Accept Mission, Head to Linbei Commandery

[Chen Qinglin]

Lifespan: 14/120

Realm: Mid Inner Qi

Martial Arts: Archery (Perfection), Iron Wire Fist (Perfection), Iron Sword Art (Perfection), Origin Returning Art (Minor Accomplishment 3564/4000), Wind Riding Sword Art (Perfection 12792/40000), Divine Wind Leg (Perfection 20000/20000), Moon Treading Steps (Proficient 2107/3000)

Sword Skill: Ride the Wind Slash (First Layer Wind Intent)

Intent: Wind Intent / Ten Percent Six (6081/10000)

In just one short month, Chen Qinglin had actually trained [Wind Riding Sword Art] and [Divine Wind Leg] to Perfection—the boost from Wind Intent was terrifyingly effective.

What was even more frightening was that as Chen Qinglin cultivated [Wind Riding Sword Art] and [Divine Wind Leg], Wind Intent grew alongside them.

And the growth of Wind Intent in turn propelled his wind-attribute martial arts—this was a virtuous cycle.

Over this month, he had also roughly figured out the proficiency required for Human Tier Middle and Low Grade martial arts.

Human Tier Low Grade techniques required twice the proficiency of Mortal Tier techniques.

Human Tier Middle Grade techniques required four times the proficiency of Mortal Tier techniques.

Human Tier High Grade techniques required six times the proficiency of Mortal Tier techniques.

At least martial arts proficiency didn't increase geometrically.

So Human Tier Top Grade would be eight times or more—after all, he'd heard that some Human Tier Top Grade martial arts could touch the power of Earth Tier martial arts.

And Chen Qinglin only needed Human Tier Middle Grade proficiency to train [Wind Riding Sword Art].

After mastering the sword art, with Wind Intent added, it had already brushed the edge of Human Tier Top Grade sword arts.

The final move of the sword art, 'Wind Dissipates Clouds,' had already reached the power of a Human Tier Top Grade sword skill.

The progress on [Origin Returning Art] and [Moon Treading Steps] wasn't ideal, but that was the true reflection of his current martial arts training.

What he hadn't expected was that the [Moon Treading Steps] given by his master, Fu Shenxing, was actually a Human Tier High Grade martial art.

Currently, his own martial arts grades were:

Mortal Tier: Archery, Iron Wire Fist, Iron Sword Art

Human Tier: Origin Returning Art (Middle Grade), Wind Riding Sword Art (Middle Grade), Divine Wind Leg (Low Grade), Moon Treading Steps (High Grade)

His normal cultivation speed could only bring a Human Tier High Grade martial art to the Proficient level within a month.

Though he could go faster if he focused entirely, he still had other martial arts to train, and this was already his limit.

Still, if this cultivation speed were made public, it would likely shock everyone.

In one month, just training a single martial art, most people would probably still be at the Beginner level.

Unlike him, who trained several martial arts at once and still saw them skyrocket.

It was also thanks to the continuous breakthroughs in [Origin Returning Art], which brought a surge of true qi. Now, Chen Qinglin had already opened the seventh meridian in his body. He had broken through to Mid Inner Qi, catching up to Senior Sister Ling Ling.

Though both were at Mid Inner Qi Realm, when it came to combat—not to brag—Chen Qinglin could take on ten Ling Lings without issue.

If he kept up this hard training, after [Origin Returning Art] reached Perfection, he would break through to Late Inner Qi through the surge of true qi.

Then he would start to slow down, just like everyone else, grinding away with time to open all the meridians in his body and reach Inner Qi Realm Perfection.

In the Inner Qi Realm, one had to open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians in the human body. At Early Inner Qi, one opened one to six Regular Meridians; opening the seventh triggered a breakthrough to Mid Inner Qi.

Opening all Twelve Regular Meridians, with the technique circulating in Minor Circulation, marked Mid Inner Qi Realm Perfection. Opening one of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians besides the Conception and Governor Vessels meant Late Inner Qi.

After opening the Conception and Governor Vessels, true qi circulated through the body in Major Circulation, which was Inner Qi Realm Perfection.

At that point, one could consider breaking through to the True Essence Condensation Realm.

Now, his Minor Accomplishment [Origin Returning Art] had slightly increased his cultivation speed.

But to boost true qi accumulation, he still needed resource support.

Chen Qinglin decided to head to the Mission Hall and take on some missions to earn training resources.

Though he had some combat power now, he was dirt poor. The only one hundred Spirit Stones he had were sent by Ning Jingyuan earlier, as an apology for that incident with Wu Cheng.

For the sake of the Spirit Stones, Chen Qinglin didn't mind and easily resolved their previous conflict.

As for Ning Jingyuan's desire to rely on him, Chen Qinglin politely declined—he had no intention of building a faction right now.

Ning Jingyuan could only sigh and leave.

As it stood, the Mutual Aid Society was founded by Ning Jingyuan, but if his own cultivation couldn't keep up later, he might end up working for someone else's benefit.

Chen Qinglin couldn't be bothered with such matters.

His remaining assets were about a dozen bottles of Body Tempering Pills, but this pill was useless to him now.

He'd keep them to bring back to Brother Qingshi and the others later.

Arriving at the Mission Hall, he scanned the missions on the board.

[Pursue and Kill Shen Dingyuan: Shen Dingyuan, suspected of cultivating evil techniques, first massacred the Shen clan, then slaughtered three villages in Yulin Commandery, Yunzhou. Currently suspected to be active in Shanmen County, Linbei Commandery. Early Inner Qi Realm. Completion reward: 60 Merit Points]

After accepting this mission, Chen Qinglin rented an Azure Scale Horse from the sect, descended the mountain into Qingfeng City, and went to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to buy a Human Tier Low Grade Storage Ring.

Thus, he leisurely left Qingfeng City.

He bound the Storage Ring with a drop of blood, and as his consciousness covered it, he suddenly sensed a one-cubic-meter space appearing in the void.

After placing all his belongings inside, Chen Qinglin, now outside the city gates, mounted the Azure Scale Horse and headed toward Linbei Commandery in Yunzhou.

Clop-clop-clop! Clop-clop-clop!

The sound of hooves drew nearer, growing clearer.

A Green-robed Youth was galloping past on a fine steed.

"Whoa... whoa..."

"Three days of travel, and I've finally reached Linbei Commandery." The one who arrived was Chen Qinglin.

On the first day, Chen Qinglin could barely ride the horse. Fortunately, it was an exotic steed tamed by the sect, with a hint of intelligence.

Otherwise, he would have struggled to make progress. But as his skill improved over the past two days, he grew adept at riding.

A Low-grade Azure Scale Horse could travel three thousand li in a day. Upon reaching Linbei Commandery, he planned to ask someone for directions to Shanmen County and restock supplies in the city.

Leading the horse into the city, he made his way to an inn.

"Waiter, bring me a table of dishes, and take my horse to feed it as well."

"Right away, guest. Please come inside, and I'll have your horse taken care of."

The waiter, seeing the situation, knew at once that this was a sect disciple traveling the martial world.

In this trade, dealing with all sorts of people, his eyes were sharp.

Chen Qinglin sat at the table, waiting for the food, and called the waiter over to ask about the direction of Shanmen County.

"Little brother, do you know the way to Shanmen County?" He placed a piece of碎银子 on the table and asked the waiter.

"Guest, you've come to the right person—my wife is from that area." Pocketing the silver, the waiter's eyes lit up as he spoke.

"But guest, you shouldn't go to Shanmen County these days. I hear a fierce bandit has set up on the road between Linbei Commandery and Shanmen County. If you're caught, it's your money and your life!" the waiter warned.

"Oh, there wasn't one before?" Chen Qinglin inquired.

"There were mountain bandits before, but most would let you go if you paid up. This new Road Bandit is trouble—many martial artists who went to deal with him have vanished without a trace. Probably dead."

"That bad?" Chen Qinglin narrowed his eyes, finding the situation suspicious, and decided to head out and investigate after eating.

"Yes, guest! If you can, wait a while until a sect disciple or the imperial court sends someone to handle it."

"Thank you, little brother. I'll wait and see." He thanked the waiter, who then went to the kitchen to fetch the dishes.

Eating quietly, he listened to the conversations of the diners in the hall.

"I wonder when those bandits blocking the road between Shanmen County and Linbei Commandery will be dealt with. My goods can't be shipped back."

"Yeah, if this drags on, this trip will miss the deadline and we'll take a loss."

"Ah, a loss is a loss. But Brother Shen insisted on going to Shanmen County. Word is, someone saw the entire Shen Family Merchant Team dead a couple days ago. That scene... sigh..."

"Did you hear? The Patrol Division has issued a mission to investigate and eliminate the bandits on the road from Shanmen County to Linbei Commandery. Someone's already taken it."

"Really? I wonder who accepted it."

"Looks like the road from Shanmen County to Linbei Commandery will be back to normal soon."

"..."

"Waiter! Check, please!" After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Qinglin paid the bill, led his horse, and left Linbei Commandery city.