Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 118 Marrow Cleansing
Xuanwu Department.

Inside Lin Xuan's wooden house.

Since he came into this world, he had never felt so relaxed and happy.

With the Heart-Eating Gu gone from his body, he felt as if a mountain he had carried for a long time had been lifted from his shoulders, and he felt incredibly relaxed.

From now on, he will no longer be threatened by Nanzhao and Mandala. The world is vast, the sea is wide enough for fish to leap, and the sky is high enough for birds to fly.

Even if he appeared in front of Mandala, she would not recognize him.

With the Heart-Eating Gu gone from his body, even the air he breathed seemed to become freer.

Just then, a light and agile figure skipped and hopped in from outside.

Aya looked up at Lin Xuan with anticipation and said, "Big brother, you said you would make delicious pastries for me when you came back..."

Lin Xuan was in an unprecedentedly good mood and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll make it for you now."

Although the Xuanwu tribe is poor in resources, glutinous rice and honey can still be easily found. There is even refined sugar from the Tian family here. Lin Xuan also asked her to find some red dates and raisins. With these ingredients, she made some glutinous rice cakes for her.

Soon, a sweet aroma filled the air.

Lin Xuan took out the steamed sugar cake. The steam carried the aroma of honey and dates. The soft and glutinous cake was decorated with deep red date flesh and golden raisins, making Aya swallow her saliva from time to time.

Just as she was about to reach out, Lin Xuan grabbed her wrist and said with a smile, "It tastes better when it's cooled down."

It will be December in two days. Although it hasn't snowed in the mountains, the temperature is already very low.

Lin Xuan left the sugar cakes outside to dry. Aya, from who knows where, took out a fan and stared intently at the sugar cakes, fanning them rapidly with her hand.

She stared at the sugar cake and asked casually, "It smells so good, big brother. Where did you learn all these skills?"

Lin Xuan looked into the distance and gently exhaled.

This is the simplest pastry that Aro taught him.

He didn't answer, and Aya didn't press him for an answer.

Only after the steam from the sugar cake had completely dissipated did she look at Lin Xuan and ask, "Can we eat it now?"

Seeing her drooling, Lin Xuan nodded and said, "It's ready."

Aya threw down her fan, eagerly picked up a piece of sweet cake, and put it in her mouth.

The sweet but not cloying honey flavor melted on her tongue, and the soft and chewy texture of the glutinous rice intertwined with the sweet aroma of the dried fruit. Her eyes widened instantly, and she mumbled, "Delicious!"

After eating two pieces, she picked up the bamboo plate containing the sugar cakes and said, "I'll go and let the Holy Maiden try some too!"

Watching her run away quickly with the bamboo tray in her arms, Lin Xuan turned around and walked back to the wooden house.

Thinking of Youmeng, Lin Xuan felt a mix of emotions.

The two were not actually familiar with each other; they had only met a few times, and Lin Xuan didn't even know what she looked like.

Yet, a relationship that only the closest people would have developed between them occurred.

Although the objective of this trip to Jiuli was achieved, too many unexpected things happened...

Inside the Temple of the Holy Maiden.

Aya presented the bamboo tray like a treasure, saying, "Holy Maiden, these are pastries that big brother made for me. Try them, they're so sweet and delicious!"

Youmeng shook her head and said, "You eat it."

Aya insisted, "Holy Maiden, you should try it, it's really delicious!"

After a moment of silence, Youmeng reached out, picked up a piece of pastry, and gently put it into her mouth.

The pastries were sweet and delicious, but her heart was filled with bitterness.

He was Qingluan's beloved.

But she did that to him...

How should she face Qingluan in the future?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but in the end, they all turned into a sigh...

……

Two days passed quickly.

For the past two days, Lin Xuan has not left the cabin.

Although he wanted to leave as soon as possible to avoid embarrassment when facing Youmeng, he couldn't miss the opportunity to enter the Marrow Cleansing Pool.

An hour can be equivalent to several years of arduous training, and no matter how embarrassing it is, you have to endure it.

Light footsteps came from outside the door. Lin Xuan scanned the area with his spiritual power and knew who it was.

He opened the door, and Aya happened to be standing there. After a moment of surprise, she said to Lin Xuan, "Big brother, the Holy Maiden asked me to inform you that we're preparing to leave for the Marrow Cleansing Pool..."

Lin Xuan was already prepared and nodded, saying, "Let's go."

He had heard Youmeng mention before that the Marrow Cleansing Pool was a sacred cultivation ground jointly created by the nine tribes of Jiuli, specifically for young geniuses in the clan to improve their realm. It was only open once a year, and there were only twenty spots available for entering the Marrow Cleansing Pool.

Because Youmeng successfully ascended to the Temple of the Witch God and obtained the ancestral spirit's inheritance, the Xuanwu Department received five of the twenty spots this year.

The remaining fifteen spots were allocated to the other eight tribes.

Lin Xuan was allocated one of the five slots in the Xuanwu Department, and Aya was also one of them.

Aya was overjoyed, chattering excitedly, "The Holy Maiden has obtained the ancestral spirit's inheritance, so we Xuanwu tribe members can enter the Marrow Cleansing Pool first. The earlier we cleanse our marrow, the better the effect. I hope I can break through to the sixth rank..."

The two walked outside the tribe.

Three uniquely designed horse-drawn carriages were parked on the bluestone road outside the tribe.

These vehicles are similar to horse-drawn carriages, but they lack shafts, and their bodies are engraved with intricate spiritual patterns.

Lin Xuan only glanced at it, but the internal structure of the car was already in his mind.

This kind of motor vehicle is powered by spiritual patterns and does not require animal power; it can be driven by true energy.

Beside the carriage at the back stood two boys and a girl, presumably the other three who had obtained a spot in the Marrow Cleansing Pool.

Lin Xuan and Aya boarded the first carriage, and upon lifting the curtain, they were both taken aback.

Youmeng was also sitting in the car.

Lin Xuan had no choice but to bite the bullet and sit opposite Youmeng.

Aya, completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere, was still chattering about her hunting trip the day before when Youmeng suddenly asked, "After the marrow cleansing, what are your plans?"

Lin Xuan hadn't expected her to speak to him first. After a moment's thought, he shook his head and said, "I haven't decided yet..."

The Heart-Eating Gu has been cured, and Nanzhao thought he was dead. In fact, he didn't need to return to Jingbian Division or infiltrate the Yang family anymore.

Given the chaos in the southwest, the imperial court would probably assume that he had encountered some kind of accident.

But this choice meant that he completely gave up martial arts training.

If he doesn't return to Jingbian Division, he won't be able to obtain the follow-up techniques for Zhenyue Gong.

Unlike the chieftains who only spent money, the imperial court used a top-tier martial arts technique to force many powerful individuals to serve them.

Only by breaking through in cultivation level can one obtain the next level of cultivation techniques.

If you want to continue your cultivation, you must remain in the imperial court.

Although he could switch to a lesser cultivation method, Zhenyue Gong could only be upgraded to Panshi Gong, and the upper limit of Panshi Gong was the sixth rank. Once Lin Xuan switched to this method, his martial arts cultivation would stop at the peak of the sixth rank...

Of course, he could also return to Sizhou, kidnap those two centurions, and force them to reveal the sixth-grade cultivation technique.

But once he broke through to the sixth rank, he had to use the same method to interrogate a certain commander.

Ultimately, as his cultivation level improved, he had to press the commander for answers.

Even if he could obtain the true cultivation method, he would face relentless pursuit from the Jingye Division.

Lin Xuan has not yet made a decision about the future.

Youmeng looked away and said, "If you haven't decided yet, why don't you stay with the Xuanwu Clan? You've done them a great favor this time, and the High Priest said he wants to thank you properly..."

Lin Xuan was still hesitating when Aya grabbed his arm and said, "Big brother, the New Year is coming soon, why don't you stay and celebrate the New Year with us!"

She had no other intentions; she simply wanted Lin Xuan to cook more delicious food for her.

According to Lin Xuan's original plan, he should have spent this New Year with A Luo and Qing Luan.

This wish will probably never come true.

After careful consideration, he nodded slightly: "Then I'll take my leave."

He is now a person without an identity, and having left the Xuanwu tribe, he really doesn't know where he can go.

Why not take advantage of this time to consolidate your cultivation and digest the Nine Li inheritance?

Although he already possesses a wealth of theoretical knowledge, it will take some time before he can truly internalize it.

At that time, even if I were to infiltrate the Yang family, I would have more power to protect myself.

Youmeng looked at Lin Xuan's face and asked, "Why has your face become like this?"

Lin Xuan explained, "The Jingbian Division has a mission that requires me to temporarily change my appearance."

Youmeng looked at him and said, "I'm still more used to your old face. The Illusionary Witch Clan has a secret technique called 'Thousand Illusions Transformation,' which you should be able to learn quickly. When you're in the Profound Witch Clan, you should change back to your original appearance..."

She extended her right hand, slightly bent her index finger, and gently touched Lin Xuan's forehead.

A message instantly entered Lin Xuan's mind.

This method of transmitting information directly through mental power is also a secret technique of the Jiuli people, which Lin Xuan also knows. Including the 'Thousand Illusions Transformation', which he also inherited in the Temple of the Witch God.

He glanced at Youmeng silently.

The way the two of them interacted seemed to have changed imperceptibly.

She used to be very polite, always addressing him as "Young Master".

Since the trial, he stopped calling him "Young Master" and started using simple "you" and "I" instead, his tone becoming quite casual. This decision was made for him rather casually...

Subconsciously, he also felt that there seemed to be no problem... The motor vehicle moved smoothly along the bluestone road, with the spiritual patterns on the vehicle body shimmering, and there was no bumpy feeling inside the vehicle.

In less than half an hour, a valley shrouded in a hazy white mist came into view.

Lin Xuan remembered that he had passed through this place a few days ago when he went to the Jiuli ancestral land, but the group did not stop here at that time.

Several figures were already waiting at the valley entrance.

Lin Xuan and Aya jumped off the carriage.

He stood under the car and reached out his hand to Youmeng.

Youmeng naturally took Lin Xuan's hand and gracefully stepped out of the car.

An elderly man in a white robe stepped forward slowly, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Holy Maiden of the Mystic Witch."

The others also clasped their hands in greeting: "Greetings, Holy Maiden."

For three hundred years, the Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan has been the only one to have received the ancestral spirit's inheritance.

Given time, she will surely become a pillar of the Jiuli, and even though their cultivation is currently higher than hers, they will still respect her immensely.

Unexpectedly, she actually came in person.

Youmeng nodded slightly and said softly, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

The old man looked at the crowd and spoke again: "Please follow me."

Having said that, he turned and led the way, and the group followed him into the valley.

The further you go, the thicker the fog becomes, and a strange, refreshing fragrance permeates the air.

Lin Xuan was familiar with this fragrance; it was the same scent as the Bone Tempering Liquid and Marrow Cleansing Liquid, only this one was more subtle.

After passing through a naturally formed stone corridor, a bright and open space suddenly opened up before me.

A pool of spring water, shrouded in white mist, lay quietly in the center of the valley. The water was not crystal clear, but rather like melted chalcedony, crystalline and viscous. Even from several feet away, Lin Xuan could feel the energy fluctuations within it.

The rocks by the pool are engraved with countless profound spiritual patterns, which are now faintly glowing and reflecting in the pool water.

The white-robed elder stood before the pool, looking at the Xuanwu tribe members, and said, "This is the Marrow Cleansing Pool. Each person can only soak for one hour. Put on your clothes and enter the pool, then fully circulate your cultivation techniques. How much medicinal power you can absorb within this one hour depends on yourselves."

Youmeng looked at Lin Xuan and Aya and said, "Let's go in."

Aya excitedly tugged at Lin Xuan's sleeve: "Big brother, let's go inside quickly!"

Lin Xuan was pulled by Aya and walked into the Marrow Cleansing Pool.

The other three members of the Xuanwu tribe also slowly entered the pool.

The moment he stepped into the pool, a gentle force began to flow into his body from the surrounding water. Every cell in his body seemed to be cheering and greedily absorbing this pure and gentle energy.

This feeling was the complete opposite of the tearing pain he had experienced when he used the marrow-cleansing fluid and bone-tempering fluid.

You don't have to take off your clothes or suffer pain.

Sure enough, the truly valuable items were reserved by the Jiuli tribe for their own people.

When he began to circulate the Zhenyue Gong, the power in the pool flowed into his body at a significantly faster speed. Under the nourishment of this power, his meridians, flesh, and bones became even more resilient.

With the support of powerful spiritual energy, the Zhenyue True Qi circulated rapidly within his body, growing quickly in a steady yet rapid manner.

Time seemed to stand still as Lin Xuan was completely immersed in this wonderful feeling.

After an unknown amount of time, when he came to his senses, the true energy within his body had filled all his meridians and was gradually beginning to compress within them.

After being nourished by the medicine, his meridians have become exceptionally strong.

Time continues to pass.

As the Zhenyue Gong continued to circulate, when the true energy was compressed to its limit in the meridians, Lin Xuan seemed to hear a soft sound coming from within his body. With the breakthrough in his cultivation, his spiritual power also seemed to have broken through some kind of barrier.

Lin Xuan slowly opened her eyes.

He stretched out his palm, and an invisible aura emanated from his body.

The fourth level of Zhenyue Gong has begun, with external manifestation of Qi and initial formation of body protection.

This breakthrough was so simple.

Breaking through to the fourth level of Zhenyue Gong also means that he has finally entered the middle third rank in martial arts.

More importantly, after his martial arts cultivation broke through, his spiritual power also surged again, breaking through the bottleneck of the fifth rank and reaching the fourth rank.

Even Youmeng was a whole realm behind him in terms of mental strength.

If his mental strength breaks through another level, he can become a third-grade sorcerer. At that time, he will be able to rival a third-grade martial artist with just his mental strength.

However, this gap is not easy to overcome.

When he reached the ninth rank of martial arts, he already possessed the spiritual power of the fifth rank.

His martial arts cultivation has now reached the sixth rank, but his spiritual power has only just reached the fourth rank.

Even so, fourth-grade mental strength is enough. As long as one doesn't encounter powerful beings of the third grade or get close to fourth-grade martial artists, one can at least protect oneself.

At this moment, a mental energy fluctuation also came from beside Lin Xuan.

He turned to look at Aya, surprised to find that the second person to break through was this little girl.

Her spiritual power instantly surged to the peak of the sixth rank.

His martial arts cultivation level also rose from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.

After breaking through to the sixth rank in martial arts cultivation, the physical body has reached its limit and can no longer absorb the medicinal power of the Marrow Cleansing Pool, so there is no need to continue soaking in the pool.

Lin Xuan and Aya left the Marrow Cleansing Pool together.

Beside the Marrow Cleansing Pool, the white-robed elder looked shocked.

In the Marrow Cleansing Pool, the faster one's cultivation breakthroughs, the higher one's cultivation talent.

He had heard of this little girl from the Xuanwu Clan before. She had excellent talent in both martial arts and mental strength, with her mental strength being particularly outstanding. If she weren't so young, she could even compete with Youmeng for the position of Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan.

But the young man beside her was improving even faster than she was.

This shows that his cultivation speed is even faster than that little girl's.

The Xuanwu tribe is truly producing a wealth of talent this generation; in less than thirty years, it will likely become the number one tribe in the Jiuli tribe.

An hour passed quickly.

The other three members of the Xuanwu tribe also emerged from the Marrow Cleansing Pool.

Although they did not break through to a higher realm like Lin Xuan and Aya, everyone's cultivation level improved significantly. Two of them reached the late stage of the seventh rank, while the girl reached the peak of the seventh rank in one fell swoop.

Feeling the abundant true energy within his body, Lin Xuan even had a somewhat unreal feeling.

The vast majority of martial artists are trapped in the lower three ranks throughout their lives.

It can take some people more than ten years to advance from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.

But here, it only takes less than an hour.

Even though we're under the same sky, it feels like we're living in two different worlds.

On the way back to the city, Lin Xuan leaned against the carriage, lost in thought.

The Heart-Eating Gu has been eliminated.

His martial arts cultivation broke through to the sixth rank.

His spiritual power has reached the fourth rank, and he has also unexpectedly obtained the inheritance of the Jiuli tribe.

This trip to Jiuli brought him so many surprises.

However, this was also the time when he was most confused.

He was originally a homeless person.

When all shackles are removed and complete freedom is gained, one is at a loss for where to go.

But one thing is for sure.

Even if he doesn't return to the imperial court, he still has to find a way to obtain the follow-up techniques of the Zhenyue Gong.

This continent is ultimately ruled by martial prowess.

The sorcerer's methods are unpredictable and bizarre, but he lacks the means to directly confront them.

If a powerful martial artist gets close, there is almost no power to resist.

Therefore, the vast majority of sorcerers, like Wenren Yue, are skilled in both magic and martial arts.

Mental strength can assist martial arts, and martial arts can also nourish mental strength.

Let's talk about these things after the New Year.

Lin Xuan looked up unintentionally and his eyes met Youmeng's.

Their eyes met in mid-air, then looked away a moment later.

Lin Xuan seemed to realize something, so he slowly lowered his head. When he looked up again, his face had returned to normal.

He possesses fourth-grade spiritual power but only a sixth-grade physical body, allowing him to change his appearance in an instant.

However, after the surgery performed by the imperial physician, his original face now requires mental energy to maintain.

After receiving the inheritance of the Jiuli tribe, Lin Xuan gradually realized that the Nanzhao's "True Explanation of Ten Thousand Forms" also seemed to originate from the Jiuli secret techniques.

Youmeng looked at Lin Xuan; it was still his original face, and she was used to seeing it.

Aya looked at Lin Xuan in surprise, reached out and tugged at his face, and exclaimed in amazement, "Big brother, can you do magic tricks!"

Lin Xuan nodded and smiled, "Want to learn? I'll teach you..."

(End of this chapter)