A whole week went by in a blur of action and a relentless number of things to see and do, and in that time, Lin Yu found more and more that he was finding himself more comfortable within himself, blending in with the new routines, processes, and customs that defined his existence in the Wuxiang state.
Each day spent surrounded by too many scrolls to read carefully, too much paper work to review, and wheels of bureaucracy churning constantly, all of which had a hum that, in one way or another, sounded much like grading papers had done in his past life.
To put it bluntly, it wasn't that terrible at all. The work, of course, was highly demanding, but it was also routine and somewhat familiar to him, and the existence of a scholar included a decent salary that, if not high, afforded him at least some degree of economic security, plus standing that put him above the simple people in life. But because of all these advantages, the burden of his position, plus the omnipresent and nagging fear of failure that hung over him, kept him on edge and uneasy, preventing him in large part from savoring his success.
Lin Yu had carefully set himself very specific and clear goals that he intended to reach. The very first, and truly most foundational of those goals, was to begin his life as a cultivator, which meant a great deal to him. Without the necessary spiritual foundations that are frequently required for such a pursuit, he knew that the Binding System constituted his only practical path to advancement, truly a cheat code that had the potential to bring a lowly mortal scholar's abilities all but overnight to vast potentialities beyond what he represented. But finding a worthy target upon which to bind himself proved extraordinarily difficult and maddeningly frustrating, trying his patience and will at every step.
Every day without exception, he rode his fine carriage, wheels clattering and clinking down rough and hilly Wuxiang roads, his sharp eyes keenly scanning all around for anyone who had a talent score above 80. He earnestly searched busily throughout bustling marketplaces, tiny villages, and even isolated, dusty frontier posts, but regardless of his long and tireless efforts, all of his potential candidates were denied by the cold, mechanical voice of the system.
His highest score had yet been that of a young boy who had a wretchedly low score of only 63, which was well below the merciless pass/fail criteria of the system. Desperation ate away constantly at him, manifesting anxiety and despair, but he pushed forward resolutely, urged on by knowledge that his own survival hinged entirely upon finding someone who had all of the correct criteria.
His other objective was to build a most efficient team that would become committed to the job of procuring pertinent information. Though he had realized that depending upon Zhang Zhixun's men had constituted a lifesaver of sorts in his endeavors, Lin Yu remained disturbed by the vulnerability that dependence represented.
He could not but fret about certain possibilities that could develop. What if Zhang should become unapproachable for some unexpected reason? What if his normally affable disposition were to take an unexpected turn and become otherwise? Just thinking about being rendered utterly immobile in case of a crisis made him feel abjectly horrified.
Lin Yu was not one who shunned challenges or hardship easily, and the idea of leaving his job was not one that he took to thoughtlessly or easily. His salary was relatively good, and his position's associated status was incontestably valuable in every part of his life.
Though entirely aware of all of the associated risks in his situation now, he found deep within himself a long-forged determination and obstinacy that propelled him forward towards forcing this particular lifestyle to work in the optimal way. Still, he was also sufficiently astute to prepare for the absolute worst-case scenario that could possibly develop.
If things were to grow desperate and he found himself imperiled, he recognized that absolutely nothing actually bound him to this position, he could just leave if necessary. But for now, he'd stay in his job, based upon a complicated constellation of pride in his skills and practicalities of his situation.
He had several other plans and more modest aims that hummed in distant corners of his mind, remaining there as distant ideas, but those two goals, cultivation and autonomy, were certainly his highest priorities. But today, there came a tiny yet immensely relevant spark of hope, which came to life in the depths of his heart, kindling senses of potential and exhilaration. It wasn't just a haphazard instinct that arose out of thin air but, rather, a result of a remarkable discussion that recently transpired between him and his fellow students, which deeply affected and motivated him.
Being an informant scholar, Lin Yu was one of the multitudes who had the solemn responsibility of cataloging, bit by bit, everything that had transpired in Wuxiang. It bustled with energy in the administration hall, with murmurs of shared communiques and hushed tones of all sorts of gossip that circulated amongst scholars. Deep in conversation, sipping cups of tea, one scholar happened to mention a recent episode which straight away inspired Lin Yu's interest and curiosity.
A young man called Su Xuan got caught up in a violent struggle against Bai Wuqing, who not only happened to be his opponent but also the young master of the extremely influential and powerful Bai family. As their words continued to escalate and their tempers rose, Bai Wuqing, full of arrogance because of his assumed cultivating ability superiority, resorted to relentless and merciless assault upon Su Xuan without one moment's pause.
But what he did wrong was that he underestimated Su Xuan's potential and looked down upon him. While Su Xuan's cultivation base had only just reached the initial Qi Refinement Level 1, he displayed unrivaled will and rare fortitude when he countered fiercely and caught Bai Wuqing off guard. This unexpected mode of counterattack proved deeply injurious to Bai Wuqing, causing severe injuries, which was genuinely remarkable given that Bai Wuqing possessed two grades of cultivation superiority above him.
A few days later, a horrible catastrophe occurred that would alter Su Xuan's life irreparably. When, after a day's outing, he found himself in front of his humble abode, facing the gruesome spectacle of his entire family, his dear mother and two beloved sibling, savagely slaughtered, their lifeless corpses sprawled on the ground, their blood pooling on surfaces of their humble residence in a horrid splatter, it was all but undeniable that vicious Bai family had committed this gruesome crime; but public functionaries, seeking favor or intimidated by Bai family's vast clout, remained 'oblivious' to horrors that had transpired. Thus, Su Xuan was pursued and haunted, day and night, by Bai family, who had him cornered and had no other alternative but to lead a life in seclusion, afraid to venture out in public because of the threat that constantly shadowed his existence.
Lin Yu's heart galloped with an intense feeling of anticipation and eagerness as he listened intently to that spellbinding story that was being spun before him. The story sounded all too much like one that had been ripped straight off the pages of books he had read in his past life, the ages-old and immortal tale of a protagonist who has been molded and hammered through hardships, suffering, and disasters.
The story unfolded concomitantly parallel to that of a youth, who, regardless of being constantly underestimated, crushed, and oppressed by those around him, stood resolute against seemingly insurmountable challenges, warring outside of his own realm's limits and countering headlong, against very fates themselves.
Su Xuan's unprecedented triumphing over Bai Wuqing, one who happened to be a mighty cultivator situated two full stages above his own, constituted undisputed and unchallengeable proof of what monumental powers he possessed.
This man was no ordinary mortal living somewhere within normality's borders. Rather, here existed a genuine protagonist, a genius so supreme that it gave all appearances of challenging heaven itself, carrying a distinct, great destiny upon which Lin Yu could most eagerly construct his future. Potential in forging a union with Su Xuan could very much become his ticket to entering that realm of cultivation, presenting him with a rare opportunity to transcend his mortal frame's constraints.
A riveting feeling of exhilaration coursed through Lin Yu when he emerged from the administration building, his thoughts racing with a multitude of possibilities and probable resolutions. It was necessary that he find Su Xuan, and he realized that he had to do it immediately. Su Xuan, at present, was a fugitive, running and trying to evade arrest.