Lin Mu's lessons with his companions continued till the next day, after which they started getting the notification for their next matches.
"When is everyone's match?" Lin Mu asked. "Mine is three days from now." He replied.
"Four days." Lu Xu replied.
"Eight days." Ming Aolian replied.
"Six days." Ming Dandan spoke.
"Next week." Qian Wen answered.
Hearing them all, Lin Mu reckoned it was good this time.
"Seems like we won't have any issues this time around." Lin Mu spoke. "No fights will be conflicting." He stated.
"Indeed. We'll be able to plan out well enough." Lu Xu nodded.
Lin Mu planned out the coming days with the rest and spent them either in teaching them or helping them out in their fights. His own fights had been simple, as he had more than enough time between them.
Neither Lin Mu nor anyone else had issues in their fights with Lin Mu being present there to sway it in their favor.
Just like this, two weeks passed, during which almost everyone had finished all their needed fights. They all felt like it had become so easy after Lin Mu helped them out.
"Lu Xu is the winner!" The referee announced.
In the ring, Lu Xu was unscathed while his opponent was lying outside the ring. He gave a little wave to the crowd before returning to the seats.
"That does it for all of us." Lu Xu said upon seeing his companions.
"Indeed. Now all of us have the needed five wins secured." Lin Mu nodded his head. "We have a break till the qualifiers." He spoke.
"Any idea of when they will start?" Lu Xu asked Luo Liqin. is the owner.
Luo Liqin had been the one spending most of the time collecting information and thus knew the best.
"The estimated time is about fifty days or more. It will still take time for most contestants to finish all rounds." Luo Liqin answered.
"Hmm… that's quite a lot of time." Lin Mu muttered.
"What should we do till, then?" Ming Aolian asked.
"I want to go back and train according to what Brother Mu Lin taught us." Ming Dandan was the first to speak.
"I should do the same. I've certainly had some gains with the lessons as well as the fights." Qian Wen agreed.
"It is decided then." Lu Xu laughed a little. "Guess we'll be taking a break."
"A break to cultivate of course." Ming Aolian chimed in.
Lin Mu too thought that a break was in order. At the very least, a change in the pace. While it had been interesting for him to teach and learn from it, it was still a bit exhausting. Not to mention, he hadn't taken much time to consolidate his cultivation gains in this time.
'Perhaps I should take this chance to further my Qi cultivation too…' Lin Mu thought to himself.
Having made his mind, Lin Mu looked at his companions who were now closer to friends and spoke.
"Alright then. We'll all split for now. It is time for us to do some cultivation on our own." Lin Mu stated.
"Yes." Ming Dandan said with clenched fists.
She had gotten a lot of gains in this time and felt like she was renewed.
"Let's meet again in a few days. We can always contact each other if needed." Qian Wen suggested.
"Hmm… I might not be coming. I'll try to break through." Lin Mu replied, much to their surprise.
"Really? You're close to a breakthrough brother Mu Lin?" Ming Aolian said with slight excitement.
"Yes. I have been for a while, but I've delayed it." Lin Mu answered before looking at Little Shrubby in his arms. "And I got a few friends I need to meet too." He said, recalling the Twins and the Saintess.
He hadn't met them in over three weeks now and missed them.
"If Brother Mu Lin is intending to break through then who are we to stop him? Hahah! Go and don't think about anything else." Lu Xu laughed. "Just focus on your own cultivation."
They all knew how much they had imposed on Lin Mu and knew that it was something he deserved.
"I will then." Lin Mu said with a smile before standing up.
Little Shrubby hopped up onto his shoulder, ready to head back.
Lu Xu and the rest watched as Lin Mu left the ring, feeling mixed emotions.
~Sigh~
"We should work hard too. We can't disappoint brother Mu Lin." Qian Wen stated.
"Yes… if we are still not able to improve, we would be tainting the help that Brother Mu Lin has given us." Ming Aolian said with determination in her voice.
"I'll do my best in gathering information too. Cultivating won't help me much right now anyways since I'm out of the tournament. You all need to focus on winning instead." Luo Liqin spoke up.
"Will that be fine?" Ming Dandan asked with concern.
"Don't worry, this is something that'll benefit all of us." Luo Liqin replied. "We need to take revenge for our people anyways." He said with a hint of fury in his eyes.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, including Lu Xu. Even he had been pulled into their fervor and felt like Yao Changming deserved to die. He had gotten to learn more about the atrocities that Yao Changying had committed in their time together.
With several thoughts and goals in their mind, the groups split up, intending to get stronger for the next part of the tournament.
Lin Mu was unaware of their conversation and just thought about what he was supposed to do. He walked nonstop until he reached the Hundred Fruits Courtyard.
~huu~
Taking a deep breath, Lin Mu looked at the courtyard, which seemed to be rather quaint.
~Creak~
Then with a push, he opened the gate, stepping into the floral air that permeated it.
Even though this wasn't his home, Lin Mu still felt like he had returned home.
"Oh? You're back?" The Saintess's voice drifted over, a smile appearing on Lin Mu's face.