76: Greater Ambition

"Lin Chengyuan is at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Although injured and his strength greatly diminished, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. After some healing, he is estimated to have recovered eighty percent of his combat power. Engaging him head-on is a poor strategy; I must kill him in one blow!"

Lin Jingyu's eyes were cold, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey. "I absolutely cannot skimp on the thunder fiend talisman. I must catch him off guard and activate it with full power! At the very least, I must severely injure him and make him lose his mobility!"

"Then, while his protective treasure is shattered by the lightning and his body is paralyzed, I will use the water-dividing sword to deliver an earth-shattering blow."

The flowing cloud kite moved at extreme speed. In less than half an hour, the treacherous terrain of Eagle Sorrow Ravine appeared in his field of vision.

Two pitch-black mountain peaks stood like the fangs of a giant beast, and the valley path between them was bottomless, permeated with a gloomy aura. Lin Jingyu steered the flowing cloud kite to land quietly on a densely wooded hillside above the ravine entrance.

The view here was excellent, allowing him to overlook the entire winding valley path, yet it was sufficiently concealed, hidden by several massive weathered rocks and dense shrubbery.

He put away the flowing cloud kite and slipped into the forest as silently as a civet cat, his movements so light that he did not disturb a single fallen leaf.

He found a naturally formed rock hollow that could just accommodate one person, with a waist-high stone in front serving as a natural cover.

He quickly cleared away the surrounding traces, then curled himself inside, blending in with the surrounding rocks, vines, and shadows, suppressing his aura to the extreme.

"Huu..." Lin Jingyu let out a long breath, forcing himself to calm down. Ambushing requires patience, a composure heavier than stone.

He did not just wait idly; he divided a portion of his attention to observe his surroundings.

On the other hand, his consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness, and he began to comprehend the method of the first layer of the Spirit Refining Art.

Time was precious; not a single second could be wasted! He had to race against time to become stronger!

The profundity of the Spirit Refining Art far exceeded any Cultivation Technique he had previously encountered.

It did not Cultivate spiritual power but specialized in refining the Mental Energy Origin.

The core of the first layer was to guide Mental Energy through a peculiar vibration and compression, tempering it a thousand times like forging iron, making it more condensed and resilient to lay the foundation for subsequent division.

Lin Jingyu carefully guided the water-clear Mental Energy in his Sea of Consciousness, and according to the method's description, began to perform extremely subtle, high-frequency vibrations.

This vibration was not physical but a fluctuation on the level of intent.

"Hum..."

A strange humming sound, seemingly coming from the depths of his Soul, resounded in his mind. It was not painful; instead, there was a tingling sensation, as if countless tiny electric currents were washing over his Mental Energy Origin, bringing a strange sense of comfort.

His Mental Energy, which had been burned by the Dragon, was constantly solidifying and growing stronger.

"Is this the benefit brought by the State of Clarity?" Lin Jingyu rejoiced inwardly.

According to the method's description, for an ordinary Cultivator Cultivating the first layer of the Spirit Refining Art, just entering the door required enduring the tearing sensation caused by the Mental Energy vibration, which was as painful as cutting flesh with a dull knife.

But for him, because his Mental Energy had already reached the State of Clarity and was free of Impurities, the vibration process not only lacked pain but actually felt smooth and natural!

His Cultivation speed far exceeded that of ordinary people! This was practically cheating!

Time passed quietly amidst focused Cultivation and patient waiting.

The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the treetops, dyeing the valley in a golden-red hue, like molten gold splashed about. Tired birds returned to the forest, emitting noisy chirps.

Mountain winds occasionally blew through the valley path, swirling up a few withered yellow leaves and making a rustling sound, adding to the desolation.

Lin Jingyu seemed to have become a part of the mountain rocks, his aura suppressed to the extreme. Only his eyes, hidden in the shadows, were as sharp as a hawk, staring unblinkingly at the valley path below, not letting a single movement escape him.

The operation of the first layer of the Spirit Refining Art became increasingly proficient, and his Mental Energy became more condensed and active amidst the continuous vibrations.

He could even clearly "introspect" and see that the clear Mental Energy in his Sea of Consciousness, like finely forged iron, was emitting a restrained and resilient luster.

As long as he fully mastered the first layer, he could practice the division secret technique and easily divide his consciousness into two parts.

However!

His ambition was not that small.

Because the division method included in the Spirit Refining Art was divided into two types: one was dividing into two, and the other was dividing into three!

Moreover, this secret technique had consistency.

If the first use was dividing into three, all subsequent divisions must also be dividing into three, and its level of danger and pain far exceeded the method of dividing into two.

Therefore, the second method used three consecutive warnings to "choose carefully."

But for Lin Jingyu, he had no choice but to choose the second one.

Because as long as the division succeeded, he would immediately enter the Realm of Mind Dividing into Three Uses.

He would directly embark on the path of a Trainee Alchemist.

He currently had no other methods to Cultivate an extra use of his mind.

This action was unavoidable!

Night fell, and the stars were scattered like crushed diamonds on dark blue velvet; the valley was completely plunged into darkness and deathly silence.

The valley path remained empty, with only the sound of wind and insects.

Lin Jingyu's heart sank little by little, as if falling into a cold, deep pool.

"He didn't come..." He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, a trace of heavy disappointment and gravity flashing in his eyes, his brows tightly locked together.

"Did this old dog... take another route? Or... did he never intend to go to the Black Wind Stockade himself? Did he use something like a communication talisman?"

This thought made his heart tighten suddenly, and a chill quietly crept up his spine. If Lin Chengyuan passed the message through other secret channels, or simply hid himself, then the trouble would be huge! The retaliation from the Black Wind Stockade could descend at any time!

The Lin family could not withstand it.

He slowly stood up from his hiding place and stretched his somewhat stiff limbs. He had been lurking for most of the day, with his concentration highly focused in addition to Cultivating the Spirit Refining Art.

Although not tired, his body was still a bit numb from maintaining one posture for a long time. He gently rubbed his knees, his gaze still fixed tightly on the pitch-black, empty valley path below.

"I cannot sit still and wait for death!" A flash of determination crossed Lin Jingyu's eyes as he quickly analyzed the current situation. "Since the interception failed, I must immediately adjust my plan! Prepare for the worst! Once people from the Black Wind Stockade come, how should I deal with it? How can I protect my sister and myself?"

There was still a chance; the Black Wind Stockade was jointly managed by several leaders.

It was not a dictatorship.

After the news arrived, it would also undergo some discussion and planning.

It would not come to the Lin family to demand an explanation so quickly.

He quickly cleared away all traces, summoned the flowing cloud kite again, and sped toward the Lin family. In the night sky, the kite turned into a dim stream of light, its speed a few points faster than when he came.

Lin Jingyu's heart, like the night, was heavy and urgent. He knew that a greater crisis was already imminent.