Chapter Eleven: Dispute Rekindled

"Ancient Whirlpool Rune."

Lin Yiqing gently peeled the moss off the ancient wood, revealing faint, intricate runes. He had no idea where the stall owner had even found such an item.

He hadn't expected to stumble upon this by pure chance, and the realization left him feeling quite stirred.

He vaguely remembered reading about it before; this rune was a Life Spirit Rune, an incredibly rare treasure that could be considered one of the top-tier opportunities in Qingyang Town.

However, since he had the fortune to encounter it, it naturally belonged to him now.

"The Earth Origin Realm, huh."

Lin Yiqing couldn't help but sigh. In such a short time, relying on luck and a bit of foresight, he had acquired many opportunities, though it was a pity that he couldn't utilize most of them yet.

Techniques, spiritual cultivation manuals, and now, a Life Spirit Rune.

Many people spent their entire lives without ever obtaining the things he currently held in his hands, yet he was now just waiting to step into the Earth Origin Realm.

He believed that once he reached that stage, his strength would undergo a qualitative transformation!

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Lin Yiqing took a wooden box from his Universe Bag and carefully opened it. Inside lay the Azure Glaze Fruit he had traded for.

A faint, refreshing fragrance immediately permeated the air. The Azure Glaze Fruit was a translucent, jade-like green, appearing quite extraordinary.

Lin Yiqing pondered for a moment before taking one and gently popping it into his mouth. It tasted cool with a hint of bitterness, followed by an icy sensation that traveled straight to his lungs.

A powerful medicinal force spread throughout his body, warm currents nourishing his meridians and bones. The sensation was so comfortable that he almost drifted off to sleep.

His entire body felt warm, and the Origin Power Seed within his bone marrow grew steadily, becoming increasingly dense.

Feeling the Origin Power Seed within him showing signs of breaking through the bone, Lin Yiqing immediately consumed another Azure Glaze Fruit.

The potent medicinal force caused a flush to rise to his face. Swallowing two third-grade spirit medicines at once was a massive challenge for him.

Sweat soaked his clothes, and Lin Yiqing's body began to tremble slightly. The vibrations coming from within grew stronger—this was the precursor to breaking through the seventh stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

"Is it finally going to break through the bone?"

Noticing this, Lin Yiqing's joy was evident. Once the Origin Power Seed broke free from the constraints of his bones, it would flow into his meridians, and from that moment on, he would be able to absorb the Origin Energy of heaven and earth for cultivation.

"Crack!"

His body shook more violently until, suddenly, the sound of something shattering echoed from within Lin Yiqing.

In a trance, he saw a milky-white ball of light, the size of a walnut, slowly drifting through his meridians—it was truly miraculous.

The white light emitted a strange suction force. The surrounding Origin Energy of heaven and earth seemed to be drawn to it, slowly entering his body with each of his breaths and joining the flow.

"Body Tempering Realm, seventh stage!"

"So this is the Origin Power Seed? Truly extraordinary."

Lin Yiqing smiled, feeling the Origin Power circulating within him. If he were to face his former self now, he dared to say he could take on five of them!

Looking into the distance, the vast green forest stretched out like an ocean. The trees grew lush and verdant, radiating a soothing coolness. Sunlight, like strands of golden sand, pierced through the layers of leaves and spilled onto the grass.

Lin Yiqing stood in the shade. He never tired of the beautiful scenery of these mountains and forests, always pausing to admire them after finishing his cultivation.

"Through-Back Fist, three echoes? How is that possible?!"

Just then, a sudden uproar erupted not far away, sounding completely out of place in such a tranquil setting. Lin Yiqing felt a spark of curiosity; he wondered who was causing a scene.

"It's not three echoes, it's four!"

Lin Yiqing walked toward the source of the noise and saw a youth in black fighting with Lin Shan, surrounded by many Lin Family disciples.

"Is this Lin Shan bullying others again?"

Lin Yiqing frowned. Lin Shan was truly going too far; to be so vicious at such a young age—he would likely become a scourge to Qingyang Town in the future.

"Eh, isn't that Lin Dong?"

Suddenly, Lin Yiqing spotted Lin Qingtan and Lin Changqiang in the clearing. The two looked quite disheveled; Lin Qingtan held a first-grade spirit medicine, Red Sun Grass, her large eyes brimming with tears, while Lin Changqiang was drenched in sweat and covered in mud.

Facing Lin Dong's four-echo Through-Back Fist, Lin Shan was forced into a retreat. Just as he stumbled and looked about to fall, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth in white grabbed him and stepped forward to confront Lin Dong.

"This must be Lin Shan's genius older brother, Lin Hong. It looks like the three of them are going to be at a disadvantage."

Seeing Lin Hong prepare to strike Lin Dong, Lin Yiqing's gaze turned cold. Lin Shan had targeted him before, and now, seeing him bully the weak again was simply disgusting.

"All of you, stop!"

At that moment, a pretty girl in red pushed through the crowd, her face filled with anger.

Seeing the girl's commanding presence, Lin Yiqing stopped to watch. She looked to be seventeen or eighteen, older than the others present, and though she was a girl, her features were full of heroic spirit.

"Sister Lin Xia!"

The Lin Family disciples present called out, clearly holding her in high regard.

Afterward, Lin Xia reprimanded Lin Hong, and the group dispersed unhappily.

However, before leaving, Lin Hong actually declared to Lin Dong that he intended to marry Lin Qingtan. Hearing this, Lin Yiqing almost laughed out loud.

He vaguely remembered that it was precisely because of this incident that Lin Hong would later be beaten black and blue by Lin Dong during the family tournament. Seeing Lin Hong practically begging for a beating, Lin Yiqing found the situation truly absurd.

"It's you! You actually dare to appear before me? Let's see who can save you today!"

Just then, Lin Shan glanced around and spotted Lin Yiqing. He stepped forward, his face darkening as he barked the threat.

"Little brother, who is this?"

Unable to teach Lin Dong and the others a lesson, Lin Hong was filled with rage. Seeing Lin Shan in such a state, he immediately stepped forward with a gloomy face to ask.

Lin Shan whispered an account of his previous conflict with Lin Yiqing, though Lin Yiqing had no way of knowing how much he had embellished the story.

"Hmph! Since when does a bastard from a collateral branch dare to defy the dignity of the main line? If I don't break his limbs today, how can I warn others against such insubordination!"

Lin Hong's expression turned venomous, murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he waved his hand to signal the surrounding Lin Family disciples to surround Lin Yiqing.

Lin Dong and the others' expressions shifted, and they immediately stepped forward to shout, "Lin Hong, if you have the guts, fight me during the clan tournament! What kind of skill is it to bully a fellow clansman?"

"I will naturally deal with you when the clan tournament arrives, but right now, I must punish the disrespect shown by a collateral branch. What, do you intend to stop me?"

Hearing this, Lin Hong looked at Lin Dong with a displeased expression.

"You!"

Lin Dong's face grew anxious, and just as he was about to rush forward, Lin Xia reached out to hold him back. Under his puzzled gaze, Lin Xia slowly shook her head; clearly, she did not want to get involved.

"Big brother, stop wasting your breath on him. Let me handle this myself. I'm going to make this wild brat kneel and beg for mercy!"

Lin Shan twisted his wrists, then suddenly leaped into the air, throwing a fierce punch toward Lin Yiqing.

"First-grade martial art, Falling Rock Fist!"