The Decaying World-Chapter 88 - 83: Test 1

More than ten stalks!?

Lin Hui’s heart skipped a beat. To others, this stuff might just be an ingredient for making aphrodisiacs, but to him, it was practically a divine medicine!

These dozen or so stalks were enough to shorten his evolution time by more than three years!

And judging by the kid’s expression, he probably had connections to get even more.

Just a moment ago, a flicker of killing intent had resided in Lin Hui’s heart, making him want to find an opportunity to kill this guy in the future. Now, however, when he looked at Wang Yueheng again, he found the man’s face quite amiable. He seemed like a truly great person.

It was truly a case of getting whatever he wished for. But wait.

Suddenly, a thought struck Lin Hui. Almost all the Yun Lingzhi he had acquired so far had come from others—either by taking it or by being gifted it. He hadn’t gotten a single one on his own.

’In that case, maybe I can start spreading the word that I like Yun Lingzhi. Then, after a while, I can find an excuse to hold a celebration. While Yun Lingzhi is precious to others, it’s nowhere near as valuable as Treasure Medicines that can enhance Martial Arts, one’s constitution, or lifespan.’

’If I use celebrations, birthdays, or a sect leader succession ceremony as an opportunity, I can have my disciples and their families help me collect gifts... Mobilizing everyone’s power, wouldn’t that...’

Once this line of thought opened up, it was impossible to stop.

Wang Yueheng had given Lin Hui an idea.

In the future, for birthdays and such—his mother’s, his father’s, his own—he could hold a celebration for each. That would be three hauls a year.

He could also throw a celebration for his own Martial Arts breakthroughs, which would be a perfect opportunity to officially reveal his creations, the Perfect Clear Wind Sword and the Gale Sword, one by one.

Lin Hui did a quick calculation.

’I’ve already taught the disciples the Perfect Seven-Section Quick Sword, so I can’t hold a celebration for that. But I can for the perfect version of the Nine-Section Swift Sword. That’s a powerful swordsmanship technique that can significantly boost one’s actual combat ability. I relied on it to easily fight above my level, even defeating someone at the Body Tempering Limit. It’s more than fifty percent stronger than the original! Definitely worth a celebration.’

’Then there’s the Perfect Clear Wind Sword, that’s another one. Add the Gale Sword, and that makes three. It’s a shame the Special Effects can’t be taught, so I can’t hold a celebration for that. Otherwise, I’d definitely throw one for it too.’

Lin Hui wasn’t worried about others learning his techniques and surpassing him. For one, he had already tested it: the perfect versions of his swordsmanship were evolved in real-time based on his own condition. Only he could unleash one hundred percent of their power. Others would be considered pretty good if they could manage seventy or eighty percent. Besides, just because he publicized them didn’t mean he would actually teach them.

Thinking of this, his gaze toward Wang Yueheng softened even more.

"A dozen or so stalks of Yun Lingzhi? Isn’t that... a bit too valuable?"

"As long as Brother Lin likes them, it’s just a small token. If you want more, I can find channels in the Inner City to acquire them. I’ll sell them to you at half price in the future, as many as you want!" Wang Yueheng said readily.

He had actually wanted to offer them for free, and to keep giving them for free, but he worried it would be too obvious and expose his own needs. Plus, the other party might feel awkward accepting such a valuable gift, so he changed his offer at the last second.

"Brother Wang, you’re truly too kind!" Lin Hui was overjoyed, though he tried to keep his expression calm. But then, he had another thought.

He *should* let the other party know he liked Yun Lingzhi. That way, Wang Yueheng would know he’d given the right gift and might even continue to send more.

Immediately, he deliberately relaxed his composure, allowing his delight to show naturally on his face.

"I’m glad you like them, Brother Lin. This is a small matter. In truth, with your strength, the current Qingfeng Temple is too small for your talents. How about you continue to expand your territory?" Wang Yueheng suggested.

"Well, to be honest, the New Martial Alliance just sent someone to warn me that no more United Sects are allowed..." Lin Hui frowned. He actually did want to recruit more masters. The larger his faction grew, the more secure he would feel.

"That can be circumvented. Just do what the Baihua Sect did this time and form an alliance by agreement," Wang Yueheng said with a smile.

"The New Martial Alliance itself is a product of such things. The rules are rigid, but people are flexible. In fact, several of the Circulation Masters in charge of the New Martial Alliance came from the Three Sects and Six Gangs of the Inner City. Some are simply masters from the Inner City’s Great Clans. We’re all on the same side. When I go back to the Inner City, I’ll introduce you to a few friends, Brother Lin. They’re all influential figures in the New Martial Alliance. Once you get to know each other, have a few drinks and some tea, you’ll become good friends, and it’ll be much more convenient to get things done together."

Lin Hui readily agreed.

And so, under the falling snowflakes, the two of them began quietly discussing the specific details of their cooperation right there in the snow.

In addition to three spots per year to be sent to the Inner City’s Wang Family for training, Wang Yueheng also personally gifted Lin Hui a Secret Medicine prescription specifically for increasing the speed of Body Tempering. It could raise the overall strength of the entire Qingfeng Temple. The prescription was a general formula that could comprehensively improve all aspects of a person’s quality. Although the improvement from each dose was small, its advantage was that resistance to it built up slowly, allowing for long-term use.

According to him, the Wang Family of the Inner City specialized in medicinal herbs and drugs, which was why he was so knowledgeable on the subject. That was how he was able to produce such a formula.

Receiving the formula, Lin Hui was visibly moved.

A prescription like this, if managed well, could practically be passed down as a legacy.

For those who needed it, its value was immeasurable.

Thus, after receiving such a grand gift from Wang Yueheng, Lin Hui also made a concession: he would give Wang Yueheng a personal ten-percent cut of Qingfeng Temple’s future industrial profits.

In any case, he only wanted money to buy medicine for his own improvement, so he didn’t feel bad about giving up some of the profit.

Just as the two had reached a happy agreement and were about to wrap things up,

a figure finally emerged from the swirling snow in the distance. It was none other than the latecomer who was supposed to witness the fight, the Intention Blade, Xue Meng.

His face was flushed, his qi and blood clearly surging from the high-speed run.

Having finally caught up, he took one look at the scene...

Could it be... the fight was already over!?

Xue Meng stared at the various cubic pits left in the ground and the blasted-open hole on a nearby hill, a little stunned.

The Observatory Master and this visitor from the Inner City seemed to be chatting happily, and even though the visitor’s clothes were torn to shreds, the smile on his face was incredibly sincere.

"Elder Xue, you’re here? You’re too slow. We sparred to a draw, both of us holding back. Brother Wang is truly a Summoner from the Inner City; his strength has been a real eye-opener for me!" Lin Hui said with a laugh.

"Not at all. Brother Lin’s exceptional talent and the power of his self-created Secret Technique are what truly shocked me. Perhaps it won’t be long before we hear that Brother Lin has surpassed his masters, reaching the level of a founding patriarch!" Wang Yueheng laughed along.

Lin Hui took off his own outer coat and draped it over the other man, saving him from the predicament of being bare-chested.

As he passed the coat over, he noticed that the wounds on the man’s body had already begun to heal. What were previously deep gashes had become shallow, fine lines. He estimated they would probably heal completely on their own in another hour.

This regenerative ability clearly showed that Summoners were far beyond ordinary people.

The three of them chatted and laughed as they quickly headed back, disappearing into the snowstorm shortly after.

Although Xue Meng was still bewildered, all that mattered was the good outcome. It now seemed that Qingfeng Temple’s development was unstoppable. Once it established a connection with an Inner City power, its foundation could be truly solidified.

「A few minutes after the three had left.」

Two purple-robed figures silently appeared at the site of the battle on Gale Plain.

One wore a silver Evil Dragon Mask, the other a Silver Rhino Mask.

The Dragon Mask wearer glanced at the cubic pits remaining on the ground.

"Upper-Rank Void Power. He was actually forced to use his Void Power. That little guy we saw last time is really something."

"Can you tell if he’s a Circulation Master?" the Silver Rhino Mask wearer asked in a low voice.

"Impossible. It’s just that his speed is absurdly fast. He probably consumed some relic from the Fog Area and gained a special ability. The Fog Area is vast; strange encounters are to be expected," Dragon Mask replied, shaking his head slightly.

"True. His entire background is clean. He’s never even been to the deeper parts of the Fog Area, so there can’t be anything fishy," Silver Rhino Mask nodded. "In that case, should we invite him?"

"Let’s observe him a bit longer. See what his attitude is toward The Three Greats of the Inner City. If necessary, we can provide some guidance," Dragon Mask replied.

"To be able to fight an Upper-Rank Summoner at his age... It’s a pity. If he’d been raised in the Inner City from a young age, he might have become another Priest..." Silver Rhino Mask sighed.

"How many geniuses from the Outer City haven’t had their paths blocked just like this? The founding patriarch of Qingfeng Temple created the Qingfeng Sword and reached the Circulation realm, but didn’t he also die at the hands of a Priest because his path forward was cut off?" Dragon Mask said with regret. "Forget it, let’s go. If we stay any longer, that little guy’s hidden protector will arrive."

"An Upper-Rank Summoner from the Wang Family made a move. What level of protector could possibly withstand that? They’d be useless even if they showed up," said Silver Rhino Mask.

The two turned and swiftly vanished into the snowstorm, leaving not a single footprint behind.

*

*

*

「Qingfeng Temple, Black Dragon Sect Branch.」

Less than an hour after Wang Yueheng’s departure, Lin Hui received a delivery of fifteen stalks of Yun Lingzhi from the Inner City.

This improved his impression of the Wang Family once again. He might be a bit nuts, but there probably weren’t many Martial Artists or Summoners from the Inner City who weren’t.

At the very least, Wang Yueheng’s integrity was impeccable.

Sitting cross-legged in his study, Lin Hui looked at the fifteen stalks of Yun Lingzhi arranged on the desk before him, feeling satisfied.

’Next, it’s time to try evolving my pharmaceutics and medicine ability.’

He had yet to form an ability for pharmaceutics and medicine. He had tried a few times before, but it never consolidated into an ability item like his Swordsmanship had. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

So, Lin Hui stood up, packed all the Yun Lingzhi into a wooden box, and then picked up the medical book given to him by Chen Meng to continue his studies.

Time passed, bit by bit. Lin Hui spent a full afternoon finishing the entire booklet, then repeatedly memorized, recited, and comprehended its contents. Whenever he encountered something he didn’t understand, he would immediately go and ask Chen Meng.

This went on for three straight days. He was in a cycle of Body Tempering, cultivating his Inner Strength, and studying books.

「On the fourth day.」

Finally.

As Lin Hui was inspecting his disciples’ sword practice in the training yard, his body suddenly froze for a moment.

A line of clear, blood-red text had at last appeared at the bottom of his vision.

’Basic Pharmaceutics: An introductory level based on Teacher Chen Meng’s summary of medicinal herb identification. Allows for the identification of the properties of basic medicinal herbs. Current Evolution Branches: 2’

Lin Hui immediately opened the branches.

’1—Medicinal Herb Cultivation.’

’2—Elixir Refining.’

This was much more normal. Without a second thought, Lin Hui opened the Elixir Refining branch to check the evolution requirements.

’Elixir Refining—A method of refining elixirs based on fundamental medicinal herbs. Allows for the extraction and condensation of most of the medicinal properties from ingredients into an Elixir. The success rate of refining varies depending on the prescription.

Resources Required: Six months of reserved energy.

Time Required: Six months.’

"This one’s simple!" Lin Hui slapped his thigh. Without waiting for the disciples in the training yard to react, he turned, waved his hand for them to continue practicing on their own, and quickly returned to his private study in the manor behind.

Once inside, he expertly retrieved a stalk of Yun Lingzhi from a large chest in the corner. Without a word, he chose to evolve Elixir Refining.

Immediately, after confirming the Blood Seal’s prompt, Lin Hui picked up the Yun Lingzhi and skillfully began the process of chewing it.

Six months—that was just the time equivalent of two stalks!

For two consecutive days, Lin Hui forced down the two stalks of Yun Lingzhi with just water.

And the time displayed by the Blood Seal was successfully shortened by six months.

By the morning of the third day, he was sitting cross-legged in his study, a relaxed smile spreading across his face as he looked at the new Blood Seal prompt that had appeared in his vision.