Oirat Guardian General of the Nation

The title "Guardian General of the Nation" was like thunder in Lin Zhao's ears, even in the distant borderlands.

This man's fame rivaled that of Prince Jing'an, Zhu Chenhao. In terms of prestige, he even surpassed the latter by a notch.

He had long since become a living symbol of Oirat and Lanting Holy City, an unshakable guardian deity in the hearts of countless people.

Though he had not truly stepped into the realm of a Legendary Master Warrior, his combat strength already surpassed that of one.

Such a figure, only one step away from that supreme realm, could slaughter a Pangolin Dragon bare-handed as easily as lifting a hand or moving a foot. Terrifying beyond measure.

Lin Zhao's fingers unconsciously stroked the sword hilt, a trace of blazing fervor flashing through his eyes. "Other than Father, I must see for myself what the bearing of a true powerhouse is like."

After making inquiries, he found no trace of Netherworld Grass.

Such an obscure secret ingredient was likely sought only by those cultivating unorthodox mental arts like the Netherworld Technique.

As for things like Evil Dust, even the medicine shopkeepers shook their heads and said they had never heard of them.

"That is normal enough." Lin Zhao raised his brow slightly, unsurprised. "Such spellcasting materials were never things ordinary shops could acquire. It was already within expectations."

The sale of internal cultivation methods was exactly the same as at the Treasure Pavilion—out of stock.

Lin Zhao understood. No matter the nation, openly selling cultivation methods was taboo. If he wanted high-grade techniques, he would ultimately have to take the Black Market road.

The rules in the open had never trapped those truly seeking the Dao.

He immediately had Li Yue purchase the Pangolin Dragon Essence for five hundred silver coins. He had exchanged this money for silver coins at the Black Market before coming here.

He had not brought much travel money on this journey, for he had long made plans: find a secluded residence in Lanting Holy City, earn money while purchasing Pangolin Dragon Essence for arduous cultivation, and refrain from returning to his territory for now.

After all, ordinary enemies no longer even deserved his attention.

To Lin Zhao, his territory was merely a tool for making money.

Now that he was a dignified Grand Master Craftsman, his dependence on the territory had greatly diminished. Besides top experts like Xu Qin, he had no enemies worth mentioning.

If someone like Xu Qin truly came looking for him, remaining in his territory would instead be walking straight into a net. He would be safer in a place like Lanting Holy City, where crouching tigers and hidden dragons abounded.

With Li Yue running about, Lin Zhao found a courtyard in the central district.

Blue bricks paved the ground there, while its walls were high and its courtyard deep. It was as different from the shanties of the outer city as clouds from mud. One month's rent was enough to make an outer-city commoner toil for an entire year.

Once he had settled in, the remaining ingredients for the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine were quickly gathered as well.

Lin Zhao prepared the secret medicine overnight. The rich fragrance of medicine lingered around his nose as he immediately sat cross-legged on the ground and began cultivating—time was strength, and he was unwilling to waste even a fraction of it.

He then had Li Yue rent a small Blacksmith Shop in the outer city for just one silver coin a month.

Though the shop was small, it bore heavy traces of smoke and fire, making it perfect for forging weapons to exchange for money during breaks from cultivation.

He had only a thousand silver coins left. In the eyes of Lanting City's commoners, that already made him wealthy, but for Lin Zhao, who required large quantities of Pangolin Dragon Essence, it was enough for at most ten portions. If he wanted to bring back dozens of portions, earning money had become an urgent matter.

These days, Lanting Holy City had grown increasingly lively as it prepared for its grand ceremony. The sounds of drums, music, and hawking never ceased day or night, carrying the air of universal celebration.

But Lin Zhao had no interest in any of it. He shut himself indoors all day, immersing all his attention in cultivation.

Five days later, a muffled burst of air suddenly rang out within the courtyard.

The Brute Ox Technique had broken through to the Fourth Level!

Lin Zhao opened his eyes, and his fist swept forward unconsciously, stirring a faint breeze.

He could clearly sense that when his qi and blood surged, a wild and violent power within him seemed ready to break through its shackles—the words on the Proficiency Panel emerged clearly:

Lin Zhao—

Brute Ox Technique: Fourth Level (Perfected State). Special Effect: Rage Burst (when qi and blood churn in battle, strength temporarily increases by 30%.).

Feeling this strength that waxed and waned, he could not help shaking his head with a smile. "It has a few more variables than simple 'Basic Strength,' but it is still Lower Grade stuff in the end. I still have to rely on the Iron Rhinoceros Technique. That is the real deal that can break through to the Fifth Level!"

Another fifteen days passed, and the sounds of forging in the Blacksmith Shop suddenly ceased.

The Iron Rhinoceros Technique had reached the Fourth Level!

As true qi circulated over his body's surface, a thin layer of armor seemed to condense around him—the values on the Proficiency Panel jumped, and though the words "Perfected State" did not appear, a crucial annotation was added:

Lin Zhao—

Iron Rhinoceros Technique: Fourth Tier (1/20000). Special Effect: Rhino Armor Stacking (each circulation of true qi adds one layer of temporary defense to the body's surface, stacking up to 3 layers and offsetting part of the impact from Peak Martial Master-level attacks).

"It truly did not disappoint me!" A bright gleam lit Lin Zhao's eyes. He raised a hand and brushed his arm, able to feel the faint coolness formed by true qi. "Once I cultivate it to the Fifth Level, I will completely merge the Black Bear Technique and Brute Ox Technique into it. With this Rhino Armor Stacking added in, my defense will rise another level!"

Aside from the breakthroughs of these two cultivation methods, the Mystic Dragon Technique's proficiency had soared madly under the secret medicine's enhancement.

Lin Zhao could clearly feel the Mystic Dragon True Qi in his body becoming increasingly solid, flowing to his chest almost as if it were tangible. The cloth armor, scale armor, chainmail, and Heart Mirror over his heart gained another layer of true qi protection, making five layers in all!

What delighted him even more was that when true qi clung to a forged long sword, it could easily slice through refined iron that had previously been difficult to cut—the Proficiency Panel promptly updated, and a line of small text appeared after the Mystic Dragon Technique: New Special Effect · Mystic Dragon Armor Piercing (when true qi is attached to a weapon, it can ignore 10% of low-tier armor's defense).

"With armor stacking and armor piercing like this, among those of my generation, who can contend with me head-on?" Lin Zhao touched his chest and nodded in satisfaction.

The spellcasting materials for the Heart Guardian Seal that he had asked Li Yue to collect were now complete. Today was the day to test it.

Lin Zhao sat upright in the courtyard. His hands fluttered like butterflies, his hand seals changing as swiftly as afterimages. Then, he scattered a handful of faintly glowing materials from his palm.

"Buzz—"

A mysterious force instantly poured into the crown of his head, flowing through his meridians and spreading throughout his limbs and bones.

The materials centered around Radiant Crystals abruptly erupted with dazzling light. Powder drifted around him like stardust, pale white light turning from dots into lines, then from lines into planes. In the blink of an eye, it formed a bell-shaped protective barrier inverted over him.

Lin Zhao cautiously reached out, and his palm passed directly through the barrier.

"Hmm? Could it have failed?" He frowned slightly.

At that moment, a mechanism that had been set up in the corner of the courtyard suddenly activated. A fist-sized stone came smashing toward him with the sound of tearing air.

Lin Zhao had already prepared himself inside the barrier. His right fist tightened slightly, ready to shatter the stone at once if the barrier proved ineffective.

Bang!

The stone slammed fiercely into the barrier. The barrier merely trembled slightly, ripples spreading across its surface. Not only did it steadily disperse the force, a faint rebounding force even traveled back along the stone—the stone instantly shattered into four pieces, and the flying fragments carried a slight explosive force of their own.

"It worked! And it even hides the secret of 'rebounding force'?" Surprise flashed through Lin Zhao's eyes as he stared at the broken stones on the ground and muttered, "This Heart Guardian Rebound trait is quite useful. It can block attacks and make the attacker suffer a small loss as well. I do not know whether it can withstand a Peak Martial Master's attack, but for the first level just achieved to have such an effect is already rare."

He lightly tapped the barrier with his fingertips. His voice was calm, though it could not conceal his smile. "After all, this barrier specializes in resisting strange evil entities. Physical defense still has to rely on true qi and armor. But... with the Mystic Dragon Technique's five layers of heart protection, the Iron Rhinoceros Technique's three layers of stacked armor, and Heart Guardian Rebound, I have six layers of armor stacking plus reflected damage. Who can hurt me with an ordinary attack?"

A sense of security surged over him like a tide. Five breaths later, the barrier dissolved into specks of white light.

The Proficiency Panel updated accordingly:

Lin Zhao—

Heart Guardian Seal: entry level (1/1000). Trait: Heart Guardian Rebound (when blocking an attack, reflects 10% of the enemy's attack power; twice as effective against evil entities).

According to the Wen Clan's secret records, the Heart Guardian Seal's barrier duration and defensive power increased both with deeper cultivation and with bloodline concentration.

This seal was divided into three realms: the First Rebirth Phase: Guarding the Heart, the Second Phase: Mutual Guarding of the Heart, and the Third Phase: Destroying Form, Guarding the Heart.

Lin Zhao's current white barrier was merely the weakest beginner level.

But once he reached the Third Phase: Destroying Form, Guarding the Heart, he would become impervious to blades and spears, untouched by spells and evil entities, while the rebounding force could rise to the terrifying level of 30%!

The Wen Clan's ancestor had relied on this Third Phase: Destroying Form, Guarding the Heart Seal to charge in and out of an evil tide seven times, killing until the tide ran red. It was the stuff of legend.

This was Lin Zhao's goal.

Unfortunately, the spellcasting materials he had brought to Oirat were limited, and Lin Zhao was unwilling to waste Radiant Crystals on arduous cultivation.

After taking stock, he found that the materials on him were enough to cast the Heart Guardian Seal around ten times and the Blazing Sun Seal more than twenty times. As trump cards, that was more than enough.

"Though Oirat's Lanting Holy City is full of experts, there are probably only a handful capable of forcing me to use a spell seal. Besides, with the Guardian General of the Nation stationed here, so long as I do not cause trouble, who can easily come looking for trouble with me?" Lin Zhao stretched his muscles, his joints crackling.

His cultivation temporarily at an end, he changed into ordinary cloth clothes and quietly left. Now that he had the Mystic Dragon Technique's Mystic Dragon Armor Piercing special effect, it would be perfect for forging weapons. I'll first embed some Blazing Sun Runes into weapons and sell them to Xuan Yao Pavilion for silver coins.

Previously, he had already become a distinguished guest of Xuan Yao Pavilion under the identity of Hundred Refinements Heavenly Craftsman. Now, so long as he embedded a small amount of Blazing Sun Seal materials into his weapons during forging, the finished weapons could inflict weak burning damage on evil entities, directly doubling their price.

This method of rune embedding and forging neither wasted precious materials nor quickly earned money. It was exactly what he needed to solve his pressing problem.

A great city like Lanting Holy City naturally had a branch of Xuan Yao Pavilion.

Lin Zhao knew the branch's location by heart and headed briskly toward the outer city.

Before long, the clamor of the outer city rushed into his ears.

Lin Zhao had just turned the street corner when his gaze suddenly sharpened—outside his little Blacksmith Shop, a group of fierce-looking men had gathered.