Yan Zhen's Tears!

Yu Capital.

Five hundred li away.

At an inn.

Late at night, a peerlessly beautiful woman in white palace attire stood on the second floor, gazing in the direction of Pasture City in prolonged silence.

"Princess, you have been standing here for two hours already. It is late at night; please return to your room and rest!"

At that moment, a graceful maid of seventeen or eighteen stepped forward and bowed.

"Mm."

Yu Wenjing sighed inwardly and turned to return to her room.

On Lone Wolf Mountain.

Along a mountain path.

"Someone actually destroyed Gao Yang's grave!"

"Could Ling Ziyu have found this place?"

Lin Changsheng stood where Gao Yang had once been buried, his brows tightly furrowed.

However, Ling Ziyu had been killed by him, so there was no way to know.

Now, the tombstone from Gao Yang's burial had been cast aside, his grave exposed, white bones faintly visible. Lin Changsheng immediately blasted up a mound of earth with an Air-Splitting Palm, burying Gao Yang anew. Then, using his fingers like a sword, he found a long stone slab and set it upright above the grave.

He carved Gao Yang's Tomb onto it again.

After finishing all this, Lin Changsheng said in a low voice, "Brother Gao, I am about to leave Pasture City. On my way, I will deliver word of you to Gao Family Village. What I promised you, I naturally will not go back on my word!"

Having spoken, Lin Changsheng unleashed Fleeting Light and Passing Shadow and vanished in an instant.

At the same time.

Lin Changsheng examined the panel in his mind.

[Great Dao Made Simple: Level 1]

[Lin Changsheng: 17/55]

[Cultivation: First-Class Realm (11125/12500)]

[Techniques: Sun-Moon Breathing Method (Perfect Stage), Golden Bell Shield. Incomplete Fifth Level (Perfect Stage)]

[Martial Arts: Nine Stars Linked (Arrow/Hidden) (Perfect Stage), Iron Sand Palm (Perfect Stage), Fleeting Light and Passing Shadow (Perfect Stage), Azure Snake Sword Technique (Perfect Stage), Thunderclap Slash (Entry Stage 0/1000)]

[Alchemy: Qi-Replenishing Pill (Perfect Stage)]

[By spending a certain amount of silver, techniques, martial skills, and more may be simplified.]

[Status: Yin Energy Invasion (Weakened)]

"Before leaving, I should buy a drum and grind Thunderclap Slash experience along the road!"

Having made up his mind, Lin Changsheng decided to return and take out all the gold and jade artifacts he had acquired earlier. He would exchange them for silver, then buy more Blood-and-Qi Pills.

As far as he knew.

There was a place selling musical instruments in Pasture City's West City.

Lin Changsheng took out all his gold and jade artifacts, packed them into a bundle, and disposed of them all in West City. With his current strength as a First-Rate Master, no one dared covet them.

Zhen Family Music Shop.

As soon as Lin Changsheng entered the shop, he saw quite a number of instruments displayed inside.

There were erhu, gaohu, gehu, bass erhu, pipa, guqin, as well as all kinds of drums, cymbals, large gongs, small gongs, and more.

"Hello, what instrument do you need?"

An elderly man around fifty, with a short beard, came forward and asked.

"I want to buy a drum."

Lin Changsheng swept his gaze around the shop and spoke.

"We have all sorts of drums here. Take a look—which kind suits you?" The short-bearded elder politely introduced the various drums to Lin Changsheng.

Lin Changsheng saw large drums, small drums, medium drums, and even the smallest rattle drum. His heart stirred, and he thought, Thunderclap Slash only requires striking a drum to gain experience. It never specified whether it had to be a large drum or a small one. I wonder if this rattle drum will work?

He was about to head for Gao Family Village. If he bought a large drum and carried it on his back, it would be far too cumbersome.

If this rattle drum could increase experience, that would be perfect.

When the time came, he could hold it in his hand and shake it as he walked, grinding experience all the while. By the time he reached Gao Family Village, Thunderclap Slash would probably be at Perfect Stage!

Thump, thump, thump!

Lin Changsheng picked up the rattle drum and shook it in his hand. Immediately, he noticed that the experience value for Thunderclap Slash at the corner of his eye had changed.

[Thunderclap Slash (Entry Stage 3/1000)]

"The rattle drum really works!"

Seeing that the rattle drum was effective, Lin Changsheng's eyes lit up. He immediately asked, "Get me this rattle drum!"

"Certainly!"

The short-bearded elder was somewhat disappointed. He had thought he could sell a large drum, but this young man had actually bought a child's toy...

"Mm? Chen Ling was captured? Someone from Southern Fujian City has come?"

As soon as Lin Changsheng left Zhen Family Music Shop, he saw more than ten soldiers on the street escorting a prison cart toward the eastern gate.

At that moment, Chen Ling.

Had disheveled hair, wore prison garb, and stared blankly ahead.

"After doing so many bad things, he has received the fate he deserved."

Lin Changsheng murmured to himself, then turned and left.

"I'm leaving. I wonder when I'll be able to return."

Lin Changsheng turned back to look at his three tiled houses. He had lived here for more than half a year, and his cultivation had reached the First-Rate Expert Realm. Now, he had to venture out.

Lin Changsheng slung his bundle, Iron-Tire Bow, and Dawnblade over himself, held the rattle drum in hand, and turned resolutely toward Lone Wolf Mountain. He planned to take the mountain paths to Azure Sun City, two hundred li away.

"Changsheng, you're leaving? Were you planning to hide it from your sister???"

Just as Lin Changsheng stepped out onto the street, a familiar voice came from behind him.

There seemed to be a trace of resentment in its tone.

"Sister Zhen... I..."

Looking at Yan Zhen, Lin Changsheng did not know how to answer. This journey was for the pursuit of immortality and the Dao, to ride a sword between heaven and earth. By the time he returned, seas might have turned to mulberry fields!

"A real man should have ambitions in all four directions. Where are you going? When do you think you will return?"

Yan Zhen smiled brightly and asked.

"Sister Zhen, I don't know when I'll return either."

Lin Changsheng looked at Yan Zhen, unsure what to say.

"You must be careful out there. Be sure to take good care of yourself."

Yan Zhen stepped forward and straightened Lin Changsheng's hair, collar, and clothes. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Give me the keys to your house. I'll clean it for you often, so when you return, you'll still have a place to stay."

"Mm."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Changsheng took out the keys and handed them to Yan Zhen. "Sister Zhen, I'm leaving. You must take care of yourself too!"

"Mm!!"

Yan Zhen looked at Lin Changsheng, biting her lip tightly.

Lin Changsheng looked at Yan Zhen once more, then turned and unleashed Fleeting Light and Passing Shadow, instantly appearing several zhang away!

"Changsheng, you must take care!"

Yan Zhen called out as she watched Lin Changsheng's departing back.

At that moment, her nose stung, tears sliding down her cheeks as her voice choked.

She knew that with Changsheng's strength, he was bound to soar into the sky like a single leap of a fish turning into a dragon. How could he be content to remain in tiny Pasture City?

In the distance.

Lin Changsheng's figure paused for a moment, then disappeared into Lone Wolf Mountain, vanishing from sight.

"Changsheng, for saving my life, I could have offered myself to you... but sadly... I am not worthy..."

Yan Zhen watched Lin Changsheng's retreating figure, her vision already blurred.

After a long while, she sighed, clenched the keys in her hand, and turned to open Lin Changsheng's door.

Azure Sun City lay beside the Grand Canal.

Thirty li from Azure Sun City.

Lin Changsheng stood by the Grand Canal with the Iron-Tire Bow and black saber on his back. He glanced at the panel at the corner of his eye.

[Thunderclap Slash (Perfect Stage)]

"Not bad. I shook the rattle drum all the way here, and Thunderclap Slash reached Perfect Stage."

"I should test Thunderclap Slash's power first!"

Expectation shone in Lin Changsheng's eyes as he looked at the panel. Slowly, he drew Dawnblade.

"Thunderclap Slash!"

Gripping Dawnblade, Lin Changsheng gave a thunderous shout and slashed toward the great river, where yellow waves rolled and surged!

The surging true qi in his dantian rushed through his meridians into Dawnblade, shooting forth a semi-transparent blade qi over two zhang long. Carrying a faint sound of thunder, it cleaved into the Grand Canal!

Rumble!

Where Lin Changsheng's blade fell, it was as though thunder had exploded. Within six zhang, the force of the qi burst forth, throwing up more than ten waves five zhang high!

"Worthy of Thunderclap Slash. With the power of my current slash, I could cleave Situ Zhan in two with a single stroke!"

"If I can advance into the Martial Grandmaster Realm, the power of Thunderclap Slash will surely rise by a great margin!"

Expectation filled Lin Changsheng's eyes.