From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 16 3-Day Countdown

The morning after Lu Qinghe left, the first autumn rain fell in Liuhe Town.

The fine rain tapped against the eaves of Wanbaozhai, making a steady dripping sound.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged in the room, a wisp of incense burning in the incense burner before him, the rising smoke casting a pale blue hue over the room. His eyes were closed, and the Time River mark between his brows glowed faintly, like a star embedded in his skin, serene and profound.

Six hours have already passed.

The Qi-guiding technique was practiced all night long, and spiritual energy circulated in the meridians, each cycle becoming more concentrated than the last.

Progress is not slow, but it is still not enough.

The Qi Induction stage of the Spiritual Cultivation Realm is divided into seven minor realms. He is currently at the third level. Lu Qinghe's goal is to break through to the middle stage within thirty days, which is the fourth level or above, and preferably reach the fifth level.

Advancing three minor realms in thirty days is almost a fantasy for ordinary cultivators.

But Lin Chen was never an ordinary cultivator.

He carries the imprint of the River of Time, and even more so, a trump card unknown to Lu Qinghe—the Time Compass that has recognized its master, which hangs quietly in his sea of ​​consciousness, like a silent gear, trembling slightly every fixed hour, like the countdown to the ascension of civilization.

Lin Chen felt the tremor, and his mind became clear.

Fifty years.

From the moment the mark was activated, the countdown to the ascension of civilization began, and he had only just taken the first step.

"No rush," he murmured to himself. "There's no use in rushing."

He took a deep breath and focused all his attention on circulating the Qi-guiding technique.

On the third day of his cultivation, an unexpected event disrupted his rhythm.

An unexpected guest arrived at Wanbaozhai.

After Zhou Quan finished greeting everyone at the door, he hurriedly knocked on Lin Chen's door.

"Young Master Lin, someone outside specifically requests to see you."

Lin Chen opened his eyes: "Who's there?"

Zhou Quan's expression was strange, revealing a hint of caution and confusion: "Miss Murong Xue of the Murong family."

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback.

Murong Xue.

He had heard of this name during the martial arts exam. The Murong family was one of the four great families of the dynasty, holding immense influence within the martial arts academy system. During his final match against Tieshan in the martial arts exam, that white figure below the stage suddenly became clear.

"How did she find this place?" Lin Chen asked.

"She said..." Zhou Quan paused, "that she found it by following the aura of spiritual energy."

Lin Chen frowned slightly.

Tracking spiritual energy is something no ordinary person can do; only cultivators at the Spiritual Cultivation Realm or above have the keen perception to pinpoint specific fluctuations in spiritual energy.

This Miss Murong's cultivation level is actually quite remarkable?

"What is her cultivation level?"

"Approximately... early stage of the Dan Yuan realm," Zhou Quan said carefully.

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment.

At the early stage of the Dan Yuan Realm, with his current strength, he is simply no match for them.

But if the other party comes knocking, they must have some ulterior motive.

"Please let her in."

When Murong Xue entered the room, Lin Chen finally saw what she looked like.

She was very young, only seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in plain white monk's robes, with a simple hairstyle and no extra ornaments, yet she possessed a clean and pure temperament.

What truly caught Lin Chen's attention wasn't her appearance, but her eyes.

Clear and transparent, it seems to see right through people's hearts, yet it carries no malice, like a clear mirror.

"Lin Chen." Without a word of pleasantries, her voice was steady, revealing a composure far beyond her years. "I have something to tell you."

"speak."

"The Dark Blade Pavilion has located your position." She said calmly, "They will arrive in Willow River Town by the night after tomorrow at the latest."

Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged, but his body subtly tensed.

How did you know that?

"Shadow Six, the leader of the Shadow Guards of the Dark Blade Pavilion, is the murderer of my Murong family's father." Murong Xue's expression remained calm, as if she were recounting an old matter that she had long since let go of. "I have been keeping an eye on the Dark Blade Pavilion for three years."

Lin Chen's heart stirred. Shadow Six and Shadow Seven were the codenames of the core assassins of the Dark Blade Pavilion during the previous chaotic battle.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked directly.

Murong Xue's gaze lingered on the River of Time mark between his brows for a moment: "Because you possess a fragment of the River of Time. And the previous holder of the fragment did not survive the pursuit of the Dark Blade Pavilion."

"Who was the previous one?"

"I don't know its name." Murong Xue shook her head. "That was seventeen years ago, before I was born. I only saw some records of it among my father's belongings."

Lin Chen felt a slight tremor in his heart.

Seventeen years ago, the holder of the fragment of the River of Time... What secrets are hidden behind this that he never knew?

"What do you want?" Lin Chen stopped beating around the bush.

Murong Xue gazed at him, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke: "I will participate in the Qingyun Sect's Centennial Ascension Trial in thirty days."

"I know."

"I hope that by then, we can both enter the Heavenly Pivot Secret Realm alive." She paused, "So before that, I don't want you to die here."

Lin Chen looked at her for a long time, then slowly nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, but I don't plan to run away."

Murong Xue frowned slightly: "Your cultivation level—"

"I understand," Lin Chen interrupted her. "A mere third-level Qi Induction cultivator is no match for him."

"and you--"

"They'll come the night after tomorrow, and I'll greet them." Lin Chen walked to the window, gazing at the drizzle outside. "If we can't win, we'll retreat; if we can fight, we will."

Murong Xue was speechless for a moment.

Lin Chen turned around, a slight smile playing on his lips, a calmness beyond his years: "You think I'm stupid?"

Murong Xue remained silent.

"I never believe that retreating in the face of battle can make one stronger," he said softly. "Lu Qinghe gave me thirty days, but that might not be enough for secluded training."

"True breakthroughs..." He raised his hand, feeling the flow of spiritual energy in his palm, "often occur in dire straits."

Murong Xue settled down at Wanbaozhai.

Zhou Quan didn't ask any more questions. He silently arranged the guest rooms, his expression complex, hiding a secret that even he himself was unaware of.

Lin Chen could tell that Zhou Quan's past was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

But that's a story for another time.

He only has thirty days left, two of which are spent dealing with the Dark Blade Pavilion's pursuit, so he must speed things up.

He sat cross-legged again, circulating the Qi-guiding technique to its maximum, while simultaneously resonating the Time Compass in his sea of ​​consciousness. This object was a relic of the River of Time, extremely sensitive to the laws of time. At each crucial juncture in his cultivation, it would emit faint guidance, helping him to straighten out the optimal path for the flow of spiritual energy.

This is his trump card.

While others cultivate through comprehension and time, he possessed an artifact from an ancient civilization that served as a guide.

One day, two days.

The spiritual energy continuously condensed in the meridians, and the feeling of fullness and abundance became increasingly intense, like a water bag about to be filled, ready to break through its shackles at any moment.

The rain gradually subsided late the following night.

Lin Chen clearly sensed the critical state—the torrent of spiritual energy was filling his meridians, the dam had reached its critical point, and he was only one step away from breaking through.

At that moment, the Time Compass deep within his consciousness suddenly trembled violently.

It's not a guide, it's a warning.

Lin Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

Footsteps came from outside, not just one person, but at least five, light and steady, the footsteps of a professional stealth walker, each step made silent.

The Dark Blade Pavilion has arrived.

Lin Chen slowly stood up, clenched his fists, and felt the spiritual energy about to surge through his meridians.

Just one step away, just one step away.

He looked down at his hands, then looked up at the outside.

In the pitch-black courtyard, seven figures appeared silently, like sharp blades solidified in the night.

The leader was not masked; the middle-aged man had a sinister face and a deep scar between his eyebrows, as if he had been injured by a sharp weapon in his early years, the scar penetrating to the bone.

Lin Chen didn't recognize his face, but he did recognize the token on his waist—the exclusive token of a Shadow-level assassin from the Dark Blade Pavilion.

"Lin Chen." The man spoke, his voice hoarse, carrying the cold desolation unique to assassins, "Dark Blade Pavilion is ordered to send you on your way."

"Shadow Six," Lin Chen called out his codename, his gaze falling on the old scar. "Who inflicted this wound on you?"

Under the candlelight, the old scars gleamed coldly. Ying Liu remained expressionless, but a barely perceptible flicker crossed his eyes, as if a secret had been exposed.

"Enough with the nonsense."

He raised his hand and waved it, and seven figures rushed out at the same time.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and pushed his Qi-guiding technique to its limit.

At that moment, he neither fled nor showed fear.

He simply stood still, feeling the torrent of spiritual energy within his body about to burst through the dam, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Alright, I'll see," he muttered to himself. "Can this desperate situation give me another chance to get ahead?"