Bloodbath at Night Raven Stronghold, Netherworld Technique Appears

The bowstring vibrated like thunder!

Lin Zhao loosed four arrows in quick succession, each like a meteor chasing a life!

Among the Night Raven Tower disciples training in the martial arts hall, four were caught off guard and died instantly, their heads exploding.

His archery was profound, hitting a target a hundred paces away, truly terrifying!

The bloody scene finally jolted the rest awake.

"Enemy attack!"

"An assassin has infiltrated the stronghold!"

"Prepare for battle! Get your weapons!"

"How many are there?"

"Just... just one!"

"What? Could it be a peak Entering Martial Master?"

Before the words fell, a fatal arrow split the air and arrived.

Some scrambled behind stone pillars, others raised their Mystic Iron Shields to parry, but two still couldn't dodge in time and were shot dead.

"He's shooting arrows, we'll shoot too! Crossbowmen, prepare!"

Instantly, a rain of arrows poured down, heading straight for Lin Zhao.

But Lin Zhao's movements were as agile as a gibbon's. Using Subtle Vibration Sense to predict their trajectory, the vast majority of arrows grazed past him—even if he hadn't dodged, with these disciples' "drawing on the human body" archery skills, they wouldn't have harmed him in the slightest.

A few arrows that did hit couldn't even break through his defenses: his torso and limbs were protected by high-quality Chainmail and rhinoceros hide armor, while his arms, head, and neck emanated a faint black halo, as if a God of War had descended.

Beneath the cast Rakshasa mask, his eyes flashed like lightning. The powerful Internal Breath he exhaled transformed into white mist, spewing out several yards.

He pushed the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique to its limit, becoming like an arrow loosed from its bow, weaving through the arrow rain. He shot as he charged, until his quiver was empty.

Of the Night Raven Tower members present, only the Instructor, a high-level Entering Martial Master, and a few armored guards remained. Everyone else was either dead or injured.

The Instructor holding a rapier, a veteran from the army, lost all will to fight upon seeing this. Disregarding the lives of his disciples, he frantically searched for a secret passage to escape.

At the same time, two other Instructors who were cultivating, one with a dagger and the other wielding a meteor hammer, also rushed out upon hearing the commotion.

"What are you running for? All three of us together can't beat him alone?" the Instructor with the meteor hammer roared, "Everyone, face the enemy! The Lord of the Netherworld watches from above, those who retreat will die!"

At the Instructor's shout, the surviving disciples picked up the curved knives and daggers from the ground and charged towards the rapidly approaching figure.

Lin Zhao nocked his last arrow, its tip aimed at the main beam of the hall ceiling.

With a "bang," the arrow's payload exploded, and white powder rained down, filling the entire hall—it was his secretly concocted Blood Poison Qi Breaking Powder, which caused paralysis on contact and unconsciousness upon inhalation.

"Cough cough... What is this crap?"

"Achoo! My nose is ruined!"

"It's poison powder! Hold your breath! Those with Night Raven masks, put them on quickly!"

An experienced Instructor urgently reminded them. He had heard of the potency of Blood Poison Qi Breaking Powder years ago, but had never witnessed it firsthand.

On the other side, Lin Zhao had run out of arrows and drew his Frost Condensation Sword with his backhand!

Mystic Dragon Internal Breath surged into the sword, and its qi erupted!

"Kill!"

Entangling Force · Three Talents Slash!

The sword light tore through the air, striking the rapier of the first Instructor—"Clang!"

The air vibrated with ripples, and the rapier shattered!

Fragments sprayed into the Instructor's body, and he cried out in pain, cold sweat instantly soaking his armor.

How could these mere high-level Entering Martial Master Instructors be a match for Lin Zhao, who possessed four internal cultivation techniques and was also a high-level Entering Martial Master?

"Screech!"

"Die!"

Accompanied by Lin Zhao's roar, the Three Talents Slash cleaved the Instructor in half, along with his Chainmail, his entrails spilling out and splattering the face of the Instructor next to him, who held a dagger.

"No matter who you are, pay with your life!"

The Instructor with the meteor hammer roared and swung his hammer, the wind of the strike carrying internal force, its power immense; the one with the dagger circled behind Lin Zhao, intending to backstab him, while over ten disciples on either side attacked with their weapons.

The hairs on Lin Zhao's back instantly stood on end—Subtle Vibration Sense had already detected the movement behind him. He suddenly swept his Frost Condensation Sword backward, its tip precisely piercing the abdomen of the backstabbing Instructor.

"Pfft!"

The dagger fell to the ground. The Instructor's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief: "You... How did you know I was behind you?"

"Too weak! Too weak! You are all too weak!"

Lin Zhao fought on, blood splattered, and with his left hand, he condensed the Internal Breath of Black Bear Strength, his dark palm forcefully grabbing the chain of the incoming meteor hammer.

He drew his Frost Condensation Sword and poured Entangling Force into it again: "Three Talents Slash!"

"Crack!"

The meteor hammer's chain snapped.

The instructor wielding the hammer stared, dumbfounded—the opponent's strength, speed, defense, and perception were all superior to his own, not to mention that sword skill capable of shattering metal. This wasn't a human, but a monster!

Lin Zhao sneered and hurled the broken-chained meteor hammer.

"Boom!"

The heavy hammer whistled through the air and struck the instructor's chest, sending him flying back several yards to crash against the stone wall, unconscious.

Lin Zhao pressed his advantage, swiftly killing two apprentices who charged at him, then leaped up and pierced the throat of the last instructor with his sword.

Breathing lightly, he coldly surveyed the terrified remnants of the enemy—these men weren't even Martial Trainees, far inferior to the soldiers of Qixia Valley.

"Who are you? Why are you killing us all? We have no quarrel with you!" someone stammered.

"Please, great hero, spare my life! I only joined the Tower three days ago and haven't spilled any blood yet!"

"Lord of the Netherworld, appear and protect your followers!"

Some knelt and begged for mercy, some prayed to gods, while others, attempting to resist, were quickly taken down by poison powder just steps from their escape, or finished off by Lin Zhao's sword.

Lin Zhao paid them no mind—having joined Night Raven Tower, their hands would inevitably be stained with blood sooner or later. If they weren't eliminated today, they would surely become a future threat.

He held the Frost Condensation Sword and calmly reaped the lives of these apprentices. Those collapsing from the poison were finished with a quick stab, while those still struggling had their throats slit.

It was a one-sided slaughter. Most died from arrows or poison powder, and the remaining stragglers were easily dealt with.

Looking at the piles of corpses, Lin Zhao began to take stock of the spoils: over ten thousand taels of silver notes, more than thirty Mystic Iron Sabers, and five Mystic Iron Shields. What surprised him most was finding a martial arts manual in the meteor hammer instructor's embrace, along with a secret letter tied to a crimson-beaked pigeon's leg, which hadn't yet been sent.

Lin Zhao opened the secret letter first, understanding dawning on him: it seemed the Mystic Shadow楼主 was still unaware of Tie Shan's failed assassination attempt and was inquiring about the "Qixia Valley mission progress."

The martial arts manual, however, made his eyes light up. The seal script characters "Netherworld Technique" on the cover were powerful and vigorous—it was a top-tier body-refining manual!

He didn't have time to study it then. Lin Zhao carefully stored the manual, piled the corpses together, doused them with kerosene, and set them ablaze.

"From this day forward, the name Rakshasa will echo throughout the martial world, relentlessly hunting the disciples of Night Raven Tower!"

Lin Zhao, hidden beneath the Rakshasa mask, carrying his spoils, quickly vanished into the wind and snow.

Behind him, the abandoned garrison burned fiercely, ravens circling overhead as if singing a final elegy for the destroyed stronghold.

This annihilation of the Night Raven Tower's Northern Garrison City outpost was truly satisfying.

After suffering ambushes from this organization three times in a row, Lin Zhao finally felt a sense of vindication.

The enemy had lost three high-level Entering Martial Master instructors and a large number of meticulously trained disciples. The silver and weapons hoarded in the outpost were also plundered.

Even an evil sect like Night Raven Tower must have suffered a severe blow.

After this battle, Lin Zhao had a clear understanding of his own strength: three high-level Entering Martial Masters and dozens of disciples were utterly defenseless against him.

Such an achievement was difficult even for an ordinary peak Entering Martial Master.

Upon returning to Qixia Valley, Lin Zhao hid all the plundered silver notes in a secret room within his residence and then unrolled the newly acquired Netherworld Technique scroll.

On the scroll, within a dark netherworld, countless souls coiled and intertwined, forming a bottomless vortex. A ferocious ghost general emerged from the vortex, surrounded by netherworld energy, exuding immense killing intent—this was the legendary "Netherworld Ghost General" said to guard the Nine Netherworlds. It was rumored that its appearance always summoned thousands of souls, and the Netherworld Technique was created by its founder after observing the ghost general devouring souls, mimicking its fearsome aura and physique.

Lin Zhao counted the small figures depicting cultivation on the scroll, totaling thirty-six forms.

"How can there be only thirty-six forms? It's only one more than the Blood Poison Spider," he murmured.

Based on the patterns he had discovered, the more forms a cultivation manual contained, the higher its quality usually was.

The Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, a top-tier manual, had seventy-one forms.

"Could it be that the Netherworld Technique isn't truly top-tier? Did the founder intentionally misrepresent its grade? Or perhaps, thirty-six forms is precisely the dividing line between mid-tier and top-tier?"

Lin Zhao was perplexed. This question required more manuals for verification—he had already posted a bounty on the commission wall of the Xuanyao Tavern in Northern Garrison City, seeking martial arts manuals. He expected to acquire more secret texts soon and resolve his doubts.

"I'll cultivate it for now."

Without delay, Lin Zhao began to study it.

The Netherworld Technique focused on tempering the physique. Once mastered, it could strengthen a warrior's resistance to poison, healing, and endurance, complementing his Black Bear Strength. Its specific effects would only be known after cultivation.

Time flew by, and winter passed.

It was the first month of spring in the 24th Year of Jiajing.

Qixia Valley was adorned with lanterns and decorations. The tenant farmers busied themselves pasting Spring Festival couplets and hanging lanterns, creating a festive atmosphere.

Zhao Tieying had recovered significantly and could now walk with the support of pillars like a normal person, though his internal meridians were damaged, preventing him from exerting himself vigorously.

Fortunately, Lin Zhao's soldiers had completed their training. They had all mastered the Basic Swordsmanship previously taught by Zhao Tieying, though their proficiency varied.

According to Lin Zhao's proficiency standards, Basic Swordsmanship could be divided into three realms: Initial Glimpse, Proficient Mastery, and Divine Transformation.

Currently, only Squad Leader Zhang Shan had reached the Divine Transformation realm among the soldiers—the once timid son of a tenant farmer had now grown into a towering man, his movements carrying the demeanor of Zhao Tieying.

Most of the others remained at the first or second realm level, which was the typical progress for ordinary people learning martial arts.

With the aid of his proficiency panel and practical combat, Lin Zhao's progress far surpassed that of ordinary individuals, making him stand out conspicuously.

Overall, this team of fifty men had taken shape: the Crimson Wind Colts were all tamed, and the forging of horse armor was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

After equipping his soldiers with cavalry armor, Lin Zhao, aside from his daily cultivation of the Netherworld Technique, devoted himself entirely to forging horse armor—his blacksmithing proficiency grew daily, progressing rapidly.

As for the arms and armor transactions with the "Wild Jackal Gang," Lin Zhao was now merely going through the motions.

After all, the treasury is currently full, and military supplies should be prioritized for the territorial soldiers. Once the fifty cavalry are fully equipped, it will be time to discuss external trade.

Thanks to the forging special effect [Hundred Refinements], Lin Zhao's forging efficiency far surpasses that of ordinary blacksmiths. The apprentices prepared the mystic iron blanks in advance, stoked the furnace fires, and he only needed to complete the core processes like forging and quenching.

Therefore, by the time of the Spring Equinox, the last of the fifty sets of mystic iron horse armor had been perfectly completed under his sweat-drenched hammer blows.

[Forging: Level 4 (19912) → Level 5 (Peak)]

[Special Effect "Guaranteed Exquisite" → "Masterful Craftsmanship"]

As his internal breath sensed the breakthrough in his skill, Lin Zhao understood that he had mastered this forging technique to its pinnacle.

"So, Level 5 is the limit. I can now be called a 'Grandmaster'."

Gazing at the horse armor breastplate in his hand, which gleamed with a cold light, Lin Zhao couldn't help but sigh. Unknowingly, he had reached a realm comparable to the legendary Grandmaster Zhao Hai.

This was no fluke, but the result of day after day of hammering and tempering, a natural progression.

He silently observed his proficiency panel:

Lin Zhao--

Forging: Level 5 (Peak), Special Effects: Masterful Craftsmanship, Hundred Refinements.

[Masterful Craftsmanship: All items forged are the pinnacle works of their material type, exceeding the sharpness and toughness of items of the same grade.]

"The original 'Guaranteed Exquisite' has been replaced by 'Masterful Craftsmanship'. With two major special effects for max-level forging, one enhances quality and the other enhances efficiency, complementing each other well."

Lin Zhao stretched his limbs, filled with joy. "One less skill requiring arduous cultivation, I feel much more relaxed."

Each time he mastered a skill to its peak, he felt a sense of accomplishment from reaching the pinnacle of his art, and also a sense of relief. It was like an artisan reaching the extreme and comprehending the true meaning; this joy could only be experienced by those who earnestly pursued their craft.

However, this sense of ease did not last long.

A few days later, as Lin Zhao sat meditating and cultivating, his internal breath sensed that the Netherworld Technique had quietly entered the introductory stage, and his proficiency panel updated accordingly:

Lin Zhao--

Netherworld Technique: Level 1 (1/1000)

"Another new technique, this is a sweet burden."

Lin Zhao smiled knowingly.

Reaching Level 1 in just over a month was even faster than with the Mystic Wolf technique—this confirmed his earlier conjecture: the more cultivation methods he mastered to their peak, and the deeper his understanding of the Martial Path, the faster new techniques would be introduced and progress.

Now, Lin Zhao was already adept at internal energy cultivation. He only needed to diligently refine it step by step, and the Netherworld Technique would eventually catch up to the progress of his other techniques.