Chapter 19: Dao Fruit Metamorphosis, Thousand-Year Genius

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

There was a hint of fear in Lin Qingyin’s voice. Accompanied by the cold spring rain, the atmosphere seemed a little cold.

The man in the bamboo hat and straw cape slowly raised his head, revealing a handsome face under the bamboo hat. He had a high nose bridge, sharp eyebrows, and deep eyes that seemed to contain the boundless starry sky.

This man was indeed too handsome. Even An Le, who thought that he was good-looking, lacked the charm that a mature man should have.

“So it’s Qingyin…”

Fourth Master Lin’s voice was a little hoarse as he glanced at Lin Qingyin. With his cultivation level, he could naturally hear Lin Qingyin’s previous words. However, the man was already used to it and did not care.

“Please forgive me, Fourth Uncle.”

Lin Qingyin hurriedly bowed. It was shameful to talk about others behind their backs, and it was even more embarrassing to be caught red-handed.

“It’s fine. What you said is the truth. Since I’m willing to return from the Yuan Meng Imperial Capital back to Lin’an, I’m naturally prepared to be despised by the world.”

The man smiled gently, appearing rather carefree.

Then, his gaze turned and landed on An Le. He was stunned when he first saw An Le’s handsome face, as if he had seen his younger self in An Le.

“You’re the painter that Sister-in-law personally saved?” Fourth Master Lin asked.

An Le held the oil-paper umbrella with one hand and raised the other to his chest. He bowed and said, “Greetings, Fourth Master.”

Fourth Master Lin nodded, and the spring rain curtain in front of his bamboo hat intertwined and fell.

“The one who attacked was that little fellow called Luo Qingchen, right? With the Qin Residence backing him up, he naturally has no fear of the Lin Residence. Back then, Seventh Brother killed the second young master of the Qin Residence in the Martial Arts Arena. The grudge that he had formed is still continuing to this day.”

“Now that you’re being targeted, it’s better to be careful.” Fourth Master Lin said.

When An Le heard this, he could not help but sigh. These people from the Lin Mansion were indeed kind-hearted.

“Thank you for your reminder, Fourth Master. I will pay attention. However, since I’ve joined the Lin Residence, I can’t stay out of it. I have to face both the wind and the rain.”

Lin Zhuifeng grinned and said, “Fourth Master, First Madam said that as long as she is in Lin’an, she will protect Young Master An.”

Fourth Master Lin’s face under the bamboo hat instantly changed, and he looked at An Le in surprise.

“This is the Dao Protector’s Word.”

“Since Eldest Sister-in-law has said the Dao Protector’s Word, you can naturally be more at ease…”

However, Fourth Master Lin also understood the deeper meaning of Madam Hua’s words.

“Sister-in-law’s words… imply that she wants to leave Lin’an. Why? Is it because the Emperor used Big Brother’s Storm Calming as a reward for the Hall Examination?”

Fourth Master Lin frowned, and there was a hint of worry in the depths of his eyes.

“Fourth Master, since you’re back, why don’t you let Young Master An paint for you?” Lin Zhuifeng asked after some thought.

Fourth Master Lin came back to his senses, and his expression returned to normal. He shook his head gently. “Forget it. The Imperial Court won’t dare to put me in an important position. I’ve even dragged down the Lin Residence. Since I’m not going to battle now, why do I need to leave something for you to remember…”

“I’ll talk to the Matriarch. Go ahead.”

After saying that, Fourth Master Lin didn’t say anything else to everyone. He took a step forward and disappeared into the misty rain, heading towards Qingfeng Garden.

An Le held the umbrella in one hand and stared at his disappearing figure with the other.

The Age Qi on Fourth Master Lin’s body was extraordinary. There were a hundred wisps intertwined and undulating. In terms of quantity, it was perhaps only slightly less than Madam Hua’s.

An Le thought for a moment and finally couldn’t hold it in. With a thought, the screen’s [Age Qi] column jumped slightly and absorbed a wisp of Age Qi from Fourth Master Lin’s body with difficulty.

Unfortunately, the Age Qi did not flow with gold, which made An Le feel a little regretful. He did not continue to absorb the second wisp.

This was because An Le had a premonition that the remaining power of the light screen might not be able to absorb a second wisp from Fourth Master Lin. However, if it were someone else, he might be able to absorb some.

In fact, if An Le could not absorb the Molten Gold Age Qi, he would have wasted his opportunity. However, sometimes, if he did not try, how would he know that he would not be able to draw the Molten Gold Age Qi and condense the Age Dao Fruit?

Every action had its own rules to follow.

Of course, An Le also looked forward to becoming stronger. After becoming stronger, he would be able to absorb Age Qi and experience more freedom of choice.

…

Luo Qingchen walked on foot in a slightly messy manner, looking a little lost.

His Dao heart was covered in dust once again. The Lin Residence’s Hua Jiebing attacked. Her mind turned into a sword and sword qi poured down like a waterfall. It was so vast and peerless that it made his entire body tremble. Vaguely, he recalled the scene many years ago when the man slapped him to the ground in the snow.

It was a nightmare that he could not get rid of.

Unknowingly, he arrived at the Qin Residence.

As soon as he stepped into the Qin Residence, many people greeted him respectfully. After all, he, Luo Qingchen, was now Young Master Qin’s favorite.

When they arrived at the Qin Residence’s Water Pavilion, rain poured down, blurring the scenery of the Water Pavilion. Between the rockery, a quiet stream flowed.

In the pavilion, a young man in luxurious clothes was reading the chess manual and playing chess.

The chess pieces that he picked up from time to time landed on the sandalwood chessboard, making a crisp sound that drowned out the patter of the rain.

“Young Master.”

Luo Qingchen stood in the rain and cupped his fists.

The young man was still playing chess. He did not even turn his head to look. “Mister, you fought with Hua Jiebing? How do you feel?”

“Unfathomable. He’s a genius like Li You’an.” Luo Qingchen sighed.

In the past, when he walked out of Qingzhou, he was as ambitious as a heavenly immortal. However, when he came to Lin’an and was defeated by the Legendary Top Scholar, Li You’an, his Dao heart was filled with mottled cracks that day.

He knew that there were many talented people, but he, Luo Qingchen, was not qualified.

“Hua Jiebing is the wife of the Sacred Mountain’s Number One Mountain Lord and has received the inheritance of the Sensory Temple. Her Spirit Refinement cultivation is extremely high. However, she is still a little inferior to the Legendary Top Scholar, Li You’an. That is a peerless figure who has been evaluated by the Sacred Teacher.”

The young man stopped playing chess and stood up. He walked to the side of the pavilion and looked at the spring rain that filled the sky.

“Mister’s aura is fluctuating and you are feeling uneasy. Go down and rest early. Jade Guanyin’s Heart Sword is famous in Lin’an. If you don’t get rid of the influence early, I’m afraid it will hinder your breakthrough.” The young man said.

Luo Qingchen nodded, hesitated, and asked, “That young artist…”

“Since Hua Jiebing made a move today, she has made her stance clear. If I send another powerful cultivator to deal with a young man who has just entered the country, I’m afraid Hua Jiebing won’t hold back anymore. It’s not worth it to kill my powerful subordinates for an eighteen-year-old amateur painter.”

“Besides, the Spring Quarter Examination is just around the corner and that young man is a Provincial Scholar. There’s no need to cause trouble at this juncture. Also, the Hall Examination is about to begin. His Majesty is using Storm Calming as a gift. Hua Jiebing can’t sit still. There’s no need to provoke her now.”

“We’ll settle everything after the Spring Quarter Examination and the Hall Examination ends.”

“At that time, this young painter will probably regret entering the Lin Residence.”

The young man stretched out his hand and picked up a spring rain in the sky. He smiled indifferently.

Luo Qingchen frowned slightly. He wanted to say that the young man was a little different from the others. He had passed his Qi Blood Awakening overnight, so his talent might not be as useless as he had imagined.

However, in the eyes of the current Young Master, he had been enlightened late. His low cultivation level was not eye-catching and he was no different from a nobody.

Since the Young Master had already made up his mind, he did not say anything else and left.

The young man in the pavilion looked at Luo Qingchen and shook his head.

“Last time, the Eastern Sea Heart Cleansing Pearl helped you wash away the Dao heart dust, but this time, the shadow of the Jade Guanyin’s Heart Sword can only be removed by you, Luo Qingchen.”

“If it can be expelled, there’s still a possibility of improvement.”

“If it can’t be expelled, then… your value will be greatly reduced.”

…

Lin Residence, Martial Arts Hall.

This was the first time An Le met the many young masters of the Lin Residence.

The atmosphere in the Martial Arts Hall was lively.

These young masters went into battle bare-chested. They held their spears and danced like dragons. They shouted and roared as if they were on the battlefield to welcome the enemy!

Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin were not surprised by this scene. It was An Le’s first time seeing such a scene, and he was a little shocked.

After all, among these young masters of the Lin Residence, the youngest looked to be only seven or eight years old, but he also held a long spear and hummed as he danced.

“This is the third-generation young master of the Lin Residence. Most of them are in the same generation as me. I’m born ninth among my peers, so I’m also called Ninth Sister,” Lin Qingyin introduced An Le with a smile.

An Le nodded and his eyes lit up. He looked at the young masters in the martial arts hall and saw the Age Qi lingering around them. Although there was not much Age Qi on each of them, there were many of them.

With a thought from An Le, although he had absorbed the Age Qi from Fourth Master Lin, the light screen still moved.

He absorbed a total of four wisps of Age Qi from the two young masters practicing nearby.

Four wisps of Age Qi had entered his account, and An Le had now accumulated five wisps!

Without hesitation, he used two wisps of the five wisps of Age Qi on the Age Dao Fruit [Cultivation Genius], bringing the original eight wisps to ten wisps.

In an instant, An Le felt a wave of clear air burst out from under his feet and surged into his mind, bursting out from the top of his head!

It was as if he was soaring into the nine heavens!

Everything was clear to him now.

[Dao begets one, one begets two. Time flows but the ages remain eternal. The Dao Fruit has metamorphosed.]

[Cultivation Genius has evolved into Thousand-Year Genius.]