Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 105 - 104 The Passage of Time Part 2

Chapter 105: Chapter 104 The Passage of Time Part 2

Although he appeared to be practicing the ordinary Pine Forest Swordsmanship, or the Flameless Swordsmanship, in reality, his speed and strength in Pine Forest Swordsmanship were already several times stronger than the average disciple, and his mastery of the Flameless Swordsmanship had surpassed the original limits. With the amplification of attributes, he had reached the level of the Four Spirits Chongyang Sword.

He had sparred with Brother Huangshan, and with the increased power and speed of his Flameless Swordsmanship, he could already contend with the complete first two layers of the Four Spirits Chongyang Sword. Furthermore, his cultivation was also slowly improving. Occasionally, he would go out to deal with the resentful spirits of demons that intruded on Lefu’s territory, and with Lin Xin’s formidable hidden strength, they were easily handled. The speed and lethality of the Man-Eating Flower, once amplified by attribute points, had greatly increased. Lin Xin guessed that it could even hold its own against an expert at the Innate Ninth Layer. Plus, with his other hidden strengths as support, even someone at the Great Perfection of the Ninth Layer would likely not match him in actual combat. With such strength, he was more than capable of presiding over the relatively safe Lefu territory.

Life also gradually entered a peaceful and tranquil state.

In this peaceful life, several months passed in the blink of an eye.

***************

Spirit Heart Villa

Lin Xin stood opposite Brother Huangshan in the bamboo forest, both holding swords in one hand.

Bamboo leaves fell, slowly gliding past both sides of them.

Brother Huangshan suddenly raised his sword, and a white Sword Qi burst forth from the tip of his blade, as he instantly seemed to be enveloped in a layer of white light.

"Four Spirits!"

He roared, and four white birds shot out sharply from his sword blade—these were birds formed from Sword Qi, lethal upon contact.

The birds raced toward Lin Xin from four directions, showing no mercy.

Clang!

In an instant, Lin Xin drew his sword and thrust forward, seemingly creating four overlapping Sword Shadows that precisely struck the four Sword Qi birds.

Puff, puff, puff... After three sounds of dispersion, Lin Xin’s Inner Qi faltered, and he took a step backward. He had failed to hit the last bird.

With a thud, a Spiritual Light Shield appeared around him. The membrane of light and the Sword Qi bird collided fiercely before slowly canceling each other out and disappearing.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother, I offer my felicitations!" Lin Xin sheathed his sword and smiled. "Having just entered the realm of manifesting Sword Intent, you’ll surely reach Qi Refinement soon!"

"It’s still too early. I’ve just reached the Ninth Layer," Brother Huangshan said with a smile, unable to hide his joy. "There are Five Realms of Sword Intent, and I’ve only just set foot in the threshold."

"Who knows how many people are stuck at this barrier, unable to find the path to Qi Refinement. Senior Brother, you’ve cultivated diligently for many years and have come to understand in advance. Isn’t that worth congratulating now that you’ve truly entered the gateway of Sword Cultivators?" Lin Xin shook his head.

"I am ashamed to admit that as the chief of the Formation Hall, I was supposed to enter Qi Cultivation through a Formation Magical Artifact, yet unexpectedly, the way of the Sword Dao led me first," Brother Huangshan said, shaking his head with a smile. "That’s why, upon breaking through, I came to consult with Junior Brother on the Formation Path."

"To consult would be an overstatement; it’s merely an exchange of knowledge." Lin Xin had the Skill Manifestation trick up his sleeve; once successful, even if by chance, he could learn the intricacies by repeatedly using the skill, thus making any learning process doubly effective.

Therefore, his foundational knowledge in the Formation Path had advanced by leaps and bounds during this quiet period in the manor. He had not only thoroughly understood all the formations he had transcribed but also had a faint ability to modify them on his own.

"It’s a pity that your cultivation is still low, or else this chief position should rightly be yours," Brother Huangshan sighed as he sheathed his sword.

"Senior Brother is being too modest." Lin Xin smiled. "In the way of Magic Artifact Sacrificial Refinement, I’ve also just started, and I haven’t even touched the edge of the First Realm for higher realms of refinement."

"With Magic Artifacts, the main path involves communicating and integrating with them. In the end, they can transform into an External Incarnation Realm, becoming a part of yourself. Our sect’s Blood Essence Technique is actually just a tool for assistance. The key is to create a Magic Artifact that is strong and compatible with oneself, through which you can circulate Elemental Energy and improve yourself. For a dual-practitioner of life and magic, a single Magic Artifact is sufficient; as it continuously advances, it will drive the rise of one’s own cultivation. What you need to do now is to choose a Magic Artifact to cultivate in tandem with your life, imbue it with your Innate Qi, and make it part of yourself," Brother Huangshan explained.

"I see... No wonder I always felt that cultivation can only rely on my own hard work. The progress has been too slow," Lin Xin suddenly realized.

"Doesn’t that mean you can disregard talent? As long as the Magic Artifact advances, right?" he asked again.

"The Innate Qi you integrate is the essence of your talent... The more and purer the refinement, the greater the effect on the Magic Artifact. Naturally, the faster it improves, and the more Elemental Energy it absorbs and feeds back to the owner. Once you reach the Qi Refinement stage, you won’t need to extract Elemental Energy from food but can directly refine Essence Qi from the Magic Artifact," Brother Huangshan elaborated.

Lin Xin nodded in understanding.

Brother Huangshan continued.

"Talent determines the speed and quality of refining Innate Qi. The Magic Artifact merely provides you with the raw Essence Qi and Elemental Energy, but ultimately, you must convert it yourself. Talent is just about the speed of conversion. Because you need all Five Elements, when choosing a Magic Artifact for dual cultivation, you must find one that complements the Attributes you lack."

"Have you tested the Attributes of your Innate Qi?"

Lin Xin immediately shook his head.

"I haven’t, actually."

"Here, take this." Brother Huangshan tossed a sphere that looked like a glass bead.

Lin Xin caught it accurately and examined it.

"A Spirit Testing Bead, huh."

"Yes, I brought it especially for you from Elder Yu," Brother Huangshan smiled. "Well, back to my issue. I went to the Outer Regions earlier this year, and I almost didn’t make it back alive. Your Luminous Talisman Sword was incredibly useful; it had ordinary might, but when combined, it was quite effective, and the intense light was powerful! It had a substantial effect on restraining some creatures from the Outer Regions! If not for your Talisman Sword, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to return."

"If it was helpful to Senior Brother, that’s good. In a while, I will also return to the Sect to formally begin my training. Then..."

"Villa Master, Villa Master!!!" Suddenly, a guard came running from the bamboo forest in the distance.

"What’s the matter that you’re in such a hurry?" Lin Xin was interrupted and was slightly displeased.

"It’s the lady!" The servant’s face was full of joy, "Today, the lady went to the city for a visit and stopped by Ansheng Hall on the way, asking the female pharmacist there for a check-up, and unexpectedly, she is...!"

Lin Xin was momentarily stunned.

"She is what?" He quickly walked up to the servant.

"Clarify yourself, what is it?!" He was becoming anxious as well.

"It’s just that... the lady is... the lady is pregnant!!" The servant, startled by his urgency, promptly raised his voice in response.

"Pregnant? Congratulations, my worthy brother!" The man in yellow also genuinely smiled, "Coupled with your promotion to official disciple at the same time, this is truly a double blessing!"

Lin Xin was also stunned, feeling an indescribable complexity in his heart. It had been many years since he had come to this world, and now he was going to have his own bloodline.

Just thinking that a part of his bloodline was about to take root and sprout in this vast land, in this world, and become a part of this place,

he felt an even greater sense of solidity in his heart.

"Where is the lady now? Hurry and take me to her!" He eagerly grabbed the servant by the arm.

"She’s resting... in the room..." The servant, scared, spoke somewhat incoherently.

Without waiting for him to finish, Lin Xin already saw Lin Xinyuan with a group of women who were long-term residents of the manor, along with his mother, Zhao Yu Niang, cheerfully heading their way.

"Xiner, Lingling is pregnant! I’ve had several doctors confirm it, and they all agree that she indeed has joyous news!" Zhao Yu Niang’s face beamed with irrepressible joy.

Only then did Lin Xin’s heart fully settle, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve upwards.

"Hurry, hurry! Mother, quickly take me to see Lingling!"

The group, including the man in yellow, swiftly passed through the bamboo forest to the back courtyard of the manor. The man in yellow stayed on the outside with Lin Zhiwen and the other men of the manor, all waiting. When they saw him coming, they showed smiles and opened a path.

Only Lin Xin rushed in, pushing open the bedroom door, to see Xiao Lingling lying on the bed, tenderly caressing her abdomen.

"Lingling..." He hurried forward and sat down next to Xiao Lingling.

"Xin ge..." Xiao Lingling, with a trace of happiness, leaned against Lin Xin’s shoulder. "I’m finally, finally going to have a child for you..."

Lin Xin gently held her in his embrace, his emotions more complex than ever before.

All of a sudden, he thought of An Ying, wondering how she was doing in the Plum Blossom Sect.

"Take good care of yourself, your health isn’t the best, so don’t do anything for now. Rest well, and if you crave anything, just tell the servants. Whatever you want, I’ll bring it all to you," Lin Xin responded tenderly.

Xiao Lingling smiled with a hint of happiness.

"I don’t want anything... just having you beside me is enough..."

Lin Xin’s heart warmed, and he could only hold her closer.

"I will, I will always be with you..."

Unconsciously, this was the first time he truly felt that he was a part of this world... No longer did he feel the slight detachment he had before.

*******************

After Xiao Lingling became pregnant, Lin Xin hurried back to the sect to see Granny Yu and was formally accepted as her disciple, bypassing the requirement of Qi Cultivation to become an official disciple.

The ceremony for official disciples was attended only by a few Foundation Establishment Elders and Qi Cultivation disciples, as this was not a traditional promotion but merely a one-sided acceptance of a disciple. Therefore, it wasn’t widely celebrated.

After consulting Granny Yu about lots of accumulated Formation Path questions, Lin Xin couldn’t wait to rush back to Spirit Heart Villa to accompany Xiao Lingling.

As spring gave way to autumn, and ten months of pregnancy passed quickly, another year went by.

Before the onset of winter, Xiao Lingling finally gave birth to a child, a qilin boy, coinciding with Lin Xin’s cultivation progress to the Sixth Layer of the Return to Origin technique.

The manor was overjoyed, with lanterns and festoons everywhere, as various powers continuously sent their congratulations. Brothers from his sect sent gifts, and even Granny Yu came to personally see the little one, fully manifesting the significant place Lin Xin held in her heart.

Lin Xin personally asked Granny Yu to bestow a name upon his son.

Who would have known that perhaps because of her high hopes for him in the Formation Hall, Granny Yu simply named him Lin Zhen. With ’Lin’ as the surname and ’Zhen’ as the given name.

However, soon after the great joy, not long after the child was a month old, the situation took a turn for the worse. The hidden injuries from Xiao Lingling’s childbirth began to manifest, and she fell ill, bedridden. Every so often, she would cough up blood uncontrollably, her condition deteriorating. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)