I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

The wound hurts terribly.

As Lin Chen lay on his bunk, he could clearly feel the throbbing pain in the incision on his shoulder.

Although Han Li's ghost-headed broadsword had not damaged his bones, the flesh was torn open, revealing the bone. The wound medicine had stopped the bleeding, but a full recovery would require time—or perhaps, his lifespan.

He closed his eyes and looked inward at himself.

Lifespan reserve: 91 years.

Most of them came from demon wolves, a small portion from humans, and the remaining 8 years that were just plundered from Han Li.

These mixed energies flowed through the body, constantly strengthening muscles and bones, but they could never break through that invisible barrier—the shattered dantian was like an insurmountable chasm, isolating all power from the outside.

Without internal energy, even the strongest physical body is nothing but brute force.

He needs the cultivation method.

There needs to be a way to guide, gather, and unleash this force.

He reached into his robes and touched the oilcloth bundle. The booklet wasn't thick, but it felt heavy in his hand. It was still stained with Han Li's blood, which had dried and turned black.

Bloodbath Sword Technique.

Yellow Rank, Middle Grade.

In the Kowloon Dynasty, martial arts are divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. Each level is further divided into three grades: upper, middle, and lower.

The middle grade of the Yellow Rank is not top-tier, but for the vast majority of lower-level martial artists and border soldiers, it is already something that is unattainable.

A complete Yellow-Rank cultivation technique can fetch an astronomical price on the black market, enough to drive countless people to their deaths.

And now, it's in Lin Chen's hands.

He slowly opened the booklet.

In the dim light, with the faint daylight filtering in from the window, one could barely make out the writing and diagrams on it.

The characters are in the universal seal script, and the human figures on the diagrams are in various poses, with detailed markings of movement routes and power techniques.

First move: Bloodbath in All Directions. Emphasizes offense over defense, with wide and sweeping sword strikes, suitable for group battles.

Second move: Blood Shadow Chain. Extremely fast blade speed, combining slashes and strikes, specifically designed to break through defenses.

The third move: Blood Prison Slash. A deadly strike that concentrates all the body's blood and energy into a single slash, possessing astonishing power, but placing an immense burden on the user.

Each movement is accompanied by detailed instructions on breathing techniques, footwork coordination, and tips for circulating internal energy.

Very complete.

It's also... quite normal.

Lin Chen turned the pages one by one, his brows gradually furrowing.

This swordsmanship is indeed excellent, with a strong killing intent and high practicality, making it a style suitable for battlefield combat. However, the problem lies in the fact that it requires internal energy to operate.

The third move, "Blood Prison Slash," in particular, requires an instantaneous burst of internal energy, channeled into the blade, to unleash its devastating power. Without internal energy, this move is merely an empty shell, and might even injure the user.

"no……"

Lin Chen closed the booklet, feeling somewhat irritated.

What he needs is not this kind of "normal" cultivation method. What he needs is a special sword technique that is suitable for his current situation—one that can be used without internal energy, relying solely on physical strength, and even... utilizing the life force energy absorbed from his cultivation.

The divine jade on his chest felt slightly warm.

A thought came to mind:

[Complete martial art "Blood Battle Blade Technique" (Mid-grade Yellow Rank) detected]

The following operations can be performed:

[1. Direct learning (requires a healthy dantian and a foundation of internal energy) - not feasible]

[2. Evolutionary Optimization (consuming lifespan to develop simplified/mutated versions adapted to the host's current state)]

[Estimated lifespan consumption: 90 years]

Success rate: 85%

[Warning: The evolutionary process is irreversible. If it fails, the lifespan consumed will not be refunded.]

90 years!

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat.

He only has 91 years left to live, and this will almost drain him dry!

But with an 85% success rate... is it worth the gamble?

He was silent for a long time.

As dawn broke outside the window, people began to quietly get up inside the mud house. Zhao Tiegu was still unconscious; his face was as pale as paper from last night's injuries and excessive blood loss. Li the Cripple was carefully feeding him water.

Can't wait any longer.

The Blood Blade Gang will find out about Han Li's death sooner or later. Scarface Wang won't stay quiet either. He must improve his strength as quickly as possible; the more trump cards he has, the better his chances of survival.

Lin Chen took a deep breath, carefully hid the booklet close to his body, and got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Li the Cripple asked, looking up.

"Go out for some fresh air," Lin Chen said in a hoarse voice. "I'm leaving Old Zhao in your care."

"Be careful." Li the Cripple hesitated, but ultimately just nodded.

Lin Chen walked out of the earthen house.

The Ghost Cry Pass was shrouded in a thin layer of mist at dawn. The torches on the distant city walls had been extinguished, leaving only wisps of smoke. The air was bitterly cold, and exhaled breath instantly condensed into white frost.

He did not linger in the military camp, but instead headed towards the ruins in the southwest corner.

Abandoned brick kiln area.

This place is almost deserted during the day, overgrown with weeds amidst the ruins, making it a secluded spot. Lin Chen found the entrance to the cave from last night; the wooden planks were still ajar, but it was empty—the Blood Blade Gang had retreated, perhaps gathering somewhere to prepare for revenge.

He went around to the back of the cave dwelling and found a small space next to a half-collapsed kiln, just big enough for one person to curl up inside. It was completely hidden from the outside by collapsed mud bricks and weeds.

This is it.

Lin Chen crawled inside and sat down cross-legged.

The space was narrow, but secluded enough. He held his breath and, after confirming that there was no sign of living beings around, took out the book "Blood Battle Sword Technique" from his pocket.

Hold the booklet in both hands and close your eyes.

Consciousness sank into the divine jade.

[Is it confirmed to be an evolution of "Blood Battle Sword Technique"?]

[Consumption: 90 years of lifespan]

Success rate: 85%

"confirm."

The moment the command was given, the divine jade trembled violently!

A burning sensation ten or even a hundred times stronger than when he evolved "Wolf's Gaze" exploded in his chest! Lin Chen groaned, his teeth clenched, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Excruciating pain!

It felt like a red-hot knife was churning wildly inside my body! Or like being thrown into a furnace, where every inch of my flesh was being burned and reassembled!

Ninety years of lifespan transformed into a vast, surging energy that rushed wildly into the depths of the divine jade. The text and diagrams on the booklet were torn apart and jumbled in his consciousness, then began to collide and merge wildly with Lin Chen's battle memories, physical data, and even the chaotic energy characteristics he had devoured!

Time seemed to stand still.

Lin Chen "saw" countless flashes of sword light dancing in his mind.

It contains the original moves of "Blood Battle Sword Technique", which are wide and powerful, exuding a murderous aura.

It depicts the wildness and ferocity of a demon wolf when it pounces.

It has the ruthless trajectory of Han Li's Ghost Head Blade.

There were even fragmented images of ancient martial arts techniques from my past life...

Everything was forcibly kneaded together by the power of the divine jade.

There is only one core principle—to adapt to Lin Chen's current state!

No internal energy? Then use physical strength instead!

Need an explosion? Then use the life force energy you've absorbed as fuel!

Too many moves? Then simplify them and keep only the most direct and lethal killing moves!

I don't know how much time passed.

It felt like an instant, yet also like several hours had passed.

When Lin Chen opened his eyes again, it was already bright outside the kiln. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the weeds, casting dappled patterns of light on the dust.

He was soaked in sweat, as if he had just been pulled from the water. The wound on his shoulder had reopened, and blood stained his clothes. But his eyes were frighteningly bright.

A completely new set of sword techniques appeared in his mind.

There are only three styles.

No, rather than three styles, they are more like three "artistic conceptions" and three "power exertion frameworks".

First move: Bloodbath Cleave. The simplest and most direct vertical cleave, but the way it generates power is extremely special—it doesn't use the strength of the arms, but rather the twisting of the waist and hips to drive the whole body, concentrating weight, speed, and explosive muscle power all into a single point. When mastered, a single strike can cleave through even iron armor.

Second move: Blood Shadow Slash. A diagonal slash from bottom to top, with a tricky trajectory, targeting the lower body and joints. Combined with the unpredictable movement techniques of the "Wolf Gaze Step," it allows for a fatal counterattack while dodging.

The third move: Blood Prison Slash. It retains the original name, but its core is completely different. This move is no longer an explosion of internal energy; instead, it uses the cost of burning lifespan to instantly unleash the body's potential, delivering a strike beyond its limits. Its power is astonishing, but the price is also enormous—each use consumes at least one year of lifespan and places a severe burden on the body.

It has no name.

The divine jade simply imprinted it in Lin Chen's consciousness, like an innate instinct.

[Evolution successful]

[Acquired a mutated sword technique (unnamed)]

[Rank Assessment: High-grade Yellow Rank (Incomplete, only three forms)]

【Features: Adapts to physical exertion, can burn lifespan to amplify power】

[Further upgrades and enhancements can be achieved by absorbing more insights into sword techniques or the essence of high-level demonic beasts.]

Top grade yellow grade!

Although it's incomplete, its quality is one level higher than the original!

Lin Chen was overjoyed.

He couldn't wait to try it.

But as soon as he moved, he felt weak all over and his vision went black—the depletion of his 90 years of lifespan had almost completely drained him. Now, his lifespan reserves were reduced to only… 1 year.

One year.

It was barely enough to keep him alive, not even enough to repair his injuries.

Lin Chen smiled wryly.

Indeed, there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want to improve quickly, you have to pay the price.

He struggled to his feet and stretched his limbs.

Although weak, I could feel an extra "instinct" within my body. As soon as I held the knife, the way I generated the power of the three sword techniques would naturally emerge, as if I had practiced them a thousand times.

This is the terrifying aspect of the evolution of the divine jade—it's not about learning, but about "imprinting" and "bestowing."

He picked up the booklet from the ground.

The original "Blood Battle Blade Technique" remained intact, with no changes to the text or diagrams. The evolution of the divine jade did not damage the original; it merely extracted its essence and, combined with Lin Chen's specific circumstances, created a completely new system.

This booklet... might still be useful.

Lin Chen wrapped it up again and put it in his pocket. He then touched the gray wolf tribe's domino; it was icy cold and prickly.

It's time to go back.

He crawled out of the kiln, determined his direction, and headed towards the military camp.

His steps were a little unsteady, but his eyes were firm.

With these three sword techniques, combined with the "Wolf Gaze Step," his combat ability would at least double. Even against opponents at the seventh or eighth level of the Acquired Realm, he would have a fighting chance.

As for lifespan...

Lin Chen licked his chapped lips.

Looks like I need to find a way to "swallow" more.

When Lin Chen returned to the earthen house, Zhao Tiegu was already awake and was leaning against the wall, drinking porridge. Seeing Lin Chen enter, his eyes lit up: "Where have you been, kid? You look terrible."

"I found a quiet place." Lin Chen sat down next to him, took the bowl of porridge that Li the Cripple handed him, and drank it all in a few gulps.

"Jingjing?" Zhao Tiegu stared at him, lowering his voice, "Did you... 'dispose of' that thing?"

He was referring to the "Blood Battle Sword Technique" manual.

Lin Chen nodded: "It's been taken care of."

Zhao Tiegu breathed a sigh of relief: "Good thing it was dealt with. That thing was a source of trouble; it would have caused problems sooner or later if it had been left on your body."

"By the way," Li the Cripple suddenly interjected, "Wang the Scarface's men just came to say that the entire Third Team is on standby today, as there may be an emergency mission."

"An emergency mission?" Lin Chen frowned.

"He didn't say anything specific, but judging from the messenger's expression... something's not right." Li the Cripple said worriedly, "I heard that things weren't peaceful outside the pass last night. Several outposts have reported signs of demon activity, much more frequently than usual."

Zhao Tiegu's face darkened: "Something big is about to happen."

Lin Chen didn't speak, but silently clenched his fist.

With his lifespan nearing its end, his injuries still unhealed, and powerful enemies lurking around him, he may now face an even greater conflict...

But he felt little fear.

Instead, a fire burned in my chest.

come on.

Come on, everyone.

Let's see who swallows whom first.

Suddenly, a rapid bugle call sounded outside the window.

It wasn't the morning bugle call, but... an enemy attack alarm!

The three exchanged a glance and then suddenly stood up.

"Grab your weapons!" Zhao Tiegu gritted his teeth and growled.

Lin Chen grabbed his waist knife and rushed out of the house.

On the distant city walls, chaos reigned. Soldiers ran and shouted, and smoke rose from the watchtowers.

And on the more distant northern horizon, dark clouds were rolling in.

That's not a dark cloud.

It's demonic energy.