That night, as Lin Yi meditated in the small room, cultivating the Nine Sun Art and preparing to stabilize the terrifying power of his Yuan Dan Late Stage body, a familiar spiritual tremor ran through his soul.
[Target Character, Lin Dong has successfully acquired the Flaming Crimson Reishi (2 strands, 3rd Grade Elixer)]
[100x achievement return Initiated.]
[You have gained the Crimson Flower (2 strands, 5th Grade Elixer)]
Looking at the notification, Lin Yi muttered with a faint smile on his face, "His progress will accelerate from this moment on."
The Crimson Flower, a fifth-grade spirit herb, was a concentrated burst of Yang energy, perfect for complementing the Nine Sun Art and driving his Yang core to perfection.
He instantly absorbed the two invisible strands of the herb. The effect was minimal on his colossal Yuan Dan, but the essence was pure, further refining the chaotic Yin-Yang balance he had achieved.
Just as the residual energy settled, a second, more powerful tremor signaled another achievement.
[Target Character, Lin Dong has successfully learned the Incomplete Wonder Gate Seal (3rd Grade Martial Art)]
[10,000x achievement return Initiated.]
[You have gained the Wonder Path Seal (7th Grade Martial Art)]
The blueprint for the Wonder Gate Seal, a set of four distinct hand seals designed to generate compressed yuan power attacks, flashed through Lin Yi's mind, only to be instantly consumed and transformed into a vastly superior technique.
The Wonder Path Seal unfolded in his consciousness: a terrifyingly complex martial art comprising twelve intricate chapters. Unlike its lesser version, this art transcended the need for specific hand signs, relying instead on pure control of compressed Yuan Power, allowing the seals to be condensed and released through twelve invisible mental pathways. Each chapter expresses different kinds of attributes.
'A seventh-level technique, merely from a third-grade return. The multiplication factor for techniques and physiques is vastly superior to that of physical items,'
Lin Yi mused, running the complex mental pathways of the Wonder Path Seal instantly through his nervous system.
'The foundational path is now complete. I possess a heaven level fist art, and now, a high level sealing technique. The only thing missing is a Symbol Master proper spiritual attack techniques. Anyway, I will get it soon, if not then I will create my own spiritual art using the Primordial Chaos Talisman.'
He retracted his consciousness, his black eyes opening in the dimly lit room. He had no immediate need to practice the seal; it was already perfected and stored in his memory.
He stood up, looking out the small window toward the city lights. Yan City was a place of opportunity, and soon, it would be a place of conflict. Lin Dong would arrive after leaving the Qingyang town, and the plot would accelerate.
'Before the arrival of Lin Dong, I will clean this city and lay down a path for the Lin Family, at least it is a compensation for my birth in this clan. I will establish a new faction and destroy the blood cloth sect.' Lin Yi expressionlessly glanced at the buildings on the opposite side, then turned around and walked outside the room.
After a while,
Lin Yi visited the mysterious mall in the city. It was not a grand structure but a quiet, three-story building nestled on a side street, exuding an antique atmosphere that differentiated it from the bustling, modern shops.
He entered the first floor. It was sparsely populated, displaying strange, non-cultivation artifacts: intricate clockwork birds, colorful glass marbles, and ancient, dusty scrolls that seemed to have no practical use. The proprietor was an old man with perpetually half-closed eyes, sitting behind a small mahogany counter, polishing a smooth, dark stone.
"A newcomer to Yan City, are you?" the old man murmured, not looking up. His voice was raspy, like dry leaves rubbing together.
Lin Yi offered a courteous, neutral nod, maintaining his Early Earthly Yuan disguise. "I am indeed new in this city, I heard this building sells items of unique mysteries."
The old man finally lifted his head, his eyes… surprisingly sharp and deep, met Lin Yi's neutral gaze. A flicker of something unreadable… perhaps surprise, or maybe amusement flashed on his face before vanishing.
"I consider all items I sell as mysterious, it just depends on the needs of the purchaser. The second floor holds more… conventional items for cultivators. The third floor," he paused, then continued with a slight emphasis in his tone, "holds items only for those searching for mysteries, young man."
Lin Yi smiled faintly. "I'll start with the third floor, then."
After replying he turned around and ascended the stairs. The second floor was filled with mid-grade martial arts manuals, low-tier spiritual herbs, and standard forging materials… the usual products inside a second-tier city, yet useless for his late stage Yuan Dan.
He proceeded directly to the third floor. It was a single, large room with only four display cases, each holding solitary items displayed in special array plates, Lin Yi raised his brow observing the fragment of black metal, a perfectly clear, tear-shaped crystal, a coil of silver thread, and a jade slip. These items were covered with a subtle yuan power layer that resonated briefly with the sealing plate below.
'Nothing interesting, just items at the rank 4 level.' Lin Yi shook his head disappointingly after observing the true level of these items.
He spent a moment observing the objects, then descended.
"Find anything to your liking, young man?" the old man asked, still polishing his dark stone.
"I did," Lin Yi replied. "But I cannot afford them yet. Perhaps later, when I have acquired the currency of this city."
The old man chuckled, a dry, rattling sound. "The currency is always the problem. Come back when you are ready to pay the true price, which is rarely gold."
Lin Yi nodded and then he turned around and left the mysterious item shop.
…