Lin Zhao stepped over the fortress gate's threshold, his gaze sweeping across the fodder drying in the courtyard—the estate guards were taking advantage of the morning light to practice the Basic Slash and Stab Technique, their blades glinting faintly. He casually asked, "While I was away these past few days, did anything go wrong with the tenants' farming? And the remnants of the Mountain Breaker Gang to the north—they didn't dare come snooping around, did they?"
"Rest easy, I kept watch! The tenants planted winter wheat according to the season, and their morning drills never stopped. As for those bandits, we haven't even seen a shadow of them—ever since you slaughtered Mountain Breaker Tiger, the small gangs around here have been scared out of their wits. Who would dare come within half a step of Lin Family Fortress?"
Zhao Tieying bowed, one iron palm instinctively pressing against the Mystic Iron Saber at his waist. Then he asked, "Young Master, did everything go smoothly on this trip to Northern Garrison City?"
"It was handled well enough."
After a few pleasantries, Lin Zhao went straight back to his room.
On this trip to Northern Garrison City, he had spent every last bit of the wealth he had accumulated from selling wolf pelts and digging up treasure. Overnight, he had gone from "modest savings" back to "empty pockets."
"But the money was well spent." He sat by the table, his fingertips tapping the Ebony Box on the desk as a smile curled his lips—inside lay two bottles of Pangolin Dragon Essence, two bloodline-bound Breathing Exercises, a contract for an armor transaction agreed upon with Iron Mask, and several booklets of Essentials of Northern Martial Arts Forging and Study of Noble Bloodlines.
The goals of this journey had all been accomplished. Everything was ready now; all that remained was to refine the Ink Flood Dragon Body Tempering Pill.
At daybreak the next morning, Lin Zhao woke fully refreshed and rose to push open the window. Morning light streamed through the lattice onto the desk, illuminating the medicinal ingredients he had prepared in advance, as well as two heavy bottles of Pangolin Dragon Essence.
Preparing this Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine was not especially delicate work—unlike those Entering Pills that required a Martial Master to slowly refine them over controlled Internal Breath flames, there was no need to set up a Mystic Iron furnace or burn charcoal. He only needed to combine the ingredients in the proportions dictated by the martial arts pill formula, mix in the Pangolin Dragon Essence, and knead the mixture into thumb-sized pills. It relied on the medicinal potency of the ingredients melding together, not on complicated heat control.
Half an hour later, two hundred glossy black pills sat on the table, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.
He understood the limits of the Pangolin Dragon Essence's potency. Making too many would dilute its effects and waste it instead. According to the formula, the two bottles of Earth Dragon Yuan were just enough for two hundred pills. One per day would be enough to support his cultivation for half a year as he charged from an initial Martial Master toward the Entering Martial Master realm.
He picked up a pill and swallowed it, then set out two plates of wheat cakes and a pot of hot tea to line his stomach—martial body tempering required taking medicine on an empty stomach, but he had to eat something to prevent the medicine's potency from harming his stomach.
Unable to wait any longer, Lin Zhao sat cross-legged and began circulating the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique. He had spent the previous two days rushing about Northern Garrison City, neglecting his breathing practice considerably, and his Internal Breath had become somewhat sluggish.
About an hour later, he slowly completed the exercise. The pores all over his body opened slightly, releasing faint white vapor—the sign of Internal Breath spilling outward, carrying a trace of chill.
[Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique Proficiency +15]
"Sure enough, body tempering pills make all the difference!" Lin Zhao lifted his teacup and took a sip, secretly delighted. In the past, a single circulation of the breathing exercise only raised proficiency by one or two points. Now it has multiplied several times over!
What a pity. At the initial Martial Master stage, I can only take one body tempering pill a day—taking more would make the medicinal effects clash and clog the meridians instead. Too much is as bad as too little.
During his breathing exercise just now, he had clearly felt a stream of icy Internal Breath moving through his meridians. That was the potency of the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine taking effect.
That chill was like a fine needle, forcing him to concentrate completely. The smoothness of his Internal Breath circulation had improved by an unknown amount, and even the Hand Shaoyang Meridian, which had been somewhat obstructed before, had been cleared considerably by the medicine.
After completing the exercise, wisps of white vapor gradually seeped from his pores. Once the vapor dispersed, a layer of blackish-brown sticky grime oozed from his skin, carrying a faint fishy odor—that was the "Impurity Expulsion Effect" of martial body tempering, expelling impurities from his muscles accumulated through blade practice and battle.
"Good heavens, this Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine actually has this effect too? It can assist body tempering and expel impurities!" He quickly fetched a bucket of hot water and cleaned himself off. His entire body immediately felt much lighter, and even the force behind his punches seemed to have increased a little—presumably, the medicine had nourished his sinews and bones, making his physical foundation sturdier.
Before the strength from the body tempering faded, Lin Zhao grabbed the Cold Steel Frost Condensation Sword from beside the wall and began practicing the Three Talents Slash in the courtyard.
As the sword light rose and fell, the wind whistled. The blade carried a faint white gleam of Internal Breath, making his movements sharper than before. Even the transitions between the three forms—chop, slash, and lift—had become much smoother.
[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +8]
"Not bad, not bad!" He sheathed his sword and stood tall. Sweat had appeared at his temples, yet the more he thought about it, the more excited he became. This Mystic Dragon medicine doesn't just help with breathing exercises—it even boosts sword techniques! In this state, it feels like a watered-down version of a martial arts Focus Pill. Whether I'm circulating Internal Breath or practicing swordsmanship, I'm far more focused than usual. What excellent stuff!
Not only that, he felt that his arm strength had increased slightly as well. When he swung his sword just now, his wrist no longer felt as sore and swollen as before. Even the cuts he had left in the old locust tree at the corner of the courtyard were half an inch deeper than usual.
It was likely because this was his first time taking the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine, and his body had received nourishment from its potency, resulting in such subtle improvements.
He practiced the breathing exercise three more times in the courtyard and the Three Talents Slash twice more. Only when his Internal Breath was nearly exhausted did he consider today's cultivation complete.
Returning to his room, he took out the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique and Black Bear Breathing Technique he had obtained at the Xuanyao auction—both were rudimentary bloodline-bound Breathing Exercises, among the most ordinary martial arts methods in the north. Other than members of the relevant lineages, no one else could cultivate them even if they bought them, so they were far less valuable than techniques without bloodline restrictions.
He first opened the rough-paper scroll of the Black Bear Breathing Technique. It depicted bare-chested little figures in broad, expansive stances, resembling the Bedrock Fist Stance practiced by martial monks in martial temples. If the poses of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique leaned toward strange and agile movements suited for maneuvering and fighting, then the movements of the Black Bear Breathing Technique were filled with fierce strength. Every move carried the bearing of "splitting mountains and rivers with force," while its circulation route followed the Governing Meridian, specializing in sinews, bones, and brute strength.
In the center of the scroll was a black bear as huge as a small mountain, throwing back its head in a roar. Every strand of fur stood erect, radiating a savage prehistoric aura. Beside it were the words "Bedrock Black Bear"—presumably the family emblem of Black Bear Stockade, from which this method had been passed down.
"This Black Bear Breathing Technique obviously emphasizes strength, so it complements my Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique perfectly." Lin Zhao nodded and picked up the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique. Its contents were similar to the Black Bear Breathing Technique, likewise showing little figures in various poses, but its movements were swifter and lighter, like a wild beast darting through the forest. Its circulation route followed the Belt Meridian, specializing in reaction speed and agility.
At its center was a giant silver-white wolf, sharp-eyed and nimble in posture—the emblem of the Silver Frost Mystic Wolf. Looking at the wolf, Lin Zhao suddenly found it familiar. It bore some resemblance to the Gray-Maned Demonic Wolf king he had killed before, especially the ferocity in its eyes, which was nearly identical.
"Whatever. That wolf king has already turned to ash. Even if there is some connection, it doesn't matter." He smiled, already having made up his mind. This Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique focuses on reaction and agility. My strength is sufficient now, and my defense is supported by the Mystic Ice Secret Pattern Armor and the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique. What I lack most is speed and flexibility. As the old saying goes, 'Under heaven, no martial art can withstand speed.' I'll practice this one first!
He stroked the edge of the scroll, confidence flashing through his eyes. "First, I'll see whether I can record this Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique in the Proficiency Record. As long as it can be recorded, forget this rudimentary breathing exercise—even a high-level martial arts secret manual, given enough time, I can cultivate it to perfection!"
This Proficiency Panel was his greatest reliance. It looked like nothing more than a simple template for recording numbers, yet it transformed those intangible "martial insights" into tangible proficiency. As long as he was willing to put in the effort, every stance and every circulation of breath gave feedback, every bit of progress visible to his eyes. Cultivation was no longer blind fumbling in the dark; it had a clear goal. That was what made it truly formidable.
Still, entering the gate of a breathing exercise was not something that could be done in a day or two.
When he had first practiced the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, it had taken him a full half month to grasp the knack of circulating Internal Breath. Although the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique was rudimentary, he still needed time to comprehend the martial stances and circulation methods in the scroll, and let his body adapt to an unfamiliar Internal Breath route.
During the intervals between breathing practice, Lin Zhao did not idle away his time.
Energized from the nourishment of the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine, he slipped into the blacksmith shed behind the fortress whenever he had a spare moment—the blueprint for the Mystic Iron Plate Armor given to him by that peak Martial Master, Iron Mask, still lay on his desk. He had to deliver it in three months. Forging martial armor was far more intricate than making ordinary weapons, so he needed to thoroughly study the forging methods for the Pulse Protecting Pattern in advance.
And so the days passed one after another, Lin Zhao's life brimming with purpose.
In the open space of the fortress courtyard, the three Mystic Arm Snow Ape brothers were growing rapidly as well. Fed several huge basins of cured meat each day, their bodies swelled at a rate visible to the naked eye. After not seeing them for three to five days, one could feel that their arm strength had increased again. They could even lift half-man-tall Mystic Iron ingots without effort.
Year 23 of Tianle, third month, third day.
Lin Zhao learned from Zhao Tieying that the heirs of the fortress lords of his two neighboring strongholds, Frostwind Fortress and Panyan Fortress, had sold off the ancestral fortress lands one after another—not because they were poor, but because the martial arts inheritances of both fortresses had been severed. They did not even have a single initial Martial Master capable of holding things together, and thus could not protect their lands.
In the end, both clans moved to Northern Garrison City, becoming landless lower-ranking gentry in the city who survived by selling off martial equipment.
And the party that bought those two tracts of fortress land was, unexpectedly, the authority that governed martial arts order in the north—the Celestial Masters' Manor.
It was said that the Celestial Masters' Manor intended to build a "Mystic Heaven Martial Arts Branch Temple" in the Qixia Mountain region, allowing the martial inheritance of the Mystic Heaven Martial Saint to shelter the martial artists of this bitterly cold land, while also training Guardian Martial Masters capable of resisting the strange beasts of the northern desert.
The hand holding Lin Zhao's teacup paused, and he silently cursed.
He had a feeling that the peaceful days of cultivation he had enjoyed recently were about to be stirred into turmoil by this suddenly appearing Celestial Masters' Manor—martial arts sects had always valued "jurisdiction." They likely would not let a tiny Lin Family Fortress develop freely as it pleased.
The locust leaves beyond the courtyard had grown thicker once again. Although people from the Celestial Masters' Manor had moved into the neighboring fortresses, life in Lin Family Fortress continued as usual.
Sitting in his room, Lin Zhao tapped the Ink Flood Dragon Body Tempering Pill on the table with his fingertips, making his own calculations. He was originally a law-abiding centurion fortress lord, with only several dozen estate guards under his command who knew the Basic Slash and Stab Technique. As long as he did not deliberately provoke those martial arts temple folk, they would not come looking for trouble without cause.
The only headache was that he could no longer use the excuse of high mountains and long roads to pay less Military Supply Tribute than before.
There was no helping it. In this northern land, the Celestial Masters' Manor set the rules of martial arts order—whether one was a centurion or a country squire, as long as one had anything to do with martial arts, one had to follow their rules.
The three great martial arts sects were all giants who could make the earth quake three times with a mere stomp. In the north, however, the Celestial Masters' Manor was the unquestioned heaven of martial arts.
"At the end of the day, I still lack real strength." Lin Zhao sighed softly. "If I had the abilities of a Grandmaster Warrior, I could simply hide away in some deep mountain forest, stay far from these worldly martial disputes, and settle anywhere beneath heaven.
"If I could become a Legendary Master Warrior, then I'd be like the owner of the Xuanyao Tavern from the rumors. Even if I opened a Black Market beneath the noses of every provincial capital, those nobles and aristocrats and great noble families could only turn a blind eye. Who would dare demand Military Supply Tribute from me?"
In this world, martial arts reigned supreme, and Legendary Master Warriors were Living Gods on Earth.
Thus, Lin Zhao's goal was clear. Even if he could not become an artifact-refining alchemist, he would still devote every effort to becoming a Legendary Master Warrior and experience for himself what it felt like to be a living god on earth.
In the blink of an eye, locust blossoms carpeted the ground, and late spring of the Year 23 of Jiajing quietly arrived.
Judging by the information Zhao Tieying had gathered, the Celestial Masters' Manor moved swiftly. They had barely sent the fortress lords of Frostwind Fortress and Panyan Fortress off to Northern Garrison City before ordering the tenant farmers of both fortresses to begin construction on the former fortress grounds. They planned to build a martial arts temple more imposing than Lin Zhao's Lin Family Fortress courtyard, one that would not only enshrine a statue of the Mystic Heaven Martial Saint but also establish a martial hall to teach basic Breathing Exercises.
On the last day of the fourth month, Lin Zhao sat in the courtyard as usual, following the rough-paper scroll of the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique and carefully imitating its breathing stances step by step.
"It's already been a month... When I practiced the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, I entered the gate in half a month. Could it be that bloodline-bound Breathing Techniques really require the corresponding family bloodline to stir Internal Breath?" He stopped moving, his brows tightly furrowed.
By rights, with his current martial foundation, he should have grasped a Lower Grade breathing technique like this in a few days. Yet he had practiced the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique for an entire month without the slightest sign of Internal Breath Resonance. It was hard not to feel discouraged.
"I'll persist for one more month." He gritted his teeth. "If it still doesn't work, I'll switch to the Black Bear Breathing Technique. And if I can't cultivate the Black Bear Breathing Technique either, then that set of Mystic Ice Secret Pattern Armor may truly have to be melted down and reforged into ordinary Mystic Iron Armor. What a waste of all that fine Meteorite Iron."
Though he was somewhat disappointed, the past month had not been without gains.
With the support of the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine, the proficiency of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique had increased by more than a thousand points, over three times the rate of his normal cultivation. His Internal Breath now circulated ever more smoothly, and even the Foot Shaoyang Meridian, which had previously been somewhat sluggish, had been cleared more than halfway by the medicinal potency.
At this rate, once he finished the two hundred body tempering pills in his possession, as long as he could successfully condense an Internal Breath Seed, entering the Entering Martial Master realm should not be a problem.
As for the Three Talents Slash, its proficiency had also risen by more than a thousand points. His sword moves had become steadier and faster than before, and when Internal Breath was poured into the blade, the power of its shocking force had increased by several degrees. Even when he chopped at Mystic Iron ingots, the blade marks sank half an inch deeper.
Apart from cultivation, he had also made a breakthrough in martial arts blacksmithing.
Over the past month, he had spent nearly every day in the blacksmith shed behind the fortress, figuring out how to forge the armor plates for plate armor. This work was far more delicate than forging weapons. The armor plates not only had to be resilient but also needed Pulse Protecting Patterns forged onto them, allowing the wearer's Internal Breath to circulate along the patterns and reducing the expenditure of power while using martial arts.
After all, it was his first time making a complete set of martial armor, and his hands were unaccustomed to the work. On top of that, he had to practice Breathing Exercises from time to time and handle the fortress's armament inventories. It took him a full month just to assemble the principal components of the plate armor—the breastplate, shoulder guards, leg guards, and the rest.
That afternoon, the sound of hammering from the blacksmith shed was exceptionally loud.
Lin Zhao was bare-chested, beads of sweat covering his bronze skin. Sweat ran down his back and gathered into a small puddle on the ground—he was circulating Internal Breath to assist with the forging. Cold-forging Mystic Iron required the reinforcement of a Martial Master's Internal Breath to make the material easier to shape.
The Mystic Iron Hammer in his hand struck the red-hot iron plate again and again, scattering sparks in every direction. The plate intended for the breastplate gradually took on a curved shape under Hundred Refinements. He was using the rare northern Cold Forging Method to create a set of Mystic Iron Plate Armor modeled after western region designs.
The Iron Mask Martial Master who had commissioned the armor had said that although this kind of plate armor was more cumbersome than chainmail, its craftsmanship was less complicated. More importantly, on the battlefield, it could withstand arrows and crossbow bolts reinforced by the Internal Breath of an Entering Martial Master. It was far more useful than chainmail, which could only block ordinary arrows.
Finally, with the fall of the last hammer, the breastplate was completely shaped. A faint glow from the Pulse Protecting Patterns flickered across its surface.
Lin Zhao set down his hammer and wiped the sweat from his face. Looking at the complete set of Mystic Iron Plate Armor on the forging table, his eyes were filled with delight.
At the same time, the familiar notification rang out in his mind:
[Martial Arts Blacksmithing Proficiency +99] [Current Realm: Third Tier Martial Arts Blacksmith Apprentice (3099/10000). Effect "Guaranteed Exquisite": the Pulse Protecting Pattern compatibility of forged Martial Arts Equipment increases by 30%, allowing smoother Internal Breath conduction.]
"It's done!" He reached out and touched the plate armor's surface. It was icy cold and hard, its lines sharp and forceful, exuding a rugged heaviness along with the metallic tang of freshly forged iron.
This was the first complete set of martial plate armor he had personally forged. Now that his blacksmithing proficiency had reached the standard, he could be considered at the threshold of a Formal Martial Artisan.
"Not bad, not bad. I'll set the price at thirty-five taels of silver per set." He calculated it in his mind. Ordinary Mystic Iron Plate Armor on the market generally sold for only twenty taels of silver a set, but the armor he forged possessed the Guaranteed Exquisite effect. Its Pulse Protecting Patterns had better compatibility, reducing the wearer's Internal Breath expenditure by twenty percent when using martial arts. Its quality would certainly surpass that of ordinary blacksmith shops. Thirty-five taels was not expensive at all.
After all, only heirs of great families and Martial Master lords could afford a complete set of martial plate armor of such value.
Ordinary initial Martial Masters, or attendants of Martial Masters, were doing well enough if they owned a Heart Mirror or Arm Guard with Heart Protection Patterns—iron ore was scarce in this world, Mystic Iron even rarer, and Martial Arts Blacksmiths were few. Naturally, ironware was precious.
Only after transmigrating into this high-martial world did Lin Zhao truly understand how comfortable his life in his previous world had been.
Even though he was now a centurion lord with a fortress and land, he had to worry about armaments, cultivation, and bandit threats. His sense of happiness was nowhere near what it had been in his previous life.
Only after losing the conveniences brought by technology did one understand how precious they had been.
"Just forging this one set of plate armor gave me ninety-nine points of blacksmithing proficiency. It really was a massive undertaking." He circled the plate armor once, growing more satisfied the longer he looked. "Once I forge a few dozen sets, my blacksmithing proficiency should be able to advance to the Fourth Rank. I wonder whether the Guaranteed Exquisite effect will change then—if I can obtain a Martial Arts Stat Effect like 'Internal Breath Defense +5%,' I'll have struck gold!"
He casually reviewed his Proficiency Panel in his mind:
- Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Third Tier (6099/10000), Internal Breath Refinement 45% - Three Talents Slash: Third Tier (6499/10000), Effect: Advanced Shocking Force (when Internal Breath is infused, qi force can shatter Mystic Iron) - Beast Taming: Third Tier (Complete), Effect: Heart of Beast Taming (can communicate superficially with the Mystic Arm Snow Apes and direct their actions) - Martial Arts Blacksmithing: Third Rank (3099/10000), Effect: Guaranteed Exquisite (improves the quality of Martial Arts Equipment)
Though none of the ranks had changed from several months ago, the progress bars for every one of them had advanced considerably. His efforts had not been wasted.
He had just moved the plate armor to the corner of the shed and covered it with dry grass when Zhao Tieying lifted the door curtain and entered, clutching a Mystic Iron token in his hand—it was Lin Family Fortress's Communication Token. Judging by his appearance, he had already been waiting outside for some time.
"What is it?" Lin Zhao asked as he picked up a coarse linen shirt and put it on.
Zhao Tieying was the fortress's Armament Instructor. He would not ordinarily come to the blacksmith shed to find him over trivial matters.
Zhao Tieying scratched his head, his tone somewhat helpless. "Young Master, people from the Celestial Masters' Manor have arrived. They're waiting outside the fortress gate."
"They're here? How many? What realm are they?" Lin Zhao's heart stirred. Sure enough, they had come—he had long expected that the Celestial Masters' Manor would not allow the surrounding fortresses to develop independently.
"Only two. One is a 'Martial Arts Daoist' from the Celestial Masters' Manor, who looks skilled in regulating Internal Breath. The other is an Entering Martial Master, wearing Silver Lamellar Armor and carrying a long sword at his waist. His aura is extremely heavy." Zhao Tieying lowered his voice. "I watched from the fortress wall. That Martial Master's Internal Breath fluctuations are stronger than mine."
"Let's go take a look." Lin Zhao nodded and turned toward his room—he needed to change into something presentable and make some preparations.
After returning to his room, Lin Zhao changed into a blue silk long robe—this was his official robes as a hereditary centurion, and he was usually reluctant to wear it. To be safe, he secretly put on a layer of lightweight chainmail beneath it, hiding the collar and cuffs tightly.
Ever since wiping out the Mountain Breaker Gang, he had understood that in this high-martial world, only being strong enough could keep one safe. He even had to hide a Short Knife beneath his pillow while sleeping.
Outside the gates of Lin Family Fortress, two people were standing there.
One wore a Blue Daoist Robe embroidered at the hem with golden Mystic Heaven Martial Patterns and held a Mystic Iron Duster in his hand—this marked him as a Martial Arts Daoist of the Celestial Masters' Manor, skilled in regulating Internal Breath and treating injuries, and also responsible for overseeing martial arts order among the northern fortresses. The other wore gleaming Silver Lamellar Armor, its armor plates forged with Heart Protection Patterns. A long sword tempered with Internal Breath hung at his waist. He stood tall and straight; he was a peak Martial Master, and the words "Celestial Masters' Manor Guardian" were carved into his shoulder guards.
The two stood beneath the old locust tree outside the gate, waiting for someone inside the fortress to open it.
The Martial Master occasionally stood on tiptoe to peer into the fortress, impatience written across his face. The Daoist, meanwhile, had his eyes closed, his fingers rolling the tassels of his duster as if circulating Internal Breath to regulate himself.
"Daoist Zhang, this Lin Family centurion has no sense of propriety at all! We are from the Celestial Masters' Manor, yet he has made us wait outside this desolate little fortress for so long. In my opinion, we should simply force our way in. He's only a minor centurion—does he dare stop us?" The Martial Master was tall and slender, his face carrying a trace of arrogance and his tone somewhat harsh.
He belonged to the Celestial Masters' Manor Guardian Martial Master Corps. In the various northern prefectures, which fortress lord did not treat him with the utmost respect? When had he ever suffered such a cold reception?
Daoist Zhang slowly opened his eyes. A trace of white Internal Breath light flashed through them as he calmly advised, "Instructor Li, be patient. A restless heart most easily disrupts one's Internal Breath, and it also makes one easy for others to seize by the handle. Lin Family Fortress may be small, but it managed to wipe out the Mountain Breaker Gang. The Mountain Breaker Gang had a Martial Master. Since Lin Zhao could destroy them, he has some ability and must not be underestimated."
At that moment, the fortress gate creaked open, and Lin Zhao emerged shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Tieying. They had not ridden horses; walking showed greater respect and also made it easier to deal with sudden danger at any time.
Lin Zhao strode forward, a perfectly measured smile on his face. He gave the two men a standard Centurion's Salute—his hands folded inside his sleeves as he bowed slightly. "You have come from afar, and I failed to welcome you properly! I am Lin Zhao, the current hereditary centurion of Lin Family Fortress. May I ask what matter of martial arts border protection has brought Daoist Zhang and Instructor Li to this humble fortress?" He deliberately mentioned martial arts border protection, intending to first probe their purpose while also showing that he understood the Celestial Masters' Manor's rules.
Before you continue