C4 Preparing to Set off

"Mr. Bai, I'm back."

Yuan Ling didn't reside with the village chief but made his home with the village's sole physician, Bai Lun.

Bai Lun wasn't a Yuan family member, yet he had been a long-time resident of the village.

As the village's only doctor, Bai Lun held a respectable status. His dwelling wasn't as grand as the homes of the village's most affluent families, but it was comfortably spacious.

Yuan Ling brushed off the snow and set down his wooden sword.

Before he could change, a set of light footsteps hastened toward him.

Turning around, he saw a girl roughly his age sprinting his way.

"Young Master, you're finally back. Please wash up; Master wishes to see you."

The girl, Lee Yanran, was the maid Bai Lun had appointed to assist Yuan Ling.

She was merely a few days younger than Yuan Ling and was responsible for both his daily needs and preparing meals for them both.

"Do you know why Grandfather wants to see me?"

Yan, the young maid, had large, sparkling eyes that exuded a charming innocence.

Her face lit up with joy upon Yuan Ling's return, her eyes narrowing into joyful crescents.

Yuan Ling sometimes marveled at the dedication of his young attendant.

Despite her tender years, she was always bustling about, and when idle, she trained with him. She had already unlocked three meridians.

Mr. Bai had even mentioned that she was close to opening a fourth meridian.

Both were of the Sword Blood Clan, yet the disparity was stark; she appeared utterly unaffected by the Sword Blood Shackles.

It was a humbling comparison.

"I'm not sure, Young Master. Once you see him, you'll know. Yan has prepared lunch for you and your master."

Lee Yanran, who seemed to be in the midst of cooking, hurried off after a brief exchange with Yuan Ling, leaving him chuckling to himself.

Having lived here for five years, Yanran and Mr. Bai had become more than family to him—they were kin in all but blood.

Yuan Ling, Bai Lun, and Lee Yanran were all part of the Sword Blood Clan.

Yuan Ling was practicing his swordplay in the forest on the outskirts of the village when Bai Lun stumbled upon his bloodline and began to mentor him in the ways of cultivation.

Yuan Ling had always regarded Bai Lun as a master and yearned to become his disciple, but Bai Lun consistently declined, leaving Yuan Ling with a sense of longing.

Upon opening the door, he entered.

The study of Bai Lun was modestly furnished, with the most captivating feature being the sword that hung on the wall.

The sword bore a simple, ancient design, exuding an aura of bygone eras. It captured Yuan Ling's attention immediately.

What a magnificent sword!

It might have appeared unremarkable, but not to Yuan Ling, who had recently faced death and was now burdened with mysterious memories.

The sword alone suggested that Mr. Bai's identity was far from ordinary.

Bai Lun was absent from the room. Just as Yuan Ling was about to reach for the sword, his eyes inadvertently swept over the desk.

"What is this…?"

Yuan Ling was rooted to the spot in shock.

The Jade Certificate Golden Book!

A flood of unknown memories washed over him once more.

This was the ancient registry of the Sword Sect, detailing every disciple and master over the last ten thousand years.

It was meant to rest upon the incense table in the Sword Sect's ancestral hall, untouchable except during sacred rituals.

"The Sword Sect, why does it keep appearing? First, the Sword Sect's cultivation techniques, and now the sect's Jade Certificate. What connection do these mysterious memories have with the Sword Sect?

And why is the Jade Certificate of the Sword Sect, a relic from ten thousand years ago, here?"

The sight of it filled Yuan Ling with a sudden, inexplicable dread.

Yet, as he reached out to grasp it, an intense, nameless fear surged within him.

"Why am I feeling this way?"

Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of fear and panic, Yuan Ling's breathing grew labored and his heartbeat raced.

With a deep breath, Yuan Ling gritted his teeth.

His hands, shaking inexplicably, grasped the jade plate.

He opened it.

A multitude of names came into view, and Yuan Ling instantly recognized many that seemed familiar, yet he couldn't recall any of them.

Each name was crossed out in red ink, the mark of the deceased.

Dead, dead, dead, all were dead.

Yuan Ling swiftly skimmed through the pages, each name marked with a jarring red...

"Has everyone in the Sword Sect perished?"

Unbeknownst to him, tears had already carved twin paths down his cheeks, yet he could recall nothing.

"Cough, cough..."

A fit of coughing cut through Yuan Ling's sorrow as Bai Lun quietly materialized in the room.

He seemed to be in his forties or fifties, exuding a cultured and affable demeanor, more akin to a scholar than a physician.

Yuan Ling hastily dabbed at his tears, striving for composure.

In a gentle tone, Bai Lun inquired, "How was your training today? How did it go?"

Yuan Ling turned, a trace of bitterness in his smile.

"Today, I managed to open a meridian."

Bai Lun's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked Yuan Ling up and down.

"Excellent! Truly excellent! To open the first meridian before ten years of age, your future accomplishments will surely surpass your father's.

The Sword Blood Shackles may have increased the Sword Blood Clan's cultivation difficulty tenfold, even a hundredfold, but for us, isn't it also a form of trial? Once you've overcome it, what else could possibly stand in your way?

You're nearly mastering the Rushing Thunder Nine Swords, aren't you? And I've already taught you the Horned Dragon Sword Scripture. How is that progressing?"

Yuan Ling, his face awash with embarrassment, shook his head. "This sword technique is quite peculiar. The movements aren't hard to grasp, but they feel odd every time I use them, baffling me."

Bai Lun's brow furrowed in contemplation. "The Horned Dragon Sword Scripture and the Rushing Thunder Nine Swords are both foundational sword techniques of the Sword Blood Clan. They don't focus on cultivating meridians but rather the enigmatic Acupoints.

I've never trained in Acupoints, so offering advice is challenging for me. But don't push yourself too hard. I shared the Sword Scripture with you mainly to see if you possess a natural aptitude for cultivating Acupoints."

He then quickly added, "The village chief came by early this morning. He said that all children under ten from the Yuan family must attend the baptism. Get your things ready and head to the village chief's house straight away."

"Is it about to start?"

Curiosity shone on Yuan Ling's face. During his five years in the village, he had often heard about the baptism and was always intrigued.

Bai Lun shook his head, "This is a private affair of the Yuan family. I'm merely an outsider. You'll understand the details once you're there."

He then glanced at the jade butterfly in Yuan Ling's hand, his brow furrowing slightly.

After a moment's hesitation, he advised, "Take this with you. It will aid you in your swordsmanship training."

Clutching the jade plate, Yuan Ling studied the ancient characters that seemed to leap out like unsheathed swords and asked with curiosity, "Grandfather, is this your family tree?"

With composure, Bai Lun replied, "Indeed, it's been handed down through our family. The author was a grandmaster of the Sword Dao, devoted to the sword all his life. The characters he inscribed are imbued with sword intent, which can be profoundly beneficial to those who practice the sword."

Yuan Ling nodded in understanding. Mr. Bai possessed the Jade Certificate Golden Book and the bloodline of the Sword Blood Clan; he surely was a descendant of the Sword Sect.

For some reason, a sense of reassurance suddenly washed over him.

Without further questioning, Yuan Ling stored the jade plate and left the study.

Bai Lun remained alone in the room, lost in thought, his eyes clouded with concern.

"How odd, why have I been feeling so restless lately? If they are on our trail, we must be ready. They won't rest until they've caught us."

The baptism procession was ready to depart.

In the village chief's courtyard, a lively group of children around ten years old had congregated.

"Did you hear? Yuan Yuv's strength comes from his baptism experience!"

The speaker was a chubby boy, standing out among the children.

"Come on, Yuan Mu, that's common knowledge," another child retorted. "Everyone who's been baptized in town progresses quickly in their cultivation. That's nothing special. The real thrill is the chance of acquiring a secret technique for those who undergo the baptism!"

In the midst of the crowd, Yuan Kong stood out like a crane among chickens. Clad in exquisite martial artist leather armor and wearing an arrogant expression, he regarded the surrounding children as if he were above them all. As the eldest son of the wealthiest man in Yuan Village, Yuan Kong looked down on everyone, casting a scornful gaze upon the chubby boy.

Unfazed by Yuan Kong's contempt, the chubby boy, Yuan Mu, asked with palpable excitement, "Yuan Kong, is it true? Can you really acquire a secret technique?"

Yuan Kong lifted his chin proudly and replied with a smug look, "You should know, my sister once participated in the baptism. She obtained a complete Heaven Rank Cultivation Method and is considered a rare genius in our Yuan family."

His words sparked a wave of awe among the children. Many of them, not fully grasping what the Heaven Rank Cultivation Method entailed, looked on enviously at Yuan Kong, oblivious to the fact that this achievement had little to do with him personally.

Yuan Mu, unlike the other children, was well aware of the power of the Heaven Rank Cultivation Method. With a look of astonishment, he asked, "Is that really true? If your sister has such talent, then you must be quite skilled yourself. I'm curious, what level of secret arts might you obtain in this baptism?"

With unwavering confidence, Yuan Kong boasted, "I'm on the verge of unlocking two meridians. Even the Village Chief says I'm a genius, no less talented than my sister. So, even if luck isn't on my side, I'll at least get a low-level cultivation method."

"Yuan Kong is the foremost among our peers. He's bound to secure a low-level cultivation method. From this moment on, Yuan Kong is our leader. Whoever disobeys him will have to answer to me first!" declared a child, his eyes twinkling with mischief that belied his young age.

After a brief pause, Yuan Mu seemed hesitant as he asked, "Yuan Kong, what kind of cultivation method do you think Yuan Ling will get?"

Yuan Kong's face darkened as he scoffed, "He's worthless. To this day, he hasn't unlocked a single meridian. Participating in the baptism will be pointless for him. In my view, that guy will definitely end up empty-handed."

Fatty's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Impossible, his swordsmanship is formidable!"

"Absolutely, last time Yuan Ling took down Yuan Kong with just one strike."

Someone quickly chimed in, which immediately drew an angry glare from Yuan Kong.

Visibly irked and embarrassed, he retorted, "Ridiculous! I simply underestimated him before. Next time, I'll crush him beneath my feet and utterly dominate him!"