After leaving Mist Canyon, Lin Qin did not head straight for the O'Brien Empire. He needed time to familiarize himself with and consolidate his Saint Realm power. He found a secluded valley deep in the Magic Beast Mountain Range and began cultivating in seclusion.
The Saint Realm was a leap to a higher level of life, far beyond the mortal. The power within him was no longer simply Battle Qi or magic, but something higher: "Saint Power," containing the imprint of his soul and his insights into the laws. This power could strengthen his body, attack from a distance, and draw upon the Earth Element between heaven and earth to create an oppressive domain.
He began by testing his strength. With a casual punch, he blasted apart a small mountain in the distance. His spiritual force spread out to cover a radius of a hundred miles, revealing every tiny detail. His speed was even more astonishing; over short distances, he was almost teleporting.
He began to systematically review everything he had learned. As a warrior, he discarded the complicated combat techniques he had studied before and returned to the most fundamental moves: chopping, hacking, thrusting, and sweeping. Yet in his hands, these basic movements now contained the mysteries of the Earth Element. Every sword strike drew upon the power of the earth, heavy as a mountain yet imbued with the laws' penetrating force. He brought them together and began creating Saint Realm combat techniques of his own.
The same went for magic. Under his Saint Realm-level spiritual force and comprehension of the laws, the low-level Earth Spike Spear and Earth Wall Technique underwent a qualitative transformation. The Earth Spike Spear could instantly become a forest of stone pillars, covering a vast area, while the Earth Wall Technique could take any shape he wished. It could even briefly condense into an earth-element puppet with simple combat instincts. He no longer needed to chant incantations; his thoughts alone brought magic into being.
He focused on comprehending the mysteries of the Earth Element. This was the most basic, yet also the most central, mystery of the earth laws, concerning the composition, stability, and cohesion of matter. He immersed himself in exploring it, deepening his understanding without pause. Heaven Rewards Diligence worked just as well for comprehending the laws: as long as he spent time thinking and experimenting, he would always gain new inspiration and make progress.
A month later, Lin Qin had consolidated his realm and grown proficient in wielding his Saint Realm power. He decided to leave the valley.
He shot into the sky, truly flying for the first time. As he felt the wind rush past his body and looked down over the vast mountain range below, a sense of having the whole world in his grasp welled up within him. But he quickly suppressed it. Saint Realm experts were not invincible on the Yulan Continent.
He flew north, far faster than a steed. A few days later, he had entered the O'Brien Empire.
The O'Brien Empire had a flourishing martial culture and a tough populace. Warriors carrying weapons could be seen everywhere, and the very air was thick with a martial spirit. Lin Qin concealed most of his Saint Realm aura, letting only the fluctuations of a ninth-level warrior show. He landed in a major town in the empire's south: Iron Rock City.
He planned to stop there briefly, learn about the empire, and replenish his supplies.
Iron Rock City was enormous, its walls built from massive blocks of black ironstone and exceptionally sturdy. The streets inside were wide, lined with weapon shops, armor stores, and training grounds. As Lin Qin walked along, he sensed many powerful auras. Seventh- and eighth-level warriors were common, and he occasionally picked up one or two subtle Saint Realm auras.
He found a weapon shop that looked promising and wanted to see whether it had any suitable materials for reforging and upgrading his greatsword. It was made of ordinary materials and was beginning to fall short in battles at the Saint Realm level.
Just as he was selecting materials, a commotion broke out outside the shop. A young man dressed in finery and wearing a haughty expression entered, surrounded by a group of guards. The shopkeeper immediately greeted him with a broad smile. "Young Master Kevin, what brings you here in person? The armor you commissioned is ready."
The young master called Kevin nodded casually, then looked around the shop. His gaze fell on Lin Qin, who was examining a piece of Black Jade Stone. He sensed the fluctuations of a "ninth-level warrior" from Lin Qin and a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes. But when he saw the valuable Black Jade Stone in Lin Qin's hand, greed replaced it.
"I want that Black Jade Stone," Young Master Kevin ordered the shopkeeper imperiously.
The shopkeeper looked troubled. "Young Master Kevin, this... this customer is already looking at it..."
Young Master Kevin impatiently cut him off. "Make him hand it over! I'll pay double!" The guards behind him also stepped forward, subtly surrounding Lin Qin and fixing their auras on him. They were all capable seventh- and eighth-level warriors.
Lin Qin frowned slightly. He didn't want trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either. He set down the Black Jade Stone and looked calmly at Young Master Kevin. "There's an order to things. He who comes first should be served first."
Young Master Kevin scoffed as if he'd heard a joke. "First come, first served? In Iron Rock City, anything the Basil Clan wants is ours! If you know what's good for you, get lost!"
The Basil Clan? Lin Qin had heard a little about them on his way here. They were the ruling clan of Iron Rock City, and people said a Saint Realm expert stood behind them.
Seeing that Lin Qin wouldn't budge, Young Master Kevin's expression darkened. "You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! Take him down!"
At his command, several guards immediately lunged at Lin Qin, Battle Qi blazing as they struck with ruthless force. Clearly, they meant to cripple him on the spot.
The onlookers all looked at him with pity. This outsider ninth-level warrior had offended the Basil Clan and was in for trouble.
But what happened next left everyone dumbstruck.
Faced with several high-level warriors, Lin Qin didn't even move his feet. He merely raised his eyes and glanced at the guards.
"Voom!"
An invisible pressure, heavy as a mountain, descended without warning! The guards' charge abruptly stalled, as though they had plunged into an invisible mire. Their faces drained of color, their eyes filled with boundless terror. They felt as if a mountain tens of thousands of feet tall had crushed down upon their souls. They couldn't move a finger. Their Battle Qi was completely suppressed, and even breathing became immensely difficult!
"Thud!" "Thud!"
The guards collapsed to the ground as if their bones had been pulled out, unconscious.
It had all happened in an instant.
Dead silence fell inside and outside the shop.
The haughtiness froze on Young Master Kevin's face, replaced by disbelief and a trace of fear. He himself was a seventh-level warrior, but he hadn't even seen how the other man had attacked! How could a mere glance leave all his men unable to fight? No ninth-level warrior could do that!
"Y-You... who are you?!" Young Master Kevin asked, his voice trembling.
Lin Qin ignored him and turned to the shopkeeper, whose face had gone ashen. "I'll take this Black Jade Stone. How much is it?"
The terrified shopkeeper stammered out a price. Lin Qin paid without fuss, put away the Black Jade Stone, and walked straight out of the shop without even glancing at Young Master Kevin.
As he passed Kevin, that invisible pressure swept over him again. Kevin's legs gave way, and he nearly fell to his knees. Drenched in cold sweat, he watched Lin Qin leave, not daring to utter a single threat.
Only after Lin Qin had disappeared at the end of the street did Young Master Kevin finally let out a breath, as if he'd been drained of all strength. Fear and hatred filled his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he snarled at the one guard still conscious beside him, "Go report to the clan! A Saint Realm expert has come to Iron Rock City, and he's made an enemy of the Basil Clan!"
As Lin Qin walked along the streets of Iron Rock City, he paid no mind to the trouble that might follow. Saint Realm experts had their dignity; unless provoked, he wouldn't strike. But once he did, he would make sure the other party understood the difference in their strength.
He found an inn and settled in, planning to leave Iron Rock City the next day and continue north to the O'Brien Empire's capital, Red Flame City. There were more powerful experts there, and news traveled more freely. Perhaps he could learn something about Linley or find other information that would aid his cultivation.
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