Three months after the rescue operation, Lin Qin submitted an application to leave the mountain to Council of Elders.
"Death Desert?" Elder Garvey looked at the application and frowned, "The environment in that place is harsh and it is not under the control of the family. People from Eight Great Clans may appear at any time."
"I have encountered a bottleneck and need to meditate." Lin Qin said.
Garvey was silent for a moment and nodded. "I have approved the application. But you have to promise me one thing - send news back once every six months. If we lose contact twice in a row, I will send someone to find you."
"Okay."
Three days later, Lin Qin left Heaven Sacrifice Mountain Range.
He didn't bring anyone with him. Shi Yan wanted to follow, but he refused. Feng Ying wanted to escort him secretly, but he persuaded him to come back after he noticed it. This time, he only needed himself.
Death Desert is in the north of Azure Prefecture, fifty thousand miles away from the Heaven Sacrifice Mountain Range. At the speed of Lin Qin, it would take five days to fly at full speed. But he did not rush on the way, but walked all the way, adjusting his condition as he walked.
On the seventh day, he entered the edge of the desert.
Looking around, the sky was filled with yellow sand. The hot wind picked up the sand and hit the face painfully. There were no clouds in the sky, only a blazing sun, which heated the earth.
Lin Qin stopped and took a deep breath.
The air is dry, with the smell of sand. When the spiritual sense is detected, there is no sign of life within a hundred miles, not even magical beasts. This is indeed a good place for penance.
He continued deeper.
On the tenth day, he found the ruins of an abandoned ancient city deep in the desert. The broken walls were half-buried in the sand, and it could be vaguely seen that it was a large city back then. There was a relatively complete Stone Palace in the center of the city. Half of the roof collapsed, but the four walls were still there.
Lin Qin Cleared a place, put it down and saluted.
From that day on, he began to practice hard.
Every morning, when the sun just rises, he practices swordsmanship in the open space outside the Stone Palace.
There is no target, just the simplest chopping. One knife, another knife, repeated a hundred thousand times.
Gravity Domain always shrouds the whole body, making every sword bear the ultimate pressure. The four fusion mysteries flow on the blade, refining his control over the laws over and over again.
At noon, when the sun was at its strongest, he sat cross-legged on the sand and comprehended "Vitality" in Laws of the Earth.
Death Desert, as the name suggests, is a restricted area of life. But Lin Qin knows that even under the barren land, there is still life. Those seeds buried deep in the ground, those dormant insect eggs, are all waiting for the moment when the rain comes.
What he wants to realize is this "waiting for vitality".
In the evening, he continued to practice swordsmanship.
Late at night, he meditated to regain his divine power, and at the same time let his soul Divine Clone deduce the rules.
Day after day, month after month.
In the first month, he swung the knife three million times.
In the second month, he swung the knife six million times.
In the third month, the cumulative number of swings exceeded 10 million.
There is no alternation between day and night in the desert, only eternal heat and sand. But Lin Qin has its own way of timing - carving a trace on the stone wall every day. Thirty traces in one month and ninety traces in three months.
In the fifth month, he started not eating or drinking.
God-level A strong person can rely on divine power to stay alive, but not eating for a long time is still a burden on the body. Lin Qin What he wants is this burden - to force himself to break through in the extreme state.
On the seventh month, his sword skills changed.
It is no longer a simple chopping, but every time the knife falls, it will leave a deep ravine in the sand.
But the strange thing is that the sand at the edge of the gully has a faint cyan halo - that is the breath of life.
In the ninth month, he swung his sword more than 30 million times.
In the open space outside the Stone Palace, he has carved out a large pit that is ten feet deep. The bottom of the pit is hard rock, and every time he cuts it, it will leave deep cuts.
In the eleventh month, he felt a bottleneck.
The threshold of the fifth mystery "Vitality" was right in front of him, but he just couldn't get over it. He tried to understand it in various ways - sitting on the sand and moving Immovable for three days and three nights, practicing swordsmanship in the strong wind, and being exposed to the scorching sun at noon - nothing worked.
In the twelfth month, he carved the 365th mark on the stone wall.
One year has passed.
Lin Qin stood outside the Stone Palace, looking at the sand dunes in the distance. This year, he swung his sword thirty-six million times, practicing the four Fusion Profound Mystery to the point of instinct. But he still had no introduction to the fifth mystery.
He was in no hurry.
Heaven Rewards Diligence, As long as you work hard enough, you will naturally make a breakthrough.
The next year, he changed his approach.
I no longer just waved a knife, but started walking in the desert. I walked a hundred miles every day, and I realized as I walked. The sand under my feet, the rock formations underground, the occasional dead bones, and the dry riverbed - they are all part of the earth.
He understands death and life.
Those dry bones were once living life. Those dry river beds once had rivers flowing. The desert was once an oasis, and the oasis will eventually turn back into a desert. Life and death are endless reincarnations.
By the end of the second year, he had traveled thirty-six thousand miles.
The outline of the fifth mystery is getting clearer and clearer.
In the third year, he began extreme penance.
Swinging the sword increased to 120,000 times a day. Walking increased to 150 miles a day. He only rested for two hours a day, and the rest of the time was spent on training.
The soul Divine Clone is deducing day and night, and the deity uses the body to feel it. Every swing of the knife, every walk, every breath is approaching that threshold.
The tenth month of the third year.
Late one night, Lin Qin sat cross-legged in the Stone Palace, closing his eyes and meditating.
The wind was howling outside and the sky was filled with dust. But his mind was completely immersed in the ocean of laws.
In Sea of Soul, Earth Divine Clone holds both hands, and the five types of Laws of Profound Mysteries threads are slowly flowing. Four of them have been perfectly integrated, and the fifth one - the faint green light thread, is trying to blend into it.
Once, failed.
Twice, failed.
Three times, failed.
Lin Qin can't remember how many times he failed. From the beginning to now, three years and more than a thousand days and nights, he has failed tens of thousands of times.
But every failure brings him one step closer to success.
This time, he felt different.
The green light no longer resisted the fusion, but slowly approached. It tentatively touched the fused earthy yellow light, and then slowly penetrated.
Success?
No, there is still one last step to go.
Lin Qin gritted his teeth and used all his strength to activate his divine power. The green light filaments merged into the light group little by little, and each time a trace of light merged into the light group, the light group trembled.
Outside, the wind became fiercer.
Suddenly, a cold breath broke into Lin Qin's perception.
He opened his eyes instantly.
Stone Palace Outside, in the violent wind and sandstorm, a figure stood.
The man was wearing a gray robe, with a thin figure, and his face was hidden in the shadow of the hood. But his eyes, even in the dark, were gray and white, like the eyes of a dead person.
Deen Clan Seven-Star Fiend,"Ghost Eye"Salon.
"After two years of searching, I finally found it." Salon's voice was hoarse, like the sound of sand rubbing together, "Elder Lin Qin, you made it easy for me to find him."
Lin Qin stood up, and Black Jade Heavy Blade appeared in his hand.
"Who told you?"
"Is this important?" Salon approached slowly, "You just need to know that today is the day you die."
He raised his hand and took off his hood.
It was a shriveled face, with skin clinging to the bones, like a mummy. But those gray-white eyes exuded a strange light.
"You killed Hogan's son." Salon said, "Hogan is my junior brother, and his son is my senior nephew. I am here today to avenge them."
Lin Qin holds the knife tightly. "Hogan is still alive."
"But his son is dead." Salon stopped ten feet away, "Besides, if I kill you, I can also get three drops of Sovereign’s Might. Kill two birds with one stone."
Before he finished speaking, he took action.
It's not the rush towards Lin Qin, but those eyes.
The gray-white pupils suddenly lit up, and two invisible soul attacks pierced out like sharp swords, striking directly between Lin Qin's eyebrows.
Hidden Dragon Pendant glows, blocking the first wave.
But the attack of Salon is stronger than that of Hogan. The light of Hidden Dragon Pendant flashes violently, and fine cracks appear on the surface.
Second wave, third wave, fourth wave-
Salon's eyes flashed, and soul attacks poured out like a torrential rain. He did not seek to kill with one strike, but wanted to exhaust Hidden Dragon Pendant's defense with quantity.
Lin Qin moved.
Dragon Roar Divine Ability activates!
The low Dragon Roar echoed in the Stone Palace, and the flow of time stagnated slightly. Lin Qin seized the opportunity and slashed at Salon.
On the blade, four types of Fusion Profound Mystery exploded perfectly.
Salon raised his hand, and a gray-white light shield appeared in his palm. The blade struck the light shield, and the light shield trembled violently, but did not break.
"Your knife can kill Gru, it can kill Kasa, but it can't kill me." Salon sneered, "Because I am the soul master and I won't give you a chance to get close."
His eyes lit up again.
This time, it was not an ordinary soul attack, but the power of the soul condensed into a gray-white spear. When the spear thrust out, the space was distorted wherever it passed.
Hidden Dragon Pendant's defense finally couldn't hold on any longer.
"Click--"
The jade pendant shattered.
Lin Qin turned sideways, and the spear flew past his forehead. Although he did not hit directly, the soul wave attached to the spear still made him dizzy.
Salon Seize the opportunity, the second spear has already pierced.
Lin Qin bites the bullet, Dragon Roar starts again.
Time stagnated again, and he barely dodged the second one. But the third one had already arrived.
Can't hide anymore.
Lin Qin's eyes narrowed, and he advanced instead of retreating. He rushed forward to face the spear. At the moment when the spear was about to pierce his eyebrows, he turned slightly sideways - the spear pierced his left shoulder.
Severe pain.
The spear pierced Sea of Soul and stirred wildly. Lin Qin groaned and blood bleeded from his mouth and nose.
But he also rushed to Salon.
The knife fell.
Salon didn't expect that he would dare to trade his injuries for his life. He had no time to dodge and could only condense the light shield again. But with this sword, Lin Qin used all his strength.
"Bang!"
The light shield shattered, and the blade struck Salon's chest. Blood spattered, and Salon flew backwards, leaving a knife mark on his chest that was deep enough to show the bones.
But he didn't die.
"You----" Salon landed, looking down at the injury on his chest, anger flashed in his eyes, "Can you fight back after your soul is injured?"
Lin Qin said nothing.
He stood up straight and held the knife tightly. Sea of Soul was still in severe pain, but he suppressed it with his will.
Salon sneered, "Keep it up? Your soul is damaged and you won't be able to hold on for long. And I, Sovereign’s Might, are useless."
He took out a dark golden crystal from his arms, with a drop of dark liquid sealed inside the crystal.
Sovereign’s Might.
"This drop was originally a spare." Salon crushed the crystal and the black liquid melted into his body, "But now, it's not bad to use it on you."
His breath surged.
The shriveled body began to swell, and black lines appeared on the surface of the skin. The gray-white eyes turned pure black at this moment, like two bottomless holes.
"Suffer death."
He raised his hand and grasped it with five fingers.
The space around Lin Qin solidified instantly, and pure Laws of Darkness sealed the space. Five black silk threads shot out from Salon's fingertips, directly piercing Lin Qin's three vital points of eyebrows, heart, and Dantian.
Can't escape.
Lin Qin Close your eyes.
In Sea of Soul, the green light filament that had just tried to fuse was trembling violently at this moment. Under the pressure of life and death, it finally moved.
No more hesitation, no more testing.
The green light filament suddenly rushed into the fused earth-yellow light group and blended into it instantly.
Boom-
Laws resonate.
Lin Qin Open your eyes.
The wound on his left shoulder healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. The wound on Sea of Soul was also repairing quickly.
A brand new power gushes out from the depths of the soul.
Vitality, Get started.
He raised his hand and used a drop of Sovereign’s Might, and endless power emerged.
Cut it out with one knife.
The black threads shattered. The solidified space shattered. The blade went straight to Salon.
"Impossible!" Salon opened his eyes wide and used Sovereign’s Might again, laying down layers of defense in front of him.
But this knife is different from before.
Wherever the blade passes, it seems to carry the vitality of the earth and the cycle of death. Life and death are perfectly unified in this blade.
"Chi"
The defenses are broken layer by layer.
The blade cut into Salon's chest, piercing through the front and piercing through the back.
Salon lowered his head and looked at the knife on his chest, his eyes full of disbelief: "You----actually have Sovereign’s Might----"
Lin Qin draws the knife.
Salon's body fell limply to the ground, Godhead floated out from between his eyebrows, and was caught by Lin Qin.
The battle is over.
Lin Qin stood there, breathing heavily.
Vitality was still running, quickly repairing the injuries on his body. But the wounds on his soul did not recover so quickly. His head felt dizzy, as if it was filled with lead.
But he can't stop.
Salon can find this place, which means that his whereabouts have been exposed. More enemies will arrive soon.
He put away Godhead and Space Ring from Salon, plundered the things he had accumulated over the years in the Stone Palace, then turned around and disappeared into the sky full of sandstorms.
Three days later, he found a hidden cave on the edge of the desert and hid in it to recover from his injuries.
The trauma of the soul needs time to heal. He took out the Soul Source Essence he had exchanged before, drank it all in one gulp, then sat down cross-legged and began to recover.
Ten days later, the injury was 70% better.
He left the cave and headed north.
After another ten days, he returned to the Heaven Sacrifice Mountain Range.
Azure Rock Valley, Baruch and Hogson were looking anxiously. Seeing him back, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Three years!" Baruch ran over, "You haven't sent any news for three years! Garvey Elder is already preparing to send people to find you!"
"Something happened." Lin Qin said, "Help me inform the clan leader that there is important information."
Azure Dragon Hall.
The four core elders Gaiseresen, Gaia, Garvey, and Morris are all here.
Lin Qin reported in detail the pursuit of Salon, and finally took out the Godhead of Seven-Star Fiend and placed it on the table.
"Salon said that he has been looking for me for two years." Lin Qin said, "It means someone leaked my whereabouts."
Gaiseresen looked at Morris.
Morris nodded. "I will check."
"Also," Lin Qin said, "Salon brought Sovereign’s Might. Eight Great Clans is now willing to equip Seven-Star Fiend with Sovereign’s Might. It will be more difficult to deal with in the future."
Gaiseresen was silent for a moment. "You did a good job. You were able to escape from Seven-Star Fiend who was carrying Sovereign’s Might, and you were able to fight back, which proves that you already have top-notch combat power compared to Asura."
He looked at Gaia.
Gaia took out a cyan crystal from Space Ring, which was larger than the previous one. "These are two drops of Sovereign’s Might, with a higher concentration. You are qualified to take the highest reward given by the family to the core elders."
Lin Qin took it and put it in Space Ring.
"Go down and rest." Gaiseresen said, "You don't have to go on missions in the next few months. Just consolidate the fifth mystery and strive for success as soon as possible."
"Yes."
Lin Qin Exit Azure Dragon Hall.
Back at Azure Rock Valley, he went directly into the cave and fell asleep.
For the first time in three years, I truly relaxed.
This sleep lasted three days and three nights.
He continued to retreat.
In addition to stabilizing the realm every day, I also practice swordsmanship. After getting started in the Fifth Mystery, my swordsmanship has undergone new changes. Every time a sword is struck, it carries a touch of vitality, but also contains the breath of death.
Three months later, the fifth mystery was firmly established in Xiaocheng.
He is out of quarantine.
Outside the cave, Baruch and Hogson were waiting for him. Seeing him come out, Baruch handed over a jade slip. "It was sent by elder Morris, saying that the source of the leak has been found."
Lin Qin took the jade slip and penetrated it with his spiritual consciousness.
There is only one line in it. "A confidant of Emmanuel was bribed by the Deen Clan. He has been executed. Emmanuel was fined and banned for a hundred years, and one hundred thousand Contribution Points was deducted. He was also sentenced to compensate you a drop of Sovereign’s Might."
Lin Qin After reading it, the jade slips automatically shattered.
He didn't speak.
Baruch looked at him and asked cautiously, "Are you ---- not angry? You are just banned for a hundred years, deducting Contribution Points? That Emmanuel must have known about it, otherwise how could his cronies have the chance to ----"
"That's enough." Lin Qin interrupted him, "The patriarch has his own considerations."
Baruch opened his mouth but said no more.
Lin Qin turned around and walked back to the cave.
After closing the door, he stood for a while and then continued practicing.
Emmanuel is the cousin of Fulhan, the son of the clan leader. To touch him is to move the clan leader's lineage. It is only fair that Gaiseresen can do this.
As for Emmanuel himself----Lin Qin doesn't care.
The person who leaked the secret is dead. Emmanuel has also been punished. If he dares to reach out again in the future, Lin Qin doesn't mind letting him know what the real price is.