The Sovereign's Ascension


As a lawyer back on earth, Lin Yun had never lost a case. He owed his success to three things: two blessings he received at birth (a photographic memory and the ability to comprehend anything he studies) and an indomitable will he forged himself. While on a trip in Shandong province, he decided he would pay a visit to Mt. Tai. Just as he was cresting the peak, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and his vision went black. Upon waking up, he found himself in the world of Profound Amber occupying the body of a sword s*ave who had shared his name. The last thing he remembered before dying was the image of a sword piercing his chest. Through the memories his body retained the sword s*ave's life, Lin Yun came to understand the brutality of this world. If he sought respect, he would have to earn it through strength. The weak found no compassion here. Refusing to leave his fate in the hands of others, Lin Yun set out to become a sovereign. No man or beast would stop him from achieving his destiny. With his sword in hand, he would overcome any obstacle.


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Chapter 1 - Sword Slave of the Azure Sky Sect

"I'm alive?" Lin Yun touched his chest as he opened his eyes, amazed he was still breathing. The last thing he could remember was a sword piercing his chest as he reached the summit of Mount Tai. The strike happened so quickly he hadn't had a chance to respond before losing consciousness.

"Urgh!"

Lin Yun suddenly grabbed his head, his face contorted with pain. His head throbbed as his memories came flooding back. Time slowed to a crawl. The few seconds it took felt like hours.

When he opened his eyes, he began to regain his composure. It turns out that he hadn't died but transmigrated instead. He had arrived in this world, Profound Amber, possessing the body of a sixteen-year-old sword slave from the frontier of the Aquasky Nation.

In a weird twist of fate this sword slave was also named Lin Yun. After their memories had merged, he found out that this sword slave had failed to become an official disciple of the sect due to lack of talent. As a result, he was only permitted to do menial labor in the inner sect, with his main responsibility being maintaining the swords of inner disciples and elders. Fortunately, not everyone in the Azure Sky Sect focuses on swords. Hence, he was allowed some free time to cultivate.

In this world, only strength was respected. Thus, it was rare that he still had an opportunity to cultivate as a sword slave. In the Azure Sky Sect, the rules stated that sword slaves could be promoted as an official disciple as long as they could obtain some achievement in their cultivation. This was this Lin Yun's primary motivation, his sole reason for staying in the Azure Sky Sect as a slave.

Unfortunately, hard work does not always equate to talent. Over his three years of cultivation, he had only reached the second stage of the Martial Path, unable to reach the third stage. In the Azure Sky Sect, he had to reach the third stage of the Martial Path in order to become an official disciple. Despite being one step away, it seemed miles from his reach.

As a sword slave, there was a limit to the time and resources that he could dedicate to cultivation. Still, for the previous owner of this body to be unable to achieve the third stage of the Martial Path after three years, Lin Yun could tell there was no hope for him.

"Since I have come back to life once more, I will live my life well. In this world, I can make my name resound throughout the four seas!"

Lin Yun surprised himself with how quickly he had managed to adapt and set a goal for himself after traversing to another world. Perhaps it was thanks to all the time he spent in his world's legal system. In his previous life, he was a talented lawyer, familiar with the law to the point of having a retentive memory. Hence, he was able to maintain his composure. He had not lost a single case in his entire career.Regardless of the environment, he would be able to keep his composure.

"Let's see how well this body can move," Lin Yun said as he pushed open the door that led to a clearing in front of the house.

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Going into the pose of the Ferocious Tiger Fist, Lin Yun started to perform. Although the Ferocious Tiger Fist sounded formidable, it was mediocre among all the foundation techniques. Within the Azure Sky Sect, there were many techniques more powerful than the Ferocious Tiger Fist. But as a sword slave, this was the best that he could do. As long as he was not an official disciple, he would not receive any resources from the Azure Sky Sect.

Then again, what was a foundation technique? In the ten stages of the Martial Path, the first three stages strengthen the skin, bones, and meridians, while the next three stages strengthen the blood and five viscera. The following three stages channel the muscles, transform the bones, and change the marrow before reaching the ultimate tenth stage of the Martial Path. A foundation technique was to strengthen the body, laying down a foundation for future cultivation.

As his fists swished through the air, blowing the fallen leaves on the ground, Lin Yun felt an incredible inner peace as he fell into a rhythm. For some reason, practicing the Ferocious Tiger Fist today was much easier than it had been in the past. He hadn't been able to comprehend this technique when he had practiced it in the past, so he could only go with the forms. Essentially, he only had the form and not the intent in the past.

But when he practiced it today, something just clicked. Every punch he threw was followed by a heat flowing through his body, instantly allowing him to comprehend this technique. The Ferocious Tiger Fist had a total of eighteen forms. The first fifteen were meant to strengthen the body while the last three were intended for battle. It was a technique that required a certain level of comprehension.

The names of the last three techniques were Tiger Roaring in the Forest, Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains, and Hundred Beast Wave. The essence of the Ferocious Tiger Fist lies in the last three forms. Unfortunately, Lin Yun hadn't been able to perform it in the past. Even for the first fifteen forms, he could only be considered an amateur, so how could he possibly focus on the last three forms?

In the blink of an eye, Lin Yun had finished performing the first fifteen forms and he felt a warm current channeling throughout his body. Lin Yun's eyes became solemn as he embraced the heat that now enveloped him. The Ferocious Tiger Fist technique flashed across his mind and he let out a roar as he performed the sixteenth form, Tiger Roaring in the Forest.

Roar!

Throwing his fist out, a wave of heat surged through his body and focused into his fist. It seemed as if the image of a ferocious tiger had appeared behind him, unleashing a wild howl. The bones in his entire body crackled, echoing out like the roar of a tiger. In a violent gale, the fallen leaves on the ground were swept into the air and torn into a thousand pieces. The heat continued to flow throughout his body, making Lin Yun feel at peace.

"Internal energy! Crackling bones and this heat! I'm breaking through the second stage of the Martial Path into the third!"

Withdrawing his fist, Lin Yun couldn't help but smile. He never expected that he would actually reach the third stage of the Martial Path while practicing the Ferocious Tiger Fist. At the same time, he was confused. Why was he suddenly able to comprehend this form so much better than he had before? He had been accumulating himself on the second stage of the Martial Path for more than a year, so it could make sense he managed to reach the third.

In the end, he could only conclude that it was because of his soul. He was, afterall, a genius in the previous life, a talented lawyer with a retentive memory. After having merged with the soul of another Lin Yun, his comprehension was on another level.

"It looks like this world is where my wisdom and intelligence can come into play. The third stage of the Martial Path… I am now qualified to become an outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. My life as a sword slave is over after today," Lin Yun's eyes grew wide as he muttered to himself, suddenly remembering something. He rushed back into the house and started searching.

At a corner of the wooden house, Lin Yun saw a treasured sword soaking in the icy water.

"That's it!"

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Without any hesitation, Lin Yun reached for the sword, his entire right hand turning pale from the frigid metal. In the reflection of the water, Lin Yun saw a purple rhombus mark on his forehead. Looking at this mark, Lin Yun grimaced. An eternal mark left behind as long as you'd been a slave for a day!

Putting it out of his mind, Lin Yun took the sword and swiftly headed for the Sword Cleaning Chamber. The sword did not belong to him, but he was tasked to maintain it by an inner disciple in the Azure Sky Sect as all swords require maintenance. Maintenance was required to increase its lifespan, and a treasured sword was no exception. As a sword slave, he was only allowed to have his own home because of his exceptional skills at sword maintenance.

However, it had gotten late! He should have delivered the sword two hours ago, but he had completely lost track of time while practicing the Ferocious Tiger Fist. Lin Yun was vexed. The Azure Sky Sect had a strict hierarchy. Someone in his position could not afford to offend someone. In severe cases, he might even lose his life.

"Here he is, Senior Sister Su!"

There were three people gathered in the corner of the Sword Cleaning Chamber. When they saw Lin Yun enter, a man with a skinny frame spoke out. Opposite him stood a boy and girl. The two of them looked extraordinary, their refined posture a sharp contrast to that of the skinny man.

The girl was especially stunning. She wore an azure robe that outlined her graceful figure, looking so ethereal that one was compelled to avert their gaze. When he first laid eyes on her, Lin Yun was left breathless. According to his memory, the original Lin Yun had a crush on this inner disciple, Su Ziyao.

"Hey, sword slave, why are you so late? Senior Sister Su waited fifteen minutes for you," The skinny-framed man cursed when he saw Lin Yun walking over.

However, Su Ziyao's face was blank as she spoke out, "The sword, hand it over."

Lin Yun obeyed, letting out a sigh of relief that she did not pursue the blame. When Su Ziyao took the sword, she took out her handkerchief and wiped it down. But when Lin Yun saw this action, he furrowed his brow as his favorable impression of her vanished in an instant.

Drawing the sword out half an inch, a cold gleam poured from the blade before she swiftly sheathed it again. Her action so quick all anyone could see was a flash of blue light.

"Not bad."

Holding her sword contentedly, Su Ziyao threw a jade bottle to Lin Yu's feet.

What does that mean? Is she treating me like a beggar?

Fury blazed within Lin Yun's heart.

At this moment, the boy sneered, "Junior Sister Su, how kind you are to reward him despite his tardiness."

Turning to Lin Yun, the boy gave an indignant glare as he gestured toward the bottle, "Why aren't you picking it up and thanking her?"

The previous owner of this body would have picked it up without question, but he was gone. Was that the right move? Would his first interaction in this world be one of subservience?

Lin Yun had to decide...

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Chapter 2 - Third Stage of the Martial Path

While Lin Yun hesitated, Su Ziyao took her sword and left without a second glance. The boy followed shortly after, giving Lin Yun one last look of disgust as he left the room.

"Damn, he's fortunate Senior Sister Su even still rewards him. There must be three Body Nourishing Pellets in that bottle, lucky bastard!"

"God only knows how many pellets Senior Sister Su has given that boy over the last two years. If I were in him, I would've easily reached the third stage of the Martial Path by now. What a waste."

"Haha, don't be jealous. Not being able to reach the third stage of the Martial Path despite having so many pellets, he's probably vomited blood from the depression.."

"That's right. Once a slave, always a slave. He'll be a slave until the day that he dies."

All the odd-job workers working in the yard of the Sword Cleaning Chamber started mocking Lin Yun out of jealousy.

As odd-job workers, they could stay in the Azure Sky Sect for two years. If they could not reach the third stage of the Martial Path within this period of time, they would be required to leave the sect. However, there was a way for them to stay, by becoming a slave.

In this world, there weren't many people as stubborn as Lin Yun. Becoming a slave willingly was unheard of, let alone betting his entire future on it. To the odd-job workers Lin Yun was beneath them, hence the mockery.

However, Lin Yun was unphased as he looked at the jade bottle thoroughly. He had lived for two lifetimes, he wasn't about to let their jeers bother him.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? You don't want the reward from Senior Sister Su? In that case, I'll take it!" The skinny man standing beside Lin Yun smirked as he bent down to grab the bottle.

Just as he touched the bottle, his hand was kicked away, sending the bottle upwards. In an instant, Lin Yun returned his leg to his side and caught the bottle as it rose into the air. The skinny man barely maintained his balance.

When he stood back up, he roared as he pointed at Lin Yun, "You little bastard, how dare you? Do you know who I am!? Do you want to die?!"

His name was Zhou Ping, an outer disciple in the fourth stage of the Martial Path. Truthfully, he was not particularly gifted and had only been assigned as manager of the Sword Cleaning Chamber because his father happened to be an Outer Elder. While the Sword Cleaning Chamber wasn't comparable to places like the Alchemy Chamber, Administration Hall, or Treasure Palace, it had an advantage in that it did not have any competitors.

Zhou Ping had been bullying Lin Yun for some time, always taking the reward Su Ziyao had given Lin Yun for himself.

"Forget it. I'll not lower myself to your level. Old rules, hand over two of the three pellets in the bottle, and I'll let you off the hook." Zhou Ping said as he swept the dust off his body. Because Su Ziyao had given Lin Yun this reward personally, Zhou Ping did not want to take things too far. However, he couldn't let Lin Yun get away with this insult.

In the past, Zhou Ping's actions had irked him, especially since Lin Yun knew there was nothing he could do. But times had changed. He was no longer the Lin Yun of the past. He had already reached the third stage of the Martial Path, he had no one to fear. Looking at the jade bottle in his palm, Lin Yun tightened his grip and turned to walk out of the Sword Cleaning Chamber.

Seeing Lin Yun ignore him sent Zhou Ping into a rage, "Stop right there!"

There were too many odd-job workers around, Zhou Ping needed to save face. He could see Lin Yun had no intention of stopping as he continued to walk out of the Sword Cleaning Chamber.

"It's your funeral!"

Zhou Ping leaped into the sky with his palms spread apart. He was akin to a ferocious eagle, diving in Lin Yun's direction. At the same time, his bones crackled, creating turbulence in the air around him. The blood within his body exploded with a thundering roar as his aura surged once more.

Being able to control the internal energy in his blood at will was the mark of someone in the fourth stage of the Martial Path. This technique belonged to the Eagle Palm Art, a technique above the Ferocious Tiger Fist. At a higher level, one could turn his palms into claws and rip a tiger in two.

"Haha, that brat's in for it now. He must have a screw loose today to offend Senior Brother Zhou."

"Senior Brother Zhou is in the fourth stage of the Martial Path. A single palm of his is nearly 500 kilograms, not to mention that he's achieved a lesser mastery in the Eagle Palm Art. If his palm connects, Lin Yun will be bedridden for at least half a month."

"Lin Yun must not have learned his lesson in obedience from last year. Back then, he lost his temper and had to be beaten into submission."

The odd-job workers had stopped what they were doing and had begun to congregate in anticipation for what they thought was Lin Yun's inevitable beating.

Lin Yun sensed the incoming gale and in an instant the Ferocious Tiger Fist flashed across his mind and he turned around sending out a jab of his own. Along with it, there was a vague image of a tiger behind Lin Yun, unleashing a wild howl. The whole sequence was a single fluid motion.

But when Lin Yun turned he saw Zhou Ping soaring through the air like an eagle in the sky. His eyes were frighteningly sharp. Lin Yun originally wanted to crackle his bones to increase his aura, but that split second of hesitation was enough to cause his aura to drop instead. He failed to unleash the might of the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

Boom!

Lin Yun's fist connected with Zhou Ping's palm in an explosion, forcing Lin Yun to take three steps back as he struggled to maintain control of his body.

"What's going on? Lin Yun actually managed to block that?"

All the odd-job workers were shocked. They expected that Lin Yun would be lying face down after such a strike, but he had only taken three steps back.

Even Zhou Ping looked surprised as he spoke out in a solemn voice, "No wonder you're so fearless. You've made some improvements."

Lin Yun reflected on the previous exchange. Logically speaking, he should be able to block it completely. However, he had just reached the third stage of the Martial Path, and had yet to formally start cultivating internal energy, not to mention that he had no experience in fighting. Admittedly, he had been a little nervous.

Despite being forced to take three steps back, his confidence surged. Zhou Ping was nothing to fear.

"If you think you can dance in front of me with that strength, you're naive!" Zhou Ping roared as he dove at Lin Yun once more, his arms spread like an eagle.

His aura was oppressive. Lin Yun was forced to take another step back. But Lin Yun was calm as he shifted backwards. The previous exchange assured him he had nothing to fear from Zhou Ping. Flaws in one's form can leave you exposed, and Zhou Ping had many.

Things didn't go as Zhou Ping had expected. Except for the few palms in the beginning that caught Lin Yun by surprise, he had brushed Zhou Ping's strikes aside with ease while sending out a few of his own.

What's going on? Why is Lin Yun suddenly so strong? He doesn't even seem to be trying..

Zhou Ping was shocked as he increased his speed. He had to take Lin Yun down swiftly, or he wouldn't be able to throw his tyranny around in the Sword Cleaning Chamber anymore.

"There!"

Zhou Ping was distracted for only a moment, but Lin Yun was ready for him. His eyes narrowed and his bones crackled. At the same time, his aura surged violently. His bones roared incessantly as he executed the Ferocious Tiger Fist? — Tiger Roaring in the Forest.

"Bone crackling... this brat made a breakthrough!" Zhou Ping could not hide his surprise. He never expected that a worthless sword slave would actually reach the third stage of the Martial Path.

However, Lin Yun did not care about his shock, instead taking advantage of Zhou Ping's brief distraction.The sound of his jab connecting with Zhou Ping's chest was like that of a great drum. The explosive force sent Zhou Ping flying away, kicking up dust as he landed on the ground, rolling. He groaned in pain as he clutched his newly broken ribs.

The odd-job workers stared in awed silence for what seemed like an eternity, before one regained his composure, "Third stage of the Martial Path... Lin Yun reached the third stage of the Martial Path!"

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Chapter 3 - Don't be a fool for love if there's an afterlife

Lying on the ground, Zhou Ping couldn't believe what had just happened, "How can you, a sword slave, possibly reach the third stage of the Martial Path!"

He was not alone in his bewilderment, as the odd-job workers looked on in disbelief. Once you reach the third stage of the Martial Path, you would be able to become an outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. All of the sudden, this sword slave stood above them.

Lin Yun gave one last glance at Zhou Ping as he turned and headed for the door. He wouldn't dignify him with a response.

Zhou Ping wanted to chase after him, but a sharp pain from his ribs kept him down. All he could do was punch the ground in frustration. The Sword Cleaning Chamber was an independent loft, and at the same time, it was forbidden ground. Outer disciples and odd-job workers were forbidden to enter as this was a place meant for the maintenance of swords for inner disciples. All the swords found in this inner chamber were at least exquisite, or higher ranked profound artifacts. The level of mastery needed to care for such fine relics was well outside that of ordinary odd-job workers. Out of everyone, only Lin Yun was qualified to enter. Not even Zhou Ping dared to enter the Sword Cleaning Chamber.

"Senior Brother Zhou, are you alright?"

"Senior Brother Zhou, after that showing I don't think there's any stopping Lin Yun."

"Shut up! All of you! That bastard relied on Senior Sister Su's pellets to reach the third stage of the Martial Path, but he wants to become an outer disciple? Fat chance!" Zhou Ping's humiliation was palpable.

There's no way Lin Yun could do this to me. I must have been careless.

If he couldn't save face, no one in the Sword Cleaning Chamber would obey him in the future. Casting a cold glance at the Sword Cleaning Chamber, Zhou Ping limped away.

"Lin Yun is doomed. Zhou Ping's father is an Elder in the outer sect, and even his brother is an expert among all the outer disciples. He's doomed to suffer in the future."

"Well, what can we say about that sword slave? He's been suffering for a long time but he got a little stronger and let it go to his head."

"Then again, he messed Senior Brother Zhou up. How long has he bullied us? In a way, Lin Yun got revenge for us."

After some back-and-forth, the odd-job workers returned to their work and started performing maintenance for the outer disciples' swords.

In the Sword Cleaning Chamber, the moment Lin Yun pushed open the door, he felt an icy aura blowing in his direction. The cold aura all came from the same source, the Icy Pool. The surface of the Icy Pool was covered with a cold mist as pieces of ice danced on its surface. Within the pool, ten-odd swords rested.

Despite merging the memories of the previous owner of this body with his own, the Icy Pool was still a mystery to Lin Yun. The ice flow on the pool is even colder than the Thousand Year Ice from Aquasky Nation's Moon Lake. This was a well-kept secret, even within the sect.

Across the Icy Pool from where Lin Yun stood, there was an old man sharpening a sword. Besides the sword sharpening stone were at least ten different colors of spiritual liquids. The skill of the old man was transparent, as he would occasionally use the spiritual liquids individually or merge them before pouring them onto the sword sharpening stone.

Lin Yun did not speak as he watched the old man sharpen the sword. When he was finished, Lin Yun cupped his hands together, "Senior Hong, I have reached the third stage of the Martial Path, and I will be leaving the Sword Cleaning Chamber soon."

Senior Hong was the true master of the Sword Cleaning Chamber, but he didn't like to get involved in the management, which resulted in Zhou Ping's tyranny. Lin Yun had learned everything he knew from this old man. It was because of him Lin Yun was allowed to enter the Sword Cleaning Chamber, thus allowing him to perform maintenance for some inner disciples.

Shock briefly flashed across the old man's face before regaining his composure. With a sigh, he said, "That's not surprising. Your natural talent may be lacking, but you've received so many pellets from Su Ziyao it had to happen eventually. But be careful. In the journey of the Martial Path, reaching Xiantian is only the beginning.

"With your skill, it will be a tough journey. In the end, it's still a dead end. You're fated with swords, and you can connect with profound artifacts. If we were outside, I could introduce you to a profound master. When you become skilled enough, you will come in contact with some incredibly powerful people."

Senior Hong's words confused Lin Yun. What's a profound master? Why is Xiantian considered the beginning of the martial way? However, he could tell Senior Hong was worried. And, judging from Senior Hong's first sentence, it seemed he owed a great deal to Su Ziyao.

"Senior Hong, thank you for your concern. I have already determined my path, and regardless of the difficulties that await me on the martial way, I will continue down it. I don't need my name to resound, I just want to be free from regrets."

He had lived twice and escaped death. He had been through many hardships.

Lin Yun's sincerity caught Senior Hong by surprise. He smiled, "Free from regrets…"

Lin Yun's words were meaningful, there was not much Senior Hong could add.

"Going from a sword slave to someone in the third stage of the Martial Path can be considered a step into the heavens. I have to give you my congratulations and gratitude that you still remember an old man like me. I don't have anything else to give you except for this painting. It has been with me for years. I want you to have it," Senior Hong spoke as he handed Lin Yun a scroll.

Lin Yun was speechless. This painting was Elder Hong's prized possession. Lin Yun had found him staring at it longingly many times when he thought he was alone. Senior Hong had given him so much already, how could he possibly take his treasure? He couldn't. Not something so important.

"When I was young, I became a cripple because of this painting. But even so, I did not manage to find out anything profound with it. Now that I have one foot in the grave, why do I still need it? So that it can be buried with me?

"If I remember correctly, you're trained in the Ferocious Tiger Fist… This painting might be useful to you."

Senior Hong would not take no for an answer. He shoved the painting into Lin Yun's hand and waved him away, "Go on. You don't have to come here anymore. Once you're out there, don't let others lead you astray. You, Lin Yun, are no longer Azure Sky Sect's Sword Slave!"

Senior Hong spoke the last sentence with a heavy tone, shaking Lin Yun to his core. That's right, no matter how others look at him from now on, he can hold his head high. Holding the painting close, Lin Yun gave a bow before he left.

As he watched Lin Yun' leave, Senior Hong let out a concerned sigh.

When Lin Yun came out of the Sword Cleaning Chamber, all the odd-job workers looked at him differently. They looked at him with a mix of jealousy and concern. Everyone knew that Lin Yun would never come back to this place. With Zhou Ping gone, Lin Yun was surprised to see no one was blocking his path. After taking one last look, he left, heading back to his own residence.

It was an inconspicuous house, located remotely in the Azure Sky Peak. In his room, Lin Yun started writing in his book.

One hundred Body Nourishing Pellets, twenty Blood Energy Pellets… all amounted to three hundred taels of gold…

He was making a recording of all the pellets that Su Ziyao had given him over the last two years.

His talent had allowed him the opportunity to maintain Su Ziyao's sword. Over the two years, his work for her had added up to quite the sum. As everyone had said, without all these rewards, it was impossible for the previous owner of this body to reach the third stage of the Martial Path.

No matter how hard he tried, it was impossible for him to make a breakthrough.

This was clearly important to the previous owner of this body. His memory was not nearly as good as Lin Yun's, and yet he remembered every detail of his interactions with Su Ziyao, from the rewards he was given, to the reasons she came for repairs. He even remembered what the weather was like on the days she would stop by. With even the slightest of effort, he would be able to remember anything involving Su Ziyao.

The previous owner of this body wasn't stupid, and he was incredibly strong-willed. Lin Yun couldn't figure out why he was such a fool when it came to Su Ziyao. Her rewards were only out of etiquette. It couldn't even be considered manners. It was clear she didn't care about what she was giving away.

Love was truly inexplicable.

Thinking about how Su Ziyao wiped her sword today and the expression she let slip, Lin Yun shook his head as he continued writing. After he finished his writing, he gently blew on the brush for it to dry. When he recalled Su Ziyao's indifferent gaze and the infatuation that the previous owner of this body had for her, Lin Yun shook his head. Even now, the feelings from the previous owner of this body still affected him.

"Don't worry about it. When I join the outer sect and find some success for myself, I will repay her ten-fold on your behalf."

Lin Yun leaned back, tucking the paper away as he muttered. For some reason, speaking those words brought peace to those feelings. Surprisingly, they were replaced with gratitude.

Lin Yun couldn't help but laugh.

If there was an afterlife, don't be a fool for love.

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Chapter 4 - An Exception

Setting those thoughts aside, Lin Yun took out the painting that Senior Hong had given him. In the past, he had often seen Senior Hong looking at the painting carefully but had never been able to get a good look at it himself.

"Embody the tiger, smell the rose?"

The words were written in a powerful, ancient dialect. When he unfurled the scroll, there released from within a ferocious howl as an astral tiger lept forth from the parchment.

WORAHHHHHH!

Lin Yun dropped the scroll in a panic, raising his arms to defend himself. His heart was in his throat as he struggled to regain his composure.

"I swear I was attacked by a tiger, but there's nothing here…. What's going on?!"

His eyes flashed back to the scroll laying in the dirt. His body resisted but he knew he must retrieve it. With a second look, Lin Yun could now see the painting was of a pouncing tiger. The simple act of viewing the painting brought an intense pressure crashing down on him. Time stood still as the tiger came alive once again.

Is this actually just painting?!

The beast's ferocious visage left Lin Yun unable to breathe. He quickly bound the scroll as he no longer dared to look at it. He grasped his hands in an attempt to stop them from shaking. It was terrifying, and now he finally knew why Senior Hong was so careful.

The overbearing pressure the painting exuded and the king of beasts' murderous intent were nothing like anything Lin Yun had ever experienced. This painting was undoubtedly a treasure. But how was he supposed to use something he could barely stand to hold?

"Wait…" Lin Yun's eyes lit up as he recalled Senior Hong's words.

"If I remember correctly, you're trained in the Ferocious Tiger Fist… Regardless of anything, this painting might be useful to you."

Suddenly, he realized Senior Hong had not meant for him to solve how this mysterious painting worked, but rather for Lin Yun to use it to bring his Ferocious Tiger First to the next level!

The mastery of all techniques is separated into four different realms: initial, lesser, greater, and complete. The Ferocious Tiger Fist was the foundation of all foundation techniques. You needed minimal comprehension to achieve initial mystery and, if you worked hard enough, one could quite easily reach lesser mastery.

Reaching greater mastery was a different story, though. If you didn't have enough comprehension, it was futile no matter how much time you put in.

As for complete mastery, that was simply a dream. Any foundation technique could be made lethal if you were to reach a complete mastery in it. Complete mastery was so powerful that you might even be able to break through the initial gate of the technique itself and achieve greater lethality.

It had taken Lin Yun two years to achieve lesser mastery. This meant he could only unleash 30% of the Ferocious Tiger Fists' full might, and it was complete luck that he had defeated Zhou Ping.

Zhou Ping was mostly to blame for his loss. If he had taken the fight seriously, there was not much Lin Yun could have done in his current state. The fact that Lin Yun had reached the third stage of the Martial Path had caught Zhou Ping off guard. He had underestimated Lin Yun, and his carelessness was his undoing. Lin Yun was in no condition to join the outer sect. At least, not as he was now.

I should stabilize my current cultivation and attain a greater mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist before I move on.

Lin Yun had always been a cautious man. He much preferred careful planning, preventing as many mistakes as possible along the way. This world belonged to those who had the strength to take it. Being rash could easily result in his death.

Satisfied with his decision, Lin Yun immediately got to work.

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Lin Yun unrolled the scroll once more. As he did, the now familiar pressure came down on him once more. It took everything he had to keep his gaze locked on the tiger. He managed only two seconds before he was forced to wind the scroll.

Closing his eyes, Lin Yun allowed the ferocious tiger in the painting to linger in his mind. His eyes sparked with electricity as he began performing the Ferocious Tiger Fist in the center of his home. With each action his fists left behind gales that flowed as smooth as a gentle river. The tiger's image dancing across his mind slowly began to dissolve as he performed the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

By the time he completed the first round, an intense sense of peace enveloped his entire being. Thoughts started gushing out of his mind in a flash of synthesis, all related to the Ferocious Tiger Fist. He had never experienced anything quite like this.

Senior Hong was right!

Lin Yun could barely contain himself as he unfurled the scroll once more.

One second... two seconds… three seconds… four seconds!

This time, he managed to look at the scroll for four seconds, twice as long as before! The tiger in the painting began taking shape in his heart.

In his small, wooden hut, Lin Yun felt as if he had opened a window to his soul as he practiced the Ferocious Tiger Fist, again and again, the foundation technique that everyone else took for granted. Sweat cascaded down his body as Lin Yun persisted despite the exhaustion tormenting his every muscle. But no matter how many times he viewed the scroll, the fear never faded. Each time, it was as if experiencing a new trauma. But he persevered.

Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains!

Repeating this sequence ten times, Lin Yun roared as he executed the second offensive move of the Ferocious Tiger Fist. In this moment, he felt as though he had transformed into the tiger from the painting, leaping from the ground, nearly coming in contact with the roof of the wooden shack.

Upon landing, his bones crackled with a resounding roar. Four torrents of wind blew forth, ravaging the house's interior.

Tiger Roaring in the Forest, Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains and Hundred Beast Wave.

These three forms could be used for attacking while the previous fifteen forms were meant to strengthen the body. Now that he had conquered the first two offensive moves, all that remained was the Hundred Beast Wave.

Lin Yun's eyes shimmered. The scroll was truly a treasure. In half a day he had cultivated what previously would have taken him half a year.

"With the help of this scroll, I will reach greater mastery in no time!"

Three days later, as the sun rose on the horizon, an intense gale emanated from Lin Yun's silhouette as he let loose punch after punch. He was still the sword slave, Lin Yun, having yet to become an official disciple in the outer sect.

Planting his feet firmly into the earth, Lin Yun's eyes glowed intensely as he brought his onslaught to a halt. He focused his attention on the flowing current within his body, this was the internal energy that anyone can obtain after achieving the third stage of the Martial Path. He would only be able to obtain the technique to cultivate internal energy after becoming an outer disciple. Only then would he truly be considered a true martial practitioner.

Despite not receiving any formal training, his punches already contained both intent and internal energy. In an instant, Lin Yun's eyes shot open, burning with an intensity from deep within his soul. It felt as if they were on fire.

"Tiger Roaring in the Forest!"

BOOM!

His bone crackled like the howl of a wild tiger as he threw a jab forth. An explosion rang out in the air before him as a violent gale tore through his surroundings.

"Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains!"

Taking advantage of the momentum, Lin Yun launched himself high into the air, transforming into a wild tiger before landing with an explosive force. Cracks spread out from where his fist connected with the ground, a sign he had achieved greater mastery in the Ferocious Tiger Fist!

Lin Yun had barely broken a sweat. Compared to how drenched he was after his first execution of the move, this was a drastic improvement. In just three days, he had achieved greater mastery in the Ferocious Tiger Fist all while stabilizing his cultivation in the third stage of the Martial Path.

Phew!

Lin Yun pulled his fist back and stood upright. Under the sunlight, Lin Yun's soft face was full of vigor as he gently exhaled. His gaze softened as he spoke, "Now that I have stabilized my cultivation and achieved greater mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist, I feel much more confident."

Lin Yun returned to his house to take a bath. His mind drifted when he saw the slave marking on his forehead in his reflection. It was simply too striking. Even if it didn't bother him, people would notice.

Lin Yun retrieved a strip of cloth as he prepared to leave, pulling it taught around his head as he crossed the threshold.

Half an incense's time later, Lin Yun arrived at the Administration Hall. This was where the sect distributed techniques and weapons. By the time Lin Yun arrived, there were already many disciples gathered.

Lin Yun spoke as he took out his identity plaque and handed it to the administrator, "Sir, my name is Lin Yun. I have reached the third stage of the Martial Path and would like to apply to become an outer disciple."

The administrator was an old man from the Yang family. While there was nothing striking about his appearance, his cultivation was in the sixth stage of the Martial Path. Standing before him, Lin Yun could feel an immense pressure.

"Sword Slave Lin Yun?" the administrator asked, raising an eyebrow. He did not bother verifying Lin Yun's identity and smiled, "I've heard of you. You have quite the talent when it comes to sword maintenance."

The old man's voice wasn't particularly loud, but it still garnered attention from those nearby.

"Sword Slave Lin Yun!"

"Oh, hey! He's fixed my sword before! He managed to reach the third stage of the Martial Path? Impressive!"

"Don't get too excited. You're forgetting how many pellets Senior Sister Su gave him. You'd have to be an idiot to take this long with those kinds of resources."

The murmur in the Administration Hall turned into an uproar the moment the administrator mentioned Lin Yun's name. Despite their jeers, Lin Yun continued unphased, "Senior, you're being too courteous. May I become an outer disciple?"

"According to the rules established long ago, anyone who reaches the third stage of the Martial Path, regardless of their status, can become an outer disciple. So normally, yes…. But you're the exception!"

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Chapter 5 - Ugly Side of the Sect

The administrator smirked as he watched Lin Yun's growing disappointment.

"Wait, what? Why am I the exception?"

"Why don't you tell us where your cultivation came from?" Administrator Yang asked mockingly. "I'll save you the breath. Everyone knows Su Ziyao has given you tons of pellets. Without them you would have gotten nowhere. Your cultivation is superficial, boy. What good are you to the sect?"

The old man couldn't help but laugh as he continued, "I'll make things easy for you. See all these outer disciples? Pick one. If you can survive ten moves, I'll approve of you as an outer disciple. Otherwise…" Yang paused briefly, looking Lin Yun over disappointedly, before he barked, "Otherwise you'll return to your hovel and continue on being a good little sword slave. You're nothing more than a waste of sect resources!"

The exchange had brought a solemn atmosphere to the Administration Hall. Most pitied him. No one wanted to see two years of hard work go to waste in what was bound to be a humiliating display. Others agreed with the administrator. If it had taken him this long with the use of pellets, he had little hope.

However, asking him to survive ten moves from an outer disciple was cruel. How could someone in the third stage of the Martial Path possibly last ten moves against someone who had cultivated for years?

Lin Yun stared blankly at the old man. He couldn't figure out why the administrator would make things difficult for him on purpose.

"Take it easy, brat. Your Senior Brother Zhou will take good care of you. If you manage to take five moves from me, I'll let you have the remaining five for free," a familiar voice came from the crowd. Lin Yun turned to see none other than Zhou Ping pushing his way past a group of outer disciples, a shit-eating grin spread across his homely face.

I should have known...

"Hey, what's with the headband? You think hiding the mark means you're not a slave?" Zhou Ping sneered as he shoved another outer disciple out of the way.

Everyone understood what was happening as soon as Zhou Ping showed himself. He was here for revenge and must have used his status to get help from the administrator.

Lin Yun was on his own. No one would want to risk getting into trouble for an insignificant sword slave. Ignoring Zhou Ping's mockery, he turned around to look at the old man and asked, "Was that a promise, Administrator Yang? Once I survive ten moves from Senior Brother Zhou you'll allow me to be an outer disciple?"

The old man was caught off guard by Lin Yun's confidence, "You have my word. If you can prove that your cultivation is not superficial, what reason would I have to stop you?"

Although he sounded sincere, the old man was laughing inside. To face Zhou Ping, someone in the fourth stage of the Martial Path, Lin Yun was truly impudent.

A low murmur swept over the Administration Hall. Everyone thought Lin Yun would back down after being given such an unfair assignment. It was clearly a trap. No one with the right mind would accept it and risk being humiliated. Zhou Ping was easily the favorite. He was in the fourth stage of the Martial Path, one whole stage above his pellet reliant opponent.

"Senior Brother Zhou, please," Lin Yun stretched out his hand after moving to an empty space in the Administration Hall.

"Heh, as your boss, I'll go easy on you. Like I said, you only need to survive five moves from me!" Zhou Ping was on the move, palms spread apart, before he even finished speaking. A gale propelled him forward as he darted around the impromptu arena.

"Lowered torso, arms spread... This is the Eagle Palm Art!"

"Hunting Eagle... momentum is the key. Judging from his form, Zhou Ping is quite familiar with this technique. The moment he leaps off the ground, it will be even more incredible."

"And here I thought he was being generous telling Lin Yun he only needed to survive five moves. He's not far from greater mastery of the Eagle Palm Art."

Everyone here was a cultivator and thus able to see the finer points of Zhou Ping's attack. They were nothing like the odd-job workers from the Sword Cleaning Chamber. Outer disciples could easily tell how powerful Zhou Ping's attack was.

As a torrent of wind rushed through his hair, Lin Yun locked eyes with Zhou Ping. Zhou Ping seemed like a different person from the man Lin Yun fought 3 days ago. He was taking this seriously. If it weren't for his training over the last few days, Lin Yun would be doomed.

However, Lin Yun remained calm, remembering his encounters with the tiger from the painting. While Zhou Ping built his momentum, Lin Yun was shoring up his power.

"Look! The sword slave must be terrified. He's just standing there! Does he have a death wish?"

"The Eagle Palm Art is absolutely overwhelming. Unless you have extraordinary footwork, it's impossible to gain an advantage on it."

"How would a sword slave know about that? Once Zhou Ping goes airborne, this fight's over."

"There it is! He jumped!"

When he had finally gained enough momentum, Zhou Ping launched himself into the air with a violent stomp. He was like an arrow loosed from a bow flying higher and higher into the sky. As he reached the apex, a sinister smile spread across his face.

Leaving the humiliation from three days ago aside, Lin Yun was Zhou Ping's cash cow. There was no way he would allow Lin Yun to become an outer disciple. He needed those pellets.

"Here I come!"

Zhou Ping screeched as he breached the apex, focusing his momentum directly at Lin Yun. His fingers formed into vicious talons as he dove for Lin Yun's head.

"How ruthless!"

The Administration Hall went silent as they anticipated the strike. Lin Yun was trapped. Zhou Ping had covered all options. None of the outer disciples could see a way for him to escape. He was going straight for his head. If somehow the move didn't kill him, he'd wish it had.

Five moves? Zhou Ping only needed one to finish off Lin Yun. He had no intention of letting him pass.

Whooooosh!

With the impact imminent, Lin Yun barely managed to keep his eyes open through the violent gale, his hair dancing in the wind. Shifting his right foot back, Lin Yun lowered his body. No one could understand why he would do something so foolish. Was he going to dodge the attack? There's no way he'll be able to dodge in time, right?

Wait!

The administrator's right eye began to twitch as he realized what was happening. Lin Yun was locked in.

Embody the tiger, smell the rose!

The Ferocious Tiger Fist - Tiger Roaring in the Forest!

The shift back was not an attempt to escape, as everyone had thought. On the contrary, he was using his lowered stance as a platform to launch an attack of his own!

For a split second, it seemed as if an image had unfolded behind him. His bone crackled! The roar of a tiger rang out incessantly as Lin Yun threw his jab, causing an explosion in the air before him followed by a violent burst of wind.

This punch is for myself. You shouldn't have obstructed my path!

"Greater Mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist!"

Only a few outer disciples had eyes keen enough to see what happened. Lin Yun's Ferocious Tiger Fist had already reached the heights of greater mastery!

BOOOOOM!

As the fist and palm connected, Zhou Ping's Eagle Palm Art crumpled under the force. Zhou Ping's palm was torn apart. It felt as if every bone in his arm had been ground to dust as he was sent flying across the hall. As he flew, Zhou Ping awoke to a new understanding of fear.

How is this possible? How did Lin Yun manage to achieve greater mastery in just three days?

The Ferocious Tiger Fist might be a foundation technique, but it was still not easy to reach greater mastery. He had intended to finish off Lin Yun in a single strike, but his plan had backfired! Such a strong attack had left him vulnerable, but how was he to know Lin Yun would be able to capitalize on that?!

Lin Yun's cold gaze was still locked on his opponent as he took two steps forward and launched himself into the air. Although he did not reach the same heights as Zhou Ping, his ferocity perfectly resembled that of a tiger.

Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains!

Zhou Ping was still helplessly flying through the air, his right arm in shambles. He could only watch as Lin Yun's fist connected with his chest, driving him into the ground.

CRRRAACK!

Several of Zhou Ping's ribs shattered as his breath evacuated his body.

This second punch is for this body's previous owner! You shouldn't have used your strength to bully him over the last two years!

With that, Lin Yun withdrew his fist back and stood upright, moving his fingers to calm the torrent of internal energy within his body.

Everyone expected Zhou Ping to end the fight in a single move. No one expected Zhou Ping to be defeated in just two.

The hall was silent.

The administrator flickered, a rush of wind blew past Lin Yun as he appeared beside Zhou Ping, checking on the latter's injuries. After seeing the damage, he turned to Lin Yun in disgust, "How dare a sword slave like yourself be so ruthless! Lin Yun, for the act of injuring your peer, I hereby banish you from this sect!"

Lin Yun was taken aback by his fervor, but he had seen this coming, "The Ferocious Tiger Fist is weak against the Eagle Palm Art. If I had not brought out my full strength, I would've been the one on the ground."

"Blasphemy! How dare you talk back to me?!" the administrator screamed furiously. How would he explain this to Zhou Ping's father? This sword slave was truly courting death by talking back.

In an instant, the atmosphere within the Administration Hall had changed.Tensions rose as the administrator turned his wrath towards Lin Yun.

Just as the administrator was about to move, a hoarse voice came bellowing from the upper floors, "HALT!"

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Chapter 6 - Broken Sword

"HALT!" a hoarse voice bellowed from the upper floors, stopping the administrator in his tracks.

"Hall Master Wang!"

On the top floor stood a man clothed in all black. A suppressive pressure rained down as he assessed the scene before him.

"Greetings, Lord Hall Master!"

Every outer disciple in the hall dropped to their knees as they recognized who they now stood before them.

This old man was the Administration Hall's Hall Master, and one of the few people who had reached the ninth stage of the Martial Path. In the ten stages of the martial path, every third stage represented a valley, requiring the body to reach new heights before making a breakthrough. In the entire Azure Sky Sect, only a handful of people, one of whom was the Sect Master, had reached the ninth stage of the Martial Path.

While the Hall Master spent most of his time in the Administration Hall, he was rarely involved in hall matters directly.

"Administrator Yang, I understand your displeasure. While your feelings are justified, he has passed your test, has he not? There is no need for you to continue making things difficult for this young man. As per his reward, please retrieve an outer sect uniform, cultivation technique, and weapon for him. Personally."

"Y-yes, Lord Hall Master. It will be done immediately, Lord Hall Master."

The old man nodded. Briefly, he paused to look at Lin Yun before turning to leave.

The administrator let out a tense sigh, knowing he was lucky the Lord Hall Master had not formally punished him. The humiliation that he, a Hall Administrator, had to fetch items for a sword slave was punishment enough.

"Follow me." He grunted as he led Lin Yun to the second floor.

As they watched Lin Yun disappear up the stairs, all the disciples of the Azure Sky Sect praised Lin Yun for his luck. If it wasn't for the Hall Master's making his appearance, Lin Yun would not have walked out of there in one piece. Zhou Ping cursed silently as he waited for someone to help him. In all of the excitement, the outer disciples had completely forgotten he still lay crumpled in the corner.

The second floor of the Administration Hall was forbidden ground in the sect. Every technique in the Azure Sky Sect was stored here. New disciples were only allowed up here once and were only allowed one cultivation technique and one martial technique each. In the future, they would have to earn the right to come here again.

Administrator Yang pointed at the shelf before them, "Go on. Anyone in the third stage of the Martial Path can choose from the martial techniques here and over there is where all the cultivation techniques are stored."

Lin Yun was unphased by Administrator Yang's cold attitude. His eyes darted excitedly over the contents of the shelf before him, "Azure Sky Art, Thunder Gale Art, Aqua Jade Art…"

Seeing how quickly Lin Yun flipped through the books, Administrator Yang sneered.

Once a sword slave, always a sword slave. He probably has no idea what he's looking at.

After all, anyone with talent would have asked him for advice.

"Administrator Yang, I'll take this one."

"Pure Yang Art?" It took everything he had not to laugh as he read the cover. While it was true those who cultivate the Pure Yang Art would have robust internal energy, the cultivation technique progressed too slowly. Most of the people in the sect who picked it had ultimately dropped it.

"Are you certain?"

"I am."

Administrator Yang smiled, "You have keen eyes. This cultivation technique is pretty good, and it suits you well."

Lin Yun was not fooled by Administrator Yang's disingenuous approval, but it did not matter. He had already memorized all the cultivation techniques on the shelf, a picture of it all burned into his mind. After a brief analysis, he was confident in his choice. The Ten Stages of the Martial Path were meant to lay the foundation for the body, and the dense internal energy provided by the Pure Yang Art was undoubtedly the most suitable for long term progression.

The martial techniques were displayed similarly to the cultivation techniques, but were separated into three ranks: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced. After some thought, Lin Yun picked an intermediate sword technique, the Flowing Wind Sword. This technique was widely known for its lethality and agility.

"This Flowing Wind Sword requires a high level of comprehension, and even many inner disciples have a hard time learning it. Don't say I didn't warn you." Administrator Yang almost felt bad after seeing Lin Yun making another 'wrong' choice. The Hall Master had given him this job personally. The last thing he wanted was for Lin Yun's poor choices to come back on him.

"I think I'll be fine, but thanks."

"Impudent!" Administrator Yang scowled as he turned away. If the sword slave wanted to make poor decisions, so be it.

Next was the Weapons Chamber. Lin Yun had barely begun looking before the administrator forced a weapon into his hands. Pulling the sword out of the sheath, Lin Yun began examining it. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad! The sword was forged with Azure Steel, the standard for disciples of the Azure Sky Sect. He had seen his fair share of these during his time as a sword slave. Based on its markings, it was one of the highest quality Azure Steel swords one could find.

But as he was finishing up his inspection, the end of the blade shattered, its shards falling to the ground. The sword was only left with half of its body.

"What's wrong?" Administrator Yang took the sword and looked it over carefully. In the end, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with it and cursed, "Grab another one. It seems the person responsible for buying swords must have bought a shoddy one."

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Three swords in a row broke as soon as Lin Yun unsheathed them. Administrator Yang glared at Lin Yun, "Sword slave, are you doing this on purpose?"

Lin Yun was known in the sect for his skills in sword maintenance. He couldn't be this clumsy even if he wanted to play a joke on the administrator. Lin Yun was confused himself, "I wish I was strong enough to do that on purpose! I have no idea what's happening. Mind if I pick one?"

"Dream on! Wait here." Administrator Yang sifted through the swords in the chamber, periodically looking back to glare at Lin Yun. When he saw one in the corner, his eyes lit up. It was an old, rusted blade, perfect for an impudent sword slave!

Administrator Yang stopped him before he could unsheathe the sword, "Try it when you get home. That's the last sword you'll get. If it breaks you're out of luck"

Lin Yun couldn't blame him. He felt bad for breaking all those swords. He decided it was best to move on.

Before he left, Administrator Yang asked once more, "Are you sure you don't want to swap the Flowing Wind Sword for another technique?"

"It's fine."

"Heh, you've got guts, kid, I'll give you that. But this technique relies on comprehension. It's not something that a sword slave like you can handle. This is your last chance. Don't come crying to me when it doesn't work out."

"Ok… goodbye."

Administrator Yang smirked as he watched Lin Yun leave. He couldn't wait for this stubborn, insolent sword slave to come grovelling back when he realized what a terrible choice he'd made.

Four hours later, Lin Yun had returned to his wooden shack and had changed into his new uniform. It was a stark white robe with an azure overshirt, quite the refreshing look compared to the rags he normally wore.

Standing in the clearing outside his wooden shack, Lin Yun unsheathed his sword and began to perform.

If only Administrator Yang could see him. An ordinary person could only dream of being proficient with the Flowing Wind Sword in half a month's time, but Lin Yun had done it almost immediately.

"This doesn't seem that hard." It took Lin Yun only four hours to achieve initial mastery, gaining full comprehension of this technique's foundation.

Aside from the foundation techniques, the Flowing Wind Sword had three ultimate moves: Wind Assembling, Reflective Shadow, and Traceless Blow. Judging from his progress, it would not take long for him to achieve lesser mastery.

Lin Yun's mind wandered as he looked over the rusted blade in his hands. The sword was two-fingers wide and 1.1 meters long. The body of the blade was teal in color, too corroded and chipped to reflect anything. When he rapped it with his knuckle, the sword replied with a dull thunk. Lin Yun was certain that this sword must be made of metallic wood.

Aside from metals, swords could also be forged with animal bones, stone, and even metallic wood. However, those cases were rare. Metallic wood wasn't meant to be a literal description, but rather a category of flora that were comparable to metal in strength. There are many flora in the world that could be forged into swords, with Ancient Construct Wood being the most famous.

When Senior Hong imparted his sword maintenance skills to Lin Yun, Senior Hong gave him a Sword Compendium, with all the named swords recorded in it. Within the compendium, there were many, many treasured swords made from flora.

Despite knowing all this, Lin Yun couldn't tell the origin of this sword. Judging from its dull luster and lack of aura, the sword was most likely useless even if it had been forged with precious metals. The value of metallic wood swords relied heavily on appearance and aura. Without any maintenance, the sword would eventually become worthless. However, Lin Yun was still happy. At the very least, the sword did not break when he held it. As long as he took good care of it, he would be able to get some use out of it.

Sheathing the sword, Lin Yun excitedly took out the Pure Yang Art, "It's time to practice the cultivation technique."

It was impossible for him to have a future without the cultivation of internal energy, and only someone in the third stage of the Martial Path could be considered a martial practitioner. Hence, Lin Yun folded his legs together and closed his eyes.

Focusing his attention inward, Lin Yun carefully tried to circulate the internal energy within his body in accordance with the Pure Yang Art. This was not an easy task. His early attempts caused the internal energy in his body to go into turmoil.

By the time he started to grasp at it, the sky had turned dark. As stars started flickering in the sky, Lin Yun could barely contain his joy. He finally managed to cultivate the Pure Yang Art. Calming himself, Lin Yun entered into a profound state.

Along with the internal energy circulating within his body, he managed to see his five viscera and six organs. The sensation was magical.

Internal vision!

A martial practitioner was required to reach the third stage of the Martial Path and must have performed internal vision before they could officially start the martial way. Lin Yun was so focused on his cultivation he failed to notice an old, broken blade lying within his Dantian. On it were nine shackles that extended into the darkness.

As he circulated the Pure Yang Art, tiny sparks of spiritual energy landed on the broken blade, causing ripples to resonate across its surface. As the spiritual energy rained down, the end of the shackles started to tremble from within the darkness.

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Chapter 7 - Convergent Streams, Flowing Wind!

The Pure Yang Art was separated into five stages, just as Lin Yun had expected. Compared to the Flowing Wind Sword, his progress in the Pure Yang Art had been much slower. After three days, he was still stuck on the first stage.

In cultivation, the fundamentals lie in one's aptitude. In this instance, aptitude specifically referred to a person's constitution. Unfortunately, Lin Yun's inherent constitution left much to be desired and his foundation was below average as a result. The only way to make up for a lack of aptitude was to rely on external help.

Generally speaking, external help came mostly in the form of pellets, but one could also be aided by their environment. In places with an abundance of spiritual energy, cultivation efficiency could be boosted dramatically. However, such places in the Azure Sky Sect had already been claimed by inner disciples and Elders. Hence, without superb aptitude, a special location, or pellets, it was natural for Lin Yun's progress in the Pure Yang Art to be slow.

Thankfully, the three days weren't entirely wasted as he had become proficient in the Flowing Wind Sword. He also had not forgotten to practice the Ferocious Tiger Fist. It seemed techniques that required comprehension were his strong suit. Sword techniques were meant to kill, cultivation techniques were meant to cultivate his internal energy, and the Ferocious Tiger Fist was meant to strengthen his body. Proper training required the practice of all three.

Outside his wooden shack, Lin Yun spread his palms as he came in contact with the hilt of his sword. The sword let out a gentle hum as it began vibrating rapidly under his palm.

It appeared to be trying to spin, but was being held back by the scabbard lodged in the ground.

"Not yet…" Lin Yun said, closing his eyes as he focused all his senses on the vibrating blade. He began to slowly pour his spirit energy into the sword.

Whoosh!

A gentle wisp of wind rose, tousling his hair.

"Wind Assembling!"

Lin Yun's eyes shot open and began to spark as he grabbed the hilt.

So heavy!

An intense downward force came from the sword as all the accumulated power pulled him toward the earth. It was only due to the foundation laid by the Ferocious Tiger Fist that Lin Yun managed to stabilize himself as he lifted the sword.

Swish!

The instant he lifted the sword his body was dragged forward. The sword had traveled two feet and lodged itself in a rock, bringing Lin Yun with it. A spiderweb of fractures branched out from the inch deep incision the sword had created.

After only one attempt of this move, Lin Yun felt as if his entire body had been drained of its energy. Wiping the sweat on his forehead as Lin Yun looked at the sword that had pierced the stone.

That was Wind Assembling!

It was one of the three offensive moves of the Flowing Wind Sword, drawing the wind into the sword before unleashing it in a torrent. No wonder this technique was so difficult to learn.

"So this is what it means to assemble the wind and unleash its power…" Lin Yun reflected. He had executed this move without pulling his sword out of the scabbard. If he had, the power would definitely be on a whole new different level. However, executing this move was impractically difficult. If he was in a battle with an enemy, his enemy would definitely not wait for him to accumulate his strength. He needed more practice. Some day he would be able to use this move at will, but only then would it see battle.

"Unfortunately, this is probably as far as I can go on my own. If I want to take the next step, I will have to visit the sect's Mechanism Hall and battle puppets or leave the sect to find something to fight. I'll need the experience if I want to improve my swordsmanship," Lin Yun gently muttered. He was displeased that he had yet to obtain lesser mastery in the sword technique.

After a brief moment, Lin Yun made up his mind. He would find something to fight! The Mechanism Hall was effective, but it required money. Money he didn't have. By going out, he would be able to train himself hunting beasts, which could then be sold for both money and pellets. After all, he needed pellets to increase his efficiency in Pure Yang Art. Without them, his cultivation would begin to stagnate. Even if he made a vast improvement in his sword technique, it was nothing without the cultivation to back it up.

Cloud Horizon Mountain resided behind the Azure Sky Sect. It was part of a vast mountain range that spread through numerous nations. Even the Aquasky Nation only occupied a small portion of it. However, this small portion was enough to cover a third of the Aquasky Nation's land. The Aquasky Nation had three other great factions aside from the Azure Sky Sect, namely the Mad Blade Sect, Profound Sun Sect, and the Violet Ember Sect. A commonality between the four sects was that many of their disciples liked to adventure up Cloud Horizon Mountain. In the past, Lin Yun had been prohibited from doing so because of his status as a sword slave. Hence, he did not have many opportunities to train himself. However, he no longer had such concerns.

After putting a few things together, he left his wooden shack. Cloud Horizon Mountain wasn't far from the Azure Sky Sect, located only an hour's journey behind the sect.

Many ferocious beasts reside on Cloud Horizon Mountain, and demonic beasts could be found if one dared venture too far. Compared to wild beasts, demonic beasts were mutated from absorbing spiritual energy, demonizing little by little. They were a terrifying sight to behold. Even the weakest one was comparable in strength to someone on the fifth stage of the Martial Path. If Lin Yun encountered a demonic beast in his current state, he would make it out alive. But he had no intention of trying his luck with the demonic beasts, so he traveled carefully as he hunted for more suitable prey. A beast's fur, claws, and meat were all worth some money and, compared to how much he currently had, they would be a considerable source of income for Lin Yun. However, for some reason, he only encountered them in groups. Being alone, he was forced to give up on them.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

"Water?"

The sound led Lin Yun to a stream that fed into a lake. The noise was coming from the water as it crashed against the rocks.

"Convergent streams, flowing wind… The Flowing Wind Sword, like water and the wind!" Lin Yun's eyes lit up as it dawned on him.

Could it be that the Flowing Wind Sword did not mean the flowing of wind, but wind like the flowing water?

No wonder no one succeeded in the Flowing Wind Sword. Perhaps this was the problem!

Closing his eyes, Lin Yun began concentrating on the image of the Flowing Wind Sword in his mind. A moment later, he drew his sword and leapt down into the water.

Splash!

When he jumped into the stream, he was carried away by the torrent, soaking his body to its core. When Lin Yun made it back to shore, he got back on his feet quickly, completely unphased. Wiping the water off his face, he jumped in once more, repeating the cycle unafraid.

He lost track of how many times he failed. A hundred times? Maybe a thousand? His body was covered in bruises from the repeated impact of the current, but he had long since gone numb.

"I got it!"

His perseverance paid off as Lin Yun finally managed to gain a footing on a rock. No matter how torrential the current was, it could not drag him away. Overcome with joy, Lin Yun couldn't help but smile as he started executing the Flowing Wind Sword.

"Convergent streams, flowing wind…"

Within the raging torrent, Lin Yun's sword danced as he focused his senses on the wisps of wind created by the current. When he sprung from the water, his swordplay became one with the wind and stream.

Whoosh! Swish! Swish!

Lin Yun brandished his sword along with the flow as he leapt from rock to rock, losing himself in his cultivation of the Flowing Wind Sword. He was like the wind as he merged with the torrent, following the current to the stream's mouth. The moment he was about to fall into the lake, the sword in his hand started rotating violently. Just as he was about to touch the lake, he roared and lunged his sword forward.

"WIND ASSEMBLING!"

The momentum from the sword pulled him upwards, soaring like a bird just above the surface of the lake. Wherever the sword went, the lake beneath him was split in two. The lake was nearly a hundred meters across, but he had travelled across it with ease.

As Lin Yun looked back, he saw the walls of water the sword had created converge in a torrential spray before settling back into the lake. Traveling a hundred meters with the sword... he had finally achieved a lesser mastery in the Flowing Wind Sword!

"The Flowing Wind Sword seems to be stronger than the records show… It looks like the Azure Sky Sect's Flowing Wind Sword might not be complete. At the very least, there are still some parts missing," Lin Yun whispered to himself. For him to comprehend the Flowing Wind Sword today, the time he spent here had not been wasted.

"Roar!" Three howling roars echoed across the lake, snapping Lin Yun from his moment of bliss. When he turned his head to the source, he locked eyes with three brown Iron Clawed Wolves. They seemed to be searching for prey and had been drawn by the commotion.

The Iron Clawed Wolves were formidable beasts, with claws tougher and sharper than steel. They could easily tear out organs with nothing more than a gentle swipe. They also always traveled in packs, so Lin Yun had done his best to avoid them up until now.

But that was before Lin Yun had achieved a lesser mastery in the Flowing Wind Sword. Now he had a new technique he was eager to try. His smile faded and his brow sank, Lin Yun did not dare be careless. Clenching his sword, his body trembled slightly, not from the fear, but excitement.

The three Iron Clawed Wolves were cautious. They could sense something was unusual about their prey. They leered at Lin Yun as they howled, unleashing their bloodlust. An ordinary man would lose himself in the face of such unfettered savagery.

No one moved. To the untrained eye it appeared as if both parties had reached a stalemate, but in actuality they were sounding each other out. Lin Yun knew he only had one chance. If he failed to get rid of the three wolves in a single strike, he would be ripped to shreds. He needed to bide his time and wait for an opening. Sweeping his gaze, he could see one of the wolves was growing impatient.

Taking a step forward, he made his move! The moment they saw his muscles tense the three Iron Clawed Wolves lunged at Lin Yun in perfect unison. Remaining calm, Lin Yun burst forth like a torrent, wind following along with his sword. In the next instance, a spray of blood washed over the surrounding grass.

Lin Yun stumbled as he regained his footing. Three deep claw marks had been left on his left arm. There was a series thump behind him as the three Iron Clawed Wolves dropped to the ground. Turning his head, he saw the three wolves were bleeding profusely from the underside of their necks. They had already taken their last breaths. Walking over to the corpses, Lin Yun muttered, "I underestimated their speed. If I had been more accurate, I wouldn't have been injured."

Sheathing his sword, Lin Yun took out a dagger and started harvesting their claws. Their fur and meat weren't worth the trouble it would take to bring them back, so he ultimately decided to leave them behind.

"Wind flowing like water. This proves I'm on the right path."

Defeating three Iron Clawed Wolves while on only the third stage of the Martial Path was no small feat. Lin Yun enjoyed a well deserved boost in confidence as he set for home.

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Chapter 8 - Fusion of Fist and Sword

The claws of the tree Iron Clawed Wolves were worth a significant sum of money, not to mention that Lin Yun didn't owe anyone else a portion. The last battle had given a huge boost to Lin Yun's confidence and an ample harvest. Hence, Lin Yun resumed hunting for the next few days.

The experience of lingering between life and death constantly strengthened his will as he managed to fully unleash the essence of the Flowing Wind Sword in the battle. The sword displayed great lethality, and it wasn't like other intermediate sword techniques. In just three days, he made a surprisingly large harvest, filling his bag to the brim. Claws from the three Iron Clawed Wolves, a Spotted Tiger's Fur, a Shaped Bull's Horn… His bag was filled with all sorts of materials that he had harvested from beasts.

"I have to find somewhere to hide them."

It wasn't convenient for him to walk around with so much stuff on him. Hence, Lin Yun found a secret location in the woods where he hid the bag on a tree. He covered it in leaves and branches before he returned to the ground. Raising his head to look at the bag, the leaf covering perfectly concealed it from the naked eye. Suddenly, Lin Yun felt a dense spiritual aura blowing in his direction.

"Spiritual hotspots?"

Lin Yun was quite surprised. He knew that there were many places in the world with an abundance of spiritual aura, known as spiritual spots, but, in the Azure Sky Sect, such locations were all monopolized by inner disciples and Elders. Somehow, he had managed to discover one while trying to find somewhere to hide his harvest. It goes without saying, he wanted to take a look!

Following the spiritual aura, Lin Yun swiftly journeyed forth before he felt something unusual about the environment. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed the woods had suddenly become quieter. In the woods, you could usually hear even the slightest wisp of wind, but Lin Yun couldn't even hear the buzzing of insects or the calls of beasts.

Eyes sharp, Lin Yun clenched his jaw as he mustered his courage to journey forth. If it really was a spiritual spot, he could use it to advance his Pure Yang Art. Thus, he did not want to give up this opportunity. Half an incense's time later, Lin Yun arrived at the source of the spiritual aura.

"It's really a spiritual spot! The spiritual aura here is several fold more dense compared to other places, maybe even higher!"

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Lin Yun looked around. Aside from some wild plants and grasses, he couldn't see anything else unusual about this place.

"Whatever, let's just bring my Pure Yang Art to the second stage and leave this place quickly."

After Lin Yun made up his mind, he sat down under a tree and closed his eyes. As he circulated the Pure Yang Art within his body, the spiritual aura in his surroundings began pouring into his body. The dense spiritual aura was constantly strengthening his body, nourishing his skin, muscles, bones, and meridians.

In the ten stages of the Martial Path, the first three stages strengthen the skin, bones, and meridians, while the next three stages strengthen the blood and five viscera. The following three stages channel the muscles, transform the bones, and change the marrow before reaching the ultimate tenth stage of the Martial Path. Every three stages was a threshold, but being in this spiritual spot caused Lin Yun to feel something unusual. He was making much more progress with the Pure Yang Art than he normally would. Under the massive surge of internal energy flowing through his body, his clogged meridians began clearing up. At the same time, he was also making swift progress in his cultivation. However, Lin Yun remained calm. He had to be cautious at all times when journeying on the path of the martial way. After all, he could easily injure himself if he wasn't careful with his internal energy. In light cases, his meridians would be injured. In severe cases, his entire cultivation would be crippled. Hell and heaven were only a foot away.

When he completed an entire circulation of the Pure Yang Energy, his internal energy flowed inward and formed a strand of yellow aura within his Dantian. He had reached the second stage of the Pure Yang Art! But Lin Yun knew now was not the time to celebrate. He had to utilize his time in this spiritual spot to its fullest. He centered himself and resumed his cultivation.

He had to admit that there was a drastic difference between the first and second stages of the Pure Yang Art. He was absorbing the surrounding spiritual aura at twice the previous rate!

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Boom!

Lin Yun's eyes shot open, glistening with joy. To his surprise four hours had passed. He had managed to clear his meridians, which meant he had reached the fourth stage of the Martial Path!

He could easily tell the internal energy within his body was significantly more condensed than before. Furthermore, controlling it also felt much easier.

"I don't believe there is any spiritual spot comparable to this in the Azure Sky Sect. I hit the jackpot!"

With both his cultivation and cultivating technique making breakthroughs at the same time, Lin Yun couldn't mask his happiness.

Whoosh!

All of a sudden, the spiritual aura in this location started to rotate. The spiritual aura in this place was getting so condensed he could see flickers with his naked eyes.

"What's happening?" Shock spread across Lin Yun's face as he saw an unremarkable fruit lying in the grass up ahead absorbing all of the spiritual aura. All of the sudden, he had figured out the reason why spiritual aura was so dense here. A treasure was being born here. And judging from the situation, the fruit appeared to be advancing.

Swish!

But just when the spiritual aura was about to be absorbed by the wild fruit, a silhouette flashed past, devouring the fruit. When Lin Yun got a clear look at the silhouette, he saw it was a Saber-toothed Tiger!

The Saber-toothed tiger was a beast with the strength in the Fourth Stage of the Martial Path, a whole level above the Iron Clawed Wolves! Up until this point, Lin Yun had made sure to avoid all the Saber-toothed Tiger he came across. There was a drastic difference between their strength, and going up against one was the akin to courting death.

Roar!

After the Saber-toothed Tiger devoured the fruit, it raised its head to look at Lin Yun, bloodlust flickering in its eyes. A cold aura blew in his direction. As it passed through his body, Lin Yun felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Demonic aura!"

Lin Yun felt as though he had stumbled into hell. This Saber-toothed Tiger would soon evolve into a demonic beast!

An unprecedented panic swept through his heart. He shouldn't have gotten greedy after seeing the fruit. He should have been satisfied with his breakthrough and left immediately. But right now, he couldn't move. Panic set in when he realized that he couldn't even move his legs. All it had taken was one look from the Saber-toothed Tiger. He recognized that this was his primal instincts responding to the threat before him.

With a deep growl, the Saber-toothed Tiger began slowly approaching Lin Yun. As fear consumed him, beads of sweat started rolling down his forehead. He had never felt so close to death. At the same time, despair started rising in his heart. Just a moment ago, he was basking in the joy of making a breakthrough. But in the blink of an eye, he was filled with despair.

No! I can't afford to die here!

He couldn't accept dying like a coward. Even if he was doomed to die, he still wanted to rip off a piece of flesh from the Saber-toothed Tiger. He did not want to hand his fate over to someone else. Gnashing his teeth, Lin Yun roared in his heart. He wanted to draw his sword, but his limbs wouldn't listen.

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At this moment, the approaching predator roared as it pounced at him, covering Lin Yun in its massive shadow. When facing his impending death, Lin Yun was surprised that his fear had stopped growing. On the contrary, he had calmed down. Suddenly, he could move his limbs again.

Embody the tiger, smell the rose!

Picturing the tiger from the painting as those words popped into his mind, Lin Yun drew his sword. He didn't have time to think as he charged the Saber-toothed Tiger. However, the sword imbued with his internal energy was smacked away, showing the difference between their strength. But the sword had managed to stop the Saber-toothed Tiger for a brief moment, pulling Lin Yun back from the gates of hell. Without hesitation, Lin Yun rolled to the side, dodging the lethal swipe from the Saber-toothed Tiger.

Boom!

A tree so large it would take two people to encircle it broke under the Saber-toothed Tiger's attack.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yun narrowed his focus. Looking around, he could see there was no way out. The Saber-toothed Tiger became enraged after missing his attack. He quickly turned around and pounced at Lin Yun once more.

Seeing that his sword had become lodged in a tree, Lin Yun knew that he couldn't rely on it anymore. With only a second to decide, Lin Yun chose to face the demonized Saber-toothed Tiger with his greater mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

Bang!

When the claw and fist came into contact Lin Yun was thrown ten meters. After he landed, he could feel the turmoil in his body as he stumbled back three paces. Surprisingly, though, Lin Yun was smiling. With the internal energy from the Pure Yang Art fueling the Ferocious Tiger Fist, Lin Yun discovered he had a chance with the Saber-toothed Tiger and his expected defeat would not come to pass. Then again, the Pure Yang Art was known for the density of internal energy. Paired with the Ferocious Tiger Fist, how could it be weak?

Most importantly, he had reached the fourth stage of the Martial Path. Hence, he began his ferocious battle with the Saber-toothed Tiger. The pressure of having to fight for his survival forced Lin Yun to perform beyond his normal standards. He brought the Ferocious Tiger Fist to its limits as the tiger from the painting lingered in his mind, allowing him to resist the demonic aura permeating from the Saber-toothed Tiger.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

Lin Yun could vaguely sense his Ferocious Tiger Fist making progress during the fight, showing signs of making a breakthrough to complete mastery.

He had been on defense from the start of the fight, but the flow of the battle slowly started to shift in his favor as his fist was answered by painful growls from the Saber-toothed Tiger. Like a king among tigers, the aura emitting from Lin Yun gradually suppressed the Saber-toothed Tiger.

His form now perfected, Lin Yun saw his chance to unleash the first offensive move of the Ferocious Tiger Fist. Taking a step back and lowering his body, Lin Yun unleashed the Tiger Roaring in the Forest! Within the roar, the joints in Lin Yun's fingers crackled as he threw a jab forth.

Boom!

The Saber-toothed Tiger was sent flying. This was the first time Lin Yun had obtained an advantage during this battle.

Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountains!

Not letting the Saber-toothed Tiger recover, Lin Yun transformed into a tiger as he leapt into the air. With a violent gale following his fist, Lin Yun threw another jab at the Saber-toothed Tiger, who was struggling to get back up. As he threw his punch, Lin Yun could feel his blood boiling throughout his body. It felt as if there was a fire burning in his chest waiting to be unleashed.

Hundred Beast Wave!

Without any hesitation, Lin Yun executed the strongest move in the Ferocious Tiger Fist. The Saber-toothed Tiger, who was still struggling to stand, had terror in its eyes when it saw Lin Yun charging over. To the tiger, Lin Yun was like a tool of destruction rather than a wild beast.

Lin Yun's fist was akin to a sword of unparalleled sharpness, roaring among the winds, the Hundred Beast Wave!

Accompanied by a roaring wind, Lin Yun's fist went clean through the Saber-toothed Tiger. After it took its last breath, the tiger looked almost as if it were bowing to Lin Yun as it collapsed.

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Chapter 9 - Senior Brother, Your Sword

Lin Yun stared at the corpse of the Saber-toothed Tiger in a daze, a mix of shock and joy welling up in his heart. He'd practiced the Hundred Beast Wave before, but never once did it produce a result like this. He was bewildered. Why had a fist technique transformed his punch into a sword attack?

"Fist? Sword? Could this be the work of that painting...? How mysterious," Lin Yun muttered. "My Ferocious Tiger Fist transformed. I'll need to look into this more when I return."

Lin Yun would normally stand no chance against a demonized Saber-toothed Tiger. If not for the image in his mind, which allowed him to resist the baleful aura, he would've likely been torn to shreds. At this moment, a faint flicker happened to catch Lin Yun's eye. It was coming from the chest of the Saber-toothed Tiger. "A beast core? Lucky me, not every demonic beast has one."

As long as a demonic beast managed to form a core, they would be able to advance in their cultivation like cultivators. For example, the strength of an ordinary Saber-toothed Tiger was at the pinnacle of the fourth stage of the Martial Path, approaching the fifth, at best. But the moment it formed a core, it could break through into the Sixth, Seventh, or even the tenth stage of the Martial Path.

"If I didn't kill it today, a beast king might have been born on Cloud Horizon Mountain!" Lin Feng remarked, a tinge of fear in his eyes. "It must have formed a core after consuming that fruit."

Even the core of a quasi-demonic beast was worth a significant sum. Compared to this beast core, his harvest for the past three days wasn't much. Lin Yun didn't give it a second thought. He took out his dagger and started cutting open the Saber-toothed Tiger's chest. After extracting the core, the faint glow around it disappeared, making it look like nothing more than ordinary rock. But he could still clearly sense a powerful spiritual aura as he grasped it in his hand.

Lin Yun carefully stowed away the core in his bag. He was in no rush to harvest the rest of the Saber-toothed Tiger's corpse. He walked over to the tree to collect his sword, a hint of shame on his face. A swordsman losing their sword was a disgrace.

Rustle! Rustle!

Just when he returned his sword to the sheath, Lin Yun heard footsteps approaching in his direction. Judging from the sound, it was a group of people. He knitted his brows. It would be terrible if he were discovered. But before he could do anything, a group of disciples in Azure Sky Sect uniforms entered his vision. Lin Yun swept his eyes over the group. He recognized their leader. Chen Xiao, an outer disciple. He'd carried out sword maintenance for this fellow in the past.

"It's really a demonic beast! Hey, look. Its chest was cut open. It must've had a beast core!" Chen Xiao remarked after analyzing the corpse. Surprisingly, no one in the group paid any attention to Lin Yun apart from a casual glance.

"It looks like whoever fought it must have been heavily injured and immediately left after retrieving the beast core. Why else would the corpse be abandoned?" Chen Xiao said, gazing around at the surroundings.

"Senior Brother Chen, are we going to chase after him?" one of the group members asked.

"He's probably long gone by now. Let's ask any possible witnesses." Chen Xiao then turned to Lin Yun, as if finally taking notice of his presence. "You arrived here earlier than us? Did you see anyone else pass by?"

Lin Yun immediately understood. The thought of him being the one who killed the Saber-toothed Tiger didn't even cross Chen Xiao's mind. Then again, that made perfect sense. In Chen Xiao's eyes, he was only a sword slave. How could he possibly defeat a demonic beast? Even Lin Yun himself didn't believe he could kill the Saber-toothed Tiger in the beginning.

"No one." Lin Yun replied calmly, not a trace of panic on his face.

"Hmph! Useless trash! Then get out of my sight!" Chen Xiao barked, the contempt in his eyes as clear as day.

This was exactly what Lin Yun wanted. Chen Xiao was in the fifth stage of the Martial Path, and the rest were all at the fourth stage. It was impossible for him to go against so many people alone.

"Wait up!" Chen Xiao called out. He tossed his sword over in Lin Yun's direction. It stabbed into the ground between his feet. "It's good that you're here. Perform maintenance on my sword. Saving me a trip back to the Sword Cleaning Chamber."

"I'm sorry, but I'm no longer a sword slave, Senior Brother Chen," Lin Yun refused.

"Hoh? Fine. I won't let you work for free. You can have a small share of this demonic beast as well."

Lin Yun's expression flickered with rage. The Saber-toothed Tiger was killed by him, so the corpse belonged to him to begin with. Chen Xiao was crossing the line.

"Haha, this sword slave seems to have some attitude. Senior Brother, why don't we give him a bashing?" one of the lackeys said.

"Heh, I bet that if it was Su Ziyao's sword, this sword slave would definitely go crawling to her, begging to perform maintenance for her," said another.

"Hahaha!" The group laughed. It was no secret that the previous Lin Yun was in love with Su Ziyao. The whole affair was a huge joke in the sect.

"Lin Yun, be obedient. I don't have a habit of bullying. After all, giving you a beating won't do any good for my reputation. Perform maintenance for my sword and I'll speak a few words for you to Senior Sister Su." Chen Xiao teased.

"Hahaha!" The rest of the group erupted into another round of laughter. Lin Feng stared coldly at their jeering faces, when a thought crossed his mind. He walked up and picked up Chen Xiao's sword from the ground.

Buzz! Buzz!

The body of the sword vibrated as a bloody aura permeated into the air. The sword was two-fingers wide with a wavy cloud pattern running down the blade. An amateur could tell that it was a superb sword at a glance. The edge was stained with blood from the past few days of slaughter, but it couldn't hide the sharpness of the sword.

What an excellent sword!

This sword was several grades above those distributed in the sect. Although it was not a profound artifact, it wasn't far from being one.

"Careful. My sword is expensive. It cost me nearly half a year of my savings, and I—"Chen Xiao remarked with smug pride.

Crack!

Before Chen Xiao could finish speaking, Lin Yun crushed the sword into pieces. The smile on Chen Xiao's face froze. He felt as if his heart had been ripped out. All the other outer disciples stared at Lin Yun dumbfounded.

So it wasn't a coincidence that all those swords broke in the Weapons Chamber.

"Senior Brother, it looks like you bought a fake one with your savings." Lin Yun said sincerely, holding out the empty hilt.

"M-my Cloudline Sword!" Chen Xiao roared. His eyes turned crimson red, looking as if he wanted to devour Lin Yun alive. This sword was his treasure, and he'd only gotten it half a month ago. All that money. Gone. It was easy to imagine how much mental anguish he was in after seeing it shatter in Lin Yun's hand.

"Y-you! You're dead!" Chen Xiao raged. He charged at Lin Yun, unleashing his fifth stage aura completely.

Lin Yun was mildly shocked. Based on the pressure, Chen Xiao was at the pinnacle of the fifth stage, only a step away from breaking through. That said, it was only to this extent. He calmly greeted the attack without a trace of fear on his face—

"GRRWOOOOOOARGH!"

Just as Chen Xiao was about to reach Lin Yun, a deep roar rang out from the distance as a powerful demonic aura swept over the surroundings.

"Demonic beast!" Chen Xiao and the other outer disciples went pale when they felt the thick demonic aura.

Damn it!

The Saber-toothed Tiger's corpse had attracted the attention of another demonic beast! It was a wonderful nourishment for other demonic beasts. It was this sword slave's fault that they did not have any time to harvest the corpse.

"Sword slave, count yourself lucky that I'm letting you off the hook today!" Chen Xiao left these words behind before swiftly departing. After all, he did not dare to risk his life fighting a demonic beast.

"Senior brother, your sword!" Lin Yun shouted as he tossed the sword back. Chen Xiao caught it out of habit. But then after seeing only the empty hit, he flew into rage and almost tripped over himself. Despite fuming inside, he resisted the urge to turn around and continued fleeing.

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Chapter 10 - Consolidating Cultivation

What a pity…

Lin Yun was a bit disappointed to see Chen Xiao still chose to leave despite his rage. If Chen Xiao had lost his cool and attacked him, he could have used the approaching demonic beast to deal with him.

Looking around, Lin Yun could see the demonic aura wafting over with his naked eyes. The corpse of the Saber-toothed Tiger had evidently attracted an unknown demonic beast. Lin Yun decided it was his time to leave as well, stopping only to grab the bag of materials he had hidden earlier.

Three days later, Lin Yun arrived at a shop located just south of the Azure Sky Sect in a town known as Azure Sky Town. This town's main source of revenue was from serving disciples from various different sects.

The shop was quite busy when Lin Yun arrived. A seemingly endless stream of people were going in and out of the shop. Based on the clothes that they were wearing, they were either disciples of the various sects or wandering cultivators.

Lin Yun walked over to the counter and placed his bag in front of the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was an older man, and Lin Yun could tell he had been in the business for a long time. The shopkeeper had a hard time hiding his surprise as he went through the bag, occasionally shooting a glance at Lin Yun before quickly returning to his work

It was surprising for one man to bring in so many materials, especially the claws of Iron Clawed Wolves. It was never easy to hunt beasts that travel in packs.

"3,000 taels of silver for the claws. The pelt of the Spotted Tiger is mostly intact. I can pay you 2,000 taels of silver for it. As for the Sharp Bull's horn, I'm afraid that I can only give you 900 taels of silver. It's just an average one. As for the rest…I can do 1,500 taels of silver. How does that sound?" The shopkeeper's offer reflected his keen eye.

"I'll take 500 taels of silver and use the rest to buy pellets," Lin Yun said as he nodded in approval.

"Alright!" The shopkeeper smiled. It was a profitable transaction for him. "What pellets do you want? Our pellets may not be as good as those refined in your sect, I can guarantee that you will still be satisfied with them."

Every month, the Azure Sky Sect would give out silvers and pellets to their disciples. However, it wasn't enough for cultivating. Only an inner disciple or someone ranked among the top among the outer disciples could receive more resources from the sect.

"Do you have a list for me to look at?" Lin Yun asked.

The shopkeeper handed him a sheet that contained a list of the pellets available and a brief description of each one. The prices were terrifying. Lin Yun shook his head as he went over them. It turns out 7,000 taels of silver wasn't as much as he had imagined.

Many pellets cost several thousand taels of silver a piece. Lin Yun could only imagine how valuable sect pellets must be if these were the prices for an inferior product.

"I'll have 2 Body Nourishing Pellets, 2 Spirit Nourishing Pellets, and a bottle of Body Refining Liquid," Lin Yun decided. For nearly 7,000 taels of silver, he had only managed to get himself four pellets and a budget medicinal liquid. Body Refining Pellets cost 10,000 taels of silver for one. He would have to settle for the second-best alternative — the Body Refining Liquid.

One could never have enough Body Nourishing Pellets. They were helpful in every stage on the Martial Path, but had diminishing returns as higher levels of cultivation were obtained. Their counterpart was Spirit Nourishing Pellets, which were used to refine the internal energy within the body.

Lin Yun finally understood why there was so much gossip about him and Su Ziyao going around the sect. With prices like that, most of them were probably jealous.

"I'll have to pay her back," Lin Yun muttered as he returned to the Azure Sky Sect.

When he returned to his wooden shack, he began his secluded cultivation. His trip to Cloud Horizon Mountain had allowed him to make a breakthrough in both his cultivation and martial techniques. Now, he had to focus on consolidating his cultivation so his breakthrough would not go to waste.

He swallowed a pellet and began.

While Lin Yun was in secluded cultivation, Zhou Ping rushed home as quickly as his broken ribs would allow.

"Big brother, I need your help! If I don't do something, I'll be too ashamed to stay in the Azure Sky Sect!" Zhou Ping cried out.

When his ribs were broken by Lin Yun in the Administration Hall, he felt like the dirt he was laying in. Since, he had become a joke among the outer disciples. He lost to a sword slave and no one was letting him live it down.

"Get lost!" Zhou Yun scoffed.

Zhou Yun had reached the seventh stage of the Martial Path and out of the thousands of outer disciples was ranked among the top 10. The mid-year test would take place in two months, and he was determined to become an inner disciple. He didn't have the time to deal with his brother. Besides, it would look bad for him to stoop to bullying a sword slave.

"Big brother, please! Help me just this once! No one in the Sword Cleaning Chamber is listening to my orders anymore! If this goes on, I might even be fired…" Zhou Ping sobbed as he prostrated himself before Zhou Yun.

Despite the disdain in his eyes, Zhou Yun didn't like seeing his little brother like this. He sighed reluctantly, "Fine. But this is the only time I will help you."

"Thank you, brother!" Zhou Ping's sobbing stopped abruptly as he smiled. Evidently, his time in the Sword Cleaning Chamber wasn't as miserable as he had just described. Zhou Yun looked at his useless brother begrudgingly. Family was family, after all. Zhou Ping was his little brother whether he liked it or not.

It did not take long before he had come up with an idea. He couldn't make an appearance personally, but he could pay someone to do it on his behalf. After all, he had a test to train for. He wasn't about to pass up his chance to become an inner disciple

It had been two days since Lin Yun had returned to his wooden shack at the foot of the mountain. He was already down to one Body Nourishing Pellet and Spirit Nourishing Pellet each but had yet to touch the Body Refining Liquid .

With the aid of the pellets, he managed to consolidate his foundation in the fourth stage of the Martial Path. The effects of the pellets were outstanding, especially the Spirit Nourishing Pellet. His internal energy had become so refined that he thought he might even have an advantage over someone in the fifth stage of the Martial path. Cultivating the Pure Yang Art might be slow, but it was more powerful than other cultivation techniques!

Standing before a half-meter tub, Lin Yun took out the Body Refining Liquid and poured out a third of the bottle.

Sizzle!

Lin Yun stripped while he watched steam rise from the reaction of the two liquids mixing. His skin burned as he lowered himself into the water. The medicine began to take effect quickly. Euphoria came over him in waves as it permeated his entire body before being absorbed by his muscles. His skin broke out in goosebumps and he became intensely aware of his 5 senses. It was as though every single one of his cells had been revitalized.

However, the sensation was short lived, completely wearing off after only five minutes.

"It is only the Body Refining Liquid, after all. If I had a Body Refining Pellet instead, I would probably make much more progress." Lin Yun sighed. His gaze travelled past the steam and fell onto the painting beside his desk.

Embody the tiger, smell the rose!

Lin Yun began to concentrate. He had to figure out where this painting came from. It had changed the core of his Ferocious Tiger Fist, somehow granting him a fusion between fist and sword for the Hundred Beast Wave. Lin Yun went over to the scroll and, after a brief hesitation, unrolled it.

KABOOM!

Just as before, the split second the painting was open a ferocious tiger leapt out from the painting. Its roar echoed inside Lin Yun's ears. He was hit by a fierce wind before being enveloped by an intimidating pressure.

But Lin Yun had faced death since he last opened the scroll. He was no longer the same person. He fought to control the trembling in his hands as he forced himself to watch as the tiger pounced in his direction. Time slowed to a crawl, each second feeling like its own eternity.

Fifty-seven… Fifty-eight… Fifty-nine…

He was finally able to hold the scroll open for an entire minute! However, the intimidation from the tiger was too great. He was on the verge of collapsing. Vaguely, he could see the flash of a sword in the painting.

A glimpse was all he got before he reached his limit. He barely managed to fold the scroll before falling to the floor, heart pounding as he lay in a pool of his own sweat. He only saw the metallic sheen for a fraction of a second, but that was more than enough to leave him trembling in fear.

Despite his exhaustion, Lin Yun knew he needed to get a better look. He allowed himself some time to recoup before opening the scroll once more. This time, though, the flash was nowhere to be seen. He could only see the tiger and its intimidating presence.

"This painting is quite the mystery. Maybe it's because I'm still weak from the last viewing. I will definitely figure this out soon!" he said as he placed the painting down on the desk.

Lin Yun quickly hopped back in the tub. There was no feeling of euphoria this time as his body had absorbed all the Body Refining Liquid, but he was still able to use the water to wash himself off. After a quick rinse, he got dressed and left his hut.

Outside, Lin Yun retrieved his sword and started performing the Flowing Wind Sword. Under his control, the sword danced like the clouds in the sky. It had been two days since he last practiced. It was not long before he was lost in his performance.

Convergent Streams, Flowing Wind!

Lin Yun brought out the essence of the Flowing Wind Sword as he practiced. His movements were fluid. The sword gradually became an extension of his body as he became absorbed in the dance.

After he was finished with his practice, he exhaled sharply and reflected, "I've already obtained lesser mastery in my sword technique, maybe it's time to give the Mechanism Hall a shot…"

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Chapter 11 - Senior Brother, Please Enlighten Me

The Mechanism Hall was an important place in the Azure Sky Sect. It was on a level above the Administration Hall, and anyone who came here to train had to spend money. This was also why Lin Yun kept 500 taels of silver behind. The entrance fee was 300 taels.

The Mechanism Hall had different levels of puppets. These puppets could mimic the thoughts and actions of martial practitioners and would improve the more they fought. So, fighting with them was akin to fighting with an expert. Lin Yun could still face beasts on Cloud Horizon Mountain, but there was a difference between beasts and martial practitioners.

The Mechanism Hall was divided into two sections, one for the outer disciples and another for the inner disciples. Compared to the outer section, the inner section was much more spacious and less packed. But no matter how crowded the outer section was, no outer disciples dared to set foot in the inner section.

When Lin Yun arrived, he attracted the attention of many outer disciples.

"Hey, who's that?"

"Isn't that that sword slave, Lin Yun? Why's he here and not off polishing Su Ziyao's sword?"

"Heh, you still haven't heard the news? This sword slave is now an outer disciple. A few days ago, he even defeated that trash, Zhou Ping. In front of a ton of people, too."

The previous Lin Yun was famous in the Azure Sky Sect for his sword cleaning skills. His feelings for Su Ziyao seemed widely known as well. For some reason, people were very concerned about his little crush.

"This brat dared to come to the Mechanism Hall after practicing in the way of the sword for just a few days?"

"I'll bet that he won't last five moves."

"Isn't five a little too much? I'll go with three!"

In their hubris, the outer disciples began making bets. Lin Yun did his best to ignore them as he chose an open training stage and hopped onto it. The moment he stood on the stage, the battle puppet in the corner activated.

Whoosh! Swish! Swish!

The wooden puppet whirred into action and agily brandished its sword. It was Lin Yun's first encounter with the wooden puppet. He didn't expect it to be so fast. By the time he managed to unsheathe his sword, the puppet was already on him.

Clank!

As the two swords clashed, Lin Yun was forced back, almost losing his footing and falling off the stage.

"Hahaha!" A wave of laughter erupted from the surrounding disciples.

Swish!

The puppets were clearly not programmed for empathy as this one mercilessly swung down with its sword once more. Lin Yun, on the verge of defeat, gnashed his teeth and circulated his Pure Yang Art.

Clank!

The puppet's attack bounced off as if it had struck a wall. Lin Yun's body had seemingly locked in place at the very edge of the stage. The crowd fell silent. The outer disciples who were laughing earlier froze. Lin Yun stabilized himself and executed the Flowing Wind Sword. The tables had turned. The puppet was now the one being forced back.

"What's going on?"

"He's just barely holding his ground. He only managed to avoid being forced off the edge by unleashing his internal energy."

"Yeah, that must be it. How else could that weakling still be standing on the stage?"

Their stiffened smiles gradually recovered. They were confident Lin Yun had only endured through dumb luck. It wouldn't take long for him to exhaust his internal energy. His defeat would be even more miserable then.

Convergent Streams, Flowing Wind!

Lin Yun erupted with boundless momentum. He decided offense would be the best defense in this fight and launched a relentless assault on the puppet. It took only 20 moves to force the puppet offstage.

Boom!

The crowd was silent once more. Sheathing his sword, Lin Yun descended from the stage with a satisfied grin. He made great progress during this fight against the beginner puppet, but its strength was middling at best. He applied to challenge an intermediate puppet for better training results.

Pa!... Pa!... Pa!...

Lone applause cut through the silence. Chen Xiao appeared at the entrance of the hall with his group of lackeys in tow.

"Junior Brother Lin is truly a genius in the way of swords. You only started training a few days ago, but you can already defeat a beginner puppet. I'm truly filled with admiration for your talent!" he announced mockingly.

"Step aside! Step aside!" Chen Xiao's lackeys pushed aside the crowd and moved to surround Lin Yun.

"What are they doing?"

"Does Senior Brother Chen have grievances with Lin Yun?"

"This doesn't look good. Chen Xiao is a known hypocrite. The nicer he acts, the more ruthless he'll be. No outer disciple ranked outside the top 10 wants to provoke him!" The murmur of the crowd grew louder as tensions rose.

"Senior Brother, you're too kind," Lin Yun replied.

"No need for that. I'm your Senior Brother, it's my responsibility to look out for those below me. Don't bother applying for an intermediate puppet. I'll spar with you and guide you in the way of the sword," Chen Xiao smiled as he tugged at the hilt of his sword. "Don't worry, I'll lower my cultivation to your level. And here, I've got three Body Refining Pellets. If you can take one hundred moves from me, they're all yours."

Chen Xiao wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer and tossed the bottle over. The crowd grew as more outer disciples realized what was happening. The tension was palpable. It was obvious Chen Xiao came for Lin Yun.

"What's the matter? You never hesitated to grovel when Senior Sister Su gave you pellets. Why aren't you taking mine? Are you looking down on me?" The smile on Chen Xiao's face disappeared, replaced by a sharp glare as he released his fifth stage aura. Lin Yun could feel a powerful pressure assailing him. It was a display of the difference in their cultivation.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the crowd.

"Senior Sister Su!"

Two people, a young man and a woman, appeared at the entrance of the Mechanism Hall. The young woman was Su Ziyao, donned in an azure dress. Her cold temperament struck a stark contrast with her radiant beauty. All eyes were on her the moment she stepped into the room.

Beside her was Wang Ning, the inner disciple who had been with Su Ziyao when she collected her sword. He carried himself gracefully and was almost as stunning as she was.

"Su Ziyao!"

Though he did not know why, Lin Yun's heart fluttered whenever he saw Su Ziyao. She was a girl blessed by the heavens, blessed with outstanding beauty and the cultivation talent to match. She'd already become the strongest inner disciple in the sect at a young age. In the whole Aquasky Nation, there weren't many people that could compare to her.

Su Ziyao's achievements placed her far above others. Simply looking at her was enough to make a person feel inferior. She was someone no one could hope to reach. Lin Yun could understand why the previous owner of this body was laughed at for his infatuation. A lowly sword slave actually fell in love with Su Ziyao? Could there be anything more hilarious?

But this was all a thing of the past. Lin Yun's previous affections disappeared along with the original owner of this body. He'd already seen through her act.

When Su Ziyao showed up, Lin Yun could sense the eyes on him change. He was able to maintain his calm, but couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. Putting on a solemn expression, he lowered his head and started walking away..

"Hey, sword slave. I don't remember saying you could leave," Chen Xiao called out. His four lackeys moved to block Lin Yun's path.

"Chen Xiao, don't push it..." Lin Yun said through his teeth.

"What's wrong? I'm just trying to help you out. You know, giving you some pointers in the way of the sword. If you turn down such a generous offer, you can't blame me for not letting you save face. It's fine if you want to leave, but you have to admit before all of us that you only accept rewards from Senior Sister Su and no one else," Chen Xiao said. He was more or less forcing a confession out of Lin Yun.

Of course, Su Ziyao would remain indifferent, but Lin Yun would be humiliated. Lin Yun could already picture Su Ziyao coldly rejecting him while the rest of the crowd jeered. Intense emotion rose from the recesses of his heart. It wasn't rage nor helplessness, but a feeling of anguish that lingered from the original owner. A pain that lingered even after death, born from the humiliation of being a sword slave.

Lin Yun looked around. He saw the mocking gazes of the crowd. Taking a deep breath, he centered himself. This wasn't his first time facing humiliation. Everyone in the Sword Cleaning Chamber looked down on him. Even trash like Zhou Ping took advantage of him. The entire sect treated him like a joke.

The previous owner of this body had wondered if he was wrong for falling for someone. Lin Yun would have told him that everyone had a soft spot in their hearts, and there was no harm in having feelings for another person.

I, Lin Yun, will guard your last dignity!

"This sword slave wishes to seek your enlightenment!"

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Chapter 12 - Flowing Wind Sword

His voice wasn't loud, but it was powerful enough to echo throughout the hall. He wasn't fighting as an outer disciple, but as a sword slave. He was fighting to protect the last dignity of his body's former owner.

Squinting, Chen Xiao smiled, "Alright, have it your way. Then I accept your challenge reluctantly."

His smile grew more sinister as he recalled what Zhou Yun had told him. He had been hired to teach Lin Yun a lesson. He would be paid with three Body Refining Pellets and Zhou Yun would handle any consequences that might come as a result of the fight.

He had already wanted to kill Lin Yun when the latter broke his sword back on Cloud Horizon Mountain. He was looking for an excuse to make a move at Lin Yun, but he never expected that it would come from Zhou Yun. He jumped at the opportunity.

The atmosphere around them was oppressive as the surrounding disciples spread out, giving the two of them an empty space to fight. Lin Yun narrowed his gaze as he unleashed his aura with explosive force.

Boom!

The aura of his cultivation in the fourth stage of the Martial Path exploded in conjunction with his internal energy from cultivating the Pure Yang Art. The pressure he exerted made the crowd uneasy.

"Fourth stage of the Martial Path!"

"Am I seeing things? He was only on the third stage of the Martial Path a few days ago. How has he reached the Fourth Stage of the Martial Path already?!"

"Unbelievable! No wonder he's not afraid of Senior Brother Chen."

The crowd was in awe. Even Chen Xiao couldn't hide his astonishment as he spoke, "Impressive... for a sword slave. It appears you have some tricks up your sleeve. But aren't you being a little naive thinking that you can defeat me?"

As his voice faded, Chen Xiao released his own aura. As per their agreement, Chen Xiao suppressed his cultivation to the fourth stage of the Martial Path. Despite this handicap, he had cultivated to a level above Lin Yun and it showed. His aura was much more robust.

"It's not looking good for Lin Yun. Honestly, he might have been better off if he were still on the third stage of the Martial Path. At least then Chen Xiao would have less to work with."

"That's right. There's no way Lin Yun can understand the fourth stage of the Martial Path better than someone who's reached the fifth. "

"More importantly, Senior Brother Chen cultivated in an advanced sword technique, the Berserk Lightning Sword."

"He won't even last three moves."

Lin Yun's progress had caught the crowd off guard, but their suspense faded as they came to their senses. One came prepared, while the other was forced to fight. One was a senior outer disciple, while the other was a sword slave. Their fight was not suspenseful at all.

"Hey, Lin Yun. Why don't you just give up? Stop putting up a strong front. Su Ziyao's going to look down on you when you lose."

Jeers continued flying from the crowd, most suggesting he stop feigning bravery.

"Hey, sword slave, do you hear them? If you ask nicely and do what I said before, there'll be no hard feelings," Chen Xiao laughed.

"Senior Brother, should someone who's about to need help walking out of here really be talking so much trash?" Lin Yun asked. His calm demeanor and sharp words were practically the same as slapping Chen Xiao on the face.

Lin Yun's hubris sent Chen Xiao into a rage, "I'll see if you still dare to speak those words in a moment!"

Chen Xiao sprang into action, murderous intent emanating from him in waves.

Brrraaannnggg!

A piercing ring came from Chen Xiao's sword as he drew it. It grew to a thunderous roar as he leapt into the sky and struck down at Lin Yun like a bolt of lightning.

"The advanced sword technique, the Berserk Lightning Sword!" shouted an onlooker.

When he brandished his sword, those watching experienced a moment of prescience. The Berserk Lightning Sword was known for its violence. The moment it's unsheathed, there would only be death. Upon seeing the cold flash from the sword, everyone could imagine how Lin Yun would be sliced into two.

A surge of violent wind rose around Chen Xiao as he darted around the arena. He had become the very embodiment of a storm! But just as the eye of the storm, Chen Xiao's heart was at peace.

Lin Yun was not impressed. The pressure he felt now was nothing compared to the tiger from the painting. Chen Xiao had only reached an initial mastery in the advanced technique and it was easy to see there were still many flaws in his movements. If Chen Xiao's goal was lethality, it was clear his time would have been better spent practicing an intermediate sword technique instead. Perhaps this sword could heavily injure or possibly kill one of his peers, but it would be impossible for Chen Xiao to beat Lin Yun with it!

To everyone's disbelief, Lin Yun closed his eyes and began to center himself.

Convergent Stream, Flowing Wind...

Lin Yun circulated the Pure Yang Art as he waited for Chen Xiao's sword to reach him.

Just as Chen Xiao's blade was seconds from connecting, Lin Yun's eyes shot open and he drew his sword. A violent gale rose around him. The gust stung Chen Xiao's eye forcing him to lose focus.

"W-what is this sword technique?"

The sudden gale caught the crowd off guard. While they were still stunned, Lin Yun grabbed his sword with both hands and unleashed an overhead chop to meet Chen Xiao's attack. A wave of wind surged from the blade as the sword let out a powerful roar.

WWhhhoooosh!

The swords connected in an explosion that sent Chen Xiao sliding backwards.

What a powerful sword technique!

Chen Xiao was dumbfounded. It only took the one attack for him to know he didn't stand a chance if he continued to suppress his cultivation! Before he could bring out his true cultivation, Lin Yun brandished his sword once more. It spun wickedly, drawing in a powerful gale from its surroundings.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Yun lunged his sword toward Chen Xiao.

Whoosh!

The sword appeared to rapidly expand in size as Chen Xiao looked on in fear. Before he could unleash his fifth stage cultivation, Lin Yun's sword had already reached his chest. Despite the ludicrous speed at which it was traveling, the tip of Lin Yun's sword came to a stop an inch from Chen Xiao's heart. Any remaining doubts were dispelled after Lin Yun's brilliant display. He had absolute control over his sword.

Chen Xiao froze, unable to even think. He wasn't the only one. Every outer disciples present stood slack-jawed as they watched in utter disbelief.

"You lose," Lin Yun's two words jolted Chen Xiao awake.

"I will never lose!" Chen Xiao roared as he unleashed his aura in the fifth stage of the Martial Path, abandoning their prior agreement.

Shlunk!

Without any hesitation, Lin Yun pushed his blade into Chen Xiao's chest.

"Senior Brother!" Chen Xiao's lackeys cried out. They never imagined Lin Yun would be so ruthless. Lin Yun wasn't done yet, though.

Leaving the sword in Chen Xiao's chest, he gave each leg a swift kick.

Crack! Crack!

Chen Xiao fumbled clumsily at the sword protruding from his chest as he fell to his knees. The color ran from his face as blood began to soak through his clothes and pool around him. Absolute horror spread through the crowd like wildfire as the scene before them sank in. None of the outer disciples could have imagined the sword slave they were just mocking was capable of such brutality.

Swish!

Chen Xiao let out a mournful howl as Lin Yun retrieved the sword from his chest. Blood poured from the wound in rhythmic spurts as his muscles spasmed. Lin Yun gave the sword a flourish before sheathing it, removing the blood from the blade and spraying Chen Xiao's lackeys in the process. He gave the crowd a quick glance before walking over and picking up the bottle of Body Refining Pellets.

The Mechanism Hall was silent.

"I-it's the Flowing Wind Sword!" Someone suddenly exclaimed. "It must be the Flowing Wind Sword! Lin Yun can use the Flowing Wind Sword!"

"The Flowing Wind Sword?"

"The sword technique that hasn't been successfully used in over a century?"

"That last move he used was similar to one of of the Flowing Wind Sword's offensive moves. Wind Assembling, I think?"

"B-but how is that possible? I've never heard of a disciple who stuck with the technique long enough to make any progress. The only way he'd have such complete control of his sword is if he'd already achieved lesser mastery!"

"I'm afraid that this sword slave isn't as simple as we thought. He doesn't seem to be far from reaching greater mastery."

The Mechanism Hall erupted in disbelief.

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Chapter 13 - Su Ziyao

No one imagined that a senior outer disciple like Chen Xiao would actually lose to Lin Yun. What was even more surprising was that Lin Yun was able to use the Flowing Wind Sword! It was legendary as sword techniques go in the Azure Sky Sect.

Despite being categorized as an intermediate sword technique, it was more powerful than a standard advanced sword technique once mastered. This sword technique was said to be part of a Xiantian sword technique and the only reason it was classified as an intermediate sword technique was because it had parts missing. The last time a disciple managed to cultivate in it was over a century ago!

It wasn't hard for Lin Yun to figure out Chen Xiao was under someone's orders to make trouble for him. He no longer felt comfortable hanging around and began to head for the door.

"W-who said that you're allowed to go?" a voice so cold it could pierce bone rang out from behind Lin Yun. The commotion in the hall died in an instant.

The hair on the back of Lin Yun's neck stood up. Every bone in his body screamed that there was a lethal threat coming from behind and he dodge out of the way. Acting purely on instinct, he turned around and threw a punch at his attacker.

Hundred Beast Wave!

As a torrent flowed from his dantian, his fist fused with his inner sword, releasing a berserk gale just as his attack against Chen Xiao had earlier. Lin Yun brought out all the strength he could muster in such little time.

Boom!

When the two fists connected, Lin Yun let out a groan. The impact had almost broken his arm. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying across the room. He was fortunate that his fist managed to negate most of the impact from that blow or his organs would be torn apart immediately.

It took him several attempts to regain his footing. To his dismay, he realized he had landed only a few feet from Su Ziyao. Not wanting to make eye contact, Lin Yun shifted his gaze to his attacker. Slowly crossing the room was a person with an indifferent expression who looked surprisingly like Zhou Ping.

"Zhou Yun!" the outer disciples gasped in unison. They never imagined Zhou Yun would turn up here.

Zhou Yun wasn't someone like Chen Xiao. Among the outer disciples, he was ranked among the top 10! Due to his preparation for the upcoming mid-year test, it had been a long time since Zhou Yun had made an appearance.

"Senior Brother Zhou, slaughter that sword slave! I want him dead!" Someone helped Chen Xiao up as he glared at Lin Yun. If looks could kill, Lin Yun and a portion of his bloodline would have died on the spot. He had never been so humiliated. He actually lost to a sword slave, and in front of so many people!

In his heart, Zhou Yun scolded Chen Xiao for being garbage who couldn't even handle a sword slave. Initially, Zhou Yun was fine just standing on the sidelines as he watched the fight, but that was before Lin Yun used the Flowing Wind Sword to turn the tables and secured himself the three Body Refining Pellets. He had no other choice but to take action.

But in this moment he was filled with doubt. He had used 70% of his strength in that punch, not to mention it was a surprise attack, but that sword slave actually managed to withstand it. On top of that, Lin Yun was only in the fourth stage of the Martial Path.

"Sword slave, you're gutsy. This was only a sparring match, but you injured your fellow disciple heavily. Cripple your own cultivation now and I'll spare your life!" Zhou Yun said in a hush as he stood over Lin Yun. As he spoke, he unleashed the aura of his cultivation in the seventh stage of the Martial Path.

Boom!

The pressure coming from all sides made Lin Yun feel as if he had a mountain on his back. When Zhou Yun saw that Lin Yun remained standing in the face of his pressure, he snorted coldly, "Kneel!"

As Zhou Yun increased his aura, Lin Yun's heart jolted. It felt as if he was struck by a bolt of lightning. Both his legs were trembling from the pressure. At this moment, Lin Yun felt as if he was a tiny insect before Zhou Yun. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take the pressure!

"Piss off! The only people I will kneel before in my lifetime are my parents. Last I checked, you weren't one of them!"

Although the immense pressure caused Lin Yun's whole body to ache, it also made his blood boil. His jaw locked and his face contorted from the strain, but Lin Yun still refused to submit.

The surrounding disciples watched in silent horror. Zhou Yun was way beyond their reach; he could deal with each one of them with a simple flick of his wrist. They knew that Lin Yun had been forced to fight because Chen Xiao couldn't accept being turned down, but none of them dared to speak up.

"You're not kneeling? Then I'll shatter your knees and cripple your cultivation myself!" Zhou Yun said maliciously as he slowly walked towards him. Chen Xiao looked on with a smile.

The pressure Lin Yun felt increased as Zhou Yun approached. He was already on the verge of collapsing. The difference between him and Zhou Yun was too great. Suddenly, the immense pressure disappeared. Zhou Yun's eyes grew wide as he looked at Su Ziyao confused.

Su Ziyao, who had been watching this entire scene, had seen enough and dispersed the pressure coming from Zhou Yun.

"Senior Sister Su, this is between him and I…"

Su Ziyao had interrupted him, "Get lost."

Zhou Yun's face darkened from the humiliation. Su Ziyao was an elite from the inner sect and one of the most influential people in the Aquasky Nation. If she made a move, Zhou Yun wouldn't dare complain.

"Why are you still here? She told you to get lost. If you're going to bully someone, it's best to learn who's backing them. Do you have a death wish?" Wang Ning said with a mocking smile as he stood beside Su Ziyao. Although it sounded like he was reprimanding Zhou Yun, he was actually mocking Lin Yun, killing two birds with one stone.

"I'll leave immediately," said a pale faced Zhou Yun. He wanted to lash out and rid himself of the humiliation he was feeling but, in the end, he clenched his jaw and walked away.

"Hold up!" called Lin Yun after him, clearly still shaken.

"What do you want, sword slave?!" Zhou Yun roared. He was on the verge of exploding from the humiliation that he had just suffered from the two inner disciples.

"Two months from now, I will challenge you and cleanse my humiliation from today!" Lin Yun said confidently.

"It's your funeral," Zhou Yun sneered. He turned and left the Mechanism Hall, raising a hand in acknowledgment as he walked away. He was too busy ruminating over the humiliation he just faced to be bothered by a challenge from a weakling.

With that, the sudden confrontation came to an end. Su Ziyao's sudden interference had inadvertently lightened the mood. Many members of the crowd looked at Lin Yun mischievously. They finally figured out why Lin Yun was so fearless. It turns out that he had Su Ziyao backing him up. Su Ziyao might have only spoken two words, but those two words held more weight than everyone here.

"Senior Sister, thank you for your help," Lin Yun felt conflicted as he turned to Su Ziyao. In the past, he definitely wouldn't have challenged Zhou Yun so recklessly. He would have endured humiliation and worked hard on his cultivation so he could someday get revenge. But for some reason, he couldn't bear it when he saw Su Ziyao.

"You're on your own!" Su Ziyao said sharply as she turned to leave without looking at him.

Lin Yun was conflicted. For the first time in a long time, his composed heart was disrupted. His nails dug into his palm as he desperately tried to gain control of his thoughts.

"Quite the temper you have there. Do you think that Su Ziyao will look at you in a higher light because of that? Keep dreaming," Wang Ning said, not even trying to hide his disdain. He continued with a warning, "Remember your status, sword slave. Don't bite off more than you can chew!"

Once he finished, he turned to catch up to Su Ziyao. Seeing it now, Wang Ning was no different from a lackey. Lin Yun chuckled as he turned and left.

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Chapter 14 - Sect's Mission

Lin Yun returned to his shack and spent the rest of the day resting. Come morning, he began to pack some necessities and a few precious belongings. In truth, he didn't have many things. The three Body Refining Pellets were probably the most valuable items in his possession.

"I can't stay here anymore, at least not for the time being," Lin Yun muttered after calmly analyzing his situation. "If I do stay, Zhou Yun will keep coming after me. With my fourth stage cultivation, I have no chances of beating someone at the seventh stage. If Chen Xiao had not suppressed his cultivation, my odds of winning would have been fifty-fifty at best."

Sighing softly, Lin Yun recalled the events of the previous day, Zhou Yun's oppressive strength, Su Ziyao's indifference, and Yu Ning's disdain. Bitterness slowly seeped into his heart. It'd been a long time since he suffered a loss. He was once more made aware of how truly powerless he was.

Lin Yun cast his gaze at the painting given to him by Senior Hong, "Embody the tiger, smell the rose..."

His heart throbbed as something dawned on him. In both the sect and this world, the strong were respected and the weak were trampled. He clenched his fist as the feelings of helplessness and confusion in his heart were replaced by unwavering determination.

"Two months from now, I'll be back!" Lin Yun promised himself.

The Administration Hall was as bustling as always. Aside from the Martial Technique Chamber and Weapons Chamber, the Administration hall was where disciples could claim funds and accept missions from the sect. The missions were quite varied with some for hunting demonic beasts, others for gathering herbs, and still others for subjugating bandits.

The only thing that had changed since Lin Yun was here last was how he was received. Upon entering the hall, the normal bustle turned to a hushed murmur as more disciples became aware of his presence.

Word of him defeating Chen Xiao with a single stroke of his sword and withstanding a blow from Zhou Yun had spread through the sect overnight. The news that he successfully cultivated the Flowing Wind Sword was especially surprising. Only a week or so ago Lin Yun was still a lowly sword slave. The difference was stark! Unfortunately, though, his relationship with Su Ziyao had also become a hot topic again.

Lin Yun walked over to Administrator Yang, "Administrator Yang, I would like to receive two months' worth of funds in advance and some missions."

Administrator Yang looked at Lin Yun in a daze. It was as if he were facing an entirely different person. The lowly sword slave had grown so much in such a short time. Snapping back to reality, he hurriedly replied, "Sure. Here's two months' worth of funds, two Body Refining Pellets along with 100 taels of gold."

He did not plan to make things difficult for Lin Yun this time. He had learned his lesson after their last encounter. Besides, the money and pellets weren't much in his eyes.

Gold might entice commoners, but it held little sway over powerful martial practitioners. It was rumoured that inner disciples only used spiritual stones to trade. To them, gold and silver were only good for buying food.

With these two Body Refining Pellets, Lin Yun would have five in total. They represented a huge boon for his cultivation and would allow him to reach great heights.

"You're really going to challenge Zhou Yun two months from now?" Administrator Yang asked sincerely. He could tell Lin Yun planned to increase his strength over these two months by accepting missions. It was also a good excuse to be out of the sect and avoid trouble.

Lin Yun grew wary. He couldn't help but wonder if this old man was planning to make things difficult for him again.

As if he were reading Lin Yun's mind, Administrator Yang continued, "Don't worry. The Hall Master has spoken. I won't make things difficult for you again. I hope we can move past my poor showing from last time. So, what mission would you like to accept? Ordinary missions or spiritual stone missions?"

"You have spiritual stone missions here?"

"Oh, but of course! As the name implies, the rewards from spiritual stone missions are spiritual stones. They're normally only given to inner disciples, but not all of them are accepted. Typically, a few end up left over."

"Let me take a look at them," Lin Yun's interest was piqued. He never expected that there would be spiritual stone missions here.

"Spiritual stone mission: kill 3 demonic beasts, the Flaming Inked Tigers. The reward for the mission is 200 low-grade spiritual stones. Hah, killing demonic beasts for spiritual stone missions. I can see why this one was left unassigned."

"Spiritual stone mission: harvest ten Blood Lilies. Location: the Hundred Flower Valley, deep in the range surrounding Cloud Horizon Mountain."

"Spiritual stone mission: hunt down the bandit Kuang Yan. The reward is 500 low-grade spiritual stones. Kuang Yan's cultivation is close to the seventh stage. He's a brutal bandit with no regard for human life."

Lin Yun looked over the ordinary missions on the board. The three spiritual stone missions would be incredibly challenging, but their rewards were hard to pass up. After spending a few minutes to mull things over, he decided to take the three spiritual stone missions.

"The Azure Sky Sect's mid-year test is in two months. If you're unable to make it back in time, you will automatically fail," Administrator Yang kindly reminded him as he handed the missions to Lin Yun.

Lin Yun nodded, "Thank you."

When Lin Yun was about to leave, Administrator Yang asked in a soft voice, "Did you really manage to cultivate the Flowing Wind Sword?"

"I've only managed to obtain lesser mastery. I still don't have a full grasp of it yet," Lin Yun replied as he left, leaving a dumbfounded Administrator Yang behind.

During their prior encounter, Administrator Yang was confident that Lin Yun wouldn't be able to cultivate it. He never imagined that not only would Lin Yun be successful, but he would also achieve lesser mastery in such little time. Judging from Lin Yun's attitude, the boy had no idea how impressive his feat was.

"I was lucky that the Hall Master interfered back then. I do not want to be on that boy's bad side," Administrator Yang sighed as he shook his head.

Not long after Lin Yun left the sect, his wooden shack had several unwelcome visitors. They tore through his stuff, seemingly looking for something.

"Senior Brother Chen, we can't find the Body Refining Pellets. That brat must have been expecting us."

"There's nothing valuable here either. It's all trash."

It was Chen Xiao and his lackeys, who had come to take revenge now that Chen Xiao had recovered. They were surprised and annoyed that Lin Yun had predicted their movements.

"Damn it! First my Cloudline Sword and now those Body Refining Pellets!"

The back to back losses left Chen Xiao bitter, "Burn this damn shack to the ground! We'll see how long you can hide from me, trash! I bet you're too proud to miss the mid-year test!"

Lin Yun spent the next two days travelling on horseback before arriving deep within the range surrounding Cloud Horizon Mountain. Now that he was out of the sect, he would be facing new dangers. One of said dangers was also his current objective: demonic beasts!

Unlike in the outer areas Lin Yun had traveled before, the deep mountains were rampant with demonic beasts. It was rumored the weakest demonic beast you could find out here was equivalent to a practitioner in the fifth stage of the Martial Path. On top of that, their unparalleled bloodlust was so intense that even seasoned practitioners had trouble controlling their fear.

Lin Yun had accepted the mission to harvest Blood Lilies so, despite his growing trepidation, he had to take the risk. If he wanted to cleanse himself of his humiliating defeat by Zhou Yun and repay Su Ziyao, he would have to kick things up a notch. The 'kindness' Su Ziyao showed him weighed on him even more than Zhou Yun's spiritual pressure had. He hated being indebted to others and was anxious to repay her.

Looking at the map, Lin Yun was close to the Hundred Flower Valley, but the terrain this far in was rough and unpredictable. Without a guide, finding the Hundred Flower Valley had proven to be a slow and arduous affair.

On the third day, as Lin Yun wandered below the dense canopy of the deep woods, he caught the sickeningly sweet fragrance of flowers floating by on a gentle breeze. Leaping from his horse, Lin Yun darted through the underbrush and burst through the treeline. He had finally found the Hundred Flower Valley!

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Chapter 15 - Famed Sword: Flower Burial

A wide valley blanketed in countless flowers stretched out before Lin Yun. He laughed gently to himself as he took it all in. The name did this place no justice. There must have been thousands of different varieties here. He was supposed to find Blood Lilies in all this?

Lin Yun furrowed his brow as he assessed the situation. It was unsurprising this mission had gone unaccepted. The valley was massive. Searching flower by flower would take half a month or more and he did not have that kind of time. He could accept failing the mission, but he could not risk missing the mid-year test.

The mid-year tournament was an annual event used to decide the rankings of the outer disciple. The amount of funds an outer disciple received from the sect coincided with their rank, and those ranked in the top 10 had a chance at becoming an inner disciple.

"First things first, I should become acclimated with this place," Lin Yun said as he entered the field. As he waded through the flowers, he let his mind drift. An entire day passed by without notice or progress. It wasn't until he had seen the sun setting that he realized any time had passed at all.

The next day was the same as the first. Lin Yun diligently scoured the field flower by flower hoping to stumble across the Blood Lilies. It was incredibly dry work. A normal man would have given up quickly, but Lin Yun was diligent. He found the task was repetitive enough that he could daydream without sacrificing efficiency, and so he let his mind entertain itself. In total seven days passed like this.

"This is…"

On the eighth day, just as he was beginning to accept it would be another monotonous day of work, he caught a very distinct smell drifting in the wind.

Blood?

It was faint, but distinct. This new metallic smell cut like a knife through the sickly sweetness of the Hundred Flower Valley.

This is it!

Lin Yun kept his guard up as he tracked the scent. The Hundred Flower Valley had a constant breeze blowing through it, so it was easy for the scent to become mixed up or lost. In his search, he encountered several setbacks. There were many times where he could no longer catch the scent and had to either wait for the breeze to carry it his way or spend time backtracking until he caught it again. He had come this far and wasn't about to give up so easily.

Suddenly, Lin Yun felt a chill down his spine as the smell of blood drowned out every other scent. This pungent odor was coming from one of the large rocks scattered throughout the field. He had used a few as vantage points on days prior, but couldn't remember if this had been one of them. Either way, he was excited to have a new lead.

"It's here!" he exclaimed as he leapt atop the huge rock. In the shade below sat a single crimson Blood Lily. It was covered in thorns and sharp angles, having an almost demonic quality to it that fit well with its metallic fragrance.

"Looks like I found it. I figured they would be rare. Being the main ingredient for Blood Refining Pellets means they must be in high demand and overharvested. I wish I had known Blood Lilies needed shade to grow, though. That really narrows things down," Lin Yun said to himself as he crouched above the flower. He was so absorbed in his bounty that he failed to notice the shade covering the flower began to change shape.

Just as he was about to pluck the flower, his senses went on high alert. He looked up just in time to see a massive python reel back in preparation to strike Lin Yun's face turned pale. Without thinking, he rolled to the side, barely avoiding the python's attack.

Boom!

Lin Yun dodged the strike but got caught by the python's whiplike tail and was sent flying. Every bone in his body cried out from the immense force. He was only able to catch a glimpse of the python when he landed on the ground before it vanished into the flowers. The python's head was as large as he was and it had a long, sanguine stripe that burned like fire down the middle of his otherwise grey back. This is a Flaming Blood Python, a demonic beast in the fifth stage of the Martial Path.

Lin Yun realized why he couldn't remember if he'd seen the rock before! The snake had camouflaged itself in hopes the scent of blood would attract prey. It was a deadly trap he almost fell for.

Hiss!

The Flaming Blood Python hissed as it unleashed its killing aura, soaking Lin Yun in a pressure equal to Zhou Yun's. He struggled to handle the burden, unsure how he would fight the beast under such immense pressure.

Suddenly, the image of the ferocious tiger from the scroll appeared in his mind. As he focused on it, the killing aura from the python began to weaken and he regained some of his mobility. Pulling his sword from his waist, Lin Yun's anxiety grew. He would have to kill this Flaming Blood Python if he wanted to harvest the Blood Lily. There was no way he would retreat!

Convergent Streams, Flowing Wind!

Sword in his hand, Lin Yun seized the momentary lull and executed the Flowing Wind Sword. His strike connected with the python cleanly. It was like striking iron. His wooden sword wasn't sharp enough to penetrate the Flaming Blood Python's scales..

He might be able to deal with ordinary beasts or martial practitioners, but it wasn't sufficient when facing the hide of a Flaming Blood Python. It didn't matter how skilled he was if his sword was too dull.

Whoosh!

Lin Yun abandoned his sword and switched to the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Flaming Blood Python had flown into a rage after being struck. It sent out a flurry of attacks, giving Lin Yun no time to react. Using the Pure Yang Art, Lin Yun's internal energy started to circulate within his body. He calmly executed the Ferocious Tiger Fist in conjunction with the Pure Yang Art as he tried to create space between them.

Thus, a man and a python began their chase among the flowers.

Lin Yun could feel significant amounts of his internal energy draining with each punch, but was still unable to put a dent in the Flaming Blood Python. Not all was vain, though, as he discovered the Flaming Blood Python's weakness, its stripe. Even still, its scales were too thick. The force of his blow was almost entirely mitigated by its skin.

Two hours later, Lin Yun was covered in sweat and his internal energy was depleted. The Ferocious Tiger Fist had a thirst for internal energy that not even the Pure Yang Art could quench. If the battle were to go on any longer, he would die from exhaustion.

Despite the reluctance in his heart, Lin Yun was forced to run away. He wasn't so stupid that he would work himself to death trying to beat up a snake. He was surprised to find that accepting his loss made focussing on running easier.

In the end, he almost died from exhaustion anyway as the snake stuck with him for a solid 15 miles. The Flaming Blood Python only gave up after Lin Yun had reached the treeline.

After making sure that the Flaming Blood Python wasn't chasing him, Lin Yun collapsed under a tree. He was covered head to toe in scrapes and bruises. A spiritual stone mission was truly difficult, and it was no wonder this mission was leftover.

The battle before was too perilous, and he nearly lost his life because of it. Lin Yun could only stare at the sun through the leaves as he wallowed in his defeat. He had searched the Hundred Flower Valley for seven days like a fool.

He had given his best, but there was nothing he could do about it. With a demonic beast guarding the Blood Lily, there was no way he could complete the mission.

Lin Yun covered his eyes with his right arm to obstruct the blazing sunlight. It was not long before his exhaustion swept him away.

An hour and a half later Lin Yun was almost completely recovered. As he looked to the sky he saw three faces drifting with the clouds.

He first saw Zhou Yun wearing a grim expression with murderous intent flickering in his eyes, "You want to challenge me in just two months?"

Lin Yun then saw Wang Ning's face supporting a smug grin, "Sword slave, know your place and stop dreaming!"

Lastly, he saw Su Ziyao's indifferent face. She was as aloof as always, and her words were colder than her appearance, "You're on your own."

"You're on your own… You're on your own…" Lin Yun muttered as rage bellowed from his heart. Who are you to tell me that I'm on my own!

The previous owner of this body was in love with her despite knowing he didn't stand a chance. It was a one-sided crush on her that he had hid deep in his heart. His infatuation was so strong it persisted beyond the grave! He had had a crush on her all his life, but she only ever had cold words and dismissive looks to give him in return.

When those three faces faded from the sky, Lin Yun clenched his fist tight in an attempt to quench his rage. When that wasn't enough, he stood and headed straight for the Blood Lily.

Half an incense's time later, he returned to where he left his sword. He almost lost his balance when he tried to pick it up. Somehow it had become much, much heavier!

Lin Yun was only able to pull the sword out after circulating his internal energy. When he held the sword with both hands, he could tell that the marks on the body of the sword had changed. When he looked at the blade closely enough, he could almost make out a woman waving in his direction.

Two words were clearly written on the sword.

"Flower Burial?"

Chapter 16 - Differences

Flower Burial?

It was strange enough that the sword had gotten heavier, but the patterns on the sword had become clearer too. Holding onto the wooden sword, he stared at the blade as he tried to put the pieces together.

First, the sword had gotten heavier. It had been about five kilograms to begin with and now it was heavy enough that he had to use his internal energy in order to brandish it.

Second, it seemed to possess its own spirituality. Lin Yun could tell at a glance that this was no ordinary sword.

Plucking a single strand of hair, Lin Yun allowed the wind to carry it over the edge of the sword. It was sliced in two without facing any resistance. Lin Yun was shocked. His sword had undergone a drastic change.

The previous owner of his body had been working with swords for a long time, so he knew that this Flower Burial was at least as strong as the Profound Artifacts possessed by inner disciples. He had so many questions.

Any flora that could be forged into a sword had a high chance of producing a famed sword. It was possible that this sword was one such famed sword that had been severely neglected over time. If he knew the sword's origin, he might be able to return this sword to its former glory.

"Something still feels off. What am I missing?" Lin Yun furrowed his brow as he cautiously looked around. "The scent of flowers!"

Try as he might, he couldn't smell a single flower! The floral scent from the Hundred Flower Valley had been overwhelming before, but now he couldn't smell a thing.

Could a sword truly be maintained by the scent of flowers? It was a stretch, but Lin Yun felt he was onto something.

While he was lost in thought, the sword began to pulse. As it did, a voice whispered in his ear, "Drifting like the duckweed for half a lifetime only to be destroyed by the cold-hearted rain; the life of the cattails was akin to incense, withering with the wind."

Whoosh!

The words faded in the wind. All around him the flowers danced as if they had been reborn.

"This…" Lin Yun was dumbfounded. He paused a moment before continuing, "The origin of this sword seems to be greater than I'd imagined."

When he tightened his grip, the sword felt like an extension of his arm once again. Any resistance he had felt from the sword had disappeared.

"With this sword, killing the Flaming Blood Python will be a piece of cake!" he exclaimed with confidence. Simply wielding this sword increased his strength by half.

It took only fifteen minutes for Lin Yun to return to where he found the Blood Lilies. When he arrived, the huge rock shook as the Flaming Blood Python revealed itself.

It looked at Lin Yun mockingly. Just a moment ago this human ran for his life. He actually dared to come back? The python flicked its tongue and hissed as the tip of its tail beckoned Lin Yun to approach.

"Damn, that's one smart snake!" Lin said surprised. He never realized demonic beasts could be so intelligent. Surprises aside, having the Flaming Blood Python underestimate him was to his advantage.

Convergent Stream, Flowing Wind!

Lin Yun leapt as if he were breaching the surface of water. His Flowing Wind Sword shot out like a geyser as it combined with the wind in the Hundred Flower Valley perfectly. In an instant, he had vanished before the Flaming Blood Python's eyes.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Flourishing his sword, Lin Yun left horrifying wounds on the Flaming Blood Python, slicing its flesh to ribbons as blood splashed onto the ground. The Flaming Blood Python hissed violently as it writhed in pain.

The unimaginable pain brought forward the Flaming Blood Python's true potential. It released its vicious aura and struck at Lin Yun with its mouth agape.

"Bring it on!" Lin Yun scowled as he faced the Flaming Blood Python's swift attack. He knew it would only take one strike for the Flaming Blood Python to kill him.

They were fighting as equals, though, as the Flaming Blood Python was forced to expose its vitals during the attack. The two of them were gambling their lives, two souls entwined in a deadly dance.

Wind Assembling!

Lin Yun pointed the tip of the sword at the ground as he poured his internal energy into the blade, causing it to rotate rapidly. Just as the Flaming Blood Python was about to reach him, Lin Yun raised his Flower Burial.

Whoosh!

The momentum of his swing carried him over the Flaming Blood Python's head just as it sunk its fangs into the dirt. As it struggled to get free, Lin Yun crested the apex of his jump, his body straight as an arrow, and drove the sword into the base of the Flaming Blood Python's skull.

Boom!

The internal energy stored within the sword exploded the moment the sword pierced the python's body.

Crack!

The immense power behind the attack split the Flaming Blood Python clean in two. When Lin Yun regained his footing, he turned to see his handiwork. He was glad to see that the Flaming Blood Python had died instantly. This was the true might of the Flowing Wind Sword.

Sheathing his sword, Lin Yun harvested the deceased python. He was disappointed to find the Flaming Blood Python did not have a beast core, but he knew he shouldn't be surprised. Beast cores were rare, after all.

The entire corpse of the Flaming Blood Python was filled with treasures, but it was impossible for him to take the whole thing with him. He could only harvest the snake's gallbladder, the red stripe on its back, and its fangs without overburdening himself. He would have to leave the rest behind.

Most importantly, he retrieved what he came here for… the Blood Lily!

"What's mine is fated to be mine!" Lin Yun said with a smile as he put the Blood Lily into a box.

He decided he would spend a few days searching the area for extra Blood Lilies before leaving. After all, he knew what to look for now. Finding them would be much easier.

In the end, he managed to find another eight Blood Lilies after only a couple days. He also found and took care of the eight Flaming Blood Pythons guarding them. He made short work of them, and was quite pleased with his pile of materials after all was said and done. His diligence in the Hundred Flower Valley had paid off. It wasn't until his tenth Blood Lily that he ran into another problem.

Just as he found his last Blood Lily and the python that guarded it, Lin Yun heard the banter of two men growing louder. The Hundred Flower Valley was situated deep in the range surrounding Cloud Horizon Mountain, so it was safe to assume anyone who could make it here wasn't a pushover. Over the past few days, he had encountered a handful of people but had done his best to avoid them. For these two to discover him as he was harvesting his last Blood Lily was terrible luck.

"Seems like luck's on our side! We found the Blood Lily that the young master asked for pretty quickly."

"Heh, the Flaming Blood Pythons that guard the Blood Lilies are pretty rare themselves. We'll make a fortune off its parts!"

Lin Yun turned to see two middle aged men making their way towards him. Neither seemed to be from the Azure Sky Sect, but their cultivation was nothing to scoff at. Both of them had reached the sixth stage of the Martial Path.

The emblem embroidered on their clothes caught his eye. It was the name 'Yun' embroidered on top of a rippling pattern.

The Yun Clan of Clear Water City!

Lin Yun had heard of Clear Water City. It was the most prosperous commercial city in the Aquasky Nation, drawing in martial practitioners from all over. There were several powerful families situated in the city that were to rival the four great sects.

If he wanted to get a good price for the materials he had harvested, he would have to pay a visit to Clear Water City.

"Brat, what are you doing here? Get lost. This Blood Lily belongs to us," shouted the man on the left. It seemed these people intended to steal it from him.

"Sorry, but I was here first," Lin Yun said sternly. Any other day he might have let them have it, but this was the last Blood Lily he needed.

When the two men from the Yun Clan heard his words, they looked at each other and laughed.

"Hahaha! Am I hearing things? Trash in the fourth stage of the Martial Path actually wants to challenge the Flaming Blood Python?"

"Get lost, kid. You're wasting our time," as the man spoke, the two of them stepped forward and unleashed their sixth stage aura.

Upon seeing their aura, Lin Yun left without a word When the two men saw Lin Yun leave, they laughed and one said, "And here I thought that you might have some talent, being a disciple of a sect and all. But it turns out you're just a coward!"

"At least he's tactful. Forget that trash and get rid of the Flaming Blood Python. Its defense is terrifying. Stay sharp, this won't be easy."

"Yeah, let's get to it."

Lin Yun made it three miles before he stopped to look back. In his hand, he was holding the five precious Body Refining Pellets. He had hoped to make his breakthrough into the fifth stage of the Martial Path smoothly, but it looked like there would be a change of plans.

If those two wanted a fight, he would bring one to them!

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Chapter 17 - One step, One life

In the ten stages of the Martial Path, the first three stages strengthen the skin, bones, and meridians, while the next three stages strengthen the blood and five viscera. Thereafter, the following three stages channel the muscles, transform the bones, and change the marrow before reaching the ultimate tenth stage of the Martial Path.

The Body Refining Pellets were extremely important for the first four stages. Even as a member of one of the four great sects, outer disciples of the Azure Sky Sect would only receive one a month. Chen Xiao's heart must've crumbled when he lost three Body Refining Pellets to him. The five Body Refining Pellets Lin Yun had with him now was equivalent to almost half a year's funds for an ordinary disciple.

Thanks to a fortuitous encounter on Cloud Horizon Mountain, he had managed to reach the fourth stage of the Martial Path rather smoothly. The foundation of his cultivation was stable as a result, which made the past few days of battling demonic beasts- a feat no one would believe- possible. His cultivation had been advancing rapidly with each passing day. It would not be long before he had another smooth break through, this time into the fifth stage of the Martial Path.

But there had been a change of plans. Although there was a chance he could defeat two martial practitioners in the sixth stage of the Martial Path with his current cultivation, his victory wasn't guaranteed. Lin Yun did not want to fight unless he was sure he would win. He would have to find some way to guarantee his victory.

He sat down and folded his legs before tossing a Body Refining Pellet into his mouth. The pellet began to dissolve immediately and it was not long before he felt the medicine permeate his body. It felt incredible! He could feel each strand of muscle being strengthened. The Body Refining Liquid that he bought before didn't even come close to the Body Refining Pellet!

One pellet wasn't enough. It would take at least two days to break through at this rate . By then, the two men from the Yun Clan would have made off with his Blood Lily. Lin Yun decided to take the remaining four pellets in one go.

Boom!

The medicinal effect of the five Body Refining Pellets converged in his core before circulating throughout his body. The medicine roared through Lin Yun like molten iron through a mould. His internal temperature rose several degrees. He felt as if he was being refined in a cauldron. Without warning, a strand of azure mist started to rise from the top of his head. He could tell something wasn't right, but there was no turning back now. He had to trust his decision and ride it out.

The Pure Yang Art!

Administrator Yang had worried the overbearing nature of the Pure Yang Art wasn't compatible with Lin Yun's slow cultivation speed. Here it would be his trump card.

The effect of five Body Refining Pellets wasn't something that could be tamed by an ordinary cultivation technique, but the ferocity of the medicine flowing through his veins was a perfect match for the Pure Yang Art. Everything was going according to plan.

The different types of internal energy all had their own characteristics. There were those as tranquil as water, as subtle as jade, or as powerful as a stallion. The different cultivation techniques were designed to help practitioners bring out the true nature of their internal energy.

Among all the cultivation techniques, the Pure Yang Art was unique. Its focus was on processing and refining internal energy. It helped a cultivator increase the amount of internal energy they could store and, more importantly, purified their internal energy as they circulated it. The only drawback was that the amount of internal energy the Pure Yang Art needed to process to advance was unfeasible for any normal cultivator to obtain in a reasonable amount of time.

The overbearing natures of medicine and Pure Yang Art joined in a chemical reaction. Lin Yun's skin turned red and his muscles slowly loosened as his entire body underwent a change. His Pure Yang Art was initially in the second stage, but he began to make ferocious progress.

Boom!

After three hours, a pair of explosions rang out from Lin Yun's body in quick succession. As the shockwaves from the two explosions overlapped, his aura began to surge. He had simultaneously advanced his Pure Yang Art to the third stage and had reached the fifth stage of the Martial Path and his cultivation realm.

Lin Yun opened his eyes and stretched. Aside from the advancements he made internally, he noticed that his muscles had become more defined during the process. His body had been reforged by the five Body Refining Pellets.

The most important change had come with his advancement to the third stage of the Pure Yang Art. Upon drawing Flower Burial, he was amazed at how drastically different it felt to wield the sword with his increased cultivation. Even after his experience in the Hundred Flower Valley, the sword had been exhausting to use for an extended period, but now he felt like he could swing it all day without breaking a sweat.

Remembering his task at hand, Lin Yun looked at the sun and muttered, "Three hours...the two of them have probably left by now."

At the entrance to the Hundred Flower Valley, the two men from the Yun Clan spoke excitedly with one another.

"This is great! We're gunna make a killing this time!"

"Heh, the materials from the Flaming Blood Python alone would last us a while, not to mention the reward the young master promised."

"Even so, I think I'm done fighting demonic beasts for a while. There were two of us a whole stage ahead of that damn snake and it still gave us trouble. What was that weird kid from the Azure Sky Sect thinking, claiming the Blood Lily was his? Do you think he knew about the Flaming Blood Python?"

"Who knows. At least he was tactful. Otherwise, I would've killed him. Those Azure Sky Sect disciples usually have Body Refining Pellets on them. It's usually not a bad idea to mug the weaker ones when you see them. I kinda regret letting him go..."

The two of them continued to chatted happily as they walked

Whoosh!

The sudden appearance of a silhouette halted their conversation. Lin Yun had finally found them. But when the two men saw Lin Yun, they laughed.

"Which one of you has my Blood Lily?" Lin Yun asked flatly. As he spoke, his hand slowly reached for the hilt of his sword and he began to prepare the Flowing Wind Sword. Lin Yun's indifference made their hair stand on end.

"What are you trying to do? The Blood Lily is with me. What's the matter? You want to snatch it back?" asked one of the men. When he saw Lin Yun's grim expression, he sneered, "Don't think that you're a bigshot just because you're a disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. It'll be weeks before someone finds your body out here! You better hope nothing happ..."

Wind Assembling!

Lin Yun made his move before the man could finish speaking. The Flower Burial was akin to a crystal stream of water as he pulled it from its sheath. Rotating violently in his palm, the Flowing Wind Sword's might was at its fullest as he stabbed the man who spoke.

Swish!

The attack came so quickly neither Yun Clan member had had time to react.

Boom!

The man's final breath came out as a gurgle as blood poured from his neck as he flew. With his cultivation in the fifth stage of the Martial Path, the might of the Flowing Wind Sword had doubled. At such close range, it was tough for even someone in the sixth stage of the Martial Path to survive his attack.

It took the man on the right a second to process what had just happened before he started running for his life. It was the right choice. If he had hesitated a few seconds longer, he would have joined his friend.

"Damn," Lin Yun sighed inwardly. If a person in the sixth stage of the Martial Path was determined to run, it was a waste of time trying to pursue. Lin Yun wished that he had a movement technique.

Regardless, he had achieved his goal. Lin Yun flipped through the dead man's bag and took the Blood Lily back along with the Flaming Blood Python's materials they had collected.

"Mhm? Where's the red stripe?"

The man had the snake's gall and fangs, but had left behind the stripe on its back. Lin Yun was disappointed, but moved on quickly. After all, he had just collected his tenth Blood Lily, completing one of the three spiritual stone missions. All he had left was to kill the bandit, Kuang Yan, and slay three Flame Inked Tigers.

When Lin Yun sheathed his sword, his silhouette vanished into the night.

With just a single step, he had taken a life!

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Chapter 18 - Young Hero, Please Leave Your Name

Clear Water City was the most prosperous city in the Aquasky Nation. It was a commercial hub full of shops and auction houses that sold almost anything you could think of. The amount of money that changed hands here on a daily basis was more than some families had seen throughout their ancestry. The goods sold here attracted sect disciples, clan practitioners, and lone cultivators from all over.

The amount of foot traffic meant Clear Water City was also the best place for gathering information. Anything you needed to know about the Aquasky Nation could be learned here for the right price. If a rumor was spreading, there was a good chance it started in Clear Water City.

On the second floor of an inn in the western part of Clear Water City, a hooded man sat near a window as he listened in on nearby conversations. Despite the inn's unremarkable appearance, it was filled to the brim with guests. This inn wasn't large, only having three floors. The first floor was where most people gathered. It was completely packed, full of noise and clamor. The second story was somewhat quieter, and the tables were more spaciously placed. However, the cost of using the second floor was much higher as well. Anyone who could spend enough to go to the second floor possessed extraordinary strength and were typically much more alert than their first floor counterparts.

"Have you guys heard? A disciple from the Mad Blade Sect killed Qiu Yunpu!"

"Now that's some news. Qiu Yunpu had been committing atrocities in the Aquasky Nation for years. His cultivation was unfathomable. I never imagined that he would die to the hands of a younger generation."

"Oh yeah! I heard about this! It's rumoured that the disciple from the Mad Blade Sect beat him in only ten moves. The Mad Blade Sect finally has a successor now, some guy named Zhang Ye."

"Yeah, the Aquasky Nation has really started cracking down recently. I mean, tons of people die at the hands of bandits each year so who can blame them. But what I don't understand is, how is it that, of all the bandits, Kuang Yan always manages to get away? His cultivation is mediocre at best! How can no one catch this guy? I heard that even a disciple from the Profound Sun Sect fell at his hands not too long ago."

"I've heard he's pretty strong, actually. At the very least, the man's bold. If he wasn't, he'd make for a terrible bandit…"

When the hooded man overheard their conversation, he looked out the window to the street below, a sinister smile hidden under his hood. This location wasn't bad. He could be on the street mixing into the crowd at the first sign of danger.

"Out of the Mad Blade Sect, Azure Sky Sect, Profound Sun Sect, and Violet Ember Sect, which one do you guys think is the strongest?"

The topic in the inn shifted to the four sects.

"Azure Sky Sect, hands down. Their young sect master, Bai Yufan, is one of the four young experts of the Aquasky Nation. Throw in Su Ziyao, who can compare?"

"Oh yeah! Su Ziyao is scary, man. Have you seen her? She isn't one of the four young experts, but I heard that even the strongest of the four, Liu Yunfei, couldn't beat her."

"Eh, I think it's too early to say. She's the hot new thing right now. It's probably just hype. How long has her name been in the mix, a year? The reason the four young experts are the four young experts is because they've proven themselves over time. Sure they're still young, but they've been consistent. It's all about the longitudinal data! There just isn't enough longitudinal data on her!"

"Either way, it looks like the Azure Sky Sect will be the star of the show during this year's competition."

Everyone on the second floor had something to add about the four sects and the conversation continued on for some time. While they were chatting happily, a new face made his way upstairs.

The person wore a sky blue robe with a piece of cloth covering his forehead. No one knew if the cloth was meant to hide something or if he wore it because he thought it looked cool. Unfortunately for them, Lin Yun intended to keep that secret to himself. The bustle of the second floor died down as more people directed their gaze at him.

It was uncommon to see someone walking around in the Azure Sky Sect's uniform this far from their territory, but the people on the second floor had been around for a long time and seen many things. After their initial appraisal, they ignored Lin Yun and went back to their excited conversation.

Lin Yun preferred it this way. It would have been annoying if they kept staring at him. It had been about three weeks since he left the Azure Sky Sect and he had fallen out of practice socializing. He swept his gaze around the second floor before stopping on the hooded figure. Nodding his head, he walked over. He leaned Flower Burial against the table and took the seat opposite the man.

Beneath the hood, the man frowned when his keen eyes saw the Azure Sky Sect's emblem on Lin Yun's uniform. But shortly after, he regained his composure.

"Buy you a drink?" Lin Yun asked.

"Heh, most people can't afford my taste," the hooded figure revealed a sinister smile while refusing Lin Yun. He looked around to see if Lin Yun had any companions with him.

"It's a good thing I'm not most people then. Waiter, bring me the finest wine you have."

The waiter responded much faster than normal and returned in short order with an ornate jug.

"They keep some good stuff around here! I feel sorry for your wallet," the hooded figure laughed after seeing the wine.

"I don't mind," Lin Yun said with a smile as he filled their cups. "After all, a man about to die should enjoy his last drink."

"Hahaha! I like sect disciples like you, so confident and yet so green. You're trying to hunt famous criminals without any back up? I should be buying you a drink!" the hooded figure laughed while unleashing his aura in the sixth stage of the Martial Path.

He drew a blade from his sleeve as he leapt across the table. He had been expecting this outcome the second Lin Yun walked up the stairs. While they were talking, he'd been accumulating his energy while stalling to see if Lin Yun had any companions. He made his move as soon as he confirmed Lin Yun was alone.

This sudden commotion startled everyone on the second floor. The outer disciple from the Azure Sky Sect remained seated despite the hooded figure lunging for him from across the table. Judging from its momentum, the blade couldn't be blocked. Even if the outer disciple put up a defense in time, he would be crippled immediately.

They couldn't help be disappointed that another naive sect disciple was about to die over something stupid. Who in their right mind would sit opposite your target, defenseless, and allow them to take the initiative? When experts fought, those who lost the initiative lost half the battle. It seemed that this poor boy would be learning that lesson a little too late. He stupid kid hadn't even stopped smiling.

It was at that moment Lin Yun spat out a jet of wine from his mouth. Cheers rang out as the second floor was sent into an uproar.

The hooded man scowled. It was too late for him to avoid spray.

Splash!

"My face!" the hooded man cried out in pain. His skin burned wherever the wine touched. The disruption to his momentum sent his strike wild.

In the time it took a droplet of wine to fall from the hooded man's face to the table, Lin Yun stood and drew his sword. A blinding flash of light illuminated the room for only a fraction of a second, but, by the time it faded, Lin Yun was standing on top of the table, his blade covered in blood.

Flummp!

Lin Yun sheathed his sword as he watched the hooded man's corpse slide off the table. He jumped down only after he was sure the hooded man was dead.

"Well done. Here's your reward!" Lin Yun said as he tossed an ingot of gold to the waiter.

Ignoring the stunned looks on the faces of the other patrons, Lin Yun began looting the hooded man's corpse. Aside from the man's weapon, Lin Yun was surprised to find an interspatial pouch tied to his waist. It probably belonged to a rich sect disciple who had died at his hand.

Killing Kuang Yan marked the completion of his second spiritual stone mission! In the end, his hard work over the last fifteen days had paid off.

Relying mostly on the sect for information, he caught wind that Kuang Yan was looking for a buyer so he could offload some spoils of war.

Rather than rush in, he decided to take things slow. Bandit's were known for their strength, but it was their cunning that kept them alive. Kuang Yan had killed many disciples. It would take an incredibly cautious man to go this long without capture.

Lin Yun took extra care while laying a trap for Kuang Yan. What he did was risky, but the payoff was well worth it.

Lin Yun grabbed the interspatial pouch and headed straight for the exit. The sect would take care of it.

Lin Yun had enough time to jump out the window before people started recognizing the hooded man.

"It's the guy we were just talking about! It's Kuang Yan, the bandit!"

"Holy shit... but he died so easily! Who was that kid?"

The patrons clamored to the window just as Lin Yun landed.

"Hey, kid! What's your name? Who are you?"

"Yeah! Please, tell us your name!"

As he faded into the crowd, he called out, "Azure Sky Sect's outer disciple, Lin Yun."

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Chapter 19 - Checking Harvest

Lin Yun had two spiritual stone missions completed: collecting the Blood Lilies and killing the bandit, Kuang Yang. That left only one mission: killing the Flaming Inked Tigers.

He had completed two missions in a month which meant he had plenty of time to go through Kuang Yan's possessions.

Rather than the spoils of wars, he was naturally more interested in Kuang Yan's interspatial pouch. While the pouch appeared small, it could store many things in it. It was a huge upgrade to the plain, old sack he'd been using. These pouches were extremely valuable and very hard to come by. Chances were Kuang Yan killed someone to obtain it.

Buzz!

As Lin Yun channeled his internal energy into the interspatial pouch, he could see a faint ripple come from the bag. When he looked inside, he could see a space the size of an ordinary room full of dazzling treasures. The things that caught Lin Yun's eye most, though, were the near 1,500 low-grade spiritual stones sitting atop some of the piles. The man he was hunting had three times his bounty just sitting in his pockets!

"This fellow was rather rich!" Lin Yun gasped. Kuang Yan must've traded in his stolen goods in Clear Water City not long before their encounter. Looking at Kuang Yan's harvest, Lin Yun could see the appeal in being a thief.

Kuang Yan's crimes had finally caught up with him and it was starting to seem like fate that Lin Yun was the one to take him down!

Pellets!

Lin Yun's excitement started to fade, though, as, upon closer inspection, their quality was subpar.

"Blood Refining Pellet!" Lin Yun was startled when he saw a Blood Refining Pellet. This was the good stuff! The reason he was tasked with collecting Blood Lilies was so that the alchemists in the sect could refine them into Blood Refining Pellets. Body Refining Pellets worked well through the fourth stage of the Martial Path but started to lose efficacy from the fifth stage on. From then on you need Blood Refining Pellets.

Searching through the pouch once more, Lin Yun found a few books and took them out.

"Mountain Splitting Blade, an advanced martial technique. I've heard the name becomes literal if you progress your mastery enough. It's a shame Kuang Yang didn't live long enough to find out"

But since Lin Yun did not practice in the way of small blades, he wasn't interested in it. However, there was another martial technique!

"Wild Goose Art… this is an advanced movement technique! If I'm remembering right, practicing this could allow me to fly! This had to be how Kuang Yang was able to avoid capture for so long."

A movement technique! At this moment, Lin Yun had the Ferocious Tiger Fist as an unarmed technique, the Pure Yang Art to cultivate his internal energy, and the Flowing Wind Sword as his sword technique. He was only lacking a movement technique. If he had had this earlier, he could have chased down the other Yun Clan member that tried to poach his Blood Lily.

With this movement technique, Lin Yun had finally supplemented his flaw. Although it might be an exaggeration that the one could fly with the Wild Goose Art, it would at least allow him to leap long distances and vastly improve his dodging speed.

Out of all of Kuang Yan's possession, the Wild Goose Art made Lin Yun the most excited. After adding his personal items and the demonic beast materials he had collected from the pythons to the interspatial pouch, Lin Yun began strolling around town.

He still had a month to hunt the Flaming Inked Tigers and, since he was already in Clear Water City, Lin Yun decided he might as well see what he could get for the python parts.

Just as he grew tired of walking around, he came to one of the biggest shops in the town—Myriad Treasure Pavilion. When an attendant saw his Azure Sky Sect uniform, he dropped what he was doing and ran to Lin Yun's side. Sect disciples were known to be big spenders and the attendants here were paid on commission.

Shoving another eager employee aside, the attendant greeted Lin Yun cheerfully, "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hey, I have some demonic beast materials and a martial technique I would like to sell. Am I in the right place?"

The attendant's visage was a roller coaster of emotion. He had been ecstatic at the mention of demonic beast materials, but grew quite serious upon hearing about the martial technique. He pulled Lin Yun to the side, making sure no one was nearby, before whispering, "May I know the grade of the martial technique?"

"An advanced martial technique," replied Lin Yun, trying in no way to be secretive.

"Please, come this way!"

The attendant quickly led Lin Yun to the second floor and smiled, "Please wait here while I get the boss. Help yourself to our complimentary tea station."

Before Lin Yun could finish drinking his tea, the attendant returned with a plump middle-aged man. As he examined Lin Yun, the middle-aged man smiled, "I'm Tong Hu. You can call me Boss Tong. It's what my friends call me. I heard you were lookin' to sell an advanced martial technique, am I right?"

Martial techniques were the basis of martial practitioners. However, selling martial techniques was sensitive business, so Tong Hu had to proceed carefully, "I've got one rule. I don't accept any techniques that belong to sects."

Sect exclusive martial techniques were how a sect set itself apart, so it was a great crime if they were leaked. If the techniques were leaked, sects made sure anyone caught aiding or abetting would be put to death alongside the thief. The four great sects were the biggest forces in the Aquasky Nation, so as a merchant, the plump middle-aged man naturally had to be cautious.

"Don't worry. I'm sure that you've heard of this martial technique," Lin Yun said as he revealed the manual for the Mountain Splitting Blade. He couldn't help smiling as Tong Hu's jaw almost hit the floor. The boss had guessed that this technique belonged to Kuang Yan.

Something seemed off, though. The common factor between merchants was that they were all slippery. Even so, Boss Tong's reaction was a little too dramatic. Was it possible that this place was where Kuang Yan sold his goods? Now that would be interesting…

Either way, Lin Yun wasn't worried about getting cheated. After all, he was a disciple of the Azure Sky Sect.

"Haha, you're truly something, young hero. You actually managed to kill Kuang Yan!" Tong Hu's facial expression returned normal as he laughed. Anyone even mildly in tune with current events could guess that Kuang Yan had died the moment they saw this martial technique.

Tong Hu, who had previously treated Lin Yun lightly, suddenly became serious, "I don't know that I caught your name..."

"Lin Yun, an outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. Boss Tong, how much do you think this martial technique is worth?"

"Fixed price: 1,000 low-grade spiritual stones. Take it or leave it," Tong Hu replied firmly, snapping back to his merchant persona.

"Ok, have a good one," Lin Yun said as he pocketed the martial technique.

"W-wait, where are you going?" Tong Hu stammered. Lin Yun's curt response had caught him off guard.

"You said take it or leave it, so I'm leaving it."

Boss Tong held onto Lin Yun with a bitter smile, "Young sir, you don't have to be so decisive. I can add another 500 spiritual stones at most."

In reality, Lin Yun had no idea how much an advanced martial technique was worth, but he knew merchants were slippery bastards. Their so-called 'fixed price' was a common profit maximizing tactic used on the naive and cowardly.

Lin Yun wanted to see how far he could take this. Even if there was no room for negotiating, Lin Yun would still be satisfied with 1,500 spiritual stones.

"Boss Tong, didn't you claim that it was fixed price just a moment ago?" Lin Yun asked as he sat back down.

However, Tong Hu showed no remorse after being exposed as he smiled, "I can tell you're gunna be famous someday, kid, so I decided to play you straight, alright? Now, let's move some money!"

Tong Hu was pretty clearly trying to butter him up, but Lin Yun didn't mind. He took out the materials that he had harvested from the Flaming Blood Python and placed them on the table.

Tong Hu kept a straight face though the gallbladder and fangs, but his eyes suddenly lit up when he saw the stripe from the Flaming Blood Python. He dug around frantically for a jeweller's glass as he pulled it towards himself.

"It's Bone! It's a Flaming Blood Bone!"

Lin Yun was confused. This stripe only has the thickness of a finger, so why was it called the Flaming Blood Bone?

"It seems that you have no idea what you've been holding on to. The stripe on the Flaming Blood Python's back is called the Flaming Blood Bone and it is unbelievably valuable. I have no idea how you got your hands on this and I'm not sure I want to find out, but not even someone in the ninth grade of the Martial Path can obtain something like this," Tong Hu said excitedly.

"Is it really that difficult?"

"Are you kidding me? The Flaming Blood Python's cultivation might not be high, but you have to kill it instantly or else the Flaming Blood Bone will incinerate. POOF! Just like that, gone. It's extremely difficult. A seasoned cultivator would be lucky to get it in one out of ten tries."

When Lin Yun heard that, he remembered that the two men from the Yun Clan did not have the Flaming Blood Bone with them among their harvest. Now he knew why.

"The Flaming Blood Bone is the core material for forging the Profound Artifact — Flaming Blood Armor… How about this, there will be a large-scale auction in Clear Water City two months from now. If you trust me, I can auction it on your behalf. I'll take a small cut for my services, but I promise it will be fair. What do you say? We got a deal?" Tong Hu dropped the merchant act as he laid out the offer. This was business between equals and it was clear he was being genuine. The Flaming Blood Bone was clearly extraordinary.

Profound Artifact!

Lin Yun had never expected to encounter something so valuable attached to a snake!

Seeing that Lin Yun had gone silent, Tong Hu lowered his voice, "I have no idea how you managed to harvest the Flaming Blood Bone, and, like I said, I really don't want to know. But if you go walking around town trying to find a shop that will pay a fair cash price for nine Flaming Blood Bones, you're bound to attract some unwanted attention."

Lin Yun realized what Boss Tong was worried about. The concern wasn't that people would try to steal his Flaming Blood Bones, but that they would want to know how some random kid got nine of them. If the wrong people found out about Flower Burial, there's no telling what they would do to him. There was no way he could take these to auction himself.

"But how can I trust you?"

"I can only give you my word. I'm sure it's hard for you to trust a merchant, but you're just gunna have to. You killed Kuang Yan, I trust that you have the courage to trust me," Tong Hu smiled helplessly.

Lin Yun fell silent.Tong Hu was right. It was a gamble. But if it paid off, return would be huge.

"Alright, I'll trust you. I'll leave five Flaming Blood Bones with you, and I'll bring the four when I come back in two months."

Although he had agreed with Tong Hu's suggestion, he still wanted to keep his reservations.

"Hohoho! You've got yourself a deal, kid! Come 'ere!" Boss Tong let out a full belly laugh as he stood to shake Lin Yun's hand.

Tong Hu collected himself before he continued, "As for the other materials and the Mountain Splitting Blade, I'll pay you 2,000 low-grade spiritual stones in total."

"Works for me."

Lin Yun left the Myriad Treasure Pavilion satisfied and hopeful. Boss Tong had even walked him out personally.

As he walked down the street, Lin Yun was surprised to see a bunch of people running in the same direction.

Puzzled, Lin Yun stopped a person and asked, "What's the matter? Why is everyone in such a hurry?"

"HEY PUNK?! IF YOU DON"T GET YOUR HANDS OFF..." The man was furious at being stopped, but when he saw Lin Yun's uniform, his expression became gentle, and he took a fawning tone, "Don't you know, dear sir? The young sect master of your sect is fighting with the strongest disciple of the Violet Ember Sect!"

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Chapter 20 - Clash between experts

The young sect master of the Azure Sky Sect versus the strongest disciple of the Violet Ember Sect…

When Lin Yun left on his journey, he doubted that he would run into anyone from the sect while he was away. After all, the chances of encountering someone from the Azure Sky Sect dwindled the farther he travelled and it had taken him three days on horseback to get to the Hundred Flower Field. The odds of him encountering the young sect master so far into the mountains were absurd. What reason did he have to be out here in the first place?

The previous Lin Yun had interacted with Bai Yufan a handful of times during his tenure as a sword slave, but there was a good chance Bai Yufan would not remember him. He was the young sect master of the Azure Sky Sect, after all, and, before Su Ziyao's arrival, was the strongest disciple in the sect. Even now, he was still a member of the Aquasky Nation's four great elites.

It was rumored that the only reason Su Ziyao wasn't a member of the great elites herself was because she was too powerful. As for how reliable the rumor was, Lin Yun had no idea. It sounded ridiculous to him.

Lin Yun's interest was piqued. He'd never witnessed a fight of this caliber before, these two were about his age. There was a good chance he could learn a thing or two by attending. Besides, money was no longer an issue and he had plenty of time to complete his final mission. He could spare a few hours to watch a fight.

"Well, I guess I'll go see just how powerful these four great elites are."

The flow of the people led him to the eastern side of the city. The area was spacious, seemingly designed for events and pop-up markets. The wide streets had plenty of space for stalls and merchant rugs on either side and converged into a massive plaza. A huge crowd was gathered around a large stage that sat in the plaza's center.

There was only one man on the stage at the moment. Dressed in the robes of the Azure Sky Sect, Bai Yufan stood above the crowd. His elegant demeanor paired well with his naturally graceful movements, giving him an aura of dignity fitting for a young sect master.

Lin Yun recognized him immediately. It appeared Bai Yufan had been waiting for a long time as both him and the crowd were restless. Just as the first handful of people started making their way for the exit, a loud noise came from inside a pavilion at the far end of a western road. In a bout of commotion, a blur of a man launched from the pavilion window.

Swish!

He traveled the entire length of the quarter-mile long street in a single shot before taking three delicate steps mid-air to slow his descent and carry him gently onto the stage.

"What an incredible movement technique…" Lin Yun muttered to himself, slack jawed. At this point in his training, Lin Yun could only jump two meters and change his trajectory by a few degrees mid-flight. The difference between their ability was staggering.

"Liu Yunfei is here!"

"What a brilliant movement technique! He kicked off the air three times! How on earth did he do that?"

"It must be the Cloud Mist Art of the Violet Ember Sect. Bai Yufan doesn't stand a chance this time! Liu Yunfei is even more powerful than before!"

"You're late," Bai Yufan greeted, clearly annoyed.

"Time is relative. If it makes you feel any better, I'll be ending this fight quickly," Liu Yunfei smiled.

How arrogant!

Lin Yun was shocked that someone who seemed so refined would be so disrespectful to a sect master.

With a solemn expression, Bai Yufan snorted, "You seem to have forgotten the immensity of Heaven and Earth."

As the words left his mouth, he unleashed his aura completely.

Eighth stage of the Martial Path!

This was the first time Lin Yun had seen someone this far on the Martial Path release their aura. It was simply incredible. The difference between him and the sect master seemed almost insurmountable.

The playfulness in Liu Yunfei's voice faded as he replied, "It looks like you've made some improvements over the past year."

Boom!

Liu Yunfei unleashed his aura as well to the elation of the crowd. A battle of titans was about to begin. The noise in the plaza was deafening.

However, the two of them did not clash immediately, both taking time to build their strength. They stood a hundred meters apart but their eyes were sharp. This distance was nothing to practitioners of their caliber. Even at this distance, one wrong move would lose them the fight.

The tension was palpable. Most in the crowd were holding their breath and none dared blink. After all, a fight between the two experts at the eighth stage wasn't something that you could see every day. They didn't want to miss a second!

Lin Yun frowned. Something was off. The two might seem evenly matched, but Liu Yunfei's aura was incredibly calm.

Swish!

In a burst of wind and splinters, Bai Yufan charged Liu Yunfei. As he closed the gap, he drew his elbows back so his palms sat even with his chest and faced his opponent. The motion was incredibly smooth, as if he'd done it thousands of times.

Mountain Splitting Palm!

It was one of the Azure Sky Sect's advanced martial techniques! Similar to the Mountain Splitting Blade Lin Yun had sold a few minutes earlier, one could cleave a mountain in two if they achieved a high enough level of mastery.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The stage cracked beneath his feet as he stormed Liu Yunfei. It seemed he was trying to end the fight in the first move. All of the strength he had built up at the start of the fight had been put into this attack. When he closed in, he threw out both palms. They flew like arrows loosed from a high pound bow, generating two blasts so strong the entire stage shook.

Liu Yunfei faced it without dodging and simply flicked a finger at Bai Yufan.

Boom!

Bai Yufan went careening backwards, soaring several meters into the air as he flew offstage!

It had only been visible for a fraction of a second, but Lin Yun had been watching each move closely. When Liu Yunfei had executed his move, his entire finger had turned green.

Despite the sudden reversal, Bai Yufan remained calm. He twisted his body mid-flight and coiled his legs. As his feet came in contact with a second story wall of a nearby building, he spread out his arms and formed his hands into talons before unleashing the stored tension in his legs. He launched off the wall with such force that shingles came loose and fell to the street below. His eyes locked onto Liu Yunfei's throat as he ripped through the air.

The Eagle Palm Art!

Lin Yun could not believe what he was seeing. Bai Yufan had not simply recovered from a terrible situation, he turned it in his favor! His awareness of the battlefield was unprecedented. Most practitioners forgot the world offstage existed as soon as the fight started.

To top it all off, the fight was only a few seconds in and he had already shown mastery in two different martial techniques. His mastery of the Eagle Palm Art made Zhou Ping's version look like satire. This man truly deserved his place as the young Sect Master of the Azure Sky Sect.

Bai Yufan struck Liu Yunfei hard with both palms before kicking off his chest to create space. This time, Bai Yufan had successfully taken the initiative. When he landed, he stretched out his arms and readied his talons for another attack.

Liu Yunfei managed to stabilize himself after taking a few steps back.

Lin Yun had never been more inspired to train in his entire life. In his current state, he wouldn't last ten moves against either of them. In just a blink of an eye, the two of them had clashed nearly ten times.

Bai Yufan's had an advantage, but only slightly. As had just been shown, practitioners of their caliber could turn even the most dire situations in their favor. The fight was still too close to call.

Suddenly, Liu Yunfei began to flicker in and out of existence. Afterimages spread out on either side of him in layers, each one a perfect copy of his casual stance and wry smile. When the furthest afterimages were a half meter away, they snapped back to their origin and Liu Yunfei vanished.

Fwoosh!

He reappeared almost instantly behind Bai Yufan, stabbing his finger into the young sect master's back. Bai Yufan barely had enough time to tense his muscles before he went skipping across the stage.

Whoosh!

Wisps of green aura emanated from Liu Yunfei's body as he pounced at Bai Yufan. His palm glowed jade green as he caught up to the young sect master mid-tumble.

Bai Yufan cursed. He mustered as much strength as he could and faced the palm head-on. Liu Yunfei drove his palm into Bai Yufan's chest, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Boom!

The force of the blow bounced the young sect master off the floor like a ball. Blood sprayed from his mouth and he clutched his chest as he desperately gasped for air. Bai Yufan writhed as he tried and failed to stand. His internal organs had been injured, and he was powerless to continue fighting. It was a devastating reversal.

"Your… Your Violet Cloud Art reached the fifth stage?!" asked Bai Yufan, his voice thin.

The Violet Cloud Art was the Violet Ember Sect's best cultivation manual. Each stage was represented by a change in colors. Upon reaching the highest, the sixth stage, the practitioner's internal energy would turn violet. Green signified that Liu Yunfei had reached the fifth stage.

"Defeated in ten moves. Like I said, you're not my rival. In this year's four sects competition, there's only one person I consider my equal," Liu Yunfei smiled, ignoring Bai Yufan's question. He didn't spare Bai Yufan a second glance and left.

Bai Yufan's face twisted. His heart writhed from the humiliation. Liu Yunfei had spat on his honor and there was nothing he could do about it.

"The outcome of this battle is simply unbelievable."

"Yeah, ending the fight in just ten moves. I thought it would take hundreds."

"Liu Yunfei has improved so much over the past year. Who knew his Violet Cloud Art would be in the fifth stage..."

"It looks like it's up to Su Ziyao to beat him."

"Hahaha, Were we watching the same fight? She doesn't stand a chance."

"I don't know… I heard Su Ziyao has also beaten Bai Yufan."

"Bai Yufan's strong, sure, but look at him! He got destroyed!"

Surrounded by hearsay and speculation, Lin Yun remained silent. As the saying went: "The insider knows the ropes, while the outsider just comes along for the ride." Thanks to his keen eyesight, Lin Yun had been able to see the truth hidden within the battle.

Liu Yunfei's reversal was a prime example. He had won by attacking Bai Yufan from behind, but it had only landed because his movement technique had caught the young sect master by surprise.

The truth was that Bai Yufan had been expecting an attack from behind from the start of the battle. His entire strategy had been based around maintaining distance, only dashing in for a few quick strikes before backing off again. He had done this successfully three times before he was caught off guard.

A technique that could teleport you behind your opponent with little to no warning was absurdly powerful. The afterimages had only been visible for a fraction of a second. There was no way Bai Yufan could know what was happening without having seen it before.

To a layman, a game of chess between grandmasters is no different than a game between amateurs. Both groups move pieces around the board until someone loses or they draw. They have no way to contextualize what they are seeing, and so both sets of players appear to be equally skilled. It isn't until the amateurs face the grandmasters that the layman can see the difference.

To Lin Yun, the crowd was no different than the layman. They could not begin to appreciate the complexity of what they had just witnessed.

Shaking his head, Lin Yun left the plaza.

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Chapter 21 - Greater Mastery in the Sword Technique

"I have to train harder..." Lin Yun sighed. The battle between Bai Yufan and Liu Yunfei had ended, but it was still playing in Lin Yun's mind. The two were only a few years older than him, but they were at the eighth stage of the Martial Path. Liu Yunfei in particular was unreasonably strong. If Lin Yun were to fight either of the two, he wasn't even sure if he could last a single move.

He had a long road ahead of him if he wanted to catch up. He was at a severe disadvantage. The body he possessed had potential, but it had been neglected during its previous owner's time as a sword slave. On top of that, the two of them were elites of their respective sects who had excellent comprehension and plenty of resources at their disposal.

That being said, he had made significant progress in an absurd amount of time. It was possible that the body he found himself in was special and its previous owner had simply been unable to utilize it properly. It could also be due to the insane amount of training he had been doing. Most likely it was some combination of both. Either way, whatever he was doing was working.

"I got this!" Lin Yun's eyes flashed with determination. He changed his mind about leaving the city and returned to the Myriad Treasure Pavilion.

"Hey! Lin Yun, my boy! What brings you back so soon?" Tong Hu smiled.

"I need pellets… good ones. I'm talkin' sect quality. Can you help me out?" Lin Yun replied in a decisive tone.

"Ah, that's the thing, though... The only place to get sect quality pellets is from a sect. It's almost impossible to find anything comparable out here. Take Body Refining Pellets, for example. The ones we sell are some of the best you'll find, something we're proud of, but even so they're only 80% pure," Tong Hu explained seriously. "If pellets outside were comparable to those produced by sects, who would want to join a sect? You gotta understand the position we're operating from."

"In my experience, money solves all problems. It only matters how much you have and how big the problem is," Lin Yun replied, making sure to look dead into Boss Tong's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"You know, you're pretty wise for a kid your age. Follow me."

Boss Tong led Lin Yun up to a back room on the second floor. As they walked, he said, "You're currently in the fifth Stage of the Martial Path, so you don't have an urgent need for Body Refining Pellets. You must be looking for Blood Refining Pellets, right?" Tong Hu asked.

"Yeah, how many do you have?" Lin Yun replied.

"Blood Refining Pellets don't come cheap. I only have two left. I can sell you one, but it will cost you 1,000 low-grade spiritual stones, non-negotiable," Tong Hu said.

"That won't do. I need at least three," Lin Yun shook his head.

Tong Hu wore a difficult smile on his face. "This… I'll have to get in touch with my guy. It'll take about four hours. Is that alright? I need to keep one pellet in my shop... for emergencies."

"Yeah, I've got time. Thanks for setting this up, Boss Tong," Lin Yun said.

Four hours later, Lin Yun left the Myriad Treasure Pavillion three Blood Refining Pellets richer. The transaction had left him with only 500 low-grade spiritual stones. It was a lot of money to part with, especially since he had only acquired it a few hours prior, but, when he thought back to the battle between Bai Yufan and Liu Yunfei, he knew it was necessary. Any pride he had about his own strength was shattered. So, he returned without any hesitation and bought the 3 Blood Refining Pellets.

"Safe travels, my friend. Feel free to stop by anytime. I'll have a cup of tea waiting for you!" Tong Hu said with a warm smile. He bowed deeply as Lin Yun left the shop. Lin Yun had earned more of his respect in a single day than some of his business partners had in their entire careers. The boy was honest, straightforward, and wise beyond his years. Plus Boss Tong had made more off the kid in a single day than he would probably make this entire quarter. He had really struck gold meeting that boy.

Lin Yun was pleased with his decision, even if he didn't feel like he had much choice in the matter. Although the sect also sold Blood Refining Pellets, and at a cheaper price than 1,000 low-grade spiritual stones, disciples were limited in how many they could buy. Outer disciples in the earlier stages were lucky to get their hands on a few extra Body Refining Pellets each month. Obtaining Blood Refining Pellets from the sect at his level was out of the question.

"Take care, old man!" Lin Yun said with a wave as he walked out onto the street. After leaving the store, he walked around a bit longer and decided to grab a quick bite to eat at a street vendor before trying to find a place to stay for the night.

He ended up renting out an abandoned courtyard from a local rather than renting a room. His mind had been racing since watching Bai Yufan's fight and he knew he would have trouble sleeping. This would be a perfect opportunity to try out his new Blood Refining Pellets.

He had debated going outside the city for the night, but that would be risky. The courtyard was spacious, secluded, and secure - more than Lin Yun could have hoped for!

As night fell on Clear Water City, Lin Yun began his cultivation. He crossed his legs and took out a Blood Refining Pellet.

The principle of the fifth stage of the Martial Path was to refine the blood and internal energy within the body. Looking at the Blood Refining Pellet in his hand, Lin Yun sighed, "You had better be worth it."

He popped the precious Blood Refining Pellet into his mouth and waited for the medicinal effect to kick in. A moment later, Lin Yun could feel his blood and internal energy coursing through his veins as a warm current rose from his dantian.

Boom!

Lin Yun heard an explosion in his mind as both his spirit and energy surged. He became acutely aware of his surroundings as his senses became deadly sharp. With each beat of his heart, he experiences a jolt of inexhaustible strength. He could feel his blood becoming stronger with each pulse. It began to mingle with his internal energy as they raged to the beat.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The blood and internal energy overlapped in his body. His aura spiked.

"Amazing!" Lin Yun was shocked. His blood and internal energy were being enhanced to levels he never thought possible. He had to actively calm his heart to prevent his body from being torn apart from the inside by the torrent of energy.

Time slowly ticked away, and dawn eventually arrived. The dappled sunlight shone on Lin Yun's face. His eyelids faintly twitched before he gradually opened his eyes. They were clear and bright. He hadn't slept all night, but he didn't feel slightest bit exhausted. He actually felt more energetic than ever!

He took a moment to bask in the morning sun. His body felt amazing. The Blood Refining Pellet had had profound effects on his body, inside and out. His eyes glimmered in the sunlight and his face was full of vigor. He was almost unrecognizable.

"That was unbelievable! In just one night, my cultivation has increased by at least half!" Lin Yun muttered, giving his limbs a good stretch. Then again, this was his first time taking the Blood Refining Pellet, the second time wouldn't be nearly as effective as the first.

Lin Yun took out the Wild Goose Art, the advanced movement technique he'd gotten from Kuang Yan. He flipped through it carefully. After fifteen minutes, he finished reading.

Lin Yun closed his eyes and began reciting it in his heart. He repeated this process a few times and soon had it committed to memory.

The Pure Yang Art required resources to train, but the Wild Goose Art had no such limitations. It relied purely on comprehension, so it wasn't difficult for him to learn. After only two hours, he had a basic grasp of the technique.

Executing the Wild Goose Art, Lin Yun leapt into the air and gently landed on the roof.

"Incredible..." Lin Yurn muttered. "That was easily four meters and I barely used any strength!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Lin Yun began to play around with the technique. He was curious to see how far he could push it after discovering how easy it was to jump onto the roof.

"Movement techniques aren't only meant for escape," he reminded himself. A perfect example was how Liu Yunfei relied on his movement technique to defeat Bai Yufan yesterday. If Lin Yun were to face Liu Yunfei, he wouldn't even be able to touch a hair on his head. Movement was a crucial part of any battle strategy. If Lin Yun wanted to succeed against stronger opponents, he would have to learn how to move.

After he became familiar with the Wild Goose Art, Lin Yun began trying to merge it with his Flowing Wind Sword. It took some time before they merged successfully, but when they did, the results were stunning.

It was as if he were using a brand new technique. He no longer felt as though he were the one guiding the sword; rather, it was as if the blade was drawn down the path of least resistance with each swing. The sensation was almost magnetic. He knew immediately that his Flowing Wind Sword had reached new heights.

As he became more swift, his movements also became much smoother. All resistance had vanished. It was as if he were performing in a vacuum.

Wind Assembling!

Lin Yun cleared his mind as he executed Wind Assembling, allowing his instincts to guide his movement. With its newfound freedom, his body went straight into the second move.

Reflective Shadow!

WWWhoooooooossssh!

He darted above the courtyard in a flurry of strikes. In a fraction of a second, he executed 81 slashes with his sword, each leaving an afterimage, before soaring high into the air. As he reached the pinnacle of his ascent, he pointed his sword to the earth and twisted his body. In a whirlwind, he tore through the air, landing in the center of the courtyard.

When he looked up, the afterimages were still present, aligned in a perfect circle. His sword technique had reached greater mastery!

Lin Yun was elated. He cheered, "I did it! I've achieved something no one else has in over a century! I've reached greater mastery of the Flowing Wind Sword"

Lin Yun fell to the ground, laughing in disbelief as he caught his breath.

He had been stagnating in the Flowing Wind Sword for some time now. He thought it might've been an issue with his comprehension that was stopping him from making a breakthrough. Thankfully, taking the Blood Refining Pellet had solved his problem.

With his Flowing Wind Sword reaching greater mastery and two of its offensive moves in his arsenal, Lin Yun's battle prowess had been greatly enhanced. His mind and body were sharper than ever!

"Looks like the Blood Refining Pellet was worth it. Counting the one I got from Kuang Yan, I still have three left. I'll have to make good use of them," Lin Yun said, his eyes shining with confidence.

It was finally time for him to complete his last mission.

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Chapter 22 - Young Master of the Yun Family

Lin Yun's third spiritual stone mission was to hunt the Flaming Inked Tigers. These demonic beasts were considered tyrants of the Horizon Cloud Mountain as they had a habit of making meals of demonic beasts in as high as the sixth stage of the Martial Path. His only saving grace on this mission was that they weren't pack animals, preferring to hunt alone.

It took two days for Lin Yun to arrive at Cloud Horizon Mountain using the Wild Goose Art, a whole three days fewer the last time he made this journey. However, the challenge had just begun. With Lin Yun's fifth stage cultivation, dealing with an ordinary demonic beast in the sixth was already tough, let alone the Flaming Inked Tigers. Fortunately, Lin Yun's training with the tiger in the painting had made him practically immune to beasts' killing aura, especially if it was another tiger.

Upon arriving, he started his hunt immediately. Flaming Inked Tigers were experts in stealth and he couldn't waste any time if he hoped to make it back in time for the mid-year test.

Several days passed with no results. He had found and killed several other demonic beasts, but the Flaming Inked Tigers still eluded him. The Flowing Wind sword had made quick work of fifth stage beasts and below, but he was still having trouble fighting those in the Sixth Stage of the Martial Path. Only a little, though.

RRRROOOOOAAARRRRRR!!!!

A tiger! He would recognize that roar anywhere.

A ferocious tiger came slinking through the forest and stopped just ahead of him.

"It can't be that easy, right?" Lin Yun couldn't believe it. He had spent days looking in vain and one just sauntered out of the brush right in front of him. It was almost as if the Flaming Inked Tiger had been hunting him!

Something was wrong, though. The beast was injured already and seemed to be wary of something off in the distance. Was someone else hunting the tigers?

This complicated things. Lin Yun had been hoping to avoid unnecessary conflicts and knew he might have to make some tough decisions in order to do so.

The Flaming Ink Tiger, on the other hand, was more concerned with the here and now and saw Lin Yun's hesitation as an opportunity to attack. The tiger was like lightning as it leapt through the trees and its terrifying aura came crashing down on Lin Yun as it approached.

Lin Yun remained composed as he unsheathed Flower Burial and coiled his body. Executing the Flowing Wind Sword, he darted through the forest like a swallow, leaving behind an afterimages as he went. Using the foliage as cover, he intercepted the tiger from a blind spot. In a single exchange he left dozens of wounds on the Flaming Inked Tiger.

The wounds he left cut deep, much deeper than any of the other wounds. The tiger howled in pain.

Wind Assembling!

Lin Yun turned and tore past the tiger again again. His movement was like a surging stream and his sword like bolts of lightning. With his Flowing Wind Sword in greater mastery, Lin Yun was able to put the tiger out of its misery quickly.

With the fight over, Lin Yun had some time to think. It looked like the Flaming Inked Tiger had been gravely injured before facing him. It would have been a much more difficult fight otherwise.

Tap.. Tap.. Tap...

Lin Yun was jarred from contemplation by the sound of hurried footsteps. Lin Yun turned just as four men came bursting from the underbrush. A young, well dressed man led the group over to the tiger's corpse. It was easy to tell he was their master, the air about him and the swagger to his walk screamed nobility.

As the noble approached, he laughed, "You beast! Did you think that you can run from me? Now, you're dead!"

Lin Yun could tell this man was going to be a problem the second he laid eyes on him. The fact that the group had not even acknowledged his presence meant he was most likely about to be cheated out of his share of the corpse. He had landed the killing blow, after all. Surely he deserved a portion of the spoils.

"Friend, I was the one who killed the Flaming Inked Tiger," he interjected.

"Watch your tongue, cur! How dare you take credit for my spectacular triumph over this dreaded Flaming Inked Tiger! Are you tired of living?!" the young man screamed, his face flush with rage. He had not expected Lin Yun to speak up. After all, strange, dirty men out wandering in the woods should know their place.

"How about this? I need the claws for my mission. How about I take the claws and you can have the rest?" Lin Yun proposed. Finding just one Flaming Inked Tiger had taken days, he did not want to give up on this opportunity.

That was until Lin Yun's gaze happened to fall onto the pattern embroidered on the young man's clothes. His eyes widened when he saw the word 'Yun' embroidered on top of waves on the sleeve. Taking a closer look at the group, he saw the man who had run away after Lin Yun had killed his friend.

Lin Yun's heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, the man from the other day started whispering to the young patriarch of the Yun Clan.

The young patriarch of the Yun Clan turned to Lin Yun and sneered, "What a coincidence. You killed someone of my Yun Clan, and yet you dare to covet my Flaming Inked Tiger? Very well, it has been a long time since someone has gone against my Yun Clan!"

Boom!

The young patriarch unleashed his sixth stage aura as he charged Lin Yun, fist at the ready. His punch let out an ear-piercing scream as it traveled. Evidently, he was trying to catch Lin Yun off guard.

Unfortunately, Lin Yun had been on alert from the moment they stepped from the trees. He met the punch with his Ferocious Tiger Fist. He was only a few steps from achieving complete mastery of it and was interested to see how it would match up against another person.

Over the past few days, he'd also been using low-grade spiritual stones to aid him in cultivating the Pure Yang Art, averaging about 20 a day. With his Pure Yang Art at the third stage, his internal energy was even fiercer.

BOOM!

The two fists clashed, and the young patriarch of the Yun Clan let out a pathetic yelp as he was thrown into his men's arms. His right arm was clearly broken in multiple places. Blood poured from his mouth as he let out delicate, little sobs.

"R-run, you idiots!" The young patriarch of the Yun Clan was terrified. He was only arrogant because he saw that Lin Yun was only an outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. He never expected someone in such a low position could be so terrifying. His face was pale as his followers carried him off.

Lin Yun frowned but he decided not to give chase. Turning to the corpse of the Flaming Inked Tiger, he took out his dagger and began harvesting its materials.

"I'd better get this over with before I attract more unwanted attention."

"Damn it! An outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect dared bully me! ME!" The young patriarch of the Yun Clan cursed, holding back tears. His body was still trembling. "Trash! All of you are worthless! Aren't you supposed to be sixth stage cultivators? The clan has spent so many resources on you, but you guys can't even defeat an outer disciple of the Azure Sky Sect? What the hell do I pay you for?!"

The young patriarch then turned to the man who had encountered Lin Yun before, "And you! When I ordered you to find the Bloody Lily, not only was it taken away, one of my family's servants got killed. You trash! You ugly, garbage person!"

The Yun Clan was extremely influential in Clear Water City and was well known throughout the Aquasky Nation. In the grand scheme of things, it was only inferior to the four great sects. The young patriarch of the Yun Clan had never been so humiliated in all of his pampered life.

The three followers hung their heads in shame. When they saw what had happened to the young master's arm after a single punch, they knew that there was no way they could defeat Lin Yun, even if they ganged up on him.

The man who had previously escaped from Lin Yun spoke out, "Young master, that guy must be an elite in the sect. He's probably a descendant of an Elder or Hall Master or something! Those guys are terrifying! It's the only logical conclusion."

"Do you think I don't already know that? Do you think I'm blind? I figured that out way before you did! We need to teach that loser a lesson.. Men, brainstorm with me!" the young patriarch of the Yun Clan roared.

The few of them looked at each other, but no one said anything. If they were in Clear Water City, everything would be so much easier. Out here in the wilderness, without any backup, none of them dared to take revenge against Lin Yun.

Suddenly, one of the men's face lit up. Excitedly, he said, "I have an idea! It's risky, but if it's successful that fellow will definitely die a miserable death."

"Speak!"

A ruthless light flared in the young patriarch's eyes and a sinister smile crept across his lips as he listened to the man's plan. Nodding, he said, "Excellent! Excellent! That plan is perfect! That trash will die by my hands!"

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Chapter 23 - Not Turning Back

Lin Yun had gotten rather lucky. The first Flaming Inked Tiger had practically fallen in his lap.

Along with the valuable materials, he took a paw as a reference to find more tracks. It took only two more days for him to catch a trail and, after climbing up several cliffs, Lin Yun finally saw his second Flaming Inked tiger.

The pitch-black, six meter tall giant was only five hundred meters away. It appeared to be resting while it digested a meal, but Lin Yun knew that solitary demonic beasts were often vigilant. Even with its eyes closed, it could still sense the slightest changes in its surroundings.

"No point in hiding. I'll attack it head on with my Ferocious Tiger Fist!" Lin Yun said excitedly. Fighting the Saber-toothed Tiger last month had been crucial to his success with this technique. If his hunch was correct, this fight could very well be the key to achieving complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

Lin Yun roared as he lunged for the tiger, fist at the ready. The second he revealed himself the tiger shot awake, bloodlust pouring from its piercing gaze. It let out a deafening roar and the stripes on its body ignited. The flames bellowing from its stripes were nothing like what he'd seen on the previous Flaming Inked Tiger. The last one's simply glowed like hot coals, this was more akin to a blacksmith's furnace during war. The heat pouring from its body created a mirage in the surrounding air.

Lin Yun pictured the tiger from the painting in his mind as he waded through the killing aura, but even then he almost succumbed to the fear. This aura was different from the last Flaming Inked Tiger he fought… This was the king of the mountain's aura!

Boom!

His punch connected squarely with the tiger's forehead. It was as hard as steel! Reverberations shot up his arm, numbing it. He had barely made a scratch.

Roar!

The Flaming Inked Tiger let out a roar so powerful it sent Lin Yun's head spinning. A cacophony of movement came from all around him as birds took flight and demon beasts scattered. This tiger really was the tyrant of the mountain, and Lin Yun was in his home.

Boom!

The tiger caught him across the chest with a heavy paw. The effortless swipe sent him flying into the trunk of a nearby tree, breaking it. Lin Yun's mind was racing as he gasped for air. How had those sorry excuses for bandits managed to injure one of these things? Maybe he had been wrong about them...

No. It was that exact reason he was so confident. If even they had managed to injure one, there was no doubt in his mind that he could kill one with his bare hands.

His newfound resolve was tested immediately as the beast rose to its feet. From Lin Yun's prone position, the six meter tall titan was as imposing as the mountain it called home.

Lin Yun ignored the pain in his chest as he sprang to his feet. He began circulating the Pure Yang Art as he readied his body to meet the tiger's lunge.

"Come at me!" Lin Yun bellowed, grinning. All doubt had vanished. He was exactly where he needed to be. It had been a long time since he faced a worthy opponent. He would cherish this battle.

Whoosh!

The beast was incredibly agile for its size. The gap between them was closed in an instant.

Boom!

The image of the tiger from the painting flared in his mind's eye as their attacks met. This time his punch matched the strength of the Flaming Inked Tiger. This was no longer a fight between a man and his bounty. It was a clash between beasts to see who was the true king of the mountain!

Boom!

Lin Yun staggered a few steps back and the tiger stood dazed. Their eyes locked as they began circling each other. Both were acutely aware that, in a fight between equals, the first to make a mistake would lose. Their hypnotic dance continued as both searched desperately for an opening the other wouldn't give.

Tired of waiting, the tiger let out a ferocious cry and lunged for Lin Yun's throat.

"Bring it on!" shouted Lin Yun excitedly. His bones crackled as his aura surged. The image of a tiger appeared behind him as he launched himself to meet the beast mid-flight.

Boom!

A thousand meters away, a man from the Yun Clan watched in awe. From this distance, it looked like a battle between two ferocious tigers over territory. He had made the right decision when he left the Blood Lily behind during their first encounter.

"How is that possible?! It took four of us ten days to injure one of those things and here he is fighting one barehanded… That kid's a monster!" he said to himself as he leapt from the branch he had perched on. "It's a shame he won't be leaving here alive!"

"How's the situation?" asked the Yun Clan's young patriarch impatiently.

"Young patriarch, that brat's insane. He's fighting a Flaming Inked Tiger with his bare hands. They seem evenly matched now but I don't think it will be long before he kills it."

"You're shitting me…" the young patriarch said in disbelief. He felt sick as he pictured what would have happened if they had chosen to face Lin Yun a few days prior.

But that was why they were here. He refused to live the rest of his life in fear. Regaining his composure, the young patriarch turned to one of his followers, "Old Four, is your plan reliable? If we fail, we'll all be in trouble."

"Don't worry, young patriarch. My plan is fool proof! The Golden Brute Bulls travel in herds of over 300 and are incredibly stupid. You only need to provoke one for the whole herd to stampede. If we set them off in the kid's direction, he's done for!" the follower said confidently. "That freak will be trampled into so many pieces we won't even have to bother hiding the body!"

"Excellent!" A sinister smile rose on the young master's lips as he continued, "He's going to regret crossing me!"

"And here I thought that your head was made of steel…" Lin Yun said as he gasped for air. Before him lay the corpse of the Flaming Inked Tiger, skull caved in from Lin Yun's last punch.

Their fight had lasted an excruciating eight hours in total. A ruler-grade demonic beast was truly formidable. He was still amazed those four men from before even managed to put a scratch on one.

What was even more amazing was that he was still able to stand! Blood Refining Pellets were truly incredible. He could already feel his stamina recovering.

After a short rest, Lin Yun began harvesting the Flaming Inked Tiger's claws. As he worked, he couldn't help but be disappointed he hadn't achieved complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist during his fight with this magnificent beast. He was excited to see how the technique would transform, especially since he knew the painting had been reshaping it.

Rumble! Rumble!

Lin Yun was snapped back to reality as he felt the ground around him start to shake.

What's happening? Is this an earthquake?

Behind him, he saw thick dust covering the sky a thousand meters away. What was more troubling was the heard of gigantic, golden-scaled bulls charging in his direction, each one three times larger than the Flaming Inked Tiger.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The might of their hooves sent shockwaves through the earth. Any trees unlucky enough to stand in their way were turned to pulp in an instant.

"Shit!" Lin Yun cursed as the colour ran from his face. Where had these bulls even come from?

He would have to figure that out some other time, though, as the herd of bulls were upon him. The thousand meters that had separated them was but a short walk for beasts their size.

Despair crept into Lin Yun's heart as he assessed the situation before him. There were easily 500 Golden Brute Bulls in this stampede and he had nowhere to run.

Facing death, Lin Yun unleashed the full potential of his body. He accumulated all his internal energy into his fist as he threw a punch at the head of the leading bull with all his might, but he was sent flying instead. The immense counter force shook his entire body. The taste of blood coated his mouth and he felt as if his organs had been torn shreds.

But, despite the pain, that punch had saved his life. When he finally landed, he was a few hundred meters ahead of the stampede. Seeing his opportunity, Lin Yun ran for his life and did not look back.

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Chapter 24 - World-shattering Punch

How far apart were heaven and hell? Perhaps only a step.

One moment, Lin Yun was celebrating his victory over the Flaming Inked Tiger and, the next, he was running for his life from the Golden Brute Bulls. Now, they were so close Lin Yun could hear them gasping for air. Despite pushing the Wild Goose Art to its limits, Lin Yun still couldn't shake them. Punching the leader may have saved his life, but it had also made the bulls much angrier. Against his better judgement, Lin Yun forced himself to look back.

The leader of the Golden Brute Bulls was only a body-length away from him, with four to five hundred bulls close behind. A heavy shadow covered the back of the herd as their dust cloud blotted out the sun. Despair consumed him.

Still, Lin Yun refused to give up. He dropped back and gave the leader another punch.

Boom!

The immense impact spread throughout his body once more, and this time he was certain he sustained internal damage. The leader of the Golden Brute Bulls was no worse for wear, though, continuing its charge without losing stride.

Swish!

The burst of speed generated by the counter force helped put some distance between Lin Yun and the herd. His lungs burned and his heart pounded as he ran. He had no idea how long he could hold on for. The only thing keeping him going now was fear. Running was his only option.

"Haha! Young master, look at him running for his life like a dog!"

The four men of the Yun Clan followed behind the herd, laughing as they watched Lin Yun struggle.

"Excellent!" The young patriarch wore a sinister smile as he yelled, "Good job, Ol' Four! Using the Golden Brute Bulls to deal with that brat was ingenious!"

"It's all thanks to you, boss." Ole Four replied with a fawning smile.

"Haha, yes, it is! Let's follow up! I want to be there when he's trampled by those Golden Brute Bulls. He'll rue the day he stole from me!" said the young patriarch as he picked up speed.

"That kid is really tough. If we are the ones facing the herd, we would be trampled to death by now."

"Relax, the Golden Brute Bulls are famed for their endurance. They've been known to run for five days without stopping."

"That's what I like, seeing him jumping here and there struggling desperately to survive. Tormented by despair. No hope of escape. He's only delaying the inevitable!" the young patriarch said excitedly.

Lin Yun was ragged. His face was pale and his body was covered in mud and bruises. If not for the hope burning in his eyes you would think he was an animated corpse.

The thunderous sound behind him was a constant reminder that he couldn't let up. Slowing down even a little meant certain death. However, there was something strange about it. He was only a few meters from death, and yet he was calm. The sense of despair he had at the beginning had given way to acceptance. The situation was terrible, sure, but worrying would do nothing. Since he was going to die anyway, why not try something crazy?

"Here we go!" Lin Yun shouted as he popped a Blood Refining Pellet into his mouth.

It took effect immediately. Familiar waves of heat washed over him as every part of his body surged back to life. In an instant, he was back at full strength!

But this was only a temporary fix and he knew it. The bulls would last longer than he ever could, even with pellets. He had to do something drastic if he had any chance of surviving.

As he ran, Lin Yun turned his focus to his heart. While he listened, he felt the blood flowing through his veins. He could sense his internal energy and the medicine mixing, almost dancing. He watched as electricity fired from every nerve and synapse. And as he observed, he balled his hand into a fist.

He directed every ounce of energy he could summon into his fist. This was his last chance of evading death, his last hope of survival. The veins on his arm surged and his whole body shook as power boiled from his core. His desperation and anger were acting as a catalyst!

"I hereby place my life and death in this punch!" Lin Yun roared in defiance of the heavens.

And then he stopped running.

"He's given up!" shouted one of the Yun Clan as they watched the stampede barrel towards him.

The bull's horns were only meters away, but as he turned to face them, they seemed to stop. Lin Yun's body was numb. The rage in his heart had faded as well. In fact, all he felt at that moment was an overwhelming sense of serenity.

It was at that moment he realized he was standing at the crossroads between life and death. Before him lay two paths. All that was left was for him to choose.

KRRAAAAKKKOWWW!!!!

The thunderous crackle of Lin Yun's bones signalled for time to resume. The explosive power of his aura obliterated the limits of the fifth stage of the Martial Path!

He had made his choice. He would face death as the king of the mountain!

Becoming the very embodiment of a tiger, Lin Yun's aura surged as he unleashed a roar at the herd of bulls. He refused to die before he saw his potential realized! With this earth-shattering punch, he would overthrow heaven and earth!

Boom!

The lead bull vanished the moment his fist connected with its head. Its lifeless corpse went careening through the herd, taking a few bulls out along the way.

This was the terrifying power of complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist.

Steam rolled off his body as the heat of his blood brought him seemingly limitless strength.

Lin Yun's hair danced as a gale swept around him. When they locked eyes with him, the Golden Brute Bulls were consumed by the dominating aura of the Flaming Inked Tiger. A fear that came from the depth of their bloodline stopped the entire herd in their tracks.

The sound of their leader finally landing spurred them to action. The terrified bulls turned and ran.

His bet had paid off!

Lin Yun let out a sigh of relief. He knew he was close to complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist after his fight with the Flaming Inked Tiger and had hoped confronting death would act as a catalyst. He bet his entire life on that single punch.

And he won!

Just as Lin Yun began checking the corpse of the Golden Brute Bulls' leader, a terrified scream attracted his attention. Using his hand to shade his eyes, he sneered as he finally understood why the bulls had been chasing him.

In the distance, the four men from the Yun Clan could be seen running ahead of the herd. Even at this distance, Lin Yun could see they were scared shitless. Karma had come back on them quickly; it was hard not to smile.

Blood curdling screams rose from the group as two of the followers were trampled to death. No matter how hated the enemy, a scream like that made a person's skin crawl. But the bulls were not people and they paid no mind to the screams as their hooves trampled the two.

The Yun Clan's young patriarch took out a pellet and popped it in his mouth. His complexion became sickly, but his aura went above the sixth stage and his speed increased greatly.

Ole Four had had the same idea but had no pellets on him. In desperation, he cried out, "Young master, save me! Throw me a pellet! Anything, please!"

But the young patriarch had no intention slowing down. The only thing he could give his old friend in this moment were his parting words, "Get lost!"

As the screams faded behind him, the Yun Clan's young patriarch increased his speed, sobbing as he ran.

"You guys brought that upon yourselves," Lin Yun said as he strolled over to the corpses of the three men. If he bet hadn't paid off, he would be the one trampled to death instead.

"What's this?"

Amidst the carnage was a bag containing beast materials. By some miracle, the claws of a Flaming Inked Tiger had survived the stampede.

"Today's my lucky day!"

He pocketed the claws and turned his attention back to the herd leader's corpse. Every single part of this corpse was valuable, and he had the interspatial pouch to store it all. This monster had brought him inches from death. He would squeeze every last penny from it.

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Chapter 25 - Hatred

Gathering Blood Lilies, going after Kuang Yan, and hunting the Flaming Inked Tigers. He had now completed all three of his spiritual stone missions, and it was time for him to return to the sect. He had finished just in time for the mid-year test.

He had gained a lot during his trip. He had progressed the Flowing Wind Sword, grasping the second offensive move; learned a movement technique in the form of the Wild Goose Art; reached the fifth stage of the Martial Path; and achieved complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist. But, above all else, Lin Yun believed his most important takeaway was the combat experience.

He couldn't wait to see how far he would go during the mid-year test!

In the outer region of the Mechanism Hall in Azure Sky Sect, Chen Xiao was on stage training his sword against a puppet. His sixth stage aura roared as he executed the Berserk Lightning Sword. The speed and precision of each strike was breath-taking. Each swing left an afterimage; to the untrained eye he appeared to be wielding ten swords at once. The Mechanism hall rang with his thunderous strikes.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Every strike on the sword was accompanied by the sound of crumpling metal. His eyes burned with a terrifying rage as he swung his sword. He had found imagining the puppet was Lin Yun helped him vent the anger that consumed him as of late.

Beneath the stage, outer disciples watched sheepishly. They knew to be quiet as he trained or else they would become the target of his rage.

"That sword slave still hasn't come back?" Chen Xiao asked while he parried the puppet's retaliation.

"No, Senior Brother Chen. The mid-year test is only a few days away and he still hasn't shown. It's possible that he died somewhere outside the sect."

"I heard he accepted three spiritual stone missions, one of which was to kill the bandit, Kuang Yan, Senior Brother Chen."

"Yes, Senior Brother Chen. Kuang Yan is known for his brutality. There have been many reports of him slaughtering disciples from other sects. Lin Yun is most likely not an exception. I doubt you will ever see him again, Senior Brother Chen!"

The outer disciple's exaggerated deference annoyed Chen Xiao. "No! I must be the one to tear him into pieces!"

With a primal scream, Chen Xiao brandished 80 swords in an instant, obliterating the puppet. The outer disciples' jaws dropped as they realized they had witnessed him achieve greater mastery in the Berserk Lightning Sword.

"All of you listen up! If I find out any of you have been slacking, you'll be taking the place of this puppet. Keep all your eyes peeled! Report to me immediately the second you catch wind he's returned!" Chen Xiao barked as he looked at the outer disciples beneath the stage.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the outer disciples' heads nodded frantically as they replied in unison. If they had been too afraid to oppose him in the past, there was no chance they would step out of line now.

But their synchronized head bobbing was cut short as an outer disciple burst through the doors to the Mechanism Hall. "Senior Brother Chen," he shouted between breaths, "Lin Yun has returned! Word has it he just arrived in Azure Sky Town!"

As the news sank in, a sinister smile spread across Chen Xiao's face.

Laughing, he said, "Speak of the devil! The fool made it back just in time!". With a spring in his step, Chen Xiao hopped off stage and ran for the door.

"This is not good, guys! He's actually gonna kill the sword slave this time!"

"Yeah… The last time the sword slave ran, Senior Brother Chen set his shack on fire. It's been two months and Senior Brother Chen has only been getting angrier."

"I almost feel bad for the kid. Senior Brother Chen won't show any mercy this time."

"After an embarrassment like that, would you?"

"This is going to be good! Let's go!"

Word spread quickly through Mechanism Hall as more and more outer disciples chased after Chen Xiao. Before long, he found himself leading a massive crowd. Lin Yun was in for quite the surprise.

Lin Yun's heart swelled with happiness as he stood at the southern entrance of the Azure Sky Sect. He had managed to complete his missions and make it back with only two days to spare.

During this trip, he experienced the highs of his Flowing Wind Sword reaching greater mastery, and the lows of dealing with the Yun Clan. He danced with death multiple times, even coming face to face with it while being chased by the herd of Golden Brute Bulls. The journey had left its mark, and there was a tint of maturity on his tender face.

"Time to hand in the missions," Lin Yun said excitedly. His pace quickened as he thought about his reward.

It only took him fifteen minutes to reach the Administration Hall using the Wild Goose Art. But as he walked up the steps, he was greeted by a huge crowd led by none other than Chen Xiao. Lin Yun understood what was happening the moment he saw them.

However, after having been through all the dangers in his trip, this was nothing. After all, how could Chen Xiao be more treacherous than that herd of Golden Brute Bulls?

"What are you doing here? Turning in your missions?" Chen Xiao wore a playful smile as he addressed Lin Yun with a mocking tone. Now that he had confirmed Lin Yun was back, he wasn't in such a hurry. He had been thinking of ways to humiliate Lin Yun for two months. He wanted to savour this moment.

His fantasies were interrupted when Lin Yun charged him without a word. The sudden assault caught Chen Xiao by surprise and he reflexively jumped back. In a mix of rage and shock, he stammered, "Y-you wanna die, sword slave?!"

But those words were the only response Lin Yun would allow Chen Xiao to give. Chen Xiao's hand had barely made contact with his sword when Lin Yun's punch connected with his chest.

Boom!

Chen Xiao went flying. He skid 50 meters across the ground before a tree stopped him. Leaves and small branches dropped all around him.

Chen Xiao struggled in vain to get on his feet. The impact had caused internal damage. His equilibrium was shot, and blood poured from his mouth. Using the last of his strength, Chen Xiao raised his head and pointed at Lin Yun, unable to utter a single word.

What Chen Xiao didn't know was that Lin Yun had consumed the two remaining Blood Refining Pellets on his way back to the Azure Sky Sect. Right now, Lin Yun's blood was like molten lava as it coursed through his veins. Beyond their current effects, the four Blood Refining Pellets had strengthened his physique to terrifying levels. Furthermore, he was executing the Ferocious Tiger Fist in complete mastery! Chen Xiao never stood a chance. His months fantasizing ways to humiliate Lin Yun had been for nothing.

The crowd was dumbfounded. They had been worked up by two months of Chen Xiao boasting and were excited to watch a one-sided fight. In the end, their wish had been granted.

Lin Yun scoffed as he walked towards the Administration Hall, "Trash."

"Sword slave, w-what… did you say?!" Chen Xiao roared when he heard Lin Yun speak, catching the crowd off guard. His face contorted with pain as he still struggled to his feet.

Seeing his pitiful state, Chen Xiao's underlings rushed over to help and said, "Senior Brother, he called you trash."

Pffft!

Chen Xiao coughed up more blood upon hearing that. His pale face was filled with humiliation. The puny sword slave of the Azure Sky Sect had dared to call him trash, but he couldn't refute the claim. He had been beaten by a single punch. His face flushed red with embarrassment and anger.

"I-I...I...I hate it!"

With that, Chen Xiao passed out.

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Chapter 26 - Mission Reward

Chen Xiao was filled with hatred, but it was unclear what he hated. Even if they were no longer equals, with cultivation in the sixth stage of the Martial Path and greater mastery of the Berserk Lightning Sword, he should have been able to last at least one hundred moves against Lin Yun. His carelessness had given Lin Yun the opportunity to take him out before he could even draw his sword. In the end, he could only hate himself.

"Why is Lin Yun in such a hurry? You don't think he actually completed all three spiritual stone missions, do you?"

"There's no way! One of them is to kill the bandit, Kuang Yan!"

"What's the point of discussing? We'll know if we follow him into the Administration Hall!"

"Good point, let's go!"

The entire crowd disappeared into the Administration Hall, leaving Chen Xiao and his lackeys behind.

The door creaked loudly as Lin Yun entered the hall. The place was as crowded as ever, but an unnatural hush greeted Lin Yun when he entered. Spiritual stone missions were extremely difficult, and among the outer disciples, only the top ten were capable of completing them. Naturally, news had spread quickly after Lin Yun accepted three. His actions had caused quite the stir.

"The sword slave is back!" someone shouted, breaking the silence.

"I wonder if he managed to complete the missions."

"We'll find out soon enough! If he failed, he'll be severely punished."

A deluge of whispers flooded the Administration Hall as the crowd eyed Lin Yun anxiously, but Lin Yun paid them no mind. It was human nature to be wary of someone who rose so quickly.

"Easy! Don't push me!" came a cry from the mass of people behind him. The Administration Hall had become quite crowded upon his arrival, and people continued to pour in.

"What's that matter? Why are so many people here?"

"Haven't you heard? Lin Yun defeated Chen Xiao with only one punch!"

"Are you serious?!"

"Don't take my word for it. Half the people here saw it! Honestly, it was brutal. Blood wouldn't stop pouring from Chen Xiao's mouth. He couldn't even get up. I'm pretty sure he's still lying on the ground outside right now."

The whispers had become a roar. So many people were talking at once it was almost impossible to hear the person standing next to you.

"Administrator Yang!" Lin Yun shouted, "I have the Blood Lilies that were requested. Please check through them."

Administrator Yang examined the Blood Lilies and confirmed, "Well done. They are all in perfect condition. Here is your reward, 400 low-grade spiritual stones. As a bonus, you've also earned the right to purchase one Blood Refining Pellet."

Lin Yun nodded graciously as he received his reward. The 400 low-grade spiritual stones were nice, but the bonus reward was shocking. The crowd roared with envy as word of his bonus spread.

"Woah! I thought Blood Refining Pellets were only available to inner disciples!"

"If I could get my hands on a Blood Refining Pellet, I would be in the fifth stage of the Martial Path by now! Instead, I've stagnated..."

"I wish I was brave enough to take on that mission."

"You? Forget it. The Blood Lilies are hard enough to find in the Hundred Flower Valley, not to mention the demonic beasts that guard them. Even if you're lucky enough to find one, you'll die before you can harvest it."

Their astonishment continued to grow as Lin Yun handed the Flaming Inked Tigers' claws to Administrator Yang, receiving another 600 low-grade spiritual stones as a reward. He had completed two of the three spirit stone missions! All that was left was to prove he had killed the bandit, Kuang Yan!

Kuang Yan was known throughout the Aquasky Nation for his evil deeds. Every disciple in the four sects wanted him dead, but none had been able to kill him. It seemed impossible that a sword slave would succeed where everyone else had failed.

But as the tension mounted, an invisible pressure came crashing down from the higher floors. An old man slowly walked down the stairs with a smile. The outer disciples trembled as they watched him descend. It was the Hall Master of the Administration Hall, an expert in the ninth stage of the Martial Path!

"Greetings, Hall Master!" the outer disciples cried as they paid their respect.

"Get up! Get up! I have only come down to announce one thing," Hall Master Wang smiled.

"What could it be?"

"Hall Master Wang rarely appears in public. It must be something big!"

"Do you think it has something to do with Lin Yun?"

Now that he had their proper attention, Hall Master Wang came before Lin Yun and announced, "Outer Disciple Lin Yun has killed the bandit, Kuang Yan, in Clear Water City, bringing pride to our sect! The Sect Master was so pleased by the news, he has requested that I personally give him a reward!"

Rustle

The Administration Hall went silent. Lin Yun had not only completed the three spiritual stone missions, his act of killing Kuang Yan had earned the respect of the sect master himself!

The last part was shocking, but made sense given enough thought. Kuang Yan had been recklessly terrorizing the entire Aquasky Nation. His notoriety had spread far and wide. As the four great sects represented the pinnacle of the Aquasky Nation, they naturally had to send people to hunt him down. Whoever killed Kuang Yan was guaranteed to bring pride to their sect.

It was especially true for the Azure Sky Sect! Kuang Yan had killed many more disciples from the three other sects than he had from that Azure Sky Sect, hence, the sect master would be able to use it as leverage over the other three sect masters. It was only natural for him to grant Lin Yun a reward.

"It's my responsibility to serve the sect," Lin Yun said graciously. Though he didn't show it, he was surprised that killing Kuang Yan had caused such a huge commotion.

"Neither conceited nor impatient, very good. Here is your reward of 500 low-grade spiritual stones. Furthermore, you may ascend to the Martial Chamber and pick a fragmented Xiantian Art," Hall Master Wang smiled.

When everyone heard Hall Master Wang's words, their eyes blazed.

Xiantian Art!

Despite being fragmented, its value was unimaginable. If anyone could comprehend a move from it, they would become invincible amongst their peers! Almost all the cultivation and martial techniques in the Martial Chamber were derived from fragmented Xiantian Arts. Just having one was a huge boon to a person's cultivation.

"Come with me," Hall Master Wang said to Lin Yun before turning for the stairs. Lin Yun obeyed, trying his best to avoid the envious glares of the crowd as he followed.

Hall Master Wang explained as he led Lin Yun to the top floor, "Xiantian Arts can only be practiced by Xiantian Martial Practitioners. The sect only has two complete Xiantian Art, and they are terrifyingly powerful. They are the foundation of our sect, and only the sect master has access to them. But the fragmented Xiantian Arts are all here."

Solemnly, he continued, "The Xiantian Arts here are fragmented and are only meant to be comprehended. If you force yourself to learn them, you could find yourself in trouble. It's meant to broaden your eyes, to help make a martial technique your own."

"I see. I'll avoid practicing it recklessly," Lin Yun replied, a sense of awe in his voice.

"Good. You will be fine as long as you heed my words. The fragmented art will only bring you harm if you are reckless."

Lin Yun was beginning to doubt the value of the fragmented Xiantian Arts. The other disciples were clearly jealous, but Hall Master Wang's explanation made them out to be more trouble than they were worth. Still, he couldn't deny he was excited to flip through them.

It only took a few minutes for Lin Yun's opinion to change. He grew solemn as he came to understand the true nature of his reward. A whole new world had been given to him.

Through the words before him, he experienced first-hand the might of the Xiantian Martial Practitioners. Their feats included such things as unleashing a strand of sword aura from their finger to claim the head of their opponent a thousand meters away; leaping three meters into the air and destroying a city wall with a single punch; and splitting rivers with a single palm strike.

When his gaze fell on a copy named the Dragon-Tiger Fist, he felt an immediate attraction.

"This is…?"

"This is the fragmented Xiantian Art, the Dragon-Tiger Fist. The Ferocious Tiger Fist that you practice originated from it," Hall Master Wang explained.

"That sounds perfect. I'll take it!"

Lin Yun made his choice without any hesitation. His Ferocious Tiger Fist had reached complete mastery. So this Dragon-Tiger Art was just what he needed.

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Chapter 27 - Refining Beast Core

"Do not practice the Dragon-Tiger Fist," Hall Master Wang warned. He handed over the technique manual to Lin Yun, then continued, "In the past, there was an inner disciple who didn't follow my warning and practiced a fragmented Xiantian Art anyway. He nearly died and ended up being crippled. Take it only to broaden your scope and increase your comprehension in the martial path."

"Thank you for your teachings, Hall Master Wang," Lin Yun replied as he received the book. It seemed the fragmented Xiantian Art was a double-edged sword. It was something that he could destroy himself with, but if he used it well, he could comprehend a whole new foundational fist technique from it and benefit the sect.

"You may take your leave. The mid-year test will be two days from now, and I'm looking forward to your performance," Hall Master Wang smiled.

"Goodbye," Lin Yun left the Martial Chamber. He returned to Administrator Yang and asked to buy a Blood Refining Pellet.

"It's your right, but only this once. Sect price is 500 low-grade spiritual stones," Administrator Yang said as he took out a Blood Refining Pellet for Lin Yun. His opinion of Lin Yun had changed. The boy was stronger than he had given him credit for. The truth was, Hall Administrator Yang was unsure if he could beat Lin Yun in a fight himself. After all, it had only been three months since Lin Yun had become an outer disciple. Yang was thankful that Lin Yun did not hold a grudge for how he had acted in the past.

Only 500 low-grade spiritual stones?

Lin Yun's heart bled when he thought of the 3000 low-grade spiritual stones he spent a few days ago. He knew it was a fair price, but it still hurt to give up that much money.

The outer disciples in the Administration Hall watched the exchange with envy. Someone finally broke the silence, "Two days from now, this sword slave will definitely make a name for himself."

Lin Yun was mortified when he saw the state of his wooden shack, of the home the previous owner of his body left behind. Only ash remained.

In daze, he looked around to make sure he was in the right place. He called out to a passerby, "D-do… do you know what happened here?"

"Senior Brother Lin... I'm so sorry. Chen Xiao and his lackeys burnt down your house right after you left," the outer disciple replied solemnly.

It looks like the punch he gave Chen Xiao had been far too light.

The outer disciple continued, "Senior Brother, you can apply for a new house from the sect. It wouldn't cost much."

Turning, Lin Yun smiled, "Thank you. I'll think of something myself."

"Then I'll take my leave first, Senior Brother."

It was clear Lin Yun needed some time alone.

After becoming a sword slave, the previous owner of his body had been driven out of the dormitory meant for odd-job workers. He needed somewhere to live but couldn't afford anything the sect had to offer. In the end, he came out to this desolate place and built himself a shack out of anything he could find.

It wasn't much, but it did its job. It kept him warm at night, gave him shelter from the wind and rain, and, most importantly, was a place he could call home. The previous owner of his body stayed here for two years without complaint.

The previous Lin Yun did not want to leave. He wanted to stay in the Azure Sky Sect's Sword Cleaning Chamber. He wanted to maintain Su Ziyao's sword.

If he left, it might be the last time he said goodbye.

Back then, he could only stare at Su Ziyao from the back of the crowd while she stood center stage. It had been his dream to follow in her footsteps.

When the wooden shack was consumed by the flames, the last trace of the previous Lin Yun vanished with it.

Without a word, Lin Yun got on his hands and knees and began sorting through the ashes. Clouds of soot got in his lungs and stung his eyes; sharp fragments of wood cut his hands and legs. His whole body was covered in ash and grime; splinters dug under his nails. He searched until his hands bled, but there was nothing left. Regardless of how he tried, he couldn't find a single item that belonged to the previous Lin Yun.

Some time later, he noticed a tattered piece of paper among the ashes. It was a scrap of the log he kept of the pellets that Su Ziyao had given him.

Whoosh!

A breeze took the paper from Lin Yun's hand and carried it away. As he watched the paper drift away, Lin Yun became lost in thought.

Since ancient times, love has always been the most complicated part of life. The previous Lin Yun had held feelings for Su Ziyao even though she refused to even look at him. As long as he could see her, he would be satisfied. Most would say he was infatuated, but quirky was more accurate. He was perfectly content holding his feelings even if nothing ever came from them. Despite the sadness he felt at times, the previous Lin Yun was just happy to have something to long for.

In all of this, was Su Ziyao to blame?

Not at all. She was not obligated to have feelings for someone simply because they liked her. Besides, how could she give someone an answer if they don't ask first.

Then whose fault was it? The previous Lin Yun?

Absolutely not! Even a sword slave had the right to dream.

"It's not your fault," Lin Yun muttered as he watched the paper drift away.

After another moment of silence, he went to collect the materials needed to build a new shack.

The mid-year test was two days later, and he did not have the luxury of time to comprehend the Xiantian Art — Dragon-Tiger Fist. It was too complicated and if he wasn't careful it might lower his strength instead.

Lin Yun popped the Blood Refining Pellet he had bought from Administrator Yang into his mouth before carefully retrieving the Saber-toothed Tiger's beast core from his pouch.

Boom!

The unique killing aura lingering within the beast core was overwhelming. It was identical to what he had felt during the fight, if only a little weaker. He knew now how fortunate he had been to find this. Only on rare occasions would a beast become a demonic beast; and, of those that did, only 10% would go on to conceive a beast core. Its value could not be measured.

He knew he needed to reach the sixth stage of the Martial Path if he wanted to stand a chance during the mid-year tournament. With only two days to go, he needed to do something drastic.

Even if he consumed five more Blood Refining Pellets, his chances of making a breakthrough were slim. His best shot was to consume the beast core. Most people wouldn't even dream of doing what he was about to do, but he was out of options

After taking a deep breath, Lin Yun swallowed the beast core.

BOOOOOOOM!!!!

The moment the beast core entered his mouth, spiritual energy exploded from deep within him. Strands of crimson aura seeped from every part of his body as the killing aura of the Saber-toothed Tiger slowly fused with his own.

He began circulating the Pure Yang Art, trying desperately to control the overbearing power of the beast core. It was as if a wild, untamable stallion had been set loose within his body. As the power surged within his body, his color of his face alternated between green and white, occasionally flashing black as well. The little control he had over the savage energy that was raging within him began to slip.

Lin Yun was in trouble.

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Chapter 28 - Three Moves

There was a definite possibility that Lin Yun's body would explode, but he was powerless to stop the reaction. All he could do now was wait patiently as his body slowly digested the beast core.

Embody the tiger, smell the rose.

Despite the mighty power surging in his body, he kept his heart calm. Unfortunately, this proved increasingly difficult as reaction only continued to get stronger. His sense of time had become distorted as he focused his whole attention on what was happening inside his body. Two days had passed already without him knowing.

The mid-year test, the Azure Sky Sect's annual tournament, had begun. The plaza was packed to the brim with people. The disciples whose lots had been drawn first were already fighting on stage.

The Azure Sky Sect had a total of two to three thousand outer disciples, and all of them had gathered for the test. The atmosphere was electric as disciples put their hopes and dreams on the line. This test decided where they would rank. Some would rise, some would fall, and some would even be given an opportunity to become an inner disciple.

A large crowd had congregated near the main stage located at the center of the event grounds. Most gathered were outer disciples who had either already finished their matches or were waiting for their next one to start.

On stage, senior outer disciple Liang Wenbo stood beside the judge. He normally kept a low-profile, but he had not been able to hide the fact that he had reached the sixth stage of the Martial Path. No one would underestimate him. While he was formidable and well respected, Liang Wenbo was not the reason people flocked to this stage.

"Is it true that Liang Wenbo is fighting Lin Yun?"

"That's what I heard. Liang Wenbo drew Lin Yun's name, but apparently no one's seen him."

"What's wrong with that guy? How can you be late for the greatest event of the year? Won't he be disqualified?"

Rumours began to spread quickly.

Liang Wenbo was growing more impatient by the second. Turning to the judge, he asked, "How long do I have to wait?"

"Half an incense's time. If Lin Yun isn't here by then, he will be disqualified and you will move on to the next round."

Liang Wenbo scoffed, "Once a sword slave, always a sword slave,"

Everyone stared anxiously at the incense as they waited. It was down to its last centimeter and Lin Yun had still not shown.

"Looks like I win this round," Liang Wenbo said with a smug smile. But as he spoke, a commotion broke out from the back of the crowd.

"He's here!"

Every head turned just as a white-robed man with delicate features walked calmly towards the stage. Lin Yun had just barely made it in time.

He pushed his way through the crowd and jumped on stage. When he got into position he apologized to Liang Wenbo and the judge, "Sorry for being late."

Liang Wenbo was visibly upset. He had been forced to wait the maximum possible time without being awarded a victory.

"According to the rules, you were late, but not late enough to be disqualified. You will be allowed to continue participating in the mid-year tournament," the judge clarified. "However, due to your tardiness, you must let three moves go to your opponent."

"Fine with me," Lin Yun nodded.

When Liang Wenbo heard that, a faint smile rose to his lips,"That's a rule? I'll take it!"

Turning to Lin Yun, he said, "I heard you managed to defeat that idiot, Chen Xiao. Well I got knews for you, punk. I don't plan to give you the same opportunities he did. I don't plan to let you lay a finger on me! Today, on this stage, in front of this crowd, I'm going to give you the beating of a lifetime. I'm going to show these people what you're really made of. They'll be mopping your true colours off the stage when I'm done with you!"

Liang Wenbo's arrogance sent the crowd into a frenzy. If the tension in the crowd was a smouldering fire, Liang Wenbo's words were gunpowder. It took the judge nearly a minute to calm the crowd down enough so that the men on stage could hear him.

While a little dramatic, Liang Wenbo was qualified to speak those words. He was a senior among outer disciples. His cultivation had reached the sixth stage of the Martial Path and he had achieved perfection in his Drifting Leaf Sword.

"That's weird, why didn't Lin Yun bring his sword along?" asked an onlooker.

"I heard that he managed to use the Flowing Wind Sword, a technique that no one could practice for the past thousand years. Who knows if those rumours are true, though."

"Wait, what?! Come on! I'm only here for the Flowing Wind Sword!"

"Um, excuse me.. It was the last hundred years, not the last thousand."

"Those rumours are probably exaggerated. If he had actually made progress with the Flowing Wind Sword, there's no way he'd leave his sword behind. Who would handicap themselves like that during the mid-year test?"

"Start!"

Clang!

In the fraction of a second between when the Judge yelled start and the bell tolled, Liang Wenbo brandished his sword in a lightning fast quick-draw attack in hopes of catching Lin Yun off guard. His strike carried the swiftness of the wind itself. The sword brushed past Lin Yun's nose, barely an inch away from him. Lin Yun had barely gotten out of the way.

Fast!

To the disciples watching, the sword had just appeared in Liang Wenbo's hand. His movements were too fast for their eyes to follow.

To everyone's surprise, Liang Wenbo had begun the fight with his full strength. He would take full advantage of the three free attacks against Lin Yun he had been given. As per agreement, Lin Yun was not allowed to retaliate.

Boom!

Feeling the aura that permeated from Liang Wenbo, Lin Yun could tell that he had been on the verge of the seventh stage of the Martial Path for some time.

As his aura poured into his sword, Liang Wenbo's sword momentum sped towards its upper limits. At a tricky angle from below, the long sword sliced upwards, bringing a cutting gale with it.

Swish! Swish!

The strike sliced through the front of Lin Yun's robe, barely missing his skin. This passivity was proving troublesome, but rules were rules. Lin Yun could only hope his chance would come soon.

"Liang Wenbo is terrifyingly strong AND he has a three-move advantage! Lin Yun is in trouble!"

"Liang Wenbo's cultivation seems to be approaching the seventh stage of the Martial Path as well. No wonder he was so arrogant before!"

"The Drifting Leaf Sword is so ferocious in his hands!"

In only two moves, Lin Yun was on his back foot.

"Drifting Leaves! Go down!" Liang Wenbo roared as he executed his third move.

He lunged his sword at Lin Yun with all his might. As if summoned by the display, a raging tempest tore through the crowd. The violent blast whipped through robes and hair as it carried a cloud of dust on stage.

From afar, Liang Wenbo's sword truly looked like a leaf drifting in the wind.

"Bravo!"

The crowd roared at the spectacle. They were witnessing the work of a master.

But just when everyone thought that Liang Wenbo's stab was sure to connect, Lin Yun launched himself into the sky, landing six meters away at the very edge of the stage. The Wild Goose Art had saved him yet again.

"Damn it!" Liang Wenbo cursed furiously. Blinded by rage, he let his internal energy burn with reckless abandon. He poured dangerous amounts of strength into his swing, sending a veritable cyclone at Lin Yun in hopes of knocking him offstage.

Before Liang Wenbo saw the results of his last strike, he heard Lin Yun's voice through the dust cloud, "That's three moves."

Liang Wenbo became unhinged. He charged at Lin Yun wildly, sword at the ready. But Lin Yun had been waiting. Just as Liang Wenbo was about to enter the haze, it vanished. More accurately, the cloud of dust had dissipated from the force of Lin Yun's incoming fist.

KRACKOW!

Thunder came from Lin Yun's bones as his fist sped towards his opponent. Liang Wenbo went weak as his aura was smothered by an oppressive malice. Lin Yun's aura was also in the sixth stage, but it was permeated by sickening bloodlust that writhed all around him. This unique killing aura was unlike anything a martial practitioner could produce.

THOOOF!!!

Before Lin Yun's punch, Liang Wenbo's momentum crumbled. It was a punch that could not be blocked, containing the might to crush everything.

Before his body could fall, Lin Yun struck him again. The horrifying crack of Liang Wenbo's ribs breaking could be heard from the back of the crowd as he was launched across the stage. His mind didn't register the second hit until he was already air-born.

BOOOOOM!!!

As Liang Wenbo's body returned to earth, Lin Yun was there to greet him with another devastating blow. Those in the audience would go on to say that, in that moment, Lin Yun became the very embodiment of a ferocious tiger, the king of all beasts, as he pounced clear across the stage to meet his prey.

Hundred Beast Wave!

"N-no!"

DDOOOOOOMMM!!

Lin Yun looked in Liang Wenbo's eyes as his attack connected. The confidence of the man who had taunted him before the fight was gone, consumed in its entirety by unmitigated horror. Lin Yun almost felt sorry for him as he flew into the crowd.

When Liang Wenbo's body finally came to a rest, Lin Yun faced him and cupped his hands together, "Thank you for your guidance."

Three punches!

Lin Yun used one to break Liang Wenbo's momentum, the second to break his ribs, and the third to break his spirit.

After watching Liang Wenbo lose despite having an overwhelming advantage, it was hard not to see his arrogant words from before as some sort of prophetic joke.

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Chapter 29 - Soaring into the Sky

Although Lin Yun arrived late, he ended the fight swiftly. It only took three punches for him to defeat Liang Wenbo. The spectators were dumbfounded. Lin Yun had actually managed to defeat Liang Wenbo without using his sword. Just how powerful was he?!

Even the judge was shocked. He turned to Lin Yun and asked, "Just who are you? Why haven't I heard of you before?"

"I only became an outer disciple three months ago, and I was a sword slave in the Sword Cleaning Chamber before that," Lin Yun explained, not bothering to hide his background.

The judge was amazed. He looked Lin Yun up and down and smiled, "Well, that explains it! Work hard, young lad. You might have a chance to stand out in the sixth group. I hereby announce Lin Yun's victory for this round. He is granted one point!"

"Thank you," Lin Yun breathed a sigh of relief. He jumped off of the stage after the judge announced his victory.

Because there was a small set back refining the beast core, it'd taken him two days to absorb it and raise his cultivation to the sixth stage of the Martial Path. In the process, he had also fused with the essence of the Saber-toothed Tiger, which added a sharpness and dominance to his aura. Luckily, he managed to read over the rules and find his stage on time. He was really close to being disqualified.

The rules of the mid-year test were simple. All the disciples would be separated into groups and go through elimination rounds within their respective group. Over two thousand outer disciples had been divided into ten groups, with each group containing about two hundred disciples. Only the top eight could advance to the next round. This meant only the top 80 outer disciples were qualified to fight for the ten inner disciples slots.

As Lin Yun looked over the groups, he noticed that the strength of every group had been balanced, with the top outer disciples being equally distributed. The Elder must have done this to prevent the top talent from ending up in the same group and eliminating each other prematurely.

Lin Yun walked around to scout out his potential opponents. In the sixth group, the strongest person was probably Zhang Han. Zhang Han was ranked among the top 10 and as strong as Zhou Yun. His cultivation was also in the seventh stage of the Martial Path.

Apart from this, Lin Yun knew nothing about him. However, he wasn't too bothered as he only had to get into the top eight to advance to the next round. If he was lucky enough, he might not even encounter Zhang Han at all.

"Next round, Lin Yun versus Hu Feng!"

When Lin Yun heard his name announced, he rushed to the assigned stage. He did not want to give three moves to his opponent again.

Executing the Wild Goose Art, Lin Yun leapt into the air and landed on the designated stage. Hu Feng's cultivation was only in the fifth stage of the Martial Path, much weaker than Liang Wenbo.

When Hu Feng saw Lin Yun ascending the stage, a trace of fear flickered in his eyes. Lin Yun had become famous in the outer sect. He went from being a sword slave to defeating Chen Xiao with a single punch in only a few months. His achievements alone were a miracle.

After the judge announced the start of the battle, Hu Feng gnashed his teeth and circulated his internal energy before charging at Lin Yun. His palm as it shone with a cold flash as he gathered all his internal energy into it. It was evidently a palm technique, and Hu Feng seemed to be accomplished in it too!

Ferocious Tiger Fist!

Lin Yun bent his knees slightly before dashing forward and punching.

Boom!

The two of them collided midair. A miserable groan leaked from Hu Feng's lips as he was blown off stage.

"The victory goes to Lin Yun!" the judge announced after a brief moment of hesitation.

"It's the Ferocious Tiger Fist again!"

"What's going on? Is Lin Yun not going to use his sword?"

"I really want to see his Flowing Wind Sword!"

The spectators were disappointed to see Lin Yun end the fight with a single punch.

After another short rest, Lin Yun welcomed his third opponent - another nobody who hadn't reached the sixth stage of the Martial Path.

In all honesty, if this fight had taken place before he refined the beast core, Lin Yun might have had some trouble. He won again with a single punch.

"Victory goes to Lin Yun!"

"Victory goes to Lin Yun!"

It didn't take long for Lin Yun to rack up ten wins. After all, very few outer disciples' cultivation were in the sixth stage of the Martial Path.

Aside from his first opponent, Liang Wenbo, who was the only one so far that had made Lin Yun feel even remotely threatened, most of the remaining fights only took one punch. Most importantly, Lin Yun had only used the Ferocious Tiger Fist thus far, a fact that had shocked and disappointed his peers. When his thirteenth fight began, he finally met a worthy opponent — Ma Kui!

Ma Kui was in the sixth stage of the Martial Path and specialized in the advanced martial technique Purple Cloud Fist. He had also cultivated the Iron Wall Art, which refined his physique to be as solid as iron. Among the sixth group, even Zhang Han would have trouble against him.

Ma Kui had swept through his opponents without a single defeat, same as Lin Yun. With his ferocious offense and stunning defence, no one wanted to face him.

"Finally! There's no way Lin Yun goes into this fight without his sword."

"Yeah! If he holds back against Ma Kui, he's a dead man."

"What's even better is that neither of them have lost yet. That means their win streaks are on the line!"

"Oh yeah, that really ups the ante! The higher the win streak, the more points you're awarded. This'll be interesting!"

Lin Yun knew the outer disciples were eager to see his Flowing Wind Sword, but he had his own concerns to worry about. His Flowing Wind Sword was his trump card. If he could keep the fact that he'd achieved greater mastery hidden through the group tournament, it would be his ace in the hole during the elimination round. He would not use it if he could help it. Besides, his Ferocious Tiger Fist and third stage Pure Yang Art had been more than enough.

When everyone saw Lin Yun going up the stage without his sword again, they were dumbfounded.

"Isn't he taking Ma Kui a little too lightly?"

"Seems like all the victories have gone to the sword slave's head. Senior Brother Ma, you have our support!"

"Senior Brother Ma, show him the might of your Purple Cloud Fist!"

On the stage, Ma Kui scowled. Not even Zhang Han dared to insult him like this. This sword slave had some nerve.

"Am I a joke to you, sword slave?" Zhang Han's eyes flashed with rage. "Bring out your sword. I'll only accept a loss if it's to your Flowing Wind Sword."

"I'm sorry, but that's not happening," Lin Yun wanted to explain that he wasn't looking down on Ma Kui, but now was not the time.

"You're pretty arrogant!" Lin Yun's words had completely enraged Ma Kui. As he circulated his Iron Wall Art, his already robust figure doubled in size. The muscles on his naked upper body were glistening with a metallic luster.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

Ma Kui charged, cracking the floorboards with each step. The ground shook so violently the closest spectators worried the stage would collapse.

"Senior Brother Ma is furious!"

"WSenior Brother Ma is way stronger than I remember! Has he been hiding things from us?"

"Let's go! Beat that sword slaves ass! Make him regret not bringing out his sword!"

The crowd roared when they saw how powerful Ma Kui was. On the other side of the stage, Lin Yun looked unconcerned. When Ma Kui got close, Lin Yun greeted him with his fist.

Boom!

Lin Yun's hand went numb.

"This is only just the beginning!" Ma Kui smiled when he saw Lin Yun flinch. His fists darkened as he delivered a flurry of punches.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lin Yun retaliated with his Ferocious Tiger Fist, blocking each punch with one of his own. On the last punch, Ma Kui's fist turned deep purple and Lin Yun was sent flying. He landed with a groan, nearly falling off stage.

"The Purple Cloud Fist!"

"Senior Brother Ma has reached greater mastery in the Purple Cloud Fist!"

"What a strong fist technique!"

Lin Yun was shocked. He changed his strategy and started drifting on the ground. Using the Wild Goose Art, he dodged his opponents attacks at lightning speed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As Lin Yun dodged, he seized every opportunity he could to throw punches into Ma Kui's body. However, his punches were repelled with a metallic klang every time. Lin Yun had started losing feeling in both hands but Ma Kui looked completely fine.

"It's futile. You'll never penetrate my iron body. Once I land a solid hit, you're done for! Dodge this!"

Swoosh!

Ma Kui stuck like a bolt of lightning. He had trained this punch for years. It was too fast. Lin Yun could only cross his arms together to defend himself.

Pfft!

A metallic taste coated Lin Yun's mouth as blood leaked from its corner. The Purple Cloud Fist had caused internal injury.

"You should have used your sword, sword slave! Now get off my stage" Ma Kui roared as he charged Lin Yun like an iron chariot while he was still in the air.

The crowd was elated to see Lin Yun backed into a corner.

"Senior Brother Ma is going to win!"

Lin Yun was impressed. He hadn't taken Ma Kui as the cunning type. Ma Kui knew he was slower, so he planned to hit Lin Yun before he could land.

Unfortunately for him, not even this warranted the Flowing Wind Sword.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Lin Yun's bones crackled as he pushed the Ferocious Tiger Fist to its limits. His sixth stage aura exploded and his punch roared as he threw it. His momentum was akin to the descent of a ferocious tiger.

The Hundred Beast Wave!

CRUUUNCH!!

The sound of the two fists colliding was accompanied by the sound of metal shattering. Ma Kui's face contorted as he was sent flying, his body returning normal as he slid off the stage.

Roar!

On the stage, the tiger's roar still lingered. A fierce wind blew through Lin Yun's clothes. He displayed the same confidence he had when he faced the herd of Golden Brute Bulls.

"Ferocious Tiger Fist in complete mastery?!"

"Hot damn! Someone really managed to train in the Ferocious Tiger Fist to complete mastery!"

"But the amount of comprehension and willpower needed isn't worth it… Just how stubborn is this guy?!"

"He's...he's a monster! He might be unstoppable..."

Lin Yun's sudden reversal had stunned the crowd. They had been hoping to see his Flowing Wind Sword this whole time and thought this would be the match to force his hand. Seeing he had achieved complete mastery of the Ferocious Tiger Fist, they understood. Not even Ma Kui warranted enough of a challenge.

Lin Yun could not be stopped!

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Chapter 30 - Shameless Sword Slave

Even with the battle coming to an end, everyone could still hear the roar of a tiger lingering on the stage. As Lin Yun stood with his hair fluttering from the wind, his face had an indescribable dominance. Even the judge was left stunned as he forgot to announce the result.

After all, what Lin Yun had done was too shocking. He had defeated Ma Kui, whose Purple Cloud Fist reached greater perfection and who also possessed the Iron Wall Art. Most importantly, someone actually managed to train in the Ferocious Tiger Fist to complete mastery!

The judge was sure that no one else in the entire Azure Sky Sect had managed to train in a foundation fist technique to complete mastery. Perhaps there wasn't one even in the entire Aquasky Nation.

Most people couldn't be bothered to train a foundation fist technique beyond what was required. It was too time consuming and it required high comprehension. It was already impressive enough to achieve greater mastery in a martial technique, regardless of grades. Generally, greater mastery meant that you had already gasped the martial technique, and you could pick another stronger martial technique to train in.

After all, it was too hard to reach complete mastery. Not only did it require the intent that the creator had when creating this technique, it also required luck. Although everyone knew that a foundation martial technique could exhibit power beyond its grade upon reaching complete mastery, not many people would do that. There wasn't even a single person with the willpower to give it a try.

After the lingering roar faded away, Lin Yun looked at the judge, "Can you announce my victory now?"

"U-uh... sure."

The judge recovered from his shock and announced, "I hereby declare Lin Yun…"

"Hold up!"

An enraged voice came from below the stage. It was Ma Kui. Although he was pale, he still looked pretty energetic, mostly due to the anger still lingering on his face.

As he had cultivated the Iron Wall Art, his skin was as hard as bronze and his bones were as tough as iron. Even after he had taken a full blow from the Ferocious Tiger Fist, he still had the strength to speak.

Looking at Ma Kui, Lin Yun frowned, unsure what Ma Kui was trying to do.

"Ma Kui, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to create trouble?" The judge said with a cold voice as he looked at Ma Kui sternly.

Ma Kui naturally knew the consequences as he continued, "I dare not, but I want to say that someone had cheated in the battle, and I am not convinced in my loss."

Judging by where his unflinching glare was directed, he meant Lin Yun.

"Cheated? What does that mean?"

"Isn't it normal to play tricks in battle? What is Ma Kui trying to do here?"

"I don't think it's that simple. Ma Kui is probably trying to say that the cheating method isn't ordinary."

All that was left to do in this battle was for the judge to announce the victor, but things were getting complicated quickly.

"Look at my hand. Do you think that this is caused by the Ferocious Tiger Fist?"

Ma Kui raised his right hand high so everyone could see the wounds covering it. His wounds seemed to be caused by blades, and those wounds even went as far with the bones exposed.

"This…"

"What's going on?"

"Those wounds are definitely not caused by the Ferocious Tiger Fist. In the worse situation, the internal energy in the fist could only break bones, or cause internal injuries. So how can it possibly leave that sort of wound?"

"Did that sword slave really cheat?"

"Well, that's not impossible. Who knows, even the news of him reaching the lesser mastery in the Flowing Wind Sword might be fake!"

All the disciples watching were shocked.

They were already dissatisfied with Lin Yun's winning streak and this was just the push they needed to turn against him. After all, how could a sword slave obtain such a dazzling achievement? Only two months ago, everyone could order Lin Yun around and force him to maintain their swords. Gradually, more and more unsightly voices came from the crowd.

On stage, the judge knitted his brows as he walked over to examine Ma Kui's wounds. He couldn't help gasping when he saw the carnage. The wounds were horrifying, going so deep you could see bone.

The judge maintained his composure as he replied, "Ma Kui, even if Lin Yun resorted to other means, it was still within the rules. You should know that this won't change the outcome of the match."

All means were considered a part of an individual's strength and thus accepted in this tournament, unless it was an extreme situation such as using poison.

In response, Ma Kui looked at Lin Yun as he roared, "I'm not asking much. I only want him to admit that he used hidden weapons to break my Iron Wall Art. It's not shameful that he was once a sword slave, but it is shameful that he resorted to such means and is playing it off as a fair win!"

"Have you no shame, sword slave?! Get off the stage!"

"Don't embarrass our Azure Sky Sect, get down!"

"Get down!"

"Get down!"

"Get down!"

The disciples who lost to Lin Yun were still bitter, and when they saw a chance to rile up the crowd, they took it. It was not long before the crowd had turned against Lin Yun.

When Lin Yun saw the wounds on Ma Kui's hand, he knew immediately what had happened. He had integrated his sword into his Ferocious Tiger Fist, reaching complete perfection in the Ferocious Tiger Fist must have made the sword fusion even stronger. Unfortunately, he had no idea how he could explain this to the crowd.

Even before Ma Kui had any proof, he had accused him of being shameless. Watching as more and more disciples beneath the stage joined in the criticism, Lin Yun's heart hardened.

"Lin Yun, as long as you admit that you only defeated me by using hidden weapons, I'll let you off today," Ma Kui got more forceful when he saw that the crowd was on his side.

"It is impossible for me to admit to something I did not do. If you don't believe me, feel free to search me," Lin Yun replied calmly as he spread his arms out to show his sincerity.

When the spectators saw this scene, their hollars became even louder. The situation was getting out of hand. By now, the scene had garnered the attention of the inner disciples and sect elders.

"Generally speaking, it should be possible for the Ferocious Tiger Fist to defeat the Purple Cloud Fist, even if it has reached complete mastery."

"Yeah, not to mention that Ma Kui has also cultivated the Iron Wall Art."

The inner disciple, Wang Ning, sneered, "Being bullied as a sword slave must have broken his mind. People like that will do anything to win."

As he spoke, Wang Ning turned to look at Su Ziyao. However, he was disappointed when he did not see any response on Su Ziyao's face.

"That's right. What Senior Brother Wang said makes sense," the other inner disciples echoed along.

When the young sect master, Bai Yufan, saw that all the inner disciples had prejudice for Lin Yun because he was once a sword slave, he locked his brows together and replied, "No one has ever practiced the Ferocious Tiger Fist to complete perfection, and no one can be certain that it's not comparable to the Purple Cloud Fist. Besides, Lin Yun is allowing them to search his body. Let's wait to cast judgment until we hear the result."

Seeing that Bai Yufan had spoken, all the inner disciples became silent. Wang Ning looked at Bai Yufan unhappily.

Ma Kui was stunned when he saw that Lin Yun even went as far as allowing a search on him.

"Senior Brother Ma, search him so we can send him back to the Sword Cleaning Chamber as a sword slave."

"Someone as shameless as him deserves to be a sword slave."

"Our Azure Sky Sect doesn't need someone shameless like him."

The entire crowd began requesting for Ma Kui to perform a search on Lin Yun. They were so angry, Ma Kui couldn't refuse their request even if he wanted to.

As Ma Kui's face sank, he replied, "As you wish. If I find hidden weapons on you, then you have to kneel before me and apologize!"

"Fine," said Lin Yun through gritted teeth.

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Chapter 31 - Indifference

Without uttering a single word, Ma Kui came over with a cold face and began to search Lin Yun. The continually increasing crowd held their breath as they watched.

In the end, Ma Kui came up empty handed. He had searched Lin Yun's arms, chest, back, and legs but found nothing.

Frustrated, Ma Kui demanded, "Take your clothes off!"

At Ma Kui's request, Lin Yun removed his robes. But there was still nothing on Lin Yun. As Ma Kui looked through the clothes carefully, he couldn't even find a wire, let alone hidden weapons.

His robust physique refined by internal energy glistened in the sunlight. Scars both new and old could be seen scattered all over him. The intensity of his training was apparent.

"Sword slave, why the hell are you wearing that band for?!"

When Ma Kui found nothing on Lin Yun, he ripped the band off Lin Yun's head out of anger.

In the end, it was just an ordinary band of cloth.

But when the band was removed, the purple slave mark on Lin Yun's forehead was so striking that some frowned when they saw it. All of them wore disdain on their faces as this scene had caused some commotion.

Lin Yun's closed eyes and calm demeanor stood in stark contrast to Ma Kui, who had fury blazing in his eyes.

Though you couldn't tell by his expression, this situation brought back memories Lin Yun would have rather left buried.

"An inner disciple lost his sword in the Sword Cleaning Chamber. Speak up! Did you steal it?!"

Zhou Ping roared as he kicked the previous Lin Yun on the ground.

However, the previous Lin Yun could only panic inwardly as he sheepishly replied, "N-no. Senior Brother Zhou, please listen to me. I did not steal it!"

"You still dare to talk back to me?!"

Zhou Ping struck the previous Lin Yun on the back with his sword scabbard and roared, "If I said that you're the one who stole it, then you're the one who stole it! Since that sword couldn't be found, you can only pay your debt with the pellets given to you by Su Ziyao. Otherwise, I'll kick you out of the sect!"

"It must be him! He must be the one who stole it!"

"Who else aside from him would steal a sword!"

"He must be the culprit! I can tell that he's not a good person with just a single glance!"

The surrounding odd-job workers all pointed their fingers at him.

"I-I didn't steal it."

The previous Lin Yun's face contorted. He wanted to explain himself, but the pain was too intense.

Suddenly, he found himself in the dormitory of the odd-job workers.

Curling up on his bed by himself, Lin Yun caressed the mark on his forehead. Today was the day that he had chosen to stay behind in the Azure Sky Sect as a sword slave.

Despite feeling weary in his heart, the pain on his forehead kept him awake. It was only when he recalled a certain memory that he gradually fell asleep.

His rest was short lived, though. In the middle of the night, he was suddenly thrown onto the ground outside, startling him awake.The pouring rain soaked Lin Yun to the bone. Dazed, he asked, "What are you guys trying to do?"

"Get lost! This is the dormitory for odd-job workers. It's not for a sword slave like you!"

"You've already become a sword slave, and you still want to sleep together in the same room as us?"

Sensing the cold rain pouring on him, Lin Yun wiped his face as he looked at the dormitory and begged helplessly, "Can I at least stay until the rain stops? Just for the night, please!"

"Get lost! A sword slave like you has no qualification to stay with us!"

"Take your trash and get lost!"

Someone threw Lin Yun's belongings out of the room before the room was shut.

It was just after midnight, and it was raining heavily.

In the end, the previous Lin Yun left, drenched by the rain as he hugged his belongings. As he struggled through the mud, loneliness devoured him.

As the flashbacks slowly faded, Lin Yun opened his eyes as he looked at Ma Kui, "Have you found it?"

"I…" Ma Kui couldn't go on as he had found nothing on Lin Yun.

But all of a sudden, his eyes lit up when he saw the interspatial pouch hanging on Lin Yun's waist, "Your interspatial pouch. Your hidden weapon must be hidden in your interspatial pouch!"

His words were simply ridiculous. After all, it was common knowledge that one needed time to retrieve anything from the interspatial pouch.

If he had taken anything out from his interspatial pouch, it would definitely be seen by everyone.

"If there's nothing in my interspatial pouch, what will you do?" Lin Yun questioned as he looked at Ma Kui.

"If no hidden weapons are found in your interspatial pouch, I'll get on my knees and apologize to you!"

Ma Kui knew he couldn't turn back and was getting anxious. He was absolutely certain that Lin Yun had hidden weapons with him. Otherwise, his injuries wouldn't make any sense!

"As you wish!"

Lin Yun retrieved his Flower Burial Sword, which he held in his hand before he continued to take things out.

However, it was too troublesome for him to take them out individually. Hence, he directly poured everything in his interspatial pouch out.

Crash!

The countless treasures that poured out from the interspatial pouch shown so brilliantly in the sunlight portions of the crowd were forced to look away.

Aside from the treasure, there were also roughly 1,000 low-grade spiritual stones that stood out from the mass.

When all the outer disciples swallowed hard when they saw those spiritual stones. They had never imagined that Lin Yun would be so rich. Greed shown in their eyes.

Aside from money and spiritual stones, there were also other miscellaneous items such as pellets, clothes, and demonic beast materials.

However, there weren't any of the hidden weapons that Ma Kui had expected to find.

"T-this is impossible!"

Ma Kui had gone insane. He hastily sifted through the pile of items, until his gaze became fixed on a painting.

"Stop!" Lin Yun barked with his brows raised.

"Haha! The hidden weapons must be in it!"

Ma Kui's eyes lit up as he ignored Lin Yun's words and opened the scroll.

Boom!

A strong gale blew as the Flower Burial Sword in Lin Yun's hand began to rotate.

The sword bolted over, its scabbard hitting Ma Kui in the head when he had just turned around.

Pfffft!

Ma Kui spewed a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying, body limp like a sandbag. When he landed on the ground, he let out a few groans.

Lin Yun's attack took place in an instant, and no one had expected that Lin Yun would suddenly make his move.

He had shocked everyone.

"The Flowing Wind Sword!"

"It's really the offensive move of the Flowing Wind Sword — Wind Assembling!"

A burst of exclamation rang out as someone had recognized Lin Yun's move.

Previously, all of them felt that the rumors that Lin Yun had learned the Flowing Wind Sword was fake.

"Lin Yun, do you mind if I check it without opening it up?" The judge asked as he picked up the scroll.

Lin Yun nodded his head in approval.

As the judge examined the scroll, he immediately made his judgement as he walked over to Ma Kui.

"This is an ordinary painting, and you can check it yourself if you don't believe me."

When Ma Kui received the painting, he carefully examined it with his touch.

As he did, his face sank. It was indeed an ordinary painting.

When his face turned pale, the painting dropped onto the ground.

Recalling what he had said before, he was terrified as he looked across the stage helplessly.

All those who were just criticizing Lin Yun earlier had lowered their heads in shame. None dared to make eye contact with Ma Kui.

At this moment, anyone who still dared to support Ma Kui would be stupid.

Despite the sun's blazing heat beating down on him, Ma Kui shivered as he broke out in cold sweat.

"J-junior Brother Lin, I-I'm sorry for my false accusation. N-no, I mean Senior Brother Lin…" Ma Kui's speech was incoherent and his expression unsightly.

Lin Yun turned his back to Ma Kui as he put on his clothes in silence. When he had finished, without turning around, he said, "Kneel down!"

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Chapter 32 - Preserving Strength

"Kneel down!"

The two words were spoken softly, but they echoed out like a clap of thunder in Ma Kui's mind.

To kneel or not kneel? That was the difficult question Ma Kui faced. After all, a man should only kneel to three people in his lifetime, his parents and his master. For him to kneel to someone else was a huge humiliation. But how could he take back his words when so many people had witnessed it?

Ma Kui could only hope that Lin Yun would forgive him. But it was clear Lin Yun wouldn't let this matter rest so easily. From this difficult position, Ma Kui became sullen as the last hope in his heart dissipated. Those who had stood by his side a moment ago were now silent.

Plop!

Despite his resentment, Ma Kui went down on his knees as he replied, "I apologize for my actions. Please forgive me, Senior Brother Lin."

A commotion rose from the crowd as they watched the scene unfold. A senior among the outer disciples actually went down on his knees before Lin Yun, a sword slave.

Ma Kui knew there was nothing else he could do. He had been so forceful with his accusations, and Lin Yun had taken it all with dignity. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. If he hadn't taken it so far earlier, he wouldn't be in this position now. He was the one who spoke those words and so he must be the one to atone for them.

When he carefully raised his head to look at Lin Yun, he saw Lin Yun still stood with his back turned to him. He had apologized, but Lin Yun did not let him up on his feet. His heart boiled with rage as he fought the urge to stand.

Crack!

A surge of cold killing aura suddenly exploded from Lin Yun, enveloping Ma Kui.

When he raised his head, he saw the Flower Burial Sword in Lin Yun's hand was shaking. Fear swallowed Ma Kui's heart. The memory of the bolt of lightning executed by Lin Yun's sword was still fresh in Ma Kui's mind. If he stood up now, Lin Yun might kill him.

Cold sweat rolled down Ma Kui's forehead as he began to tremble.

But at this moment, the judge barked, "What an embarrassment. Get lost!"

Feeling heavily relieved, Ma Kui stood and left the stage immediately.

Lin Yun turned back and put his belongings back in the interspatial pouch.

Once he had finished, the judge announced Lin Yun's victory.

With that, Lin Yun had won thirteen matches in a row. Since he hadn't lost once, Lin Yun would only receive more points, and it was clear Lin Yun would advance to the next round.

"You can go on and make preparations for what's next. You'd do best to put what happened earlier out of your mind." the judge spoke a few words of comfort. He could guess that Lin Yun's heart was troubled.

It was just a normal match, and Lin Yun had defeated his opponent fair and square. However, he was forced to be searched and was even criticized by a bunch of people.

"Thank you." Lin Yun replied as he jumped down the stage.

The surrounding spectators parted for him as he walked away. With that, this incident had finally come to an end.

However, Lin Yun's heart recovered quickly as he strolled around the plaza and observed his rivals in the other groups. Within the sixth group, there were no doubts he would advance to the next round.

If he didn't encounter Zhang Han, he could most likely save his sword for his opponents in the elimination round.

Lin Yun stood out from his competition like a dark horse, but it wasn't because of his winning streak. After all, the Elders had divided the top outer disciples equally throughout the groups. Several other groups had disciples with matching winning streaks. Some had even collected enough points for them to advance to the next round already.

Take Wang Fei of the first group for example. His sword was so quick that it left afterimages. The eyes of his opponents couldn't even follow his sword, and before they knew it, his sword was at their throats.

Everyone who encountered him so far had surrendered. He was even ranked higher than Zhou Yun among the top ten, sitting at third.

However, the opponent that was truly terrifying was Hu Zifeng, ranked first among the outer disciples. He hadn't been required to participate in the group fight and could be found sitting among the inner disciples. It made sense, though, as Hu Zifeng's cultivation had already reached the Eighth Stage of the Martial Path, and it was rumored that he had challenged several inner disciples over the last two months. More shockingly, he won more than he had lost! It was safe to assume he would become an inner disciple.

When Lin Yun glanced over at him, he saw Hu Zifeng seated high on the platform with his eyes closed. It seemed as if he wasn't even interested in this tournament at all.

When Lin Yun withdrew his gaze, he accidentally saw Su Ziyao, who was seated high up as she kept her usual aloof expression. Her presence alone had attracted great attention as everyone would cast their glance over occasionally. Even the higher hierarchy of the sect were all looking at her with revere in their eyes.

It was as if the future of the sect was bet on her. There was a unique temperament coming from her. Even if she kept her silence, she still stood out among her peers.

Compared to her, everyone else seemed so dull.

Shaking his head, Lin Yun turned away, his attention was directed on a stage.

Zhou Yun, an opponent whom he had previously felt despair from two months ago, was on it.

Compared to the rage and reluctance he felt back then, Lin Yun was more calm this time as he watched the battle.

But it was a battle that held no worth.

Zhou Yun's cultivation was in the Seventh Stage of the Martial Path, and it went without saying that he stood out in his group.

His presence on the stage alone was sufficient to make his opponents forfeit.

However, there were still some disciples who were reluctant to surrender and tried fighting Zhou Yun. But as a result, they were all suppressed by his aura to the point that they couldn't take a single step out.

"How strong! Look at his aura! He seems to have made progress in his cultivation. I'm afraid that he won't be far from the Eight Stage of the Martial Path."

Lin Yun knitted his brows slightly. Although he had not seen Zhou Yun fighting, he could estimate from Zhou Yun's aura that it wouldn't be easy for him to defeat Zhou Yun..

"Next round, Lin Yun versus Zhang Han!"

While Lin Yun was lost in thought, his name was announced on the sixth stage. He rubbed his nose. He was really unlucky. There were over two hundred disciples in the sixth group, and everyone only had to fight thirty matches. If he had been lucky enough, he wouldn't have had to face Zhang Han.

Most importantly, with his winning streak, Lin Yun only needed another two wins before he could advance into the next round.

"Lin Yun is actually facing Zhang Han!"

"It looks like this will be a nice show to watch. Zhang Han's cultivation is in the Seventh Stage of the Martial Path, and he's acknowledged as the strongest in the sixth group."

"But Lin Yun made it so far without using his sword, and there's a high possibility that he might get first."

"Furthermore, he even executed the Flowing Wind Sword earlier!"

Everyone was filled with expectation as they ran over to watch the battle between Lin Yun and Zhang Han.

Or rather, everyone hoped that Zhang Han could put an end to Lin Yun's winning streak.

"What's the matter? You're also not going to use your sword when facing me?" Zhang Han was stunned when he saw Lin Yun coming up the stage bare-handed. However, his heart was stronger than Ma Kui. Despite feeling enraged in his heart, he did not reveal any emotions on his face. After all, his cultivation was his greatest confidence.

However, Lin Yun paid no attention to him as he looked at the judge, "I forfeit this match."

"Forfeit?"

"Am I hearing it right? He actually forfeited?"

"Is this sword slave messing with us? And here we thought that we're finally going to have a show."

"What a coward. He only knows how to bully those weaker than him."

Some people who came over in excitement immediately exploded upon hearing Lin Yun forfeiting this round.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

Lin Yun nodded his head from the judge's confirmation.

His flow of thoughts was clear. If he wanted to defeat Zhang Han, who was in the Seventh Stage of the Martial Path, he would have to use his Flowing Wind Sword. However, it wasn't wise for him to reveal his trump card right now.

"Lin Yun forfeits this round, and I hereby announce Zhang Han's victory!"

After the judge announced the result, a trace of smile rose on Zhang Han's lips as he looked at Lin Yun, "Well, that makes sense. You will definitely advance to the next round, and your act of knowing how to make the right decision has won my admiration. Haha!"

In Zhang Han's view, Lin Yun forfeited because he knew he couldn't defeat him. As Lin Yun's act had highlighted his strength even more, it made him feel happier. He had a smug look on his face as he walked down the stage.

Lin Yun couldn't help but inwardly roll his eyes. He was left speechless by Zhang Han's imagination.

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