He raised his sword, pointing the tip toward the sky.
First Style · Frost Condensation, Second Style · Ice Prisms, Third Style · Snow Dance, Fourth Style · Cold Current, Fifth Style · Ice Seal, Sixth Style · Frostbloom, Seventh Style · Ice Soul, Eighth Style · Extreme Cold.
The eight sword styles bloomed in the same instant, their eight sword intents intertwining into a magnificent ice-blue canvas.
Then came the Ninth Style · Ice Flower · Eternal.
The canvas shattered, transforming into a beam of sword light condensed to the absolute limit that pierced straight into the clouds.
Wherever the sword light passed, even the aurora in the sky was frozen, leaving behind an eternal mark of ice.
Jiang Lin sheathed his sword and stood still, breathing slightly.
The mental ice field began to collapse, turning into countless ice-blue specks of light that surged into his body.
【Sword talent significantly increased, ice-attribute affinity significantly increased, sword intent solidity significantly increased】
【System has detected that the host has mastered a King-tier sword technique; sword intent has reached the "intermediate condensation" stage】
The system prompts surfaced before his eyes, but Jiang Lin was in no hurry to check them.
He closed his eyes, feeling the new power surging within him.
Compared to the abridged version, the improvements brought by the complete Ice Flower Nine Styles were comprehensive.
It wasn't just an increase in power, but a qualitative change in his understanding of the way of the sword.
He raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together to point lightly forward.
A wisp of deep blue sword intent shot from his fingertips, silently sinking into an ice pillar thirty yards away.
There was no mark on the surface of the pillar, but when Jiang Lin walked over and touched it, the pillar began to disintegrate from within, turning into countless fine ice crystal powders that scattered under the aurora.
Transforming from hard ice crystals into fragile powder—this was the power of the "intermediate condensation" stage of sword intent.
His application of sword intent had originally only been at the initial condensation level.
However, through the training in the mental space, he had directly raised his sword intent to the intermediate level.
Although he was still far from the perfection of sword intent—condensing intent into a soul—this was a significant leap.
If he had relied purely on his own efforts to hone his sword intent, it likely would have taken several years to achieve this.
Jiang Lin nodded with satisfaction at his progress.
Meanwhile, Loren stood at the entrance, his purple eyes staring at him in shock.
“Four hours?
“You mastered this King-tier sword technique to its highest level in just four hours?”
Jiang Lin bowed slightly.
“It is because Master taught me well.”
Loren did not reply; he simply turned and walked back into the pavilion.
“Master?
“Master??
“Why aren't you saying anything?”
After a long while, Loren’s voice finally drifted out.
“Come in. I have more to tell you.”
On the first floor of the ice crystal pavilion, the fire in the fireplace was burning brightly.
Loren sat down by the stone table and gestured for Jiang Lin to sit as well.
“Regarding the Demon Lord Trial, when do you plan to set out?”
“The sooner the better,” Jiang Lin replied. “The start time of the trial is uncertain, and I don't want to miss it.”
Loren nodded slightly, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.
“The Abyss Corridor is located deep within the demon territory. I am not at ease with you going alone.”
He took a palm-sized, ice-blue sword token from his robes and pushed it toward Jiang Lin.
The token was transparent throughout, with complex frost-tongue runes carved on its surface and a very faint wisp of sword intent slowly flowing inside.
“This is my sword token. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, activate it. The token will release a sword qi equivalent to a full-power strike from me.
“Though it can only be used once, it will at least buy you a chance at survival.”
Jiang Lin took the token with both hands. It felt warm to the touch, and he could clearly sense the terrifying sword intent contained within.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Also.”
Loren took a roll of yellowed parchment from his spatial ring and spread it on the table.
It was a map, marking the general outline of the demon territory and the location of the entrance to the Abyss Corridor.
“This is a map I drew when I traveled through the demon territory in my youth. Though it is old, the general terrain shouldn't have changed. The entrance to the Abyss Corridor is deep within the Forgotten Swamp. That place is perpetually shrouded in toxic mist, the terrain is complex, and a large number of swamp creatures dwell there.”
He pointed to an area on the map marked with a skull symbol.
“When you get there, watch out for a creature called ‘decay-marsh worms.’ They are massive and lurk deep in the swamp year-round. They have strong perception and are extremely sensitive to magic essence fluctuations. It will be very troublesome if you accidentally disturb them.”
Jiang Lin put the map away and said solemnly:
“Your disciple will remember.”
Loren picked up his teacup and took a sip.
“There are no rules in the Abyss Corridor—only hunters and the hunted. See if you can still perform summons like you did on that planet. Your Blood Demon Legion should be useful there as well.”
Jiang Lin nodded.
“I’ll try in a moment. I seemed to have certain restrictions on summoning Blood Demons while on this planet, but my strength has increased a lot since I returned.”
As he spoke, Jiang Lin closed his eyes to sense his power.
After a moment, he replied:
“Previously, I could only summon one. But after this breakthrough, my bond with the Blood Realm seems to have deepened. I should be able to summon several hundred 3rd-rank peak Blood Demons.”
“That is enough.” Loren stood up. “Go. Remember, come back alive.”
Jiang Lin also stood up and gave his master a deep bow.
“Your disciple will not fail your expectations.”
After leaving the ice crystal pavilion, Jiang Lin did not set out immediately.
He sat cross-legged on the ice terrace and sank his consciousness into the system interface.
【Blood Realm teleportation permission unlocked】
【Current available teleportation location: Blood Realm · Outer】
【Teleport now?】
He hesitated for a moment before selecting 【Yes】.
His vision suddenly distorted.
It wasn't the gentle spatial fluctuation of a teleportation array, nor was it the violent tearing of the surging sea of blood on Planet Teluofuto. It was a purer sense of contradiction, as if he were being rejected and then accepted by the world itself.
When his vision cleared, Jiang Lin was standing in a blood-colored void.
There was no up or down, no left or right—only an endless dark red.
Beneath his feet was a transparent floor that looked like solidified blood, which felt slightly elastic when he stepped on it.
Above his head were countless blood-colored specks of light, flickering like a sea of stars.
In the distance, countless blood-colored figures wandered, hissed, and devoured each other in the void.
Crimson claw-wings, cursed blood bone dolls, Bloodblade Butchers, and many more types of Blood Demons he had never seen before.
Sensing Jiang Lin’s presence, they all turned in his direction, their crimson eyes appearing like a burning sea of stars in the blood-colored void.
But not a single one dared to approach.
An instinct from deep within their bloodlines told them that this seemingly weak human was an existence they could not defy.
Jiang Lin stood where he was, his gaze sweeping across this boundless blood-colored void.
This was the Blood Realm.
The birthplace of the Blood Demons, and also their eternal cage.
He could clearly feel that there was a connection between himself and this space.
It seemed to be a more primitive bond, almost like they were related by blood.
“Is it because of the Crimson Slaughterer title?”
He whispered to himself.
“What about teleporting to Planet Teluofuto?”
He closed his eyes and sensed for a while longer, trying to ask his system.
However, the system showed no intention of responding.
After a moment of thought, he turned and left.
The teleportation light flared once more.
When his vision cleared, he was back on the ice terrace of Shuangyu Feng.
The aurora still flowed across the sky as if everything that had just happened was a hallucination.
But Jiang Lin knew it wasn't.
He looked down at his right hand, where a very faint blood-colored pattern on his palm was slowly dissipating.
That was the mark left on him by the Blood Realm.
“From now on, I can go there anytime.”
He clenched his fist and stood up.
For the next two days, Jiang Lin did not leave Shuangyu Feng.
He consolidated his insights into the King-tier sword technique while researching the various uses of the Blood Realm teleportation permission.
After many attempts, he summarized several points:
First, there was no distance limit for the teleportation. No matter where he was on the planet, he could enter the Blood Realm at any time.
Second, there was no time limit. He could stay in the Blood Realm for any length of time, and the flow of time in the outside world was the same as in the Blood Realm.
Third, in the Blood Realm, he could summon Blood Demons without limit and without consuming flesh-and-blood energy. Because the Blood Realm itself was the birthplace of the Blood Demons, the wandering Blood Demons were a ready-made source of troops.
Fourth, and most importantly, he could "bring" the Blood Demons out of the Blood Realm.
It was still done through summoning, but now it no longer required consuming flesh and blood; instead, it consumed his magic essence.
With his current magic essence, he could maintain the existence of about a hundred 3rd-rank peak Blood Demons at once.
If they were 2nd-rank peak Blood Demons, he could increase the number of summons to a thousand.
Jiang Lin was quite satisfied with this discovery.
Sitting cross-legged on the ice terrace, he focused his mind.
The space in front of him suddenly tore open, and a blood-colored rift appeared out of thin air.
On the other side of the rift was the boundless blood-colored void and countless crimson eyes.
A 3rd-rank peak crimson claw-wing poked its head out from the rift, its dark red eyes looking at Jiang Lin, waiting for an order.
“Go back.”
With a thought, the rift closed.
The crimson claw-wing vanished into the blood-colored void as if it had never existed.
Jiang Lin nodded and stood up.
“Master, your disciple is ready to set out.”
Loren gazed at him for a moment and nodded slightly.
“Go then. I will send you back to your Saintas Kingdom.”
...
Saintas Kingdom, Clearwater City.
When Jiang Lin stepped out of the long-distance teleportation array, it was already noon.
Sunlight filtered through the glass dome of the Court of Space, casting mottled shadows on the polished floor.
Three months.
He had been gone for three months, but Clearwater City hadn't changed much.
The streets were still bustling, the pedestrians were still in a hurry, and the air still carried the scent of sea breeze mixed with spices.
But Jiang Lin could sense that the atmosphere of the city was a bit different than it had been three months ago.
Students were walking in groups of two or three on the street, wearing the uniforms of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy.
There were faint dark circles under their eyes, and they held cups of invigorating herbal tea or small vials of potions. They walked quickly, their expressions focused.
Occasionally, someone would look up, their gaze sweeping over Jiang Lin before quickly looking away and continuing on their way.
“It seems everyone hasn't slacked off since I left.”
Jiang Lin nodded slightly, feeling quite gratified.
He walked through the familiar streets toward Saint Brilliance Magic Academy.
At the school gate, several students in uniform were chatting.
“Have you heard? That Jiang Lin from the fifth-grade elite class has been on leave for three months and hasn't come back yet!”
“I heard. Some say he went to the Northern Ice Field to find a master, while others say he dropped out.”
“Dropped out? That’s impossible, right? He’s the most monstrous genius in our school. Why would he drop out?”
“Who knows. But honestly, since he’s been gone, the people in the elite class have become even more obsessed with training.
“They only sleep for two hours a day; the rest of the time is spent entirely on cultivation.
“Rex reached the 2nd-rank peak last week, and so did Elvira. That beastkin monster Nora even directly defeated a fourth-grade combat teacher in a cross-rank battle...”
Listening to these discussions, the corners of Jiang Lin’s mouth curled up slightly.
He didn't stop and headed straight for the teaching building.
Fifth-grade elite class, classroom.
The moment Jiang Lin pushed open the door, the entire classroom fell into a brief silence.
Thirty-four students looked up simultaneously, their gazes all landing on that golden figure.
Golden hair and golden eyes, a flawless face, and an aura of faint golden Holy Light intertwined with deep blue ice soul power.
After not seeing him for three months, his presence was more than ten times stronger than when he had left.
“Jiang... Jiang Lin?!”
Neil was the first to react, the pen in his hand dropping to the floor with a crisp clatter.
“Old Jiang is back!”
“Holy crap, it really is him!”
“I told you he didn't drop out!”
The classroom instantly erupted into chaos.
Jiang Lin calmly walked to his seat and sat down, his golden eyes scanning the room.
“It’s been three months. You’ve all grown a lot stronger.”
Neil turned around, his eyes full of excitement:
“Old Jiang, where have you been? Why hasn't there been any news for three months?”
“Northern Ice Field,” Jiang Lin answered briefly. “I found a master and learned a few things.”
“Found a master? Who?”
Jiang Lin didn't answer, only giving a faint smile.
Neil tactfully didn't press further and instead asked:
“What rank are you now? I feel like your presence is even stronger than Rex’s, and he’s already reached the 2nd-rank peak...”
“3rd-rank peak,” Jiang Lin said calmly.
The classroom fell into a dead silence once more.
3rd-rank peak.
In three months, he had gone from the early 2nd-rank to the 3rd-rank peak.
What kind of monster was he?
Neil opened his mouth but found he couldn't make a sound.
He just stared blankly at Jiang Lin, his mind a complete void.
Sitting in the back row, Rex clenched his fists, the veins on his arms bulging.
He had worked so hard, thinking he could close the gap between him and Jiang Lin.
As it turned out, the gap had only grown wider.
Elvira sat by the window, her emerald eyes fixed on Jiang Lin.
She could clearly feel that the other’s ice element affinity had reached a terrifying level—even higher than hers, an elf.
Nora sat next to Jiang Lin, her amber vertical pupils looking at him calmly.
“You’re back,” she said simply.
“Yes.” Jiang Lin nodded. “You’ve grown stronger.”
Nora didn't respond; she just lowered her head and continued reading her book.
Jiang Lin smiled faintly and didn't say more.
He stood up and walked toward the door.
“Where is the teacher’s office? I need to report back from my leave.”
Neil quickly said:
“Vice-dean Keith is in the east building, third floor. But he might be in a meeting right now. You can just go to his office and wait.”
Jiang Lin nodded and walked out of the classroom.
In the hallway, sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting mottled shadows on the floor.
As he passed the fourth-grade elite class, he saw several familiar figures through the window.
...
Rate on N.U.
