Decaying World

Chapter 121

The 15th. The garden of the Clear Wind Temple estate.

Lin Hui held an unfolded sheet of pale yellow letter paper in one hand, reading it closely.

I have encountered some situations over here. Someone came to propose a match for me again, which I refused. I used your token, which might attract some provocateurs, so please be careful. Additionally, matters on my end are settled. If you have any needs there, you can write to notify me. I will come over in the short term to help you handle the pressure from your family. —Han Xiaoyue.

It was a letter from the Inner City. It had only arrived this morning, and Lin Hui was just starting to read it after finishing his sword practice. As for the potential "provocateurs" Han Xiaoyue mentioned, he did not care.

However, the arrival of this letter reminded him that it was time to deal with his family's side. Otherwise, he might not have the leisure to cultivate in peace later.

Folding the letter, Lin Hui slowly walked out of the garden, passed through the corridor, and entered the drill grounds in front of the Clear Wind Temple.

Sparse groups of disciples practiced swordsmanship on the drill grounds. Seeing him approach, many subconsciously slowed their movements, distracted as they looked toward him.

Lin Hui waved his hand, signaling them to focus. His gaze swept the area, and after confirming there were no major issues, he exchanged a few words with Wang Hongshi, who was responsible for supervision, before turning to leave.

He was unconcerned about the provocateurs mentioned in Han Xiaoyue's letter. By now, even Lin Hui himself was unclear about the true extent of his strength. This was because he had rarely engaged in all-out slaughter.

The Body Tempering of the Wild Wind Sword Technique did not merely improve speed;

it offered a comprehensive enhancement. Now, he was on the verge of breaking through the 8th Rank. At this moment, both his strength and speed were greater by unknown magnitudes compared to when he first began the Wild Wind Sword Technique's Body Tempering.In terms of strength alone, it was several times greater. In terms of speed, it was at least seventy or eighty percent faster. But when the two were combined, Lin Hui’s limited knowledge of math and physics could not calculate the precise result.

He only knew that the current him could beat a High-Tier Called One with Perfected Internal Force, like Wang Yueheng, as easily as disciplining a grandson.

He could have steadily defeated Wang Yueheng even before his Wild Wind Body Tempering, let alone now, where he could easily resolve things with Internal Force covering his longsword.

I still need a concrete comparison... Not knowing my own strength, positioning might have a negative impact when facing opponents.

Lin Hui sighed inwardly.

But reality was just so. Realms and stages were often just for show;

when hands were truly moved, everyone had trump cards and killing moves at the bottom of the box. Only in a life-and-death struggle could one truly see who the winner was. Unless the gap in realms was vast, it was hard to clearly judge strength and victory beforehand.

Lin Hui walked outside the main gate of the Clear Wind Temple and stopped. He gazed at the small Clear Wind Temple booth set up at the entrance for recruitment, and at the students busily explaining to passersby how good Clear Wind martial arts were.

He suddenly had a marvelous feeling.

A state of mind filled with tranquility and serenity washed over him, making him unwilling to move even a single hair. He just wanted to stand there quietly, feeling it, watching it.

Isn't this... the life I have always pursued?

Lin Hui seemed to realize something.

What I pursue—is it not precisely this feeling of quietude and peace? Then, when did I unintentionally achieve this scene before me? What did I rely on to achieve the effect I originally wanted?

Lin Hui unconsciously clenched his palm.

It is strength.

Strength gave me the confidence to dominate everything. If I want this, it is brought before me. If I want peace, peace appears. If I want slaughter, nothing can stop me from drawing my sword...

Never had there been a moment where Lin Hui felt so deeply the decisive influence of power on life.

If he had no power, he would have been taken away by the Inspectorate Division of the Inner City days ago. If he had no power, he might have lost terribly when fighting Wang Yueheng—the outcome would have been unknown. If he had no power, the Clear Wind Temple could not have risen again.

Perhaps, only perfect power, perfect mastery, can produce a life that perfectly conforms to one's will...

The realization in Lin Hui's heart was like flowing water, influencing the circulation of the Internal Force within his body.

Crack.

Suddenly, a crisp sound that only he could hear flashed past.

A layer of imperceptible breeze stirred up around him, beginning to rotate. The breeze surrounded him, as if possessing vitality, formlessly turning, drifting, blowing.

Lin Hui closed his eyes, then opened them again.

In the next second, all the Internal Force in his body began to boil and surge like flames. It was consumed rapidly, spreading to every part of his body. A portion of the Internal Force drew in a massive amount of mysterious breath of an unknown category from the External Web beyond his skin.

This breath infiltrated his body, causing his cells to change rapidly. His metabolism accelerated;

old cells were eliminated and died, replaced by brand-new cells that were stronger and tougher.

Several minutes later, the subtle airflow around Lin Hui dissipated completely.

He released his clenched fist, his figure flashed past the main gate, and he returned to the Council Hall of the Clear Wind Temple, sitting back in the grand preceptor chair.

At this moment, he clearly perceived that the 8th Rank of Body Tempering for the Wild Wind Sword Technique had arrived quietly in that instant just now. Next, he was only short of the final 9th Rank. Then he could completely finish the Body Tempering of the Wild Wind Sword.

Just as he was intoxicated by the comprehensive physical enhancement of the 8th Rank, a figure appeared at the entrance of the Council Hall.

Well-proportioned, with a slender build and broad shoulders, the young man walked in slowly. He stood in the center of the carpet and looked at Lin Hui.

"Tao Xuehai?" Lin Hui's eyes flashed as he recognized the person entering. "Is something the matter?"

This Tao Xuehai hadn't been in the sect for long before he finished learning and mastering all the free martial arts. He should be in Body Tempering right now—what did he mean by coming here now?

"Answering the Temple Master. This disciple has come to exchange for a new martial art: the Perfected Clear Wind Sword Technique," Tao Xuehai said in a deep voice.

"You finished the Perfected Seven-Section Swift Sword Body Tempering?" Lin Hui was stunned.

"Yes. This disciple's family still has some assets. Since my aptitude cannot compare to the Temple Master's, I could only mobilize a bit of resources. Assisted by body-strengthening measures, I completed the Body Tempering the night before yesterday," Tao Xuehai said modestly.

"The night before yesterday..." Lin Hui fell silent.

How long had this guy been here? Had it been a month? And he finished Body Tempering?

Is he the genius, or am I?

Oh, right, I was never a genius to begin with...

Suddenly, Lin Hui woke up to reality.

I am just sufficiently hardworking. Thinking of this, he looked at Tao Xuehai.

"How did you do the Body Tempering? Can you tell me? With such speed, I fear you might have hidden dangers."

"Yes." Tao Xuehai nodded respectfully. "It is like this. Because of the special attribute of this disciple's Internal Force, plus the consumption of the family's precious medicine, the Phantom Dragon Lotus, this junior has not slept since the day of entry. Every day, all my time was spent on cultivation..."

"Wait a moment. What is a Phantom Dragon Lotus?" Lin Hui asked.

He told himself he had a share in the Hundred Flowers Villa, had been to the Bailing Residence in the Inner City, had a deep connection with the Wang family of medicinal herbs, and had self-studied pharmacy canons. How could he not have even heard the name of this precious medicine yet?

"Oh, this is a type of precious medicine from a distant Mist Zone. Its main function is to comprehensively replenish all consumption of a cultivator's Essence, Qi, and Spirit. It generally does not circulate in the market," Tao Xuehai explained.

"How much does it cost?" Lin Hui asked.

"This... it cannot be bought with gold notes. One can only use Feather Blood. In terms of Feather Blood, it is roughly thirty-five Blood per stalk. One stalk is consumed at a time," Tao Xuehai answered frankly.

"..."

Lin Hui unconsciously recalled the twenty Feather Blood his dad had sponsored. He thought that was a lot, and in reality, it was a lot;

twenty Feather Blood could exchange for quite a few good pieces of equipment in the Inner City.

But... this guy in front of him eats thirty-five Feather Blood a day...

"Why... do you not sleep?" Lin Hui couldn't help but ask.

"Because I want to cultivate? I cannot wait to learn the sword technique the Temple Master displayed that day... The deeper I study now, the more I feel the Temple Master's incomparably brilliant aptitude and inspiration! To be able to perfect such a powerful and flawless sword technique... On that day, I lost with heartfelt admiration!" Tao Xuehai said sincerely. "Only now do I clearly recognize that perhaps the Temple Master did not even bring out one percent of his strength that day..."

"Alright, alright, and then? Even if you trained bitterly without sleep or rest, this time frame is still too short, right?" Seeing signs that the other party was starting to become a Lin-fanatic, Lin Hui immediately interrupted.

"It is like this. This disciple additionally consumed the family's heirloom Wondrous Talisman Pill. This pill can greatly accelerate the circulation of the entire body's Essence, Qi, and Spirit. It can improve a person's reaction speed significantly, allowing one hour to be used as three or four hours, so..."

"..."

Lin Hui didn't want to hear the rest.

Before, he thought he had touched the edge of the resource gap between the Inner and Outer City—nothing more than rare, precious medicines being slightly more common, and a few more pill formulas with stronger efficacy. That was all.

But now, from Tao Xuehai, he truly saw a trace of the terrifying real foundation of the great clans of the Inner City.

"In other words, by taking medicine and consuming resources, you can use one day as three or four days?" Lin Hui summarized.

"Ah, yes, that is correct. And because it is done with abundant energy in one breath of Body Tempering, the efficiency and speed are much stronger than intermittent Body Tempering, so it is normal for it to be fast." Tao Xuehai looked as if this was a matter of course.

"..."

At this moment, Lin Hui really wanted to curse.

The gap between the Inner and Outer City was displayed with incomparable reality and cruelty on Tao Xuehai.

No wonder the geniuses of the Inner City could reach the level of Divine Officer or High Divine Officer at such a young age, while the people of the Outer City... their limit was only Perfected Internal Force. This was not just a gap in aptitude, but also precious resources assisting to widen the gap.

"Fine. If you want to learn the Perfected Clear Wind Sword, you must be inducted into the core sect. Have you thought it through clearly?" Lin Hui calmed his distracting thoughts and looked at the other party.

The Perfected Clear Wind Sword and the secret arts were unique skills of the Clear Wind Temple that were not passed to outsiders. Only those who truly became core disciples could learn them. Once learned, one would be part of the Clear Wind Temple's core team and could not easily leave.

So he had to ask clearly.

"Naturally. To tell the truth, this disciple has a congenital defect regarding the Call and cannot walk the path of the Called. I can only walk the path of martial arts to the end. But despite bitter practice since childhood, I could never find the martial art I yearned for and liked the most. Until that exchange with the Temple Master..."

Tao Xuehai wore an expression of enlightenment, gazing at Lin Hui solemnly and piously.

"From that day on, I knew that this is the path I want to walk! This is the Dao I want to walk in the future!!"

"You..." Lin Hui was speechless.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Tao Xuehai bend his knees and kneel on the ground, kowtowing toward him with lightning speed.

Thud thud thud thud!

Because the speed was too fast, a large hole was instantly knocked into the carpet, and small pits were smashed into the floor tiles.

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