In a cave deep within a dense forest, Ling Yun sat cross-legged, meditating. After a full day and night of recovery, his body had returned to its peak condition.
"The Soul Devourer Art is powerful, but the backlash is far too severe. I'll have to avoid using it too often," Ling Yun mused to himself.
Now came the most exciting part—collecting the spoils. With a flick of his wrist, several storage pouches appeared in front of him. Among them was a particularly noteworthy item: a storage ring, belonging to the Cave Heaven female cultivator.
After about ten minutes of inventorying, Ling Yun was amazed to find that he had accumulated a fortune: 120,000 low-grade spirit stones and 52 mid-grade spirit stones. Inside Mei Tao's storage pouch, he discovered something even more interesting—a manual titled Solitary Sword Technique.
Upon inspecting the manual, Ling Yun realized it described a unique sword art that could drain the life force of its victims. However, he couldn't help but wonder why it hadn't affected him when Mei Tao used it during their fight.
"Ah, it must have been the Divine Mountain Unyielding Body."
If not for cultivating this body technique, the battle would have been much tougher. Ling Yun couldn't afford to abandon this powerful body technique, especially since the materials for cultivating it, like the Glazed Fruit, could only be found through the Sword Sect.
'The Sword Sect... I have no choice but to join them,' he thought. The Divine Mountain Unyielding Body required a steady supply of Glazed Fruit, and obtaining even one through Treasure Pavilion had been a stroke of luck. Giving it up was simply not an option.
Ling Yun opened the sword manual and began studying it carefully.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for comprehending the incomplete technique: Solitary Sword Technique. Would you like to spend 5,000 system points to complete the technique?"
"What?! 5,000 system points?"
Ling Yun was taken aback. He had worked so hard to earn 7,000 system points, and now the system wanted him to spend nearly all of it in one go.
But the steep cost also hinted at the technique's extraordinary value.
Gritting his teeth, Ling Yun made his decision. "System, complete the technique."
Ding! 5,000 system points have been deducted. Congratulations to the host for obtaining the lower-grade Heaven-level sword technique: Solitary Sword Technique.
"A Heaven level technique! This is huge!"
Ling Yun was overjoyed. He felt an overwhelming urge to dig up Mei Tao's body and kiss it for such an incredible find.
Turning his attention to the storage ring, Ling Yun found several thousand spirit stones and... men's underwear?
Apart from that, there was a silk box and a map.
"What's this?"
Opening the box, he found a red orb inside. No matter how much spiritual energy he channeled into it, there was no reaction.
"Is it a blood recognition item?"
Ling Yun pricked his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the orb. Still, nothing happened.
With a sigh, he decided to put the orb into the system space for later research.
"Dragon Abyss City?"
Unfolding the map, Ling Yun saw it marked a location outside Dragon Abyss City, seemingly a hidden cave dwelling.
"Something to explore in the future," he thought, storing the map for later.
…
Three days later, in the bustling city of Hundred Flowers, a masked Ling Yun walked through the streets. His tall and elegant figure drew the attention of many passersby, his skin so pale and radiant that it seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.
"Excuse me, is this the Gale Transport Guild?" Ling Yun asked as he approached a counter.
"Mom! There's a customer!" A small boy with pigtails called out to the back.
Moments later, a beautiful woman in a qipao emerged from the back room.
"Apologies for the wait, young master. You're heading to Sword Sect, I presume?" the woman asked with a knowing smile.
"Good eye, madam," Ling Yun responded, smiling under his mask.
"Where else would people be heading from here if not Sword Sect?" the woman chuckled as she opened her ledger. "That'll be 500 low-grade spirit stones. We depart this afternoon. How does that sound?"
Ling Yun placed 600 spirit stones on the counter. "Deal. I'd also appreciate a meal before we go, if that's alright."
"Of course, make yourself comfortable."
The woman's smile grew even wider as she collected the extra spirit stones.
She led Ling Yun to the guest room. "Young master, please wait here for a bit. The meal will be ready soon."
With that, she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Ling Yun and the little boy alone to stare at each other.
"What's your name, little guy?" Ling Yun playfully tugged on the boy's pigtails.
"I'm Amber," the boy protested at first, but soon surrendered to Ling Yun's offering of snacks, allowing him to mess with his hair as much as he pleased.
"Where's your father?" Ling Yun asked.
"Mom said he went far away and won't be back until I grow up," Amber said between bites of rice cakes, his voice soft and innocent.
Ling Yun understood the situation and said no more, feeling a pang of sympathy.
A few minutes later, the meal was served—hot and fresh. Ling Yun, having spent days on the run and evading the Bi and Mei families, hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. He quickly removed his mask and devoured the food ravenously.
Seeing Ling Yun's stunning features up close, the woman was momentarily stunned. His flawless face, especially the delicate way his lips moved as he ate, made her feel a sudden wave of heat. She stood frozen, staring, until Ling Yun finished his meal.
"What's that smell?" Ling Yun asked, puzzled by a strange scent in the air.
"Oh, it must be the fish. I probably didn't clean it properly," the woman stammered, flustered.
"I didn't catch your name, by the way," Ling Yun said, realizing he hadn't properly introduced himself.
"I'm Hu Ling, but you can call me Sister Hu," she said while bending down to collect the dishes. Her voluptuous figure caught Ling Yun's eye, her curves rivalling even his master Li Rou's.
"Sister Hu, are there many people heading to Sword Sect this time of year?" he asked, steering the conversation back on track.
"Of course! Every year, hundreds of millions from across Hundred Flowers City travel to the Sword Sect," she replied without looking back.
Ling Yun was shocked. "Hundreds of millions?"
It made sense upon reflection. The smallest city, Cloud Sea City, was already several times larger than M Nation. With so many people vying to join the Sword Sect, only a select few would be accepted—perhaps a few hundred thousand at most.
As the afternoon rolled around, Ling Yun, now holding Hu Ling's token, made his way to a large plaza filled with various flying spirit beasts. These creatures were capable of long-distance travel without rest and at great speed, though they were notoriously expensive to ride.
Handing his token to the attendant, Ling Yun was met by a Sword Sect outer disciple named Cui Huahua, a Ninth Level Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"All clear. Wait over there for a bit. We'll leave once everyone has arrived," she said, her twin ponytails bobbing as she spoke.
Ling Yun nodded and stood aside to wait. During this time, a few unruly individuals attempted to approach and harass him, hoping to take advantage of his seemingly delicate appearance.
Ling Yun swiftly dealt with them, using his infamous "breast punch" technique. Several of the men were left writhing in pain on the ground, one even frothing at the mouth and passing out.
This display sent a chill down the spines of Cui Huahua and the other passengers, branding Ling Yun as someone not to be trifled with.
Eventually, the final passenger arrived late in the day.
"Let's go!"
At Cui Huahua's command, the flying spirit beast spread its massive wings and lifted into the sky, carrying the group toward the Sword Sect, disappearing into the horizon.