Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 609 - 604: Incident 2

Chapter 609: Chapter 604: Incident 2

"Well, then, I’ll visit another day," Lin Xin left his contact information and then turned to leave.

Leaving at such a critical time aroused some suspicion in his heart. However, it was natural for a cultivator to be out on missions, and it wasn’t unusual for them not to return.

After he left,

A maid slowly emerged from the front of the Jade Mansion.

"Has that man left?"

"Yes," the steward nodded slightly.

The maid quickly ran back, passing through the courtyard and the rockery pond, and entered a small bedroom.

"Master, that man has left," she reported.

Qiao Yu fiddled with a black metallic, exquisitely made jade hairpin in her hand, seemingly distracted.

"Block him the same way next time," she instructed.

"Understood," the maid wanted to say more but ultimately remained silent.

Qiao Yu, expressionless, gazed out the window at the blooming plum blossoms, her eyes vacant with a trace of avoidance.

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

Leaving the residential area, each building here was enveloped by a barrier, accessible only through the Teleportation Stele.

Lin Xin was teleported directly to the Scholars’ Academy.

He checked the archives for information about the trial missions and territories.

He finally understood the general situation.

Because it contained a mineral called Black Que Stone, every territory was extraordinarily fertile.

Not only was it extremely useful for cultivators, but it was also a great nourishment for demon spirits.

Thus, each of these territories was constantly under massive assaults from demon spirits; it was truly a place where risk and opportunity coexisted.

Even a Fifth Rank powerhouse, capable of annihilating a large number of demon spirits instantly, ultimately couldn’t sustain the endless strain.

Therefore, after securing a territory, one must rely on Taoist soldiers.

According to the records, Taoist Soldier Seeds could be purchased in the towers of the Winter of the Golden Crown or from the research institutes.

However, a seed is just a seed, requiring time and resources to nurture.

"Isn’t this similar to when I initially controlled an army of insects with the Soul Pact?" Lin Xin mused, feeling somewhat familiar.

Leaving the Scholars’ Academy, he happened to run into Yuan Xi.

"Congratulations, congratulations!" Yuan Xi offered his congratulations from afar with a bow. Two people, a man and woman, stood beside him.

"Long time no see, Brother Yuan Xi." Lin Xin also smiled and approached them.

"Fifth Rank, third level..." Yuan Xi looked at the robe Lin Xin was wearing, the insignia making him feel a bit uncomfortable, and awkwardly smiled.

"Brother Lin Xin, no, now I should call you Senior Brother. To become a true disciple in just ten years, you truly have exceptional talent. We are not your equals," he said.

"You flatter me, Brother Yuan Xi. It’s merely luck," Lin Xin replied with a smile.

"Modesty is good, but too much of it instead becomes insincerity. This must be the rumored Brother Lin who first broke through the Pureblood limitation?" the other man said with a slightly sour tone.

"A true disciple, ah. There are only two in the entire Green Mountain Realm, and now there will likely be one more with you, Brother Lin," the woman added, her figure curvaceous and face fairly beautiful, although her skin was too pale, almost devoid of color. Her tone was flattering, yet her eyes revealed a hint of curiosity.

This was the normal reaction most people had when meeting Lin Xin recently.

In a top sect like Green Lake Mountain, where countless elites gathered, to suddenly become a true disciple was something that would evoke both curiosity and envy in anyone.

"We were planning to have a few drinks at the Clear Fall Building, Brother Lin. If you’re free, could you join us? Consider it a celebration," Yuan Xi invited.

Lin Xin had nothing else to do at the moment but to wait for Qiao Yu to come back and teach him the subsequent Green Yuan Decision and the divine spell methods befitting a true disciple.

These were not going to cost him any contribution points.

Since he was free, he agreed to join them.

Yuan Xi seemed to have wide connections; perhaps Lin Xin could learn some news from him.

Together, they strolled along the streets of White Jade City and then entered a small tavern through a side entrance.

Yuan Xi had made reservations earlier, so they went directly to a second-floor private room by the window.

They ordered wine, dishes, and fruit; the room was large and featured dancing girls and singers to enhance the mood.

Although Lin Xin was a Fifth Rank, so was Yuan Xi. Each level after the Fifth Rank took a long time to achieve, so the two were somewhat peers, although Yuan Xi was slightly more enthusiastic.

The other two were quiet companions, only occasionally raising questions for Lin Xin, restraining any further actions.

However, the male cultivator’s attitude towards Lin Xin was quite hostile, though it was unclear why.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually grew livelier.

"Brother Lin, have you ever heard of the Raven of Demon Day?" Yuan Xi suddenly changed the topic.

"Oh? What is that? Does it have a story?" Lin Xin downed the wine in his glass and casually asked.

"It certainly is related. In another hundred years, the Day of the Demon will herald the rebirth of the Demon God Decadal King, the strongest of the demon gods, according to legend. Now, the major Sects of the main worlds are all searching for the reincarnation of the Demon God Decadal King."

"The reincarnation of the Decadal King..." Lin Xin felt a sensation and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Indeed, the Decadal King was the most powerful demon god who commanded the demon forces in the ancient battle against the Evil Gods. Unfortunately, he perished later; however, it is said that unlike other Divine Kings or Heavenly Venerables, he did not completely fall but, due to his special cultivation technique, continued to reincarnate." Yuan Xi explained. "Rumor has it that finding him could reveal the secrets to becoming the strongest demon god."

"What secrets?" Lin Xin kept a calm demeanor while an unbidden image of that bearded man, Song Danhao, surfaced in his mind.

"The Demonic Arts of the Decadal and their secrets of approaching immortality without ceasing their cycle of rebirth," Yuan Xi shook his head, "it is said that on top of the Decadal Demon God’s head, a Decadal Pearl forms, condensed with all his cultivation, memories, and power. Whoever obtains it could, in an instant, become the most powerful among the ancient demon gods."

"Not the so-called ancient demon gods of today, these so-called gods have mostly been sealed for countless years, or were crippled before they were sealed, with only a fraction of their original strength remaining," another cultivator interjected.

"Then what level should the real ancient demon gods be at?" Lin Xin thought for a moment and asked.

"Commonly from the sixth to the eighth rank, corresponding to the realm of Earth Immortal. However, there is also a significant distinction within the Earth Immortal realm, much like the Human Immortal realm where one begins by refining Inner Qi, reaching Innate, Qi cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Yuan Jing, True Monarch, and Human Immortal, with many levels in between. The Earth Immortal realm is similarly structured."

Yuan Xi explained, "However, I’m afraid we have little hope. It’s all up to Brother Lin; perhaps you will have a chance to prove yourself as an Earth Immortal one day."

"To concede defeat before battle is fought, why speak so disheartened, Brother Yuan?" Lin Xin smiled. "I am merely a step ahead of you all."

"Brother Lin is too modest," Brother Yuan shook his head.

"But now that Brother Lin has become a True Disciple, you should have the chance to choose a territory, right?"

"Of course," Lin Xin nodded.

"If Brother Lin trusts me, please do not choose the territory near the edge with the purest halo," Yuan Xi whispered.

"I’ve heard that one of the reasons for the rebirth of the Decadal Demon God might emerge there, a focal point attracting the attention of countless powers. It would be wise for us to avoid it as soon as possible."

Moved by this, Lin Xin made a mental note.

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

In the following days, Lin Xin sent his servants out to gather information, while he declined most of the invitations he received, keeping only a few he deemed necessary and unavoidable. This even included a visit from a scholar from Earth Immortal Realm, an honor he couldn’t afford to ignore.

After revisiting everyone, six days had passed.

He visited the Jade Mansion again, but the message was still the same: the owner had not returned.

This caused him some alarm.

By now, everyone in the city probably knew of his promotion, yet Qiao Yu still hadn’t returned. This gesture was somewhat meaningful.

Lin Xin was also anxious for the further techniques of the Green Yuan Decision. Without the continuation, this top-tier Decree could easily lead to significant deviations if even slightly mismanaged.

As he waited without hearing any news, Lin Youke brought back a troubling rumor.

"It is said that Fairy Yu was seen on Fragrance Powder Street in the city recently."

"Recently?" Lin Xin came to his senses from his secluded cultivation. "How long ago?"

"Three days," Lin Youke replied confidently.

Through the Soul Pact, Lin Xin knew she wasn’t deceiving him.

"So she’s in the city, yet she did not come to see me," his expression twisted strangely. "What did I do to offend her?"

"Master has never met her; it’s impossible for you to have offended her, but..." Lin Youke hesitated.

"Speak."

"However, it is said that Qiao Yu’s father was originally the primary candidate to inherit the Qing Shan realm, and Fairy Yu is after all only a few decades old..."

Lin Xin understood what she meant.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to let it go.

"Forget her then. I will contact the eldest apprentice brother first; the task of choosing a territory cannot be delayed. There’s only a half-month deadline."

He then took out the Jade Ruyi again, grasped it, and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, that map appeared again before him.

Lin Xin’s gaze did not falter, directly drifting to the far right side, almost off the edge of the map, to a small green area.

Regardless of the purity of the green light or its geographical position, this was one of the foremost frontline territories. Although not the purest halo, it was still an excellent choice. Just a tad more dangerous.

Each little area on the map actually represented a small world.

Which meant that his territory was indeed a real small world or what could also be designated as a plane in the records.

Although the plane was small, all the selectable ones were well-equipped with complete essentials, having been cleared by the Sect once and marked with the Sect’s emblem, but because it was too close to the edge of the void, it was also the most dangerous.

"I need more slaughter, more trials," Lin Xin understood clearly what path he should take, choosing this small area was his best option.

As for danger?

He had struggled countless times between pain and madness, already accustomed to threats like danger.

With the territory decided, the Jade Ruyi in his hand suddenly began to melt, turning into a jade token, hovering in front of him.

After securing the token, Lin Xin knew this was the basis for receiving the territory.

Next, he needed to resolve the issue with the cultivation techniques.

Techniques beyond the fifth rank couldn’t be obtained through regular lectures and needed to be passed down by senior apprentice brothers and sisters or directly by the master.

But at this moment, Eldest Brother Huan Ping was absent, and this Sister Qiao Yu seemed a bit off.

Lin Xin narrowed his eyes, contemplating the situation.