Chapter 83

"What is it?" asked the disciple of the Herbal Hall.

"May I ask if you have any herbs for soul restoration?" Lin Xuan asked with a glimmer of hope.

"Herbs for soul restoration?" The disciple of the Hundred Herbs Hall looked at Lin Xuan in surprise. "Such herbs are quite rare and very precious. Given your status, it would be very difficult for you to obtain them."

Lin Xuan sighed inwardly, realizing that herbs for soul restoration were indeed hard to come by.

The disciple pondered for a moment and said hesitantly, "However, it's not impossible. You should check the mission area; there seems to be a mission involving the herbs you mentioned."

"Really?" Lin Xuan had almost given up, but now the situation seemed to have taken a turn for the better.

He thanked the disciple and quickly headed towards the mission area.

The missions here were similar to those in the outer sect's mission hall, but most were related to herbs. Lin Xuan searched for a long time but found no mention of soul restoration herbs in any of the missions.

Perplexed, he asked the attendant disciple, who informed him that there was a mission involving the Hundred Herbs Hall's escort, where the reward was the choice of any herb within the hall, including a Soul Restoring Grass.

However, to Lin Xuan's disappointment, someone had already taken the mission.

"Don't be too anxious. This mission has been taken before, but it always failed. You might still have a chance," the attendant disciple said.

With no other choice, he could only wait.

Lin Xuan walked away, lost in thought, and didn't notice a pair of surprised eyes in the crowd.

These eyes belonged to Ling Ze, who hadn't expected Lin Xuan to still be alive, and even more, to have improved his cultivation.

"How is this possible? Ah Hei is an Eighth Rank Pulse Condensation Warrior, and he couldn't even kill a Sixth Rank Warrior!" Ling Ze's face darkened. "Ah Hei must be in grave danger."

"I can't let him live. Otherwise, I won't be at ease!" Ling Ze felt a growing sense of worry. Suddenly, he thought of Zhang Qian and the agreement between Lin Xuan and Zhang Qian.

"Given Zhang Qian's character, he will definitely kill him when the time comes. I just need to wait patiently." Ling Ze gradually calmed down.

...

In the following days, Lin Xuan continuously studied the Swift Wind Sword Technique, while also practicing the Illusory Thunder Step and the Golden Thunder Palm. Of course, he didn't neglect the Longevity Formula.

Now, the seven spirit meridians in his body were crystal clear, and the spiritual energy within them surged like a mighty river, bringing a powerful force with each circulation.

Two months passed quickly, and the day of his duel with Zhang Qian was drawing near.

That morning, he woke up as usual, first practicing the Longevity Formula for an hour, then heading to the Wind Control Cliff to practice his sword technique.

The Wind Control Cliff was a dangerous place in the back mountain, with a deep abyss below and cold, fierce winds all around. Although the environment was harsh, it was an excellent place to practice sword techniques, especially wind-based ones.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the mountain was cold and quiet. Lin Xuan was the only one on the secluded path.

The closer he got to the Wind Control Cliff, the colder it became, and the fierce winds felt like knives cutting into his skin.

Lin Xuan slightly circulated the Longevity Formula, and the spiritual energy in his body vibrated, repelling the knife-like winds. He arrived at the Wind Control Cliff, drew the Red Flame Great Sword, and began to practice the Swift Wind Sword Technique.

The sword techniques, as agile as the wind, were executed gracefully in his hands, sometimes nimble, sometimes mysterious. The sword seemed to appear out of nowhere, making it hard to predict its movements.

In fact, he had already achieved a minor mastery of the Swift Wind Sword Technique. His daily visits to the Wind Control Cliff were to comprehend the essence of the wind or the wind's momentum.

To achieve major mastery of the Swift Wind Sword Technique, he needed to understand the wind's momentum or the essence of the wind.

Lin Xuan was completely immersed in the sword technique, continuously generating wind power with his sword, battling the surrounding fierce winds, and comprehending their changes.

The sky gradually brightened, and the sun rose.

A ray of light pierced through the clouds, illuminating the Wind Control Cliff like a sharp sword cutting through everything.

The sunlight warmed his face, and Lin Xuan suddenly awoke, gazing at the light that split the clouds, a sudden insight dawning on him.

"The Swift Wind Sword Technique not only contains the essence of the wind but also the essence of the sword. I focused too much on the essence of the wind and neglected the essence of the sword, which is why I haven't fully mastered it."

Lin Xuan suddenly understood. He had a mysterious small sword within him, and his greatest advantage was sword techniques and sword intent. If he could grasp the sword intent in the Swift Wind Sword Technique, he could master the technique.

Seemingly sensing Lin Xuan's enlightenment, the mysterious small sword inside him rang out, invigorating his spirit and deepening his understanding of the sword technique.

"Ha ha, Junior Brother Lin, you're here too!" A hearty laugh echoed, followed by a swift sword strike.

Behind him, a sharp sound broke the air, and a flash of light appeared, like a fierce wind sweeping in.

Lin Xuan laughed and thrust his sword backward, also using the Swift Wind Sword Technique, which was agile and mysterious. The sword light flashed, and the two sword beams clashed repeatedly, each strike producing a powerful wind blade that cut into the nearby rocks, leaving deep scars.

"Junior Brother Lin, your sword technique has greatly improved today!" Luo Qingshan's voice came, his Swift Wind Sword Technique even more fierce, perhaps even surpassing mine.

"Senior Brother Luo, you flatter me," Lin Xuan replied, holding his sword with a firm grip, his body as straight as a pine tree.

Luo Qingshan looked at the steady young man before him, amazed. Although his cultivation was higher than Lin Xuan's and he had been practicing the Swift Wind Sword Technique longer, Lin Xuan far surpassed him in sword technique, leaving him both impressed and powerless.

"Have you heard that you and Zhang Qian will soon have a life-or-death duel?" Luo Qingshan asked, frowning.

Lin Xuan touched his nose in frustration. "Senior Brother, you know about it too."

"Not just me, probably all the inner sect disciples know about it," Luo Qingshan said. "The Life and Death Platform is not to be used casually. It must be reported to the sect and approved before it can be used."

"I see," Lin Xuan murmured. "Will the sect intervene?"

"I don't know. It's been a long time since the inner sect had a life-or-death battle," Luo Qianshan said. "However, I must warn you that Zhang Qian's instructor was once one of the top ten core disciples. And it's said that an elder also favors him."

Lin Xuan frowned, not expecting Zhang Qian to have such a complex background.

He slowly exhaled, his eyes emitting a sharp sword light.

"No matter who it is, they cannot stop my path!" At that moment, Lin Xuan stood with his back to the sun, his body radiating a fierce aura, like a towering sword standing on the mountain peak.

Although it was just a moment, Luo Qingshan's face changed dramatically. For that instant, he felt as if Lin Xuan was the master of the world, and that aura made him tremble.

"True sword momentum, genuine sword momentum!" Luo Qingshan was shocked.

"Hmph, don't talk big, or you'll hurt your tongue. Let me see what you can do!" A sword light suddenly exploded, moving at an incredible speed towards Lin Xuan.