Transcendent Realm

"Improve my Yin Bone?" Lin Qing wondered.

Han Tai's words had struck a sore spot. In the Soul-Calming Office, Constables had to fight Evil Spirits, so Yin Bone Quality mattered greatly.

His was a low-grade Yin Bone. Whether in the coming examination or later, when he went to the Prefectural City to seek other opportunities, it would put him at a severe disadvantage.

If he could improve its quality, the road ahead would be much easier.

"That's right. You know how important Yin Bones are. Medicines that can improve their quality are exceedingly rare. Apart from the Han Family, there's no other way you could obtain one," Han Tai said with a smile.

Lin Qing said nothing. Han Tai pressed on. "Think it over. That's only part of what you'd gain. Marry into the Han Family, and you'll never want for food or clothing. You won't have to worry about martial arts resources, either. All you'd need to do is obey the Han Family Grand Elder's orders."

Lin Qing shook his head. "I'm grateful for the Grand Elder's regard, but my abilities are too modest for such a responsibility. If there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Han Tai's face darkened. He said nothing, only fixed Lin Qing with a hard stare.

Lin Qing felt a wave of malice wash over him, but he did not care.

No matter what, he would never join the Han Family, even if they truly could improve his Yin Bone Quality.

For one thing, the Han Family had colluded with an evil cult. It was a crime against all that was right. Once exposed, the entire family would be wiped out.

He had the Book of a Hundred Arts. There was no need to tie himself to the Han Family's ship.

His sights were set far beyond Jiangyin County. He meant to make his mark in the Prefectural City, even the Imperial Capital. He would never let this tiny corner of the world confine him.

For another, the Han Family oppressed the common people, grinding their bones and sucking out their marrow. He had grown up poor himself and hated the Han Family from the bottom of his heart. He would never sink into the same mire.

Wealth and glory can't shake the principles I hold dear. Even without the Han Family's help, I can become a top-tier powerhouse.

A low-grade Yin Bone is no great matter. I'll have plenty of chances to raise it to high grade.

Lin Qing stepped out of the teahouse and looked up at the blazing sun. His heart was calm.

"Stubborn fool. So what if he has some Talent? With a low-grade Yin Bone, he'll never amount to anything. He won't even pass the Reexamination in a few days!"

Inside the Teahouse, Han Tai was furious at being refused. He slammed down his teacup, rose, and left.

Back at home.

As promised, Shen Lian brought two hundred taels of silver. Lin Qing gave her two banknotes worth a hundred taels each.

Including the silver he had previously taken from Yin Muhua, he now had five hundred and fifty taels in all.

The instant the thought arose in his mind, a message appeared before him.

"The gold, silver, and spiritual materials in the host's possession meet the requirements for upgrading the Rebirth Record. Upgrade?"

"Upgrade!"

In an instant, a vast amount of silver vanished into thin air. The Rebirth Record's level surged, rising straight from the Second Tier to the Third Tier.

Another message surfaced in Lin Qing's mind, and his heart leaped.

"A Third Tier Rebirth Record can equip three martial arts skills at once. The time required to replace a skill has been reduced to four hours. It can obtain partial information on corpses within fifty paces."

As he copied more and more martial arts skills, two Equipment Slots had long since ceased to be enough. Now a third had opened, solving the problem.

I can try more combinations of skills. My fighting strength has taken another great leap. Lin Qing felt more confident than ever.

But when he glanced at the twenty-odd taels of loose silver left on the table, he could not help worrying.

I'm penniless again in the blink of an eye. And upgrading the Rebirth Record to the Fourth Tier will take several times as much gold and silver, plus spiritual materials: one Moonshadow Stone and one tael of Heavenly Dust Sand.

Lin Qing frowned slightly. He did not know what either of those last two things was. He decided to browse the Library Pavilion another day; perhaps he would find something there.

No rush. I'll practice the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake for the next few days and aim for Perfect Mastery.

Lin Qing rose and went into the courtyard. First, he swallowed a Bone-Strengthening Pill, then equipped both the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake at Perfect Mastery and Exceptional Fist Talent.

A flood of information filled his mind. Every detail and technique of the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake surfaced naturally, and many puzzles fell away.

All he had to do was work those details and techniques into his body until they became instinct.

Time passed. Five days went by in the blink of an eye.

Apart from his usual shifts at the Soul-Calming Office, Lin Qing spent every moment of those five days practicing the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake.

With the Rebirth Record's help, his skill advanced by leaps and bounds, over a hundred times faster than an ordinary person's. He reached Major Mastery in just one day.

And today, after practicing over and over, inspiration suddenly struck. He drove out a palm strike. A sharp crack rang out, and the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake reached Perfect Mastery.

That meant he was a Martial Artist at Bright Force Perfection even without the Rebirth Record's support.

Equipping the art at Perfect Mastery earlier had already transformed his body, so his physique did not change this time. But Lin Qing soon noticed something new.

When he placed the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake at Perfect Mastery into an Equipment Slot, he discovered that the panel showed its level not as Limit-Breaking, but as Transcendent Realm.

Buzz!

Lin Qing's mind shuddered. His understanding of the art deepened enormously, as though he had stepped into an entirely new realm.

He closed his eyes and took some time to absorb it. Then his hands moved of their own accord, swiftly executing eight moves.

But after the eighth, he did not stop. He followed it with several new moves he had never seen before. They flowed seamlessly from the first eight, the whole sequence smooth and natural as drifting clouds and running water, without the slightest hitch. It was as though the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake had never been meant to contain eight moves, but thirteen.

Lin Qing opened his eyes, realization dawning.

So that's it. Perfect Mastery added to Perfect Mastery produces the Transcendent Realm. It lies beyond Limit-Breaking. You can reach it only when your proficiency and understanding of an art run so deep that they far surpass even its creator's.

At Limit-Breaking, you can spot the flaws in the original moves and refine them.

In the Transcendent Realm, you can take them further and create entirely new moves. It's another realm altogether.

When it comes to the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake alone, I should be the best in the world now, Lin Qing reflected.

With that, he no longer had any doubts about the approaching Reexamination.

His Yin Bone was poor, but it was not the only criterion. Talent and martial arts attainment also counted for a great deal.

All he had to do was demonstrate the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake at the Transcendent Realm, and he was sure to pass.

I'm going to the Prefectural City, and I'm passing this Reexamination. To do that, I don't mind revealing a little of my strength, Lin Qing thought.

Early the next morning.

After breakfast, Lin Qing went to the Soul-Calming Office.

He had just entered the Corpse Collectors' courtyard when he heard Yu Qiuyu call out to him.

"Lin Qing, come with me. The people from the Prefectural City Soul-Calming Office arrive tomorrow. Today's the last day before the Reexamination, so the Soul-Calming Office has called a small gathering for candidates from the major powers of the Inner and Outer Cities. They'll share what to focus on for the Reexamination, and everyone can make friends. Once you're in the Prefectural City, you'll be able to look out for one another," Yu Qiuyu said.

"Let's go." Lin Qing nodded. There had always been a gathering like this before the Reexamination.