C4 Strength Advancement

As the Seven Star Sword Bone took shape, Lin Yu instantly sensed a surge of formidable power coursing through his eight extraordinary meridians. The thrill of it nearly drove him to let out a wild roar, but he understood the timing wasn't right. His rebirth from shattered bones was not yet complete; there was no room for complacency. With a firm hand, he quelled the exhilaration bubbling within and meticulously managed his spiritual energy.

Lin Yu's spiritual energy had undergone a radical transformation from what it was earlier that day. What had once been a trickle close to drying up had now become a mighty, rushing river.

The flow of spiritual energy was swift and forceful, blasting through previously clogged meridians with Lin Yu's overwhelming strength. Debris trapped within was swept away by the celestial power, emerging through his pores. Before long, Lin Yu's flesh was encased in a dark 'shell'—a sight rather unsightly.

Yet beneath this exterior, the scene was starkly different. His blood ran cleaner and more vibrant, the resilience of his meridians barely visible as spiritual energy streamed through them. The Seven Star Sword Bone was pristine, like flawless white jade, yet it radiated a sharp, piercing presence. The transformation was so profound that likening it to a metamorphosis was no overstatement.

Boom.

A sudden explosive sound rocked Lin Yu's body, causing it to tremble under the immense force. His formidable spiritual energy had shattered the bottleneck of his cultivation, propelling him from the third to the fourth level of the Yellow Rank in one fell swoop.

And the momentum didn't halt there. His spiritual energy relentlessly scoured his meridians, propelling him forward with unstoppable force. In a mere six hours, he had ascended through three minor realms.

"Peak of the Fourth Level of Yellow Rank!" Lin Yu exclaimed in delight, slowly opening his eyes to realize the night had slipped away. The stars had dimmed, yielding to the first light of dawn stretching across the eastern horizon.

A new day had dawned.

For most, it was just another ordinary night, but for Lin Yu, it marked the completion of his own personal revolution. His path lay before him, as clear and promising as the morning's first light, brimming with boundless hope.

"No one's going to push me around anymore!" Lin Yu silently clenched his fists, his heart swelling with unyielding spirit.

Fatty had kept vigil by his side, enduring a night of anxious waiting while Lin Yu had fallen asleep. Startled by Lin Yu's sudden stir, Fatty leaped to his feet. Seeing Lin Yu's darkened skin, he feared the worst. "Mr. Yu, are you okay? What's all this stuff on you? It's black and kind of stinks..."

"I'm fine... don't worry about it..." Lin Yu offered a faint smile, his voice feigning weakness. In truth, after a night's rest, he was in peak condition, far better than he'd been in a long time. The frail act was just that—an act.

With so many witnesses to the day's fight, they had seen him take a brutal beating from Wang Meng. It would defy logic for him to be bouncing around with vigor after just one night. If any malicious souls caught wind of his rapid recovery, it could spell disaster.

Lin Yu was all too aware that the Seven-star Sword Spell was among the most supreme techniques in existence. In his past life, his downfall came when his secret was exposed, leading to his ambush and demise. Now, with his strength a mere fraction of what it once was, any leak of the Seven-star Sword Spell would surely draw a swarm of formidable challengers. Presently, Lin Yu lacked the power to defend himself, and the most likely outcome would be a silent assassination.

Thus, until he could ensure his own safety, Lin Yu resolved to tread with utmost caution, determined not to repeat past mistakes.

Fatty exhaled in relief at Lin Yu's reassurance, then ventured, "Mr. Yu, shall I take you back to rest?"

"Alright... thanks, I appreciate it." Lin Yu maintained his 'weakened' state.

With great care, Fatty hoisted Lin Yu onto his back and escorted him to the modest courtyard he called home. The pair had grown accustomed to the pointing fingers and the barrage of insults along the way, paying them no mind.

Once back at the courtyard, Fatty was ready to stay and tend to Lin Yu. Touched by the gesture, Lin Yu felt a surge of gratitude, but he knew his body was in no need of aid. Besides, he needed to bathe and fortify his cultivation—a task best done in solitude. With a gentle insistence, he conveyed that Fatty's presence, though well-meaning, was unnecessary.

Lin Yu had no choice but to concoct a hasty excuse to send Fatty away. Fatty, though concerned, couldn't overrule Lin Yu's decision. Being an Outer Sect disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect himself, Fatty had his own responsibilities to attend to.

Once Fatty had departed, Lin Yu indulged in a much-needed bath, scrubbing away the foul-smelling 'shell' that clung to his skin. It was a relief to be clean again. To the astonishment of anyone who might have seen him, Lin Yu's once sallow complexion was now a thing of the past; his skin had transformed to a healthy, rosy white, reminiscent of a newborn's. His gaze was serene, yet the occasional flash of sharpness in his eyes was enough to send a shiver down one's spine.

Post-bath, Lin Yu settled into a meditative pose on his bed, focusing on the flow of spiritual energy through his meridians, over and over. Adaptation was a universal process, and his body was no exception. The task at hand was to acclimate to the newfound power coursing through him as swiftly as possible.

Time ticked away, and before he knew it, three days had elapsed. Throughout this period, Lin Yu hadn't once left his small courtyard. The Outer Sect of the Profound Heaven Sect offered a variety of classes, but attendance was voluntary. One could attend when the mood struck and stay away when it didn't, free from any compulsion. However, with a minor assessment every three months and a major one every three years, failing to make the grade meant an unceremonious expulsion.

This lenient policy suited Lin Yu well. By day, he would meditate in a seated position, and by night, he practiced the Seven-star Sword Spell under the stars, attuning himself to the forces of the cosmos. His mastery was now firmly anchored; his complexion glowed with health, and his movements exuded the sharp, unmistakable presence of a drawn sword.

On the fourth day, as the celestial energies waned, Lin Yu's eyes fluttered open from his deep state of cultivation. He tightened his grip into a fist, his spiritual energy surging rapidly before unleashing a fierce punch onto the massive boulder before him.

Boom!

The impact resonated, sending shards of stone scattering in all directions.

"Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Seven Stars Sword Bone is now complete. I must possess at least six thousand kilograms of force," Lin Yu whispered to himself, a sense of satisfaction in his tight fist. He now had the means to defend himself, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still amiss...

Right, he was missing a sword... two swords, to be exact.

A swordsman without his blade could hardly be deemed a true swordsman, and Lin Yu was no ordinary swordsman. Masterful with both the One-hand Sword and Two-hand Sword, he was confident that his superior swordplay and quick thinking would stand him in good stead even against Wang Meng, the pinnacle of the Yellow Rank.

"I need to buy two swords," Lin Yu resolved, just as Fatty hurried over, surveying the debris with confusion. "That's odd, how did such a large stone shatter? Mr. Yu and I don't have that kind of strength! Didn't Wang Meng and his goons come around to make trouble while I was gone?"

Lin Yu heard Fatty's grumbling but chose not to clarify. Instead, he asked, "Fatty, are you free today? Join me for a stroll?"

"Sure… But Mr. Yu, are you really okay?"

"I'm fine. Just need to wash my face first…" With that, Lin Yu splashed water on his face, quickly freshened up, and they both stepped out.

Square Street was bustling, situated near the Outer Sect of the Profound Heaven Sect. It was a hub for disciples to procure their essentials, and at this hour, the street was alive with people, many of them formidable cultivators radiating powerful spiritual energy, inspiring a natural reverence in those around them.

"Mr. Yu, what are you looking to buy?" Fatty inquired.

"Two swords…" Lin Yu responded. This was his first shopping trip since arriving in this world, and the street vendors displayed an array of rare medicinal herbs, all priced steeply.

"Swords? But I thought you preferred knives—you always said they were more imposing…" Fatty remarked, puzzled.

"Oh, I've just realized knives aren't really my thing. I'm thinking of giving swords a try," Lin Yu casually fibbed.

Fatty thought to himself, 'Not suited for knives, so swords will be any different? With our level of talent, does the weapon even matter? We're just fodder for the blade, aren't we?' He kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to dent Lin Yu's already delicate ego. And just like that, in the midst of his musings, Fatty realized Lin Yu had slipped away into some nook out of sight.

"I'm going… Where's Mr. Yu?" the fat man muttered, at a loss for words.

Lin Yu, oblivious to his companion lagging behind, strode into a weapon shop named Flying Dragon. The entrance may have been modest, but the interior was surprisingly spacious, offering an unexpectedly open and airy atmosphere. It was stocked with an array of weapons—swords, spears, clubs, axes, halberds, and more—a complete arsenal.

The shop was unattended, but finding the swords was easy enough. As Lin Yu surveyed the various blades on display, he felt as though he had stepped into a swordsman's heaven. He had a passion for swords, considering them his closest allies. In his past life, he possessed two exceptional swords: the Green Rainbow, forged from the rare Heavenly Profound Iron, and the Soul Essence, crafted from millennium-aged steel from the deepest reaches of the Dragon Abyss in the Double Moon Continent. Both were divine weapons of extraordinary rarity.

Now, the whereabouts of the Green Rainbow Sword and the Soul Essence Sword were unknown. Lin Yu sighed quietly, a moment of clarity washing over him as he resumed his search for a new sword.

Appraising swords was as intricate as understanding people, involving an assessment of material, texture, grip, resonance, and various other factors. Lin Yu casually picked up a blood-red sword from the shelf, recognizing from his extensive knowledge that it was crafted from red jade.

Jade was warm and mellow by nature, hardly the ideal material for weaponry. The sword Lin Yu examined was more ornamental than practical, offering little value in combat. Setting aside the red jade sword, his gaze drifted to a girl in white nearby. With her striking features and graceful figure, she was undeniably beautiful.

The girl, too, was in the midst of selecting a sword. With a blade in each hand, her brows furrowed in concentration, she weighed her options, caught in a difficult choice between the two.