"Rain Palace?" Lin Hui stood up and set down the medicine.
A thought suddenly occurred to him: if sword techniques could be evolved using the Blood Seal, what about pharmaceutical medicine? Once mastered, could those also be upgraded by the Blood Seal?
Inspired, he was just about to stand up and impatiently try it when the visitor arrived.
"I'll go take a look. For him to make you come report, he must have revealed some of his capabilities, right?" Lin Hui opened the door and saw a trace of embarrassment on Wang Hongshi’s face.
"Yes. We exchanged moves to test each other, and I lost," Wang Hongshi whispered helplessly.
"Is he strong?"
"Very strong! He should be a Called One, but since I am not in the Internal Force Realm, I don't know what specific realm he is in. Elder Xue of the Intent Blade Branch is currently keeping him company," Wang Hongshi replied.
Since Xue Meng and his faction had merged into the Clear Wind Temple, his life had become quite comfortable; ordinary Internal Force experts dared not cause trouble these days.
Ever since Lin Hui made his trip to the Hundred Flowers Sect, the reputation of the Clear Wind Sword had truly been established.
Any force capable of biting a piece of meat off such an entity was no simple character. Consequently, within just a few days, well-informed factions began to implicitly place Lin Hui’s strength on the same level as top-tier Outer City experts like Ou Tianrong.
As for whether he had broken through to Internal Force or not, no one believed he hadn't anymore, regardless of how much he claimed to be in Body Tempering.
Stepping out of the study, Lin Hui glanced at the white robe he was wearing. Due to sword practice, the edges of the cuffs were already fraying with loose threads. The sleeves were also too large, significantly hindering the convenience of his strikes—it was easy to obstruct his own movements.
"I need to redesign a set of form-fitting sect attire later. This outfit won't do. We practice the Swift Sword; speed is the primary essential, and aesthetics come second. We must reduce wind resistance as much as possible," Lin Hui said, patting his robe as he casually mentioned this to Wang Hongshi.
"Is the redesign only for the main Clear Wind branch? After all, the situation with the Intent Blade and Black Dragon branches is different," Wang Hongshi asked.
"Hmm... just the Clear Wind lineage. The other two branches can just use the same emblem; they can choose their own attire. As for the emblem, let's use..." Lin Hui walked through the corridor and happened to see fine snowflakes drifting down outside. "Look at this snow, scattering and falling, covering the earth. All things will fall into silence along with it. Let's use the character for 'Wind.' Use a strictly structured font."
"...Uh, dare I ask, what is the connection between the character 'Wind' and the snow?" Wang Hongshi couldn't figure out the meaning.
"Huh? Connection? There is no connection. I just saw it snowing and felt inspired," Lin Hui paused for a moment, then replied.
Wang Hongshi was left speechless, feeling he couldn't quite keep up with the Temple Master’s train of thought. He was an honest man with a straightforward mind, so this was normal.
Soon, the two arrived at the reception hall.
It was the same place where the New Martial Alliance envoy had been hosted last time. Standing before the same wall mural was a handsome young man, appearing no older than thirty.
The man had black hair reaching his waist and wore a white robe with silver edges, his collar and hem patterned with exquisite floral branches. His appearance was meticulously groomed, and a strong scent of incense could be smelled from over ten meters away.
Seeing Lin Hui approach, the man smiled faintly, clasped his hands behind his back, and turned sideways. "Clear Wind Sword, Lin Hui?"
"That is correct. And you are?" Lin Hui stopped three meters away from him, waving his hand to signal Wang Hongshi and the others to pull back and keep their distance.
Xue Meng, who was sitting to the side, did not leave. He remained in the reception hall to watch the meeting. He gave Lin Hui a covert look, signaling him to be careful—this visitor was not a kind soul.
Lin Hui returned the look, indicating he understood, before focusing his attention on the young man. "An Inner City Called One? From the Rain Palace? I wonder if you know Lord You Ying?"
"Naturally, I know of her. You Ying is a genius of the Vice Palace Master's faction. Her cultivation of the Ruyi Divine Art has reached a considerably high level; she is a top-tier figure even among high-tier Called Ones," the man smiled. "I am Wang Yueheng, from the Inner City Wang family. Although I also come from the Rain Palace, the Rain Palace is an extremely massive collective with numerous internal factions. The You family is one mountain peak, but my Wang family is equally not inferior."
"Lord Wang Yueheng, what is the purpose of your visit?" Lin Hui gestured for the other party to sit and talk. He walked over to the opposite chair and sat down as well; the atmosphere was relatively mild.
"Clear Wind Temple has developed to such a scale today, involving many industries and high profits. I wonder, Temple Master Lin, do you have any thoughts of taking a step further?" Wang Yueheng sat down with a smile.
"Are you here representing the Wang family? Or the Rain Palace?"
"The Wang family, naturally. In fact, a portion of the profits from the Hundred Flowers Sect is also sent to my Wang family in the Inner City. After receiving the news, I immediately put aside various affairs to come visit. I simply wanted to see what kind of flair a teenage genius who could defeat Ou Tianrong at nineteen possesses."
"Well, now you've seen it. Are you disappointed?" Lin Hui's expression softened further. Being heaped with praise felt quite good. This was the other party showing goodwill.
"It's alright. After all, we martial artists do not care for appearance, only strength," Wang Yueheng laughed. "Alright, back to business. With the scale Clear Wind Temple has reached, you should be clear on the rules, right? Before, you were too small for anyone in the Inner City to care, but it is different now. You've taken a share of the Hundred Flowers Sect’s profits and incorporated the Black Dragon Gate and Intent Blade Sect. This influence and martial power are not weak in the Outer City. Therefore, the choice of which side to align with must be put on the table."
"Why must I choose to align with anyone?" Lin Hui asked.
"Temple Master still thinks with the mindset of a small faction. Although the Outer City is dark, backward, and dangerous, it can still produce some resources. Most people in the Inner City look down on these resources, but a very small number are willing to spend some time to intervene and carve them up. My Wang family, the Liu family, and the Chen clan are all like this. If you do not choose, your corresponding industries will suffer an instant blow. For the Inner City to crush a force is far easier than you imagine."
"What benefits can I get?" Lin Hui naturally knew this, but he asked to gain more information.
"Transfer half of the monthly profits to my account. In exchange, I grant you three slots a year. Regardless of aptitude, these three children can be sent into the city. If they fail the Call, they will be nurtured from a young age until they succeed in the Call," Wang Yueheng replied.
"Three slots..." Lin Hui's heart stirred. This meant three disciples could enter the Inner City steadily every year. Even if they didn't become Called Ones, the resources and cultivation methods of the great families in the Inner City were far beyond what the Outer City could compare to.
"By the way, even if they don't succeed in the Call, children who cultivate mind methods and Body Tempering methods from a young age have a very high probability of breaking through to the Internal Force Realm when they grow up. Of course, this is a long-term transaction. You have to think it over," Wang Yueheng smiled.
Lin Hui nodded slowly. This was indeed a matter where returns could only be seen through long-term investment; after all, raising children took years. It just so happened that his Blood Seal evolution also required a long time, so he could conveniently nurture some assistants.
"So, do other forces, like the Hundred Flowers Sect, have similar deals?"
"Naturally. However, they only sent four people to my Wang family. It's still early in the process; don't expect to see returns for another five or six years," Wang Yueheng laughed. "Actually, people exchanged between the Inner and Outer Cities like this will, in the future, become managers and shopkeepers for our Wang family's various locations, forming a large power structure combining the Inner and Outer. This is the operational method of some families in the Inner City. Otherwise, relying solely on the few members of one's own clan, there are too few talented people. If a family power wants to develop, it must introduce external forces."
"Makes sense." Lin Hui nodded. This kind of combination tied interests together and could undoubtedly bind many forces to the same war chariot quickly.
"Can I consider it for a few days?" He looked at the other party.
"Of course. But a reminder: Clear Wind Temple has already been noticed by quite a few people. What you will have to deal with next are not these ordinary martial artists of the Outer City, but the Called Ones of the Inner City." Wang Yueheng paused. "Of course, Temple Master Lin's Clear Wind Sword strength is extraordinary, so perhaps you are unconvinced. If it is convenient, you and I could spar a little to test the difference between the martial arts of the Inner and Outer Cities. I wonder, does Brother Lin dare?"
By the end, his form of address had changed directly. A trace of metallic luster inexplicably surfaced on his body.
"What is there to fear!?" Lin Hui had just broken through, and his hands were itching; having an opponent come to his door voluntarily was simply a godsend.
He had long wanted to test what kind of strength a Called One possessed. Now was exactly the time.
Standing up, Lin Hui looked at Xue Meng. "Elder Xue, please bear witness."
"It would be my honor!" Xue Meng also stood up with a smile.
"Lead the way. Let's change to a spacious place; it would be a pity to destroy this location," Wang Yueheng smiled.
"Follow me." Lin Hui immediately thought of the Wild Wind Plains.
He instantly flashed out of the reception hall, crossed the martial drill grounds, and in the blink of an eye, burst out of the main gate.
He didn't use his maximum speed, simply running with his physical body without using Internal Force. Although this speed was fast without activating special effects, it was only slightly faster than Daoist Baohe.
If the opponent couldn't even keep up with this, then his strength was nothing special.
Lin Hui led the way. After running several hundred meters, he looked back. He saw Wang Yueheng following closely behind him, calm and composed, with a smile on his face. In his hand, he held a small purple flower he had picked from somewhere.
Despite the high-speed movement, the small purple flower in his hand didn't flutter in the wind at all, as if it were in a windless environment. This bizarre sight made Lin Hui's heart skip a beat.
"Since Brother Wang can still keep up, then I won't hold back."
He immediately circulated his Internal Force, channeling it into his legs.
Chi!
In an instant, his speed exploded, becoming twenty to thirty percent faster than before.
This speed made Wang Yueheng's eyelids twitch behind him. He hurriedly accelerated to catch up; at this point, even he lost his previous composure. He tossed away the small flower in his hand, daring not to be negligent, and followed closely.
The two chased each other, leaving Xue Meng far behind in no time. The advantage of speed-type experts during travel and escape was infinitely magnified at this moment.
Before long, the two arrived at the Wild Wind Plains.
Hills were distributed all around. Lin Hui decelerated and stopped at his usual sword practice spot, turning to look at Wang Yueheng.
"Brother Wang indeed did not disappoint me."
"..." The smile on Wang Yueheng's face was struggling to hold. He had investigated before coming and knew that Lin Hui excelled in speed. Since he himself practiced speed-type Internal Force martial arts and had the added status of a high-tier Called One, he thought there was no way he would be left behind.
But seeing it now… this guy was something else.
He had originally thought this trip would be like previous ones: he would casually make a move, easily defeat the opponent, and then, with his spring-breeze-like gentle attitude, reason with him and move him with emotion. He would humble himself to make friends, quickly subjugating the other party and turning him into a 'good brother'—a loyal servant. But he hadn't expected that right from the start, the opponent would give him a display of dominance with movement techniques.
"Brother Lin's movement techniques are indeed fast; it has truly opened my eyes. However, in actual combat, while movement is important, offense and defense are the core." He looked around, a composed smile reappearing on his face.
As the price for making him lose face slightly, he decided that after defeating this Lin Hui, he would directly use a Heart-Controlling Insect to control him.
If it were before, he would have had the interest to play slowly with him; playing psychological tug-of-war with such proud, genius martial artists was most interesting. But now, he didn't have time. If both siblings of the Liu family broke through to become Divine Officers, the pressure on his eldest sister's side would be too great.
Controlling Lin Hui was to plant a hidden mine for Liu Wujun and his sister in the future.
Or should I just cripple him... I wonder, if that fellow Liu Xiao learns that Lin Hui has been crippled, will she still be able to pass the Divine Sound stage? It would be even better if he went into qi deviation and crippled himself.
Wang Yueheng had only been slightly blunted in his spirit, yet his emotions immediately took a sharp turn for the worse, the insidious chill in his eyes almost impossible to suppress.
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