Chapter 21: Lin Qingxuan Regains His Confidence!

“Slap!”

At Tianjian Peak, within a secret transmission space.

The Tianjian Venerable struck Lin Qingxuan’s face, who was utterly despondent, with a cold glare. “Pull yourself together! As my disciple, you can’t even endure a minor setback? Look at what you’ve become!”

Lin Qingxuan looked up blankly, a large palm mark stamped across his face. His lips twitched, but no words came out.

The Tianjian Venerable snorted coldly, then turned to the surrounding darkness. “This is my secret transmission space. You are the first person besides myself to enter here alive.”

“Look around—see how magnificent the spiritual energy here is. Lin Jun is just a trivial opponent. Do you really think I’ve been defeated by him? With my help, are you afraid you can’t even defeat a dog?”

A trace of resentment flashed in the venerable’s eyes but vanished quickly. Hearing the master’s words, a spark of hope lit in Lin Qingxuan’s eyes.

“Master, I…” His heart was suffocated, wanting to speak but cut off by the venerable.

“Say nothing. Follow me. As long as you obey my will, within three days, I guarantee your breakthrough to the peak of the Golden Core stage! You will unleash power beyond borders! A mere dog of Lin Jun’s is nothing—by then, you can even slay Lin Jun with your own hands!”

The Tianjian Venerable’s voice grew fervent from ahead.

“Thank you, Master! I am yours in life and death!”

Lin Qingxuan’s confidence was reignited; he followed eagerly, heart ablaze.

Indeed, his master was the sect leader. What was Lin Jun but a trivial nuisance?

In just a few days, both he and his “dog” had amassed considerable cultivation—a feat impossible in the righteous path. Even treading the evil path, no matter how strong, was but an illusion.

They could never become a true force.

Soon, the two reached the depths of the secret space.

“Master! Please spare us! We swear to be your slaves!”

“Mercy, Master! I truly repent!”

“Let me go! Let me go!”

Pleading voices echoed. Lin Qingxuan saw several familiar faces imprisoned in an underground pool, their powers sealed.

Upon seeing Lin Qingxuan, they rejoiced.

“Junior Brother Lin! Please beg Master for mercy!”

“Senior Brother Lin! Remember who once guided you? Save me!”

“Senior Brother Lin, we truly repent. Please don’t let Master kill me!”

Hearing these familiar cries, Lin Qingxuan was stunned. The Tianjian Venerable before him showed no expression.

“No need for sympathy. They are all traitors to the sect and the very tonic for your breakthrough to the Golden Core. To become strong, you must first learn ruthlessness.”

***

With a sharp breath, the Tianjian Venerable tossed a manual to Lin Qingxuan, who opened it to find a cultivation technique called “Soul Consolidation Art,” detailing the path to condensing the divine soul.

“Master, what is this?” Lin Qingxuan’s face showed confusion. He had never encountered such a technique, though he had a faint suspicion.

“You’ll understand soon,” the venerable said coldly, turning to the wailing disciples below, his voice tinged with greed.

“The world calls me Tianjian Venerable, knowing of my nine swords, but few know I possess one supreme sword. When it strikes, what is Lin Jun? What is the Great Dao Sect? Now, I shall pass this strongest sword, the ‘Soul Sword,’ to you. Study it well.”

With that, he waved his hand sharply. The wailing disciples fell silent as their souls were extracted, condensed into shining clusters.

Within those glowing orbs were familiar faces struggling and wailing. Lin Qingxuan’s expression shifted but then hardened.

Fueled by his master’s words, a fervent zeal rose in his eyes.

Under the venerable’s control, the soul cluster gradually shrank, finally forming a “Soul Pill” that was placed before Lin Qingxuan.

“Consume this Soul Pill, then cultivate the Soul Consolidation Art I gave you. It will strengthen your divine soul tenfold without shattering, granting you the qualification to wield the ‘Soul Sword.’”

“Then, the Golden Core stage will be nothing; even ordinary Nascent Souls won’t stand against you.”

The venerable’s words were laced with temptation.

Staring at this Soul Pill forged from his brothers’ souls, Lin Qingxuan hesitated, then greed overtook him. Without hesitation, he swallowed the “special pill” bearing his brothers’ faces.

“Master, rest assured. Qingxuan will not fail your expectations.”

Pleased, the venerable nodded.

“Spend these days cultivating here. In three days, you will fully break through the Golden Core stage and unleash all the potential of the Immaculate Sword Body. Then I shall teach you the ‘Soul Sword.’”

“Let the name Lin Qingxuan resound throughout the southern heavens, becoming a sword immortal rivaling even myself!”

“Disciple obeys!”

Lin Qingxuan was elated, unaware that a cluster of “soul markings” was creeping up his neck.

Three days later,

An aura of breakthrough and complete mastery of the Golden Core stage erupted from Tianjian Peak!

Within it was a unique, immaculate sword energy belonging solely to Lin Qingxuan!

“This is... the sect leader’s power! Lin Qingxuan has broken through to the Golden Core’s pinnacle!”

“The sect leader is truly worthy of his title!”

“With the sect leader’s personal guidance, I refuse to believe Lin Jun’s dog can win!”

***

“The plan remains unchanged!”

A distant aura approached. Some cultivation families allied with the Great Dao Sect at the mountain’s foot calmed down.

Recently, due to the sudden rise of the so-called cripple Lin Jun, who even defeated the sect leader Tianjian Venerable, panic had spread.

But now it seemed that the sect leader had held the Great Dao Sect steady for many years.

No matter how far Lin Jun’s evil path led him, it was but a fleeting illusion.

Quietly, rumors circulated within the Great Dao Sect.

“Have you heard? The cripple Lin Jun supposedly walked the evil path, which is why he suddenly gained such strength, even making that dog unexpectedly powerful.”

“I heard that too. It’s said to be linked to the infamous Seven Kill Cult, the only ones who can grant sudden power through sacrifice...”

“The Great Dao Sect is truly unfortunate. Hopefully the sect leader will swiftly exorcise the demons and restore our disciples’ honor.”

“I heard that the demon Lin Jun even wants his dog disciple to become the young sect master. Ridiculous! That would surely be his end.”

...

Boom!

At Tianjian Peak’s secret transmission space, Lin Qingxuan, now clad in the young sect master’s robes, radiated confidence as he wielded the surging power of the Golden Core’s peak.

He even employed the “Soul Sword” his master had bestowed upon him, capable of contending with Nascent Soul cultivators.

“This is the gift from the man before me!”

“Thank you, Master!” Lin Qingxuan bowed deeply, eyes shimmering with emotion.

The Tianjian Venerable smiled, producing another “Soul Pill” and handing it over.

“Your Soul Sword has just been forged. This pill will help solidify your realm. Remember to take it.”

“Also, the families down the mountain have come looking for you. I’ve arranged for them to be in the side hall. You should go out and see them appropriately. This is your deserved honor.”

“Yes, Master. Your great kindness, Qingxuan will never forget!”

Lin Qingxuan’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Among those cultivation families down below were several fine beauties. The former cripple Lin Jun had always blocked him, insisting on focusing on the path of alchemy and forbidding any contact.

Now, he could finally bring all of these under his control!