Chapter 46: [Ten Years]

Leaving the mountain gate of the Cloud Sword Palace, Lin Heng began his travels across the world.

He had no particular destination, acting entirely on a whim.

Sometimes, he walked on foot like an ordinary traveler, perceiving the pulse of the heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers.

At other times, he unleashed his movement technique, resembling a wisp of a breeze, dancing with beasts and chasing birds in the sky.

Sometimes, entering cities, he would sit in taverns and teahouses, listening to the joys and sorrows of passersby.

He had been to the far east of the Eastern Sea Dynasty to gaze upon the boundless ocean; he had visited the Thunderous Mountain Range at the northernmost reaches of the Beiming Dynasty, witnessing the wondrous sight of ten thousand bolts of lightning striking the mountains; and he had journeyed to the Snow and Ice Mountain Range where Frost City stood, beholding the ancient ice that never melts...

He had watched the withered and flourishing cycles of flora and fauna, and had also witnessed a whale fall bringing life to all things...

Lin Heng's mind and soul merged into the nature of heaven and earth, acting like the supreme Heavenly Dao, coldly observing the myriad phenomena of the universe and the various facets of the mortal world.

Year after year...

He could clearly feel that all the phenomena of nature and the mortal world had transformed into shackles floating in his heart.

The more he saw, the more he felt the vastness of the world and the splendor of the mortal realm, contrasting with the solitary hardship of cultivation.

He was already the supreme martial artist of the world, having achieved success, renown, and everything he could desire. Power, wealth, health, and longevity—Lin Heng lacked none of these. Since that was the case, why not abandon the dull and tedious path of cultivation to embrace this colorful and magnificent world?

There were endless delicacies to enjoy, beauties of various charms, and music from strings and flutes that never stopped...

Even if he were to relax for a while right now, he still had ample time to pursue a better future.

Distracting thoughts arose in Lin Heng's heart, shaking his resolve.

"To grow stronger, what reason is needed?"

"Growing stronger is inherently a joyful thing."

"Growing stronger is not about being able to do whatever one pleases, but rather about having the power to say no when faced with choices."

Lin Heng's mind was as cold as ice, and all sorts of distracting thoughts were obliterated by his formidable sword intent.

The shackles were shattered, and an even sharper edge was forged through this tempering.

Grand Master the Sixteenth Stage... Eighteenth Stage... Twentieth Stage...

Lin Heng could feel his cultivation realm continuously rising, growing over time.

His inner breath, tempered by the sword intent, underwent transformation after transformation, condensing from the state of dense mist into something almost tangible, every single strand imbued with extremely powerful and terrifying force.

His body was also constantly breaking its limits; his flesh, skin, bones, internal organs, and brain were evolving to become stronger and more perfect, accumulating a profound foundation for an ultimate transformation.

The power of his spirit was even more terrifyingly formidable. Without the reinforcement of worldly vital energy or inner breath, a single thought of his could shake the heavens and earth.

Over ten years of time, Lin Heng traveled through every corner of the Lan Continent.

His cultivation realm, in this process, gradually rose to an extreme limit.

In the Western Sea, Lin Heng practiced his sword facing the ocean.

Hundreds of meters away from the shoreline, all the sea water before him was forced back by a single person and a sword, stubbornly unable to roll back.

A long time later, Lin Heng cleaved the sea waves with a single sword stroke, returned to the shore, and draped his robe over his shoulders.

"The Thirty-Sixth Heaven of the Grand Master realm. This is the ultimate limit of the Grand Master realm. Next, I can break through to the Heaven and Man realm."

Gazing at the churning waves not far away, Lin Heng silently summarized his current state.

After ten years of cultivation, using the myriad phenomena of nature and the mortal world to temper his sword intent, his essence, Qi, and spirit continually broke through limits and sublimated. His cultivation realm advanced tier after tier, and now it had finally reached a pinnacle, about to welcome an ultimate transformation.

Next, Lin Heng needed to accumulate sufficient power for this grand transformation.

Turning around, Lin Heng walked back in the direction of the Cloud Sword Palace's mountain gate.

Before he even reached the mountain gate, he saw that the entire gate had been festooned with colorful lanterns and celebratory decorations. Law Enforcement Elder Li Yan, accompanied by numerous elders and direct disciples, had gathered at the gate to welcome Lin Heng.

At the entrance of the Cloud Sword Palace's grand hall, Lin Heng saw his master, Xiao Rang, waiting for him.

"My disciple has returned. It has been a long time, and you appear much more poised and steady."

Xiao Rang spoke with a smile, his eyes filled with excitement.

Lin Heng had descended the mountain at the age of sixteen and had been gone for ten years, sending only a single letter reporting his safety each year.

The twenty-six-year-old Lin Heng showed no physical changes in appearance or figure, except that his demeanor lacked a bit of the youthful exuberance and the aloof, transcendent aura of an immortal descending to earth. What remained was a harmonious simplicity that seemed to return to the state of untutored plainness.

He looked just like the most ordinary young man next door; apart from being exceptionally handsome, there was nothing extraordinary about him.

"I greet Master."

Lin Heng bowed in salute.

"No need for formalities."

Xiao Rang helped Lin Heng up and said with emotion, "Ten years' time cannot be considered too long in the lifespan of a Grand Master martial artist, but Master and you, my disciple, have spent only a little over ten years together in total, and now we have been separated for a full decade. How could one not be moved?"

At times, Xiao Rang had wanted to go and visit the traveling Lin Heng himself, or else call him back.

However, Xiao Rang knew he could not delay his disciple's cultivation, so he had forcibly suppressed this urge.

"Are you still going to go out after returning this time?"

Xiao Rang pulled Lin Heng into the main hall of the Cloud Sword Palace, seated him in the seat of honor to enjoy the welcome banquet, and watched with great satisfaction as he ate heartily.

To be able to eat well was a blessing; as an elder, he loved seeing his junior enjoy his food with such relish.

During a lull in the meal, Xiao Rang asked if Lin Heng would be leaving again.

"Now, my cultivation has reached the Thirty-Sixth Heaven of the Grand Master realm. Next, I must break through to the Heaven and Man realm, so I will not be going out for a long time."

Lin Heng replied.

As soon as these words were spoken, an expression of excitement surfaced on the faces of everyone present, including Xiao Rang.

What did they just hear?

Heaven and Man!

An unprecedented realm that existed only in legends.

And now, the genius nurtured by their own sect was about to attain this legendary realm.

Everyone felt a surge of reflected glory and shared pride.

"Young Sect Master, can the realms beyond the Grand Master also increase longevity just like the previous ones?"

Law Enforcement Elder Li Yan asked.

He was already one hundred and forty-seven years old. Under normal circumstances, his life would have come to an end in just a few more years. However, ten years ago, he obtained the "Boundless Sea Divine Art" created by Lin Heng, and his cultivation had advanced by one stage over the decade, successfully renewing his lease on life.

If his cultivation continued to increase rapidly going forward, death would completely fail to catch up to him.

Under such circumstances, whether further improvements in cultivation could increase longevity was a matter of utmost importance.

Not only Li Yan, but the other elders attending the welcome banquet also gazed eagerly at Lin Heng, waiting for the answer.

"Yes, for every tier of cultivation realm advanced, ten years of lifespan can be gained."

"My current lifespan is already quite substantial; I can live up to four hundred and eighty years. Breaking through to the Heaven and Man realm will bring about a grand transformation, and perhaps I will be able to enjoy a lifespan of over a thousand years."

Lin Heng said with a smile.