novelsite Chapter 86 Challenging Saint-Level Experts
Chapter 86 Challenging Saint-Level Experts
On the outskirts of the Warcraft Mountains, atop a hill.
Lin Yun sat cross-legged, the morning sunlight falling on his shoulders and dispelling the lingering mist in the mountains. He had been sitting there all night, contemplating his next move.
The absorption of nearly twenty Saint-level magical beast cores caused his strength in the Devouring Star World to surge to the peak of the fifth level of the Planetary Realm, but his understanding of the laws in the Panlong World did not keep up with the speed of his strength increase.
Although he has mastered all fourteen profound mysteries, he remains at the most superficial level in each one. According to the original work, he has not even grasped one percent of each of the mysteries. He can defeat most Saint Realm opponents through dragon transformation and the rotation of the seven laws, but his weaknesses will be exposed if he encounters those Saint Realm experts in the first or second tier.
"Comprehension of the laws is the foundation," Lin Yun murmured.
The leap from the Saintly Realm to the Godly Realm does not rely on the accumulation of energy, but on the understanding of the laws. Only by fully comprehending a profound mystery can one invoke the laws of heaven and earth, condense a divine spark, and become a lower-level god.
His current understanding of the laws is still far from that level.
"But relying solely on arduous training will lead to too slow progress," Lin Yun frowned.
While practicing secret methods and meditating could lead to steady improvement, the pace was far from meeting his needs. He required a faster way to progress.
But combat is the fastest way to gain insight.
On the brink of life and death, in the instant of a clash of powers, the mysteries of the laws often reveal themselves in unexpected ways. Countless Saint-level powerhouses break through their bottlenecks in battle, not in meditation.
"I'm going to challenge the Saint-level experts on the continent," Lin Yun decided.
On the continent of Yulan, while Saint-level experts are not numerous, they are certainly not few either. They are scattered among various forces—the four great empires, the Church of Light, the Church of Darkness, the Arctic Ice Plains, the Realm of Chaos…
Among them, the O'Brien Empire, due to the existence of the God of War, cultivated a large number of Saint-level warriors. The God of War, O'Brien, is one of the three great god-level powerhouses of the Yulan Continent, standing at the very pinnacle of this plane. He has numerous disciples scattered throughout the empire, where he has an inexhaustible number of adversaries.
"Let's start with the O'Brien Empire." Lin Yun stood up and looked towards the northeast.
He transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the O'Brien Empire.
In the verdant mountains north of Crimson Flame City in the O'Brien Empire, a solitary peak rises abruptly from the ground.
At the summit stood a training ground, polished smooth as a mirror by battle aura. A burly middle-aged man stood shirtless in the center, wielding a heavy, broadsword crackling with electricity. Each strike left a scorching trail of lightning in the air.
Rex, a Saint-level warrior and a disciple of the God of War, has cultivated lightning-type battle qi for thirty years. His "Nine Thunder Slashes" technique is rarely matched among his peers.
Lin Yun slowly descended from the air, his feet landing on the edge of the training ground.
Rex sheathed his sword, turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning. He sized up the boy who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Who are you?"
"Lin Yun Baruch," Lin Yun bowed slightly, "from the Kingdom of Fenlai. I wish to challenge you."
Rex paused for a moment, then laughed, looking Lin Yun up and down with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Challenge me? How old are you?"
"Seventeen."
"A seventeen-year-old Saint?" Rex's smile froze. He scrutinized Lin Yun again, this time with a serious expression.
Lin Yun did not answer, but only slightly released his aura. He suppressed his strength to the mid-stage of the Saint Realm, on par with Rex.
Rex's expression changed. He sensed the solid and profound spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from Lin Yun—it was indeed at the Saint Realm, and not the superficial kind of someone newly entering the Saint Realm, but an extremely stable mid-stage Saint Realm. More importantly, that aura contained something that made his heart tremble—the fluctuations of laws.
"A seventeen-year-old mid-stage Saint Realm cultivator who has even comprehended the laws..." Rex murmured, a hint of shock in his voice. "Alright, I accept your challenge. However, I will not show mercy just because you are young."
"That suits me perfectly," Lin Yun said. "We'll only compete in skill and understanding of the laws, not in cultivation level."
A hint of surprise flashed in Rex's eyes, then he nodded solemnly: "Alright, let me see just how powerful this unprecedented seventeen-year-old Saint-level expert really is."
He gripped his battle blade tightly, and lightning-based battle aura surged forth, with electric light condensing on the blade and emitting a piercing buzzing sound.
Lin Yun raised his right hand, purple lightning arcs leaping in his palm. He concentrated his spiritual power to the extreme, again using only the power of a mid-level Saint Realm cultivator.
Neither of them rushed to make a move, but instead stared at each other, sensing each other's rhythm.
Rex launched the first attack. His body transformed into a bolt of lightning, moving with astonishing speed. His battle blade, carrying an unstoppable momentum, slashed down at Lin Yun.
Lightning-type battle aura - Thunder Slash.
He used seventy percent of his strength in that strike. It wasn't a test; it was a true killing blow. Among those of the same level, very few could withstand that strike head-on.
Lin Yun did not dodge. He raised his right hand, and a lightning spear condensed in his palm, striking out to meet Rex's battle blade.
"boom--"
Lightning flashed everywhere, and the two of them took three steps back at the same time. The aftershock blasted a large crater in the training ground, and rubble flew everywhere.
Rex's eyes were filled with shock. His Thunder Slash was a technique he had honed for decades, one that had never been met head-on by anyone of the same level. And this sixteen-year-old boy had not only met it, but had used power equal to Rex's.
"Alright!" Rex roared, his fighting spirit ignited. "Again!"
He charged forward again, this time with even greater ferocity. One strike after another, relentless and powerful, each carrying the force of a thunderbolt. Seven consecutive slashes, each overlapping the last, grew increasingly potent.
Lin Yun didn't take the blow head-on. His body suddenly became elusive, weaving through the gaps in the blade's light. It wasn't a contest of speed, but rather an understanding of the laws of lightning—he sensed the flow of energy within Rex's battle aura, found every weak point, and passed through those points.
Rex's pupils contracted. He had never seen anyone dodge his sword strikes in such a way.
"You..." Rex sheathed his sword, took a few steps back, his eyes filled with disbelief. "How did you do that?"
"Lightning is not just about power and speed," Lin Yun said. "Lightning has its own frequency. When you master its frequency, you can predict its trajectory."
Rex was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath: "Again! This time, I won't give you a chance to dodge."
He drew his sword again, but this time, he no longer pursued speed. Instead, he concentrated his battle aura into the blade and then unleashed it suddenly. A thick pillar of lightning shot out from the tip of the sword, hurtling towards Lin Yun.
Lightning-type battle aura - Thunder Roar.
This was his trump card, unleashing all his fighting spirit at once to create a devastating lightning strike. Among those of the same level, no one could withstand it head-on.
A glint of light flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for.
He didn't dodge. He raised his right hand, and a thin arc of lightning, as fine as a hair, condensed in his palm before he gently pushed it out. The arc of lightning wasn't large, but the resonant power of the lightning it contained caused the lightning elements throughout the entire space to tremble.
The lightning arc collided with the lightning column.
There was no explosion, no roar. The moment the lightning pillar made contact with the lightning arc, it seemed as if something had struck its core, causing it to tremble violently before collapsing with a deafening roar. The power of lightning surged wildly in all directions, blasting the training ground floor into countless holes.
Rex was thrown backward by the recoil, nearly dropping his sword. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with horror.
"This is... lightning resonance?" His voice trembled.
"Have you heard of it?" Lin Yun asked.
"The Martial God once mentioned it," Rex said with a wry smile. "The profound mysteries of the lightning laws are something I've never touched in my thirty years of cultivating lightning battle qi. And you... you mastered it at the age of seventeen."
"That's just the beginning," Lin Yun said. "Your Thunder Roar is powerful, but too scattered. The essence of lightning lies in concentration—only by concentrating power at a single point can you unleash its greatest power. Your battle aura is released too loosely; although it sounds impressive, its actual destructive power is limited."
Rex remained silent for a long time before sheathing his sword.
"I lost," he said. "Not because of strength, but because of my understanding of the laws."
"Your foundation in lightning-based battle qi is very solid," Lin Yun said. "However, your comprehension of the laws relies too much on power itself. I suggest you go to the Monster Mountain Range and find a Saint-level lightning-based monster to fight to the death. In the face of life and death, you can often touch the threshold of the laws."
Rex nodded, a flash of understanding in his eyes: "I've learned something."
Lin Yun didn't say anything more. He sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to savor the battle that had just taken place.
Rex's Thunder Slash, Thunder Roar, and the way his battle aura circulated... every detail replayed in his mind. His understanding of the lightning law "Lightning Resonance" had been refined a little more in this collision. The feeling of that power resonating within his body and resonating with his enemy had become clearer.
More importantly, he saw in Rex a martial artist's unwavering dedication to power. That relentless pursuit, day in and day out for thirty years, touched Lin Yun deeply.
"Everyone has their own path," Lin Yun murmured. "Rex's path is to pursue the ultimate in power, while my path is to pursue the ultimate in the laws."
He opened his eyes, a flash of understanding crossing them.
"There is no distinction between high and low, only between what is suitable and what is not."
The news spread very quickly.
The news that a seventeen-year-old Saint-level expert from the Holy Alliance had defeated Rex caused quite a stir in the martial arts circles of the O'Brien Empire.
On the third day, a man in his thirties came to the door.
His name is Tieshan, a peak Saint Realm warrior, one of the Martial God's personal disciples, and ranked among the top ten disciples of the Martial God. He cultivates the Earth Element Law and is known for his strength and defense. He is as burly as a mountain, and his presence gives people an unshakeable sense of oppression.
"You're Lin Yun?" Tie Shan stood before Lin Yun, his gaze piercing. "I heard you defeated Rex?"
"Yes," Lin Yun said.
"Rex is my junior brother." Tieshan took a huge shield off his back, its surface swirling with earthen-yellow fighting spirit, as heavy as a mountain. "His loss to you is his problem. But as his senior brother, I have to avenge him."
Lin Yun nodded.
The battle begins.
Tieshan didn't rush to attack. Instead, he held his shield up in front of him, channeling his battle aura into it, making him appear like a moving mountain. His defense was virtually flawless; the earthen-yellow battle aura covering his shield was like the armor of the earth, thick and resilient.
Lin Yun chose wind magic.
He didn't use Dimensional Slash—that kind of profound and mysterious technique was too domineering in battles of the same level. He used the most basic Wind Blade, but each wind blade precisely struck the same spot on the Iron Mountain Shield.
"Ding ding ding—"
The wind blades collided with the shield, producing a crisp metallic sound. Iron Mountain's shield remained unmoved, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Wind magic is useless against me," Tieshan said. "My earth-based battle aura excels at defense."
Lin Yun did not answer. He closed his eyes and used his mental power to sense the flow of battle qi on the Iron Mountain Shield. That layer of earth-yellow battle qi was not static, but constantly flowing, like a living armor. That was the "Earth Pulse" from the Earth-based laws—resonating with the earth, making the defense as unshakeable as the earth itself.
"I see." Lin Yun opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He changed his strategy. Instead of attacking the shield with wind blades, he shot them at the ground at the foot of Iron Mountain.
"Boom—Boom—Boom—"
Blades of wind slashed across the ground, sending shards of rock flying and dust billowing. The ground at the foot of Iron Mountain began to crumble, and his body began to sway.
"You..." Tieshan's expression changed, and he quickly adjusted his center of gravity.
But Lin Yun didn't give him a chance. The wind blades relentlessly slashed at the ground, making the foothold at the foot of Iron Mountain increasingly smaller. He had no choice but to move, searching for a new foothold.
In the instant he moved, his defense showed a slight weakness.
Right now.
Lin Yun waved his right hand, and a wind blade flew out along the ground, entered through the gap under the Iron Mountain Shield, and struck his calf.
Tieshan's body swayed, and his shield dropped.
"I lost." Tie Shan's voice carried a hint of resentment, but more so admiration. "Your wind-elemental laws are far more profound than I expected. It wasn't a head-on collision, but rather using the opponent's force against them. Brilliant."
"Senior's earth-based battle aura defense is very strong," Lin Yun said. "But every defense has a weakness. The weakness of earth-based battle aura is the earth itself. When it is separated from the ground, the foundation of earth-based battle aura will be shaken."
Tieshan was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I have learned a lot."
He put away his shield and turned to leave.
Lin Yun sat down cross-legged. His battle with Tie Shan had given him a certain understanding of the "Earth Pulse" principle of the Earth element. Tie Shan's ability to merge his own power with the earth's power had greatly inspired him.
"The core of the Earth-based laws is not to control the earth, but to become a part of the earth," Lin Yun murmured.
He closed his eyes, feeling the pulse of the earth beneath his feet. It was an extremely subtle vibration, coming from deep underground, from the breath of the rocks, from the rhythm of the soil. He had never noticed these things before, but now, inspired by Tieshan, he was beginning to touch that threshold.
"The earth is pulsating... I see."
In the days that followed, one after another, disciples of the Martial God came to visit.
Some were at the mid-stage of the Saint Realm, some at the high-stage, and some at the peak. They came from all over the O'Brien Empire; some came because of their reputation, and some were called by their fellow disciples to "get revenge."
Lin Yun accepted all comers.
He suppressed his strength to the same level as his opponent, without using any advantage in cultivation, relying solely on his understanding and application of the laws to fight.
He used the "Sharpness of Ice" of the Water element to counter the explosive fire element battle aura, the "Profound Mystery of Explosion" of the Fire element to neutralize the speed of the Wind element battle aura, the "Clone Technique" of the Wind element to confuse the perception of the Earth element battle aura, the "Gravity Space" of the Earth element to suppress the speed of the Light element battle aura, and the "Lightning Speed" of the Lightning element to pursue the stealth of the Dark element battle aura...
The seven systems rotate in a cycle, mutually generating and restraining each other.
Every battle is a lesson learned. The way the opponent circulates their battle aura, their understanding of the laws, their combat techniques—all of these constantly enrich his own knowledge of the laws.
His lightning-based laws are improving, his wind-based laws are improving, his water-based laws are improving, his fire-based laws are improving, his earth-based laws are improving, his light-based laws are improving, and his dark-based laws are also improving.
Fourteen profound mysteries, each becoming more refined through battle.
Two weeks later, the last person arrived.
Andalu, one of the strongest disciples under the God of War, is a peak warrior of the Saint Realm, cultivating light-based battle qi. His sword speed is known as "light speed," ranking among the top three of the God of War's many personal disciples, second only to his senior brother, Fan, and no weaker than the so-called number one Saint Realm swordsman, Hedson! He ranks among the top in the third tier!
"Lin Yun Baruch." Andalu stood before Lin Yun, his gaze sharp as a sword. "You defeated seventeen of my fellow disciples. Today, I've come to learn from you."
"Please." Lin Yun stood up.
"I won't suppress my strength," Andalu said. "Neither do you need to. I want to see just how strong you really are."
Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded.
He no longer suppressed his strength, releasing all his high-level Saint-level spiritual power. Although he did not transform into a dragon, his mage cultivation had already reached the high-level Saint level, and with his comprehension of the seven elemental laws, his true strength far surpassed that of an ordinary peak Saint.
Andalu drew his longsword, its blade entirely silver-white, gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight. He channeled his battle aura into the sword, coating the blade with a layer of white light and radiating intense heat.
"You make the first move," Andalu said.
Lin Yun didn't stand on ceremony. He raised his right hand and unleashed a dimensional slash towards Andalu.
Andalu's body suddenly became blurry. The Dimensional Slash passed through his body but did not hit anything—it was the "Mystery of Refraction" in the Law of Light, which uses the refraction of light to create an illusory figure, making it impossible for the opponent to determine the true location.
Lin Yun closed his eyes, no longer relying on sight, but using his mental power to perceive.
Andalu's true position is on his left, and he is rapidly approaching.
Lin Yun suddenly turned around, and a lightning spear shot in that direction.
Andalu's figure appeared, and with a swing of his longsword, he shattered the lightning spear. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—this boy could actually see through his light refraction.
"His mental strength is very strong," Andalu said, "but it's not enough."
His body blurred again. This time, it wasn't just one afterimage, but seven or eight afterimages appeared simultaneously, rushing towards Lin Yun from different directions.
The Law of Light – Multiple Refraction.
Lin Yun's mental perception couldn't lock onto so many afterimages simultaneously. He didn't panic, but instead unleashed the lightning magic "Lightning Net." Purple lightning erupted from his body, spreading in all directions to form an electric net covering the entire open space.
The afterimages dissipated under the impact of the lightning, and Andalu's true form was forced out. His longsword was covered with white battle aura, keeping the lightning at bay.
"Lightning-type magic." A hint of admiration flashed in Andalu's eyes. "Your lightning-type magic is indeed very strong. But light-type battle aura is the fastest."
His body suddenly accelerated, so fast that Lin Yun's mental energy could hardly keep up. That was the "Speed of Light" from the Light Element Laws—infusing his entire body with battle qi to reach the ultimate speed.
Lin Yun had no time to dodge and could only push his defensive magic to its limit. Earth Guardian Armor, Water Curtain, Wind Guardian, Lightning Barrier... seven layers of defense were stacked simultaneously.
Andalu's longsword pierced through the first layer, the second layer, the third layer... until it stopped at the sixth layer.
Cold sweat beaded on Lin Yun's forehead. If Andalu's strength had been just a little stronger, that sword strike would have pierced through all of his defenses.
"Your defense is strong." Andalu sheathed his sword and stepped back. "But defense alone cannot win you a battle."
Lin Yun took a deep breath and concentrated his mental energy to the extreme.
He needs to change his strategy.
Andalu was too fast; his magic couldn't keep up. The only thing that could limit Jian Chen's speed was the earth-based magic "Gravity Spell."
Lin Yun formed hand seals, and an invisible gravity field spread out from his body. It wasn't a complete earth-type gravity space, but a simplified version he had created on the spot based on his insights from the previous battle. Although its power was not as great as a real gravity space, it was enough to reduce Andalu's speed by 30%.
Andalu felt his body sink, and his speed suddenly decreased. A look of shock flashed in his eyes.
"Gravity space? You've also mastered the laws of the earth system?"
"It's just the tip of the iceberg," Lin Yun said.
But even a small amount of something can change the course of a battle.
Andalu's speed was no longer invincible. Lin Yun's magic began to be able to lock onto his position. Dimensional Slash, Thunder Spear, Holy Light Spear, Explosive Flame... various spells bombarded him in turn, forcing Andalu to constantly dodge.
The battle lasted for nearly fifteen minutes.
Finally, Andalu stopped.
"You won," he said, his tone tinged with a hint of resentment, but mostly with acknowledgment. "My speed was countered by your gravity-based space, preventing me from unleashing my full potential. If we had continued, I would have undoubtedly lost."
Lin Yun withdrew the gravity space and bowed slightly: "Thank you for your kind offer."
Andalu looked at Lin Yun, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Your talent is the best I've ever seen. You cultivate so many different systems of laws, and you've achieved considerable proficiency in each one. But your weakness is also obvious—you haven't reached the pinnacle of any one system. If you could specialize in one system, your strength might be even greater."
"I know," Lin Yun said, "but the path I've chosen is to study with fellow students from multiple departments."
Andalu nodded without saying anything more. He sheathed his sword, turned, and flew away from the mountain peak.
Lin Yun stood still and closed his eyes.
This battle with Andalu was the most rewarding one he had fought in the past two weeks. The "speed of light" and "mysterious refraction" of the light-based laws kept replaying in his mind. That extreme speed, that indistinguishable illusion, had elevated his understanding of the light-based laws to a new level.
"The speed of light... refraction..." Lin Yun murmured, "I see."
He raised his right hand, and a white light condensed in his palm. The light was not large, but the power of the light-based laws contained within it was much purer than before.
With a gentle wave of his hand, light shot out, leaving afterimages in the air—not magic, but pure light. Those afterimages lingered in the air for less than half a second before dissipating, but Lin Yun's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Refractive mysteries have been refined to another level."
After a two-week challenge, all fourteen profound mysteries have shown varying degrees of progress.
Lightning Laws: Lightning speed is increased, lightning resonance is refined, and the power of lightning explosions is enhanced to a higher level.
The laws of light: the speed of light has been glimpsed, and the mysteries of refraction have reached new heights.
Dark Laws: The mysteries of dark elements are more profound and deep, and the perception of dark power is more acute.
Earth Element Laws: The application of power and mystery has become more refined, and the profound mysteries of Earth Movement Technique have reached a deeper level. At the same time, a certain understanding of the earth's pulse has also been gained!
Fire Element Laws: The mastery of the profound mysteries of the fire element is more refined, and the power of the explosive mysteries is greatly enhanced.
Water Element Laws: The illusions of mist are more realistic, and the sharpness of ice is doubled.
Wind-based Laws: The profound technique of clones can create multiple solid clones, and the cutting power of the dimensional mysteries is more stable.
Every battle was a gain. And every gain brought him one step closer to godhood.