Chapter 152: Bafang City (I)

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

A gentle breeze brushed through the dense forest, stirring a chorus of rustling leaves. Under the silvery moonlight, members of the Feihong Gang stood watch, gripping their cold blades as their wary eyes swept the surroundings. Not far away, Lin Zheyu was tirelessly practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist within the woods. Each punch tore through the air, producing faint whistling sounds.

"With such talent, and still working this hard, Lord Lin really leaves no room for us ordinary folk to survive!" Jia Yanyong sighed as he watched the figure training relentlessly amid the forest. They were close to Lin Zheyu and knew well just how diligent he truly was.

"This fist technique of Lord Lin's looks formidable. What do you think, Lord Qiu?" asked Xie Jiang curiously, glancing toward Qiu Gaoxuan.

Among them, Qiu Gaoxuan was the strongest, so he could discern details others could not.

Qiu Gaoxuan shook his head and said expressionlessly, "It's powerful. I'm not his equal."

After watching for a while, he couldn't help but draw his long saber and find an open space to begin his own training.

"Not long ago, Brother Lin was just a storyteller fleeing for his life. It's hard to believe that in less than a year, he's become this strong," said Ning Hui with deep emotion. The gap between people could sometimes be wider than that between a man and a dog.

A short distance away, Xu Yinghao and Ren Jie leaned lazily against an ox cart, watching Lin Zheyu train in the forest with curious eyes.

"This youngster's talent and perseverance are remarkable. Your Xu Family really picked up a gem," said Ren Jie with a smile.

"I'm not so sure. He may not show it, but Lin Zheyu has great ambition. I've been observing him. His strength is at least at the Organ Forging Realm. It's simply unbelievable to reach that within a year. With such talent and aptitude, he'd rank among the upper-tier geniuses even in the Central Plains. If he ventures there, his future achievements will be boundless. I think this youngster will choose to head for the Central Plains eventually. After all, that's where true warriors belong," replied Xu Yinghao.

"True enough. The pool here is too small," Ren Jie said wistfully. "If my talent weren't so mediocre, I'd want to go see it for myself."

***

Whoosh, whoosh.

Lin Zheyu's fists struck forward, stirring gusts of wind that howled through the air. After eating some roasted meat and taking a brief rest, he started another round of training. The dense forest was silent except for the rhythmic sounds of Lin Zheyu's martial practice.

Most of the ordinary travelers in the caravan were already asleep. Only a few who couldn't get used to the road stayed awake. They gathered around campfires, and were chatting, roasting meat, or playing small games to pass the time.

More than nine hours later, as dawn began to break, Lin Zheyu finally broke through his limit.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 1]

[Skills: Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 1%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 26%)]

He gazed at the data within his consciousness and muttered to himself, "Finally broke through... It's troublesome not being able to train without restraint; it takes so much longer."

He did not use his Origin Force to advance immediately. There were many Blood Qi Realm martial artists within the caravan. If he used Origin Force to break through and fully restore his body, it would draw too much attention.

Even with the Tortoise Breath Grand Method to conceal his aura, it could only mask his strength, not make his body appear exhausted.

I'll wait until we reach Bafang City before breaking through all at once.

After resting and regaining a bit of strength, he staggered back toward the caravan. Among the Feihong Gang's second group of evacuees were many powerful martial artists. Even if they were ambushed, Lin Zheyu would have enough time to recover quickly with his Origin Force.

Jia Yanyong and the others watched the weary Lin Zheyu return, their eyes filled with respect and astonishment.

"Lord Lin, your perseverance is incredible!" Xie Jiang couldn't help exclaiming.

They had spent the night on watch, mostly idling away, staring at the sky or chatting to stay awake. But Lin Zheyu had been training for nine straight hours. Such perseverance was frighteningly strong!

"You three have decent natural talent. If you can be as diligent as I am, there's a good chance you'll reach the peak of the Organ Forging Realm," Lin Zheyu declared while glancing at Jia Yanyong and the others.

"I'll pass. Xie Jiang, Ning Hui, you two can give it a try." Jia Yanyong shook his head vigorously. Just imagining himself training as obsessively as Lin Zheyu sent a chill down his spine.

"I can't either. With my talent, I think reaching the peak of the Bone Forging Realm is already my limit."

"Same here."

Xie Jiang and Ning Hui spoke at the same time.

If they had to train like maniacs every single day like Lin Zheyu, living like ascetics, what meaning would life even have? Wasn't martial training meant to make life more comfortable? Jia Yanyong and the others felt their current strength was sufficient, though being stronger would, of course, be nice. Still, they knew themselves well. With their talent, the strength they had now was about as far as they could go.

"Everyone has their own aspirations. Do as you wish," said Lin Zheyu with a smile. He walked toward a nearby ox cart, sat down against its side, and leaned back to rest.

"Lord Lin, here's the medicinal broth you ordered. I've already packed it all into the water pouch for you. And this is the roasted meat from last night. I just reheated it. See if the taste is to your liking."

A young subordinate approached respectfully, carrying a water pouch and a piece of roasted meat in his hands. Having watched Lin Zheyu train through the night, they were full of admiration for his endurance.

"Thank you."

Lin Zheyu took the pouch, pulled out the wooden stopper, and a wave of medicinal fragrance wafted out. He took a sip of the broth, feeling a warm current flow down his throat into his abdomen. After finishing the meat and drinking a few more mouthfuls of broth, he sat cross-legged and began circulating his breathing technique to restore his strength.

Time passed, and the sky gradually brightened. Two young men climbed down from the ox cart. They glanced at Lin Zheyu, respect showing in their eyes. They hadn't been able to sleep last night and had watched him train for nine whole hours. They moved to an open space nearby, standing a few steps apart, and began their morning practice.

After an hour, they stopped, walked over, and said respectfully, "Uncle Lin!"

"Not bad. But your power just now was a little off. When you strike with the saber, it's not about using as much force as possible; you must reserve a fraction of your strength..." Lin Zheyu turned to the older of the two and offered his guidance.

These two were Senior Brother Han Mo's eldest son, Han Tianshu, and his second son, Han Tianmin. Both possessed decent talent and commendable perseverance, making them promising seeds in martial cultivation.

"Thank you, Uncle Lin." Han Tianshu bowed respectfully after hearing Lin Zheyu's guidance. Gripping his long saber, he returned to the clearing and began practicing according to Lin Zheyu's instructions.

"And you, your adaptability is lacking. Your Sixfold Saber technique lacks a bit of finesse. Still, this saber art is simple and straightforward. Taking it in a more open and forceful direction isn't necessarily wrong. But your father walks a path of precision with a touch of power. Trying to imitate his exact style doesn't quite suit you. When practicing, pay attention to these points. First..."

Lin Zheyu took Han Tianmin's saber and began to demonstrate.

The journey toward Bafang City was long and dull, and offering guidance to Senior Brother Han Mo's children was a pleasant way to pass the time. However, only the eldest and second sons were interested in martial arts; the elder and second daughters were gentle and had no interest in such training.

The youngest of Han Mo's children, Han Tianshun, had no passion for martial cultivation at all; his dream was to become a high official. In times of peace, pursuing an official career was indeed a fine choice. Many scions of esteemed families who lacked the will to train would seek to pass the civil exams.

But during an era of chaos, powerless scholars could only be swept along by the tide, and martial strength was the sole path to survival. Everything depended on whether Great Wei could hold back the rebel armies and maintain stability.

As the sky grew brighter and brighter, the caravan began its journey once more. Lin Zheyu climbed into an ox cart, sat cross-legged, and circulated the Tortoise Breath Grand Method to restore his spirit and stamina.

Time flowed quietly by, and more than a month passed. They rested for seven days midway in Wangshan City to replenish their supplies before setting out again. The journey to Bafang City was extremely long, though for martial artists like Lin Zheyu and his companions, it was nothing significant.

For ordinary people, however, it was pure hardship. The constant jolting of the road, poor food, and restless sleep left them drained and weary. Fortunately, they encountered few ambushes along the way, and even when they did, the attackers were minor riffraff swiftly dealt with.