Clues to the Spirit Mine

The spectacular Tower Duel soon came to an end. On the third day after it began, the white-robed youth from Wuling City descended from the tower, announcing that Wuling City had lost this time.

He also brought back some terrible news: his junior fellow disciple had been too eager to make quick progress. While forcing his way into the seventh floor, he had used a weapon to fight against the barrier of spiritual power, only to have it backfire and kill him.

At this, many Talisman Masters wore strange expressions. Plenty of people had seen the black-robed youth's corpse. There had indeed been a sword wound on his neck, but whether he had really been unlucky enough to cut himself was anyone's guess.

Even more curious, on the very night the white-robed youth left the tower, the Wuling City Association president announced that he would take him on as his personal disciple and pass down his legacy.

Many people secretly wondered what, exactly, had happened inside the tower.

Two days later, the light that had lingered on the seventh floor successfully emerged from the tower. When they saw Zhou Qian, everyone finally understood.

The fierce youth who had reached the eighth floor was none other than that seemingly harmless little boy from before.

Just then, a powerful surge of mental energy suddenly burst out from inside the tower, leaving everyone aghast.

Inside the Symbol Master Tower, Lin Yiqing examined the three slightly smaller spirit runes in his Mud Pill Palace. At last, a smile appeared on his weary face.

The Ancient Whirlpool Rune had a formidable origin. The powerful Talisman Master who had created it had even witnessed the Devouring Ancestral Rune with his own eyes. As a result, the Ancient Whirlpool Rune also possessed a trace of its devouring ability.

Taking advantage of this property, Lin Yiqing had continuously devoured the pure mental energy on the eighth floor of the Symbol Master Tower and stored it up, all to break through to Three-Seal Spirit Rune Master in one fell swoop!

Fortunately, he had already accumulated a solid foundation. In just five days, he reached the threshold for a breakthrough. After smoothly succeeding, three spirit runes now floated before him.

"Whew."

He breathed out the stale air in his chest and eagerly rose to examine the stone stele before him. He discovered that its two sides were engraved with, respectively, the origins of Yan City's Symbol Master Tower and a marvelous formation diagram.

His eyes flickered. Lin Yiqing sent a strand of mental energy from his Mud Pill Palace, carefully probing toward the stele.

"Buzz!"

The instant his mental energy touched the stele, a torrent of complex information entered his mind, forming a vast array of profound mental characters and patterns. When he came to his senses and examined it, he found that it was the formation diagram for the Life-Transforming Rune Array!

The Life-Transforming Rune Array had three stages of transformation: Life-Transforming Light, Life-Transforming Azure Waves, and, the most powerful of all, Myriad Transformation Flame!

With each stage, its power multiplied. It was far beyond ordinary martial skills!

"The Life-Transforming Rune Array! No wonder it's a Qi-Grade Mental Secret Technique. Its power is truly extraordinary!"

After a moment's thought, Lin Yiqing immediately began sketching the complex formation patterns with his mental energy. The art of formations was vast and profound, and this rune array was one of its branches.

Fortunately, the information the Heavenly Book had previously transmitted to him had already laid a firm foundation. In just a short while, a profound rune array several zhang across appeared before him.

Feeling its powerful mental-energy fluctuations, Lin Yiqing couldn't help smiling. He had finally obtained the Life-Transforming Rune Array.

Once successfully deployed, the rune array formed a seed array, so there was no need to set it up again each time. Lin Yiqing waved his hand, and the array became a streak of faint light that entered his eye.

If he wanted to use it against an enemy, he only had to release it.

Looking at the stone stele, Lin Yiqing had a thought, then left the cultivation method for the Life-Transforming Rune Array engraved on it as well.

He didn't want there to be no one in Yan City after him who could learn this secret technique!

This Qi-Grade Mental Secret Technique had come from the Yan City Talisman Master Association, so it was only right to leave behind a spark for its future.

Only by passing it down from generation to generation and continually developing and researching new mental techniques could the Association remain true to the purpose for which it had been founded.

As for whether Lin Dong would come here in the future, or someone else would obtain the Life-Transforming Rune Array he had left behind, Lin Yiqing found himself looking forward to it.

"It's time to leave!"

Lin Yiqing stretched lazily, then rolled his shoulders and started down the tower.

He had no intention of going up to the ninth floor. Its contents held no secrets for him, so there was little point in going up.

The most valuable thing on the entire ninth floor was actually the mental-energy map, which recorded the locations of two Ancestral Runes!

Unfortunately, Lin Yiqing knew both places and even the specific details inside and out. There was no need to go through the motions.

Ancestral Runes were supreme treasures of heaven and earth, condensed from the laws of the world. There were eight in total!

Each Ancestral Rune possessed power that could reach the heavens and shake the earth. Their bearers were also among the most powerful beings in the world!

The Great Wilderness Prefecture, where Lin Yiqing was headed, held one of them: the Devouring Ancestral Rune!

When Lin Yiqing emerged from the tower, he found the square outside already packed so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through. Every Talisman Master from the Yan City Talisman Master Association wanted to see the youth who had won so decisively.

And the powerful mental-energy surge from moments ago had only made everyone even more curious about him.

"Congratulations, little brother Yiqing! You've broken through to Three-Seal Spirit Rune Master!"

The crowd parted, and Zhou Qian approached with a smile, dressed in white robes. He clasped his hands in congratulations.

"Thank you, Brother Zhou!"

Lin Yiqing studied him for a moment, then smiled. "Let me congratulate you in advance, too, Brother Zhou. It looks like you're not far from your own breakthrough."

"Haha, then I'll take your word for it!"

Zhou Qian's expression briefly froze, as if he hadn't expected Lin Yiqing to see through his situation. Then he smiled and returned the salute.

"May I ask if you were waiting here for a reason, Brother Zhou?"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Yiqing got straight to the point.

After all, Zhou Qian was Master Yan's disciple. He wouldn't have waited here specifically without a reason.

It could only mean Master Yan had something to discuss with him.

"Little brother Yiqing, my master would like to see you. He asked me to wait here for you and invite you over as soon as you came out of the tower."

Turning serious, Zhou Qian led Lin Yiqing along a narrow path toward Master Yan's residence.

The Talisman Master Association's headquarters had been built around the Symbol Master Tower. As the president of the Yan City Talisman Master Association, Master Yan naturally lived in the very heart of its grounds.

The two places weren't far apart. In just a short while, Lin Yiqing arrived at a modest estate.

"Please, come in."

After a maid announced their arrival, Lin Yiqing followed her to a study. The moment he stepped inside, he noticed wisps of mental energy drifting throughout the room, as fine as spider silk.

"Greetings, Master!"

Master Yan was sitting with his eyes closed, his thoughts wandering far away. But Lin Yiqing knew that, under his mental energy, every single thing in the room was as clear as day to him.

"You little rascal, you've already broken through to Three-Seal Spirit Rune Master! Truly remarkable!"

As he spoke, Master Yan opened his eyes. A flash of silver-white glimmered in them before slowly fading.

Lin Yiqing knew this was a sign of the other man's powerful mental energy. He said nothing and, at Master Yan's gesture, sat in the chair beside him.

"You went up to the eighth floor, so you must have obtained that Qi-Grade Mental Secret Technique."

Master Yan looked at Lin Yiqing with a grave expression, his eyes leaving no room for doubt.

"That's right. I can't hide it from your discerning eyes, Master."

Lin Yiqing wasn't surprised. As president of the Talisman Master Association, Master Yan had surely been to the eighth floor and already knew what it contained.

"After obtaining it, I also made a copy on the stone stele, so that others who challenge the tower in the future can have the same opportunity."

At those words, Master Yan's hand paused slightly as he lifted his teacup. Then he seemed to make up his mind.

He set down the cup and addressed Lin Yiqing with utmost seriousness. "In my view, your talent and strength are exceptional, and your character and temperament are just as admirable. Would you be interested in joining the Yan City Talisman Master Association?

"If you're willing, I can promise that you'll take over as president one day!"

Lin Yiqing was taken aback. He hadn't expected the other man to invite him to join—not to mention offer him the position of future president.

Unfortunately, his ambitions didn't lie here. He still wanted to see the different sights this world had to offer.

"Thank you for the kind offer, Master. But my ambitions lie elsewhere, so I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Having come to a world where martial arts reached the divine, he was determined to witness its highest peaks and greatest wonders!

Besides, before long, the calamity of this world would begin, and beacon fires would blaze across the land. How could he settle down here?

Master Yan wasn't surprised by that answer. Little Yan City couldn't hold Lin Yiqing back. With his talent, perhaps the entire Great Yan Dynasty was merely where his stage began.

Afterward, Master Yan told Lin Yiqing about the clues to the spirit mine he had been searching for. The person who possessed it was also someone Lin Yiqing knew well: the Wanjin Chamber of Commerce, one of Yan City's three great powers.