After returning home.
Lin Bai's Sword Martial Soul was pitch-black from blade to hilt, as though it were a sword forged from a mass of darkness.
"A Sword Martial Soul isn't bad either. I happen to like practicing the sword!"
After a brief spell of disappointment, Lin Bai rekindled his fighting spirit. So what if his Martial Soul was only Yellow Rank One? On the path of martial cultivation, what mattered most was that Heaven rewarded diligence.
Lin Bai firmly believed that even with a Yellow Rank One Martial Soul, as long as he was willing to work hard, he could still achieve something.
"Devouring Sword Soul! Nothing under heaven cannot be devoured, and nothing cannot be cut!"
"Although it is a Yellow Rank One Martial Soul, its potential far surpasses even that of a God-Rank Soul!"
"By devouring the qi and blood within demon beasts, it can rapidly advance its cultivation realm."
When Lin Bai focused all his attention on communicating with his Martial Soul, the Sword Martial Soul suddenly displayed an introduction to itself.
These three simple sentences left Lin Bai utterly dumbfounded!
"So my Martial Soul isn't an ordinary Sword Martial Soul, but the Devouring Sword Soul! It can even rapidly increase my cultivation by devouring the qi and blood within demon beasts!"
"Hahaha! It really is true that Heaven never bars every path!"
"Lin Zier, you never would have imagined this, would you? The Yellow Rank One Martial Soul you mocked and looked down on is actually a Devouring Sword Soul comparable to a God-Rank Soul!"
"Just wait. I'll make you—and everyone who mocked me today—regret it!"
Lin Bai carefully studied the Devouring Sword Soul for three days.
During those three days, Lin Bai also consumed a great many pills.
Using the Devouring Sword Soul, he perfectly absorbed every bit of the pills' medicinal power.
Lin Bai's Martial Dao Realm also broke through to Martial Dao Third Level.
"Only three days, and the Devouring Sword Soul has already brought me to Martial Dao Third Level."
"It truly lives up to its reputation as a Devouring Sword Soul comparable to a God-Rank Soul!"
Lin Bai was overjoyed. "I've awakened my Martial Soul now. According to my father's instructions, I can go collect the cultivation resources he left for me when he departed back then."
"Once I collect the cultivation resources my father left behind, I'll search for demon blood and let the Devouring Sword Soul devour it. With pills and demon blood working together, my realm will surely advance at lightning speed!"
Before leaving Spirit Rhino City, Lin Bai's father, Lin Duo, had entrusted a substantial batch of cultivation resources to the Lin Family for safekeeping.
He had instructed the Lin Family to hand those cultivation resources over to Lin Bai once Lin Bai turned sixteen and awakened his Martial Soul.
Those cultivation resources were enough for Lin Bai to cultivate from the Martial Dao Realm all the way to the Heaven Martial Realm!
The divisions of the Martial Dao Realm were strict. From lowest to highest, they were: Martial Dao Ninth Level, True Martial Realm, Profound Martial Realm, Earth Martial Realm, Heaven Martial Realm, and Divine Core Realm!
In front of the Elders Council.
After a disciple announced him, Lin Bai entered the Elders Council.
Inside the Elders Council, the elders were seated in rows, smiling as they looked at Lin Bai.
"Lin Bai, I heard that your Martial Soul awakening results were extremely poor. You actually couldn't even surpass my son, Lin Xuan. Hahaha! But don't lose heart. On the path of martial cultivation, what matters most is that Heaven rewards diligence."
The Lin Family elder, Lin Tianheng, spoke to Lin Bai with a genial smile.
Lin Tianheng's son, Lin Xuan, had awakened a Yellow Rank Six Martial Soul, which had truly allowed him to bask in glory within the Elders Council and Spirit Rhino City.
"Exactly. Lin Bai, don't lose heart. Although my daughter awakened a Yellow Rank Nine Martial Soul—seven or eight ranks higher than yours—Heaven rewards diligence. As long as you work hard, I believe you can certainly succeed as well."
Another elder, Lin Tianhai, also said with a smile.
Lin Tianhai's daughter was named Lin Shanshan. She had awakened her Martial Soul together with Lin Bai.
Lin Bai looked at these elders with a cold laugh. They were all of the same generation as Lin Bai's father. Back then, how lofty had Lin Duo's Martial Soul been? Beneath Lin Duo's radiance, they had been utterly dim.
Unfortunately, Lin Duo's whereabouts were now unknown, while Lin Bai was a useless trash. At last, they could find a little sense of existence in Lin Bai.
What was most lamentable was that they likely still did not know that Lin Bai's Martial Soul was far more formidable than their Profound Grade and Earth Grade Martial Souls!
After a cold laugh, Lin Bai said, "Thank you for your concern, Elders. Lin Bai hasn't abandoned the Martial Dao because of a Yellow Rank One talent. I came to the Elders Council today precisely to retrieve what my father left here back then."
"What thing?" one of the elders asked, pretending to be confused.
Lin Bai said, "Naturally, the batch of cultivation resources my father had you preserve for me—the resources sufficient to let me cultivate to the Heaven Martial Realm!"
When they heard that Lin Bai wanted to take away the cultivation resources Lin Duo had left behind, every elder hesitated to speak, their expressions turning ugly.
They all knew that the Martial Dao resources Lin Duo had left behind were enough for a disciple to cultivate to the Heaven Martial Realm.
Lin Bai asked in confusion, "What? Do the Elders have some objection?"
Lin Taiheng, the high-ranking Grand Elder of the Lin Family, gave a light cough and said solemnly, "The Elders Council has already decided to give these cultivation resources to Lin Zier!"
"What!"
Hearing this, Lin Bai felt as though he had been struck by lightning!
If Lin Bai wanted to cultivate rapidly, these cultivation resources were of paramount importance!
Lin Bai said furiously, "These are the cultivation resources my father left for me. You were only supposed to keep them for me temporarily. What right do you have to distribute them to someone else without permission?"
"Are you not afraid that my father will fly into a rage when he returns?"
Lin Bai roared.
"Lin Bai, this is the Elders Council, not a place where you can act outrageously."
"What are you shouting for? Who do you think you are, daring to bellow in the Elders Council? I'm telling you, if we weren't mindful of Lin Duo's contributions to the family, that one sentence alone would be enough for us to expel you from the Lin Family!"
"Lin Duo? He may not even be alive!"
"Alas, Lin Bai, with your Yellow Rank One Martial Soul, even if you cultivate diligently, it will be useless. You might as well let us distribute these cultivation resources to Lin Zier. She will certainly accomplish great things in the future!" Lin Taiheng sighed.
Listening to the elders' sarcastic mockery from their seats, Lin Bai was so enraged that his hair stood on end. "A bunch of old bastards! You want to swallow the cultivation resources my father left for me? Dream on!"
"Give them to Lin Zier? Hmph, that useless thing—what could a treacherous, poisonous woman possibly accomplish?!"
When Lin Taiheng heard Lin Bai insulting Lin Zier, he immediately roared, "Lin Bai, who did you call useless?"
Lin Tianhai also shouted angrily, "Lin Bai, you'll pay the price for what you've done today!"
"Was I wrong? Lin Zier is a treacherous, poisonous woman. She has no future at all!" Lin Bai gave a cold laugh.
"Whether I have a future or not isn't for a Yellow Rank One waste like you to judge."
At that moment, a woman entered through the doors of the Elders Council.
It was none other than Lin Zier.
Dressed in purple, Lin Zier was noble and elegant. Her face was haughty, and she cast Lin Bai a condescending, contemptuous glance.
That gaze made Lin Bai feel deeply humiliated. He swore he would remember that contemptuous look for the rest of his life!
Lin Zier said coldly, "Father, Elders, why waste words on a piece of trash? Just beat him out with clubs."
"Lin Zier, don't get too full of yourself. The road is still long. Who becomes king is anyone's guess!" Lin Bai said coldly.
Lin Zier sneered. "Is that so? Do you really think a Yellow Rank One Martial Soul can stand shoulder to shoulder with mine? Forget me—even Lin Xuan and Lin Hai are people you'll never catch up to in your entire life."
"Since you insist on saying that, fine. I'll give you an opportunity. In another two months, the Four Great Sects of the Divine Martial Nation will come to Spirit Rhino City to accept disciples."
"By then, I'll join the strongest of the Four Great Sects, Azure Cloud Terrace Palace, as the number-one candidate in Spirit Rhino City."
"This will be your final chance to catch up to me. Do you dare to fight me at the disciple acceptance ceremony two months from now?"
"What is there to fear?" Lin Bai replied directly. "Two months from now, I will certainly defeat you!"
Lin Zier sneered. "I'll be waiting!"
Lin Bai gave the elders seated in the Elders Council and Lin Zier a deep look, then swept out his sleeves and stormed from the Elders Council. "A pack of old dogs—and you too, Lin Zier. Just wait. Two months from now, I'll show you who the true genius is!"
"You stole the cultivation resources my father left for me. I'll show you that once you touch certain things, you'll have to pay with your life!"
Inside the Elders Council.
The Grand Elder, Lin Taiheng, asked, "Zier, you were too rash. Are you confident two months from now?"
Lin Zier chuckled. "Hehe, Father, you've underestimated your daughter. I possess a Heaven-Rank Soul. Forget Lin Bai—within a radius of fifty thousand kilometers around Spirit Rhino City, it's impossible for me to have an opponent!"
"Father, give me the cultivation resources Lin Duo left behind first. Within two months, I must cultivate to Martial Dao Ninth Level and show my brilliance at the disciple acceptance ceremony."
"As long as I can enter Azure Cloud Terrace Palace, that will be the moment Lin Zier soars to the heavens."
"When that time comes, even if Lin Duo returns, I won't fear him!"
Lin Zier spoke with absolute confidence.
Azure Cloud Terrace Palace was one of the Four Great Sects of the Divine Martial Nation, a sacred land of the Martial Dao that countless martial artists throughout the Divine Martial Nation dreamed of reaching!