Lin Shouyuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his tone level. "The gap between the Blood Exchange Realm and the True Gang Realm isn’t about the strength of one’s Qi Blood, nor the depth of one’s Cultivation Method Realm. If the power of the Blood Exchange Realm comes from within, then the power of the True Gang Realm has already begun to touch the Power of Heaven and Earth."
Lin Yan was silent for a long time. He had thought the True Gang Realm was strong, but he had never imagined it would be *this* strong.
Faced with the True Gang his master had just released, he couldn’t even muster the thought of resisting.
Seeing his disciple’s crestfallen expression, an imperceptible smile flashed in Lin Shouyuan’s eyes.
Of course, he wasn’t going to tell Lin Yan that this wasn’t just the power of True Gang, but the power of a Gang Domain.
Only a top True Gang Realm powerhouse could form a Gang Domain.
A martial artist who had just stepped into the True Gang Realm could use their True Gang to suppress the Qi Blood of a Blood Exchange Realm martial artist, but it would be nowhere near this extent.
But he didn’t reveal the truth. He had deliberately let Lin Yan experience the might of a Gang Domain to instill in him a sense of reverence for the True Gang Realm.
When Lin Yan had asked about the difference between the Blood Exchange Realm and the True Gang Realm, the first thought that had crossed his mind was: ’I’m afraid this disciple of mine has grown arrogant.’
Reaching the Blood Exchange Second Transformation and condensing a Sword Pill—any young martial artist would be proud of such achievements. It was easy to become arrogant and lose one’s reverence for the True Gang Realm.
Over the years, the Martial Arts Realm had seen too many examples like this.
Geniuses of the martial arts, too full of themselves, would look down on powerhouses a realm above them, only to lose their lives in the ensuing fight.
"This time, you took first place among the newcomers, which grants you one opportunity to enter our Lin Family’s Ancestral Land for cultivation. Once you get there... perhaps you’ll understand what True Gang really is."
Lin Shouyuan smiled meaningfully. The secrets of the Ancestral Land were no secret to Xi’er, but Lin Yan, being from a branch family, knew nothing about it.
"Do you know why our Lin Family has been able to stand strong for two thousand years?"
"Is it because of the clan rules for the branch families that the Ancestor established?"
"The Ancestor’s decisions were indeed far-sighted, but that alone isn’t enough. The real reason our Lin Family has been able to endure in Qing State is that our Ancestral Land contains a type of Heaven and Earth Energy that allows those in the Blood Exchange Realm to break through to the True Gang Realm."
Hearing his master’s words, Lin Yan’s mind flashed back to the chill he had felt from beneath the ground when he broke through to the Blood Exchange Realm.
"It seems you’ve guessed some of it."
Seeing Lin Yan’s pensive look, Lin Shouyuan knew he must have made the connection to the underground square where he’d broken through to the Blood Exchange Realm. He stroked his beard and smiled.
"Beneath our Lin Family’s Ancestral Land lies an earth-vein of cold current," Lin Shouyuan said, stroking his beard. "When the Ancestor built our residence and established the clan here, it was this cold current he prized. What it emits is not ordinary cold air, but ’Cold Dew,’ which contains the Power of Heaven and Earth."
He paused before continuing, "For over two thousand years, most of our clan members have relied on this cold current to break through to the True Gang Realm. They enter the Ancestral Land, draw the Cold Dew into their bodies, and use it to open their Gang Acupoints."
"As for the chill you felt, that was merely an overflow of Cold Gang. The reason the Reversed Lake forbidden ground is so cold is also due to this chill seeping up from deep underground. However, the chill at Reversed Lake is merely cold; it’s useless for cultivation."
Lin Yan nodded thoughtfully.
"But even with the cold current, it only accumulates a single drop per year. A martial artist usually needs five to ten drops of Cold Dew to go from the Blood Exchange Fourth Transformation to the True Gang Realm. Therefore, not every clan member is qualified to use it. You either have to exchange Contribution Points for it, perform some great service for the clan, or win first place in the younger generation’s grand competition."
"Master, is first place the only way to qualify?"
Lin Yan asked curiously. If Lin Mingya of the main branch had broken through to the True Gang Realm, then based on the power his master had displayed today, he would have no chance of winning.
"That was the case in previous competitions. But this time, because we are about to compete with the other three families for the Purple Gold Ore, the clan has expanded the rewards to the top three. As long as you place in the top three, you can receive five drops of Cold Dew."
Lin Shouyuan smiled faintly. "However, this shouldn’t concern you. Your goal is the grand competition two years from now. As long as you comprehend one or two more Sword Intents, even if your realm is only at the Blood Exchange Third Transformation, you’ll be able to take first place with your strength."
’I’m set!’
Hearing his master say that the top three would be rewarded, Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief. ’If Lin Mingya has really stepped into the True Gang Realm, I might not be able to take first place, but the top three should be no problem.’
Now, there was only one last question.
"Master, the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique that I cultivate—was this cultivation technique created by our Lin Family’s Ancestor?"
"The Ancestor did indeed cultivate the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique back in his day. As for whether he created it, that is unknown. However, one would assume he did. Otherwise, in all these years, we would have heard of someone outside the clan cultivating the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique."
Lin Shouyuan was a little surprised as to why his disciple was asking this, but he explained it nonetheless.
After receiving his master’s answer, Lin Yan had a different one in his heart. ’Whether the Ancestor created the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique or not, what he left behind must have been a simplified version. The Blood-Soaked Energy I obtained at Eagle Beak Cliff guided a change in the technique’s core circulation method. That must be the complete version of the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique.’
After bidding farewell to his master, Lin Yan headed straight for the Library Pavilion.
According to his master, taking first among the newcomers granted him access to the Ancestral Land. Although he wasn’t qualified to receive Cold Dew, if he could absorb the Cold Gang released by it, the effect would be even better than a Bodhi Pill.
Since the effect was better than a Bodhi Pill, he naturally wouldn’t miss the opportunity. With the grand competition approaching, every bit of strength he could gain would increase his chances of placing in the top three.
"Dad, weren’t you just trying to scare Lin Yan? What if he runs away in terror the next time he meets a True Gang Realm expert?"
Lin Mingxi watched Lin Yan’s departing figure, then looked at her father with a hint of exasperation.
"Running is better than dying. At most, he’ll lose a little face. How many of those so-called prodigies who challenge cultivators in higher realms live long? Succeeding once doesn’t mean you’ll succeed every time. Challenging someone in a higher realm is something you just shouldn’t do."
As Lin Shouyuan spoke, a look of profound emotion filled his eyes. Back when he was seeking the martial path with the North Sea Lineage, he had seen no small number of such geniuses fall.
"Whatever you say, Dad. You’re always right." Lin Mingxi pouted, then suddenly changed the subject. "Dad, do you think Lin Yan will participate in the clan’s grand competition this time?"
"Him, participate in this competition..."
He subconsciously started to reply to his daughter, but his words came to an abrupt halt. Lin Yan had condensed a Sword Pill and mastered four Perfect Level Sword Intents. Even though his realm was only at the Blood Exchange Second Transformation, his true combat power was enough to place him in the middle-to-upper ranks among the younger generation.
"If he wants to participate, let him. It’ll be good for him to experience it early. It will also let him know that our Lin Family still has plenty of geniuses. Someone like Mingya is by no means inferior to him."

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