Chapter 16: The Realm of the Grandmaster

“Everything will be arranged by Master.”

Lin Heng agreed without hesitation, not refusing Xiao Rang’s kind offer.

Although he felt no need to socialize with peers, if doing so could ease Xiao Rang’s worries, then agreeing was no big deal.

Xiao Rang worked efficiently. Upon hearing Lin Heng’s consent, the next day, he summoned twenty sword-bearing maidservants he had prepared.

These maidservants were divided evenly between older and younger ones—the older around fifteen or sixteen, the younger about Lin Heng’s age.

Among the ten older ones, five came from the affiliated empire, and five were selected from disciples of their own sect to take care of Lin Heng’s daily life. The ten younger ones were similarly split, five from the affiliated countries and five from their sect, serving as companions for Lin Heng.

Before arrival, the families and the maidservants themselves had already received wealth, status, cultivation resources, and other benefits. They had been properly instructed in etiquette and knew how to conduct themselves.

To accommodate these sword-bearing maidservants, Xiao Rang specially arranged a new residence for Lin Heng within the Cloud Sword Palace.

The Bright Hall—this would be Lin Heng’s new home.

Not far from Xiao Rang’s own abode, it was convenient for him to keep an eye on Lin Heng’s safety, yet distant enough to ensure privacy.

“Greetings, Young Deputy Sect Leader.”

The twenty maidservants lined up in two rows within the Bright Hall, bowing to Lin Heng.

Each was exquisitely beautiful, their skin like jade, their features as if painted by an artist.

Yet, beside Lin Heng, they all seemed to pale in comparison.

Lin Heng’s charm was a dazzling twenty points, like a celestial being descending to the mortal realm. These maidservants barely reached seventeen to nineteen points.

Even a slight difference in charm marked a qualitative gap; they were simply on different levels.

Upon seeing Lin Heng, the maidservants momentarily lost themselves, completely captivated, forgetting their initial reluctance about being chosen.

If at first they had come out of obedience to their families and for the promised benefits, now, from the heart, they felt fortunate to be able to accompany such a being, as if an immortal.

“Having twenty points of charm does have its perks. These new faces are quickly won over; I won’t have to lie awake half the night with one eye open.”

Lin Heng observed the graceful maidservants before him, secretly amused.

Besides their beauty, their cultivation talents were impressive: the older ones possessed seventh-level postnatal cultivation, and the younger ones third level.

The postnatal realm had nine levels in total. The first three levels corresponded to the twelve meridians, the next two to the eight extraordinary meridians, and the sixth level opened other branches and hidden meridians. The seventh, eighth, and ninth levels were about accumulating power in preparation for breaking into the innate realm.

After the seventh level, each advancement significantly increased internal strength.

These older maidservants, now at seventh-level postnatal cultivation, would likely attain the innate realm before turning thirty.

While this cultivation pace was modest compared to Lin Heng’s, among peers it was exceptional—otherwise they wouldn’t have been selected as his sword-bearing maidservants.

Too weak, and they wouldn’t present properly in public.

“No need for such formalities.”

Though his mind was turning over extraneous thoughts, Lin Heng’s expression remained calm.

He began asking for their names, and upon learning each one’s, he gave a hundred taels of silver as a meeting gift, thus formally acknowledging this group of maidservants.

After all, these maidservants were only servants in his presence; away from him, they were all young ladies of status. The meeting gift could not be stingy.

Besides the initial gift, each maidservant’s monthly stipend was also generous.

In the days that followed, Lin Heng maintained his rigorous cultivation routine.

Although at first indifferent about having these sword-bearing maidservants, he quickly found himself appreciating their presence.

Outside of cultivation, seeing these charming maidens lifted his spirits.

Who wouldn’t enjoy the company of beautiful ladies? Especially when they obeyed his every word.

Beyond their looks, they were skilled in various arts—the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting—which was an unexpected delight.

During breaks, listening to their jade flute melodies, watching their delicate hands on the qin, or their graceful dancing, was truly a spiritual pleasure.

Being with them made cultivation feel less burdensome. Sometimes Lin Heng thought that spending every day playing with them would be an ideal, carefree life.

Eventually, he used great willpower to suppress such thoughts.

Though in his past life he had never possessed such wealth in beauty, he was still a mature adult who knew restraint and would not succumb.

Each day’s battle against his desires strengthened his spirit, even sharpening his sword intent.

At this moment, Lin Heng suddenly understood another purpose behind Xiao Rang’s decision to assign him these maidservants:

“This is to get me accustomed to beauty, so I won’t fall prey to a beauty’s schemes when I walk the martial world in the future.”

“Or worse, lose my wits and my life over mere allure.”

For now, within the sect, if Lin Heng were to become infatuated, elders were nearby to wake him from such folly.

But outside, he would have to rely solely on his own judgment.

“Such thoughtful care.”

Lin Heng shook his head with a wry smile, his mindset settling into calm resolve.

He could possess all the world’s beauty, but must never forget that strength was fundamental.

This was Xiao Rang’s expectation of him.

Lin Heng had long understood this; a little trial would not shake him completely.

Time flew in cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Heng was over nine and a half years old.

By a cliffside training ground, dressed in white and focused, Lin Heng practiced swordplay under the moon.

The sword’s light flickered through the air, fierce intent surging in every stroke.

At this moment, Lin Heng could clearly feel the vast internal energy flowing within him, surging toward the last unopened acupuncture point in his body.

Pop!

A crisp sound, like a bubble bursting, echoed inside him.

From that moment, all 1,296 acupuncture points in Lin Heng’s body were opened, reaching the great perfection of the eighteenth level of the innate realm.

He now qualified to break through to the Grandmaster realm.

As every acupuncture point opened, Lin Heng sensed a wondrous transformation in his internal energy.

The sword intent stirred it; what had once flowed quietly along the great meridian circuit now encompassed every point throughout his body.

His blood and energy grew immensely powerful, accelerating the flow of internal energy dramatically.

He drew in the essence of heaven and earth, which responded to his internal energy and poured into his body through every acupuncture point.

At that moment, Lin Heng distinctly felt his body nourished by the essence of the cosmos, its effect at least ten times stronger than before.

In this nurturing, his physique began to improve at a speed he could clearly perceive.

This was the Grandmaster realm!