Chapter 254 - Fourth   The woman actually turned out to be an acquaintance. She was the Clear Water City’s City Lord, Bai Qiushui. He had an interaction with her before he left the Azure Sky Sect. At that time, she felt that his aptitude was too weak and that he required a large number of resources to nurture.

She even gave him a book to expand his horizon. The only thing that Lin Yun knew about her was that she had a mysterious background. He never expected that they would meet again. Did this mean that she was the one who issued the mission to the Bloodbone Forest?

“So it’s Lady Bai. It has been a long time,” replied Lin Yun.

The Heavenly Profound Sect’s Bu Chen and Demonic Moon Villa’s Xiao Ran both looked confused because they didn’t recognize this woman. However, Bai Qiushui’s appearance was outstanding, so anyone could guess that her origin wouldn’t be simple.

After dealing with Xia Tengfei and Lin Lan’s injuries, Gao Yangyu immediately walked over, “This is Lady Bai. You guys will be responsible for her protection in the Bloodbone Forest tomorrow. Don’t make any mistakes. Otherwise, the mission will be deemed as a failure.”

Bai Qiushui smiled, “I’ll be depending on you guys for my safety now.”

“With me around, you don’t have to be worried about any accidents.”

“That’s right. You don’t have to be worried, Lady Bai.”

There would always be someone who wanted to show off in front of a beauty like Bai Qiushui. However, Xiao Ran and Bu Chen said nothing. They only sneered on the inside. These showoffs wouldn’t say such words once they were in the Bloodbone Forest.

Gao Yangyu’s gaze fell onto Lin Yun with a trace of awkwardness. He spoke out, “I’m sorry about earlier. Please don’t take it to heart. I’ll have to trouble you with the Bloodbone Forest.”

He had looked down on Lin Yun earlier, but Xia Tengfei and Lin Lan were the ones who ended up crippled. So even if Gao Yangyu felt that his face hurt, he still had to beg Lin Yun for help.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll naturally give it my all since I’ve accepted the mission.” Lin Yun replied indifferently.

Gao Yangyu felt relieved when he heard what Lin Yun said. Looking at the eight people on the stage, Gao Yangyu cupped his hands together, “The Bloodbone Forest is dangerous. So please rest well today. You guys will head out with Lady Bai tomorrow.”

“We will do our best.” The Bloodbone Forest had tons of demonic beasts, amounting to a greater number than the Demoncloud Mountain Range. The reward was high since escorting Bai Qiushui into the Bloodbone Forest wasn’t simple.

Everyone retired to the courtyards that were arranged for them by Gao Yangyu. Lin Yun cultivated the Iris Sword Sutra for a while and then started practicing the Seven Profound Steps. The Seven Profound Steps was a huge reason why he could defeat Xia Tengfei and Lin Lan.

It was truly worthy of being placed on the Martial Hall’s fifth level. Especially since it was a technique comparable to a spiritual movement technique. However, Lin Yun felt that it was a pity that he couldn’t form the Golden Crow Seal. Lin Yun could tell that there were some flaws in the Seven Profound Steps. Although it might seem terrifying to others, it was far from enough in Lin Yun’s eyes.

Lin Yun shuttled around the courtyard brandishing his punches and allowing his sword intent to fluctuate. Combining the Seven Profound Steps, Dragon-Tiger Fist, and sword intent amounted to Lin Yun’s full strength.

When he threw his punch out, the roar of a dragon and tiger could be heard echoing in the sky. It didn’t take long for Lin Yun to become fully submerged in his training. Fifteen minutes later, a pair of blazing wings unfolded on Lin Yun’s back that dazzled like brilliant golden light. A tattered Golden Crow Seal turned into sparks and landed on the ground.

“I failed again? Well, I seem to have made some improvements. If I continue down this path, I’ll be able to form the complete Golden Crow Seal in roughly half a month.” Lin Yun’s eyes flickered in anticipation.

If he could master the Golden Crow Seal, then he would’ve reached greater mastery in the Seven Profound Steps. “Let’s start practicing the sword.”

Lin Yun lifted his hand and the ancient sword box opened with the Flower Burial Sword falling into his hand. As the petals danced in the surrounding, the Overlord Sword started to transform in Lin Yun's hand. It was a sword, not a move, but Lin Yun could sweep through anything with it.

As Lin Yun brandished his sword, the boundless domineering aura fused with his sword intent to create massive pressure. Once the domineering aura and sword intent stopped fusing together, a new combination of the overlord sword intent was formed.

“Stop!” Lin Yun dissipated the domineering aura around him and let out a long breath. The Overlord Sword was powerful, but it was too exhausting. He could barely brandish it several times. For some reason, he felt that there was something incomplete about the Overlord Sword.

“Let’s just continue practicing it.” Lin Yun gently caressed the sword body and the natural patterns on the sword.

“It seems like the Flower Burial Sword stopped improving a long time ago,” sighed Lin Yun helplessly. The Pale Remnant Flower can no longer satisfy the Flower Burial Sword. It had been a long time since the Flower Burial Sword improved its grade.

“Who is it?” asked a frowning Lin Yun before seeing it was Bai Qiushui. Sheathing his sword, Lin Yun came up and he said, “City Lord Bai, have you been waiting for a long time now?”

Bai Qiushui’s eyes wandered around Lin Yun and she replied, “I just got here and saw you practicing your sword.”

She was surprised that this youth actually managed to step out of the Aquasky Nation and establish footing for himself in the Great Qin Empire. His cultivation, fist technique, and sword intent seemed to have undergone a huge change, which baffled Bai Qiushui.

“It’s nothing. I must’ve embarrassed myself in front of you,” smiled Lin Yun.

Bai Qiushui shook her head, “How are you embarrassing yourself? There aren’t many people in the Great Qin Empire who can easily defeat outer disciples like Xia Tengfei and Lin Lan. You can be ranked within the fourth sequence in the capital with boundless prospects. I can’t even imagine the heights you will reach in the future.”

“Sequence? What sequence?” Lin Yun was baffled.

Bai Qiushui smiled, “It’s the ranking used by our chamber of commerce. They will rank elites of the Great Qin Empire into four sequences. The first sequence is naturally the eight titles.”

Lin Yun fell into deep thought. Those words weren’t false because the eight titles weren’t someone that those from the same generation could compete with. Even if they were in the same cultivation, even a hundred people could defeat the eight titles. They were genuinely at the level where they could fight a hundred people by themselves.

This was Lin Yun’s evaluation for the eight titles after watching them fight with Mo Luo. He felt that they fully deserved to be in the first sequence.

“The second sequence includes the direct disciples from the various sects. For example, the Sky Rank in your Sword Firmament Pavilion would fall into the second sequence. They’re at similar age with the eight titles, but they’re still somewhat lacking. There are roughly forty of them in this sequence and they’re all at least in the eighth stage of the Profound Martial Realm…”

“The third sequence is made up of the inner sect disciples. Their cultivation is at least in the sixth stage of the profound Martial Realm and they’ve learned at least one spiritual martial technique. Wang Yan and Xin Yan of your Sword Firmament Pavilion fall into this sequence.”

“As for the fourth sequence, it is made up of the top ten rankings of the outer disciples. The rest, well, they’re all unranked.”

Bai Qiushui finished her explanation of the rankings of the Great Qin Empire’s elites. Lin Yun gave a self-mocking smile and asked, “That means I’m barely in the ranking?”

“You can put it that way. But you’re only seventeen. The eight titles are already over the age of twenty, so who knows how far you can grow in three years.” Bai Qiushui nudged her lips saying, “The eight titles are all stuck in the Profound Martial Realm and many newcomers are being produced by the various sects. As long as they’re not in the Violet Palace Realm, they’ll be trampled by newcomers sooner or later.” Bai Qiushui’s words opened Lin Yun to a new world.

Lin Yun pondered and came to the conclusion that this was truly the case. The Violet Palace Realm was a threshold and anyone who made the breakthrough would become the strongest in the Great Qin Empire. After all, others would catch up sooner or later if those in the top rankings couldn’t make a breakthrough.

“City Lord, who of the eight titles do you think can make a breakthrough first?”

Bai Qiushui smiled, “The Prince Flying Feather, Heavenly Profound Sect’s Drifting Goblet, and Demonic Moon Villa’s Aquaselenic. All three of them have a chance in making a breakthrough.”

Lin Yun realized that he had already seen two of them. The only one left was The Prince Flying Feather.

“Alright, rest well then. Our trip is tomorrow and I’ll need your protection.” Bai Qiushui then left with a smile.

“The fourth sequence?” wondered Lin Yun. It had only been four months since he joined the Sword Firmament Pavilion and it hadn’t been easy on him. Most of those on the ranking had joined the sect for at least a year.

Lin Yun, Xiao Ran, Bu Chen, and the five others escorted Bai Qiushui’s group to the Bloodbone Forest early in the morning. Unlike its eerie name, the Bloodbone Forest’s appearance was surprising. It reeked of blood, but no bones could be seen. Surprisingly, it was permeating with spiritual energy, making it seem like a treasure land.

Lin Yun rode on the Dragon Blooded Horse and followed behind the team. The team was composed of various sect elites, including the Gao Clan’s elites. So they weren’t puzzled by the Bloodbone Forest’s appearance. They were proceeding with caution, circulating their cultivation techniques within their bodies.

“This is a completely different environment than the Demoncloud Mountain Range.” Lin Yun looked at the forest that was filled with spiritual energy and sighed. Two hours passed and the journey turned out to be smooth. They would occasionally encounter demonic beasts who would attack them, but they would swiftly be dealt with by the Gao Clan’s guards.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything threatening in the Bloodbone Forest.”

“We haven’t reached the depths yet. Be careful.”

The Gao Clan’s guards were discussing among themselves with their guard raised. While they were talking, a commotion came from the team up ahead. “Someone died!”

Lin Yun’s brow jumped and he gently patted the Dragon Blooded Horse, who bolted to the front of the team.