Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone

Aunt Tie worked quickly, and by the next afternoon, she had found Lin Manshan a suitable small courtyard.

Nuoding City was built beside a river. People of status lived upstream, enjoying the cleanest water sources; Spirit Hall, Nuoding Academy, and the City Lord Mansion were all located there. The commoners gathered downstream, and the small courtyard Aunt Tie found for him was even farther down, in the lower reaches of the lower reaches. It was rather remote—ordinary people would need more than ten minutes to walk there even from the Blacksmith Shop.

Even so, the environment was quite good. There was an undeveloped small mountain nearby, with beautiful scenery and its own vegetable plot. It was also close to a backwater bay, solving the Blacksmith Shop's essential water supply problem. At the same time, because it stood on the outer curve of the river bend, very little household waste from upstream drifted over.

Most importantly, this world was still in an ancient feudal era. The land was vast and sparsely populated, and the environment had not been excessively developed or damaged by humans. As long as one lived beside the river, one could dig a hole anywhere and get clean running water. With a well at home, there was no need to worry about falling ill from drinking water.

The courtyard's original owner had been a small merchant. Now that he had saved enough money, he had bought a residence in the middle and upper reaches and wanted to sell this one. However, its location was simply too remote, and Nuoding City was a small city with little population to begin with. No one had bought it despite the courtyard being large enough for a family of five. This worked out perfectly for Lin Manshan, who bought it for twelve Gold Soul Coins.

After all, the main structure was a Wooden house. There were plenty of forests around Nuoding City, wood could be cut freely, and construction costs were low.

There was no explosive population growth, no property speculators, and land prices were cheap. Housing prices were simply that reasonable.

With his Spirit Master badge, it went smoothly when he went to the City Lord Mansion to handle the ownership transfer and obtain the Land Deed. After tidying up a little, Lin Manshan moved into the courtyard.

That very night, he received some good news.

Tang Hao had returned to Nuoding City.

In fact, after Tang Hao had left for several months during the period when Tang San returned home for his first semester break, Tang Hao had thereafter lived in a residence near Nuoding Academy, spying on Tang San's daily life whenever he had nothing better to do. During the next two breaks, whenever Tang San returned to Sacred Soul Village, Tang Hao would leave alone for a month. Once Nuoding Academy reopened, he would return and continue watching over Tang San.

Lin Manshan naturally knew why.

It was nothing more than Tang San returning to Sacred Soul Village. The poor, remote village was safe enough, allowing Tang Hao to go visit his wife.

But once Tang San entered Nuoding City, some powerful figure might recognize Xiao Wu's identity one day and take her Soul Ring and Soul Bone on the spot.

This departure and return happened to coincide with the beginning of Nuoding Academy's third semester.

In other words, Tang Hao would not leave again before next February.

It was only mid-March. There was no rush. I should focus on cultivating Soul Power first and bring my body to its best condition before setting out. That way, even if I encounter powerful Spirit Beasts in the forest where the Blue Silver Emperor is located, I will have the ability to avoid them and escape.

With that thought, Lin Manshan closed his eyes and continued cultivating.

The next morning, while the sky was still dim, Lin Manshan got up. After breakfast, he practiced his Blade Art around the courtyard as usual. Once he returned home and the craftsmen building the Forging Room arrived, he led them into the Backyard, then immediately returned to his room to continue cultivating Soul Power. He did the same in the afternoon and at night.

Completely immersed in cultivating Soul Power, he slept only two hours almost every day.

Amid such a packed routine, time gradually passed, and May soon arrived. Over nearly two months, although his Soul Power had barely increased at all, the Soul Power within his body had already approached fullness. He had also grown considerably taller, shooting up to 1.52 meters. It gave him the feeling that if he continued cultivating Soul Power nonstop, he might reach Yao Ming's height in another year or two.

In addition, the Forging Room in the Backyard had been completed.

Lin Manshan was also ready to set out.

After going to the Blacksmith Shop to inform Tie Shan, Lin Manshan headed straight out of the city. He did not ride a horse, instead running all the way as physical training. With abundant Soul Power protecting his body, his self-healing and recovery abilities had improved as well. He did not need to worry about collapsing from exhaustion after running, and his endurance was exceptionally strong.

Seven days later, Lin Manshan finally arrived at the outskirts of the forest where the Blue Silver Emperor was located.

The mountains before him could only be described as sheer cliffs towering a thousand fathoms. They were truly high and steep, rising into the clouds at slopes close to ninety degrees.

However, none of this troubled Lin Manshan. With the Void Evasion Technique, he could borrow force in midair to assist his climb.

He had originally wanted to bring climbing tools, but considering that Tang Hao might grow suspicious from the traces left along the way and become more likely to inspect whether the Soul Bone still existed, he gave up on the idea. It would not have made much difference, but he would hide it for as long as he could. One could never be too careful.

The longer it dragged on, the less Tang Hao would have to investigate, and the safer Lin Manshan, as someone from the same village, would be.

Smart people acted by eliminating every possibility as much as possible, leaving no traces behind.

Following the principle of walking along slopes whenever possible rather than entering valleys and forests, and with the help of his soul-sensing ability, Lin Manshan safely crossed one mountain peak after another. After a full day, he finally reached deep into the mountain range and heard the roar of a waterfall.

Before long, after passing several large trees, a clear pool and waterfall finally appeared before him.

"Finally." Looking at the towering silver waterfall overhead, glittering beneath the setting sun, Lin Manshan's gaze flickered. He felt both admiration for nature's miraculous craftsmanship and joy and excitement at finally reaching the place he had longed for after such a difficult journey.

Night was about to fall, and this place was near a water source. He had no idea whether powerful Spirit Beasts would come by at night. Only the cave within the waterfall offered Lin Manshan a hint of safety. Without hesitation, he leaped straight onto a reef beside the waterfall.

His feet tapped lightly as he searched for footholds, stepping and jumping several times before finally landing on the reef from his memories.

He reached out and touched the water. The current was swift and heavy, making it truly difficult to enter.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Manshan summoned his martial soul and activated the Soul Power within him to strengthen its enhancement of his physical body. Then, he held the Great Blade diagonally above his head and walked toward the torrent. The narrow path appeared and disappeared beneath the water. It was narrow and slippery, but he was steadier.

He slowly walked before a Cliff, stretched out a hand, and pressed down hard. The Cliff beside him sank inward, revealing an entrance.

Lin Manshan flashed inside without hesitation, withdrew his martial soul, and walked forward using what little vision he had.

When he reached the innermost area, his surroundings became slightly brighter. Looking up, he saw a small opening in the stone. The orange-red afterglow of the setting sun refracted through the hole, casting its light onto a Blue Silver Grass below whose leaves bore fine golden veins, tinting it a dark orange as well.

"What powerful Soul Power!" Lin Manshan stepped forward and crouched to inspect it. "However, the fluctuations are so weak. It is probably still dormant, and its consciousness has yet to awaken."

Lin Manshan Stood Up and ignored it. Nor did he intend to kill it. After all, killing it would bring him no benefit. It was better to leave it alive. Perhaps one day, he could use detoxification to befriend Dugu Bo and obtain a Soul Tool capable of storing living creatures, as well as an opportunity to enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Then he could transplant the Blue Silver Emperor. In several years, it would become another set of Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone. Leaving it to future generations would not be bad either.

The same reason was why he had never considered reporting the existence of Tang Hao, Tang San, and Xiao Wu to Spirit Hall. It would bring him no benefit at all. Reporting them under his real name, without strength or background, while accusing the descendants of the Upper Three Sects—what good reward could he possibly receive? Even if Bibi Dong did not choose to silence him, there was still the risk of the Clear Sky Sect finding out later and killing him to vent their anger. An anonymous report would be even worse.

If Xiao Wu were captured, he would not get even a single copper coin.

It was better to leave her alone for now and find an opportunity to kill her if he needed to later. A Spirit Beast was still a Spirit Beast. Even if it cultivated again and took human form, it could not change the fact that it was a Spirit Beast capable of producing a Soul Ring and Soul Bone upon death. If the time ever came that he needed one, he would not care whether it had a human form.

Lin Manshan looked around, pushed off with his toes, and swept a hand upward, immediately taking down a long box from one side of the Cliff.

The long box was heavy, made entirely of lead.

He walked to the wall of the stone chamber and sat down. Slowly lifting the lid, he immediately saw a blue-gold Right Leg Bone sparkling with tiny points of starlight. As he gently touched it, Lin Manshan could clearly sense the majestic life force contained within, along with a faint trace of soul aura.

Whether it is truly as I previously guessed, I will know once I try it. Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Manshan set the Lead Box aside and pressed the Soul Bone directly against his right leg.

At this time, Tang Hao was still in Nuoding City. The stone chamber was the best place to absorb it.