Deep within a mountain hollow behind the mountain, all was deathly silent. Only the wind passing through the treetops carried a mournful whimper, along with the faint, nauseating stench of rot drifting from the enormous pit.
Lin Chen stood quietly atop a great boulder, his eyes closed as he carefully sensed the surging, flowing, far more robust true qi within his body.
Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer!
This threshold, which had once stretched before him like an impassable chasm and crushed him until he could scarcely breathe, had finally been forcibly broken through by him in an almost savage manner!
Three years of repression, three years of despair, three years of unwillingness—at the instant of his breakthrough, they seemed to find an outlet, transforming into a stirring heroic spirit that churned within his chest. He even felt the urge to throw back his head and roar at the heavens, to howl away every humiliation and mockery he had endured over the past three years!
Yet in the end, he held it in.
He slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp as lightning as it swept across this desolate mountain hollow before finally settling in the direction of the Lin Family estate. There were clansmen who looked down on him, enemies who wanted him dead, and the lofty upper echelons of the Lineage who had remained indifferent to his fate.
Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer was merely the beginning. It could only allow him to barely retain his qualification to remain in the Lin Family during the Family Test seven days later, temporarily escaping the danger of expulsion or even being secretly murdered by Wang Teng.
But that was far from enough!
What he wanted was by no means merely to drag out a miserable existence!
He wanted to stand tall and upright, repaying every humiliation ever inflicted upon him a hundredfold! He wanted to grind beneath his feet those who regarded him as an ant and trampled on his dignity at will! He wanted to truly seize control of his own destiny and no longer be manipulated by anyone!
And to achieve all that, Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer cultivation was nowhere near enough!
Especially after witnessing Wang Teng's strength at the Body Tempering Realm Fifth Layer, as well as the unfathomable aura of the Lin Family's upper echelon, Lin Chen's desire to grow stronger burned even fiercer, like wildfire sweeping across the plains!
"Strength... I still need greater strength!" Lin Chen muttered, his clenched fists turning white at the knuckles.
The Myriad Dao Furnace could refine medicine dregs and the essence of demonic beast flesh and blood, providing him with an endless stream of energy and allowing his cultivation to rise rapidly. But having cultivation alone, without powerful cultivation techniques and martial skills to support it, would only make him a reckless brute with brute force, unable to bring out true combat power.
He recalled his brief clash with Wang Teng that day. Though he had caught Wang Teng off guard and forced him back, that had relied more on the sudden increase in his physical strength and the vicious, tricky nature of his attack. In a genuine fight to the death, the crude fist-and-kick techniques he currently possessed likely would not last more than a few exchanges against Wang Teng's sharp claw technique, which had clearly been trained through a superior martial skill.
"Cultivation techniques! Martial skills!" A sharp gleam flashed in Lin Chen's eyes. "I need stronger cultivation techniques to raise my cultivation efficiency, and fiercer martial skills to strengthen my practical combat ability!"
And in the entire Lin Family, the place with the richest collection of cultivation techniques and martial skills was undoubtedly—the Scripture Repository!
Once that thought arose, it spread like a wildly growing vine, instantly occupying his entire mind!
The Scripture Repository was an important place of the Lin Family. It housed all sorts of cultivation manuals and martial arts texts collected and created by generations of Lin Family ancestors, forming the foundation upon which the Lin Family had been passed down and developed.
Three years ago, when he had still been the highly anticipated genius, he had also qualified to enter the first floor of the Scripture Repository and browse those basic cultivation methods. But at the time, he had been proud and arrogant, fixated on more profound techniques, and had disdained those basic manuals.
After he had been reduced to a cripple, however, the doors of the Scripture Repository had been completely closed to him. It became a sacred place he could only gaze upon from afar, beyond his reach, and an indelible pain in his heart.
But now, things were different!
He had already broken through to the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer! According to Lin Family rules, anyone who reached the Body Tempering Realm First Layer qualified to enter the first floor of the Scripture Repository and read basic cultivation techniques and martial skills!
Though given his awkward current status as one bearing guilt, along with the deliberate suppression from the Great Elder's faction, he would likely encounter no small amount of resistance if he wanted to enter the Scripture Repository smoothly. But no matter what, he had to give it a try!
There might be an opportunity hidden there that would allow his strength to soar once more!
Besides...
A meaningful curve appeared at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth as his mind sank into his Dantian Sea of Qi, sensing the mysterious Myriad Dao Furnace.
Since the furnace could refine medicine dregs and flesh-and-blood essence, then could it perhaps... also refine the texts that recorded cultivation techniques and martial skills?
Could it directly refine and absorb the information of cultivation techniques, even... optimize and deduce them?!
That idea was simply too shocking! If it truly worked, it would be even more heaven-defying than simply increasing his cultivation!
Lin Chen's heart began pounding uncontrollably, and unprecedented blazing light ignited in his eyes!
No time could be wasted!
He no longer lingered. He immediately set off, swiftly returning toward the Lin Family estate along the rugged mountain path.
After breaking through to the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer, his speed and endurance had improved enormously. A mountain road that had originally taken nearly two hours was completed in less than half that time.
When he reappeared in the rear residence area of the Lin Family, it was already close to noon.
There were more servants and disciples on the roads than there had been that morning.
Seeing Lin Chen return from the direction of the back mountain, and seeming to be... in considerably better spirits than when he had gone out that morning—though his clothes were still ragged and covered in filth—many people revealed looks of surprise and confusion.
"Eh? Why has this trash returned from the back mountain? Wasn't he sent to deal with dead pigs? He finished that quickly?" "Looking at him, it doesn't seem like he did much work..." "Hmph, he must have gone off to slack! I told you he wouldn't last!" "Rotten mud can't be plastered onto a wall! Just wait to be driven out!"
All sorts of discussions rose once more, but this time, Lin Chen keenly sensed that there seemed to be less pure contempt in them and more... inexplicable scrutiny.
Clearly, the fact that he had issued a military pledge in the council hall the night before, as well as the earlier incident of forcing Wang Teng back, had quietly spread within the Lin Family and stirred up some ripples. Though the overwhelming majority still thought poorly of him, even believing that he had gone mad, they had nonetheless placed a small question mark upon him.
Lin Chen did not care in the slightest. Without so much as glancing aside, he walked straight toward the location of the Scripture Repository from his memories.
The Lin Family Scripture Repository stood in the relatively rearward central area of the Lin Family estate. It was an independent, ancient three-story pavilion. The entire building was constructed from hard bluestone and unknown black hardwood, with upturned eaves and intricate brackets, imposing in bearing. A ring of lush pine and cypress trees had been planted around it, adding a few degrees of solemn majesty.
The pavilion doors were tightly shut. Two mighty stone lions stood to either side, while an open bluestone plaza stretched before it. At present, it was deserted and exceptionally quiet.
Unlike the bustle and clamor of the other areas, this place seemed to form a world of its own, permeated by the scholarly air of accumulated years and a faint pressure.
Standing at the edge of the plaza, Lin Chen looked upon this pavilion, both familiar and unfamiliar, with a tumult of emotions in his heart.
Three years ago, he had stepped inside with hope and pride.
Three years later, he would have to knock upon its doors anew as "trash" and one bearing guilt.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, then stepped onto the bluestone plaza and headed toward the heavy black wooden doors.
Just as he came within a dozen or so steps of the doors, an elderly, somewhat lazy voice suddenly rang out from the shadows by the entrance.
"Stop right there!"
Lin Chen halted and looked toward the voice.
In the shadows beside the doors stood an old grand chair. Reclining in it was an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a gray cloth robe. The old man appeared to be at least seventy or eighty years old, his face covered in wrinkles. His eyes were half-closed, and he held a purple clay teapot in one hand, leisurely drinking tea as though he had long been waiting here.
Lin Chen knew this old man. He was Elder Qiu, the guardian elder of the Scripture Repository. It was said that he had been with the Lin Family for decades, held extremely high seniority, and possessed unfathomable strength. Yet his temperament was peculiar. Apart from guarding the Scripture Repository, he rarely involved himself in any family matters.
"This disciple, Lin Chen, greets Elder Qiu." Lin Chen did not dare be negligent and quickly bowed. Elder Qiu's strength was likely several degrees greater than even Lin Xiaotian's. He was absolutely not someone Lin Chen could afford to offend at present.
Elder Qiu lifted his eyelids, and his cloudy old eyes slowly swept over Lin Chen. When he clearly saw Lin Chen's somewhat pale yet exceptionally calm face, a trace of imperceptible surprise flashed through his eyes before they returned to stillness like an ancient well.
"Lin Chen?" Elder Qiu set down his teapot and said unhurriedly, "I remember you. That little fellow from three years ago... the one with blocked meridians?"
His tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether he was mocking him or simply stating a fact.
"Yes, Elder. It was this disciple," Lin Chen answered respectfully.
"What are you doing here?" Elder Qiu asked. "The Scripture Repository is an important place. It is not somewhere just anyone can enter as they please. Especially you... I heard that you are in quite a bit of trouble now."
Clearly, even Elder Qiu, who kept himself apart from worldly affairs, had heard something about the previous night's events.
Lin Chen's heart tightened. He knew the crucial moment had arrived. He raised his head and met Elder Qiu's gaze, which appeared cloudy but seemed capable of seeing straight into one's heart. Neither servile nor overbearing, he said, "Reporting to Elder Qiu, this disciple has fortunately broken through to the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer. According to the clan rules, I should qualify to enter the first floor of the Scripture Repository and read the basic cultivation techniques and martial skills."
As he spoke, he slightly circulated the true qi within him, clearly releasing the aura fluctuations of the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer.
"Oh?" Another trace of surprise flashed through Elder Qiu's eyes, and this time it was clearly much stronger than before. He examined Lin Chen closely, as though he intended to see through him completely.
A youth judged to possess crippled meridians and unable to cultivate for three years had actually broken through to the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer in such a short time? That was indeed beyond his expectations.
After a moment of silence, Elder Qiu slowly nodded. "Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer... that barely qualifies."
He paused before adding, "However, rules are rules. Outer disciples and disciples at the Body Tempering Realm First through Third Layers may enter the first floor of the Scripture Repository to browse its texts. Each entry requires ten Low-grade Spirit Stones or one hundred Lineage Contribution Points. Browsing time must not exceed two hours. No noise, and no damaging the books. Can you follow those rules?"
Ten Low-grade Spirit Stones! Or one hundred Lineage Contribution Points!
Lin Chen's heart sank.
Spirit stones were the common cultivation currency of the Mysterious Yellow Continent, containing pure Spiritual Qi. Although Low-grade Spirit Stones were the lowest grade, they were no small sum to ordinary Lin Family disciples. As for Lineage Contribution Points, those could only be earned by completing various Lineage tasks.
For the past three years, he had been treated as trash. His monthly allowance from the Lineage had long been withheld until nothing remained. Not to mention ten Low-grade Spirit Stones, he could not even produce a single fragment of silver! As for Contribution Points, he had none at all!
This seemingly fair rule was, to him, an insurmountable threshold!
Could it be... that after finally making it here, he would be turned away because of these mere ten spirit stones?
Lin Chen's expression instantly became somewhat unsightly.
Elder Qiu saw Lin Chen's embarrassment clearly. A trace of inexplicable meaning flickered in his cloudy old eyes, but he said nothing. He merely raised the teapot and took another leisurely sip, seemingly waiting for Lin Chen's response.
Lin Chen took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He could not give up! He absolutely could not give up here!
His mind raced as he considered a solution. Forcing his way inside was certainly impossible, and confronting Elder Qiu head-on would be courting death. Begging for mercy? Given Elder Qiu's temperament, he likely would not care either.
What should he do?
Just as anxiety overwhelmed him, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning!
He abruptly raised his head and looked at Elder Qiu. "Elder Qiu! This disciple truly has no spirit stones or Contribution Points on him. But I am willing to compensate with labor! I am willing to clean the Scripture Repository, arrange its books, and perform any menial task! I only ask for one opportunity to enter and browse!"
Compensate with labor?
Elder Qiu set down the teapot and looked at Lin Chen once more, his eyes carrying an extra hint of amusement. "Oh? Cleaning? Arranging books? Do you know how many books there are in the Scripture Repository? The first floor alone holds over ten thousand volumes! Organizing them is no easy task."
"This disciple does not fear hardship!" Lin Chen said decisively, his tone brimming with determination. "As long as I can enter the Scripture Repository, this disciple is willing to pay any price!"
His gaze was so resolute, so hungry, as though the Scripture Repository contained the only straw that could save his fate!
Elder Qiu stared at Lin Chen for a long while. Deep within those cloudy old eyes, there seemed to flash a trace of approval, and perhaps a hint of emotion.
He remained silent for so long that Lin Chen's heart nearly leaped into his throat before he finally spoke slowly.
"Very well." Elder Qiu sighed and waved his hand. "Seeing that you have a bit of backbone, and that you have indeed reached the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer, this old man shall make an exception today."
"Thank you, Elder Qiu!" Ecstasy surged through Lin Chen's heart, and he hurriedly bowed in thanks.
"Do not thank me so quickly." Elder Qiu interrupted him, speaking unhurriedly. "This old man can let you in. But the rules cannot all be broken. Since you have no spirit stones, you will compensate with labor. You will clean the fallen leaves in the front courtyard of the Scripture Repository. When you finish sweeping, then you may enter."
The bluestone plaza in the front courtyard of the Scripture Repository was extremely spacious. Though the pine and cypress trees did not shed leaves often, the area was vast. Truly sweeping it spotless would take no small amount of time and effort.
Clearly, this was a small test from Elder Qiu.
"Yes! This disciple obeys!" Lin Chen agreed immediately without the slightest hesitation.
Compared to the tremendous opportunity of entering the Scripture Repository, what did sweeping a courtyard amount to?
He immediately went to the edge of the plaza, found the broom and dustpan placed against the wall, and began cleaning in earnest.
He swept carefully and seriously, without the slightest perfunctory effort. Every fallen leaf and every speck of dust was cleaned away.
Elder Qiu continued reclining in the grand chair, his eyes half-closed. From time to time, he glanced at Lin Chen's busy figure, and a trace of imperceptible satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
This little fellow had suffered twists and turns in fate, but his temperament was not bad. Unmoved by favor or disgrace, clear in his goal, able to bend and stretch, and willing to endure hardship. Perhaps... he truly could create a miracle?
Time passed bit by bit, and the sun gradually slanted westward.
At last, after nearly four hours of hard labor, Lin Chen had swept the enormous bluestone plaza until it looked completely renewed, almost spotless.
He walked before Elder Qiu and respectfully said, "Elder Qiu, this disciple has finished cleaning."
Elder Qiu slowly opened his eyes and nodded in satisfaction. "Mm, not bad. It is fairly clean."
He rose to his feet, walked to the heavy black wooden doors, and lightly pressed one hand against them.
Creak—
With a dull sound, the sealed doors slowly opened inward, revealing the deep world behind them, filled with the scent of books.
"Go in." Elder Qiu stepped aside and said blandly, "Remember, only two hours. No noise, and do not damage the books. First floor, outer area. Judge for yourself."
"Thank you, Elder Qiu!" Lin Chen was filled with excitement. He bowed deeply once more, then stepped without hesitation into the Scripture Repository he had longed for over the past three years!
The moment he entered, a rich scent washed over him, mingling aged paper, ink, and faint sandalwood. His mind could not help but settle.
The interior was somewhat dim, with only a few high windows allowing in traces of daylight. Before his eyes stood rows upon rows of enormous bookshelves several yards high. The shelves were made from the same black hardwood and densely packed with texts of all kinds of materials—yellowed ancient books, green bamboo slips, Beast Hide Scrolls, and even peculiar jade rubbings.
Vast as a sea of smoke!
Even though Lin Chen had prepared himself mentally, he was still shocked by the magnificent sight before him!
This was the foundation accumulated by the Lin Family over several centuries!
He forcibly suppressed his excitement. Rather than immediately examining those tempting books, he first quickly surveyed the layout of the first floor.
The first floor was enormous, like a giant library. Bookshelves were neatly arranged and divided by different categories. The farther inward one went, the better the shelf materials seemed to become, and the more exquisitely the texts were preserved. Those were clearly the more precious sections.
The "outer area" Elder Qiu had mentioned referred to the area near the entrance, where the shelves were most ordinary and the books appeared oldest and most disordered. Most of what was stored here were the most widely circulated basic cultivation techniques of the Mysterious Yellow Continent, low-tier martial skills, and various miscellaneous records, legends, geographic chronicles, and the like.
Lin Chen's goal was clear—cultivation techniques!
He needed a basic cultivation technique that could rapidly raise his cultivation and was suited to the Myriad Dao Furnace!
His gaze quickly locked onto a rather familiar-looking Beast Hide Scroll on a shelf in the outer area.
Four large characters were written on the label in ancient script—
"Basic Qi Refining Art"!
This was the technique!
The most widely circulated and most basic, yet reputedly most reliable introductory qi-refining method on the Mysterious Yellow Continent!
Three years ago, his accident had happened while cultivating this very technique! This technique had practically become his nightmare!
But now, seeing it again, Lin Chen's eyes contained not the slightest fear or disgust. Instead, they glittered with unusual light!
What was most basic was often also most essential!
Moreover, this cultivation technique was so widely circulated that it must possess its own unique merits. It was only possible that, because it was too widespread, it contained some hidden flaws, or rather, that it was not suitable for everyone.
What if... he used the Myriad Dao Furnace to refine it?
Lin Chen's heart once again began racing uncontrollably!
He extended his hand and took down the somewhat worn Beast Hide Scroll. It felt slightly heavy in his hand and carried a sense of weathered years.
He did not open it immediately. Instead, holding the scroll, he swiftly went to an exceptionally secluded, almost entirely ignored corner of the first floor. Some broken tables and chairs, along with abandoned bookshelves, were piled here. The lighting was even dimmer, making it the perfect place to "commit a crime."
After confirming that no one was nearby and that Elder Qiu's Spiritual Sense was not specifically focused in this direction, Lin Chen took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and spread the Beast Hide Scroll flat across his knees.
Rather than reading the words on the scroll, he directly closed his eyes and sank his mind into his dantian!
"Myriad Dao Furnace... refine this cultivation technique!"
Buzz—!
Within the Dantian Sea of Qi, the mysterious black iron fragment erupted with brilliant dusky light once again!
Different from when it had refined medicine dregs and flesh-and-blood essence before, this time the furnace no longer emitted mere suction. Instead, it released a force that was more profound and more exquisitely subtle!
This force silently spread outward, enveloping the Basic Qi Refining Art upon Lin Chen's knees!
The next instant, an unbelievable scene occurred!
The ancient characters on the Beast Hide Scroll seemed to come alive! One character after another floated off the scroll, transforming into streams of light containing information. Drawn by some mysterious power, they poured continuously into the center of Lin Chen's brow!
The moment those streams of information entered Lin Chen's Sea of Consciousness, they were instantly pulled in and swept into the phantom of a furnace suspended within his spiritual world, echoing from afar with the furnace in his dantian!
Boom!!!
Lin Chen felt as though his head were about to explode!
A massive torrent of information, like rivers and seas bursting through a broken dam, madly battered his consciousness!
The general principles of the Basic Qi Refining Art, its qi circulation routes, detailed explanations of acupoints, precautions... every word and every detail appeared in his mind with incomparable clarity!
But this was only the beginning!
Under the mysterious power of the Myriad Dao Furnace, this raw cultivation information was being rapidly analyzed, broken down, and reorganized!
The obscure and difficult portions of the cultivation technique were instantly dissected, transforming into the most straightforward insights!
Those hidden, difficult-to-detect flaws and drawbacks were mercilessly removed and corrected!
What was more, based on the characteristics of Lin Chen's remolded meridians, which far exceeded those of ordinary people, the furnace was carrying out an inconceivable—optimization and deduction—of this basic cultivation technique!
Lin Chen became completely immersed in this wondrous state. It was as though he had transformed into an incomparably experienced peerless grandmaster, examining, analyzing, and perfecting this seemingly simple basic cultivation technique from a perspective beyond all reason!
He "saw" how true qi circulated through the meridians under the guidance of this technique; he "saw" which acupoints were key nodes, which routes could be made simpler and more efficient; he "saw" how to draw in Spiritual Qi to the utmost, how to refine and absorb it faster...
Countless realizations surged into his heart like enlightenment pouring over his head!
Who knew how long had passed? When the stream of light formed from the final character was completely absorbed and refined by the furnace—
Buzz!
The phantom of the furnace trembled lightly!
A brand-new "Basic Qi Refining Art," both similar to and utterly different from the original, was deeply branded into Lin Chen's soul like the Great Dao of heaven and earth!
This "new" qi refining art retained the original technique's core framework and reliability, but its qi circulation routes were simpler and smoother, increasing qi absorption speed by at least thirty percent! Its refining efficiency had increased by more than fifty percent! Moreover, it contained subtle and mysterious methods capable of better tempering the meridians and nourishing the fleshly body!
Most importantly, this technique seemed tailor-made for him, perfectly fitting his unique meridians!
"This... this is simply..." Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with incredulous shock and wild delight!
The Myriad Dao Furnace really could refine cultivation techniques! And it could even optimize and deduce them on its own!
This was no longer merely defying heaven. This was nothing short of a miracle!
He immediately tried circulating his true qi according to the brand-new "Basic Qi Refining Art" in his mind.
Boom!
In an instant, he felt the surrounding Spiritual Qi being seized by a powerful attraction, surging madly into his body several times faster than before! The spiritual qi flowed along those brand-new, smoother routes and, with almost no obstruction, was swiftly refined into pure true qi and gathered in his dantian!
His cultivation speed... had skyrocketed!
Lin Chen trembled all over with excitement!
With this optimized version of the "Basic Qi Refining Art," coupled with the Myriad Dao Furnace's ability to refine all things for energy, just how terrifying would his cultivation speed become?!
Seven days!
Forget the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer!
Perhaps... he could even charge toward a higher realm!
Just as Lin Chen was immersed in immense delight, Elder Qiu's aged yet calm voice rang beside his ear at precisely the right moment, like an evening drum and morning bell:
"Kid, an hour is up. Time to come out."
Lin Chen's heart tightened, and only then did he realize how quickly time had passed.
He hurriedly calmed his mind and carefully rolled up the Beast Hide Scroll on his knees—at this moment, the scroll looked no different from ordinary beast hide in his eyes. All its essence had already been completely "refined" and absorbed by the Myriad Dao Furnace.
He rose to his feet, straightened his clothes, returned the scroll to its place, then quickly walked out of the Scripture Repository.
Elder Qiu was still seated in that grandmaster chair, his eyes narrowed as though he were asleep.
"Thank you for granting me this opportunity, Elder Qiu!" Lin Chen respectfully bowed once more.
Elder Qiu did not even raise his eyelids. He merely gave a faint "Mm," then waved his hand, signaling that Lin Chen could leave.
Lin Chen did not linger. He turned and left the Scripture Repository plaza.
He could sense Elder Qiu's seemingly clouded gaze resting on his back for a moment, carrying a trace of scrutiny and... anticipation?
But Lin Chen had no time to think further.
His heart overflowed with unprecedented confidence and strength!
He had obtained a foundational technique—and it was a supercharged version optimized by the Myriad Dao Furnace!
Next, he would use this incomparable cultivation efficiency, along with the medicinal dregs and Crimson Flame Pig essence that had not yet been fully "refined," to push his cultivation to a new peak!
The Family Test? Lin Bao? Wang Teng?
Just wait!
I, Lin Chen, am back!
This time, I will definitely leave you... utterly dumbfounded!
He quickened his pace and sprinted toward his run-down little courtyard, his figure casting a long shadow brimming with hope and fighting spirit in the lingering glow of the sunset.
Before you continue