The so-called standard cultivation referred to the cultivation feedback that Descenders obtained from the myriad realms of the void and returned to their true bodies. It had to pass through the compression of the Primordial Gate, which made it purer.
The minimum compression was threefold. In other words, if one possessed three hundred years of internal energy upon descending, then after returning and feeding it back to their true body, those three hundred years of internal energy would be compressed into one hundred years of refined internal energy. The total amount was reduced, but its power became stronger.
Correspondingly, if one descended through a clone while carrying the true body's power, the power deployed in the descending world would be enhanced threefold.
In other words, with the same cultivation, a Descender would be much stronger than cultivators from other worlds.
And this threefold compression was merely the minimum. Threefold was the default, but Descenders could choose the degree to which they compressed their cultivation. It could be fourfold, fivefold, tenfold, or even more. If one was willing, one could even choose to compress it a hundredfold.
Of course, a hundredfold compression was impossible. Theoretically, one could choose it, but in practice, doing so would be tantamount to suicide.
That was because each Descender had a limited number of descents available at every realm. It was not as if they could remain at one realm and descend infinitely until they accumulated enough cultivation to break through. If the compression ratio was too high and the cultivation accumulated during the allotted descent period was insufficient to break through to the next realm, that person would be completely crippled.
Thus, most Descenders generally compressed their cultivation at the standard threefold level. Few chose a higher ratio. Even geniuses did not dare compress their cultivation too much.
In Song'an County, the Song'an Branch of the Great River Gang was located in a small town beside the Linjiang River. Lin Xiao led more than a dozen assigned subordinates on horseback, proceeding leisurely along the main road. On the other side of the road was Linjiang, the largest river in Linjiang Prefecture. It was over a thousand meters wide, broad and placid. The Great River Gang, Iron Boat Gang, and Salt Gang all made their living through this great river, and most of their conflicts centered on fighting for control of it.
At this moment, a saber-bearing burly man approached and said in a low voice:
"Hall Master, we're still seven or eight li from the Song'an Branch. Should we send two brothers ahead to notify them?"
Lin Xiao nodded:
"Send two men."
Two subordinates immediately rode off. The saber-bearing burly man did not leave, instead following beside him and chatting idly. Most of the time, the burly man was flattering him while he listened.
Lin Xiao knew that the reason was that, as Hall Master, he currently had no subordinates who were minor or major leaders. This saber-bearing burly man was named Cheng Liang. He had joined the Great River Hall many years ago and had entered the gang in the same period as Gu He. He had taken the initiative to request this transfer, evidently because he saw that Lin Xiao was currently alone and wanted to win himself a future. If he performed well, becoming a leader would be worthwhile.
In fact, the dozen or so men all had thoughts like this. Otherwise, each of them possessed a certain level of cultivation and counted as elite fighters of the gang. Without this benefit, how could they possibly follow a new Hall Master who had only recently joined?
Lin Xiao did not reject this. After all, he had no one under him, and having people come over to pledge themselves was a good thing. As long as they handled matters properly, he would not begrudge them the position of leader. In any case, giving it to one person or another made no difference.
The dozen or so men proceeded leisurely along the main road. Whenever someone passed by, they all hurriedly moved aside upon seeing them. The feeling was exhilarating. No wonder so many people loved power and status.
A few minutes later, they reached the edge of a stretch of woodland. On one side was dense forest, and on the other was the Linjiang River. Cheng Liang pointed at the rustling woods and said with a laugh:
"Hall Master, what do you think? Is this place suitable for an ambush?"
Lin Xiao glanced over and was just about to speak when his brows suddenly furrowed. He abruptly pulled the reins and thrust out a hand, shouting:
"Stop!"
The group immediately halted. Cheng Liang truly was a seasoned old hand who had been around the martial world for years. He reacted at once 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 came from the forest, followed by a vigorous voice before its owner appeared:
"Hall Master Lin, your hearing is truly sharp. I admire you."
A figure flashed several times before appearing at the edge of the woods. Immediately afterward, countless shadowy figures swayed within the forest. The figure also stopped beside the road. He was a gray-haired old man, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at Lin Xiao. With a solemn expression, he said:
"I am Lan Xinghe of the Iron Boat Gang. I heard that Hall Master Lin slew the Yin Yang Twin Evils—truly the work of a young hero. Our Left Gang Leader was deeply impressed upon hearing of it, and specifically ordered this old man to invite Hall Master Lin to the Iron Boat Gang for a discussion!"
As he spoke, more and more people poured out of the forest. Soon, there were forty or fifty of them. Every one wore blue cloth martial outfits and carried a long-handled oar saber of identical design. They were clearly elites at a glance.
After seeing these people, Cheng Liang's face paled somewhat. He spoke quietly into Lin Xiao's ear:
"Hall Master, things look grim. That old man is the Iron Boat Gang's Headquarters Guardian, Lan Xinghe. These men are all elites of the Iron Oar Hall. Although our Great River Hall isn't afraid of the Iron Oar Hall, we're badly outnumbered."
Lin Xiao's gaze swept over the blue-clad burly men of the Iron Oar Hall, then lingered on the gray-robed old man for a moment before he asked quietly:
"How strong is that old man?"
"He shouldn't be weaker than several of our gang's hall masters."
"Oh!"
Lin Xiao felt reassured. Smiling, he clasped his fists and said:
"Left Gang Leader's favor is more than I deserve. The Iron Boat Gang's headquarters is too far from here, and traveling by land and water would be too much trouble. I won't trouble Protector Lan."
The old man still answered with a beaming smile:
"It's not far. If we take a boat downstream from here, we'll arrive in less than a day."
At this moment, one of the subordinates suddenly pointed at the Linjiang River and shouted:
"Look! There's a boat over there."
He immediately turned his head and saw that, at some point, a large ship had appeared on the opposite bank of the Linjiang River, which was over a thousand meters wide. It had not been there moments ago, and he did not know where it had been concealed.
But regardless of where it had been hidden before, one thing was certain: it had come for him.
Lin Xiao could even guess the reason. If he was not mistaken, the Iron Boat Gang had gone to such lengths to block him because they were most likely after the Yang Sha Technique in his possession.
Even the Great River Gang, leader of the three great gangs, only possessed a two-star low-grade sect-protecting mental cultivation method. The Iron Boat Gang's was certainly no better. Previously, when the Yang Sha Technique had been in Yang Sha's hands, they had been unable to seize it. Now that Yang Sha was dead, although the manual had been handed over to the Great River Gang, Lin Xiao had also cultivated it. The Iron Boat Gang's plan was surely to capture him and force him to reveal the Yang Sha Technique.
"It looks like the Great River Gang has a spy from the Iron Boat Gang—and one with a fairly high position at that!"
Otherwise, there was no way to explain how the Iron Boat Gang had been waiting here so soon after he left. Clearly, the spy had transmitted the news the moment he set out.
However, there was one thing they might not know: his strength.
Lin Xiao clasped his fists, his smile vanishing as he said solemnly:
"Let's speak frankly. If you want the manual, capture me first."
Lan Xinghe seemed to have expected this. He too cupped his fists and replied with a beaming smile:
"Left Gang Leader instructed this old man long ago that if Hall Master Lin was unwilling, then this old man was to invite Hall Master Lin aboard by force."
When he finished speaking, his expression turned severe, and he shouted in a deep voice:
"Attack!"
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