Chapter 137: Awakening

At Lu Changkong's mansion district.

Lin Yuzhi was less than a hundred meters away from Lu Changkong's mansion, seated in a scenic pavilion.

Lin Yuzhi sat and pondered, reflecting on where he had gone wrong.

So, how did I end up here?

Did he underestimate Lian Hongchen, this deputy chairman he had always suppressed, leading to Lian Hongchen outsmarting him?

No, that wasn’t it.

Did he trust Lu Changkong too much, forgetting that mutual respect was based on recognizing each other’s value and leading to his current predicament where no one was willing to help him?

Not that either.

Was it because of Li Pin? Did opposing Li Pin, and facing the rise of this martial arts prodigy, push him into making a series of wrong decisions that ultimately trapped him?

No, still not it.

What was his real mistake....

Lin Yuzhi carefully reviewed his actions over the years. Ten years ago, he earned Lu Changkong's appreciation and headed to Jiang Province to serve as the martial society chairman.

Back then, his situation was far from stable. The previous chairman had been reluctant to relinquish power, and he had colluded with local martial arts influence to oppose him. There were even attempts to kill Lin Yuzhi.

However, alone, he responded with a sword. He wielded the Thirty-Six Paths of Infinite Sword Technique and swept through Jiang Province, leaving a bloody trail in the martial arts world. In just one month, he killed no fewer than ten grandmasters and even two Martial Saints.

Finally, he used his ultimate move, the Infinite Way of Heaven, to send the former president to his grave. Amidst the blood and bones, he ascended to the chairman position, leaving everyone in Jiang Province silent.

Since then, Jiang Province knew peace. No one dared to stand in Lin Yuzhi's way ever since.

As for Lin Yuzhi, he always remembered this glory and never dared to slack off in his martial practice.

However, humans had their limits. No matter how hard he worked or how consistently he trained his swordsmanship, he could only watch himself age bit by bit.

Advancing further and condensing his Martial Will to become a Martial Saint was out of the question. He had only been able to maintain his peak condition because of the many favors he had exchanged for precious resources.

Nevertheless...age was inevitably catching up with him. To cope with this, he had to engage with more people and participate in more social affairs.

When the Gu Family approached him with an opportunity to join the Dragon Gate Hall, he agreed without hesitation.

"Social affairs...."

After a few moments, he questioned, "Who am I?"

He declared, "I am Lin Yuzhi!"

A mysterious light shone in Lin Yuzhi's eyes at these moments of desperation.

"Back then, when my swordsmanship was just beginning to gain recognition, I was praised and respected by many. The flattery was overwhelming, especially after I got married, and my swordsmanship stagnated. Then, I had an epiphany and changed my name to Yuzhi, which means 'cease desires!'"

In Jiang Province, his name had taken on an even deeper meaning. It meant "to cease killing!"

That had been the peak of his life. But now... bearing the name Yuzhi, he was mired in social entanglements, like falling into a boundless abyss from which he could not extricate himself. The result was... he lost his true self![1]

It was from that moment that mistakes were made. The recent incidents involving Li Pin and Lian Hongchen only served to fully expose these mistakes.

Lin Yuzhi closed his eyes. "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!"

He regretted it deeply.

Beep, beep!

At this moment, his phone rang again.

He glanced at it and saw another message from the same number.

Li Pin: After three days, I expect him to be in peak condition, as dominant as he was ten years ago in Jiang Province, and fight me. This battle will end in one of two ways, either he kills me and continues as the chairman of the Jiang Province Martial Society, or I kill him. From then on, all grudges will be settled.

Clearly, there was a middleman who relayed these messages to Lin Yuzhi. However... even without hearing Li Pin's voice and tone, Lin Yuzhi could imagine the overwhelming confidence Li Pin was radiating that night, after he defeated Chi Tiexin and Qi Feng.

It was the same confidence he, Lin Yuzhi, had felt when he held his sword and swept through Jiang Province, leaving its martial arts community in shambles and silencing its members.

The sharpness between the lines and the exuberance behind his words....

He remembered it like it was yesterday!

Lin Yuzhi stared at these two messages for several seconds. Finally, he burst into laughter. "

Hahahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the clouds, filled with an indescribable sense of relief and satisfaction. His laughter drew the curious glances of many passersby, but Lin Yuzhi did not care at all. He stood up and slowly walked out of the mansion district.

Ten years!

It took him ten years, during which he endured great ups and downs and experienced the darkest moments of his life, to finally understand the truth that Li Pin had grasped so early.

No wonder Li Pin had pushed him to such an extent that he even considered fleeing Taibai with his entire family. No wonder!

What could a martial artist rely on? Money? Power?

No! Fame, wealth, and luxury were as fleeting as clouds!

He was a martial artist! He could only rely on himself and... the three-foot sword in his hand. If he could use his three-foot sword to break through the shackles of a Martial Saint, he'd be able to sweep away all the difficulties.

With this thought, Lin Yuzhi felt the heaviness and gloom weighing on his heart dissipate, as if a ray of light had pierced through the clouds and shone down upon him.

At that moment, the sun blazed brilliantly, illuminating the world. Lin Yuzhi felt that the world was breathtaking. It was so beautiful that... he started singing a poem loudly.

As he recited, he reached out to break a willow branch and wielded it like a sword.

"By the light of a lantern, I watch my sword in drunkenness! In my dreams, I return to the sound of war horns and camps! Dividing the spoils of war under command over eight hundred miles, the sound of fifty strings echoes beyond the frontier, as soldiers are mustered in the autumn battlefield!"[2]

In this battle, it's either life or death!

***

As Lin Yuzhi danced and sang while moving away, a child couldn't help but ask his mother, "Mommy, is that uncle crazy?"

His mother didn’t answer. She simply pulled her son further away from Lin Yuzhi.

It wasn’t just the child murmuring. Others also whispered, "How could the property management let a madman into our neighborhood? What if he hurts someone?"

However... Lin Yuzhi was oblivious to these comments.

***

Half an hour later, Zhang Hengqiu forwarded a message from Lin Yuzhi to Li Pin. It only contained one word.

Lin Yuzhi: Alright.

Li Pin had been in his private training room when he saw that one word, prompting him to smile slightly and utter, "Alright."

With that, he set his phone aside.

At that moment, a commotion was heard outside. Soon, Cao Tianyou, Zhao Yuan, Lian Hongchen, and Lian Xiyue arrived.

Li Pin walked out of his training room and into the living area.

He saw Cao Tianyou placing down a finely crafted sword case.

Cao Tianyou beckoned and said, "Grandmaster Li, please take a look."

As Li Pin opened the case, a sword that was not particularly long but appeared quite heavy with a dark yellow blade came into view.

"This sword, besides the Astral Crystal, is primarily made from Eight Desolate Stones. Therefore, the astral equipment of this type is often named after the Eight Desolates," Cao Tianyou introduced.

"‘Eternal Through the Ages, Across the Eight Desolates’, that’s quite a fitting name," Li Pin remarked.

"Astral equipment is generally designed for fighting ferocious beasts, so they tend to be heavy. The Eight Desolate Sword is no exception, weighing twenty-five pounds. It may be cumbersome in chaotic battles or prolonged fights, but in one-on-one or short-term fights, its heavy weight can become an advantage.

"Additionally, as an astral equipment, it possesses extraordinary qualities; not only does it accurately transmit the martial artist's qi and blood but it also amplifies it."

Cao Tianyou added, "Of course, the specifics are for you to explore."

Li Pin nodded in acknowledgment.

The spirit weapon, costing over a hundred million, was undeniably expensive. However, its heavy price was understandable. While fighting martial artists empty-handed wasn't an issue, fighting ferocious beasts and demonic creatures with tough hides and resilient life forces was a different story. A spirit weapon's role becomes crucial in such situations.

"Grandmaster Li, please examine this sword to see if it needs any repairs," Cao Tianyou said. "Additionally, you can choose a new name for it if you prefer."

"Alright," Li Pin replied.

At that moment, Lian Hongchen stepped forward and opened the two boxes beside him.

"Grandmaster Li, I’ve used my connections to acquire two sets of martial arts techniques for you," Lian Hongchen said, pointing to one of the boxes. "Inside here is the Taibai Fist Manual, which is the most widely circulated Martial Saint's legacy in the Taibai Kingdom. It is divided into four parts, the training techniques, combat methods, and nurturing techniques, with the nurturing techniques divided into the Qi-Nurturing and Spirit Cultivation Chapters."

He then pointed to the other box. "This one contains the Great Sun True Radiance Technique, which focuses solely on refining and nurturing the spirit. Unlike the Taibai Fist, this technique does not enhance qi and blood or provide fighting techniques.

"However, the Fist Intent developed through this practice possesses attributes such as intense and violent energy, resembling the radiant sun and giving it an innate advantage. Similarly, the spirit cultivated by this technique can affect the cultivator’s emotions, making them prone to anger and agitation."

Feeling a bit guilty, Lian Hongchen added, "With my authority, these are the only two techniques I could obtain. However, I have already used my connections to search for other techniques. If I find something better, I will deliver it to you as soon as possible."

"Thanks for your thoughtfulness," Li Pin replied.

It was not unusual for martial arts techniques to affect a cultivator's temperament.

While this was more manageable for martial artists, Astral Cultivators faced different challenges. To maintain their so-called "purity" and "innocence," some Astral Cultivators tend to act without restraint.

In Great Shang, such Astral Cultivators were considered to have taken the path of the demons, and their practices were strictly forbidden.

In contrast, in Tianyuan, as long as their actions weren’t excessive or caused major disturbances, there was some leniency to help them grow stronger as quickly as possible.

"Grandmaster Li, there is nothing much left that we can help for now," Lian Hongchen reflected. "From now on, it will be up to you."

With a smile, he added, "By the way, the first batch of invitations for the World’s Top Martial Competition has been confirmed, and you are on the list. It won’t be long before someone brings the invitation to you."

"Have I been accepted?" Li Pin asked.

"We look forward to your outstanding performance in the World’s Top Martial Competition!"

1. The term Yuzhi refers to self-control and preventing desires from overtaking one's thoughts in Chinese. ☜

2. Expressing a desire to escape reality and return to the thrill of battle. ☜