In the brocade box, two thousand Qingfu coins were neatly arranged.
Lin Zhao stared in astonishment.
"So many?"
"Mm."
Chen Yu smiled slightly and said, "Don't think it's a lot. As a sword cultivator at the first realm, you're already considered to be given little, understand? Xue Zhi and Luo Yang, these two sixth-realm sword cultivators in the separate residence, consume around ten thousand Qingfu coins each month. Otherwise… why do people say that spiritual cultivation is expensive?"
"Mm!"
Lin Zhao nodded. "How should these Qingfu coins be used? I've never cultivated with Qingfu coins before."
Chen Yu couldn't help but chuckle. "Open your hand, circulate your spiritual energy, and manifest it in your palm."
"Oh?"
Lin Zhao opened his right hand. With a thought, the spiritual sea within him began to circulate, along with the three sword-nurturing lakes within the spiritual sea. Instantly, a deep blue spiritual energy vortex appeared in his palm, resembling a blue abyss, slowly rotating, resplendent and gorgeous. This was the outward manifestation of a sword cultivator's sword-nurturing lake.
Chen Yu picked up two Qingfu coins, clasped them gently, and the coins trembled slightly, as if melting. They transformed into drops of golden spiritual energy that rained down into Lin Zhao's palm and the sword-nurturing lake. For a moment, the sword-nurturing lake surged with light, like a parched land receiving a timely rain. Lin Zhao's heart was filled with solemnity as a torrent of spiritual energy surged into his body. The Mingyue within his sword-nurturing lake seemed to rejoice, rapidly absorbing the spiritual energy and growing even faster.
"Just like that."
Chen Yu smiled. "Qingfu coins are not only currency circulating on the mountain but also treasures refined with spiritual energy. For any spiritual cultivator who wishes to cultivate techniques, these mountain coins are almost indispensable. If one relies solely on absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth to cultivate, it would be too slow. One would likely die before forming a golden core."
Lin Zhao wholeheartedly agreed. "Indeed, indeed. The effect of external forces cannot be ignored."
"Mm."
Chen Yu patted his shoulder. "Cultivate well in the separate residence. You can ask Dong Cang for anything you need for cultivation. She will apply for it from the treasury."
"Alright!"
Lin Zhao stood up to see her off. "Thank you, Sister Chen Yu!"
"You're welcome!"
The princess of the Dynasty, dressed as a female martial artist, waved goodbye to Lin Zhao without turning back. "Go back and cultivate."
"Yes!"
Lin Zhao cupped his fists and returned to his room to continue cultivating only after Chen Yu had left.
...
Several days later.
One early morning, Lin Zhao woke up early. After sending Xiao Jiuer to the school, he returned to the separate residence and practiced a round of boxing, continuing to consolidate the foundation of his sixth-realm martial artist cultivation. After the boxing session, his martial artist realm showed no change. Instead, within his spiritual sea, winds and clouds churned, and a surging spiritual energy continuously rose from the depths of his body, eventually seeming to break through a certain constraint.
"Buzz~~~"
His spiritual sea and qi sea instantly expanded several times. The three sword-nurturing lakes also grew considerably. The Mingyue within the first sword-nurturing lake spun and danced rapidly, cheering joyfully.
He had broken through! He was now a second-realm Heart Movement realm sword cultivator!
"Huh!?"
Not far away, a room door opened, and a sword-holding maiden in a white dress emerged. It was Xue Zhi. She widened her beautiful eyes and looked at Lin Zhao's appearance, then smiled. "Congratulations, you've reached the second realm as a sword cultivator!"
"Thank you!"
Lin Zhao cupped his fists in return.
Luo Yang's room door also opened. Seeing Lin Zhao looking refreshed, she smiled. "Second-realm sword cultivator… Remarkable!"
"Hmph!"
Lin Zhao's lips curled up. He lightly spread his arms, striking a boxing stance with surging fist intent, and said with a smile, "Why so sarcastic? Is being a sixth-realm sword cultivator something to be so proud of?"
Luo Yang frowned. "What, you, Lin Zhao, don't seriously think you can become a sixth-realm sword cultivator at eighteen, do you?"
"Sixth realm?"
Lin Zhao smiled faintly. "By the time I'm eighteen, I should at least be a sword cultivator who has formed a golden core, right?"
Xue Zhi frowned. "Eighteen years old, eighth-realm Golden Core sword cultivator? You're dreaming. There are very few sword immortal prodigies like that in the entire world. Lin Zhao, be careful you don't talk yourself into trouble."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao smiled. "Actually, I really dislike boasting. The reason I say this is because I believe that if I truly have the opportunity, I will be a Golden Core sword cultivator by eighteen, or even higher. Becoming a Nascent Soul sword cultivator is not impossible."
"You call this…"
Luo Yang said, "Arrogant and conceited!"
"Perhaps."
After practicing his boxing, Lin Zhao was drenched in sweat, his martial arts attire exuding the passion of youth. He smiled at the three sixth-realm maiden cultivators watching him practice from a distance. "Hua Ping, Wu Lian, Lei Yue, do I look good when I box?"
"Beautiful!"
Hua Ping applauded with a smile. "Lin Zhao, your boxing is different from other martial artists. Your stance is truly handsome and dashing!"
Lei Yue also nodded with a smile. "Indeed."
Wu Lian pursed her lips. "It looks good, but what if it's all style and no substance?"
"Wu Lian!"
Mu Zha pointed to the bruise on her cheek. "Look here. Do you think Lin Zhao's fists are soft? Damn it… he almost beat my brains out…"
Wu Lian couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, alright. Our Lin Zhao's fists… should be okay. They're hard enough!"
...
Just then, a figure strode into the mountain-peak separate residence. Clad in armor, with white hair and beard, and carrying twin swords on his back, it was Huang Tingyu, the deputy commander of the Heavenly Pool Army, who proclaimed himself a sword immortal. A group of guards with impressive cultivation followed behind him.
"Deputy Commander!"
Lin Zhao and the others cupped their fists in salute.
"Mm."
Huang Tingyu said, "Lin Zhao, you've been residing in the mountain-peak separate residence for quite some time. The top ten individuals of our mountain-peak separate residence are not mere showpieces. The Great Chen Dynasty spares no effort in cultivating you, hoping you will all grow into powerful individuals who can stand on their own. Now, a trial mission is assigned to you. I hope you will not let down myself and Commander Chu."
Lin Zhao nodded. "Elder, please proceed."
"Three hundred miles northwest of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool lies a ginkgo forest. It was once full of ginkgo trees, but in recent years, it has been a harsh winter, and the forest has been covered by snow. Not long ago, our accompanying cultivators detected a Nascent Soul realm demon cultivator practicing in this ginkgo forest. Therefore, your first mission is to secretly infiltrate this ginkgo forest, kill this Nascent Soul realm demon, and bring back its demon core."
"Nascent Soul realm?"
Xue Zhi was slightly startled. She understood the immense gap in power between realms all too well. A Nascent Soul realm cultivator, especially a demon, should be able to instantly kill sixth-realm cultivators and martial artists. Moreover, the gap in realms meant that the opponent's perception and senses would far surpass theirs. What was this mission but sending them to their deaths?
"Elder Huang."
Lin Zhao also frowned. "Isn't Nascent Soul realm a bit too high? Why not just send us to assassinate a great demon of the upper five realms?"
"No ambition."
Huang Tingyu stroked his beard. "You are tasked with assassination, not frontal assault. Is it that difficult for eleven sixth-realm cultivators to kill a ninth-realm cultivator? Lin Zhao, you are the captain. Do you truly believe this mission is impossible?"
"Not exactly."
Lin Zhao frowned.
"Ah!?"
Xue Zhi's beautiful eyes widened as she looked at Lin Zhao. "You're actually considering accepting this mission? A group of sixth-realm cultivators are like lambs, and a ninth-realm cultivator is a fierce tiger. No matter how many of us there are, it's still sending us to our deaths."
"Not necessarily. We need to create the conditions."
Lin Zhao looked at Huang Tingyu. "Elder Huang, you can have us kill this Nascent Soul cultivator, but there are conditions."
"State them."
"First, our cultivation realms are low. Once we arrive at the ginkgo forest, we are highly likely to be detected by the opponent beforehand. Therefore, we need a way to conceal our presence, giving us a chance for a surprise attack and assassination."
"Agreed."
Huang Tingyu nodded. "My old sword immortal self can project a wisp of sword qi to conceal the presence of all eleven of you."
"Is that true?" Mu Zha picked her nose.
"Shut up, of course it's true!"
Huang Tingyu was exasperated. "Mu Zha, you little brat, don't interrupt. Lin Zhao, continue."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded. "Second, we need time to prepare. We cannot depart immediately. Additionally, can we bring our external magical artifacts, weapons, and other equipment?"
"No."
Huang Tingyu said, "Buying a pile of immortal treasures and smashing a Nascent Soul realm demon cultivator to death with a single essence of true qi holds no meaning. You can only bring what you currently have with you."
"Talismans?"
Lin Zhao asked. "The ones I wrote myself, can I bring them?"
"Yes."
Huang Tingyu nodded. "Anything else?"
"No more! We will depart in three days."
"Alright!"
...
As soon as Huang Tingyu left, everyone started complaining.
"Lin Zhao."
Xue Zhi's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "Even if every one of us is a genius, a group of sixth-realm cultivators going against a ninth-realm Nascent Soul… Do you know the concept of Nascent Soul realm abilities? Moreover, a Nascent Soul realm demon has immense physical strength, equivalent to more than half of a Star River realm. Are you asking the eleven of us to challenge a Star River realm cultivator?"
"Don't worry."
Lin Zhao looked at the worried maiden and smiled. "Xue Zhi, to put it another way, this is a trial mission given to us by Commander Chu. Do you think we can actually refuse it?"
Xue Zhi frowned and remained silent.
Luo Yang said, "To kill a Nascent Soul realm demon cultivator, we would need at least three to five seventh-realm cultivators to have a decent chance. You've only asked for three days, and it's impossible for us to break through to higher realms within these three days."
Lin Zhao said, "It's fine. Just focus on cultivating well these three days. It's okay if you don't break through."
Mu Zha frowned. "Lin Zhao, are you truly confident?"
"A little."
Lin Zhao said, "About an eighty percent chance of success."
Mu Zha was shocked. "An eighty percent chance of success? Isn't that equivalent to sending us to our deaths?"
Gu Luan and Zhu Zhi rolled their eyes and went back to their cultivation.
...
Lin Zhao returned to his room and began to draw true qi. Using silver talisman paper, he wrote speed talismans. He wrote more than ten in one go, but it still wasn't enough. He needed everyone to have at least three speed talismans to have a chance. At the very least, even if they couldn't kill the Nascent Soul realm demon, they shouldn't be killed themselves. With three high-grade speed talismans, escaping should be possible.
While drawing talismans, the young man's heart ached. For the sake of the mountain-peak separate residence, he had even sacrificed his silver talisman paper, truly depleting all his resources.
By dawn, he was exhausted.
After a short nap, he went to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and bought a large stack of silver talisman paper, continuing to draw talismans.
This time, it wasn't speed talismans, but sword-illuminating talismans of the same grade, ranking third on his third senior brother's Military Talismans Manual. A good sword-illuminating talisman could nurture a wisp of sword qi within it. If Xue Zhi and Luo Yang nurtured their sword qi within them, it would be equivalent to giving them a few more attacks, thus increasing their chances of victory!
After drawing a batch of speed talismans and sword-illuminating talismans, Lin Zhao began to write the third type of military talisman.
The body-immobilizing talisman, a talisman that uses the aura of military offense to shake the opponent.