Dao Fruit Metamorphosis, Talent of the Ages

Lin Qingyin's voice held a hint of fear, and mingled with the cool spring rain, the atmosphere felt rather desolate.

The man wearing a bamboo hat and straw cloak, with a woodcutter's axe slung at his waist, slowly raised his head, revealing a handsome face beneath the hat. He had a high-bridged nose, brows as sharp as a knife's edge, and deep eyes that seemed to hold the boundless expanse of the starry sky.

This man was indeed excessively handsome. Even An Le, who considered himself good-looking, lacked some of the mature charm that this man possessed in comparison.

"It's Ninth Sister..."

Fourth Master Lin's voice was a bit hoarse. He glanced at Lin Qingyin. With his cultivation, he could naturally hear what Lin Qingyin had said earlier, but the man was accustomed to it and didn't mind.

"Uncle Four, please forgive me."

Lin Qingyin quickly bowed. Gossiping about someone behind their back was a despicable act, and being caught red-handed was even more embarrassing.

"It's nothing. What you said is the truth, so what's there to hide? Since I'm willing to return to Lin'an alive from the Yuan Meng imperial capital, I've naturally prepared myself to face the disdain of the world."

The man smiled gently, appearing quite carefree.

Then, his gaze shifted and fell upon An Le. First, he noticed An Le's handsome face and was taken aback, as if he saw his younger self in An Le.

"Are you the Painter that Eldest Sister-in-law personally went to save?" Fourth Master Lin asked.

An Le held the oil-paper umbrella in one hand and raised the other to his chest, cupping his fist in a salute. "This humble student is An Le, greetings Fourth Master."

Fourth Master Lin nodded, and the curtain of spring rain beaded before his bamboo hat fell in interlaced strands.

"The one who made the move was that little fellow Luo Qingchen, right? With the backing of the Qin Manor, he naturally has no fear of the Lin Manor. Remember when Seventh Brother killed the second young master of the Qin Manor during the martial arts competition? The feud from back then is still ongoing."

"You're being targeted now, so it's best to be careful."

Fourth Master Lin said.

An Le couldn't help but feel touched by his words. The people of the Lin Manor were indeed kind-hearted.

"Thank you for the reminder, Fourth Master. This humble student will be careful. However, since I've taken a position in the Lin Manor, I cannot stay out of it. Whether it's wind or rain, I will face it head-on."

Lin Zhuifeng, standing nearby, grinned and said, "Fourth Master, Eldest Madam said that as long as Eldest Madam is in Lin'an for one day, she will protect Young Master An's safety."

Fourth Master Lin's expression beneath his bamboo hat changed instantly. He looked at An Le with surprise.

"This is a declaration of protection."

"Since Eldest Sister-in-law has made a declaration of protection, you can naturally rest assured..."

However, Fourth Master Lin also heard the deeper meaning in Madam Hua's words.

"Within Eldest Sister-in-law's declaration of protection... there seems to be an intention to leave Lin'an. Why? Is it because His Majesty is using Eldest Brother's Calm the Waves as a reward for the Palace Examination?"

Fourth Master Lin's brows furrowed, and a hint of worry flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"Fourth Master, since you've returned, why not have Young Master An paint you a picture?" Lin Zhuifeng asked after thinking for a moment.

Fourth Master Lin snapped back to attention, his expression returning to normal. He gently shook his head. "I'll pass. My status means the court won't and dares not use me, and I'm also a burden to the Lin Manor. Since I'm not going to war, why bother with a painting as a memento..."

"I'll speak to Old Madam. You all go ahead."

With that, Fourth Master Lin no longer spoke to the others and strode away. His figure disappeared into the misty rain, heading towards Qingfeng Courtyard.

An Le held the umbrella in one hand and watched Fourth Master Lin's receding back.

Fourth Master Lin possessed a considerable amount of Time Qi, with over a hundred strands coiling and undulating around him. In terms of quantity, it was perhaps only slightly less than Madam Hua's.

An Le thought for a moment and, unable to resist, willed his mind. The "Time Qi" column on his light screen flickered slightly, and he managed to draw a strand of Time Qi from Fourth Master Lin with difficulty.

Unfortunately, the Time Qi did not flow like gold, which left An Le somewhat regretful. He did not attempt to draw a second strand.

This was because An Le had a premonition that the remaining strength of his light screen would not be able to draw a second strand from Fourth Master Lin. However, perhaps he could draw from other people.

In fact, drawing Time Qi from a powerful individual without obtaining flowing gold Time Qi was a loss for An Le. But sometimes, if you don't try, how would you know if you wouldn't draw flowing gold Time Qi and condense a Time Dao Fruit?

There was a natural order to everything.

Of course, An Le also increasingly longed to become stronger. Once he became stronger, drawing Time Qi would be much easier.

Luo Qingchen walked alone, looking somewhat disheveled and bewildered.

His Dao heart was once again clouded. Hua Jiebing of the Lin Manor had made a move, her mind transforming into a sword, its sword qi like a waterfall. Its vastness and unparalleled power made him tremble all over. Vaguely, he recalled a scene from many years ago in that thatched cottage, where a man had grabbed him with five fingers and slammed him onto the snow.

That was a nightmare he couldn't shake.

Unknowingly, he arrived at the Qin Manor.

Upon stepping into the Qin Manor, many people respectfully greeted him. Everyone was deferential, after all, Luo Qingchen was currently a favored figure by Young Master Qin's side.

He arrived at the Qin Manor's waterside pavilion. Rain fell, blurring the scenery of the pavilion. Between the rockeries, a gentle stream flowed.

In a pavilion, a young man in luxurious robes was studying a chess manual and setting up a game.

The chess pieces he occasionally picked up landed on the rosewood chessboard with crisp sounds, drowning out the pattering of the rain.

"Young Master."

Luo Qingchen stood in the rain, cupping his fist in a salute.

The young man continued to set up the chess game, not even turning his head to look. "Did you spar with Hua Jiebing? How did it feel?"

"Immeasurable, a peerless talent like Li You'an," Luo Qingchen sighed.

Once, he emerged from Qingzhou, his spirit as high as the heavens. But when he arrived in Lin'an and was defeated by the legendary Zhuangyuan Li You'an with a single palm strike, his Dao heart was covered in mottled cracks that very day.

Only then did he realize that there were many peerless talents, and he, Luo Qingchen, was not even qualified.

"Hua Jiebing studied under the wife of the Sacred Mountain's First Mountain Lord and inherited the traditions of Ganye Temple. Her Spirit Refinement cultivation is extremely high. However, there is still a gap between her and the legendary Zhuangyuan Li You'an. Li You'an is an unparalleled figure praised by the Sacred Master."

The young man stopped playing chess and stood up, walking to the edge of the pavilion, gazing at the vast spring rain.

"Your aura is fluctuating, and your mind is unsettled. You should rest early. The Jade Guanyin's Heart Sword is famous in Lin'an. If the influence is not removed soon, it might hinder your breakthrough."

The young man said.

Luo Qingchen nodded, hesitated, and then asked, "That young painter..."

"Since Hua Jiebing made a move today, she has shown her stance. If I were to send another powerful cultivator to deal with a young man who has just entered the city, it would be a loss of face. Hua Jiebing would likely not hold back either. For a good-for-nothing painter who only started cultivating at eighteen, it's not worth depleting my strong subordinates."

"Moreover, the Spring Imperial Examination is approaching, and that young man is a Juren scholar. At this juncture, there's no need to stir up trouble. Also, the Palace Examination is about to begin. His Majesty is using Calm the Waves as a gift, and Hua Jiebing cannot sit still. There's no need to provoke her now."

"Everything will be settled after the Spring Imperial Examination concludes and the Palace Examination is over."

"By then, this young painter will probably regret joining the Lin Manor immensely."

The young man reached out, plucked a drop of spring rain from the sky, and chuckled dismissively.

Luo Qingchen frowned slightly. He wanted to say that the young man was somewhat different. He opened his Qi and Blood overnight, so his talent might not be as mediocre as imagined.

But in the eyes of the young master now, late enlightenment and low cultivation meant he was not worth noticing, no different from a good-for-nothing.

Since the young master had made his decision, he said no more and took his leave.

The young man in the pavilion watched Luo Qingchen and shook his head.

"Last time, the East Sea Heart Cleansing Pearl helped you wash away the dust from your Dao heart, but this time, the shadow of the Jade Guanyin's Heart Sword can only be removed by you, Luo Qingchen."

"If you can remove it, there's still a possibility for advancement."

"If you cannot remove it, then... its value will be greatly diminished."

Lin Manor, Martial Arts Hall.

An Le met many of the young masters of the Lin Manor for the first time.

Intertwined Blood Essence, turbulent minds, the atmosphere in the Martial Arts Hall was fervent.

These young masters, bare-chested, wielded long spears, dancing like dragons, shouting and roaring as if on a battlefield, facing and killing enemies!

Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin were used to such scenes, but An Le, seeing it for the first time, was truly a little shocked.

After all, among these young masters of the Lin Manor, the youngest appeared to be only seven or eight years old, yet he was holding a zhang eight spear, thrusting and dancing with grunts and snorts.

"These are the third generation young masters of my Lin Manor. Most of them are of my generation. I am ranked ninth among my peers, hence I am also called Ninth Sister," Lin Qingyin said with a smile, introducing them to An Le.

An Le nodded, his eyes slightly brightening. He looked at the young masters in the Martial Arts Hall, observing the Time Qi that surrounded them. Although each of them didn't have much Time Qi, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

An Le's mind stirred. Although he had absorbed Time Qi from Fourth Master Lin before, the light screen still activated.

He approached two young masters who were sparring nearby and absorbed a total of four strands of Time Qi.

With four strands of Time Qi added to his account, An Le now had a total of five strands!

Without hesitation, he used two of the five strands of Time Qi to enhance the Time Dao Fruit [Cultivation Genius], bringing it from eight strands to a perfect ten strands.

Instantly, An Le felt a surge of clear energy erupt from beneath his feet, rushing straight into his mind, and bursting out from the crown of his head!

It was as if one breath had pierced the nine heavens!

All things became clear.

[The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two. Time does not stay, seasons flow like water. The Dao Fruit naturally transforms.]

[Cultivation Genius transforms into Talent of the Ages.]

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