The Mote Prefectural City was initially pacified, and the fighting subsided.
The city's defenses and legion reorganization were boldly implemented by the five Barker brothers, while the civil administration and government relief efforts were meticulously overseen by Jenny. Sessler's vengeful spirit swept through the city like mercury, eradicating the remaining Radiant Church one by one. Under the absolute deterrence of force and generous policies, millions of civilians and surrendered soldiers quickly won over, and the northern part of the Chaotic Territory was gradually solidifying into an unshakeable ironclad force.
Linley did not interfere too much in worldly affairs. For him, the continuous breakthrough of personal strength was the true backbone that allowed the Baruch Clan to stand firm on this dangerous continent.
Thirty miles north of the Mote Prefectural City lies a secluded mountain range called Black Crow Mountain.
In the mountains lies a deep, crystal-clear pool, above which a waterfall, tens of meters high, cascades down like a white ribbon, creating a misty atmosphere amidst lush vegetation. Linley carved a flat, massive rock in the center of the pool with his heavy sword to serve as his foothold, and there he built a hut for quiet meditation.
For several days, he sat cross-legged on the blue stone in the center of the pool, shirtless, with the Black Jade Heavy Sword across his knees and the Purple Blood Soft Sword hanging at his waist.
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, ruffling his black hair. In his divine sense, the wind was no longer merely a gentle or violent flow of air, but had transformed into countless subtle and sensitive rhythmic lines. The battle with Haydson had solidified his " Pulsing Defense " and " Hundredfold Waves "; and at this moment, he was immersing his mind in the deduction of the Laws of Wind.
"Fast, extreme speed can tear space apart; slow, extreme stillness can also stagnate airflow... Only by alternating between fast and slow can we create the indestructible spatial cracks like the ' Rhythm of the Wind.'"
Linley slowly stood up and drew his Purple Blood Soft Sword with a backhand motion.
With a flick of the wrist, the purple sword shadow slashed through the air like a dream, seemingly slow and gentle as willow catkins brushing the water, but in reality, it was so fast that it caused severe visual overlap and confusion. Where the blade passed, the water in the pool didn't even have time to ripple before the invisible force had cut a vacuum trench several meters deep into the surface below!
"Call--"
Just as Linley was carefully comprehending the sword intent, a fierce and Extreme Speed azure storm suddenly swept past high in the sky.
The aura was pure and vast, clearly the purest Saint Realm Wind Element Battle-qi fluctuation. Its flight speed was astonishing, even faster than that of an ordinary Peak Saint Realm expert, and it was obviously rushing towards the Dark Forest in the north.
However, just as it soared over Black Crow Mountain, the whirlwind in the sky suddenly stopped.
"Huh? Such a unique artistic conception of wind..."
A loud laugh, filled with surprise and delight, rolled down from the clouds. Immediately afterward, a streak of azure light, like a thunderclap, pierced the sky, drawing a sharp zigzag line before landing steadily on the canopy of an ancient tree beside the deep pool.
The branches and leaves swayed slightly, and the person who came stood as light as a feather atop the slender treetop.
He was a well-proportioned and wiry middle-aged man with a head of neat and eye-catching short silver hair. He wore a plain light blue robe and had a slender silver sword hanging at his waist. His eyes were bright as he looked at Linley on the boulder in the middle of the pool with surprise, his eagerness to fight evident in his expression.
"I am Miller. I was just passing by high above when I sensed a fellow practitioner below comprehending the Wind Element. Intrigued, I took the liberty of descending from the clouds." The silver-haired man clasped his hands and laughed heartily, his voice deep and straightforward. "Young brother, your swordplay, with its balance of speed and slowness, subtly aligns with the principles of heaven and earth. Would you be willing to exchange blows and verify our understanding?"
Linley sheathed his Purple Blood Soft Sword, secretly surprised.
Although this person had suppressed his aura, the wind element resonance he stirred with every move was even more refined and profound than that of Haydson before the Battle of Tujiao Mountain! Without a doubt, this was a top-tier expert from the Saint Realm who had been living in seclusion for a very long time.
"My name is Linley." Linley clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, his fighting spirit also ignited. "Mr. Miller's hospitality is exactly what I'm looking for, please!"
" Linley? The twenty-seven-year-old Dragonblood Warrior Linley throughout the capital? Haha, that's satisfying!"
Miller laughed heartily, gripped the silver sword at his waist with his right hand, and with a slight sway on the treetop, he seemed to merge into the breeze, silently crossing the deep pool dozens of meters away and appearing a few feet in front of Linley!
"Be careful, my first sword strike is the ultimate expression of 'slowness'!"
Miller slowly thrust out his silver sword.
The moment the sword was thrust out, Linley's eyes narrowed sharply.
To the average person, Miller's sword strikes seemed as slow as a sluggish old man grinding grain, unbelievably slow; however, under Linley's spiritual lock, the space in front of that silver sword appeared as if frozen by millions of tons of viscous resin, creating a strange sense of "spatial stagnation"! No matter how you tried to change your move, the surrounding air currents would forcefully pull you toward the seemingly slowest sword tip!
"What an extreme example of slowness!"
Linley roared, but instead of drawing his heavy sword, he met the attack head-on with his Purple Blood Soft Sword.
With the enhancement of the ninth-level Wind Shadow Technique, his figure transformed into several afterimages that were difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. His Purple Blood Soft Sword emerged from its hole like a serpent, bringing with it an extremely sharp burst of air. Two completely opposite shocks, one fast and one slow, collided suddenly at the tip of the sword!
"Clang--!!"
The crisp clang of metal against metal echoed through the valley, and in an instant, the water in the deep pool was violently lifted dozens of meters into the air by the raging ring of sword energy, turning into a torrential downpour!
Miller floated back several steps in mid-air, landing on a boulder, his eyes gleaming with astonishment. "Wonderful! The interplay of speed and slowness has actually created such a rift blade that can break through spatial barriers! Take another heavy blow from me!"
Miller's silver sword flipped, its sword intent suddenly changing. The light sword seemed to instantly swell into a mountain of immense weight, bringing with it a crushing pressure that could shatter mountains and split rocks as it cleaved down.
Linley let out a long roar, black scales suddenly covered his arms, and he drew his Black Jade Heavy Sword from its sheath in a backhand motion!
" The Profound Truths of the Earth, Hundredfold Waves!"
Without dodging or evading, a hundred-fold shockwave, delivered with Wielding Heavy Weapons as Though They Were Light, crashed head-on!
"Boom!!"
The valley trembled violently, and the boulder in the center of the pool cracked open with several deep marks. Miller's silver sword clashed head-on with the Black Jade Heavy Sword. Miller felt a strange, endless, and powerfully penetrating wave instantly pass through the sword and surge wildly into his arm and internal organs!
"Drink!" Miller's Saint Realm Battle-qi surged and contracted like a tidal wave, sending him flying over a hundred meters away. He landed lightly on the shore, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, but his expression was filled with unprecedented shock.
"What a bizarre and Profound Truths of the Earth! It can ignore the outer layer of Battle-qi and directly bombard the internal organs!" Miller breathed a long sigh of relief, sincerely admiring him. "No wonder even that old man Haydson's rock-solid body suffered a great loss at your hands! Refreshing, truly refreshing!"
Linley sheathed his sword, the dragon scales on his body disappearing, and smiled, "Mr. Miller's spatial control over the mysteries of the Wind Element's 'slowness' has enlightened Linley greatly. If Linley hadn't had the advantage in physical strength and defense, I would have been unable to withstand that frozen sword strike just now."
After this exchange, both men gained some insights, looked at each other and laughed heartily, feeling a mutual respect for each other as heroes.
Miller, with his extremely forthright personality, sheathed his sword and laughed, "Brother Linley, I was originally entrusted by my elders to make a trip to the Dark Forest, but I never expected to encounter a peerless genius like you here. If you have some free time in the future, you might as well take a trip to the southern Chaotic Territory. In an unnamed mountain a hundred miles southeast of South Mountain City, there is a secluded little village. My old brothers and I, who have been cultivating in seclusion for many years, as well as my elders, all live in that paradise. When we gather together to spar, our understanding of the laws will be much faster!"
"Definitely." Linley solemnly wrote it down.
Miller, having urgent business to attend to, exchanged a few more pleasantries before transforming into a streak of azure light and hurtling toward the northern horizon.
Just two days after Miller left, news that delighted Linley arrived from Black Earth City.
In the spacious reception hall of the city lord's mansion, a burly, robust young man with red hair and a crimson battle sword at his waist strode into the hall. Even before he arrived, his hearty laughter echoed throughout the hall.
"Haha! Third brother! I knew you'd caused such a huge commotion in this Chaotic Territory!"
"Fourth brother?!"
Linley was checking the defenses of various cities with Jenny when he heard this and suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with surprise.
The newcomer was none other than Reynolds!
When he was rescued from the slave ship on the Bonai River, Reynolds was covered in wounds and had all ten fingers broken. Now, several months later, after being carefully treated with high-level Water Element and Light Magic in the capital of O'Brien, not only are his broken bones completely healed, but he is also full of energy and exudes the fierce and sharp aura of someone who has been through many battles.
"Third brother, you killed that bastard Yulin and forced the royal family to change the military report. I heard from the Dunstan Clan mansion in the capital that you captured four cities in the Chaotic Territory. How can I sit still?" Reynolds rushed forward, bumped fists with Linley, and laughed loudly. " Wharton has settled down with a beautiful wife, and the capital is peaceful. I got tired of the army, so I resigned and came all the way to join you! What, your Duchy of Baruch Duchy doesn't even leave a guest room for its brother?"
"Fourth brother, what nonsense are you spouting!" Linley laughed heartily, punching Reynolds hard. "Since you're here, stay! This Chaotic Territory is vast, and I've been worried about not having any brothers to lead the troops and steer the ship for me!"
Bebe excitedly leaped down from the roof beam, landing directly on Reynolds's shoulder. Squeaking and squeaking, he tugged at Reynolds's hair, eager for praise, "Fourth brother! Back on the slave ship, if it weren't Bebe my quick action, you would have been sent to the Luo'ao Empire to mine! Now that you're here, you have to treat me to the best roasted lamb leg every day!"
"You'll get your share, my little darling!" Reynolds laughed heartily, pulling Bebe into his arms and rubbing her gently.
The brothers reunited, feasted, and talked until late into the night.
During the conversation, Linley mentioned his recent sparring session with the mysterious powerhouse Miller at Black Crow Mountain, as well as the secluded mountain village located in the southern part of the Chaotic Territory.
" Miller? The hidden valley in the mountains southeast of South Mountain City?"
After listening, Reynolds put down his wine bowl and said, "Third brother, when I was in the Golden Flame Legion, I heard veterans mention that the area around South Mountain City in the southern part of the Chaotic Territory has been a dangerous and exotic place since ancient times. The mountains stretch for thousands of miles and are shrouded in miasma all year round, making it impossible for ordinary mercenaries to set foot there. Miller, a Peak Saint Realm expert who can fight you, is actually just a member of that mountain village? Even he calls this reclusive leader 'Sir,' so how strong must he be?"
" The War God once said that the Yulan Continent is extremely complex, and the Saint Realm on the surface are not the pinnacle. Many true giants who have cultivated in seclusion for thousands of years are hidden in places rarely visited by people." Linley gazed at the southern horizon and said softly, "Now that the defenses of Mote Prefectural City are solid, the Radiant Church cannot ascertain our strength or weakness in the short term and dares not launch a large-scale attack rashly. Taking advantage of this gap, I intend to go to South Mountain City to keep my appointment with Miller and see the world beyond the heavens. Fourth brother, would you like to come with me?"
"Haha, I couldn't be happier!" Reynolds suddenly stood up, drew half of his crimson longsword, and said eagerly, "To be able to follow you, Third Brother, into this Saint Realm land where immortals gather and broaden my horizons, I'd be laughing in my sleep!"
The plan was immediately decided.
The next day at dawn, as the first rays of sunlight appeared.
Linley entrusted the city's defenses and administration to the five Barker brothers, Jenny, and Sessler. He then changed into a simple, well-fitting dark blue robe, with Edgeless Heavy Sword and Purple Blood Soft Sword hanging at his waist. Bebe remained on Linley's shoulder, still the size of a fist, while Haeru hid in the mountains outside the city to provide support.
Linley and Reynolds did not make a grand display of their avian army formation. Instead, each rode a magnificent and exceptionally swift steed, like two unassuming and silent arrows, cutting through the morning mist of the wasteland and galloping side by side toward the distant south.
The further south you travel, the more desolate and treacherous the landscape of the Chaotic Territory becomes.
Ten days later, the two fast horses had already passed through the bustling border town of South Mountain City and plunged into the towering, cloud-shrouded mountains that stretched for hundreds of miles.
The mountain path was rugged, with sheer cliffs and precipices appearing one after another. Dense ancient trees blocked out the sun, and a faint smell of decay permeated the air. Ordinary wild animals were nowhere to be seen, with only the occasional cry of a bird flying by. If Linley had not possessed a powerful Wind Element divine sense to perceive even the slightest changes in the airflow, an ordinary level nine expert would easily have lost his way here.
After traversing seven treacherous peaks and passing through a narrow, narrow canyon blocked by dense vines, the view suddenly opened up before us!
The valley is covered with lush grass, with babbling brooks and fallen petals everywhere.
Smoke rises gently from chimneys, and hundreds of simple stone houses are nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with paths crisscrossing the fields and the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing through the air. Thousands of villagers, dressed in hemp clothing, work in the terraced fields or wash their feet by the stream, creating a tranquil scene reminiscent of a peaceful painting.
However, when Linley and Reynolds reined in their horses and looked closely, they both held their breath.
The peasant woman washing her coarse cloth robe by the stream actually had a faint flow of level seven Water Element Battle-qi within her body;
The old man wielding a hoe on the edge of the field had bulging muscles on his arms that clearly indicated the physique of an eighth-level berserker.
Even the seven or eight-year-old children chasing and playing on the grass, as they ran and jumped, had extremely pure breezes swirling around their feet!
"Good heavens... Third Brother..." Reynolds gasped, his fingers gripping the hilt of his knife clenching involuntarily. "This village... there isn't a single ordinary person here? The whole village is full of high-level cultivators?!"
"It truly lives up to its reputation." Linley composed himself, but could not hide his shock.
"Haha! Brother Linley, you really kept your promise and came!"
Before the two could get a good look, a silver streak of light gracefully descended from the high cliff deep within the village. Miller laughed and stepped forward to greet it, followed by a burly man with a head of long, fiery red hair.
"Mr. Miller," Linley dismounted and bowed, "This is my sworn brother, Reynolds."
Reynolds also clasped his hands in greeting. "I am Reynolds, greetings to Lord Miller and this senior."
"Haha, Linley's brother is Miller's brother too, no need to be so formal!" Miller patted Reynolds's shoulder nonchalantly, almost making the level seven Reynolds stumble, then pointed to the red-haired giant beside him and said, "This is Livingston, an old monster who specializes in the Fire Elemental Law, and he has a very bad temper."
"Go to Miller!" Livingston's eyes widened as he sized up Linley and Bebe on his shoulder, clicking his tongue in amazement. "What a fine young man! Come, come, my master and mistress have already prepared a Hundred Flower Spirit Wine in their cave, just waiting for you two distinguished guests to arrive!"
Guided by Miller and Livingston, Linley and Reynolds walked through the center of the quiet village.
Although the villagers along the way cast curious glances, their expressions were all peaceful and serene, subtly revealing a detached and leisurely air. After passing through a peach orchard in full bloom behind the village, a secluded stone house suddenly appeared ahead, surrounded by natural boulders and a clear, round lake.
Several figures stood facing the wind in front of the mansion gate.
The man at the head of the group was dressed in a plain white robe, with long, jet-black hair casually draped over his shoulders. He had a handsome and refined face, a gentle and jade-like temperament, and a pair of deep, night-sky-like eyes that seemed to contain the supreme wisdom to see through the vicissitudes of life.
Beside him stood a beautiful woman with a graceful figure and a cold, ethereal beauty, and a lovely young girl with long, dreamy, wavy emerald-green hair who was curiously peeking out.
The girl wore a snow-white dress, her eyes like autumn water, like an ethereal fairy from the forest, untouched by the mortal world.
The moment their eyes met, Reynolds, who was walking beside Linley, froze completely, his breath catching in his throat. For the first time, a look of bewildered infatuation appeared on his usually carefree and adept face.
The black-haired, refined man standing in the center, as his gaze swept over Linley and Bebe, a barely perceptible hint of admiration and shock flashed deep in his eyes.
The man stepped forward, flicked his sleeve, and smiled:
"The mountains and fields are serene and tranquil, and this humble abode is truly magnificent. I am Desri, Master Linley, and young friend Reynolds. Welcome to this small corner of the mortal world."
His gentle voice echoed through the valley, and at that moment, the light and breeze of heaven and earth seemed to converge silently towards this unfathomable man in white robes, like all rivers flowing into the sea!