Chapter 259: Accumulate Deeply, Unleash Swiftly (I)

Outside Heavenly Blade Peak, Tang Weizhong had originally been standing not far away, watching as if enjoying a show. Usually, when someone escaped from the shroud of saber intent, they would subconsciously lower their guard, and that was the perfect moment to strike. The killer from Soulcall Tower made his move just as he had expected.

When the assassin thrust out his longsword, Tang Weizhong nearly cheered aloud.

However, Tang Weizhong's expression quickly darkened. The situation had developed entirely beyond his expectations. Even with his essence, qi, and spirit heavily depleted, Lin Zheyu still managed to evade such a silent assassination. What surprised him even more was that Li Guoming of the Li Family also arrived and saved Lin Zheyu at the critical moment.

"Damn it."

Tang Weizhong cursed, and beside him, Tang Zhentao also couldn't help but furrow his brows.

"I did not expect the Li Family to value that fellow so highly. Before even witnessing his natural talent, they were already willing to dispatch Li Guoming for him."

Tang Zhentao was greatly surprised. In his view, this assassination should have been almost guaranteed to succeed. Li Guoyao was stationed at Heavenly Blade Peak and could not arrive in time to aid, and aside from Li Guoyao, the Li Family had no other true experts to deploy.

"What do we do next? They already valued him so highly before, and now, on his first climb of Heavenly Blade Peak, he has comprehended a true intent seed. His natural talent is too astonishing. Over the next half year, the Li Family will very likely invite him to hide within their estate to avoid Soulcall Tower's assassinations."

Tang Weizhong drew in a deep breath, unwilling in his heart, and looked to Tang Zhentao for an answer.

He had no choice but to admit that with his current strength, he could no longer pose any threat to Lin Zheyu. Even if he wished to avenge Tang Weiqiang, he could only rely on other members of the Tang Family to act.

"We wait. He is likely to remain at the Li Residence for the next six months, but he cannot stay there forever. Once he steps outside, there will be plenty of chances to act. Keep people watching him. He killed members of the Tang Family, so this matter will not simply be let go. Also, please inform the Pei Family and have them put in some effort. They also lost family members to Zhao Hao," Tang Zhentao said calmly, not giving Lin Zheyu a second thought.

So what if he had condensed a true intent seed? No matter how gifted he was, transforming a true intent seed into true intent required at least one or two years. After that, fusing essence, qi, and spirit into one and tempering the true intent into strands of true strength would take several more years. During all that time, killing him would be as easy as turning a hand for Tang Zhentao.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

***

The Li Residence was located in the North River district of Wuling City, one of the city's most prosperous areas. It was vast and heavily guarded. Upon entering, Li Mengxi arranged a small courtyard for Lin Zheyu. Since Lin Zheyu would be staying for half a year and needed to practice martial techniques daily as a martial artist, arranging a separate courtyard was both convenient and provided him with some privacy.

"Master, is there anything you need this servant to do? The young master said that if you need anything during your training, you may speak directly without reservation," Ya Lan said respectfully as she entered the courtyard.

Li Mengxi had specially transferred Ya Lan back from outside Heavenly Blade Peak so that she could continue serving Lin Zheyu.

"Prepare some medicinal soup for recovery," Lin Zheyu said.

After Ya Lan left, he put away his belongings, then went into the courtyard to practice the Barbaric Ox Fist and solidify today's insights.

The air burst with muffled pops as his fists blasted out, the force making the atmosphere around him tremble. As he trained, a powerful and overwhelmingly dominant fist momentum rose from his body. Every movement of his limbs brought about a terrifying pressure. He had already grasped the fist momentum of the Barbaric Ox Fist back in Songyi City. At that time, however, he had no guidance and no true intent diagram, and had relied solely on his own comprehension to forcefully realize that momentum.

Later, through continuous battles with vicious beasts, he tempered and strengthened his fist momentum. Unfortunately, he had not forged a corresponding martial conviction nor obtained a true intent diagram, which caused his progress in cultivating fist momentum to be slow. Yet over the span of more than a year, he did gain results. Through relentless combat, tempering his momentum, practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist, grasping its subtleties, and constantly questioning himself about the meaning of an invincible conviction and the will of the strong, he accumulated comprehension.

Lin Zheyu already carried many thoughts and insights in his heart. Because of his earlier accumulation, he was able to awaken the Dominance true intent within the saber intent on Heavenly Blade Peak. From the time he first comprehended fist momentum to now, condensing a true intent seed, he had spent nearly a year and a half.

After condensing a true intent seed, his Dominance fist momentum was no longer a castle in the air nor a rootless tree. He could now continue improving it until it eventually transformed into true intent. After training for more than two hours, Lin Zheyu finally stopped, panting. His blood qi had been fully exhausted.

Soon after, Ya Lan entered back into his courtyard, placing a decoction onto a stone table and handing over a bottle of pills.

"Master, this is the medicinal soup you requested, and this is a bottle of Essence and Qi Pills, sent by Young Master Mengxi. There are thirty in total. When you finish them, just inform this servant, and I will fetch more."

Essence and Qi Pills were used during the Blood Qi realm, helping greatly with condensing blood qi. After reaching the Marrow Refining realm, they were no longer necessary. Lin Zheyu outwardly displayed the strength of the Marrow Refining realm. The main difference between the Marrow Refining realm and the Blood Qi realm was physical toughness, and his physique surpassed many martial artists in the Marrow Refining realm. As long as he did not personally reveal that he had not yet refined his marrow, no one would be able to distinguish it from his aura alone.

In principle, a martial artist in the Marrow Refining realm did not need Essence and Qi Pills to condense blood qi. When such martial artists used them, it was mostly as recovery pills, but this was extremely extravagant. In the Marrow Refining realm, the main goal was comprehending true intent and integrating it into one's essence, qi, and spirit energy, transforming it into true strength.

Only after transforming true intent and condensing true strength would one need Essence and Qi Pills to replenish blood qi and accelerate that condensation. Li Mengxi had certainly not sent the pills because he believed Lin Zheyu to be in the Blood Qi realm. He intended to show sincerity, subtly indicating that Lin Zheyu should feel free to ask for whatever he needed.

"Help me thank Young Master Mengxi," said Lin Zheyu, accepting the pills with a smile.

Li Mengxi had shown sincerity, and there was no reason to refuse. Lin Zheyu also wished to use this opportunity to build ties with the Li Family so he could assist them within his ability in the future.

"Yes, Master. Do you have any further instructions?" Ya Lan asked.

"Nothing else. You may go," said Lin Zheyu as he shook his head, dismissing her.

He was not accustomed to others watching him practice, especially those who could not offer him any assistance in martial cultivation. If someone could guide him in martial arts, he would welcome their presence gladly.

"With these thirty pills, I now have one hundred and nineteen in total. Since it is not suitable to go out, I can only rely on Essence and Qi Pills for now. I wonder how strong the energy within these pills is," Lin Zheyu murmured to himself as he toyed with the bottle.

Assassins from Soulcall Tower were undoubtedly waiting outside the Li Residence, and he had no intention of taking such pointless risks. Purchasing pills through the Li Family was also unsuitable, however. Raising his strength with Origin Force required massive energy in a short time, and acquiring that much through the Li Family would easily arouse suspicion.

If they suspected he carried some secret, that would be troublesome. Although using Essence and Qi Pills as Origin Force energy was extremely extravagant, money existed to be spent. As long as his strength grew, there would be plenty of ways to earn more. Besides, he was currently quite wealthy, still carrying a banknote worth 100,000 taels of silver.

I will use Origin Force to improve myself after obtaining a true technique. I wonder whether the improvement from the true technique will be better than the crude method I pieced together myself,

Lin Zheyu thought quietly as he stored the pills away.

After drinking the medicinal soup and resting for a while, Lin Zheyu resumed practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist. After understanding the true intent seed, the fist art's ability to improve his momentum had become minimal. Yet it was the only technique he possessed that aided his Dominance momentum, so it was better than nothing. In the future, when the opportunity arose, he hoped to obtain a cultivation art centered on Dominance true intent.