brendan is just switching his gaze between the Sect Master and I with an incredulous expression on his face. His jaw was dropping lower and lower by the second.
"Ah, I see… That is good then. I apologise we weren't there to help you, Master Lin. But I think we would have been a burden instead."
I snorted, "Well, you have a point. It got quite violent at the end."
I was just about to turn to Brendan to confirm my identity once more when Elder Gong pointed to where I had disintegrated the Wendigo's body.
"Master Lin? There is… A crystal on the ground?" He informed me.
My head turned to where he had pointed, spotting the familiar outline of a Monster Crystal half hidden in the grass.
Huh, how did I miss that?
I went ahead to pick it up.
The moment my fingers brushed against the crystal, the Quarks contained within burst forth, travelling through the Quark Veins in my fingers and straight into my Cultivation Point.
The power contained within was immense, way much more than the Crystals of that undying fox had.
I immediately settled myself to absorb the Quarks, further expanding my Cultivation Point and empowering myself lest I explode from all that power.
If the Wendigo held this much power, how did I beat it so easily? This doesn't make any sense. Maybe it doesn't know how to use it?
Ah whatever, mystery second, surviving this comes first.
After what seemed like an eternity to me, the flow of power finally cut off and I was left standing there while gasping for breath.
"Ma… Master Lin?" I heard Sect Master Qing call out from behind a wall of earth they had summoned to shield themselves. "Your… Your body. It's back."
I looked down at my hands, finding them much larger than before.
Summoning forth a pocket mirror, I inspected my reflection.
Oh yep, I got my original body back now.
That's er… That's convenient?
