Ambushed

The so-called standard cultivation refers to the feedback of cultivation obtained by Descenders from the myriad worlds of the Void back to their true bodies. This feedback needs to be compressed by the Primordial Gate, making it more refined.

The minimum compression is threefold. This means that if a Descender has 300 years of internal energy upon descending, upon returning to their true body, that 300 years of internal energy will be compressed into 100 years of refined internal energy. The total amount is less, but the power is stronger.

Correspondingly, if a Descender uses a clone to descend while carrying the power of their true body, the power projected into the world of descent will be amplified threefold.

This means that for the same cultivation level, a Descender will be more powerful than cultivators from other worlds.

And this threefold amplification is merely the minimum compression multiplier. The default is threefold, but Descenders can choose the compression multiplier for their own cultivation. It can be fourfold, fivefold, tenfold, or even more, as long as one is willing. Choosing to compress it a hundredfold is also possible.

Of course, a hundredfold compression is impossible. Theoretically, one can choose it, but in practice, doing so is suicidal.

This is because each Descender has a limited number of descents for each realm. It's not possible to remain in a fixed realm and descend an infinite number of times until enough cultivation is accumulated to break through to the next realm. If the cultivation compression multiplier is too high, and within the limited descent period, the accumulated cultivation is insufficient to break through to the next realm, then that person is simply ruined.

Therefore, most Descenders compress their cultivation by the standard threefold. It's rare to see higher multipliers. Even geniuses dare not compress their cultivation too much.

The Song'an County branch of the Great River Gang is located in a small town by the Linjiang River. Lin Xiao, with over a dozen subordinates assigned to him, rode his horse leisurely down the main road. On the other side of the road was the Linjiang River, the largest river in Linjiang Prefecture, over a thousand meters wide. The river surface was wide and calm. The Great River Gang, the Iron Boat Gang, and the Salt Gang, these three major gangs, all made their living from this great river, and their conflicts were mostly over control of this river.

At this moment, a broad-shouldered man carrying a saber approached and said in a low voice:

"Hall Master, we are still seven or eight li away from the Song'an branch. Should we send a couple of brothers ahead to inform them?"

Lin Xiao nodded:

"Send two men."

Immediately, two subordinates rode away. The broad-shouldered man did not leave but walked beside him, chatting idly. Mostly, the man was flattering him, and he was listening.

Lin Xiao knew that he currently had no subordinates of significant rank. This broad-shouldered man was named Cheng Liang. He had joined the Great River Hall many years ago, entering at the same time as Gu He. He had also voluntarily requested to be transferred here this time. It seemed he saw Lin Xiao as a lone individual and wanted to forge a future for himself. If he performed well, he might even get a leadership position.

In fact, these dozen or so people basically had the same idea. Otherwise, they were all elites and skilled fighters of the gang, each with a certain level of cultivation. Without this potential benefit, why would they follow him, a newly appointed Hall Master who had only joined not long ago?

Lin Xiao did not reject this. Since he had no one under him, it was a good thing to have people willing to join. As long as they did their jobs well, he would not be stingy with leadership positions. It was going to someone anyway.

The dozen or so people walked slowly down the road. Occasionally, people they passed would shy away, seeing them. This feeling was exhilarating. No wonder so many people craved power and status.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the edge of a forest. On one side was a dense forest, and on the other was the Linjiang River. Cheng Liang pointed to the trees rustling in the wind and said with a smile:

"Hall Master, do you think this place is suitable for an ambush?"

Lin Xiao glanced at it and was about to speak when he suddenly frowned, yanked hard on the reins, and shouted:

"Stop!"

The procession immediately halted. Cheng Liang, living up to his reputation as an experienced veteran, reacted immediately and asked in a low voice:

"Hall Master, is there an ambush inside?"

Lin Xiao nodded. Cheng Liang immediately waved his hand:

"Brothers, prepare for battle."

"Clap clap clap..."

Crisp applause echoed from the forest, and a powerful voice, preceding its owner, announced:

"Hall Master Lin truly has sharp ears. This subordinate is impressed."

A figure flashed several times and appeared at the edge of the forest. Then, a large number of shadowy figures stirred within the trees. The figure stopped by the roadside; it was a gray-haired old man. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Lin Xiao with a stern expression, and said:

"I am Lan Xinghe of the Iron Boat Gang. I heard that Hall Master Lin slew the Yin Yang Twin Evils. You are truly a young hero. Our Left Gang Leader heard of this and greatly admired you, so he ordered me to invite Hall Master Lin to the Iron Boat Gang for a discussion!"

As he spoke, more and more people emerged from the forest, quickly numbering forty to fifty. They were all dressed in blue cloth uniforms and carried long-handled paddle-bladed sabers of a uniform style. They were clearly elites.

Cheng Liang, upon seeing these people, turned somewhat pale and whispered in Lin Xiao's ear:

"Hall Master, this is not good. This old man is Lan Xinghe, a Protector of the Iron Boat Gang's main headquarters. These people are all elites from the Iron Boat Gang's Iron Oar Hall. Although our Great River Hall is not afraid of the Iron Oar Hall, we are outnumbered."

Lin Xiao's gaze swept over the blue-clad Iron Oar Hall fighters, then lingered on the gray-robed old man for a moment, and he asked in a low voice:

"What is this old man's cultivation level?"

"It won't be worse than our gang's Hall Masters."

"Oh!"

Lin Xiao had a better understanding. He smiled, cupped his fists, and said:

"The Left Gang Leader's regard is too great, and I dare not accept it. It is too far from here to the Iron Boat Gang's headquarters, and the journey would be too arduous. I will not trouble Protector Lan."

The old man still smiled and replied:

"It's not far. From here, travel down the river by boat, and you can reach it in less than a day."

At this moment, a subordinate suddenly pointed to the Linjiang River and said:

"Look quickly, there's a boat there."

He immediately turned his head and saw a large ship that had appeared on the opposite bank of the Linjiang River, which was over a thousand meters wide. It hadn't been there before; no one knew where it had been hidden.

But regardless of where it was hidden before, one thing was certain: it was coming for him.

Lin Xiao could even guess the reason. If he wasn't mistaken, the Iron Boat Gang went to such great lengths to intercept him, most likely for the Yang Sha Technique he possessed.

Even the Great River Gang, the foremost of the three major gangs, only had a two-star low-grade heart technique. The Iron Boat Gang was even less. Before, they couldn't snatch the Yang Sha Technique when it was in Yang Sha's hands. Now that Yang Sha was dead, although the manual had been given to the Great River Gang, he had also practiced it. The Iron Boat Gang's plan was undoubtedly to capture him and force him to reveal the Yang Sha Technique.

"It seems there's an informant from the Iron Boat Gang within the Great River Gang, and their position is not low!"

Otherwise, it was impossible to explain how the Iron River Gang was waiting here so early, shortly after he had left. Clearly, the informant had sent the news out as soon as he left.

However, there was one thing they might not have known, and that was his strength.

Lin Xiao cupped his fists in a salute, his smile vanishing as he spoke with a serious expression:

"Let's cut to the chase. If you want the manual, you'll have to catch me first."

Lan Xinghe seemed to have expected this and replied with a smile, cupping his fists:

"The Left Gang Leader had already instructed me. If Hall Master Lin is unwilling, then I will have to invite Hall Master Lin onto the boat."

After speaking, his face turned stern, and he said in a deep voice:

"Attack!"