The Abyssal Sword was strong, but it could be stronger.
Once he was certain there was nothing else inside the stone wall, Lin Yan turned his Introspection to the Martial Arts Tree in his mind.
He was stunned by what he saw.
The Martial Arts Tree had actually reached a height of nineteen feet, an increase of a full four-point-two feet from before.
At the same time, the main trunk and branches had also grown a size thicker.
’This height...’
Lin Yan immediately released his Blood Gang. It was so dense that it enveloped his entire body in a deep crimson glow. The Qi Blood emanating from it crashed against the surrounding stone walls like waves striking a reef, echoing with constant PAPAPA sounds.
’My Blood Gang... It’s probably seventy percent stronger than that of an ordinary Blood Exchange Fourth Transformation Martial Artist. If I factor in the Stone Waist Thunder Ridge, it might even be double.’
Exhilarated by the surge in his strength, Lin Yan swung the Abyssal Sword in his hand with all his might.
Ten streams of Perfect Level Sword Intent erupted, forming a brilliant Sword Gang.
The stone wall split beneath the blow, leaving a gash ten zhang deep and three feet wide.
The rock within the fissure disintegrated into dust and vanished.
RUMBLE!
But before Lin Yan could get excited about the power of his strike, chunks of rock suddenly began to fall from the cave ceiling.
’Crap, I forgot!’
Lin Yan’s figure flashed as he darted toward the stone door.
He had been so excited that he’d forgotten he was inside a mountain. His Sword Gang didn’t just pierce deeply; it also tore at the surroundings. If he moved too slowly, he’d be buried alive.
...
Standing outside the mountain and listening to the continuous fall of rocks inside the cave, Lin Yan’s eyelid twitched. This was a classic case of joy turning into sorrow.
The breakthrough in his Realm and the surge in his strength had made him momentarily forget his surroundings.
’Good thing this cave isn’t deep, or I’d really have been buried. I’d probably have become the first Blood Exchange Realm Powerhouse in history to bury himself with his own sword strike.’
’Although with my strength, I could have eventually escaped by holding back the rock with my Blood Gang, it was still a pretty stupid move.’
After a moment of quiet self-reflection, Lin Yan sniffed the air. Something was wrong.
He smelled the stench of corpses!
When his gaze fell upon the Old Village Chief’s body, his brow furrowed. The corpse had actually started to rot, and numerous flies were crawling over it.
’From the time I entered the cave to when I came out, it couldn’t have been more than a single hour... A body can’t rot this fast. No, wait...’
Lin Yan suddenly remembered a period when he had lost all sense of time.
Back then, the scene before his eyes had changed, and he had found himself on a boundless plain.
’So, was my perception of time wrong? It wasn’t just a few brief moments?’
With this thought, Lin Yan’s figure flashed, and he left the spot. The next moment, he reappeared at the edge of the cliff.
The bodies of the bandits he had killed also showed varying degrees of decay.
’It’s just as I thought. Judging by the level of decomposition, at least several days have passed.’
Having confirmed his suspicions, Lin Yan wasted no more time. He used his Blood Gang to push all the bodies together, then set a great fire that consumed them along with the entire mountain fortress.
...
「Guangping County Town.」
Just as Lin Yan entered the city gates, he saw Junior Brother Zhuang.
"Senior Brother Lin, you’re finally back."
Zhuang Zheng saw Lin Yan and hurried over. "You’ve been gone for six days! Your aunt has been worried sick."
"It’s been six days?"
Lin Yan confirmed the passage of time in his mind, but his expression remained unchanged. "I ran into some trouble outside the city and got held up. I’ll head back right now."
"Okay. Besides your aunt being worried, someone from the Lin Mansion also came by with a message. The Qing State Lin Family sent a letter for you, Senior Brother Lin."
"I’ve troubled you, Junior Brother."
Lin Yan knew that during the days he was missing, his junior brother must have been searching for him everywhere. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so well-informed about everything.
’But a letter from the Qing State Lin Family... Could it be that Shen Guyun has already arrived at the Lin Family estate, and my master is sending word that I can return?’
After bidding farewell to his junior brother, Lin Yan headed straight home.
Upon entering the courtyard, he saw his aunt sitting there, absently plucking vegetables. She looked up at the sound of his arrival, and her expression was filled with excitement when she saw him, but she had composed herself by the time she stood up.
"You’re back."
"Yes. I ran into a small matter while I was out and was delayed a few days. I’m sorry to have worried you, Aunt."
"I wasn’t too worried. Your Junior Brother Zhuang said that with your current strength, Yan’er, nothing much could happen to you. However, Madam Lin asked that you go to the mansion as soon as you returned. A letter arrived from the Qing State, and it seems to be urgent. Now that you’re back, Yan’er, you should hurry to the Lin Mansion and see what’s going on."
"Alright."
Although Lin Yan knew his aunt was just trying to comfort him, he didn’t point it out. He went to his room to put away the Scale wrapped in cloth, then turned and left for the Lin Mansion.
「Lin Mansion.」
The steward led Lin Yan directly into the main hall. A moment later, Qin Yin came gliding in gracefully.
"Lin Yan, this letter is from the main family."
Qin Yin handed a letter to Lin Yan. She had not opened it.
"Alright. Thank you, Sister-in-law. I’ll read it now."
Taking the letter, Lin Yan opened the envelope. After he finished reading its contents, a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.
The letter wasn’t from his master, but from Brother Hai.
The Grand Tournament and the New Talent Tournament, originally scheduled for the end of the year, were now being held early by the clan.
The reason the clan was holding them early was because a small Purple Gold Ore deposit had been discovered in a silver mine being jointly excavated by the Four Great Clans.
Originally, because that silver mine required hiring miners and then smelting the ore, its output wasn’t very large, so the Four Great Clans had chosen to develop it jointly.

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