Chapter 310-311 (Patreon)

310. Saber Sovereign Sect

Lin Fei and the Sovereign Yuan continued to refine their Saber Domain. However, Lin Fei's Saber Domain was now on par with the Sword Domain of Sovereign Yuan. Their current refinement served as a mutual honing.

To Sovereign Yuan's surprise, his Sword Domain had seen an improvement. Albeit a slight one, there was a definitive enhancement. Such progress was a delightful surprise.

As time passed, Lin Fei's Saber Domain also improved, but at an ever-decreasing rate. A month later, the progress of Lin Fei's Saber Domain had grown by merely 10%. More concerning, in recent days, there has been hardly any noticeable improvement.

"Sovereign Lin," Sovereign Yuan began, his voice measured, "I assume you've noticed? Your Saber Domain has barely improved. Similarly, my Sword Domain experienced initial growth but slowed down considerably, with little to no subsequent enhancement. It seems the pressure our Domains impose upon each other has lessened. There's little point in continuing this mutual refinement."

Lin Fei understood that their time together had come to an end. "Sovereign Yuan, it's time for me to take my leave," he remarked without further elaboration.

In reality, the two had sparred atop the mountain for over two months and had forged a bond of friendship. Sovereign Yuan had not left empty-handed either. Even though he wouldn't practice the Dual-World Saber, under Lin Fei's Gravity Domain, his third Divine Ability had advanced rapidly, nearing perfection. It would be perfected in a month.

Regardless, Sovereign Yuan was sure his third Divine Ability would soon reach its pinnacle. Thereafter, he'd commence his training in the fourth Divine Ability. Progressing from three to four Divine Abilities might seem minor, but for a Martial Sovereign, it signified the leap from an early to a mid-stage Martial Sovereign—a significant advancement. Furthermore, Sovereign Yuan's Sword Domain had also undeniably improved.

"Sovereign Lin," Sovereign Yuan's voice echoed as Lin Fei departed, "I hope, upon our next meeting, you won't disappoint me."

Without turning his head, Lin Fei responded, "Anyone who falls behind me will only find the gap widening."

His voice lingered in the void as he walked away, leaving Sovereign Yuan perched on the cliff, pondering for a long while.

...

Upon Lin Fei's return to the Xiao family, Xiao Yuchen immediately approached him.

"Sovereign Lin, where have you been all this while?"

A hint of relief graced her features upon seeing Lin Fei. Although Lin Fei had mentioned he'd be refining his Saber Domain, two months without a word had caused Xiao Yuchen some distress, especially when she couldn't locate Lin Fei.

"Aurora Sovereign, what can I do for you?" Lin Fei inquired, not divulging his time with Sovereign Yuan.

"Sovereign Lin, didn't you express a desire to cultivate your Saber Domain?" Xiao Yuchen inquired with a hint of mischief in her gaze. "I know of a place that might assist in its refinement."

"Oh? What place is that?" Lin Fei's eyes sharpened, locking onto Aurora Sovereign with keen interest.

While Lin Fei had achieved mastery in his Saber Domain, reaching Transcendence seemed a distant dream, leaving him somewhat exasperated. He was uncertain where to venture next for its further enhancement.

Xiao Yuchen chuckled, "It's quite serendipitous, actually. Recently, a martial arts sect under the Xiao family's banner sought our assistance. This sect is known as the 'Saber Sovereign Sect'.

A bold name, indeed. Due to their plea for aid, I delved deeper into their background. It appears the Saber Sovereign Sect once basked in glory. Established by a paramount Martial Sovereign, he wasn't titled 'Saber Sovereign' without reason. The sect's founding master was a saber enthusiast, having not only evolved a Saber Domain but attained its perfect Domain!

However, after the founder's demise, the Saber Sovereign Sect gradually waned. Eventually, unable to sustain themselves, they sought the patronage of our Xiao family. Initially, we welcomed them, they had a Martial Sovereign after all.

Yet, as time went on, they no longer boasted even a single Martial Sovereign, merely retaining some martial saints. Consequently, our family began overlooking the sect. Their recent plea indicates a dire predicament, even the potential of their complete obliteration.

Our family wasn't initially inclined to intervene. The Saber Sovereign Sect, while nominally under the Xiao banner, has progressively reduced its yearly tribute. We even contemplated expelling them."

"However," Xiao Yuchen paused for emphasis, "considering that the Saber Sovereign Sect once produced a Martial Sovereign with a perfected Saber Domain, I thought their knowledge could benefit Sovereign Lin. Hence, I've undertaken their case. Would Sovereign Lin be interested in visiting the Saber Sovereign Sect? With our Xiao family's token in hand, and should you resolve their predicaments, wouldn't their Saber Domain archives be at your disposal?"

Lin Fei's eyes gleamed with renewed interest. The Saber Sovereign Sect was established by a Saber Sovereign who achieved a perfect Saber Domain. Being called a "Saber Sovereign", it was clear that this was a true saber practitioner, someone who truly walked the saber path. Even if the Saber Sovereign Sect was now in decline, they surely still retained treasures or knowledge left by the great Saber Sovereign. Any information, especially concerning the perfect Saber Domain, was invaluable to Lin Fei.

"Thank you for the offer, Aurora Sovereign," Lin Fei responded gratefully. "I am indeed keen on visiting the Saber Sovereign Sect."

Xiao Yuchen nodded and handed Lin Fei the Xiao family's token, along with a map to the Saber Sovereign Sect's location. "Sovereign Lin, you can embark on your journey to the Saber Sovereign Sect whenever you please."

It was evident that Xiao Yuchen was going out of her way to assist Lin Fei. However, after some hesitation, Lin Fei spoke, "Aurora Sovereign, I wish to visit the Martial King Tower."

"The Martial King Tower?"

"Yes, I aim to challenge the third floor of the Martial King Tower. Once I succeed, Aurora Sovereign, you'll gain access to the blood pool on the same floor."

Lin Fei was well-versed with the rules of the Martial King Tower. Passing the third floor or any subsequent ones granted eligibility to use the blood pool. But whether one chooses to utilize it depends on the individual's decision.

Usually, warriors would only venture into the third-floor blood pool after mastering the third Divine Ability. And once their bloodline was awakened there, they could directly activate the fourth Divine Ability.

Xiao Yuchen looked surprised. She hadn't expected Lin Fei to be ready to challenge the third floor so soon. "Sovereign Lin, there's no need to rush. My own third Divine Ability might take anywhere from a year to even more than a decade to master. So there's ample time."

She thought that Lin Fei might be hastening his decision as a gesture of gratitude for her help. However, Lin Fei clarified, "Aurora Sovereign, I fear I might inadvertently perfect the Dual-World Saber and even begin cultivating the fourth Divine Ability. If that happens, I'll lose my eligibility to challenge the third floor. Wouldn't that deprive you of an opportunity to access the blood pool?"

Xiao Yuchen's smile faltered slightly. She seemed caught off guard, a touch of embarrassment evident on her face. Lin Fei's reasoning made sense. If he advanced too swiftly, surpassing a certain level and cultivating the fourth Divine Ability, then indeed she would lose a chance at the blood pool's benefits.

Such a logical argument, yet it left a strange taste in Xiao Yuchen's mouth. Anyone else making such a claim might be met with skepticism, but when it came from Lin Fei, she believed it wholeheartedly. Lin Fei's prowess was such that he could indeed return from a journey having mastered the fourth Divine Ability.

311. Martial King Projection

"Alright then, I appreciate your efforts, Sovereign Lin..." Xiao Yuchen murmured, her expression complex and thoughtful. Perhaps she had never imagined that one day the pace of cultivation could actually lag behind the opportunity to partake in the blood pool's ritual.

At this rate, wouldn't it be soon that Lin Fei would be attempting the fourth floor of the Martial King Tower? The thought that her own third Divine Ability was still a ways from reaching its pinnacle made Xiao Yuchen feel a peculiar sensation in her heart.

Most were eager for even a single chance to enter the blood pool and awaken their bloodlines. But she? She might soon find herself accumulating numerous opportunities to enter the pool. It was a "blessed problem" to have.

"It seems I should also focus on cultivating my bloodline's Divine Ability," she mused to herself, "aiming to perfect my Divine Ability sooner rather than later."

Prior to this, Xiao Yuchen had been calm and patient, not rushing her cultivation. But now, the urgency to hone her Divine Ability felt real.

Subsequently, Lin Fei and Xiao Yuchen both made their way to the Martial King Tower once again. There were already some individuals inside the Martial King Tower. However, the third floor remained unoccupied.

The younger members of the Xiao family, upon seeing Lin Fei and Xiao Yuchen, felt their hearts skip a beat.

Lin Fei had become a "celebrity" in the Xiao family. Ever since he defeated Sovereign Yuan, his fame had soared amongst the Martial King clans.

Recognizing Lin Fei, they immediately concluded that Lin Fei was preparing to challenge the Martial King Tower once again!

"Sovereign Lin, who passed the second floor of the Martial King Tower not too long ago, is now aiming for the third floor?"

"How much time has passed since his last attempt? Is he ready for the third floor already?"

"After his battle with Sovereign Yuan, Sovereign Lin's strength is truly frightening. Challenging the third floor doesn't seem out of reach for him."

"And let's not forget, Sovereign Lin has likely already cultivated the third Divine Ability. With the power of three Divine Abilities, what could possibly hinder him from conquering the third floor?"

"Lucky Aurora Sovereign to know Sovereign Lin. In the future, will she ever lack opportunities to enter the blood pool?"

"Even if Aurora Sovereign doesn't awaken her bloodline nine times, awakening it three or four more times will be enough to establish her as a top-tier Martial Sovereign!"

For a moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on Xiao Yuchen, filled with envy. Deep envy. The Xiao family had originally established the Martial King Tower to increase the challenge and filter out the most talented amongst them.

But now? The Martial King Tower had become Lin Fei's "venue" for accessing the blood pool ritual. Every time he succeeded, Xiao Yuchen benefited.

Even if Xiao Yuchen had limited natural talent, just one immersion in the blood pool could potentially awaken her bloodline. If her luck failed her once, she had multiple chances left. It would be challenging for her not to become a top-tier Martial Sovereign.

After all, there wasn't a weak Martial Sovereign in the Martial King clans. The Divine Abilities awakened within the Martial King bloodline were all Great Divine Abilities, with some even being the peak among them!

Regardless of the speculations, Lin Fei had already stepped into the third floor of the Martial King Tower. This floor was still populated by exotic beasts—three of them. But in addition to these beasts, there was also a shadowy figure. The beasts didn't attack immediately, instead, they stared intently at Lin Fei, who turned his attention to the shadow.

"A Martial King projection? How can there be a Martial King projection?"

"It seems there really is a Martial King projection within the Martial King Tower."

"It's unbelievable! Why would a Martial King projection appear during Sovereign Lin's attempt?"

"When a Martial King projection appears, it indicates that the Martial King Tower has taken issue with the one attempting to ascend it."

"Haha! I understand now. Sovereign Lin has been progressing too rapidly, moving from the first to the third floor of the Martial King Tower in just a few months. Maybe the Martial King Tower thinks that Sovereign Lin is too strong and has used some unsavory means to ascend, even if it can't detect what those means are. Therefore, it has activated its strongest mechanism against him!"

"This is nearly the strongest force that can manifest on the third floor of the Martial King Tower!"

"Sovereign Lin ascended too quickly, so now he's run into trouble."

"With the appearance of the Martial King projection, it's likely that Sovereign Lin will fail this time."

Witnessing the Martial King projection, the crowd was in an uproar. Some were gloating over his predicament, while others were genuinely curious. Xiao Yuchen's face turned pale, an expression of concern etched on her face. Even she wasn't aware of the existence of such a projection.

"Elder, what is going on here?" Xiao Yuchen hurriedly inquired of the Martial King Tower's elder.

The elder shook his head helplessly, looking as troubled as Xiao Yuchen. He began to explain slowly, "That is the Martial King projection. The Martial King Tower is sentient. After all, this magic treasure surpasses the typical Golden Core level magic treasure. Sovereign Lin's progress from the first to the third floor happened in too short a span. Less than half a year.

Under normal circumstances, no Martial Sovereign can ascend the Martial King Tower this quickly. This is an emergency measure of the Martial King Tower. Hence, what Sovereign Lin faces now is the pinnacle of the power the third floor of the Martial King Tower can muster. I'm afraid it will be very challenging for Sovereign Lin to get past this third floor."

Xiao Yuchen understood. So, if one advanced too quickly through the Martial King Tower, there would be problems.

At this moment, on the third floor of the Martial King Tower, Lin Fei had no idea what was going on. He thought that this was a regular test of the third floor of the Martial King Tower.

Thus, without a second thought,

"Humming",

in the next moment, Lin Fei's Saber Domain radiated out. Saber Domain instantly enveloped the entire third floor of the Martial King Tower.

"Roar..."

The three exotic beasts roared in fury. Lin Fei's mastered Saber Domain, with its suppressing force, had increased several times, perhaps even more than tenfold. Even though these three exotic beasts were powerful, they felt as though half their strength had been suppressed. They struggled to move.

"Gravity Domain!"

Furthermore, Lin Fei took no chances. After deploying his Saber Domain, he also released his Gravity Domain, with the added weight from the Gravity Domain, the three exotic beasts were immediately brought down.

Under the double pressure of the Saber Domain and the Gravity Domain, the three exotic beasts struggled even to twitch. Even if Lin Fei just stood still, he could suppress the three exotic beasts.

However, the Martial King projection was different. The shadow seemed like a real shadow, and it appeared unaffected.

"Swoosh".

The shadow flashed. Without any warning, it appeared right in front of Lin Fei.

"Teleportation?"

Lin Fei's eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn't mistaken. It was teleportation! It was similar to how he "teleported" in his Saber Domain.

Moreover, this shadow did not seem to be alive. There was no sign of life. Lin Fei's Black Wind Prison would probably not have much effect on it. However, Lin Fei had a saber. The Dual-World Saber!

"Clang".

Lin Fei's saber appeared. Like it was drawn from its sheath. Although Lin Fei didn't have a particularly treasured saber, his Divine Ability, the Dual-World Saber, was instantly deployed.

The power of the Life Wheel formed a saber. Then, he swung it. Without a groundbreaking impact, without overwhelming power, it seemed like a light slash.

When the saber was drawn, two worlds were divided! To the left, everything vanished. To the right, utter silence. The shadow paused momentarily, halting its movement.

Lin Fei's saber hung right in front of the shadow. Though it was a mere air slash, the shadow stopped. Even if the shadow had no life, the Dual-World Saber could cause it to perish on the left. It didn't matter if there was no life. Everything vanished into oblivion.

"Snap".

With a soft sound, the three exotic beasts disappeared instantly. The shadow also disintegrated quickly as if it had never existed.

Lin Fei's figure was instantly teleported out of the Martial King Tower.

When Lin Fei came out, he saw a very "bizarre" scene outside.

Silence! Absolute silence! Everyone's mouth was wide open, staring blankly at Lin Fei as if in disbelief.

"Aurora Sovereign, what's going on?" Lin Fei asked, puzzled.