It was a sword strike that was wild and unpredictable, leaving no trace to be found.
By the time an opponent sensed the Sword Intent, the blade would have already pierced their body.
In this darkness, Lin Yan’s five senses were amplified. He could feel the movement of the air whenever he drew his sword. Though it was only a faint current, in this dark space, it was magnified, like ripples spreading from a stone tossed into water, lingering long after.
For his second strike, Lin Yan deliberately held back his strength and slowed his sword, but the blade’s edge still disturbed the air.
He tried again and again, and failed again and again.
In this darkness, any disturbance was magnified.
Even the slightest emotional flicker at the moment he struck was like ripples spreading in all directions, with nowhere to hide.
Shadowless Sword wasn’t about hiding the sword. It was about hiding yourself.
Lin Yan closed his eyes. He stopped looking at the sword, stopped listening for the sword, stopped thinking about the sword.
He let his heart sink to the very bottom, like a stone plunging into a deep pool—soundless, traceless.
He was like a stone, a dead tree, a speck of dust.
Then, he struck.
No sound.
No light.
No current of air.
No change at all.
[Time Elapsed: 173 years. Shadowless Sword Intent has reached Perfection.]
In the courtyard, Lin Yan opened his eyes. This time, achieving Perfection in three Sword Intents had cost him three hundred sixty-nine years.
Only sixty-eight years remained on the Martial Arts Tree in his mind.
Of the three swordsmanship styles, the Shadowless Sword Intent was the most difficult to bring to Perfection.
’In the Hidden Technique Pavilion, the Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques is widely considered difficult to cultivate because developing its Sword Intent is hard. But when it comes to the journey from developing Sword Intent to reaching Perfection, the Shadowless Swordsmanship is more than twice as difficult.’
Lin Yan murmured softly. He could clearly perceive the time it had taken to develop Sword Intent for each of these swordsmanship styles.
In terms of developing Sword Intent, the Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques took the longest, but that wasn’t the case for reaching Perfection.
Using Introspection to examine the Martial Arts Tree in his mind, Lin Yan had intended to check on the leaves representing his Perfect Sword Intents, but the sight left him stunned.
On the branch that represented swordsmanship, the leaves had changed.
The two leaves for the Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and the Rain-Covering Swordsmanship had somehow linked together side by side.
Similarly, the green leaves for the Jinghong Sword Technique, Shadowless Swordsmanship, and Spirit Snake Swordsmanship had also linked together.
Only the leaf for the Heavy Mountain Swordsmanship remained in its original position.
’This change...’
A thoughtful expression crossed Lin Yan’s face. This was the first time he had seen the leaves change position.
’But why change now?’
’Previously, when my Jinghong Sword Technique, Flowing Cloud Swordsmanship, and Heavy Mountain Swordsmanship reached Perfection, the leaves hadn’t changed at all.’
’Is it because the types of Sword Intent are different?’
’Based on the Sword Intents I’ve comprehended, the ones from these various swordsmanship styles have considerable differences.’
’And yet, Silk Binding Sword Intent, Spiritual Snake Sword Intent, and Shadowless Sword Intent do have their similarities.’
’The Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and the Rain-Covering Swordsmanship also share similarities.’
’So the Martial Arts Tree grouped the similar swordsmanship styles together... but what does that signify?’
He mulled it over for a while, but since he couldn’t verify his theories, Lin Yan didn’t dwell on it any further.
’Now that I have the Perfect Sword Intents, it’s time to start cultivating the Four-Phase Sword Aura and fuse these three new intents into it.’
「The Bai Family.」
"Master, Young Miss, good news!"
The Bai Family’s steward rushed into the main hall, his face flushed with excitement.
Bai Jingxing and his daughter, Bai Ruo, who were calculating the Contribution Points their family could earn for the month, immediately looked toward the entrance at the sound of the commotion.
"I just received news! The Third Branch sent out most of their people and completely wiped out the Water Bandits of the Water Bandit Alliance at Broken Dragon Beach on the East River!"
"The Water Bandit Alliance was destroyed by the Lin Family?"
Bai Jingxing was stunned. The Bai Family was only responsible for a few of the Lin Family’s fisheries in and around the city and had no dealings with the East River Waters. Still, he was well aware of the Water Bandit factions there.
The Alliance Leader of the Water Bandit Alliance was a True Gang Realm Powerhouse, with many Blood Exchange Realm Martial Artists under his command. While the Lin Family certainly had the strength to destroy the alliance, there had never been a reason to do so.
’How on earth did the Water Bandit Alliance provoke the main family so badly that they’d be wiped out?’
Beside him, Bai Ruo seemed to realize something. She shot up from her chair, her lovely eyes sparkling. "Does this have something to do with Young Master Lin Yan?"
"Yes, it has everything to do with Young Master Lin Yan! The grandson of the Alliance Leader, that reckless fool, provoked Young Master Lin Yan by sending him dead fish and rotten shrimp. Young Master Lin Yan reported the incident to the elders of the Third Branch, and that’s why they moved to destroy the Water Bandit Alliance."
"Father, are you still hesitating now?"
A faint smile lifted the corners of Bai Ruo’s mouth as she looked at her father.
Just moments before, she had suggested "lending" this month’s Contribution Points to Young Master Lin, but her father had been hesitant, feeling they had already given enough.
"Haha, Ruo’er, you have better judgment than your old dad! From now on, you’ll be in charge of all matters concerning Young Master Lin Yan. I won’t interfere anymore."
Bai Jingxing’s face flushed, but he didn’t feel awkward in front of his own daughter.
He was, however, still reeling from the shock. The Third Branch had utterly destroyed a faction that had been entrenched in the East River for decades, one led by a True Gang Realm expert, all because Lin Yan had been insulted. Lin Yan’s standing within the Third Branch was far greater than he had ever anticipated.
"As for the Contribution Points, we don’t need to be in a rush to lend them to Young Master Lin."
But Bai Ruo had her own plans. Young Master Lin had asked her to investigate the background of his biological uncle, and she already had some promising leads. It wouldn’t be long before she had answers. When she went to see Young Master Lin then, it would be a double dose of good news.
"Father, since you said I’m in charge, then I have just one request for now."
"What is it?"
Bai Ruo smiled slyly. "Have our clansmen take on more tasks from the main family."
Bai Jingxing’s face twitched. He looked at his daughter for a long moment before shaking his head in resignation. "Sigh, a daughter never stays for long. Are you planning to offer up our entire Bai Family as your dowry?"
"Father, what are you saying!"
Teased by her father, Bai Ruo’s pretty face immediately flushed crimson.
"What else can I say? I can only agree. It’s my own fault for having only one daughter."
Bai Jingxing truly doted on his daughter, treating her like a pearl in his palm.
’With his daughter’s looks, young men from the main family—some with great potential—had been proposing marriage for years. Yet he had always resisted the pressure and refused, leaving the choice entirely up to her.’
’His only worry now was whether Lin Yan returned his daughter’s feelings.’
But on second thought, Bai Jingxing’s confidence returned.
’My daughter is beautiful and so considerate,’ he thought. ’Unless Lin Yan is blind, there’s no way he could fail to see her worth.’
’If our family weren’t so far down the ranks in Qing State Prefecture, the title of "Qing State’s Number One Beauty" would never have gone to that Miss Cui.’
"Father, you’re shaking your head. Does that mean you agree or not?"
Bai Ruo’s clear voice pulled Bai Jingxing from his thoughts. He chuckled. "Of course I agree. I’ll have our clansmen start taking on more tasks right away. I’ll tell your second and third uncles that they are to accept any task that offers Contribution Points, no matter how hard or tiring it is—all to build up a dowry for their dear niece."
「Half a month later.」
The East River Waters slowly returned to tranquility. However, the surrounding Water Bandits found one thing exceedingly strange: ever since the Water Bandit Alliance had been destroyed, no new bandits had moved in to occupy the Reed Marsh at Broken Dragon Beach.
Logically, a prime location so naturally suited for a stronghold should have had Water Bandits fighting to claim it.
And yet, to this day, there was no word of any faction taking up residence.
"The third wave," Lin Yan muttered. "And the numbers keep dwindling."
Lin Yan’s figure emerged from the Reed Marsh. He shook his head, looking resigned.
Over the past month, he had entered Broken Dragon Beach three times, wiping out several waves of Water Bandits who had tried to occupy the area.
This made it the fourth time. The previous groups of Water Bandits had at least been somewhat formidable; their Bandit Leaders were all Blood Exchange Realm Powerhouses. But this fourth group consisted of only a few men whose strength was merely at the third-time of Skin Smoothing—they hadn’t even reached the fourth. They were complete small fry.
’It looks like my plan to use the Broken Dragon Beach Reed Marsh as bait is a bust.’
’These Water Bandits are too damn clever.’
Returning to the outpost by boat, Lin Yan had just stepped ashore when he saw Zhou Chuan hurrying toward him.
Lately, Zhou Chuan had taken to visiting his courtyard twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening—to give his reports. He would cover every single detail, large and small, and each report would last for a quarter of an hour.
"Young Master Yan, Lord Lin has ordered you to Black Water Bay."
"He’s ordering me to Black Water Bay? When did this message arrive?"
"The messenger arrived half an hour ago."
"Prepare a boat... and tell Zhao Tong to come with me to Black Water Bay. You continue the patrols here."
Zhou Chuan was left speechless.
P.S. You guys are incredible! The average Chapter subscription is up by another five hundred, so I owe everyone two more bonus Chapters!

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