Martial Immortality: Starting with the Spirit Beast Scroll

Chapter 207: Chapter 197: Meeting an Old Friend in a Foreign Land

Xiao Jin’s Gold-Slicing Chop was as its name implied. He released his energy, forming a dazzling, golden blade along the edge of his palm.

"It can slice gold and shatter jade, just like a sharp weapon!" Zhao Lin marveled inwardly, taking a light breath.

As Xiao Jin’s blade-like energy swept past, Miao Tianfeng’s dozens of fist shadows vanished in an instant. The former clearly had the upper hand.

In terms of mastery over their cultivation techniques, Miao Tianfeng was by no means inferior to Xiao Jin. However, once one’s martial arts reached a certain level, a system of counters came into play, especially when opponents were close in strength.

To avoid having one’s cultivation technique countered, one could either deepen their power and overwhelm the opponent with absolute strength—for instance, water can extinguish fire, but a single cup is useless against a burning cart of firewood.

Or, one could train in a non-elemental cultivation technique like the Stone Roar Fist, which bypassed the problem of counters altogether.

In the end, the match on the field ended in a draw. Although Xiao Jin had a slight advantage, he was unable to defeat Miao Tianfeng within seven breaths.

Yang Lin was generally satisfied with this drill. He walked into the center of the field and said, "These seven-breath battles are meant to train your spatial awareness and your ability to adapt!"

"Times have changed. The old way of two people fighting for hundreds of rounds in an open field is obsolete."

He then critiqued each disciple’s performance one by one, concluding with, "Go back and cultivate well. Play to your strengths and work on your weaknesses. We’ll do this again next month!"

"Yes."

The disciples took their leave one after another, returning to their posts on the various medicinal herb mountains they were responsible for.

"Zhao Lin, Zhong Yewu, Xiang Bao, Li Liang. The four of you, stay behind."

Yang Lin called Zhao Lin and the other disciples who had entered the Inner Court this year over to his side. "In a couple of days, I’ll be taking you on a trip. It will take about three to five days, round trip. If you have anything to take care of, do it beforehand."

’A trip?’

The four were curious, but since Yang Lin didn’t elaborate, none of them asked. They all just nodded in agreement.

Zhao Lin didn’t go straight back to the training room. Instead, he sat down by a large tree outside the training grounds, silently recalling what he had just seen and heard.

He considered which of the disciples’ strengths he could learn from, and which of their weaknesses he should avoid.

The master leads you to the door, but you must walk the path of cultivation yourself.

Although Yang Lin was a good teacher and the instructors were very responsible, how one actually cultivated was ultimately something you had to think about and figure out for yourself.

The biggest impression today’s many matches left on him was this: once one’s cultivation reached the Blood Realm, the importance of cultivation techniques became increasingly obvious. It was difficult to defeat an opponent of the same level with mere fist and foot techniques alone.

The four senior disciples were indeed powerful. Mountain Shattering Fist, Flying Leaf Hand, Shadow Shaking Fist, and Gold-Slicing Chop—all were first-class, superior cultivation techniques.

However, Zhao Lin didn’t see them as invincible. On the contrary, he was full of confidence.

Xiao Jin was twenty-eight this year, a full ten years older than him. The other three were also six or seven years his senior. He still had time to catch up.

’If I want to make a name for myself at the Martial Assembly, I have to cultivate to the First Layer of the Blood Realm. Otherwise, the gap in our realms will be too great.’

’I also need one or two powerful cultivation techniques. Otherwise, no matter how strong or fast I am, I’ll be suppressed in terms of energy.’

Back when he was at the First Layer of the Qi Realm, he had been practically unrivaled among his peers. Now that he had reached the Blood Realm, he was just as confident he could do it again.

As noon approached, a disciple hurried over and said to Zhao Lin, "Junior Brother Zhao, there’s someone outside looking for you."

"Alright, I’m on my way. Thanks!"

Puzzled, Zhao Lin walked quickly out of the Inner Court and saw a familiar figure standing outside the gate. It was none other than Gao Yuan, the Eldest Senior Brother of the Liuhe Sect.

"Senior Brother, what are you doing here?"

Zhao Lin was overjoyed. He went up, grabbed Gao Yuan’s arm, and shook it vigorously.

"I’m here at the Sect for advanced training," Gao Yuan said with a smile.

Zhao Lin understood immediately. Zhu Huaishan had passed away suddenly, without having had time to pass on all of his cultivation techniques and medicinal formulas to Gao Yuan.

As the Liuhe Sect was a branch of the Xingyun Sect, it was perfectly reasonable for its successor to come here for further training.

"When did you arrive, Senior Brother? Where are you staying?"

"I just got here today. I’m in the Outer Court."

"Is the Mistress doing okay?"

"Don’t worry, she’s doing just fine!"

"How long do you plan to stay, Senior Brother?"

"About a month, I think."

It was a joy to meet an old friend in a new place, and the two of them chatted nonstop all the way.

It was just about lunchtime, so Zhao Lin invited Gao Yuan back to his residence.

The servants had already prepared the meal. Zhao Lin ordered them to add another pair of chopsticks.

He was about to speak when he suddenly sensed that Gao Yuan’s Qi and Blood were different than before. "Senior Brother," he asked in surprise, "did you break through to the Third Layer of the Qi Realm?"

"So you noticed."

Gao Yuan smiled. "I wasn’t worthy of the title of Sect Leader. Perhaps the shock of it all spurred me on. I broke through last month and am currently stabilizing my realm."

Zhao Lin picked up his teacup, using it in place of wine. "Congratulations, Senior Brother!"

Gao Yuan raised his cup and clinked it against Zhao Lin’s, smiling wryly. "I know my own limits. It was a stroke of luck that I even reached the Third Layer of the Qi Realm. I don’t dare to hope for the Blood Realm."

"Speaking of which, you’re the truly amazing one. I went to the Wuxiang Institute this morning to find you. They told me there was no Zhao Lin there, but that there was one in the Inner Court."

He said with emotion, "I remember you only joined the sect the year before last. To reach the Blood Realm in just over two years... it’s like something out of a dream."

Zhao Lin said in a low voice, "Senior Brother, please don’t mention this to anyone else."

Seeing Zhao Lin’s expression, Gao Yuan knew he didn’t want to publicize it. He said seriously, "Rest assured, Junior Brother."

After lunch, Gao Yuan stood up to leave. "Junior Brother, I have to go learn cultivation techniques from the Technique Instructor this afternoon, so I won’t disturb you any longer."

"Alright, I’ll see you out."

Zhao Lin had been planning to visit home anyway, so he escorted Gao Yuan all the way to the Outer Court before heading down the mountain.

* * *

"Qiu’Er, say ’uncle’."

In the courtyard of his home, Zhao Lin teased the nephew in his arms.

In July of this year, his sister-in-law had given his brother a big, healthy baby boy, to the delight of the whole family. Because he was born on the day of the Start of Autumn, they gave him the nickname Qiu’Er.

"He’s only two months old, he can’t talk yet," his brother, Zhao Shan, said cheerfully.

For some unknown reason, Qiu’Er was fine being held by anyone else in the family, but the moment Zhao Shan picked him up, he would cry nonstop. So, Zhao Shan could only stare from the side, desperately wanting to hold his son.

Qiu’Er was pink and chubby. He had Zhao Shan’s nose and mouth, but his mother’s delicate eyes and brows. He was currently giggling in Zhao Lin’s arms.

"Dinner’s ready. You two brothers, come on in and eat," his sister-in-law, Xiulan, said with a smile as she came out of the house.

During the meal, the family started discussing a proper name for the child.

Mrs. Zhao said, "The little one is already two months old, and we still haven’t settled on a name. Lin’Er, you should help us think of a good one."

Zhao Lin glanced at his brother and smiled. "Children’s names are for the parents to choose. I don’t really know much about it."

Zhao Shan scratched his head. "We’re not very literate. I’m afraid we’ll pick a bad one."

His sister-in-law said, "I don’t know either. I’ve thought of a few, but none of them felt right."

Just then, his father spoke up. "There’s a teacher in the neighborhood. I took our grandson’s birth-time characters to him, and he helped pick a name. See what you think."

Zhao Lin put down his chopsticks and asked curiously, "What’s the name?"

"Zhao Benshan!"

Zhao Lin nearly spit out a mouthful of rice and coughed twice, hard.

His father asked, surprised, "What? Is it a bad name?"

Zhao Lin took a sip of water to compose himself. "The name... is fine. It’s just, my brother’s name has ’Shan’ in it. Isn’t it inappropriate for a father and son to share a character in their names?"

"There’s a saying: ’A son should not speak his father’s name, nor a student his master’s.’"

His father slapped his thigh. "Aiyo!" he cried. "I really didn’t think of that. It’s not the teacher’s fault; I didn’t tell him. I’ll go ask him again tomorrow."

Zhao Lin nodded, looking at his pink, chubby nephew. ’No matter how you look at it, this little face won’t grow to look like a shoehorn, will it?’ he thought.