Sixth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm

In truth, Lin Chen had not just broken through.

A year ago, he had already accumulated enough experience to level up and used attribute allocation to break through to the Sixth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

"Seven years in the Herb Garden, and my martial cultivation has caught up with where Elder Lin Song once stood without my even noticing."

Lin Chen murmured to himself.

Before Lin Chen arrived at the Herb Garden, Elder Lin Song had already been at the peak of the Sixth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

Now, seven years later, Lin Chen had advanced from the First Level of the Spirit Martial Realm all the way to the sixth.

Elder Lin Song, meanwhile, had finally broken through a minor realm bottleneck not long ago and entered the Seventh Level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

"The Spirit Martial Realm has ten levels. The first three are the early stage, the middle three are the middle stage, and the next three are the late stage. The Tenth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm is the peak."

"Now that Elder Lin Song has reached the late stage of the Spirit Martial Realm, he ranks at least third among the Lin Family's elders."

Lin Chen's thoughts began to wander.

But he soon shook his head, set those matters aside, and turned his attention to the Character Panel with a thought.

[Character]: Lin Chen

[Age]: 25/211

[Life-Bound Divine Artifact]: Greenedge Sword (Tier 2, Fine)

[Realm]: Sixth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm (289/1490)

[Sword Dao]: (3864/5000)

[Martial Arts]: Evergreen Art, sixth layer; Thunderlight Sword Technique, major mastery; Swimming Body Step, minor mastery

[Idle Training]: Miasma Forest (in progress)

[Idle Training Rewards: 58–62 experience points per month; a tiny chance of obtaining Spirit Stones, Spirit Herbs, pills...]

[Remaining Experience: 550 points]

"The Evergreen Art really does prolong life. It was barely noticeable at first, but as my cultivation rose, my lifespan grew by more than ten years."

Lin Chen was pleased to see his increased lifespan. After all, who did not want to live longer?

He then turned his gaze to the Sword Dao entry.

"I'm not far from comprehending Sword Intent now."

"But as I kept studying the Sword Diagram, that Sword Qi descending from the sky gradually grew faint. Though it was still extinguished by a single sword strike, the Dao resonance within it had faded."

"At this rate, once I comprehend Sword Intent, the Sword Diagram will become an ordinary painting, with nothing left for me to study."

As Lin Chen thought this, he collected another round of idle training rewards. Then a servant hurried into the courtyard.

"Young Master, Elder Lin Song asks you to come to his study."

The servant delivered the message.

"Understood. I'll be there shortly."

Lin Chen replied, a flicker of puzzlement crossing his mind.

Though Elder Lin Song had stopped cultivating in seclusion after breaking through to the Seventh Level of the Spirit Martial Realm, he rarely summoned Lin Chen without important business, much less sent someone to fetch him.

Had something happened?

Lost in thought, Lin Chen walked toward the small building deep within the Herb Garden where Elder Lin Song lived.

He entered the building, reached the study, and knocked lightly. Elder Lin Song's steady voice came from within:

"Come in."

Lin Chen pushed open the door. A faint scent of ink and herbs filled the study.

Elder Lin Song was not seated behind his desk as usual. He stood with his back to the door, hands clasped behind him, gazing at a map hanging in the center of the wall.

"Elder Lin Song."

Lin Chen stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.

"You're here." Elder Lin Song did not turn around. He merely raised a hand to beckon him closer. "Take a look at this."

Lin Chen went to his side as instructed and looked at the map.

The map was finely detailed, depicting Kaiyang City and the mountains and rivers for hundreds of miles around it.

Kaiyang City lay at its center. Beyond it stretched rolling mountains, winding rivers, and vast tracts of wilderness and forest. In the northwest corner, a spur of mountains extended into view, marked with the location of the Herb Garden.

One place on the map, however, was labeled in black characters: Blackwind Stronghold.

"This is a map of the area around Kaiyang City."

Lin Chen spoke softly. He was naturally familiar with it.

Elder Lin Song finally turned around. Seven years had passed, and his face seemed a little older, but his eyes had grown sharp and unfathomable.

He pointed to Kaiyang City on the map. "Kaiyang City isn't particularly large, but it isn't small either. Within the city, the two main martial lineages are our Lin Family and the Li Family."

His voice was calm.

"When two families share a city, friction is inevitable. For decades, we've fought both openly and in secret over market profits and the allocation of resources."

"In recent years, though, relations between us have eased considerably. We're hardly close, but at least we've maintained a show of harmony, with few major clashes."

Lin Chen listened quietly without interrupting.

"And the reason for that..."

Elder Lin Song changed tack, moving his finger across the map. "Is the existence of Blackwind Stronghold."

"Blackwind Stronghold stands on Blackwind Cliff. It's a gathering of desperate outlaws capable of any atrocity. Its chief, Li Baichuan, has reached the Ninth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm. He is ruthless, and there are many skilled fighters under his command."

Elder Lin Song's eyes turned cold.

"Their resources are limited, and the area around Blackwind Cliff is relatively barren. So they've long eyed Kaiyang City like tigers stalking prey. Raiding merchant caravans and harassing nearby villages and towns are routine for them. It's because we share this external threat that the Lin Family and the Li Family have been able to coexist in peace. You could call us... an alliance without being allies."

Lin Chen understood all this perfectly well.

A faction could either dominate a city through overwhelming strength and claim the surrounding hundreds of miles as its territory, or maintain a delicate balance of power, as the three factions did now.

After all, his previous life had already proven that a triangle was the most stable structure.

"But things are different now."

Elder Lin Song's gaze sharpened. He pressed his finger firmly onto a patch of dense forest beside Blackwind Cliff on the map.

"The Li Family sent us a report. About half a month ago, one of their herb-gathering teams ventured into the outskirts of Blackwind Cliff to collect a rare herb called Snakeheart Orchid. By chance, they discovered this."

He took out a fist-sized gray-black stone with a dull metallic sheen.

"Do you recognize it?"

Elder Lin Song handed the stone to Lin Chen.

Lin Chen took it and examined it for a moment. "Is this Black Iron Ore?"

"Correct."

Elder Lin Song nodded approvingly.

"This ore is extremely valuable. Once refined, it becomes Refined Black Iron, the main material used to forge Spirit Grade weapons."

Lin Chen's heart jolted. He immediately understood what mattered.

"Is there a small Black Iron Ore Vein beneath that forest?"

Lin Tie gave a slight nod.

"Exactly. After receiving word from the Li Family, our Lin Family investigated as well. We confirmed that Blackwind Stronghold has been mining it in secret for some time."

Lin Chen was stunned.

Even a small ore vein could bring enormous wealth to a city the size of Kaiyang City!

Elder Lin Song continued.

"Blackwind Stronghold's chief is, after all, at the Ninth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm, and he holds Blackwind Cliff. It won't be easy to attack."

"Perhaps the Li Family can't take it alone, or perhaps they fear suffering heavy losses if they do, only for us to play the oriole waiting behind the mantis as it catches the cicada and claim the spoils. Either way, they sent someone to the Lin Residence to propose a partnership."

Lin Song looked at Lin Chen, his gaze deep:

"An innocent man invites disaster by carrying jade."

"This small ore vein lies in Blackwind Stronghold's territory, but they no longer have a say in what happens to it."