56: Chapter 56 The Crown Prince's Edict

Inside the small courtyard, it was quiet and silent. With a thought, Lin Qing opened the panel.

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: Qi-Blood Realm (Breakthrough time: 30 days)

Talent: Innate Mysterious Fetus

Fused Cultivation Techniques:

Recorded Cultivation Techniques: Lunar Visualization Method (1798/5000), Solar Visualization Method (1342/5000)

Body Control Rating: Yellow Rank Advanced

Recorded Martial Arts: Rock-Splitting Thunder-Running Blade (0/80)... Cold River Solitary Shadow Sword (0/300)

First was the Breakthrough time. After reaching Perfection in all Rank 4 Cultivation Techniques this time, the Breakthrough time was even shorter than when the System gave him the time to break through to Rank 3 after finishing Rank 3 techniques.

The reason for this result was precisely the newly appeared talent—Innate Mysterious Fetus.

Lin Qing's mind sank into his body, carefully sensing the changes in his Physique. Before long, he understood what this Innate Mysterious Fetus was.

On the panel, all the Cultivation Techniques he had previously learned had disappeared; it was precisely them that allowed Lin Qing to obtain this Innate Mysterious Fetus.

Cultivation Techniques above Rank 5 start utilizing Spiritual Qi for cultivation, which is almost an entirely new path. Cultivation Techniques of Rank 4 and below constitute the entirety of mundane martial arts.

The thousands of mundane Cultivation Techniques all revolve around tempering the Physical Body and nurturing blood qi, exhausting all means to quench the muscles, bones, skin, and flesh, and to replenish the Origin of one's blood qi.

At this moment, Lin Qing had essentially completed the cultivation of all mundane techniques. It was this unprecedented feat that gave birth to the talent, Innate Mysterious Fetus.

Lin Qing naturally hadn't truly cultivated every single technique, but he had the support of the System's power. Once the techniques he cultivated reached a certain number, the System would automatically help him complete the rest.

Just like the various martial arts he practiced; after he finished cultivating Basic Martial Arts, other techniques he had never learned automatically appeared in his mind. That was the System helping Lin Qing complete them.

Cultivation Techniques worked on the same principle.

Even if there were some styles of techniques he hadn't practiced at all, the System filled the gaps for him. Thus, the technique he cultivated was a perfect technique that did not exist in the world.

Combined with the System's characteristic of automatically running techniques, it created the Heaven-Defying talent of the Innate Mysterious Fetus. Rather than calling it a talent, it was more like a Physique. Its function was to automatically and continuously improve his Physical Body's strength.

After understanding all the changes, he drew a bucket of water. The cold well water washed over him, cleansing the grime from his body and shedding the mundane impurities.

Once his body was completely clean, Lin Qing gave a sudden jolt!

Boom—

A surge of blood qi, majestic to the extreme, suddenly exploded from within his body!

A crimson, sunset-like torrent of blood qi surged from his limbs and bones, instantly rushing out of the small courtyard and soaring straight into the clouds. Visible red air currents swirled above Yanguī City, churning and galloping like fallen rosy clouds or hanging flames. A scorching and thick martial dao pressure swept across all directions, covering the land.

This was precisely the sign of the Peak of Rank 4 in Great Xia's martial arts—Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens. Yet he was only at Rank 3. To possess the blood qi of an ordinary Rank 4 Peak while only at Rank 3 was nothing short of terrifying.

He had only wanted to check his current blood qi intensity; he hadn't expected it to cause such a terrifying sight.

In the past, when he erupted his blood qi, it would at most cover a few yards of the courtyard with minimal commotion, making it impossible for outsiders to notice.

But now, the majestic blood qi was like a rolling tide, instantly covering the entire Yaojin Guild, visible to the whole of Yanguī City. Martial Artists on the streets looked toward the Yaojin Guild, and a flurry of discussions immediately broke out.

"What terrifying blood qi! This aura... it's Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens!"

"Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens is the hallmark of the Peak of Rank 4! Has an expert from the Heaven Ranking descended upon our Yanguī City?"

"It's the Yaojin Guild. Could it be Jiang Jiuci?"

Countless gazes focused on the Yaojin Guild, filled with various speculations and causing a city-wide uproar.

Great Xia did not have cultivation methods for Rank 5, so the Peak of Rank 4 was already the strongest in Great Xia. Those on the Heaven Ranking were all at the Peak of Rank 4, possessing the phenomenon of Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens.

They thought that achieving Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens meant they had gained the qualification to break through to Rank 5, just like before. Unfortunately, no matter how they tempered their bodies, they could not break through to Rank 5.

The requirement to step into Rank 5 is Divine Thought, something the people of Great Xia know nothing about. This is the limitation of a small place and one of the reasons Lin Qing has always wanted to leave the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Just as he was secretly lamenting his carelessness this time, several hurried footsteps approached.

Su Lan, Chu Lingxi, and the others rushed over, standing in the courtyard and staring intently at Lin Qing. Their eyes were filled with shock, as if they were looking at a peerless Prodigy appearing in the world.

Having not seen him for just a month, his strength had once again made a terrifying leap. Such a cultivation speed had already exceeded their understanding of martial arts geniuses.

While the atmosphere in the courtyard was uncertain, outside Yanguī City, dust flew as a strictly regulated ceremonial procession slowly entered the city.

The procession's carriages and horses were exquisite, and flags flew high. A royal banner embroidered with a gilded dragon unfurled in the wind, majestic and awe-inspiring. Upon seeing this banner, the commoners and Jianghu Martial Artists along the street all looked solemn and bowed to make way; none dared to block the path.

This royal procession traveled unimpeded, passing straight through the long street and finally stopping before the main gates of the Yaojin Guild.

The curtain of the luxurious ebony carriage moved slightly, and a figure stepped out slowly.

It was a middle-aged eunuch dressed in a scarlet official robe, with a fair but cold face. His eyes carried the arrogance and majesty of someone who had long held a high position. He had a tall, straight build and a steady aura.

This man was the head eunuch of the East Palace, a close attendant specifically tasked with delivering the Crown Prince's orders and overseeing important matters.

Standing in the center of the Yaojin Guild's main gate, his cold gaze swept across the guild hall. His sharp, loud shout echoed through the entire long street and reached every corner of the guild:

"The Crown Prince's decree has arrived! Martial Artist Xie Chen, come forward immediately to receive the decree!"

The people in Lin Qing's courtyard were all startled upon hearing this, their expressions turning solemn.

Lin Qing's gaze darkened slightly, but his expression remained calm. He slowly stepped out of the small courtyard and walked to the guild hall to face the visitor from the East Palace.

Seeing Lin Qing's arrival, the East Palace eunuch's expression turned stern, and he barked condescendingly:

"Xie Chen! I am here to deliver the Crown Prince's decree. With the decree before you, why haven't you knelt down immediately to receive it!"

The scolding carried the pressure of one long in a high position, a forceful attempt to suppress Lin Qing using royal protocol.

Lin Qing remained silent, his body standing tall like a pine tree. He just looked quietly at the eunuch before him with cold eyes. The air in the hall instantly froze, and a chill spread silently.

That chill was deep and cold, carrying a monstrous killing intent. The eunuch's face instantly turned ashen.

As the head attendant of the East Palace, he himself possessed a Middle Stage Rank 4 cultivation. He was a top expert in any county, and ordinary Jianghu Martial Artists would be respectful, humble, and fearful when meeting him.

But at this moment, he clearly sensed the sharpness and determination hidden deep in Lin Qing's eyes—this man not only did not fear royal majesty, but he... actually dared to kill him in public!

A bone-chilling sense of crisis enveloped him. The arrogance in the eunuch's heart vanished instantly, and he no longer dared to force a kneeling. Suppressing the fear in his heart, he took out the gilded, jade-inlaid Crown Prince's decree and read it aloud:

"I have recently heard that Lin Qing, a talent from Yanguī City, possesses a peerless martial arts aptitude but is buried at the border, yet to find an opportunity in the imperial court. I cherish talent and cannot bear to see a bright pearl covered in dust. I hereby issue this decree to summon Lin Qing to enter the palace immediately, to be carefully nurtured by the royal family in the East Palace, enjoy the honors of a Prodigy, and practice martial arts with the court!"

The decree's words were clear, spreading in all directions.

On the decree, what was written was not the pseudonym Xie Chen well-known in the Jianghu, but his real name—Lin Qing.

His past identity and Origins had clearly been thoroughly investigated by the Crown Prince.

This was no recruitment out of appreciation for talent; it was a blatant threat.

Although he was an orphan and alone, he had met many people along the way. Whether it was Wang Yuan of Qingyang County, Wang Qingwan of Yunlan County, or Su Lan and the others from the Yaojin Guild, he didn't want these people to suffer undeserved calamities because of him.

This summons to the palace seemed like a gift, but it was actually a veiled threat. If he refused to obey, the East Palace would surely implicate everyone he was close to.

Using the safety of those around him as leverage to force him into submission.

He was silent for a moment, his face showing no emotion. He spoke slowly, his voice flat: "I accept the decree."

Su Lan raised her hand but ultimately said nothing, only sighing helplessly.

He turned and returned to his courtyard to pack his belongings: banknotes, body quenching milk, and a long saber. It was extremely simple; several million taels in banknotes was his entire net worth.

A moment later, Lin Qing finished packing, stepped out of the courtyard, and returned to the guild hall.

"Let's go."

He spoke indifferently to the East Palace eunuch, whose face remained stern, then stepped straight into the carriage of the royal procession.

The wheels of the carriage rolled, and the royal procession set off once more, turning around and slowly heading toward the capital of Great Xia.

The carriage curtain obscured his face; no one could see Lin Qing's expression inside.

His entry into the palace this time was naturally not out of submission to the Crown Prince's intimidation.

He wanted this high-and-mighty heir of the East Palace to know what price would be paid for threatening Lin Qing.