"Lin Shen where were you we were suddenly worried when we detected a QI spike from this cave" ARCHON said
"Sorry about worrying its just that this cave was unnatural and I found a Heavenly Thunder Qilin inside" Lin Shen replied as the Qilin emerged from the cave
"Since you are here can you carry it back to the Tri-Eye Dominion" Lin Shen asked
ARCHON let out a sound that sounded like steam hissing through pipes but deeper which might have been the robot equivalent of a sigh before carefully lifting the Qilin and carrying it back to the dominion
Lin Shen Examined the Qilin up close
"This damage, this Qilin must have fought a hard battle against a cultivator long ago"
"This Qilin must have had these scars for a long time"
As they entered the ARCHON placed the Qilin on the largest platform
"Ling Zhi give me a full scan on the Qilin"
Multiple scanning drones hovered near the Qilin scanning the full extent of the injuries
"Scanning complete"
"The Qilin's meridians have permanent damage"
"Suggestion: If you want the Qilin to heal fully we need to conduct surgery that will put its life at stake especially replacing the meridians require us to use Qi conductive tubes through the damaged path ways and its spiritual core can be recovered which medicine to replace its missing limbs and half cut tail we only need cybernetics"
Lin Shen looked at the Qilin and the Qilin looked at him
"Now listen to me very carefully I have a way to heal you and I need you to trust me" Lin Shen spoke
"The method we use here are painful but once you get past the pain you will be better off than when I found you in the cave"
The Qilin looked at Lin Shen and Lin Shen looked back for a moment it looked like nothing happened but understanding passed between them
"Ling Zhi prepare the procedures" Lin Shen spoke
"But we do not have the right equipment to--"
"Screw the equipment modify the assembly lines if you must I want him back in tip top condition"
Ling Zhi got to work modifying some of the assembly lines into surgical tools that are sharp enough to pierce through a Qilin's skin carefully
Once the tools were ready
Lin Shen gave the Qilin a strong Sedative and the Qilin fell into a deep coma
Lin Shen monitored the vital signs intently like he was trying to comprehend a law
He paced around nervously and refused to eat food
He paced around nervously
The surgery took a week to finish and Lin Shen rushed to see the Qilin as its restraints were released
The sedative was wearing off
Then the chamber fell silent.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then a spark of lightning flickered across the Qilin's body.
Then another and then a dozen sparks flickered.
Its new limb twitched as a surge of lightning exploded outward
but this time it was controlled not feral or wild like when it was in its cave
The Qilin slowly rose to its feet.
Its metallic limb struck the ground with a heavy sound, it was not foreign but it was natural
Its eyes opened its wild look replaced by calm but dominant clarity
Lin Shen watched silently.
"Good..."
The Qilin stepped forward as each movement carried power, each breath carried thunder and then—
It stopped in front of him.
And for the first time since they met it lowered its head slowly.
Lin Shen looked at it calmly.
"You're not just surviving anymore."
He paused.
"From now on..."
"You are Lei Huang."
The Qilin's eyes flashed—
as if it understood.
The once prideful Heavenly Thunder Qilin who bowed to none
Bowed in front of a boy who was not powerful but neither was he weak
There was only a month left until the Life-or-death match
And Lin Shen tested out his EXOSUIT MK4
Unlike the others this one had a more elegant frame with armor that could redirect the force of impacts
He raised an arm and aimed it at a tree
From the top of the arm near the wrist a small yet compact minigun emerged and shot multiple QI blasts he lifted his other arm and the same thing happened on that arm too
With a nothing but a thought two Shoulder mounted missiles emerged
He kept his arm straight and held out his palm elemental Qi surged through it he could instantly use the elements to his advantage
Other than that with non-attributed QI he could fire repulsor blasts
The core on the chest in the center of the suit let him fire a unibeam which gathered all the QI from each core or from the surroundings elemental or not and fire it in one strong blast
Lei Huang settled nearby watching Lin Shen test his MK4 EXOSUIT
Lin Shen was now testing its flight capabilities as it took to the air as its folded wings unfurled
At first Lin Shen kept falling unable to balance himself in the air
But then his body started adapting and using his Azure eye he went with the airflow
But he relied too much on the wind so he used his golden eye to understand it more clearly
On the tenth try Lin Shen finally managed to fly smoothly
He then pulled out Carnage and started practicing sword moves
In three days, he will have to return to the murim alliance
Three days until he surprises them
After practicing the sword moves
Lin Shen got onto the Qilin
Heaven Breaker, Hell bringer and ARCHON were standing next to him
"Come on lets move it we have three days to reach them"
"Do you know where they are hosting it" ARCHON asked his voice was now starting to lack its mechanical efficiency
"I don't but I know someone who does" Lin Shen replied
The five of them set off into the Horizon
"Onward towards the Golden Azure sect"