Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 39 Enhancement Part 1

Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Enhancement Part 1

Lin Xin had also come to understand that the other party was intentionally seeking to form an alliance.

"Brother Kong has grand ambitions, you’re right," said Lin Xin.

"By the way, after absorbing the Yin Blood, the Inner Qi will have a faint red color, which only a master in the Qi Refinement Realm could detect. There’s no need to worry too much," Kong Yuhui added. "After we return, I’ll take care of the aftermath. If anyone questions you, just say that on the last day we woke up to find everyone gone. Without enough hands, we failed to hunt the Yin Blood Birds."

At this moment, Lin Xin remained composed and took out the four charred Yin Blood Birds that he had collected, throwing them on the ground.

"Eh? Worthy of Brother Lin!" Kong Yuhui was immediately stunned.

"One for each person. This should compensate for the mission, right?" Lin Xin said calmly.

"Of course," responded Kong Yuhui as he crouched down to pick up one and secure it.

Jiang Yue’er also prepared to tear off a piece of her skirt to pick up the Yin Blood Bird, but was stopped by Cheng Ruofei, leaving her visibly puzzled.

"What’s wrong?" she asked.

Cheng Ruofei didn’t reply, instead, her gaze was fixed on Lin Xin.

"Brother Kong may take one, but we wouldn’t dare to do so without asking. Brother Lin, do you have any conditions for the exchange?" she inquired.

Lin Xin was speechless; this woman’s mindset was too pragmatic and indeed very meticulous. She was afraid he would use this as leverage, especially in light of what Kong Yuhui had said earlier regarding the Inner Qi turning red after absorbing Yin Blood.

He glanced at Cheng Ruofei and the other girl.

"Well, if that’s the case, I’ll give each of you a drop of Yin Blood. Together with these two Yin Blood Birds, Sister Cheng, how much Jade Money do you think these two items could fetch if brought back to the sect?" Lin Xin asked.

Throughout the journey, Jiang Yue’er, the naïve girl, could be ignored, but Cheng Ruofei was meticulous with a background that must be extraordinary. Perhaps she carried some potential use.

As for giving them a drop of Yin Blood, it was mainly to prevent them from betraying him once they had crossed the river.

This Yin Blood was refined from a living person’s life force, and if exposed, as long as they had absorbed it, the two of them would have no chance to clear their names, no matter how much they argued.

"Compensation..." Cheng Ruofei immediately understood Lin Xin’s meaning; she was a smart girl. But even though she understood, the temptation of that drop of Yin Blood was too great to refuse.

Kong Yuhui was also slightly shocked by Lin Xin’s generosity.

This was a drop of Yin Blood, highly coveted within the sect, where countless people would go to great lengths to snatch it away. It was a true treasure that money couldn’t buy.

"The quicker you can enhance your cultivation, the more hopeful one is to advance in the Qi Refinement Realm," Kong Yuhui remarked with a sigh. "Brother Lin, you really are generous!"

Lin Xin smiled slightly, knowing the fraught nature of this item; since the effects decrease significantly after the Fourth Layer, three drops were enough for him. He could exchange the remaining drop for more resources and at the same time, tightly bind the two women to his chariot, ensuring the secret remained safe.

Looking towards the two girls, whose eyes betrayed their eagerness, it was clear they were very tempted.

"It seems that the market lacks resources that can enhance Inner Qi cultivation; they’re immensely valuable and not easily found, otherwise, they wouldn’t show such interest," Lin Xin thought to himself.

"As for compensation, we will definitely satisfy you, Brother Lin!" Jiang Yue’er suddenly interjected. "Just one word from me when I get home, and whether it’s pills, weapons, or equipment, as long as it’s not more than twenty thousand Jade Money, it can be provided at any time!"

Cheng Ruofei wanted to stop her but was too late, helplessly watching her friend spill their bargaining position without a second thought.

A smile appeared on Lin Xin’s face.

"Twenty thousand Jade Money, you say? Yin Blood is capable of ignoring meridian damage and significantly reducing cultivation time, not something that can be compared with ordinary pills that merely replenish Qi-Blood..."

He liked dealing with straightforward people, especially during negotiations.

"Indeed, twenty thousand Jade Money is a considerable amount... but exchanging it for a drop of Yin Blood still seems somewhat advantageous," Kong Yuhui chimed in with a smile.

"But... but that’s really all I can offer..." Jiang Yue’er stammered, then lowered her head bashfully, her voice dropping to a whisper. Her eyes darted towards Kong Yuhui occasionally, clearly still intimidated by their previous encounter.

"Yue’er truly can only offer that much," Cheng Ruofei shook her head. "For the rest, I have something Brother Lin needs. It should be enough for the exchange, right?"

A thought struck Lin Xin. "You know what I need?"

"I might have a clue," Cheng Ruofei nodded.

"Alright, I spared you once before, count that as one favor, and this makes another, remember that," Lin Xin agreed. "You owe me an explanation when we’re back at the sect."

"No problem," Cheng Ruofei nodded with composure.

"Let’s continue on our way then," said Kong Yuhui, not wanting to linger outdoors any longer. The whole journey had been distressing for him, and handling the aftermath would take a considerable amount of time.

The four did not stop anymore along the way, hunting wild rabbits and other game when hungry. If the hunt failed, they simply endured hunger for a while. When thirsty, they were lucky to find a small stream to fill their water skins; when luck was against them, they just bore the thirst.

Fortunately, they were traveling on a main road frequented by horse-drawn carriages, and not long after they set out, they encountered the carriage driver who had been arranged to meet them earlier.

The driver urged the horses forward, allowing the four to board the carriage, and then turned towards a nearby town.

The next day, after resting in Baiyang Town some dozens of miles away, the four of them hired two horse-drawn carriages and headed directly for the next town.

Making stops along the way for supplies and changing carriages, they finally returned half a month later to Ming Shui River Town, located near their sect.

Lin Xin had obtained some Jade Money in advance from Cheng Ruofei. When they reached the outskirts of the town, he found Lin Yuansheng, the Lin Family’s Protector, and gave him several pieces of Jade Money for daily expenses and the cost of sending messages.

One piece of Jade Money was equivalent to one hundred taels of Silver, and the purchasing power of a tael of Silver in the small town by Ming Shui River was roughly equal to more than eight hundred Renminbi, which was a bit cheaper than the exchange rate of one thousand outside.

But even converted into Copper Coin, it was enough to support an average family for half a month.

And several hundred taels of Silver, equivalent to several hundred thousand Renminbi, was more than enough not just for living expenses but also for the round-trip travel costs to send a report back.

After settling Lin Yuansheng’s affairs, Lin Xin wrote a letter to his father, Lin Zhiwen, and another one specifically for his second uncle Lin Zhiwu, persuading him to allow Lin Xinyuan to truly pursue martial arts—a promise he had made to his cousin.

Once everything was sorted, Lin Yuansheng embarked on his journey to deliver the letters, and it was then that Lin Xin joined the other three to cross the river together.

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

Standing in the middle of Ming Shui River, the sound of water striking the boat’s side echoed up through the wooden planks beneath his feet.

Lin Xin, clothed in plain white garments, stood alone at the bow of the boat, gazing toward the location of the Sword Sect.

The weather was clear with a vast blue sky above and not a single cloud in sight to obscure the view.

From afar, the black mountain range looked like square boulders laid out on the grassland, and between the two blocks was the grey-black entrance to the valley, leading straight to Tingjian Valley.

The mountainside was sparsely covered with a layer of thin frost and snow, faintly revealing figures practicing swordplay at the peak.

The surrounding cliffs were incredibly steep, almost vertical, and only at the corner of the mountain could one vaguely see a white waterfall cascading down, like a white thread hanging from the mountainside.

"It’s said that Bai Songzi is the one practicing swordplay on the mountain peak, a Qi Cultivator in the Qi Cultivation Realm," Kong Yuhui mentioned casually as he walked up to Lin Xin with a cup of wine in hand.

"Neijia, Innate, Qi Cultivation; only when one truly enters the realm of Qi Cultivation can they be called a Qi Cultivator as spoken of in the legends, inhaling the essence of heaven and earth and seizing the creation of the universe to transform oneself. It’s truly an aspiration for many," he remarked wistfully.

"We might not be without opportunities ourselves," Lin Xin said with a smile.

"That’s true," Kong Yuhui hadn’t anticipated Lin Xin’s confidence and chuckled along.

The two gazed far off toward the dock where, by the rudimentary wooden bridge, there were disciples boarding ships as well.

Two young individuals in snow-white clothes, roughly eighteen or nineteen years of age, stood out. Both were exceedingly handsome and difficult to differentiate between male and female—if not for the protrusion on one’s chest and the flat chestedness and Adam’s apple of the other, one might not be able to tell their sexes apart.

With just one look, Lin Xin somehow caught their attention. Their piercing gazes swiftly swept over and landed on him, causing him an unsettling feeling.

"Tsk tsk... Dugu siblings... Didn’t expect to run into them here," Kong Yuhui whispered in admiration.

"Are they famous?" Lin Xin asked, frowning slightly.

"Very much so," Cheng Ruofei’s voice came from behind. She had changed into sect attire, a goose-yellow Taoist Robe that outlined her figure, making her seem graceful yet fresh out of Jianghu like an inexperienced Heroine.

Her chest was accentuated and the robe was trimmed to mid-thigh, revealing a section of smooth and round legs above the knees, paired with white boots. Her hair was combed into three long ponytails reaching down to her lower back, adding a distinctive charm to her appearance.

"The Dugu siblings are the most exceptional disciples among all in the sect in the past decade. Although they’re still Outer Area Disciples, it’s said they were born with a Spirit Gathering Physique," Cheng Ruofei said with envy in her eyes.

"Spirit Gathering Physique?" Lin Xin was puzzled.

"Before joining the sect, they began with the minor Return to Origin technique, achieving Innate in three months. It has been a year since then, and they are now at the Ninth Layer peak of the minor Return to Origin, seemingly on the verge of stepping into Qi Cultivation. And that’s without any use of medicinal pills or other means of assistance," Cheng Ruofei lamented, "With such gifts, it’s as if they were destined to stand above countless others from the moment they were born."

"Three months to reach Innate..." Although Lin Xin had anticipated the existence of geniuses in this world, reaching Innate—that is, beyond the Fourth Layer of the minor Return to Origin—in just three months still sent a jolt through him.

Even his naturally talented martial sister An Ying had spent at least a few years in dedicated practice to reach the Second Layer.

He, without relying on Yin Blood, would likely need at least three more years to reach the Second Layer. Even with the use of Yin Blood, he needed time to assimilate it, and even then, his progress was far behind theirs.

The Dugu siblings had already looked away, whispering to each other. With the boatman’s help, the two boats passed by each other at a distance. They didn’t even bother to give Lin Xin and Kong Yuhui another glance—they were simply not in the same world.

"Let’s not concern ourselves with them for now. Even if we have the chance to enter Qi Cultivation, by the time we get there, who knows how many years they will have been ahead, possibly having reached Foundation Establishment already," Kong Yuhui said, somewhat self-deprecatingly.

"Brother, you truly underestimate yourself," the young boatman rowing the boat spoke up, "Just as we gaze at the Dugu pair with awe, so might they when looking upon you. You still have the potential for Innate, while we barely managed to produce Inner Qi, many of us relying on Blood Pills and other dubious methods. As one advances in cultivation, the journey only becomes more arduous."

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