The Martial Emperor

Chapter 9 - Departure

The yellowed pages of the Falling Cloud Records creaked softly as Lin Feng turned them. Under the dim light of the Scholar Hall library, his eyes were fixed on a single name written in fading gold ink, Zhan Tianshu.

Zhan Tianshu was not merely a legend, he was the First Cultivator. He was the one who mapped the flow of Qi within the human body and created the earliest cultivation techniques. All the moves, spells, and elemental techniques praised by masters worldwide today were but small fragments or derivatives of his original teachings. In the end, he died because he was betrayed by his four disciples.

However, what made Lin Feng shudder was the fact that the original technique of the emperor had vanished without a trace, as if history had deliberately erased it from the face of the earth.

"Only this?" Lin Feng muttered with a tone of disappointment he could not hide. He closed the book, sending fine dust flying into the air. He felt as if he had just found the door to a treasure vault, but the key was broken and buried somewhere unknown.

Only Zhan Tianshu mastered the perfect Qi purification technique, and Lin Feng felt the filtering method he received in the cave was a glimmer of light from that lost heritage.

Two weeks passed at the Scholar Hall. Lin Feng wasted no time. While continuing his historical research, he began to learn the basics of runes. To him, creating runes was an art that demanded extraordinary inner peace. His fingers, which usually held a weapon hilt, now had to be nimble, channeling Qi into the tip of a special brush to paint intricate symbols on mantra paper.

Amidst his business, Ye Jinshi often observed him from a distance. The hall master felt there was something special about the way Lin Feng channeled energy.

"Lin Feng," Ye Jinshi called one morning, his voice echoing among the bookshelves. "Cultivation without field application is merely empty theory. In the village to the east, Chenglai Village, I have just received news that demonic beasts have begun to turn violent and attack the residents. I want you to join this handling mission."

This mission was not just a routine task. Lin Feng was instructed to join a group led by Gu Yanfeng, the senior who had looked down on him from the start. Although the other seniors continued to view Lin Feng with disdain as a disciple who only knew basic Qi strengthening techniques, they did not dare to protest openly because the appointment came directly from Master Ye Jinshi.

***

The night before the departure, Lin Feng sat cross-legged in his room. Moonlight entered through a gap in the window, illuminating his serious face. He intended to train his soul and deepen his inner awareness using the Soul Cultivation technique taught by Ye Jinshi. Once he entered a deep meditative state, the environment around Lin Feng seemed to melt into an endless white mist.

Suddenly, the temperature inside his mental space dropped drastically. An elegant shadow appeared from behind the mist. It was the mysterious woman he had met in Black Bone Valley. Her snow-white clothes fluttered as if blown by an invisible wind. Lin Feng was startled, his soul trembling in the face of the massive energy pressure from the woman.

"Who are you exactly? Why have you appeared again?" Lin Feng asked with a voice that echoed in his subconscious. "Why did you give me this technique and help me?"

The woman did not answer with kindness. Instead, she snorted coldly, a sound that made Lin Feng’s chest feel tight. "You do not yet have the right to question me, let alone know my name," the woman barked, her eyes flashing sharp like a drawn sword. "Your current strength is not even comparable to the dust on my shoes. Focus on staying alive!"

Lin Feng fell silent, his pride was slightly pricked, but he knew those words held truth.

The woman stepped closer, her mysterious aura enveloping Lin Feng’s consciousness. "Tomorrow's mission... there is an unusual scent of blood coming from the east. You must be very careful. Do not fully trust what you see on the surface."

Before Lin Feng could reply, the woman’s shadow faded and he jolted awake from his meditation with ragged breath. Cold sweat poured down his back. The warning felt so real, as if death were stalking him from a distance. Lin Feng clenched his fists, wondering if the threat came from demonic beasts, or perhaps from his own teammates who hated him.

Still with confusion, but morning had already come. They gathered at the eastern gate with Gu Yanfeng standing at the front showing an arrogant expression. When Lin Feng arrived last, Gu Yanfeng only snorted. "Remember, Lin Feng, do not become a burden at the village. If there is danger, step aside. I do not want to waste energy saving a disciple who only knows how to read books."

Lin Feng did not reply to that provocation. He was more interested in observing his surroundings. Near a stone pillar of the eastern gate, he saw the figure of Cen Linxi standing shyly. The girl held the edge of her robes, appearing anxious yet trying to smile when their eyes met. Cen Linxi raised her small hand, waving with a very slow motion.

Lin Feng returned the wave with a thin smile. There was a strange warmth in his heart, something that gave him more motivation to return safely. "I will return," he murmured softly before turning to follow the steps of Gu Yanfeng, who began to descend the trail toward the east.

Throughout the journey out of the sect territory, Lin Feng’s mind kept revolving around the mysterious woman’s warning. Why did he have to be careful? Was there an outside force interfering in these demonic beast attacks? Or would the hatred of the seniors beside him turn into treacherous action at a critical moment?

By midday, they began to enter the forest area on the outskirts of Chenglai Village. As the forest grew denser, the scent of the air began to change. It was no longer the smell of fresh earth, but rather a faint stench that reminded Lin Feng of the atmosphere in Black Bone Valley. He sharpened his senses, channeling pure Qi into his feet so that every step made no sound. In front of him, Gu Yanfeng and the others continued to chat casually, as if they were going on a tour, not toward a combat zone.

Lin Feng touched the Yin-Yang necklace beneath his robes. He knew that from this moment on, every second was a test. And if the woman’s intuition was correct, then this experience mission might turn into a slaughter the likes of which he had never imagined. He had to be ready no matter what happened later.