Chapter 318
n.o.body knew what happened, but Yuan Tianwen actually gained such a subservient personality after he woke up; this new knowledge really opened Duan Yuyang’s eyes.
Not only Duan Yuyang, but the others present were also surprised and appalled. One by one, they gazed at Duan Yuyang with admiration — people who could train the icy and arrogant Young Master Yuan into this were truly rare.
It was inevitable for some people to think of Han Yuran, who was taken up the mountain by Yuan Tianwen. Although Yuan Tianwen treated him well, compared with how he treated Duan Yuyang now, the difference truly was as great as heaven and earth. Anyone who looked at them could instantly judge exactly which one was his true love.
Hai Kuanglang walked over and swept his gaze over Lin Xuanzhi. He raised his brow, “Hardened Body third layer?”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded.
Wan Yitong gasped, “You were nothing more than Hardened Body first layer when you went in. You jumped two levels in a row, and in a mere month to boot! You’re a little too good!”
“What’s going on with the cloud and lightning tribulations?” Zhan Fengting asked, still somewhat uneasy.
Lin Xuanzhi frowned slightly, “I’m not too sure either, and I didn’t feel much from it. It seems that the lightning tribulation didn’t actually come down.”
Yan Tianhen nodded, “It’s true that it didn’t strike, but the scene really frightened me to death.”
“What?”
“You didn’t see it with your own eyes. The sky was full of dense ma.s.ses of clouds and they kept rolling, trying to form thunder, but I don’t know what was going on with the thunder either — just as the tribulation was about to completely take shape, it always seemed like it was being blocked by something and dissipated into wisps of smoke, which then tried to form again. It came and went, again and again. I don’t know how many times this repeated, but it scared the life out of me!”
Yan Tianhen grabbed Lin Xuanzhi’s sleeve, took a deep breath, and patted his chest. Still in shock, he cried in anguish, “Aiya, my heart ah.”
His actions made Lin Xuanzhi laugh.
Lin Xuanzhi rubbed Yan Tianhen’s head, “This tiny crisis can’t hold me back. Ah Hen need not worry too much.”
Yan Tianhen’s eyes were bright, “No matter how incredible Dage is, I’ll still worry. This has nothing to do with Dage himself.”
Lin Xuanzhi only felt that his heart was incomparably smoothed and snug, melting into a soft puddle.
When the others saw this, they also wanted to leave time alone for Yan Tianhen and Lin Xuanzhi. It was enough for them to know that Lin Xuanzhi successfully advanced to Hardened Body Stage third layer and safely left Fierce Gale Cliff.
However, they didn’t know that it took Lin Xuanzhi only three days to breakthrough from Hardened Body Stage first layer to the third layer. For the rest of the month, he had been crafting equipment.
Zhan Fengting told him, “Master is also very worried these days. Originally, I was thinking of waiting to pay respects to his esteemed self until after you left secluded cultivation. However, Master seemed like he’ll start divining again recently, so you should look for a suitable time yourself.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “Okay.”
As the Young Peak Master of Breaking Sword Peak, Yuan Tianwen couldn’t remain here for long. If it weren’t for Duan Yuyang worrying about Yan Tianhen and insisting on living here, Yuan Tianwen wouldn’t have followed here while groveling.
Now that the dust had settled, Yuan Tianwen pulled Duan Yuyang as he told Lin Xuanzhi. “We’ll return to Breaking Sword Peak first. When you’re settled here, come and find us for a get-together.”
Lin Xuanzhi looked at Yuan Tianwen. “We’ll be bothering you in a few days.”
Yuan Tianwen imperceptibly curled a corner of his lips, “You’re welcome anytime.”
There was a lot of information they wanted to exchange, and Lin Xuanzhi also needed a lot of Yuan Tianwen’s help in expanding the Lin family’s private properties.
After the two left, Lin Xuanzhi first returned to Catching Star Pavilion with Yan Tianhen. He heard the sound of fighting inside before he even took a step inside.
Yan Tianhen remarked, “They’re fighting again.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “….”
Yan Tianhen was somewhat speechless. “I’ve been living in Dage’s room during this period. Every day, I can see the two of them fighting at least once. They were fighting when I went out and they were still fighting when I came back at night. Could it be that they hold some deep hatred against each other?”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled, raising his hand to rub Yan Tianhen’s head. “Maybe, we’ll know once we ask them.”
The two entered the courtyard.
They saw Liu Zhaoyue and Jian Yunxi each holding a big broom and chopping at each other with a little bit of style. Liu Zhaoyue’s mouth was also babbling about something.
Lin Xuanzhi nonchalantly commented, “It seems that the two of you are enjoying yourselves here.”
Liu Zhaoyue and Jian Yunxi instantly stopped their movements and turned their heads uniformly towards Lin Xuanzhi.
Jian Yunxi’s face was slightly red; this was a little disgraceful.
Liu Zhaoyue swiftly threw down the broom and clapped his hands. He spoke to Lin Xuanzhi with bright eyes, “I thought you were going to remain in closed-door cultivation and close yourself off till death. d.a.m.n it! I, your little grandpa, have been bitterly practicing swordsmans.h.i.+p for a month, all so that I can spar with you when you come out of secluded cultivation! Come, come, come, hurry up!”
Obviously, Liu Zhaoyue refused to accept the previous results.
Lin Xuanzhi swept him a glance, “No way.”
Liu Zhaoyue looked at this young man who was about his age, but who was one head taller than him and who had a temperament eighty years older than his. His heart itched even more. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid, or do you think that you only held down my sword before because you were lucky?”
Yan Tianhen followed Lin Xuanzhi, “My Dage is not in the mood to spar with you now. Can’t you see that my Dage is terribly tired?”
“Oh.” Liu Zhaoyue responded with a dark expression, “It’s an enormous honor to spar with honorable me, yet you’re still giving all sorts of excuses. I don’t care. If you don’t spar with me today, I’ll keep on pestering you nonstop.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “…”
Yan Tianhen, “…”
You don’t have to say; the idea of Liu Zhaoyue pestering Lin Xuanzhi nonstop did hold some destructive power.
Lin Xuanzhi changed his mind.
He moved his wrist, “All right.”
Liu Zhaoyue stared excitedly with wide eyes, “Really?”
“Hurry up, you attack first.”
Liu Zhaoyue drew his sword, “No, you first.”
Who had ever heard of the more powerful side attacking first?
Lin Xuanzhi didn’t waste words with him either. He directly drew out Lianlian and released the “Falling Lotus Style” that he gained a deeper comprehension of while on Fierce Gale Cliff.
This time, Liu Zhaoyue was already prepared. Plus, he never dared to underestimate the enemy again, nor would he uphold some chivalrous vow about not using his higher cultivation to bully others. He raised his cultivation level, which was previously hidden, and completely exposed his cultivation level in front of Lin Xuanzhi for the first time — also Hardened Body third layer.
Liu Zhaoyue’s Piercing Sun Sword was brewing a big move. There was the faint sound of thunder crackling in the air, but Lin Xuanzhi did not give him the chance to finish his technique.
With a clang, the Piercing Sun Sword was pressed to the ground again.
Liu Zhaoyue stared with wide eyes, then looked at his hand in disbelief. “Impossible!”
Lin Xuanzhi sheathed his sword. “Nothing is impossible.”
Liu Zhaoyue fixed Lin Xuanzhi with a death stare, as though he wanted to see through him.
Lin Xuanzhi explained nonchalantly, “Drawing thunder to you and moving heaven and earth; although your Piercing Sun Sword is powerful, it has a fatal weakness — it’s too slow. Of all the sword styles in the world, only the fast ones can’t be broken through. All other Daos and methods are empty. The opponent’s sword has already arrived in front of you, but you’re still preparing your technique. If you’re still not dead even when you act like this, then you truly are lucky.”
Liu Zhaoyue froze.
He had always pursued gorgeous and highly destructive techniques, so he naturally ignored his sword’s attack speed. His eldest brother had already noticed this weakness and had reminded him many times. However, because Liu Zhaoyue had never met a strong opponent, he never took those reminders to heart. He just smiled and let the matter pa.s.s. He was still the proud little young master afterwards.
However, at this time, he suffered two losses in succession under Lin Xuanzhi’s hands and had this weakness so mercilessly pointed out by his opponent that he was forced to pay no attention to it.
Although Liu Zhaoyue possessed the shortcomings and temperament of an aristocratic family’s young master, he was still convinced of the philosophy “the strong rules” on the sword path. He couldn’t help reflecting for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Lin Xuanzhi pulling Yan Tianhen around the corridor and walking towards the inner courtyard.
Then Liu Zhaoyue shouted, “I’ll find a way to improve my speed. After that, will I be able to beat you?”
Before long, Lin Xuanzhi’s clear voice rang from afar, “You wis.h.!.+”
“f.u.c.k! Tell me, what kind of dog temper does he have? Truly, what a waste of that pretty face!”
Jian Yunxi however, sank deep into thought.
Liu Zhaoyue felt a little upset when he noticed that Jian Yunxi ignored his words. He pushed Jian Yunxi’s shoulder, “Hey, hey, hey! I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me?”
Jian Yunxi raised his head and suddenly pointed out, “Didn’t you notice that his cultivation is now Hardened Body third layer?”
Liu Zhaoyue didn’t care. “So what? I’m already at Hardened Body third layer too.”
“But he was only Hardened Body first layer before.” Jian Yunxi spoke in a low voice.
Liu Zhao paused, “Now that you’ve mentioned this, that does seem to be the case.”
“He entered secluded cultivation once and advanced two levels; he’s a bit too fierce.”
Liu Zhaoyue nodded and touched his chin in thought. “Plus, he’s also in the Hardened Body Stage. If he advanced two consecutive levels in the Refining Qi Stage, then that would still be considered normal.”
Jian Yunxi continued, “Besides, a few days ago, dark clouds were rolling about on Fierce Gale Cliff and lightning flickered, but it never struck down. Why don’t you guess exactly what level of cultivation Lin Xuanzhi can reach without actively suppressing it in order to attract this kind of anomaly of heaven and earth?”
A sudden shock came over Liu Zhaoyue, and his entire body broke out in a cold sweat — what kind of cultivation was needed to cause this?
His eldest brother only attracted a lightning tribulation when he was about to break through to Profound Realm from Primary Realm peak Blood Breakthrough Stage, so what kind of realm could this be?
But… it wasn’t possible for Lin Xuanzhi to have such a high cultivation realm.
“What’s going on?” Liu Zhaoyue frowned, perplexed despite much thought.
“It’s not possible for him to be at peak Primary Realm.” Jian Yunxi spoke without even needing to think, “Cultivation levels can only be suppressed by one level at most; it’s impossible to suppress it for three full levels. At most, Lin Xuanzhi is nothing more than Primary Realm Calcified Bones Stage.”
“You mean…” Liu Zhaoyue suddenly s.h.i.+vered and looked at Jian Yunxi incredulously.
Jian Yunxi nodded in silence, “It’s very likely that he is the chosen son of heaven.”
The chosen son of heaven was one both loved and hated by the Dao of Heaven. They would either be extremely favored by the Dao of Heaven, seldom suffering setbacks ever since birth, extremely respected, or they would suffer all kinds of loathing from heaven, humiliated and tormented in all aspects of life. Their childhood to adulthood would all be spent in dest.i.tute conditions enduring countless hards.h.i.+ps. However, every chosen son of heaven was a dragon and phoenix among men. Even the latter kind of people — after going through calamities — their lives would experience a major turning point and once again regain the Dao of Heaven’s favor. From then on, their journey will be smooth-sailing.
Most of the chosen sons of heaven appear in the Nine Lands, but a few such characters would occasionally appear in the Lower Realms as well.
Another important and secret task for a reclusive family was to discover such a chosen son of heaven as soon as possible, and before they had their own camp, use all means possible to pull them into the Divine Clan that the particular reclusive family served so that these chosen sons of heaven would become the Divine Clan’s servants.
Lin Xuanzhi…
An unclear dark expression flashed through Liu Zhaoyue’s eyes.
Jian Yunxi saw this. “I know what you’re thinking, but don’t forget, we can’t even leave the Five Continents right now.”
Liu Zhaoyue’s expression darkened, “Don’t think I don’t know that you also have ideas about him.”
Jian Yunxi didn’t admit it, but he didn’t deny it either. “Whatever you say.”
However, Lin Xuanzhi was now like an insurmountable mountain to Liu Zhaoyue, as well as… Liu Zhaoyue was silent for a moment. When he saw that Jian Yunxi didn’t bother bickering with him, he felt that it was meaningless and instead changed the topic, “What about Yan Tianhen? Did you find out what the issue with him is?”