124: Chapter 124 Minor Success in Swordsmanship

The wind in the canyon howled, and the expressions on everyone's Faces were colder than the wind.

The Elder of the Liu Family opened his mouth, but it felt as if a stone were stuck in his throat.

The Martial Artists behind him widened their eyes even further, as if they had heard some monstrous joke.

"Lin Tian alone... killed several Fourth-Rank Warriors?"

"Are you joking!"

"Elder Han, you are exaggerating way too much!"

Sounds of disbelief rose and fell. It was not that they did not believe Elder Han, but that the matter itself was outrageously absurd.

A young man under twenty years old, killing several Fourth-Rank Warriors all by himself?

Then what did that make them, who had practiced martial arts for decades? Were they trash?

Young Master Zhao Qingyun stood in the crowd, a cold sneer on his lips colder than the mountain wind in the canyon.

He crossed his arms and spoke slowly: "Elder Han, you said Lin Tian killed several Fourth-Rank Warriors alone? How many is several? Two? Three?"

His tone was light, but the thorns in his words stung painfully.

Elder Han glanced at him, his facial wrinkles not moving at all: "Three. He killed two on the spot, severely injured one, and later helped us deal with the rest."

"Three?" Young Master Zhao Qingyun laughed out loud and turned to look at the others. "Do you believe it? How old is Lin Tian? He is at most at the Early Stage of the Fourth-Rank, right?"

"Killing three Martial Artists of the same Realm alone? I, at least, have never heard of such a thing."

Everyone looked at each other. Although they did not speak, the expressions on their Faces said it all. They did not believe it either.

Elder Han was not angry; he looked back at the Rank 3 Martial Artists behind him: "You tell them."

Those Rank 3 Martial Artists could no longer hold it in. A man with blood scabs still on his Face stood out, his voice trembling: "It is true! Young Master Lin killed one Fourth-Rank Warrior with a single sword strike, and severely injured another with the second! We all saw it with our own eyes!"

"That's right! If it weren't for Young Master Lin taking action, we would have already died in the canyon!"

"That sword technique, that movement technique—I have never seen such a fast sword in my life!"

If one person said it, it might be bragging; if two people said it, it might be collusion; but when the entire team said it, the implications were different.

The expressions on everyone's Faces began to change.

The sounds of questioning gradually disappeared, replaced by an indescribable silence.

Someone gasped, someone instinctively touched their weapon, and others secretly glanced at Young Master Zhao Qingyun—he had been the one questioning most fiercely just moments ago.

Young Master Zhao Qingyun's expression changed completely.

His still-handsome Face looked as if someone had splashed a basin of cold water on it; the cold sneer on his lips froze there, unable to be retracted or maintained.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. His lips moved several times, and finally, he forced out a sentence: "Impossible... Where is that Lin Tian? I want to confront him myself!"

Elder Han glanced at him, his tone calm: "Young Master Lin has left."

"Left?"

"Yes. He took the qingluo fruit and set off first."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expression of the Elder of the Liu Family changed drastically.

"What? He took the qingluo fruit?"

The Elder's voice went out of tune.

What was the qingluo fruit? It was a precious medicinal herb that the Liu Family had spent countless costs to obtain! Was it just taken away by an outsider like that?

He hurriedly asked: "Where did he go?"

Elder Han shook his head: "Young Master Lin said he would go first to lure away the people from the Black Tiger Gang. The Black Tiger Gang's goal was the qingluo fruit; only if the fruit was not in the team could we safely pass through the canyon."

After a pause, he added: "I don't know exactly where Young Master Lin went. But he said he would go to the city to hand over the mission."

The Elder of the Liu Family gritted his teeth and waved his hand sharply: "Let's go! Return to the city!"

The group hurried back. They had traveled with heavy steps when they came, but they walked in a rush on the way back. Young Master Zhao Qingyun walked in the team, his Face as gloomy as a sky about to rain.

He did not believe it; he would not believe it even if he died. He wanted to see Lin Tian with his own eyes and ask him clearly in person.

When the group hurried back to Taiping City, there was no sign of Lin Tian.

The Liu Family steward was bewildered when asked: "Young Master Lin? I haven't seen him. Isn't the No. 3 team still not here yet?"

Everyone waited for a while longer, but still saw no sign of Lin Tian. Now, the discussions started up again.

"This person wouldn't have run away with the qingluo fruit, would he?"

"Definitely! The qingluo fruit is so precious, something the Black Tiger Gang would risk their lives to snatch. How could he not be tempted after taking it?"

"Sigh, he is still too young; greed got the better of him."

"The Liu Family has suffered a huge loss this time. They managed to withstand the siege of five Fourth-Rank Warriors, only to have the treasure taken away by their own person."

The expression of the Elder of the Liu Family was extremely ugly. He sat in a chair, holding his forehead, with countless thoughts spinning in his mind. Should he send news to the Family?

How to send it? Say the qingluo fruit was taken by a Disciple of the Qixia Sect? Could the Liu Family still get it back?

Just as he was hesitating, footsteps were heard at the door.

A figure walked in.

Lin Tian.

He was covered in the dust of travel, his robes stained with mud and grass clippings; he had clearly traveled a long way.

But his eyes were still clear, his steps still steady, and the autumn water sword at his waist glinted with a cold luster in the sunlight.

He walked into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and finally landing on the Elder of the Liu Family. Then he took a wooden box from his bosom and handed it over.

"I have not failed the mission."

The hand of the Elder of the Liu Family trembled as he took the wooden box. He opened the box, and a faint, refreshing medicinal fragrance immediately wafted out. Inside the box lay a green fruit the size of a fist, its skin shimmering with luster, completely undamaged.

The Elder carefully inspected it once, confirmed that the qingluo fruit had no problems, and then let out a long sigh of relief. He closed the box and solemnly cupped his hands to Lin Tian: "Thank you, Young Master Lin."

This thank you was more sincere than all the previous pleasantries.

The attitudes of the other Martial Artists in the courtyard changed completely.

Those who had previously said that Lin Tian had absconded with the treasure now felt their Faces burning, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. But more people actively came up to greet Lin Tian enthusiastically.

"Young Master Lin, thank you for your hard work!"

"Young Master Lin is truly a young hero!"

"A Genius from the Qixia Sect indeed lives up to his reputation!"

The attitudes of these people were incomparably more respectful than before they set off.

Before they set off, they respected Lin Tian's status—the title of a Qixia Sect Disciple was there, and everyone had to give some Face. But now, they respected Lin Tian's strength.

A young man who could kill Martial Artists of the same Realm, a person who could carve a bloody path out of the siege of five Fourth-Rank Warriors—this kind of strength was more useful than any status.

Young Master Zhao Qingyun stood outside the crowd, his Face as gloomy as the bottom of a pot.

He considered himself a local Prodigy. As the young master of a large martial arts hall, he had entered the Fourth-Rank at a young age and was always a figure who could walk sideways in this area.

He never looked down on his peers, feeling that they were not worthy of being compared to him.

But today, he had been outdone.

He couldn't compete in status—the other was a Genius Disciple of the Qixia Sect, while he was just the young master of a large martial arts hall.

He couldn't compete in strength—the other had killed several Fourth-Rank Warriors alone, while he would have to fight for a long time just to Face one Fourth-Rank Warrior.

He couldn't even compete in Liu Yiyi's attitude—that girl only ever had eyes for Lin Tian and wouldn't even give him a proper look.

Young Master Zhao Qingyun clenched his fists, his fingernails digging into his flesh. He wanted to lash out, to question, to prove that Lin Tian was not that strong.

But he opened his mouth and could say nothing.

Because everyone was praising Lin Tian. Because the injuries of those Rank 3 Martial Artists were real, and because the corpses of those Fourth-Rank Warriors in the canyon were real.

He could only stand in the corner and sulk.

After all the goods were handed over, everyone embarked on the journey back.

There was no conversation along the way.

When they returned to the Liu Family, the news had already arrived ahead of them.

The entire Liu Family already knew what the No. 3 team had encountered in the canyon, and they knew who had turned the tide.

In the main hall of the Liu Family, the Clan Chief personally came out to welcome them.

He strode up to Lin Tian, looked him up and down, and then patted Lin Tian's shoulder heavily: "Young Master Lin, I cannot thank you enough for your great kindness."

Lin Tian cupped his hands: "Clan Chief is too polite; it was my duty."

Liu Yiyi ran out from behind the Clan Chief. Her eyes were still red, but her Face was full of smiles.

She ran to Lin Tian, looked up at him, and said with a voice that was both crying and laughing: "Young Master Lin, it is so good that you are alive!"

When she said this, tears fell again. When she heard that the No. 3 team had been besieged by five Fourth-Rank Warriors, she had completely broken down.

Now seeing Lin Tian standing safe and sound in front of her, the feeling of going from despair to ecstasy made her unable to control her tears at all.

Lin Tian looked at her and smiled: "It is thanks to the precious sword that Young Miss Liu Yiyi gave me. With it, my strength increased greatly; otherwise, it would have been impossible to kill so many people."

He was telling the truth.

The grade of the autumn water sword was far superior to the standard long sword he had before; the blade was sharper, the body was tougher, and the Sword Intent was more potent.

If he didn't have this sword, even if he could win against three Fourth-Rank Warriors, it wouldn't have been so swift and clean.

Liu Yiyi cried even harder when she heard this. But this time, it was out of happiness.

The Clan Chief waved his hand and had the prepared rewards brought up.

According to the previous agreement, every Martial Artist who participated in the escort could receive corresponding medicinal herbs as payment.

Lin Tian was allocated three medicinal herbs, all of good quality.

The Clan Chief had two more medicinal herbs brought up and personally handed them to Lin Tian: "Young Master Lin, this is an extra token of the Liu Family's appreciation. If not for you turning the tide, the qingluo fruit would have long since fallen into the hands of the Black Tiger Gang. The Liu Family will remember this favor."

Lin Tian did not decline and took the medicinal herbs.

Five medicinal herbs were placed in front of him, the medicinal fragrance hitting his nose. He calculated in his heart that with these five herbs, he could prepare some medicinal soup upon returning and use it in conjunction with his Cultivation.

When he was in Baicao Valley, he had learned some techniques for making medicinal soups from Old Man Qian. Although he could not be considered proficient, it was no problem to prepare some simple medicinal soups.

He was just thinking about when to set off back to the Qixia Sect when Liu Yiyi suddenly spoke: "Young Master Lin, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

She wiped away her tears and looked at Lin Tian longingly: "You saved the lives of so many people in the Liu Family; you must let us entertain you properly for a few days, right? Why not stay at the Liu Family for a few more days?"

Several Elders of the Liu Family also chimed in: "Yes, Young Master Lin, let us properly thank you. You have traveled all this way, you must rest your feet."

Lin Tian thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright then."

Anyway, Cultivation is Cultivation wherever one is; since the Liu Family was so hospitable, he was not in a hurry for this moment.

The others received their rewards and dispersed one after another.

When Young Master Zhao Qingyun left, he looked back at Lin Tian, who was surrounded by the Liu Family members like stars around the moon. His Face was livid, and he left without saying a word.

Lin Tian stayed at the Liu Family.

The Liu Family held several banquets to entertain him. During the banquets, cups were exchanged, and the Clan Chief and Elders took turns to toast him, saying many words of thanks.

Lin Tian was not very good at handling such occasions, but he did not act rudely; he drank the wine that should be drunk and said the words that should be said.

In his spare time, Liu Yiyi took him to stroll around Yunzhou Prefecture. Yunzhou Prefecture was the largest city in this area, much more prosperous than Taiping City. The streets were crowded with people, shops were lined up, and everything was sold.

Liu Yiyi chattered incessantly like a sparrow, introducing this and that to Lin Tian. Lin Tian followed along, nodding occasionally and responding occasionally, but his gaze was focused on the weapons and movement techniques of the Martial Artists on the street.

In the evening, returning to the room arranged for him by the Liu Family, Lin Tian stayed behind closed doors.

He practiced sword techniques in the courtyard.

The autumn water sword was unsheathed, its sword light cold as water under the moonlight. The Xiaguang Sword Technique was performed move by move, from the starting stance to the closing stance, with every repetition striving for precision.

He counted the repetitions silently in his heart; with one hundred more repetitions, this set of sword techniques could break through to the Minor Achievement Realm.

The Xiaguang Sword Technique at the Minor Achievement Realm, combined with the grade of the autumn water sword, would take its power to the next level.

Once, twice, three times.

Under the moonlight, the sword light was like rosy clouds, continuous and endless.

Five days passed like this.

On the night of the fifth day, when Lin Tian thrust out the final sword strike, a layer of faint rosy light suddenly lit up on the sword body.

That light did not flash and disappear like before; instead, it adhered to the sword body and flowed endlessly, as if coating the autumn water sword in a thin layer of dawn.

The sword edge sliced through the air, emitting a soft humming sound.

Lin Tian sheathed his sword and stood still, feeling the sense of harmony and connection on the sword body, and nodded.

Lin Tian sheathed his sword and stood still, bringing up the Proficiency System panel in his mind.

Name: Lin Tian

Cultivation: Fourth-Rank Warrior Early Stage

Martial Arts:

Purple Qi Diagram (Minor Achievement, 140 / 1000)

Xiaguang Sword Technique (Minor Achievement, 3 / 1000)

Cloud Shadow Step (Minor Achievement, 160 / 1000)

Looking at the data on the panel, Lin Tian nodded with satisfaction.

It was time to go back.

Lin Tian put the autumn water sword into its scabbard and looked up at the moon in the sky.

Return to the Qixia Sect.

After returning, first refine those five medicinal herbs into medicinal soup and consume it to raise his Cultivation. Then, see if there are suitable martial arts in the Sect and buy a few to practice.

Although the Xiaguang Sword Technique had broken through to Minor Achievement, one set of sword techniques was ultimately not enough. To gain a firm foothold in the Fourth-Rank Realm, having more means was never a mistake.

He turned and walked back to his room, beginning to pack his things.