Cultivating for three years to break through to the third realm is not considered a groundbreaking feat, but the premise is that such individuals are nurtured by prominent sects and families since childhood, possessing exceptional talent, much like the disciples prioritized by the Qingcheng Sect, such as Ling Yin.
Or perhaps, like Lin Ji, they have a thin layer of karma, allowing them to cultivate without any bottlenecks.
But for a young beggar to immediately advance rapidly upon encountering cultivation?
On one side are various precious medicinal herbs and abundant cultivation resources since childhood.
On the other side, there is uncertainty about the next meal, not even having a decent coat in winter.
There is no basis for comparison.
Lin Ji is unwilling to believe that Feng Yu is a peerless genius with such a minuscule probability, so he judges that there must be other changes in this matter, choosing to observe quietly.
As the sky darkens, Lin Ji returns to his small courtyard, sitting cross-legged on the bed to continue cultivating, while also observing the situation next door. If that person intends to exterminate the Song family, they should reappear.
Time passes slowly, especially for the Song family. On a typical night, the Song brothers should be enjoying the comforts of life, or drinking and feasting with their companions, carefree.
But at this moment, the Song brothers are like startled rabbits, huddling with their elderly father in the room, cautious and vigilant.
After midnight, the sound of the night watchman echoes through the streets.
In the dead of night, holding a copper gong and carrying a lantern, the night watchman mutters words like "the weather is dry."
Suddenly, a cold wind rises, and a figure lands in the neighboring courtyard.
Lin Ji abruptly opens his eyes.
"He's here!"
The long sword beside him falls into his hand, and without hesitation, Lin Ji unsheathes the sword and rushes into the neighboring yard.
No need for unnecessary words, capture the person first and then inquire slowly.
The green light on the sword blade flickers, pointing directly at the indistinct figure.
It is a person in black, their face obscured, holding a talisman in their hand emitting a faint glow.
"Are you the constable of Qingyang County? I advise you to mind your own business," a cold voice resounds.
"You are harming people in Qingyang County, that is not a trivial matter," Lin Ji retorts coldly.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Ji leaps up, the sword energy suddenly surging, slashing towards the masked figure.
The person in black tries to dodge, but is a step too slow, getting struck on the arm by the sword energy.
Blood flows profusely, but he seems unfazed.
"I have no intention of being your enemy. Let me eliminate the remaining three members of the Song family, and I will leave," the masked person states.
Lin Ji furrows his brows slightly, sensing something amiss.
Although his spiritual eye is open, he cannot discern any clues about the person.
"What feud do you have with the Song family that warrants such drastic measures? You could have killed them all at once, but you chose to torment them one by one. Is it to inflict suffering upon them?" Lin Ji asks calmly. "To make them live in despair, knowing someone wants to kill them but unable to escape, only watching their loved ones die one by one until it's their turn."
At this point, there is a hint of amusement in the masked person's voice.
"Indeed, that's the only way it's interesting, isn't it?"
Lin Ji narrows his eyes slightly. "So, who do you plan to kill last?"
"Of course, it's the Song brothers. You're trying to trick me!" The masked person suddenly realizes.
Seemingly provoked, his black robe moves without wind.
In Lin Ji's spiritual eye, it appears as a convergence of spiritual and malevolent energies, creating a bizarre appearance.
A talisman appears in the masked person's hand, and with a flick of his fingers, the talisman disappears.
Lin Ji's pupils contract slightly, feeling a chill in his chest.
Pulling his clothes aside, he sees a tattoo-like pattern on his chest.
"This is... a malevolent energy talisman? Is this your method of harming people? Can the Qingcheng Sect's talismans be used in this way?" Lin Ji is astonished.
With his cultivation at the peak of the third realm, Lin Ji is naturally unafraid of this malevolent energy talisman.
With a thought, spiritual energy gathers at his chest, and the tattoo-like mark quietly disappears.
However, the masked person's methods are too mysterious.
When Guo Yi used talismans, there were traces to follow and counter. But the talismans of the person in front of him can directly imprint on a person's body, without any warning signs before being affected.
"So, Lin, the constable, is close to reaching the fourth realm," the masked person expresses surprise that Lin Ji effortlessly neutralized his method.
"Almost reaching the Insightful Realm, yet you remain a constable in this small county? Even if you went to Liang City, you could thrive," the masked person remarks.
"Do you recognize me?!" Lin Ji questions.
The masked person falls silent, flipping his hands to reveal ten talismans.
"One you can neutralize, but what about ten?" The masked person challenges.
As the words fall, the ten talismans vanish simultaneously.
This time, Lin Ji is prepared. Through his spiritual eye, he finally discerns some faint traces.
At the moment the talismans disappear, although he cannot see where they went, there is a subtle spiritual fluctuation forming a path, pointing to various parts of his body.
"So, the talismans didn't suddenly appear on me, they were invisible," Lin Ji realizes the mystery, which he wouldn't have noticed without practicing the Six Senses Returning to the Origin technique to enhance his spiritual eye.
In the next moment, Lin Ji dodges to the side, and the invisible talismans land in empty space.
Witnessing this, the masked person's eyes show surprise.
"Your concealment technique is good. A typical third realm cultivator might have been deceived by you, but in front of me, you are still lacking," Lin Ji remarks.
Lin Ji takes a deep breath, and spiritual energy flows rapidly through his meridians.
"I'll give you one last chance to surrender. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless," Lin Ji warns.
"Surrender? Ridiculous! Even if you reach the Insightful Realm, I will still kill you!" The masked person seems provoked, emanating a formidable malevolent aura.
His figure vanishes suddenly!
A sense of panic grips Lin Ji, and he instinctively swings his sword behind him.
Clang!
A crisp sound, sparks flying.
"How is this possible?!" Lin Ji exclaims.
His long sword was directly blocked by the masked person's hands.
More precisely, it was blocked by the nails on the masked person's hands.
"Kid, nothing is impossible! I didn't want to kill you before, but since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless!" The masked person declares.
Once again, the masked person's figure disappears.
"This time, from the side."
Lin Ji's spiritual eye can barely discern the opponent's movements, but it only increases his astonishment.
It's not a technique of body movement, but sheer speed surpassing the eye.
Lin Ji quickly swings his sword to the side, simultaneously forming hand seals.
"Within, there is thunder; the name of the hidden thunder god; insight intertwined; the five energies surge; thunder, come!"
Thunder roars in the sky, illuminating the masked person's face.
His eyes are pitch black, devoid of whites or pupils.
This is no longer a human cultivator but a demonic entity!
"The Thunder Calling Sword Technique?!" The masked person sounds surprised. "How can you use the Thunder Calling Sword Technique at the mere third realm?"
"Enough talk, watch my sword!" Lin Ji commands.
The thunder descends, striking the masked person.
(End of the chapter)